[ara79]

i am so excited for all of you! how absolutely awesome is this??? i am in the houston area and if any of you have any travel questions or any questions at all about anything PLEASE feel free to PM me! good luck to you all!

[Webb]

The receptionist called me today and I am scheduled for 3/4 at 9am. I am so excited! They want me to stay there for 2 to 3 days so they can get as much done as they can while I am there. Now I am going to pray for to show up on 3/3 so they can scan me on CD 2 like they want. I am going to be leaving KS on Monday afternoon and probably won't get to Houston until 10 or 12. My friends, family and co-workers think I am nuts for driving that far, but they don't know how determined I am to get . I am going to PM a couple of you Houston ladies to see where I should stay. I hope the rest of you ladies get a call back soon.

[mia23]

Okay ladies I have an appointment in Webster next Tuesday 3/4 at 9am they scheduled it early so that I could catch a flight that night. I need help I did not get much info about what they are going to do. Does Dh need to be there? They didn't ask me to stay for a couple of days so they could get a lot done. That should be day 2 or 3 for me . I am so excited and nervous. Anyone have their appointment yet so I know what to expect. I dont know where to stay. I have to book a flight. Help please .

[mia23]

Okay I have tried to calm down and collect myself and my questions. I also called Maryanne and am waiting for a call back (My appointment is Tuesday 3/4 @ 9:00am at Webster). For those of you that have had your initial consult here are my questions...


1) What is done first visit (I should hopefully be CD1 or CD2)?

2) Does Dh need to be there for initial consult?

3) What tests other than those done at initial consult will need to be done prior to the start of the IVF cycle and how often and long will I need to be there?

4) What tests require Dh to be there and when?

5) Will I take BCP the cycle prior to start of IVF cycle?

6) When will the IVF cycle start?

7) Dh and I are planning to stay in town for 2-3 weeks once stimming starts thru monitoring and ER, and ET, do you think that will be enough time?


Any answers and info would be great!!!!

[Passionscientist]

Originally Posted by ara79

i am so excited for all of you! how absolutely awesome is this??? i am in the houston area and if any of you have any travel questions or any questions at all about anything PLEASE feel free to PM me! good luck to you all!

Amy, where in Houston are you? I've been thinking and praying for you and hoping you are doing better!!!

Kristen

[Passionscientist]

Mia and Kari - Looks like you BOTH will be down here on the same day for your appointments!! How cool!

I can suggest as far as lodging to look for a hotel on Bay Area Blvd in Houston, there are several on that road and there are a lot of restaurants, mall, etc nearby. It's very close to CORM.

As far as flights, try to fly into Houston Hobby as it is much closer than Intercontinental. Southwest has a ton of flights into there if you can hop on one. The airport code is HOU.

Feel free to PM me if you need additional help or if you need my cell phone. I live about 5 miles from CORM in Webster and can help you if you need it! Or if you just want a dinner companion...lol.

I'll let Janice and others answer your questions Mia because she has been already. I'm 99% sure DH does NOT need to be there for the initial consult. Also, those are GREAT questions so I would make a list of any and all questions and bring them with you to CORM. Also, I've found if you have specific questions for Maryanne, you can send her an email and she will try to respond to those (but usually there is a day or two lag).

I hope that helps! Congratulations and I really hope to meet all of you!!

Kristen

[Passionscientist]

Passionscientist - Kristen (TX) - Lupron 2/29, Stims 3/14 (CORM - Webster, TX)
Babybearjmd - Janice (TX) - Waiting on again (CORM - Webster, TX)
Melanee2255 - Mel (UT) - Appt on Tuesday (CORM - Webster, TX)
mleonard0128 - (AL) - Appt soon!
pray2bmom - Nicole (LA) - Appt on Monday (CORM - Webster, TX)
marcia9043 - Marcia (TX) - Dallas Center for Assisted Reproduction
Nursamp - Tomeka (SC) - ?? I know it's in SC though!
Frymomma2b - Lorry (TX) - 3/11 Appt (CORM - Webster, TX)
Webb - Kari (KS) - Appt 3/4 at CORM
mia23 - Mia (OH) - Appt 3/4 at CORM

I'm not as good as Janice and keeping this thing updated!! LOL!

