Fall IVF: beautiful fall leaves bringing beautiful summer babies!! - Page 2

[laura-belle]

rcr -- yeah, it has been pretty crazy. I think that I am only now realizing what I have gotten myself into.

Bebelove -- reiterating what everyone else is saying--we did a bunch of IUIs before moving on to IVF and I now wish that we had stopped with those earlier. Especially given the insurance issues, I would seriously consider just pulling the trigger on IVF.

AFM -- Ultrasound this morning. Today is day 7 of stims. 20+ follicles, largest was a 13 or a 14. So far so good; everything is right on plan. We are currently looking at next Wednesday or Thursday for retrieval. I still hate giving myself shots.

Blurb for me:

Laura-Belle - In progress on IVF cycle number 2 with ICSI after a multi-year break.

[prayinghard]

Hi all...still stalking and cheering all of you on.

Rcr... My LO is due 11/26/12. Thanks for starting the new thead

[prayinghard]

Oh...forgot to say...let's go bfp's!!!!!

[MOMTOALEXIS]

Still reading along and wishing everyone luck!!!

BLUE- I concur with everyone else about ur ticker!!!!

DAISY & LAURA-nice to see u guys, haven't seen u in years, I believe we cycled all together a few times. Wishing u both BFP.

[rcr]

Thanks for the updates everybody. I think I updates everything up to here. It is nice to see so many people return here after having first babies.

[deborahbgkelly]

Thanks for the updates RCR!

[vireoes]

laura-belle-Good luck with your cycle.  Glad to hear that everything is going well so far.

We opted to skip the IUI route.  We were considering it and were lucky that our RE told us he would be happy to try it if we wanted, but we were most likely going to throw out a lot of money and emotional energy on something that was not likely to bring good results.  So we delayed and went straight in with IVF with ICSI and got lucky on our first cycle.  We have to pay out of pocket, so we had to consider carefully each step.  Thankfully where we live now IVF costs what IUI with stems was going to cost us back in California, so we have more options and less stress about the money.

I am still wait for O, did and ultrasound yesterday and had one big follicle ready to go.  I go back in tomorrow to double check that I O.  So FET should happen sometime soon.

[bebelove]

Laura-Belle, thanks for your insights! I really appreciate it. DH and I have a new RE appt next month, and we are going to have a serious talk about IVF!

Question for you ladies, how does the whole cycle go typically? You stim for a week? How painful is retrieval? How about when they place the embies back in? Also, is it typical to be able to have enough to freeze? If so, I assume that process is much less expensive? Thanks all, total newbie here!

[GaleTX]

Lurking and cheering everyone on!!

RCR:  My due date is 11/05/12, but we're inducing 10/12/12 for Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy.

[Kewpie80]

bebelove - It varies a lot depending on the RE and protocol they wish to follow.  For me, I started with BCPs and then stopped at a specific time, once I started AF, I'd have an U/S on day 2 to measure lining.  Then we'd start stims.  One cycle, I stimmed for a very long time.  It was something like 12 days. That was very unusual.  This last cycle, I stimmed for about a week if I remember correctly.  I was on an antagonist protocol, so I added ganirelix to suppress ovulation.  Then trigger and retrieval about a day later after which we started progesterone in oil and estrogen patches.  My first cycle, the retrieval hurt a lot.  I didn't respond well to the drugs at all and was awake and aware.  It did hurt, but it wasn't so bad that I couldn't handle it, though.  2nd cycle, they gave me more drugs and it didn't hurt that time. I was sore for a few days, but not a big deal.  Embie transfer was no big deal at all.  I had a very tiny cramp when the catheter was put in, but not problem.

The amount of embies to freeze varies a LOT.  My first cycle, I had none to freeze.  2nd cycle, I had 2 to freeze.  Some with get lots, some none.  It depends on egg quality, sperm quality, how many survive and how many eggs they get.  Because I have PCOS, my RE chose the particular protocol I'm on.  It produces fewer eggs, but my RE feels they get better quality.  So far, he seems to be right on, but it really depends on your specific situation.

Frozen embryo transfers are much cheaper, yes.  But not all embies survive the thaw (I heard it was around 40%?)

[Kewpie80]

RCR - The date by my name, I think was the date of my beta.  I retrieved on the 8th of may and transferred on the 11th, so I'm guessing the 20th was my beta?  I'm not sure what the dates are supposed to be, but my twins were born on 1/4/12 if you're going by birthdates...

