NOV/DEC 2009 -- Cycle Group

[julia_78]

hi everyone - well we saw our RE today & got our FET schedule figured out. it was a bit tough logistically b/c i have a business trip scheduled dec 6-16 and the first u/s fall would normally fall right in the middle of that, and the lab is closed between christmas & new years, but we worked it out... cut the business trip short 2 days, extend BCP for another week, first u/s on dec 15th, and voila - hopefully FET on dec 21st. YAY! our DR said that he kept saying that he hoped "the best ones were left in the freezer" so that's what we'll keep hoping for...
the weird part of the conversation was that my DH's sperm from ER day was apparently of great quality (can't remember what we had for breakfast that day, crazy isn't it?) after many many tests showing poor quality/ morphology & low quantity that got us on this IVF journey to start with (and TTC for 2 years). so if the frozen transfer does not work he recommends we do more testing to revalidate DH's initial diagnosis before we lock into a 2nd full IVF cycle. but right now given that we have 2 snow babies we are staying on the FET course. anyone ever heard of a similar diagnosis reversal?

jenice - hope you feel better soon!
rosario - plenty of rest & best of luck to you in Jan!
justwannabeamom - welcome!!

[me2009]

Hello,
I am new to all this forum stuff. My name is Kelly. I am 29 years old. Located in Ohio. Starting my 2nd IVF cycle with you all. Starting stimulation Nov 25th Retrieval will be the week of the 7th. I was told by my new RE that I may be prone to implantaion failure due to hypothyroidism and he is having me take extra drugs the last RE never mentioned methylprednislone, asprin and lovenox. Is anyone familiar with this? Any information would be helpful.
Thanks

Hi kelly,

Welcome! Yeah its important to have your hyporthroid corrected, it can cause retarted babies (sorry to be so blunt...but that's what happens). I have a mild hypothyroid issues as well. there are ALOT of women who have this issue. Just take your daily supplement and you should be fine! And you being "proned" to implant 2nd to thyroid issuses. Ive not been told that, not have i researched that either. You just need to make sure you take your meds everyday. They should up your meds once you're pregos as well!!

Also, sounds like you might have "anti-phosopholipid syndrome" APS did they work you you for that? Its has a high corrlation with m/c in women!!

They give the baby asa for pre implantation and i wouldnt be suprised that you take it throughout the preg. The methpred, Im taking that as well. They give it for pre et and implantation, im also on decadron as well they are all steroids. they are just there to help prevent rejection and failure to implant. The lovenox is to help prevent us from clotting of the baby, placenta and us! Women who are postivie for the APS we are a much higher risk for blood clots to our LEG, LUNGS, not to scare you, but you might want to get the anit-thrombis leg/sock things for when you're sleeping & sitting for long pds of time.

I don't mean to scare you, but the APS (which i have some of the antibodies) i too am going to be in your boat of injections throughout the whole preg. Im gonna be taking heparin its alt form of the lovenox.

You should go in at least once a month for your RE to check your clotting labs.

You're not alone in your many meds journey!!

P.s I hadnt had any m/c or ever been pregos, i just knew my mom had multilpe m/c's and emergency c-sec w/ my sister. Thus i was suspicious of an "issue" with fertility. Yeah i was correct!

Good luck!! I'm finding out you have lots of resources here. Some are pharm, Im an RN (icu and peds icu now) and lots of women who are in the same boat in some shape or form!

[jandm]

Hi ladies,
My busy week at work has finally come to an end so now I should be able to keep up with everyone here!

turtle0619- I am fortunate that the Lupron doesn't give me headaches. Usually I get migraines right around when AF is supposed to come, sometimes they are not bad and sometimes I have them for 3 days - it is the worst! Ironically being on the IVF meds doesn't cause a problem b/c I don't have sharp changes in hormone levels. Of course now that I said that I'll be plagued with them this time around, lol The fluid ultrasounds is basically the same as a HSG, except they just use saline and it is just to check out the lining of the uterus to make sure that there is nothing wrong etc... I had the worst pains after the HSG but didn't have any problems with the fluid U/S this time around which was a relief! Hope that you had a greet weekend away!

