MAY/JUNE CYCLE BUDDIES!!

[Neffi211]

Hey Everyone!

WOW this board is crazy! I have missed so much! Welcome to all the newcomers! I am still just waiting. AF is ending and I started BCP wed night. I will be on them until the 17th, then baseline scheduled for 5/23. 19 days and counting. I am finally getting over my 5 weeks of sickness, viral I guess. And AF has been nasty, lots of spotting and then heavy! Anyway, DH and I went to the beach again this weekend, it was not warm enough but still nice to get away. We will go back right after my baseline appt for Memorial Day weekend. It looks like there are some people getting started!!! GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU! I have been reading, I just dont have alot to say right now! There are alot of ladies this time around! Its going to be a good month!

ADSGIRL-- thanks for the list!!!!!

[Rinnie]

Ads Thanks for keepin on top of that list! wow....a lot of ladies....it's going to be great!

KYW Go Karen! best of luck & lots of sticky tomorrow. Let us know how it goes...a little one fingered lying down typing


Rin

[AdsGirl]

OK Ladies...I just took my first lupron shot. We are officially on our way now! I'm itchy at the injection site...is that pretty normal? Also, we realized that our lupron bottle is only about 1/3 of the way full...it came in a "2-week kit", but it really doesn't look like it possibly be enough for 2 weeks! For you other lupron ladies...Does that sound right?

Thanks!

[jharris12]

Ads: Congrats on starting Lupron. Me and my DH thought ours was never going to last either, but if your protool is anything like mine, you won't have a problem. I took 10 units the first week and got dropped down to 2.5units since I started stims, so you should be okay!

[aims327]

Ads: Itchy injection site is normal. I felt like all I did was scratch my stomach when I was on lupron. I was on 10 units of lupron up to my ER. I was worried it wouldn't last either but it did.

[Love Bug]

I had plenty of Lupron, even used some on this cycle left over from my last. I did 10 units, then 5...this time I justs started with 5. I did my Lupron/ Follitism tonight and it was a little itchy too. Sometimes it will burn, and that is normal as well. My Follitsm burns if I inject it too close to my Lupron shot.

Hope everyone is well!!!

Love Bug

[SDtrying]

ads- we didn't think our lupron would last, but it did. I usually right down how much medication we have left and bring it with me to review with the nurse. also, i was very itchy initially with lupron, but not any more.

Question for the vets- So this is the second night that they've told me to hold my medications. I'm guessing that means that my E2 levels are good, but I'm getting a little nervous about it. Anyone else had this happen? For the past 2 days i've only been taking Lupron 5 as the clinic instructed.

Hopefully they'll let me trigger tomorrow. My biggest follie was 17 and I have a 15 and 14. I can't imagine that I'll have 2 other 18 tomorrow, but I'm really hoping!! I'll let you know tomorrow. BTW, I'm totally freaking out about the ER.

[SDtrying]

KYW- We'll all be thinking of you tomorrow!!!

Rinnie- Thanks for the encouragement about the use of light sedation, I read my clinic's website and read the same thing- you're exactly right. So i'm less worried now, thanks!

Ads- The college kids call it- Cinco de Drinko here in San Diego!

Imblessed- Thanks for your prayers.

Sorry no time for more personals, but I'm wishing each one of you the best. thanks for all your encouragement about my follies! I know that often even if you start off with a lot often you're down to quite a few by the end, so I'll be thankful for even just one!

[AdsGirl]

Greetings everyone! Thanks so much for the quick replies on my lupron question! My husband suggested we call the clinic or the pharmacy to make sure we got the right amount of lupron...and I said..."no, I'll just ask the ladies on the board!" Sure enough...you all came through! He was quite impressed!

