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

[Jean40]

I was looking at doing acupuncture, but there's no one here that does it (that's qualified, I may add, there is someone that does it out of their house), I would have to drive over an hour to find someone that does fertility acupuncture. We do have Reiki, so I've been thinking about doing that for over a year now, just not had time to call the lady up, she works at my hospital. I think anything that would help stress would be a good thing. I got yoga DVDs, so I might start doing that. I tried meditation, but I'm so busy, I just stopped. I tried to have at least an hour to listen to music while I was working, but when I'm working in the main lab, I can't do it. I can't even hear the radio over top of the machines and can't wear earphones since we have to answer phones all day long.

So far, so good on the femara, but I took it about 9pm last night. We'll see how today goes. At least today is payday! I have to get money moved around to pay for my Bravelle.

 

[Pussycat1]

Well ladies that's it, two top grade hatchling blasts on board. The doctors said they showed no degradation on defrosting and that circumstances could not be any better. Transfer was done under anaesthetic and was apparently easy. I've spent the day watching TV, sleeping and reading back in the hotel, beginning to get cabin fever! xx

 

[myonechance]

Well ladies that's it, two top grade hatchling blasts on board. The doctors said they showed no degradation on defrosting and that circumstances could not be any better. Transfer was done under anaesthetic and was apparently easy. I've spent the day watching TV, sleeping and reading back in the hotel, beginning to get cabin fever! xx

pussycat- CONGRATULATIONS!! snuggle in there precious 2 blasts!!

 

[Jean40]

pussycat!

I just got my Bravelle vials & trigger shot by FedEx, so I'm ready to go starting tomorrow night. I AM feeling my ovaries doing stuff. My back has been sore the last couple days. The femara has a side effect of drowsiness, so I take it before bed and I've slept so well since the first dose! I'm still a bit drowsy in the morning after I wake up, so maybe I need to take it a bit earlier before bed.

 

[myonechance]

Yeay Jean! fxd!
Getting good sleep seems like a great side effect I would def take it a tad earlier and see how that goes!

 

[Pussycat1]

Good luck Jean, getting enough sleep and GOOD sleep is so important! When will you trigger? x

 

[terripeachy]

Congrats Pussycat!!! I'm feeling really good about this.

Jean-good luck with stims!

AFM-still waiting for AF. I probably have a few more weeks to go. Sigh.

 

[Jean40]

I don't know when I trigger, maybe Friday night. I go for mid cycle ultrasound Friday morning, which is day 12. RE wanted the ultrasound day 13 according to their protocol chart for this particular type of medicated cycle, but when I did day 12 for ultrasound for first medicated IUI, I already had a positive OPK 10 hours earlier. When I did day 11 for ultrasound for second medicated IUI, it was perfect (and she said so), so that's why I pushed for day 12. I also will probably have patients of my own in the morning on Thursday (day 11), so Friday works better for me. Ok, I just took the femara a half hour earlier than I have been. We'll see if that helps.

 

[Clizard]

Hope that earlier shot works for you Jean. Go Pussycat! Enjoy that TV!.
Terri, the waiting is a killer when you are feeling ready to move on xx
After that 'feeling good' spiel I gave last week, I have caught some cruddy flu and even though the worst is over I still feel crap! Unfortunately, we booked tickets to see Grace Jones tonight for our 11th first-date anniversary. The diva has a bit of form coming on stage 2 hours late, so I am not sure I will even get to see her. I just want my bed.

 

[Pussycat1]

Clizard, hope you're feeling better. Grace Jones will be amazing, I get she puts on a good show but hope she doesn't keep you waiting too long! xx

 

[terripeachy]

Hope the concert was awesome Clizard! I play words with friends (similar to scrabble) and yesterday I had all the tiles for Clizard. Hee hee. Too bad it's not a real word. Anyway, hope you are feeling better today.

Jean-hope the dates work out for you.

 

[Vonn]

Pussycat--this is it! PUPO! So glad the defrosting and ET went well. So hopeful for you!

Jean--I hope this cycle is it for you.

Myonechance--I hope they days until your beta fly by.

Terri--c'mon AF, hurry up!

Clizard--oh, no! So sorry to hear you've been under the weather. Hope you are feeling better.

AFM--go in tomorrow for day 3 baseline ultrasound. Get my scrip for follistim & start the injecting! A little nervous.

 

[Pussycat1]

Vonn, is this your first IVF (sorry I find it hard to keep up sometimes!). I know you've done several IUI but guess the injections are new? Don't worry about them they really are easy. Once you've done the first one you'll breeze through it. Hope the scan goes well!
Exciting times on here, we could do with some BFPs! xx

 

[Jean40]

I've done 2 of my 3 days of Bravelle injections this month & it is getting easier. I try to distract myself by putting a video on Youtube, then I just jab the needle in quick. That part is fine, it's the injecting that hurts a bit because it stings & you have to go slow. If only I could just shove the plunger down quickly, but it doesn't go in that fast. Thank God they are small needles! I'm now to the point that I don't have to get the mixing instructions out.

