Antagonist Vs. Long Stimulation Cycle

Thanks girls, had EPU this morning and spent most of time sleeping afterwards...only got 6 eggs this round which is expected from the number of follicles, I think 4 of them mature...will see how fert report go tomorrow...so far it seems antagonist cycle produced less eggs than down-reg, but will see the end result. I am in bit of pain too, but it is not too bad, bearable...

Congratulations Bella, that's a great result, I hope you have lots of blasties and get to freeze some too...

Ali, hope all is going well for you too...

That's great Cuddlepie - sending you good vibes for an excellent fertilisation rate. I hope you're feeling better soon.

I'm having a really up and down time at the moment. I got my BT results yesterday - Hcg 1500 and Prog. 28. It seemed like I could start celebrating, even if the Prog seemed a bit low. But this afternoon I started bleeding again. It's just been a few smears of brownish blood but my mood has just plummeted, as I've also had some mild cramping. I just wish I knew either way.

Ali, I am :pray: so very hard that this one will stick and stay for the long haul...HCG level seems good, how far long are you? Try to relax I know its hard when you see blood, but if it is brown it means old blood maybe just your body is getting rid of...is there another b/t? I hope this soon will settle down and you can truely enjoy your pregnancy!

Only 3 out of the 4 mature eggs fertilized this morning, so as much as I don't have any expectation due this low number, my heart is still longing for some miracle that we get a good result.

How are you going Bella? I hope tomorrow the Day 3 report shows a good number of blasties...

Hi Cuddlepie,

Hey, three is good - let's hope they're great little fighters. At what stage are you having ET? I'm crossing everything for you! Are you feeling better after your EPU?

I'm feeling much better today. The spotting stopped after about an hour and as it was brownish blood I'm hoping it was just something minor. I think the cramping is still being caused from the Crinone (feels the same) and apparently the increasing progesterone can also cause this and some break through bleeding. I'm 3 weeks and 3 days now.

I'm taking another day off work tomorrow which I can do because I'm the boss! Actually the women who work for me are friends and they know what's going on. They actually insisted I take the day off! We've been very busy catering for fire crews that are in town at the moment but I've got to start putting me first - a difficult thing for most women.

Good Luck,
Ali

Hi everyone,

Ali, sorry to hear about your bleeding but glad that it has stopped, praying that all goes well for you, are you having another BT?

CP, praying for you to for your 3 embies, will you do your ET tomorrow or try for blastocyst? I hope the lower number of egg also equal great quality. Thinking of you and wishing you all the best.

Bella, hope you are doing well in the TWW.

AFM, well the best laid plans and all that. I had a scan Sat morning and had around 6 follies on each side around 6-8mm, with 3 larger, the largest at 13mm, so started the orgalutran straight away in case the larger caused a LH surge. But my scan this morning showed the 3 larger follies around 10-14mm, and nothing much happening with the other smaller follies. FS has upped my dose to 100 from today, I won't be going to trigger on Wed, and due to the fact the they don't do EPU on the weekends it means a Mon EPU at the earliest. I am hoping with the way they are growing that will be ok. I have another scan on Thur to see if the smaller follies are catching up, if not FS is saying we may need to abort the cycle. :wall:. And the worst is that will mean a total of 7 orgalutran injections, that is $560!! Yikes, it is the last thing we need.

Hugs to all, xx

Ali, hope all is well with you and no more bleeding or spotting...

BDT, :hug: hun, its hard isn't it? As much as I don't want to admit, I was a little stressed out with number of orgalutran I was going to use. They are so expensive, like you need to worry about this kind of things during the cycle....so totally understand your frustration.

You have good number of follicles and hope in the next few days they will catch up with the big ones. Even they have to let one or two big ones go, its probably better decision to wait till the smaller ones catch up so you can maximize your number. I hope the slow growing also means better quality.

Hang in there babe....

BDT:

I am sorry to hear that your cycle is not going as you'd hoped for. But you know, slow growing is actually really good as it's supposed to increase the quality. Also make sure they check your LH numbers and give you Pregnyl if they get low. Hopefully the higher dosage of Puregon (Gonal F?) will make all the difference for you.

Completely agree with you about the cost of Orgalutran. Have you thought about taking out Extras Health Cover - it's obviously to late for this time but they have only two month waiting period and usually refund $50 per injection. I've just taken it out for my next cycle.

Why does your FS want to abort the cycle - would they not do an EPU for three follicles or is it just in case they don't grow enough? I had three follicles last time and that gave me two Day 3 embies and one blasto - that was from an antagonist cycle.

Sending a :hug: and praying that things work out.

Ali: Hope the bleedign stops and all is well.

CP: Sending a :hug: and :goodluck: for Day 3 results tomorrow.

Sara

I think I've said "hi" to almost everyone in other threads.

