Anyone doing FET/IVF in Jan 2013 till everyone's BFP (Everyone Welcome)

[Turkey16]

Hey everybody!!! Can anyone chime in on my blood levels from today?? I've been taking Lupron/menopur/gonal for 5 days now. They told me things looked fine, not much happening, but that that was normal. She counted about 7 on each side and I think the biggest follie was like 9 or 10. Here are the numbers they gave me:

BLOOD LEVELS:
E2 Level: 269
LH Level: 3.51
P4 Level: 0.337

Anyone know whether this is good, bad or even just indifferent??

Everything looks good to me too! Course I don't have an MD behind my name

They say that your E2 levels should be between 200-600 per mature follicle, so 269 is perfectly within range, and 7 on each side is great, they like to see between 10-20 follicles in total, more than that and you risk getting OHSS, and 15 is their goal So I'd say you are right on track. P4 should be under 1, and LH needs to stay low at this point as you don't want to ovulate early! An ovulation kit test will show positive if your LH is above 20, but some peoples LH spike as high as 60! So 3.5 sounds good to me.
Did they decide to up your doses at all or just continue with the dose you are on? I was a late bloomer, my follicles took like 10-12 days of stims to become ripe. Others only took 7-8. You may take a few more days, but IMO let them take their time ripening, that way they are more uniform in size and you'll have a better chance of getting nice eggs!

Thanks for the info Ali!! They told me to continue w/ the same dosages and I'll go back in again on Friday. So curious about how long I'll be stimming for! The nurse practitioner made a comment that I may be "gathering eggs with the Easter Bunny"...cracked me up!!!

 

[FirstTry]

Turkey: I agree with Ali. That's a really good report all around!

 

[alicatt]

Hey everybody!!! Can anyone chime in on my blood levels from today?? I've been taking Lupron/menopur/gonal for 5 days now. They told me things looked fine, not much happening, but that that was normal. She counted about 7 on each side and I think the biggest follie was like 9 or 10. Here are the numbers they gave me:

BLOOD LEVELS:
E2 Level: 269
LH Level: 3.51
P4 Level: 0.337

Anyone know whether this is good, bad or even just indifferent??

Everything looks good to me too! Course I don't have an MD behind my name

They say that your E2 levels should be between 200-600 per mature follicle, so 269 is perfectly within range, and 7 on each side is great, they like to see between 10-20 follicles in total, more than that and you risk getting OHSS, and 15 is their goal So I'd say you are right on track. P4 should be under 1, and LH needs to stay low at this point as you don't want to ovulate early! An ovulation kit test will show positive if your LH is above 20, but some peoples LH spike as high as 60! So 3.5 sounds good to me.
Did they decide to up your doses at all or just continue with the dose you are on? I was a late bloomer, my follicles took like 10-12 days of stims to become ripe. Others only took 7-8. You may take a few more days, but IMO let them take their time ripening, that way they are more uniform in size and you'll have a better chance of getting nice eggs!

Thanks for the info Ali!! They told me to continue w/ the same dosages and I'll go back in again on Friday. So curious about how long I'll be stimming for! The nurse practitioner made a comment that I may be "gathering eggs with the Easter Bunny"...cracked me up!!!

HAHAHAHA.. That is too funny! My FS office is mostly Jewish so they are shutting down for Passover next week or at least part of the week. I'm going in again on Friday of this week, and then Thursday next week.

Can't wait to hear how your next visit goes on Friday!

 

[alicatt]

Hi All :wave:

I've read all your updates, the happy and the sad news. And I'm hoping for the best for everyone.

I thought I'd share what my RE said when I spoke with him about the various options we've discussed on this thread:

- Baby aspirin: there is no reason to believe I have a clotting issue, so don't use it
- Endo scratch/biopsy: since I have had 2 early miscarriages, I don't have an implantation issue, so don't need this
- FET vs fresh IVF w/PGD: use the s first. If they don't work, try PGD next
- Immune issues: this might be disappointing to some of you, so I just wanted to warn you. He called it "quackery".

He also said that the miscarriages are due to genetic abnormalities, which can be expected due to my age. We are concerned about a twin pregnancy, but the RE recommended we transfer 2 next time, since the miscarriages demonstrate that the probability of both being viable is slimmer than most women's chances.

So, that's what I learned. I hope it helps someone else out there too.

