IVF or FET November/December 2015 - chat thread

[amanda1235]

Oh wish!!! Didn't realize you were so close!!! C'mon little embies, grow grow grow!!! Can't wait to hear how many make it! So excited for you
Hope Napa was as awesome as it sounds

 

[scoobybeans]

Crazy week here in America. Still reeling from this election! Encouraged that people are vowing to stand up for those in danger & fiercely hope it's not just lip service, but really disgusted by the cabinet choices so far and the possibility of what's to come. My initial thought was that I'd stop trying to have a child because the world is such a crazy place. But then I thought about it more, and I know that my husband & I will raise our child to be kind and tolerant to people of all races, sexual orientations and religions (or lack thereof) and we need more people like that in this world. It'll be up to our generation to make sure that the next generation will be better.

Okay, rant done!

Amanda- thank you for your advice! Wow that does seem like a long time between scans. On the other hand, it's going to be amazing once you get to see the little bean again You're carrying one right?

klik- If it makes you feel any better, my mom had zero symptoms with either of my sisters except for being really tired and my sister had the same experience. Certain vitamins (magnesium & B6 I think) help prevent MS, so if your diet is rich in those vitamins that can be helping you out. When is your next scan again? I did respond well to a low dose of Clomid when I had my IUI (4 big follies) so my RE thinks I will respond well again. FX she's right. We'll see what happens!

aster- Thanks for the info! I'm on the fence about ICSI because even though our doctor is saying we don't need it my DH has type 2 diabetes and that can cause DNA issues. I think we're going to keep it on the table and if his sample on the day of retrieval isn't great we'll go for it. I mean I don't want to throw $2500 out the window if it's not necessary, but on the other hand I'm down with anything that may increase our odds.

nolimit- Good advice on not getting ahead of myself. I'm a project manager so I tend to do that lol. Good luck on a natural BFP this month!

wish- wow, I didn't realize you were so close! Hope the embies continue to grow & all goes well on Sunday! Let us know what happens In the mean time it's great that you're staying busy & have fun with the Spartan race.

AFM, I'm all set for my surgery on Monday. Hoping it's just the one polyp and they don't find other bad stuff, but I signed off on them removing whatever they need to. I'll be off work Monday & Tuesday. A bit nervous as going under general anesthesia is always a risk, but really can't wait until this is done. Hope everyone has a great weekend

 

[Wish2BMom]

holy cow, you're already going into surgery, scoob - good luck!! just consider it a nice nap I was under for all of my retrievals and it was wonderful. I remember heading into one of mine and this woman was just waking up out of hers and she was hysterical. I could kinda see her behind her curtain and she was like, 'WOW!! That was amazing - better than a spa!!' and I just looked at her and nodded and she was just giddy. So funny.

got the status update for today too and all 5 are still going strong!!!

 

[Asterimou]

Great news on the embies Wish. 5 is great to have at this stage. Hope you get some good blasts to transfer on Sunday. Let us know how it goes. I find the hardest part timing the water drinking. First time my bladder was so full I was like just get it in so I can wee !

Scoobs: best of luck on the op. Is it a laparoscopy? I'm with Wish and quite enjoy going under. Seems like the only time my mind stops whirring. Although when I went under for my first transfer he said I was mumbling stuff about work! As for DNA fragmentation they unfortunately can't see it at collection time. Apparently it's a slow process of literally looking at each sperm and counting the bad ones. That's why my hubby flew through all the other tests and we had 85% fertilisation rate but then the embies didn't develop well. So in short you have to decide beforehand, although this is my understanding so please double check with your RE.

Hi Nolimit: best of luck and welcome xx

AFM: just waiting for AF, she was due today but no sign yet

 

[scoobybeans]

wish- congrats on your Fab Five! Fingers and toes crossed that all the embies continue to develop nicely.

aster- haha I can see myself dwelling on work too. So funny! It's a hysteroscopic polypectomy, so they go in through the cervix with a camera and slice the polyp off at the root. Supposedly that minimizes scar tissue forming. She said they take pics too. I'm weird but I can't wait to see them Does fragmentation have anything to do with morphology? Like, if the morphology is low that should be a good sign right? Hope AF arrives soon so you can get going!!!

