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Sending positive thoughts, MNOR.

My personal thought that as long as the extra testing can't hurt, then do it. The only way they figure out stuff is by trying it out, right?

How is everyone?

Mrs. Fridley - how much longer til your due date?

Gracealone - how was your u/s?

Ssurra - any dates yet for your next ivf or your endometrial scratch?

As for me...my saline sono was clear. No more polyps, fibroids or endo in sight so no surgery to hold up this round. Now I just have to wait for my nk cell test results to come back but that shouldn't delay anything if the result is high. I might just have to take another drug. Got my official schedule today! Starting lupron on Monday, baseline on 6/11, stims start on 6/14 and retrieval the week of the 23rd. The only thing we are adding to this round, at least until the nk cell test is back, is assisted hatching. Hopefully that will help the embies get a nice strong early implantation. Not sure how many we will transfer yet. If the nk cell test comes back high we may just transfer 1 because the more embies you put in the higher the immune response from the nk cells could be. 1 "foreign" embryo is less of a threat than 2 or more and therefore less likely to get attacked. However, if my nk cell level is fine I will probably increase to transferring 3 embies. So that decision is yet to be made!

mmor - How exciting!! I know it feels good to have an action plan again and how cool that everything looks good and no surgeries to delay anything! :) I know that had to be a relief. I'm feelin good about this next round for you! :)
Be sure to fill us in on how all your meds/injections are going when they start on Monday!

My ultrasound went well! I was measuring at 7 wks 6 days when I had it done so they gave me an EDD of Jan. 3rd. Heartbeat they said was strong at 152. I am 8 wks 6 days today. I am SO thankful everyday that I still have this little one on board with me! :)

Hi all!!!!

MNOR!!! All of this sounds great! So happy for you that things are moving along!

I'm due Aug. 12th -- which is just over 10 weeks. I'm amazed at how time has flown by. I remember sitting in the parking garage at my sonohystogram right after I started this thread and reading my first reply; it was you, MNOR, offering your friendship and knowledge. I teared up that day as I didn't feel so alone and was sooooooo grateful to have someone be so sweet as to offer their support. How was I to know of the degree of camaraderie this forum thread would give to me (and others)?

I have to admit that I've had some emotional challenges along the way. As I've said before I've had a very difficult time accepting my pregnancy as real. It still feels like it could be snatched away at any time and I am still very cautious about 'being happy' about it. For example I would never say 'I'm going to meet my daughter Sagan Grace Fridley sometime in mid-August.' but rather 'the due date is mid-August.' The difference to me is fact versus projection. I guess that's what battling with infertility will do to a gal; it'll make you hard and stoic when it comes to anything regarding your life's dream.

I've also been challenged with guilt. Our IVF worked on our first try. Being a part of this forum and listening to all of the tried attempts just has made me feel grateful for myself, but yet guilty for actually having success so quickly. I personally thank our decision to have the PGS testing done (I talked about it on page 3 of this thread) and I truly believe it's a huge factor in our success. I do hope that I've never come off as 'bragging' or saying anything about my pregnancy that made anyone feel that I was being insensitive to the concept behind this forum thread. If so, I deeply apologize. It was never my intent.

WHEW!!!! That had been on my mind for a while. I am grateful for getting it off my chest.

Hugs and complete support for everyone!!!!

Hi, Ladies -- Sorry for the radio silence. I think next week sometime I'll have my "scratch," and then when I get my period in a couple weeks, we'll start the next round of stims. We're hoping to skip the BC portion and dive right into it. We'll see.

I've been writing a blog for a long time about all of this but have kept it private. If you're interested in reading it, I'd be happy to send you an invitation (you'll have to sign up for a free wordpress account I believe) to read and comment.

Just message me with your email address.

I'll still visit the forum to keep you posted, too.

Hi Everyone! I've been reading through quickly to try and catch up on how everyone is doing. It sounds like there has been some success, so that's always good to hear! As for the rest of us... keep plugging along... this is such a tough road.

I started my second IVF cycle today and started Lupron for the first time. This is a Lupron Flare this time since I produced so few eggs the last time (vs. Antagonist). I'm really hoping this will have a better result!! Have any of your used Lupron before? Any side effects? I'll also add in Repronex with the Follistim this time, which is different, but I don't anticipate anything to different. I'll go in tomorrow for a "suppression check" which I assume is the same as a baseline. If all look good, I'll continue and retrieval should be mid-month.

I'm in high spirits right now and really feeling positive about things!! I just hope nothing knocks me down. I'll be happy just to get some eggs out of me this time and see how they do!! My program just has 2 fresh and 2 frozen (and I think my chances for frozen are slim) so I'm just praying for decent quality eggs.

Hi thewaitinggame --

Your plan sounds much like mine. I didn't produce many eggs on the antagonist protocol, but I was much better on microflare lupron.

I'd read some horror stories on the Internet about lupron, but honestly for me it wasn't bad at all. Sure, it's more shots, but that was about it. The needle is SO tiny, you can barely feel it, though the medicine would sting after injected in my case. I don't recall having any side effects from it.

On my microflare protocol, they got 21 eggs -- it ended up dwindling down to 3 by day 5 -- transferred one, then froze one at day 6. Unfortunately, I still haven't gotten pregnant.

I'll be doing another microflare protocol starting later this month after I get my period. First, they're doing an endometrial biopsy next week to 'wake up' my uterus (or some such thing).

Happy to answer any questions -- sounds like we're on similar plans.

Thanks ssurra! Yeah, the lupron hasn't been bad so far. I had a little trouble sleeping last night, but that could be anything! I did the Repronex for the first time this morning and it burned a little, but not so bad. Do you remember what your Antral Follicle Count was for either cycle of yours? And, how many eggs did they retrieve on the Antagonist vs. Microflare? 21 was great!! How many fertilized? I hate that it dwindled so quickly.

My appointment this morning was a little disappointing, but not too bad. My AFC count was only 8 (compared to 12 last time), but they hope with this protocol we will recruit more of them than the last time!! I also have one small cyst, but they don't seem too worried about it. Also, ssurra, have you already transferred your one frozen embie? I can't remember? Thanks!

PS - I've been seeing an acupuncturist for the last month and I'm really liking it... she seems to really know her stuff and it's been nice and relaxing. I hope it helps! Anyone else use one?

Hi, thewaitinggame --

I don't know what my AFC numbers were ... But retrieval numbers were a dismal 9 on antagonist and 21 on microflare. It was a BIG difference for me.

The antagonist cycle, only a measly 3 fertilized, and only one was good enough for 3-day transfer.

Everything was better with microflare. 75% fertilized, transferred one on day 5 and still had 2 left -- by day 6, though, we just froze 1.

Well... I just left the doctor for day 7 monitoring. Good news and bad news I guess. I had 4 measurable follicles (compared to 2 at this stage last time). That's the good news. Bad news, the ones that are there are already quite large and they aren't sure more will catch up. They want to do egg retrieval this Thursday or Friday, which will only be day 10 or 11 of my cycle!! I was really hoping to have more time to stim, but it sounds like they can't let the bigger ones go much longer. My RE seems to think 4-5 by retrieval will be the best we can do. I'm on the most aggressive protocol with the highest dose of meds, so he doesn't want to cancel because he would expect the same results the next time. I'm having mixed emotions right now... don't really know what to think?! It's great I have more, but it's still so few. They better be good quality! I had a 13 on the left and a 14, 16 and 18 on the right. Trying to stay positive!!!

How is everyone else?