Fall IVF: beautiful fall leaves bringing beautiful summer babies!! - Page 24

[GaleTX]

Souire - I'm not sure if you've read this article, but thought I'd post it for you.  I hope it makes the wait you have easier!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443862604578030600949336888.html

[shesaidboom]

Retrieval went well! We got 18 eggs although not all of them were mature. We'll know more tomorrow. Thanks for all the good thoughts! I will do personals later. Right now I'm still a bit woozy from the drugs. They had to give me an extra dose of pain meds because it was still crazy painful after the first.

[Sourire]

Gale - I love that article! Thank you so much!

shesaidboom - I'm so glad to hear everything went well. I can't wait to hear how many of your 18 eggs fertilize. Since I can't get a BFP this cycle, I really want you to get one since we are cycle buddies! How much pain would you say you felt during the process and for how long? I'm getting a bit nervous about my retrieval tomorrow.

[shesaidboom]

It really wasn't horrible. I was extremely nervous, but having DH there helped a lot. The local injections were a bit uncomfortable, but not awful. They didn't give me enough pain medication at first so the beginning was pretty bad, but once they gave me a bit more I couldn't feel a thing. I'm a little sore now, but it just feels like period cramps.

Good luck tomorrow! I'll be thinking of you and sending good thoughts.

Edited by shesaidboom - 11/20/12 at 3:58pm

[rcr]

reading the last page, so I will reply to those posts and then move to the next page to reply to those.

Vieros!!! Congrats!! What a wonderful start to the holidays!!

Sourire - I am so sorry. That is horrible.

shesaid - I had horrible pain only once. It was when I O'd early before retrieval. It was so bad I would have gone to the ER but it happened at 5 am so I just waited until the clinic opened the next day.

[rcr]

Sourire - so when is your retrieval? I agree, it makes a lot of sense to wait, and you might have better luck waiting! Plus, you are going to get so many eggs you will have the choice of the best!!

shesaid - can't wait for your fertilization report!

AFM - I was out of town this weekend. It was fun. I am back now and leaving for Vegas in less than two weeks. We finally found somebody to watch our dogs, so I just have a few loose ends to wrap up. I had my suppression check on Monday, and they counted 8 follies on the left and three on the right, which is a little low for me, I often get a few more than that... but whatever. I am ok with any number if it is quality.

[shesaidboom]

rcr - that definitely could have been it. We did have one huge follicle so maybe it burst on its own.

I'm glad you had a good weekend and a great trip coming up! You're right - quality over quantity forsure.

I wanted to write a bit more about my retrieval because I'm feeling a little weird and embarassed over certain aspects and I know people here will understand. This is going to be long, so I won't be offended if nobody reads.

Since starting the Lupron & Gonal-F my mood was pretty up and down. Like PMS, only worse. I thought that was pretty normal for any sort of fertility medication since we're messing around with hormones. I've always been pretty moody on other meds, but this was definitely worse, but not horrible. I just sort of warned people who are around me most that I would probably get annoyed easier, and that was that. I was actually feeling pretty good this morning, maybe a combination of being off the Lupron & Gonal-F and being glad that the retrieval was almost over with and I didn't have to have huge ovaries anymore!

Things were fine when we got there. I went in to get prepped while DH was ushered off to give a sample. I was a little uncomfortable because I had to change in a curtain off area that people kept walking in and out of and then the nurse had trouble getting a vein for the IV. It took a couple tries and she spent the last one digging around in my hand for a few minutes. There was a bulletin board full of pictures of IVF babies across from my chair which alternated between making me hopeful and a little sad that we're still navigating this whole process with over a year of no success. I was left alone for a while and was super nervous so I started to tear up a bit. At that moment the nurse came back with DH and they both made a big fuss about it, which made it so much worse. Then the doctor came in and I just felt so humiliated. I mean, I'm sure I'm not the first patient to cry before an egg retrieval - it is quite stressful - but everyone made such a huge deal about how I'll be ok and they'll take good care of me. I was really fine, just nervous, and I've been emotional and stressed with the whole thing and well, I guess I'm just kind of wimpy. I've never had any surgery beyond dental work before so this was a big deal for me. I think I made a mistake here though. The doctor asked me how my mood had been over the past week and I said kind of awful, thinking that was a normal reaction for this kind of medication. She also kept asking if I was nervous or if something else was going on.

We went into the procedure room and got set up. I had been extremely nervous about the sedation medication since we had decided to do IVF, but surprisingly I wasn't nervous at all before they gave it to me. They didn't give me enough pain medication at first so I felt the needle go into my ovary and 100% agreed with the doctor that one would not want to do this procedure without medication. They gave me more medication for the pain and I didn't feel a thing afterwards. I just alternated between looking at the ultrasound screen showing the procedure, looking at my vitals, and looking at DH. I wasn't allowed to hold his hand. I answered questions when they were asked, but didn't talk much since I figured it was best to let the doctor and nurses do their thing.

