IVF Support Group

[Marshay]

I just was notified that my surgery is canceled for today...waiting to see about tomorrow.

So the good news is that I can eat something now!!! No more fasting for today!

 

[Marshay]

And in a bizarre twist of events, right after I finish eating breakfast, the doc's office calls me back and says my surgery is back on. But of course, since I just ate breakfast, they cannot do the surgery today.

I'm not sure whether to or or

So I guess I'll just

 

[jlstwinmommy]

Those storms yesterday were terrible, weren't they? We got hail at our house. The weather here lately has been bizarre. I hope they are able to squeeze you in tomorrow.

 

[momoffive]

Sorry to hear about the cancellation. Sorry about the way I answered, trying to stay PC. I too called them my babies from the time I found I was pregnant. The disappearing twin syndrome is a miscarriage. The babies were basically reabsorbed and not shed as a full miscarriage. My first pregnancy we saw 3 sacs and a 4th very small sac no heart beats, by week 12 I had but 1 remaining sac with a heart beat and the other sacs disappeared. With my quadruplet pregnancy we had 5 follicles that were too small for maturation and we planned to add the Lupron to our schedule to hold off on the LH serge and give the follicles more time to mature.

Well, we didn't need to wait. AT 7 weeks we saw 2 heart beats and what appeared to be a 3rd empty sac. Given my history we didn't know if I was losing the pregnancy again or what, kind of a wait and see. I waited 3 weeks B4 I returned for another US. RE wanted one sooner but DH was out of the country and I wasn't doing it alone. I told the nurse when I got there that I had a dream that not only was the 3rd one happy and healthy....but they found a 4th. Mom was there with us that day along with my then 16 mo DD. Its a good thing DH was holding DD because Grandma would have dropped her. As soon as she started the US there were 4 very strong heart beats!!! Like I said before, reduction was never something we would have considered, I am not the first to carry 4 and I haven't been the last. I wouldn't change a thing. I wanted a family and I have a "great big happy family" as my DD9 always says. Overwhelming definitely, tired, didn't sleep more than 2 hours a day for the fist 2 months they were home, but pure love!!
momoffive
good luck tomorrow!!!

 

[jlstwinmommy]

Sorry to hear about the cancellation. Sorry about the way I answered, trying to stay PC. I too called them my babies from the time I found I was pregnant. The disappearing twin syndrome is a miscarriage. The babies were basically reabsorbed and not shed as a full miscarriage. My first pregnancy we saw 3 sacs and a 4th very small sac no heart beats, by week 12 I had but 1 remaining sac with a heart beat and the other sacs disappeared. With my quadruplet pregnancy we had 5 follicles that were too small for maturation and we planned to add the Lupron to our schedule to hold off on the LH serge and give the follicles more time to mature.

Well, we didn't need to wait. AT 7 weeks we saw 2 heart beats and what appeared to be a 3rd empty sac. Given my history we didn't know if I was losing the pregnancy again or what, kind of a wait and see. I waited 3 weeks B4 I returned for another US. RE wanted one sooner but DH was out of the country and I wasn't doing it alone. I told the nurse when I got there that I had a dream that not only was the 3rd one happy and healthy....but they found a 4th. Mom was there with us that day along with my then 16 mo DD. Its a good thing DH was holding DD because Grandma would have dropped her. As soon as she started the US there were 4 very strong heart beats!!! Like I said before, reduction was never something we would have considered, I am not the first to carry 4 and I haven't been the last. I wouldn't change a thing. I wanted a family and I have a "great big happy family" as my DD9 always says. Overwhelming definitely, tired, didn't sleep more than 2 hours a day for the fist 2 months they were home, but pure love!!
momoffive
good luck tomorrow!!!

I was one who commented about being glad we only had 2, but it's not because we can't deal with triplets (although the twins are difficult somedays). I actually almost lost my twin pregnancy at 20 weeks. I was told I would be lucky to carry them to 24 weeks and they would certainly be born by 28 weeks. Fortunately, I carried them to 35 weeks (with a cerclage and very strict bedrest). I think we would not have any if I had started with triplets. It's why we decided to stop with the 3 children we have, I think my cervix would give out on me if I tried to have another baby. Your family sounds wonderful and I'm glad you were able to have 4 healthy babies. Having multiples is definitely a blessing (at least most of the time. )

 

[1Prince3Princesses]

I'm still learning the acronyms -- what is HOMS (xxxxxx of multiples???)

[/QUOTE]

HOM (High Order Multiples)

 

[Marshay]

I'm still learning the acronyms -- what is HOMS (xxxxxx of multiples???)

HOM (High Order Multiples)

Ah, thanks!

