2013 IVF Cyclers Join Us HERE!

[leorira11]

Christy - SOOOO SOON! Hurray!

Julia - Congrats

suzyQ - I hope your cycle is great. We are talking about using donor embryos - but we've gotten to the point that we would kill to adopt if we could, so donor embryos doesn't seem that different than adoption.

Laura- I did accupuncture with 3 of my cycles and I didn't like it so much, but I loved that I set aside an hour to just relax and focus on relaxing my body -- so I started scheduling massages! I go for a massage once a week while doing the IVF and it's fabulous.

AFM - Valentine's Day doesn't exist really here, but the chocolate and flower stores try to pretend it does! We didn't do anything special, but that was fine. Jews have their own "day of love" that falls out in August, and gives the stores here a chance to sell all that kitchy Valentine's-y stuff.

one week of Decapeptyl... I'm trying to figure out when to expect AF. Exactly two weeks ago on Tuesday, an u/s showed a follicle at 15 mm. An u/s last Wednesday showed I had ovulated -- but when? I'm pretty sure that follicles grow 1mm a day and ovulate at around 20mm, right? So that means I ovulated last Monday and makes me about 8dpo -- so about 6 days until AF should be here.... hopefully she shows up early, I'm ready to get this party started!

[Sdtryingagain]

Sunshine-- Great update if Kynlee, glad to know she's okay and with her babe! Thanks for letting us know.

Welcome back suzyq! I'm one of the many in the cheering section. I love root in' everyone on.

Leora-- I think you get a free pass to ask any question you ever want. Just from a medical perspective though I can't image that anything wrong in going on. It the needle more fine? The bruising is just broken capillaries so shouldn't have any impact on your absorption that I can think of, but regardless I think if you have any lingering doubts, ask away! I can't wait for your BFP!!

Good luck itch your cycles everyone!! I'm just gonna stalk each of you for awhile. We're gonna try with the home conception kit for 5-6 months then try again with FET if we don't "get lucky" hmmmmm it took us 5 years to have a spontaneous conception...wonder if it'll ever happen again. At least we now know it can happen (at least at the rate of once every five years!). Our infertility issues were always unclear and probably a mix of things that make it really hard to get pregnant spontaneously but not impossible.

[suzyq]

Sunshine- Sorry you have the itching. You said you were using alcohol on the patches when you change them. That could be irritating the skin. My RE said to leave the residue on until the end of the cycle because alcohol drys out the skin too much and causes more irritation. I do know in my last cycle the goo became too much so I used bio oil to take it off, washed with soap, dried well, and reapplied the patches. Did not bug me and they still stuck. Hope this helps.

Leora- Nice to hear from you. We tried adoption and do not want to do that path again. IVF is stressful, but easier for me.

LauraN- I read we are close in age and have similar backgrounds with older children. I have thought about starting a thread for secondary IF moms like us, but have not seen much interest as I have looked around. I love the support I get here, but not sure everyone can relate. Hopefully you understand what I mean. I wish you the best on your cycle.

AFM-Nothing new. Just popping BCP till I start lupron on the 3/12. Thank you all for the support you offer all.
Cristie

[BlissfulCS]

Well hello all you beautiful people. I am BACK!!!

So nice to see some familiar faces here (sunshine, rypell (the stalker), leora, SDtrying (so sorry for your loss- just read about it). And of course its nice to meet some new folks as well. Naturally it would be best if nobody needed this board, but since we do we might as well all be here together.

You can see my history below. Guess its time to make some updates. DD is 13 months old now and its time to give her a sibling. AF should be here sometime between the 25th and 27th and then I am starting an antagonist cycle- should be pregnant by the ides of March. Nervous but excited. Just ordered my meds today.

[sariah2003]

So I finally meet with the doctors and got my calendar. I guess when my blood work prescreens were done it showed I had high prolactin levels (breastfeeding hormone) so they're putting me on parlodel to lower that and I have to continue with the bcp until 3-15. I start the lupron on 3-11 so hopefully it doesn't make me to crazy. They're also doing a hsg xray on 2-28. As of right now the retrieval date is about 4-1 to 4-5 and the transfer date is 4-5 to 4-9. It seems like its all happening really slow considering I've already been on the birth control for a month and we started the process back in January.

[Sunshine1576]

Hi everyone! It's nice to see so much activity on the board with MANY exciting things going on!! Do ya'll think we need a "list mistress"- as this board continues to pick up?? That can be time consuming and you may find yourself totally consumed lol. It was great for me last year bc I was working part-time and it kept time MOVING, but this year I've taken on more at work full-time. Leora previously created one and it was a great list, it kept everyone posted on WHO was doing what during IVF cycles. But it's exciting to see this board growing!