BDT - I hope you don't have to abort the cycle - but if you and your FS decide not to proceed, ask about IUI - I'm not sure if they will let you with that many follicles - but if only a few are mature, they may. In any event, I hope Thursday's scan goes well.

Sara - $50 is a good rebate - I only got $21 back from HBA - who are you with?

Speaking of $, I just received a notice from MIVF that their fees are going up again - it's been only 6 months since their last increase.

Hi to anyone I missed.

Bulij, just actually left HBA since they don't have a gap agreement with SIVf, changed over to Peoplecare but my MBF extras cover also refunded $50.

Sara

Sara - what is MBF....AND I didn't know that private will cover any of the gap - I've never even asked and I've been paying private for years. They have been picking up 100% of the day procedures - I don't even see a bill for that - but I've never even tried to submit anything else except for the non-covered drugs. I wonder if I can get anything back from HBA for the general MIVF gap fees.

Hi Julie, MBF is another heatlh fund, if you have HBA hospital cover they should cover some of the day procedure, my clinic does the health fund and the Medicare claim for me so check with yours.

Sara

Hi everyone,

CP - hope your travelling well - when is ET? How are your embies doing?

BDT - any updates how are you travelling? I thought i only had about 7 follies around 13-18mm at trigger and got 12 eggs?????

ET for me tom :dance::dance: very excited and nervous!

about health cover - i got $21 back from Medibank private for each of my orgalutran :rolleyes: when they cost $83 each! I'm not covered for IVF so i have just had to pay $1100 for day stay EPU and will have t pay another $500 for day stay tom for ET - i wasn't quoted this when i started my cycle so was a bit p@!#$ off! I'm keeping all my receipts and we can claim at tax time can't we.

xxBella

Hi girls,

Just got a call from clinic, I am transfering today due to limited number of embyos. Day3 report is 1 x 8cells, 1 x 5 cells and 1 x 2cells. I've never done Day 3 transfer and I know embies under 6 cells are unlikely to develop into a blastcyst. So I inclined to transfer the 5 cells one as it is not too bad for a Day 3 embie and there is also chance for the 8 cell one to develop and if I am lucky, I will have a frozen blastcyst.

I know I am taking a risk here of losing a 8 cell embryo, but if its not fit to develop into a blastcyst, its not good in the first place. Do you think my rationale is sound?

Transfer is 1pm today and FS will discuss this with me but I want to prepare for my opinion. What do you think girls?

Bella, I am surprised that you have to pay EPU and TR, I pay nothing for those, but my cover is hospital only so I guess the trade off is I don't have extra covered, so Orgalutran is fully out of pocket, but still it is only $390. Let me know if you want some information about the health cover...

Ok, ladies, let me know what you think about my options!

Oh goodness i don't know CP! This is my first cycle of IVF so i don't know how much my opinion is worth!!! I think your rationale is good and if thats what you feel comfortable with then go for it - but an 8-cell at day3 sounds like a terrific embryo and i have read that although blastie are ideal there are plenty of people who do day3 transfer and succeed so i think if it was me i would probably put back the 8-cell as it sounds the best - but even as i'm writing this i'm not convinced of my answer!!! GL :pray::pray::pray:.

I have hospital and extras i have middle of the range for both but if i up to the best for hospital which will then cover IVF the difference in monthly premiums is alot and i would have a 12month waiting period anyway??

xxBella

CP :goodluck: think your reasoning is sound as the point is not to waste the 5 cell one. I wish some of the ladies with lots of eggs would answer as they probably know more from experience if a 5 cell one has a good chance to develop into a blastie.

Bella: :Goodluck: with ET tomorrow.

About health cover, if you don't have IVF I assume you also don't have obstetrics, it maybe worthwhile checking on that in case you want to use that. One way to keep a tab on the costs is to agree to a high excess such as $1000 per family per year and go with a fund which does not apply the full excess for day surgery. Agree with the 12 month waiting period but assuming you want more than one child it might be good to put it in place. There are also covers which have restrictions on other features such as hip replacements but cover obsterics and IVF. A good place to research healthcovers is the ombudsman's website PrivateHealth.gov.au

Sara

Hi everyone,
Arggh, I really thought I was past this, I have just had my scan and whilst I have 3 great follies around 18mm - 20 mm, all the other little ones are still just little ones around 10mm. So FS has recommended converting to IUI. I trigger tomorrow morning for IUI on Saturday. I am crazy with frustration, but I understand there is no point going to EPU when I would normally produce around 12 eggs.

I don't really have any hope for success, I haven't done IUI before, but with success rates so much lower than IVF, it almost seems pointless.

Surely I am due a break soon :wall:, and likely this will mean another month's break, so the best case scenario is another antagonist cycle starting end of May. I am so over this.

Hope everyone else is having a better week, will be back later for personals, xx

Babydreamtime -good luck with the IUI - it still does have a chance, please don't dismiss it as hopeless.