Right now I am scheduled to start stims on 11/4. I am currently taking Lupron and then start Ganirelex on 10/29 with a lower dose of Lupron. The stims have me a bit worried this time because they are upping the dosage to 600 units from 450 last time. The first cycle I did I was on 150 units of the Gonal-f so to now be scheduled to do 600 seems crazy, but if it will help produce more follicles then I am on board

julia78- I'm so sorry that you last cycle ended in a BFN. I know how hard it is when cycle doesn't work and you need to tell people. I have learned over the past year that the disappointment I hear is not b/c they are disappointed in us it is because they are disappointed for us. I do find that it is easier for me at least to share what is going on with close friends and family - yeah it has made it more difficult when I have had to tell them about our disappointments, but it also helps to have their support as well. And just think about how wonderful it is going to be when you finally get to share the wonderful news of a BFP from this FET with them!! That is great that you were able to get your calendar all worked out as well. It is amazing the hoops that we need to jump through sometimes but it will all be worth it in the end


KJGrant-I'm so sorry about yuor m/c but it is great that you are able to start a FET cycle!. I have had the same frustrations with meds not being delivered on time etc... it can be so infuriating! I just noticed that you are in western MA - that is where I grew up! I'm in NY now but still getup there every couple of months. I love it there this time of year

motherhoodhopes- That is great that you have a start date for shots. It can seem like the waiting just goes on forever sometimes, and then other times it just sneaks right up on you! It seems weird that I am almost done with the first week of Lupron - not quite sure how it came to be end of October - it feels like it should stil be middle of September to me

tohavefun- I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you that you get at least 5 eggs with this cycle!!! That is great that the meds worked such that you will have enough follistim for another cycle, but I am praying that you are going to get a BFP this time around and won't have to do another one! GL with starting the Folistim tonight!

washingtonda- Welcome to the board! It sounds like you have a pretty busy schedule over the next couple of weeks getting everything set for this cycle. I know that this group is gonig to have a lot of BFPs - just in time for the holidays! GL to you with all of you appts and keep us posted!

me2009-so sorry to hear about your ordeal and getting sick - that is just awful! I hope that you are feeling better now I was all set to get the flu shot this week until I mentioned it to the RE and he told me to hold off until after the cycle. From what he told me they have not done a lot of studies on the effects it has while trying to get pregnant so they recommend to all of their patients to wait until after the cycle to get it. I live in NYC and am so nervous on the trains - I just make sure to keep washing my hands and to use disinfectant wipes on everything!

lou71-GL tomorrow!!! I am sending tons of energy your way and hope that those 14s have caught up and are mature and that you end up 6 wonderful eggs that fertilize! Keep us posted!!

jenice-Oh no - I'm so sorry that you are sick! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this has no impact on your FET in November. Just keep thinking positive thoughts and just keep telling yourself that you are going to get better and everything will be fine with your FET in Nov and that everything will work out in the end!

AFM - well, things are still going along. I took my last BCP on Sat and I decreased my Lupron so AF should be coming any day now. I'm schedule to go into the RE on 10/29 for baseline and u/s. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I am cyst free this time around. Last week was a crazy week for me at work and I was so stressed out about everything. Fortunately I had an AP appointment on Friday and it has completely mellowed me out. DH and I had a group of friends over for dinner on Sat night and I didn't even get stressed out with all of the cooking and cleaning!! At the end of the night DH thanked me for not getting stressed out and crazy - it made me laugh

Sorry for the long post, and I apologize if I missed anyone. I will be able to keep up now that it is not so hectic. Sending tons of PMA to everyone here and hope that everyone has a great week!!!

[baby hopes]

Hello All, I am new to this site and having been reading your conversations daily for the past couple of days. You guys give so much support that I wanted to jump on in...... ( I am new to this and do not know the addrev. for alot of things so please be patient) I am doing my 2nd IVF cycle. The first failed due poor response to meds ( 9 eggs only one mature) and we had a emergency ICIS. My DH sperm has been tested in the past and was " great" but was considered poor mobility on retrieval day.
This time they have completely changed my meds. I am to do Climara patch along with Ganirelix ( looking to start in early Nov). Then for stems Gonal and Menpour. We are also planning to do ICIS and assisted hatching. A friend of mine who has undergone a successful IVf says that this protocol has a high success rate. I have searched thru the entire internet to find the success rate but unable to. Have any of you guys know anything about this protocol??
Wishing us all success!!!!!!!!

