First time IVF just want some advise

[cookie.xxx]

Hi all, im new to this site...just need someone to talk to..first ov all about me:
me- 31
hubs - 39
TTC - 5 yrs
had 6 failed IUI's
Unexplained fertility
We are starting our first IVF in Sept 2008, im really scared just dont know wot to expect, im want to be positive but i cant be after 6 failed IUI's i just feel like its never going to happen, i feel so alone none of my friends understand.

lou.xx

[wishfull27]

Hi Lou

welcome to the forum - you will find all the help and support you need here .. and answers to all your questions - no matter how bizarre they may seem someone else will have experienced the symptoms.

Have you had appointment to tell you when start down regging - thats usually 21 days after last period and take drugs to take over system?? - then they scan you and do blood tests and if all ok then start stimulation drugs for approx 10 days - during this time they scan you regularly - then if follcles have matured they will book you in for egg collection and then egg transfer is usally 3/5 days after that - then you have 2 week wait to see if it worked - that is the worst bit as you experience every symptom you can imagine and try to read something in to every little twinge!

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions or come and join us on General forum - under awaiting treatment as lots of people there who have had successful treatment/ still waiting for treatment and those of us who know the pain of failed treatments.

Good luck on your journey

Carolyn xx

[Kate21]

Hi Lou,

You have found the right place!! I can totally relate to how you feel, I was exactly the same right before I started my first IVF. The girls on here are fantastic and understand exactly what you are going through (unlike other friends).

IVF is not as scarey as it first seems, it is the unknown that is the scarey bit. Please ask as many questions as you want, however silly you may think they are!

I'm just starting my 3rd fresh IVF cycle so I have some idea of what goes on . Perhaps you might want to join us on the Aug/Sept thread as there are girls on there who start tmt in Sept and will probably have similar tmt dates/time scales to you.

Kate

[cookie.xxx]

hi carolyn n kate,
thanx for ur replies,
i start the nasal spray 29th septeber and my egg collection is 5th november then back in 2 days later if all goes well, i had a consultation 3 weeks ago and they gave me all these dates i have to go on 19th sept for a 1 hour teaching session (thats where they show me how to inject my self and give me the nasal spray) i think!! i dont understand how they gave me dates already especially the egg collection date...i thought the would have to monitor my period first. whats regging??? and tmt dates??
it is the unknown thats scarey, i just wish we knew wot the problem was

where are u up 2 on ur 3rd go kate? 3rd time lucky i hope all goes well.
are you having ivf to caroyln?
lou.xx

[Kate21]

Hi Lou,

As for working out your dates, some clinics do it backwards from the ET (embryo transfer). Thats how mine is working this time around. I knew straight away when my EC (egg collection) and ET would be and they worked backwards to work out when I would start stimming and when I would need to start down - regging (basically shutting down your system in order to stimulate it again with lots of follies).

I'm due to start stimming next Thursday (am just maintaining my down-reg state at mo) and then if all goes well we fly to Sweden on the 18th for EC on the 20th and ET on the 25th, we fly home that night. In total this will be our 7th tmt, 3rd fresh IVF and we've had 4 FET as well. We're going to Sweden because after lots of research I found that Sweden actually developed blastocyst transfers (embies are left until day 5, basically they assume the stronger embies will be left and therefore there is a greater chance of a BFP) and their success rates (56%) are much higher than here in the UK.

If you already know when they plan to do EC and ET then that helps to makes things clearer. I never knew when what was supposed to happen and so was in a daze and couldn't plan for things. As for knowing what the problem is?...many of us never find out. I also have unexplained infertility, a homeopathic doctor told me a while back that I had an infection in my womb lining and hence that would stop any pregnancy - but to be honest no-one can give me a definite answer. You've just got to remain positive, I find acupuncture really helps me to relax and have time out form this rollercoaster - you might want to try? It might help DH, I have heard that they can sometimes help with sperm problems.

Hope this helps

Kate

[Marynaz]

dear cookiexxx,
never think your turn will not come. I am sure you will get better result with IVf because success rate is much higher than IUI. Try to think positive and u are still young so have much time to be a mum. take care of yourself.
marybaz

[newtoivfgirl]

I too am starting IVF next month. My 21st day will be 8/10. I'm just getting very nervous and also sad at the same time. Finally broke down thinking that babies will never happened for us. We had 3 failed IUIs, dr recommended going to IVF, due to low sperm count..etc.

Just getting nervous that all the injections will make me "crazier" than I already am.., I'll be on Lupron, Gono-pen? thing I think it's the unknown that worries me the most. Of course you want it to work the first time, but that's just too hopeful. I also feel very alone, since all my friends are having babies and all naturally I believe, it's so tough to share this with anyone who's not going through the same thing. I almost feel ashamed sometimes.. I know there's nothing to be ashamed about, but you just can't help feeling that way.

Just feel like if babies are not meant to be for us, should we try so hard? Anyway, really just wanted to vent a little..
If anyone has any tips on first time IVF, please share.
Thanks!

[to_have_fun08]

newtoivfgirl & cookie.xxx,
Welcome to the board and the wonderful world of IVF. Hopefully your stay is short and sweet. I think most people are really scared when they start their first cycle. There are a lot of things to learn about how the whole process works and the drugs you will be taking. Most people hate the shots but after starting them they are not too bad. I am on my 3rd try for my 1st IVF cycle. I haven't made it to ER (egg retrieval) yet and I can't wait to start shots again because then I feel like I am one step closer to getting PG. If you have any question, don't hesitate to ask. There are plenty of wonderful women on this board that will try and help out. I have learned a lot by lurking on this board and reading about all the women that are in a cycle.

As for felling like a failure and that you will never get PG. I think we have all felt this way at some time. I know it is hard but you got to think as positive as you can. I have seen lots of ladies on here that have gone through lots of IUI failures and get a BFP(Big Fat Positive) on their first IVF try.

Good Luck,
Chris

[newtoivfgirl]

Thanks for your support! It's great to have "someone" to talk to.

I do have one question, I'll be starting Lupron on my 21st day (8/10), but we are still trying this week as I'm ovulating now. What will happen if by a miracle and I'm pregnant and I started the Lupron on my 21st day?

[to_have_fun08]

newtoivfgirl,
My RE stated to use contraception before beginning lupron. I don't know what effects it will have if you do get PG. Of course I didn't listen and BD'd without contraception. I have heard of ladies that did get PG and were on Lupron and they didn't make any big deal about it. I also looked on the Internet about this but couldn't find out much. That might be a good question for ghost or the IVFnurse.