anyone over 35 going for fertility treatments this year? IUI, IVF etc

[DaisyQ]

Thanks Rona. It's a really affordable option - kind of amazing really! I live 2-2.5 hours away from Albany, so while it wouldn't make sense to do my monitoring there, it would absolutely be doable to do the actual ER and transfer there.

Question - If you pay upfront for the three cycles (7K and change), if you get pregnant the first try, do you get like an IVF "credit" for future cycles, or no? I'm assuming you pay the fee, and if you get pregnant the first try, that's it - no credits. Even so, paying 7K for ONE cycle is pretty amazing.

 

[Rona]

Daisy,

They have other facilities at Syracuse or Rochester. All your money will be gone if it successful. Unless you purchased refundable option, I think you may qualify. Check their website about the refundable. Check if you close to any of the other facilities, and do monitoring there and you can choose who you want to do the transfer.

 

[DaisyQ]

Thanks for all the info Rona. Albany is the closest to me.

If it comes to IVF, I will do my first round at my current clinic as it will be covered by insurance. If I need a round 2, I will have reached my 10K on fertility treatment, so I will definitely take a very close look. Thank you! And

 

[hockey24]

Congrats Sarah!

Just an update, I am in Albany, NY for my first IVF. My ER was yesterday. They only got 5 eggs. This morning they called and told me that all 5 fertilized and I am scheduled to do ET on Wednesday, 04/04/2012. Guess what? It also our 9th years of wedding anniversary.

The clinic has their own acupuncture place in the same building, so I will do acupuncture right before and after the ET. I am praying this will be our time...please.

Baby dust to all.

Yeah Rona!! That's awesome!!! Having all 5 fertilize is great news! I agree with your doctor on the grading - it just gives us one more thing to obsess or stress over when the grading doesn't necessarily make it or break it.

So will they give you updates every day or do you wait until the day of transfer to find out your numbers?

 

[Rona]

Hi Hockey,

They will call me again on Monday. They close on Sunday . Then I think I have to wait on our day of transfer to know actually how many make it. But why they choose Day 5 instead of 3? Is that means they believe it can survive that long?

Thanks.

 

[sarahincanada]

Thanks ladies!

Sarah, they called me this morning, but don't give much details except set my appointment for Day 5 transfer and also the acupuncture. I asked about the grade, I believe the one who called me is as nurse, and she said, they will know on the day of transfer...hmmm. But they do scheduled to call me again on Monday. I can see all the scheduled in my online patient portal, which very helpful.

But from my previous reading with the CNY, mostly telling me that the RE here don't like to inform about the grade, because they said, sometimes good great not success and sometimes the not so good that make it, so they really don't want us to concentrate on those.

I love the facility, a little bit busy, but everyone extremely friendly and happy and willing to help. The office looks beautiful with their own spa and acupuncture center. My out of town nurse, Greta extremely helpful with my out of patient treatment. She on top of everything and answer my calls and emails efficiently. Certain things you have to check yourself and ask them, because there are so many of their patients, but once you in it, everything will go smoothly. I met her yesterday in person and she hugged me, bring tears to my eyes to see how care she is.

thats so great!

yes they usually dont give you the grades till transfer day, but I got a report day 1, 2, 3 then they leave them to do their thing till day 5 so I didnt know how many made it after Day 3 until I got to the clinic for transfer. Sometimes some of them arrest so I was told each day how many I had left.

Interesting they are assuming day 5 transfer already, my clinic decides on day 3...if you dont have many left they do a day 3 transfer but if you have enough they push to day 5. I think most clinics like the day 5 thing now as putting a blast in the uterus at day 5 is when it would be there in a natural cycle, rather than a day 3 embryo (that would normally still be in the tubes). I read that the reason some dont make it past day 3 is because on day 4-5 the embryo has to activate its own genes, meanwhile before then its relying on the genes from the egg.

I agree the grades dont mean much as its just a visual grading and they cant see whats inside. so people with AA blasts get a bfn then are devestated as they thought they had perfect blasts. The number you get is useful though to know where the blast is in development.

so excited for you! come on lil embies

 

[DaisyQ]

Sarah, you are such the IVF guru. Love all this info. You will be my go to girl, when I have questions about IVF!

 

[sarahincanada]

Sarah, you are such the IVF guru. Love all this info. You will be my go to girl, when I have questions about IVF!

I will be here I researched a lot so hopefully it can be useful for others!

 

[Rona]

Thanks Sarah for still being here to help us even you already success, that shows us how much you care.

