Summer IVF Thread: Summer Embies Bring Spring Babies!! - Page 8

[auraleigh]

renavoo, aww the poor kitty!  good thing you noticed, but do you REALLY need one more thing to worry about?  life better give you a break soon.  i swear.  hooray for estrogen shots!  i think i'm just on a patch, i got my call from freedom pharmacy today and i see i have climera on there.  i think i may have an oral prescription too but i believe i get that from my local cvs?  what day do you leave again? it's going to be here SO soon.  when is your next follicle count?

deborah, i didn't think you were snotty at all, no worries! i wish we had some way to take your pain away. are you feeling any better today?

teresa, great report! what day is this? i can't wait to hear how they grow!  how are you feeling? i'm so glad your boss is being awesome. 

hope, thanks for the info! it was super helpful.  i meant to call quest today but totally forgot.  there is also a labcorp nearby so i should ask them too.

lyndi, so good to know! my dr didn't mention anything about baby aspirin, i wonder if i should take it anyways now leading up to (i wouldn't take it in a cycle without his permission) and after just for my own health?  my old dr didn't test at all, so i'm glad dr t tested, even if he doesn't think it makes a challenge for us.  it's good that all it takes is some extra folic acid! i'm glad i don't need blood thinners or anything like some of the women whose stories i've read online.

belly, i find it hard to believe that you could be bigger! you look teensy!  and i agree, we are indeed a family of sort.  we laugh together, we cry together, we get angry together!

gtree, did you take the trigger? hopefully your bloating will go down soon!

afm, got the call from freedom pharmacy.  the grand total comes to $6900, not including my hgh which is like $800 a vial.  i kind of wanted to puke when they said it!  my drugs are as follows:  gonal f pens (i've only ever done multidose vials), luveris, ganerelix, climera, dexamethazone (45 pills!?), hcg trigger, a two week lupron kit, e2v suppositories, folgard, deevo with DHA (which i hear is good for MTHFR because it has a special folate for people with these mutations), cipro, and progesterone in sesame oil (although i though i wasn't doing shots this time?).  90% of these drugs are new to me, so i don't know what to expect. i'm curious what the side effects will be? i only ever had truly bad mood swings and whatnot with clomid, on stims i'm generally okay.  

[rcr]

Aura - I have basically the same drugs as you, but follistin instead of gonal-F. Are you doing the subQ injections of E2 also? I have to do my first one tonight. It looks like it is in oil. Ouch about the price. This will all be worth it. As for side effects, the lupron is making me very sleepy. Luckily it is summer break, so I can sleep all I want. Maybe the sleepyness is coming from the dexam. because I am doing that at the same time.Actually, now I am on gannirelix.
 

[renavoo]

Aura, Ummm ouch. That is one hefty price tag. Do you get any of it covered? I was shocked because our insurance doesn't cover IVFs but for some reason covered 80% of the drug cost so we ended up paying about $1600 for about the same $ worth of drugs. Regardless, I'm so excited for you and Rcr!

Speaking of which, Rcr, yah for your mom! I'm glad that she's doing better. I hope your cat is ok. Did the vet say that everything is ok? How are you feeling? June 18th is so nearby! I'm unbelievably excited for you!

Teresa, what an amazing report! Hey, I just think...if we can get pregnant using frozen embies which probably have more fragmentation, etc, compared to when they were fresh embies (at least I assume they do!), then not having a grade 1 isn't a big deal. I'm excited for your transfer. Fingers crossed!

Gtree, I'm so sorry :o( I hope that you still tried!

Hope everyone else is doing well! Let's get us some BFPs!

[deborahbgkelly]

Aura- Feeling better today, but yesterday started out like this and ended with more bleeding and some pain again. Took a muscle relaxant since the uterus is a muscle and it helped a bit, so I'm going to keep that in mind. Glad I wasn't being snotty in your opinion LOL.

[gtree]

I triggered on Monday night and BD Tuesday night and this morning...  Fingers crossed!

[deportivo4]

gtree- good luck! I really hope that works for you!!!!! sucks that you're cycle was cancelled. I would have done the same thing and triggered too! So crossing my fingers and sending wishes your way!!

