stims working so far...

[smsmith12]

Hi, just an update, that it looks like I have possibly up to 10 follicles but maybe more like 8 ... I'll have another check tomorrow and Saturday too. It's weird but they are almost all on the right side only. It looks like this board is quiet right now in terms of current attempters, but I'll keep bravely posting!

The retrieval might be this Monday. I am so hopeful and then scared to be hopeful ... this process is excruciating, each day feels like an eternity!!! Plus I have to get up at 5:45 every day b/c I travel to the clinic and they want me at the lab at 7am, and then I have to do my shots at that ungodly hour EVERY day. Tired... Need to make sure to get my rest.

-Sarah

[Annette]

C'mon little eggies grow!!!!!

[smsmith12]

retrieval...now waiting for fertilization

hi, they got 14 eggs yesterday! Still no word on quality or fertilization results.

I feel achey but relieved that they got more than 10, and though some might be immature I am glad they tried as well as they did.

Concentrating at work is pretty hard to do this AM!

[Annette]

14!! That is a terrific number!!! When are they going to call you for a status update?

[smsmith12]

update...

hi Annette,
they called me soon after I posted, to tell me that 12 were mature, and 9 fertilized normally. !! My husband and I were happy to hear that, needless to say, and we will hear more Thursday AM. Probably transfer Thursday. I'm crossing my fingers, praying so hard.
-sarah

[Annette]

That is wonderful news!! Do you have an idea of how many you ideally want to transfer?

[smsmith12]

transfer ...

OMG, I don't even know b/c just making it to this point is like a dream. If we have choices (like if the embryos are more than OK looking) I still think I'd go for 2, b/c even though I'm very scared of twins I just don't think I could risk less.
I'm not sure...!

[Annette]

I know, it's like something you really can't plan for. If it were me, I would do 2 under ideal circumstances. Is your doctor having you do bedrest after the transfer? I find it interesting that some clinics do bedrest and some don't.

[smsmith12]

Yes they are recommending 1-2 "quiet days" (they don't say "bedrest" but urge you to be at home resting). Fine with me. Then it will be the weekend and I can chill out some more. They were pretty upfront, that studies are not conclusive but it might help so do it. They also reasoned, why not do everything you can, so that if it's a BFN, you don't look back on that day or two and say "I shouldn't have gone to the mall, or to work, or whatever".

[Annette]

I definitely regret not having quiet days, I was told it was not necessary and that I could return to work the day after the transfer. In hindsight I would have done quiet days anyway. Yep, if anything *might* help, why not just do it. Let me know how your transfer goes, how exciting!!

[iwannabeamomx5]

Any updates? How many did you end up xferring? How are you feeling?

I'm wishing you all the best!!!

[smsmith12]

Transfer done...6 more days to wait

Hi, thanks for the message of positivity... I'm so glad to have made it this far, so in a way I feel more relaxed than I was up till the transfer.
We had a smooth transfer experience, of 2 embryos (so HARD to decide, the fear of it not working out is so great but I could not handle the result if 3 embryos took). I cried when I saw the U/S image of the fluid/embryos/air bubbles going into my uterus. The embryos were pretty good but not the best possible quality, the embryologist and Dr. said.
We were told 2 were frozen on day 6 and were grades "5AA and 5BB" which was encouraging.
Now I'm in the 2ww and I'm just totally unsure of what to expect. My job is stressful, I'm trying to keep breathing and be sane! I don't feel a lot of symptoms since yesterday, and that worries me a bit. No sore boobs, no real cramps... I had mild cramps at first for about 3-4 days.
So basically, I just have no idea what may be happening in my body. Very uncertain times.

[iwannabeamomx5]

Well it sounds very promising, with all of your symptoms and everything! And you had 2 embryos make it to blasts to freeze, that's a good sign too!! So your beta is May 4th? Are you testing with hpt's at home?


I'm a home tester, I just have to know before the blood test!! I am going to be really scared to test with the IVF though - it's exciting, but very scary at the same time. (I just started stims today) And it's not going to help that they want me to do 3 booster injections of hcg after the xfer too. What a pain - they had me do that with a couple of my IUI cycles too - I was just hoping to not have to do that with IVF. It's already hard enough to wait to test out the trigger, without this booster hcg protocol too. Whatever works though - I'll do whatever they tell me!!


Best wishes!!

[smsmith12]

Hi, Thanks for your thoughts, I DO hope it's positive and promising. My beta test is TOMORROW! I'm nervous, excited, but dreading if it's negative, and how I will feel if that's the case.

I have not wanted to home test. Well, maybe a little urge today. But I just don't trust the result so I'm hoping tomorrow to get the clear answer.

Good luck as you go on your stims. Is this your first IVF?

[iwannabeamomx5]

Oh tomorrow!!!! I will pray that your beta is a nice strong number!!


I have done IVF as an egg donor in the past, but this is the first time my DH and I have done IVF - we've been TTC for 5.5 years. We've known that we needed it for almost 4 years now, though. It's a very long story, we had insurance coverage for everything *but* IVF, so we have done 14 IUI's in the past 3 years, since that WAS covered - we even did a couple of IUI cycles with an IVF protocol since all meds were covered - we just wanted to do anything & everything we could to try and get a miracle. But none of it has worked, so then I luckily found someone to help us fight our insurance co. in March, and this time, we WON our appeal, and here we are!! FINALLY!!