Community post

Hi Ladies,

I've read through some of your posts and hoping I can join. I've been TTC for 2+ years and I've had 3 unsuccessful IUI's. I will start IVF for the first time this cycle... just got BCP's called in.

It sounds like both of you will be starting another cycle soon? I'm so sad neither of you got your BFP... it's so hard hearing/seeing that every month.

Question - if they are able to freeze eggs from the previous cycle, are you able to skip all the stim meds, retrieval etc.?

Let me know if it's alright to join. I'd love some cycle friends for this round!

By all means join in :-). I know it is tough to find other women on here that are at the ivf stage of the journey. We both finished fresh ivf rounds with all the stimulation meds, the retrieval and the transfer and are getting ready for frozen transfers. If you have any questions ask away! It was a long and tough process as you can probably tell from earlier posts but it helps having someone to talk to who is going through it too.

After my retrieval cycle I was able to freeze 4 embryos and I am about to finish bcp to start meds for the frozen cycle on labor day and scheduled the transfer for oct 4th or so. So far from what I discussed with my doctor it is going to be way easier just lupron shots, estrogen and progesterone. Even though I am in a refund program where I paid for up to 6 cycles up front, 3 fresh 3 frozen, I am still hoping this first frozen transfer works because I don't want to go through another retrieval. I don't want to sugar coat it for you...it sucks but you can do it. Thinking back about everything I went through the first time i am amazed by the strength I found and everything I pushed myself to get through.

thewaitinggame - Definitely join in....the more support each of us has the better. I am not taking stimulating drugs with my frozen cycle. I only have 1 blastocyst frozen so I'm hoping this will be my month.

mnor0406- it sounds like you have everything ready to go, my natural cycle doesn't use and medications until after the transfer. I use LH kits at home and bloodwork to determine when I ovulate naturally and then transfer when my uterus is ready (I think 5 days after since I had a 5 day transfer for the fresh cycle). After the transfer I will use prometrium and hcg shots to keep my lining thick. I'm not 100% what the hcg shot does, but my doctor said it was to keep the lining stable, since I spotted so much with the ivf and finished my period before I went for bloodwork.

A natural cycle sounds nice but with my pcos and rarely ovulating on my own that probably wouldn't be an option for me. I would be waiting months to do the transfer! Haha!

At least the lupron shots are easy and I think the estrogen is in pill form. I feel like I am getting a major break with just 1 self injection a day. When I get closer to transfer though I am still doing the im progesterone :-( couldn't get away from that one. Not looking forward to a sore bum all day everyday again. I told my doctor that I was concerned about the spotting too because it started 3 days before my beta and she suggested we either increase the im progesterone or do both im progesterone and crinone suppositories. I think I would rather do double butt shots than deal with those messy suppositories! Wish my doctor would suggest prometrium! You will have to let me know how that goes and if it solves the spotting issue.

mnor0406- Well I am going for baseline blood work and ultrasound tomorrow. So here we go again, my doctor mentioned the im progesterone and said that it is used mainly in the USA because the doctors there believe it is the best, but he didn't seem to think there was a huge difference between using the im progesterone and the prometirum. I don't know, I just hope that this will work for me. I will have to go and buy my ovulation kits this week too.

How are both of you doing?

I am doing good. Anxious to get started! My lupron is coming in the mail tomorrow but I don't know if I will be starting tomorrow or wed. I am a little angry because I was supposed to start today. At my consult I was told the ivf nurse would contact me on wed of last week...no call. So I called thurs morning and left a message knowing I needed my prescription called in if I wanted them mailed to me on fri or sat before labor day weekend. Nobody called me back thurs or fri to return my message. I tried calling fri but they closed at 12. Finally had to call sat and talk to the receptionist who had to physically track down the nurse and give her my message. So now I have to start a day or 2 late and while a day or 2 doesn't seem like a big deal to them to someone who has been trying for years any delay is a delay! You would think with the obscene amount of money I have paid I could get a prompt return phone call....lol

I've been on the prometrium the whole time... I doubt there is much of a difference, like you say. I sure do hate taking those suppositories though... and so does DH!! Lol.

I started BC pills last Friday and I have an appointment tomorrow to discuss the whole process and all the options. I'm hoping we will be able to get the ball rolling and start the stim phase by late this month and retrieval by early October (does that timing sound right to you two?) Also, what does Lupron do for you, or at what stage do you take it? That's a new one for me. I have so many questions for my doctor tomorrow, I feel like I'm a pain in the ass, but like you said, we are paying so much $$ they should really take the time with us. Tomorrow will also be the first time DH will join me for any type of ultrasound, so that should be interesting :) Hoping for no cysts!

I'm starting to get kind of excited! I'm really going to try and stay positive through the one... my last IUI I was very discouraged and kept telling DH I didn't think it worked.

Yay! You will get super excited after your appt! It's nice when your dh gets to come because it doesn't really seem like they do much most of the time other than watch porn and jizz in a cup lol. My dh likes going to the u/s because he feels more involved.

If you just started bcp you will probably be on those for like 2-4 weeks then the first thing I take is the lupron starting my last week of bcp. Lupron works to suppress your system and ovaries. Basically giving you a clean slate so when you start stimming all your follicles start from the same size and grow at roughly the same rate. Lupron is a really easy injection in the abdomen with a small insulin needle. The lupron protocol takes 2 weeks and then you will be stimming for 2-3 weeks so you are probably looking at late october or later for a retrieval. Seems like forever I know but once you start stimming it will feel quicker because you will have lots of u/s appts and will see you are making progress. You can only do ivf/fet cycles every other month or every 3rd month because it's a good month to month and 1/2 of prep work :-( I get frustrated with how long the prep work takes too!

Hope your appt goes well, you get all your questions answered and you can get the ivf ball rolling soon!

It's crazy how long both of your protocols are. It will all be worth it when you have your little baby, you will totally forget how difficult it really was to go through all of it.

I went and bought my ovulation tests, I start Saturday. However I usually do not ovulate till late in the cycle. So I will most likely be testing for 10-14 days. As soon as I get a positive in the morning(6am) I have to leave my house immediately for a 2 hour drive to confirm with blood work. Oh well, this way it minimizes the number of times I have to drive for blood work and ultrasounds. I am lucky as I have a fairly normal cycle and should ovulate within the next 2 weeks.

Hey just wondering how the both of you are doing in your cycle?

I am still doing lh tests each morning, still negative and today is day 17. I think I'm going to call my clinic and ask if I can go in Wednesday for blood work if I don't get a positive before then.

I hope everything is going well for both of you.