IVF or FET November/December 2015 - chat thread

[Wish2BMom]

sava - i hear you, I told both of my bosses. The male one, i said 'we're trying to have a baby...' and the '...' told him it was more than just naturally. And I told my female boss that we were going through this and she was awesome about it. Well, they both were and both said to take whatever time I needed for appointments, or even disappointments or whatever. So sweet. I'm glad your conversation wasn't a stressful one.

So exciting that you've picked a donor and are ready to go!!! This is it for you!

 

[Asterimou]

Scooby and Sava, I understand being nervous about IVF but the worst part is the tww and you would have already done that so you've done the worst bit If you are just doing tummy injections of suprecur and gonal f then they really don't hurt. I found watching a few YouTube videos of people injecting helped me prepare and was so shocked at how little I felt when the needle went in. It is better if you can do them yourself as I had to do them on the move sometimes with no husband/wife there to help! Scan time can be stressful when there are cysts, polyps, not enough follicles or follicles growing too fast or slow but those parts are out of your hands. You just don't know if a cycle is a winner until the end, so try not to get too hung up on the numbers or if a cycle is delayed a bit. You'll get there in the end Now for me to take some of my own advice.....

 

[scoobybeans]

wish- Thank you for the tip on the meds. I will definitely check that out. Glad you had fun at NYCC! How did the Great Wall look? I'll pretty much watch Matt Damon in anything lol. Wow, Carrie Fisher! I'd freak out. I heard she was throwing glitter on people who went to her booth. She's awesome. Weird story, I was in Harlem eating brunch last year and the woman who plays Barbara on Gotham was next to us. And before we realized it was her we were talking about how much we hated her character! (This was before she went bad- I LOVE her now.) Still feel bad about that.

Sava- Hello fellow IVF noob buddy! Yeah, I'm totally not looking forward to the egg retrieval part either, and also nervous the hormones will make me crazy. I'm a project manager so I need to be on my game and keep a level head when there are problems at one of our job sites. Haha I told my husband the same thing about the shots. We're doing enough as it is, right? I hope the costs don't get too outrageous for you. The annoying thing to me was somethings seem reasonable ($850 for anesthesia makes sense) but others like over $6,000 for injectables?? That seems insane to me. Glad you told you boss & he was cool with it! Also, good luck on your HSG. My advice is to take something ahead of time, like extra strength Tylenol. The pain isn't awful but it's uncomfortable.

Aster- That's a great tip about youtube, thank you! I'm glad to hear the shots aren't that bad. You're such a rock star for going through this again. I just know your patience will be rewarded! Every time I start to get overwhelmed I think about my niece, who was an IVF baby conceived on the 2nd try. She's 6 now and just perfect. It will happen for you!

AFM, still haven't gotten my bloodwork results back yet so I'll call them today. My saline ultrasound is tomorrow. Kind of hoping the polyp is still there, as it could help explain some of our fertility issues. I spoke with my mom about the cost and she thinks they can help us out. I wish I didn't need to but I'm not too proud to accept. Ultimately I'm just really ready to meet my baby and I'll do whatever I need to do to make that happen how is everyone else doing?

 

[Wish2BMom]

scoob - oh NO! how embarrassing!! She was at NYCC all weekend giving out autographs. Well, not giving out - they were like $50 a pop!! Needless to say, I didn't get in line b/c damn....they make enough money! and I just don't care about autographs. But I agree with you - she was super annoying before she turned and now she's so awesome.
And The Great Wall looks completely awesome, I can't wait for it! And John Wick 2!!
That's great that your folks can help with the funds. I have a good friend who offered me 10k for anything we needed to do. I would never take it, and DH would NEVER take it (I didn't even tell him about the offer) but I thought it was sweet. She had her own troubles becoming preg so she fully gets it.

Yeah, I choked a few times on the injectibles. What was fun for me is that I had to be on the highest dosage of the most expensive one and I had to keep ordering it b/c I wasn't responding well enough to go to retrieval! So it was like each phone call was $1200 to get more, mid-cycle. Like I'm going to give up mid-cycle, so I had to get it. Ugh. I hope you don't have to go through that pain.
Also, Freedom Fertility is a place you can check out to buy the meds, (though ABD I've found to be cheaper still) but I follow their videos.

