[jp1981]

Just thought it would be a good idea to get a thread started for those who are starting an IVF cycle this fall after a failed or a few failed IVF cycles that way we could all cycle together and share our experiences.

I have had 2 failed cycles, I underwent a LAP and just started BCP's today for my 3rd cycle. I am so excited but scared at the same time.

[cagirl2003]

i've also had 2 failed cycles. i will be starting with ivf 3 after this next cycle...so likely a very early november ivf

[3rdtimesthecharm]

Hi everyone! I tried calling the clinic today because I still don't have a schedule...I get the feeling I may end up being the last ER that we see in November if we keep this rate up. I'll try calling the clinic again on Monday...hopefully I can get somewhere. Right now I just feel a little lost without having something to mark down on my calendar.

How are you ladies feeling? It'd be nice if we found a few more to join us on our quest for Summer 2010 babies!

[DDU]

Hi everyone -- I just joined these forums tonight but have been a long time lurker. I am really touched by how supportive everyone on these boards are to each other. I found out today that my 2nd IVF cycle was a BFN. I spent all day crying (with my door closed at work). I was really hopeful this time because they had retrieved a lot more eggs than usual (13 rather than 8), my blasts were good quality, and the ET went smoothly. This is my 10th failed treatment (including IUI's and FET) and it's really taking a toll on me; it's just hard to stay hopeful anymore. The way I get through each failed cycle is to plan for the next one. I have an appointment with my RE in October and will likely start another IVF cycle in November (if he agrees).

[jp1981]

Hi Ladies!!!!
3rd time-did you start BCP? I hear you about the wait, waiting for AF was the longest 4 days of my life!

AFM: I am feeling slightly down today, my job is so hectic not to mention starting the pill today and knowing that I will be gaining 5lbs in the next few days I took out my frustration on DH tonight!

[jp1981]

DDU- we can all related to the frustration of having more then one failed IVF cycle...I feel like I live my life in 2 week intervals since we starting trying, its always the 2 week wait feels like. Now I am on 2 weeks of BCP before starting Lupron. Does your RE have any idea why it hasnt worked? My RE says that its rare it works first try and you only have 40% chance first try if everything goes well. I am trying to stay positive and that when its meant to work it will work just hasnt been the right time.

[3rdtimesthecharm]

Originally Posted by jp1981

Hi Ladies!!!!
3rd time-did you start BCP? I hear you about the wait, waiting for AF was the longest 4 days of my life!

AFM: I am feeling slightly down today, my job is so hectic not to mention starting the pill today and knowing that I will be gaining 5lbs in the next few days I took out my frustration on DH tonight!

I'll be at the two week mark on those awful BCPs come Monday...so I've already gained my excess BCP weight. I want to try and lose it since I know I'll gain more during the cycle (whenever that happens), but I don't really want to cut calories or do anything that might hinder my eggs. So I'll probably just suck it up.

Right now we are in a hold pattern because DH needed to get some bloodwork done before they would ok us to continue...funny, but of the three people I asked on five different occasions if there was anything other than my pap that needed to occur before we were good to go, not one of them said ANYTHING about DH needing bloodwork! I am thankful that I found out before he went out of town for two weeks, but they won't even pass my file on to finance, so that I can pay and get my calendar, until they get the results of his b/w. I can start at any time once we get this mess cleaned up!

When do you have your baseline?

[DDU]

Hi JP 1981 - Thanks for the ! My very first IVF was cancelled because of zero fertilization. I think it was lab error or a sperm issue (we are using a donor) because I was able to fertilize naturally in a later cycle (with a new donor). I switched RE's after that. My new(ish) RE thought my first complete IVF and FET cycle failures were just bad luck because everything pretty much looks good. He actually told me that I had a 50% chance of success for my first 2 IVF cycles but that every failed cycle now brings my chances down. My blasts are always high quality, my uterine lining good, etc., my immunology testing came back normal, no blocked tubes (not a factor for IVF I know), no polyps in my uterus, etc., so I am very confused and frustrated. My FSH is a little higher than I would like (8.5), which is why I never have a ton of eggs. That's why I set up another appointment with my RE to try to figure out what's going on.

Good luck with your cycle - I have never done the BCP before the cycle (I am a Day 2 starter). I am keeping my for you this cycle.

[3rdtimesthecharm]

Originally Posted by DDU

Hi everyone -- I just joined these forums tonight but have been a long time lurker. I am really touched by how supportive everyone on these boards are to each other. I found out today that my 2nd IVF cycle was a BFN. I spent all day crying (with my door closed at work). I was really hopeful this time because they had retrieved a lot more eggs than usual (13 rather than 8), my blasts were good quality, and the ET went smoothly. This is my 10th failed treatment (including IUI's and FET) and it's really taking a toll on me; it's just hard to stay hopeful anymore. The way I get through each failed cycle is to plan for the next one. I have an appointment with my RE in October and will likely start another IVF cycle in November (if he agrees).

