Hello and welcome to the Fairfax Cryobank Family Forum!
The forum has a new look and the Fairfax Team is so excited to create the best experience for our users.
To Note:
Private Donor Groups and Private Sibling Connection Groups are now located under the category "Groups". Search the donor number in the search box and you should find exactly what you're looking for!
Questions about your forum access? Email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com
Follow these steps to join a private donor group:
1) Press "Join" at the right of the group
2) Once prompted to confirm your request please list this information so we can verify your information:
Name (under which the vial was purchased)
Email
Clinic Name
Donor number
Child Date of Birth
*If you are looking to start a private group for a PRS donor please email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com with the above information and that you are looking for a PRS group*
If you have any questions about the verification process please email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com
The forum has a new look and the Fairfax Team is so excited to create the best experience for our users.
To Note:
Private Donor Groups and Private Sibling Connection Groups are now located under the category "Groups". Search the donor number in the search box and you should find exactly what you're looking for!
Questions about your forum access? Email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com
Follow these steps to join a private donor group:
1) Press "Join" at the right of the group
2) Once prompted to confirm your request please list this information so we can verify your information:
Name (under which the vial was purchased)
Clinic Name
Donor number
Child Date of Birth
*If you are looking to start a private group for a PRS donor please email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com with the above information and that you are looking for a PRS group*
If you have any questions about the verification process please email forum@fairfaxcryobank.com
First IVF...my experience
Hi Ladies,
I just wanted to share my expriences with my first IVF cycle. I've been through 6 IUI cycles since Jan 2011 without success. So my final attempt would be IVF with donor sperm. It certainly was quite different from my Menopur injections for the IUI cycles. The doctor put me on birth control pills the month prior to the IVF. The goal was to quiet the ovaries and clear up any cysts from previous cycles. Despite being on BCP I still had a huge cyst which the doctor drained right in the office....NOT fun!!! He attached a needle on the transvaginal probe and drained the cyst.
I started daily injections of Gonal F and Menopur, then added Ganerlix to prevent the eggs from releasing too soon. Then came the intermuscular trigger shot
. It's amazing how you become an expert at injecting yourself. Plus there was bloodwork and ultrasounds every 3 days then every two days then daily. My arms and belly were getting very bruised and sore.
All the meds were successful in developing multiple eggs. My egg retrevial was a success and there were 24 eggs that were taken from my ovaries :shock: OUCH!
Very sore and bloated ovaries. The fertility report was good, 20 eggs were mature and 17 actually fertilized. The sperm was injected into the egg called ICSI which improves the fertilization rate. On day 5 which was Jan 24 they transferred 2 blasts that were good and fair quality. My Beta was scheduled for Feb 3 and on Feb 1, I got a very very faint BFP for the very first time!
My beta came back very low 21.8 which was concerning because the level should be atleast 50. Then the day next day I started spotting and it was the day AF was due if I didn't see the BFP. My doctor said to be cautiously optimistic and that the beta numbers should double every 2 days. My next beta was 104 so i was hopefull despite the continued spotting (no cramps or pain). The bleeding changed from brown to bright red, so in my heart I didn't think it would be a positive outcome. BUT I continued to take HPT and get slightly darker BFP's. My next beta which was last Saturday showed a significant drop....28
So it's a chemical pregnancy. I have another beta on Friday to make sure my beta is back at zero. I finally stopped bleeding yesterday. I have to wait for the real AF to show up and then they will start me on BCP to prepare for the FET (frozen embryo transfer)
I'm thankful that there were frozen embryos left over and I have another couple of chances.
Anyway, thanks for reading about this challenging journey. Good luck on your journey!!!
