Dec/Jan Cycle buddies!!!!

TKat · Post by **TKat** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:07 pm

Hello. I was hoping I could join you guys in. I went through my first IVF cycle in November and got a BFN. The whole cycle was such an emotional and physical roller coaster. I just started on birth control pills so I have another ER and ET in January. Looks like it'll be right around the middle of January. Last time around we didn't use the birth control protocol. I just started Lupron on day 18 of the previous cycle. It caused a delay in my period which kind of sucked because I was anxious to get the stims going. I'm curious as to whether or not it'll be late again this month....I am hoping not because of the birth control pills. Do any of you have any experience with this?

Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. I'm going to read through the postings so I can learn more about where everyone is at with everything!!

TKat

not hopeless yet · Post by **not hopeless yet** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:44 pm

Hi TKat I think you look familiar from the other thread... I just jumped over here today as well and read through all 8 pages to meet everyone!

Sorry about you BFN. Now it looks like we're all in the same boat this round. Currently I'm on bcps and from what I've read online it's pretty common. Unfortunately I got on them back in Oct. but called the clinic going into my 5th week of pills because they still hadn't approved me since the saline ultrasound. They told me to get off the pills for a couple days til AF arrived then jump back on.

Of course as soon as I got back on the pills the billing office approved me so I have to continue taking them until 12/7 to have full flow and start Gonal-F. In the meantime I've started on Lupron.

To make a long story short and answer your question, hopefully for both of us the bcps will keep our cycles regular so we can start stims right on time!

JennJenn · Post by **JennJenn** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:46 pm

Hello everyone. I just had my 3rd b/w & u/s this morning and finally met with my RE (havnt seen him since September). I was confused after Monday's appointment bcuz i didnt get much out of my nurse. I thought she wanted me to see the RE bcuz she wanted him to be the bearer of bad news. Everything went well with the meeting. I was really scared that i might be cancelled because all my nurse said about my E2 is "yeah, it's up there." She didnt give me the number or anything. I didnt post my thoughts bcuz i didnt know what to expect. My numbers were/are as follows:

11/25-baseline
Lining 9.5
E2 14
RT ovary 14 LT ovary 6sm

12/1-
Lining 10
E2 1051
21 follies
RT ovary 17, 23, 14, 11, 11sm
LT ovary 6sm
Decreased Gonal-f from 300ui to 225ui

12/3-
Lining 15 (WTF?!?!?)

28 follies
RT ovary 24, 19, 14, (3)11, (2)10, 12, (2)13, 11, 6smalls
LT ovary (3)12, 13, 11, 14, 10, 4small
E2 (waiting on b/w results)

With all of those follies, they are decreasing my Gonal-f yet again!

I am supposed to trigger Monday 12/8 but we are moving it up one day to this Sunday! Which would make my ER Tuesday 12/9 ET probably 12/13 or 12/14.

My RE said that he is going to ignore the 24 and 19 and they let them get over mature so that the others can catch up. Thats 2 lost but its fine by me. I pray that this works the first time. In the beginning I said that I am going to go through 2 cycles no matter the outcome, but I am praying they both result in a BFP. I go for another b/w u/s on Friday, so I am sure my E2 levels have probably tripled! Im just ready to get it over and done. Anxious for the 2ww.

not hopeless yet · Post by **not hopeless yet** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 6:10 pm

Wow JennJenn looks like you'll have 17+ follies on Tues!!! Good luck and I want to know how you feel after ER (since I"m most anxious about that!)

JennJenn · Post by **JennJenn** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:56 pm

Thanks Not Hopeless Yet! I am excited but still a little scared to get too excited. Ya know?!

I am so nervous. I have hydros in both tubes so they were sealed instead of removed. I am nervous about if the fluid will still get inside my uterus. My RE said so, but you never know. I guess i am just scared altogether. I'll calm down now.

ann d. · Post by **ann d.** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:36 am

JennJenn... It sounds like you have some nice follies!! Good luck with everything!

Sprouthaus... I still feel the pressure in my lower abdomen/cramps but I think it's from my menstruation coming. It almost feels like the ovulation pains that I use to get. My RE said Lupron shouldn't cause it and he thought it was just period pains. I hope once I menstruate the pains will be gone. It's not constant, just once in awhile.

