anyone going for retrieval around july 22 or close???

[babyloves]

Hi everyone,
I'm kinda on both the june/july and aug/sept threads...but feel that both groups have people not in my cycle...they are sooo supportive tho' and i'll keep in touch with them as well. I got excited seeing this thread since my ET will probably be around july 23rd or so. I just started stimming today - gonal F in am, then same and menopur in pm. Using the ganirelix protocol...this is our first. I'm sooo hoping for this, and i just don't know what i'll do if this fails too. I know what you guys are saying about work vs. no work and distractions. I just finished my medical fellowship after 15 yrs of schooling... i was so burnt out and ready to be done. I really think stress had a lot to do with our failing IUI's. Caused my prolactin to be high which didn't help. Everyone apt was a big stress on me (rushing to work afterwards, etc). I have 4 mos off now. I think we'll all a little OCD with this as we have to be more vigilant about our bodies and cycles than most TTC. Kim: I'm in No. Virginia too - do you go to Shady Grove - that's where i'm at. I'm not doing AP - are you guys doing any of that or prenatal yoga, etc? Okay well, nice to meet you and talk later!

[venus25]

Hi ladies! I'm on about the same schedule as you. I am on the flare protocol so no down reg for me. I went in this morning for my baseline testing. If all my #s come back good, I will get the green light to begin my IVF #2. I will start taking the stim meds tonight (Gonal-F and Lupron). I am so hoping I can get started. If things play out like they did with my last cycle, I will have my ER on July 22nd too. Last time we did a 3 day transfer (2 embies). I'm really hoping to make it to 5-day blasts. I have also been doing acupuncture for the last couple months and will continue doing it through the IVF cycle. I had a similar problem as you in my last cycle - the embies just didn't implant. The doc said all looked well throughout the cycle so I was really disappointed. However, now I'm full of hope and energy again and ready to take on this rollarcoaster. It just has to work this time

I was lucky in that I didn't have any real side effects to the meds. Towards the end of the stim meds, my ab area was sore and uncomfortable (felt like I had 2 baseballs in there). I too try to keep busy so my type-A personality does not obsess too much. It's hard not to obsess but staying busy with work helps. I work full time as well so that helps.


I've got our fingers crossed for all of us!!!

[mkdig]

Wow! Our group is getting big! I guess that means lots of bfp's around the same time

Kim-What type of engineer are you? My dh is an electrical engineer....you guys defenitly are type A's!! Big ditto on the grumpiness from lupron. Hopefully that gets better when stims start?

Babyloves-Yay for the four months off. sounds like the perfect time (if there is one, to do ivf) Sounds like you deserve the time off after all of that.

Venus25-Welcome! I hope you get to start stims tonight, you must be excited, I should start thurday, cant wait. That seems like alot of days to be stimming, how many days did it take last time?

Hope this is it for all of us!!

[RBJean]

Kim: I'm with you on the working thing. I'm a lawyer and generally work bet 50-55 hrs a week. I let my boss into the loop so that I could get some flexibility during my last cycle and take time off where need be. So far I've had flexibility where I needed it - so it's been fine. We told a lot of people about our last cycle (family & friends) but after having to tell everyone about our BFN we decided to keep this cycle on the DL.

MK: I'm just like you - hanging out this week waiting to start poking myself in the stomach. It's weird I actually look forward to that! It's nice to stop the BCPs though - for some reason my chest gets ultrasore from then (though DH thought the extra cup size was cool). I have my baseline tomorrow morning - so hopefully all is well to start stims on Friday.

Krysta: Welcome! I didn't have too bad of side effects from the drugs. I got headaches for a while on Lupron and some bloating and fullness when all the eggs were growing - that was about it. The worst part was after my BFN when all the hormones were leaving my body was trying to find "normal" again. All in all, not as bad as I thought it would be.

Babyloves and Venus: Welcome! We're all on very close tracks so I'm excited to see how it goes for everyone. Babyloves - holy crap, 15 years of school! You deserve a break. Maybe the downtime is just what you need to finally get your BFP.

[RBJean]

Say, is anyone switching up their diet for this cycle? I struggle with what to do, what not to do. I tried to do everything right last time, but it didn't seem to make any difference. Either way, I'm doing the same thing this time - little or no caffeine, more fruits and veggies, extra protein (turkey burgers, eggs, sunflower seeds etc.). I heard L'Arginine is good during IVF because it's a tissue builder and should help w/ egg quality. So I load up on sunflower seeds, gelatin, turkey etc.