 

[boopin4baby]

klik - How are you doing in your 2ww?? Thinking of you.

 

[boopin4baby]

scooby - Cowboys vs. Packers this Sunday 10/16. May the best team win!!

 

[klik]

Asterimou: thanks for the dust! How are you feeling as November gets ever-closer? I hope you're ok...

Wish: I calculated the chances of both sticking to be something like a 1.5% chance! But one-or-more sticking... yeah, I can have a bit of hope for that... 23% chance or so. Funny how stats work, assuming I'm doing the maths right. I feel SO silly having been in NY for part of NYCC and not having gone! I even knew about it, too, because DP and I went to The Daily Show and one guy in the audience said he was there alone for ComiCon... Still, I don't watch any of those shows. I just used to read comics through my 20s. Which is long ago, now... How is Lupron treating you? I wish you immense amounts of luck!

Scooby, do you mind sharing how old you are? My AFC is 4, so to me 9 sounds downright enviable! But then again I am 42. Anyway, it's true, you only need one, and hopefully when you actually have your active cycle you'll find that one right away! I know it's crazy expensive, though... I don't know too much about keeping costs down in the US--I just kind of went where I was told, when I was there...

Sava: good luck on that HSG! I recommend arriving with a full bladder, even if they did not tell you to do so. That would have saved me a lot of pain and last-minute drinking of tepid water (yuck) if I had known ahead of time! And yeah, do take the painkillers ahead of time... As for injections, my partner is needle-phobic, so getting him to do my belly shots was out of the question. When it came to the intramuscular shots, though (progesterone), he totally stepped up. It's just not practical for a person to do it herself (though, amazingly, Boopin manages! She is a nurse, though... ) So that division of labor works for me: I do the subcutaneous, he does the intramuscular... But yeah, if your wife is willing to do both, go for it!

Boopin: Thanks!! I'm thinking of you, too. How are you feeling?

I have absolutely nothing at all to report. No symptoms. Most of the time I kind of forget I have two embryos with me. I can't tell if that's good or bad--if they need some TLC to develop, or if it's an "a watched kettle never boils" situation. I had a bit of a panic today, though--I figured I'd get my thyroid levels tested again, though they're usually ridiculously stable (I'm on 75mcg of thyroxine) and sure enough my TSH is too high. Up to 4 is considered sort of ok, but in point of fact TSH levels between 2.5 and 4 do seem to result in more miscarriages... And I'm at 3.23. UGH!!! This is the difficulty of being between two clinics: I just found out that in the US (or at least at Cornell), it's not the RE who decided whether and how much one takes thyroxine... it has to be an endocrinologist (not reproductive, I guess?!) But my local clinic expects Cornell to do all the work, so they didn't interpret the results... so now I have to wait until Monday... I feel like such a jackass, not having done this test earlier! I'm so used to "no change..." UGH!!! Now if I have a MC I'll blame myself.

So I guess I had something to report after all...

 

[Wish2BMom]

klik - do not blame yourself. I hate when I hear stories like this - THEY are all the experts and should be insisting on guiding us through this process. Hopefully your thyroid levels won't impact anything here. My fingers are so crossed for you, hon!!

Lupron hasn't started yet - first shot is tonight. I hear you on the division of labor. I've had to do all of my own shots so far, which is fine. But when we start the PIO shots in a few weeks, DH is going to have to step up. I can't twist around that much!

ahh - you had to have a ticket/pass to get in anywhere anyway, so maybe next year for NYCC!

OH YEAH - meant to congratulate all of the ladies stepping into the world of football!! I just love it, I look forward to fall and every Sunday in fall! I'm going to make chili this weekend for our football Sunday, i think!

 

[amanda1235]

Ugh!!! Klik definitely don't blame yourself. I agree with Wish, it should have been up to the drs to figure that out. I'm going to be a HUGE hypocrite here and tell you to stop googling things!! We google the worst, then find a bunch of stories to back it up. I've really got everything crossed for you Hun, and sending all the positive vibes I can. Common little embies, stick stick stick!!!!! When's your test day?

