I know - it was awful. Were you in hospital? I was in hospital for 7 nights, and on the 3rd day I had to have a bag in my abdomen to drain to excess fluid. They drainined 6 litres when it was first put in - it was such a relief! Evry day was a god send when they drained more fluid...
On my last cycle, the doctor 'coasted' me for a few days cos my level was high (meaning I stopped taking FSH for a few days). Did you have this too? My new doctor told me that coasting is not good and can damage the quality of the eggs. So the best is to start low & try to maintain the dosage right through to the end, rather than have to coast.
DH has this belief that a natural transfer will work first go for us. We had friends who have 2 beautiful daughters from IVF, but she had 4 failed FETs & both natural transfers worked. I know there are lots of women on this site that have had successful FETs, but DH is just convinced that natural will work for us. I hope he's right!
We are starting Provera today, and if all goes OK, will be testing around mid March. I'll keep you posted.
Do you have any frozen embies left, or are you starting a full cycle again on your next one?
Bella.
#1 -ve severe OHSS
#2&3 FET both -ve
#4 1 blasto - BFP! Lucy Bella born 3rd Dec 06
Jan 09 - FET...BFP!
I know that comment sounds cliche but my wife and I had 5 attempts and on the 2nd occasion it was to be a frozen transfer of Blastocysts, they never even made the thawing process and the morning they called and told us they died my wife cried her heart out for several days as she was so devastated.
Over the next few weeks we spoke with several people and they said to keep on going but to be honest at the time we were both so emotionally gutted and drained neither of us had the strength to go through this again. To try again and face the possibility of failure was totally unbearable.
As the weeks went by we licked our wounds and re-energised and got back on the horse so to speak. I have to admit it still wasn't roses from that point because we had several more failed IVF failures over the next 24 months. I can honestly say at the point we had lost all hope and could not go on with it anymore. I have never known such deep depression and we sat down and talked and decided just to give it one last shot and after so much pain and tears my wife fell pregnant and is now 10.5 weeks with twins.
I think you know the point I am making and what I am getting at, in that just when you think its all over and life really is hard to bare. Fight through that pain barrier, wipe the tears away, stand tall and live to fight another day. I am 100% certain your time will come and it WILL happen to YOU just trust me - Another cliche it seems I know but you just have to keep the faith hun!
I am so sorry you are having to go through this. But when you are feeling rock bottom, remember the ONLY WAY IS UP! You will feel better soon, I am sure of it.
I read the comments about 'coasting'... I was coasted because of mild OHHS and over half of my eggs died. I was gutted, there should have been 17 and I only got 5... they'd all just dissolved because they were post mature. My doctor never mentioned this. Next time I am going to say go ahead with the HCG shot, but just give me a lower dose, I'm not going through that again! But then again, everyone is different, that's just my experience.
Phil - your message has just made me cry (but in a good way, don't worry!). Thank you so much for telling your story. I shall remember it whenever I feel like there is no hope.
I'm off to see my GP in half an hour to get us put on the list for the free IVF cycle they offer in Surrey. I've been putting off going, thinking we wouldn't need it, but just in case we do, might as well get on the list. And you never know what might happen......
PMA to all, especially you Lisa. You WILL get your family, I am sure of it.
Bec
Bec
My age 33, DH 32
Nat pg & m/c @ 8.5 wks Jan 05
IVF Nov 05 m/c @ 5 wks
3 x IUI 2006 all -ve
IVF Oct 06... BFP! A little boy due 6 July!
Thank you very much for the inspirational stories. I know I will pull through this but it seems so far from reality at this point. I have a consultation on Tuesday with my RE and I guess we will decide what we are doing. I still have frozen left but like you Bella I would like to try a fresh cycle as I haven't had one yet. I am so confused. Having a surprise birthday party for my hubby this weekend so I am busy and it is a very needed good time.
Best of luck to you all and thank you again, for the "PEP TALKS" lol.
