LT TTC and Assisted Conception Oct 2011 - January 2012

Thought it was about time I stuck my head back in here . . . hi there Saffy and N2L, hope your new protocols make all the difference for your next transfers. Looking forward to getting to know the rest of you lovely chickies :)

AFM, I am day 3 of stims (225u gonal f) and trying not to find any little ovary twinges. Every other cycle, I have been on Puregon and this gonal f is ouchy - far more so than Puregon. I am a big problem child for our clinic so along with doing the colorado protocol this time for antinuclear antibodies, I also get to have an overnight stay in hospital the night before EPU so that I can have a few bags of blood products to try and stop the effects of a bleeding disorder. Then, if we have an embie to put back, I get to have another few bags before transfer. Noone knows if transfusions will actually help but my disorder is so rare that they can't do trials to see. Lucky me - I get to do ivf PLUS be a guinea pig!!! Hopefully it will be worth it though. I go for a BT on Wdnesday to check response then probably scan on Friday. Yay!

AF arrived over the weekend, so I'm officially down and out of the TWW! :wall: Hoping I don't see anyone back in here again on the TWW (wishing you all BFPs) :pray:. So all the best to everyone.

:-( hayldrew, I'm so sorry. I really thought you'd be in with a chance & that it was just too early. fark...

Hi Melissa, holy moly you have a lot going on there. I am on gonal f too (was on puregon when doing IUI). I am trying not to overanalyse things too but I am definately feeling different on gonal f.... I start another med tomorrow morning that supresses ovulation.... so many meds to think about....

Haly :( So sorry this wasn't your month. Fingers crossed your next FET is the one x

Melissa!! Lovely (but disappointing) to see you back. I reckon it's about time one of us long-timers got a bfp! Hope it's your month xx

Rhi - hope you are well. The puregon and gonal f are the same medication, just a different brand. Are you on a much higher dose than the iui? Perhaps that's why it feels different :dunno:

Hi to everyone else :)

Just had scan to check ovulation - nada! Only cd12 so not too freaked out. Had to do a bt and have another on Wednesday. Then another scan on Friday...sigh...

How's this for insensitive? Copy of Your Child magazine in FS waiting room :(

Sorry Haly :( FX next cycle is the one for you.

N2L - wow, that is insensitive. My previous FS wouldn't stop talking about his 3 kids and how his 40 year old wife got knocked up without help straight away with their 4th. She was so relaxed and blaze about being preggers she didn't even know off hand how many weeks she was. Well good for you, twit.

N2L - holy crap, can't BELIEVE your FS waiting room had that lying around. I had to pop over to our clinic once and there was a couple showing off their baby and afterwards the nurses were SOOOOOO apologetic. And its not like it was even their fault or carelessness or insensitivity or anything. Are you doing an FET this month? And hell yes, about time something great happened for us long timers! And all you other girlies as well ;) Good luck, chickadee - hope this is the one for you too

Hayl - sorry, hun. It sucks :( FX your next little snowbub is a sticky'un

Maruschke - wow, the insensitivity of some people is amazing. You would think an FS of all people would show a little more understanding - wtf is with him. Grrrr

Rhi - good luck chick - what stage of stims are you at? I am def in the stage of analysing EVERYTHING going on down there. I'm starting to feel a bit fat (after 5 days stims) so hoping it means that I'm growing me some nice lil follies

Me - waiting waiting waiting for BT on Wednesday. I really hate this stage of stims cos you have no idea of how things are going. And given my past experiences, we know to expect the unexpected with me, as in I can overstimulate one cycle then have very little response next cycle on the same dosage. Very frustrating so bring on Wednesday.

maruschke- ouch, that would have been annoying, what a tool.
N2L-are you a natural FET? I'm right behind you now...CD1 here!
Hayldrew-so sorry to hear about AF's unwanted arrival, I really thought you were in with a chance there. Hope you can get another FET in this year.
Rhichichi-hi how are you?
Melissa-hope wednesday brings some good news for you.

afm- CD1 Af was right on time, I was soooo happy to see her! Just spoke to the clinic so i have to take letrazole Wed to Sun, scan next week on Tueday then daily blood tests to catch O. Really excited to be back in the game :dance:

Yep - natural FET...
I am trying the clexane (if I get to transfer), and I have also started taking Metformin.

