[mbaggett]

girly! I am sorry to hear about your recent stuff. Here is wishing for a for you and all of us for Christmas!. We all have been talking about what relaxes us the most. I thought we could all get ideas from each other. So what have you found that is good?

[JessStillWaits]

Relaxation is hard to come by, admittedly.

-Massage has been wonderful, but is expensive. I don't think it's on the menu for me preIVF.
- Travel. Getting out for the day, even a day trip and not being in familiar surroundings or seeing pregnant friends, etc. It just helps to be in a new place.
- Hiking is really great for me, I find it's hard to think about anything else when I have worry about putting one foot in front of the other and where to put my hands, etc...
- Yoga is good too. Of course, I still think about it during yoga but I try and make it positive.
- This may sound silly but playing board games- especially since the weather has been chillier- DH and I do scrabble and other things, it prevents me from obsessing during those quieter moments.

I find that down times at work at hardest for me, and not coincidentally, when I spend the most time searching the net for IVF stats or using this site. But I do have to find some coping strategies for while at work- I feel like I am really bad when here.

Originally Posted by mbaggett

girly! I am sorry to hear about your recent stuff. Here is wishing for a for you and all of us for Christmas!. We all have been talking about what relaxes us the most. I thought we could all get ideas from each other. So what have you found that is good?

[IowaGal]

Hey girls!

So I went to class today and learned that my transfer might actually happen late November. It all depends on my cycle and whether it conflicts with my Baseline U/S. Ugh!!

Babehopes-as far as how many, my doc said he would do no more than 2 for me based on my age.

Jess-Welcome! I hope all goes well for you this time around!
Talk to you all soon!

[iloveoange]

Hi girls....i was thinking i would have my IVF in November..don't ask me how i came to this conclusion!...but i should be doing my first IVF in December. Will start BCP in november....and then go thru the whole thing. i have an appointment with my RE tomorrow...and then will be meeting with an IVF coordinator...i am excited..and trying to be positive.
I am planning to do my 2nd IUI this month..but i am not too hopeful about it..on account of DH really low motility...so..for me, all my hopes are on IVF. It is good that i got into the group early on..we can help each other along the way and get to know one another better

For relaxation....currently we are thinking of buying a home..so i am busy researching and checking out neighbourhoods and that keeps my mind occupied!

On another note....Jess...too bad about getting ur IVF postponed..but glad that they discovered it on time..and you are not losing too much of time...tho i know 1 month can definately seem long!

[JessStillWaits]

Hi, Iloveoange, I recognize you from previous IUI and Nov IVF boards! Welcome, I completely can relate to hoping for IVF. I know what you mean about not having faith in an IUI, that's how I felt about my Sept IUI. Though it would have been nice. My doc has also said, "keep trying in the meantime." We probably could do IUI's while we are waiting until Dec, but it seems liek a lot of work for monitoring and missing time at my work for nothing. I'd rather just wait it out and maybe give my body a bit of a rest. Also, it's always unnerving at work when I take too much time.

I have my mock transfer today and am meeting with doc to discuss plan. *fingers crossed* for no more delays.

Originally Posted by iloveoange

Hi girls....i was thinking i would have my IVF in November..don't ask me how i came to this conclusion!...but i should be doing my first IVF in December. Will start BCP in november....and then go thru the whole thing. i have an appointment with my RE tomorrow...and then will be meeting with an IVF coordinator...i am excited..and trying to be positive.
I am planning to do my 2nd IUI this month..but i am not too hopeful about it..on account of DH really low motility...so..for me, all my hopes are on IVF. It is good that i got into the group early on..we can help each other along the way and get to know one another better

For relaxation....currently we are thinking of buying a home..so i am busy researching and checking out neighbourhoods and that keeps my mind occupied!

On another note....Jess...too bad about getting ur IVF postponed..but glad that they discovered it on time..and you are not losing too much of time...tho i know 1 month can definately seem long!

[babehopes]

I am just trying to see if my signature updated.... I may not have done it correctly...

[babehopes]

Ok it looks like my signature updated, but it didnt upload my profile pic - oh well. Just out of curiosity - what kind of insurance do each of you have? I'm asking b/c our insurance pays NOTHING dealing with infertility. It treats it as though its cosmetic. It doesnt even pay for any of the testing, bloodwork, ultrasounds, etc leading up to any of the procedures. This along with the fact that our chance of success would go form 10 to 50% helped us move from iui to ivf. We had already spent about 5K on the two iui's.

[JessStillWaits]

Hi Babehopes- I think it's smart you moved on financially as well as emotionally, and it makes me so angry they do nothing to help you. It's just so unfair.

