40+ and Trying for 1st? Join in!!

[terripeachy]

When I went in two days ago (Day 6), you could hardly see anything, so I'm sure your follies are just a little small now. They didn't give you a schedule of the plan and what they are looking for? My place gives me a schedule saying when to return for checkups, how much medicine to take, when I'm to add a different med, etc..I guess they're thorough and want you to know everything that's happening. I even have an estimated retrieval day. How can you plan your life without knowing?

The last few days I had to take 187.5 vials of menopur which is 2.5 powders. I think I messed up the first time and didn't use enough water, but I just took the half vial the first day and whatever was left the second day. You're going to lose a little of the menopur through transferring, so don't worry about that. I am a pretty confident person in general, so whatever I do is right. No matter what. I just go with it. Gonal F is my fave medicine. No pain, no mess. It's perfect.

 

[ps57002]

Terripeachy

Lol I like knowing that the menopur confuses others too. So far 2 vials for me. Besides loosing some during the transfers, I also lost some because of the air bubble that formed at end and trying to get that out of syringe by taking some liquid. out. I must be pulling in too much air in or something in that shot. Yeah gonal pen is much easier....

I suppose my place is more as it goes kinda...in terms of scheduling. I went for consult on Wednesday last week and started it in few days on Saturday (period came few days early) so it's not really going per the straight planned line kind of thing for me anyways. Told my boss already that I have to come in late few days here there though doubt it. So far only was late one day. Don't really see lateness as issue for me due to monitoring hours/location being convenient. I told boss there'd be 2 days i'd be out but can't totally predict exactly when. She's gotta accept that is what it is...

 

[terripeachy]

It's pretty quiet on here..how is everyone doing and what are you all doing? I think I may trigger tonight for my final egg retrieval, but they doctor wouldn't tell me specifically what my bloodwork needed to be in order to trigger, so i'm just waiting patiently for the call. I realized I had some bruises on my stomach yesterday. Not sure how/when they got there, but my stomach has been pretty sore the last few days. It looks like I have 10 visible follicles, although on the right side, 5 of them are all bunched up. On the left I have about 5 smaller follies that I would really like to grow up.

Check in everyone! I'm bored at work today. hee hee.

 

[Pussycat1]

Best of luck Terri, they sound like good numbers, way better than I ever got!
How's everyone else doing?
We're on holiday at the moment with 13 friends staying in a beautiful chateau in the French countryside, it's stunning here. I told all my friends the news the other night which is just as well as I have a visible bump, though it could be mistaken for a beer belly at the moment! I was pleased to point out I'm not just getting fat! xx

 

[Wcpp]

Hi ladies!

I am 39 turning 40 in October. Ttc since I was 37.

I have all my exams done. Fsh: 6.1 Amh: 2.1 ( is that good or bad) I am prediabetic. Had a ping test. One of my tube is blocked ( etopic). I am 65 pounds over weight. My doctor told me despite all of that if I lose at least 10% of my weight and with some help. Pills or injections he believes I can get pregnant. I was put on metformin 850 me 2x a day for my weight, pre diabetes and to help me concieve. I asked if I should consider IVF and he said he doesn't believe I need it.

I have been on it for 2 months and nothing. I am 4-5 days from AF to come. Last night I took a clear blue digital ovulation test and I just got the circle. So when I ejected the test I saw 2 lines. One line being very faint. I was too scared to get excited and was hopefull it meant something until I found out there will always be 2 lines. I just started to cry. I never take a pregnancy test. Each month I don't have anything to look forward to.

 

[terripeachy]

Hi Wcpp-Good luck with your journey. An ovulation test is not a pregnancy test, so always keep that in mind. The open circle means you haven't ovulated yet, but if you're 4-5 days away from AF, you already ovulated most likely, so you should be taking pregnancy tests if you really want to know anything.

Just checking in with everyone. I had ten eggs retrieved, six mature, three fertilized. Now I'm just waiting for the reports on cell division and then chromosomal testing. I'm not sure if they send the cells on day 5 or not, so we'll see if they make it to day 5, and then how they turn out. I'm ambivalent.

ps-How did your retrieval go? How many did you transfer? I think you're about a week ahead of me.

:wave: to everyone else.

