Posted by
pinklotus
18 yrs ago
This is my 2nd attempt of FET. I am (was?)in my 7th week of pregnancy.Yesterday we went for our first ultrasound to check if there was a heartbeat but there wasnt one. My HCG count has also fallen. It seems all very bleak but was advised to keep using the progesterone suppositories until I start to spot or bleed.So far no spotting yet but I am expecting that to happen soon. As you can imagined - I am in a state of numbness. We have been TTC for nearly 2 years and were overjoyed to hear that I was able to get pregnant via FET.. it was unexpected. Yesterday doc visit was just devastating.
I am not sure what to do now. On one hand I think I should give a fresh IVF cycle another go before my eggs "expire". I am 36 years old. I have tried acupunture for the last 9 months, yoga, stop work everything to give my body the best of chance.
Anyone out there whom can advice or give me a different perspectives on this situation?
much appreciated
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加油！！ kept on trying fresh IVF before age 40 as the max can go for fresh cycles is 45 by (FET and ICSI) only.
How much you had paid for the fresh per cycle IVF and FET per cycle so far ?
Lots of baby dust for all (PCO/S)
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Poseidon,
Sorry - are you saying that after 45 you cant go for fresh cycle IVF?
Havefaith
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Hi Poseidon
Estimated costs of a fresh cycle with all medications, ultrasound is abt HKD70-80k. For FET is about HKD20- 25k.
I have not discussed with my doc abt the age limitation on IVF. Presumably- there will be recommended age range but if you never try - you will never know.
Havefaith - I have been following your journey in the other threads posted. I wish you well and hope everyone whom are TTC will soon get their wishes. I am also thinking of possibly doing IUI instead of IVF in the next cycle. Had a brief chat with the doc and he said that the last failed FET cycle proved that it is not an implantation problem but more of the quality of embryo. ( The embryos were blastocyst day 5). I am not too sure how I can improve the quality of the embryos further? Any thots on this anyone?
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Pinklotus,
Thank you for your kind wishes and thoughts. I too wish you all the best!
I think in the thread in another thread,"Shall I start IVF soon?" Linlin123 mentioned that TCM can improve egg quality. I too believe in TCM and accupuncture - of course neither has helped me to date. I am just wondering if you had Day 5 transfer and they were blastocyst - doesnt it mean that quality of the eggs is fine but it was a implantatiion issue.
Havefaith
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hi havefaith
i too wonder abt this issue of Day 5 transfer v implantation? The ultrasound showed that the uterus lining was thickening up nicely even on the day when no fetal heartbeat was detected. maybe a day 5 transfer does not guarantee implantation but rather increase the chance of implantation? Need to have another talk with Dr Ho soon.
I have been doing TCM and acupunture with Troy Sing for the last 9 months. I do think it helps to nurture the body and yet again..its a not definite solution.Its hard when you are trying to figure out what other things one can do to make this works. I am close to insanity.
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Pinklotus,
I asked Kelly (from Dr. Ho's clinic) that question - whether it increase the chance of success if you have a Day 5 vs. Day 3 transfer (-based on what I have read on the internet it does). Her response was, based on her experience, it really depend on your age - younger women can have a succesful IVF even with Day 3 transfer.
I too think I have gone mad and obsessed with TTC.
Havefaith
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Trying,
I think that is consistent with Kelly's experience.
HF
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hi ladies
i have been having second thots abt having another fresh cycle of IVF. Maybe I should just go for IUI with stimulated cycle ie Clomid etc.
Havefaith - if I am not mistaken - you were/are planning for a IUI cycle? How did it go? (Sorry.. i have not been keeping up with your postings in other threads.. am at offsite with very slow dial upline....)
Trying - wishing you well...
by the way- I had assisted hatching for my embies in the previous cycles. It was supposed to increase the chance of implantation but i guess at the end of the day.. it all boils down to luck.
