IVF October/November ???

[kk2003]

Welcome Steph!

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

ER tomorrow! Had to trigger with Lupron, so a little different than last time. May have to freeze, but not sure at this time. Wish me luck ladies!
K

 

[steph1607]

Thank you K! I'm sure I will have many more questions after Friday's appointment when we find out our protocol.

Best of luck for tomorrow

Was it difficult going straight back into it after your first cycle?

 

[kk2003]

Steph,

Honestly it wasn't, and I was pretty fired up to try again. I don't take defeat easily . My body felt almost 100% normal. The feeling of heaviness I felt in the first cycle in the ovary region is not as bad this cycle. I am actually responding better than last time (too good actually), but the doc added Menopur to the mix so that could be the cause. I also felt that I had the process down, and was in the rhythm of it. I'm sure everyone is different though! Good luck on Friday and keep us updated!
-K

 

[babylights]

Hi ladies, I thought it was time I started getting my head back in the game for my second round of IVF. I’m starting estrogen priming in about five days, just had my baseline scan this morning, will probably start stimming Nov 13-ish.

kk please teach me how to be gung ho for this second round! I have two genetically normal, beautiful frosties from my first round, but I can’t shake the dread of those early morning monitoring scans where I know my body is responding poorly. Even though we’re going with a much more aggressive protocol I just am so worried my body won’t respond again. I don’t want to do anything I’ve been doing - acupuncture, supplements, strict diet. I just kind of want to cry - ugh. I’m so glad you’ve been having a much better response this round though, you give me hope! Good luck with retrieval tomorrow!!

 

[kk2003]

Hi babylights,

I wish I could give this gung ho feeling I have. I did not have it last round, and I wish I did. I have finally gotten to the point where this stuff is out of my control and I do not want it making me feeling like crap everyday. Frankly I'm tired of it. All those worries, feelings of failure, feelings of guilt when my friends/family become pregnant. I'm done feeling sorry for myself and whatever comes will come. For us, this is the end of the fertility journey and I cannot wait to see that light. Science has done all it can do, now it's up to God. My DH and I decided to do the second round now because honestly, we are tired of it and want to go on living our lives.

Just as I was typing, the clinic called. Looks like the lupron did it's job and I'm surging.

My relaxation about this cycle is so uplifting to me and I have never felt this calm. Even my blood pressure is different! (140s/60 round 1 to 118/50s round 2). I'm physiologically calm! Even if I get OHSS, and heaven forbid get admitted to the hospital, I am ready for it and so is my husband. We will get through this and so will you! Believe in yourself and what your body can do, take every little thing positive that happens with joy, and be happy for what you have. As for the prep things, I haven't done too much except pre-natals and exercise. I try to get enough sleep and not worry. Sometimes I feel doing things to prep can be great, but it can also make things so much more worse (especially if all that prep ends in failure).
I'm happy to hear you have two frozen little ones!! That is such a miracle! I hope to have a couple as well, as we had none last cycle.

Good luck to you and I'll update you all after my ER. -KK

 

[babylights]

Thanks kk, I feel your exuberance and it’s very inspiring! I’m sending so many good thoughts for your retrieval and to ward off OHSS! I couldn’t breathe for a long time after retrieval last time so I really hope you’re not in too much discomfort!

 

[amy8686]

Kk, you made me glad I came back to read your updates! New goal: be more like you.

Babylights, I'm with you on dreading future appointments with my body not responding like it should. This (now canceled) cycle was back-to-back after a chemical pregnancy from my last cycle, and since that last one technically worked, I was totally gung ho to jump back in. But having my body not respond to the medications this time makes me weary of the next round.

I've really vacillated on the "extra" stuff we put ourselves through. I did acupuncture and was crazy about my diet with my fresh cycle, but I don't have the energy to go through that again. So now I'm trying to do the minimum amount of that stuff to leave me with no regrets, so at least if it doesn't work I won't blame myself. Over time, I've gotten a little bit better at believing my doctor when he says that all of the little details don't amount to much, and we really just need the luck of finding the perfect embryo.

Kk, good luck on retrieval! I hope you don't get OHSS, but I'm glad you sound mentally prepared to freeze if you do. I had it on my fresh cycle and my RE didn't insist on freezing - he errs on the side of "do whatever it takes to get this cycle to work!!!" and I ended up in bed, in a great deal of pain, for the first 35 days of my pregnancy, with one hospitalization to drain some fluid. Obviously I was grateful to be pregnant, but I definitely would have frozen if I could do it again. If you do freeze, you'll at least recover within days, rather than weeks. The days that I had it after retrieval were tolerable (I had "moderate" OHSS at that point)... with your attitude, you'll sail through it.

Keep us posted!

 

[steph1607]

Oh hey Babylights!

Hope today goes very smoothly K.

And hi Amy!

With regards to OHSS, I've convinced myself I'm definitely going to get it because I have this ridiculously high AMH level (the second highest my clinic has ever seen...). How long after retrieval does it tend to happen and is there anything at all that can be done to help prevent/ minimise it?

I've been so chilled about everything TTC related these past few months, and I am genuinely in a position of it may work or it may not but either way I can deal with it. But now it's happening, I have this constant knot in my stomach!

