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

[Rona]

Talking about the bloodwork, I remember on my baseline day, the nurse trained a new nurse, the new nurse is Vietnamese. The old nurse was teaching her and asked her to point out what vein that she suppose to poke, the new ones pointed it out. She said 'good'!

On my next visit, the new nurse take in charge...I was nervous like crazy! Because I knew she is new. I don't have issues with blood draw, rarely they cannot find the vein. At first she said "Wat your nam and bird?" Okay I catch that and told her my name and my birth date. Then she gave me a soft ball to squeeze, then she said "SQUID!!!"....I said huh???? Took me few seconds to catch what she meant...ohhhhh squeezeeeee....hehe.

My 3rd one, she also the one who did it, she tie my arm with the band, and then said "SQUID!!!". This time I already understand her. But then my arm felt numb, cool....and she having hard time draw the blood, she asked me "Are you ok?"....I said nooooo, you forgot to loosen the rubber band! hahahah. Geshhh.

 

[manuiti]

noasaint - all the best for today hun!!! Hope it goes ok... and that you don't get someone like poor Rona had!!!

Rona - OMG!!! That's just so cringe-worthy!

 

[drsquid]

rona- omg id lose it if someone said squid.. thatd be the best.. i actually know the word in vietnamese but thatd likely confuse her =)

afm- day 5 of 8. on hour 40 of 79 (or 82 of 111.5 if you count in last m-w as i had thurs off). ive hit the wall,. forgot to check the menu for the cafeteria at work today.. .again nothign i can eat.. sure the one year i decide to actually care about passover (im not a religious jew, just cultural, im pretty much an atheist (though i consider myself an apathetic, in that i dont bother questioning or denying the existence of a higher being, it just isnt part of my life)). noodle soup, pasta etc. and by dinner the box of matzah i bullied them into finding had disappeared again. i tried to buy some last night but the store was out. just cranky icky yuck today. feeling bloaty again which had pretty much gone away. a bit crampy (though tmi that may be a bowel issue). face is broken out etc. luckily i have the pick of the litter in coworkers this week so that helps but.. just treading water.

 

[DaisyQ]

I have some news. I just got back from my appointment at RMA NY to discuss next steps. My doctor is very open to doing whatever his patients want to do. He gave me the option of continuing with clomid and IUI (no thank you), or moving onto injectables or IVF. We discussed the pros/cons to each. Injectables is less expensive and invasive, but less effective. Given my insurance situation (10K max for fertility treatment), we've decided not to use my benefit on treatments that have lower success rates, and go straight to IVF, should this current cycle not take.

I am a little torn - I was strongly considering doing IVF at RMA NJ instead of RMA NY, since their success rates are much higher. That said, I feel like it will be more expensive for me at RMA NJ - my copays will be $50 instead of $10 with my current doctor. AND, I would most likely not be able to start an IVF cycle with a new doctor so quickly.

I think what I will do is try a cycle of IVF with my current doctor, and if it doesn't work out, I will try to get a job in NJ that covers infertility (NJ has better state mandates for infertility coverage), and then switch to RMA NJ. So I have a plan.

My IVF protocol is a long protocol with BCP and Lupron. I will be starting BCP in about 2 weeks if this cycle is a bust, and egg retrieval will be sometime in late May most likely.

I am excited and scared. Excited to be doing something that has a much higher success rate (my doctor quoted me 50% after one try, 75% after two tries), but scared it won't work and I won't be able to afford another round. Please GOD let this work.

 

[drsquid]

daisy- fingers crossed for you that this cycle works and you dont even have to go to the first ivf =)

 

[noasaint]

noasaint - all the best for today hun!!! Hope it goes ok... and that you don't get someone like poor Rona had!!!!

No such luck. Same tech as always but today she had problems finding the vein in my right arm so she moved to the left. 4 tubes of blood later and I'm out the door with a nice bruise in my right arm. My sono was uneventful although she said I had lots of eggs left from the injectables cycle and that my AF will probably be longer than usual since it's so light. Great.

Good luck Daisy!!! Wishing you the best.

 

[Rona]

Daisy,

I totally understand how it feel. That's why we're here, even all of us probably never met in person, but I think we have something in common. The urge and dream to become a mother. I don't have success either yet, but I want you to know, you're not alone. Hang in there and a big hug! I hope whatever you decide it will be a success one. You're still young and your chances much higher.

I just look at my statements for my trip in NY...wow! It will take me 2 months to cover all those expenses...haha. Hope it worth it.

Sarah, on the other note, what protocol do you use? Sorry I try to search back but this thread is getting huge and cannot find it.

If this cycle failed, what do you guys think the suitable protocol for me? For the one that I did recently, is Antagonist protocol. Straight to stim on Day 3 after period with:

1. Bravele (150) + Menopur (150) - 2 vials each
2. Centrotide - for three days before trigger
3. Novarel as trigger
4. Estrace
5. Endometrin
6. Hexadethasone
7. Baby aspirin
8. Prenatal Vits

On baseline I had 9 follicles
On retrieval they retrieved 5 eggs, all mature and all fertilized with ICSI and AH
All eggs fertilized but all grow slow to Morulas (as per Day 4 embryos)

 

[DaisyQ]

Thanks Rona (and Squid and noasaint). I appreciate your kind words.

I have no idea about IVF protocols, but I'm sure you could discuss it with CNY? Can you make a phone appointment to discuss next steps if this doesn't work?

 

[sarahincanada]

Daisy thats a great plan and Im hopeful that your first IVF will work.

rona her was my protocol below, its hard to say what protocol would be best if this cycle hasnt worked. Ask your FS why would be the reasoning for the slow growth? however I do think that sometimes its just luck which are good eggs in any given month. they might be able to put you on slightly higher dose...I was on 375 in total, my FS said it was an aggressive plan due to my age.

