Home IVF

[ivanadiamond]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are about to start the process of IVF next month and I am beyond petrified. Has anyone else tried it? I would love to hear your stories, feedback and anything else on the topic! Thank you in advance!!!!

ID

 

[curlygirl]

ivana, I don't have any personal experience with IVF but I have 2 friends that have gone through it and both had success on their first round. They both now have beautiful, healthy baby girls! From what I have learned from them, it's tough in the beginning when you go through all the hormone therapy, injections, etc. and they do put you under for the egg retrieval but the transfer isn't bad at all. I assume it's different for everybody depending on each individual's circumstances. I'm sorry to make it sound so basic since I'm not an expert but I didn't want to leave you hanging!! I'm sure others will chime in with more significant information for you about all the specifics. I wish you lots of luck! Hope it happens quickly for you!!!! Please keep us posted.

 

[ivanadiamond]

Thank you Curlygirl! That is great to know that you have had 2 friends that were succesful on their first round! Gives me a lot of hope

and is totally helpful. The most daunting part was hearing how long the process is and the inordinant amount of drugs one needs to take. We were sitting in the doctors office and after the 4th or 5th step, I couldn''t keep track anymore. But I am also excited because the odds are so much greater with IVF than any things else we have tried before. Thank you again!

 

[mrs-h-]

Hi Ivanadiamond,


Ive had IVF, well ISCI actually, its an amazing thing, the worst bit i found was the Down Regulation and then the stimming injections as im afraid of needles, my DH says i was a total B**ch to live with at the time because of the hormones but its worth it and more if you get a BFP, unfortunatley both my cycles were BFN''s but we now have a very bubbly 1 year old amazingly conceived naturally after we were told there was no chance of this (we have severe MF issues), the EC and ET for me was fine and painless but the 2WW drove me round the bend, i had 5 in total and they dont get any easier, i joined a fertility forum and it was a total lifesaver for me, i couldnt have gone through my last 3 cycles with out it, i''ll never know how i got through my 1st 2 without the help and support from the lovely ladies on there dealing with Infertility and its treatments, i wholeheartedly reccomend it, im in the UK so joined a site based here but i know they are all over the internet and we have a few US and Canadian ladies with us too, i wish you and your DH the very best of luck with it.

 

[Mrs Mitchell]

I don''t have any experience, but I just wanted to stop by and wish you luck. Fingers crossed for you!

Jen

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 2/28/2008 1:21:37 PM
Author: Mrs Mitchell
I don''t have any experience, but I just wanted to stop by and wish you luck. Fingers crossed for you!

Jen

Ditto. Good luck Ivana!!!

 

[swingirl]

Good luck. My friend with polycystic ovaries got pregnant with twins on teh first try. Her boys are 15 now! They''ve had some years to perfect the procedure.

 

[ivanadiamond]

Date: 2/28/2008 12:17:24 PM
Author: mrs-h-
Hi Ivanadiamond,


Ive had IVF, well ISCI actually, its an amazing thing, the worst bit i found was the Down Regulation and then the stimming injections as im afraid of needles, my DH says i was a total B**ch to live with at the time because of the hormones but its worth it and more if you get a BFP, unfortunatley both my cycles were BFN''s but we now have a very bubbly 1 year old amazingly conceived naturally after we were told there was no chance of this (we have severe MF issues), the EC and ET for me was fine and painless but the 2WW drove me round the bend, i had 5 in total and they dont get any easier, i joined a fertility forum and it was a total lifesaver for me, i couldnt have gone through my last 3 cycles with out it, i''ll never know how i got through my 1st 2 without the help and support from the lovely ladies on there dealing with Infertility and its treatments, i wholeheartedly reccomend it, im in the UK so joined a site based here but i know they are all over the internet and we have a few US and Canadian ladies with us too, i wish you and your DH the very best of luck with it.

Wow Mrs-h, thank you for replying. We are actually doing the ISCI too because of MF issues as well. How amazing that you were able to conceive naturally after everything you went through. What a blessing! I can''t imagine how difficult it must have been to go through it 5 times. I do read the message boards for infertility and ivf, but I have never posted on them. After reading how much it helped you though, I think I will give it a try- Thank you!!!

