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I'm 33. Just turned 33 in January although everyone thinks I'm 25...Maybe because I'm petite. 5' 3" about 125lbs. lol

Hi guys! Kel thanks for the needle info. I was hoping you would say something even smaller for the injection one- my butt is still sore from last night. Shon- that is exciting- starting again so soon- though I guess it sucks to think of all of those injections and yucky bcps. I would hope that they monitor you every day to make sure you don't hyperstimulate. While it wasn't ideal, refraining from gonalf for 2 nights at the end of my cycle while my follies finished growing made my E2 go down to avoid it. Had they kep going, since I was at 4000 2 nites before my trigger, I would have been at 8000 as well. Instead it went down to 3000- and I feel much better. But let's see if it compromised quality at all or something. I am also 33- just turned on the 19th this month. Tomorrow is my appt. I have no idea how many they will recommend- I know they are big on minimizing multiples so I will definitely fight for 2 if they say 1... But who knows! This other clinic has acupuncture on site- so I will have sessions before and after- it will probably cost me a fortune but some relaxation will be nice. DH can't come with me :( He is a dr and has some patients that he can't reschedule that need treatment- he tried pushing them to the early morning hoping my appt would be in the afternoon- but no such luck. Then my mom was going to come up from NJ to be with me- but that's too much. Do you guys think I will be ok by myself? Later! Wish me luck!

Oh you'll be fine. You mean your transfer right? I went by myself to mine......Hen- I coasted i think the last 2 or 3 nights and it kept rising anyway..lol...Something I have is naturally high- either estrogen or LH. I can't remember which.

As usual you have made me feel a lot better Shon!

Just make sure you go straight home after and get in the bed for about 2-3 days.

Hello ladies, I hope you don't mind me dropping in? I've started my 1st IVF cycle and really could use your advice and experience. A little background, i'm 35 been trying for over a year, unexplained infertility, 2 failed IUI's and here we are with our 1st (and hopefully last) IVF. I've been on the bcp for a little over a week and just started daily Lupron (couldn't sleep at all last night thinking may be due to the Lupron). I've read acupuncture is sometime beneficial so starting that tomorrow as well. Is there any literature I need to read?Can anyone share their adivce and experiences to help an IVF new comer? This is a little scary and overwhelming for me and hubby. Praying for success for all the ladies here....lisa

Hey Lisa. Welcome. Ur story is similiar to mine. 33 dh is 38, fertility issue is with dh but I am starting to wonder if it could be me as well but anyhoo- 2 failed IUI's, had 1 cycle of IVF but had to freeze the embryos because I over stimulated and was hospitilized. Just had a FET about 2 weeks ago which gave me another bfn. So tomorrow I start bcp's again to start another cycle of IVF. Kelly(Kelsmi), just ended her bcp's she just started her stims. Wendy(Hendy) had he ET and she is having her transfer tomorrow....

Welcome Lisa- the ladies on this site are AWESOME! I am nearing the end of my first IVF cycle (my embryo transfer is tomorrow), and these gals really helped me thru a lot. I think I remember your name from one of the IUI forums previously! I have been doing acupuncture this whole cycle. Not sure how much help it will be, but it is definitely RELAXING which is something you can definitely use going thru IVF! Kelly is also doing acupuncture so maybe she can tell you about her experiences. I think a bunch of us have been on a similar protocol to what it sounds like you are starting- mine was bcps for 3 weeks. I overlapped 1 week with lupron- then started stims after AF came for about 11 days, then hcg shot, then retrieval about 36 hours after hcg, then transfer back in after 3 days, although a lot of gals here do 5 day blastocyst transfers. Anyway welcome and best of luck!!! Wendy

Thanks for your response. I really appreciate it. Babyforcole, sorry you overstimmed last time and was hospitalized. What stims were you on and do they know why you overstimmed? Also, I am not sure what FET is...sorry, trying to figure all the lingo. I wish you the best this cycle.
Wendy, I remember you as well from the IUI sites. The forums were very helpful then and feel I need you girls even more so now with IVF. So tomorrow is your transfer. How exciting for you. How many will they transfer if you don't mind me asking. Also, I know they "grade" the cells/embroys but not sure what all that means. Did you get a little more insight just now going through that part of it? Did they recommend best rest after the transfer, if so how long? The protocol's do seem similar. to be more specific, mine is bcp for 14 days, over lap with Lupron staring at day 8, take lupron for 4 weeks, overlap with stims on day 23, take ovidrel on day 34 egg retrieval on day 36 and transfer 5 days after that. Does that sound about right? I pray for the lords blessings tomorrow during transfer and for all the ladies here. Please keep me posted. lisa

Lisa, I was on Menopur and Bravelle stims with the Lupron. I had to do the bcp's too for 21 days. I overstimmed bec I was on clomid for 2 months when we did the iui and i responed normal. I was on 50mg, then 100mg. He thought I would have produced 2 eggs on 100mg but I didn't. When we decided to do IVF he started me off too high on the stims and I took off like a rocket. I produced 31 eggs, 24 fertilized. 13 made it to thaw, 2 were transfered (FET=frozen embryo transfer) and 4 were refrozen but we're ust going to do a fresh cycle.