[deborahbgkelly]

Hey- If anyone ever wonders why you are put on certain drugs, this is a great guide: http://parentsviaeggdonation.org/medicationfaq.html. I was trying to see what we might do for Estrogen support this go-round since I can't take Estrace and reacted to the Estradiol Patches last year and came upon this list.

[deborahbgkelly]

Has anyone done the estrogen injections?

[laura-belle]

MOMTOALEXIS -- hey! Good to see you again.

Vireoes -- Good luck!

Bebelove -- You're welcome Stims run from 8-12 days. I don't really remember much about my first retreival except that I hate IVs. I was a bit sore, but nothing major. The embryo transfer is about the same as an IUI--not a big deal. I did not have anything to freeze from my first cycle, but I am hoping to have a few from this one. More detail if you want it when I am not typing on my phone.

Deborah -- The FAQ is interesting, thanks! I have not done the estrogen injections, sorry.

AFM -- I am currently waiting in my very well populated REs office for an ultrasound. There are 8 of us here today and a retreival at 9. Fortunately, the staff is very efficient.

[prayinghard]

Laura-Belle-  How did the retireval go?  Thinking of you!

[DaisyMae08]

Hi Momtoalexis, we definitely cycled together before. Nice to see you again!

[lilacvioletiris]

RCR, can you add me to the list -

Lilacvioletiris (36, DX hypothyroid 10/11) and DH (40), (zero sperm on 3/23/12, 25 sperm on 5/18/12, 5 motile sperm and 3 non-motile sperm for cryopreservation on 6/29/12 & 8/3/12, 3 motile, 2 shaking, and 3 non-motile sperm for cryopreservation on 8/17/12) TTC #1 since April 2011. Got confirmation (8/23/12) from fertility Dr. that we have enough sperm frozen for IVF cycle. Currently saving money for IVF.

[laura-belle]

Prayinghard -- No, not my retrieval Someone else was there for her retrieval. Thanks though. It is looking like mine will be on Thursday.

rcr -- could you add the "e" to the end of my name and fix the spelling of "break" in my blurb? Thanks!

AFM -- My ultrasound went well this morning. 18 measured follicles and he gave up on getting a good look at my left ovary once he verified no runaway follicle (lefty hides and is really difficult/painful to get a good look at) so there are certainly more. "Nicely bunched" in terms of size per the RE and the largest was 18mm. It looks like a trigger shot on Tuesday and retrieval on Thursday, but that could be pushed up a day. I go in again tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be busy as I am going to visit a friend of mine who had twins about two weeks ago (also IVF) in the morning after my ultrasound and meeting with the nurse who will be doing my PIO shots in the afternoon. Hoping all goes well.

[auraleigh]

laura, sounds like everything is going great!  a nurse will be doing your pio shots??

vireoes, hooray for your cupcoming FET!  Mine's scheduled for the 21st.  I forget, is yours natural? 

bebe. i've always stimmed for 8-10 days, retrievals were always fine (you'll probably feel a little uncomfortable after, but nothing too terrible).  the transfer is a breeze (like an iui) but don't drink too much ahead of time.  they always say "full bladder" and my first two transfers i had to be an overachiever.  i learned my lesson!  also, frozens are nice but don't count on them.  most places only freeze the best quality, and my first two ivf cycles never made it far enough to have anything to freeze.  it's only on this last cycle that i had four frozen blasts, and it was a lovely surprise.  

kewpie, i thought the thaw rate was much higher!  maybe it depends if it's vitrification or slow freeze?  SIRM claims with vitrification it's >90%!

deborah, i am doing the estrogen shots now.  they're a breeze compared to progesterone.  i've been icing first and using a heating pad after, but just a pinch and then no after effects.  plus i find that about 36 hours later i feel GREAT!

rcr, can you add this for me?  auraleigh-  (34, PCOS) , DH (42, Retrograde Ejaculation/Diabetes).  One failed IVF using DH's sperm and one using 50/50.  Moved to SIRM NYC and had a BFN on my last IVF cycle using new donor sperm, but luckily have 4 frozen embryos.  Gearing up for a FET on 9/21.  Currently on lupron and estrogen shots. 

afm, the estrogen shots are going well.  they at least alleviate the anger and depression that the lupron shots were causing.  just biding my time until progesterone shots start, and then my FET! 

[Kewpie80]

aura - I just did a quick google, and it looks like it varies 50 - 80%  I saw 70% the most. I have no idea where 40% came from, but I'm glad I was wrong!