CONGRATULATIONS Tommie and Natalie!!!! He is absolutely gorgeous! We both agree that hands down he's got Tommie's little nose! Such a beautiful little boy! So nice to see the positive end result of someone's journey... Now if he'll just sleep thru the night ;)
This IVF stuff is crazy, it's a lot to go thru. Antibiotics that make me nauseous, 10 days of shots, extra trips to the RE and a whole lot of pressure that our life savings is going to result in at least one bundle of joy for us. My FSH levels were great and I've got plenty of eggs just waiting to ripen! It's amazing how much larger the shot dose seems now that it's doubled. They hurt going in and for some time afterwards. I remember towards the end of my hybrid cycle that my whole tummy was sore and that was only 5 shots + trigger. Monday starts THREE shots per day for the remainder... WHEW!
If everything goes according to my 'plan' my extraction will be Monday the 2nd and I'm supposed to trigger exactly 36 hrs before my procedure. I will most likely tranfer 3 days after that then test in 2 weeks to get our BFP! They say I'm a candidate for a possible blastocyst transfer but I'm not positive I wanna chance losing everything by waiting that long... Even the RE says the best environment for the little embryos is in my uterus so the sooner they're replaced, the better.
My plan has been changed several times since I reacted so positively with the drugs, as expected. The nurse mentioned it was one of the smallest doses she's seen. (I'm thinking since they're is nothing WRONG with me it shouldn't take a lot to get me going!!!) I was actually bumped up a couple days and had my extraction on Saturday. Not the best experience but bearable. I just never thought I'd be this sore afterwards. Any slight jarring is very painful. We went over some railroad tracks in the car and it almost brought me to tears. I've been taking it super easy since the extraction. It doesn't help that I am the world's biggest wuss...
I was loopy from the drugs and thought they'd extracted 8 eggs but after I came to a little bit, found out they really got 11. I asked them how many they got while they were still working on me. (I was doped up asking funny questions like, were 2 of them really big? LOL) The next morning they called and said that 5 fertilized, which they expect about half to work. I can't help but think, MAN that would have been 6 more failed IUIs!!! Just waiting on another call for a check up. My partner keeps saying she wants to go watch them grow! I don't blame her, I do too!!! It could be our first time 'babysitting' :) I don't think I've got enough to wait for blastocycsts so tomorrow is probably THE day! We're getting so excited!!!
Neither, we didn't opt for ICSI either. I didn't want the lab deciding which spermies were gonna be the winners!
I don't know how many we're transferring yet. The RE gives his recommendation the morning of since so much can happen in a day. Women in their 20's typically transfer 2 while women in their 30's transfer 3-4. Got my follow up call and 4 of the 5 embryos were coming along nicely (in 2-4 cell range)and 1 was starting to lag behind. We'll have to see how many front runners there are in the morning and go from there. Tomorrow is the day!!!
LOVE the new pics! But, what's with the cheese??? LOL
Update... I transferred 3 BEAUTIFUL, mature, perfectly shaped 8+ cell embryos! Their pics were awesome and we got to keep the 'dish' :) We should find out tomorrow if the other 2 (one was @7 cells on day 3, the other was much slower) made it to the blast stage to be frozen. I can tell you right now, I must be pregant. I just FEEL it. I know it's way too soon but I think at least 2 of 'em have found a home!!! I don't think I've EVER been this excited to test! Even out of so many attempted cycles. I don't think I'll survive THESE two weeks!!!!!!!!!
How come you have to wait two weeks? I thought with IVF you could go in for blood work in like two days, atleast my aunt did...
Anyways, forget all that! We are so excited for you! Hehe Tommie just said, "I hope they get triplets!" not really for your sake, well being, and sanity lol...but we sure hope this is your time!
We are scheduled to test at the RE 2 weeks from embryo transfer day, but we're gonna be peein' on sticks before then!!! (we haven't decided which day to test first tho, maybe Saturday?) I don't know about testing in 2 days, that seems waaay early unless they implant the same day as transfer maybe? But I'm not sure how you'd know they did? The 2 weaker embryos left behind didn't make it to the blastocyst stage so we have all our eggs in one 'basket' so to speak LOL.
Most of the injection side effects are winding down now and I don't feel so bloated thank God! My boobs on the other hand, remain sore as ever. I'm hoping that's a good sign although it's really hard to say because I've had sore boobs all the way up to my day 1 before with these drugs...
