It's HEEEE-EEEEERE!!! We officially started our IVF cycle yesterday when AF showed up!!! I am VERY excited and very apprehensive...all at the same time. I will get my calendars tomorrow but the IVF coord. read me my dates over the phone this morning. I will start BCP on 6/19 and be on them until 7/10. I will start Lupron shots on the day AF shows up, about 7/12. I do Lupron only for two days and then I start stims on 7/14. Last cycle, start of stim to retrieval was 12 days so retrieval SHOULD be about 7/26. That means my beta will be August 9th. In less than two months I should be PG.... :crossfing

Wow. I am suddenly so wrought with emotion. This kinda brings up all the emotions I suffered through last cycle with the ectopic and surgery. I am scared to death that something else will go wrong or that this cycle will be negative (we have been so lucky TWICE!). I know all I can do is lean on my faith and pray - and that's exactly what I'm doing! I sure would appreciate any good thoughts and/or prayers over the next two months - anything you can manage!

Stay tuned here and I will post updates. The next one should be around mid-July! In the meantime, keep sending prayers and positive thoughts!

Sending TONS and TONS of positive thoughts and Prayers to you!! Can't wait to hear the updates!!

Oh boy!! I'm excited. I look forward to updates.

I can see why this brings up a lot of emotions for you. Obviously IVF is a good option for you guys. Hopefully this one will bring you a BFP too.

Gosh, Suzi, I can't imagine what you'll be going through but I'm sure it's going to be a roller coaster of emotions! I'm just so glad you're able to try again! And I'll be praying for you! Lots of hugs for you!

Wow!!! Such an exciting summer....and definitely one with lots of emotions. I will be thinking about you and Chris, and praying hard for a positive result!!!!

Good luck Suzi.

I am so glad you guys are going to get try it again. I have everything crossed that this one will work and we will be seeing BFPs from you in Aug.

You will definitely be in my thoughts.

Michele

I will certainly be thinking of you and following your journey!! :nod:

Sending lots of positive thoughts your way!!

As I mentioned before, you will be in my thoughts and prayers over the next couple of months.

I hope we're both pregnant within two months.....:awink:

Good luck Suzi!! Tons of ++++++++ thoughts headed your way!!

Woohoo! Good luck Suzi!!! Sending tons and tons of ++++ vibes your way!

Good Luck Suzi.... Here are a few more ++++ to send your way!!

Just an update....

I got my drugs today and I finish up my BCPs this Saturday. I start one kind of shot on Monday and go for an ultrasound next Wednesday morning at which time I should get the go-ahead to start stim shots. In about three weeks from today I should be at retrieval!! :yippee:

:woo: As usual, many +++++++ thoughts are heading your way. :)

:dancingpi:crossfing :dancingpi

I've got all my fingers crossed and sending you lots of sticky, good embryo vibes.

Michele

I really hope this time around works for you :crossfing I was so disapointed that you had to leave the Nov/Dec 2004 group :( But Im glad I get to be in a play group with you now and I wish you a LOT of luck!

Good luck Suzi!!

More good luck vibes coming your way Suzi!!!!

Please forgive my ignorance, but what are stim shots? I learned a lot from you, but I still need to learn more!
And everything's always crossed for you! :up:

Thanks everyone - it is SO MUCH easier to go through this with lots of support and since we are not telling MIL/BIL/SIL this time, your words of encouragement are EXTRA appreciated!

Today I went for my down regulation ultrasound and everything is as it should be. I got the go-ahead to start stims so I came home and did a Gonal-F shot. Tonight is an intramuscular (IM) Pergonal shot (this is the one that is the same drug as Repronex but from a different manufacturer, so I am a little apprehensive about using it and getting the same results I have in the past with Repronex. I need to not obsess...).

Michele, I'm sure others don't know "stim" shots either so don't feel bad. :biggrin: Stim shots are drugs that stimulate my ovaries to produce several follicles (the balloon-like structure that grows on your ovary each month to release an egg and the fluid inside the follicle). Normally, a woman will produce 2-3 follicles in a cycle. As soon as ONE reaches maturity it bursts, releasing the egg and the fluid (ovulation). The fluid contains several hormones but one in particular tells the rest of the developing follicles to "stand down" so they shrink back, never to grow again (these would be the sometimes painful cysts on the ovaries that some women develop each month).

In an IVF cycle, a woman will produce twenty or more follicles (each about the size of a marble at retrieval - talk about bloating/swelling/discomfort!). They will monitor my ovaries and the growing follicles both visually through ultrasound and through blood tests that will measure my estrogen level (E2). A normal cycle produces E2 levels at ovulation around 200 and before all is said and done, my E2 at retrieval will be around 2500...PMS x 12!!! :rotflmao:

When they determine that my follicles are ready, I will take an hCG shot when they tell me and that will cause my body to get ready to ovulate. Just in the nick of time, my RE will do a retrieval where they will take a needle with a small catheter inside it and poke through my vaginal wall and aspirate a follicle and then examine the fluid to make sure they got the egg from the follicle. They will do this procedure for each follicle I have (which has been only 9 or so in the last two times but this time they are hoping to have more by using a different protocol).

After the retrieval, they will take each egg and manually insert a single sperm (intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI - sounds like ick-see) to fertilize it. They will do this because our IF problem is low sperm count and the 500K or so sperm that Chris produces at one time is not enough to naturally fertilize the eggs I produce for IVF. We will get a fertility report the next day, letting us know of the eggs they retrieved, how many fertilized and how many are actually dividing. Then two days later we go back to the office for transfer and they return 2-3 eight-celled embryos! At least I will be PG for a while! Then I wait 10-11 days and I get a beta blood test and we will know if the IVF was successful or not. Of course, if we get a positive beta we will be on pins and needles until we have our first u/s at about 6 weeks to see the heartbeat. That's where this one may get a little dicey for me - if we get a positive and before the u/s. I just can't see me getting excited about a BFP ntil I see a heartbeat. Well, MAYBE if the beta numbers are really strong... :tearhair:

Anyway, I am sorry if I bored anyone - the human reproduction lesson is over!! :blahblah: Bet that's the last time anyone asks me a question about IVF... :rotflmao:

Wow, that is pretty amazing all that they can do know. I am so glad you told us everything. I understood quite a bit because I have had some friends go through IF treatments (actually my aunt even had a surrogate mother), but it was nice to hear all the details.

Besides knowing all the steps you will have to go through will help us follow and support you along the way. I have my fingers crossed.

Michele

I hate to overload anyone on details - there's so much to it! I usually keep it simple but I guess the question kinda lead me to it! :dunno:

I'm really glad you posted all those details. I find it really interesting. Medical science is just amazing!!

I hate to overload anyone on details - there's so much to it! I usually keep it simple but I guess the question kinda lead me to it! :dunno:
I've heard the explaination a few times (following Brenda's IVF) and I still feel a little lost. I'm glad you posted that. It's a lot to remember.

:crossfing

I'm really glad you posted all those details. I find it really interesting. Medical science is just amazing!!
:nod:

From my journal:

Guess I will stop by and update our cycle... We are on day 6 - ALREADY - of shots and I go tomorrow for my first progress check. I am a little skeptic because I feel nothing and it seems I've always felt a LITTLE action in the ovaries!! Oh well, maybe not - third time around it's hard to remember what happened when - y'know?

Anyway, tomorrow is our first progress check. Last cycle on our first check we had several 10-14mm follies and my E2 was 1061 (I am SUCH a numbers freak!). On paper everything should be a little more advanced but with this changed protocol, I am just a little out of sorts. This protocol *SHOULD* get me to trigger shot faster and with more follies :crossfing

I will post tomorrow when I know!

Suzi - good luck tomorrow...sounds like things are progressing. Please let us know how the scan goes.