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PL,
In the last two months I have had IUI (without meds), I was not ready for another IVF cycle. I am at the end of 2ww - but not that hopeful. I opted for that because DH was travelling and would have missed my ovuation - so I thought doing something was better than nothing.
My friend did 9 IUI's with clomid before seeing Dr. Ho for her 10th IUI. Dr. Ho suggested Gonal F as opposed to Clomid - because Clomid would provide thin uterus lining. She is now 4.5 month pregnant from IUI with Gonal F. May be explore that as an alternative.
You mentioned you have stopped work and started yoga. I too have started yoga about 2 months ago - and will be going part-time in Sept.
take care,
HF
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Pinklotus, as far as I know, as long as your tubes are okay and hubby's stuff is not too bad, then it is worth trying IUI. It seems that the docs recommend injectibles rather than clomid straight away to people in their late 30s. I will know more soon as I will probably give it a try also.
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previously - i had tried 2 IUIs with clomid- not with Gonal F(consultations not with Dr Ho). Unfortunately - there were not successful. May want to explore that option of IUI+Gonal F with Dr Ho in the next cycle as opposed to IVF. Hubby is also traveling every week which makes things difficult for us.
HF- I stopped yoga when i found out i was pregnant. Now... i may want to continue the excercise. I think it does help in the overall well being.
BBM - are you planning to start your next cycle soon? If you dont mind me asking - which doc are you seeing? We may be able to compare notes in the future.
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Hi gals,
I'm doing IUI with Dr Derek Lo. I'm currently one week into my two week wait on a natural cycle IUI but we're not that hopeful because hubby's sample wasn't great this time. I was offered IUI+Gonal F straight away even though I'm only in my early thirties. I guess he just suggest things that are more likely to be successful.
Our problem is sperm count/ morphology / & motility issues. we thought we'd try natural cycle first just so we can see what the procedure was like before taking the meds.
Pinklotus - When my hubby was travelling for a while the doc suggested having some sperm frozen if we didn't want to miss a month. It wasn't necessary for us in the end as hubby's schedule changed, but it's worth keeping in mind.
We'll be doing IUI with GonalF next month so if you want to compare notes, that'll be great. I think we're only giving it 3 tries though before moving onto IVF with ICSI. Doc said that after 3 tries we'll have enough post-wash sperm results to gauge the chances of IUI working.
With Gonal F can you pretty much do activities as normal or do you have to be careful to protect your ovaries?... eg be careful with exercising?
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hi kikidee
good luck with your 2 weeks wait.. i know its terribly hard to stay calm during this time but you are nearly there!
yep.. did contemplate abt freezing the sperms if hubby has to travel.. prefer not to but if there isnt a choice.. then it will be off to the freezer.
Hubby and I are one of those unexplained infertility couple. It gets quite frustrating bc I dont know how to address the problem ( presumably there isnt one)
will see doc on monday to decide further actions. Will update you then
xx
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I'm with Dr Ho. I saw him this morning but there is a cyst on my left ovary. He said its nothing serious -- just a left over from last month's period but it means that I cannot start the injections for the IUI this cycle as the drugs would make the cyst bigger. Not great for me as I dont have time on my side. Our main issue is my age. I was sure I would be walking out of his office today with my first injection done. All of this confirms how little of this is in my own hands!!
Kikidee, I did a natural cycle IUI two cycles ago. Same reason as you plus the doctor was able to monitor my whole natural cycle that way.
Pinklotus, it will be good to compare notes. Hope you can just do IUI rather than another IVF.
In the meantime, I'll have to push hubby to BD a bit extra this month -- just like your approach, MayC!
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babybemine
i am also with dr ho. i am about to go on my first IUI with meds this month with dr. ho although this is in fact my third time doing IUI. i was on clomid for the first 2 cycles with another dr, but this time dr ho recommended puregon. has anyone tried this drug? its one of those injection ones.
DH is in a relatively tense mood as he has had very stressful schedules lately at work. Not sure how to push for BD given his moods. What was May C's approach? Care to share?
