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Hey. This is my first IVF. I am doing IVF after a tubal ligation in 2000. I finished my BCP and I a now on day 8 of Lupron and will do my first supression check on 5/12. Everyhing is going rather quick I must say.

I will be stimming with Menopur and Follistim Pen. My only concern now at this point is Hyperstimming. I am one of those paranoid chicks. Always finds something to be paranoid about. When I started BCP, I was terrified I would get a blood clot, best part is I dont smoke and I am under 35 (I am 29). I must say the BCP made me sick like a dog and all I did was sleep 2-3 hours a day. I was cranky moody and hormonal.

The anticipation of Lupron made me alil nuts. The night before all I did was dream of shots. The night going into the morning I would do the shot I was up every 1/2 hour. That day I slept 4 hours. I was thinking, OMG this is gonna be another knock out, but I am doing so well. No complaints. I can not complain.

Now to stim =) I am sure I will be fine. I leave it in Gods hands and I trust him all the way. If everything goes well I should retrieve on 5/24 and transfer either 5/27 or 5/29 depending on a 3-5 day transfer. My first beta will be on 6/5 and my RE office does not give out your beta, next will be on 6/7 and I will get the results, but I intend to POAS on the 5th.

Hope to talk to you soon.

Melissa

Hi Julie,
Thanks for finding me on the Sounding Board. I do need a cycle buddy for all of this. Today we just got back from our 2 hour ride to the RE and got all the details. I am not ahead of you at all. My Lupron shots will begin on May 27th. They were really supposed to begin on the 20th but we pushed the date back because I did not want to miss any days of school. (I'm a teacher.)
All the shots seem so overwhelming. Having the nurse describe the different types of needle sizes and looking at all those vials!! My DH will be doing the shots for me as recommended by someone on this site. I think it will make him feel more like a part of this whole process.
We left today from the office and as we were heading down the elevator, my DH looked at me and said,"we're gonna be parents..." as if this all just hit him. I guess I was kind of thinking the same thing. Others are lucky enough not to have to evaluate and think about all the particulars of eggs, sperm, follicles, etc. and here we are in every aspect of reproduction with no surprise at all of when the egg is fertilized.
I know you are young like me, and do you ever think about that you will never have the opportunity to just buy a pregnancy test, use it and surprise your husband with the great news of pregnancy? I think about this kind of stuff all the time.
Also please share anything you are feeling about your sister and sister-in-law. I know it is really hard. Do they know you are doing IVF?
(Sorry this is soooo long, I guess I just needed to get some of this off my chest.)
Thanks,
Risa

Hi Risa and Melissa

I have to say along this 2-year emotional roller coaster I mourned the loss of just not being able to do it normally so many times. Most recently when my sister who has PCOS called to share her news that surprise they were pregnant and not even trying. (Last time she took Clomid) I was crushed… there’s all the reasons in the world it shouldn’t just work for her, yet I’m the one going through months of shots and now IVF. Likewise my sister-in-law is a big city wall street broker with a major career etc. they got married at 35 and she got pregnant the month after, she’s due with the second any day and she’s 38. Had no trouble conceiving. My sister and sister-in-law having no trouble just makes this so much harder especially when logically they should be in this situation not me.

When we first started IUIs I couldn’t believe it came to that… now on to IVF I feel like I’m one big hormonal science experiment. Maybe we won’t get that chance to run in and tell our husbands with a pregnancy test but I know when we get through this and get a phone call from the nurse it won’t mean any less right? Actually it will probably mean more after everything we’re going through. I don’t think I can possibly pray more than I have but please let us get those phone calls.

When DH and I started IUI we too had that “so this could work and we could really be parents” but then the months kept drifting by with those cycles. This time I think we really will be and we’re so relieved this process might be over. I do feel cheated on a lots of things… the pregnancy test is one of them but mostly just regular sex and conception. This just isn’t the way you envision your children being conceived and that’s so hard. Why at 24 (which I notice is also when you started trying) why in the world wouldn’t it work? We did everything right trying young and still we’re ending up here.

I guess this just makes us stronger right? Having your DH give you the shots is by far the way to go. He did all of mine for the IUIs and even got to play pharmacist with the Novarel it comes as a vile of powder and a vile of solution and he had to “prepare the shot.” I’m still on my BCPs and starting Lupron on May 19th but Melissa said these aren’t so bad. The gonal-f or follistim shots really aren’t so awful either. I’m totally dreading the progesterone shots in the butt… I had the one shot in the rear from my IUI cycles and those don’t tickle but it’s only a few days and well worth the outcome. Mostly it just feels like you pulled you butt muscle.

Sorry this is so long… Melissa – good luck to you! Please keep writing since you’re ahead of us… especially about the egg retrieval that’s what I keep having bad dreams about. What is POAS?

