Winter IVF Thread - Come and join in on the Journey!!!!

[blueyezz4]

Hi everyone. I stole this from Tear (who gave permission), who did this in the Fall. Anybody want to share the stress and excitement of this process together?  If anybody wants their name off or put on the list , just let me know. Looking forward to meeting everyone and hoping we all will graduate soon.  Let me know where you are in your IVF process by placing the information in BOLD and I will add you.  I figured it would be good to start with a clean slate so I just pulled everything off.  Hopefully I didn't delete anyone that should have been there...if so just speak up b/c it was a total accident!  This is my first time ever being a Thread keeper and I'm hoping I can do as good a job as Tear did with the Fall Thread.  Bear with me!!!    Good luck to everyone and I look forward to getting to know you all!!!   PS. We hope all of you graduates stick around to give advice and stalk away!!!  STALKERS are welcome on this thread!!!

Winter IVF

Gathering Information/Money
blueyezz4 - Aiming for FET maybe in March or April

rcr - Yeah for coverage!!

Silverbird - playing the waiting game!

Prettyasanangel - Jan or Feb IVF

missme - come on cycle!!!

BellyBean - Aiming for a FET

Kewpie80 - waiting/deciding

Lyndiramos -IVF March or April

Laggie -  IVF maybe May or June

CassnBeth -moving towards IVF

Suppression
Sweetdynasty -BCP
rcr - BCP finished

songtothemoon - BCP 1-7-10/ Lupron

primipara - lupron

Keria - BCP start 1-24-11

Missme start 1-28-11

Lyndiramos - 2-25-11

CassnBeth -3-5-11

On Stims
sarahcecile - FET cycle: no stims, but starting meds the week of 12/6

rcr - starts on 1-30-11

songtothemoon - 1-29-11

Missme

Lyndiramos -3-5-11

Trigger shot (just added 2-9-11)

rcr - 2-9-11

Missme - 3-6-11

Egg Retrieval
rcr - 2-11-11
Missme - 3-8-11

Embryo Transfer
sarahcecile - FET  1/4/11  2 "little beans" aka: Embies

KristinaMarie - FET 1/14/11 2 Perfect Embyros

Sweetdynasty - FET 2/4/11 2 Beautiful Embyros

BellyBean - FET 2-14-11  2 excellent Embies

rcr - Fresh Transfer 2-16-11 1 Beautiful Embie

Primipara - FET 2-20-11   1 wonderful Embie

Missme - Fresh Transfer 3-13-11?

Test Date
Sarahcecile - 1-13-11

KristinaMarie 1-24-11

Sweetdynasty - 2-14-11

BellyBean 2-24-11

rcr - 2-25-11

Primipara - 2-28-11

Keria - 3-11-11

Winter BFP

Sarahcecile 1-13-11

KristinaMarie 1-24-11  

Sweetdynasty 2-14-11  

Our Fearless Predecessors
FtMPapa 1/26/10
Paytonsmommy 3/3/10
New Mama 3/19/10
KellyTTC#1 3/27/10

Samkris123 9/21

Slylives 10/4

Ratgrl - 10/16

Maurine - 11/23

Tear - Thanksgiving Day - 11/25

Kewpie80 -11/30

Edited by blueyezz4 - 3/12/11 at 5:25pm

[rcr]

Hi there ivf ladies- I have been lurking on your thread for a few months, even posting a few replies to my bsl friends. I would like to join you all. blue- you can add me to getting information / money dh and I have been trying for 3 years. We have male factor and his penis was severely burned with acid from some masons cleaning brick, which I think affected his fertility because it happened a few months after we conceived DS . And he has really low everything for sperm and has trouble getting an erection. I had a loss over the summer, so I know I can get pregnant but it took three years and I am almost 37 so I don't feel like I can wait another three years for it to happen again. We have been seeing an RE. But have only had a little testing because my insurance does not pay for fertility treatments. A few months ago I was Googling for ways to afford treatments and I came across a web site that said that Illinois has a law requiring their insurers to cover fertility treatments. Dh works for a small company branch in our state that is part of a large office in Illinois, so dh Checked with his office and found out that fertility treatments are indeed covered! I can not tell you how excited I was!

