Let me say that I was surprised how reluctant I was to do that shot! I guess for a few years it just became routine and, when I was considering doing this again, it felt routine, until I actually got the meds out and sat down to do them and then all of a sudden, I was like "what are we doing?". Of course, it didn't help that the bill from CCRM came in yesterday and we had to think about all that money we got on loan from our credit card companies going bye bye in one big charge. Scary. Anyway, close your eyes and jump, right? so, here we go...
But, it got me thinking...I didn't think the physical aspect of IVF was all that awful. I got a little cranky, a little bloated, then I had that delightful sedated sleep during egg retrieval and woke up hearing a good number of eggs retrieved and then off for pancakes and a nap at home. Honestly. I can't say that, in my experience, physically, IVF is all that challenging. For me, its always been the emotional side that is so hard (and this time, I expect this part to be a whole lot less stressful). I still recall telling a yoga student of mine (who got pregnant from her first IVF) that I was on IVF #5...she was shocked and said it was so physically difficult for her to take that there is NO WAY she would do it more than once. So, I was happy it worked for her, lol, b/c I didn't have that option...but, on that note, this made it clear to me that everyone's experience is different. What was your IVF experience like? Did you think it was horribly physically trying? I'm just kind of curious. I have no reason for saying that the physical side was easy for me...because I have nothing to compare it to, I guess. I mean, recovering from ER is nothing...and I definitely won't say the same thing about recovering from a laparoscopy, which I found painful. But, on that note, I didn't think recovering from childbirth was horrible...I was shocked that it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected (which makes me think that it probably is just my expectations that are skewed...if you think it will be AWFUL and it is just bad, then it was easier than you thought, right?). Anyway....tell me your experiences!
Besides the IF front, Teagan's been sick for the longest time. She had a cold when I went to CO for my ODWU, she got better from that on Wednesday and then Saturday woke up at night with a horrible cough, wheezing, etc...I called the pediatrician's emergency line and we worked through it for the weekend, I took her in yesterday and she has croup...with the worst of it being over (must have been that saturday night when she ended up sleeping in our bed, with the humidifier going, waking every hour and both me and Brett only getting about 2 hours of sleep). We had family move nearby on Saturday so visited with Brett's sis, her husband, and my mother in law. It was great...though I hope their 10 week old baby doesn't get croup from Teagan, since they spent all day Saturday together when we were totally unaware that Teagan was on her way to getting really sick.
So, that's it for this update. Please post your experiences. I'm not looking forward to this cycle, but I am. I love that this will be my last one. I love that I had 30 antral follicles! I love that we might get Teagan a sibling out of this (the hope of a cycle always got to me no matter how negative I was). But, I am not looking foward to the flights with my baby girl, who is extremely active. Ugh.
Here is a pic taken in July when we had some family pictures taken with the new cousins...
13 comments:
Teagan is SOOOOO gorgeous. A total cutey.
Am with you on the IVF experience. The physical aspects of IVF were fine - APART from the weight gain with which I am still struggling and which has definitely caused a lack of confidence personally. But the emotional ramifications were a whole other ball game and something I am happy never to experience again (though that said the emotional aspects of FET are something I'm not looking forward to either). Good luck with your cycle; will be rooting for you
She's so beautiful! What a precious face! I really had very little issues with the actual IVF cycle - really not even any bloating - but they also only retrieved 6 eggs from me so I definitely didn't hyperstimulate. The emotional side is the hardest for sure. Guarding yourself against hope and always trying to prepare for the worst. I am so hoping that this cycle gives you exactly what you want and is as easy physically as the others.
I am the opposite of you with IVF, the physical was pretty yucky, the emotional, not as bad. I would start to feel my ovaries about 4 days into stims, and it just got worse as the cycle progressed. Like it hurt to walk the last few days before ER. And I'd be soooo tired! Pretty useless the week before ER. ER generally left me sore for a few days after. Emotionally, the stim meds were not that bad. Honestly, I think the drug that made me the most crazy during all of IF was Clomid. Hate that stuff.
Good luck for your upcoming cycle! I'm rooting for you!
She's gorgeous!
I never thought the physical was bad at all...maybe the endometrial biopsies sucked but I kept exercising right up to retrievals even with 20 and 26 eggs retrieved. They always asked "Wow are you feeling horrible" at ultrasounds and I never did. I guess that was one small thing, huh?
I agree with you...the physical aspects and shots were nothing. It was the BFNs and m/c after great financial and emotional cost that got me. I am somewhat amused when I read newbies complaining about having to take medication! Do shots! Have blood draws!
That's a beautiful photo of Teagan!
