Infertility Treatment Community

I'm in the middle of my first IVF cycle but wanted to give you my knowledge to this point: - I was on BCP for 3 weeks following my menstrual cycle. - I have PCO (ovaries overproduce follicles, but I do not have the syndrome). Due to this my doctor is watching my meds closely, my dosages might be lighter than the average cycle - I take two injections nightly: 125 IU Follistim, and 25 Menopur, along with one baby aspirin - during this trigger phase I go into MWF mornings for sonograms to monitor the follicle development and bloodwork. Based on what they see, they call me that afternoon to let me know whether to adjust my dosage or not. - I believe once you've had your consult, and there are no other issues to tackle, you can begin IVF following your menstrual cycle. - I surprisingly haven't been too emotional, just more stressed to do everything correctly when it comes to taking care of myself to give us the best possible chance. The first night of injections I had extremely severe dry mouth and some chest pain, but since those side effects have disappeared.

Hope this helps!

These are great questions to ask before moving on to IVF. Each protocol and experience differs some, but I found IVF to be "easier" than IUI and timed intercourse with meds and natural cycles. I did have to drive 3 hours one way for each appt with my RE, so that was tough. I would sometimes be on the road at 4:45 am to make an 8:30 am appt due to rush hour traffic and then make it to work by lunch and work for 5-6 hrs after. Crazy the things we do to get our children. It was better emotionally for me because I was insanely optimistic and started telling DH I was so many days pg even during the stims because I just knew it was it. Completely set myself up for disappointment, but I couldn't do anything different when it was our last chance and we paid out of pockect for everything. Enough rambling. On to your questions.

-I was on the most aggressive protocol my RE does due to being a poor responder. I started with the estrogen patch and ganerelex shots a couple of days at the begining of my cycle. Then for stims I had 150? each of Menopur and Gonal-F 2x/day. Had a 1-2 days before ER with the stims and ganerelex. Had the HCG trigger 36.5 hrs before ER. Was also on my prenatal, DHA suppliment, amd Iron suppliment a day. DH and I took a 10 day dose off doxycycline leading up to ER. 2 days after ER I was on 4 days of steriods and started progesterone shots daily at 3 days after. Somewhere in there I also started taking a baby aspirin a day and pretty sure that was at the begining. Kept up the progesterone and baby aspirin through my first trimester.

-Was very fortunate and didn't really have many side effects of the stim drugs. Was way better than clomid and about the same as femara. I had 9 follicles with 8 eggs retrieved. Only 5 fertilized and 3 made it to transfer. One excellent, one good and one poor.

-My worst side effect was the bruising from the shots and that's probably due to the aspirin. DH never had to guess where to place a new shot and I'm small so there wasn't a whole lot of space to choose from

-The worst parts for me were the insanse drives and the panic about all we invested time, money, emotion, limited Mommy availablitly for DD, DH missing class for ER and ET (grad student in a clinical doctorate), etc.

- The hardest for DH was watching me dtrain myself physically and emotionally and the financial aspect since we live on one income and he's in school. He is very happy we made the choices we did and wouldn've spent twicw what we did, but I never mention the money because it stresses him out. Of course, I handle the finances because money stresses him out anyway

-They actually ended my stims a day early because of follicle size, but they were able to adjust dosing as needed throughout the cycle

- Because it was such a now or never situation and they had already cancelled one cycle due to a cyst, I was never on the pill before starting my protocol.

It was worth it and while I have reached a beached whale stage, I am 28w5d pg with b/g twins and so far we are all healthy.

Good luck as you move forward.

The above isn't anonymous. It's me. Hit the wrong button for alerts.

Tha k you Abbey, that's very informative ! I am sooo hoping that I can do it straight, without having to do the 'BC cycle' before !!! My RE said that he'd rather have me try a round of IUI on injections first, if this IUI doesn't take.... I'm not sure how I feel about that, but he said its less aggressive of a treatment and that it should increase my chances... So I was thinking: well why didn't we do that from the get go, instead of doing Clomid???? Ugh

Good luck with your cycle this month!

