IVF or FET November/December 2015 - chat thread

[klik]

Disneyfan and Amanda: I have an appt w/ my local doctor on Tuesday, and am hoping he can either communicate directly with the other clinic or give me something official to send to them. I suppose I'm psychologically preparing myself for not being able to start this protocol for another couple of months, though.

Disneyfan: wow, you have gone through a LOT to have your little DD. It mustn't have been easy to be stuck in hospital with all that pain and worry and have to tend to a newborn... If a C-section is what it takes, I hope that will help you have a much better experience this time!

Amanda, I don't really remember when I started stimming either way back when I used stims, but from memory day 4 sounds well within the bounds of what is usual. Good luck!

Wish: so glad you got the go-ahead! When is your next scan? Good luck!

 

[Wish2BMom]

morning, girls!

klik - where are you in your current cycle? So the patch protocol starts 10 days after you surge (or 7 days in my case, since I have a short LP) the cycle before you'd start stims. That might give you a good idea as to when you can start.

I start stims tonight! I hope I don't flub them up. And my next scan is on Friday. I really hope that this works well and we get a few embies to freeze. Long shot, but hopefully this protocol is magical. We basically decided that we can't continue to keep putting thousands of dollars into this process for the meds, on a bimonthly basis, if it's just not working. We have other expenses that need attention (we have a rental property that is losing a tenant next month, updates to that property, updates to our home, etc). I hate thinking this way but honestly, after 2+ yrs of trying, it's not that hard. I'm getting tired.

 

[Disneyfan88]

Klik - I hope your doctors are able to communicate soon and that your local doctor gives you the go-ahead.

Wish - Good luck with stimming and all of the other stuff going on at home. We're rooting for you!

My scan is around 11:00 am PST. I'm really, really hoping everything is ok!

 

[Wish2BMom]

how are you feeling, disney? I hope everything goes well too - how exciting!! FX'ed!!!

 

[Disneyfan88]

Doing well for the most part. Just some fatigue, which is to be expected. I occasionally feel some minor cramping, but nothing that I think is out of the ordinary. Thanks for asking.

 

[Wish2BMom]

that's great!
So if I can pick your brain more - did you do anything different this cycle? Have you maintained a different diet, avoided certain foods/beverages, cut down/increased working out? I'm always curious and I don't recall us talking about this with you yet (and if we did, I'm so sorry!)

I'm still trying to eat pretty well - more veggies at dinner than other things, little to no carbs, low sugar (really only add it to my coffee), little to no caffeine and moderate exercise. I still have some wine here and there but starting stims tonight so that's going to be cut way back. Not that my eggs aren't already what they are...
I'm not stopping exercising this time, unless it gets uncomfortable. I can just ease up and do what I can. It's just so hard to keep stopping and getting going again! I feel like keeping going and just easing up would be a better idea.

 

[Disneyfan88]

Hi Wish - I'd be happy to chat about this with you. I went for weekly acupuncture leading up to my transfer and have continued going weekly so far. I can't say that I'm a firm believer in it, but it doesn't seem to have hurt with either pregnancy. I followed some dietary guidelines provided by the acupuncturist - a lot of which I find to be rather hokey, truth be told. Leading up to the transfer it was lots of iron enriched foods to help with lining. Beef for lunch and dinner (to the point that I got tired of beef ), spinach, broccoli, etc... I cut out most sweets except for the occasional piece of candy here or there. Snacks have been primarily nuts, trail mix, granola bars...stuff like that. No caffeine or booze, and nothing colder than room temperature. My main beverage has been hot water. After transfer, I exchanged beef for chicken and other foods high in protein. I did the pineapple core thing for 2 days post transfer, too. They are big on keeping your feet and core (womb) warm, so lots of thick socks and sweatshirts/blankets. I will probably carry on like this until the first trimester is over.

It sounds like what you are doing is great, so hang in there! Are your stimming meds still the same this time around? for lots of follicles and eggs!

 

[Wish2BMom]

thank you!!! I always need to keep my feet and core warm so I'm good with that. All of the other things I'm good with too, except that dang call from a glass (or two) of wine on the weekends. I will (and have) cut that back a lot on the weekends, though, and i typically don't have alcohol throughout the week. Besides my work travel last week where everyone wanted to debrief after the loooong days we were having with a drink in hand. But again - didn't go crazy or anything.

I'm on the same meds as I was during my first and 2nd cycle - 150 menopur and 450 Gonal-F.

well good, i feel like i'm on a good path then. THANKS!! You're at your appt right now - I hope everything looks good!!

 

[Disneyfan88]

My appointment did not go as well as we had hoped. I have a sack measuring 6 weeks, but it looks like it's empty. I had my blood drawn for more tests and I was asked to come back on Saturday for another check, but at this point it does not look good. We might know more once my blood work comes back.

 

[amanda1235]

Oh man Disney! I've got my fingers crossed that they just couldn't catch it on the scan and that all is still ok!

 

[Disneyfan88]

Thanks, Amanda. Hcg and progesterone levels came back (hcg = 16304 and prog = 56), both are within normal range for 6+2. Plan is to continue meds and return Saturday morning for another ultrasound. Unless we see signs of a 7 week baby (fetal pole, yolk sac, heartbeat), we will be advised to end the pregnancy as anything else (or lack of anything) would be indicative of an abnormal pregnancy. Nothing ever seems easy.

