Ivf oct/nov/dec

[cali_kt]

Wanna- I just love your embryo pics! I can't wait to have some of my own pretty soon!!!!

Lotus- Glad you are able to move ahead!!

Want- Wow.. Must be amazing to hear that heartbeat!!!

Chase- Sounds like you have been through a huge journey already. I think it is great that you are going after what you want. Glad you heard from RE and the ER went well!! Amazing that they can see the sex already! So neat. Hoping you get the little boy you have been dreaming of!!

JDH- I am sorry. That is just ridiculous. Crossing my fingers for you that your beta comes back nice and high. Sorry you are still bleeding.

Mells- Crossing my fingers for your BFP. Are you going to do a HPT?

Ali- Hope you get a BFP for Christmas!!!

Whisper- How exciting!!! Glad you are getting a U/S before the holidays! Be sure to post a picture!!!!

Phantom- Welcome! I'm starting meds in December, but ER in January. So I have made a home here!

Sweet- Hope friday comes quick with a high beta!!!

AFM- Just waiting for AF to arrive, so I can start my process!!!

 

[want2conceive]

Sweet - teeth started hurting me a couple days ago. I remember my mom saying that her teeth would hurt when she was pregnant. You'll get the symptoms soon. My real symptoms didn't start until around week 5 or 6 I think. The cramps I had before that were from the progesterone suppositories.

Cali - it really is! It was a very special moment the first time I saw and heard it. I had tears of joy.

Whisper - you read my previous post?

 

[holdontohope]

Just wanted to say hello and welcome!!

I am single, doing IVF using a sperm donor and very confident in my decision also. Sorry your journey has been hard so far, hopefully from here on out you will only get good news!
Do you live close to your surrogate? Will you be able to be apart of all the doctors appts and ultrasounds?

I hope everything goes really well for you! Good luck in this amazing journey!!

I do not live in the same state as my surrogate because where I live, the laws are not very surrogate friendly. Where she is, I can go on the birth certificate as the father and there is no mother listed. I have to take a plane to get to where she is, though it's not a particularly long flight. I am saving my trips to see her for ultrasounds and the like, which is part of why I opted not to be there on transfer day. Whereas she would have let me be in the room for the transfer, it seemed a bit unnecessarily intrusive to me though of course, I intent to be there for the (hopefully) birth.
I did get some mixed news - I had hoped with 10 embryos on day three, to have lots of spares and options, but because I have added a further hurdle for myself (specifically, I want a boy), that was going to limit my choices. As it turned out, only three developed to where the doc was happy with them. The good news was that the best of these was a boy and that it what I just had transferred. There was also a girl and one that the test wasn't clear on. I'm having them frozen for now - the other one can possibly be re-tested if needed. I would have much rather had a whole drawer full of embryos in case things don't work out, but I'm a glass-half-full sort of guy, so I am celebrating the fact that I got at least one boy that the doc said looked about as close to perfect as you can get.
Now I have this nervous wait to see if it took. I never wanted a time machine as badly as I want one right now.

Well hopefully she will let you be there for the birth because that is something you wont want to miss! What state do you live in?

Is your surrogate also your egg donor? I am not as familiar with surrogacy, but I do know a little bit about it.. I can imagine choosing a surrogate/and or egg donor was difficult. I know choosing a sperm donor was an exhausting process emotionally and physically for me because there is so much to consider!

I am not doing gender selection, but glad you had a little boy to transfer! And two more to freeze sounds great!

 

[holdontohope]

Hold - I was surprised that the RE didn't want to see me for 5 days because my last cycle I went in on day 4. That's good that you can go in if you feel like things are changing. What are you planning on baking this week?

I was surprised by how long too! I thought maybe he would want to see me 3 days max.. Since this is my first IVF cycle and I am younger.. Thought he would want to see me every couple of days

Well... You never know what I will end up with when I start baking! Banana bread for sure! Then I want to try out some new gluten free chex mix recipes. I am sure I will end up making something not so healthy also Maybe some chocolate peanut butter cupcakes or peppermint chocolate cupcakes..