So we told the RE and she suggested doing ivf for the best chance. Our insurance just took effect on jan 1, and I have an RE appointment on Tuesday. I am a little nervous that they are going to tell is that ivf is not covered for some reason, since the doctors office has not checked the benefits for us yet. I read on a web site somewhere that only Illinois residents are covered, which worries me. But my dh's human resources office seemed to think that it was covered for us. I was not going to join you all until I know for sure on Tuesday, but I saw the new thread and thought I would go ahead and join.

Your group seems to have has amazing success lately. I hope I can join in on that success.

Blue- I have been reading your posts over the last few months. I am sorry for your loss, and that the m/c is taking so long. I waited for my m/c to start for a horrible five weeks this fall, and finally had a d&c. It is doubly cruel to go through that after ivf. I am so sorry.

Please send me luck for my appointment this Tuesday- that ivf is covered. I don't know how we could afford it otherwise.
Edited by rcr - 1/5/11 at 12:32pm

[blueyezz4]

rcr -  So good to "meet" you!!!  So sorry that it has to be on here and not in the mall or somewhere fun!!!  I was starting to think maybe I would be the only one on this thread, so I'm glad you jumped in and joined me!!  Keeping my fingers crossed that your insurance will cover an IVF! That would be sooooo awesome if it did.  Be sure to let us know after your appt on Tues.   Thanks for your kind words.

[Silverbird]

 Hi Blue.  I'm still here having a few appoinments in the next week to get me on the IVF wating list so we can wait and wait and wait unless we come up with loads of money.

[Tear78]

rcr, so good to see you!!! I hope that this is just the think you and your DH need. From your history, it seems like this should do it! Good luck on Tuesday! That would be SO awesome if your insurance covered everything.

Silverbird, I'm sorry you have to wait so long!

sarahcecile, you have your transfer on Tuesday: good luck!

blue, I quoted this from the old thread:

Originally Posted by blueyezz4 

i don't know if you saw my post earlier asking if you graduated from your RE or not yet?  Hope all is well with those two little ones. 

We did graduate from our RE just before going to Germany. Normally they graduate people at 9 weeks, but we were in Germany for that. So now we go to our OB on Thursday, which would be 10 weeks. Hopefully everybody is still doing well in there: keep it up, little ones!

The new thread looks awesome! Thanks so much for taking over! Did you see that prettyasanangel (wait...was that her name?) was asking to join on the old thread? I'll go tell her about this thread. You're the best!

[missme]

Hi Blue, thanks for doing this.

Add me in for gathering info. I'm supposed to go on suppression this month, but I'm pretty sure it's going to have to wait until next cycle due to the incompatibility of my cycle with holidays. Darn it.

[KristinaMarie]

Good Luck Ladies!! I was down this same path 2 years ago. I is all consuming, even though sometimes you just want to be "normal" We are currently on meds for our FET, which will be in 11 days.  We have 2 embryos frozen and plan on transferring both. I am more nervous this time around for some reason. I will keep everyone in my thoughts.

[blueyezz4]

KristinaMarie - Welcome!!!  I wanted to add you to the list, but wanted to make sure that I get your FET date right.  You said that your transfer is in 11 days is that 1-13-11 or 1-14-11?  Once you get back to me I'll add your date next to your name on the list. So sorry about your losses that i see in your sig!  Where those with FET or IVF's or just trying on your own...hope you don't mind if I ask?  I'm sure this time will be your time and you will have good luck!! Keeping my fingers crossed for you and keep us updated!!

[Prettyasanangel]

Hello Ladies!!!  I am so excited about starting my new IVF cycle. I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you.

A little history about myself: I can not take birth control pills due to the fact that I have a blood clotting disorder (Lupus Anticoagulant). Actually they recently tested me again earlier this year and the test results came back negative. However my Dr is still going to put me on Lovenox due to a history of miscarriages.

I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism (I always thought that I had hypothyroidism or PCOS but my Dr always said my levels were normal). I am currently taking 50 mcg of synthroid. I prefer to take Armour thyroid but my RE absolutely refused to put me on it. : (

Since I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism I have been supplementing with Lugol's iodine and coconut oil.

Today I started a new diet (low glycemic) trying to lose a few pounds before I start my cycle.