I haven't taken the AP plunge (never done it) but hear lots of good things about it.

[venus25]

I just got the green light from the doc to begin the stim meds tonight. Phew!!!!!!!! One hurdle behind us:) I took stim meds for 13 days last cycle and had ER on the 15th day. I had to get bumped up in medication in the middle of the cycle so that may have made it longer. I'm anticipating it will be around 13 days again - give or take a day. I have high FSH so my follicle sizes are all over the place. We know that there will be some "overcooked" eggs, some "undercooked" eggs, and some that are just right. So the doc tries to maximize the number of just right eggs.

We have only told our parents and a few select friends about the IVF for support and extra prayers. I'm also an attorney and I have only told 2 attorneys that I work with (not the boss) b/c I want to keep it on the DL. I told the 2 attorneys so that I have backup if I need coverage for court, depos, etc. I had to explain to them why I'm not sure which days I'll need coverage so it was just easier letting them in on it. They are wonderful women and very supportive and I trust them to keep it secret. So it's all good.

I don't change my diet much - I try to avoid caffeine and I don't drink any alcohol. I don't know if it helps but it doesn't hurt. I try to keep up exercising too. I didn't last cycle but I plan to this cycle. I'll stop after ER but I will up until then. I will also continue with the AP. It's fabulous and I'm sooooooooo hoping it's what I need to make this work.

[mkdig]

Well I guess I know where to go if I need a good lawyer!
venus-congrats on starting stims..so exciting. whoever thought they'd be so excited to inject themselves?? Are you guys doing the shots or are your dh's? We thought dh would do mine, but the timing is so not gonna work. Ive been doing the lupron so will probably do the stims too. I guess he has to do the big bad trigger shot though? Your re sounds like they have a good plan to get lots of good eggs.

Rb-I am trying to eat healty, only problem is I have such a sweet tooth! I am staying away from caffiene and alcohol. I eat a lot of fruits and veggies anyway, just trying to lay off the candy!! I excercise a lot and will try to keep that up, I am wondering if it will be hard when on stims and feeling bloated?

As far as telling people goes....I have told more people than I wish I had. I have told my family, a few people at work (which means everyone at work knows ) and a few of our friends know. In retrospect I wish I hadnt, I didnt set out to, it always just sort of came up. You know, like, why arent you guys drinking? uhhhh. Now Im just worried they are all waiting to see what happens. So I know I will feel weird if I have bad news. At least most of them dont know the details or timeline.

[babyloves]

Hi ladies!
I'm excited that most of you are close to me in stimming etc. Its cool to know there are professionals in the group. I'm a physician and just finished a subspecialty in infectious disease. Doesn't really help me at all with this RE and IVF stuff, just as chicken with the shots. I'm convinced stress is huge part as i had 12 hour days pretty much every day for the last 3 years. Anyways, my belly is already slightly sore, and I can see needle marks! Will work on a better technique tonite..bevel up, short quick jab, angled slightly, maybe ice first?

As far the diet, i cut out coffee after coming back from darjeeling where we drank lots of tea...then started drinking green, jasmine or darjeeling tea daily. My nephew who is a health nut (living with us for now) makes smoothies in the morning with greens (swiss chard, etc), mangoes and bananas...its better than it sounds . I usu. have a glass in the morning. We don't drink at all or smoke (duh!). I try to eat vegetarian about 4 times per week. Added more fruit - like 2 per day. I'm really bad about dairy...don't get much calcium. I don't snack all day like suggested by someone on the other threads. Don't know if that's good or not.

Is anyone's DH taking a vitamin or folate? I think mine should, but he doesn't belive in vitamins...he's a doc too.

krysta i'm a new 1st timer too..welcome to the board!!
venus i'm only a day ahead of you! What kinda protocol did you use last time that you had to have increased? Do they increase it based on follicle size or E2? What should your E2 be upto before ER?
mydig yeah, telling people has a domino effect...you tell one and it become easier to tell more. I've only told my parents and sister, the boss. A few at work know about the fertility issues... I told one person who is our age to stop BCPs sooner than she planned...i wish we hadn't used contraception after marriage either as i was about 27 then..oh well..shouldn't think of that now. Got to look forward to a BFP!!
RBjean[/b I'm not doing AP either..I'm not a huge believer in alternative healing, but i do think that anything that lowers stress is helpful. I probably would have done AP if it weren't soo expensive to be honest. I've heard raising your legs at night to increase blood flow to the pelvis is good too. I'm doing yoga now which is nice.

Okay then, have a good night all!

