July 2014 IVF Buddies

[amy8686]

I'm gearing up for my first IVF in July. Who's with me?

I have unexplained infertility except for 1 blocked tube. It makes me nervous to go into IVF not really knowing what's wrong, or whether it'll help, but I'm hopeful that we could at least get some answers out of it, if not a pregnancy.

I'm on birth control pills now, scheduled the trial transfer in June, and the rest is just waiting for now.

 

[siempre]

Hi Amy,
We are considering July IVF. I'm on IUI#3 this cycle, trying to decide how many more IUIs to do…..We are unexplained, although likely endometriosis. I'm also 33. Have to talk with my RE office this week to see if July IVF is even possible for us. I have 2 weeks off work at the end of July, which would make it the perfect time to just do it. (although maybe that's bad because I will have more free time to obsess!)
I'm also like you that maybe the IVF cycle will give us more clues. The unexplained diagnosis is driving me crazy…

 

[lizzie78]

Hi Amy,

I'm going to be a June/July IVF so i'll hang out here if that's ok as I'm homeless at the moment

I'm on Long Protocol and just waiting for my AF which should be due in the next week or so then will start down regging 21 days later. I'm expecting to hit EC and ET by mid July but I guess anything could happen! this will be my first round of IVF and I'm feeling apprehensive after so many years saving up the ££s to get to this point it all of a sudden is starting to feel real!

Lizzie

 

[lizzie78]

I meant to say that it must be nerve wrecking when you are going into IVF with lots of questions still to be answered. I'm 'lucky' in some ways because we know we have male factor issue but that isn't to say that I won't throw up any surprises along the way. I'm trying to take each day at a time and feel positive that if there are any other issues we are so far unaware of then at least we will start to find that out soon and be able to mitigate them. I guess I'm approaching my first cycle as a learning curve.

 

[kscar]

Hello ladies. May I join you? I too will be doing IVF in July. I am also unexplained, but I have a feeling it is endometriosis. My RE doesn't want to do a lap though. She says that IVF will bypass all of that if it is there. I hope she is right. I am also a little concerned because I will be on bc for about 5 weeks when they typically have you on it for 3. I should start af this weekend and start my first pack on bc pills.

 

[amy8686]

Siempre - I'll be off from work too. I've been waiting for summer so I wouldn't have to do this while teaching. Yes it means more time to obsess, but it also means less stress about scheduling appointments and no problems if we end up feeling crummy. I got so bloated and uncomfortable on injectibles last summer that I couldn't imagine trying to hide it from my high schoolers.

Lizzie - I know what you mean about it starting to feel real! It's been an "in-the-future" thing for so long that I had a little freakout session when I got to my last period and called the doctor to start actually talking details. It didn't help that that landed on my 34th birthday. :-/

kscar - I'll have been on birth control pills for at least 5 weeks too. My clinic starts women on it whenever necessary to line up our cycles with their IVF schedule (since it's a smaller clinic, they only do IVF every other month and they bring out the necessary specialists at those times). I don't think it's a problem to be on it longer than 3 weeks. And my doctor also passed up a lap because IVF would likely bypass anything he would find. It makes me a little bit nervous in case I was one of those cases where the lap would have helped, but overall I'm glad to have one less test to do (and pay for).

Looking forward to hearing how things go for all of you!

 

[kscar]

Thanks Amy! That is such a relief to hear.

Wishing everyone the best!

 

[amy8686]

Hi ladies,

Well, I got my tentative schedule and my clinic is ordering my medications! I'll be continuing birth control until late June, and starting Lupron then. My office visits are all in early July and retrieval should be mid-July.

I thought I'd be completely and utterly freaking out at this point, but I'm actually relieved and ALMOST excited, now that I have specifics to look forward to.

Any news with any of you?

 

[lizzie78]

Hi Amy, I had my first scan this morning so I'm waiting for my protocol to come through now before ordering the drugs. I start DR 6th June so should be having retrieval at more or less the same time as you. I completely freaked out last night and have had cold feet about the whole thing all week but now that I've had the scan and everything is ok I'm feeling a bit more settled about things. I think I've done too much reading of forums in the last couple of weeks and I'm panicking that the odds are not in our favour. Hopefully my positivity is coming back though ready to give it my best shot

 

[lizzie78]

Bumping thread for lady in another thread looking for cycle buddies

 

[Bordeaux]

hi Ladies , hope its ok to join I am aiming for my 2nd ivf in July. Unfortunately my first ended in a chemical/ early miscarriage.

I am 27yrs no known issues dh has low count and motility.

please let me know if I can help with any questions you may have.

last time I only did mild ivf this time the focus will be getting embryos to store.

what are you all doing in preparation ?

 

[Plex]

Can I join too? Im (hopefully) starting my next ivf in july
Ill be on short protocol taking menopur/cetrotide. Wish i could plan on when to start but my cycles are so damn irregular i havent got a clue when

Wheres everyone at treatment wise? I had my nursing session last tuesday so am good to go after a endometrial biopsy after my body chooses to ov

xx

 

[amy8686]

Hi ladies!

