IVF or FET November/December 2015 - chat thread

[scoobybeans]

sava- I'm glad we're going to be cycle buddies! I totally get opting for IUI instead of IVF, but maybe do one and see how you feel. It's not as intense as IVF but there is a lot of bloodwork & ultrasounds and some drugs. Hopefully, one is all you'll need! Also maybe get the MRI for peace of mind. Like my RE said to me, the goal is to get pregnant but also for you to be as healthy as possible during your pregnancy. That clicked for me so I opted to wait and get everything sorted out. It's frustrating because we've already waited so long, but in the scheme of things really no time at all

klik- Wow, that's a tremendous number! I'm so excited for your Friday scan. (Also 10 weeks until monitoring would drive me crazy too!) Thank you for your kind words I'm feeling very optimistic these days, about myself and everyone else in this group.

wish- From what you've said frozen seems like the best option for you for sure. I hope the weight gain is temporary (although if all goes well you'll be gaining more very soon!) Good point about the holidays. We'll be traveling for Thanksgiving and my parents are visiting over Christmas, so not the best time for a monitored cycle. WPW is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. It's when you have an extra electrical pathway in your heart. Mostly it just causes occasional palpitations but it can get worse over time. According to my doctor, pregnancy doesn't exacerbate the symptoms but it will limit what they can do about it since most meds aren't ok to use.

aster-Thanks for the acupuncture info! I have super painful periods so any relief would be welcome. I think you guys have convinced me to try this. Wow, you're getting very close now. When do you start your meds?

AFM, I'm realizing how important it is to talk about this process instead of suffering in silence. I've shared with a few close friends and family members now, and between them and all of you I feel like there's a wonderful support system in place. There's a little more pressure I guess because now everyone asks me what's going on, but it's because they care and they're rooting for us. Anyway, just wanted to say thank you to all of you ladies for being so strong and supportive and amazing.

 

[Disneyfan88]

Hi ladies! I'm back from vacation and am now playing catch up at work. I'm a little behind here, but it's been great to read up on everyone's great progress!!

We have one more vacation on the calendar for right after Thanksgiving (our last hurrah on our Disneyland annual passes before they expire). I'm trying to decide if we are going to go for the IUI on my next cycle or the one right after we get back. Decisions, decisions!

Vacation was just what we needed. I swear I could live there. The mental break from all things work or fertility related was a nice change of pace for us.

 

[klik]

Wish: I'm not remotely ready to take the leap into the NHS and have no investigations whatsoever until week 10! I'm going to be holding on to both fertility clinics for dear life, until they summarily kick me out! Hurray for the good bloodwork and meds change! I don't know if Lupron causes weight gain, but at the rate you're exercising, it's probably all muscle!

Scooby: My word, I find it so hard to know how to gauge the right level of communication with people who are close! I mean, you gals are invaluable, because if I want to talk about tiny details, you're cool with that, and if I have to run away for a while too, you'll still be here when I come back... But RL friends and family are complicated! They invariably want to know details that sometimes I don't feel like sharing... Yet I want the support, so I can't not tell them anything! Some people are great, and sensitive, and can step back or be there as needed, but others feel offended if I don't feel like sharing--tough stuff! But it looks like you're finding the right level for you, which is fab!

Disneyfan: Welcome back! I'm sorry you had to leave that paradise behind, though... Amazing you've got another vacation coming up! I'm also super-happy to hear that you're feeling relaxed and happy now, and have been enjoying your break from TTC. I'd suggest you go with your gut on the timing of your IUI--if you feel like taking more of a break, go for it... If you feel like having a potential pregnancy while you're relaxed and on holiday, then go for that! Ha, easy for me to say--I'm sure you want both!

I've decided not to take the flu jab today, after all. I don't know how long the effects of Medrol last, and am not sure how that interacts with the flu vaccine... I'll ask Cornell on Friday, when I give them my scan report, since they are the ones that prescribed the Medrol, and then I'll act accordingly. I'm sure it's fine, but... safety first!

 

[AshleyLK]

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[scoobybeans]

klik you have your scan today right? Good luck & please keep us posted! Disney I'm glad you had a great time on vacation!

It's been quiet the past few days, how is everyone else doing?

