IVF or FET November/December 2015 - chat thread

[klik]

Thanks, Boopin, Amanda, and Disneyfan. Right or wrong, I'm going for it. I'm so grateful my RE is allowing it! Just had my scan: 16, 14, 13, 8. Lining a bit thin, though: just 7.2. Really hoping the bloods are good: please please please, nice high estrogen and no LH surge!

Amanda: good luck at your scan today!

Disneyfan: I am really sorry you have to wait til Wednesday, and keep on the PIO til then... That's... upsetting. Ugh, also sucks that you have pregnancy symptoms when you know it's over. I'm so sorry...

 

[Wish2BMom]

amanda - good luck at your scan!! Go follies, Go!!! Yeah, I'm on 450 Gonal and 150 menopur and now the antagonist. And still this estrodial patch from 2 weeks ago that they wanted me to keep on until it fell off. It's almost a part of me now!

klik - GOOD FOR YOU for following your gut!! I'm so impressed - take it by the reins, lady! your lining is only a little thinner than needed, it'll catch up. I'm hoping my follies are where yours are tomorrow, if not even higher after 2 days' growth.

disney - yeah, still having symptoms and having to take shots is no bueno. I'm so sorry. You're dealing with this all very well, it seems. I hope (and know it will) everything goes swiftly and easily for you. Take care of yourself tomorrow - do you have the day off?

I just took my first antagonist - ouch! But overall, just feeling a little bloated. Or a LOT bloated. I've been drinking 3L of water/day for the past few days (even though my nurse laughed at me when I said I was doing it to plump the follicles!) I went to a kickboxing class last night and saw myself bouncing all over the place in the mirror when we were jumping rope. Ugh. I just want to wear a sign that says 'I'm bloated! doing IVF meds here! I really didn't just gain 10lbs in a day!' Yes, I'm sadly very self-conscious when it comes to how I look in gym clothes!

acupuncture in a couple of hours too - wooo!!

I hope you all have a good day. Amanda, update us when you can!

 

[amanda1235]

Just had scan and chart looks great! 7 follies that are for sure ready, probably 9 by EC and many more that may catch up. EC is Friday at 12:00, and the triple stripe is still there so they are planning on a transfer! Feeling very relieved right now. I know the road is still long, and there are things that could still go wrong, but feeling good for now

Wish, I hear ya on the antagonist being more painful! I'm on orgalutran which is the brand name for ganirelix.

Disney sorry that you have to continue those Damn PIO shots. Thinking of you!

Klik looks like things are going well! FX!

 

[Wish2BMom]

awesome sauce, amanda!!! WOOO!!

 

[Asterimou]

Great news on your follies Amanda.

Wish: I hope yours are good too.

Go for it Klik, the gut is the best way to go on this journey of unknowns

Disney: I hope you get on okay and heal soon, both in body and mind. Hope is right in that time is a healer xx

 

[klik]

Disneyfan: I'll be thinking of you today--I hope the D&C goes as painlessly as possible... Are they planning to analyse the contents, see if they can get any clues? Take care...

Wish: Thanks! Good luck at your scan today! Hopefully all that water drinking and retention and the painful meds are sacrifices that will lead to excellent results!

Amanda: Thanks! Your scan sounds awesome! Fingers super-crossed for you!

Asterimou: thanks!

Bloods were fine yesterday--my doc gave me the go-ahead for egg retrieval BUT recommended I freeze any embryos I might be lucky enough to get. My lining looks good now--trilaminar and sufficiently thick--but he's afraid this weirdly long cycle hasn't done my lining any favors. So, even IF I get any embryos they'll have to survive til day 5, and then survive a freezing and thawing. Lots of if's. We'll see. Also, one of my follies has shrunk! Now I've only got a 17 and a 14, and the rest are too small to measure. If I get one embryo, though, I'll already be really happy!

 

[Wish2BMom]

disney - thinking of you

klik - that sounds like a great plan!! FX'ed for 2 happy embryos (if not an extra one when they retrieve!)

Hello to everyone else! :wave:

my appt went well this morning - we're up to 17.5, 12, 12, 12, 10, 9. I go in again on Friday - I'm hoping that's it and we can trigger Sat night.
Glug glug glug goes the water

 

[klik]

Looking good, Wish! Looks like a good handful of follies are lining up for you!