BDT

I am very sorry to hear this, it's such a pain, she must have given you the wrong dosage of FSH. Wishing you :goodluck: for IUI, please dont give up hope :hug:

Sara

Hi BDT, I am sorry things didn't work it out as it should, I know how you feel because this cycle is not the result I expected either. I guess I finally come to terms with it and accept Antagonist is not for everyone. For me, the result is dismal and I will go back to my normal down-reg cycle in future, of course depends on what FS has to say.

About 'due for a break' part, can't agree more, I had a big talk with the universe the other night and let out all the resentment and negative energy. don't know that worked or not yet but will see....I hope he listens to my hissing....;)

don't give up on IUI, BG was pregnant on IUI and the latest example is Julie, right here and she is UTD now!

Best of luck on Sat....

Hi CP - just checking in to see if you had heard how your 8-cell embryo was doing?
Thinking of you

GL BDT for IUI tom. xx

xxBella

Hi guys - just been reading your thread re Antagonist vs Down Reg - thanks for all the good info. Does anyone know what a Flare cycle is?

Thanks.

Pandl x

I think with a flare cycle you usually go on the pill for a few weeks and then start Lucrin just one day before the FSH - that's how my FS explained it but haven't done one myself.

Sara

Hi girls,

Lots of :stickyvibesgirl: :stickyvibesboy: to Bella, CP and BDT - hope the TWW is treating you kindly.

:hello: Buliej

Just wanted to add for the Orgalutran, I had Trigger yesterday at 23.30 and took the last Orgalutran the evening before at 21.30 - my nurse said it has a half worth time of 24 hours and was therefore not neccessary - like last time I had to take it 8 times.

EPU tomorrow, please keep fingers crossed for me.

Sara

Sara - good luck! I can't wait to hear the results of your pick up

Sara, best of luck for your EPU tomorrow, crossing fingers and sending you all the best.

P&L GL with you first cycle, I hope it is you one and only and ends in a BFP

CP, thinking of you in your TWW and sending you lots of sticky vibes. Had a chat to my FS on Sat, she said she is fine to try for another stim cycle if this is a BFN, as I had a low response and no EPU, so if need be, just hoping there are no old follies hanging around. I hope this month is your month.

Bella, hi to you, hope you are doing well in your TWW also, sending you lots of sticky vibes.

Julie, hi!

AFM, am feeling very relaxed after Sat IUI, it was a bit anticlimatic, don't hold much hope at all so I am just waiting for AF, and trying not to think too much about what is next, trying to stop the obessiveness.

Also, re orgalutran, I took my last injection on Thur morning along with a FSH dose, then Friday morning an FSH dose and trigger at the same time, though I believe that this was only due to the fact that I was doing an IUI, as the O time was not so specific, not sure what I would have needed to do if doing EPU?

Hugs to everyone

BDT, my Tww buddy, now we can get crazy together....but TBH, atm I am not holding my breath on this cycle...the only positive news is my 8-cell is now sleeping in the lab, so I do have a blastie after all...

Bella, well done of having 3 frosties, I have good feeling for you this cycle, your b/t is one day behind me...that's a bit long for you to wait isn't it? I know you had D5 TF.

Sara, good luck with tomorrow EPU ...

Hi CP,

When would you have thought i would have BT? This is my first cycle so i have no idea i'm thinking of POAS Friday? Feeling good - worried that i have no real signs - i'm still getting a little ovarian pain and intermittent slight cramping but nothing really else - oh i was very moody today and yesterday - oh god i hate this who knows!!!
Great to hear you have a frozen blastie - your descision was best :clap: :pray: very hard you won't need it!

Hi to everyone else xx

xxBella

Hi Bella, I think my clinic normally add 11 days post Day5 transfer, so I had a feeling your TWW is a bit long but no biggie...you are going to POAS anyway :lol: Good luck hun...I so hope this is the one for you....:pray:

Hi CP,

All the best for your BT today :pray: very hard for you!

xxBella

CP - I wanted to send you some good luck for your BT!

Oh thanks ladies for thinking of me...but AF arrived a day before b/t, so I am out this month....

CP - I'm sorry AF arrived - are you going to use your frostie next month?

Julie, I think I am going to get tested first for 'implantation' which we were discussing in another thread...I am seeing FS on 23 April, so hopefully we will be able to do it in May/June for a FET if tests come back ok....well, that's my plan anyway....any suggestions?

CP - no suggestions, but that sounds really smart to wait until you get back the results. As others have mentioned, I just don't understand why they don't do all these tests when you sign up to be an Assisted Conception patient - it would make so much more sense to know that everything was in proper working order before going down these paths and experiencing losses.

I know, I am gradually losing confidence in IVF professionals...all they say is 'to do another cycle' as if that will solve the problem....:rolleyes: