Anyone Doing IVF in December?

[HighHopesMama]

In fact it is far more than this but my insurance covers half of ot..that's how we ended up with 2500
The thing that is frustrating as i think is.. What if it failed?? Does that mean i throw all thr money and hopes?? This increases the stress..
I'll keep you posted..pray for me dear..hugs

that's great your insurance covers half of it. Good for you! Unfortunately, that money stress & frustration is just part of this whole thing. I would have dealt much better with infertility if it wasn't so darn expensive to have a baby with these methods. Over six years of trying for our first, I think we spent almost 100k, out of pocket, on tests, iuis, ivfs, meds, etc. if you start to focus on that, it can lead you to some bad places. The fact is unfortunately, we've been dealt this crazy hand of infertility that we have to work with. Other people have other issues in their lives. It's what you do with the bad stuff you're given that counts. And believe me, when your little ones does arrive, I bet you will appreciate him/ her that much more because of everything you went through to get pregnant. Saying a prayer for you. We're all here for you!

I hope you get great news tomorrow! Hopefully the follies are just slow to grow, but are picking up now. I've also been reading a lot that validates what your RE said, that they don't necessarily need high numbers of follies, and that lower numbers of follies usually yield higher quality eggs. It is so ridiculous what everyone charges for IVF and meds. That is why we've looked into Barbados...accredited clinic, half the price of an IVF cycle in the states (including a 2 week trip to the beach!).

Omg, that's amazing? Ive heard of people traveling abroad to do this but ever knew of anyone who did that. Are you currently there now or will you be going there to do IVF? Sorry if you've already posted about this. I'm so curious. I hope you're right about the # of follies & quality. I've always been a low # girl, but never as low as 4. It has be sweating, I'll tell you that. But as long as ,my RE says I'm reacting well to the meds, I feel better and am more inclined to postpone for a better chance if she suggests it. I'll keep you posted!

[akhiker]

After our 2 consults next week, we will see if we will continue with our plan in Barbados-I'd be kind of surprised if we didn't. We go there in Feb for the 2 weeks of monitoring, retrieval, and transfer, and then fly home a couple of days later. It is the Barbados Fertility Center. UK trained staff, Joint Commission (USA) accredited, and tons of travel support. The hotels they recommend are all on the beach and a few minutes walk from the clinic. They also arrange meds from Canada and Europe, so that they are about 1/4 of the price. All in all, we get an IVF cycle and 2 week trip to Barbados for about $10,000! And, by putting the whole thing on our mileage credit card, we also get some future travel benefits! I have DOR, and our expected success rates are abysmal, so I never really felt comfortable paying full price for IVF in the USA, and we don't qualify for any success sharing programs with my FSH level, but I can definitely deal with that price and that trip. And if we have any embies to freeze, we can go back to Barbados for the FET. This will be our last stop before going down the donor path.

[HighHopesMama]

It sounds like Barbados would be a wonderful way to do IVF. It would be such a nice way to counteract all the stress of IVF: just looking at the water, walking on a beach before the transfer. I think it's great they get the meds from Canada. What a nice savings. I hope you get the all clear to do it. And I hope you get knocked up.

[akhiker]

It sounds like Barbados would be a wonderful way to do IVF. It would be such a nice way to counteract all the stress of IVF: just looking at the water, walking on a beach before the transfer. I think it's great they get the meds from Canada. What a nice savings. I hope you get the all clear to do it. And I hope you get knocked up.

Thanks, I hope you get knocked up too! Yeah, going to Barbados and being a couple of minutes away from the clinic will remove a huge amount of stress from us. Our RE (the closest RE) is a 3 hour drive (each way) from us, and in the winter, roads are horrible. Even just trying to get up there for monitoring and IUIs was a challenge. That, and if we ever needed more meds, they had to be FedEx'd in, and we don't have FedEx delivery on the weekend-logistics were usually more stressful than the actual STCing. And to have our toes in the sand at the same time??? Sounds great to me!

I hope you get great news at your next appointment!

[HighHopesMama]

Oh wow, what a pain! I can't even imagine dealing with a 6 hour round trip just to get a scan for monitoring. And then the hassle about the meds. It sounds like Barbados is the perfect solution for you! Good luck with those final scans. I hope you get the all clear.

Thanks. My appt. is today, so I'll let you know how it goes. I hope I get good news.

