Summer IVF Thread: Summer Embies Bring Spring Babies!! - Page 34

[auraleigh]

Nese, your post was so incredibly touching!  I agree, everyone here is amazingly supportive.  We all need someplace to vent, someplace to cry, and someplace to celebrate.  In the past 14 months I've seen a lot of women's stories.  Some end in babies, some don't, but I feel like I've made some new friends.  

You're taking the right approach to this cycle.  All the worrying in the world didn't make my first two cycles work.  When I finally let go, that's when I saw results.  I did give up caffeine this cycle (I drank decaf or half caf for the first two), as well as artificial sweeteners, and I stopped drinking when I started the pill.  But that was my choice, as I figured since I was paying out of pocket I was going to pull out all the stops.  I didn't go crazy with supplements though, just took a few I thought would benefit my general health, and this time I just put my trust in Dr T because I knew he was great at what he did.  I think protocol is an enormous part of the equation, especially for me.  And sometimes your body is either going to allow it to work or not.  We just kind of have to go along for the ride. 

I'm also on Metformin.  The weight gain is terrible, but with Metformin I find I don't gain weight as easily as I did  before.  This is the first cycle where I actually have not gained ANY weight (other than water weight post trigger) and I've been on lupron, bcp, and steroids!  I am excited for you to hear from your doctor.  Have faith.  You've done what you can, you can lose the weight later when you breastfeed :P

As for me.... it's 11:21 and I haven't received a phone call.  Which means I've got blasts to transfer!  I wrapped up my cookies (which are perhaps the best cookies I've made... recipe here: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/21/thick-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/ , and I plan on leaving the house at noon.  I'll meet DH in the city, we'll have a quick lunch, and then off to SIRM for my transfer.  I'm still watching my phone as if it will ring, and I'm still afraid to be too excited, but a teensy part of me is doing cartwheels right now.  

[SKJ2011]

Good luck Aura! I can't wait to hear good news from you. I want this so bad for you and Nese!!!!

[auraleigh]

Hi Ladies!

Today we transferred two blastocysts.  Both were not expanded yet.  The first was a grade 2, looks good, doctor felt very positive about it.  The other was a grade 3 so not as great, but not out of the game either.  He gave us a 50% chance of pregnancy with these two.  As for the rest, we had a ton that were cleaved or compacted but not quite growing to the expectations of the lab, so I am doubtful if we will have anything to freeze.  They told me to call Monday for a final update.  I won't hold my breath.  

I'm officially at home on the couch, we ordered spicy thai food for dinner (as my acupuncturist recommended) and now we wait!

[rcr]

Congrats aura!!

[prayinghard]

Aura:  Just popping in to say that I have everything possible crossed that you get your BFP.  Rest and enjoy that Thai food.  Hope you have some to freeze too, but I won't get greedy.  A BFP will do just fine! 

[deborahbgkelly]

Here's hoping for you Aura!

[Nese1972]

Praying hard for you Aura!    sticky vibes! rest up and let those babies snuggle in!

[lilacvioletiris]

Nese and skij, I find it strange about the alchohol and caffeine and the soy and dairy - I have been an ovo-lacto vegetarian all my life and caffeine and alcohol were things I never drank.  Same goes for my DH. It was so annoying reading fertility books and the suggestions to stop smoking (never did that either), stop drinking alcohol and caffeine, and then "good things" would happen, but still no take home baby.  Fertility is such an inexact science. Now that I am in the midst of infertility, I am surprised anyone ever gets pregnant.

Aura, great news!  Looking forward to what happens in another 10 days or so since part of the two week wait happened in the lab already.  Yeah!

[Nese1972]

That's exactly why I stopped reading the infertility books, lilac, this time around.  I agree 100% with your comment "Fertility is such an inexact science".  I did everything "by the book" the first two IVF cycles and no take home baby. 

ET in 2.5 hours.  woo-hoo.  I'm praying for happy, healthy embryos.  I never got a report on my 10 fertilized from Thursday so I won't know until I get there this morning how many have made it this far and how they are doing.  DH and I decided last night that if 4 or less survived to today we are going to insist that all be put back.  I know it sounds crazy to request 4, but we figured that if that's the case and they're poor quality, none will make it to freeze anyway (such as the previous cycles) and they belong to me so they should be with me.  Now, I can't say that my RE will be prepared to do that, but we shall see.  The first two cycles, I didn't ask questions or make demands of that RE (I'm with a new one this time around and 4 years wiser) and I look at it like it's my money, they're my embryos, they belong with me.  If I were 40 they would do it because of my age.  I'm almost 2 months from 40 so I'm playing that card.  

Will be back later to update!  Hugs to everyone!!!

[Nese1972]

4 - 8 cell embies put back. Snuggle in babies

[blueyezz4]

Nesse - Wow... Was that a day 3 or 5 transfer sorry i lost track??  8 cell is good. What grade were they?  Sending you sticky vibes!! 

Aura - sending you lots of sticky vibes too!!!  Hope you are laying low... i hate bedrest!!! Fingers crossed that you get better news than expected about freezing on Monday.
 

