[ColoGirl]

Nightowl - Yes, we did use ICSI for the first round. The doctor was shocked when only 2 fertilized and then stopped growing. The RE will be running some tests on my husband to make sure there aren't any DNA issues. He doesn't think it's an egg problem at all. I've read that when the eggs stop growing, it is usually a sperm issue, not an egg issue. He did say that he's had this happen before, but never had it repeat. I'm confident that we will get more eggs this round AND make it to ET.

Kmp - I'm doing much better today. Thank you for the information, I will definitely take a look and read her blog. It really helps to read others infertility experiences and the happy outcomes.

Good luck to everyone who is starting the stim shots...they're not bad at all...it's a piece of cake by the 3rd day.

[kmp0430]

Cologirl - glad to hear you are doing better today. I'm really that this round you get some nice plump ready-to-implant embryos! I love Tertia's blog...she has some really uplifting posts. I even bought her book, which has a lot of the blog posts in it.

AFM - I just talked to my RE to ask her about my Gonal-f dose, since we are doing the same protocol as last time. I just wanted to know what the risks of upping the dose just a bit would be. But she said she doesn't want to since my E2 spiked so high last time. She also said that she expects me to have a similar response as last time (9 eggs). I know I am greedy to want a slightly higher number of eggs at ER, but I want to try as hard as possible to get to day5 this time.

We also changed our protocol to doing 2 embryos regardless of 3 or 5DT (before it was 2 on a day3 ET, 1 on a day5). I know I am crazy for wanting twins, and I know all the associated risks, but I would love to have 2 gorgeous bubbles of joy and then not have to do IVF again.

Do you guys know how many you embryos you want to transfer?

[wannabeamomma]

Originally Posted by kmp0430

Cologirl - glad to hear you are doing better today. I'm really that this round you get some nice plump ready-to-implant embryos! I love Tertia's blog...she has some really uplifting posts. I even bought her book, which has a lot of the blog posts in it.

AFM - I just talked to my RE to ask her about my Gonal-f dose, since we are doing the same protocol as last time. I just wanted to know what the risks of upping the dose just a bit would be. But she said she doesn't want to since my E2 spiked so high last time. She also said that she expects me to have a similar response as last time (9 eggs). I know I am greedy to want a slightly higher number of eggs at ER, but I want to try as hard as possible to get to day5 this time.

We also changed our protocol to doing 2 embryos regardless of 3 or 5DT (before it was 2 on a day3 ET, 1 on a day5). I know I am crazy for wanting twins, and I know all the associated risks, but I would love to have 2 gorgeous bubbles of joy and then not have to do IVF again.

Do you guys know how many you embryos you want to transfer?

If all goes well for us - we are only implanting 2.
Based on my age, and feeling re: reduction. We decided on 2 at ET.

[mom43]

kmp0430 - my new dh and I want to have twins too. Cause time, apparently, is not on our side. I am 43 and he is 36. I have 2 boys (13 and 9) with my ex and 5 years after my divorce, finally met the man of my dreams, who desperately wants children. And to have kids with the man of your dreams . . . I've never felt so old in my life as when we're in fertility world. All is good except my age. If I hear one more time that "your eggs are your age no matter how healthy you are," I'll scream. "You're how old?" Like I'm 80. May as well be. So . . . no, I do not think you're crazy to want twins (maybe just a little wacky).

[ColoGirl]

We also want to have twins. My husband is a twin and he has always wanted to have twins himself. We were going to do 2 eggs, but my RE has suggested 3...but we will see once we find out the grade of the eggs. I think I might pass out if all 3 stick. I'd rather have 3 than 0 though.

[kmp0430]

Mom43 - congrats on your marriage! How outrageous that people would tell you you have old eggs ! It's so not helpful for them to be so negative. Don't worry...you'll prove them wrong when those 2 sets of eyes are looking up at you ~9 months from now!

Cologirl - I know I would pass out if I were having 3! I agree though...it's better than 0.

AFM - DH was supposed to come home last night, but had to stay an extra day at work, so I was bummed yesterday On top of that, one of my friends wrote me an email about how I am MIA all of a sudden and she doesn't understand why I am standing her up. I feel really awful about it, but I haven't told her about our IF and it's just easier to go home after work so I can take my shots. I feel like I have to decide between having a social life or doing treatments (unless I start telling friends). I know DH and I are going to have a looooong talk about it this weekend. Question for you - if you need to carry your shots outside of the house (particularly ones that have to be in the fridge), how do you do it? Is there a certain brand of insulated lunch bag that works better than others?

I was in the grocery store yesterday, and came across Kashi brand cookies. Of course I was hungry, so I bought them...they are incredibly delicious! So that was a good pick-me-up.

TGIF!!

[mom43]

kmp0430-To keep stuff cold when I'm out, I use an Eskimo cooler and ice packs. That keeps it cold all day.
Cologirl -I know what you mean about 3. Yikes! Don't think my mind can even grasp that idea, so I'm not too worried about it.
I find the hardest part about this is the constant waiting . . . - to get off bcps, to take shots, to get the ultrasounds and bloodtests, to get results, to see follicle numbers and sizes over and over again, to get to egg retrieval and see how many eggs, to see how many eggs fertilize, how many healthy embryos, and the worst one of all - the two week wait for the blood test. Always waiting. Waiting. I think that's my lesson - to just let go and live inside the waiting. Being patient. I need to get that this time. Not one of my strongest suits. Is it just me? This time I choose to and stop the constant waiting.

[mrembo]

Hope you ladies are doing ok...i'm still on BCP till Tuesday then i should get my calender.

[honeybear0027]

Hi Ladies, can I join your group?

My timeline is just like yours - I am already on day 3 of my stims, and if I do 12 days of stims as the RE predicts as a minimum, ER will be on 6/24. Of course she thinks I may need as long as 16 days of meds.