Sarah- I know what you mean all that waiting feels like snail-pace...last October I thought Feb would never get here...and the consultation took forever to finally get here in December it seemed. Seems like all we do is wait and then wait some more...yes we're endlessly waiting for something to get started. IVF should be called the "waiting game". But we look at it as one step at a time..and once you get all the test out of the way, you will be one step closer. Keep us posted on how the HSG goes next week. Anyway I'm glad you got your protocal it makes the craziness seem even more real!

Welcome Baaaak Blissful!! I'm glad to see our paths crossing again and I feel like I "know" some of you even better then ever before. The support here hasn't changed so all the newcomers will fit in here so well too. I am excited you will be cycling in the Spring with me too. Yes I go through a FET next week but I am cautiously optimistic. My thoughts are on my very last IVF, I will play it very risky- so stay tuned, this is far from being over! The Attain program is going to wish they never approved me lol. I know my sense of humor is warped but IVF makes us crazy! How is everything going for you, I cannot believe your little one is already 13 months old where does time go??

Suzyq- Thank you for those tips for my estrogen patches...I have baby oil might try that before showering to see if I can get some of the residue off my belly. 4 patches a day, I should had started on the left and placed them on top of another so I can change sides but I guess I'll move the site up a little but still have them under the belly button. I do understand what you are saying about the secondary IVF moms but at the same time I love having you girls over here!! We've been through so much over the last few years and your support means a great deal to me! So if you try leaving now I will become fussy and throw a fit, so don't make me fussy! lol These meds make me that way!

Leora- Yes let's get this party started, AF you need to come on now! Chocolate is my weakness, it does me no good to buy Hershey's. bc it's all gone in 3 days! I was at Target yesterday and I thought hmmmm Valentine candy is now 60% off, but I kept myself from going over there and YES that took ALOT of will-power! We're chocoholics at heart. <3

AFM: Getting ready to pick up Annabelle after school lets out. I love that little girl, haven't seen her since Christmas, she got her little ears pierced. We'll have plenty of crafts to make today, might even try quilting? Cannot wait to see her today!

[Sdtryingagain]

Bliss!!!!!!!! I'm thrilled you are back and can't wait to cheer you on for your next cycle! God-willing I hope to join you over on the PAT thread before you bring home your next babe! Totally sucks going through this miscarriage but now we have some new found hope we might get pregnant with the home conception kit again! I'll probably try it for another 5-6 cycles and then do either iui or FET. It'll be hard to decide.

[suzyq]

Sunshine- I love crazy ladies so bring it on.

Blissful- Look forward to getting to know you. My DS is 21 mths. Good luck.

SDtryingagain- Sorry to had a MC. I had know idea they were so hard till I had mine on 9/11. Terrible day for bad luck. My heart goes out to you.

Leora-We will have to exchange cruise stories sometime. What was your favorite part? Hopefully AF will show up on time to get the party started.

Sariah2003-Looks like I will be a week behind you on transfer. My ET dates are 4-11 or 4-13. I like the 13 better. I prefer a 5 day transfer. Since getting my calendar. and starting BCP the count down has been driving me crazy too. Trying not to obsess, but hard not too.

AFM- No news. Waiting, waiting, waiting.............hurry up already. Thanks ladies for being here. Talking to others helps me keep it together.

[Sunshine1576]

Yesterday was so much fun with Annabelle! We walked Vegas and Blackjack around the block, attempted to make a breakfast tray out of a plastic drawer and it was tuff to cut but she wouldn't let me give up. started on our first quilt (WhimseyDae did you hear that?), and she has all these heartwarming ideas to spread cheer to kids with cancer at the St. Jude hospital. She wants to take her Girl Scout group there and read them books and pass out coloring books and donate our new quilt that we are currently. She's a ray of sunshine known this girl for 3 yrs...Anyway we had a nice dinner, I fixxed some honeybaked ham, green beans and her favorite m&c along with slices of pineapple. Dh joined us for dinner it was nice and I'm sure he appreciated the break from filling out job applications. Annabelle's mom had told her to come home at 8p and she was having so much fun over here she lost track of time and of course I thought her mom was going to pick her up like normal oh well. So I got to take her back to her house which is only 5 minutes and she chatted on about Queen Elizabeth, her step-dad is British so she knows all the background about the queen lol. So when we got to her house I walked her to the door to make sure she got in ok, and her mom invited me in and showed me all their new pets. I got to meet Harley, the new 2-3 month old puppy that showed up on under their shed during the last storm and fell completely in love with her. She looks completely like my Blackjack did as a puppy, my neighbor asked if I wanted to adopt her and I really really really wanted to but also know I have a FET coming up. ugh it would be so much easier to just adopt the puppy wouldn't it? Sorry I'm babbling on!

Suzyq- We're here for one another right here! I'm also playing the song by Richard Marx- "Right Here Waiting" for you.
Thank you, I tried baby oil I think it's just wear my yoga pants/pants hit the patches they still bother me some right now but it's better then taking the shots so I shouldn't complain.

