Look for September Cycle Buddies

[dawgs1257]

Soccermom - Glad to hear there is someone out there to talk to during the dreadfull 2ww. I start 225 of follistm and 75 units of menopur on Friday evening. These are the same meds as last cycle and I seemed to respond well. Menopur stung me a little bit but it was not that bad.
I had the PIO when I did IUI at another clinic and I survived. They just hurt more than the shots in the stomach. I know I will get through it. I am hoping that it is true they will be more effective. I wamt this cycle to work!
Baby dust to all of you!

[D.in.Italy]

Hello ladies,
I should be starting my 2nd ivf mid-September so I'm happy to see that I will have plenty of people to chat with and discuss my frustrations, questions and hopefully good new with. I see there are others that are doing this outside of the U.S. as I live in Italy and am trying to make things work here as it is much less expensive and easier to do locally but there are issues with going to a doctor with a completely different mentality about medicine. My doc is really nice and seems to have a lot of experience but she is more passive when it comes to meds and the overall approach where as clinics I visited in the U.S. pull out all the stops the 1st time in hopes to not have to do it again. I have to say it was pretty depressing getting the results of my 1st failed attempt in May but I am hopeful that this cycle will go better. My RE actually suggested we abandon the cycle because my follies had so much diversity on day 10 (many large follies in my right ovary and less developed follies in my left). I ended up with 11 retrieved, 9 embies, and transferred the only 2 that she said looked 'good' but every time I asked her what grade they were she would always say they are good....
I was only on Gonal-F and changed to Follistim a few days in but she mentioned possibly trying an antagonist the next time but not sure if she's going to or how exactly that would help. I should start my cycle around Sept 13th so anxiously awaiting to start giving myself shots....never thought I'd say that!
I'm very glad that I have someone to talk to about this stuff as no one truly understands what I'm going through!!
ciao bellas
D

[kbillsy]

Hi Ladies - I'm coming over from the Summer Cycle Group - unfortunately my summer cycles did not work so we'll be trying a 3rd attempt at IVF this fall after I give my body a little bit of a break. I'm waiting to consult with my RE but am expecting to start my next (and hopefully final) cycle towards the end of September! Looking forward to getting to know and support you all!

Dawys257 and Soccer Mom - good luck with your stimming!

DinItaly - hopefully we will be starting around the same time. Rest up for the next few weeks!

Annashope - I think I had a similar issue with lupron suppression - both of my last 2 cycles I only got 3 eggs. This time around I either want to be off lupron altogether or do the microdose lupron protocol. We'll see which my RE recommends. I really want more eggs to work with so we have a chance with some frosties too!

[Wondercat]

dawgs - I also had bleeding before the beta with the crinone, but not with the PIO even when it was BFN. I won't be doing an HPT - my husband has no vas deferens so if I am pregnant somebody better alert the pope!!

Those of you who already have your meds, etc., are making me feel so anxious to get started. My AF is always so consistent at every 35 days, this is super annoying for it to be late the one time I actually WANT it to start! (Unlike last month, when it started on the second day of my vacation. Grr.) I get antsy when anything funny happens with my cycle because I am so worried about compounding what is currently just male factor infertility. My mom had a hysterectomy at 42 after many years of suffering with masses of large ovarian cysts that would rupture painfully. I have already had 2 rupture over the past few years, one of which landed me in the ER it was so painful. It makes me feel like I am on a limited timeline before this IVF thing gets a whole lot more complicated.

annashope - I never had a BFP turn into a BFN, but I know how crushing it is when a cycle doesn't work. Especially that first one, when everything is new and scary but you're still all confident and excited about it.

I have a general question for everybody. Over the winter I stopped in to thank my clinic, and they were just delighted to actually see the "results" of their work. They said they hardly ever get to see the babies they help people create - especially the lab techs who loved that I gave a special thanks to whoever picked out the exact sperm for the ICSI! It just got me thinking about why people wouldn't bring their babies in, and the only thing I could think of was they might feel uncomfortable having them there in front of the current patients. So I was curious for you ladies here, if you would be upset to see a baby there or if it would give you more hope for your own successful outcome?