As for ER, I can't remember (since it's been over a year) how I felt the day after ER and if I will be able to work. I am a teacher, but I know that I can assign my kids something that won't require me to move around as much. (They're middle school students.) Those of you who can remember how you felt the day after, can you tell me if you would go to work?? I just feel it's easier for me to go to work than find a substitute. But if it will harm me, then I will definitely take the day off. Thanks for any advice!!

wishing4baby · Post by **wishing4baby** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:53 am

Hi Ladies, It looks like we are all really getting going.

CT_Michelle, thank you so much for your words of encouragement. I think the Dec/Jan thread is going to see a lot of BFPs over the next month. Your story was inspiring and renewed my hope.

Annie973, I know what you mean about the needles. I thought I would be used to it by now, but I still get a little nervous just before my DH gives me the shot.

sprouthaus, thanks for keeping us up to date on everyone. Are you starting stims tomorrow...very exciting!!! I do acupuncture as well to stay calm, and I love it. I have also been trying positive thinking. Imagining myself pregnant and with a baby. I will try anything at this point. I figure positive thoughts are better than negative. Although it is hard to keep them up all the time.

Welcome Not Hopeless Yet and TKat. I think this thread is going to be a lucky one.

Jenn Jenn, WOW so many follies!! That is awesome. One of those has to be your baby. Sounds like you are progressing great. Next week is going to be an exciting one. Will you do a 3 or 5 day transfer? We will be on our 2WW together

.

Ann D, I did go to work the next day, but I was actually in a good amount of pain. My ERs were always a little painful but I think it also depends on how many follicles you have. I think the more you have, the more you may feel some discomfort. I hope you have a lot of follicles

.

I see my RE on friday for U/S and BW before my transfer next thursday. I have moments where I am so excited and pregnancy feels so close, and then moments where I am so nervous and dreading the feeling of another BFN. I am trying to keep up the PMA. It's like a rollar coaster.

Glad to see we are all going to have a lot of support during the 2WW.

ann d. · Post by **ann d.** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:15 am

Wishing4baby.... I also have an appointment Friday in the early morning. My stimming is suppose to start that evening. I like the idea of picturing yourself with a baby. I gotta try that!

TKat · Post by **TKat** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 12:16 pm

My first ER was about 3 weeks ago. I remember having a lot of pain the day of the ER and the following day. I was lucky because mine was on a Saturday so I had all day Sunday to lay around and rest. The thing I remember being bummed out about after my ER was that after I became alert, they took my husband away so he could do his thing. I wish they could have overlapped us some how. I hated that he had to leave me. I guess I shouldn't complain because his sperm was a critical part of all this!!

I was fine after two days but then I developed a moderate case of OHSS the day after my transfer. I looked about six months pregnant and was very uncomfortable. It hurt to walk and I couldn't sleep and I felt too full to eat. I had 21 follicles removed so I had a good chance of getting OHSS.

ann d. - did your doctor prescribe you any pain medicine for after your ER? My doctor gave me Darvocet and I found that it really helped, although it made me incredibly tired. That may help you get through the work day the day after your ER. You'll be in zombie mode on that stuff though so giving the kiddies some independent work may help as you said.

Well there's my two cents.

Hope you all have a great morning!

-TKat

JennJenn · Post by **JennJenn** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:47 pm

Wishing4baby- I am doing a 5-day transfer.

I pray everything is fine. I am so nervous but excited. I also picture myself pregnant. I call it positive visualization.

Kind of like what my professor used to say in graduate school "If you SEE it and BELIEVE it...then you will ACHIEVE it." I am really stressed out right now (dealing with this process, relationship issues, financial issues, etc) so ANY positive thinking will help me.

not hopeless yet · Post by **not hopeless yet** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:16 pm

Hang in there JennJenn you are just days away! Try not to overanalyze the steps we take to get here, relationship issues, finances... the ball is rolling and we can't stop it now! I know intimacy and anxiety issues are hard to ignore just take it one hour at a time if you have to.