After the procedure the doctor talked to me a bit and this is the part that I feel awkward about. I spoke with DH about it later on and he filled me in on some things since I guess I was fairly out of it so I was probably misreading the situation. Our doctor had asked more about my mood, asking if I had been depressed or wanted to hurt myself. She asked the last question twice. I explained it was nothing like that, just like PMS but worse. Moodiness. She asked if I followed up with my doctor, which I thought was referring to headaches I had when I first started Lupron that I mentioned to the nurse just so they knew but they really weren't bad headaches, which I told them. She started talking about me going to see the Psychologist and how they don't want to transfer embryos if someone is depressed or really moody (I can't remember the actual word she used here) because of the pregnancy hormones making it worse. My DH said she mentioned seeing the Psychologist was standard for a lot of people after retrieval, but I couldn't remember her saying that so there is probably more I'm missing. I really don't know if she was saying these things as protocol or if she thought I needed to talk to someone before transfer. I'll admit that this entire process has been very hard and stressful. You all know how difficult it can be. I'm worried though because I thought I had been experiencing normal reactions from the medication. Nothing major or scary. I do have anxiety, but it's completely under control and doesn't affect my daily life at all, so maybe that's what it is? I have a psychiatrist who follows me for that and she was actually the one who said "well, what are you waiting for?!" with fertility treatments. Anxiety has not been worse at all with the medication aside from being anxious over starting new medications. DH thinks I should clarify if our doctor is the one that calls with our fertilization report (probably not), but if it's just protocol then I'd feel even more silly making a big deal out of it when I could have just misinterpreted the whole thing in my woozy state.

I don't know though, it just left me feeling awkward and a little concerned we'll have issues with the transfer. Have any of you ever experienced anything like this? What do you think?

[deborahbgkelly]

Hi all,

Sorry I've been MIA for a couple  of days. I also apologize for the AAM post. The BC pills caused an endo flare up (which is not promising for injections, though I'll have Letrozole to counteract the estrogen levels) and I had a horrible allergic reaction at work yesterday. I'm not sure if it was from the red coating on the tylenol or the fact that I discovered the notebook I had been using had soy-based ink in it (I'm super allergic to soy). I suspect it was a combination. We have our IVF consults on Monday and I'll have my Doppler while I'm there. I start injections on Tuesday. On another note, I might have gotten a pretty big position on one of the sites where I write. They are asking me to be a quality control assistant for Spanish language content. I didn't see it until this morning, so hopefully it's not too late. I'm really excited at the prospect.

[deborahbgkelly]

Well, sadly, I'm too late for the editor position, but given the timing, it might be for the best. Perhaps, something will come up later in the year.

[shesaidboom]

Oh, deborah, I'm sorry you've had to deal with all of this! Are you feeling better from the allergic reaction? I hope everything calms down and your consults go well.

AFM, I'm feeling much better about everything this morning and am thinking it was all because of the anxiety note on my chart. Makes sense, right? But really, the day I'm having a giant needle jammed up my vagina and into my ovaries is not a good indicator of my general mood! Oh,well.

Anyway, fertilization report! Of our 18 eggs, 16 were mature and 11 fertilized. We did ICSI. We'll receive updates over the week, but this is very promising!

[rcr]

shesaid - I am sorry. That does sound upsetting and awkward. I don't really know what to think - I guess I would just let it go if it were me. I kinda get something similar a lot with my mom - she is dieing and people always expect me to feel something that I am not really feeling (one way or the other). It is hard to explain.  Anyway, congrats on the great fertilization report!!! That is something much more positive to concentrate on.

Deborah - Sorry you are dealing with this.

AFM - For those of you who have been around a while, you probably know that my mom is dieing. She has alzheimer's.Well it looks like the end is near. She hasn't eaten in three days, and is having swallowing trouble. I called hospice and they are helping a lot. I fee terrible for asking her to wait, but I really want her to wait until I get back. I don't want to cancel my trip (and my IVF cycle), but I am the only family she has and I can't just leave her here to die alone. So am am worried. I don't know what to do. I have started meds, and made travel plans, and I don't know what to do. She ate breakfast three days ago, and has not really been awake and alert since then. I have a meeting with them (nursing home and the hospice) this afternoon (a monthly care plan meeting). Part of me really feels like she is going to wait, and part of me hopes that maybe somehow the situation will finally give me a baby. That probably sounds stupid or selfish though. I really don't want her to die without me. I have been taking care of her for so long, and I always pictured her dieing in my home with me there, I really can't imagine it happening with me across the country doing IVF. But if she is not eating, then she can't last too long, and maybe not another three weeks until I get back from Vegas.