SD Trying - Sounds like your follies are still doing great! With the RE taking you off the stim, I believe they have you "coasting." I've only read about it, but here's what I think I know: They do this to minimize the risk of OHS without having to cancel the cycle (the HcG is what sets OHS in motion). The follies continue to grow while your estradiol level is monitored...once it falls below a specific level, they trigger. The timing of coasting I think is the most critical part...if they do it too early (before your some of your follies have reached 15mm) then the egg may not be great quality or mature enough (this happened to a friend of mine). From what you've described, it seems like the timing is good. Google IVF coasting, and you'll probably find more info.

BTW - I love Cinco de Drinko! Nice!

[jharris12]

Ads: I did the same thing you did! I got my estrogen levels from my bloodwork, and they said it was only 92 so they wanted me to increase my Gonal-f (Follistim) from 150IU to 300 IU. So immediately I'm wondering what my estrogen level should be, should I be worried. So I posted the question here, and in no time I had a couple people give me a reply! You can always count on the wonderful women on these boards!

SD: Looks like your E2 levels are high, and mine are low! But then again, I also have not seen anything saying that there is a certain number to be at! My nurse told me this morning there wasn't a particular number, but that by retrieval they wanted them to be between 1500 & 4000. So I guess we will have to see how my levels were today after increasing my meds yesterday, and then I will probably have to order more Gonal-f already! Good luck w/your ER!!

How is everyone else this morning?

[IrishHope]

http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hormonelevels.html

This website was helpful for me to figure out if my estradoil levels were ok - the nurse would just call and give me a number and I was so confused and this helped me during stimming so thought I'd share...

Good luck to all who are stimming and those who are getting ready to trigger!!

I've been reading but not much to post since I haven't started Lupron yet! Hopefully tomorrow...

[SDtrying]

Ads, JHarris, and irishhope- thanks for your quick responses. So I did a PubMed search on "coasting and IVF" which was not very encouraging. Don't worry, I'm not going to worry about it. I know that statistics really don't matter for the individual person and it certainly doesn't help at all to worry about it. So basically what i read was that there is some data that shows that "coasting" is associated with lower fertilization rates. We'll see. I guess the important thing is my health and if they think it can reduce OHSS then I guess they need to do what's best.

My current biggest challenge is trying to figure out how my DH can get off work to give his swimmers for my ER! Since we're trying to pay for this whole thing, my DH took some extra work shifts and now it looks like one of them is exactly on my estimated ER date! oh dear......(deep breath) things will work out in the end.....

[jharris12]

SD, me and my DH are trying to figure out the same thing! My DH just started a new job a couple months ago, so he doesn't have much vacation time built up yet. And seeing as how we haven't told anyone we are doing IVF, it's not like I have someone else that can take me for ET either. SO that's 2 days he would have to take off. For at least half the day anyway. So we are going to have to figure something out. We are hoping one of those days will fall on the weekend, but it's hard to tell. We don't want to have to decide who gets told if someone else has to take me!! Oh the joys and stresses of IVF!! I'm sure if your RE has you "coasting" then they know where you stand and what your best chances are. What were your E2 levels? Good luck!

[*kristen*]

UGH. I was sure AF was starting this weekend (and by dates should be) and she is still not here. I wonder if it's the stress of waiting for her to come that is stopping it.

Any suggestions?

[AdsGirl]

SDTrying - Please don't be discouraged! I think it's good that they apparently identified the risk for OHS and are taking proactive steps so they don't have to cancel your cycle! I know there is discouraging data out there about poor fertilization rates and coasting, but the IVF book I have says that it is a very successful technique of it is timed correctly. Since you are so close to your trigger, it seems like the timing is probably pretty good! Keep your spirits up and your thoughts positive! We are all sending you good vibes and praying for the best! Keep us posted!

Kristen - Sorry to hear AF is slowing you down! She'll show up soon, I'm sure!

jharris & SD - That stinks that you are both having trouble with your DHs' work schedules. jharris - I really think you should do everything possible to have your DH with you for the ET. Good luck to both of you...hope it works out!