Bring it on...
Last time, I had a "classic response" to the IVF fresh cycle protocol. That means that I had 10 days of stims and retrieved 2 days after. I'm hoping that this fresh cycle will be just as classic lol.
9/29
Start Birth Control Pills - 1 tablet each day for 22 days.
10/1
I just had a good friend's transfer get canceled because all 3 of her embryos did not make it. She had retrieved 18 eggs too! They had canceled the day 5 transfer to give them time to develop, but today, she got the call that none of them made it to Day 6.
I am just so upset for her and her husband: all that time, energy, and big money spent to get nothing.
It really is a bitch...this infertility makes you happy you are getting your protocol done and then BOOM! you are hit with a wrench in your well-oiled machine.
This sucks...she is a great person and my heart breaks for her!
10/7
Saline sono
I'm doing this locally at my local RE in Wexford. I am to take an antibiotic on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I am a little nervous about this since it will be my first one at this office. I've had 2 in Maryland that were painless. I've heard from others that your saline sono can be really painful though!
Okay so this is what happened there: I wasn't expecting this so I hate being surprised! There was more pressure for this sono than the previous 2 at Shady Grove. It wasn't really painful just very uncomfortable. Dr. Tippet said that my lining looked too thick. It was 10 mm and said he thought Shady Grove would want me to get a D&C! I was livid! I hate when I get all fired up and it's not what the "real" doctor is saying. I drove to school pissed off and crying. I didn't want a set back.
I emailed Dr. Bromer and he called me like 15 minutes later. He said he didn't believe that my lining was that thick and even if it was, he wouldn't suggest a D&C. He said he'll just do another saline sono on October 27th at my midcycle check. And he said there's things you can do to make it go down, but he was not worried.
After that, it was like instant weight off my shoulders! My husband said I get all fired up from listening to techs and people that are not my doctor and I agree that is dumb to do!
Just warning you in case that happens to you! Try not to freak out until you talk to your primary RE.
9/29
Start Birth Control Pills - 1 tablet each day for 22 days.
10/1
I just had a good friend's transfer get canceled because all 3 of her embryos did not make it. She had retrieved 18 eggs too! They had canceled the day 5 transfer to give them time to develop, but today, she got the call that none of them made it to Day 6.
I am just so upset for her and her husband: all that time, energy, and big money spent to get nothing.
It really is a bitch...this infertility makes you happy you are getting your protocol done and then BOOM! you are hit with a wrench in your well-oiled machine.
This sucks...she is a great person and my heart breaks for her!
10/7
Saline sono
I'm doing this locally at my local RE in Wexford. I am to take an antibiotic on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I am a little nervous about this since it will be my first one at this office. I've had 2 in Maryland that were painless. I've heard from others that your saline sono can be really painful though!
Okay so this is what happened there: I wasn't expecting this so I hate being surprised! There was more pressure for this sono than the previous 2 at Shady Grove. It wasn't really painful just very uncomfortable. Dr. Tippet said that my lining looked too thick. It was 10 mm and said he thought Shady Grove would want me to get a D&C! I was livid! I hate when I get all fired up and it's not what the "real" doctor is saying. I drove to school pissed off and crying. I didn't want a set back.
I emailed Dr. Bromer and he called me like 15 minutes later. He said he didn't believe that my lining was that thick and even if it was, he wouldn't suggest a D&C. He said he'll just do another saline sono on October 27th at my midcycle check. And he said there's things you can do to make it go down, but he was not worried.
After that, it was like instant weight off my shoulders! My husband said I get all fired up from listening to techs and people that are not my doctor and I agree that is dumb to do!
Just warning you in case that happens to you! Try not to freak out until you talk to your primary RE.
10/14
Feeling down today for a good friend. She is the one who had the stillborn to umbilical cord strangulation. She started her protocol with Shady Grove and they had her on a shit ton of Menopur...like 300! She only has a clotting issue, but no diminshed ovarian reserve or PCOS. They also had her on Lupron. At her previous RE, she wasn't on Lupron and that much Menopur.
Well she called me to say they had to cancel her cycle due a lead follicle. I guess when the meds aren't properly stimming your follicles, you can get one mature one too early and the rest don't have time to catch up.
This really sucks for her...she deserves a baby in her arms! Now she is going to wait for a period, then stim again with a new protocol.
She was able to talk to her Shady Grove RE and they think it was the suppression of Lupron that did that. They are going to put her on birth control for under 2 weeks. Shady Grove found her clotting disorder and they told her that she was to NEVER have been on birth control, which is crazy since she was on it all through college like most of us!
