CYCLE BUDDY DAY 1 AUG 3??

[hopeful_cycle_one]

Is anyone starting their IVF cycle on August 3rd? I've been on Lupron for about a week and Day 1 of my cycle starts tomorrow. I have my first bloodwork and ultrasound tomorrow morning! Anyone else close in their cycles?

[mjay]

i just started lupron on 7/31, so i've been on it for three days. i go in for bw and u/s on 8/10 and hopefully start stims that day too. so i'm about a week behind you.

[JG_379]

Hello!
I started Lupron about 10 days ago and went in for my first bloodwork and ultrasound this morning. I have to wait for the results later this afternoon, but i'm hoping they tell me to go ahead and start the stims. How have you been doing on the Lupron? I don't have many side effects other than headaches and fatigue. I've been doing my best to try and relax and get some exercise, so hopefully it's keeping the hormones at bay for the time being!

Is this your first IVF cycle? This is my first and i'm really excited and nervous. I feel like things are finally happening and like we're on the right track. I did Clomid for two months and I did not react at all to the medication. In fact, I think the Clomid caused my body to not react because each of those cycles was about 50 days (my usual is 30). We had one IUI, even with just one follicle and the second month the Clomid didn't work, the doctor called me in and told me we need to move on to something more aggressive. Since DH has a low sperm count, she decided that IVF was the best option for us, so here we are!

I'm glad I have someone to talk to that's going through the same thing! i've been on these boards before, but haven't posted. It's hard to read some of them sometimes because I get a little discouraged. My goal is to stay positive!

[JG_379]

Hey mjay,
I realized we have much in common! Not only are our cycles only about a week apart, but we're both from IL and we are both normal and have DH's with low sperm counts! Good luck with your cycle!

[tryn4#2]

I stopped my BCP's last Thursday. I started spotting yesterday and today has been a little heavier. I'm not sure if they will consider today Day 1 of my cycle but if so then I will have my first ultrasound and bloodwork taken tomorrow.

[mjay]

jg_379- i think i'm just about as excited as you. i know what you mean about getting discouraged by some of what you read. there were so many variables that i didn't even consider until reading all the challenges these ladies have been through. but their bravery and persistence gives me hope. i was on clomid for 2 months before we got the results back from dh's semen analysis. since then we've been seeing a urologist for the issue. after being on meds for 4 months he just received the results today that his testosterone has gone way up. so, we will see on fri what his semen analysis looks like. if his sperm count has gone up, maybe we will won't have to keep going through ivf after this cycle. i have filled my days with lots of activities so i won't get too anxious. i'm going to see cavalia in two weeks, which will hopefully be when i'm taking stims. may i ask what clinic you're at? we're at FCI. so far i've been very pleased with them. no side effects on lupron so far!

good luck on the results! you will start stims today!

[JG_379]

Hi mjay,
No, I don't mind at all. i'm going to Invia Fertility in the western burbs. They used to be known as Karande and Associates. I absolutely love my doctor, she's a genius and also very understanding and comforting. What's kind of frustrating though, is that we've known the results of DH's sperm count since December and they haven't tried to address it at all. I've taken the initiative and put him on Fertilaid for men, (a natural supplement) but that's pretty much it, other than exercise and a somewhat healthy diet. At my first IUI though, his count went up by a few million since December, so maybe we're getting there!

That's exactly it! There are some things that I didn't even consider going wrong until I read about it in some of the posts. In the past, i've actually tried to stay away from message boards and stuff so that I wouldn't get discouraged, but I do find that sometimes it's hard to get through the day without someone else who's going through the same thing for support! I'm with ya on the activities. I spent the weekend cleaning and getting tons of stuff done. I work at a college, so with the school year starting, in addition to going to class myself for my master's, I know that the time to get stuff done is now or never . Other than cleaning, I pretty much read anything I can get my hands on to stay busy. Cavalia sounds awesome! If you haven't been to the Millennium Park Grill yet, it's a great place to eat!

That's awesome news on his testosterone! It sounds like you're definitely headed in the right direction and I know that his sperm count will be through the roof!

[hopeful_cycle_one]

Hi ladies - Thanks for the replies! It's so nice to know other people who are at the same point at the same time as I am! My background is that we've been trying for 2 years. All tests normal - officially 'unexplained infertility.' My hubbie's spermies are fine - we have no idea why things are not working. This is our first IVF cycle and we are SO excited but I'm also equal parts worried and sad that it won't work. It's hard to act *normal*!

We never really thought about anything but IVF because we never wanted to have to 'reduce' if we got pregnant with too many multiples from IUI or clomid, etc. So that's our story! We are doing risk sharing with our clinic in Washington, Dc. We're planning on only transfering one embryo each time, if that makes sense at the time of transfer.


JG_379 -- How did your first ultrasound and bloodwork go? They told me my lining was good - nice and thin and I had 5 follicles on one side and 6 on the other which seemed to be a good result. We start on 140 units of hormone tonight after I get the call to confirm.

mjay -- That's great you didn't have any lupron side effects. I seem to be a little tired and maybe hungrier than usual? I'll have to step up the exercising

tryn4#2 -- One week to go! You must be itching to start - I know I was. After two years of waiting, I feel SO happy to be finally starting this process.