[auraleigh]

renavoo, we're out of insurance.  i have just enough left to cover all my bloodwork and ultrasounds, and if i'm lucky, anesthesia for the retrieval. we decided since it was going to cost about the same in the end, we would just pay for the meds out of pocket. add on the cost of the sperm, and we're maybe looking at $20k.  *sigh*.  i really hope this works.  

rcr, i don't think i take an estrogen shot! i think it's just patches and pills?  i'll know more probably next week when i have my second phone call with the head nurse.  i think they may have given me gonal because i already have some gonal stockpiled... although i feel like i have at least 6 multi dose vials and they still ordered me i believe 5 of the 900 pens! that's a LOT of gonal! i am curious if the nurse factored my meds in or not.  i may double check with her before i pay for my order.  so the e2 is in oil?  please share how that one feels.  i assume like the progesterone?   ugh to the lupron making you sleepy (or the dex).  are you a coffee drinker?  i think this year has been so sad for me because i truly miss my coffee.  i switched to decaf with the first ivf and have attempted to stay with it all year, although there are some days i may do a splash of caffeine to tide me over.  i really, really miss the energy.  really.  i'd kill for a sugar free redbull.  

gtree, even if this month is a wash, at least you had a good time! :P

afm, i believe af is any day now.  i was really crampy this morning and realized i was out of tampons, so i asked a coworker if she had anything.  she gave me the largest pad i have ever seen in my whole life.  i unfolded it... and then unfolded it again... and unfolded it again.  it literally fit me from bellybutton to halfway up my back.  i spent the whole day cracking up! in the end af never really came, so i guess maybe tomorrow?  

i'm trying to brace myself for this cycle mentally.  i need to come to terms with the fact that there may be a chance i won't have a transfer. or that i will have a transfer and it may not work.  i also need to sit down with dh and discuss what our next step will be just in case.  if we get the same results as the last two, do we go to my sister's eggs? what if we get great embryos, unlike before, but still no bfp? do we pay for fets?  one day at a time i guess!

[deportivo4]

auraleigh-sorry I just was cracking up at your ginormous pad your co-worker offered. I really hope this cycle is it for you and you don't have to think about what the next steps are. Hope you are able to brace youself though and are prepared for this cycle. I hope you get great embryo's!

[deborahbgkelly]

I've been pondering options myself lately. Though we plan on trying naturally for a few months, if we are not successful, we will do IVF one more time. If I get embies to freeze and can actually retrieve them this time, then we'll do FET should we need it, otherwise I think I can't handle another try after the 2nd IVF if it doesn't result in a live baby. I was looking at the cost of adoption and it is the equivalent of 2ish IVFs, so I want to be prepared financially. I know there are ways to raise funds, but not sure we'd qualify for much help. Gtree- Good luck!

[auraleigh]

deportivo- i actually brought the wrapper home to show my husband, we were laughing so hard.  it was over a foot long!

[teresaresa]

aura: Georges is a Greek diner down by the beach - they have the best salads in the world. There was a legit line to get into the place when we were there last year. I'm glad you had a nice time with friends - must have felt good to get away for a bit. Strawberry festival sounds like so much fun!! I was sorry to read about the MTHFR, but it sounds like you'll be able to easily control for it, right? I had to do a double-take on the cost of your meds! Seriously??? It also sounds like an awful lot of medication. I hope you get to use it all - I'd be pretty upset if I had a lot leftover. I actually do have some stuff leftover, if you're interested.

rcr: I'm so glad to hear that your appointment with your old RE went well! How are your follies doing?? I should move you to stims on the front page, right? How's mom? Kitty? All this angst surely means that you will be pregnant with this cycle!!!

Deborah: Ugh. I am so sorry to hear about your painful period. That sounds terrible! I hope you are starting to feel better :)

gtree: It's the love shack, baby.... love shack.... that's where it's at.... at the loooooooovvvvveeee shack ;-)

Everyone: Thanks for all of your encouraging words about my embies :) I guess I was sad that we went from 11 fertilized to only 5 in the running. But, as everyone has mentioned.... it only takes 1! I think it's funny that a bunch of us are "online" at this moment.... too bad we can't do a live group chat!!!!

AFM: I had a rough day at work and didn't get home until after 8pm. Thankful that I'll get some time to relax with the transfer. I so wanted to call the clinic today to check on my embies, but I wasn't sure if that was OK and then I ended up not having time to do it anyway! I'm going to try and check in on them tomorrow. Please keep your fingers crossed that they're still growing like crazy! I set up an appointment with my acupuncturist for Friday AM - apparently acupuncture before makes the transfer easier. Then, I'll see her again after the transfer so she can help send energy to my uterus for implantation. Like all of you, I've been thinking about what is next. It's taken me so long to get to this point (being able to embrace IVF) that I'm afraid of what happens if it doesn't work. Mostly, I'm just trying to stay positive and send good vibes into the universe, but I definitely have my moments! On an up note - a friend who I met through RESOLVE is at the hospital right now, in labor with her 1st (IVF) baby! So exciting!!!!

[deportivo4]

aura-lol oh my gosh I can just imagine you walking around at work with what I assume would look like a diaper on. lmao, I have seen some large pads but I am sure you were waddling with that one on.

[deportivo4]

Teresa- wishing for some great results and some rapid growing em-babies! Hope they are doing well. Yeah, I would definitely support your choice to do acupuncture with the transfer. I think it is a great idea for implantation. If anything it is always a way to relax and helps positive thinking. That is exciting news about your friend.