Saffy - yay for AF! I hope it's the last for a long time :D

Just checked my calendar and on my last natural FET i didn't ovulate until CD 19 and transferred on CD21. We may be cycle buddies after all Saffy - but I might miss you Maruschke!

Maybe! 3dpo for me...

Hi Darlings,

Sorry I've been off the air- I'm on a huge deadline and have actually enjoyed not having to think about all things LTTTC! Just wanted to say a quick hi and welcome to the newbies and I'll be back soon!

xxx

hi meg hope to see you soon!

N2L- I'm an early ovulater :lol: so I predict I will O on CD12 which will be next Friday. TWW thread will be going off in a few weeks :dance: and in 9 months time we will all be pushing babies out :happydance:

Saffy - has your FS ever said anything negative about early O? I am a little concerned about O on CD10.

Hi all,

In a bad headspace today...Not sure why. Just woke up that way :dunno:

Starting to feel overwhelmingly like it is not going to happen for me. Ever.

Things just aren't going right at the moment and I feel very unmotivated to get out of my own way to improve things.

Basically, I have no emotional energy - or physical energy - to do anything at this point in time.

Sucks really.

hi...

umm I dk where to start - my head is in a bit of a spin at the moment, and I can't seem to stop browsing the internet and researching and all that crap. TTC for 2 years - best friend just had her baby in August after TTC for 2 years prior.... and I'm finding that hard to cope with.
I'm doing my first IVF cycle at the moment, and egg transfer is tomorrow morning. I'm scared to get my hopes up - cause I hear so many negative stories about how long it takes everyone. I was disappointed with only 5 eggs collected, but feeling more hopeful now that I know at least one must have worked.

@nothing2lose - I hope you are feeling better, reading your posts throughout the forum inspired me to join up. When AF arrives every month I feel that total loss of control and awful feeling of emptiness and despiration. Wonder when I have to just accept that nothing is going to happen and i need to accept my lot in life. Nothing anyone can say to make it better - but I do hope you feel better soon.

I'm holding out hopes for myself tomorrow, although I think I'm keeping a realistic head on my shoulders just in case it doesn't work.

Does anyone else feel obsessed with the researching and reading and browsing the internet for any answers/signs/etc... I'm not sure if it's helping me or making me more neurotic!?

thanks for listening....:pray:

Hi all, sorry I have been MIA for a couple of days.... been keeping busy around the house and trying not to think too much about this cycle. I am on day 5 of gonal f. I swear these meds make me nauseas and tired. Was feeling really off yesterday and hit the wall in the arvo. Also started oraluturan this morning (never used this drug before) This needle hurts more than the pen for the gonal f.

N2L - I understand being in a **** headspace - been there plenty of times and I think you just have to be in the moment with how you are feeling, not trying to change it or trying to make yourself be happy etc... We can't be all be upbeat all the time and given how much crap you have been dealt with ttc, I can understand why you are where you are at the moment with your emotions. I hope the heaviness shifts soon. ((hugs))

myturn - Hello & welcome (unfortunately) to this thread. First IVF cycle for me too, so it is all raw and overwhelming. Best of luck tomorrow, I hope all goes well for you. I too want to remain positive but want to remain realistic in case we have no luck and it will hopefully soften the blow. ((hugs))

Saffy - I love how positive your post is! I truly hope that there will be someone with some great news. I truly wish there didn't have to be this kind of thread.

