Hi all....I'm new to the group and new to the IVF thing. I'm waiting on my day one!! Once it gets here we'll be starting our first try at IVF. I'm so excited about it but very nervous at the same time!! Hopefully reading everyone's posts will make us all feel better about it and hopefully all of us will be mama's soon!!!

Hello ladies....
I will be cycling with you...well kinda :)
We are doing a FET, this will be mid December for us.
Our first fresh IVF was in August/Sept and ended in early MC.
I did lupron, Follistem, and Repronex for meds. I did not have a lot of side effects from the medication. Our ER produced 16 eggs, 12 fertilized 9 survivied, we transferred 2 and had 5 that we good enough to put on ice.

I am anxious to hear about all your ERs and how things go for all you ladies. I know FET is suppose to be much easier,but part of me kinda envys the whole entire experience of a fresh IVF, not because of the shots of course, but because of all the monitoring and anticipation.

IF you ladies have ?s Im glad to help...Im no expert but have been down this road recently.

GOOD LUCK!

I am joining in too! Diminished ovarian reserve and a wonky uterus so just doing this to put some babies in the freezer for myself or a surrogate one day. My last cycle was cancelled (only 6 follies 2 appropriately sized) so this time I'll be doing higher dose gonal f, menopur and clomid... Then the other one certrolide (?). I am just waiting for AF which could be any time in the next 2 weeks. I would like it to come Saturday or Sunday... So here's hoping!

Looking forward to sharing our experiences! :)

For those of you that have done IVF is there any advice you can give a first timer to prepare for it?? I'm waiting on my day one right now but once that happens I feel like there is ALOT going on before the actual transfer....makes me nervous that I'll miss a step or something!

I'm so excited more ladies have just joined! Especially Cab since youve been through this already and can offer us first timers some advice! One question for anyone that has started the injections, does it get easier to mix the meds? I have to mix menopur and Gonal and I'm more nervous about mixing the meds than doing the actual injection! Any tips?

Melry, it does get easier mixing meds. I'm on day 6 of injections, mixing, etc and it's so much easier. I'm mixing Lupron, Menopur and Bravelle (2 vials fo Bravelle) so yes but this day you'll be doing it without thinking about it. I'm so excited too.
Cab10, I have a few numbers to run by you, I measured three follies on the right side yesterday, 11, 10.5 and 10.5 and on the left there were approx 4-5 but they weren't measurable yet my Endo lining was 4.4....so I think it sounds like good progress, what do you think? MY RE nurse said that I'm responding very well and I have another US/blood work tomorrow.....tentaviely scheduled for 11/12/12 for ER......This is so exciting.....YAY

Adkgirl...sounds like you are progressing well!! Are they checking your E2 level? To monitor for hyperstimulation? Our RE said as long as lining is >8 you are good to go, so you will definitely make that. When my largest follicle got to 17, then I did my trigger and ET. You are close :)

Mixing the shots will get easier...just focus on one day at a time and try not to stress too much about details.

Good luck gals... Anxious to hear about all your ER :)

Adkgirl that sounds awesome! Melry I asked a lot of questions about mixing inthe sept/oct thread. The trick for me was going slower while squirting the liquid into the vial, if you go to fast the bubbles make it impossible. But I liked holding them at a 45 degree angle with the needle in the corner so I could get every last drop. It's very annoying. I was mixing 6 and this cycle will be doing 8 and it takes me a while. But I am a doctor embarrassing I should be better at this! :)

I am excited because a surrogate signed up to work with us today. My Tennessee angel is going to help with the heavy lifting once we make some embryos.

Cab10, my E2 levels are 644? And my endo lining is 8.8..... I'm assuming by what you said, these are good levels. The nurse said I'm progressing well!!! Today I had 8 on the right and 6 on the left.... One was 17, but they want the others on catch up..... I'm assuming by Friday I'll be good?! Thanks for your help/input!!

Kelly, great news about the surrogate!!! Yay!!

Adkgirl...your numbers sound good. they monitor E2 to make sure you dont overstimulate too much. I know anything over 3000 puts u at risk for overstimulation, so you are fine!. Good Luck tmrw!!

Thanks for the advice re: the injections. I started the Lupron yesterday. I wish I recorded myself giving the first injection! It was comical. It was like having an arguement with myself "Just do it, No wait I cant do it, yes you can , just shove it in!!! " LOL. I kept hitting the breaks every time the needle was about to touch my skin!! Still, not as bad as I thought once I went through with it.
Kelly, congrats on the surrogate!!! So happy for you! ADKgirl, keep us updated on your ER!! This is exciting!!

Can anyone explain the E2 levels a little more? When will they start checking it? I have an appt with my RE next Thursday so Im assuming they will start checking it than? Thanks ladies!!

Hang in there ladies, it will all get easier! I am cycling with you all as well. Our 1st ivf with icsi was in August 2008. We got pg with twins but miscarried immediately. We did a standard cycle and were involved in a clinical trial for a reduced rate. Over all it was awful, I hardly produced follicles and switched RE's for the next cycle.

Round 2 was in June 2009 and was with a new RE and I became my own advocate. I researched and realized that I needed a different type of cycle, no bcp's, etc... My new RE was on board and we got our DS.

This summer we did our 1st FET which again ended in a miscarriage.

Now we are onto ivf #3. Best of luck to everyone! My best advice is to take it all day by day. Try not to get to caught up in each number. Have trust in your RE and if you can't trust them then LEAVE IMMEDIATELY! I always say trust your gut, especially with something this important.

If you have any questions I'll be more than happy to try and answer them. Fortunately/unfortunately I have a great ability to block out and forget about the bad stuff but I'll try to remember it if need be. Hugs to you all!

RE e2 levels, my clinic checks it day 1 and they want it less than 20, then day 5-6 they want more than 200... Then every 2 days until trigger. A mature egg makes 200 so if you have 5 follies it should be 1000 when you trigger. I think they probably look for hyperstimulation too but that is not something I have to worry about (low reserve) so I dont know that part. Hope that helps.

Just an update, I had my ER today. 8 Embryo's were retrevied....here's to hoping they all fertalize and looking at a Wednesday, or Friday Transfer....YAY!! It wasn't bad at all, felt like I took a super quick nap and even invited the nurse to lunch with me LOL.....silly!! Hope you are all doing well.
Kelly, I'm glad to see the surrogate accepted......how exciting.

Kelly thanks for the info on e2 levels! Adkgirl I'm so excited for you !! Ill be thinking of you and hoping everything goes well!!! Best of luck!