Plex, in terms of where I'm at right now: I'm on birth control, scheduled the trial transfer (with hysteroscopy) for mid-June, and Lupron will start June 20. I'd be ready to go sooner, but my clinic only does IVF at certain times during the year.

Bordeaux, for preparation I am anxiously and obsessively analyzing every single aspect of my life. That's not helping much. Seriously, though, I am:
-Eating as much protein as I can (I don't like meat so I often don't get enough protein)
-Drinking no caffeine or alcohol
-Limiting sugar
-Limiting dairy because it causes me inflammation (which in my mind is doing bad things to a potentially developing egg)
-Being fairly strict about only eating organic, and limiting exposure to chemicals
-Exercising a lot, especially yoga
-Seeing a chiropractor to keep my hips in alignment (because they tend to be way out of whack and cause a lot of muscle tension)
-Seeing an acupuncturist every 2ish weeks
-Taking prenatal vitamins

My doctor's take on all of these things are that they might have a small effect, but they're not going to make or break me getting pregnant. But I want to look back and know that I did everything possible, so I won't have regrets if it doesn't work. So, I'm ok with being a crazy person for a few months.

Bordeaux, since you've been through it before: any tips for us? Things you wished you had known?

Plex, I like your photo... I just had that conversation/argument with my mother the other day.

 

[Bordeaux]

yes I hope all you ladies have a vitamin and mineral check . it was only after my ivf I had this test done and found out I was very low iron, zinc and selenium which are all key ingredients.

I too gave up lots of the things you mentioned but the women who succeeded on my forum from the last cycles are those who did business as usual and no major changes.

The other thing that seems to help is an endoscratch which I will be having this time as I made it to a chemical pregnancy last time.

I did short protocol last time and really went well only problem is that it's very rare to collect any embryos to freeze.

The other thing is acupuncture I didn't do it last time but have been doing it since and it really relaxes me.

Also have a clear plan for your tww its horrible in fact the worst part. you will want to have company and something to help pass the time.

 

[Plex]

Amy - How frustrating that your clinic only does ivf at certain times of the year - im quite lucky my clinic is fairly flexible although its shut this month. It has periodic cleaning of the embryology lab - every so many months. Bit annoying when you only want to get started!

How u getting on with the birth control? xx

Bordeaux - I agree with the endo scratch - i had a chemical last time too and im having the scratch this month (sometime) Im also taking lots of supplements - pregnacare comception, coq-10, vit D, omega 3, vitex, royal jelly. Im seeing an acupuncturist aswell and i agree with you - I feel sooo relaxed afterwards!! I was sceptic beforehand but am def a convert Also Im trying to take a lot of protein by the way of chicken stock. However not doing too well with that lol Im eating healthy and trying to drink lots. I ave heard a pint of milk a day really helps with egg quality too xx

afm - Im cd27 and waiting to ov - I dont always ov so am not hopeful this month I need to ov in order to have the endo biopsy/scratch (im being tested to see if i have high levels of natural killer uterine cells - they only can test after ov) Waiting for my body to work makes me loose the will to continue - i like to know whats what and when things are going to happen so i can plan things but because my periods are so messed up i cant plan for anything! So plenty of waiting for me

 

[Bordeaux]

Hi Plex ,


looking at your post I can see that you have a fair number of underlying issues how did you find you have these ? One thing I have noticed about ivf is that not all clinics investigate additional problems which could contribute to problems.

Is this your 3rd ivf ? if so what are you trying differently this time ??

 

[Amt1979]

Hi
Hope it's ok to join, I'm waiting to start icsi just waiting for AF, it's awful isn't it you don't want her to come when your trying and now I want her to hurry up and get here lol. I'm on a long protocol, we both have issues so icsi is the only way for us. But fingers crossed for everyone.

 

[lizzie78]

Hi Plex/Bordeaux,

I'm doing the usual things, cutting out caffeine, down on alcohols. Eating healthily and light exercise along with prenatal vitamins. Other than that I've started acupuncture again which I find really helpful and relaxing. My acupuncturist is trying to get everything aligned for me at the moment and certainly shifted something on Friday as I've been feeling tired and a bit nauseous since. Feeling a bit better today so hopefully that will be the end of it. Apparently I have too much water...?!

I have my injection teach, next acupuncture and start down regging with burselin on Friday 6th so until then I don't have much to do. Will order my drugs when the protocol comes through the post and I'm going away for the weekend with a friend next week so hopefully it will be here before I know it. Good tip about the tww and planning something. I'm not sure what though as we are trying not to tell people but I'm going to have a think about it. I'm fairly sure I want to take the time off work as I have a very stressful job but it makes sense not to leave myself it's two empty weeks just to obsess in!

Xxx

 

[lizzie78]

Hi amt1979 welcome! I'm doing icsi too, it's the only option for us. I think ivf is 99% waiting!

When do you think AF will come? Hope it's soon for you xxx

 

[Amt1979]

Hi lizzie

She's not due for another couple of weeks but am getting the meds next week, it all seems very real now lol, how far along in the process are you?