Kris, your journey is so awesome and it gives me hope!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to answer in so much detail!!! I'm glad to hear they can get you on an IVF treatment without the month on BC prior. I really don't like the idea of losing a month!!

I'm so happy you're already at 28w5d along, that is just so awesome. And a boy and a girl, how perfect! So glad all your efforts and commitment to getting pregnant gave you a double reward, you guys deserve it!! I read your other post to someone about how you made budget cuts and all that in order to pay for the IVF, plus now reading the drive you had to endure... I'm tellin ya, those babies are going to be some lucky babies to be born from you guys!!! How many weeks are considered full term for twins again?? I know it's less than with singletons a little bit....

How has your pregnancy been so far?? Are you HUGE or is it manageable ?? And so glad to hear the twins and you are well! I hear complications with twins are common, I guess the doctor is trying to scare me into trying 'more naturally' for a little longer but I really have thought it through and am willing to take the risk sooner rather than later. My RE also said that if this IUI cycle doesn't work, we can do injections instead of Clomid so that I'll "for sure have 2-3 follicles / eggs", and that "it's not certain how much Clomid helps in cases like mine" (meaning, I ovulate normally (or so we think, as I wasn't really tested for anything other than anatomical review and lining measurement and follicle count).... So I was a little upset cause it seems as if the Clomid I've been taking may not have helped increase the number of eggs released at all, and that it could be that without it I would have had the same result. What the hell, so why was I taking it?!! Anyway..... Sorry to rant but this all was Wednesday at my IUI appointment and I'm still upset about it.

So did you try IUI with injections as well? What were you told? I do want to give IUI a 'proper' try but am worried that we now lost 2 cycles already if it doesn't work again....

Going to talk to my RE about it on Monday (my 12 dpo date) if my test is negat e, as I want to have a game plan right away, cause I imagine whatever you do had to start around period day 1...

Hi Amy. My husband and I did IVF #1 last November and had b/g twins 4 months ago. Overall, it was a lot easier than I expected. I mixed my own shots and injected them into my upper thigh,myself each day. I injected the Lupron into my stomach with a tiny insulin syringe. Here are the answers to your questions based on our experience:

- What was your protocol/drugs&dosage? Short Lupron with Menopur and Bravelle. I think I did 150mg of each of the stim drugs. I don't really remember but I think they come in 75 ml vials and I mixed two daily. I also had a daily baby aspirin and used Vivelle estrogen patches.Later, after my bfp, I did progesterone in oil.

- How did you experience the stimulation drugs? I didn't have any bad side effects from any of them.

- What was the single worst side effect you experienced from the stimulation? I had a few "hot flashes" from the Lupron.

- What was/were the worst part(s) of the IVF cycle, for you, personally? Worrying about a bfn

- What do you think, if you know, was/were the hardest aspect(s) of the cycle for your SO? Worrying about how we would pay for multiple cycles. My dad paid for our IVF.

- Were you able to adjust the dose of the stimulation meds half way through the cycle, if needed? My RE actually upped my dosage halfway through.

- If you know, how long does one have to wait before starting an IVF cycle (that period when they put you 'on the pill'? Is it variable depending on each person? I think it depends on the person, but I had uterine polyps removed at the beginning of September and was pregnant by November 9th.


If you have any other questions, send me an email or friend me on facebook. I'm Mary Huffman Bradley on Facebook and my email address is: bradleymaryj@yahoo.com

Sending baby dust your way!!!

Thank you so much, Mary!!! For your extensive response and for your contact info. I'll look you up or email you

I tested today (12DPO) and its negative. I'm trying not to lose hope, since I know it's still early, but I already called my clinic to find out more about IVF. It's gonna be expensive, should we need to go that route.... 11k for the doctors, and between 3 to 5k for drugs..... Ouch.

But at this point, this might be the best option for us....

Are you TTC again? Congrats on the twins. Gosh, I'd LOVE to have twins (even if the docs don't like that idea too much)