[babybearjmd]

When you are there for your visit, try to see if they will combine some of the normal visits so you don't have to go as often. Also let them know that you are willing to have as many tests that day as possible so you are ready to begin once the results are back...


1) What is done first visit (I should hopefully be CD1 or CD2)? my first visit the did the following:

transvaginal ultrasound - look at antral follies, ovaries and uterus
pap smear (they will not do this if you have results from you most recent one)
clamydia/gonorrhea screen
bloodwork for hiv/ hepatitis b and c testing
urine sample
if it is day 2,3,4, they will take more blood for day 3 labs (fsh, lh, tsh, E2, etc)

2) Does Dh need to be there for initial consult?
dh does not have to be there, but he will also need to be tested for hiv/hepatitis band c and stds
also they will need results from a semen analysis

3) What tests other than those done at initial consult will need to be done prior to the start of the IVF cycle and how often and long will I need to be there?
other test will include mock transfer, hsg if you haven't had one in the past 2 years, I think they also need blood for a metabolic panel (liver function testing)

4) What tests require Dh to be there and when?

see above

5) Will I take BCP the cycle prior to start of IVF cycle?
They will be using a lupron protocol with bcps. If you are there during your day 2,3,4 they might go ahead and give you your bcps. You will start taking them once the lab results are back and FSH shows normal. You will then have to go in on a Thursday (10-21 days after bcps) to get shot instructions and the lupron. You will take the lupron for 2 weeks beginning Friday after the Thursday appt. After taking the lupron for 2 weeks, you will go back to the clinic and begin the stims (gonal F). Once you begin stims, should pretty much stay in Houston until at least 3 days after ET. That's very roughly 3 weeks. They want you on bed rest for 48 hours after ET so don't plan on traveling back until then. Once you get the study protocol, look over all of the visits. There are a lot. After ET, you have to go back to the clinic at least once a week for the next 3 weeks. If you are pregnant, there will be more visits.



6) When will the IVF cycle start?

The cycle will start once your day 3 labs are back if it is within 7 days of the start of AF. The lab is backed up and is taking a while for results to get back. You may not start until the next month when you have AF. That is what they are having me do...

7) Dh and I are planning to stay in town for 2-3 weeks once stimming starts thru monitoring and ER, and ET, do you think that will be enough time?

Yes that should be enough time


Southwest has decent deals on flights if you have them in your area. Houston Hobby is about 30 minutes from the center. If you have advanced notice, then you can get DING specials and cheaper fares. Southwest Airlines Continental also often runs weekend specials to Houston since it is their headquarters. The airport is farther (1.5 hours in traffic), but I was able to buy a ticket this past Friday to fly out on Saturday, Feb 23 and return on Monday, Feb 25 (you had to return on Mon or Tues) for $114 R/T. If I would have bought the same ticket short notice on Southwest, I would have paid around $300. The hotels that are really close to the center are fairly expensive. The cheapest I found was the Comfort Suites for about $107/night. I'm sure there are cheaper ones, but I only looked at ones that were really close.

[babybearjmd]

Here's the link to this weekend's continental specials: Continental Airlines - continental.com Specials

[Webb]

I am very excited for my appointment on Tuesday! I am not looking forward to staying in Houston for 3 weeks during the stims and the actual IVF. My friend lives in Austin and told me it was only 2 hrs away. I just googled it and it is actually about 3 1/2 from where she lives I am sure I can find some cheap rooms. I will let everyone know what happens after Tuesday. Thanks for all the information ladies.

[Passionscientist]

Originally Posted by Webb

I am very excited for my appointment on Tuesday! I am not looking forward to staying in Houston for 3 weeks during the stims and the actual IVF. My friend lives in Austin and told me it was only 2 hrs away. I just googled it and it is actually about 3 1/2 from where she lives I am sure I can find some cheap rooms. I will let everyone know what happens after Tuesday. Thanks for all the information ladies.

Yippee! If you need a place, you are welcome to crash with us...if you don't mind dogs...LOL. And I think there may be a couple of you on the same cycles so maybe you guys can split a place! Austin isn't that far and you probably won't need to be here every day during the stims. I think you will really only need to be here for two and a half weeks if that extra 3-4 days helps.

