IVF May/June/July 2015, Lets Get Ready!

[PecksTTC]

Ps White I had a few glasses on wine tonight too and it is lovely! Enjoy!

 

[ttcbaby117]

Hi ladies, wow what an experience that poor lady had! I had horrible gas and constipation during my last retrieval and yeah the bloating was uncomfortable. I think the best bit of advice I got from my IVF nurse was to start drinking warm prune juice the day before retrieval and continue daily, it worked for me. I didn't start this until I already had constipation last time so it took a while but I have promised myself this time around that I would try this trick.

 

[WhiteOrchid24]

Pecks the best advice I can give is stay away from Dr Google!!! I got myself all stressed out by reading a million different things but in the end realised the only person I need to listen to is my Dr and to stay off the internet!! (Other than hear obviously!) I know it's so hard though, even though I am delighted that we have 4 frozen I still can't believe we started off with 14 mature eggs... It's crazy how it has dropped but it is what it is and the fact that they are only day 3 worries me a little as well so for now I am just trying to completely forget about it all and just wait to see what happens next..... But yes the waiting is SO hard!!!

TTC - I wish I knew about the prune juice! Makes total sense!!

 

[myonechance]

Hi all. Just found this thread and have stalked it this evening. Since I just had my ER yesterday I thought I would follow ya'll My tentative transfer is monday so I am in the first round waiting game. Only 2 eggs fertilized so all my fingers and toes crossed. for those that have gone through the ER...how long until you felt normal? I thought I would be feeling better, but i still feel bloated and crampy and off. I'm just glad I am done with all the IVF meds. I really felt off with all that in my system. Any advice for my transfer day?

 

[Hopethisyear]

Pecks, Krissy & White - Sounds like all 3 of you are doing great with your progress. Try not to worry ladies and stay away from Dr. Google (I know easier said than done.

Betty- Welcome, when will you be doing your cycle?

MyOneChance - Welcome and congrats on your ER yesterday. Sorry I don't have any answers for you as I haven't done IVF before, but I hope you feel better soon.

AFM - I'm getting anxious for my baseline appointment June 2nd. So many thoughts and worries are going through my head but I'm trying to follow my own advice and stay away from Dr. Google.

Question for everyone: Has anyone done or plan on doing ICSI?

 

[Hopethisyear]

Also, just noticed, we need to update the first page with everyone and where they are at in their protocol and testing dates.

 

[PecksTTC]

Morning (or at evening) ladies

Literally a week before ER we were told to do ICSI. So far we have had good fertilization and growth (next 2 days yet to be determined) but my docs have assured me that if had done IVF we would not have had nearly as many fertilized. DH was very anti it (pro natural selection and survival of the fittest) but has come around and is now happy we did it.

Hi Myonechance and welcome!
I have only started to feel normal now and my ER was Monday (Friday morning in SA) so 4 days? But I had 27 eggs which exacerbated it. I am still a little bloated but finally managed to put on pants for work yesterday (with a tight squeeze and a muffin top but I did it ). This morning it has come down even more. Can't help with transfer - we are doing FET so at least another month to go!

Has anyone done an endometrial scratch? Krissy- meant to ask you yesterday if this was in your plan!
I am scheduled to go in for one the end of June and I am now hearing about some horror stories (Dr Google bad!!! - admittedly one of those stories ended up being a friend of mine that has 6 IVFs and I stumbled across her posts on another site. She has had horrific experiences so I have not wanted to chat to her about what we are going through. Almost pales in comparison to her and she has become so negative and angry! Anyway small world!)

 

[Kat_F]

Hi all, I would like to join in the chat if that's ok?. I'm on CD9 on a fresh ICSI stim cycle and due for my first scan tomorrow. My estrogen was low only 1200 yesterday so i hope it's better tomorrow and i get some serious folly growth!

 

[Wish2BMom]

hi myone! glad you could join us! I actually thought this morning that you should! I actually felt pretty great (mentally and no more fogginess) the day after my retrieval but it was seamless and they only got 6 eggs. But I was definitely constipated for a good 4-5 days, that was the only thing that wasn't normal. The transfer is a piece of cake, so go have a good lunch after that.

welcome, Kat, as well! good luck on your first scan! grow little follies!

white - that's GREAT that you got a 20 and that another 3 did so well!! FX'ed for the other 2!

white and pecks - enjoy that wine, ladies. I was out with my sister who is up from NC last night and I didn't have a drop. It was ROUGH. I had a root beer but I'm not even sure I should have had that b/c of any artificial flavoring. Ugh.

pecks - how are you feeling? Please try not to get too worked up, though I know it's easy said than done too. 27 eggs is a LOT to retrieve all at once, there is bound to be a higher percentage of ones that weren't yet meant to be, vs the AWESOME ones that were ready to ovulate this month, right? that's how I like to think of it anyway. I'm probably talking myself into fairy tales.

hope - yep, we did ICSI. No messing around with this since I have DOR. We did assisted hatching too. I think the only thing we didn't do to help the process was the scratch.

afm - 5dpt and I'm going NUTS. I just want to KNOW!! And I cannot rely on anything my body is or isn't doing b/c I'm still on estrogen patches and the progesterone gel inserts, so I know my body is just reacting to that. Ugh.

 

[Renaendel]

I'll get our update up after my work today Hope. . So glad you guys are getting along so well. It is great to see all the new faces as well! I have been keeping quiet since my protocol was bumped back a few months but still cheering you all on quietly!

For the constipation what about psyllium husk? It really isn't a laxative, more of a normalizer. It works for both diahrrea and C. I use the Konsyl brand, it tastes bland but doesn't have any artificial sweeteners added to it. Add juice to it and it just tastes like the juice is thicker. Maybe try that every day for a few days before and after ER. It works really well for me at keeping everything normal. For someone who has an intestinal autoimmune let me tell you how impressive that is. I do 1Tbs in 20 oz of liquid chugged around 6p each night and at least 7 glasses of other liquid during the day.