I need to put some chicken in the crock pot so I have some protein to eat also. Maybe I will make some chicken tortilla soup since its raining here. Home made mac and cheese sounds yummy too!! I am hungry at the moment But not for all that together! lol

 

[ChaseThisLite]

Well hopefully she will let you be there for the birth because that is something you wont want to miss! What state do you live in?

Is your surrogate also your egg donor? I am not as familiar with surrogacy, but I do know a little bit about it.. I can imagine choosing a surrogate/and or egg donor was difficult. I know choosing a sperm donor was an exhausting process emotionally and physically for me because there is so much to consider!

I am not doing gender selection, but glad you had a little boy to transfer! And two more to freeze sounds great!

My surrogate is in FL - I live nearby in the Bahamas. Getting there is not hard, but the flight does cost a certain something and I need to watch my pennies. We have already agreed that I'll be there in the delivery room - I'll just be up by her head and there will be a privacy screen. I don't feel the need to watch that actual moment when the baby pops out as it were (nor the urge to videotape it, either) and it would just seem a bit much to ask to stare at her private parts when it happens. I think she'd let me if I wanted to, but I think she's equally comfortable with me by her head.

My surrogate is not my egg donor - there are all sorts of legal complications if you go that route. Basically, then the surrogate has as many (if not more) rights to the baby than you do, because it's 'hers' as well as mine. By using a separate egg donor, the donor has no rights and nor does the surrogate. I have no desire to be the subject of a Lifetime movie of the week depicted by some character actor struggling in court to regain the rights to my own child. Of course, I have no expectations that such a thing would happen and I've very comfortable with my surrogate, but it does seem for the best.

Picking an egg donor is a very strange experience - I guess those who have picked out sperm donors can relate. You are literally picking someone out of a catalog. I had a large number to choose from, so that enables you to be 'choosy' but it also made me feel extremely judgmental - rejecting people for any flaw that I felt I didn't care for. For me, I was looking for the following:
1. No history of mental illness in the family
2. Dark hair and not very pale skin (skin cancer runs in my family)
3. Parents and grandparents who were long-lived
4. People who described themselves as even-tempered. You would be surprised how many people put on their egg donor write-ups 'I have a fiery Italian temper'. I'm like, no, I don't want a child with a fiery Italian temper, thanks!
Of course, it's all something of a crapshoot - children do not automatically look like their parents or inherit their temperament, but since I was choosing, I did my best to stack the deck. I also limited it to people with green eyes - not because I'll be crushed if I get a boy without green eyes, but that was an easy way to weed out the black donors - I'm a white guy and while I was open to the idea of a Hispanic donor, I was not really interested in a mixed-race child.
I also wanted a donor I felt was reasonably attractive to me - I think nature gives us attractions for a reason and I just didn't think it prudent to mate with someone I wouldn't be attracted to. That probably sounds rather boorish - I didn't fantasize about my donor or anything like that. I was also offered models who were donors, but cost twice as much. I certainly didn't think THAT was necessary - I'm a decent looking fellow, I think, but I'm not Adonis. The idea of paying twice as much for a smoking hot egg donor just seemed really wasteful and self-indulgent.
Picking a surrogate was both easier and harder - you are really only concerned with their health but more importantly, you have to have a feeling of trust and comfort that goes both ways. I did actually use a black surrogate on one of my attempts that did not work out, though the one I am using now is white.
Anyway, going home to talk my doggie. Thanks for letting me ramble!

 

[MoBaby]

I'll do personals when I get home but my beta is in:

So 16 dpo= 379 and today 18 dpo = 2274... Holy increase!!

 

[FirstTry]

I'll do personals when I get home but my beta is in:

So 16 dpo= 379 and today 18 dpo = 2274... Holy increase!!

