~ Fall IVF Cyclers ~ - Page 9

[DaisyMae08]

ktcl, my level was over 3000 with my first IVF and over 5000 with my second. My abdomen did feel tender, but I never ended up with OHSS (even when I was over 5000) so try not to worry too much. Just take care of yourself. Gatorade, salty foods, and I think protein is good too.

[ktcl]

Thanks so much you guys. Your posts made me feel better. I spent most of today in bed, and am starting to feel better. Also called a friend to borrow a scale so I can follow that whole water weight thing. I just got the phone call that 7 eggs fertilized. I guess 3 of them "fertlized late". Anyone know what that means?

[gemasita]

ktcl - glad to hear you are feeling better now! 7 embryos is GREAT! I don't know what the late fertilization means, sorry.

I'm up in VA now. We got here last night. Had an u/s this morning and she counted about 10 follicles! Measured 7 of them, I think! One was 16, then some 13's, maybe one 12....I can't remember exactly. I think my estrogen is probably really rising now because I have tons of CM. My little ovary is doing well and things seem to be speeding up now. I think I will stim for a couple more days. I go back in tomorrow am.

This is also the anniversary of the day DH and I met 7 years ago. So we are having a good day! We are going to tour around Alexandria, VA tonight.

[Seedlings]

Ktcl ~ praying your embies are growing and dividing. I hope your feeling better every day. I am not sure about the "fertilized late". I am thinking it could of taken longer for the sperm to get thru the shell, or maybe they decided to do icsi on them since it took longer. I can remember a cycle where 1/2 were fertilized "naturally" and the 1/2 with icsi. Well my stubborn 1/2 of the "natural" had to be icsi'd since they would not fertilize.

gemasita ~ I am totally impressed with your champion ovary! 10 follices is great. I hope you and dh had a wonderful anniversary. How was Alexandria, VA?

brandyshea ~ How are you doing?

Daisymae ~ That is amazing that you'll be doing a transfer in 2 weeks. How are you feeling?

I started 10 u of lupron last night. I am about 2 weeks from starting stims. I am also taken dexa something or other steroid. That will supress my immune system.

I was wondering what everyone's re has them do for et. This re wants me to have a full bladder. For my last 3 I was not told to do that. I have to say I always have to go pee. I drink a lot of water so I wonder what I'll do. Why the full bladder?

[brandyshea]

Things are starting to happen here! We had our pre-cycle appointment with the IVF coordinator today. I start stims on Sunday. I see that a lot of people do Lupron and then stims, but I'm just going straight to stims. Does anyone know what the difference is?

It's finally sunk in that we're actually doing this. My RE's office has a Shared Risk plan that you have to qualify for. You get two cycles (and any FETs that result from those two cycles). If you don't end up with a live birth, you get some of your money back. One of the requirements is that you have to have at least 12 antral follicles. At my last check, I only had 9. But they're still letting us do Shared Risk as long as they're able to get at least 6 mature eggs at retrieval. That's kind of stressing me out. We can only afford this once, because our insurance doesn't cover anything. So if we don't get to do the Shared Risk program and it doesn't work we're just out all of that money.

But I'm trying to stay positive. Retrieval should be around the end of the month.

[DaisyMae08]

Seedlings, the full bladder is so that they have a better view of your uterus on the u/s to determine where to put the embryos. I was told to have a full bladder for both of my transfers.

And I still can't believe that I'll be having another transfer next week. So quick when you don't have to go through the entire process!

[ktcl]

DaisyMae-- really? Another transfer next week? How long since your last one? I feel like it was so recently!

Gemasita-- I'm glad the ovaries are doing their work.

Brandyshea-- will keep fingers crossed for at least 6. Stress doesn't get you anywhere, though!

I'm feeling much better. Went to work today, and made it through with out much fanfare. I decided to take the day off on Thursday for the ET, and am so glad about that. I scheduled acupuncture for before and after. I can't believe there are embryos growing and multiplying out there somewhere that are "mine"!!

[DaisyMae08]

ktcl, are you at Boston IVF? I do the pre and post acupuncture too, and really like doing that as part of the whole process.

Yes, another transfer at the end of next week. The last one was a few weeks ago. I got my negative beta on October 3rd and then moved on to a frozen transfer cycle which means I got to skip suppression (they checked my hormone levels and determined I didn't need to do the birth control) and am doing estrogen therapy instead of stims. So....all of that combined means that my transfer comes up pretty darn quickly!

[brandyshea]

Does anyone have any good suggestions on where to get IVF meds at a discount? Our insurance doesn't cover it at all. Originally the doc told us we we would be on the low end of the range ($2,000-$4,000). Just found out yesterday that they would cost us $4,280. Definitely not the low end. So we're trying to find some places where we can get it cheaper if that's at all possible.

[poetgirl]

Originally Posted by brandyshea

Does anyone have any good suggestions on where to get IVF meds at a discount? Our insurance doesn't cover it at all. Originally the doc told us we we would be on the low end of the range ($2,000-$4,000). Just found out yesterday that they would cost us $4,280. Definitely not the low end. So we're trying to find some places where we can get it cheaper if that's at all possible.

