December IVF - Page 2

[gemasita]

Hi all. I got through my lap ok. I'll give the details later. I'm off to bed.

[marlee]

Jamie: Glad to hear everything went ok. I hope your recovery is restful.

Nicole: What's new for you this week?

I am already getting so excited. This month is the month! I go in for a day 2 u/s. Then on day 8 I go in for a second u/s. The real issue at the beginning is I can not book our plane tickets and accomadation until I get my period. Then I still have to wait for the results from day 2 u/s to confirm the start of the cycle. I have no reason to think that it could be cancelled but you never really know. The actual cycle is very simple, especially now that it is my third time. I will also go to accupuncture again. I find it is awesome. It makes for more appointments but I find it relaxing and really feel it is beneficial it making the uterus ready for the embies. I also highly recommend taking arnica for retrival. It is amazing stuff. I didn't even take a tylenol after. It does the same thing for me. So I am expecting my period on Nov. 23 or 24. I have extra activities planned for the next few weekends so I am hoping the time flies by.

[ann109]

Jamie: I totally missed your long post above Cytotec: Wish I had any feedback to give you on this...I'm sure you'll be on an antibiotic because the cervix will remain open...eat lots of yogurt if you can stand it!!! Other than that, I have nada....
I hope you are feeling well this morning. Would love an update when you feel up to it.

Marlee: I am guess my AF will be a few days after yours. It sounds like you have lots of planning to do!!! I have never done accupuncture but will start this month. I have also made appts for Nov/Dec with my chiro. I always feel better when I see him. I haven't been to him for over a year since he is in another city
20 minutes away from where I work, 40 form where I live. But I guess now is the best time to get the energy flowing, right!!!!

Have a great day!!!

[ann109]

Hi Jamie: Hope you are re-cooperating nicely. Have you have your post op yet? Any updates? Would love to hear from you!

Hi marlee: Hope time is flying! Update when you can!


Have a great night~

[gemasita]

Hi guys. Sorry I didn't update sooner.

I decided to take the Cytotec after a lot of thinking/researching. The doc was nice about it and said I, of course, shouldn't take anything I didn't feel comfortable taking. But I couldn't find any warnings specifically for non-pregnant women and the nurse at the clinic said that she believed the difference was in the natural hormone levels of a pregnant woman (vs. non-pregnant woman). Anyway, took it and was fine. It even fell out before the surgery and didn't look like it had disolved much anyway.

Surgery went really a lot better than the one I had in May. May was when I ended up with a very random/sudden ovarian/pelvic infection and had the one ovary and tube taken out and they took a cyst off of the other one. I don't think I've told you guys my history but my appendix burst about 5 years ago and I had a VERY bad infection/bowel resection/abdominal absess and from what I have read on the internet, this is often the source of the fertility problems. I have met several people who have had issues with their fallopian tubes/ovaries, especially the ones on the right side after appendicitis or their appendix bursting. I believe that this was the root cause of the infection in May. If I hadn't had that infection, I wouldn't have know for a long time that we were going to have problems getting pregnant. We had been trying for just 9 months at that point and we only just starting to wonder what was up.

The RE wasn't able to identify my entire fallopian tube so instead of taking it out, he cauterized the end. I didn't get to hear many other details because I didn't get to talk to him after surgery and DH couldn't really follow what he was saying.

I haven't been given any antibiotics. I suppose my cervix is only open about the same amount as someone in the fertile-phase of their cycle. When I call the clinic, I will try to get more details and make sure that sex is ok. My post-op visit is Nov 15th and DH and I will be taking the injections class the same day. We are on track for the Dec 3rd cycle start that the clinic has. It's the last one of the year.

But anyway, recovery has been very smooth. Just two incisions. It took me 5 weeks to recover back in May. I had 5 incisions and an infection but this time, I felt normal by the 2nd day or so. The incisions are just a little sore but my energy levels are fine and I can get up and down, cough, laugh with no problems. Much better than I had invisioned!

