IVF/IUI - Winter 2012 & Beyond! (updates 1st page - 25 BFPs, 7 - twins!)

[Mrs. Bear]

Anyone else using OPK's? Wednesday is u/s day so that will be different for me and DH. We are not worried about it at all just waiting to see what they say. Other than that nothing much else to report.

Quick question though.... Is there anything I should take notes on during this u/s? Any questions I should ask? So many new things and I don't have a clue at what I'm looking at when I go in Any advice would be great!!

I did OPKs when I was doing IUI but mostly just to reassure myself that I didn't O early and that the trigger shot took. The u/s will give you an idea of when you will O based on follie size.

Like SG I tried not to obsess about follie size or timing. I did like knowing how many follies I had going into the IUI though because if it was lower it helped not get my hopes up if I knew I only had 1 follie that IUI. Helped me stay realistic about the odds of any given cycle. Up to you if you want to ask. Otherwise just lie back and let them do their thing and they will tell you what to do next.

Re How many embryo transfer....
I really want to put two back, because I am so scared of the depression I will be in if this doesn't work, especially if I have to have to wonder what if I would have put the second one in sorta thing... we are also paying completely out of pocket (other than the meds)
DH only wants to put one back, he is scared of the risks of a twin pregnancy and of course thinks having twins would be difficult, which don't get me wrong it would be, but I would rather 2 than 0. I know my RE is going to recommend 1 (that is what they are going towards as routine practice now) ESPECIALLY where we are so young, so I am going in 2 against 1... sigh....

Stinks that you are outnumbered I would think the RE would do it if you demanded it since it is your money though. But, if the routine practice for your age is 1 it will probably be hard to convince DH to do 2.

I'm a little behind many of you as waiting for now to be able to phone in and get my appointment... should be in about 10-12 days!
It was my birthday a week ago and I got the last piss up out of the way, hopefully it will be the last in a long time and I made sure I wouldn't miss the booze for a loooog time, haha
Other than that, I'm trying not to make any changes until I know for sure that I'm going to get to start the IVF cycle in December.
I called at the beginning of this month but unfortunately as they close the labs for Xmas they couldn't let me start as it might have been likely that the labs would have been needed over that period. They did however note it on my file that I had requested it and they can only turn you down twice, after which they HAVE TO start you on it the 3rd time you ask. I'm confident they'll let me start in December. They seemed extremely apologetic about not letting me start last month, so fingers crossed.

Happy Birthday!

Sorry that you got delayed but at least it does count towards your number of times to be turned down. I'm sure they hate having to turn people away due to the holidays after waiting for so long. FX you get to start in December and you will be on your way

 

[constancev18]

DH wants 1 put back so we're going with 1. If I had my choice, I'd probably go with 2 bc it makes more sense to me in a "just in case" kinda way especially since we're paying for everything out of pocket. The reality of raising 2 would be crazy and stressful, but if I had to risk it to get 1 I'd be ok with the strain. Now the ironic thing would be if having 2 put back would actually increase the risk of miscarriage? Humm, I need to do some research.

My ivf consult is finally next wk, Dec 1. Hallelujah!

Yay for consult!

As far as # to put back, maybe remind DH of how much the cost is and that will convince him to let you do 2?

I'm hoping the RE's spiel at the consult will make dh think about it hard and long. We'll have about 3 wks b/w the consult and procedure.

Sigh, now I'm waiting for af to arrive. The Clomid has delayed it 2 dys so far so I'm praying it arrives sometime today. Otherwise it's going to throw my careful planning out of the window-I built in 2 extra dys when buying air plane tickets for my cd6-8 ultrasounds. Anything after today will throw things off. I'm feeling sleepy so maybe that's my cue (it always arrives after I feel drowsy midday). Off to take a nap...

 

[Arimas]

Hello Ladies,

I started Follistim 225 units this weekend, and the first night the needle on the stomach wasn't bad, but I barely slept that night, and felt tired all day. Haven't had a hormonal rage yet, but kinda weepy sometimes. I have a ultrasound and blood work tomorrow.

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.