We can't wait to share the news either!!! And hey, I wouldn't be cryin' if we had triplets! I keep saying that ideally I'd like 3 children. I don't care if they come one at a time or all at once LOL!!!
LoL I know where you are coming from about the triplets but good God! We are tired now with one, I couldn't imagine 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gives me the gout just thinking about it lol.
So Sat as in a little over a week from today eh. Man we are stoked for ya'll! So does the fact that your embryos didn't make it give a reason as to why you haven't been getting pregnant? So the two they implanted were just strong from the start? IVF is so different from IUI's!!!!!
No, I was thinking about Saturday as in 4/14. I don't think I'm gonna test now tho. I had some light bleeding this afternoon and I don't think I can handle a negative. Everything I've read about IVF testing says don't do it at all because of all the drugs. They only rely on the bloodwork. We were gonna go ahead and do it anyway just in case we get an early positive but after today, I'm not tempting anything.
They expect about half the eggs harvested to fertilize, that's the average. We transfered the 3 best. Yeah, IVF is a whole new ball game... We better win this one, I'm still hanging on to hope until the blood test next tuesday.
Wait, so you have 3 three THREE little guys inside you? Lol you might end up with triplets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So testing today wouldn't that be a week early? When are you supposed to test? A week from today?
Lol how did I not remember they transfered 3? As if this was new info - Tommie said "well you told me they transfered 3..." I argued that no I didn't, but as I read up - yes I did.
My 2ww clock began on 4/3 when I had the transfer so my test will be tuesday. We are so nervous. I'm totally holding my breath! It's consuming every thought of mine so I'm trying my best to get my mind on something else... I have to stop reading these boards, it's not helping! LOL
I had my first beta drawn on tuesday and my number DID come back positive, but only at 17. I went back on friday to draw again and I'm back to negative results. The little booger didn't stick. We're at a total loss on why this isn't working and will be looking to the RE for some answers before we throw any more money and emotions towards anything else. I HAVE to have answers. Seven failed IUIs and a failed IVF cycle has to be caused by SOMETHING. All my tests have turned out fine but something has to be wrong here. They need to find out and tell us what it is. We are beyond devastated...
I think I'm finally over the 48 hour fit I threw this weekend. Upset, crying, so mad I could spit... upset, crying, so mad I could spit. That was the cycle all weekend long. I've had so much sadness, disappointment and anger build up in me over the past year and a half I reached my limit with this one. I've taken it out on everyone... friends, coworkers, my dogs, it's just not right.
Haven't talked to the RE yet. I'm glad I'm mostly out of that state of mind before I talk to him anyway since I'd come off as a crazy person. LOL I'm sure they're used to women getting upset but I'm mostly angry now so he'd have gotten an ear full.
We've got an extra vial left over that we'll probably use as a hybrid cycle after I have a few rest cycles. I'm thinking 2 maybe 3 rest cycles, depending on how my left ovary recovers from the over stimulation with this IVF. That was a ton of drugs I took with it, a long way from just clomid. We probably won't have the funds to try another IVF cycle till next spring since we've just spent all of our savings. We don't want to go into debt over any of this. Maybe we'll get lucky with a random hybrid. I'm not getting any younger and I don't want to wait that long to try again but you can only do what you can, right?
First of all, Tommie and I are so incredibly sorry.
Second of all, do you ovulate on your own? I mean could you try a cycle with no drugs? I've heard of people who just poof get pregnant despite not getting pregnant with fertility treatments. Maybe that's a choice.
I do ovulate on my own. We haven't ruled anything out for moving forward and have considered an all natural cycle.
We can't believe it either. I was just saying today that I can't believe we've come this far with so many failures. It just doesn't seem real like it's someone else's story I've read about.
I'm having another blood work up done before we attempt anything else. Hopefully that will give us some answers...
Had blood drawn...SIXTEEN VIALS later I felt like I should have gotten a juice or something! LOL I requested a copy of the results come to my home as well so I can see what the RE sees. I'm no doctor but I deserve to be informed. I hope it doesn't take the results too long to come back. It may sound funny but I hope something's wrong with the blood work. I hope it's found and fixable. At least I would have a highly probable answer as to why I miscarry. We already know that I've got good eggs that will fertilize etc. Lord please let us get an answer, the right answer....