[turtle0619]

babyhopes welcome!! you will find this place an amazing source of knowledge and support!
i'm not sure about your protocol, but my cycle was canceled last time too due to understimulation, and i am on a new protocol this cycle. i see you are in boston....i'm in new hampshire!! there are a few other new england gals around this board...we are going to make it a baby boom around here in 9 or so months!! what clinic do you do to? oh and if you go to the general forum of this site there is a post that lists all of the acronym's used on these boards!

jandm where in NY are you? i'm glad your busy work week is over! i hope i didnt jinx you by talking about lupron headaches haha. yay for starting stims next week!! 11/4 seems far away, but its crazy its only a week away!!! wooohooo

afm- my weekend away was wonderful, but it went way too fast! other then that i'm just pluggin away at my BCP's...its nice to see the pack get smaller and smaller every day.

[olim78]

Baby hopes – hello, welcome! I too am still getting used to all of the lingo on this message board and have been keeping up to date reading through everyone’s messages – I feel like I am learning a lot. I’m afraid I don’t know anything about assisted hatching, I don’t think it’s offered at my clinic – only blastocyst culture (which is what we are hoping to do with ICSI) and so I don’t know anything about success rates, however from the few internet searches I have done, these do seem to suggest that it increases the chances for women in particular situations. Good luck with your different meds and keep us posted.

Lou71 – Good luck for today, am thinking of you (its 1.30pm here in the UK so I am guessing you might be in for your ER around about now?). I have everything crossed for you.

Rosario – I am very sorry to hear your news. Good luck with your 2 blasts and keep us updated in the new year. I hope you have time to relax and look after yourself over the next couple of months before your FET in Jan.

Justwannabamom – Hi – good to have you with us all!

Jenice – you poor thing, I hope that you are feeling better and don’t have swine flu. Sounds like you have had a really rough time – best of luck for your FET in Nov.

Julia78 – I am glad you met up with your friends. Recently I have been avoiding people, not keeping in touch with friends so much as all I feel I do is moan and feel like I shouldn’t inflict myself on other people when I feel so negative all the time. However, now that I have started my treatment I feel like I need to get myself in as positive and happy a place as possible and seeing friends and chatting on the phone with some of my closest pals is really helping – even though they don’t know that me treatment has begun.

After being quite positive for the last couple of weeks, I found out yesterday that yet another of my friends is pregnant after getting an email at work and it instantly set me back, I was just crying at my desk at work. I am of course, over the moon for her, but then gutted in case I am the only one left without a baby. Feel like I am being completely left behind. This feeling is then followed immediately with the guilt of feeling like this when someone has just given you such fantastic news – it’s so hard.

Anyway, I have just been for my baseline and u/s and was told that the down regulation has worked and I can start my injections tonight – eek. I am officially menopausal – which explains a lot!

Will keep you posted after my next u/s on Friday.

Thinking of us all x

[julia_78]

welcome baby hopes! best of luck for you in your upcoming cycle, i don't know much about the protocol you mention but it sounds like it has success rates so i'll keep my fingers crossed for you. this forum has been great at letting me keep my sanity and find comfort as we continue on this journey, i hope it will do the same for you...

lou - best of luck for today!

olim78 - good luck with the injections, they are not that bad once you get the hang of it (not sure if you take menopur but that one burns a little and i saw a video of a woman on youtube who used a bag of frozen vegetables to relieve the burn feeling and that does help). i totally know what you mean about these mixed feelings. it is so hard to hear of friends & colleagues's pregnancies. and for some reason right now it feels like everyone i know is getting pregnant - my friends, my esthetician, my husband co-workers, my neighbors, EVERYONE! it almost feels like a conspiracy . and then deal with the guilt of feeling selfish for being in pain rather than being simply happy for our friends's happy news. the emotional rollercoaster just never ends does it? there are so many women doing accupuncture on this forum i am actually looking into it for the FET to help with stress/ emotion management (i think my insurance covers it) b/c i wonder how much of the BFN was due to my awful emotional state during our IVF cycle, feeling so sorry for myself and feeling so powerless for not having any control (or understanding) of the next milestone around the corner, and i just had a really hard time dealing with it all and i can't imagine it helped the process. i feel much better now and want to make sure i stay that way

[LuLu668]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site and I am new to IVF. I just love all the energy and support found on here. I am 32 y/o with 5 years tring to conceive naturaly. DH had poor sperm count, finally we started the first IVF treatment in September with 3 weeks OCP and followed by Lupron. RE said my Estrogen level is 138 at day6, ordered 1 shot of Ganarelix and increased Lupron to 20 units/day. E level was still high after 5 more days, so RE canceled IVF. Has anyone had similar experience? I am suppose to meet the doctor again this Friday, wonder if she will change protocol for next cycle starting early November. Best luck to all your ladies!
By the way, I am in MA too.

