Any Bostonians starting IVF?

[notoptimistic]

dc608 - You are pregnant and I am predicting twins, but I suppose it will be nice to know the beta! The nurse told my husband and I that injections into the stomach seem to be the least painful for women, but I am not sure if I buy it. My friend who has had two rounds of ivf (and is now pregnant with twins from round 2) tells me the back of her arms were the least painful. The nurse had told us that backs of the arms were probably the worst because of the muscle there. I think if I give myself the shots I'd start with the thighs because of the control, like you said. Maybe I'll try a shot in each area and just see which one I like best (or dislike the least).

Did you freeze any embryos?

 

[dc608]

Hahaha, thanks for your predictions! I agree with a pregnant part (I POAS this morning, and had the darkest line yet!), not so sure about the twins, but I would be happy with it! I just hope it sticks this time!!

Yea, I would think the arms would hurt the most, and stomach the least.

Yes, they wait until Day 5 to freeze any that are left over. I had 3 left over, which I was a little bummed about, it didn't seem like that many, but the nurses keep saying it's a great number. If it's twins though, who knows if I'll ever even need them

 

[dc608]

The nurse just called! I'm pregnant And scared shitless. My HCG was 161. She said they like to see anything over 100 at this point!! I have to go back on Monday, to make sure they keep rising!

I knew I was, but hearing it from her made me cry! I just hope everything progresses like it should!

 

[notoptimistic]

I think 3 is a good number too. Some people don't have any that are good enough to freeze.

Congrats on the confirmation of the pregnancy!!! You should plan something fun this weekend so you don't sit around worrying. Go out and celebrate!

 

[notoptimistic]

dc608 - good luck today!!! I hope your hcg quadrupled, but doubled would be good too I had my blood drawn this morning so I am waiting to hear from the nurse to see if I've ovulated and can start the lupron tomorrow. I was going to stalk patient gateway but I forgot my password and after a few attempts my account is now locked for 30 mins as a security measure.

 

[dc608]

Funny, I just logged on to update you! It actually did more the quadruple... but that's because there were 4 days in between. On Thursday it was 161 and this morning it was 737. The nurse just called and said it was great! But now, no more blood work :/ I've gotten so used to being monitored so closely, I'm nervous for them to stop!! So I have an ultrasound a week from tomorrow to confirm the pregnancy is in the uterus. OMG, I hope it is!! I have been having just kind of an annoying pain on my right side, not sharp cramps or anything, but it still worries me. The nurse said it was probably that my right ovary was still a big enlarged from the stimulation medication. So hopefully that's all it is, but of course, I'm thinking it's ectopic!

I would be a disaster if I forgot my password to patient-gateway Let me know what the nurse says! And let me know how the first day of shots go! You'll be fine

 

[notoptimistic]

dc608 - That beta number sounds great and I think with ectopics the hcg numbers don't rise as fast, so I think you are in the clear! I am unofficially diagnosing you with an intrauterine twin pregnancy! I retreived my password and saw that my progesterone number was around 16 so I knew that I ovulated. The nurse called me to tell me what I already knew and told me to start the lupron tomorrow morning. She also set up an ultrasound appointment for me for the morning of July 27th! I am excited to get started but the blood test this morning reminded me how much I hate needles. It was painful!

 

[dc608]

LOL- you think twins?! I keep googling (which I keep telling myself to stop...) and people have waaaaay higher numbers at this point... so I'm definitely thinking just one, and I'm hoping its right smack in the middle of my uterus I guess we'll know on July 24!
By the end of all this, you will be a pro at needles! It will honestly be fine. Have you decided where you are going to go? Just a word of advice, I gave myself some pretty decent size bruises (from nicking a vein or something), so don't panic with bruises, like I did! Just go in fast and out fast, for the Lupron at least, the Follistim you have to hold in for a few second. How is your husband with needles?

 

[notoptimistic]

July 24th is right around the corner! The SART database for Brigham shows that for people under 35, 27.4 percent of fresh embryo ivf cycles result in live births with twins. That's pretty high. You could be a statistic!