I work for the University of Pennsylvania and I am on their internal plan. I get IUI's covered and ONE IVF every two years. I also get one FET cycle covered within 4 months. I do think they'd cover a bit of expenses if we had to go beyond those two attempts. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket for me though!

If we had to go beyond it, our clinic does a shared risk program which I would be interested in possibly. Have you looked into those?

Originally Posted by babehopes

Ok it looks like my signature updated, but it didnt upload my profile pic - oh well. Just out of curiosity - what kind of insurance do each of you have? I'm asking b/c our insurance pays NOTHING dealing with infertility. It treats it as though its cosmetic. It doesnt even pay for any of the testing, bloodwork, ultrasounds, etc leading up to any of the procedures. This along with the fact that our chance of success would go form 10 to 50% helped us move from iui to ivf. We had already spent about 5K on the two iui's.

[mbaggett]

bebehopes- I have BCBS and it has been ok so far till now. They only pay for 1 IVF ever. So we are hoping that this one takes.

Jess-I am going today for APS bloodwork. I have a few symptoms and they want to check now for it. What have your DR. said your long term would be? Medicine????

[mbaggett]

iloveoange I am glad we have started this early too. Gives me an outlet to talk....

[JessStillWaits]

Hi Mbaggett- Well basically they do two sets of blood draws. So I had the first one done and they wait 6-12 weeks to do the second (which is why my cycle for Nov got transferred.) I am meeting with a Maternal Fetal Sepcialist 10/30, so I will probably know more then. But basically if you have the full on APS syndrome (and not just the antibodies)- it does involve medication. Usually heparin daily shots and aspirin. There are some risks, particularly later in pregnancy (i/e preeclampsia, early term labor) but the benefits seem to far outweight the risks- I've heard 80% of people post t/x go on to have a live birth so that's good.

So basically for me, I have the antibodies and am waiting to hear about the full syndrome.

I have also read that this can go hand in hand with other diagnoses i/e lupus, so it's important to be proactive for you general physical health in addition to just fertility health, which not all RE's do in my experience.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by mbaggett

bebehopes- I have BCBS and it has been ok so far till now. They only pay for 1 IVF ever. So we are hoping that this one takes.

Jess-I am going today for APS bloodwork. I have a few symptoms and they want to check now for it. What have your DR. said your long term would be? Medicine????

[babehopes]

mbaggett - really!?! - we have BSBC of TN, even though we live in AL and it doesnt pay anything. But it is through my work. I called them and they said that coverage for things like that is different for different companies and that they dont offer anything for an individual that would cover it. We did qualift for a 2 cycle shared risk program at our clinic. The cost of that package plus the monitoring package is $18,500 plus the cost of meds. That's why we had to do the clomid challenge test to see if we qualified for it. We passed that test thank goodness. So we are planning on doing the shared risk. In the end it doesnt matter to me how much it costs as long as we take home a healthy baby

[iloveoange]

Jess...tell about about the doctors wanting you to keep trying iui...not to mention expenses and the toll on you emotionally..coz we still hope..despite of knowing the odds!

Babehopes...i have Highmark BCBS...they pay for the diagnosis for infertility..but not the IUI process..gotta find about IVF..i am sure it will be the same. But, it is funny that Highmark BCBS is not accepted in any NYC infertility clinics!...so i am out of network..so, i get compensated about 80% for stuff...it is so painful...they do not send me a check..but they send it to my clinic to whom i have already paid!..so i have to call the clinic and get them to write a check..how annoying!

Mbaggett...how did your test go?

So yest. i had my consultation with my RE for IVF and met the coordinator. I got some huge book to read and tons of forms to sign..if my IUI this month does not work. Btw. my IUI is this Saturday...and the doctor basically told me to give myself an Ovidrel shot!..i have no idea how to do it...i have to look it up in the internet...

How are all you ladies doing?

[mbaggett]

OMG, they took 8, yes count them, 8 viles of blood yesterday! Ouch, and they werent to carefull changing each out. I wanted to scream but I didnt, I was a big girl. When do you get used to giving blood and looking like you are a drug addict with bruised tracked up arms?? LOL

ilove- do you submit your bills to your insurance or does the clinic? I have used a Dr out of network before and had to make sure that I wrote on it to re-imburse the patient. Just thought I would mention it. Maybe if your clinic submits, they could write that on there for you????

So is anyone comfy using our real names, I feel so impersonal using our user names..... I dunno, just a thought.

My name is Mary and I am in Tallahassee Florida.

[iloveoange]

Mary..wow! that is a lot of blood...and i think of the same thing..when will the fear of giving blood will go...i guess by the end of the whole process all of us will be pros in injections and blood giving

I am open to using my name..it is easier too...

I am Rajitha and i am in NYC