Interesting to hear different outtakes on IVF. Your FS is definitely more conservative in his approach than mine. There is in fact a lot of positive research behind autoimmune testing and infertility. I've read several of the journal articles and while I'm not convinced they have figured out why it causes problems, they have found methods that seem to improve the outcomes. In the studies women are going on to have healthy babies while using these new treatments, so it can't just be bad chromosomes or genetic abnormalities at fault.

Who knows maybe its just a law of averages, that eventually one of our embryos will stick and we'll get our miracle, and in the end how we got there will be irrelevant!

 

[ttcbaby117]

Ali - I am so hoping one or two of your frosties are your forever babies. IUI took a lot out of me with me forming cysts so I am a bit concerned about my upcoming IVF, so I know what you mean about the physical aspect.

First try - glad you have a plan hun. I know many REs don't believe in the immune thing.

Turkey - looks good to me. I think Ali had a great explanation.

 

[alicatt]

Ali - I am so hoping one or two of your frosties are your forever babies. IUI took a lot out of me with me forming cysts so I am a bit concerned about my upcoming IVF, so I know what you mean about the physical aspect.

First try - glad you have a plan hun. I know many REs don't believe in the immune thing.

Turkey - looks good to me. I think Ali had a great explanation.

What meds are you on? I think that some meds have a higher risk for cysts than others. For example I've heard a lot more women on clomid and gonal F get cysts, and less so on menopur and bravelle. I don't know if there is any scientific fact about it, but I think I've read that about clomid and gonal F.

 

[Sandy83]

BabyD, Any news, thinking of you xx

 

[Turkey16]

Hey everybody!!! Can anyone chime in on my blood levels from today?? I've been taking Lupron/menopur/gonal for 5 days now. They told me things looked fine, not much happening, but that that was normal. She counted about 7 on each side and I think the biggest follie was like 9 or 10. Here are the numbers they gave me:

BLOOD LEVELS:
E2 Level: 269
LH Level: 3.51
P4 Level: 0.337

Anyone know whether this is good, bad or even just indifferent??

Everything looks good to me too! Course I don't have an MD behind my name

They say that your E2 levels should be between 200-600 per mature follicle, so 269 is perfectly within range, and 7 on each side is great, they like to see between 10-20 follicles in total, more than that and you risk getting OHSS, and 15 is their goal So I'd say you are right on track. P4 should be under 1, and LH needs to stay low at this point as you don't want to ovulate early! An ovulation kit test will show positive if your LH is above 20, but some peoples LH spike as high as 60! So 3.5 sounds good to me.
Did they decide to up your doses at all or just continue with the dose you are on? I was a late bloomer, my follicles took like 10-12 days of stims to become ripe. Others only took 7-8. You may take a few more days, but IMO let them take their time ripening, that way they are more uniform in size and you'll have a better chance of getting nice eggs!

Thanks for the info Ali!! They told me to continue w/ the same dosages and I'll go back in again on Friday. So curious about how long I'll be stimming for! The nurse practitioner made a comment that I may be "gathering eggs with the Easter Bunny"...cracked me up!!!

HAHAHAHA.. That is too funny! My FS office is mostly Jewish so they are shutting down for Passover next week or at least part of the week. I'm going in again on Friday of this week, and then Thursday next week.

Can't wait to hear how your next visit goes on Friday!

The office CLOSES? I don't get that. What if its your day three? Or any important day in your cycle? Im pretty sure my office is always open, at least I've never heard of them closing. It's pretty big, and there are 5 or 6 offices...maybe they just have enough coverage? 4 docs, but a couple of nurse practitioners too...interesting.

 

[everhopeful]

First - very interesting information that your FS gave you. My FS has very different thoughts but I guess that is the case with most professions. I have been found to have a high level of NK cells and am having early miscarriages which are very closely linked together here in the UK. My clinic does in fact have a very high percentage of pregnancies from using steroids and IVig for ladies with this problem. But I guess in another location a doctors findings may be very different depending on what they research to possibly be the cause? All interesting and all worth considering as I don't think anyone can ever tell you exactly 'why' when so much of it is down to chance...

BabyD - hoping you had an excellent scan yesterday...

Turkey - looks good to me..

Hope everyone else is doing well!!
xx

 

[Turkey16]

Hey girls...I feel like someone may have just asked this question, do I apologize in advance, but can I get my roots done while on the stim meds?? I'm off next week for spring break (hurray!!!) and it was on my to-do list. Is it a no-no??