Nov 4-7 (CD3-6): 300 Gonal F plus 75 Repronex Nov 8 (CD7): 17 follicles Nov 8-9 (CD7-8): 250 Gonal F plus 75 Repronex + Ganirelix Nov 10 (CD9): 19 follicles, 150 Gonal F plus 75 Repronex + Ganirelix. Nov 11 (CD10): 19 follicles, HCG trigger Nov 13 (CD12): ER, 20 eggs collected, all mature and injected Nov 14: 19 embryos Nov 15: 17 embryos Nov 16: 16 embryos Nov 18: Day 5 Transfer of 2 blasts Nov 19: 8 blasts frozen! Nov 28: BFN or chemical....beta was a '6' January: FET


to all those in the 2WW, hoping for a bfp in here very soon

 

[dachsundmom]

 

[DaisyQ]

Sarah, can I ask you about icsi? What factored into your decision to use icsi? My doctor says he doesn't think we'll need it, but in terrified my eggs won't fertilize without it.

 

[sarahincanada]

Sarah, can I ask you about icsi? What factored into your decision to use icsi? My doctor says he doesn't think we'll need it, but in terrified my eggs won't fertilize without it.

oh Im a huge believer in ICSI! it was $1200 ontop of the $10,000 and so to me was worth adding when Im paying so much money already. my FS said that she recommends for all older patients, she mentioned we could do 50/50 but I thought why risk it. Ive read how older eggs can be harder to penetrate and wondered if that could be my problem, and all my 20 eggs fertilized with ICSI so I really feel that was my issue, as all other tests came back great and I responded so well.

Someone who is also 39 in the assisted folder did 50/50 and 2 of 13 fertilized regular, 7 of 13 fertilized ICSI....thats 5 eggs difference. So I feel everyone should do it if they can (I dont know of any reasons not too, but perhaps there are reasons).

If I hadny said yes to ICSI at the beginning I know my clinic would have kept a good eye on the fertilization and if nothing happened they would have suggested doing it, but Im not sure if other clinics do that. Theres many BFN stories in the assisted folder that had a poor fertilization rate and I cant help but wonder what have happened if they'd ICSId. Some girls have nothing fertilize but ICSI wasnt mentioned so I dont think all clinics do the 'keeping an eye' thing at the beginning.

 

[DaisyQ]

Thank you for your input. I'm definitely going to push for it. I don't want to risk it. At least 50/50, if not all.

Maybe he's not suggesting it for me because my husband's sperm looks reasonably ok, aside from 6% morph, and he has two kids from a prior marriage. ? Or maybe because I'm not yet in the 35+ age bracket? just about there though.

 

[manuiti]

Noasaint - oh man, sorry to hear hun. Can you ask for a different person next time???

Daisy - I totally agree with Sarah. My RE didn't really give me an option, he decided we were doing ICSI right from the first consult. DHs SA was perfect and it was just because I would likely have tough old eggs that his sperm might struggle to get through. And with ICSI, of my 4 mature eggs retrieved, 3 fertilised. Who knows what the outcome would have been without it. I also don't know of any downsides, so personally would go for it as it would seem to increase your chances of getting over the fertilisation hurdle.

afm - I finally got my AMH results back today. A bit late considering I've now completed the IVF cycle, but I'm glad my RE didn't wait for them because all they do is confirm what we already knew - that I've got very low ovarian reserve... 0.2ng/ml. I sent the results to my RE and he just emailed back 'hahahaha - but we got eggs out of you anyway!'. lol

 

[DaisyQ]

Thank you manuiti!

Sounds like your RE has a good sense of humor. I like it!

 

[manuiti]

Oh Daisy, the man's stark raving bonkers! He warned us that he was at the first consult. He said it's an already hard enough thing to go through, there's no need for him to be serious all the time and unnecessarily add to it all. I think he's just fab!

 

[DaisyQ]

That's awesome! I love it.

 

[sarahincanada]

Thank you for your input. I'm definitely going to push for it. I don't want to risk it. At least 50/50, if not all.

Maybe he's not suggesting it for me because my husband's sperm looks reasonably ok, aside from 6% morph, and he has two kids from a prior marriage. ? Or maybe because I'm not yet in the 35+ age bracket? just about there though.

my hubbies sperm count is excellent, it seemed to be my age was the reason she recommended ICSI. perhaps as you are only 34 its not the forefront of their mind and perhaps they find most people dont need it. I suppose on here we just read about so many IVF bfn's which could be due to many other factors, but a poor fertilization rate could be assisted with ICSI, it just seems they find that out a bit too late as you dont know you have poor fertilization until the egg and sperm are in the dish. People doing IVF obviously want it to work first time (due to cost factors if nothing else), so thats why I say add it!

 

[Rona]

Thanks Sarah! You're so lucky that you have so many eggs and many fertilized at your age. It seems you have Antagonist protocol. I am thinking going to microdose Lupron (MDL). But is waiting reply from my RE.

It is sad, my BETA is tomorrow, but I already plan for my second IVF! In my heart I know this going to be a fail cycle because I use FRER and it stark white. I feel numb, very low and I hope I don't fall into depression. I am trying so hard to be positive and tell myself "it's not my time yet"...hang in there, be patience and your time will come. But it soooo hard because in my head always asking "Why???".

Anyway enough ranting, will be a busy day at work, so at least I can take my head off this IVF thing.

Good luck to those who waiting for the results and who in the cycle

 

[DaisyQ]

Rona, I hope you get your bfp asap.

Sarah, thanks. I agree - I'm going to push for it. I don't wantbto risk poor fertilization.