Hi to everyone else, hope you are all ok xx

Thanks RhiChiChi

I reacted badly to the Orgalutran I took last week - SOO itchy! The nurse who was doing my scans said she's has more people react to it this year than ever. The puregon was so easy, and I was hesitant every time I took the orgalutran after that first yucky one!

I was just on another forum - reading a thread about tips and hints for new IVFer's - and one stuck out for me...
she said something about allowing yourself to have hope - because every failed cycle will feel crap whether or not you prepare yourself. I thought it was a nice way to think about it.... maybe by trying to "prepare" ourselves we just set up for failure - and don't enjoy the feelings of excitment and the TWW - where you DO have a embryo actually inside you and are more pregnant than you've ever been before...

every now and then over the past couple of weeks I have seen the glimmer of hope peaking through the clouds of emotion... so maybe I'll let it visit for a little longer tonight - and tomorrow... and see what that brings.

PS. does anyone have any advice for what to do after embryo transfer?? should I lay in bed all day? can I exercise this week?? what about BD'ing? I've been wondering whether the crinone just makes it all too yucky? Or maybe we'll just have to plan it all a bit better. lol

Hi myturn, welcome to the world of ivf- sorry you have to be here, everything you are feeling is normal!

My acupuncturist generally says don't exercise while you are in a tww, no hot baths or spas, BDing should be ok, but I don't do it after transfer cos of the crinone- its revolting. After transfer I generally go on bed rest for 48hrs ( lie on couch and let your partner wait on you), because that is the time the embryo should be implanting so you don't want to be running around like a maniac. And if you've had an egg pick up recently, sometimes your body needs a chance to recover. Depends whether you can get time off work or not, which i generally can, so i'm lucky. Best of luck, are you transferring a blastocyst?

If you think you are going crazy now, wait until you are in the tww!!! At least there are a few of us here to join you

Thanks Saffy

Egg collection was yesterday, I don't think it becomes a blastocyst by tomorrow then???

I did get the feeling that crinone was pretty messy and gross. Hubby goes overseas for training on the 14th, so was thinking it may be nice to have SOME BD'ing before he leaves :lol: but guess I'll just have to wait to see how I/we feel. Isn't that the sucky bit... everything is abotu WAITING!!
Also I think my blood test will be when he is away :( that means I'll either get BFP or BFN by myself... and he won't be back until 28th so I'll have at least a week and a half until he gets home.... hopefully it's a BFP, cause at least that will be easier to cope with!!

Hi again,

Welcome MyTurn :) May your stay here be short and sweet! I am glad i was able to inspire someone to join our forum :) (although I can't see how I could inspire anyone :lol:) Congratulations on your successful retrieval. Five eggs is a great result!! Especially for your first stim cycle! It sounds as though you are doing a two day transfer. My clinic does the same. It will mean that your embie won't implant (if it's going to) until about four or five days after transfer. Regarding the BDing, DP and I can't bring ourselves to do it at all during the 2ww. I have been told by a couple of FS not to for the first week. I know in the US they recommend no sex until either a positive blood test or later! I guess it's what you feel comfortable with!

Get used to the waiting. It's all we IVF girls ever do :lol:

Sorry that your DH will be away when you get your results. Don't be afraid to lean on us or ask questions. We have all been through exactly what you are going through. Most of us more than once unfortunately :(

Take care - and good luck tomorrow! How many are you having transferred??

Just wanted to pop and and say welcome to all the newbies:D.
Also wantig to send some love to those having a tough day - big hugs to you.

thanks nothing2lose - I saw myself in your post about waking up feeling like s$%t and realised that maybe I could get some support in here, although I know DH would find the online thing a bit weird (so I haven't told him I'm on forums about it yet)
It is reassuring that you think 5 eggs is okay - my FS said originally he only implants 1 at a time - just to avoid complications - although I wouldn't care if it was twins! - but I guess it's best to avoid the extra stress multiples could create. so I guess it's just one.... I hope that more than one fertilised okay though... I don't know anything yet... it's weird as it all feels so out of my control - and I am SO used to being in control! lmao!

okay, so implant was this morning :) 3 eggs fertilised - he thinks they should be okay to freeze - hoping that means we'll have two frosties to implant if this one doesn't work.

feeling positive - although I know anything could happen and it's only our first go. too scared to move off the couch - but know I need to go to the loo eventually!

hoping everyone is feeling okay today as well ;)

Hi Girls

After stalking this thread I have decided to join in. I have been in another thread, but since I have started IVF too its time to switch over.