I just wanted to share my expriences with my first IVF cycle. I've been through 6 IUI cycles since Jan 2011 without success. So my final attempt would be IVF with donor sperm. It certainly was quite different from my Menopur injections for the IUI cycles. The doctor put me on birth control pills the month prior to the IVF. The goal was to quiet the ovaries and clear up any cysts from previous cycles. Despite being on BCP I still had a huge cyst which the doctor drained right in the office....NOT fun!!! He attached a needle on the transvaginal probe and drained the cyst.
I started daily injections of Gonal F and Menopur, then added Ganerlix to prevent the eggs from releasing too soon. Then came the intermuscular trigger shot
. It's amazing how you become an expert at injecting yourself. Plus there was bloodwork and ultrasounds every 3 days then every two days then daily. My arms and belly were getting very bruised and sore.All the meds were successful in developing multiple eggs. My egg retrevial was a success and there were 24 eggs that were taken from my ovaries :shock: OUCH!
Very sore and bloated ovaries. The fertility report was good, 20 eggs were mature and 17 actually fertilized. The sperm was injected into the egg called ICSI which improves the fertilization rate. On day 5 which was Jan 24 they transferred 2 blasts that were good and fair quality. My Beta was scheduled for Feb 3 and on Feb 1, I got a very very faint BFP for the very first time!
My beta came back very low 21.8 which was concerning because the level should be atleast 50. Then the day next day I started spotting and it was the day AF was due if I didn't see the BFP. My doctor said to be cautiously optimistic and that the beta numbers should double every 2 days. My next beta was 104 so i was hopefull despite the continued spotting (no cramps or pain). The bleeding changed from brown to bright red, so in my heart I didn't think it would be a positive outcome. BUT I continued to take HPT and get slightly darker BFP's. My next beta which was last Saturday showed a significant drop....28
So it's a chemical pregnancy. I have another beta on Friday to make sure my beta is back at zero. I finally stopped bleeding yesterday. I have to wait for the real AF to show up and then they will start me on BCP to prepare for the FET (frozen embryo transfer)I'm thankful that there were frozen embryos left over and I have another couple of chances.
Anyway, thanks for reading about this challenging journey. Good luck on your journey!!!
Comments
welcome home! I am so so glad to hear from you. I can't believe all that you have been through since we last talked. it is crazy! and the timing of you coming back is strange too considering i will know tomorrow if i have to move forward with ivf in march. I am so sorry to hear that you had a chemical pregnancy. I can't imagine how sad that is for you. Do you feel positive knowing that you have the ability to get pregnant. I know that those frozen snow babies are going to become real babies soon. when do you think you will be doing you FET. What does that process involve? is it less demanding that a fresh ivf cycle? So is your response normal because 24 eggs seems like a lot to me. I hope all my questions aren't bothering you. Did all the other 18 embryos freeze..is that how that works? Sorry if I have stupid questions.
I have done i think 10 iuis..i am not sure where i was when i last talked to you. The doctor thinks i might have had a chemical pregnancy somewhere in there because of my symptoms but we dint do a beta so there is no way of knowing for sure. I am totally fed up with iuis. I wish i would have just moved on after 6 and not wasted more money and time because i was scared. I landed at the same destination. I am really scared of all that ivf involves so i am hoping to hear that it isn't as bad as I'm thinking. But i will say i have never in my life been more determined for something. I will make it happen one way or another. I am also excited as weird as that sounds because of the higher success rates that ivf have over iui. I never in my life thought that i would be one of the women having to do this. I remember being so naive on my first iui and thinking that i would be one of the lucky ones that it worked for on the very first time. Then on this last cycle i thought that god would pull through for me just in the nick of time. I am not thinking that is what happened to be honest. I have very little faith that this worked and i am gearing myself up for the next step. UGH!
thank you for coming back here. I am so so happy to have you back!
Charlotte
It's so great to hear from you! I have been thinking about you since we last heard from you. I am so sorry to hear about the chemical pregnancy.
24 eggs! Wow talk about painful! I felt just the one follicle each month so can't imagine 24! I know you were concerned that you wouldn't be able to use your own eggs but it sounds like that isn't true! Especially if 17 of them fertilized!