[Jessica2723]

Wondercat- My RE office has a sign posted that advises not to bring your children, but find alternate care the day of your appointment. My last visit was 5 days after I received my BFN. A couple brought their baby in and was showing it off to the staff. My RE was out of the office this day, but his staff was their. I didn't think that it would bother me, but it did make my heart ache a little. I was very happy for the couple, but think it would have been more appropriate for them not to parade their baby around in front of the waiting room, and instead take the baby and parents back to a patient room and let others come and visit. For me I think it just really depends on where I am at in my cycle. I think if I was at my RE's office today and saw a baby I would feel more hopeful, just not so soon after my cycle didn't work.

[Wondercat]

Just to be more clear, I didn't make a special trip to show off the baby nor would I think it's a good idea to bring him to my own appointment. We were already at the hospital getting him tested for CF when coincidentally my RE called to follow up on my pregnancy for their records. So I stopped in to answer their questions rather than do it on my cell in the middle of the sweat test. I know I got annoyed with one couple who brought in a 1-year-old girl, but that was mostly because on talking to the mother I learned that they had conceived her naturally with no problems but "hadn't been able to get pregnant since" so were there to look into IVF, which kind of gave me a WTF moment.

As a side note, are everybody's RE waiting rooms as wildly uncomfortable as mine? Hardly anybody talks, everybody looking grim and either staring at each other or focusing unnaturally hard on the old magazines? Mine is one floor up from the cancer center, and I would swear the people who get off on that floor are more cheerful. I wish infertility would come out of the closet as being something that we can openly support each other with.

[Jessica2723]

Yes, my RE's waiting area is horrible. It is always so awkward. I try to smile and be friendly.

[Johanna2010]

Mine too, you could hear a pin drop in the waiting room, it's very strange because we're all there for the same reason. At this stage I don't think I'd mind if someone bought their IVF conceived baby in, would give me hope....although starting my first cycle next Tuesday with probable ER last week of September...maybe after induced menopause, stimulated ovaries, possible ET, 2WW and then worse case senario,a negative result, I might feel differently.

Wondercat - I can't believe I spent my 20s worrying about birth control, being so pleased when AF arrived! How things have changed. Now I'm just focusing on the belief that ' it 'will happen eventually!

Any tips on what to tell work when I need to go to the clinic at short notice for different things, with out revealing the fact that I'm having IVF? Don't plan to tell work as don't think I could stand the comments or other people's expectations/judgements don't need the extra pressure. I guess this just reflects that infertility is still 'in the closet'. Also any tips on the best way to do the sniffing of Synarel?

best of luck to everyone!

[dawgs1257]

I usually take my daughter only because my doctor is 1 1/2 hours away. When I see other kids their, especially twins or babies it does give me hope. I had no problem conceiving my first child, except it did take 11 months. It is so hard for me to understand why I am going through all of this now. It is amazing how many other people are going through the same thing. My doctor's office is always so quiet as well.

[Wondercat]

Jessica - Any time I have tried to talk to somebody they usually seem pretty relieved and happy to do so. It has been easier for me, the more open I have been able to be about it. My husband is big

Johanna - I think Jessica has it right to say a lot does depend on where you are in a cycle. You get really pumped up starting a new one, you're full of hope and looking for reasons to have more hope. When one fails the same things that might have made you feel better before suddenly seem like they were intended only to inflict incredible pain. As for what to tell people at work... I said I was going on a new medication and my doctors would need to be monitoring me closely for a while. Hopefully nobody will be gauche enough to demand directly to know what the medication is (they are more likely to say, "Oh my, I hope nothing serious...?" and taper off look meaningfully concerned, waiting for you to assure them of the specific benignity of your malady), but if they do you can firmly say that you appreciate their concern but would really rather not discuss it.

dawgs - I would have thought after 11 months was a little longer than usual. Of course in our case we hadn't used birth control for about 4 years before we officially started trying, so we only waited a few more months after that before talking to our doctors. So really, what do I know about how long it "usually" takes! My clinic is nominally 1 1/2 hours away, but with traffic more like 2 so I may end up taking my son - I would like to avoid it though so I can't even fathom what I would do with him during an u/s, short of tying him down! What do you do with your daughter?

Still no AF!!! I feel like I'm entering week 3 of PMS! Aaaaaarrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!