I just got the "bloods" call--they asked me to trigger tonight (natural cycle gets triggered earlier, partly because there's no antagonist...). I was hoping I'd have at least one more day for the 14 to become a 15, but sadly not... Oh, well. Egg retrieval on Friday. I'm super-anxious!

 

[boopin4baby]

Lots going on the thread today. GL to all you ladies stimming, retrieving & transferring!!

Disney - I hope your d&c is as uneventful as possible. I'm praying that you have a smooth and speedy recovery. Take care Lovely and get plenty of rest. xx

 

[amanda1235]

Klik that sounds great!

Wish, looks like everything's going well!

Disney, thinking of you today!

AFM, got some bad news today. My progesterone levels are high (18, when they should <5). Dr gave the option of freezing all, then doing a frozen transfer, which is $2000, or transferring anyways, but my chances are reduced to %25. I'm so confused, and not sure what to do. If there's only one, we'll definitely freeze it, but if there are more than one, should we transfer one anyways? Or wait? I don't know what the right answer is. Anyone have any thoughts or experience on this?

 

[Disneyfan88]

Hi everyone. I'm back home and am laying in bed. I'm a bit drowsy and a little bit sore, but as far as I can tell, everything went as expected. Thanks for all of the well wishes.

I'll read back and catch up in a little while.

 

[klik]

Thanks, Boopin!

Amanda: I'm really sorry! I didn't know a high progesterone level interfered with the transfer... Gosh, there are just so many variables... Did your doc say why s/he is concerned? Does it affect the lining? Well, anyway, 25% ain't great... And that is a lot of money... hard to make a decision. My gut feeling goes something like this: if on day 3 there's 5 or more embryos, I'd transfer 2 and freeze the rest (assuming you can get your doc to do a day-3 transfer and freeze!) Otherwise I'd freeze all (or, if there's 3 or 4 I might get 1 transferred and freeze the rest). Something like that... But that's just my gut feeling--how do you feel?! Good luck with whatever you decide. Oh, bodies, why do you keep playing cruel tricks on us? Hang in there...

Disneyfan: I'm glad things went as expected. I'm very sorry, though. It's too sad for words...

 

[amanda1235]

Klik my gut is saying the same, although here it's a law that they only put back one unless you're over 35 or have had many failed attempts. I'll have to ask tomorrow, but I think they usual freeze day 5's, so on Day 3 when they often do transfers, I won't know how many there are to freeze. I think I'll let them bring as many as they can to day 5 (providing there are lots of good eggs!) and if there are 3 or more I'll transfer one, and freeze the rest. 2 or fewer I'll just freeze and wait for next month. From what I read, if your progesterone rises to early, it throws your lining out of sync with when the embryos would go back. That being said, I'm not sure every clinic checks your progesterone levels, so I don't know. You're right though! So many darn variables!

 

[Wish2BMom]

wow, amanda - I haven't heard of that. I think your plan sounds good, though. I literally had no ideas. I'm glad klik did!! And I seriously have no idea how anyone gets pregnant at all. SOOOO many things have to align just right!

disney - so glad everything was uneventful and went well. I'm so sorry. I hope you were able to rest well.

thank you, boopin!

nothing going on over here - waiting for tomorrow's scan. i seriously don't know how ladies with more than 10 follicles do it - I can totally feel things going on in there and I have so few!
I administered Cetrotide as my antagonist this morning - first time doing that one (the docs said I could use both of my leftovers - Ganirelix and Cetrotides). Ganirelix just comes in a syringe already put together, you just inject. Cetrotide comes with a vial and mixture - you have to mix yourself and inject. It also includes 2 types of needles. So I put the 2nd one on for the injection and when I pushed the plunger, some came out the side where it was screwed in!! So I guess I didn't get my full dose of antagonist today. I'm sure it's fine but that's annoying!

 

[Disneyfan88]

Hi ladies - it looks like everyone is making progress and will be moving pretty quickly very soon.

Klik - Good luck with your retrieval. I hope you get a surprise extra egg and that you end up with multiple embryos!

Wish - fingers crossed that Friday is your last needed scan! It sounds like you've got some nice follies growing there.