 

[ivanadiamond]

Thank you Jen, Lisa and Swingirl!!!

 

[dani13]

Hi Ivana,

I've never had IVF, but as you know I am an OB nurse (L&D), and I cant tell you how many of our patients undergo IVF. So many! I hear tons about it from my patients..so I feel like I am somewhat familiar with it. Also, one of my best friends went through it (she has PCOS) and even though it was rough for her, she said she would do it all over again in a heartbeat (she now has a 10 mth old precious little girl). The IVF worked on the first try for her and her hubby....so great!

I wish you and your husband all the luck in the world!!! I will keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers.

-D

 

[snlee]

Date: 2/28/2008 1:27:02 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Date: 2/28/2008 1:21:37 PM
Author: Mrs Mitchell
I don''t have any experience, but I just wanted to stop by and wish you luck. Fingers crossed for you!

Jen

Ditto. Good luck Ivana!!!

Ditto. ivanadiamond, thinking of you and wishing you lots of luck!

 

[ivanadiamond]

Date: 2/28/2008 2:33:49 PM
Author: Dani
Hi Ivana,

I''ve never had IVF, but as you know I am an OB nurse (L&D), and I cant tell you how many of our patients undergo IVF. So many! I hear tons about it from my patients..so I feel like I am somewhat familiar with it. Also, one of my best friends went through it (she has PCOS) and even though it was rough for her, she said she would do it all over again in a heartbeat (she now has a 10 mth old precious little girl). The IVF worked on the first try for her and her hubby....so great!

I wish you and your husband all the luck in the world!!! I will keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers.

-D

Hi Dani!! That is so wonderful for your girlfriend, especially that it happened on their first try. We can''t decide if we should just try it once or pay more and get the insurance package with gives you three cycles...It is a lot more expensive than the one time deal, but a lot less if it takes a few tries...do a lot of your patients have success on their first try? Or does it take multiple times?

Snlee thank you for your best wishes, I will take all the good luck there is!!! thank you!

 

[TravelingGal]

Hi Ivana...

Sending you all my best wishes! No experiences with it personally but just wanted to encourage you. A friend just gave birth to her 3rd IVF baby. Each time it worked on their first attempt and now they have 3 beautiful girls.

I have high hopes that someday soon, you will be on the strand walking your beautiful baby.

 

[lili]

Date: 2/28/2008 1:27:02 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Date: 2/28/2008 1:21:37 PM

Author: Mrs Mitchell

I don''t have any experience, but I just wanted to stop by and wish you luck. Fingers crossed for you!


Jen

Ditto. Good luck Ivana!!!

Ditto.
Sending you lots of baby dust.

 

[dani13]

Date: 2/28/2008 5:21:23 PM
Author: ivanadiamond

Date: 2/28/2008 2:33:49 PM

Author: Dani

Hi Ivana,


I've never had IVF, but as you know I am an OB nurse (L&D), and I cant tell you how many of our patients undergo IVF. So many! I hear tons about it from my patients..so I feel like I am somewhat familiar with it. Also, one of my best friends went through it (she has PCOS) and even though it was rough for her, she said she would do it all over again in a heartbeat (she now has a 10 mth old precious little girl). The IVF worked on the first try for her and her hubby....so great!


I wish you and your husband all the luck in the world!!! I will keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers.

-D

Hi Dani!! That is so wonderful for your girlfriend, especially that it happened on their first try. We can't decide if we should just try it once or pay more and get the insurance package with gives you three cycles...It is a lot more expensive than the one time deal, but a lot less if it takes a few tries...do a lot of your patients have success on their first try? Or does it take multiple times?


Snlee thank you for your best wishes, I will take all the good luck there is!!! thank you!