 

[ps57002]

Just checking in with everyone. I had ten eggs retrieved, six mature, three fertilized. Now I'm just waiting for the reports on cell division and then chromosomal testing. I'm not sure if they send the cells on day 5 or not, so we'll see if they make it to day 5, and then how they turn out. I'm ambivalent.

ps-How did your retrieval go? How many did you transfer? I think you're about a week ahead of me.

:wave: to everyone else.

I am so drowsy right now. not sure what this progesterone is doing to me. I feel drugged, esp after mid day dose. 10 eggs is a good number. I am rooting for your 3 embies to fight it like the kung fu warriors (sorry i'm drowsy and I don't make sense). Do they give your reports every day? Are you scheduled for a 5 day transfer? Are you getting the PGD (?) testing? When is your transfer?

I had 4 follicles. One was a cyst. One was nada nothing. Got 2 eggs on Saturday. Sunday was told both fertilized. They said my transfer is 5 days later on Thursday. They don't call with updates unless something is wrong. I guess today is day 3. I am on pins and needles here, whenever phone rings I pray it's not them. I don't want to go Thursday to find out something went wrong. With such low numbers.... I am really scared. I don't know if different agencies have different protocols on when they transfer, 3 vs 5 days. The 5 days is something they told me from get go. I wish I knew more about my tiger bean and sticky beans and how they are doing. Keeping them in my prayers. Keeping yours in my prayers too. This is so rough. Being drowsy and waking up every hour during the night to pee is just adding to me being crazy.

 

[Jean40]

I am back from vacation and been busy getting caught back up at work since no one did anything but 5 cases while I was off (and they only did those because doctors called for results). I was already tired from the trip, but now I'm pretty exhausted, so I hope to catch back up on sleep and rest this weekend.

I finally heard back from the coordinator at the RE office, she said I might get profiles next week and that the RE said I could order any test I wanted (of course, I have to pay for them, lol), so I just have to make a list and let them know when I have my other bloodwork done. I only have enough money to try this once, so I would rather eliminate the most obvious possibilities of it not working. So, since this is mid cycle, I wouldn't get to do the saline ultrasound & trial embryo transfer until probably the beginning of next cycle at the earliest, then get all the bloodwork done & I would think October for the earliest FET. Not sure how long it takes to get the legal paperwork done. I need to get my bloodwork & meds by the end of the year because all of that should be 100% covered by my insurance since I have my out of pocket max reached for this year. They don't cover fertility drugs (well, they covered the Femara I took one month, but not clomid or Bravelle or trigger shot), but I think they cover Lupron, the estrace, and progesterone, they definitely cover the BCP (I still got 4 packs left the GYN prescribed me last December). I'm happy to have at least a possible timeline because I was going to ask about starting corticosteroids for my fall allergies if it was going to be a few months, my sinuses are driving me nuts the last week. I won't take that now, it would affect my blood work.

 

[terripeachy]

Jean-Glad to hear from you, and yeah, order meds/tests while you can! I think my company changes insurance plans every year. Well, I was lucky that's what they did from 2014 to 2015, so I got to start over with fertility treatments. It doesn't much matter for 2016, because this time around is my last shot.

Ps-How did it go yesterday for transfer? Did you transfer both?

My last call from the center was on Wednesday and all three were still going strong with 8 cells. No call on Day 4, and then today they'll call me and tell me how they all made it and they sent biopsies to the lab for chromosomal testing. I'm being positive saying all three made it, but I think I have a pretty good shot of all three making it, as that's what has happened in the past. I always have three. Anyway...I'm more excited than I was in my last post. Now, we just cheer for normalilty and I'm ready to get started with my FET. Butt shots and all, I'm all in!

 

[ps57002]

Jean
Glad things staring to roll out and u will get insurance help in part.

Terry
Yesterday was day 5 transfer. Both survived. One was stage 1 blastocyst the second slower morula. I got their pics was very tired sleepy yesterday. Had accupuncture before going to transfer place. Planning on not testing until beta test. Googling like crazy. I have my fingers crossed for ur 3 fighters. How long does PGD Testing take. Are u getting excited about the transfer?

 

[terripeachy]

Oh great news, ps. I hope this is it for you. When is your beta?

I'm not excited for transfer just yet because I have to wait for the PGS results. They said it takes 10-12 days. They are sending them out today, so I will probably know by next week, I'd imagine.