This is my first IVF attempt and we are using my friend as our gestational carrier to carry the baby since my fibroids mean I can't. The shots seem to be no big deal to me, eventhough I am taking 4 a day. But maybe that's because I am a diabetic and I used to take shots all the time (I have been on an insulin pump for 10 years, so no shots for that amount of time). The Lupron feels like nothing, and while the combined follistim/menopur shot kinda burns, it all seems worth it.

I was really scared about what the hormones would do to me, but after starting the lupron on monday and the stims on wednesday I really feel fine. No mood swings or grumpiness, just a little tired from my sleep cycle being disturbed by the meds.

Mostly I am just excited to be moving forward with this process.

Mom43 - yes I love to hear about how ancient I am in the fertility world. LOL The RE told me she was starting me on the absolutely highest doses of meds because of my age, and she can't go any higher no matter how my body reacts. I am just hoping that I get enough eggs so that we have some embies to freeze if we need them, although my RE says not to expect that.

We are paying for this all ourselves without insurance, so if it doesn't work this time and we have no frozen embies, I think we might be done.

Wannabe - I think you asked about leaving the Lupron out, I am sure that is fine. The reason they want you to keep it in the fridge is in case your air goes out or something and it gets really hot in your house and it gets over 77 degrees. They tell us to refridgerate our insulin (it has similar temp requirements) but most people I know take a bottle out of the fridge when they use it and leave it out at room temp while in use. It might be "optimal" to keep it in the fridge, but a few days or weeks out should be just fine.

Forgot to add - we will be transfering no more than 2, no matter whether day 3 or 5. We don't want to risk it with my friend being my GC.

[kmp0430]

Honeybear!! Glad to have you cycling with us. I'm thinking my ER will be on 6/25, so we'll be right around the same time! Glad to know that Lupron is treating you well...I was fine on it the 1st time, but finding that I'm a bit moodier the 2nd time around. But you are right...it will all be worth it, and this is a small price to pay.

We have a calendar going to keep up with each other's dates: junjul_ivf: June 2009
Feel free to add yours!

mrembo - hope you're well too!

mom43 - thx for the tip on what cooler to use. I hear you with the waiting...definitely the worst part. There's too much time in there (esp the 2ww) to overanalyze and drive yourself nuts! I consider myself a patient person, but it really is like torture. Time seems to pass so slowly in those days. I need to come up with some distractions...

Finally done working! Have a great Friday everyone

[wannabeamomma]

Happy Saturday all !!

Hope you are all doing ok.

Very excited for my suppression check on Monday. that my us is good and e2 levels tell me that I can start stimming. Ready to get this show on the road but nervous about all the anxiety that comes with stimming and getting closer to ER, fertilization reports, ET and then the 2ww. But this is the journey I am on - and am ready to start trucking along.

Also, big note to self - DO NOT WATCH Birth Story on the Discovery Channel. Cried my eyes out this morning. What was I thinking ??? LOL !!

[ValtheGal]

Hi Ladies, hope your all well!!

Quick update from me. Started my stims on Friday (yeah AF finally arrived). Took 225iu Menopur x 2 Fri and Sat, Sun down to 225 once a day with my first scan on Mon.

Anyone else been on menopur? Just wondering if anyone had any side affects, I have been so tired. I pratically slept on and off during the day. I never do that!

Wannabeamomma - good luck with your check up on Mon. Hope you can get started with those stims.

[wannabeamomma]

Hey Val -
Congrats on starting stims. The only thing I heard about Menopur is that it stings when it first goes in. Am interested in seeing what other effects it has.

So - my last BCP was on Weds night - and still no AF.

Is this normal ????

[kmp0430]

Hey everyone,

Wannabe - Yes, it's normal. You may not even get a period. Everyone reacts a bit differently to it. I just had spotting last time, and I just got spotting this morning, so it looks like I'll be in the same pattern. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Maybe it means your ovaries are super-suppressed and just waiting to get started on stims!

I know what you mean about the TV shows...I'm afraid to watch anything having to do with families. My SIL watches Jon & Kate +8, but I just can't bear to. A week after I got my bfn last round, DH and I watched Marley and Me and I bawled through the whole movie and was miserable for days after. So I'm trying to stay away from seeing all that stuff.

Val - I'm not on Menopur, but it seems like from my observations that women on Menopur seem to get more eggs at retrieval. But that's just what I seem to see on these boards, not anything definitive by any means. On tiredness, all of the meds seem to make me more tired than normal, but progesterone especially affected me the last 2 times...fatigue, crazy dreams, night sweats...

DH's cousin had her baby yesterday. Somehow, I don't really feel jealous though...I think it's cuz she had a difficult pregnancy. She had gestational diabetes, and the baby was only born at 34 wks and only weighed 4 lbs 9 oz. I don't think I could bear going to the hospital to see them though.

I have my suppression check tmrw @ 6:30AM!! I hope I wake up in time! Val and Wannabe - good luck with your u/s & bw!!

[ColoGirl]

Sorry that I have been out of touch the past few days...I've been so busy. all the new ladies to the thread.

Hope the stims go well for all the ladies who just started. I still have another week before I start mine. I'm alittle concerned though...this afternoon I had some spotting. It wasn't like a normal period, but still a good amount of pink. Has this happened to any of you other ladies while on BCP?

Val - I was on Menopur last time and my RE said it helps mature the eggs even more. It's a mix of FSH and LH. I personally wasn't ever tired, but I had the worst hot flashes. I was tired after using the progesterone.

Kmp - I hope your suppression check goes well tomorrow...I know it will . I know the feeling of not wanting to go visit...but just think, in about 10 months from now you will have people visiting you and your baby or babies.