Hi Ivana-

I would say that *most* of my patients are successful on either the first or second round of IVF. But, its really so individual.....Did your docs discuss your specific situation with you re: your chances of getting pregnant successfully with the first cycle? What do they think? If they havent discussed this with you, then I would definitley ask them...That would dictate (for me at least) which plan I would choose (purchasing one cycle vs. multiple). Good luck!

 

[babysteps]

An IVF''er here who just wanted to say ''good luck'' to you as you start off towards your cycle. My quick rundown - unexplained infertility (full work up of both me and DH revealed - nada. Except we weren''t getting pregnant) - first cycle - successful IVF, twin boys (age 34 - 10 yrs. ago - I''m old! and they have gotten a LOT better at IVF since then) - 2nd cycle, age 36, frozen cycle with embryos from first IVF, preg. but early miscarriage (5-6 wks.) - 3rd cycle - age 36, didn''t work. 4th cycle, age 38 (took a break from treatment, needed it emotionally) - successful IVF, baby daughter. (Now almost 6!) I am forever grateful for the amazing technology and physicians who enabled us to become parents.

On the plus side, IVF protocols get better and better all the time and I know success rates continue to go up (when I cycled the first time, 5 day transfers didn''t even exist, by the time I had my last child, they were practically standard) - on the other hand, there is still no predicting why some cycles work and others don''t.

I had a textbook perfect cycle and transferred beautiful embryos on my failed cycle, while my lousy cycle (almost cancelled, stimmed FOREVER, crummy fertilization, and my best embryo only had 6 cells) gave me my sweet little girl (the one in my avatar). Go figure. If I had the option, I would go with the package that allowed for 3 cycles - it would make me feel less pressure. I wish you all the luck in the world with your IVF - definitely look for support wherever you can get it - friends, Internet, whatever - I think it helps with the roller coaster feeling to know that there is a community of others who are experiencing/have experienced what you are going thru. Fingers crossed for your success!

 

[hlmr]

Date: 2/28/2008 2:39:29 AM
Author:ivanadiamond
Hi everyone,

My husband and I are about to start the process of IVF next month and I am beyond petrified. Has anyone else tried it? I would love to hear your stories, feedback and anything else on the topic! Thank you in advance!!!!

ID

I have been through IVF Ivana, and I did get pregnant the first time. If they end up transferring blastocysts, you have a much greater chance of getting pregnant. It is a very emotional rollarcoaster ride, and when it is the unknown, can seem even worse. My best advice is to educate yourself as much as possible, be positive, flexible, and take as much r&r time as you can during the process. After the transfer, while you are waiting to go for that final blood test (which seems forever!), treat yourself to a massage/facial/pedi/mani, or whatever relaxes you the most (tell them you might be pregnant so they are careful).

You will have a much better idea after the first IVF whether or not this is a good option for you and your df. Your doctor will let you know the quality/quantity of fertilized eggs. May I also suggest that the first time you do not have ICSI (sorry if this is the wrong terminology, it has been a while) done and allow the sperm to fertilize the eggs on its own. If this does not happen, the chances of IVF working diminish very substantially. Please remember that I only speak from experience and the experiences of others that have shared them with me.

I wish you the very best of luck and hope that this works for you!!!

 

[somethingshiny]

Just wanted to wish you good luck!

sticky, sticky, sticky, sticky, sticky......

 

[ivanadiamond]

I soooooo appreciate all your well wishes and it is great to hear how many of you have been or have know people that have been successful with IVF.

Tgal, Congratulations to you!!! How much longer do you have to go until baby t is born? I believe I read that you are naming him Miller? I adore that name! Are you still living in the southbay? I am so thrilled for you lady! Maybe we can meet up sometime and go for a walk on the strand or to 23rd street Jewelers

.

Lili- thank you!~ Congratulations too!!!

Dani- Our doctor said that I have a really great chance, over 65% to go to live birth with my age and our issues. He thinks I have the best shot, but if I wanted piece of mind then the insurance would offer us multiple chances and 70% of the money back if 3 cycles didn't work. The more that I think about it, the more I think I will just try it once first and if it fails then move forward with a shared-risk program. I am 32 and and our problem seems to lie in my husbands morphology so the IVF should really (hopefully) give us a great chance)

Babysteps- Your avatar is adorable and makes me tear up. You give me so much hope! I am sorry to hear that you had a few unsuccessful attempts, but I am sure it is all worth it when you finally conceive. Thank you for sharing your story with me.