My DH and I got married at Easter this year. We have been together 2 and a half years and madly in love. We are both 40 and didn't think it would happen for either of us, so we are both stoked! Neither of us thought that children would be in our lives, but both wanted them. So here we find ourselves and after trying naturally since November last year no bub in site. I went to see a FS in July and to cut a long story short have completed our first 1/2 of an IVF cycle. Two weeks ago I had EPU only to discover whilst they were in there that I have a polyp right where they would put the embryo. When I came too we were told that I got 5 eggs (Yay!!) but the transfer could not go ahead as they wanted to remove the polyp. :cry: It was a very emotional day as it was the anniversary of my DH mother passing away 3 years earlier and we thought we would have smooth sailing as she was looking over us. Ha! Not to be.

So the awesome team booked me in the next day to have my polyp removed and a D&C. The staff were amazing as I live in a country town and had to travel to Adelaide for IVF.

4 eggs fertilised and now we have 4, day 3, little frosties. I am CD2 today so we are lining up to have them put back in this cycle. Because I am 40 we are having 2 put back in. At this stage I would be stoked to have twins. Its only a 10% chance though. They are going to defrost all 4 and grow them to blastcyst stage and put 2 back in. They said if they all survive they would refreeze the ones not put in this time. Not too sure how many will survive. They said as long as we get one we should be happy.

I feel pretty ripped off that I didn't have 2 fresh put in. The scans in my home town didn't show anything on my uterus. We will be devasted if none of the 4 defrost. It will be a waste of a cycle. So I should be in my TWW with my BT on Friday, however now I probably have another 5WW. Ugh! The endless waiting.

Myturn - I wish you the very best of luck with your transfer. Take it easy and enjoy the TWW.

To all the others I have been stalking you a little bit and have been following your stories. Lets hope we are all get our very own :bfp: soon

Vic

Hi vic261, welcome to this thread (sorry you have to join us), and I wish you all the very best this cycle. I hope you are successful even with frozen embies.

Question - I am due for bloods & u/s this Friday, which will be day 9 of my cycle (7 days of being on gonal f). The nurse told us that we have to DTD on Thursday. So, am I assuming that they will do EPU sometime next week or does it depend on how you respond with the gonal f?? I know when I did IUI, I was only on 50iu (I am on 150iu of gonal f) then they slowly increased it b/c I wasn't responding but they also didn't want more than 3 eggs, so I guess that is why my dosage was less? (It took me nearly into my third week of IUI to trigger the egg release)

I also am feeling unwell again. Nausea, tiredness and slight dizziness from time to time - never had that when on puregon

Hi Rhi - not too sure on when your EPU will be. I was 8 days on Gonal F @ 225iu. My scan and BT was on CD8. My last injection was a Saturday CD9 with trigger being Sunday CD10 night and EPU on Tuesday morning CD12. Guess if you have to DTD its because maybe he shouldn't ejeculate 3 days before EPU? I dont know if thats any help or just confusing lol. I hope your feeling better. I was bloated but got worse after EPU. And the wind UGH!!! Its all worth it though :D

Hey Rhi - we are pretty much cycle buddies!! I go for my day 8 scan and bloods tomorrow too. I t really does depend on your response to gonal as to when you will have epu but for what its worth, I am guessing I will be going in for my epu about Tuesday. Not too sure what the significance of dtd on Thursday is - my DH has a high DNA frag and we have been told by our FS that we have to be at it EVERY DAY for the week leading up to epu. This is day 5 and it is very reminscent of the days where we actually thought we were in with a chance trying naturally!!!!!! Interesting what you are saying about how you feel on gonal f - I got really sore and heavy ovaries on puregon but on gonal, I have felt off and REALLY bloated. I actually feel like a giant fart would do me the world of good!!!!!!