OMG!!! Do you have an army in there? Congrats on the amazing progress!

 

[everhopeful]

Hi everyone,

Was hoping I could join you all.

I've just started my menopur shots tonight. Quite a high dose as my last IVF cycle I didn't respond well.

I go in for my scan on Monday 3rd. Feels long to be left 5 days without a scan but hopefully that is pretty normal ish??

I have changed my clinic since my last IVF so feels all new again to me!!

Hope you are all well.

Xx

 

[alicatt]

Em- Thanks so much. I start the stims next week, but I already feel like we are moving along and it's all going to be happening soon. I am so happy. I know how you feel about the coffee. I LOVE coffee. I went decaf a few months ago and finally gave up all caffeine about a month ago. It's tough! Chamomile tea has become my substitute and it is definitely not the same. I have a friend who ordered some carob "coffee" alternative online during her pregnancy. I'm not there yet, but I've considered it.

Chase- Welcome to the group! I hope your tww goes quickly. It's true that the holidays are a nice distraction. I hope you get your Christmas BFP!

JDH- I can't believe the lab didn't send over the results all day! I hope you get a call early tomorrow.

Wanna- Yay for frosties! I'm in the same boat. We need some frozen embryos from this cycle. We cannot afford to do this again and we already know IVF/ICSI is our only option for conception.

Hold and Ali- When are your tentative retrieval dates? Mine is Dec 14. Of course, I know that can change.

Happy- How are you doing?

AFM- I'm doing well. The Lupron is getting easier to inject. I know it doesn't hurt, I was just hesitating a lot. Silly. I was having some issues with ordering meds (some through the military pharmacy program and some through a mainland pharmacy), but I think we got it all straightened out this morning. I'm staying busy preparing for Christmas sales. I make jewelry and sell it on etsy, so I can be home, available for all of these appts and it helps to keep my mind off ttc!

Be careful about the types of tea you drink! Some of the herbs are not good for pregnancy. I think Chamomile is one they say could cause MC's? I'd check it out, better be safe than sorry. I only drink tea and the occasional coke. So I had to read up about all the different things you should be wary of with tea. I decided to stick with decaf black tea, and that I think is OK.

AFM - my tentative ER date is somewhere around the 7-11th just not sure how quickly these follicles will mature! Last cycle and the IUIs I didn't trigger until CD 14-15, which makes for a really long cycle, and lost of expensive meds. I hope it is sooner than later, because with the level of meds I am on, it is $450 a day or something insane like that.
Cool that you can stay home and get to your appts, and that you sell your jewelry on etsy!!! It is funny, it is easier for me to go to the office when I have my appts, then work from home, since the FS office and my job are only about 5-7 minutes apart, but my house is 25 minutes away from either. So I try to schedule my work from home days to be the days I don't have to go into the FS office.

 

[wannabeprego]

I'll do personals when I get home but my beta is in:

So 16 dpo= 379 and today 18 dpo = 2274... Holy increase!!

Congrats on great betas hun!!! That is awesome news and I am so happy for you!!!

 

[alicatt]

Well hopefully she will let you be there for the birth because that is something you wont want to miss! What state do you live in?

Is your surrogate also your egg donor? I am not as familiar with surrogacy, but I do know a little bit about it.. I can imagine choosing a surrogate/and or egg donor was difficult. I know choosing a sperm donor was an exhausting process emotionally and physically for me because there is so much to consider!

I am not doing gender selection, but glad you had a little boy to transfer! And two more to freeze sounds great!

My surrogate is in FL - I live nearby in the Bahamas. Getting there is not hard, but the flight does cost a certain something and I need to watch my pennies. We have already agreed that I'll be there in the delivery room - I'll just be up by her head and there will be a privacy screen. I don't feel the need to watch that actual moment when the baby pops out as it were (nor the urge to videotape it, either) and it would just seem a bit much to ask to stare at her private parts when it happens. I think she'd let me if I wanted to, but I think she's equally comfortable with me by her head.