 

[everhopeful]

It is a no no whilst pregnant or PUPO - not sure about whilst stimming??? Sorry, can't be of much help.
xx

 

[Turkey16]

It is a no no whilst pregnant or PUPO - not sure about whilst stimming??? Sorry, can't be of much help.
xx

Yeah...that's why I was hoping to squeeze it in before being PUPO...thanks anyway!!

 

[alicatt]

Hey girls...I feel like someone may have just asked this question, do I apologize in advance, but can I get my roots done while on the stim meds?? I'm off next week for spring break (hurray!!!) and it was on my to-do list. Is it a no-no??

I did it while stimming, but maybe I shouldn't have? I was trying to get it done before I was actually considered pregnant I do know that Aveda (sp) is throughout the US and they have a supposedly pregnancy safe dye that they use. I have always planned on researching that more when I got pregnant, but unfortunately that hasn't happened. I won't have much choice but to color my hair while pregnant, as my roots are horribly grey

 

[MoBaby]

I go to Aveda and you can get highlights while pg. I went twice when I was and disclosed it and since it's not on the scalp it's safe.

 

[Turkey16]

I go to Aveda and you can get highlights while pg. I went twice when I was and disclosed it and since it's not on the scalp it's safe.

Very interesting...do you mean you can get highlights at an Aveda Salon in particular? Or that highlights in general are ok cuz they're not on the scalp?? Thanks for your help!!

 

[Turkey16]

Hey girls...I feel like someone may have just asked this question, do I apologize in advance, but can I get my roots done while on the stim meds?? I'm off next week for spring break (hurray!!!) and it was on my to-do list. Is it a no-no??

I did it while stimming, but maybe I shouldn't have? I was trying to get it done before I was actually considered pregnant I do know that Aveda (sp) is throughout the US and they have a supposedly pregnancy safe dye that they use. I have always planned on researching that more when I got pregnant, but unfortunately that hasn't happened. I won't have much choice but to color my hair while pregnant, as my roots are horribly grey

That's my feeling exactly...wanna do it now, just in case things go well and then I'm outta luck hair-wise!!! I'll survive mind you, but I may frighten passersby!!

 

[FirstTry]

TTC: I got cysts with my IUIs as well, using Gonal-F, but they never prevented me from producing eggs or starting the next cycle. The only downside was continuing to feel bloated.

 

[alicatt]

Hey girls...I feel like someone may have just asked this question, do I apologize in advance, but can I get my roots done while on the stim meds?? I'm off next week for spring break (hurray!!!) and it was on my to-do list. Is it a no-no??

I did it while stimming, but maybe I shouldn't have? I was trying to get it done before I was actually considered pregnant I do know that Aveda (sp) is throughout the US and they have a supposedly pregnancy safe dye that they use. I have always planned on researching that more when I got pregnant, but unfortunately that hasn't happened. I won't have much choice but to color my hair while pregnant, as my roots are horribly grey

That's my feeling exactly...wanna do it now, just in case things go well and then I'm outta luck hair-wise!!! I'll survive mind you, but I may frighten passersby!!

I got mine done just after my last BFN in January and I have quite the skunk line I moved back to my natural color in hopes that it wouldn't be too bad if I didn't color it for a few months, but at 2 months, I'm in desperate need of a color.

OK so here is an interesting article about the 'safe' dyes:
https://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/non-toxic-hair-dyes-55021302

So it sounds like even the best of them still have 1-3% oxidizing chemicals and that is the issue, however Aveda and the others listed are way better than the traditional colors that are almost 100% synthetic and petroleum-based. So now that I have this list, I think I will opt for the in-home color options (that they list), and do my color myself, and just time it so that I don't do it during the first trimester! Or move back to highlights, but have them done at Aveda (there is one about 2 miles from my house), as that would be even better (but pricier) as I'd get highlights that don't touch my scalp with the mostly organic dye.

I think in the end it is up to the individual.. how far do you want to take keeping your body pure vs. looking like a skunk? Hard decisions ladies!

 

[MoBaby]

Lotus! Hope all is okay at the appt today and they are able to figure out what's going on!

Babyd: hope all is okay with you .

 

[LotusBlossom]

I got the blood test and am waiting for my ultrasound in an hour. We treated ourselves to bagels and are trying to have a nice morning despite the circumstances.