[turtle0619]

lulu welcome! i love that this board is getting big! i'm sorry to hear about your canceled cycle..this is going to be your time!!! where in MA. are you? i swear if we keep up this new england gang we will all be on the news for all having babies in the same month haha

everyone- does anyone know how to make a cycle tracker for everyone? so we can all keep up on where everyone is in their cycles?? with so many of us already joining and its not even NOV. yet i have a feeling we will need to keep track of everyone!

PMA to everyone!!!

[olim78]

Julia78 - thanks for the message - at least I know it's not just me going through daily ups and downs, going from really positive one moment and then plummeting moments later at the news of yet another person who is pregnant.

Thank for the tip re menopur and frozen peas - this is what I will be using - doing my first jab tonight so will let you know how it goes!

I have been going to acupunture on and off for a year. First of all I started last December for about 6 months as I didn't know if I was ovulating or not, plus I was massively stressed at work. I stopped for a while as I didn't know if it was making a difference and felt a bit dispondent with it really. Then once we found out that my DH was the likely reason why we hadn't got pregnant, I started it again just for general well-being and to help me relax. I totally believe it has helped and is helping me to be less stressed, to feel calmer and generally to feel better within myself. However, my acupunturist says that for all of the people he sees who go to see him whilst undergoing IVF/ICSI, he suggests that their DHs go too. He has just had one of his male patients have a much better sperm quality since going to see him and he only started acupuncture at the beginning of their IVF treatment. My DH has been going for about 5 weeks now in the hope that it improves his swimmers! We'll see!

x

Me: 31 healthy
DH: 30 poor morphology, low motility
IVF #1 - Oct/Nov

[baby hopes]

Is there something in the water not letting us all get pregos???
lulu... I had a similar issue experience but RE kept going. I now have a new protocol with meds and planned ICIS and assisted hatching
olim.. I am @ BWH. I totally get your breakdown on everyone around you getting pregnant. It sucks!!!!!! It really really sucks!!! Just know that you are not alone and we all have those feelings...
turtle... thanks for the info
Well off to go get my meds!!!!!!!!!! Best wishes to all!!!!!!

[LuLu668]

Turtle... I am from western MASS, I go to the Westboro office of Reproductive Science Center. Not sure about their success rate, picked it b/c close to home. Just want to know if you have a turtle pet, I have 4 red ears.

[LuLu668]

Sounds like a lot people had side effects on Lupron. I did 10 units per day for 14 days, then increaseed to 20 units, didn't feel anything. Does this mean it has no effect on me? My estrogen level was high and I produced 3 follicles 10-14 mm on my own before the stims. Has anyone had tried without OCP or Lupron?

[lou71]

Hi All,

I went for my ER this morning and while I was waiting, I read this thread from my phone one more time for moral support from others in my shoes. I want to sincerely thank all of you who crossed their fingers for me and kept me in their thoughts. After the procedure, my RE came to see me with a BIG smile on his face. He said he was able to get all six eggs and felt things looked pretty good. We were also told DH sperm still was poor quality, so we will be doing ICSI. I am expecting a call tomorrow afternoon with embryo news. I start methylprednisolone tonight and progesterone injections tomorrow.

I made a joke and told my RE that this just wasn't fair.... I get knocked unconscious and stuck with needles while my DH gets to go look at porn! Not a very romantic story to possibly share with our future child...lol.

I'm sorry for not leaving any personal notes today. I'm in quite a bit of discomfort. I had a bit of bleeding from my left ovary which is causing A LOT of soreness. It was already hurting pretty bad before I was discharged and I talked to RE who explained the pain and said it sometimes happens. I was told that if it got excruciating, to call immediately. I'm taking Norco and trying to sleep as much as possible. The right side feels fine, it's just the left. Ugh!

Before I go back to sleep... I want to say welcome to the newcomers! I'm still fairly new here myself and found this to be a group of wonderful women all in the same boat as myself. It's so comforting to be able to come here and be heard, understood, and offer support to others. I have caught up on the thread and have all of you in my thoughts as well. Good luck to each and every one of you! I'll post again when I'm feeling better and hopefully will be able to say I've got some good embryos growing.

Peace and Love to all.

[Rosario]

Wow there is a lot of MA gals in this nov/dec board. I am about 20 mins north of boston (North shore gal) =] I go to RSC in Lexington.