I will catch up and read all of the posts soon. Take care

 

[ILuvBabies200]

berki-After having 2 kids already and praying for twins, I am not certain I only want one more baby. But....I will push to put back two to boost the odds.

 

[Mrs. Bear]

constance - hope your timing doesn't get screwed up

arimas - yay for starting stims DH said I wasn't crazy hormonal on the injectibles but I do remember being tired like you are. Hope the hormonal rage stays away.

 

[berki]

Iluvbabies- I know, part of me would love to have twins but of course being a labor and delivery nurse I see the high risk side of that so often that it is very scary and of course before all of this infertility stuff (and at our info nights from the docs) DH has heard about how scary multiple pregnancies can be. If I had a crystal ball and knew I would carry healthy babies to term, I would def be praying for twins but we will take whatever the good lord (with a little help from some docs) can give us

 

[SNorton]

I was supposed to start IVF (1st cycle ever) this week. However, my doctors office said I had to start my period by today inorder to do IVF in December. NO period yet! I have been cramping on and off for over a week now! This one time it just couldn't come when I wanted it to, could it? Anyways, I feel like I am going to start in the next day or two. I emailed my doctor begging to extend it by a day. If I don't start by 4pm tomorrow I'll accept it and wait until the Jan. to start IVF. But if it did come today or tomorrow, then we would start IVF now! I haven't gotten a response yet! I really wish it would just come now and we coulds start my meds. tomorrow or Wed.! It's very annoying for my body to not cooperate! We have been TTC for 4 years now! I'm so ready to be pregnant!

Thanks for letting me vent! Good luck to you all!

 

[SNorton]

Me-24
DH-34
TTC- 4 years
Cause of Infertility-tubal damage and endometriosis

 

[Mrs. Bear]

Welcome SNorton :wave:

I hope AF shows today for you and you won't have to wait any longer. After all we have waited already another delay is enough to drive you crazy


As for me - Called and scheduled my uterine mapping today for Dec 8th. From what the nurse said sounds like uterine mapping is the same as what others call mock transfer.

 

[Mrs. Bear]

Springy - How did your consult go? Are you still planning to switch clinics?

How are all our stim ladies doing?

 

[Springy]

Hi Ladies!

Sorry for being MIA over the weekend took me a long time to catch up! Hope everything is going well for those of you who have started the process Can't wait for updates along the way!!!

Springy - How did your consult go? Are you still planning to switch clinics?

How are all our stim ladies doing?

AFM .... well we went to the clinic today armed with the referral paperwork for a new clinic! We talked to the new doctor for an hour, expressed all of our concerns, had a great conversation and at the end of the day we opted to stay put with our current clinic! I absolutely love the new doctor and she made me feel so comfortable, and never rushed us. I totally think we were the cause for the major backlog in the waiting room when we left!!!! I think we were scheduled for only a 10 or 15 min appointment but we were there an hour! She has also passed my chart to the embryologist and asked him to call me to discuss the success rates of day 5 transfers at this particular clinic and also to discuss conventional IVF vs ICSI with him.

So now it is a matter of deciding when to start. She told me we could start as soon as CD21 of my next cycle or anytime thereafter on CD21. She did tell me that they would use the long protocol with me. Suprefact starting on CD21 followed by stimulation using Gonal F and something else. Our debate now is to do it right away vs waiting as she will be on vacation and my retrieval and embryo reports will all then go to another doctor while she is away the last week of January / First week of February. So we may wait till the 21st day of my January cycle to get things started.

Today is the FIRST day in a LONG time I have felt positive and upbeat about my fertility journey! She also told me given my age and the fact that we are unexplained my IVF success should be at least around 60%!! WOHOOOO

 

[Touch the Sky]

YAY springy!! That is GREAT news!

 

[berki]

Springy!! We may be right on with one another... I personally would wait until I knew my own doctor would be getting the reports etc but I am very anal about that sort if thing just nice to know someone you have already established some rapport with is looking out for you sorta thing.