I'm with you - the physical part of it isn't bad at all. I used to be absolutely terrified of needles; I'd hyperventilate in the waiting room of a lab before getting blood drawn. Now I live with an IV in my hand round-the-clock for 10 days (the antibiotic treatment), and it wasn't fun but it wasn't a huge deal either.
Physically, I think the two worst parts of it were 1) the PIO injections, and 2) the pain after my first retrieval.
I don't mind the shots for lupron, stims, or even Lovenox, but the PIO shots got to be a bit sore after a bit. Plus, I could feel the liquid still jiggling in my ass the next day while I was on the shots. Then when they were over, for the first few weeks afterward my butt felt like it was on fire any time I exercised.
I usually get 30+ eggs during retrieval. My ovaries never bothered me pre-retrieval, but for some reason about 24 hours after that first retrieval, I was in serious pain. (They checked me for OHSS, and that didn't seem to be it.) That pain lasted a few days and wasn't fun, but didn't happen after the other two retrievals I did.
OTOH, one other thing that happened after that first retrieval (which unfortunately didn't happen after the other two) is that the stims seemed to bring my out-of-whack hormones into balance. So my glutes may have had as many holes as Swiss cheese and the post-retrieval pain wasn't fun, but for about 2 weeks afterward, I had the clearest skin I've ever had in my entire life, more energy than I'd had in years, and my mood was so much better.
If only the stims didn't mean sending my ovaries into overdrive, I would have been tempted to stay on them for as long as those positive effects lasted... :-)
I'm with you about the physical aspects of ivf, but that may have a lot to do with the fact that I never have a lot of follicles to deal with (I wish that I had that problem). My first cycle with needles was mentally terrifying. Now, it's no big deal with the exception of pio. I still hate those shots and my behind isn't thrilled with them either. The only other physical thing that I hate is the weight gain from all the meds.
I hope that Teagan feels better soon.
Awe, Teagan is such a cutie. Hope she's feeling better soon!
I really had no big IVF complaints until our 4th retrieval. Something just wasn't right. I blamed the low dose hcg that I was using in place of Meopur for feeling crappy during stims. I don't really know, but by the evening of that retrieval, I could not lay down if I wanted to breathe without pain. It was the weirdest thing, and I even contemplated going to the ER. I gave in and took several codeine throughout the night, and the next day I was fine. Our 5th retrieval will be with a new RE, so hopefully last time was just a fluke!
Good luck with your cycle. And great job on the follicles. I'll never understand that part. I averaged around 18 last year, down to 13 this past Spring, 26 a few months ago and now back to 13. Crazy, isn't it?!
Teagan looks so much like you, I have to say.
In the last 2 1/2 years I've had 2 laprascopic surgeries, 2 uterine polypectomies, a D&C, a uterine biopsy, a laminaria stick before my last polyp removal at CCRM, an IUI, transfers and countless self-administered needles.
The physical side of IVF is not easy but, geez Louise, it's a month - at most. None of it is that bad physically. Now emotionally, it's awful and toss in the financial part - makes the emotional issues even worse ('cause you do realize there aren't limitless funds and your dreams may shatter in the end).
But I have never ever ever felt 1/10 the pain and discomfort that I did in any of the IVF process as I did with that $%^&))^$# laminaria stick. I cannot imagine ever doing that again, sans meds. No thank you. That was actually torture, cruel - should be against the law to put that into someone who is awake and alert.
Given my experience with that, I have no doubt that childbirth will be agony.
AWWWWWWWWWWWWW! She is so cute! Love the pic!
Sorry she's been feeling icky.
Generally I thought IVF was unpleasant, but of course it was worth it. Especially my last cycle, where I had to do blood thinners (injectables) on top of the stims, etc. It was a lot. Retrieval and transfer weren't all that bad. My pregnancy and childbirth AND the whole aftermath was far more grueling than cycling though. I am jealous that you had such a smooth ride.
Good to hear from you. :)
Pei Pa Koa (www.geocities.jp/ninjiom_hong_kong/index_e.htm ) is one of the few Chinese natural cough remedies that have been scientifically studied. it's something like herb plus honey, and it's sweet, thick and black in color. If you have a cough, look for it! It used to be one of my favourite natural cough remedies.
if your cough persists, seek professional help such as traditional Chinese medicine physicians - I have had very good experiences with them.
I'm with you, the physical was a piece of cake, but the emotional was horrible, sometimes unbearable, especially the BFNs.
Teagan's getting so big! She's a cutie!
Teagan is so adorable, thanks for sharing :-)
For me, the physical was pretty uncomfortable (I ditto what Pie said about the Clomid, and what Sky said re the $$%*&!@ laminaria stick-- should NOT be administered w/o drugs, what were they thinking?!), but the emotional was ultimately harder, esp once we got to the follie monitoring. I felt like I had my heart in my mouth every day.
Best of luck for a GREAT cycle!
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