I pretty much lost it before we even made it to the car. i know that my poor husband feels so helpless. I already had the day off from work today (I'm off every-other Monday), but he took the rest of the day off to be with me. I know I should be grateful that we already have our daughter, and I love her more than anything. I don't know how much more bad news I can take, though. This journey is so long and hard.

 

[klik]

Oh, Disneyfan, I'm so sorry to hear the scan results! Bloods look great, though, so hopefully it's just taking a while to look right. I've heard of it happening--sacs looking empty but it actually just being a delay. I hope that's the case. I'm sorry you have to wait so long with so much uncertainty... hang in there...

Wish: your regimen looks nice and responsible! Good luck on the injections. I really hope this cycle gets you the golden egg!

 

[Disneyfan88]

Thanks, klik. My doctor is really hoping that we'll see something good, but her instincts tell her that we won't be getting good news on Saturday. She said that if the baby is there but it's measuring behind or there is a slow or absent heartbeat, then it would be an abnormal pregnancy, and it would not be healthy to allow it to continue. She said that the body will continue to act like its pregnant and progress accordingly because I technically am pregnant. We shall see...I'm trying to stay positive.

 

[boopin4baby]

Disneyfan - My heart breaks for you. I was just where you're at 3 weeks ago. I would've been 9 weeks pregnant this Tuesday. Please take comfort in knowing that your not alone, we're all here for you. I'm keeping my everything crossed for you and your DH on Saturday. Sending you lots of LOVE & HUGS!!

 

[Hope16]

Don't lose hope Disney... I've read about numerous women in the first trimester board, start off with an empty sac and then lo and behold, a beautiful fetal pole and heart beat will be there.

Stay positive as best you can. I'm praying for you and your little one!

 

[Asterimou]

Hang in there Disney. We're all here for you and wishing this will all turn out alright. please stay strong, you are a wonderful positive influence to us all.

 

[Disneyfan88]

Thanks, ladies!

 

[Wish2BMom]

disney - I'm so sorry I'm just reading this now! I'm so sorry your appt wasn't all you hoped it would be - I'd have lost it too. I know exactly how you're feeling - that's how my first appt went, though there was something. Just no fetal pole, etc.
This IS hard but I'm hoping you have a bit of a miracle on Saturday! Hopefully it's just a shy little one and it'll come into sight on Saturday. Much love and hope to you, I hope this works out! Docs have been known to be wrong and pleasantly surprised before!

...this process is so hard. I'm with you. Hang in there, hon! We're here for you!

and yep, already messed up my meds. not a huge deal but I actually FORGOT to take them within the 7:00-9:00 timeframe last night. I didn't take them until 10:30, but I'll do it right from now on. Sheesh.

klik - how did your appt go today?

 

[Disneyfan88]

I'm so grateful for the support of everyone here. I'm sorry that so many of you have been in my shoes before. They are kinda crappy shoes to be in, and I wouldn't want to pass them on to anyone else. I'm finding it hard to concentrate at work but am doing my best to stay positive.

Boopin - Your loss is still quite fresh, and I know it must still be really tough for you. Hang in there. Your rainbow is not far away.

Thanks, Wish. I'm glad that you ultimately remembered your meds last night (well, I suppose it's now the next get before last for you). Just a tad late shouldn't be a big problem. Hopefully it's smooth sailing from here on out for you. I'm hoping for lots of eggies and minimal discomfort for you.

 

[klik]

Disneyfan: it's so hard... you're trying to hang onto hope and digest bad news at the same time... I hope Saturday brings you good news. I really, really hope it's a false alarm... and I hope the time between now and then doesn't feel too much like torture. Please take care of yourself.

Boopin: It's so sad... I'm really sorry for your loss...

Wish: ah, the injections have started! Yeah, I'd be kicking myself too if I'd missed the time window but I'm sure nothing disastrous will come of it. Don't be too hard on yourself. I really really hope this is your cycle!

My appointment went... meh. My doc said he could run this protocol, possibly, but he'd have to clear it with his medical director first. His clinic doesn't believe in Clomid, as it tends to thin the lining... he thinks, why get the brain to produce FSH when you can inject FSH directly? They also don't really believe in estrogen patches as being particularly useful... (but also he has nothing against them). Most importantly, he thinks mild stims are no good for getting extra eggs--for that, you have to use really high stims. So, fundamentally different from Dr Davis (who believes knackered ovaries respond better to mild stims). So I was left with either forcing him to do something he doesn't believe in, or just doing another natural cycle IVF here until we can get organised to go to the US (or, who knows, we might get lucky here). We ended up with a bizarre hybrid protocol of: estrogen patches starting a week after ovulation, stop when AF arrives; then, wait for the lead follicle to show itself, then start mild stims and later add an antagonist just to make sure the egg is nice and mature by the time it's collected (and doesn't ovulate too early). I'm not sure how I feel about that--after all, both times I've had egg retrievals without stims my egg was nice and mature... but it could always be more mature, I guess. Oh, well. I'm dismissing that cycle in my head, which is ridiculous given the amount of money and time and emotional investment that will go into it (not to mention all those pesky injections)!