On hydration before and after ER. A lot of people swear by gateorate, poweraide or pedialyte. Those do work well. I can't use them because I can't process certain sugar types very well. My answer to that is actually just coconut water. It hydrates me better than plain water. you can buy it at most grocery stores. Just an alternative if you need something else to keep the drinking boredom away. My last procedure I just set an alarm on my phone and chugged a cup of water once and hour for a few days before and after.

 

[KrissyB]

Hope - We did ICSI. DH's numbers are always great... but we were thinking we may do PGS, so my clinic said they'd have to do ICSI to get a clean screening (I don't know if all clinics do that). When we had such low fertilization rates (2 of 6) I wanted to blame the ICSI, but I really think there's NO reason that would be the case.

Pecks - Nope, no plans for an endo scratch for me. No one has even mentioned it. I am interested in knowing more, but I'm trying not to plague my RE with too many "well why don't we do this?" and just trust his approach.

We were supposed to assited hatching, but since I had 2 hatching blasts, I wonder if they'll forgo that now.

And I too am in camp . Might as well enjoy it, hoping it's the last few weeks I can for a loooong time. Will you ladies cut it out as soon as your transfer cycle starts? Or just once the transfer has actually been done?

 

[Wish2BMom]

thank you for your wisdom, Ren!!

 

[WhiteOrchid24]

Hi ladies and welcome to the newbies!

We did ICSI but that's because we are dealing with severe MFI.... It cost $1000 more but it was our only option and definitely worth it! As for the scratch/biopsy I had it done and it was completely fine!! I too googled it and was so scared but it was pretty much just like having a pap test - I barely felt the actual scratch/sample being taken. It was honestly absolutely nothing to worry about at all so please stay away from Dr Google or any other horror stories!!

As for the wine... I'm enjoying it this week but I think I'm going to go back to not drinking soon... Unless I have a VERY bad day and want a glass but I figured I may as well stay in tip top shape for everything. My clinic said it's totally fine to drink up until the transfer so it's totally my choice not to so don't feel bad if you do decide to keep drinking, I would just limit it perhaps... I think my clinic said not more than 2 glasses at a time.

I feel fully recovered from my retrieval now so took me about 3-4 days. Thankfully I am also no longer constipated!! So that helps with the overall bloating/feeling crap situation! I'm worried as to when my transfer will happen... the info I got from my nurse said once my period starts I go for a scan and blood test to check my hormone levels and if my ovaries are suppressed they will go ahead and do the transfer but I might need to go on the pill to suppress them.... and if that happens I'm on that for 3 weeks, then transfer wouldn't take place for about another 3 weeks after that!!! It just seems so long Fingers crossed it isn't....

I hope you are all well x

 

[Renaendel]

The first page is updated. sorry it had fallen behind.

 

[Hopethisyear]

Thanks for the ICSI info ladies. My RE recommends it too even though DH has no known sperm issues. What I found interesting is that several months ago when I asked my RE if there was anything DH could do to improve sperm quality he said it doesn't really matter since we are doing ICSI and picking the best sperm anyway. Of course he had to say that in front of DH so no excuse for him to stop drinking for a while LOL.

Krissy - I've been alcohol free for 75 days as of today. RE said no alcohol while stimming because of the effects with meds and no alcohol before FET to test date. I decided to stop 3months (when I started all my supplements per RE) before IVF to give my eggs the healthiest chance.

I'm going to be doing endo scratch/biopsy too. RE said it WILL hurt and there is not doubt about it. Yikes. I've read that it kind of has to hurt in order to work, more white blood cells doing their job I believe.

White - Glad to hear you are feeling better. I hope you don't have to wait to long, but it might be nice for your body to get a little rest after all the IVF meds. Are you doing a medicated FET cycle?

Ren - Thanks for updating the first page! You are the best for keeping us all updated! I love that you put the link to August in there too. That's probably when I will be doing my FET.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! Any exciting plans?

 

[Kat_F]

Hi all, 1st scan today 4 big follies and 5 little. E2 only 3800 so back Monday for scan+bloods.

Wish-when's OTD 4 u and did you have blast or 3 day ET? You must be getting excited..

 

[Wish2BMom]

hi all,

hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Glad you're feeling better and on the mend, White!

Hope - that's awesome you haven't had a drop of alcohol in 75 days! was it tough? I'm finding it to be pretty tough, especially with my sister visiting.

Kat - what's OTD? test date? if so, that's 5/28 for me. I did a 3-day transfer. Looks like your follies are cooperating! let's hope more bloom before next scan day!

 

[myonechance]

Ren- love the updated page! thank you for doing that!

Kat- looks like your follies are behaving! fingers crossed for more on monday and good bloodwork!

Hope and Wish2BE- I am glad that I don't drink wine..im the only one in my family who never got the appreciation....BUT i do have a big diet coke addiction...so......its going to be a tough one to crack. But I will do it.

White- I hope you don't have to wait 3 weeks....uhhg! But I'm glad you are feeling better

I hope you all have a great rest of the weekend. My transfer is tomorrow so fingers crossed for my "two great hopes"!

 

[Kat_F]

Best of luck myonechance

Wish OTD official test date.. not long to go. Are you having symptoms?

Ren thanks so much for adding me to the front page..

 

[myonechance]

I'm officially a PUPO
transfer went well. One good embryo placed. 2nd embryo didn't fare so well. OTD June 5.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and Wish2Be I am excited to hear from you on the 28th! (i think thats your day)