Anyone cycling July/August 09?

[lw918]

Kaite99: I actually had my follistem pen in a cooler in the car with me on the way to friday's appointment. I took it out to let it warm before I injected and I was compeltely prepared to just pull over on the side of the road and do it if I was stuck in traffic any longer!
As it ended up, I gave myself an injection in the Kohl's Parking lot hahah!

Last week we went to the MLB allstar game and I was drawing up my menopur and lupron on the way home and gave them to myself as we were driving. I told my husband I bet it looked a little bit odd to anyone driving past us! (maybe didn't look so good ahah!)

Thanks for all the dancing and dust and such ladies! I took 3 vials of menopur last night and they put me back on the higher dosage of follistem. I've always end up taking it after my morning appointment so I'm not sure what we will be doing tomorrow.

Keep your fingers crossed that all of those follies increased enough to get the go-ahead tomorrow to continue with wednesday's ER! I'm a nervous wreak!

[BabiesGalore]

Just want to send loads of stickie dust to those going thru ET tomorrow. Good luck everyone.

Also good luck Kayce on the beta!

I am set for ER tomorrow morning. Hoping for loads of eggies!

Lots happening tomorrow.

Loads of baby dust to everyone! will post more tomorrow!

[sunnygirl27]

CT_Michele- that's so great that you are on for Aug cycle!!! YEY! I hope you enjoy the birthday party for your daughter too!

katie99- why am i in nyc? well, vt insurance pays absolutely nothing for ivf.....so my DH came down here last summer for reconstructive surgery
( he had a double hernia- both botched at childbirth where his tubes were both damaged so badly that his surgeon said he had never seen anything like it before...during five hours of surgery they tried to fix them, but to no success). We are at the same hospital because we have found them to have a great ivf success rate. so here i am, with DH for a week or so! why did you start aspirin on Friday? where are you in your cycle?

statsgoddess- good luck this cycle!

beth84- best of luck with the ET......is waiting five days better than three overall for everyone? i think they told me three.

dogzrule & cheekyone- best of luck on your ET tomorrow too, you will also be in my prayers! very sticky prayers!

pamela- welcome! i'm new too! what does prostab mean?

teachertam- it sounds like you have been through this several times, does it get easier? did the "old fashioned" way work? it's gotta be fun!

KayCe- Wow! you are inspiring me right now......i am saying prayers for you that tomorrow will be lifechanging in every way you hope it to be!

Pathfiner- welcome, i'm new and not sleeping well either which is SO unusual for me!

deftonesmo- hi, i'm on follistim and menopur too! day four for me.....what do you mean they "cranked it up?" i'm taking 300 of each...seems like a lot to me already, how about you?

I started the stims four days ago.....i don't have any side effects so far and i am thankful for that ( except that food doesn't interest me at all...which i could live with) . when should i expect things to change? will i experience a lot of pain in my abdomen sooner than later? when do they tell you about the follies? after each u/s, or should i ask? they also won't give me a date for ER yet...one nurse said approx. 11 days after starting stims and one said 15 give or take.....help! why do most of you know and i don't?

thank you ladies! PMA!!!PMA!!!!!!....baby dust to all!

-sunny

[sunnygirl27]

lw918- i also meant to wish you luck this week on the ER! i hope you have lot's! and healthy! why do you have to get up at 4am?

-sunny

[dogzrule]

sunnygirl - I didn't experience any pain on the stims, just a lot of discomfort as I got further into it. If I tried to turn over to my left side at night, for example, I could FEEL my right ovary drop down. It was so gross lol.
I was on stims for 11 days total with my 1st sono on day 4, then they were every couple of days, then every day at the end. They told me (and I got to watch the screen) how many follies I had and the size of all of them, plus the measurement of my uterine lining at every appt. I never had to ask, but if they aren't telling you/showing you, ASK! As for the ER date, they honestly just don't know until you get closer to the end. That's how it was for me too. They had a range of days they were shooting for, but it just depends on how you respond. Hang in there, it'll be here before you know it!!! Doing the grow follies grow dance for you dear!