 

[kk2003]

Hi Ladies,

I had my ER today and we got 12 eggs! Super stoked about that and excited to hear how the fertilization rate goes tomorrow. I'm sore but it's not as bad as last time, which is quite nice! Just feeling good today, and I'm taking it as a win!

Amy-You are so sweet! I'm just over feeling poopy. Im ready to feel awesome again, like I did before all this TTC stuff started. I don't want this to define me and I don't want people to feel sorry for me either, because I don't. I'm sorry to hear you had bad OHSS. Sounds terrible! It looks like i'm in the clear for that, so we are on track for a fresh cycle. They are having me take estrogen in addition to the progesterone.

I think you are so right about the right timing and cycle. I really believe that things have to be just right. And that cycle can have just one egg or 20. It is just hard to predict.

Good luck all and I'll update when I have news tomorrow.

KK

 

[babylights]

Congrats kk! Glad to hear you’re feeling great post-retrieval also. Fingers crossed for a great fert report tomorrow!

afm I got a positive opk today so starting estrogen priming on Thursday. I’m feeling re-energized and ready to take on this new cycle (thanks kk I think your amazing attitude is infectious!). I got this!!!!

 

[amy8686]

Kk, congrats! 12 eggs and no OHSS = a win!

Can't wait for your next report!

 

[babylights]

amy I’m so sorry about the chemical and the cancelled cycle. This process just takes so much out of us, physically and emotionally. I’m glad to hear that your doctor says the extras don’t really amount to much, it’s so easy to start buckling under the pressure of what we’re “supposed” to be doing, and once you start googling and finding more and more things that different people have done or taken...oof. Do you know when your next FET will be?

 

[kk2003]

Hi Ladies!

Babylights- that is so great you are starting! How long does the estrogen priming take? I haven't done that process yet. Good luck!

Steph-I hope you don't get OHSS! Keep a positive outlook! They have ways of dealing with it, and it appears treatment is much more understood now. Keep us updated!

Amy-Thanks for your support!

So clinic called early this am...kinda took me off guard. I don't know why but I had totally forgot they were calling today. Looks like 10 eggs fertilized! I'm so excited!!! The nurse was excited for me too, which was so sweet. (I am usually getting not so good news from her...so it's nice she is my cheerleader). Now they just have to make it to Sunday! I'm feeling so blessed. God is good.
Thanks for your support ladies! Next update on Friday!
KK

 

[amy8686]

Steph - I hope you don't get OHSS. But like I was telling kk, if you do get it and you freeze all, it'll be over quickly enough that it won't be the worst thing in the world. Most of the scary OHSS stuff happens to people who didn't freeze, and are pregnant with it. Just prepare yourself to maybe need a few extra days off from work and life after your retrieval if necessary.

Babylights - Yeah, google is trouble. I don't know how to stop googling, but at least I'm getting better at not following every bit of advice I find there. My next FET will HOPEFULLY be in January. My clinic is relatively small and only does FET's on certain days of the year, every other month. So my fingers are crossed that I'll get my period in time to start the process for the January date. If not, I might need to wait until summer. I'm a teacher and Spring is just so busy that I can't imagine getting through it while maybe not feeling great (physically and/or emotionally)... so as much as I want to get this show on the road, I think I'd be better off waiting until I have a couple of months off from work. But, plan A, January.

Kk - That is so great!!! I have a good feeling about this cycle for you!!

 

[babylights]

Hey steph! I only got 6 eggs but I have a short torso so it felt like I had OHSS so I really really hope you don’t get it! But like the other ladies have said, if you have to freeze all it will be okay. My clinic actually prefers to do FETs to give your body a chance to calm down from all the hormones before transfer. Good luck!

kk that is amazing news!!! I have everything crossed for you, it’s looking so good for you!!!!

amy I’m hoping you get a January transfer, we’ll be transfer buddies!

 

[kk2003]

Hi ladies!

Update yesterday: All eggs (10) are still going strong! 6 are grade 3, 8 cell; and 4 are grade 2, 2 8 cell, 1 >8 cell, and 1 7 cell. We will transfer tomorrow! So happy!
Last month at this point we only had 2/6 that were 8 cell, the rest were 1-7 cell and 3-4 cell. This is a total night and day from last month. It is amazing what a different month and ICSI can do. Not sure if it was the ICSI plus a different egg/sperm sample, or just ICSI. Either way, we are stoked.
No s/s of OHSS either. Very mild bloating, but it is WAY less than last month and I did not have OHSS per ultrasound then. Also, ultrasound on retrieval showed no signs either. I think we are in the clear, thank God!

How is everyone else doing??

-KK

 

[babylights]

Congratulations kk that is amazing news! Sending so many good thoughts for a smooth transfer tomorrow!!!

 

[amy8686]

Kk, congrats! Are you going to transfer two?

 

[kk2003]

Transfer went well today! Tx 1- top grade blast. 3 frozen and 6 more awaiting possible freeze tomorrow. This tx was night and day from last month, very smooth and easy. Now the count down begins again!

Amy-They chose to tx one today. Not sure why, but I didn't push the issue. I would rather just one kiddo anyway. We are moving next summer and two would be a challenge.

K

 

[babyseeker]

Hi Ladies,

I am currently in the TWW from my 3rd IVF cycle and looking for some buddies to help pass the time. This is my 3rd cycle we're hoping to be blessed with our second bundle of joy!