From my journal:

Well, the news today is not good. My E2 is 189 when it should be just over 1000. Chris is mad at the RE and he wants an explanation for the change in protocol and my lack of response (like my RE can pull an answer out of his a$$ as to why my body isn't responding - this time). He is also talking about dropping this cycle. I am surprised my response is so bad but not surprised that it isn't the same as last time - I told Chris yesterday that I didn't feel anything and I thought today's results were going to be poor.

These results are almost identical to my first IVF cycle (for Julia) and even though it was positive, that cycle was a holy nightmare. I hate that I can't just be normal and get PG like everyone else. I hate that I respond differently than the rest of the known world. I hate that I am the 1% of the 1% of people who do IVF whose body doesn't respond like everyone else's.

On the good side (if you can call it that), the IVF coordinator told me that I should come Friday at my next progress check with totals of my remaining drugs. It sounds like they will pony up whatever extra drugs I need to complete this cycle. If we don't quit.

WTF??? It makes no freakin' sense. :dunno: :bawl:

:sadhug::sadhug:Suzi, I am sorry your results came back so low. Will you keep going with this cycle?

I will be thinking about you!

Michele

I don't know how we can't continue. If we drop, we've wasted $2000 in drugs that I've already taken this last week. However, if we don't drop, we could be wasting $6000 on the retrieval. In the past we have had 9 follicles with both IVF cycles. Those 9 follicles got us only 3 embryos the first time and 5 embryos the second time... What can we expect if we really only have 5 follicles and how many embryos will that leave us - realistically? Maybe 2? Could be 4 or 5? I HATE being a one-percenter.

I'm so sorry that you didn't get the news you wanted to hear Suzi :hug99:. I wish there was a magic word I could say to make this all better and easier for you. I hope you and Chris are able to come to a decision about this cycle. :hug99:

I had to read the explination of what you have to do more than once to try to soak it all in. Wow! It's amazing what can be done, isn't it? It must be so hard on you both physically and emotionally! :bighug:

Can anyone say what they think is going on this time? I can't imagine having to make a decision like your's! I'm so sorry that you're going through this. It's a lot of money to not have a more precise answer. I'll be praying for you!

I'm sorry that the numbers weren't as high as you had hoped. :hug99:

Suzi, I'm so sorry that the news wasn't good. :hug99:

Thanks everyone! Your support and well wishes mean a lot! :bighug: We are just plugging along today. Until the next scan I am trying to not even think about it. We will just see where we are on Friday! :crossfing:

Michele, this process is truly amazing. What freaks me a little more even is that I remember clearly when Louise Brown was born (the first IVF baby). I was in high school and it never ocurred to me that IVF technology would become so important in my life!

As for what is going on with this cycle and why this has happened...they do't seem to know. All I can say is that when there's something that happens 1% of the time, that's usually me. They honestly don't seem to have any better idea than I do as to why my response is so poor this time. - especially since I had such a great response on the same drugs/amounts just 4 months ago!! :dunno:

Hugs to you Suzi! :hug99: I can't even imagine how difficult this whole thing is! We are all here for you sweetie!!! Keep us posted on the Friday appointment!

Thinking of you, hope things are looking better on Friday.

Hi Suzi - just catching up and hoping that this Friday's update brings you better news.

Jennie

PS. Did you hear about the IVF clinic in the North East that doesn't charge you if you don't get pregnant in a particular cycle? Dr. Phil was talking about it.... I'm hoping that you catch that eggie sweetie - I can't imagine not knowing if this is going to work. Wow. :hug99: to you all.

www.shadygrovefertility.com

Yeah, I have looked at those centers and they aren't doing anyone any favors. They charge about three times the cost of a normal cycle - around $21K for one cycle - and then you get to keep going until you get PG. And that doesn't include drugs so you have to pay the $4000 for drugs each cycle. Statistics show that most couples will get PG within three IVF cycles, so they're not giving anything away to most people. My center charges $8K for the procedure but they deduct $1000 for each subsequent cycle so they are charging us only $6K for this cycle since this is our third. I think we are much better off sticking with a pay-as-you-go center because I am a VERY EASY IVF client. There's nothing wrong with me and my body accepts a PGY easily. Even though the last was an ectopic, we are two for two.

Wow - that's crappy that they come across as doing something good but as an uneducated consumer, I wouldn't realize that they aren't helping. :blue:

I sure hope that this works soon for you sweetie!

Wow I never realized that Shady Grove charges so much. I hear advertisement for them all the time (they are apparently VERY close to where I live). That could be why a bunch of the insurance companies that I work with use them though (because of the guarantee).

Suzi I sure hope your body starts responding to your medication soon.

Thanks you guys! I can't tell you how great it makes me feel - whether this cycle is successful or not - to know how much everyone cares and is pulling for us! Y'all are the BEST!! :nod:

From my journal:

Today did not bring good news and we had to drop the cycle. My E2 today was around 400 after 10 days of stims and that is unsalvageable. So $4000 of drugs down the drain and we have to come up with another $4000 to buy another round of drugs to do it all over again. And MAYBE we'll get a good stim, MAYBE we'll get a stim like this time. OY! http://www.theotherforum.com/forum/images/smiles/tearhair1.gif I am just so frustrated (and disappointed) - IVF is hard enough as it is, why all this additional brain damage and heartache????

I will call my center Monday to make an appointment to see my RE and we will "debrief" this cycle and discuss where we go next. Our center does IVFs in cohort groups and the next group stims between September 13 and 27. Let's just hope the third time is a charm...

I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers over these last few weeks. Hopefully you will send them again in September when we undergo yet another cycle in our quest for Baby #2.

Oh Suzi :bighug: I am so upset for you. Do you think that next time they are going to change your medication again ?? I hope that you are able to be in the Sept. group but I am sorry to hear that you have to go through all of this again. :bighug:

I'm sorry, Suzi! :sadhug: It's not just being heartbroken but so much money, too! It just seems to hit everywhere! :sadhug:
It seems to be a bad summer all around for us Snowmommies for having getting pregnant! I'm hopeful for our future, tho! Hugs all around, honey!

Aw I'm so sorry Suzi. :blue:

Wow! We are all batting a thousand huh? :) I know how hard it is and how frustrating. I just wanted to give hugs to you as you've given to me. :hug99:
Much love to you!
Denise

Suzi, I am so sorry to hear about the results you got on friday. I will be thinking about you.

Michele

News - I have an appointment Monday with the RE to talk about this cycle and how we will address the next cycle (which starts NOW!). (Not sure yet how we will pay for the drugs but we'll figure it out somehow...)

I will be keeping EVERYTHING crossed for you Suzi!!! :up:

So hoping and praying or you Suzi!! :hug99:

AF showed up yesterday. I called the center to let them know and get our calendar for our IVF cycle. The IVF coord had to figure my calendar and she said she'd call me back. I didn't hear from her so I called this morning (the rest from my journal):


I talked to the IVF coord this morning and our RE was going to have us do the SAME protocol again! AAARGHH!!!! I told her that we were uncomfortable with that and we were thinking that we want to go back to the long stim protocol we have used successfully twice. She brought up an Antagon protocol (which we've talked about with them before) and after the very tense discussion Chris and I had last night about our center and this last cycle, I think Chris will hit the roof if we bring another protocol into the picture.

I told her that we have an appointment with the RE Monday monring and that we can talk to him then and decide which way to go. V figured out my BCP start date and then said I was going to be on BCPs for 44 days. I told her I would have another cycle in 22 days and that made it perfect - I can wait for another cycle start.

Soooooo....I am on hold for another three weeks or so. We talk to the RE on Monday, decide our protocol, wait for another AF to show, and then we're off

We had our appointment this morning and we went over each cycle we have done. My RE agrees with us that we shuold go back to the long stim protocol. It kinda bothers me that had Chris and I not said anything, we would've just done the flare protocol again (not sure if anyone REALLY looked at our big picture and made a plan from there). The RE did say that every so often they run across a woman who does not stim as well on a flare protocol as she does a long stim and I seem to be that woman - go figure! It goes against theoretical outcomes of a long stim vs. a flare protocol but it doesn't surprise me in the least that I would be the 1 out of 100 who does worse.