[ann109]

Thanks for the update Jamie! I am glad things went smoothly for you and that you are on the mend

I have injection training 11/13, start Lupron 11/18 and AF should arrive the end of Nov, early December.

I'm not really nervous yet, how about you?

I am curious to see how the meds affect my mood, energy, etc. It's a pretty busy time, so I'm a little nervous about nasty side effects.

Well, off to start the day, hope you have a good one!!

[gemasita]

I'm not really nervous yet but maybe it's because I don't have the dates in front of me yet. Once I get my calendar, I'm sure it'll seem more real.

I am a bit concerned about side effects. Since my DH is depressed, I am always the one that has to keep things together and I am worried that the side effects will make me crazy and we will just fall apart! And you are right, it is a busy time coming up. I am a birth doula so I go on call in the second half of December for births (I tried to avoid doing births during this time but they kept changing the dates on me so I had to go ahead and take births because I needed the income. Plus, these people signed up with me months ago when I had no idea when we would actually be doing the IVF). So I am very nervous about how the on-call time will overlap with my IVF cycle.

[gemasita]

Update

I haven't been posting because I didn't have any news to share until now!

I went for my post-op and IVF class yesterday and that's when I FINALLY got my protocol and calendar. I thought I'd be in the Dec 5th cycle start group but then the nurse told me there is a Nov 30th cycle start! I was so happy because I am going on call for a birth starting Dec 15th and I was trying to figure out how to be on call the week of the ER and ET. But this way, it'll be the week before I go on call. The only thing I may have a problem with is having the ET the day that I teach a childbirth class. But I am going to have faith that it'll all work out....

Here's my calendar so far. I think this is a Antagonist Protocol:

11/26 - Take last BCP. Baseline u/s and b/w
11/30 - Begin Gonadotropin and Menopur
12/4 - First monitoring visit.
12/10 - 12/14 ER approx(ET that weekend, approx)
12/29 - Beta, approx

Here are the things I am still really stressed about. I still don't know how we will ever decide on what to transfer back. I do NOT want twins but I think I will have some pressure from the docs to put back two. I just don't know if I can do that and feel ok about it. But since we just paid $8500 to the clinic yesterday, I can see why I would feel the pressure. Ugh. How does anyone make these decisions? I guess we have to wait and see. Maybe we won't even have more than one to transfer.

It was so painful paying all that money yesterday. I think my meds could be really expensive since I am on the highest dosage of stims (due to my one ovary, low AMH, and high FSH).

Also, my doc mentioned again that I might want to consider talking to a lawyer about my appendix surgery 5 years ago. He's heard of someone else, like me, who kept being misdiagnosed and by the time they went in, the appendix was unidentifiable and there was massive damage inside. I don't think I want to even go there though. It doesn't really change what we are having to go through and I'd probably spend more money on legal fees than I would on IVF.

[ann109]

Hi Jamie! Isn't that exciting to finally get a schedule! Congrats! Looks like we will be w/i days of each other~Af is due 11/24, but I expect her to be a little late due to Lupron.

I am finishing up with class and will be done on 12/4. Until then, it's pretty hectic. I have been writing a paper for the past week!

We found out on Friday that DH has 2% critical morphology(?~is that how you say it?) and we'll be doing ICSI. It came as a shock, since we had a SA done previously w/o issue/ Looking for some info on critical morphology and what causes problems i.e. workplace hazards.

Have a nice Thanksgiving and rest up for the following Monday!!!

Keep us posted!!!