[Prettyasanangel]

Oh yeah!!!  I will be doing an antagonist protocol. Has anyone ever done an antagonist protocol? If so how many days did you stim?

[Prettyasanangel]

Here is some information that I came across and found it to be extremely interesting. I think all of us that are trying to conceive need to up our iodine intake. I have already started supplementing with iodine. This article was found on the Doctors Lounge website. This is a website for Dr's so highly reliable. Please read the article below.

Iodine Levels a Worry as Salt Use Declines

Last Updated: June 17, 2010.

Pregnant women and infants are of particular concern to thyroid experts.

THURSDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- As Americans decrease their salt consumption, thyroid experts worry that some may obtain too little iodine.

"Iodized salt is an important source of dietary iodine in the U.S. and worldwide. Iodine, essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, is obtained solely through diet," several members of the American Thyroid Association wrote in a letter published June 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Iodine helps prevent thyroid conditions such as goiter and neonatal iodine deficiency. Iodized salt has been sold in the United States since the 1920s, but Americans' iodine levels have decreased 50 percent over the past three decades, the experts noted.

Overall, research suggests that many pregnant women may be iodine-deficient. Iodine is essential for proper synthesis of thyroid hormones, which are critical to normal infant brain development and to prevent neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral problems.

While they agree with calls for reduced salt consumption in order to improve heart health, the ATA members "recommend that all producers of commercially prepared foods -- accounting for up to 70 percent of all salt consumed in the U.S. -- use iodized salt, a step not currently practiced by commercial food manufacturers. Any decrease in salt intake should not cause a reduction in dietary iodine intake."

The ATA recommends that women take 150 micrograms of iodine supplements daily during pregnancy and breast-feeding, and that all prenatal vitamin/mineral preparations contain 150 micrograms of iodine.

More information

The American Thyroid Association has more about iodine deficiency.

SOURCE: American Thyroid Association, news release, June 14, 2010

Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

[blueyezz4]

Prettyasanangel -  so glad you found your way over here to the Winter site.  Welcome!!!!  Wow, your post is kinda scaring me a little.  I also have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and now my RE just sent me for lab tests for things like lupus and antibodies (blood stuff) b/c of the  m/c I'm suppose to be going through right now (it is being stubborn after 2 doses fo medicine to get things moving) and i also have a positive ANA (antinuclear antibodies) which I have had for a long time and they just keep watching it.  So last week I went and they took 13 vials of blood and I haven't heard anything yet.  I'm sure with the holiday it will take longer to get things back.  Anyways, I also, like you, wanted to be on the Armour, but my Dr would let me either.  I swear there is a conspiracy going on or something!!!  The Drs must get paid more by prescribing Synthroid and the generic or something.  I haven't figured it out yet.  LOL  Thanks for posting that article about Iodine.  I've seen another post on the infertility thread about Iodine and the importance, but when I did some research online i got scared b/c i read somewhere that if your thyroid issues is immune related supplementing with Iodine can make things worse, so it scared me.  I really need to find out from someone that would know for sure b/c it is in my pre-natal vitamin and i also supplement off and on when i think about it.  Did your Dr tell you to add it or did you just do it on your own???  This last IVF that we just did I stimmed for 9 or 10 days on what my Drs office calls a Long Lupron Protocol so I'm not sure how that relates to your antagonist protocol.  Good luck to you and I'm glad you've joined us even though I'd rather have met everyone in a DDC instead of here, but at least we have each other!!! to you!!!

[KristinaMarie]

Blueyezz4-  Our transfer is on the 14th at 3pm.  It is coming up way too fast.

My first loss, the ectopic I was on Clomid for lack of ovulation. It was our 2nd round and I thought I started what was my period, so I started taking the 3rd round. For some reason on CD5 I took a pregnancy test and it came back screaming positive. New something was up. The doctors fiddle farted around until it was too late. I ended up in the emergency room with a ruptured right tube and a 2 liter blood loss. After that we decided to do IVF.

My blighted ovum was a natural cycle. I was late, took a test it was negative. Scheduled surgery for my gallbladder removal. Just had this feeling something was up with me being so late. Friday I called to get a beta and it was 226. Surgery was scheduled for Monday. Needless to say I canceled my surgery. Had more betas drawn, everything looked perfect. Had a u/s done, yolk sac was seen, everything looked great. Went to Canada for a month, came back for my 10 week u/s and nothing was there.