 

[1Prince3Princesses]

Ah, thanks!

Anytime! It seems so long ago that we delt with IF and I remember it all like it was yesterday. I also have PCOS and have been through what alot of you ladies have been through and are currently doing in the IF world. I also have HOM (High Order Multiples). My quadruplets just celebrated their 5th Birthday @ WDW two weeks ago. I wish all of you tons of luck!!!! I went through 10+ years of IF with many losses and many many proceedures. Now, I can say it was all worth it! GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[Marshay]

Got a call late today that I am on the schedule for surgery tomorrow, they don't want me starting Lupron until Sunday (to make sure everything is ok in utero) so they are extending my BCP for 3 days...if everything turns out ok, we'll just be 3 days delayed --- which is nothing in the scheme of us waiting 2.5+ years!

 

[Marshay]

Surgery went well!!!

All is ready for me to start the shots on Sunday! Woo Hoo!!

 

[chipscinderelly]

Congratulations on a successful surgery!

We went through IVF last summer and also had a delay due to a cyst (surgery delayed us a month). Unfortunately for us our cycle did not end up as a pregnancy, however, we were able to continue treatment with our RE and are expecting our 1st baby in July from a successful IUI. Yes, we did IVF first for a very good medical reason and then knew we could try IUI. Neither process was easy emotionally and I am so glad I have my DH as I know I would not have made it without him by my side! No one else could understand the emotions and the high and low days but we could and did do it together.

Some advice that a good friend gave us we wish we had followed. Don't let family cancel plans "cause you might be having a baby" and keep going with your "normal" life plans (go to dinner, go to movies, plan vacations) so that you don't feel consumed (ok you will feel consumed anyway but it gives you something to focus on besides shots, bloodwork etc). My parents postponed a huge trip because we would be near birth from our IVF cycle and when it didn't take the 1st time we were emotionally messy and I felt guilty they hadn't planned and taken their trip.

Believe in yourself - you can do this!

 

[Marshay]

Congratulations on a successful surgery!

We went through IVF last summer and also had a delay due to a cyst (surgery delayed us a month). Unfortunately for us our cycle did not end up as a pregnancy, however, we were able to continue treatment with our RE and are expecting our 1st baby in July from a successful IUI. Yes, we did IVF first for a very good medical reason and then knew we could try IUI. Neither process was easy emotionally and I am so glad I have my DH as I know I would not have made it without him by my side! No one else could understand the emotions and the high and low days but we could and did do it together.

Some advice that a good friend gave us we wish we had followed. Don't let family cancel plans "cause you might be having a baby" and keep going with your "normal" life plans (go to dinner, go to movies, plan vacations) so that you don't feel consumed (ok you will feel consumed anyway but it gives you something to focus on besides shots, bloodwork etc). My parents postponed a huge trip because we would be near birth from our IVF cycle and when it didn't take the 1st time we were emotionally messy and I felt guilty they hadn't planned and taken their trip.

Believe in yourself - you can do this!

Wow -- are you sneaking into my house and listening to our conversations??? We just talked about this last night...when to plan our next WDW or other trip for 2009...my parents plan to go to WDW in May but my mom wants to be there for me the first few weeks so depending if this cycle takes or not, May can or can't work out, etc, etc etc!!

Of course I want/need my mom to be there but that has to be her choice since we don't know if/when that will be.

Thanks for taking the time to write this! And many congrats on your successful IUI!

 

[IheartAriel]

Congrats on the successful surgery! Good luck with your start tomorrow

 

[Pluto14]

Hi Marshay! Just wanted to pop on and say "Congratulations" on officially starting the injections today!! I'm now on my 7th day of stim injections and have been giving them to myself.....I laugh because when I was little I was always terrified to go to the doctor because I never wanted to end up getting a shot! Now, I'm giving MYSELF up to 3 shots a day!!! My how things change!

Tomorrow I go for my first u/s of the follicles to see how far they've come now that I've been on the stims for a week....can't wait to see! I should be having my retrieval later on this week....I'm so anxious to have that over with!

As far as trip planning, we have had our July trip to BWV in the works since my miscarriage after my frozen emryo transfer last fall. I really didn't think I'd do a fresh IVF again, especially right BEFORE the trip, but the timing was right......now, I might be spending more time sitting than riding in July, but that's okay with me! It will give me even more of an excuse to spend time in the air conditioned shops while DH and DD are on rides!!!

Let us know how the first shot goes for you!

