OCT / NOV / DEC 2008 Buddies

[NY4thtry]

ladies

CGH is like very advanced PGD the way i understand it.. frankly despite reading the papers on it the details ppuzzle me but it makes sense.. to learn more go to www.haveababy.com.

DHEA is a hormone that your body produces and diminishes as you get older.

where do you find those little smileys theonly ones i see are to the left and that is minimal..

[Kas101]

babyhope hey babyhope, DHEA stands for dehydroepiandrosterone - a real mouthful there!!!!! Dont quote me on the science behind all of this, but its essentially a treatment that has been proven in some circles to help produce more follicles, better quality eggs and embryos specifically in older ladies and those with a diminished ovarian reserve. Not all RE's seem to like it but its available at GNC and 75g a day for 2 months seems to be the accepted dosage instructions. As you can see a few of us are giving it a go this cycle - others may be able to give you more detailed info. but i hope this helps!!!

NY4thtry Im so interested in Dr Toth's antibac theory I have printed off info from his website and intend to present it to my new (potential) RE on Wednesday. i would like to undergo some similar treatment and hopefuly he will agree. I am also booking up with accupuncture, doing DHEA and anything else anyone recommeds i will try!!!! No more BFN's PLEASE...

I have found the CD i was talking about earlier. Its a visualisation CD from anjionline.com i ordered it today - hey it can only help!!!!

[NY4thtry]

Kas

Dr Toths theorys are controversial... The REs at Cornell dont agree with it at all.. My ObGYN thinks its bunk but cant hurt.. my new RE DR Sher again thinks it cant hurt..

Living in NY i keep mentioning it to people and keep coming up with people that he has helped.. and more importantly it makes sense to me intuitively... so i start tomorrow.. not looking forward to carrying an iv bag around for 10 days.. i am supposed to go to a fancy wedding in Fla nwxt weekend i am going to send DH alone.. this is my priority right now

Who is your new potential RE? It was agonizing for me ho to switch to...

But also my advice take some matters into your own hands you dont need to tell them everything

Fun.. I had to take it into my own hands my DH is ready to give up

[Kas101]

NY4th I had no choice but to change RE as DH's job had taken us away from home until Feb. As i wont be working i thought its a great time to try again and make getting PG a full time job also!

I picked a local RE in Indiana, and although none seem to have these really high success rates i see in top clinics, he is more affordable (self-pay), very local (we only have one car while we are here) and advocates DHEA which i like. Travelling cross country is just out for us right now as DH cant take time off, cost of flights, hotel rooms would need to hire a car etc bump up the cost so much. There is a SIRM office in Illinois about 2 and 1/2 hours away and i'm tempted, but wonder whether this satellite clinc can produce the same results as the main clinic - always thought it was the skill of the RE and lab that make good results...tough to make a decision. If my new RE will instigate some kind of antibiotic therapy i will definately go with him - my gut tells me that could be my answer. Also i will carry on with DHEA, and do accupuncture, so i'm trying my best!!!

So when do you start the therapy in relation to starting stims? If you do the therapy are you allowed IC as i read sperm contains bacteria so would that re-introduce potential bacteria into your sqeaky clean uterus?? WOuld love to know more about this - also are you paying out of pocket for the antibac treatments?? If so is it expensive? I a willing to try anything but need to keep an eye on the cost (although i would sell everything i own to have this baby!!!!)

[foreverlove]

Good Morning Ladies! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I usually dont get on the computer at home much since I am on one all day at work. Well I got AF this weekend so now I just wait until she comes again in Oct. and I call my doctor so he can figure out the medication schedule. I am getting excited but nervous as it gets closer. I will have to call the doctor and see what his take is on DHEA as I am 35/36 in December and I know the chances of getting pregnant at 35 start going down. If there is any small possibility that DHEA could help then I am all for it. It is so nice to see more ladies joining us as we continue our journey. Yeah for us for being so strong and taking on this emotional journey together.

[to_have_fun08]

Kas - I read your post to Ghost. I think it is unusual for your RE to already label you as a low responder. Maybe not the best responder but heck you arn't 21 still. Your FSH and E2 levels are low and you weren't at the highest dosage of medicine. I have seen lots of ladies be on 600U of follistiim a day. I was on 225U of Follistim and 75 u of menopure for most of my cycle. They upped me to 150 u of menopure when they added ganirelix into the cycle. I am sure your next RE will be able to find a better protocol.

NY4thtry - I have been searching the internet for smiley's. There are some on http://www.freesmileys.org/. At the bottom of the smiley's there are several links, copy the link that begins with URL and then just delete everything before and after

take off everything before and after

I have found a bunch more, I have been just copying them to my computer and then uploading them to photobucket so it is easier to post them. I haven't found any really good books to read lately so finding smiley's has given me something to do.

I also found a site where you can put your own quotes with a smiley. It is in different language so I just played around till I kind of figured it out. Once again after making the smiley I right clicked and saved it to my computer and then uploaded it to my photobucket account.
http://www.cheesebuerger.de/smiliegenerator/

foreverlove - we are in the same boat, I am just waiting for AF to come again in Oct so I can start BCP's. I am keeping my fingers crossed that maybe AF won't come. I am O'ing this week so I am praying maybe the conventional way will work. Though not getting my hopes up.