I am SO ready for this cycle. Actually, I am ready for this IVF crap to be done. Chris and I discussed it and as soon as we get a successful PGY, we are done with medicated cycles and retrievals. If by chance we have embryos to freeze we will do frozen cycles until they are gone but once I get a PGY, we are done with retrievals. I am getting too old and too close to the point where our chances for a PGY become VERY slim. I just hope we get at least a second (if not a third) out of a cycle.

Anyway, we are set to start BCPs around August 27. That will put us around the 15th of September to start Lupron shots and then a down-regulation u/s to check that my ovaries are quiet on around September 24th. If all checks out okay, I start stims that day and go through about the 5th of October. That makes retrieval about October 7th...what would have been my mom and dad's 54th wedding anniversary. Maybe that'll be good luck!

I'm glad you had a good talk with your RE. Thank goodness you got them to listen. :bighug:

I'm glad that your RE agreed with you on which protocol. :crossfing that it will work for you and I'm especially hoping that you get some embies to freeze this time!!

AF showed up EARLY last Friday!!! I talked to the IVF coord today and I have my calendar. I start BCP on August 19 and take them until September 16, I start Lupron shots on September 12, and I go for my down regulation u/s on September 21. If all checks out "quiet", I start stims on September 21. If I respond like I did before on this protocol (and there's no reason to think that I wouldn't), I will stim until October 1, go to retrieval on October 3, and transfer on October 6th. That makes my first beta on October 18 - just one month before my birthday and I would accept a :bfp: as my early birthday present!! :biggrin:

Third time's a charm, right?? :dunno:

That would be a wonderful b'day present. I will be thinking positive thoughts that all goes perfectly this time.

Michele

I will hoping and praying you get a :bfp: for your b-day!! :crossfing

Just an update - we are several days into shots and I took my last BCP last night (I actually took this morning's pill last night before bed to get them over with... :blush: ). I have an u/s scheduled for Tuesday and :crossfing that AF shows by then (when on Lupron it is typically late). If all checks out, I start stims on... :eek: :jawdrop: WEDNESDAY!!!

Hard to believe that I expect to go to retrieval in just over TWO WEEKS!!

:woo:

:up: I am thinking of you Suzi!

Good luck, Suzi!! I hope this is your lucky cycle!!! :crossfing

It's official - I start stims tomorrow. I go for my first progress check next Tuesday morning and I will know Tuesday afternoon what my E2 (estrodiol) level is. That number alone will tell me if I am on track for a good cycle or not - in previsou cycles it has been around 1000 and my bad cycle it was at 150. Send good vibes my way - I can't keep doing this forever! :pray:

Well, tomorrow is my first progress check....I am SO nervous about it this time! Having to drop last cycle was such a nightmare (for a variety of reasons, mostly monetary) and this progress check is where I will find out if I am having another cycle like that or a good cycle.

I have to say, I do feel like I feel something. When I dropped last cycle I told Chris before we even went to the RE's office for our progress check that I didn't feel like anything was going on. This time I do feel like things are happening - sounds crazy but I think I can feel the follicles. Not actually FEEL them but feel that my ovaries are getting crowded by the follicle growth. I know, I'm :crazy: Maybe I'm just wishful thinking. :crossfing

Just the same, I would appreciate any good prayers you might send my way... :pray:

I will update tomorrow after I put Julia down for her nap!

Good luck, Suzi! I'm crossing my crossables!

I hope everything goes well today. My thoughts and prayers are with you and I hope you get the results that you want :bighug:.

Good luck, Suzi!!! Please update us as soon as you can....you'll be in my thoughts.

Preliminary results are in from my u/s and things are not looking good. The IVF coord was able to spot a total of only three follicles (14, 10. 10). I am waiting for a personal call back from the IVF coord with my E2 results. Depending on the number, we may be dropping our cycle - again. :bawl: I don't believe this is happening...

I am so sorry Suzi. I hope that you are able to get better news from the IVF coord. Don't give up hope yet!!!!!!

Oh no! I'm so sorry!! :sadhug:

As for dropping, we are hanging in at least until Thursday. My E2 is a meager 286 today. It costs us almost $400 a day in shots but we think this cycle may POSSIBLY be saved so we'll hang in.

I am so afraid that this is all happening because of my age. I am afraid that something happened between last February and July that changed my fertilty. My family has a history of early menopause and I am getting pretty close to 40. I looked at the success rates for my center and the 35-37 success rate is 40%. The 38-40 rate PLUMMETS to 12% - I am only a few weeks from 38. I am just sick that this is happening.

Anyway, we are hanging in for another scan and E2 level on Thursday. Chris thinks that if we can REASONABLY expect to get 3/4/5 eggs from the follicles, that we will go ahead with the retrieval. Our ectopic cycle we had 7 follicles and 5 mature eggs. Of the 5 mature eggs, 100% of them fertilized - that is VERY good, usually it's only around 75% fertilization. If we can reasonably expect to get 5 eggs that are the right maturity (heck, even 3), we could expect all of them to fertilize and we only need 3 embryos when all is said and done.

Say some prayers for me, if you don't mind. I feel like I really need them!

Oh Suzi! I didn't read through your whole post about your age and the percentages because I'm only thinking postive thoughts for you!!! I will be praying lots and lots for you!!!

Suzi I will have visions of mature follicles and super fertile eggs for you.

Thanks everyone. We had our u/s this morning and we have only 3 follicles - that's it. We have until tomorrow before we have to decide for SURE if we are going to retrieval or not. We'd be crazy to take a $6000 chance on that. But we don't know if we'll ever get another good cycle. Chris is leaning towards going. I am leaning towards dropping. I still can't believe I am sitting here with this decision AGAIN.

I don't know my E2 today yet (I'll know around 2pm) but we are tentative for retrieval on Sunday if we go ahead. I am just sitting here waiting for some divine inspiration...

What a tough decision! :hug99: I'll be thinking of you!

Suzi, I wish that there was an easy answer for you. I pray that whatever you decide, you feel at peace with your decision. I wish there was something I could do to help.... :hug99:

Don't give up hope yet, there is still a chance that things will go your way and Julia will be a big sister.:angelfly:

That is a very difficult decision Suzi. :hug99: I'm praying you and Chris are able to come to a decision. :hug99:

Suzi, my heart goes out to you. I know this isn't an easy decision to make, but I am sure you will make the right one for you.

You are in my thoughts.

Michele

E2 today was 549. My IVF coord said that 549 for 3 follicles is pretty good (they hope for 150-200 each follicle). Could I possibly hope for three good eggs to fertilize? :dunno:

Could I possibly hope for three good eggs to fertilize? :dunno:
Why not. :) I say to go for it! I wish you luck and am thinking about you. :bighug:

Well, our three follicles grew to 23, 21, and 16. We trigger tonight and go to retrieval on Sunday - I must be insane. We are continuing shots tonight and tomorrow though - that is new for this round. The retrieval is Sunday at 9am, I will post an update as soon as I am moving around in the afternoon - probably before Julia gets up from her nap, late afternoon.

:pray: I am praying my heart out...

Suzi, I will be thinking about you and Chris on Sunday. I have been thinking about you a lot and had to log back on and check in on you. I am glad that you guys are going for it...I truly pray that you are able to get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby...or babies for that matter!!! :lol: I think that I have told you this before but I really respect you as a mother. You always have such great advice for all us other mommies! You truly deserve to be blessed with another child. Again, I am praying for you. :pray: :hug99:

I was coming in here to tell you to go for it and you are!!! :woo: I'm praying my heart out for you too!!!

Wow. Best of luck to you guys!!

Good luck tomorrow!! Tons and tons of +++++++++ thoughts to you!!!

Thinking of you. :bighug: So excited for the retrieval!

