First time IVF - Started Lupron last Thurs - Would Love some Buddies

beagle, congrats on the three eggs, i know you are SO thrilled about that! It makes me happy that you walked out of that appointment feeling so good! I think you have a great shot this cycle!

Oops, terri, I dont know why I was thinking you'd already gone to TX! I guess because you said you were gonna start packing, and I'm the worst at procrastinating and packing the night before, ha! That's what I get for assuming other people are procrastinators like I am! So today is your bloodwork? Maybe we'll have a nice little surprise from you today. And yes, we did some grocery shopping over the weekend and filled up the fridge and pantry so that we wouldn't have to worry about it after tomorrow.

 

Hi Moni! My retrieval is cd16. I'm only guessing, but I assume an IVF cycle can vary by several days. My lining was thicker than she liked on cd3, so she told me not to STIM until AF ended. I guess if my lining had been thinner, she would've let me start STIMs that night, resulting in an earlier retrieval, and if AF had lasted longer, it would've pushed STIMs out more, resulting in an even later retrieval. I was worried about cd16 because I O quick. But she had me on the Lupron w/ STIMs (1/2 the dose as when she was down-regulating me), and that's what prevents O. My last Lupron injection was yesterday a.m., and then I triggered last night (9:15 on the dot, they don't mess around), and no meds at all today. The only time I've ever made it to cd16 was the cycle following my CP. I'd die if I go in tomorrow and they tell me I O'd today. First off, O'ing anywhere from 12-17 eggs would probably kill me (kidding, but not really). And second, it would be SO discouraging to have to go through all this again. Its one thing if I dont get a BFP, because then I can just do a frozen cycle next (no STIM meds, no egg retrieval, etc...just a transfer). But it would be a totally different story to have to do the entire process all over again. But I'm just assuming they know what they're doing and I'll be fine.

I know you are doing a BCP lead-in, but do you know what your protocol is after that? I never really thought about what they do to prevent women from O'ing on their own if they aren't using Lupron, but there must be some other drug in its place. Sorta like the different trigger shots... they serve the same purpose but are just called something else.

I have to start that P injection tomorrow, and I'm really sorta freaking out. It's the only part of this whole thing that I've really found myself dreading. I was wishing they could just test P levels a few days after retrieval, but they don't take that chance with IVF. They said during retrieval, some of the cells on the follies that would normally produce P, might get destroyed, and since embryos go back in within 3-5 days, they don't take that chance. Thank goodness its only until test day. Then they'll switch me to supps.

 

Hmm, thats interesting! I've always heard you won't O without AF first, but I've always wondered whether that was totally accurate. I mean, if your lining is thin enough and your body believes it started a new cycle, even without any bleeding, then I don't see why someone couldn't O during that time! How interesting. I kinda wish you were temping too, because I'd be curious to see! I agree w/terri... maybe you should temp tomorrow and see where it stands compared to your other charts' pre- and post-O temps. Have you been BDing, by chance?? Wouldn't that be amazing if you totally unexpectedly O'd and got pregnant this cycle, right before going on to IVF?! How cool would that be??

 

Beagle, I think your IUI is today, right? I should get caught up on the other thread. If I'm right, GL! Let us know how it goes.

ER went good yesterday. I had bad cramping, so I didn't much feel like being on the computer, or even my iPad, so just now checking in. When we got there, we decided we'd go ahead and do half the eggs ICSI and half not. We decided to be safe since we don't really know what's been preventing our sperm/egg from fertilizing besides the one time. Then they ended up getting 20 eggs, which surprised us since 3 follies were behind, plus they mentioned before the procedure that not every follie always contains an egg. So we were shocked. I'll get a call this morning letting me know how many fertilized and are in the beginning embryo stages. It's bizarre knowing that we have technically conceived! Very odd feeling. Now we just hope they hang on once they go back in. I'm scheduled for a 3-day transfer on Fri, but we won't know until they check the embryos one last time on Fri morning. So we just have to be prepared to go in, and if not, we just go about our 4th of July like normal, and probably do a 5-day transfer. In the meantime, I take antibiotics and a steroid (according to the nurse, the steroid can help with implantation). I had my DH do my P injection since it's in the butt muscles and there was quite a small target. It killed me to relinquish that syringe to him, but he could see a lot better. I think after a couple days, I'll start doing them myself, but he did a great job.

Terri, exciting that you're getting everything scheduled! You're getting so close! I'm sure you're feeling like I was at that point, and ready to get the show on the road. It really is a pretty exciting journey. I felt a bit beat up after so many ultrasounds, injections, blood draws, etc. But I have to say, it's a good feeling knowing this should be the last time I have to put my body through this crap. Even if my fresh transfer is unsuccessful, a frozen transfer later won't be this cumbersome. Even for a second pregnancy in a year or two. I really need to get caught up on the Oldies But Goodies thread, huh? Thanks for letting me know!

Moni, so it sounds like the microdose Lupron is what will keep you from O'ing during your STIMs then. Your other meds are the same as mine too... Menopur and Gonal F for 9-10 days. I'm still hoping that you just maybe O'd without AF though, and that you'll get a miracle bfp!

Kelly, thanks for your enthusiasm and support! And GL this cycle!! Hoping for a bfp for you also!!

 

Heard from my RE this morning. Out of the 20, there were 2 that weren't great, so they disposed of those. Out of the 18 left, they did ICSI on 10 of them, and went the natural route for 8. I was curious how well they'd fertilize on their own since we've only been PG once, but they all fertilized! Crazy. So anyway, out of the 10 ICSI eggs, 2 of them crumbled after fertilization. Out of the 8 natural, one wasn't growing right and one crumbled. So, we have a total of 14 embies.

They'll only do the 3-day transfer if the embies appear to need to get back into the human body ASAP. But apparently, if they are growing great w/ no issues, they'll keep them out to the 5-day blastocyst stage, and then put them back in. They'll grade them all too, and let us know which are the best ones to transfer, and it will also give them an idea which ones will survive the freezing process. So while we have 14 now, that doesn't necessarily mean we'll have 12 to freeze after the transfer. Which is fine! Heck, I'd hope we don't need that many!

Terri, I love how giddy you are about starting your BCP right now! It makes me happy to hear you so excited about your IVF! I have a strong feeling this is gonna be the answer for us, and Moni too, and we'll all be on our way to decorating a nursery any time now!