Have you had more than one miscarraige? Yeah that's totally understandable about wanting something to be wrong - atleast knowning there is a reason why you aren't getting pregnant gives some relief....
Yeah, this is chemical #2... I don't mind travelling a rough road if God intended it. I just hope He feels that the amount of pain we've suffered is adequate and we can finally have our happy ending! LOL
Mgalbn...Have you had an endometrial biopsy? I had 4 chemicals total. My RE suggested IVF because she beleived it was my eggs. We did the biopsy prior to IVF and discovered I had an infection that would have caused a BFN or another chemical. I just finished antibiotics and plan to start IVF soon if it is cleared up. Just a suggestion.
Sorry, I haven't been checking this board very often. Natalie, no... no $$$ for another IVF till next year. We've got an extra vial that we are planning on using as soon as it's ok to do so.
The blood work came back perfectly fine. OF COURSE. No answer there... moving on. So I'm going to have a laparoscopy/hysteroscopy in a couple weeks. This is more of an actual surgery than an IVF needle so I'm not really looking forward to being out of commission for a bit. At least it's not open surgery. At this point I'll do ANYTHING for answers!!!
That pesky burning sensation in my left ovary area was pretty intense with this last period. It had been lessening with each progressive rest cycle but not after IVF. It's actually picked up and I'm burning pretty good for the 4 or 5 days around ovulation and several days before and the week of my period. That's new, never lasted that long or this intense. Maybe the RE WILL find something this time? Maybe I have endometriosis? Maybe all those IVF drugs irritated it or something?
So, we've got some down time. It's been nice without that type of stress and worry. We may be able to try the very next cycle after the surgery but it's possible we may have to wait longer, depending on what the RE finds. I don't mind not jumping right in because I want to be completely healed and 100% ready with no burning. We've changed our focus and have gotten lots done in the mean time. With being so busy with other things, there hasn't even been much baby talk at all lately. Down time = no pressure for me, and I'm ok with that until after surgery... I'll keep y'all in the loop when I get word of the surgery results!
Hi ya'll I haven't chatted on this board for quite awhile. Good luck to all still on this journey, Congrats TommieWartick. I"m happy for you both. I started trying again with a couple failed natural IUI cycle attempts recently. I'm now going to embark on trying at home ICI a couple more times. I'm nervous and still unclear if I should use speculum (i've read that it takes out sperm with it)or not and if I insert ontop of cervix or slightly inside. Also on the timing for an ICI, I think about 24hrs after +OPK, although I just read in ( The New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception,Pregnancy & Birth)that I should inseminate before I get a positive (this is confusing to me)
I know some of you ladies are great researches...any sites I could reference on this stuff or do you have any advice??
Also...I can't seem to find the CCB friends facebook page...is it still around?
Comments
We cannot wait for you to experience this...you truly deserve it.
So once monday starts, how long do you think it will be till egg transfer and all that?
I was loopy from the drugs and thought they'd extracted 8 eggs but after I came to a little bit, found out they really got 11. I asked them how many they got while they were still working on me. (I was doped up asking funny questions like, were 2 of them really big? LOL) The next morning they called and said that 5 fertilized, which they expect about half to work. I can't help but think, MAN that would have been 6 more failed IUIs!!! Just waiting on another call for a check up. My partner keeps saying she wants to go watch them grow! I don't blame her, I do too!!! It could be our first time 'babysitting' :) I don't think I've got enough to wait for blastocycsts so tomorrow is probably THE day! We're getting so excited!!!
Wow, we are super excited!!!!!!!! You are implanting 2 right? So the ones you don't use they will freeze right and you can use later if you want?
I don't know how many we're transferring yet. The RE gives his recommendation the morning of since so much can happen in a day. Women in their 20's typically transfer 2 while women in their 30's transfer 3-4. Got my follow up call and 4 of the 5 embryos were coming along nicely (in 2-4 cell range)and 1 was starting to lag behind. We'll have to see how many front runners there are in the morning and go from there. Tomorrow is the day!!!
LOVE the new pics! But, what's with the cheese??? LOL
CALLING ALL STICKY DUST!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyways, forget all that! We are so excited for you! Hehe Tommie just said, "I hope they get triplets!" not really for your sake, well being, and sanity lol...but we sure hope this is your time!
We can't wait to hear the news!!!!!