Lisa, We must be on the same path. I too go to my RE on Tuesday to find out my next course of action after having a BFN in early January. Do you know if the chances of a BFP are higher with a fresh transfer? I am going to ask that for sure on Tuesday. Keep your chin up and stay strong. I am finally statring to feel like my bubbly self again (at least a lot closer than I was last week).
Phil- THANKS for the wonderful story and the tears of happiness!
STACEY MARIE- I hear that fresh is better but if you have frozen they like to use those first.
I have PCOS and the last time I stimmed My insulin was very high.17 They told me that I may not respond well because of that. Well I wound up with 41 eggs, 30 fertilized and only 6 went to blast. FROM 41 TO 6. BELLA- How many eggs did you get?
I know someone was saying something about coasting? When I started they gave me 300 mg of gonal F I went in one day had no follicles the next day I had 17 so they lowered my medication to 150 then towards the end they put it up again. Is that coasting?
I also have a question..... The two times I had the frozen egg transfers done, I would get hot flashes for days. I kept thinking I had fever but I did not ( I walked around with the thermometer in my mouth for days)98 the whole time.
Then I would get the chills. I felt like early menopause lol. My RE said she thought it might be a reaction to the progesterone shots, But it seems weird that it started when they were transferred.... Anyone???????
Well I have a list of things that I am bringing with me on Tuesday, I am sure it will not be a nice meeting....
Lisa,
I only have three frozen and who knows if any of them will even survive the great thaw out. I had to take 375 of the gonal f and a couple of days at 450. I only had 9 eggs retrieved. I want to start over fresh and am hoping to get more embies to freeze because my dh and I are only giving it one more try because it is so expensive. But I want to have some to freeze in case we have the money to try it in the future and my re isn't sure how long my right ovary will remain functional. My left ovary only produced one follicle because of damage from scar tissue and endo.
Sorry I don't know anything about PCOS but I have been interested in seeing how all of our experiences have some similarities and diferences. I too have a ton of questions for my doc. Good luck at your appt.
--Stacy
Stacy
me 30, dh 29
fertility due to endo and scar tissue
1. IVF w/ ICSI - BFN in Jan 06
2. FET- March 06 - BFP!!!!!
I've just read your replies and spookily I am too going to see the consultant on Tuesday for our follow up after our BFN!!! Seems like we're all at the same place!
By 'coasting' - for me it meant, I had lots of lovely follicles at the right size and if I hadn't been vomitting with OHHS they would have normally given me the HCG shot and taken me in for EC. However, as they didn't want the OHHS to get any worse, which it does with HCG they wanted to be bring me Est levels down first and stop the symptoms. So I stopped having the Gonal F and just had buseralin for a few days. So my follicles remained at their max size but didn't pop. However, then when my Est levels came down and I felt much better there were hardly any eggs left as they'd all dissolved! I was on the lowest Gonal F dose - 112 - so I was just too good a responder. This isn't a bad thing, but does mean I shall be asking how they are going to manage me better next time!!!
I too have two embies in the freezer, however, I know the success rates are lower than for a fresh cycle. Therefore, I think I will go for another fresh before having frozen.
Also, I couldn't bear it if we got all primed to have a FET and then the embies didn't survive the thaw. As I've only got two, I'm going to wait till I've got a few more the fridge before doing FET.
Good luck on Tuesday Lisa and Stacy! EVERY DAY THAT PASSES IS A DAY NEARER HAVING OUR FAMILIES!
Thinking of you!
Bec
Bec
My age 33, DH 32
Nat pg & m/c @ 8.5 wks Jan 05
IVF Nov 05 m/c @ 5 wks
3 x IUI 2006 all -ve
IVF Oct 06... BFP! A little boy due 6 July!
Bec,
Wow! I didn't realize that OHSS worked like that. It is great that you are responding to the meds. You will have to let me know how your appt. goes. I read my husband your thoughts on saving the frostie little guys and hoped to sway him into viewing things my way- no luck so far. He is ready to adopt because it is a sure thing. I am just not as ready to give up faith. I am convinced with lots of prayers our dreams can come true. Hopefully our plans include kiddos that we conceive.