We will be starting on my CD 21 in january too (I THINK AF will be due around the 14th)

 

[Springy]

Springy!! We may be right on with one another... I personally would wait until I knew my own doctor would be getting the reports etc but I am very anal about that sort if thing just nice to know someone you have already established some rapport with is looking out for you sorta thing.

We will be starting on my CD 21 in january too (I THINK AF will be due around the 14th)

That is exactly how I am leaning ... I want my doctor to look at the report and make decisions about the embryo transfer timing.

Something DH and I will need to discuss but most likely he will just say to me "what do you feel comfortable with?" and that will be how we decide!

If that is the case then I will be doing a CD21 in Feb as opposed to Jan so just behind you

 

[Arimas]

constance - hope your timing doesn't get screwed up

arimas - yay for starting stims DH said I wasn't crazy hormonal on the injectibles but I do remember being tired like you are. Hope the hormonal rage stays away.

Thanks Mrs Bear

I went for an ultrasound and blood work in the morning and the nurse just called back and said to increase my dosage of follistim from 225 units to 450 units! I had to call the pharmacy and get a refill since each cartridge is 900 units. On wednesday she will check and let me know if any other changes happen. I hope you are doing well, congrats on getting a schedule!!! It is so exciting when you have dates infront of you. Take care

 

[Mrs. Bear]

I totally think we were the cause for the major backlog in the waiting room when we left!!!! I think we were scheduled for only a 10 or 15 min appointment but we were there an hour!

Who cares - you've been the person waiting before too so it all shakes out in the end right?

Today is the FIRST day in a LONG time I have felt positive and upbeat about my fertility journey! She also told me given my age and the fact that we are unexplained my IVF success should be at least around 60%!! WOHOOOO

Glad to hear you are feeling positive again Sometimes all it takes is the right doctor and feeling you are on the right path. Any YAY for 60% Awesome odds!

Something DH and I will need to discuss but most likely he will just say to me "what do you feel comfortable with?" and that will be how we decide!

Doesn't that just drive you crazy

I responded to your dilemma in your journal. Whatever you feel most comfortable with is the right choice so go with your gut

 

[berki]

Awesome!! Well then maybe we can become Canadian Bump Buddies!! Yay I have actually been feeling very positive about it all lately too!!! I hope this lasts haha!!

 

[Arimas]

Yes we see an re. We just moved to sioux city but I still go to Sioux falls for my appointments. We go to sanford womens. The re is Dr Keith Hanson but we see his cnp Angela Schmidt. She is amazing. I have been seeing her since September but we have seen her about seven times because she talks to me after every ultrasound. They got me in in less then a month after my referral

Awesome! Good to know this!!!

Glad you like the lady you're seeing. Considering what we're going through, it's pretty important to like them and have confidence in them.


How's everyone doing today? Recovering from Thanksgiving/familly time? My in-laws just left so I finally get to relax some.

Oooh, and I get to start stimming tomorrow! woohooo!!! 150 of Follistim in the morning and 100 at night, plus the 10 units of Lupron in the morning still.

Hi SquirrelGirl!

Hope you got plenty of rest!
How is Follistim treating you? I had to take 225 units at night for 3 days, and today they bumped it up to 450 units each night! On Wednesday I will know if any other changes are to be made. And Lupron just 5 units each night.

Let us know how your ultrasound and blood work go!

Take care

 

[SquirrelGirl]

Follistim is treating me just fine. I don't ever remember side effects from it in my previous cycles other than the ovary soreness. I'd have to look back in my journal to see if there was anything else I complained about. I am on 150 in the mornings and 100 at night. I just started it yesterday, so we'll see how it goes after a few more injections. My ultrasound is on Friday.

I still have a bit of a headache, but I think that's still from the evil Lupron. I'm on 10 units of that in the morning. I do not like Lupron.


I am getting several bruises, though. I've never really gotten any before. But now I have one on my thigh and three on my stomach. Not exactly pretty!

 

[constancev18]

Today is the FIRST day in a LONG time I have felt positive and upbeat about my fertility journey! She also told me given my age and the fact that we are unexplained my IVF success should be at least around 60%!! WOHOOOO

Congratulations on finding a super dr! Onward and upward.