Julie

Julie and Melissa,

Thank you both for being on this site. It is so nice to share what I'm feeling and know your feelings are so similar and that I am not just an emotional, pessimistic and frightened wreck. Julie, your thoughts are mine exactly, with your sister and sister in law (happy for them, but like you said, wondering "why not me?") and with the fact that we started early. My husband and I met the first day we got to college, at 18 and we married the day after graduation, at 21. I wish we would have started then and would have known this situation sooner, but I know there is no going back now. Plus, I guess we were just trying to pretend there was nothing wrong after 2-3 years of ttc naturally.

Today I am very concerned, but since it is the weekend I can't call RE. I am having slight cramping in my lower abdomen and lower back, the way I do when I ovulate. The thing is, I am on the BCP which means I should not be ovulating. I learned at my last appointment that the pill "tricks" your body to think you are ovulating. But should I be feeling this slight cramping? Melissa- do you know? Did you experience anything like this? I hope everything is okay. I don't have to wait another cycle to start again.

Also, have either of you ever had to do any of the shots yourself? I will be out of town for the first two days when the Lupron shots begin and am unsure if I will be able to do it. I know I can, I guess it's just scary. I'll also have to find out about traveling with it through the security check at the airport.

Thank you so much for being here for me. And Melissa- you'll be fine regarding the hyperstimulation. With the regular checks, I am sure they will monitor your progress enough to change the doses if necessary. Hey, how did your appointment go yesterday?


Nariza

hay smile Julie you should try takeing Ovulex it works for a lot of people becouse my friend gemma got pregnant
with in a moth of takeing you should go to www.Ovulex.com trust me i have high hopes for you
i will be takeing them soon i got to lose weight first as i have pcos ive been trying for 2 years your sister was lucky to get preggy with pcos

Hi, I have started my cycle for IVF. I am currently taking injections of microdose lupron and will start Gonal F on Friday and will go for my first e2 level check on next Tuesday. We are looking to retrieve around the 30th and transfer 5 days later. So, we will be pretty close. I was delayed and had to take bcp for 2 extra weeks because of cysts on my ovaries. But, they finally cleared me last Wed. So, I have started into another phase of this journey. So far everything is going great. Yesterday, I was really moody and am feeling very bloated today.


I AM 35, DH 31, 1 3 YR OLD NATURALLY CONCEIVED, 1 MC IN 8-04, SEVERE ENDO, HOPING TO BE PG IN 06-06

Hi ladies!

Riza sorry it took me a little while to write back. I hope you were able to reach your doctor about the cramping. I haven’t experienced that on the BCP even when I used to take it years ago (ironic isn’t it?) but I know they are all different and can act slightly different – maybe it’s your body adjusting to it. Did it go away now? My doc warned me some very light spotting may occur since my body wasn’t used to it. So far nothing exciting thankfully – bit bloated and irritable but I think that’s more from not sleeping well. I find I’m dreaming of shots and IVF.

I was surprised you couldn’t call your RE, did you mean your actual doctor or a doctor with your group? A nurse should be on call 24 hours a day that can get a doctor for you since we’re on all of these crazy drugs. There’s also a phone number to reach the drug manufacture and ask about the cramping – they are aware of all side effects from the clinical studies. (I work for one) Is your RE open every day including weekends and holidays in case retrieval needed to happen on a Saturday or Sunday?

Have you decided what to do about the shots the weekend you may need to do them yourself? I haven’t had to do that yet but from what I understand the Lupron ones aren’t too bad and nice and little if you do have to do it yourself. Just make sure your nurse shows you how. I would think to fly you just need to put it all in a bag that’s checked.

Melissa are you giving them to yourself? How are you doing with everything? Does your abdominal area feel any different?

Welcome jbmtsmith! You’re a little ahead of Nariza and I but I think right after Melissa. Please let us know how everything is going and how you feel on all these shots.

I really wish everyone the best - chatting here just makes it so much easier to get through. I only know of one person who had to do this and we’re just not close enough that I’m comfortable discussing it.

Write often :-)
Julie

Thanks Julie,

Riza, I will tell you that I HATE needles and am terrified of the thought of having to take injections. I have taken similar shot twice before. Each time for a year at a time and never could bring myself to do it.
But, this is different. I really think that I could do it myself. These needles are the same they use for insulin if not a little smaller gauge. And if you take them in the stomach they don't hurt. The first couple I took, I didn't even know that my dh had finished. Now, I think the trick is to keep track(my re offfice gave me a chart)and try not to stick in the same spot twice. Yesterday, I think we got a little close to a spot where I had just injected and the skin was a little thick.
Anyway, I wish everyone luck!!! And will keep you all in my prayers!!!