 

[sarahincanada]

no problem, when I was going through my cycles I liked it when the people who were successful would still come on and chat. I dont really post much on here apart from this thread and 2 others, not really interested in going to the pregnancy folders.

talking about 5 day transfer: theres definitely places who think weaker or less embryos are better back in the body, but for the most part it seems most clinics are going for the 5 day transfer as they feel if they dont survive in the dish they wouldnt inside your body, so might as well weed out the bad ones. I read an interesting article from a doctor who only does 5 day transfers, he feels that 3 day transfers are only for the patients piece of mind....that people can handle the fact that something was transfered and didnt make it, rather than having those embryos not make it to day 5 in the dish. Personally Id much prefer to have them not make it in the dish, than go through a transfer and a bfn at the end of the 2WW. Once doing the FETs I prayed that any good embryos would just not make it through the defrost rather than have to go through the wait, or MC later.

rona having the multiple tries through the clinic must make you feel much better, I wish there were more clinics that did those kind of plans. Hopefully you dont need the others, but to have them there is really nice. If it works first time you wont care that you spent the full amount, as thats what you would have spent for 1 somewhere else anyway.

 

[DaisyQ]

I love hearing from TTC successes/BFPs, especially those that have struggled, as they know what the rest of us are going through and can offer such great tips and advice. So thanks for sticking around!

I agree Rona, having the peace of mind of 3 cycles (really for the price of less than one at most places), is so great. Really hope that this one cycle is all you need. In my completely inexpert opinion, I think it's great that all 5 fertilized. I hope that's a good sign!

 

[drsquid]

so as always ive somewhat screwed myself.. only ordered the 1050 vial of gonal f. the doc didnt drop my dose and now im gonna run out tonight (well ill have enough to get closeish tomorrow depending on how much overfill they put in the vials). called the docs office and they are closed, called a bunch of pharmacies and theyve never heard of it let alone carry it.. the online place cant deliver til monday but they are apparentoly calling around to see if anyone has it near me. if i dont hear back ill call again later to make sure itll come monday...

 

[Rona]

Oh no Drsquid, do you have local Apothecarshop close to you?

https://www.theapothecaryshop.com/locations.html

 

[Rona]

Thanks Sarah and QDaisy.

I think the clinic know what they're doing (as ppl said trust your RE)..hehe. Eventhough we like read and read stuff online.

I know few ladies that in or just get pregnant with CNY Albany. They are around 39 and above and very helpful whenever I have questions also.

Here what she said when I asked her about 5 Day transfer:

"They base it on the quality and quantity of your embryos. There are so many variables. They try to push it to a Day 5 transfer if possible as then they can be sure that they are putting back the best embryos. They will call you again on Day 3 to let you know how everything is going. If for some reason you are not comfortable waiting to Day 5, you could request a Day 4 transfer when they call you...but I have to say that the embryologists are excellent at the Latham office and they will advise you with what is best!"

So I will wait until Monday when they call and update me about the embryos.

 

[drsquid]

nope.. but freedomfertility found some in san jose (yikes 45 miles each way but..). gotta give them major props.. they apparently will pay me back the difference because i had to go get it (even though it was my mistake). it was $916 at the pharmacy i went to, and online it apparenlty is only 300.. big difference.

 

[DaisyQ]

Sweet Jesus that is PRICY. Glad you were able to find it though.

Rona, they sound 100% on top of your game - so excited for you!

 

[sarahincanada]

"They base it on the quality and quantity of your embryos. There are so many variables. They try to push it to a Day 5 transfer if possible as then they can be sure that they are putting back the best embryos. They will call you again on Day 3 to let you know how everything is going. If for some reason you are not comfortable waiting to Day 5, you could request a Day 4 transfer when they call you...but I have to say that the embryologists are excellent at the Latham office and they will advise you with what is best!"

sounds great, ooooh please grow lil embies
what are you doing between now and monday, anything exciting to do there?
when do you fly back?

 

[Rona]

Sarah,

I don't have anything until my transfer on Wednesday, but will be nervous about my report on Monday by phone. We went to downtown Albany just now, went to a nice mall, did some shopping. Had a good dinner at Thai Restaurant.

I will be in Albany until Friday. I was thinking that I need at least one day rest after my transfer. Other than that, we will watch Hunger Games movie and do some sight seeing. We are close to Vermont and Adirondack area. We will see what we can do. It kind of short medical and vacation at the same time.

 

[sarahincanada]

I stayed in bed for 2 days after my transfer (as in day of transfer and all of the next day), and then 2 days taking it easy (we went to a hotel and did some shopping, restaurants etc, amd walmart purchases of FRER!!).

I also did the pineapple core thing....take a pineapple core and cut into 5 pieces and have one piece per day. its very chewy and hard, not like the regular pineapple, but tastes fine. It might be an old wives tale, but the pineapple and acupuncture I didnt do on my fresh cycle when I got my bfn.

only one more day till you hear from them, FX'd.

 

[Rona]

Sarah,

It is funny how actually cultural thing playing in certain countries. In M'sia and other surrounding countries, where I am from, pineapple is a no no because it consider very sharp and can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy, same with bamboo shoot. But I don't know for sure . That's what our oldies told us until now. I will do acupuncture before and after the same day. I am happy that I took extra day to rest after the transfer before we fly out.

Thanks Sarah.