You guys made me feel so much better about going under GA. I've only done it once before and I was SUPER out of it after lol. I'm glad hubby will be home with me to make sure I don't do anything bizarre

 

[klik]

Amanda: I'm sorry you're still feeling sick occasionally! Hang in there... Dec 5th will be here before you know it, and the only reason they're not scanning you before then is because you're in a safer zone now!

Wish: Thanks! Re. Trump, I keep hoping he didn't mean any of it, but it's obvious his instincts are completely reactionary. But yeah, I'm with Scooby--let's have babies and then raise them to be responsible citizens--and in the meantime, let's find a way to be responsible citizens ourselves. I'm CONVINCED the future is ours. And speaking of having babies: 5 out of 6 is an amazing fertilization rate, and they're all still going on day 3! Hurray!!!!! Have a blast tomorrow, and then tons of luck for your transfer on Sunday!

Scooby: Yeah, I'm totally with you: let's raise good people for the next generation, and do our best to defend the progress the generations before us have fought so very hard for! Anyway, 4 big follies on Clomid is great--I hope you respond beautifully to IVF (that is, if you don't get a natural BFP first!)! In the meantime, best of luck with the polypectomy... And yeah, as for GA, I don't know under what circumstances you've had one before, but for egg retrieval you get what in the UK is called "light sedation." So, you don't have to be tubed up or anything--you just go into a deep, dreamless, very restful sleep. The first couple times I went through it, I could have SWORN no time had passed, and that the egg retrieval still needed to happen! Best of luck on Monday... I hope it solves your fertility issues and you get your baby soon!!

Asterimou: Typical! AF never seems to show when you actually want her. Get on with it, AF!

 

[Asterimou]

AF is here so I'm ready for scan which will hopefully be Tuesday. Will keep you all posted.

Scooby: my DH had good morphology and numbers so it gave us no indication he had high fragmentation. There is a really good explanation on this site https://www.tdlpathology.com/services-divisions/tdl-andrology/sperm-dna-fragmentation It was only suspected because we had two IVF cycles where the embryos looked great until day 3 and then fell off a cliff. They say in general that egg quality gets an embryo to day 3 and then sperm quality takes over. That's not to say egg quality has no bearing after day 3 but it does indicate a sperm problem in that scenario. We had the same thing twice which is why we paid for the fragmentation test. It was £500 so not cheap like a regular semen analysis. You can improve fragmentation with male prenatals apparently but my DH has been taking them for months. So ICSI it is

 

[Wish2BMom]

hooray for AF, aster!!

scoob - great way of thinking about it - we need to raise our children to be better people than us so they can save this world. I really am hoping that people are more logical than they seem and just b/c whoever is in the president's seat at the time says hateful things, that does not mean it's ok. Be your own person and figure out that being hateful, no matter what, is bad.

So I just had the transfer a little bit ago and i'm PUPO! Still 4 more embies 'growing in culture' at various rates. I'll get a call tomorrow to see how many we freeze. All went well, no hitches except that full bladder thing - I usually fill it up so much I have to let some out before the transfer. This time I was trying to take it a little bit slower and ended up being called in and then kicked back out b/c it wasn't yet full enough! sheesh...

 

[amanda1235]

Yay Wish!!!!!!! 4 more growing?!! That's fantastic news!! I SOOO hope this is it for you!! Will you test early?

 

[boopin4baby]

Wish - Congratulations... you're PUPO!! Fx'd your 4 embies make it to freeze.

Aster - I'm happy AF showed for you. GL at your next scan!!

Ladies - I hope you're having an excellent weekend. xoxo

 

[Savasanna]

Good luck today, Scooby!

I got the call from my RE that I'm all clear to proceed next month. I'm CD16 today so about two weeks to go!

 

[Asterimou]

Congrats on being PUPO wish hope the tww is kind. I know you love to symptom spot so let us know what you get xx

Sava: great news, two weeks will fly by

 

[klik]

Wish: OMG, you are PUPO!!!!!!! That is SO exciting! How did the other embies do? I hope you end up with 4 frosties and then don't know what to do with them because you don't need them! How are you feeling? When is OTD?

Asterimou: good luck on the scan tomorrow! I hope you get the all clear and then on your way to retrieving some gorgeous eggs!

Amanda: how's the belly?! It must be properly starting to show now, yes?