I was reading some statistics on IUIs. Most women get pregnant in their first 2 medicated IUIs, then more by the 3rd. Looks like 6 medicated IUIs is a good number to do before moving on. Also, the more mature follicles you have, the better chance of getting pregnant. It seems the older you are, the less eggs you have left, the less eggs you can trigger to mature, all the same stuff I already knew. If I can get 3 or more mature eggs per cycle, I'll feel like I have a decent chance. So, I'm thinking of trying 6 IUI cycles if the meds help with numerous mature eggs. If I'm not responding to the meds, might be time to move on to something else.

 

[Pussycat1]

Hi Jean, glad the shots are getting easier. It's amazing how quickly you get used to it. I'm finding the POI pretty easy and was dreading them. Just added in Clexane (subcutaneous below the belly button), and already got the tell tale bruising!
What you say re eggs is of course true, not meaning to be a downer but you also need to consider that as you get older we release fewer eggs but also the quality of those released also diminishes. Over the age of 40 things start to deteriorate fast so in delaying moving on from IUI by waiting for 6 cycles you could find that the 'egg situation' is a whole lot worse by the time you do so. Like I say, I don't mean to be negative but I am speaking from experience and I was advised to consider moving to IVF after 3 cycles for these very reasons. However each case is of course different and the options need to be weighed up. xx

 

[terripeachy]

Jean-I moved to IVF after two IUIs. I didn't feel very productive with IUI, but I was already 40. I forget how old you are. And the injections get easier and easier.

Pussycat-How are you doing? The PIO isn't bad until you hit a bad spot. hee hee. Hopefully you won't. What does clexane do?

Vonn_Woohoo...you're on your way.

AFM- Same old, same old..another day, another dollar.

 

[Pussycat1]

Jean-I moved to IVF after two IUIs. I didn't feel very productive with IUI, but I was already 40. I forget how old you are. And the injections get easier and easier.

Pussycat-How are you doing? The PIO isn't bad until you hit a bad spot. hee hee. Hopefully you won't. What does clexane do?

Vonn_Woohoo...you're on your way.

AFM- Same old, same old..another day, another dollar.

I'm doing fine thanks. Clexane is a blood thinner, I don't have any clotting issues but it seems to be part of the bundle of things you have to take for immune issues. Inject same place as for stim drugs but leaves bruising, nice! I'm feeling fine, a little cramping but nothing like what I've had the past few cycles post transfer. Given none of then worked that can only be a positive thing. I had transfer done under anaesthetic as last time they found difficult so can only assume I have a super sensitive cervix or womb lining and that previous transfers have irritated and caused cramping. Staying quietly optimistic ... But it is only 3 days post transfer (or do I count Sat in which case it's 4). xx

 

[Jean40]

https://www.advancedfertility.com/revmultiplescoh.htm
Well, this is an interesting article about fertility drugs, number of follicles, and age. I am 42, will be 43 in August, so I know the eggs I have left aren't the best ones. I'm just going to see what happens in the short term and have a long term plan in case it doesn't. Now I am going to bed since this Bravelle gave me a nasty headache. I do feel my right ovary doing something. I had a low on my CBFM this morning, so we'll see if I move on to a high tomorrow or Thursday.

 

[Vonn]

Pussycat, myonechance--I hope the tww is going well. Look forward to updates and hopefully great news!

Jean--thanks again for sharing your research findings.

Terri--any sign of AF?

Clizard--hope you are feeling 100%.

AFM--had my baseline ultrasound yesterday & once again crappy news. I want to feel like the RE's office is a hopeful place to go to, but I want to cry (and sometimes I do) every time I leave there. This time I found out I have a cyst on each ovary, a 14 mm on the right and an 11 on the left. Thanks a lot clomid. I hate that drug. I had bloodwork done and luckily found out the cysts are not putting out estrogen so I can continue with this cycle. That was good news. So I started the follistim last night. Always a little trepidation when holding that needle up to my belly. It's not terrifying, but it does take a few seconds to work up my courage. Terri, I hope you are right that it gets easier!

Oh yeah, Pussycat, I am still doing IUIs, but switching to stronger injectable meds. I have three more IUIs covered by insurance (including this one), hoping to find the magical med combo that will get me a sticky bean without having to move on to IVF, which is not covered.

 

[terripeachy]

Vonn-It will definitely get easier. Day one and two are always kind of scary, but soon you'll be a pro. Shooting up and watching tv a minute later. hee hee.