I will wish you tons of luck and sending you lotsof baby dust!
Robin
Thank you so much for sharing. I'm sorry about the chem BFP, but I am praying that the FET works for you. I will know in mid-March if I move onto IVF and reading your experience sure helps.
My doc says their goal is 12 eggs, so 24 sounds like a ton!
The injections for the IUIs haven't bothered me at all except for some bruising, so I'm not stressing about that. But I've been on very low doses, so the higher doses and the reactions/side-effects are what I'm concerned about
Charlotte I'm happy to answer your questions...no worries :geek:
YES, 24 eggs is quite a lot of eggs! I know what a hen feels like sitting on a nest of eggs! I looked 4 months pregnant!! Since I respond so quickly and strongly to all the meds I ended up with tons of eggs. That's not the norm from what I understand. I think the average is about 10-15 depending on your ovaries and how they respond to the meds. Mine have never needed much help despite my "advanced maternal age". The benefit for having all those eggs is that then there is a better chance of having ones leftover to freeze if needed. After the initial fertilization they look at the cell division over the course of 5 days. They essentially pick the best of the best. So sometimes at day three the cells look good enough to transfer but if there are many eggs they prefer to wait until day 5 or 6 which is blastocele stage (just before hatching) . Some say that day 5 transfers are more successful than day 3 transfers but who really knows.....
So I had two embryos transferred (my doctor wanted to transfer 3) and the best embryos were frozen which was 4. It's amazing that with more time in the lab the embryos will basically follow the survival of the fittest. So I'm glad that I started with all those eggs because then I had the time to see which embryos were the most robust. The ones that weren't developing at the same speed were discarded and/or used as quality control in the lab.
As far as the FET, it's much easier on the body than the initial IVF process, because essentially the uterus just needs to be prepared for transfer. So basically a few meds like estrogen and progresterone (shots) need to be taken plus a couple of office visits for bloodwork and to measure the thickness of the lining. Then the transfer is scheduled and the procedure is just like an IUI but with an abdominal ultrasound guidance.
So I think perhaps I will do the FET when I can save up the $4600 fee.
Robin,
Thanks so much for the well wishes. How are you feeling these days?? How many weeks are you so far?? Wishing you continued happiness and success for a happy & healthy 9 mos.
Moe, so sorry to hear about you chemical but my oh my your future looks bright! You will get your little one soon. So glad to see you back and sharing your story:)
Robin, give us an update on how far you are and how you are feeling!
So glad all of us are on this journey together. I really see this as a lifetime movie or book in the making with wonderful outcomes for all of us!
Just to fill everybody in on what happened with me yesterday. My morning started with mild signs of AF showing. I took it really really hard. By mid afternoon i was spotting which was really really weird because it was really early to be getting AF. i was only 12dpo. I was sad and depressed and scared all day long. thankfully when i woke up this morning with AF i felt realived. GOSH this is such a crazy journey. I cant imagine dealing with anything else where i am sad before something bad happens but fine when it actually does happen. haha Today is the first day in my next journey..a journey that i know will end with a happily ever after. I just will not settle for anything else. I know i have an uphill battle in the month of march but i am ok with that. I needed to loose 8.5 lbs as of last friday to qualify for the cost share ivf program at my clininc and I am happy to say i only have 2 lbs left to go. ( and 9 full days to do it!) This shows me that with willpower and determination anything is possible. I am excited to be headed to the carribean in a little over a week to enjoy a little break before starting ivf. I am really excited to enjoy my first glass of wine in a really really long time and getting a little tan.
@latebloomer I am sorry to hear that you cant use your friend as a donor. Please keep me posted on your journey this next month. i am right behind you. The way my doc explained it to me is that i will most likely be having my egg retrival/transfer the first week in april. I believe my injections will start somewhere around the 13th or 14th. I will know much more this week. I have to have the trial transfer on thursday. It will be nice to have somebody in the journey at a similiar time.