Oh, and B-R-E-A-T-H-E! I get overwhelmed sometimes and no matter where I am (as long as I'm not driving

) I just close my eyes, take a deep breath, and know that a miracle is about to happen inside me.

sprouthaus · Post by **sprouthaus** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:25 pm

Hi everyone - It is always such a nice treat to log on and see lots of activity on this thread.

not hopeless yet - It sounds like you are going to have a very wonderful christmas. It is great that your family will help out - I am like you, I love to do ALL the preparations myself. However; this year will be different. Depdending on when everything happens (ER/ET) - I think we will keep Christmas simple & easy. It is just DH, my sister and BIL and my father (oh, and my sister's two kids, toddler and newborn). So, I think we'll do a snack-ey Christmas with yummy nibbles all day instead of a big meal. I'll add you to the list too - keep us posted as your dates become more firm!

Also - regarding ER, it is my understanding that some women feel no pain from the procedure - so try not to worry too much! I was quite bloated for two days following and it was mostly just uncomfortable. My pants were tight so while I went to work, I was just uncomfortable sitting all day. Also, I couldn't eat very much because I felt full all the time.

TKat - Welcome aboard and let me know if you want to join 'the list' so that we can all keep track of progress. I don't know what to tell you about AF - I was on BCP for over 6 weeks and AF was fighting me for the last 10 days. I stopped taking BCPs on Monday and was told to expect AF on Saturday after two days of lupron. But, full-flow began today. I didn't have any delay after my first IVF cycle either, she came right on time.

JennJenn - I must say, I have follie-envy!!!! Sounds like you are going to get a great big (and great quality) batch of follies! You are going to get a BFP from all this. Decreasing your stim meds sounds like a blessing to me - my RE had me at maximum dose for 10 days last cycle and we only got 10 follies. I have a good FSH (6.3), but I just don't respond to the medication well. We're trying micro-dose lupron this time....

wishing4baby - goodluck on your u/s tomorrow - keep us posted on what RE says. Your transfer is just around the corner!!!!!!

To all: regarding positive thinking - check out CDs/books on a process called yoga nidra. It is guided meditation and has a double positive effect of guiding you through relaxation & breathing as well as visualization. I got a book/CD set from Borders and find it really has helped keep me calm & preventing me from "tunnel vision" where all I think about is IVF. I just don't think the stressing I did last cycle over every little detail did me any good (not that it did any harm either). A relaxed & happy mind is the best state for us in IVF!

As for me, I began micro-dose lupron this morning and almost forgot to start the cycle!!!!!!!!!! My husband had to remind me

Saturday morning I add Follistim. The one thing that has me worried about this cycle is that one of my little sisters will be visiting right around the time we'll be doing ER/ET. DH and I haven't told anyone we are doing this, so I am worried about how we're going to get through the visit & these appts. I am trying not to think about it now, because after all - what can I do to change the situation?

sprouthaus · Post by **sprouthaus** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:30 pm

wishing4baby
FET: 12/11, with estrogen starting 11/21
Beta: 12/22

sprouthaus
Stim start: 12/6
ER: 12/15-12/19
ET: 12/18 – 12/24

ann d.
Stim start: 12/5
ER: 12/17
ET: 12/19 or 12/21

JennJenn
Stim start: 11/27
ER: 12/9
ET: 12/14

KMHTTC
Stim start: 12/6
ER: 12/18
ET: 12/21

annie973
Stim start: 11/28
ER: 12/9
ET: 12/14

not hopeless yet
lupron: 12/1
Stim start: 12/11?

TKat
Stim start: ?

KMHTTC · Post by **KMHTTC** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:05 pm

Hi Everyone...
I had my Suppression Check yesterday and I am suppressed!!! Yay! I will be starting the stims on Saturday, 12/6. A few days later than I anticipated but no biggie... Just wanted to share my update!

KMHTTC · Post by **KMHTTC** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:15 pm

Sprouthaus... Just wanted to reply to your message above about your sis being in town around the time of ER/ET. That always adds some fun stress into the mix... doesn't it. I had a friend who wanted to visit next weekend but it will be during the "active time" in the cycle so I'll be running out to the ultrasounds and bloodwork. I sort of fibbed and just told her that it wasn't a good time for us. We haven't told anyone either (well we told my mom). I feel sort of badly for not sharing with my siblings or friends but for some reason my hubby and I just want to keep it private.
Hang in there. It will all work out somehow and just do what you need to do for yourself.
I also have a meditation CD that is specific to IVF and it is great!

Dec/Jan Cycle buddies!!!!

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