Wish, as much as I do enjoy football, I don't really follow it. We're more into hockey in this house oh, and is it possible we had a chilli recipe swap around this time last year on this thread? Lol

Scooby how did the saline sono go? I know what you mean about hoping they find something. On the one hand, you want them to find something so that it explains it and you can fix it, but at the same time you kinda want everything to be clear so that you don't have to deal with anything. Hope it went well!

Sava, I was doing all my own belly shots, and then when I started pio I had to get DH to do it. (Boopin it still amazes me that you do your own! Truly an all star, you must be so much more flexible than I am lol.) since I started the Lovenox this cycle, I've been having DH do those to. I could do it, but they sting, so I find it harder to do on my own, I keep stopping because it hurts. Easier for him to do it, sono delegated that job to him too. He doesn't mind. I'm sure we're upwards of 500-600 injections since the beginning by now.

Hope everyone else is good!

 

[scoobybeans]

wish- oh goodie, now you've gotten me all excited for new movies wow, that was super generous of your friend! I think all of us who struggle with this have a kind of innate bond, because it's just so tough and so hard to talk to people who haven't been through it themselves. Oh man, that's rough about your med costs. $1200 must hurt even more than the needles themselves lol. I'll check out freedom fertility too, thank you! Congrats on starting your protocol tonight!!!

boopin- haha, I will be watching and rooting for green and gold! It's usually a GREAT game when they play each other!

klik- I've been reading comics on and off since I was about 11 or 12. I'm in a major on-again phase right now. Image comics is putting out some seriously amazing stuff right now! (Saga is soooooo good.) You should consider checking it out! I'm 38, so according to my doctor an AFC of 9 is "appropriate for my age". (Don't they make you feel ancient sometimes??? We're still so young!) I'm sorry you're having issues with your thyroid Your doctors REALLY should have been on top of that, so please don't blame yourself! As for being symptomless, I think that's way more common than all of us TTC-obsessed people on forums think it is I still have everything crossed for you!

Amanda- my hubby is a huge Sabres fan (he grew up in Buffalo) but I'm a football and baseball girl myself. I'd love to go see a hockey game though! Also I have a great chili recipe based on a weight watchers recipe if anyone is interested Oh man, 500-600 injections? Holy moly that is a lot!!!

AFM, had the HSN today and all went smoothly. A little crampy but nothing major. The polyp IS still there, and it's grown from 7mm to 1cm. So this thing could be playing a major factor in why it's been taking us so long to get a BFP. I also got my E2 and FSH levels back and to my surprise my FSH went down slightly since last year, from 7.6 to 6.9. My doctor was pretty happy with that number and seems optimistic. My estrogen looks great too. Still waiting for the AMH test result and DH has his SA on Monday. So by the end of next week we should have a pretty good picture of where we're at and how to proceed. They also went over the financials with me again today and they offer a discounted rate for people who are self paying. The injectables cost is the only question mark but I think we'll be able to swing one fresh IVF cycle with ICSI and one frozen if needed.

I'm actually feeling really hopeful for the first time in a long time! Two of my closest friends just told me they think I'll have a baby by next fall. That would be so amazing! Surgery to remove polyp is tentatively scheduled for second week of November, and then I think we have to wait a month before we start. So I think we're looking at a December or January cycle. I'm kind of leaning towards January so the out of pocket stuff will start in the new year, and also so we can relax during the holidays. (But then part of me just wants to get going as soon as possible!) If we get a good enough SA result, we may try one round of monitored IUI in December. Lots to think about!

 

[boopin4baby]

klik - I'm 3 weeks away from my FET. I'm happy and nervous at the same time. I have a baseline appointment on Monday 10/17 to make sure my ovaries are calm (no cysts), lining check and blood work. Fx'd all goes well.