Morning ladies - welcome Lisa! Well, they summed it up. I am 29 and on my 3rd cycle - nothing hugely wrong with the first 2, just not the greatest egg quality for me, so this time I was bc pills for 7 weeks to suppress male hormones they think were compromising the quality and instead of Gonal-F and Menopur I'm just on Menopur. I don't know ladies, this is day 6 for me and I'm starting to get nervous that I'm not responding to Menopur alone. I keep telling myself to chill out though b/c I followed this very same pattern the 1rst two times. Wendy - good luck today, you will be fine. The transfer is the easiest part of it all! Keep us posted on what/how many they transferred! Did you get your new protocol yet Shon? Oh, and Lisa, I think acupuncture has helped a great deal - like Wendy said - even if it's just for relaxation...why not? Stress is a major detriment.

i'm nervous- wish dh was coming. not nervous about the actual procedure since they say it's just like iui- but nervous about the discussion about my embies- are they good? am i gonna have to argue how many they put in? Since MA covers IVF, the insurance companies are really cracking down on fertility clinics who have high multiples stats (i'm sure it costs them a lot more money because they are often born premature, etc). I want them to put in at least too- but since it my first cycle and I am still considered "young"-- we'll see. I'll let you guys know what happened in a few hours! Thanks for the well wishes!!! Kel when do you go back again for b/w US? I'll bet you're responding- just as before! Lisa your protocol sounds similar- your downregulation on lupron just sounds a little longer. WHich stims will you be on? Shon- starting bcps today? WAMB and soccermom- how are ya?

Wendy - I know what you mean - that's always nerve-wracking for me too - waiting to hear what grade they are, etc... I hope they put 2 back for you. They really should. My next b/w and u/s appt. is Friday - that seems so far away! Oh well, at least that gives my body some time. I'm feeling a little more bloated today, but still none of that heaviness in the ovaries that will come with response. Let us know as soon as you have time Wendy! I'm excited to hear!!!!!!!!

good morning ladies. I slept much better last night, thank goodness. Today I have my 1st acupuncture session so looking forward to that. Babyforcole: wishing you the best this cycle. Is there a known difference in fresh vs frozen? I wonder what the reason is and how they determine how long someone should be on bcps to supress? Kelsmi and Babyforcole seem so much longer than mine. I'm on Follistim (the same as with the IUI's). I responded VERY well on a lower dose of Follistim and worried I may overstim as they will have me taking 375 units when it's time. I responded almost too well with my IUI's and was taking a much lessor dose. Any words of wisdom?
Gonal and Menopur is another type of stim, right? Hendy, we are thinking about you and you seem so strong. I know your anxious without hubby but you can do this. looking forward to hearing all the details. lisa

Lisa - I'm was only on bc pills for a long time b/c they said that in past cases, sometimes there are male hormones that compromise the egg quality that is produced - bc pills can suppress those, so it's just something new we're trying. Well ladies - I'm definitely feeling twinges now and some pain - I think I'm actually starting to respond a bit! Hopefully! Kelly

well it's over! dh was able to make it in the end- which was awesome. out of my 21 fertilized, 19 made it to 3-day, most with 8 cells (which is what they want at 3 days i guess). While this clinic doesn't grade them 1-4, they identify which ones have the highest implantation prob (which is based on some grading system)- and i had 8 of those. I had to argue like crazy for 2- because it's my first cycle, my quality was good, and the fact that i will have some to freeze plugged into their equation as single embryo transfer. But I argued and argued and cited a lot of reasons; the Dr. called the head of my clinic and got the go ahead. Whew! And the rest went smoothly- a little more uncomfortable than iui but not bad at all. I did acupuncture before and after- my one recommendation would be to go see your usual acupuncturist for your transfer- I saw the one they have on staff at the other clinic, and it was a little stressful because she did things a little differently- don't want to add stress! Ok I guess I will rest now!!! Hope all is well with you guys!