I did read after that if there is a yolk sac present then it isn't a blighted ovum. There was no fetal pole detected in the 2nd u/s, so they don't know if my body had reabsorbed it, or what was going on. My betas were will over 60,000. I miscarried the day before our little one turned 1. I took cytotec 2 times in order to miscarry. Then I had my gallbladder removed, and now we are here. Sorry for the long post, but it is hard to explain everything without the details.
 

Originally Posted by blueyezz4 

KristinaMarie - Welcome!!!  I wanted to add you to the list, but wanted to make sure that I get your FET date right.  You said that your transfer is in 11 days is that 1-13-11 or 1-14-11?  Once you get back to me I'll add your date next to your name on the list. So sorry about your losses that i see in your sig!  Where those with FET or IVF's or just trying on your own...hope you don't mind if I ask?  I'm sure this time will be your time and you will have good luck!! Keeping my fingers crossed for you and keep us updated!!

[rcr]

I am an ivf newbie, so I am really not as knowledgeable about it as most of you, even though I read about it all the time (when I should be working), it is so complicated it is really hard to get my head around

Can anybody explain to me if a month of birth control pills is necessary before ivf? Did you all do it is previous ivf cycles? Did you do them for a full month? Do you take them for the normal three weeks, and then go off them for AF (as you would if you were really on birth control), and then start IVF?

[missme]

KristinaMarie - It sounds like you've been through some real nightmares. I hope, hope, hope that 2011 is your year!

Blue -13 vials of blood! ouch! Are your arms all bruised up? When my sister had an ectopic after IVF, her arms were so awful from all the blood work. It was like adding insult to injury - looking like she'd been violenced on top of everything else, you know?

rcr - From what I understand, the birth control pills are to prevent you from ovulating in the month prior to the month you stim so that there are more follicles available to be stimulated. But I haven't been through it yet, so I'm still trying to sort out all the info, too!

[blueyezz4]

missme - Nope, I'm actually not too bruised - thankfully!!  Funny thing was the tech made me drink something before I left.  I think she was afraid I'd stand up and pass out and then she would have an issue on her hands or all over her floor, I guess.  LOL

rcr - i don't know too much about the BCP but hopefully someone on here or from the graduating class can chime in and help you out.  The only thing I've heard is it is suppose to like surpress you to help you get stronger/more follicles, but that's just my understanding.  I think all Drs do different things/protocols.

kristinamarie - 's girl!!!   Wow, I sure hope you have a good Dr now that you can really trust after all of that!!!  We can be gallbladder buddies b/c I don't have mine either - they are over-rated LOL!!  With this m/c we are having now they found a really sm. babe at 6wks and then about 7wks it disappeared and just the sac was left and continued to grow.  I had my beta checked last week and it was at 30,000 something so it is continuing to raise, I just had it checked again today so hopefully it will start to drop.  I also have done 2 rounds of that cytotec with no results.  Did you have results right after taking the last dose or did it take some time?  She checked me today and thinks it might be coming and said I could do another round of the drug, but I just am sick of it not working and who says it is going to work a 3rd time if it didn't work the first 2.  Grrrrrr!!!!!  Thanks so much for sharing your story!  It is great that we can all learn from each other!  Take care!

sarahcecile -  I don't know if you are still around, but just wanted to wish you luck tomorrow!!!  Let us know!!!  Thinking of you!!!

[sarahcecile]

Hey all - I don't have much time since we are at a hotel and I am zonked and need to find a way to calm my nerves and go to sleep!

Hello to all the newcomers!

My FET is tomorrow at 2:30pm. and we are at the hotel (the embies are in TN, and we had to come to them), so please send us good strong, healthy, perfectly thawing, and sticking embie vibes!

I'll try to update tomorrow afternoon.

- Sarah

[blueyezz4]

Originally Posted by sarahcecile 

Hey all - I don't have much time since we are at a hotel and I am zonked and need to find a way to calm my nerves and go to sleep!

Hello to all the newcomers!