Currently, there's a Pacific Northwest storm moving through Northern California. It's windy, rainy & cold... brrrrrr. A nice warm bowl of chili sounds yummy right now!!​

 

[klik]

Wish: thank you! I hope everything runs beautifully for you this time! I'm sort of in awe that so many of the timings are just as if they were your own eggs... that you'll find out fertilization rates and embryo quality just as your body is getting ready for those embryos... I guess with such young eggs you are transferring only one? Is the plan to transfer day 2, 3, or 5? Good luck!!!

Amanda: Thank you! Is this the first time you take Lovenox? Maybe that's part of the key for you! Also, I seem to remember you said you had to drink Medrol and it was disgusting? Mine came in little pills and didn't taste like anything... Anyway, how are you feeling?! Has the nausea let up at all? Also, when is your next scan? I'm soooo chuffed things are going, on one level, excellently for you!

Scooby: Ooooh, yes, I was looking for a gift for my cousin's 12-year-old daughter a while ago and Saga seemed perfect--so I got one for her, one for me (of the first collection!) But I haven't read my copy yet... I'll put that on the front burner, then--thanks for the heads up! I'm sorry the polyp is still there... Still, as you say, it's very nice to at least get an explanation... I'm delighted that your FSH is comfortably low! Will your polyp removal be via laparoscopy? Best of luck!

Boopin: Wow, it is really coming up soon, isn't it? I'm so, so rooting for you... Good luck on Monday: hopefully no cysts, a gorgeous cushy lining, and perfect bloods!

AFM: my local clinic was nice enough to get a doctor to review my thyroid numbers today... Both my local doctor and my US doctor had said 2.5 is the magic number, so I *almost* decided on my own to increase my thyroxine dosage this morning (which decreases TSH)--but decided against it, as it's not the sort of thing you jiggle up and down without consequence. They kind of have to balance out the TSH levels with the free thyroxine levels (which in my case are close to the upper limit, since I'm taking extra artificially). Still, as predicted, they did tell me to increase the dosage today--so from tomorrow morning I'll hopefully be on my way to correcting this issue, and I'm supposed to measure this again in 3 weeks (you'll bet I'll stay on top of this like a hawk from now on!) Dear ladies, I hope you've all had your thyroid levels checked--this stuff is important! But yeah, I think most if not all clinics check this at least before they start cycling you... Anyway, I feel better now! Still no symptoms to report though... Just swollen boobs, but that's the PIO talking...

 

[amanda1235]

Klik that's great that you're getting the thyroid stuff figured out! I did have my levels checked at the beginning of this process, but not again since. My next scan is on Tuesday, (10+2). It all still seems so surreal! Nausea eased up this week, which freaked me out, but it seems to be back today lol. I actually enjoy the nausea to some extent, makes me think things are ok.

I hope you ladies don't mind that I'm sticking around!

 

[klik]

Amanda: Wow! Good luck on Tuesday! I hope the big one is going strong, and the little one... is either catching up fast, or not getting in the way. My word, you're 10 weeks already!! That is incredible! Well done!!! Don't get too attached to the nausea--even as your pregnancy keeps going, you will soon-ish have to say goodbye to that particular symptom! Please stick around--I love hearing about your progress. Plus, you're an inspiration now--I hope to get there someday, too!

I'm going to break my never-test-ahead-of-time rule and test tomorrow morning. If it's a BFN, tomorrow I have to start aggressively procuring medication for the next cycle, as it takes a little while here to arrange meds... I though I'd just start the ball rolling on the meds anyway but it would be ridiculous to go through all that stress and pay all that money if I can already know that it may possibly not be needed. I'm really pessimistic, though--I feel like my body is trying to tear out the lining already...

 

[klik]

Ok, gals, I tested today like I said and got bitten in the behind by a decisively indecisive result. I got the FAINTEST of "pregnancy" lines--it was definitely different from the background, but in order to confirm this for me, DP felt compelled to whip out one of his high-intensity torches. That's how faint it was. So... could this still be the hCG from the trigger shot?! Or was it just a late implantation?! Or perhaps it was a really early chemical... UGH, I feel like it's payback for breaking my never-test-early rule! I guess I just have to accept that I'm in the same state of not-knowing as I was yesterday, and try to make sure I can get my hands on the medication for the next cycle in case it's needed... I don't know whether to or to !