We are scheduled to test at the RE 2 weeks from embryo transfer day, but we're gonna be peein' on sticks before then!!! (we haven't decided which day to test first tho, maybe Saturday?) I don't know about testing in 2 days, that seems waaay early unless they implant the same day as transfer maybe? But I'm not sure how you'd know they did? The 2 weaker embryos left behind didn't make it to the blastocyst stage so we have all our eggs in one 'basket' so to speak LOL.
Most of the injection side effects are winding down now and I don't feel so bloated thank God! My boobs on the other hand, remain sore as ever. I'm hoping that's a good sign although it's really hard to say because I've had sore boobs all the way up to my day 1 before with these drugs...
We can't wait to share the news either!!! And hey, I wouldn't be cryin' if we had triplets! I keep saying that ideally I'd like 3 children. I don't care if they come one at a time or all at once LOL!!!
So Sat as in a little over a week from today eh. Man we are stoked for ya'll! So does the fact that your embryos didn't make it give a reason as to why you haven't been getting pregnant? So the two they implanted were just strong from the start? IVF is so different from IUI's!!!!!
They expect about half the eggs harvested to fertilize, that's the average. We transfered the 3 best. Yeah, IVF is a whole new ball game... We better win this one, I'm still hanging on to hope until the blood test next tuesday.
I had my first beta drawn on tuesday and my number DID come back positive, but only at 17. I went back on friday to draw again and I'm back to negative results. The little booger didn't stick. We're at a total loss on why this isn't working and will be looking to the RE for some answers before we throw any more money and emotions towards anything else. I HAVE to have answers. Seven failed IUIs and a failed IVF cycle has to be caused by SOMETHING. All my tests have turned out fine but something has to be wrong here. They need to find out and tell us what it is. We are beyond devastated...
Haven't talked to the RE yet. I'm glad I'm mostly out of that state of mind before I talk to him anyway since I'd come off as a crazy person. LOL I'm sure they're used to women getting upset but I'm mostly angry now so he'd have gotten an ear full.
We've got an extra vial left over that we'll probably use as a hybrid cycle after I have a few rest cycles. I'm thinking 2 maybe 3 rest cycles, depending on how my left ovary recovers from the over stimulation with this IVF. That was a ton of drugs I took with it, a long way from just clomid. We probably won't have the funds to try another IVF cycle till next spring since we've just spent all of our savings. We don't want to go into debt over any of this. Maybe we'll get lucky with a random hybrid. I'm not getting any younger and I don't want to wait that long to try again but you can only do what you can, right?
Second of all, do you ovulate on your own? I mean could you try a cycle with no drugs? I've heard of people who just poof get pregnant despite not getting pregnant with fertility treatments. Maybe that's a choice.
We just can't believe it.
We can't believe it either. I was just saying today that I can't believe we've come this far with so many failures. It just doesn't seem real like it's someone else's story I've read about.
I'm having another blood work up done before we attempt anything else. Hopefully that will give us some answers...
It will happen...you just got the rough road.
I agree, if there is a light at the end of the tunnel then it will all have been worth it.
The blood work came back perfectly fine. OF COURSE. No answer there... moving on. So I'm going to have a laparoscopy/hysteroscopy in a couple weeks. This is more of an actual surgery than an IVF needle so I'm not really looking forward to being out of commission for a bit. At least it's not open surgery. At this point I'll do ANYTHING for answers!!!
That pesky burning sensation in my left ovary area was pretty intense with this last period. It had been lessening with each progressive rest cycle but not after IVF. It's actually picked up and I'm burning pretty good for the 4 or 5 days around ovulation and several days before and the week of my period. That's new, never lasted that long or this intense. Maybe the RE WILL find something this time? Maybe I have endometriosis? Maybe all those IVF drugs irritated it or something?
So, we've got some down time. It's been nice without that type of stress and worry. We may be able to try the very next cycle after the surgery but it's possible we may have to wait longer, depending on what the RE finds. I don't mind not jumping right in because I want to be completely healed and 100% ready with no burning. We've changed our focus and have gotten lots done in the mean time. With being so busy with other things, there hasn't even been much baby talk at all lately. Down time = no pressure for me, and I'm ok with that until after surgery... I'll keep y'all in the loop when I get word of the surgery results!
Baby dust to everyone still trying!!!
Pray for answers for me!!!
I know some of you ladies are great researches...any sites I could reference on this stuff or do you have any advice??
Also...I can't seem to find the CCB friends facebook page...is it still around?