Baby Dust, Hopeful

[JG_379]

hopeful_cycle_one- I get my results at 3 central time, so I still have a half hour to go. This wait is always a killer! It's even worse when they're running late with the messages. I have already started to call. I"m not sure if you ladies have the same thing, but we have a patient results network where they post results to your voicemail box every time you go in to the doctor and you are supposed to listen for the results and instructions and call if you have any questions. It's pretty convenient. This is going to be a long half hour! Other than that, my appointment went great, the lining was great and she said both ovaries looked great. She didn't mention the number of follicles, but I saw her measuring at a least 4 on each side.

I know exactly what you mean by it's hard to act "normal". DH and I have also been trying for 2 years and I'm not sure i'll know what it's like to not have "baby on the brain". I feel like I'm always thinking about it and always preparing for it. It'll be weird when it actually happens.

I was actually really surprised when I found out that Jon and Kate used IUI rather than IVF. This was after my first IUI cycle and I didn't think that was even possible! I'm glad that we didn't have to deal with an issue like that and I think that in hindsight, had I known those facts, I probably would have gone straight to IVF too. I think we're going to try our luck with 2 embryos and freeze what remains, should we be lucky enough to get that far. I don't mind the idea of having twins and with all the heartache and waiting we've done over the last two years, we would have had two by now anyway. Plus, we have an excellent support system with both our families being closeby.

Hungrier, huh? Me too. I feel like my stomach can hold twice as much food because I never feel full these days. I'm trying to be careful, but it's hard to resist those Reese's Peanut Butter cups!

[fitzjr11]

i dont think i'm too far behind the rest of you- got directions today:

Lupron 10 8/7, last BCP on 8/11 and start 1 low dose asprin till preg test
Blood wk/ultersound 8/13
if Suppressed will start 8/15 follistim 150 and 1 powder menopur and 5 units lupron
office visit 8/18
8/20 DH starts doxycycline 2x day till retrieval
night of retrieval start medrol 16 mg, for 5 days, and doxycycline 100 mg 2x for 5 days and start estrace 2mg 2x 1 day after retrieval
Start Progesterone night of retrival

Sounds like an awful amount of meds!

[mjay]

[/b]jg and hopeful: you guys have got to let me know hos the stimming goes. from everything i've read on here, i'm terrified. [/b]
i'm glad you ladies are just a week or so ahead of me. i feel much better knowing that you're out there thinking and feeling the same things as me.

jg- never heard of your clinic, but we're in the western burbs too! AND i'm working on my 2nd master's along with DH. in fact i start my internship soon. i know exactly what you mean by "baby on the brain." i feel obsessed. all i can do is think and plan. but i don't feel comfortable talking about this with a lot of people. even people that do know, i don't think i'll be able to face them if i don't get pregnant soon. we're hopeful for twins too. we've been TTC for 18 mths and i really would like to have a large family.

when i read the heartbreak the women suffer on here, i have to try not to get discouraged. but it's so hard when you see 4, 5, & 6 cycles with BFNs. but then i am equally encouraged when i see multiple BFPs in the same thread.

we just have to be extremely positive...

[hopeful_cycle_one]

Hi Ladies - We had our first stim shots last night. 150 Gonal F and 75 Menopur. It was okay, but let me tell you, that Menopur HURTS!!! Ouch, ouch, ouch. My next monintoring visit is 8/8 - so I'm hoping that I take well to the hormones.

jg_379 - You are so positive! I admire your optomisim! I'm trying to be posititve, too, but after so much heartache I think I am protecting myself.

To make matters worse, ANOTHER friend emailed today to tell everyone she is pregnant. That makes 4 in the last 3 months. I feel just awful now - I'm happy for her, but it just makes me so much sadder for myself. My hubbie never understands this reaction, but I just can't seem to help it. Have any of you had similar feelings?

Hopeful

[hopeful_cycle_one]

fitzjr11 - Welcome to the August cycles!! Your protocol is v. similar to mine - I guess we are all about the same. You must be itiching to start, too. I used those last days to enjoy coffeee, sodas, and caffeine Boy, I'd love some iced coffee right now!

Hopeful

[mjay]

hopeful- i used to get so upset when other people were getting pregnant. my DH was the same way. one of my close friends just had her 2nd son last week. i thought it would be really hard, but i was surprised by how happy i am for her. i think i have just learned to be grateful for others blessings as well as my own. b/c we're looking at them envious that we don't have kids yet, but they're looking at us envious of something else. it goes both ways, so i try not to let that bother me anymore. i have to admit, it is hard when my cousin gets pregnant every time she thinks about it. she has 5 girls, no career/income, husband, steady boyfriend, nothing! i would never tell her what i'm going through.

[Miner_79]

Hi there, I guess to start I will explain my unexplained IF. My DH and I have been trying for a little over 3 years (1 on our own and 2 with a RE). It, no doubt, has been the biggest struggle of my life. We have been through 5 clomid cycles with 2 IUI's. 4 injection cycles with IUI. And no BFP! DH has checked out great. After all of this here we are.

This will be my first IVF attempt and I am eager but nervous. I started the Lupron last night and can I just say that my DH gets so excited about giving the shots.. It is a little creapy. With all that we have been through I have not had any anxiety until now. ( I stopped taking meds for anxiety to prepare for pregnancy over 2 years ago) Why does it have to show up now of all times? I am managing though. The only part that is making me nevous is the ER and the possiblity of OHSS.

Anyway.. I go in for my suppression check on 8/13. I hope that we all get the BFP that we are praying for. I will keep all of you in my thoughts and prayers. Hope to talk to you all soon!!!

Chris