Oh and I have several friends that also may have a rooms you guys can stay in also...need to check on that

[Melanee2255]

Hey ladies~
I just wanted to give an update on the events of my initial screening today. We (my sister and I, DH couldn't get work off) flew in from Salt Lake last night on Southwest into Houston Hobby airport and got in at 11:00 pm. We then took a taxi to our hotel which was Days Inn and Suites about 2 blocks from CORM. I let them know that I was there for medical purposes and they gave me a discount. It was only $54.95 before taxes for the night. They also told me that they would give me a discount during the 2 weeks I will be down there so pm me if you want that info.

We woke up this morning my appt was at 9:00 but they wanted me there an hour early. We got there at about 7:50 am and it was pretty much empty we were the only ones in the waiting room. They had me fill out some paperwork and read over the IVF study consent forms. They then took me back for vitals and then Maryann came and got us and we went back and she went over all of the packet with us, she was so sweet and patient with all of my questions. She then looked at all of my records (2 semen analysis, Hysterosalpingogram, bloodwork for hormones, sperm penetration test, pap smear) And said everything looked really good and because I have all of those tests already done I would be able to go home after my appt! So they then brought Dr. Schnell in to meet us and she was very nice and friendly and went over my paperwork with me really quick. Then they took me back and did the transvaginal ultrasound to check my uterus, follicles, cultures and then did a breast exam, all that good stuff. (she said my lining and ovaries were beautiful!)

They then took me back and drew some blood and we were all done! We were there from about 7:50am-11:00 am. We then called a shuttle that took us back to the airport and we were on a 1:00 pm flight back to Salt Lake! So if you guys have any questions let me know, I think depending on what tests you have records for, will determine how many days and how long you will be there!

The people are great at CORM, so friendly and personable. I could not feel any better about the facility and staff.

Now we will just wait until I start my period, when I start I will call them and hopefully fly down that day or the next day and get my BCP's. That should be somewhere around the 6th, 7th, or 8th of March. Then a couple of weeks later will come back for the Lupron and take a little injection training course and then go home again, then about 2 weeks later I will start with stims and stay there once those start. So we are shooting for about the middle to end of April for the actual transfer...if all goes well!

Again, if anyone has any questions pm me!

Thanks
Melanee

[Chinadoll08]

I have been pretty inactive on the board since my chemical pregnancy through IVF in December, but I do read updates on everyone daily. I stumbled upon this post about the trial and called last week with no response. I called again yesterday and I got two phone calls back!!! I have an appointment on Saturday morning (March 1st) and hopefully will know then if I am in the study! We were almost fully on board with International Adoption but something just made me hang onto the idea of doing another IVF cycle. With insurance coverage that covers nothing but meds though I was too worried about spending another 13,000 dollars with a sad result at the end, so now with this study I just might get to do another round of IVF and I just know it is going to work this time! Thanks again to the wonderful lady who made this information available to everyone! I appreciate it so much!

[Passionscientist]

Chinadoll!!! I'm glad you found us and I really hope it works out for you!!! We'll be for some 's from this trial soon! I will add you to our growing list!! Will you be participating at CORM in Webster or will you be going to a different center??


Mel - I'm so glad that everything went ok at the appointment!!! Now we just need to get to show up so you can get going! Yippee!!!

to everyone!

[Passionscientist]

Passionscientist - Kristen (TX) - Lupron 2/29, Stims 3/14 (CORM - Webster, TX)
Babybearjmd - Janice (TX) - Waiting on again (CORM - Webster, TX)
Melanee2255 - Mel (UT) - Appt went great! Waiting on to start BCP (CORM - Webster, TX)
mleonard0128 - (AL) - Appt soon!
pray2bmom - Nicole (LA) - Appt on Monday (CORM - Webster, TX)
marcia9043 - Marcia (TX) - Dallas Center for Assisted Reproduction
Nursamp - Tomeka (SC) - ?? I know it's in SC though!
Chinadoll08 - (TX) - Appt 3/1
Webb - Kari (KS) - Appt 3/4 at CORM
mia23 - Mia (OH) - Appt 3/4 at CORM