:pray: that you get 3 healthy embryos to implant :pray:

Thinking of you, and :pray: all goes well tomorrow!! :crossfing

Thanks guys! One last check-in before I head to bed. We have to be there at 8am - I don't feel like I'll sleep a wink tonight. I am incredibly nervous about this - not the procedure itself (been there, done that) but how many eggs we will get. I don't think I have ever prayed so hard.

I will update late tomorrow afternoon. Please say a prayer for us! :pray:

THinking of you today! :hug99:

From my journal:

Thanks so much to everyone for your thoughts and prayers! I am still a little nauseous from the anesthesia so this will be short. We got three eggs at retrieval today, so we have cleared our first big hurdle! :yippee: Tomorrow afternoon I will get the fertility report and that will tell me how many embryos we will have for transfer. I am so excited about getting the three eggs that I am actually beginning to believe this might work!

Back to the couch!

Yay... I'm so glad you got all three!! Now for the little embies to grow!

Just out of curiosity, if all three grew well, how many would you transfer?

We will transfer all three, if we have them - otherwise we will transfer what we have. I would not be opposed to twins, triplets is more dicey but the chances of THAT happening are slim.

With Julia we transferred three and got two babies - one didn't make it past 7 weeks. With the ectopic last March (was it THAT long ago??) we transferred two back even though we had three. In the end, transferring only two probably saved my life - had we transferred three and one embryo implanted correctly in the uterus with other implanted in the tube, it probably wouldn't have been caught before my tube ruptured and I could've bled to death. God works in mysterious ways...

So, we will put back whatever we have and trust that God knows what is right for us.

How long do you wait before now and the transfer?

Transfer is on Wednesday - nothing more than a pap smear as far as discomfort. They insert a small catheter through the cervix and into the uterus. Then an even smaller catheter that holds the 8-celled embryos is interted through the catheter in the uterus and the embryo will be placed in the uterus. They withdraw the small tube that held the embryo to get a visual under the microscope that the embryo is gone and then do the next one. And so on... All told, it takes about 10 minutes tops and Chris, me the nurse and the RE all talk and joke during the transfer. When he is done, I lay on the procedure table for about 30 minutes and then I am free to get dressed and leave. I can resume normal activity immediately.

The very worst thing about the transfer is that the blader must be full - painfully full. When dealing with these microscopic embryos, the bladder must be fuller than at any other time in order to get a good visual on them. Both times I've had transfers now, I have had to relieve some pressure prior to beginning the transfer because I was so uncomfortable (oh yeah, and the nurse pushes down on your bladder while they do the transfer - it helps position the uterus just right).

After Wedneday, we wait. And wait. And WAIT!! It is the LONGEST 12 days EVER. My beta is on Monday the 18th of October. I anticipate the waiting to be such agony that I am trying to schedule a girls' trip to Kansas City for the weekend of the 16th/17th - I figure if I'm not home and I'm not with Chris, I CAN'T HPT!! I do not want to HPT because I don't want to go through what I did last time. I will wait until the day of Beta and THEN I may HPT before going for my blood draw. That way, Chris and I can find out together if we are having a baby or not.

Gosh! That sounds nerve wracking. Keep my fingers crossed for you.

Glad to hear the retrieval went well and you've cleared the first hurdle.

I'm sending lots of positive thoughts your way!!!

12 days is a long wait! I hope it goes quickly and you get great results!! :bighug:

:crossfing and :pray: that the 12 days goes quickly and ends with a :bfp: and that your transfer isn't *too* uncomfortable!! :bighug:

:pray: I am so hoping for great results for you!!! :pray:

:yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee:
:omg:I feel unbelievably blessed and lucky - we have THREE embryos!! :faint: The IVF coord said they are all beautiful and dividing very nicely without fragmentation! This is the BEST news yet!!!
:yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee: :yippee:

We go for our transfer at 10:30am Wednesday. I don't think it can get here fast enough!! :pray: Thank you God!!

Suzi, it seems like 3 is your lucky number right now!! What wonderful news!!

Suzi, I got goose bumps reading your last post. I am so excited! You will be in my thoughts and I will be imagining a good strong BFP!

Michele

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!!!!!!! I'm sooooooooo happy for you!

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:yippee: :yippee: :yippee:

TODAY IS THE DAY!!! I am so excited and nervous and scared...I want so badly for this to work...I hate to even say how much because I don't want to make it real (does that make sense??). I woke up this morning and my first thought of the day was...my entire life could change today. Oh, how I pray... :pray:

We are leaving here in an hour for the RE's office. The transfer is very simple - no biggie. Please send some extra prayers this way if you remember!

:sunny: Sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers your way.....:pray:

:crossfing :crossfing :crossfing I hope it went well, Suzi! Good luck with the wait! :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing

:pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray: :pray:

I hope all went well! I am envisioning multiplying eggs attaching themselves nicely and growing contendedly for the next 9 months.

Michele

Suzi, I am praying so hard for you all!!!

They all THREE survived!! We transferred THREE beautiful embryos today, a 6-cell, a 7-cell, and an 8-cell! Right now, I am a HAPPY momma of TRIPLETS!! :biggrin: My RE is very optimistic that we will have a PGY out of this transfer - he even told us that he wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be TWINS!

I am feeling good - a TAD crampy now and then, but I feel perfectly fine. I am TRYING to lay a little low this afternoon and it's a good day for it - cool and rainy. Chris is working from home today to keep me from being up too much - HA! It's HARD to sit still when you are used to being on the go all the time and to top it off, you feel FINE!

I am so excited about this transfer - I feel VERY optimistic! I can't tell you ALL how much your prayers and thoughts mean to both me and Chris - and that it comes like second nature to everyone! Whether this works or not, I just have to say that I feel so lucky to have such a wonderful group of supportive, caring women like I do here!

:bighug: to ALL of you!!!

Yea!! I'm am sooo happy for you!!

Suzi, I'm so so so happy that all three have grown well and were transferred!

Now to the little embryos... your mommy has worked very hard to make a nice home for you, so you really should stick around for the next 9 months or so!!

Please little embryos, grow and grow into THREE healthy babies!!!!!!! Suzi, I am so happy for you! What would you think of triplets??????

OMG! Suzi I am so excited and optimistic for you! Sending lots of positive thoughts for implantation and growing babies!!!

Ditto to what Michele said!! :pray:

STICK LITTLE BABIES STICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How exciting!!! Sounds like so far so good. I hope those embies stick.

Haven't been here much but I saw your email update yesterday and i've been thinking about you! Stick kidlets - stick!!

Not much to report back - I *thought* I had a good sign but that went away (I had to get up to pee in the middle of the night for a straight week and I NEVER get up in the middle of the night). I feel PG - sore BBS, tired, headachy, ravenous, crampy - but every one of those things can be attributed to the PIO shots I have to take every night :rolleyes: I am trying REALLY hard to stick to no HPTs because they are NOT good for an IVF cycle - last time I tested early I was in AGONY for DAYS. But every time I have to go to the store, I think about picking up HPTs. So far, I have been able to stay in control of myself and not buy the :devil: HPTs.

Waiting until Sunday night...

Suzi, stay strong!! :bighug: I know that is way easier said than done, but I am just praying so hard for this for you guys.

STICK BABIES STICK!!!!!!!

We're all praying for you!! :bighug:

Thinking about you!! :sunny:

From my journal:

We gave in to the pressure and tested. It was BFN. I am....hmmm...don't really know what I am. Disappointed doesn't quite get it. But I am not crying over it. I know we will do it again (when we can scrape together the cash - so much for my birthday and Christmas). I guess I am just getting really tired of all the needles and poking/prodding and surgeries.

This really sucks. That kinda sums it all up.

Ohhhh, I am soo sorry! I can't imagine how you are feeling right now.

Oh no... I'm sorry Suzi. :hug99: Is there any way that it could have been too soon?