On another note, I did my first estrogen injection last night. So I am moving forward.

[shesaidboom]

rcr - I am so sorry. What a rough situation to be in. Much love to you.

[MOMTOALEXIS]

Rcr- Just wanted to send some hugs. We just lost FIL to Alzheimer's on Halloween after 5 years with the disease. He also had stopped eating and responding and prob got pneumonia also, he was on hospice and they were wonderful thru it all, hang in there as best u can cause its not easy .

[Sourire]

Shesaidboom - 11 embryos! Yay! If they ask you to see a psychologist you should just go, I'm sure they'll realize you're as fine as anyone can be when dealing with infertility.

Rcr - thinking about you and your mom.

AFM - home from ER. We got 31 eggs. Felt fine during ER in spite of the fact that I could sometimes feel the needle going into the follicle, it wasn't uncomfortable. Once it was over I started experiencing severe abdominal pain and they made me wait a while then they gave me some Tylenol, afterwards it was bearable. I had trouble leaving because I was super weak and dizzy. Apparently I turned white as a sheet the first time I got up. I am resting on my couch now and feeling somewhat better. Next time I think I will skip the anti-anxiety pills that they gave me beforehand - they caused me a lot of unnecessary anxiety and I didn't enjoy being feeling all foggy when I arrived at the clinic.

[rcr]

sourire- wow!! 31! congrats! I can't wait for the fertilization report tomorrow!!

Edited by rcr - 11/21/12 at 5:53pm

[Tear78]

rcr, I cannot imagine having to face such a choice. I'm so sorry. You've been waiting so long for this cycle, and yet the idea of your mom dying while you're away is also painful. I hope that you come to a decision you feel peace with. Lots of love and support coming your way!

I just had to chime in on the ER stories: they put me in a twilight sleep during mine. I don't remember anything and at the end apparently they were telling me over and over and over how many eggs they got and I kept asking. I can't imagine being awake during it. shesaid, I can imagine that you probably weren't quite understanding things as they were while under the sedation, but it's still a bit weird that they would be so pushy about it. I mean...a bit of anxiety on that day is normal. Hugs!

Sourire, lurking for your fertilization report!

Ok, back to lurking.

[BucketOfRain]

Shesaid: so happy your retrieval went well and that so many fertilized!! I think it is really unfair that your doc would ask any serious questions as you were about to begin your retrieval. It's a nerve wracking and emotional thing for many reasons so any answer given at that time cannot be taken too seriously. The time for a consult is not when you are on the freaking table! I glad you are feeling better about it all, I would just try to let it go and look forward.

RCr: I'm so sorry for what you are going through with your mom.


Sourie: wow, that's a lot of eggs!! I hope you get a great fert report and that your body recovers quickly.

Afm: I'm 6dp5dt...my beta is not for another 5 days because of the holiday. I'm loosing my mind a bit. I want to test so I know, but I'm quite honestly scared of a negative. I feel very bloated and went to bed at 8:30 last night but those don't exactly count as symptoms...

Happy thanksgiving to all who celebrate tomorrow!

[Sourire]

Bucket - I'm going to be bad influence and encourage you to test this weekend! I think the weekend is the best time to test because it gives you time to process your emotions before going back to work.

[auraleigh]

rcr, my heart goes out to you.  such a tough choice, but you have to do what you feel is best.  on one hand, you've worked so hard towards this last attempt at SIRM and your mom would want you to be happy.  on the other, i know how you feel about wanting her to be at home with you.  my dad passed away at home with us, and it was impossibly devastating and yet the only way i could imagine it happening.  i'm sending you my love and support.  when would you leave for vegas?

[blueyezz4]

rcr - I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom!!  Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers.  Keep us posted and I hope that all works out for your cycle, but you will know what to do when/if the time comes.  Too bad you couldn't switch to Dr. T in the NY office if you couldn't go all the way out to Vegas.  At least that would keep you a little closer to home.  Wonder how far away that would be??

Bucket - I 2nd the hpt this weekend.  Just know that even if it says negative doesn't mean that it is over.  I've said it many times before but i tested once the day before a beta and the next day the beta was actually positive.

Sourie - wow, holy eggs!!!!  That is awesome!!!  Can't wait to hear your report.  I'd talk to your RE before you decide not to take the pills next time (hopefully there won't be a next time) b/c I know they told me that not only is it suppose to relax you before the ER but also the muscles and ovary area so that it makes it easier for them to retrieve the eggs.  Just a thought and wanted to pass it on.

Shesaid - Sorry that you had that weird experience w/ your ER. 
 

Gale - is your profile pic your new little one?  So cute!!!

Deborah - Wow, you have some crazy reactions.  Why aren't they doing the same protocol at this point as before instead of this new protocol that you are having all these reactions to?

Good luck to all.