[mkdig]

babyloves-My re put my dh on a multivitamin with antioxidants. She said it would help with sperm quality.

[RBJean]

MK: I do my own injections (except for the intramusculars). I tried to get DH to participate in the stim shots so that he was more "engaged" but he wasn't too excited about it. I also regretted telling so many people our 1st cycle - but they all new the timing and I was getting phone calls from people the day I got my BFN because they wanted to know the news. I felt like it was unneeded pressure, but once I started telling people, the dam was broken you know! I'm trying to use this board more as an outlet instead of other people now.

Venus: Congrats on getting started. Hopefully the stimming goes quickly for all of us. I swear, all the waiting is the hard part. Too much time for your mind to play tricks.

Babyloves: My DH finally is taking a fertility blend vitamin b/c of his DNA fragmentation issues - at the suggestion of our RE. He also doesn't think they help much, but finally agreed to take them when the doc suggested it.


1st microlupron shot in the morning - and then the baseline for me. Have a good night everyone.

[kim14]

Wow there are so many of us! When I started this I had no idea that i would find so many women cycling around july 22 give or take. Its amazing how we are all on slightly different meds and protocols. I am doing lupron this week and start on gonal and repronex as soon as i get my period this week.

Baby - I am at shady grove too! How do you like it? My cycle went great last time it just didnt implant.

Mk - I am an urban planner which i constantly remind my type a engineer coworkers

The diet thing is hard for me. I cut back to one cup of coffee a day and no alcohol but thats about it. I hadnt heard about the sunflower seeds and turkey - hey if it works, ill try it!!! Accupuncture this time around. Well see if it helps witht he bloating i had from all the hormones. I totally agree you dont feel better for like 10 days after your bfn but hopefully none of us will have those!!! I stimmed for about 12 or 13 days i think but this time they have lowered my meds so i wont get 23 eggs but may not have such bad tummy issues!

I am so relieved that my boss knows this time around that alot of my meetings/travel plans have to remain up in the air that is definitely the greatest challenge for me. I hate being wishy washy about committing to things but this is way more important! Do you guys all know people who have had sucess with ivf. My coworker did last year and now she is a stay home mom.

Talk to you guys soon

Hope everyone is having a great week.

[babyloves]

kim - cool, you're from Shady Grove too. I like the annandale office, and Dr. Saffan is very optimistic about me, but was actually suggesting a 4th IUI which i declined - enuf's enuf. How was the rockville office for the ER and ET? I think that's the only place they have these procedures, right. Are u doing shared risk?

I know two people who've had success with IVF...one with some cystic fibrosis genetic issue who got BFP after many cycles and one with high FSH who got it after 1st cycle. Apparently there's a thread for success after treatment which i read to stay positive sometimes.

Here's to lots of BFPs for us july IVF'ers!

[emfossum]

My retrieval is scheduled on 8/6 with transfer either 8/9 or 8/11.

I just started BCPs today. I am pretty nervous about this whole thing, and feel extremely emotional. Is there anyone out there that is new to all of this? I am still trying to understand the acronyms.

We have failed at 5 IUIs, one was with injectables. We are now moving on to IVF. We have both male factor and female factor because I am almost 41.

[kim14]

Baby - Hi! i am at the fair oaks office. I have heard Saffron is great. I have brown and i like her. I am a bit nervous about changing my meds from last cycle - im on half the lupron and will stop it this time when i start the stims. I hope it works. It worked well last time but my hormone level was so high that i got really sick so this is supposed to help. I read about all these canceled cycles and it makes me nervous. Md is fine for et and er - honestly kind of a big factory - they do like 30 a day. It was very efficient. My DH has his procedure right before mine. We go first- at the crack of dawn - they do male procedures first in the day. My accup was recommended by SG. Its pricey - $80 a week! Ive been going since may. We are not doing shared risk. U? I totally agree about your iu1, time to try something different. Well give this 3 tries after that doc said it has way less of a chance of working. she also was very positive with us since im healthy and 34 but we just need one of those suckers to stick!

[babyloves]

Kim: yeah, how do we predict which will implant when...its all a game...i've heard pineapple and other anecdotal stuff help. We're not doing shared risk either, just like you said, after 3, less chances. The AP is $80 per week? - does that mean one session? They told me $125 for the 1st session, then $95 per session...don't know if they've raised their prices. Where do you go for the AP...i might try it for the next cycle if things don't work.

Welcome emfossum..don't wory, IVF is a crazy rollercoaster, but its one step at a time. We're all in us together, and the ladies here are awesome. Its my 1st too.