What Sarah said.....could you have tested to soon? Before you were going to wait until the 18th? Maybe there is still a chance? I am praying that there is! :hug99:

Suzi, I said this in your journal and I want to say again that I really think you tested early! I really really do! I didn't think it made a difference with just a day or two until I talked to Andrea and she told me about her one day neg and the next pos.
I hope you can have a good weekend with your friends anyway! And I'll talk to you when you get home! :justahug:

I hope you just tested too early.

I'll ditto everyone else...I'm praying you tested too soon! :bighug:

Excerpted from my journal:

Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers - I sure do appreciate them! I am not holding out much hope - I tested with a FRE and it detects up to 5 days early. I tested yesterday and that was only one day early - at which the FRE is 93% accurate. Now, I will say that I am NOT completely out of it since I HAVE been known to be a one-percenter! And with a 7% chance that I can get a BFP, I have to conside that possibility. Either way, I am not too upset by this...heck, tears won't get me anything! If it's a BFN (for which I am FULLY prepared), we go back to the drawing board and do it again. Am I getting tired of needles, surgeries, and endless waiting...ABSOLUTELY. Will I do it again...DEFINITELY. I want a sibling for Julia and until we have one - however we have to do it - I will not stop trying. We just have to come up with the money for drugs and retreivals. :rolleyes:

Beta is tomorrow and I will let everyone know the results when I get them. Like I said, I am not holding out much hope with the accuracy of the HPT I did, but stranger things have happened. Honestly, I am not devastated by the BFN...maybe once you get your first cycle that doesn't result in an ongoing PGY you are kinda numb to it any more. Maybe I'm just strange that way. :dunno: I will take the continued prayers though, you never know! :biggrin:

Tons of prayers coming your way, Suzi! :sadhug: My test that I took on Sat (3 days early) was one that was supposed to detect 5 days early, too! I waited until a day later and tested positive. I'm praying that tomorrow's beta is good news!

:hug99: I'm praying today you get wonderful news from the beta Suzi!!! :hug99:

Any news??

Nothing yet....should know in the next 30 minutes or so.

Ugh!! I was all anxious opening this up... I'll check back later. :hug99:

(sorry!)

Man Suzi... you did it again!! :lol:

She got me, too, Sarah!

I can't take this any longer!

I'm waiting too!!!

I know they say no news is good news... :crossfing

I know they say no news is good news... :crossfingI so hope you are right! This is torture!

From my journal:

Sorry you all were still so hopeful - I knew this wasn't going anywhere! Actually, my hCG level is 11 and TECHNICALLY anything higher than 5 is positive - so TECHNICALLY I am PG (yet again). But 11 at this stage of the game is way too low and this PGY will not make it.

Thanks to everyone for the prayers and support... Now it's back to the drawing board to figure out where another $6000 comes from to try again. I never thought I'd spend so much money just to have a baby. Heck...maybe Julia is destined to be an only child. But I just can't bear the thought of how lonely that will be for her for the rest of her life.

:hug99: Suzi, I am so sorry. I will keep praying for you!!

Oh Suzi, I'm so sorry. :hug99:

Oh Suzi, I'm sorry. :hug99:

:hug99: I'm so sorry Suzi. :hug99:

I came to check on you tonight, hoping for better news for you. I wish I knew why this wasn't working for you. I wish that there was something I could do. I am sorry Suzi. :hug99:

Suzi, I am so sorry. :bighug: I was crossing everything and praying this time would be better! I will keep praying that you are pg soon!! :hug99:

Today's beta came back at 7 so I am STILL PG but it is falling as expected. Actually, the reading of 7 is a good thing because my insurance will pay for the test since I am PG. :rolleyes: Have I mentioned lately how much I HATE insurance companies?? Anyway, I am done with the progesterone ( :yippee: ) and AF will show soon.

Since we are going to try to cycle again so soon, I will start BCPs for my next IVF cycle a week after AF shows (so in about a week!). My tentative schedule is:


Lupron Nov 23/24
Stims start Nov 25/26
First progress check Dec 1
Retrieval Dec 7
Transfer Dec 10
Beta Dec 21
Oy - that is close to Christmas... Oh well, if we are going to do it, we may as well take advantage of the tax break, right? :dunno: :disbelief Who knows...maybe we'll get a Christmas blessing, right??!

Suzi, your spirits sound good, and I am definitely praying you get your Christmas miracle!!!

:hug99: Take care Suzi!

Please, please, please, please, please, please........I hope and pray that you get your Christmas miracle. :pray: In fact, if anyone asks me what I want for Christmas....I will have to say "For Suzi to be happy, healthy and PREGNANT on Christmas day!" :nod: When I think about what your hoping for at Christmas, my list of a new purse, automatic starter in my car, and a digital camera sound so unimportant and lame. :dunno: :blue: :mope:

Brook, you're right about that!
Suzi, it would be so fitting for you to get your Christmas miracle, Suzi! And I hope that's God's plan, too! I'm just so impressed by you! :justahug:

You guys really are amazing, you know that?? I have to say thank you again for all the support I get here - y'all just don't know how much that means to me. Thanks.

With that said....AF showed up Saturday and so I start another IVF cycle!! We had a consult appointment scheduled with my RE for Nov 18th but we have to see him before that to decide what protocol we will do - if we don't see him until the 18th it'd be too late for a long stim protocol. Luckily, we were able to squeeze in this Wednesday.

Sooooo....regardless of protocol, stims should start around 23/24 November. Geez, I can't believe we are turning this so fast!

You are keeping such a great attitude Suzi.. that is so great! I will be praying for you!!

dori

Suzi - This is the first time I'm checking in....was on vacation for a week. You were in my thoughts last week and I so sorry. I will also be praying for a Christmas miracle for you and your family.

We met with our RE. We will do a long stim protocol - proven method and I have no qualms about that. He wants to do blood testing to see if I have a blood condition that causes my body to produce clots that cut off a developing embryo causing it to m/c. It is done when there have been three or more m/c and I have had two - because of my age, he is being proactive. Not sure if we will get the tests approved by insurance and they cost about $1000 to do. The RE said that if the insurance company drags their feet that we'll proceed without the test. It is most likely that I DON'T have the disorder but if he can get it approved, he'd like to be sure.

Anyway, our calendar is:

Start BCP: 10/31 (YIKES!! That's only FOUR days!)
Start Lupron shots: 11/16
Last BCP: 11/20
Down regulation u/s: 11/25 Thanksgiving
Start stims: 11/26
Progress check: 12/2
Retrieval (tentative): 12/8
Transfer (tentative): 12/11
Beta (tentative): 12/22
If positive, second beta (tentative): 12/24

I can't believe I am doing this...I must be FREAKING INSANE!! :crazy:

Ive been lurking...Just wanted to come by and wish you better luck this time :hug99:

Well, we didn't get the connective tissue test approved - have I mentioned that I HATE insurance companies??! Anyway, we started our shots about two weeks ago and I went for my u/s on Thanksgiving. Everything checked out and we started stim drugs today. I go for my first progress check on Thursday - prayers and good wishes appreciated! :pray:

Good luck Suzi!! I am really praying for you!!

Dori

Good Luck!

Suzi, I've been praying for you guys all along, and will continue to do so throughout the coming weeks!! Your positive attitude is sure to help through all of this!!

:pray: Good luck, Suzi!

Suzi, you know that I have been praying for you all along. I WANT SO BAD for you to get pregnant and have a brother or sister for Julia. I swear I have never wanted something so badly for another person... I will be thinking about you on Thursday. :pray:

:pray: :crossfing that all turns out this time around!! :pray:

Me, too...thanks guys! Chris and I have discussed it and we can't in good conscience do another IVF cycle (if this one doesn't work) without serious consideration as to whether we should even try again - since I turned 38 my chance of a BFP went from 40+% to only 12%. Anyway, there are tests we can do to see if my poor response is caused by perimenopause and if it is, we would have to call it quits. Otherwise, we would probably sit out a cycle (or two) to let my body purge all these hormones. It has been suggested to me that I have built up a tolerance for the stim drugs and that is why I suddenly stopped responding to them.