[HighHopesMama]

So it's official. We're canceling our IVF and doing IUI on Friday. Or as I like to call it, "throwing our money out the window". While IUI has never worked for us in the past, if we don't try it, we'd really be throwing all the the money spent on meds out the window. It was a coin toss whether to cancel or not. Three follies are all the same size and look good, a fourth one is larger and might not be viable. I might get more follies next month or I might get the same or less. But I'll be taking the DHEA until our next procedure, so at least our quality will be improved. And if we get the same amount, at least we know that's what we have to work with and we won't be wondering if it would have been better to wait. I am still super irked at the wasted money, but I know it is better to wait and know that we've done everything we can to have a successful cycle. Grrrr.

[akhiker]

I am so, so sorry about your cycle, that is so frustrating and disappointing. Even though you had paid for a package of cycles, would they at least refund some portion of what you paid, what they would have charged for retrieval, anesthesia, lab/culture, and transfer? I really really hope the IUI works for you!

I've been taking a ton of supplements for DOR, not sure what all is on your list: DHEA 25mg 3x/day, Co Q10 Ubiquinol 200mg 2x/day, Vit B Complex daily, Baby ASA daily, Folic Acid 1mg 3x/day, PNV, Vit D3 2000units daily. The latest thing in research is a link Vitamin D deficiency and infertility-after I read that I had mine tested last month, and I am abnormally low too, so we added that supplement. Also yoga and acupuncture. I'm sure you've heard all this before, just wanted to share in case there is something new.

I'm really sorry about your appt today, maybe go have a big glass of wine tonight?

[Ourou]

Aww, hon, I'm really sorry to hear that. . I'll keep my fingers crossed for the IUI though!

[Gwenn]

So sorry to hear this!

[HighHopesMama]

I am so, so sorry about your cycle, that is so frustrating and disappointing. Even though you had paid for a package of cycles, would they at least refund some portion of what you paid, what they would have charged for retrieval, anesthesia, lab/culture, and transfer? I really really hope the IUI works for you!

I've been taking a ton of supplements for DOR, not sure what all is on your list: DHEA 25mg 3x/day, Co Q10 Ubiquinol 200mg 2x/day, Vit B Complex daily, Baby ASA daily, Folic Acid 1mg 3x/day, PNV, Vit D3 2000units daily. The latest thing in research is a link Vitamin D deficiency and infertility-after I read that I had mine tested last month, and I am abnormally low too, so we added that supplement. Also yoga and acupuncture. I'm sure you've heard all this before, just wanted to share in case there is something new.

I'm really sorry about your appt today, maybe go have a big glass of wine tonight?

well I was supposed to buy the package today, so no money is lost there. We've done eight IUIs in the past with no success, so unfortunately i don't expect this one to be any different. But it's our only option besides scrapping the whole thing and wasting the four follicles this cycle. I do the same DHEA you do, prenatal vitamins and acupuncture and herbs. What's baby Asa daily? I have heard about vitamin d, but my levels are ok. Would a supplement of vitamin d hurt do you think? Thank for the good thoughts and support. A big glass of wine is definitely on the agenda.

Aww, hon, I'm really sorry to hear that. . I'll keep my fingers crossed for the IUI though!

thanks!!

So sorry to hear this!

yeah, me, too. But what can you do? Just keep trying. It will happen and at least next month, we will know that if I still have only 4 follies, that is what we have to work with. If we did it this month, I'd kinda be wondering if we should have waited for another month to see if there'd be more follies. At least all doubt will be removed next month. But gosh, is removing doubt expensive!!!

To us all!! Do you think Santa will bring me a wad of cash for Christmas?? I'll be less crabby about this tomorrow. I'm giving myself one day to wallow

[akhiker]

well I was supposed to buy the package today, so no money is lost there. We've done eight IUIs in the past with no success, so unfortunately i don't expect this one to be any different. But it's our only option besides scrapping the whole thing and wasting the four follicles this cycle. I do the same DHEA you do, prenatal vitamins and acupuncture and herbs. What's baby Asa daily? I have heard about vitamin d, but my levels are ok. Would a supplement of vitamin d hurt do you think? Thank for the good thoughts and support. A big glass of wine is definitely on the agenda. :

Baby ASA is a baby aspirin, 81mg daily. Sorry, forget about abbreviations sometimes! Vitamin D, if your levels are ok, is not necessarily good to supplement, as you can overdose on it and get to toxic levels. There has been a ton of research on Co Q10 (ubiquinol form) improving egg quality. It's expensive as far as supplements go, but nothing like the cost of meds (about $100 for a month's worth-I get mine from Amazon). Enjoy that glass of wine tonight, hopefully it will be the last for, oh, about 9 months or so?