[lw918]

Sunny: My dr's office is 1 hr and 15 minutes away plus an hr time difference so I've got most appointments at 6:15 or 6:30 a.m. my time. Sometimes I have to go to his main office 2 hrs and 15/20 minutes away- still with the time difference! And of course they want everything done first thing in the a.m. so they can get results in.

As to your questions about the side effects of stims it really just depends on what you are taking. I am on follistem and menopur. I experienced headaches for a few days and anytime the dosage was increased and about day 7 I started bloating, but it wasn't painful- just uncomfortable! It actually decreased after 2 days and now it comes and goes. Everyone is different but as you start to feel things you can always ask your doctor or ask here- I've found that usually the ladies on here offer more insight
As far as your ER, it depends on the follicle growth. I think 11 days is usually the earliest day, but mine will be 12 days assuming the follicles are doing what the need to do tomorrow.
When i first started with the u/s I didn't ask anything and didn't know anything. After being on the boards I realized these ladies knew everything going on in their cycle and I wanted to know too! Now I ask the tech what they are looking like and what she thinks. Even though she cann't say what my dr will do she can tell me if they have grown, how many, etc. Last appointment I asked my nurse exactly what they saw, what my E2 was, etc. They are always happy to give me any information that I ask for, but most of the time they don't offer it up front- you have to ask.

BABIES: good luck with your ER tomorrow!!!! Hoping for lots of healthy eggs.

DOGZ/BETH/CHEEKY: Good luck with all fo your transfers: sending sticky thoughts your way(s)!

KAYC: Let us know about that Beta-

I'm sorry if I missed anyone with big stuff coming up- The increased dosage of menopur is causing major headaches and I'm not very good at focusing through them!

[lw918]

DOGZ we must have been posting at the same time


Ladies: I forgot to post this earlier and totally do NOT mean this as TMI but I was wondering if anyone knew what this meant. This morning I woke up and my nipples hurt soooo bad! Breast enlargement is listed as a side effect of the menopur, but this isn't enlargement. To be honest it feels like they have been rubbed raw! Anyone know what this might be caused by?

[dogzrule]

I don't recall if my breasts/nipples started to hurt on the stims, but I can tell you they sure as heck did after the trigger shot, and they hurt like HECK now. I'm sure it is a very common side effect of your stims. Go us for simultaneous posting up there heehee.

To those of you who have cycled before, were any of you given medrol for 4 days after your ER? I was wondering what, if any, side effects you had. They make me feel like I need to go to the hospital (hard heartbeat, a little shortness of breath, etc), but I know I'm fine. My last dose was last night, praise the Lord!

[CT_Michele]

dogzrule - ER July 15, ET July 20
beth84 - ER July 15, ET July 20
cheekyone - start stims July 4, ER July 14, ET July 17
babiesgalore - ER July 20, ET July 23
lw918 - ER ?
sunnygirl27 - ER ?


Almost there...on Estrogen for FET




KayCe - beta July 20


tangela1016 - FET week of Aug 10
ct_michele - June/July canceled, hoping for August FET, on BCP's
katieg - on bcp's, FET Aug. 5
want to be a mom - stim start June 29, ER July 8/9
geckogirl - FET week of Aug 10
statsgoddess - start lupron end of July/early Aug
fkm7783 - on bcp's, ET end of Aug.
Katie99 - start stims July 29, ER/ET w/o Aug 10
Penny2 - start lupron end of July?
Jamie3777 - stim start July 14, ER July 24/25, ET July 27/28/29
shelbyrn0214 - August
gi - waiting for af
annissabug - waiting for af

Beta Results

[beth84]

Oops, Michele - could you add me to the big board? My info is exactly the same as dogzrule...

Sunnygirl - those are all really great questions - some of it varies by person.