I really feel for her since she has been through SO much more than 99% of the world having struggled with infertility, then your first IVF cycle works, but then you have a stillborn. Ugghhhhhh Absolutely the most horrific thing in the world no doubt.
I know I am different, but having 2 friends get bad luck with their recent IVF cycles, I cannot help but think it is going to happen to me. I know my therapist and husband would think I am projecting too much, but it really hits home how happy you can be then be devastated the next second.
So with one friend getting her cycle canceled before the retrieval, then my other friend getting 18 eggs, but no embryos made it to day 5/6.
It just sucks so much for us! Why can't things go easily? Ughhhhhh
Feeling down today for a good friend. She is the one who had the stillborn to umbilical cord strangulation. She started her protocol with Shady Grove and they had her on a shit ton of Menopur...like 300! She only has a clotting issue, but no diminshed ovarian reserve or PCOS. They also had her on Lupron. At her previous RE, she wasn't on Lupron and that much Menopur.
Well she called me to say they had to cancel her cycle due a lead follicle. I guess when the meds aren't properly stimming your follicles, you can get one mature one too early and the rest don't have time to catch up.
This really sucks for her...she deserves a baby in her arms! Now she is going to wait for a period, then stim again with a new protocol.
She was able to talk to her Shady Grove RE and they think it was the suppression of Lupron that did that. They are going to put her on birth control for under 2 weeks. Shady Grove found her clotting disorder and they told her that she was to NEVER have been on birth control, which is crazy since she was on it all through college like most of us!
I really feel for her since she has been through SO much more than 99% of the world having struggled with infertility, then your first IVF cycle works, but then you have a stillborn. Ugghhhhhh Absolutely the most horrific thing in the world no doubt.
I know I am different, but having 2 friends get bad luck with their recent IVF cycles, I cannot help but think it is going to happen to me. I know my therapist and husband would think I am projecting too much, but it really hits home how happy you can be then be devastated the next second.
So with one friend getting her cycle canceled before the retrieval, then my other friend getting 18 eggs, but no embryos made it to day 5/6.
It just sucks so much for us! Why can't things go easily? Ughhhhhh
10/16
Getting my meds....good LAWD, you'd think I'd have this shit down pat, but NO! I called my nurse about getting a script and she made it seem like I was stupid for not just calling CVS Caremark about refills since I had them. However, I wanted her to call in 900 pens of Follistim and not 600 since it is the same $20 copay.
So I called CVS Caremark and they said ALL my scripts and prior auths had expired since it was longer than 6 months after I got the meds.
I had to call my nurse and let her know this cuz prior auths take 72 hours to get approved. I don't need my meds since I have extra at home, but it just shows you the process gets fucked practically every time I wanna order meds.
Since I get my Delestrogen and P4 IM shots through Freedom Fertitlity, I called them. And of course, the refills were fine, but the rep told me that there is another "national shortage" of Delestrogen!
What the fuck! How is this possible every time like Delestrogen is a miracle drug? I just got them to send the P4 and I know I don't need them until mid November, but I just want to get my meds now lol.
UPDATE: I got a voicemail to call CVS Caremark. I called them at lunch and the rep went over the costs and said it would $3500.
Ummmmm nope! That's not what I paid last time.
So when she went over the amounts, they had Menopur for over $2,000. Before it was like $1,100! What the hell! I said that I DO NOT want it and will get it somewhere else.
Then she had me getting Cetrotide and I said NOPE, it's Ganierelix.
After all that, my total went down to $60. I'll post the invoice when I get the meds on Wednesday, 10/22.
I called Ambulatory Pharmacy in Rockville and they have 15 vials of Menopur for $1050! WOW! Sign me up! They can do free shipping too. So I had to call my nurse to have her send a script to them even though they are literally on the first floor of the medical building hahaha.
I wondered about Delestrogen since CVS Caremark said they didn't have ANY, but Ambulatory Pharmacy didn't have much Delestrogen and told me that the RE's are going to have to find something else to prescribe since she made it seem like they were NEVER getting Delestrogen in the WORLD! (cue dramatic music)
I told her to give me what she has! She's like "uhhhh..I need a script."
Well no shit Sherlock! I don't get why these people act like we are wanting Oxy or Vicodin! LOL
10/20
Last birth control pill
10/21
“Pre-IVF Evaluation” blood work (E2, P4, Beta) and ultrasound.