Amanda - tough decision, but I think I'd lean towards a freeze all. There have been studies that some women are more successful with frozen transfers. I think part of it could be that your body is able to rest a little bit and detox from all of the meds, and they are able to get you're uterine environment more like its "natural" conditions. My first transfer was a fresh transfer of two top grade embryos, and neither implanted as my hcg that cycle was a measly 1. My DD came from my first frozen transfer after IVF #2. Though, truth be told, I guess I'm hardly the poster child for good FET outcomes with this last one being our second bust. The money part is hard to swallow with everything you are paying for IVF. I'm glad you aren't being charged what we've been paying if you do decide to do a frozen transfer ($4200 per FET plus meds). Fingers crossed that you get lots of embryos. If that's the case, then it might not hurt to try transferring one fresh. Good luck with your decision!


AFM - It's been a hard week, but we're getting by. I'm glad to have the D&C behind me. My doctor told DH that everything went perfectly - it took me a while to come around after the procedure. Apparently I'm a lightweight. I'm a little sore down south, and I was really tired yesterday, but all seems to be ok. I'm off from work for another day today, which I'm glad about. My DD has been helping to make all of this easier to swallow and keep my mind off of the negatives. I'm so grateful that we were at least lucky enough to get her.

Forgot to add - they are going to be testing the tissue that was removed from me yesterday. My doctor said to expect to pay about $100 for it. We'll see if it gives us any answers... (I'm thinking not, but I'm hopeful). I do know that just about everything will be changed up on our next attempt (meds, protocol, etc...).

 

[klik]

Amanda: that's a complex problem indeed! Hopefully you'll get a nice good number on day 3, and they go on to survive to day 5... So far your ovaries at least seem to be cooperating!

Wish: I totally agree--how is it that women do get pregnant when so many variables need to align? I mean, there are 7 billion people in the world. Heck, my mother gave birth three times! Oh, well, hopefully we'll crack the mystery somehow Bummer about the cetrotide experience--yeah, it's unlikely to matter, but in this game we're under so much pressure to do everything JUST RIGHT so we don't have to wonder if it's our fault when it doesn't work... But hopefully it will work!

Disneyfan: thanks! I'm sorry it's been so tough for you... I'm glad your DD is helping--I get the impression she is delightful. I'm glad they will be testing the products of the D&C--maybe that will help them fine-tune the next attempt. I hope your body and mind heal really well over the next couple of months, and that you come to find it in yourself to be more hopeful than anxious for your next attempt...

I woke up way too early--egg retrieval coming up, so I'm melting with anxiety. Time for a bath, methinks!

 

[boopin4baby]

klik - How exciting it's your ER day!! FX'd that you have lots of mature eggs!! And I hope bathtime was relaxing for you.

 

[amanda1235]

Good luck Klik! My ER is in a couple hours.

Thanks everyone for your input! I think we're going to wait and see how many embies we have. If by some huge miracle it's more than 3, we will put one back and try our chances, less than 3 we will freeze and not compromise any in less than optimal conditions. Here's hoping we get at least one though!!!

 

[Wish2BMom]

morning (or afternoon) girls!!

I thought I would post this - a friend of mine on another thread posted it and it's simply amazing:
https://rscbayarea.com/blog/20-thing...as-her-patient

klik - good luck today!!! keep us posted!

amanda - that sounds like a good plan! when do you get the first call?

disney - I agree, your DD sounds like a joy! I'm so glad you have her to a) remind you of what you have and b) remind you of the miracle you hope to duplicate. You'll get there, I'm sure of it.

afm - just got home from my scan - 20, 17, 16, 13, 13, 10. That last one probably won't make it but the others can. The sonographer said we might trigger tonight b/c we don't want the 20 to get too big. I'd think the rest of them (besides the 10) would have a chance to catch up by Sunday morning, then. We'll see - I'll get the call in a few hrs.
All of this means I may not have to buy more meds!! I've literally used up (or will have by tonight) everything I had except one dose of Menopur! I'm pretty excited about that. I want so much for this to be our last, and successful, cycle. So much has aligned this time, it's crazy.

 

[amanda1235]

That's awesome Wish!

Had my ER, they collected 28 eggs! More than double what they got last time. Not sure how many mature though, we will find out Monday or Tuesday. Dr said that if there are 2 or more good looking embryos, that we should put one back, as the chances are still over 30%. So right now, if all goes well, it'll be Tuesday for a day 4 transfer. Haven't heard much about day 4 transfers, but I trust they know what they are doing.
I was also told I'm at risk for OHSS, so gotta take dostinex and take it easy for the next little bit.