As for 3-day versus 5-day... According to my RE, they can tell something about embryo quality at day 3 (to use the best ones) but by day 5, there is much more differentiation. Some of the embryos won't make to day 5 (blastocyte stage) but those that do have a higher probability of implantation (something like 50% instead of 30%). The risk is that some of them (that might have implanted fine at 3 days) won't make it 5-days outside the womb.

For my first cycle, I did a 3-day transfer, because I only had 5 fertilized, and he didn't want to risk going to day 5 and having nothing. This time I had 7 that looked good, so we're waiting, but he told me that going on day 3 would not necessarily be bad news, just being cautious.

For both of my cycles, I didn't really have any side effects from Lupron (1st try), BCPs (this try) or stims. Just a little fullness in my abdomen as I got closer to the ER. And both times, I didn't know when ER was until the last day before the HCG shot.

dogzrule - I had medrol too for 4 days, but didn't have the symptoms you had. It is a pretty strong steroid though, so side effects seem likely. But, boy, those taste awful, and it the taste really sticks with you if you don't take them with food.

[dogzrule]

Thanks beth. That makes me feel a little better about the medrol. I was super paranoid about it because it is a steroid, and I have been told my whole life I can never take steroids (I had a positive TB test at age 6, and steroids can reactivate an inactive/dormant case). But all the doctors here felt there was no risk with taking medrol. I think my paranoia is making the side effects I feel more pronounced!

What time is your ET tomorrow? Mine is at 11:30 California time. Still praying for NO PHONE CALL in the early am so that everything is a go (for the 1st time in this whole process, I will be staring at the phone saying, DO NOT RING!)!

[Path Finder]

Hi Ladies,

Thanks for the warm welcome!

lw918 - it sounds like we are at the same stage in the process. I'll am sending best wishes your way.

beth84 , dogzrule, babiesgalore, and cheekybone - I will keep you in my prayers tomorrow a.m.

KayCe - I am sure this is the most challenging and exciting part of the entire process! Lots of baby dust is headed your way!

Does anyone know about the success of embryo glue? Has anyone tried it? My DH and I are considering it.

[sunnygirl27]

Thank you all so much for the great information, it really helps!

dogzrule- maybe posting a youtube video of the "follies dance" would help all of us!
do you have dogs? just wondering with the username. i am the proud mother of two goldens myself!

lw918- you have to get up that early? Yikes! that must make it so hard for you. and i hope you have less discomfort very soon!

beth84- the 3 vs. 5 days info really made sense!

CT_michele- thanks for adding me to your official chart, i feel like a true member now!

the bottom line is i have to keep asking questions! at tomorrow's bw i will do just that! thanks again so much for the quick response, i am less stressed already ( except for dogzrule telling me about her ovaries falling over in her sleep .......UGH!) LOL

-sunny

[dogzrule]

LOL sorry about that drooping ovaries story. This whole process has been a little harder on my body than most others from what I've read and what my doctors have said, so I'm sure you'll go through it with no problems!

Yes, I am the PROUD mom of two beautiful doggy daughters. That is truly ironic because I have always been a cat person, and my DH had wanted a dog for YEARS! I finally caved three years ago and omg, I fell in LOVE. Zoe is 3 (black lab aussie shepherd mix) and Marley is 1 (aussie shepherd samoyed husky mix). They are my loves!

[sunnygirl27]

dogzrule- i'm actually really glad you told me about the ovaries! (well, not REALLY glad but......ha,ha) i'm the type of person who doesn't like things "sugar coated," so be direct and tell it like it is! but i am sorry to hear that the meds are taking their toll on you!

Daisy (red golden 5 yr.) and Lilly (light golden 4 yr.) are spoiled rotten and are our babies. they even go to work everyday with my DH! if this ivf thing works out i am really going to be in some serious trouble with my girls!

in one of my last postings i said my Dh was with me.....i meant w/o me! i miss he and my girls SO much! i've been here now for five days and he won't be coming down to see me for another five! somebody tell me it's worth it!!!!!!!

-sunny