My FET is tomorrow at 2:30pm. and we are at the hotel (the embies are in TN, and we had to come to them), so please send us good strong, healthy, perfectly thawing, and sticking embie vibes!

I'll try to update tomorrow afternoon.

- Sarah

So good to see you on here again Sarah!!!!!!   Just try to relax and remember that is isn't going to do you or your embies any good to worry.  Plus it will get your muscles all in a knot and you want all that smooth muscle relaxed so those Embies can just snuggle right in there!!!  It is all out of your hands and there isn't anything you can do.    I think that means like PEACE or something like there, but I forget.  LOL.... when i was taking a yoga class the instructor would always say it at the end of the sessions and i always interpreted it as "Peace be with you"!!  I could totally be wrong, but it sounds good so i'm going with it!!!  I know it is easier said than done sometimes.  They didn't give you a sedative to take tonight?  Good luck and know I'm thinking of you and sending you positive vibes!!!

[KristinaMarie]

blueyezz4-  As for the Cytotec, the first round was 400mcg under the tongue. I bleed within 4 hrs, passed tissue. It came back as non-placental, so I waited a week and took 800mcg under the tongue. That was faster to act, about 2 hrs. Bleed alot more, cramped alot more and passed alot more. Once I passed the sac, the bleeding slowed down lots. I hope you get resolve soon. Nothing sucks more than the waiting game.

Gallbladders are way over rated, until you are on a road trip and eat Burger King :)

 

Originally Posted by blueyezz4 

missme - Nope, I'm actually not too bruised - thankfully!!  Funny thing was the tech made me drink something before I left.  I think she was afraid I'd stand up and pass out and then she would have an issue on her hands or all over her floor, I guess.  LOL

rcr - i don't know too much about the BCP but hopefully someone on here or from the graduating class can chime in and help you out.  The only thing I've heard is it is suppose to like surpress you to help you get stronger/more follicles, but that's just my understanding.  I think all Drs do different things/protocols.

kristinamarie - 's girl!!!   Wow, I sure hope you have a good Dr now that you can really trust after all of that!!!  We can be gallbladder buddies b/c I don't have mine either - they are over-rated LOL!!  With this m/c we are having now they found a really sm. babe at 6wks and then about 7wks it disappeared and just the sac was left and continued to grow.  I had my beta checked last week and it was at 30,000 something so it is continuing to raise, I just had it checked again today so hopefully it will start to drop.  I also have done 2 rounds of that cytotec with no results.  Did you have results right after taking the last dose or did it take some time?  She checked me today and thinks it might be coming and said I could do another round of the drug, but I just am sick of it not working and who says it is going to work a 3rd time if it didn't work the first 2.  Grrrrrr!!!!!  Thanks so much for sharing your story!  It is great that we can all learn from each other!  Take care!

sarahcecile -  I don't know if you are still around, but just wanted to wish you luck tomorrow!!!  Let us know!!!  Thinking of you!!!

[Prettyasanangel]

Hello to all the newbies!!!! ( I am a newbie too)

RCR - I dont know much about birth control pills because I have a blood clotting disorder and I can't take them. I would suggest you ask your Dr why do you have to take them. Every Dr uses different protocols based upon your medical history.

Sarah - I wish you the best of luck on your transfer tomorrow. I am sending you a ton of baby dust. Here is a tip that you might want to try. Pineapple juice and coconut water is suppose to help the embies implant. Coconut water is extremely healthy and nutritious. Coconut water also helps you to avoid OHSS. Pineapple juice has bromelain in it and it is the bromelain aids in implanation. I would suggest a brand called Vita Coco because it has coconut water and pineapple juice. It is all natural with no added preservatives. You can find Vita Coco at Whole Foods. I would suggest to get an all natural pineapple juice that was not made from concentrate. Vita Coco is a water not a juice. I would drink it everyday all the way up until test day. I have started drinking it now and my cycle dont begin until the end of Jan or early Feb. I drink it for the health benefits. I hope this helps. Good luck!!!

Blueeyes - My Dr did not advise me to take iodine. I started supplementing with iodine on my own along with a host of other supplements. Per my research hypothyroidism is caused by an iodine deficiency. So I researched the best brands and started taking it and I must say I feel 100% better since I started.

kristinamarie - I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope everything works out for you.