HLMR- So happy to hear that IVF was successful for you as well!!!! It feels so great to be able to have a place to speak to woman that have gone through what I am going through. I feel so alone in this because I don't know anyone else that has had infertility problems and am surrounded by all my friends that all have 1 or 2 kids now. It has been such an emotional roller-coaster and I hope that my husband and I too can be blessed with a baby or two

with IVF.

Also, can you elaborate about IVF and ICSI? Our doctor said because we have male fertility factor that ICSI would be a better route for us. Is there a website that I can get more information? I appreciate you telling me this, it is precisely why I started this thread. I really want to hear everyone’s experiences, advice and opinions.

Somethingshiny- Ahhh thanks girly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[hlmr]

Date: 2/29/2008 1:46:28 AM
Author: ivanadiamond

HLMR- So happy to hear that IVF was successful for you as well!!!! It feels so great to be able to have a place to speak to woman that have gone through what I am going through. I feel so alone in this because I don''t know anyone else that has had infertility problems and am surrounded by all my friends that all have 1 or 2 kids now. It has been such an emotional roller-coaster and I hope that my husband and I too can be blessed with a baby or two

with IVF.

Hi ivana, just wanted to say that although I did become pregnant with IVF, unfortunately I did miscarry. That does not take away from the success of the procedure though, and it did happen the first time I tried it when I was 35. Age is definitely on your side!

If your doctor recommends ICSI, then of course, you should listen to the expert. I had a girlfriend who kept choosing to have the sperm injected inside the eggs so they would always fertilize, but things never progressed very well even with that assistance. I kept wishing she would try a cycle without doing that to see if her eggs would fertilize at all on their own. She unfortunately was not successful in her many attempts.

 

[TravelingGal]

Hi Ivana!

4 weeks to go...exactly a month from today actually. We don''t know what we are having yet...Miller is another PSer (LitigatorChick''s) son''s name...I was just commenting that I loved her son''s name. Ours will be Aaron if it is a boy (TGuy''s choice) or Amelia if it is a girl (my choice because it''s the first three letters of America and last three of Australia...our respective countries).

And yes...still living in the South Bay. Is there anywhere else? Hehehe.

Seems like a lot of people have had success. Please take care of yourself and don''t stress too much!

 

[ivanadiamond]

HLMR- I am really sorry to hear that and about your friend too.

 

[ivanadiamond]

T-gal- There is no better place than the Southbay, but I can''t afford a house here, argh!!! But days like yesterday when the weather is so fantastic make it impossible to leave. I love both Aaron and Amelia. Do you have any feeling on whether you are having a boy or girl? The next four weeks are probably going to be the fastest and longest weeks of your life! How exciting!!!

 

[ivanadiamond]

Date: 2/28/2008 2:34:24 PM
Author: snlee

Date: 2/28/2008 1:27:02 PM
Author: Kaleigh

Date: 2/28/2008 1:21:37 PM
Author: Mrs Mitchell
I don't have any experience, but I just wanted to stop by and wish you luck. Fingers crossed for you!

Jen

Ditto. Good luck Ivana!!!

Ditto. ivanadiamond, thinking of you and wishing you lots of luck!

Snlee - I just read that you are pregnant! That is so awesome!!!!! Best wishes to you!~ BTW- have you noticed that we kind of are ring-twins in our avatars? I keep seeing yours and thinking it's mine or when I read one of your posts I have to do a double-take because I am like, wait I didn't write this??!?

 

[monarch64]

Ivana: I''ve only had one friend who was starting to consider IVF and then got pg unexpectedly...just wanted to wish you good luck!!!