 

[Wish2BMom]

hi!! welcome back, disney!! hooray for another great vacation to look forward to. I'm SOOOOO looking forward to our trip to Napa next Thursday. I am going to be in HEAVEN.

scan today, klik? everything go ok??

scoob - I hear you on the talking front and agree with what klik said. I had finally told my mom about all of this and she wants to know every detail, and even does her own research. But then DH and I went to a counselor before the DE stuff started (it was required) and he found out I told her about DE. He was fine with me talking about IVF but when it came to DE and making a child in a different way, he had a much different thought process about it. So since then, I've been more guarded. My mom wanted to know all about the donor we chose and I drew the line there - know your grandchild, not the donor.
I also just told a close friend that we'd been going through IVF. I had chosen not to tell her b/c her DH is close with my DH and I don't want him randomly bringing it up to him since HE is the one that doesn't want to talk about it. And I don't really trust him, so I asked her not to tell him. I just want to tell MY friend, not my friend and her husband, yanno? So I find talking on here to you girls to be SO MUCH BETTER than my 'IRL' peeps. You girls are real to me, too, but then this can also feel like a responsive 'dear diary' sometimes!! It's such a wonderful support system for us all

 

[klik]

Hey, gals!

Ashley: say hi if you want! You'll be welcome here!

Scooby: It has been quiet, huh? It's strange, because there will be a lot happening soon on this thread, hopefully all good!

Wish: "Responsive 'dear diary'" is a perfect characterization of this forum! Oh yeah, who should know what when, and who gossips to whom--gosh, it's crazy-making! But if your friend is close, she should be able not to tell her husband! Also, well done on drawing a line in the sand for your mom--moms are great (hopefully we will all be some, soon!), but, you know, there's got to be some limit to what they know... And wow, Napa should be awesome! Been there once--it's gorgeous! DP and I are trying to plan an actual proper more-than-3-days holiday, which we haven't really had for... 1 year, 10 months. Can't wait!

My TTC update: everything is awesome! So far, so good, anyway. Today is 5w3d, and the gestational sac was measuring 5w5d--I may have had a late implanter, but it's decided to claim its space! Yolk sac was visible, and also the fetal pole! I totally cried. It was great!

Sonographer was even trying really hard to detect the heartbeat, but she said the earliest she'd ever managed to do it was at 5w2d, so... really still too early... I have to go back at 7w (a week from Tuesday) to hopefully detect a heartbeat... Then Cornell wants to discharge me, and leave me at sea for 3w before I can see an ob/gyn here! Well, it's a problem I'd like to have, anyway...

 

[amanda1235]

Omg Klik!!!!!! Congrats! Fantastic news!!!!!!! How are you feeling?

 

[Wish2BMom]

klik! klik! klik!!! I'm so happy for you!!!!

 

[boopin4baby]

Congratulations on your wonderful & amazing scan. Lovely update, klik!!

 

[Disneyfan88]

Klik -

 

[Disneyfan88]

Wish - It's great that your mom is supportive. I can understand DH's desire to keep things private. A limited number of friends, family, and coworkers (including my boss) know that DD was an IVF baby. Not because we're ashamed or anything, but we felt like it was no ones business and it's just not "need to know" information. Your upcoming trip sounds wonderful! How long are you going to be in Napa?

 

[klik]

Amanda: Thanks! I actually feel kind of guilty when I think of your experience of pregnancy, because thus far I've had no nausea at all... The acupuncturist said a lot of women start having those symptoms at 6 or 7 weeks, though, so maybe it's too early. Are yours pretty much gone by now? I did tell her I think old women like me make less of the hormones, so perhaps we are less prone to the annoying symptoms--she thought for a minute and said that, indeed, the women she knows who had the worst morning sickness were all pretty young. So, this is probably the one aspect of TTC where us old-timers may have some advantage! I hope your symptoms have let up, though, and that you don't need them anymore to feel safe...

Wish: thanks! I can't wait for your transfer--I SO want to hear about a nice, lasting BFP from you!!!

Disneyfan: Thanks!!! Have you decided on the pre- or post-trip IUI? (No pressure!)

My must-do tasks for today: walk the dog, pick up some progesterone, take the flu jab. Apparently the Medrol I took was so long ago it no longer interferes, so I'm good to go for... yet another injection!

 

[klik]

Boopin: I've neglected you, sorry! Thanks!!! You're kind of quiet, but November starts on Tuesday. You must be so anxious--but I'm rooting like crazy for you--I hope what's happened is, the best embryo was saved for last, and this one will stick with you for the full 9 months!