Just doing a real quick one but a big hi and welcome to Vic and myturn - may your stay be short and sweet :) and another big hi to Meg, Saffy, N2L, Maruschke and anyone else I have missed

Rhi and melissa - best of luck with your scan and bloods tomorrow!

i am just sending some sticky pregnant vibes to all my old friends and the newbies too in the LTTC thread. :pink-babydust::bluedust: please help yourself and hoping for some more BFP's in here soon.:2ww:

good luck to all of you. x o x o

Vic & Mel - thanks so much for your responses. I am a little confused b/c IVF seems to be more involved than IUI....

Had my u/s and I have a total of 19 follicles with most around 11mm, the two largest being 12mm. Blood test results due to come back sometime this arvo but have been told at this stage to keep at the same dosage and will most probably go back on Monday. I don't know if the amount of follies is good or not good. I feel a little let down by my body b/c I thought my response would be better?? Diet for me has been terrible but I feel I need comfort & my usual outlets of yoga and exercise are falling short so I can't help but think that I have let myself down overall. Arrg! I don't know how people can do this cycle in & out. I feel if this is not it for us then I am done. I can't live my life like this. It is not fair to me, my DH & my DD. Sorry for the vent, I think it is the meds mostly making me feel like this.

Maruschke - Thanks for your thoughts hun x

Hi Rhi - Dont give up honey. It will be worth it when you have a bub in your arms. I had 8 folicles so your better than me and I managed to get 5 eggs, 4 of which we froze. My doc said to me better to have 5 really great eggs than 20 crap ones. I think 11 is around the norm. They just need to grow a little bit more. We all feel let down by our bodies at some stage. I am sure your next scan will show they have grown heaps and you will be ready for your EPU. As for diet, I know exactly how you feel. I feel like I am constantly on a diet. I feel like my body is just getting over all the bloating from the last two weeks. Keep your chin up. You may be doing you EPU late next week. My follies had to be over 14mm, not too sure what your FS requires.

AFM - CD4. Started my clomid yesterday. Just waiting.........

Shout out to all the other girls x

Hi Everyone,

I am just popping my head in here quickly to introduce myself. I have been here before and have a beautiful 2 1/2 year old DD who is the result of HRT FET. My story is that I was put on clomid back in 2007 but after about 4 tries it did not even get me ovulating. I then did OI with injectables and timed intercourse. Great thing was that it got me ovulating, bad thing was after 6 attempts we were still not pregnant. So we ended up doing our first cycle of IVF/ICSI in 2008. Our fresh cycle was a BFN but we got 7 embies to freeze from that cycle. I did a HRT FET immediately after my failed cycle as I could not bear to wait (I was so heartbroken). The first embie that they defrosted did not survive, the second embie which was 6 cells at transfer is now running around dancing, swimming and making my life just more and more awesome every day.

Anyhoo the reason I am back in here is we have made the big decision to go back for a sibling for my DD. So I have my first FS appointment mid this month. We will be looking at doing a FET, but this time we may be able to do a natural one as once I stopped full time breast feeding (so around the time my DD was 10 months old) I started getting my period. I have PCOS and have never had anything resembling a regular cycle. My cycle now is anywhere from 28-40 days, but it is there! It just amazes me to think that being pregnant has helped my body in this way. We have 5 remaining embies and are hopeful that we will get a pregnancy/birth out of them. We have decided that if they do not work we will not go back down the track of stimulated cycles. I will be at peace with TTC and I am already just so grateful for my DD.

So here we go again - I look forward to getting to know all you ladies in here, some I may already know!

