Hi Wouldloveabubba,
Sorry I can't help you, my FS has always said a month off between, and as I do down reg, this means 2 months between stims.
But I would suggest you google 'back to back stim cycles', this question has been asked before and it seems that other women have done it, so I guess if your FS is willing and you feel emotionally and physically able, then go for it. I wish you all the luck in the world what ever you decide. Xx
Wouldloveabubba - That's a tricky one.....I finished my down reg IVF cycle with a neg BT 15th October, that was also cycle day 1, and we are doing an antagonist cycle as soon as AF appears. So not quite back to back, but almost. My FS wasn't too concerned about doign them close together, as long as I felt okay and it was my wish to do so.
I see that you have fallen PG naturally in the past .... please corerct me if I'm wrong....so going with the trying naturally with puregon support also sounds like a good option. I don't mean to pull you in both directions though!
For me, the decision was made on the basis of being 39 with one frostie - I thought if the frostie worked, then I would be 41 - 42 before contemplating going down this path again, so I thought it made more sense to do another fresh cycle, and perhaps get another couple of frosties. I have never even been a whisker pregnant.
My point is the decision has to be right for you, but you have two excellent options there....and you obviosuly CAN fall pregnant. I don't think you make a wrong decision, and I think you have excellent chances wither way.
Do you feel like you are leaning more one way than the other?
I think I would want the best chance possible...so if that's a stim cycle maybe do that? My clinic however does advise a break inbetween...so it does depend whether you feel up for that.
neptune make a good point about the possibility of getting frosties from a stim cycle.
thank you ladies for your responses.. Just returned from BT and picking up Puregon
b/c of my age etc (i turned 41 in Oct) my fs - goes straight into an antagonist cycle - thats what I had last cycle ... and again if I can get on the list (they only accept so many patients per day before xmas closure)
a part of my decision is financial - b/c we have hit the safety net, i am trying to squeeze another in, as I think ohhh if it doesn't work, I can try with puregon in december and jan, and to be truthfull prob Feb as well, I can't imagian we will be too financial after christmas, and because, as we all have, been trying month after month naturally, if feels like it takes forever. tick tick tick ...
My hubbie rang and said it's up to me, he said bubba "you will make the decision whatever I suggest, so it's up to me" he's sweet,
Im leaning towards doing the stim antagonist cycle, you ladies are my godsend, thank you so much for your input xxx
wouldloveabub - what's an antagonist cycle (how does it work)? I've done a flare cycle (which is the only type of cycle that I know about) and have done back-to-back - if you look in my profile and my postings, you can see that I've discussed this before in other threads.
I'm very curious as to what you end up doing and the results as I was never told of any options we have for "off" cycles - in terms of going natural but with some drug support. Because I just miscarried and had to have a D&C, I have to have this month off (I am praying that AF returns in 4 weeks - who would have thought I want to see AF!) - but I'd like to start trying my next cycle, which will most likely be when the clinic is closed for the holidays, and if there's a way to increase our chances with drugs I'd like to do so! and get a prescription for the drugs so that we have them in hand.
Also, I just realized that my first cycle was a chem pregnancy - well, I knew this as I had a very, very low level of HCG in my system but it was so low (5 - I think) that I never considered it any kind of positive...but now, after spending the entire weekend thinking about my cycles and trying to get pregnant, I realize that my first cycle wasn't a pure BFN...not sure what this means...I'm really trying to find some positives.
Good luck with this cycle....I hope to see a BFP in your signature!!!!
Morning BullieJ -
I actually asked my FS what the difference between the two cycle's were, after reading it on BB , and she did explain it, I can't remember, however I can remember that it is about the legnth of the cycle - and the meds?? with mine the antagonist - I start on Puregon 300 for 14 or so days, scan, trigger then collect and replace -( sounds clinical I know ) it's more of a gamble I think ? - FS did say if antagonist didnt work for me she would try a flare - but I went ok with the antagonist, I should of written it down, pehaps you could ask your FS when you see them next - sorry I cant remember ..