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espresso,
I used Puregon for all 4 of my IUI's with Dr Ho also. I'ts easy to administer and apart from bloating didn't really experience any side effects, though DH did mention some moodiness but i;m sure that was his imagination.
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rose1234
thanks for replying. i find the drug expensive but like you say easy to administer. i did notice a bit of bloatedness but moodwise i feel fine (no wild swings). if you don't mind me asking have you had any luck with your IUIs? mine will be next week but i am not sure what expectations to go in with (given that i get the impression many go through many cycles before arriving at conception). thanks.
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Espresso,
I got pregnant on my third attempt but miscarried. In all i had 4 shots before moving to Ivf. Dr Ho was happy to keep trying but my age is a factor so I wanted to get moving so to speak. It's very hard to keep the expectations under control, the funny thing is that when we got pregnant it was my "worst" IUI as I had only one egg and out sperm morphology was the worst we had had. In fact Dr ho told me if they made it to the egg he didn't think they would be able to fertilise it. he told me that before I even got off the table, he's great but not always tactful.
Sorry I'm rambling, all the best
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MayC
18 yrs ago
MayC's approach is torturing hubby with all my crazy TTC ideas ;-) I'm active in the TTC #2 board but have been following all the IVF threads as well.
I think somewhere along my obsession with TTC, I've gone crazy! I don't know how else to put it.
I'm also using Dr Ho. I think he is fantastic and very thorough but I do worry about whether or not his popularity would affect his performance and his level of patient care when we are undergoing treatment and/or surgery . I may have to do a laparoscopic surgery with him early next year.
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Mayc,
He is incredibly busy as you know but I think that's because he is so good and doesn't make people wait for months for an appointment and I found him wonderful in a bad situation. He did my DC and was fantastic.
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rose
thank you for sharing that info with me. i guess what that means is somehow the number of follicles and the size that they come in does not necessary drive the chance of success of the IUI.
i may be thinking too much but i have been told that the probability of getting conceived from IUI is about the same as natural cycle, which actually made me consider at some stage that i should just jump to IVF straight away given my age. i mean, sometimes, i wonder why go through a treatment when the probability is just as low? may be i have gone nuts.
MayC- as far as i see it for the time being, dr ho is still okay. may be thats because i have been to a doctor who is worse.
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MayC, you're very cute and very funny. I plan to do the same thing with hubby this month but more specifically, may give Robitussin a try, and then BD a bit more either side of the OPK signal.
I'm comfortable with Dr Ho too and I had no problem getting an appointment with him either.
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hi pinklotus,
Go for it again if you can, try and try, never give up. Consider yourself lucky as you got preggy with IVF or FET, i did it twice with the best grade embryo but all failed, so you could imagine how depress i was too, i was trying for 8 years, never giving up. Well, almost, last resort was to go Troy sing, i gave him 6 months then i'm ready to give up, on the 6th month, after paying two packages, i got pregnant naturally. My baby is 9 months now.
I'm clearing my things and found this VCD of lillian too on how to cope with infertility, if anyone is interested, i'll lend this to you, i'm not saying that it works, but just for fun, and what can you do to enhance your fengshui with objects.
Good luck everyone. Your time will come.
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ladies
am glad that a few of us are seeing doc Ho though our situations may differ from one to another . at least we know that similiar protocals would most probably be used and we can compare notes.
i have not heard of puregon. will have to do some research on it. Just went to have a chat with a fertility specialist friend in KL. He seems to think that I should give IUI with Gonal F a go if I decide that IVF/ICSI route is too much to bear.
Espresso - my hubby is going thru some tension at work too. Its hard to create that pssionate mood while screaming inside your head and heart out loud to him to just "do it" ! i think i have forgotten what pure raw sex is now!
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Honeypie,
Would you mind if I asked you how old you are? I am seeing Dr. Cecilia The right now - but she will be away for a couple of weeks over the next month. I would like to see Troy Sing - Can you please give me the contact details of Troy Sing. I am also thinking of seeing Linlin's TCM doctor too. Thanks.