[crazyrunningmama]

HI, I'm just totally being nosey and reading your thread. I plan to do another cycle of IVF at some point and I think starting a cycle group is a great idea. I did a cycle in Jan 05, got pregnant, had a misabortion followed by a D&C :, then did a frozen embryo transfer in Aug 05 and now have a yelling running toddler!!
Free and unasked for advice: It's good to keep yourself busy to keep from obsessing, but be careful with yourself. It's hard. Physically and emotionally. That synarel spray that shuts down your pituitary gland made me a CRAZY person. So freaking out cranky. And I ran the risk of having hyperstimulated or whatever ovaries because I did high impact exercise for too long into the cycle (just not thinking that maybe ovaries the size of grapefruits and the stairmaster just don't mix)

Re: the sperm. Our issues are sperm related and dh has significantly improved his count/motility with good diet and NO underpants. He can't run comfortably though! Keep those temperatures low, boys!

Good luck to you all.

[gemasita]

I don't mind you posting! It's great to get some advice from someone who's been through this!

I am sorta hoping that the holidays HELP me stay busy (although they are an emotional time of year too). But we will have cooking to do, places to be, etc.

I got my $3700 worth of meds in the mail today. I took a pic.

Holy Moly Meds

Ann, I'm sorry about the outcome of the of the SA. We'll be doing ICSI too but for a different reason. DH's SA coming back normal was about the only good news we've had!

[ann109]

Jamie: are you sure you weren't in my laundry room when you took that pic?!!! ?

Looks really similar to my boatload!

What's new?

Hohum, just waiting for AF to arrive......Lupron is ok, but makes my belly puffy(I don't need help there....) I hope AF shows this weekend so I can start stims AND that I don't have cysts, which I am reading lots of people have

crazyrunningmama: sorry about your loss, congrats on the babe and thanks for the info! Like Jamie said~that's what's so great about these boards, all of the info being passed along. I do a good job in nurturing myself especially when things get hectic. Lots of other things get pushed aside and it comes off selfish to some, but I know myself~I can only give what I have, and if I don't take care of myself, I have nothing (worthwhile) to give.

DH sperm result is questionable due to an almost burst appendix on 8/09. The SA was 11/13, which was pretty close to the three month good to go marker.
I guess we'll see come egg retrieval day!

Well, it looks like I'll be off to my parents up North anytime soon~
Have a peaceful holiday!!!

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

Hi everyone - may I join you?

I just got my IVF scheduling call - much to surprise I am going to be cycling during the holidays (I thought they'd bump me to the new year).

I'm on an agonist protocol with BCPs, Suprefact (starting Dec 9) and Puregon (starting Dec 24 - that should make for a merry christmas LOL). That should make my retrieval very early in the new year (I wonder what the chances are of a New Year conception - that would be very neat). We're using frozen sperm from DH's TESA 3 years ago, with ICSI.

This protocol resulted in our wonderful DD almost 2.5 years ago and I have high hopes of a repeat sucess.

My in-laws are visiting from out of province over the holidays. I'm not sure yet whether that's a good thing or not. It'll be a pain from a privacy perspective (I didn't want to tell anyone we were cycling but obviously that's going to fly out the window... and my MIL drives me nuts with her 'helpfulness' and clearly that's going to be at an all-time high) but from a childcare perspective, it's going to be very helpful, so I think I will take the attitude that it's all happening this way for a reason and get on with it.

I just had my call from the nurse to schedule this all about 15 minutes ago. My stomach's in knots...

[marlee]

Hi ladies and welcome Perdita and runningmama!

Just to update a bit on where I am. Day 1!!! I had my u/s today instead of tomorrow as they couldn't fit me it. I have been an introvert lately which I tend to do at times of stress. I don't find my results until tomorrow. The tech told me she saw 1 cyst though (which she wasn't supposed to say). So I am bracing myself for what that could mean. I imagine I will have to get b/w tomorrow but I will wait and see. My period came a few days early which has thrown me off:
I've been: : all week and have no energy. My dh is going to be working all weekend so no extra zzzzz's there. I am so tired so I think I'll just go to bed with happy thoughts and see what tomorrow hands out.
Hang in there everyone it's a wild ride. Fun, scary, exciting, and a real learning curve with lots of up's and down's. Well maybe minus the fun

[marlee]

Just adding more news. Everything is a ready, set, and go. They want me there a day early (I am staying in another city) so I had to change all my plane tickets. But it's done. I have found two places to stay one for the first week and one for rest of the stay.