I am praying so hard that this one works and we just don't have to deal with any of that...

Suzi, you know that I have been praying for you all along. I WANT SO BAD for you to get pregnant and have a brother or sister for Julia. I swear I have never wanted something so badly for another person... I will be thinking about you on Thursday. :pray:
Brook summed it all up for me perfectly. I've asked Santa too.

I so hope this is it for you, Suzi, and you get the beautiful bfp you so deserve! :bighug:

From my journal:

We had our progress check and it was a LITTLE better than I'd hoped. There is one follicle on the left side (measuring 15) and there are FOUR follicles on the right side (10, 12, 15, 16). I am HOPEFUL that we can get all of them to mature, at least my body is pretty good about that. Sooo...where I was prepared for only 3 follicles we actually have 5. Sad to say, but I am pretty happy with that. This afternoon I will have even better info when I get my estrodiol number. I will also find out my next appointment day (probably Saturday). I will post again later this afternoon!

I think that is great news!! It is a great start to this journey! You know I am :crossfing :pray: :rahrah: for you!!

Yahoo!! I am happy to hear you have lots of follies! :rahrah: Go follies go!

Yay for the follicles! :rahrah:

From my journal:
My E2 level is 262. I go for my next check on Saturday am. I am half happy, half disappointed with the results this morning (and the E2). My E2 is 20 points lower this time and I have two more follicles than last time. I am hoping that it's just because they are so small yet. I still just can't believe that we went from 9+ follicles and E2 levels of 2000 to this.

I am hoping that your E2 levels skyrocket by Saturday. I have no idea what an E2 level is but if they need to be high then that is what I will pray for! :pray:

I'm with Nicki....I am praying for your E2 levels to be in the millions if that what it takes!!!! :pray: Unless, of course, it is bad for your E2 levels to be in the millions...:dunno: Maybe I should just go back to praying that you get pregnant and have a healthy baby! :lol:

On a serious note, I was thinking about you all day to at work, praying and hoping that things were going well. :hug99:

Hey, were you going for another appointment today? Let us know how it goes.

I did go for another appointment today. The u/s was fine...follicles growing as expected. There are three on the left and two on the right (it changes from day to day because ovaries are cystic in nature and the size fluctuates up AND down). WHereas last time we had four on the right, there are only two today. And there was one on the left Thursday and there's three today. Anyway, my blood level will come back this afternoon - that is the REALLY important part - and it will complete the picture. Hoping for a good rise in E2 and I will post that result later today. Thanks for the continued prayers!!

hoping and praying for good news on the E2!!!

Amy, that's just what I needed!!! Here's the BIG NEWS.....my E2 jumped up to 870!!! That is higher than where I was for retrieval last time!! I am thrilled with the results - good follicle growth, great lining, and EXCELLENT E2 support....I am thinking very positive now!! I go back tomorrow morning at 9:30am, I still feel like I will trigger Monday night for retreival on Wednesday (it's been the same three times before). I am quite pleased today with the progress!! YIPPEE!!! :yippee:

Keep the prayers coming...they are WORKING!! :nod:

I am so happy!!!!!!! I hope this great start means a great ending!!!!!!!!

:woo: Awesome news! I was thinking of you and had to check and make sure those numbers went up! :up: I am sending positive thoughts your way!!!

:yippee: :rahrah: :woo:

Yea!!!!! I am soo happy it's going so well for you!!

Woohoo!!! :rahrah: x10000... Oh Suzi - I hope this is it for you sweetie!

Excellent news. :woo:

Yea!!! :woo: Suzi, I'm soooo happy!!!! This is it for sure!!! :pray:

:woo: Suzi!! Awesome news!!!

Excerpted from my journal:

We went to our appointment this morning and it was good. The IVF coord scanned me and I was happy about that. She measured SEVEN follicles and they are all in the range we are looking for (17-21) but two and those two are both 16s. It looks as if we may have 5 or so embryos this time around!! Chris and I discussed it and we will push for ALL of them to be transferred. Actually, we will INSIST that all of them be transferred. We have no reasonable expectation that any will make it to blast for freezing so any we don't transfer will be lost.

Anyway, the scan was good news but the E2 was a little bad. Today's E2 DROPPED from yesterday - it is only 800 where yesterday was 870. She said it wasn't terrible but obviously wasn't expected. I go back tomorrow for another scan at 8:40am and I fully expect we will get the direction to trigger tomorrow night.

So, the news is mixed - good follicle growth but the drop in E2 is a bit troubling. Lining is still great, hopefully the drop in E2 can just be attributed to my body dealing with the stress of the hives yesterday. Anyway, keep praying please - I need them more now than ever!!! :nod:

Sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers your way! :crossfing

Praying hard here, Suzi!!! :pray:

Suzi - Sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers your way.

:crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing

We are triggering tonight - THANK GOD! I am SO glad because I have been up since 3am with freaking HIVES again!! And now I have a splitting headache...this IVF HAS to work because my body can't take another one between the hives and the headaches. And I am beginning to think that my sore throat and sinus problems are also from the drugs! GOD, PLEASE LET THIS ONE WORK!!

I will get my E2 later today and post that and also get specifics about my retrieval. Off to feed Julia some lunch and close my eyes...naptime is coming early today.

Suzi, I am thinking lots of positive thoughts for you. Try to relax!

Suzi~ I'm sending all sorts of positive thoughts your way! :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing :crossfing

:pray: :pray: Please let this be it for you! :pray: :pray:

Thanks so much everyone! I am getting excited, we have to be to the surgery center at 9am on Wednesday. We do our trigger shot tonight at 10pm sharp and tomorrow I have a SHOT-FREE DAY!!! :yippee: It will be my last SURE shot-free day for the next three months so I'm always pretty excited about that!!

My E2 was 960 today, that is fine. You figure about 200 for each mature egg and there are 7 follicles so I'd expect 4 mature eggs and three not mature enough to fertilize. I could be wrong...

So we will know on Wednesday how many eggs they got (I expect 4) and we will get a fertilization report (fert report) on Thursday telling us how many embryos we have. It's strange, no matter how many times I've been here, I still get excited/nervous about this! I am so thankful that the technology exists to even DO this. What an incredible miracle.

Enjoy your shot free day tomorrow!!!!!!!! I will be thinking about you on Wednesday!!!! Take care of yourself!!!!!!!!!

WOW - that is truly amazing Suzi. Here's for 2-3 nice embies for you!!

Suzi, it sounds like everything is going very well!! Here's to a shot free day tomorrow!

OKay....I have to be there tomorrow at 9am, the retrieval is at 10am. If I don't get nauseous from the anesthesia, I should be home by 11:30. If I do get queasy, they make me stay for a full bag of IV fluids and that typically takes an extra 60-90 minutes. Anyway, tomorrow I will know how many eggs they retrieved, I will post as soon as I can.

Please say some prayers for us - my body really needs for this IVF cycle to be the last!! :pray: :nod:

Sending you lots of healthy eggs thoughts! Praying, hoping and have everything crossed that this will be the last one for you! :pray: :crossfing

I hope that you get some great results today :bighug:.

Suzi, I will be thinking about you today!!!!! I am praying that things go well!!!!

Well, we are back. They got 5 eggs, one more than I expected. Strange thing - the RE had to leave one because he couldn't get to it behind my ovary. Oh well, it's not like we needed it anyway. Now we wait until the fert report tomorrow to find out how many embryos we have to transfer back. I suspect we may have 5 (we have good fert rates) and then we are in a pickle 'cause I'm certain they won't put back 5.

I will give details later, for now I am just tired. Thanks for all the prayers, I can't tell you all how much it means to me.

Wow - 5 eggies! You must be tired - that's a lot of hard work making those eggs and going through the retrieval. Can't wait to hear your report!

Congradulations on so many eggies. Rest up!