Ready to hold your hands and have my hand held as I go on this crazy ride again!

Janie xxx

Hi Vic, Thanks for your reply. I spoke to the nurse and she assured me all was going ok, albeit a little slowly but she did point out and say all women respond differently. I go back on Tuesday and she said like you that if all looks good EPU will be somewhere between Thursday & Saturday. They want the follies to be around 18 mm, so fx they keep growing. GL with your clomid cycle Vic, I hope all progresses well.

Janie - welcome back to this thread. Best of luck for your cycle, I hope you have success straight away. Sounds like a pg has helped your bodys cycle.

Hi to everyone else. x

Rhi - I think 19 follies sounds great! You go girl! I had 13 reasonably sized ones plus some smaller ones too so tomorrow I go for more bloods. If they are ok, I trigger tomorrow night, get admitted for my goodies Sunday night and epu Monday which is a day earlier than we expected. Though I vaguely remember our fs saying something about triggering a day earlier. Any who, hope those little puppies keep growing nicely - you are doing great hon

Rhi - 19 is awesome! Grow follies grow :D.

Welcome back Janie and best of luck with your next FET.

Rhi- try not to panic hun, its not over. The follies grow 2mm a day, and they usually need to be over about 18mm, so by Tuesday you should have some at 19/20mm. My first cycle of IVf was cancelled ( and I was devastated) but my follies were smaller than you and I had less, so there is a large chance you will be good to go next week, FX for you, I know its stressful but you just need to hang in there, and yes the meds and all the pressure do make you v stressed out. xxx

Janie- welcome back, wow 5 frozen embies thats great and I"m sure you will have a bfp soon!

JBM- thanks you are always a great cheerleader xx

hi everyone else, chins up girls we will get there

Aww, ladies thank-you so much. I knew it was a great decision to join this thread. So glad I can come in and voice my fears without them being glossed over. Love to you all xx

Rhi - I only had 3 follicles in one ovary and 5 in the other, and on collection only 5 had eggs -- and then 3 fertilised (well we're waiting on confirmation of that - but the Dr said on wed that there were probably 3 that looked good). So there's one in me now - hopefully sticking nicely!

19 follies is DEFINITELY heaps!!! I understand the fear though - I kept thinking of the statistics my FS told me, and was worried I'd get none to freeze (or maybe none to work at all!!) - the nurse was always really good and not letting on - but I could tell she was disappointed - and what we learnt from my first IVF cycle, is that I need the medication a little higher to get the follies going....

works out it was okay though...even though I was a little slow... implant was on day 22 - seems so much later than all the information brochures they talked me through at the beginning - I was having scans every 2nd day for 2 weeks - I reckon the nurse knew me by my nether regions better than she knew my name!! Lol...

Hi Janie - nice to hear some positive stories too - hopefully more of us will have some to share soon.

Good luck all!!!
xx:dance:

myturn, best of luck with this cycle, I truly hope this is successful for you. When will you get your blood test results for pg? I think I am a slow responder due to PCOS, even though I am not insulin resistant, I have the symptoms and I remember when I fell pg with DD, I am fairly sure I O late b/c my + pg test didn't show until CD 35...I go back Tuesday with a view of EPU on either Thurs, Fri or Sat.

Thanks Rhi,

I have my blood test on the 16th... seems so far away!!!

I too have PCOS - don't know if I'm insulin resistant or not - do need to get an up to date test for insulin and glucose next time I'm at the GP. Seems like there's lots of us out there. I don't have many symptoms - and only got diagnosed because we didn't get pregnant.

Good luck with the EPU - it was my first time last week and i was a bit overwhealmed before I went in, but not so bad - if this one doesn't work (and I'm aware that it's first cycle, so may not be) i think next time I will be so much more relaxed - cause it won't be so unfamiliar. I have a beauty of a bruise on my hand from the anasthetic - luckily no one seems to have noticed!

just wish I could know now!!! impatient.... :-)