Oh, btw, I'm 10dp3dt. Is it possible it's just early?!

 

[Asterimou]

Well Klik, it is still very early but it is a line none the less. I agree it's a bit inconclusive but better than no line at all. Be cautiously optimistic If you test again tomorrow then that should tell you more because if it has got a little darker you're in. So today I guess you just try and put it out your mind.....yeah right! I've got everything crossed for you 😘

 

[amanda1235]

Klik, it could still be early, but a line is a line!!! I agree with Aster, test again tomorrow

 

[Wish2BMom]

AHHHH klik!!!! they say a line is a line but I'd be JUST like you and not believing it until it's dark and slapping me across the face! Test again tomorrow, or tonight, or both! FX'ed so hard for you!!!
10+3 is still fairly early - some offices don't test until 10+4 or 10+6! So it could definitely be a late implanter.

amanda - ohhhh, I'm so excited for your next scan tomorrow! 10 weeks already - that's crazy! And you HAVE to stick around. I give you no choice. We're in this together - through the bad AND the good! you don't get kicked out once you reach 'good'!

boopin - not long now! I'm a week behind you, my baseline is next Monday. Good luck today!

I didn't make the chili this weekend b/c it turned out to be about 70 degrees yesterday, but I've got all the fixins to make it this upcoming weekend if it's chillier. I can't remember if we shared recipes last year but that sounds familiar! I usually use the 'boilermaker chili' from All Recipes.com but this time I'm going to use a white chili recipe I got from a coworker about 13 yrs ago. I can scan my filthy paper and upload it here if you want!

DH and I don't mind hockey but we really only watch it during playoffs. We're both basically only football fans. He used to be more of an NBA fan but it's gotten boring. And baseball games are just too damn long for us! hahaha

Scoob, Sava & Aster - :wave: hi girls!

yeah, it's weird to be plotting out my cycle like these are my eggs. Yup, we'll only transfer one since it's such a young egg. And they transfer on day 5 only. If none of them make it to day 5, we get a new lot of 6 eggs and start all over again. If only one does, that's our one shot with this whole lot. That's a damn expensive singleton!
I don't know how I'm feeling about all of it. I'm not terribly optimistic anymore - actually being pregnant seems like such a pipe dream now, like I've been playing the part but it never really came or will come true. Not trying to be a downer, this is just where my mind is after 3+ yrs of trying. Gosh, I never thought I'd be saying THAT.

 

[Savasanna]

Oh Klik - the torture!! Here's hoping for a bit darker line tomorrow morning!

All clear on the HSG this morning. The whole thing was super easy and done in a flash. Our next stop is another consult with the RE on Thursday to review everything and determine the plan for next month.

 

[klik]

Asterimou: thanks! You've put your finger on it, though--I can't think of anything else! My work day is shot. I feel guilty but hey, this really is all pretty difficult to absorb...

Amanda: thanks! Thing is, OTD is tomorrow! So I'm debating with myself: do I do a morning test anyway, to get me ready for the afternoon result, or do I just wait? I've not even got the same kind of test at home--today's was Clearblue Plus and now I've only got First Response. My feeling is, I'll break down and test in the morning. But let's see how I feel tomorrow... And as for you... Best of luck on your scan tomorrow!

Wish: thanks! Yeah, my UK clinic tells us to test only on 15dp5dt or 16dp3dt, so I guess from that perspective it's way early! Thanks for explaining the process... really interesting... I hope you get way more than one blast, but that one is enough anyway! I totally understand the diminished optimism. I think there's a natural erosion as time passes and one has multiple failures... Still, I'm hopeful for you...

Sava: thanks! Awesome you got the all clear today! Good luck on Thursday!

I've had some relief from my "I should buy meds just in case" conundrum, in that my local clinic stocks some amount of stims for last-minute desperate situations. So that's bought me some time. Also, ASDA (a discount supermarket) is apparently able to get some prescriptions same-day, if you ask them in the morning--but no guarantees. Asterimou, maybe someone told you this already--I just found out today--they sell fertility meds at cost, which makes them sooooo much cheaper than anywhere else, it's unbelievable!