From my journal:

Well, I am in shock. All we have is 2 embryos from the 5 eggs. We never even considered this a possibility, we've always had great fert rates and expected 4-5 embryos. What a blow.

:hug99:

:hug99: I guess I am not sure what to say...there is still a chance! All you need is one good embryo right? Try to stay positive.

It's true, all we need is one. But the chances of one are pretty slim... With transferring 3+ back, my centers PGY rate at my age is only 12%. So I have a 1 in 10 chance as it is and minimizing my chances by not having an adequate number of embryos transferred back isn't what I'm aiming for.

I am just very shocked and disappointed (that doesn't even begin to cover it though). I was feeling good about this cycle until we got the fert report, now I am feeling pretty dismal.

:hug99: Suzi. I'm still keeping all my crossables crossed hun.

All you need is one! I'm keeping everything crossed for you Suzi!!!

I am REALLY praying for you Suzi!!!

Thanks, guys. It's nice to know that y'all can still be positive for me, even when I don't feel very positive (like today). I'm sure as soon as I come to grips with this new info I will stop feeling so doomed. I mean, I HAVE gotten PG each time...it's just a matter of keeping it going. Well, I have 13 days to pray for that...

Praying, praying, praying that the next 13 days are good ones. :crossfing

Please, please, please, please!!!! All I want for Christmas is for Suzi to be pregnant!!!!!! I am bringing Lindsey to see Santa this weekend, maybe I will give him my own request! :lol:

Suzi, I'm sorry that the news wasn't the greatest, but try to keep your chin up. I really hope the embies are coming along nicely, and that at least one of them will decide to make you belly it's home for the next 9 months!!

I think I need to have a word with Santa too!

You women are SO unbelievable to invest yourselves in my IF challenges the way you do. You have NO idea the strength I get from you guys knowing that we have SO many people who want this as badly for us as we want it for ourselves. Thank you just seems so inadequate...

I do feel a bit better today. I know that we have a fair chance with two, I mean I HAVE gotten PG each cycle. We have 2 to go to transfer with and God knows what He's doing. So, at least for a time tomorrow morning. I will be PG with twins...here's praying they both hang in there! :pray:

Suzi, I am certainly praying for at least one sticky baby for you and Chris!! :pray: Like they say with the lottery, it only takes one to win, and one ticket hit the $171M powerball on Wednesday night...here's hoping that's a sign for you!!! Having this pregnancy stick will be the zillion dollar lottery for you guys....I am hoping and praying hard for you.

We are all :pray: hard for you!! I am sure that someone up there is listening! :nod: I am hoping for a :bfp: for Christmas for you! :hug99:

Suzi, Bob and I are praying really hard for you over here! :pray: We hope it helps!!!

So, at least for a time tomorrow morning. I will be PG with twins...here's praying they both hang in there! :pray:Reading that made me tear up.... :bawl:


I will keep praying for you until you give birth to a happy and healthy baby...or should I say babies!!!!! :thumbsup:

Thinking of you!

Transfer was this morning...all went fine. So at the moment, there are two little ones in there...hopefully they will stay put! I told Chris if they are anything like Julia we'd better be telling them "No, no!! Stop! Get out!!" and then they will stay. :lol:

I've been taking it easy all day, sitting on the couch and watching movies. My RE recommends staying low-key after transfer and resume all normal activity the following day. For now I am taking a break from the movies to steal Andrea's idea of making a Julia calendar for grandparents for Christmas. :nod:

Thanks for all the well wishes and good thoughts and prayers. I am praying these babies hang in there!

I told Chris if they are anything like Julia we'd better be telling them "No, no!! Stop! Get out!!" and then they will stay. :lol:


That's too true and too funny!

So when will you know their status? Can you test in 2 weeks? Sooner?

Jennie, you crack me up! My beta is scheduled for Wednesday the 22nd...so in TEN SHORT days. I will *PROBABLY* HPT that morning (or possibly the night before) so that Chris and I can be together when we find out the results.

That said, I will also HPT in 2-3 days (and hope to get a BFN) to make sure the hCG trigger shot I got is all gone from my system. That way I can be sure that a BFP is really a BFP when we HPT for real!

:pray: that you get a :bfp: for Christmas!! :crossfing

I hope those babies hang in there. If they had any idea what a great Mom they have they would hang on for sure!! Praying really hard for you, Chris, Julia and those babies!!!!! :nod:

I hope those babies hang in there. If they had any idea what a great Mom they have they would hang on for sure!! Praying really hard for you, Chris, Julia and those babies!!!!! :nod:


DITTO!!!!!!!! :nod:

I am really hoping hard for you, Suzi! :crossfing

:pray:

Just checking in to say you've been on my mind often!!! :pray:

Thanks everyone for all the prayers! The official test isn't until Wednesday and I caved this morning. It was a BFN. Of course that is not the end-all but the test is 83% accurate today. Let's just say I am still hoping but I'm not holding my breath...

Suzi, here's extra prayers your way that you just tested too early!! :bighug:

:crossfing We are not going to give up until the "fat lady sings"...which since I had Lindsey, I could probably qualify for...:lol:...and I REFUSE to sing until you get a BFP!!!!!! :nono:

Not much hope left...another BFN today. :mope:

I'm with Brook, I'm not about to sing here!! I am still holding out hope and faith Suzi....you and Chris deserve this so damn much, and like Dori said earlier, if those babies knew what an awesome Mommy you are, they'll STICK. :bighug:

I'm with Brook, I'm not about to sing here!! I am still holding out hope and faith Suzi....you and Chris deserve this so damn much, and like Dori said earlier, if those babies knew what an awesome Mommy you are, they'll STICK. :bighug:
I couldn't agree more....You are still in my prayers.

Still praying for you!! :pray:

:pray: Lots of prayers for you here, too, Suzi!

Praying here too!

I am waiting for final word tomorrow but I'm not hanging any hopes on a BFP. I should get the news mid afternoon tomorrow, I will let everyone know as soon as I hear. Thanks to EVERYONE who has been praying for me...I am TRULY grateful. :bighug:

Gonna have to wait out the beta one more day...Julia has a fever and I am not going to drag her down to the lab when she doesn't feel good. Poor baby! She had one yesterday, too...I hope she feels better soon!

I hope she feels better soon. This will give your beta numbers one more day to rise!

Still praying for you! I hope tomorrow is a special day! :crossfing

Suzi, I hope Julia gets to feeling better soon, and here's more prayers for good news tomorrow!!

I hope you get really great news tomorrow. :crossfing

I hope you get really great news tomorrow. :crossfing

DITTO!!

Well, that was fast. It was negative, as expected.

:bighug: I am sooooo sorry Suzi. I really thought this would be the one for you! :hug99: Please know that we are here for you!

:sadhug:

Suzi, I am so sorry. :bighug:

Well CRAP! I was hoping against hope for you :sadhug:

Suzi, I'm so sorry! :hug99:

:bighug: I'm sorry Suzi. :bighug:

I am so sorry! I don't know what to say. :bawl:

Bah Humbug. :blue: I am so sorry Suzi.

Well CRAP! I was hoping against hope for you :sadhug:I couldn't have summed up my reaction any better. I am so sorry, Suzi. :sad:

Well CRAP! I was hoping against hope for you :sadhug:
ditto for me, too!
I'm just so shocked and saddened, Suzi! This is just sooo unfair!

I'm so sorry Suzi. :hug99:

Oh Suzi, I am so sorry. That is so unfair.