My surrogate is not my egg donor - there are all sorts of legal complications if you go that route. Basically, then the surrogate has as many (if not more) rights to the baby than you do, because it's 'hers' as well as mine. By using a separate egg donor, the donor has no rights and nor does the surrogate. I have no desire to be the subject of a Lifetime movie of the week depicted by some character actor struggling in court to regain the rights to my own child. Of course, I have no expectations that such a thing would happen and I've very comfortable with my surrogate, but it does seem for the best.

Picking an egg donor is a very strange experience - I guess those who have picked out sperm donors can relate. You are literally picking someone out of a catalog. I had a large number to choose from, so that enables you to be 'choosy' but it also made me feel extremely judgmental - rejecting people for any flaw that I felt I didn't care for. For me, I was looking for the following:
1. No history of mental illness in the family
2. Dark hair and not very pale skin (skin cancer runs in my family)
3. Parents and grandparents who were long-lived
4. People who described themselves as even-tempered. You would be surprised how many people put on their egg donor write-ups 'I have a fiery Italian temper'. I'm like, no, I don't want a child with a fiery Italian temper, thanks!
Of course, it's all something of a crapshoot - children do not automatically look like their parents or inherit their temperament, but since I was choosing, I did my best to stack the deck. I also limited it to people with green eyes - not because I'll be crushed if I get a boy without green eyes, but that was an easy way to weed out the black donors - I'm a white guy and while I was open to the idea of a Hispanic donor, I was not really interested in a mixed-race child.
I also wanted a donor I felt was reasonably attractive to me - I think nature gives us attractions for a reason and I just didn't think it prudent to mate with someone I wouldn't be attracted to. That probably sounds rather boorish - I didn't fantasize about my donor or anything like that. I was also offered models who were donors, but cost twice as much. I certainly didn't think THAT was necessary - I'm a decent looking fellow, I think, but I'm not Adonis. The idea of paying twice as much for a smoking hot egg donor just seemed really wasteful and self-indulgent.
Picking a surrogate was both easier and harder - you are really only concerned with their health but more importantly, you have to have a feeling of trust and comfort that goes both ways. I did actually use a black surrogate on one of my attempts that did not work out, though the one I am using now is white.
Anyway, going home to talk my doggie. Thanks for letting me ramble!

Chase - I went through the same struggles trying to find a sperm donor. It was very difficult. Ultimately I went for most of the same things you did:

* similar skin color and eye color to me (and green eyes)
* longevity in the family
* no mental illness or alcoholism
* even keeled, but also interests that were similar to what I would want in a mate - being good with their hands, enjoys outdoors, plays sports, plays an instrument, has some hobbies, etc
* high GPA and SAT's
* Bachelors and if possible a Masters
* A certain amount of attractiveness (in my mind)
* Age - had to be younger, since I'm older!

Believe me, it was a tall order! I did find 2 donors that fit the bill, and my top pick only had 1 vial left and my FS requires me to have 2 (as a backup), so I ended up buying 1 vial of each! So we'll see which one ends up being the one we use. I have explained which one is my preference, but if his swimmers don't defrost or don't work, we have a backup.

BTW - it is a small world, I'm in FL, and have some friends in the Bahamas, and I try to get over there on occasion, but its difficult with the doggies. Love them, but they make travelling difficult!

Well now I can't wait to hear how your journey goes and whether this is your :BFP: as we ladies call it! Or your miracle baby!

 

[wannabeprego]

Hi everyone,

Was hoping I could join you all.

I've just started my menopur shots tonight. Quite a high dose as my last IVF cycle I didn't respond well.

I go in for my scan on Monday 3rd. Feels long to be left 5 days without a scan but hopefully that is pretty normal ish??

I have changed my clinic since my last IVF so feels all new again to me!!

Hope you are all well.