HF
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pinklotus, i think i have forgotten that too by now! but i am hoping that this is a phase which will pass us by sooner or later.
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hi pinklotus,
i started with iui and ivf at age 34, then gave up on western medicine after almost 2 years. I got preggy at 37.
Sorry i can't find troy's number, we are moving house so it's still disorganize. Pls do a search here and his name and number will come up. I thought you are seeing troy. He is good, but talk less, you have to ask if you have questions, but trust that he knows what is he doing.
may i please ask if you continued to have acupuncture after the transfer and when you found out you are preggy? the reason is bec. for troy he didn't do anything anymore when we found out i was preggy.
I've seen lyn limm for my baby's allergy, she is good and nice lady, but don't know about infertility issues.
Feel free to ask me if you have queries. PM me if i don't reply as i don't usually check this forum.
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Espresso, puregon is meant to be similar to Gonal-F. The chances of IUI succeeding is meant to be highest with injectibles so it is worth a try. I think natural IUI (no meds) is probably not much better than natural intercourse but even that small boost works for some people, so who really knows. For me, I am just going to try the old-fashioned way this month but would have gone for IUI with meds as well, if the cyst hadn't shown up and I had the choice.
Our love-making these days is also centred around babymaking, but I guess it is the same for all us TTC'ers? When we first started trying, hubby resented the idea of timed sex but now he also understands how important it is to hit the fertile days. He wants a baby as much as I do.
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788
18 yrs ago
Pinklotus,
Wanted to tell you that I am 36 as well- and it is not considered that much older than say 33 or 34. So don't loose hope. IVF option can be used for many more years because of the meds.
I am really sorry to hear of your situation- to go from being overjoyed to numbness.... must have been incredibly hard. How are you now?
I would personally go for IVF than IUI because the chances are so greatly increased. BUT, ofcourse the cost of 5 IUIs is probably half of an IVF-- which even if we can afford, it is still a lot at $70,000 a pop(fresh cycle).
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hello 788
there are days when i think if i can continue or should i continue with infertility treatments? getting pregnant and then having miscarriages had left me a certain void. But i kept thinking that i should hang on to it one more time.. maybe each time it will get easier and surely and slowly - the game of probability will end in my favour?Certainly - there are days when I so utterly fed- up and just want to resign to the fact that maybe hubby and I are not the lucky ppl to be able to conceive children on our own and adoption is the only solution.
How abt you 788? what are your plans for the future?
Honeypie - Troy did not continue with acupunture treatment when I was pregnant. He believed that there should not be interference during that period as the embryo should have enough sustenance to survive and if it doesnt - it just meant that the fetus has its own "defects". At least- thats what I understood from him.I understand different acupunturists have different opinions in their treatment pre and post tranfers.
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788
18 yrs ago
Pl, I think you will recover the moment you have a newborn in your arms.
It is a game of probability, isn't it? I hated that subject in school. I never got it- may be thats why!!
We have been trying for a couple of years ourselves and I have started having the been there done that attitude after 4 IUI's and 2 failed IVF's. Our issue is sperm morphology and motility. So my husband got varicocele surgery done last month- we are waiting for 3 month mark to get over. I admit I am loving these months where I do not have to worry about TTC. My sex drive, which had become a chore, is back with a vengeance!;) I am in the gym, not worrying about what might happen to my follicles or the transferred embryos.
We are pretty serious about 2 things- one, trying naturally after September and two, adopting. We may, MAY give IVF another go in Jan but that would be our last try. Its too hard emotionally- well, it takes over your life. Regarding adoption, it has been a tough call, but we have been trying to get our heads around it for few months and we have come to a point where I believe, we will be at peace with that decision if we have to make it.