 

[Pussycat1]

Ps congrTs on being PUPO!
Terri, fingers crossed that the tests come back good for all three. x

 

[Weezy9]

congrats Terri...hope this is your year
Hi to everyone else and good luck.

 

[Jean40]

So, I was trying to find lists of testing I want to have done in addition to the mandatory ones for the embryo & egg donation program. I found this page on clotting disorders:

https://womens.memorialhermann.org/specialty-services/blood-clotting-disorders/

Since a not so distant relative told me they have Factor V Leiden in their side of the family and she's trying to figure out where it came from, I think it's important to be tested for that. My maternal grandmother also had terrible blood clotting issues, but I don't think they ever found out specifically what caused it, so that's another reason I want to find out. I already take methyl folate instead of regular B vitamins (including folic acid), but there are other reasons to know if you have MTHFR.

This is a huge list of immune testing:

https://www.immunologysupport.com/testing.html

So, I have a lot of blood to have taken sometime in the next month or so. I'm so glad the RE is actually ok with me getting tested for whatever I want, he knows I'm a medical professional and work in the lab (just not with these types of testing), so I have a good idea of what I want done. Now to wait for my call to get started! I'm kinda nervous.

Edit: oops, didn't see the clotting tests are included on the immunology list. Some of these tests are ones that are mandatory and ones I've already had, so that narrows it down a bit.

 

[Vonn]

Jean--thank you for posting this! All these tests are exactly what I want to have done. I can't get my RE to sign off on all of them, he (his nurse, to be accurate) gives me the not enough double blind, peer reviewed studies, blah, blah, blah.... He agreed to do the antinuclear antibodies, anti phospholipid antibodies, and beta 2 glycoprotein. But no others. I am working on prior authorization with the insurance company to make certain they are covered. I think they are, but one insurance person wasn't totally sure when I asked, so it scared me.

The prices on the website of the second link you posted show prices that aren't that bad, even if I had to pay out of pocket for some of these other tests. I think I will call them and find out how I might be able to make this work. Maybe I can convince my primary care dr to request them & go through their lab. Or maybe I can go to an independent lab. There's just a lot of instructions and I don't know how willing folks/labs are to jumping through all those hoops. Hmmmmm.....

Weezy--how's it going? Are you taking meds to deal with the issues that came up in immune testing? You and Pussycat inspired me to look into these issues!

Pussycat--how's the pregnancy going? Update, update! Are you finding out genders? Thinking of you!

Terri--can't wait for the results & for your FET. Hurry up tests!

Ps--congrats on being PUPO! I hope the TWW flies by.

Wepp--welcome to our group. Your name was autocorrected to wept when I put it in, I hope I always catch that!

 

[Jean40]

Well, since I work in a lab, I know you have to have a doctor's order to get the tests done, so I would ask a PCP or other doctor about it. Some doctors are more willing to do tests than others. My GYN is very picky about what tests she will order, but seems like the RE is ok with it. Long gone are the days I could just ask one of the docs I work with to order a test for me or just go ask someone to run one extra on their machine, which we used to be able to do 15 years ago. The machines are so automated now, you can't put anything on there without an order of some sort.

 

[terripeachy]

Just to update you ladies, we had one embryo able to be biopsies and it was the best quality. 1AA rating. I'm a little disappointed that only one made it this far, but again that's probably why I haven't really gotten pregnant yet. So now we will just have o wait for the chromosomal testing results. I know, I just need one, but it sure would have been nice to have two or three make it.

 

[ps57002]

Just to update ladies, had bloodwork yesterday and nurse called saying sorry, not pregnant. So am out. All meds stopped and waiting for periods. Takin a break from all this. I guess doc was right about this being a waste. I'm done . My heart is broken. Going to take a break for now. I'm praying for u all. It's not easy to be this age, told of odds against you with not even one dear child of your own. I don't wish that pain on anyone. I will peek in once in a while and keep fingers crossed for you all.

 

[terripeachy]

Sorry ps. I was following along on your other thread and I saw that a lot of the girls got BFPs over there so it makes it even worse sometimes when it seems like everyone around you is getting pregnant and so happy. I wish you the best in your future and if you change your mind we'll be here. Sorry again.

 

[Vonn]

PS--I'm so sorry that the beta was negative. Please take care of yourself. It is a heartbreaking process, so many disappointments. Like Terri said, we'll be here if you get the urge to TTC again.