I agree it feels like a family reunion! So glad to hear from you latebloomer! Sorry about the etopic pregnancy and glad that you like your new doc!
I am so happy that you will all be able to help and support each other through this next phase in your journey!
I know this is for ivf but I thout I would post an update here for all of you. I am 20 weeks 6 days today. Tomorrow marks my 21st week! I have been feeling the flutters from the baby since aout week 19. To be exact I starting to feel the baby at 18 weeks 5 days. It is the most amazing and weird feeling! I have an ultrasound on Tuesday to check all the organs and of course find out the sex! I amso excited. The sickness is now just in the morning and my appetite has grown! I think I gained 5 pounds in a week! That needs to stop! I can't gain that the rest of my pregnancy! I think I am just so happy that most foods are starting to taste good again!
I can't wait for all of you Moe, Latebloomer, Anne and of course Charlotte to join me in this last part of our journey!
I am sending all of you TONS of baby dust and positive thoughts!
Robin
I saw on the other forum you are having a firecracker baby boy on July 4th
I can't wait until we can all swap birth stories :geek:
Moe
But at least I feel good about having a plan and moving forward with the next step. Totally cried at church yesterday.
So sorry to hear about your bfn! Peeing on that stick always made me nervous! I am glad that you have a pla to move forward. Its ok to cry bc it is a loss each month that stick says negative. I know that you will become positive again just give it some time!
Sending you lots of hugs and baby dust!
Robin
So sorry about the chemical pregnancy, Moe! As always, sending thoughts and prayers. So sorry for everyone's struggles, and that we are all still here, but selfishly, a little part of me is happy to see such supportive and kind people, taking the time to read and respond, in the middle of their own busy lives.
On to IVF#4 for me. Looks like I'm going to have to wait out this next period so that I can have at least 2 months back on DHEA. Or, if I really can't stand it, and have to stop taking it, moving forward the end of March. I had tried to stay on it while I was not cycling, but had some negative side effects, irritability and depression, and as soon as I stopped taking it, I felt better. But I want to give myself all the best chances since finding out about this POF and low ovulation response, I forget all the names. Lack of eggs! Not something Moe has a problem with, apparently! 24?! Loved the analogy of the hen...
A few questions if I may... (no surprise there, come on)
Has anyone used CoQ10? If so, how much?
And I have to ask, has anyone ever had the same odd side effects of taking the DHEA?! I've only taken 3 doses, and I'm already feeling cranky! I am willing to do whatever it takes to give myself better chances, but oy! I might end up being single and living alone if I keep feeling/acting this way, and irritability is not a good thing to prepare my body!
Acupuncture...How often do you go? Isn't massage better? I've had them both, and I know I *enjoyed* the massage more... and my body is sore right now since I've been exercising... any thoughts and cost projections? I think some of the cost might actually be covered by my insurance... just wasn't sure.
I'm going to be here a little more often, since we've decided not to share this journey in real life with anyone. There is so much negativity and pessimism, I just want to put myself in a bubble and try to "think happy thoughts". The doctor mentioned only a 5% chance of IVF working for me, even though I had 6 eggs last cycle, I think he's worried about egg quality, and I'm struggling to put that out of my mind and focus on the positives. I think he was trying to convince us to move forward to donor eggs, but I've got a few rounds of IVF with my own eggs left before I start thinking about that.
Here's hoping for some happy thoughts, baby dust and good wishes to you all,
~Regan
Well I go in on Monday to make the dreaded payment. Haha. I also have my injections class. All my Meds arrived yesterday so it looks as if I am really starting this crazy thing. I am feeling do excited and so hopeful for better odds. I don't think I could have done one more iui producing a Bfn. I'm sure you all get it.