[rcr]

Teresa - I am not on stims yet. I start on Sunday. My follies looked good. I had 10 on the right and 6 on the left, which seems like a lot for me. I can't wait to hear about how your embies are doing. And I do think it is very common to have a lot fewer than you got at retrieval at this point. How much is your accupuncture? I am thinking of doing it in Vegas before and after transfer, with a woman who will come to their clinic and do it. It costs $300 for the whole thing, which is a little more than I pay here, but I don't like the lady here.

[rcr]

gtree - Good Luck. Hope it works and you get your free baby (though a canceled cycle is not technically free!)

Aura - yes, it did feel a lot like the progesterone. I only do e2 in the shot twice. Once on Tuesday and once on Friday (tomorrow). Then I switch to pills when I start stims on Sunday. I do drink coffee and still do. I have been doing half caf/half decaf. I know coffee is not that great, but really, I don't think it is the reason for my fertility problems. I have cut back a lot though - from about 3 cups to one or two of half caf/decaf. I am on a ton pf follistim. They went with that for me because I have some stockpiled. That is funny about the pad. My mom is incontanent, and I buy her pads that look like that (well used to, she is in depends now), and they are funny. They remind me of the pads that the hospital gave me after I had DS. As for plans for afterward, I feel that way too. I feel like I need to manage my expectations with this. After two cycles with zero fertilization, I guess the odds are not stacked in my favor. I do plan to move on to donor eggs or embryos after this though, and for me it feels good to have a plan to move forward if this does not work.

[deborahbgkelly]

Teresa- I did acupuncture with my transfer on the cycle that resulted in my BFP with the boys. So, yes, I say go for it.

[auraleigh]

ladies, today is my day 1!  well, sort of.  all day i've felt like i have my period, and there is something happening, but not quite blood yet.  not sure.  i jumped the gun though and told the clinic it was my day 1 and i scheduled my bw and us for saturday.  i think as soon as my results come in i start the pill?  the nurse said she was calling my prescription into cvs for me!  i think this means things are moving a lot faster than i thought (fingers crossed).  i still need to find time to go in for my saline ultrasound, and i'll do my official calendar meeting with the head nurse so she can give me all the directions on the new meds.  

our house guests have finally left, so tonight i am in my pjs, on the couch, no bra, catching up on the shows i couldn't watch all week.  ahh, life is good.

[auraleigh]

ladies, i need some advice.

i was going over my med order from freedom and saw a LOT of excess.  for example, i have 1350 units of gonal f at home.  my schedule calls for 1800 (give or take).  why then did they order 5 of the 900 unit gonal f pens?  that's 4500 units!  she also ordered 16 of the ganerelix.  i only see 12 days of the cetrotide on my calendar, and i have 5 in my fridge.  will i really need 9 extra?  i only see cipro for one day (2 pills) but she ordered 20.  i mean, considering i'm paying out of pocket, it seems like i am just throwing money out. 

i sent her a nice email saying i noticed there seemed to be a lot of extra meds and i outlined where i saw the greatest excess.  i explained that i understand that my cycle is flexible and may change depending on how my body reacts, but i am also paying out of pocket and would like to cut costs as long as it doesn't negatively affect my outcome.

she was also cc'd on an email where the dr told me to use crinone gel because i had a reaction to the progesterone in oil, and she ordered me progesterone in oil.  

she is going to hate me.  dh seems to feel that since we are paying out of pocket, i have every right to go over things and ask questions.  and it could mean the difference of thousands of dollars.  so why do i feel scared that these people are going to be mad at me that i am sending these emails?  i just don't have enough money for countless cycles and want to make sure it's done right. 

[Vegan Princess]

Aura: I would be totally pissed!!! They should order just what they need and if it looks like you'll need more, you get it overnighted to you! Gonal is something like $800 for each of those pens! You probably only needed to order 1. That's an extra $2400 right there! I had to order more meds twice during my cycle - but I prefer it that way versus ordering stuff I wouldn't use. I would for sure be trying to send it back. And complaining about the nurse. My doc's office went out of their way to try NOT to order too much. Plus she got your med wrong. I almost wonder if she sent in someone else's order??? 

Teresa: Good luck tomorrow! Any news today on your embies? I also did acu before and after transfer. Mine cost $500! The guy told me his stats for my clinic versus the clinic's stats and his were supposedly much higher. I forget the amount now - 10 or 15%? 

RCR: I hope your kitty is ok!!

Cindy

[gtree]

Aura - Don't you dare feel bad! You need to be your own advocate!! I have already fired a nurse and am glad I did because she gave me all kinds of wrong info. Unfortunately I think they just have a check list and don't really personalize things.  If any thing, under order and then get refills overnighted.  How mad are you going to be if you end up with thousands of dollars of un-used meds?!  I have a bunch of left overs and wish I could give them to you, but think I will have use them again in a month.  How long is the Gonal-F good for?