Xx

Welcome to the group!! Good luck to you for your IVF cycle!! I hope you get lots of healthy eggs!!

https://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab305/Jeanna_Marek/Greetings/Welcome/Group/2xWelcomeToTheGroupCherryBlossomTim.gif

 

[LotusBlossom]

Em- Thanks so much. I start the stims next week, but I already feel like we are moving along and it's all going to be happening soon. I am so happy. I know how you feel about the coffee. I LOVE coffee. I went decaf a few months ago and finally gave up all caffeine about a month ago. It's tough! Chamomile tea has become my substitute and it is definitely not the same. I have a friend who ordered some carob "coffee" alternative online during her pregnancy. I'm not there yet, but I've considered it.

Chase- Welcome to the group! I hope your tww goes quickly. It's true that the holidays are a nice distraction. I hope you get your Christmas BFP!

JDH- I can't believe the lab didn't send over the results all day! I hope you get a call early tomorrow.

Wanna- Yay for frosties! I'm in the same boat. We need some frozen embryos from this cycle. We cannot afford to do this again and we already know IVF/ICSI is our only option for conception.

Hold and Ali- When are your tentative retrieval dates? Mine is Dec 14. Of course, I know that can change.

Happy- How are you doing?

AFM- I'm doing well. The Lupron is getting easier to inject. I know it doesn't hurt, I was just hesitating a lot. Silly. I was having some issues with ordering meds (some through the military pharmacy program and some through a mainland pharmacy), but I think we got it all straightened out this morning. I'm staying busy preparing for Christmas sales. I make jewelry and sell it on etsy, so I can be home, available for all of these appts and it helps to keep my mind off ttc!

Be careful about the types of tea you drink! Some of the herbs are not good for pregnancy. I think Chamomile is one they say could cause MC's? I'd check it out, better be safe than sorry. I only drink tea and the occasional coke. So I had to read up about all the different things you should be wary of with tea. I decided to stick with decaf black tea, and that I think is OK.

AFM - my tentative ER date is somewhere around the 7-11th just not sure how quickly these follicles will mature! Last cycle and the IUIs I didn't trigger until CD 14-15, which makes for a really long cycle, and lost of expensive meds. I hope it is sooner than later, because with the level of meds I am on, it is $450 a day or something insane like that.
Cool that you can stay home and get to your appts, and that you sell your jewelry on etsy!!! It is funny, it is easier for me to go to the office when I have my appts, then work from home, since the FS office and my job are only about 5-7 minutes apart, but my house is 25 minutes away from either. So I try to schedule my work from home days to be the days I don't have to go into the FS office.

Holy cow! What can I drink, then? Decaf black tea is not caffeine-free, so I have some from Whole Foods (naturally decaffeinated) but am not drinking it because I don't want any caffeine. This is the beginning of being careful of everything I eat or drink, I guess. Geez! Thank you for the warning. I have other teas that actually have warning labels, but not this one.

 

[Sweetness_87]

Mo that's awesome!!!

 

[alicatt]

Em- Thanks so much. I start the stims next week, but I already feel like we are moving along and it's all going to be happening soon. I am so happy. I know how you feel about the coffee. I LOVE coffee. I went decaf a few months ago and finally gave up all caffeine about a month ago. It's tough! Chamomile tea has become my substitute and it is definitely not the same. I have a friend who ordered some carob "coffee" alternative online during her pregnancy. I'm not there yet, but I've considered it.

Chase- Welcome to the group! I hope your tww goes quickly. It's true that the holidays are a nice distraction. I hope you get your Christmas BFP!

JDH- I can't believe the lab didn't send over the results all day! I hope you get a call early tomorrow.

Wanna- Yay for frosties! I'm in the same boat. We need some frozen embryos from this cycle. We cannot afford to do this again and we already know IVF/ICSI is our only option for conception.

Hold and Ali- When are your tentative retrieval dates? Mine is Dec 14. Of course, I know that can change.