Boopin: when is your lining check again? Good luck!!!!

Sava: that is excellent! So nice to get an all clear... You'll be on your way soon!

AFM: Still no symptoms to speak of--just really flabby from not having exercised since, uhm, July! Yoga and pilates classes here won't accept me before 12w, which is kind of crazy-making. Blood test tomorrow to figure out if we can start weaning ourselves off the progesterone and estrogen... That would be nice, but is a little scary--doesn't my body need that crutch?!

 

[Wish2BMom]

hi girls!
Thank you all!! I'm so happy to finally be PUPO again!
The other 4 made it too, so those were frozen today. Grades as of yesterday:
4AB (advanced blast) - transferred. She/He was beautiful. I googled 'perfect 5 day blastocyst' and all of the pictures resemble my transferred embie!
Frozen - 4AB, two 3BBs (basic blast, I guess?) and one 2; again, as of yesterday so they all grew overnight enough for them to freeze!! yippee!!
klik - I hope I don't know what to do with them too!!

aster - you KNOW I'll symptom spot, if I can remember to! Still super busy at work. Though even walking through the airport today, I'm paying attention to every little twinge. And I ate my way through the airport. I know it's not even possible to have those things now so I must have just been hungry!
I don't know if I'll test early, though. OTD is the day before thanksgiving, next Wed. If I'm feeling stuff, then maybe. Lookin for some sore tatas here....
Good luck at your scan tomorrow!!

sava - isn't that a month early?? that's great!! I thought we were waiting for after the new year for both you and Scoob! ninja-style happy dance for you!

klik - that's a good enough symptom for me! just feel flabby for a bit and hopefully skip all the yucky stuff. Though I kinda want yucky stuff just as a reminder that things are going on. I'm sure you wouldn't mind too. How far along are you now? That does seem a little early to come off the meds but maybe the weaning process is slow. I think at 10 weeks, the placenta takes over and creates the progesterone. That's all I know.

amanda - YEAH! a bump pic if you're feeling up to it!!

boopin - where you at? transfer next week? lining check? updates!

I just heard on CNN that Trump wants top secret clearance for his kids. HAHAHA! He SO had no idea what this job was all about. He met with Obama for 1.5 hrs the other day. It was supposed to be a 15 min meeting. Apparently he thought he could still live in NYC and thought the WH staff was staying behind.

 

[boopin4baby]

Wish, Thanks for asking about me. My bloods came back all good today. My lining check is Thursday 11/17. If all goes well... FET Wednesday 11/23. KMFX for a cozy & cushy lining for my precious embie to nestle in.

Congrats on your fab 4 making it to freeze!! Yipeeee!!

 

[Disneyfan88]

Hi ladies. I'm so behind on this thread -- I feel so bad!! Work has been totally kicking my butt lately, and we've been busy getting on with life.

My husband's brother and wife just had their baby (a girl ) born right before Halloween. Bittersweet -- we are of course excited for them, but it's hard to forget that our due date was supposed to be November 5. I'm now playing the role of sport person/advisor to my SIL as she's totally overwhelmed and having issues with nursing and milk supply. DD has picked up another cold and graciously passed it on to me again (yay daycare!), so we haven't gone to visit them just yet.

Klik - Amazing news about the heartbeat! I am so ecstatic for you -- words cannot even describe how happy I am for you!

Wish - Amazing fertilization news, and congrats on being PUPO!!!

Amanda - I hope you and the baby are doing well!

Boopin - for a great lining report! You've got this!

Aster - Good luck at your scan!!

Sava -Congrats on getting the all clear to proceed!

Scooby - I hope your surgery went well.

Nolimit - Fingers crossed for a natural BFP!

Gosh I hope I didn't miss anyone!

As for me, nothing really going on one the TTC front. We've decided to not do the IUI until after our post-Thanksgiving Disneyland trip, if we decide to go through with it at all. I know it sounds strange with how much time and effort we put into baby #2, but after everything we've been through this past year, the more time that passes, the more at peace we are with the family that we have. As DD gets older, it will be easier to travel with her, and it's sometimes nice not having to plan your life around what-ifs. So, we haven't closed this chapter yet, and we may still decide to go through with our IUI, but that's where we currently are with that right now...