Regan its so good to hear from you. We have all missed you and I was actually just thinking about you. As for accupuncture I go once a week and my husband has started to as well. There is something so relaxing to me about it. I love my accupuncturist. I also have gotten the fertility massages for the last three months. They are definitely relaxing!!! I have just gotten on the eating healthy bandwagon after taking a week break since we were away. It was too hard. I have been working out a lot too. I plan on going back to hour long walks next week when I start the Meds. I might also do an occasional spin clas. But we will see how this goes first
Anne. I am so so sorry to hear about your bfn but I know your miracle is right around the corner with ivf. Prayers ate being sent your way!
I wish you all well this week were ever you are in. The process. I am sure I will be updating a lot on this thread in the next couple of weeks. I will need all of you to lean on I'm sure as I get deeper in the process
Sending love and prayers to all of you!,,,
I have been going to acupuncture ($65 per session) since last August. Depending on where I'm at in my cycles I may go once a week or space it out to every 2-3 weeks. Leading up to my 6th (?) IUI I went weekly and then took a break during my TWW. I did roughly the same to prepare for my IVF but I think I had one session after retrevial and then after my chemical preg I took about 3 weeks off. I'm going today and will slowly increase back to once a week the month prior to my FET. My acupuncturist is very good about tailoring the points based on what's going on with my cycle. For example, I haven't seen AF since Jan 7, so she will do things to stimulate my system to get back on track, she has placed pins on my abdomen and attached to electrodes to really get things moving, I imagine that will be part of todays session. It's kind of weird tingling sensations but not painful. I have not had a fertility massage just the occasional Sweedish massage.
I'm curious about this being your 4th IVF. Are you saying that you went through "fresh" cycles? Did you have any embryos to freeze? Do they do traditional or ISCI? Even if you had 6 eggs I would imagine half would fertilize using the ISCI approach. But I guess it all comes down to the actual egg quality. I hope that you have success with the next try....I hope we all do
Moe
To answer your question, Moe, yep, fresh cycles. First one yielded zero, second one I retrieved two, one fertilized, but BFN, then last cycle, I think there were 6 follicles, but only 5 retrieved, then for some reason, I only had 2 implanted, two embryos that looked great. But, alas, BFN. I know someone here had mentioned grading, and I do go to a reputable fertility center (CNY in New York), but I just get a phone call with how many have fertilized, and if they are doing transfer. So, as I said, the doctor is questioning egg quality in addition to the poor ovarian response maxed out on follistim, and mentioned I'd have success with donor eggs, but I'm not ready yet.
MY GOAL, is to just forget the 5% chance he started to say, act as if everything is going to work in April, and be positive, but this is so much easier typed than done (as I'm sure you all know). It's especially more difficult taking the DHEA, I don't know if anyone else has done this, or if it's going to even out, but I am such a beyatch right now. I'm mean at work, not very nice at home, and down right evil inside my own head. And I keep thinking, this is a good point in my cycle! And then I have such mood swings, when I'm really quite pleasant and tolerable. Talk about a roller coaster. I work with mentally ill children and am developing a new respect for those with bi-polar disorder!
Thanks for the input about acupuncture, I still haven't called my insurance company to see what kind of coverage (if any) I have for this, but for 60 bucks a session, I think I could enjoy a massage. I LOVE massages, stone massages, swedish massages, deep tissue massages, bring 'em on!
I should have been asleep an hour ago, apparently this sleep thing is important for fertility, and diet, and exercise and I'm trying so hard to do so many things. I want to go to Jamaica Char, really?! I went in 2003 or 2004 for Christmas to Ocho Rios with my family, and LOVED it. You can still get some of that Vitamin D in a pill without all the risks of skin cancer, but I still think it feels so good with the warmth. Maybe I should go tan for a session! You ladies lift my spirits, and keep the hope going strong, happy thoughts your way...
~Regan
Moe!