Hope everyone else is having a good day.

Chris

[chenry4413]

Hi Ladies!
I recognize some of you from other posts. I got a BFN in August and I'm going for IVF#2 in Oct but do not have my dates yet since I am waiting for AF. Good luck to everyone!

NY4thtry: I had a consult with Dr. T at SIRM. I am trying to decide whether to stick with Cornell or change REs and move to SIRM. I know your decision was very difficult and I was wondering what helped you choose SIRM.

I like that Dr T. thoughtfully reviewed my history /IVF#1 protocol. He defintiely said he would make some changes to the timing and doses of meds during stimming in hopes to minimize any decrease in quality that stiming might do to eggs. He also said soemthing of interest: that although there is nothing proven to increase the quality of eggs, there are approaches that may minimize any decrease in egg quality (i.e. through using the appropriate protocol). I really like the staggered IVF (CHG) idea since my problem is chromosomally abnormal embryos (just looking for 1 good one!). On the other hand, Cornell (Spandorfer) is also changing my protocol and they have such a great reputation.

I hope everyone is doing well!

[to_have_fun08]

chenry4413 -- Welcome to the board. Looks like you have been also doing a lot of research. Looking forward to cycling with you.

Chris

[foreverlove]

to_have_fun08 - love the spinning bananas!!! I will have to try and check out some of the fun stuff to add. I am actually doing as you are - hoping that AF doesnt come in Oct. due to already getting pregnant naturally - I know my chances are low due to only one tube, but there is a small chance. I am going to try and time it right this month and see what happens - I always hated doing that.

I have a question for everyone. So I am waiting for AF to come now in Oct. in order to call my doctor, but he is going to suppress my cycle so I can do ER/ET the week after Thanksgiving due to me being on vacation - do you think this will hinder my chances of get a positive result since they will be suppressing longer? I am worried about every little thing since this is my first IVF.

[to_have_fun08]

foreverlove - I don't think it will have an effect on a positive. The worse case scenerio is that it could possibly suppress too much and you won't respond to meds as well. I really don't know what the odds of that are but if it would be a problem with over suppression then your RE could up your dosage of meds or possibly cancel your cycle. You probably won't have a problem. There are a lot of gals that are BCP's for two months before beginning a cycle. Of course I am not a RE so you might want to ask yours if that is really bothering you.

Chris

[NY4thtry]

Chenry,

I decided to change and it was a VERY hard decision.. especially since Rosenwaks himslef got involved in my case.. but in the end i just felt that while they have a great reputation they are very rigid.. i cycled twice there and while they changed my protocol..i felt like it is too much of a factory .. i started to resent the lack of access to the DR and seeing someone different every time.. I am going to work with Dr sher himself..
I like the idea of CGH and staggered IVF .. i also like the fact that they seeem to be much more aggresive with the medecine..

Also if i email dr sher i hear back almost immediately (within 4-5 hours) sometimes dr Kligman didnt answer..

it was really hard to make the decision though..

I am also doing Dr toths antibiotic therapy .. see www.fertilitysolution.com which Sher said he didnt neccasarily believe in but couldnt hurt.. cornell was against it...

pardon the typos this board needs spellcheck

[mally]

Hi to_have_fun08

It was thoughtful of you to start a thread for october/November buddies, I will also start mine at the end of October, so will keep track on this thread, to keep you guys posted and to share our experiences.

Best of Luck to ALL

[to_have_fun08]

Welcome Mally,
Glad you can join us. Will this be your first IVF? Wishing you the best of success and look forward to cycling with you and all the great ladies on this board.

Chris

[Kas101]

To have fun glad you advised me to ask ghost about the FSH etc. Its given me a bit more to go on and gives me hope....

Well today i went to my accupuncture session (first ever). I dont know what to think... I expected it not to hurt at all but several of the needles hurt a lot and some i didnt feel. One in my lower abdomen made my cry out and one on my leg was bad too but after they were adjusted and in, she left me in a darkened room with music and it felt kind of 'floaty'. She said my main issue was emotional distress, which i can go along with as i seem very emotional and cry easily all the time these days. She put 4 magnets in my ears this week and i have to sqeeze them on and off for the next week to help heal my pain. I'm giving it a go.....

So anyway she knows my RE i am seeing tomorrow and says he refers a lot of IVF patients to her, so i like that. I'm still not convinced, but i am booked in for another session on Monday and will giveit a couple of sessions at least.

I am all ready for my RE tomorrow - i have high hopes and i just read on his website that he had his son via IVF so at least i know he has walked in our shoes.....

Will update you all tommorrow, take care all of you,

[to_have_fun08]

kas - That is cool that the RE you will be seeing has walked in our shoes. Sometimes I don't belive that these Re's really know what we are going through and the emotional stress to it all. I am going to try and find a AP in my are that is a fertility specialist. I have found some but no one that I have found specializes in infertility. I really don't know if I could afford it at this time either. It is worth a shot. Good luck at your appointment tomorrow. Hopefully the RE will have a lot of info and good news to give you.

Chris