 

[Debnmike]

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck! 5 years and 5 IVF's later, my twin girls will be turning 4 in July. I did two cycles with an IVF clinic in my area and failed. I did two more at Cornell (where Celine Dion did hers), only to have a m/c of triplets. The 5th and final IVF I went back to my original clinic and had my success! We have been very blessed with our twins. We even named one twin Hope because we always held on to hope that it would eventually work! If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Deb

 

[Marshay]

Congrats on the successful surgery! Good luck with your start tomorrow

Thanks! I was even able to go swimming this weekend which was a good thing since it's been high 90s or 100+. Doc said I'd bleed for 2-3 days...I got lucky and maybe only 2-3 hours!!

The worst part of the surgery was the anesthetist who couldn't find my vein in my left hand, so after poking around for several minutes, gave up and tried on my right hand. After poking around for almost just as long but not quite, he found my vein. So my hands are all black and blue today.

Hi Marshay! Just wanted to pop on and say "Congratulations" on officially starting the injections today!! I'm now on my 7th day of stim injections and have been giving them to myself.....I laugh because when I was little I was always terrified to go to the doctor because I never wanted to end up getting a shot! Now, I'm giving MYSELF up to 3 shots a day!!! My how things change!

Tomorrow I go for my first u/s of the follicles to see how far they've come now that I've been on the stims for a week....can't wait to see! I should be having my retrieval later on this week....I'm so anxious to have that over with!

As far as trip planning, we have had our July trip to BWV in the works since my miscarriage after my frozen emryo transfer last fall. I really didn't think I'd do a fresh IVF again, especially right BEFORE the trip, but the timing was right......now, I might be spending more time sitting than riding in July, but that's okay with me! It will give me even more of an excuse to spend time in the air conditioned shops while DH and DD are on rides!!!

Let us know how the first shot goes for you!

Oh, you definitely need to keep us informed!!! Best of luck with the U/S tomorrow. Do you (or anyone else) recall what they are looking for?

My first shot went well -- the skin around the shot turned all red so I thought maybe I was allergic but when I checked several hours later, it was back to normal. Is this normal?

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck! 5 years and 5 IVF's later, my twin girls will be turning 4 in July. I did two cycles with an IVF clinic in my area and failed. I did two more at Cornell (where Celine Dion did hers), only to have a m/c of triplets. The 5th and final IVF I went back to my original clinic and had my success! We have been very blessed with our twins. We even named one twin Hope because we always held on to hope that it would eventually work! If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Deb

Wow -- 5 years and 5 IVFs....how long did it take between IVFs...did you have to wait for a time or could you start the next month? Congrats on your twin girls!!

 

[Marshay]

I just wanted to provide an update.

I had my egg retrieval yesterday and they were able to get 22 eggs!! Now we wait 2 - 5 days to see how they grow and if any survive fertilization, but it looks like we have a really good shot with that many eggs.

Speaking of shots, my DH is now giving me the progesterone oil injections and honestly -- I didn't feel a thing.

Here is what I did:
1. Ice my patootie for 30 minutes
2. Warm up the syringe with oil in it already (under my arm so it matches my body temperature)
3. Injection
4. DH massages the area for about 1-2 minutes
5. Heating pad on top for about 5 minutes
6. Walk around the house

 

[IheartAriel]

22 eggs, that's a great retrieval! Good luck with the fertilization. We had 25 eggs, 14 fertilized, transfered 2 and had a singleton. Upon freezing 5 "took" and were viable for future frozen embryo transfers. Two of the frozen embryos thawed perfectly and we transferred 2 more, we're due in 18 days with another singleton

Do you know how many embryos they'll be transferring?

 

[jlstwinmommy]

I just wanted to provide an update.

I had my egg retrieval yesterday and they were able to get 22 eggs!! Now we wait 2 - 5 days to see how they grow and if any survive fertilization, but it looks like we have a really good shot with that many eggs.

Speaking of shots, my DH is now giving me the progesterone oil injections and honestly -- I didn't feel a thing.

Here is what I did:
1. Ice my patootie for 30 minutes
2. Warm up the syringe with oil in it already (under my arm so it matches my body temperature)
3. Injection
4. DH massages the area for about 1-2 minutes
5. Heating pad on top for about 5 minutes
6. Walk around the house

Sounds like a great retrieval. My sister's IVF didn't work. It didn't help that we all had to fly out to CA because my grandfather died. She's going to rest a couple of months before trying again.

Hope you get great news with the fertilization! I only had 9 eggs, 7 fertilized and only 3 were left on transfer day and I still got twins out of it. Good luck!

 

[TheRatPack]

I just finished my first IVF cycle. It sadly was a negative but we may do another one in a year....just depends. It's a rough, expensive road though...not to mention my RE is 2 hours away so all those road trips and gas prices were stressful...so I'm glad to get a break, although I'd love to be pregnant.