[HighHopesMama]

Lol, no worries. I'm not up on all the abbreviations. Yeah, I'm glad I asked about the vitamin d. I'm scared to add supplements on my own in case I mess up my levels. I will have to ask my RE about the Co Q10. I'm up for trying anything that will help. The wine was delicious. I would love it if it were my last glass for a while...

[Razrouz85]

So it's official. We're canceling our IVF and doing IUI on Friday. Or as I like to call it, "throwing our money out the window". While IUI has never worked for us in the past, if we don't try it, we'd really be throwing all the the money spent on meds out the window. It was a coin toss whether to cancel or not. Three follies are all the same size and look good, a fourth one is larger and might not be viable. I might get more follies next month or I might get the same or less. But I'll be taking the DHEA until our next procedure, so at least our quality will be improved. And if we get the same amount, at least we know that's what we have to work with and we won't be wondering if it would have been better to wait. I am still super irked at the wasted money, but I know it is better to wait and know that we've done everything we can to have a successful cycle. Grrrr.

Ooooops,,,so sorry to hear that..i was excited for you too..but...i think that God wants things to go this way
I hope that IUI will be successful this time..nobody knows..sometimes things go in one direction so that they will work..
And regarding money,, i understand u,, it's sooo annoying and disappointing..hope that you'll get the success we all wish for and forget all about losses
Baby dust to you all

[HighHopesMama]

Thanks!

[akhiker]

Here is a link to some information on Co Q10. If we do IVF in Feb, I will have been taking it (and all of the other supplements) for 3 months.

http://www.advancedfertility.com/blo...and-fertility/

[HighHopesMama]

Thanks for the info. I'm excited to check it out. I hope all your supplement taking pays off!!!

[HighHopesMama]

So our iui happened this morning. I ended up with 5 eggs, which was a nice surprise. Still not hoping for anything for this cycle. It looking forward to the IVF in the next month or two. I just want to have my family be completed and move on from TTCing altogether. I'm tired of the emotional roller coaster and being broke paying for procedures! We were six years waiting for our first baby. We've only been ttc'ing since October, but already it feels like forever. Here's to us ALL getting our BFPs soon!

[HighHopesMama]

PS

Erica - my RE said to go ahead with the Co Q10 supplement at 500mg twice a day. Is that what you take? She said she takes it herself for general health and felt it definitely couldn't hurt for me to take it. I know you mentioned you get yours on amazon. Do you mind telling me what brand do you use? Thanks!

[Gwenn]

Good luck!

[fourgulls]

Good luck!! Please KUP!

[Quinn'sMama]

Good luck!!

[akhiker]

So our iui happened this morning. I ended up with 5 eggs, which was a nice surprise. Still not hoping for anything for this cycle. It looking forward to the IVF in the next month or two. I just want to have my family be completed and move on from TTCing altogether. I'm tired of the emotional roller coaster and being broke paying for procedures! We were six years waiting for our first baby. We've only been ttc'ing since October, but already it feels like forever. Here's to us ALL getting our BFPs soon!

Wonderful! 5 follies is great! I think it was a month ago this year when another STCer had an almost identical situation as yours, IVF converted to IUI, had 6 follies, and just had her healthy baby a few months ago! Here is the link to the Co Q10 that I've been taking. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o00_s01_i00 It is Healthy Origins Ubiquinol. A little expensive, but hopefully will be worth it! I take 400mg 2x/day. Good luck to you!!!

[HighHopesMama]

Thank you everyone for your good thoughts. Im still feeling side effects from the trigger shot, but other than that, nothing to report. Sorry I've been MIA. We went on a Christmas shopping safari this weekend and I knocked it all out, which was a relief.

Erica - thanks for sharing the story of the IUI success. It would be nothing short of a miracle if it worked, but I'm always hoping for one. Thanks also for the link for the Co Q10. I will start taking it as soon as af shows her face. Since me RE takes it for general health and was raving anout it, I think I'll add it to my daily routine for a few months and see what happens.

How is everyone doing? Any updates? Getting ready for the holidays? to us all!!

[fourgulls]

@highhopesmama, just checking in to see how you were doing?

[HighHopesMama]

Aww thanks. Sorry I've mia. Just the typical holiday madness. I got my period on tues, so it's IVF in the new year. Disappointing, but not unexpected after 8 previous iuis, lol. I have very high hopes for the new year. How are you?

[fourgulls]

I hear you on the holiday madness!! So sorry the IUI didn't work out...many prayers that the new year brings you a BFP! Have a wonderful holiday!!

[HighHopesMama]

Thank you. Right back at you