Please let me know how each of you progress. I think it will definitely make things go smoother having someone to talk to who REALLY knows what its like to go thru this. Some people still have the attitude that we just need to RELAX and be patient!!! I just wish that they could only understand what I've been thru for the last couple of years!!! I try to just ignore them, but I really do resent those comments. And then I have a sis-n-law whose 6 mo's pg and keeps saying how lucky she is that it ONLY took her two months to get pg.

Okay, wew!!! I think the hormones are raging!!! Sorry, I had to get that out!!!!

jbmtsmith - I HATE the "relax and be patient" people! That's just the worst - or the "maybe it would happen if you didn't try. " Ugh

Hey everyone,

Yes, I hate the "relax" mentality that people are always saying. Scientifically, if my husband only has about one million sperm when the average man has 20 million.... I don't think relaxing can increase sperm count or quality. So glad you guys can understand me.

Julie, I didn't even call the RE because the ovulation symptoms went away. There is an emergency line to call and a line to call if you are doing other procedures and are ovulating over the weekend. But I didn't think I fell into any of those categories. I need to start getting in the mentality that anything I am concerned about can be considered an emergency, because all the time, money, effort and emotion we are putting forth can be jeopordized if I let things slide.

I have been feeling very bloated too on these BCP. I thought I just needed to get on the treadmill more, but I think it definitely is bloating. Do you think the pills just make your body retain more water?

Julie, I know the Lupron shots start soon for you. Good luck with them, I'm sure dH will be gentle.

jbmtsmith and Melissa, keep us updated on your progress and I pray that we can all get positive results in a month or two.

Risa :)

Hi Ladies!
Sorry it's been a little while - how's everyone doing? I've started the Lupron shots, DH administered, and was very pleased to find them to be not so bad at all. I go in tomorrow to make sure the cysts from my last IUI cycle are gone, if so tonight is my last night on the pill... finally! That 3 weeks lasted forever. How's everyone else doing? I'd really like to hear about experiences on the stims... I still concerned about huge ovaries... we'll get through this! Stay in touch!
Julie

Just started the Lupron shots today. Not too bad. I had to practice administering it myself since I am going away for the weekend. Well so far, so good. Just anxious about not getting to exercise once the stimulation starts on June 1st. How is everyone doing?

Risa

Hi Risa
I'm glad the Lupron isn't too bad - did it go okay giving them to yourself? I start the stims tomorrow... I have an AM appointment to check everything but that's likely the start date. I'll be taking Lupron, Follistim and low-dose HSG. Ugh 3 a night! I'm just ready to get this going already. I hope you're doing well write when you have time! Did they tell you not to excercise or are you just concerned you'll be achy with large ovaries? I'll have to ask about excercising... I just walk my dog daily.
Julie

Hey Julie,
I start my stimulation shots on Thursday if everything looks okay also. I'll be taking the Lupron, Bravelle and Menapure, which I guess are the same as yours with different names. I am also ready to get this going, the BCP then the Lupron shots all seem to be dragging. I'm looking forward to the big retrieval and then transfer day which seem forever away. Yes, they told me I can't exercise once the stimulation begins but they said walking and swimming are okay as long as you don't get overheated. Good luck with everything tomorrow, I'm sure you'll start the stims tomorrow and then I'll be just the next day.

Hi, This is my first IVF.
My husband and I are doing IVF as a result of his testicular cancer. I am high risk because I had a stroke 7 years ago and am on thinners. I finished my BCP and am on day 4 of stims So far, it is not as bad as I thought it would be. I am taking .05 Lupron, Menopur and Follistim.
I am also concerned about hyperstimulation as well as whether or not it will work...it is really scary.
If things go well, I may be doing egg retrieval next week and transfer the week after.
I am very afraid of the retrieval and of the intramuscular shots.
I really want to have a baby. My husband and I have been married for 10 years and we are ready. He is 34 and I am 33.
Thanks!
Toni

Hi ladies

Ifdrgnfly99 welcome and good luck! I hope everything goes great for you!

I had some really dissappointing news yesterday morning... apparently as soon as I got off the pill my body decided to make a follicle even on the Lupron. My doctor assures me that it is nothing I did and it doesn't mean the Lupron won't work in the future, basically that these things just happen sometimes. I still cried, not with him but in my nurses office. Yet another dissappointment in this never ending ride. I was really mentally ready to get started with this.

I took ovidrel last night, the doctor beleives that if I can ovulate the follicle I can start in two weeks. Unfortunately I found out that if I don't start in two weeks it won't be until late July because the embriology lab closes once a year for calibration and cleaning.

Risa I hope your appointment went better and I'll still check ina nd see how you ladies are doing. Please still write and let me know how the stims are going and if big ovaries really hurt. Talk with you soon good luck to everyone!
Julie