Sdtrying- You are dh are going to have so much fun these next 6 months. Seems like with IVF we lose touch of the closeness we once shared... kind of starting to feel like room-mates around here and I have no excuse Valentine's Day was just last week, lol.

AFM: 5 days and counting, so does this mean I should wait on the new puppy? Maybe I could at least let them meet but I know if I do that puppy is coming home with me. lol

[BlissfulCS]

Sunshine- Good to be back with you too! Glad you enjoyed your time with Anabelle.

Suzyq- Looking forward to getting to know you too! Too bad we can't have a play date! DD is a little on the young side for him but developmentally she is super advanced... ha ha.

SDtryingagain- I remember the first time I cycled with you...you nailed it on the first try and were the first to get a BFP. I am hoping we both bless this board with a little luck. Hope the boys are well!

Leora-bring on AF!!!

Sariah2003-Sounds like you are doing a long lupron cycle. It can feel like it is taking forever but I actually like it better than a faster cycle personally. The antagonist cycles almost go too fast. I settled into it better on the longer cycles and felt a little more in control. My long lupron cycle embies are the embies that led to DD. Hoping it is worth the wait for you too!

AFM- Ordered my baby in a box yesterday. She/He will be here on Saturday in anticipation of AF being here the 25th through the 28th. Working on getting back into acupuncture since my AP moved out West...

[blueeyedreamer]

Christy, I agree about not using alcohol swabs on the sticky stuff left from the patches. Eye makeup remover works great. Not all are created equal. My MACworks much better than the cheap stuff. You could try baby oil if you have it. You will have to make sure the oil is off before applying the patch to that spot or it will just fall off.

[WendyT]

Hi there, I am new to the site, so "Hi" to everyone!

I am on my first round of IVF, so this is all quite new to me. I had a 3dt a week a go, and unfortunately the 4 remaining embryos did not make it through to the blastocyst stage, so this one in my tum is my only hope at the moment.
I am a bit worried though as the day after the transfer I started having bad cramping, 2 nights later I started having such severe cramping that it felt like my stomachs was being ripped apart. That settled down after 2 days but a week later I am still having nonstop period pain cramping.
I guess I feel like my body is just waiting for me to stop taking the Pessiries (spelling) so that my period can start.

I am 37 in a few months time, I do have a beautiful 5 year old boy that after many years of trying we pregnant with after a Laparoscopy. Since then we have tried another Laparoscopy, and Clomid - all to no avail.

I guess I feel down as my stomach seems like such a hostile environment at the moment that I don't foresee a happy outcome at the moment.
Has anyone had severe cramping the whole way through and had a happy outcome? Many thanks!

[BlissfulCS]

Wendy- have you talked to your RE? Could it be OHSS? That happens when the ovaries get overstimulated and can be very serious so if you haven't told them you are having pain you should address it right away.

I had cramping in all my IVF cycles, both fresh and frozen but I wouldn't call it severe. The most intense cramping I ever had though was the night before the positive beta that ended up being my daughter. I know now that it was my little uterus already stretching and growing. It is so hard to stay positive... but even if it was OHSS lots of women have cramping and still have a positive outcome.

Oh- and welcome!!!

[leorira11]

duuuuuuude AF - where the f*** are you?!? I know I'm still probably a bit too early, and AF should show by early next week, but I'm ready to get the SHOW on the ROAD!

okay - vent over.

I had a massage last night (I go weekly to my massage therapist while cycling -- it's a huge splurge, but I love it. I find the physical relaxtion makes my mind relax) and it was amazing. I feel so zen and chill (minus the vent of where is AF )

Basically, I'm crazy. Oh well

[Sdtryingagain]

Welcome Wendy! I agree with bliss. Check with your office about your symptoms since they seem pretty severe from your description. I think as with all this pregnancy it is impossible to know until beta day. All the drugs mimic everything and some women don't have other symptoms at all so that's tricky too. Personally I have a fairly reliable sign of pregnancy--- sex dreams! I don't get those with progesterone and only when I'm pregnant. Crazy! Sorry, I didn't mean to make this about me just thought it was funny. Back to you...hang in there and keep hope alive there is no reason to think you can't be preggers. When will you test? Baby dust to you!!

Bliss- crazy that we can go way back with an Internet buddy:)

Sunshine-- unfortunately IF killed most of our sex life too...we use the home conception kit which is awesome because if one of us isn't in the mood for timed sex we don't have it, DH just goes to guest bedroom and gets me a "sample" into the cap (sperm goes into the cap and I place over my cervix). It is so fantastic that the pressure of timed sex is off. obviously it is a little weird but after being through ivf our standards for weirdness is very different.

Baby dust to the rest of the group!!

Leora-- love, love the idea if the massage splurge!!