ivf cycle buddies??? :-)

[alaskacouple]

Hi all,
looking for ivf cycle buddy to share comments and questions with.  I am (will be) on the protocol for high responders (FSH, Ganirex, Lupron Trigger, then PIO and E2 patches).
Currently on BCP, going on 22 days of them (and now I remember why I hated them - bloating, acne, nausea)
This will be my third ivf cycle (thank God my doctor charges only a fraction of what others charge - best kept secret in Alaska!)
Thank you to all.

[fyrefly]

Helen, I am so sorry to hear that it grew. I really hope that you are able to talk to your MD and have him do what mine did. I can say that it was a little aggressive of him to do it but, I can also say I am very appreciative of it. Have you always had cyst formations? I have a history of growing very large cysts and that may be why he decided to aspirate it. Maybe you can call him/her and just ask. Never hurts to ask. Worse that can be said is "no" right?

Feel free to contact me when you are feeling down. It is just a stage and it will pass. Soon you will be on top of the world. Best part about lows are the following highs :)

Sending smiles and icecream your way.

[Helen72]

Glad you took care of that cyst!  I had mu u/s and my cyst actually grew!  I feel so frustrated.  I'll talk about doing something about it with my doc next week if it does not go away.  He just told me to continue talking b/c and hope that the cyst will  go away soon on its own.  I was supposed to start stims yesterday and now I feel like my will never come....
Feel so down lately  :(  I just hate waiting and taking b/c...

[fyrefly]

Thanks for the well wishes. Just got back a little while ago from the "teaching". My husband did pretty well. They changed their minds and have postponed my Lupron until Sunday then it all begins. I am excited but a little scared all at the same time.

How  "bloated" are we talking here? Like you ate an extra 4 slices of pizza or like a whole watermelon? The BC pills had given me a terrible feeling(nausea, headaches and dizziness. I was so swollen that I could not wear any of my normal clothing.

Did the medicine cause you to have an abundance of dizziness or fatigue?

[babywanted556]

at first I'm so worry about all shots.  Be relax, it wont hurt you at all.  I give shots myself even i'm easy cry on anything.  You may feel a bit uncomfortable for the bloating right before and after E/R due to too many follicles.  Only 2WW is killing me......I have 2more day to end my 2WW.
Wish you the best.  April-May will be your month.
Good luck.

[fyrefly]

I am excited for you. I am guessing that you meant April.  Think positive. I will be waiting to hear that everything was "ok"!

I went yesterday and had my cysts drained. 350cc's and I was given the go ahead for Lupron injections. I am going this afternoon to let my husband be taught how to give me the injections. It appears according the the nurse that my retrival dates will fall on any of the three days April 15,16, or 17. That means that my E/T will be 3-5 days later and I am just so happy!

Since you have been on the Lupron and other medicines, how have you been feeling? I am so afraid that I will become the kind of person who crys at commercials. Since, I am normally very even-keeled.... this seems like I am waiting in line to get on a roller coaster ride.

[sweetdrda]

Not doing IVF cause I dont have any ins. to cover it but just curious what is the process not all the meds and stuff but what is the difference between IVF and IVF w/ ICSI?  Do you know how much each of these cost???  Is it for 1 try every cycle and if it doesnt work you have to pay the whole thing over again???  I have shyed away from IVF because I heard that it is REALLLY EXPENSIVE$$$ especially because my DH has aoub 50% poor morphology so they have to do something extra.  Please help if you knowt the answers.
Thanks so much and I wish all of you the best of luck!

[alaskacouple]

think positive...not all women have the same symptoms when pregnant. sending lots and lots of baby dust your way...

to faithnhim... we are looking at ER sometime first week of April, so you will be a couple of days ahead of us. If your DH is injecting the PIO, have him rub your bum afterwards - it helps prevent welts, trust me!  If it is not massaged, your bum starts to look like mosquitos the size of texas had a feast there :-)  Are you alternating sides for the shots?
I also found that if I did shots in the same location of the house - it made me nauseous to go into that room - hence I stopped giving myself the shots in the bathroom.  I alternate between rooms (3rd time of IVF).

[babywanted556]

My E/R is on 3/7, E/T is on 3/10 and first beta will be 3/24.  This is my first IVF.
I have nightly progresterone shot and 3 times/day for progresterone pills insert into vagnial.
I try to stay positive, but also worry because after 3 days of E/T, all symptoms like cramps, gas, stomach pain are gone.  I don't even have score bbs since then.....nothing at all.  I'm scare to take HTP test.
I need your supports.....
Thanks for sharing.