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788 - great to hear that your sex drive is back with vengeance! as for me.. its ground zero..hahaha. Poor hubby but what to do!
i think its good idea to know where one's limit is. If both of you have decided that Jan's IVF may be the last try - then so be it. Afterall - we can only try our very best and hope for the best. I still have no answer to what I want to do next and where are my parameters set?Hubby is keen to keep trying naturally or thru assisted fertility treatment till I am 38.. the problem is I am not sure if my sanity will stretch till then.
Adoption is definitely an option for us. Hubby is all for it while also trying to conceive ourselves. I think it will elevate some pressure of us and perhaps put things into perspective. At the moment- my life is pretty skewed to one area of concentration only which TTC..
I miss my gym and yoga sessions.. will want to get back to it once I get the clearance.Enjoy it while you can!
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Hi everyone. I just came across this thread. 2-3 of my family members have gone through IVF, but not here in HK but in Bombay, India. I was with my very close cousin while she underwent it. The clinic where she did it has a very high success rate, and people come from countries like Indonesia, Africa and even HK to do ARTs there.
Anyways, I wanted to offer you tips that a doc might refer to as nonsense. Dont know if it will help. Dont majorly change any dietary aspects during the 2 week waiting period. But try to reduce any foods that are 'heating'. For eg:, dont have pineapples, papayas, too much of shrimp or crab, beef etc
Also, dont walk too fast. Keep your actions slow...keep your core temperature low. Pray or meditate to keep your mind cool and calm. Tension does have an effect. After the ET, keep lying on the hospital bed for at least 2 hrs. And then, go home, but keep your body horizontal for at least 5 hrs besides the normal sleep time for 4 days after ET. The embryo begins to get the blood supply after 4 days if it has implanted. My cousin also did something which might have helped. She asked for an anaesthesia during the ET. This helps as you dont jerk when the instrument is being inserted, and less chance of embryos being lost. Oh, and one more thing, drink at least 2-3 L of water a day to keep your body cool. Dont have very hot showers or lie in hot water tubs.
These are very small things to do, but personally, I feel that, when all one wants to do is hold that bundle of joy, perhaps no amount of tiny sacrifices are great. :)
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788
18 yrs ago
If it were only that easy, FuzzyLogic-- we'd all be pregnant several times over by now!!:) None of what you wrote is nonsense. Docs also tell you most of these things too- may be except the hot/ cold food stuff.
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fuzzylogic
your tips don't sound like nonsense to me. the way i see it is that - western doctors mainly focus on the scientific part of the treatment. but whether you can conceive may not always be 100% dependent on the western treatment. i think it is also important how your body responds to the treatment. so if you are working a hard job and long hours (or even if you are just high strung naturally), your body may be less receptive to fertility treatment. if you are not working, thats a different story. i think that theory applies to me anyway.
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788 / pinklotus - i hear your message loud and clear when you say that this is taking over your life! it has definitely taken over ours too. i feel like my life is put on hold to a large extent for this and it feels so much like a waiting game. we are not at a stage to consider adoption yet but we are taking it day by day.
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hi pinklotus,
Do you mean that you see troy before you got preggy? sorry i didn't read all the messages here, i thought you're from another acupuncturist that's why you are asking for his number. Anyways, you're right, troy doesn't do acupuncture when preggy already. It's the contrary to Cecilia (another acupuncturist), he does it one more time after you find out you are pregnant for the embryo to hold. Well, it depends whom you trust. For me, i also don't want anyone to prick on my skin once i'm pregnant, it's better to go to a western doctor and have some progesterone.
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788
18 yrs ago
espresso, I was shocked at how hard the adoption scenario was. When I was in my 20s, I always thought I would adopt some day but... this urge of having a biological child in my 30s has taken me by surprise. I was so guilt ridden when I started the IVF process- agonized over spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to have a baby when I could be giving another child a better life or educating 5 of them through high school- it was a crazy turmoil. But, I couldn't reconcile my brain with my emotions. Emotions won and here I am TTC for 2 years with fertility treatments and a surgery.