I found the best prices at Schraft's. GL!

[gemasita]

Brandy - here's a program that might help you:

http://www.ivfconnections.net/board/...d.php?t=124590

I think the best pharmacy depends on whether you are going to be on Gonal-F or Follistim. I've heard that Freedom has good prices on Gonal-F and Schraft's has good prices on Follistim. We've used Schraft's for every single cycle and when my nurse checked some others for prices on Follistim this time, Schraft's was the best again.

[5terre]

ktcl Hope all went well today.

Brandy I hope it goes well for you, the financial burden is unbelievable.

Seedlings Yay, you are finally starting up! I will probably only be about a week or two behind you.

Gema How's it going? Any updates?

Daisy Wow, that was unbelievably fast!

Wow, you people are moving right along!! I've been dragging on forever in this canceled IVF cycle, finally got AF today after what felt like an eternity. So I start OCPs tomorrow for three weeks or so, then the stims after that. Still feeling crappy, friends have been announcing their pregnancies on a weekly basis, it sucks. I have become very antisocial the past few months, especially after the discouraging first cycle. It has been so bad I haven't even been coming here. Starting to feel a little bit better, time heals right?

[gemasita]

Update - looks like I will trigger tonight and have my retrieval on Saturday! Thank God because last night, I all of a sudden told DH I couldn't do this another night. I'm always fine and then just suddenly, I can't stand the idea of one more shot!

[Seedlings]

Originally Posted by gemasita

Update - looks like I will trigger tonight and have my retrieval on Saturday! Thank God because last night, I all of a sudden told DH I couldn't do this another night. I'm always fine and then just suddenly, I can't stand the idea of one more shot!

Amen for getting the go to trigger

I am amazed at how I try to stay positive, calm, graceful and then wham stick in a fork in me I am done! I hear you about the shots. Right now I am just starting so keep me in your "shot survival prayers"!

Goodluck, and praying for you.

[Seedlings]

Originally Posted by 5terre

Wow, you people are moving right along!! I've been dragging on forever in this canceled IVF cycle, finally got AF today after what felt like an eternity. So I start OCPs tomorrow for three weeks or so, then the stims after that. Still feeling crappy, friends have been announcing their pregnancies on a weekly basis, it sucks. I have become very antisocial the past few months, especially after the discouraging first cycle. It has been so bad I haven't even been coming here. Starting to feel a little bit better, time heals right?

I am so glad to hear from you . I wish I could give you some homemade soup and sweets to help you feel better. I completely hear about being antisocial and withdrawn. Sometimes that is the only way you can take care of yourself. Survival mode and being good to yourself help when your hurting. TIme will make it better but honoring your feelings and time really help it get better. Keep us posted and we want to help you thru this

[Seedlings]

Originally Posted by ktcl

I decided to take the day off on Thursday for the ET, and am so glad about that. I scheduled acupuncture for before and after. I can't believe there are embryos growing and multiplying out there somewhere that are "mine"!!

Good luck at your et today. Please post when you can. I am so looking forward to hearing how everything went.

[ktcl]

I have been at Boston IVF and they were the ones who recommended acupuncture. I ended up going to my own acupuncturist, though since we already have a relationship.

So... I was totally shocked, slightly disappointed, but mostly just feeling good... so you may remember that they retrieved 26 eggs. 7 fertilized. Today I found out that of those 7, only 3 were genetically viable (through PGD testing). Of those three, only one was growing enough to be viable at all. So... we implanted one. And now the wait!

Gemasita-- so glad you get your last shot tonight. They're tough, huh?

good luck everyone!

[DaisyMae08]

All you need is one! My fingers and toes are crossed for you!

I see an acupuncturist in Natick generally, but for the pre and post transfer sessions, I do just go right at the Domar center. Less stressful for me than trying to get back and forth to Natick twice on the day of transfer. And, a pleasant surprise, they have heat lamps at the Domar center! A little acupuncture, a little heat, I'm in heaven!

[Seedlings]

Originally Posted by gemasita

Update - looks like I will trigger tonight and have my retrieval on Saturday! Thank God because last night, I all of a sudden told DH I couldn't do this another night. I'm always fine and then just suddenly, I can't stand the idea of one more shot!

How was your er and how are you feeling? I hope everything is ok and hope VA is treating you well. Please let us know how your doing

[gemasita]

Sorry for the late update. I couldn't log on on my computer in the hotel room yesterday and I didn't feel like chasing around trying to find a place to get online.

But we are very excited - they retrieved 11 eggs! We think that's great! But don't have the fertilization report yet so please pray or send positive thoughts that we will have a good number of embryos to work with!

Feeling pretty good. The IV yesterday was a piece of cake and I felt pretty normal shortly after the procedure. Worst part was feeling nauseous after taking a Vicodin. I need to learn not to take those. All they do is make me feel sick. I couldn't really nap yesterday though so I'm trying to take it easy again today.