 

[Wish2BMom]

Happy Halloween!! I can't wait to give out candy tonight. I hope we get a few more kids than we did last year (one!)

klik - I have another friend who just got her BFP a few weeks ago and she didn't start feeling any ms until about week 6. And even then, she wasn't sure it was ms - she just started to feel a little 'icky'. It was confirmed by our other friend that that was it! So hopefully 'icky' is all you get!

disney - thanks for the perspective. Yeah, I mean - I don't want to broadcast it but everyone knows we've been trying forever and it's just exacerbated by the fact that all of our friends already have 3 kids. So by the time we have a kid, it's probably almost assumed we had help. And that's where I get all awkward and try to dance, unsuccessfully, around the details. My good friend with the DH that I didn't want her to tell - she knows very little about all of this and even asked if we'd consider DE and offered her eggs! I didn't tell her we were doing DE (and I reminded her that she's turning 40 in May - her eggs are 'geriatric' too, but it was a super sweet offer). She was funny - "yeah, but they work!" (she had twins VERY easily 4 yrs ago), so my response was, "They did - 4 YEARS AGO!"

not too much going on here - waiting to go to NAPA this Thurs! disney - we'll be there until Sunday. Quick trip, but it's for an event called 'Live at the Vineyard'. I can't WAIT!
More bloods for me tomorrow - the last ones were a little low on the estrogen so hopefully that rises to the levels they want to see tomorrow. Still doing 10 units of Lupron, 4 Estrace pills/day and one baby aspirin. Oh, that reminds me - I need that letter from the doc to travel with needles.

 

[amanda1235]

Wish that's exciting!!! Hoping bloods come back better and that you have a great time in Napa. I'd LOVE to get there someday.

Boopin, I can't remember, do you have a transfer date yet? 3rd time's a charm, I really believe that!! (And am living proof of if!)

Scooby, Sava and Disney, hope you guys are well! IUI's are next for you three right?

Klik, I SO hope for you that you don't get the ms I had. Since Saturday I've started feeling significantly better. Still don't feel great by any means, but definitely better. Mine started fairly early, but was bad week 6,8, and 10-12 were the worst. Never threw up though, so at least there's that. 12+1 today! CANNOT believe I've hit that milestone. Still feels so surreal. Last Lovenox was yesterday, and I have my 12 week Nuchal scan/fetal assessment on Thursday. If all goes well then I stop PIO and estrace then too. Kinda scary to think I'm stopping all that!

 

[Savasanna]

Klik! Congrats to you! That's wonderful news!

So, my RE decided to go with recommending another ultrasound at a women's health clinic to determine the status of the "structure". That's scheduled for Friday so we're going to hold off on the IUI until we get the results from that. I was a little bummed, but I know it's the right thing to do AND CD1 surprised me yesterday so this month is already on it's way.

Pllluuuuusss - my wife and I were called with a new placement last week. A newborn little girl who we brought home from the hospital last Tuesday. So, I have the sweetest of distractions at home to help me pass the time.

Hope everyone has a good Halloween!

 

[klik]

Wish: we only got one kid tonight too--our next-door neighbor--and we weren't even ready for him, because we were supposed to be out tonight watching a taping of the Tracey Ullman show--in the event, we were stuck at home without mini-candy bags, so I had to improvise! I did feel a little icky on Saturday--I thought I'd jinxed myself with my post here--but I'm back to no symptoms--a little more tired than usual, maybe... But hey, best, best, best of luck tomorrow with the blood test, and have a fab time in Napa watching live things--music, I would guess?! Enjoy!!

Amanda: Congratulations!!!! 12+1 is amazing!!!! WOW, what a milestone! I'm so happy for you!!! I'm counting the seconds to 12 weeks. I'm 6 weeks tomorrow--may the MS begin, I guess... So nice you got to finish Lovenox! Good luck on Thursday--I hope the scan goes beautifully and you don't need those meds anymore!

Sava: I think another ultrasound does make sense, yeah... Best of luck--I hope the structure can be identified safely as "nothing to worry about." Amazing you've got a little newborn at home! Sad to think of her back story, whatever that may have been... and that there are probably hundreds of couples desperately trying to adopt, and there's this little newborn in foster care... But wow, you are getting some amazing experience for when you have your own! And in the meantime, enjoy this amazing little creature you're looking after... So sweet!

 

[Wish2BMom]

we got ZERO kids!! now I have a bowl of chocolate goodies hanging around here, waiting to become friends with my Lupron hips!

HAHA - yes, live music! and thanks - I'm finally starting to get excited. Though a little stressed - work is still going a million miles a minute so I almost feel like I should bring my laptop and work on the long flight from coast to coast. But I don't want to ignore DH either, or have to lug it around (it's NOT light!). Maybe I'll bring it just in case. It is a long flight!

amanda - that's so wonderful that you're at 12+1!! or 2 today?? and the PIO shots can come to an END!! I start mine next week. I'm dreading it so much.

sava - I, too, am glad you're having the 'structure' checked out. Sounds so mysterious! I hope it's nothing too. Rogue kidney?

boopin - how are you doing? how are your hormone levels? when is the transfer scheduled for? this weekend? we need updates!!

 

[Savasanna]

No idea. But I'm also interested to find out!

Can someone tell me more about these PIO shots? I hear people talking about them but I don't know what they are, are for, or really anything about them other than they seem to be something to dread. haha.