Going at 7 am in Wexford. 3 cheers for getting up early...not! I really hope there are no cysts or anything else to warrant me flipping out!
Getting my meds....good LAWD, you'd think I'd have this shit down pat, but NO! I called my nurse about getting a script and she made it seem like I was stupid for not just calling CVS Caremark about refills since I had them. However, I wanted her to call in 900 pens of Follistim and not 600 since it is the same $20 copay.
So I called CVS Caremark and they said ALL my scripts and prior auths had expired since it was longer than 6 months after I got the meds.
I had to call my nurse and let her know this cuz prior auths take 72 hours to get approved. I don't need my meds since I have extra at home, but it just shows you the process gets fucked practically every time I wanna order meds.
Since I get my Delestrogen and P4 IM shots through Freedom Fertitlity, I called them. And of course, the refills were fine, but the rep told me that there is another "national shortage" of Delestrogen!
What the fuck! How is this possible every time like Delestrogen is a miracle drug? I just got them to send the P4 and I know I don't need them until mid November, but I just want to get my meds now lol.
UPDATE: I got a voicemail to call CVS Caremark. I called them at lunch and the rep went over the costs and said it would $3500.
Ummmmm nope! That's not what I paid last time.
So when she went over the amounts, they had Menopur for over $2,000. Before it was like $1,100! What the hell! I said that I DO NOT want it and will get it somewhere else.
Then she had me getting Cetrotide and I said NOPE, it's Ganierelix.
After all that, my total went down to $60. I'll post the invoice when I get the meds on Wednesday, 10/22.
I called Ambulatory Pharmacy in Rockville and they have 15 vials of Menopur for $1050! WOW! Sign me up! They can do free shipping too. So I had to call my nurse to have her send a script to them even though they are literally on the first floor of the medical building hahaha.
I wondered about Delestrogen since CVS Caremark said they didn't have ANY, but Ambulatory Pharmacy didn't have much Delestrogen and told me that the RE's are going to have to find something else to prescribe since she made it seem like they were NEVER getting Delestrogen in the WORLD! (cue dramatic music)
I told her to give me what she has! She's like "uhhhh..I need a script."
Well no shit Sherlock! I don't get why these people act like we are wanting Oxy or Vicodin! LOL
10/20
Last birth control pill
10/21
“Pre-IVF Evaluation” blood work (E2, P4, Beta) and ultrasound.
Going at 7 am in Wexford. 3 cheers for getting up early...not! I really hope there are no cysts or anything else to warrant me flipping out!
Meds Cost for this fresh/frozen cycle
- CVS Retail Store: Birth Control Pills - 21-day pack. I got 3 packs for $10 for my insurance wouldn't do one pack which is strange. I had to take 22 pills, so I used one entire 21-day pack and had a left over pill from before (Infertile Hoarder WIN)
- Caremark Specialty Pharmacy: 4 Ganirelix syringes for $20. Retail price is $158.90 per syringe.
- Caremark Specialty Pharmacy: 4 Follistim 900 for $20. Retail price for each is $1,918.80.
- Ambulatory Care Pharmacy in Rockville, MD: 15 vials Menopur--not covered by insurance, so $1,050.
- Caremark Specialty Pharmacy: hCG trigger shot generic 1 vial for $10. Retail price is $89.90.
- Caremark Specialty Pharmacy: 2 Azithromcyin tablets for $9
- Ambulatory Care Pharmacy in Rockville, MD: Delestrogen for $10. I couldn't find a retail price.
- Freedom Fertility: Progesterone for $10. Retail is $39.90.
If you want to price check meds, I highly recommend shopping around. Freedom Fertility has a medication quote calculator which is pretty cool.
Here we go....gimme good eggs!
10/24
CD1
Start injections!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Follistim 300
Menopur 75
I started spotting today too. I expect full flow tomorrow.
10/25
CD2
Follistim 300
Menopur 75
Heavy bleeding
10/26
CD3
Follistim 300
Menopur 75
Heavy bleeding
10/27
CD4 check in Frederick at 8:45!
Another saline sono today!
Everything went well today. Lining looks good. He saw 9 follicles on the right and 7 on the left. Estradiol was low at 64, but my nurse said that is why they're increasing the dosages.
Medium bleeding
Follistim 375
Menopur 150
10/28
CD 5
Follistim 375
Menopur 150
CD1
Start injections!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Follistim 300
Menopur 75
I started spotting today too. I expect full flow tomorrow.