[annashope]

Hi girls! Wow a lot of talking today! this is exciting I feel like maybe we are getting closer to starting. I have to admit my waiting room is pretty glim too but luckily we never have to wait very long. I agree I think this continues to be an "in the closet" issue. I actually ran into one of my friends at my clinic and we were excited to see each other but awkwardness immediatly took over so I decided to be open with her and explained that we were doing IVF and she immediatly recoiled and says "oh no I don't have any problems like that...just here to run some tests" Problems like what? I was really surprised by this reaction because I am doing IVF because of male factor but I am not gonna tell that to everyone. As per bringing kids to the office I agree it depends on where you are in the cycle. As I mentioned in previous posts my baby sister is also pregnant right now and in July when we were both pregnant I was so excited we did everything together but one I miscarried I couldn't even talk to her- of course I am still happy for her but at that point I didn't want it to cause any more pain especially since she got pregnant accidentally while using protection.

Johanna I agree with you my DH and I often think wow why did we use protection for so long and were worried about things and how different things are now. In 3 years that we have been trying 16 I am not kidding 16 of our friends have become pregnant and had babies...sometimes I feel like we are the only one who cannot achieve this "apparently basic "task. I have a friend who became pregnant this spring because her husband tricked her into not using protection ONCE! It is just hard to believe and is so painful and no one except you girls can ever understand.

Wondercat I understand about the period I am still waiting for HCG to return to 0 and only then will my cycles return to normal but it has been two weeks and I did a dollor store test yesterday and still two bright lines...It is so frustrating to see that when you miscarried and just want things to return to normal

[dawgs1257]

wondercat - wow I thought I was the only one who drove that far away to their clinic. I guess we have more in common then I thought! I usually go with my mom since the drive is so long and my sister lived around my clinic. She recently had a baby so we all go visit her after the appointment. I only take her to the u/s appointments. During retreival and transfer we leave her at home with my mom.
Today is finally the day I start my shots. It seems like eternity since the last failed cycle (even though it has only been 2 months).

[Wondercat]

dawgs - When we first started we were 2 hours (not counting traffic) away on the other side of the state; my clinic is in Boston. That was a blast my first cycle they had me going in every morning at 7:15 for a week, then I had to turn around and drive back 2+ hours to go to work. It has taken me literally 20 minutes just to go the last mile and I can see the hospital! If my husband is with me I have gotten out and walked, but most often I go alone so I'm stuck.

I'm so excited for you that you start your meds today! It does make me feel like things are happening even if some of us like annashope are still waiting for our bodies to get their acts together so we can start.

[annashope]

Yay dawgs I am so excited for you! we will be cheering you on and will be joining you shortly

[soccermom]

Hey girls!
WOW, our thread has taken off!! Yay!
Where to start...My ivf Dr's office is an hour away, but I am monitored locally at an office located in a hospital. Where I'm monitored, there are tons of preggers around waiting for their Ob appts. With my first ivf, this particular office was in a smaller location, w/out an Obs office. It would have been very hard for me during the first round to have to constantly be surrounded by these woman complaining of their pregnancy issues - from tight fitting clothes to having midnight munch attacks - not the stuff I'd want to have to hear. These women still annoy me to an extent, but I can also relate to what they are talking about now - so it's not as bad. My ivf Dr's office however is very spa-like. Cushy cozy couches, big fireplace, lots of Anne Geddes books & fertility books. When we did our FET in July we brought our daughter with us. I did feel a bit guilty having her in the waiting room with us. Kind of felt like I should have dressed in her a shirt that said "I'm an ivf baby"! When we did the actual fet, both DH and DD were in the room with me. That was very special and emotional for me. Although she kept cracking me up, she kept calling my DH 'big bird' b/c the scrubs they had him wear over his clothes were yellow - from head to toe. This particular Dr hosts an annual bbq at a local zoo for all of his patients and their families. We went this year & it was overwhelming to see the number of families he has - in a sense - helped create! I think there might still be pics on his website of the event, the site is cool to check out anyway...I think it's cnyfertility.com if not that exactly then google search cny fertility syracuse ny.
day 5 of stimming, still spotting a bit today. u/s showed lining was still a bit thin (obviously) & lots of follies...but none more than 8mm. So I've got some work to do. Still 75 gonal f, 75 menopur - you're right dawgs, doesn't sting that bad, 5 units of lupron. Another u/s monday, wed, and friday.
DD 2nd bday party tomorrow!!