Im so sorry Suzi! :bighug:

Just out of SHEER DETERMINATION...I am reviving this stupid old thread rather than start a new one. :lol:

It's here...I've started my IVF cycle! I already started shots last week, here is my calendar of dates for this cycle:

6/29: start Lupron
7/3: last BCP
7/8: down reg u/s and estradiol (E2)
7/9: start stims (tentative)
7/15 (tentative): first progress check - u/s and E2
7/17 (tentative): progress check - u/s and E2
7/18 (tentative): progress check - u/s and E2
7/19 (tentative): hCG trigger shot
7/20 (tentative): SHOT FREE DAY!!! :yippee:
7/21 (tentative): Retrieval
7/24 or 26 (tentative): Transfer - date depends on number and quality of embryos
8/3 (tentative): Beta

We are doing a few things different for this cycle. I was tested for recurrent PGY loss and had 2 out of 18 tests come back very abnormal. I retested and got results last week - much closer to normal but my RE and I decided to go ahead and treat for abnormality. Treatment is two shots a day (go figure) for a period of time - unknown right now. Could be 1st tri, could be entire PGY +6 wks PP. It's a good thing that I can take a shot as easily as I can take a tylenol. :rotflmao:

Another difference is in my drugs. For the first time I am not doing Repronex, a combination FSH/LH drug. My last two cycles I got TERRIBLE HIVES from this drug and as luck would have it, in December the FDA approved a new drug that is LH only. The reason you take the combination (FSH/LH) drug is actually to get the LH and up until last December, there was no way to get it alone. Now I am taking a drug called Luveris and I will NOT be taking Repronex - at all. :yippee: On a down-side, I have to take more FSH drug and that is more expensive than the FSH/LH drug combo. Oh well, it's only money. :silly:

I hope I haven't bored everyone to tears with my recap - I want to save it here for posterity. If you don't mind adding me to your daily prayers/good thoughts/good vibes, etc. I sure would appreciate it!!

Stay tuned for all the ACTION!! :lol2:

Wow... here we go again. :) *deep breath* Okay... Ready!

Good luck to you. Sending good vibes.

Stella

woohoo!! We're with you all the way sweetie!

:pray: My nerves can't handle the stress of another cycle! :lol: I want more than anything else that this is a success!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suzi, I have absolutely everything crossed for you!

praying praying praying praying!!

Praying, Hoping, wishing..... Sending you good luck!! :pray:

:pray: Praying here, too, Suzi!!!!
oh, and I might as well cross everything too! Giant hugs for you!!! :hug99:

Will I EVER catch a fooking break???
As if we haven't been through enough as it is, I just got a call from our center about the SA Chris took in this morning. Out of 100 fields, they found 3....YES, I SAID THREE...sperm. Not enogh to do ICSI. We may just be done afterall.

My RE asked us to do another SA on Monday, maybe ( :pray: ) that will bring different results. I am just sick to death. :dead:

I am so sorry. :hug99: Like I said in your journal...I hope that Monday's sample brings better results.

Oh man, I'm really sorry Suzi. :hug99: Maybe Monday's sample will be better.

Oh no... I hope you get better results on Monday! :hug99:

I guess it sunk in last night and I was filled with questions ths morning. I talked with the IVF coord and in addition to the new SA on Monday, we are going to test FSH/LH/testosterone on Chris. We are also going to do a fasting glucose as diabetes can be accompanied by retrograde ejaculation. Speaking of...when I told Chris about the count yesterday, he said he wasn't surprised - that it felt "weird" to him when he collected the sample (ummm....WEIRD?? :confused: ). I am hoping ( :crossfing ) that something flukey happened (retrograde ejaculation maybe??) and the sample yesterday was just an odd-ball, one-time thing. Chris had some pretty good numbers - for him - 700K and 400K last year.

So we press on to Monday. I have my down reg u/s tomorrow and AF showed this morning right on time. I start stims Saturday - we talked about me holding off on the stims until we do the second SA but the specialist who does ICSI is only here through the 22nd; I am scheduled for the 21st, we decided not to push it. ONWARD!!! :lol:

ONWARD!!!!!! :pray:

"weird" huh? :scratch:

"weird" huh? :scratch:

Um, yeah. Don't ask, I don't know. :lol:

So we had our down regulation u/s appointment today and all went as expected. :aok: I start stims tomorrow and hopefully, we are off!! We talked to our RE about the SA results from the other day and if the numbers are still way off at Monday's retest, he is going to do a urine test for sperm - no wasting any time.

It's all a blur from here on out...

:pray:

Sending lots of prayers your way! :pray:

Apparently, Chris was right and something was "WEIRD" because his counts were back to normal (for him) today. :dunno: Thank God it was a fluke!! :faint: Thanks to everyone for the extra prayers these last few days!! :grouphugg

:yippee: That is great news!

Suzi, I am so glad!

What great news Suzi!!! :jump:

Excellent news!!

I started stims on Saturday and by Sunday, I was already feeling twinges in my ovaries - thngs were going on!!!

I got up today and my ovaries are somewhat uncomfortable! The more I thought about it, the more I thought I needed to call my IVF coord and tell her about it. When I talked to V, she said that I need to come in tomorro rather than wait for Friday. They expect me to stim faster this protocol/cycle so they want to be sure. I'm half-convinced I'll go in there tomorrow and they'll find nothing...how embarrassing! :blush: But if we go too fast, that can be VERY bad - better safe than sorry. So tomorrow will be my first progress check - openly accepting prayers and crossed fingers!! :nod:

I can't wait to hear how it goes!!!! :pray:

Going too fast can be bad? Why? :scratch:

Going too fast can be bad? Why? :scratch:

If you go too fast it's possible for the follicles/eggs to grow that fast but not mature properly. That would be very bad. Additionally, there is a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation and you can end up in the hospital with that - it's dangerous. OHS is not likely for me but anything is possible...

Oh Suzi, that is WONDERFUL news!! I am so so happy for you!! Can't wait until the end of this cycle!!!!!!

If you go too fast it's possible for the follicles/eggs to grow that fast but not mature properly. That would be very bad. Additionally, there is a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation and you can end up in the hospital with that - it's dangerous. OHS is not likely for me but anything is possible...

I see. Well, I just hope that everything is going PERFECTLY!!!!!!!!! :pray:

I feel good about it... I guess tomorrow we'll see how "in tune" I am with my body!! :lol: I should be back from the REs around 10am...I'll post as soon as I can!

Good luck tomorrow!

:pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray: :crossfing :pray:

Hoping and praying everything goes well and there will be Great news to report tomorrow! :crossfing

From my journal:
Okay...back already and I'm not sure of the number but I am happy with all the clicking I heard going on (they click the mouse on the u/s screen to measure the follicle size). My RE did the scan and he is FAST and gives less info than the IVF coord does, but from what I followed, I have about 8 follicles ( :yippee: ) and most are really good size - 14/15/16. So I was right, I am in a day earlier than normal and the sizes are a bit bogger than normal (usually on first scan they are 12/13/14). Now I wait for the E2 numbers and hopefully they are nice and strong. I should have them by 2pm...

Suzi that is awesome news! Does this mean retrieval might be earlier too?

Michele, you pick this up quick! :lol: If the E2 numbers come back this afternoon to support good growth, I would GUESSTIMATE that retrieval may be TUESDAY...TWO DAYS EARLY!! I am looking for numbers at least 400-500 but if they come back 300 it wouldn't be awful. I have had numbers come back as low as 250 or as high as 1000 on cycle day 7 (I am cycle day 6 today). Just have to wait for those stinkin' E2 numbers now...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE........

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v

My E2 is 700!!:wow: This is even better than I'd hoped for!! :yippee: These are Day 6 numbers and the best I've ever had on Day 7 numbers is 1000! I am on track for having one of my best cycles so far!! :rahrah: :woo:

I go back for another scan on Saturday at 9:15am. My best GUESSTIMATE is that I will go to retrieval on Wednesday (Tuesday, MAYBE). :banana:

:yippee: Suzi, I'm soooo crazy happy for you!!!

My prayers that this is the one will continue!!!! :banana:

Suzi I will be on pins and needles for you!

OH. MY. GOSH!!!!!!!!!!! :wow: That is great news! Look at those numbers! :jump: This is so exciting! It HAS to happen for you!

What Awesome news!! :yippee: I am so happy to hear good news!! :crossfing