I hear you on the frustration...this will be my 15th cycle of treatment (10 IUIs, 1 FET and what will be my 4th fresh IVF). I'm switching protocols this time, so I hope that will do the trick. Have you done all of your treatments back to back? What protocol are they going to have you doing? GL with your appointment with the RE!

[jp1981]

DDU-thats great that your embryos make it to blasts hopefully this will be your cycle
My FSH is fine, DH is fine our the fertilization is good but we have only had 2 good emrbyos to transfer both cycles! My RE also says just bad luck...it frustrates me why the emrbyos dont live but I guess a lot has to do with how mature the eggs are when retrived and all that stuff. I produce a lot of follicles so my E2 leves get high which is why they trigger me before all of the embryos fully mature...I had a LAP done 2 weeks ago everything was fine just a cyst on the tube removed so it will be depressing if I have another

[DDU]

JP1981 and 3rdtimesthecharm -- I am very hopeful for the both of you. You both just seem like perfect candidates for success. It's nice to know that there are others who have gone through so many cycles of this!

JP1981 - That's great that you don't have FSH issues and your DH is perfect. My DH had chemo when he was a teenager so we don't have him as an option.

3rdtimesthecharm - Wow, we are in a sad "competition" for the highest number of treatments My IUI treatments were back-to-back but I took breaks after my IVF's (I developed a cyst after the first complete one and my estrogen was too high). I did a FET instead and I think that was a waste. I then took a month off for accupuncture and then did the second IVF. I am taking this month off because I was slightly overstimulated last time and I just think my body needs a break. I have heard that a change in protocol often makes the difference in terms of egg quality and I hope it's the case with you.

[DDU]

Oh, and my protocol was a day 2 starter. I just start stimming on day 2 with Gonal-F, suppressing mid-way through with Ganirelix, and then trigger with Novarel. I have had issues with the PIO -- extreme pain, fever -- so I switched to prometrium pills plus suppositories. I still had a weird spike in temperature (about 99.6) on the day of ET.

3rdtimesthecharm -- it looks like you had issues with progesterone, too. What are they having you take instead after ET?

[DDU]

JP1981 - Since it seems like your estrogen spikes before all your eggs are mature, can your RE lower the dosage of your stims? It seems like that something that should be correctable by maybe a slower stimulation protocol.

[cagirl2003]

hi girls! wow 10 treatment! 15 treatments... you girls are AMAZING!

i've done 4 iuis and "3" ivfs...one being canceled...and i'm already dying LOL

i'm glad i've found you girls to keep me going! i am HAITING this break. i never did get an + opk...so that's annoying. i should've temped, but didn't.

anyway, guessing we have NO shot this cycle...not like we really had one before though even if i woulda ovulated.

anyhoo! have a great saturday girls.

[3rdtimesthecharm]

jp: The phrase that makes me want to smack the doctor is when I’m told that my response is “textbook.” For DH, it is the “well, each cycle is like a coin toss where you have a 50/50 chance; unfortunately it seems like you are always falling on the wrong side…hopefully this cycle will be the one that works.” I know that they mean for it to be comforting, but it’s not…that just makes DH angry.

DDU: the need to know that there are others that are out there like us (that will find success) is pretty much why we decided to stick with a thread of folks that have been through this multiple times…not to down play the nerves and successes of the women that only have to do this once, but it just feels better to be in a crowd of folks that have been through the wringer a little…that success is just a little sweeter! I too did all of my IUIs back to back (aside from one being cancelled for a cyst). My clinic only does four cycles a year for IVF, so they kinda force you to take a break. My E2 levels have a tendency to go a little crazy (5800 1st cycle and 6400 3rd cycle), so I asked for a change in protocol…the clinic would have liked to keep me on MDL, but I really believe that the high E2 is cooking my eggs and giving me lesser quality embryos. The Chief agreed to let me switch to Luteal Lupron this cycle, but they don’t believe that a change in protocol will make a difference…what matters to me is that I believe that it will. You mentioned above that you are using a donor, which bank are you using? Have you been happy with them? We used California Cryobank for our directed donor and then switched to Fairfax when we ran out of that specimen…the main reason for the switch was because Fairfax is closer. As for the progesterone, I’ve tried PIO, PEO and Endometrin…I always get the same pimply rash (we even tried progesterone during a cycle without meds to see if that was the problem…same reaction); there’s really nothing they can do for me…I’m just thrilled that it’s getting colder out because that means I’ll be able to wear turtlenecks to cover the rash this cycle!

cagirl: I’m anxious to get started again. Mostly because I am convinced this cycle will work and I want to get the show on the road. We’ve all been through the wringer of treatments and it would be awesome if we could all get our success this time. As one that can’t get pregnant without treatments, I never tried to get pg between cycles, so I don’t know how off it can make your O…are you still testing?

Hopefully everyone has a wonderful weekend. The weather is beautiful right now, so I will probably take the dogs for a run.