10/25
CD2
Follistim 300
Menopur 75
Heavy bleeding
10/26
CD3
Follistim 300
Menopur 75
Heavy bleeding
10/27
CD4 check in Frederick at 8:45!
Another saline sono today!
Everything went well today. Lining looks good. He saw 9 follicles on the right and 7 on the left. Estradiol was low at 64, but my nurse said that is why they're increasing the dosages.
Medium bleeding
Follistim 375
Menopur 150
10/28
CD 5
Follistim 375
Menopur 150
Why are people so dumb?
So I get home from school and of course, this shit is in my mailbox.
Look at #2: Call babysitter for Saturday.
Jesus! Yeah, now I'm gonna buy home equity with First National Bank since they tried to be cute with the dumb list? Clearly, it is not typed out and handwritten.
I know I'm on meds, but jeez!
I called their asses up and complained. Of course, I was level headed, but then I started to cry.
I explained to their manager Josh that he might think this isn't a big deal, but for someone like me and others who've struggled with infertility and baby loss, it's a slap in our faces.
I said it's like someone dropping off diapers at my house. Am I just being extra crazy or do you think this is rude too?
Just more reminders of how "WE" are not part of the majority of couples. Both my and my husband's names are on the address, but I bet whoever wrote these just thought it would be something cute to write on there.
It definitely is a woman's handwriting and I told him that they need to stop sending these out with that #2 on the list. It is offensive and insulting.
Of course, he was very apologetic. I hope they do change these dumbass lists.
Look at #2: Call babysitter for Saturday.
Jesus! Yeah, now I'm gonna buy home equity with First National Bank since they tried to be cute with the dumb list? Clearly, it is not typed out and handwritten.
I know I'm on meds, but jeez!
I called their asses up and complained. Of course, I was level headed, but then I started to cry.
I explained to their manager Josh that he might think this isn't a big deal, but for someone like me and others who've struggled with infertility and baby loss, it's a slap in our faces.
I said it's like someone dropping off diapers at my house. Am I just being extra crazy or do you think this is rude too?
Just more reminders of how "WE" are not part of the majority of couples. Both my and my husband's names are on the address, but I bet whoever wrote these just thought it would be something cute to write on there.
It definitely is a woman's handwriting and I told him that they need to stop sending these out with that #2 on the list. It is offensive and insulting.
Of course, he was very apologetic. I hope they do change these dumbass lists.
Literally, the next day...
Like what the fuck? Am I living in the twilight zone?
Today is October 29th and I got another freaking thing in the mail.
I have NEVER received stuff like this before except when I got free formula in 2012 when I was supposed to be due.
That hurt, but I did fill out the form to get it and just forgot.
But these ads and catalogs? Ughhh
I never signed up for Babies R Us shit.
So of course, I called the number, cried, and bitched.
They took me off their list as an "urgent removal".
What are the chances?
Today is October 29th and I got another freaking thing in the mail.
I have NEVER received stuff like this before except when I got free formula in 2012 when I was supposed to be due.
That hurt, but I did fill out the form to get it and just forgot.
But these ads and catalogs? Ughhh
I never signed up for Babies R Us shit.
So of course, I called the number, cried, and bitched.
They took me off their list as an "urgent removal".
What are the chances?
Okay....continuing on!
10/29
CD6
Midcycle Ultrasound & bloodwork at Dr. Tippet's in Wexford at 7:00
Estradiol was 130.
They measured 16 follicles still. Two were measureable at 10-11mm.
Follistim 450
Menopur 150
10/30
CD7
Ganirelix in the morning
Follistim 450
Menopur 225 (mixing 3 powders)
10/31
CD8
Ultrasound & bloodwork check at Leesburg at 8:00
RE saw 9 follies that are in the "game". He didn't measure the other ones since he said that they were insignificant at this point.
Follistim 450
Menopur 225
CD6
Midcycle Ultrasound & bloodwork at Dr. Tippet's in Wexford at 7:00
Estradiol was 130.
They measured 16 follicles still. Two were measureable at 10-11mm.
Follistim 450
Menopur 150
10/30
CD7
Ganirelix in the morning
Follistim 450
Menopur 225 (mixing 3 powders)
10/31
CD8
Ultrasound & bloodwork check at Leesburg at 8:00
RE saw 9 follies that are in the "game". He didn't measure the other ones since he said that they were insignificant at this point.
Follistim 450
Menopur 225