[Nese1972]

Blueyezz it was 3 day. He just said grade 3 and that the embryologist told him they could go to day 5, but RE said no because of the history of my embryos crashing between day 3 and 5. I asked what does grade 3 mean because my experience has been that its not that good. You want a grade 1 or 2. He says at this stage they give all a grade 3. I'm just gonna go with it and pray I get at least one baby. He did say "I'm going to put 3 back so please don't have multiples" and he was serious so that makes me think he has hope for these. When we got in he said I'm doing 4 because I just realized you are about to be 40. You don't look 40 or anywhere close (yay for the compliment) and so let's do 4 because of your age. DH said we wanted to do 4 to begin within. I was surprised he spoke up because he's usually quiet when it comes to the RE. On my way home now and then it's bed rest for 2 days.

[Vegan Princess]

Nese: Awesome! 8 cell is exactly where they should be! I hope they flourish inside of you - though I hope only one or two decide to stick. I'm guessing you don't really want quads. ;-) I'm glad your RE was willing to put them all back. MY RE originally reccomended transferring 3, even though I was 33. I only ended up with 1 to transfer so it was moot. Do you have any other embies left that they will freeze? Would they be willing to freeze them now, after 3 days, instead of 5? Enjoy bed rest!!

Aura: I hope you're resting up and relaxing. Snuggle in babies!

RE: changing diet & supplements, etc. I did give up drinking (not that I drank much) and caffeine. Who knows if that helped. But I honestly do think the wheatgrass and DHEA made a huge difference for me! I also did acupuncture but I don't know if that helped or not, hard to quantify. But over the course of doing all this, my antral count went from 2 to 9, increasing every single month I was on the supplements! So I do feel like I was able to make a difference. 

Cindy

[BellyBean]

Aura, just stopping by to wish you a wonderful 2ww and a BFP at the end!!!!!!  2 blasts is great and such an improvement from your last cycles, it sounds like SIRM really did a great job for you!  I am hoping and praying for good news and a successful pregnancy for you!  Sorry I haven't been on much, but you have been in my thoughts a lot these past few weeks!

Nese, I haven't had a chance to read back past this page, but it sounds like you had a great transfer too!  I agree with your RE, you don't look anywhere near 40 on your profile pic :)  Wishing you the best as well.

Sending positive vibes to everyone!

[auraleigh]

Belly!  I've been thinking about you lately!  How are the twins? How is dd coping with all the company?  I hope you're well and happy :)

Thanks everyone for all the well wishes!  DH and I are in the midst of a Dexter season 6 tv binge, and it's making the time fly by.  I was on total bed rest yesterday, and today I went to acupuncture but other than that I've been laying low.  I've never had the opportunity to rest up since my transfers always fell mid-week and I had to go back to work.  Dh is loving the lazy time and has been "bed resting" with me.  Lol! 

In regards to the change of diet/supplements/caffeine/alcohol conversation, this is what I've been told...  Caffeine is a no-no because it constricts blood vessels.  And when you're trying to grow beautiful eggs you need as much blood flow to the ovaries/uterus as possible.  This is the reason why acupuncture is supposed to help, because it's bringing increased blood flow to the area.  As for supplements, the only thing I was told to take were inositol and pycnogynol, which are powerful antioxidants, and cinnamon and circumen which help with blood sugar (due to my insulin resistance from PCOS).  However the combination of stopping caffeine, supplements, metformin, and acupuncture took me from 16 antral follicles to 32 in the month of my ivf cycle.  I'm not saying that cutting out everything is going to be the magic ticket to making a baby, but I think that there is something to the conversation.  

As a BIG coffee fan it was the hardest thing to give up.  But why make the process harder on my body? 

[auraleigh]

And also, Nese, congrats on a great transfer! Hopefully the tww will fly by for us!

[Tear78]

nese and auraleigh, SO excited for you guys! btw, nese, we put in 3 upon our RE's recommendation too (we had four, but he said he didn't think it was going to make it). We ended up with twins and one passed away at 9 weeks. I often think about how GLAD I am that we put in three: who KNOWS which one of those beautiful embryos was our DD. Don't second guess your decision: you have your RE's support and your own gut conviction that it was the right thing to do.

aura, you reminded me that DH and I went on a Lost binge when I was on bedrest after transfer. It was such a cozy time, and lots of fun. Enjoy, and let your babies snuggle in!

I wanted to chime in on the giving up food topic too, since I'm already chiming in...I gave up caffeine, alcohol, sweets, and dairy leading up to our IVF cycle. I also started taking herbal supplements recommended by my acupuncturist. My FSH level was REALLY good for that cycle (and it was elevated and rising for cycles before). Like aura said, who knows what caused it, but it seemed like something I did helped.

OK - back to avidly lurking.

[prayinghard]

Nese....sounds like success to me. Praying for your BFP. Now just sit back and rest and try to relax.

Aura....how are you feeling? Hope you are more comfortable and those embies are snuggling in.

[lilacvioletiris]

Yeah, Nese for 4 great little embryos!  Hoping that one will be the best baby for you, or maybe two

[auraleigh]

Hey everyone!

Just kind of chugging along.  I'm off "bed rest" but still taking it easy because I can.  I'm 2dp5dt and trying my best not to go crazy.  I'm a lore more relaxed than usual, but still I've been reading blogs and message boards for inspiration.  I keep looking at the photo of my blasts and praying that they're still growing in there.  

Nese, how are you feeling?

Praying, thanks for the well wishes! I feel good!

Tear, we LOVE Lost.  I've watched the series several times, it's of of the things that DH and I truly bonded over.