I haven't decided yet where to inject for my first injection tomorrow morning. I'm sure I'll bruise. I always seem to bruise when I get blood tests, so this might not be any different. I think my husband will do ok with the needles. He's not that squeamish. We need to watch the video together tonight and I also want to buy some gauze pads on my way home because I don't think they came with the kit and I am thinking I may need some if I bleed a little after the shots.

 

[dc608]

How'd it go this morning?!

 

[notoptimistic]

It went well. I was surprised that it didn't hurt! I did it myself in my stomach with my husband on standby in case I chickened out. He was very proud of me. Now if only these next couple of weeks would fly by. I just want to be pregnant already! Hope it works.

 

[dc608]

Yay!!! Congrats Piece of cake, right?! I know, it seems like the weeks of injections go by slow, but I'm come to see that everything in this process has been in slow motion!
Are you still drinking (or do you anyways) caffeine and alcohol?

 

[notoptimistic]

I had a glass of wine at a wedding this weekend but that's rare for me. I have never been much of a drinker. Usually only on special occasions will i have a glass of wine or champagne. I don't plan on having any alcohol from now until I give birth or find out that my first ivf cycle fails. I may need a drink if the latter occurs! With respect to caffeine, during my pregnancies I completely cut it out of my diet. While ttc I have been keeping it to a minimum of one cup a day, and sometimes I do decaf. How about you?

 

[dc608]

I do drink wine, but once I started the Lupron, I stopped, and haven't had a glass since! I hope not to for another 9 months too If by chance, something happens, which I will be devastated, I will drink a whole bottle

I also stopped drinking caffeine when I started the Lupron, except an occasional sip of my husband's diet coke, and of course, chocolate! But other than that, I haven't had any coffee. The other day, I had some tea, but I only kept the tea bag in for 1 minute. Haha, I don't know how much of a difference it made, but I was craving!

 

[notoptimistic]

dc608- I'm glad you were able to get your "fix" with the tea. I did have a decaf iced caramel macchiato at starbucks yesterday and this morning I am sipping a small coffee from dunkin although I realize I'm not really in the mood for coffee so I might just toss the rest out. I think once I start the stims I'll go cold turkey.

btw, my shot this morning hurt a little. I think maybe I hesitated too much with pushing the needle in. I did it in my stomach again on the other side. I think I'll try my thigh tomorrow!

 

[dc608]

Yea, I had a few ones that hurt too, and then bruised right up! It think it was because I hesitated with the needle too. You'll get the hang of it soon! And after constantly googling, I found that it happens a lot to people!

 

[notoptimistic]

I don't see any bruises yet but I did the injection into my thigh today. It was less painful than yesterday's shot in the stomach but I did get a little bleeding. How are you feeling today?

 

[dc608]

Glad to hear things are going well with the shots Yea, my thigh had a spec of blood every now and then too.

I feel okay. Actually better than okay, ugh, I wish I had some symptoms so I would feel better about this. I have cramps on and off, but that could be the progesterone too? And sore boobs, but that is also definitely the progesterone playing a part! Not as tired as I was last week... Ugh, I just can't wait for confirmation on Tuesday. My husband and I are taking the day off, so we can breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate a little... or drown our sorrows at the bar

I hope we will be celebrating!!

 

[notoptimistic]

I hope you will be celebrating too! Keep me posted.

I am going to need to distract myself as much as possible over the next few weeks to get through all the waiting. I am a little concerned that I won't get my period by the time of my ultrasound next friday and will have to reschedule it. They told me I need to call them if by Thursday I don't have my period yet or at least some spotting. Next Thursday will only be my day 35, and with the exception of the times I was on clomid, I never get my period before day 36. Maybe lupron changes things? I just want to get to the follistim!!

 

[dc608]

My periods are pretty regularly 30-31 days... on the Lupron is was like 36 or 37 days. I will PISSED. I just wanted to get to Follistim too!
A girl that I talk to, who now has a baby from her 2nd IVF said the Lupron didn't mess up her cycles, so maybe it was just me! But just a heads up, it could slow your period down, be prepared, but hopefully it won't!
I hear you on the waiting... it sucks :/