[FaithNHim]

I apologize for jumping in but this has been quite interesting and educational.
I hope you do not mind me chiming in here.
I am on day two of stimulation meds and my ER is currently scheduled for 3/30.
I did not know that the ER date is day one of ovulation.
And the recommendation for the PIO is helpful and I am going to use it.
This is my third IVF cycle.

Hoping you do not mind me joining in.......   :)

[fyrefly]

Helen,

I am going tomorrow to have my cysts aspirated. You and I appear to be in about the same place. If all goes well I have been told that I will start Lupron injections tomorrow and they will over-lap the BC for several days. Is this something that you could ask your physician about?

I hope you all do not mind if I join in as well.

[elizabeth250]

Hello to all.. This is going to be my 3rd IVF, but we are going to use donor eggs.  I'm 43 and my doctor said we could keep on trying with my eggs, but it all depends on money.  I have no problem getting preg. it just my eggs only make it to 6-8 weeks.  The donor is about 90% a positive for me to get and stay preg.  Also with her last cycle she produced 43 eggs, which means if I don't succeed i can keep on trying.  I'm getting very excited, and nervous at the sametime.  The retrieval is on the 14th and transfer is on the 19th.  I start the lupron on March 25th.  Good luck to all.. Elizabeth

[alaskacouple]

Right now, I would prefer the chocolate eggs....talk about PMS!!!
Keep in touch!

[Helen72]

They just told me to keep taking b/c.  I do not have PCOS or endo and the cyst is probably due to clomid that I took last cycle.
Thanks for your good wishes.
I hope that Easter will bring you many eggs  :)

[alaskacouple]

Good luck to you on the cyst.  How big is it, and what are they using to suppress it?
Do you have PCOS or endo?  My prayers are with you...

[Helen72]

Unfortunately, I never started Lupron.  My u/s showed an ovarian cyst so everything is postponed indefinitely.  This extra waiting makes me feel like total ******.  My next u/s is this Thursday.  I hope it at least starts shrinking by then.  
I guess I'll be behind you...

[rghkah38]

Hi Ladies,

I hope you don't mind if I join in.  This is day 9 of my 5th ivf  cycle and i am on follistim 300 a day and repronex 75 a day.  I actually did my 4th cycle last month, so I'm doing a back to back cycle.  So, far I have 6 follicles over 10 and 5 that are less than an eight.

I wish all of you ladies luck on this cycle.  Keep me posted on how all of you are doing.

[alaskacouple]

How are your shots going?

[Helen72]

Congrats!  Now things will probably go really fast for you.

[alaskacouple]

here we go... US was clear today...last day of BCP...start FSH shots in a couple of days (depending on when cycle starts)...

[alaskacouple]

Of course you are welcome to join... the more the merrier :-)
You will have to keep us posted.
Sending some baby dust your way.

[rxyrxx919]

Hello.  I hope you guys don't mind if I join your IVF buddy group!  I am scheduled for a HCG (I think that's right) at the beg. of my next cycle...probably beg. of April, then we'll set a timeline when I start my meds and stuff.  My transfer is scheduled for the 1st week of June if all works out and we can afford the payments.  This will be my 1st IVF and hopefully it works because it will be the only.

[Helen72]

Yes, I will be doing PIO shots after retrieval.  Those needles are sooo long, auch!
Thanks for your advice!

[alaskacouple]

The sub-q injections are really easy!  I had to do four of them a day prior to harvesting, my last two ivf cycles.  Now, I only have to do 1 in the beginning and then 2 at some point (no pun intended).
The hard ones are the PIO that my DH has to give me.  I think it pains him more than me.  If you are doing the PIO after harvesting, remember to warm up the oil.  Put the vial in your armpit for about half and hour before injection --- this makes the oil go in much easier :-)  

[alaskacouple]

I am not sure what the appropriate 'timeline' is.  But, normally they don't start counting anything until after retrieval (or harvesting as I like to call it) of the eggs.  Then you are suddenly 1 or 2 or 3... and so on... past days of ovulation. And, depending on when the embryo's or blastocysts, are transferred, that's a whole new math. My last ivf cylce, I had 2 5day old blastocysts transferred.  Just remember, the day of harvest is the day of ovulation, and if you have ICSI done, that is also the day of conception.
Good luck to you :-)