Good luck on Tues. girls!!!!
--Stacy
Stacy
me 30, dh 29
fertility due to endo and scar tissue
1. IVF w/ ICSI - BFN in Jan 06
2. FET- March 06 - BFP!!!!!
Lisa - 30 eggs! that's unbelievable! I only got 12 eggs, which makes me wonder how i got so sick?? I have PCOS as well, but given that I didn't have a large number of eggs, it's a bit of a bummer to get OHSS as severe as I did.
My doctor said coasting is when you have to stop taking FSH a few days or so before your trigger injection b/c of high e2 levels. She even said that changing the dose during the cycle isn't ideal - it's best to produce the follices steadily at the same pace.
Whether that happens or not this time I will find out after next week - I start taking FSH on the 11th. So scared & excited at the same time.
I will keep you posted though - DH & I were just saying that no matter what doctors or text books tell us, it's the first hand experiences from the women on this site that I trust the most.
How are you feeling this week? I hope you are felling a little stronger. Any ideas on when you will try your next FET?
Bella.
#1 -ve severe OHSS
#2&3 FET both -ve
#4 1 blasto - BFP! Lucy Bella born 3rd Dec 06
Jan 09 - FET...BFP!
I dont know if I will be using that last frozen yet. I have to talk to my Doctor. Getting very nervous for Tuesday. Have alot of questions....
I will let you know on Tuesday..
How were the Tuesday appointments???!! Hope they were positive.
I've logged on to see how you got on....
Ours has left me quite upset and depressed for no good reason really. The doc confirmed that I haven't been ovulating for the last two months since the IVF. So the drugs have completely screwed me up (as I used to ovulate before) and I'm upset that any chance of anything happening naturally has been taken away from us. The one thing that I did have going for me - ovulation - has been taken away. (Can you tell I'm wallowing at the moment?!)
We also have decided to try IUI before going back to IVF to give me a little break - so I have to have the tube test next week. A bit worried about this. Although I had a natural pregnancy before that only suggests one tube is ok, the other might not be, so she wants to test for this before trying IUI.
So all in all, I'm a little depressed. Just got myself a bottle of wine and trying to concentrate on the positives. I think it's my screwed up hormones that have made me so upset. I've been snapping at everyone at work today and constantly feel on the verge of tears....... any one else experienced a 'slow recovery' after IVF?
Take care
Bec
Bec
My age 33, DH 32
Nat pg & m/c @ 8.5 wks Jan 05
IVF Nov 05 m/c @ 5 wks
3 x IUI 2006 all -ve
IVF Oct 06... BFP! A little boy due 6 July!
HAD MY CONSULT TODAY AND I ACTUALLY FEEL BETTER. SHE SAID THAT SHE JUST WENT TO A SEMINAR AND THAT ONLY 35% OF ALL BLASTOCYSTS IMPLANT. THAT IS A PRETTY LOW NUMBER HUH, BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IT REALLY MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IF IT WORKED EVERYTIME THEN THERE WOULD BE BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF PEOPLE. SHE SAID ALL MY TESTS WERE FINE AND THAT IT WILL EVENTUALLY WORK FOR US. i AM NOW TAKING A 3 MONTH BREAK AND STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN. NEW CYCLE NEW EGGS NEW YEAR. SHE SEES NO REASON THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE SUCCESS.
I AM NOW ON METFORMIN 500 MG A DAY AND THEN I WILL BE UPPING IT EVERY 2 WEEKS UNTIL I GET TO 2000 MG. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO FIX THE ELEVATED INSULIN LEVELS IN MY BODY AND HELP LOSE SOME MORE WEIGHT.
WELL GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU AND I WILL BE AROUND AGAIN IN APRIL...
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WELL WISHES.
GOD BLESS....