[jacksmommy]

Hi Ladies,

We are moving on to IVF in January. We completed one IUI cycle that ended in a blighted ovum. I was on Follistm for the IUI. Was wondering what to expect with IVF. How much more stressful is it than IUI? I didn't think IUI was too bad....just a bunch of trips to the RE office and then the waiting. Would love to hear any advice. Thanks!

[Krista]

IVF has been much more stressful for me than IUI. With the daily injections, even more visits to the RE and the expense it's been very difficult for us.

[KELLIF4]

My first IVF was one of the most mentally/emotionally challenging event's I've ever experienced ! Not to scare you - you just have to be mentally prepared to go through a lot of injection's - hang on to every last number and word the RE say's ... and pray your numbers are good enoughto move on to the next step. My first cycle ended in a BFN - with nothing left to freeze.

However, just finishing my second cycle and awaiting my results - I have been mentally prepared, have felt much better - havent totally stressed and has made for a much smoother experience !!
You'll need a really good support system ... I've been fortunate enough to have some really great ladies ont his site to help me along ( and my DH of course but he can only relate so much )

Krista is right about also being so much more expensive ... But in the end, I think we would all do it again to achieve pregnancy !!

Goodluck !!

[Angelwithhope]

At first I had a very hard time wrapping my head around IVF and receiving my box of meds from the clinic was even worse. I remember crying that day and thinking "I can't do this! These needles! All these things to remember...two shots a day. I can't do this!" I put the box away, my meds in the fridge and when DH got home, him and I went through the box. We made sure everything was there and it was far less stressful with him there with me then it was when I was alone.

We had to travel eight hours to our clinic and had to stay in a rented appartment as well as take our two cats with us. It sucked but once we got there we decided we'd make it our IVF holiday.

Once we started the actual IVF cycle, I was amazed at how at ease I was. I told myself that this was going to work, that all the needles, everything was worth it. So in the end on a scale of 1-10 for stress level, I'd rate the whole process a 4. ER didn't even phase me and I was awake for the whole process! Recovery wasn't too bad and the ET was the most beautiful experience. I'd do ten more cycles of IVF before I'd ever do clomid again, at least I had some control and knowledge in what was happening with my body.

I think IVF is really stressful if you let it be though. Positive thoughts and positive vibes go a long way in helping decompress throughout the process!

Good luck to you!! And best wishes for much success!

[RosieB]

Since you are used to the injections and the u/s's that should not be a problem. The actual ER was a bit scary for me, for no other reason than I was just nervous. Honestly the 2ww and the beta's afterwards have been the worst part, and you have been through that already too.

Kelly is right, have good support system, that makes all the difference in the world.

I wish you much luck.

[futuremom]

I did six iui's before ivf. I think the main reason the ivf was so much more stressful was because of the expense, I knew we could only afford a few rounds, that just added pressure. The good thing is that the success rates are so much higher your chances are a lot better, that helped me feel better. I think not knowing what to expect is the scary part, once its over you'll think it wasnt so bad! Good Luck!

[jacksmommy]

Thanks for the feedback ladies!! I agree with all of you on the support system.....that is so important and I am so glad that I found this site. Most of my friends have all become pregnant by looking at their husbands....LOL.....if it were only that easy for all of us!! I didn't find the injections for the IUI that bad at all....so that part doesn't scare me. I guess deep down inside I am scared of failure. As I am sure you all know, it is so depressing to get that BFN and I feel like a ticking time bomb at 38 yr old. And yes, the $$$$ expense adds stress to the whole thing as well. Luckily, our insurance paid for the meds for the IUI so I am hoping the same will happen with IVF. Are they usually the same meds?

[azariah08]

I think that in some ways IVF was less stressful, and in other ways it was more.

It was less stressful because I knew my odds of success were so much higher than with the IUI and you get constant feedback on how things are going along the way (well, till that dreaded 2WW).

It was more stressful for me because I knew it was kind of the end of the road. In other words, if IVF didn't work for us we'd never have a chance at having a biological child.

I didn't find the injections to be all that stressful. The monitoring was a pain, but didn't really add to the stress.

Honestly, the first trimester of being pregnant was more worrisome than the IVF because I was so terrified something would go wrong. I didn't really feel comfortable with the pregnancy until about the 12 week mark.

[tracilynn]

I did 7 IUIs before moving on to IVF and my biggest stress was the fear of failure and also the chances of being cancelled at every step. There are more things that can go wrong with IVF (baseline not right, E2 too high, E2 too low, not enough follicles, follicles not growing, will they fertilize? cysts, etc...) so that part was stressful but knowing how much better my chances for a BFP kept me going and it worked for me the first time.

I wished I had done it sooner and not wasted so much time and stress on 7 IUIs which all ended in BFNs - All those BFNs were much more stressful than my IVF cycle.

Its good that you are use to injections -I also did follistim for my IUIs so I was use to injections too. There are more injections for IVF but since you have done them it wont stress you too bad.

The ER was scary but wasnt nearly as bad as I had feared. The ET is just like an IUI so you are use to that.

The 2WW is always hard and stressful. Good luck to you

[andreasbaby]

Thanks for posring. I am in a similiar situation to you. I've done 5 iui's all .

Ironically, I got my 'naturally' only to m/c from a trisomy 15.

We started iv-f in Nov and today I am going to my RE to see how my follicles are doing. I started my stims (taking 300 ml of Bravelle) on fri.

So far, it's been managable. Someone wrote about the 'box of meds'. WOW. I could'nt believe that was all for me. Thank goodness the shots are okay. My husband can't believe that I just stick myself but what can we do. I try not to think about it and just do it! I've found ice-ing the spot helps.

My Dr. thinks I am a 'poor responder' meaning I am not producing alot of follicles, I'm 36. ARGH! That burns me up. As I know many women my age are ooober-fertile. We have a MF as well. So, part of iv-f is a test for me to see how well I respond. I really hope well.

I put off doing iv-f for a while, partially due to pride and fear. The pride part is still there (I've told almost no one as I am embarassed and my fear of failure) but the fears have subsided. Hope it stays that well.

Best of luck to e/one. We are all troopers!

-Andrea

[jacksmommy]

Best of luck to you Andrea! The age thing is a killer, huh?? And the one thing that you can do NOTHING about. My RE was telling me that my "egg age" is most likely the infertility factor in our case since everything came back "normal" and we have 4 yr old that was conceived naturally when I was 33 yr. I could kick myself for "putting off" trying for number 2. I thought it would be so easy (like the first time) and look at where we are now! I feel like a ticking time bomb....turned 38 in September and now I feel like we are in a race against time. My RE is great and is great about "getting things started" quickly. I hope this cycle is a successful one for you!