Happy- How are you doing?

AFM- I'm doing well. The Lupron is getting easier to inject. I know it doesn't hurt, I was just hesitating a lot. Silly. I was having some issues with ordering meds (some through the military pharmacy program and some through a mainland pharmacy), but I think we got it all straightened out this morning. I'm staying busy preparing for Christmas sales. I make jewelry and sell it on etsy, so I can be home, available for all of these appts and it helps to keep my mind off ttc!

Be careful about the types of tea you drink! Some of the herbs are not good for pregnancy. I think Chamomile is one they say could cause MC's? I'd check it out, better be safe than sorry. I only drink tea and the occasional coke. So I had to read up about all the different things you should be wary of with tea. I decided to stick with decaf black tea, and that I think is OK.

AFM - my tentative ER date is somewhere around the 7-11th just not sure how quickly these follicles will mature! Last cycle and the IUIs I didn't trigger until CD 14-15, which makes for a really long cycle, and lost of expensive meds. I hope it is sooner than later, because with the level of meds I am on, it is $450 a day or something insane like that.
Cool that you can stay home and get to your appts, and that you sell your jewelry on etsy!!! It is funny, it is easier for me to go to the office when I have my appts, then work from home, since the FS office and my job are only about 5-7 minutes apart, but my house is 25 minutes away from either. So I try to schedule my work from home days to be the days I don't have to go into the FS office.

Holy cow! What can I drink, then? Decaf black tea is not caffeine-free, so I have some from Whole Foods (naturally decaffeinated) but am not drinking it because I don't want any caffeine. This is the beginning of being careful of everything I eat or drink, I guess. Geez! Thank you for the warning. I have other teas that actually have warning labels, but not this one.

Some FS's say NO caffeine, others say 1 cup of caffeinated tea is OK. I don't know what to recommend. I have also heard that Chamomile tea is OK, and others say it is inconclusive. I guess if you are at all concerned, talk to your FS. See what they recommend. I have been struggling with this issue myself! That is why I settled on de-caf black tea, because it was a compromise, less caffeine and didn't have any warnings about MC's. It is literally going to be a 'read every label' type situation if we get pregnant. I love my tea in the morning, but I also love SUSHI! That is going to be the hardest to give up. In fact I'm going to make sure I have some this weekend! Gotta get my fix in now!

 

[MoBaby]

EM Glad you are right on track!! sorry you are having caffeine w/d.. but its worth it!!
Wanna Thanks for sharing the pics!! and yay for having 3 frosties!!!!!
Ali Hope you feel better soon and the meds stop kicking your butt!!
Hold Yay for starting stims!!!! I had my first scan 5 or 6 days after starting stims as well.
JDH Ugh. Stupid lab. Hope they have your numbers soon. Sorry about the spotting still hope it goes away very soon!
Hi HappyBunny
Mells Fx for you!! Will you test soon??
Lotus Glad the meds are getting easier. It will be ER/ET in no time!!
Whisper Im glad things are going well! Dec 12 is just 2 weeks away
PhantomHi! Welcome back!! FET is very soon!! YAY!
First I only did a single embryo transfer!! Just one strong beanie!

Hope I got you all. Sorry if I missed anyone!!!

 

[Sweetness_87]

MO thats awesome! Since you only put one back that means you disprove the twin beta numbers! (not unless it split )

Also whats your due date? My RE told me Aug 1st

 

[MoBaby]

Aug 3rd and scan is Dec 19th

 

[Sweetness_87]

Aug 3rd and scan is Dec 19th

What day was your ET?

 

[MoBaby]

It was Nov 16th. Embryo was a 6 day embryo. I thought I was 18dpo today but the clinic told me I was 17dpo (guess they are saying the embryo was a 5-dayer but it was transferred on the 6th day) and said I'm due Aug 4 (I just finished listening to the message lol. Once I heard the beta I was like WHOA!)