My mom is going to come over and help out so I can get everything done before I go.

Bath and early to bed tonight for me.

I won't be taking my computer with me though so I will try and post from the clinic.

Any news for you ladies???

[gemasita]

I went for my baseline u/s and b/w today. My RE said that my u/s looked so great that I didn't even need the b/w done! Yay because DH stayed home today but didn't go in with me so I was a little mad that he was going to get to sit at home while I was going in for painful b/w.

I had about 6 antral follicles (I only have one ovary) and the RE said that was wonderful and that my lining was nice and thin so I was all ready to go! He even said he was going to decrease my stims because I probably wouldn't need to go as high as he originally though so I'll be going 300 IU of Follistim instead of 450 and then the 1 amp of Menopur.

I feel like I am finally getting some good news. We had an ok Thanksgiving but DH wasn't doing good. He is so severly depressed right now and is trying another antidepressant and I guess it is not working just yet because he spent the whole weekend so upset and not wanting to do anything or even go to our family's for Thanksgiving. On Sunday, we had a discussion, one in which I cried hysterically though the whole thing, about cancelling the IVF for now. I couldn't NOT bring up the fact that this all seems like horrible timing but we decided to move forward because DH just doesn't want to put life on hold for his depression, which has been going on for almost 2 years with no relief. He asked if we could put it off for a few weeks and I told him that this was the last cycle of the year so we'd be talking January at the earliest. Anyway, we decided to go forward but I am still so scared. I am starting to get scared of taking care of a baby AND DH because he is doing so bad but I just pray that we find a medication that works for him soon. He has a new doctor and she seems very proactive so that is good. It is so stressful to even think about cancelling because it makes me feel like we are stupid for doing this right now. But when then?

Oh, and I had to pay $210 today for the u/s. I swear, I feel like I've paid everything and then there's MORE to pay. We want to freeze sperm before our IVF (because DH had such a hard time producing a sample for the s/a - took him three separate tries) and that is $450! UUUGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

[gemasita]

Just an update - I start stims tonight. DH has to give me two injections. I hope it is not too bad!

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

Good luck Jamie - I didn't find the stims that bad - just the trigger was a little uncomfortable :-)

[ann109]

Hi Marlee, Jamie, Runningmama and Welcome Perdita!

Sorry about the MIA and hope everyone is doing well! Lots going on now, eh?

I have seen subpeonad two more times since I've posted last. My final is on Tuesday, also the day I have to testify, TWICE! So, that is the benchmark for me...once that day is over, I'll have more time for me, DH and updating.

Jamie~I am one day behind you in stims! I start 225 gonal F and 2 days of menopur tonight! Both are sub Q and I give them myself. DH will have to do the IM HCG when the time comes. We made if past the first hurdle yesterday at the U/S~no cysts and thin enough lining. I have my next U/S Monday.

Marlee~I'm guessing you are either on your way or soon to be! Hope you are feeling better and do update when you can!

Runningmama: When do you think you'll do IVF again? BTW: I have been telling DH, a strictly brief man, to "let go." He asked me last night if he could put on underwear to work on his truck. I laughed my head off Thanks for the advice

Perdita: Good luck cycling with the inlaws there When are you doing ER/ ET? Are you North or South in Ontario? (Semi-Northern Ontario is my favorite getaway, Flame Lake, near Chapleau.) I'm really glad to have your experience and success with us on the board~congrats on the babe and to you this time around, too!

More after the 4th! Have a great weekend!!!

[marlee]

Hi ladies, Just a quick note as I'm at the clinic.

We have a great place to stay and I am enjoying being here. Went in for my u/s this morning and retrival is Monday morning!! I am doing accupuncture as well so will go in tomorrow. Everything looks great and I am looking forward to a sucessfull day Monday.

Will write again when I can.