 

[klik]

Wish: yeah, I find myself partly relieved I have no morning sickness, and partly wishing for it as a proper symptom. I'm 8w today, so still too early to show. Thus far, apart from the scans there's no sign whatsoever of the little bean inside me... Well, hurray for the scans, then. I hope you'll be having some awesome scans soon, too! Say, in... 3 weeks or so! Amazing to hear about that beautiful blast! Also excellent you've got 4 frosties now! Things are looking great for you--I really hope they continue to do so! As for Trump... I think he will be given a lot of latitude for having had so little political experience, but yeah, surprise, surprise, being president actually comes with certain limitations!

Boopin: I hope on Thursday you see a beautiful, cushy lining!

Disneyfan: Thanks! I'm really glad you've been focussing on other stuff. TTC can really be all-consuming, and I think it's very, very healthy to get a good distance from it. It's great you're getting used to the idea of a family of three, but... I've still got a lot of hope for that post-Thanksgiving IUI. In the meantime, good luck at work, and enjoy preparing for your sure-to-be delicious trip!

So, Cornell had wanted to start weaning me off progesterone and estrogen last week, but as the clinic here did not provide a heartbeat they decided to wait til I was 8w. So, the estrogen patch is now gone, and from tomorrow I'm on half the PIO... and from Saturday I'm on 1/4... and Tuesday, on the day of my next scan ( !!!) I should measure progesterone again to make sure between my ovaries and the placenta, there's enough being produced. I'm really anxious about this, but I'm sure they know what they're doing... Despite the pain, I'm glad I was on it for an extra week!

 

[Savasanna]

Wish - is that true? (Trump) He seriously thought he'd stay living in NYC? Oh good grief.. I agree with Klik, though - I bet everyone's expectations of him are so low that anything he does even remotely correct is going to be seen as a success. As opposed to some other politicians who had to be perfect or they were failures.

congrats on being PUPO!

Klik - I can only imagine how nerve wracking this all must be for you. You're so close and you've come so far! I'll cross all my fingers and toes for next week's scan. You're the good news that kicked off this thread for me!

Disney - I totally understand where you're coming from. My idea of a family has changed so much. I used to absolutely scoff at the idea of having less than 2 children and now I've found myself in moments of being at peace with not having children at all. Whatever your family will be, it will be meaningful and beautiful.. and it's also ok if whatever your decision is today is different from what it will be tomorrow. Also also - I'm jealous of your upcoming trip!

Boopin - yay for next week! What a great pre-thanksgiving!

AFM - This week is going painfully slow. I think it's because after tomorrow it goes: weekend - wife's birthday - Thanksgiving - weekend - CD1! Just have to survive today and tomorrow and it's basically the home stretch! Woohoo

 

[Asterimou]

Wish: those are some great blasts! The ones inside you must be big and strong! I hope they're snuggling in. Let's have another BFP

Boopin: it's great you are all lined up for the 23rd. That's next week! I'm praying this is the one for you xx

Disney: I completely get the backing off. Once you have a break you're like can I really do it all again?! Just take you're time and you'll do what's right for your family. Enjoy thanksgiving xx

Klik: it must be hard letting go of the drugs and it seems that when you try this hard to get pregnant that each stage comes with new worries. I hope you can relax and enjoy being pregnant soon. I guess the 12 week milestone will help

Sava: you are nearly there! Enjoy your wife's birthday. Have you planned anything nice?

AFM: baseline was clear of cysts and there were some small follicles to start us off. Lining was where it should be so I start stimms tonight. Here we go round 3

:wave: Amanda

 

[Wish2BMom]

klik - your weaning sounds about right then, so you'd be at week 9 instead of week 10 when coming off. I'd say you're good! And they are going to monitor it to make sure things are holding on their own. I'd say you can relax!!

disney - I'm with the girls - I did the same as Sava and always scoffed at 'no less than/more than 2 kids', but DH has always been about one and I guess we've had to understand that it may be zero. We all have to adjust to what we pictured our lives to be and what they actually end up being, I suppose. Have a wonderful time in Disney again!

boopin - your FET day is my OTD! hooray for pre-thanksgiving good news, hopefully!!

aster - awesome news!!! let's get it started!!

I guess I'm 8dpo today, or 3dp5dt. Not feeling a thing but, then again, neither is preggo klik!!