As for increasing your chance's - that is exactly what I wanted to achieve - and why I originally went to a FS - to boost TTc along. We had decided to have inj of puregon till the clinic re-opened in Jan, to boost TTC along, however, when I realised I had hit the safety net, I went back in and we started our first IVF cycle, BFN .. In the end I decided to go for an IUI for this month, I made my decision based on the fact that I have fallen PG naturally before, and I thought try with the injections for the next three months, give nature a helping hand, and after hours of researching, I found the IVF success rates for my age to 9.90 % - (I haven't discussed this with FS though) so the hours of research could be incorrect.. Hence the slow down in treatment for me,(my choice) and the puregon. Having said that, we will commence IVF in Jan/Feb - if the three months with assistance dont work - gotta keep trying and 9.90 % is better than none. An accupuncturist told me of a herbal/accu and IVF round that has 91 % percent of success, big odds, I decided to keep that one up my sleeve for the future..
A little tip - I go in to my fs appointment armed with (what I believe) to be a page of suggestions, and give fs idea's that I could try, I am quite pushy almost in regard to what treatments I would like to try next, and my fs has told me I need to let her do her job as she is the doc, we get along really well, and she is a wonderful fs, but no-one cares about our overwhelming desire to have a bub as much as we do ourselves, so I cover every possible way to get that BFP in a month, so definatly make an appt and ask for Puregon injections to cover you for the the next few months, and not forsaking your health BullieJ - push the boundaries a bit with your FS if he/she say's no, and you might find they change their mind.
I hope I have been some help - how long had you been TTC for naturally before IVF ? And did your FS say it was anything to do with our age - (which I find so hard to beleive as I feel 21 not 41)
And I truelly hope you get a BFP with your next ccycle, and that AF arrives early so you can recommence this rollercoaster journey we are on, and again sorry for your loss, I know exactly how you feel xx
PS - I have thyroid issues as well, (mine is overactive) I see an endocrinoligist who is the most amazing lady, she works privately and at the RWH preg clinics - I can PM you her contact details if you need them, trust me she is beautiful .
wouldloveabub - thanks for all that info. I too believe in researching & questioning. I'll do some googling this afternoon and give my FS a call tomorrow (being that I'm so impatient and won't be able to wait until our appointment). I'd love the info about your endro dr as I'm seeing my GP tomorrow with the intention of requesting thyroid tests and if they come back with results that require further attention I want to get moving on that.
As for my age - as far as we know (after the standard tests and no other indications) age is the only factor in our struggle. I may know more once the post-D&C testing comes back - but right now, that's it. I don't even know for sure whether I have a thyroid issue - I had one years ago, but tested fine for many years after that and basically forgot about it. I too don't feel too old for this, but apparently my ovaries may not agree (nor do my gray hairs!). you know, I was wondering - and want to ask my FS about this - if one was on the pill for years, as I was, does this mean that they have all those eggs that should have been released during those years sitting there waiting to be released - or have they somehow vanished? I know that many of them may well have deteriorated over time, but shouldn't they be there???
Pre-IVF we were TTC for 8 months - that's with cycle monitoring etc. - and as you can see from my signature we've done 2 ivf cycles - both with drugs although the 2nd produced no good eggs to transfer thus we used only frozen we had - which stuck for 8 weeks!
Which IVF clinic are you at? which dr? if you don't want to post, please PM the info (and I'll reply with the same) - I'd love to compare notes etc. I really struggle with getting comfortable with the treatment because I'm from the US (NY city) and all my over 40 friends (7 of them) had success with IVF with their own eggs (TTC over 40 in NY city is almost the norm it seems!) but the process is very different (they all go to blasts and have up to 5 put back in...and all have had single births)...sometimes I wonder if I'm getting the best treatment available for TTC speaking in terms of what is available globally - I don't want to offend my FS and am quite happy that the costs here are so much less than they would be if I was doing this in the US - but at the same time, I want to know that we are doing everything possible to get our much wanted happy & healthy baby.
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Should I do a Stim IVF cycle - back to back
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