I started the Lupron shots yesterday. (not so bad) and end my bcp on Friday. Then AF will show and I go for a baseline on the 22nd. If all is well I start my twice a day Shots of metapur and gonal f on the 23rd. and my egg retrieval will be somewhere around the 1st of April. Yay!! So if all goes as planned depending on which day we do the transfer I could end up with my Christmas miracle after all. The baby would be due either on Christmas eve or Christmas day.
So I want to hear about everybody's else's medicine schedules. It is always interesting to me to hear how different docs do things.
Lots of luck to all my girls!!
Sending some good thoughts your way ladies!
charlotte
Congrats on jumping to the IVF train, here's hoping it's not a wild and crazy ride for you, and all the support you need to get through it! What exactly is your protocol? I saw you had bcp and lupron, so I'm guessing low dose injectibles since it doesn't appear follicle count should be a problem? Seems like everyone is struggling with not enough or fears of too many...
I just made my first acupuncture appointment, and am looking into massages, although I also got back from the vet with the news that my dog has contracted lyme disease, so I'm trying to leave some money aside for that (I ended up getting the vaccine, which needs a booster in 3 weeks and want to have some money for a new bed for the spoiled furbaby). It's never just one battle, I feel like this is a WAR with a lot of little battles! Now off for a medium sized walk, since I have to work tonight (boo, boo, boo).
Stay hydrated and be easy with yourself!
~Regan
Welcome aboard the IVF train
So relax...my nurse told me that they usually postpone or cancel IVF's only if there is a sluggish response to stim meds and there aren't enough follies. On the flip side, if you are over-stimulated with lots of follies they look very closely at your estrogen level. When there are lots of follies and estrogen is around 3000, then you run the risk of OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome). I had a mild case of it and basically its when your ovaries are filled with fluid and sometimes the abdomen gets so full that it's hard to breathe/move/walk. It helps to drink lots of Gatorade and salty foods. Some people have to be admitted to the hospital or are placed on bedrest after the fluid is drained. There are some doctors that may opt to delay the embryo transfer until the OHSS has resolved. I know one lady that had a severe case of OHSS that had fluid drained but the bloating lasted more than a month. She found out there were twins!!! Twins make the OHSS much worse, but all is well and she's almost in her second trimester :-)
I know that this will work for us all on this path. We just have to remain positive and focused.
I know it's alot of info to take in and I hope I haven't :shock: overloaded you all with my experiences.
I'm here if anyone has questions about the IVF train :ugeek:
Best of luck and lots of baby dust!!
Moe!
All aboard the IVF train! Here's to a stress free and successful cycle. Good Luck!
Yesterday I laughed hard and cried hard literally at the exact same time. I was not feeling happy or sad at the moment It was the most bizarre thing that has happened to me. The good news. No headaches or any other side effects.
I'm happy to hear that you aren't having a lot of side effects. I have to say I'm both terrified and excited. I picked up a HUGE box of meds at the pharmacy yesterday. My god, I feel like a drug dealer I have so many things in my apartment now. I'm really curious what my med schedule is going to be. My doc is really good and writes it all out on a calendar for me.
I also booked a flight for my mom. She's coming out for 2 weeks. She'll take me to the retrieval and then the transfer and take care of me for the two days of bed rest. Thank god for frequent flyer miles and moms!
I went for my first ultrasound and have 7 follies above 11 and 30 below 11.
Am I going to get more mature follicles. Should I be happy or concerned. My doc was very happy with the progress. Since I am an ivf virgin I wasn't sure what is good and what is not good
Happy Wednesday
Charlotte
Don't worry, if your doc doesn't see significant growth in a certain timeframe he/she can always bump up the dosage. For me they reduced my dosage based on my strong response. But as I mentioned before it's a cummulative effect so that's probably why I still had quite a few follies.
Your doctor seemed pleased so go with that! Don't be afraid to ask questions so that you can remain an informed patient :ugeek:
When do they expect the retrieval to be?
Good luck Char!!
Moe