With one of the most important decisions of one's life, ie having a child (biological/ adopted)-- you have to take your time, do what you feel most comfortable with. Like pinklotus said about knowing, understanding and respecting one's limit is true. That stage of being ok with adoption may never come or it might come out of the blue one fine day. In either scenario, neither is better or worse. It is what it is, right?
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MayC
18 yrs ago
Hi all....
I tested a day earlier and I'm NOT pregnant. I'm crushed... but at least a lot calmer now instead of jumping up and down wondering whether or not I'm pregnant and imagining a whole lot of non-existing pregnancy signs.
I just wish someone could tell me WHEN I will be pregnant so that I know that whatever I'm doing now is worth it.
Emotionally this is really tough.
I hope you girls will have better luck than me....
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mayC - i am sorry to hear of your news. this process is indeed a test of faith, patience and willpower. don't forget that you are not alone.
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788 - i agonise about the money spent on this as well. on one hand i feel lucky that i can still afford this treatment. on the other, i feel 'artificial' that we have to try for a baby this way. you really don't win in the end. in all honesty though i have never thought that conceiving would be so difficult!
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Espresso -i could not agree with you more abt the money spent on fertility treatments. Never in a million years would I have imagined that I would have problem in conceiving considering that all my siblings managed to have kids on their own.
MayC- I also wish that someone can tell me when the heck can I get preggo! I am sorry that it did not work out this month for you. I know you have been very resourceful- robitussin, ginseng etc etc.. give it another go next month. Also - perhaps you started testing a little bit too early? How abt waiting another 24-48hours?
788- it is agonizing when you think abt the money spent on fertility vs opportunity cost of providing for another child. I have never thot of it this way and i thank you for giving me a different perspective.
A little update from my visit today to the good doctor. He told me that he would recommend me to start a fresh cycle of IVF rather than pursuing IUI with gonal F. I would rest this cycle and perhaps start again sometime late Aug/Sept.TCM doc also recommended that I should nurse my body back to good health. So.. the next couple of weeks- there wil be more herbs and needles.
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pinklotus - looks like everyone here shares one thing in common - never to have considered in a million yrs that conceiving could be her problem! good luck with the herbs and needles - hope they don't hurt too much.
i saw my doctor yesterday in preparation for my IUI treatment this week. sadly he said that my body did not respond well to the hormonal treatment and basically said that there is only one egg available for this cycle so the chances of getting pregnant would only be about 15%.
by the way, for those who have done IUI - did you find that the injection that they give to you for the induction of your ovulation really hurts?
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Expresso,
The one that induce ovulation was the worst of all shots. However, it also depends on where you get the shot - I had it done at Canossa twice (once for IVF and once for IUI with meds). Both times hurt like crazy - they injected in my stomach. In May, I had the shot done at the doc's clinic (IUI without meds) and they did it in my butt - not bad at all.
HF
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788
18 yrs ago
Espresso, I think the pain depends on how comfortable you feel with needles. I took 2 of my hCG shots by myself at night when I was in New York. I was told specifically to take it in the upper part of the butt and you hardly feel it beyond the first prick.
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I didn't know IUIs were so complicated. I was never given an ovulation shot with my natural cycle IUI. Espresso, keep your spirits up. It just takes one good egg and a bit of luck that one of hubby's guys finds it.
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hi Espresso
keep your spirits up! there is stil that chance and you only need that one egg and one sperm!
i wish you well. xx
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thanks for all your well wishes. i am trying to take it as level-headed as i can be.
babybemine-i had not even known that there were such things as natural cycle IUI. i have always done mine with meds.
pinklotus-if you don't mind me asking, what TCM herbs are you taking?
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hi espresso..
the tcm herbs are a concoctions of chinese herbal medicine prescribed by the TCM doctor. There are usually like 8-10 ingredients in each bottle which lasts 5 days. Each visit warrants different herbal remedy depending on what is lacking in my body.So..i never have the same concoctions each time. Are you seeing a TCM doc?
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788
18 yrs ago
bbm, in a natural cycle you don't need a hcg shot. only in the ones with meds.
good luck, espresso.
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