 

[mrs-h-]

Ivana,


We were told that ICSI was our only option as my DH has severe Ogliospermia and his swimmers (what little of them there were) werent able to fertilise the eggs themselves, i was never a good responder to the drugs and never produced any embies to be frozen, bear in mind i started my cycles 7 years ago so there was a lot less info back then, only 2 of my cycles were with ICSI as after the 2nd we had a break of 2 years to have time ourselves without the stress of IVF and to save for our next cycle as we dont have the insurance packages you guys have in the US so we had to self fund, when we went back we were told that DH didnt have any sperm in his SA and only 2 in a second SA so we were advised to use a donor as that was the only option for us if we wanted a child, but a month after our 3rd donor cycle i got a natural BFP, we are now debating wether to try again with ICSI or TTC ourselves for a few more months, maybe til after the summer, it didnt work for us but i have lots of friends who it has worked for 1st time.

65% is amazing, we were told only 25% for ICSI for us but that was a few years ago now and there wasnt the same tests around then either, i would go for the 3 round package if you can, does that give the possibility of trying again in a few years if you are succesful 1st time?


Do you know about the Brazil nuts and Pineapple juice?

 

[ivanadiamond]

Thank you Monnie!!!!!

Date: 2/29/2008 4:43:20 AM
Author: mrs-h-

Ivana,


We were told that ICSI was our only option as my DH has severe Ogliospermia and his swimmers (what little of them there were) werent able to fertilise the eggs themselves, i was never a good responder to the drugs and never produced any embies to be frozen, bear in mind i started my cycles 7 years ago so there was a lot less info back then, only 2 of my cycles were with ICSI as after the 2nd we had a break of 2 years to have time ourselves without the stress of IVF and to save for our next cycle as we dont have the insurance packages you guys have in the US so we had to self fund, when we went back we were told that DH didnt have any sperm in his SA and only 2 in a second SA so we were advised to use a donor as that was the only option for us if we wanted a child, but a month after our 3rd donor cycle i got a natural BFP, we are now debating wether to try again with ICSI or TTC ourselves for a few more months, maybe til after the summer, it didnt work for us but i have lots of friends who it has worked for 1st time.

65% is amazing, we were told only 25% for ICSI for us but that was a few years ago now and there wasnt the same tests around then either, i would go for the 3 round package if you can, does that give the possibility of trying again in a few years if you are succesful 1st time?


Do you know about the Brazil nuts and Pineapple juice?

Mrs-H- what a miracle that you finally conceived naturally! I can''t even imagine though how hard everything must have been. Today I did my last IUI so fingers crossed maybe I can get pregnant before moving towards ICSI. I haven''t heard of Brazilian nuts or pineapple juice, well I have heard of pineapple juice to help other things

but should my husband or I start taking it? They have him on anti-oxidants that have greatly improved his sperm morphology, but still no bfp...We are going to try the 1 time first and they also freeze any good embies so that if it doesn''t work or if I want to use them at a later time it will be a lot more cost-effective. Thank you for sharing your information with me, it really helps!

 

[golden]

hey! how are you?
I have a friend who was doing IVF for a few years and every doctor she went to, told her she would never be able to get pregnant again, that her first child is a miracle and she should be happy she was able to get pregnant the first time. They decided to take a break from the IVF because she was so depressed and ON HER OWN!, got pregnant and now has her second gorgeous daughter!

My bestfriend who has Chron's disease and doesn't have her colon anymore, did IVF and had success immediately and is the proud mommy of a gorgeous baby girl!

 

[mrs-h-]

Ivana, Its just you that takes the pineapple juice and eats about 15 brazil nuts per day, they supposedly help with implantation, i took them on my last 3 cycles, theres also something about drinking a pint of milk per day and lots of water, you only take them in the 2WW.

 

[Logan Sapphire]

Best of luck to you! As you might remember, we also have fertility issues. We just found our 4th try of IUI didn''t work, not that I was expecting it to. It''s actually terrible- I was kind of hoping it didn''t, just b/c we also found out that our adoption was initially approved. I think we''ll try once more b/c we have leftover meds, but the severe male factor just isn''t going to do the job.