I need your stories and experiences! I always said we'd never do IVF, but as it seems to be the only thing we have left to try, here we go!

I'm pretty scared, but ready to do it. DH is a bit leery. See, our story starts 2 years ago when we found out DH was sterile (genetic abnormalities). For a year we did IUI with no end in sight. 2nd opinion told us no use in IUI, as it didn't work and I had one ectopic.

A few questions i've thought of since i left the clinic yesterday...

If one IVF cycle doesn't work and you want to do another, how long do you have to wait? (with iui we did quite a few back to back cycles)

What's it really like to do the shots and be on all the meds (physical and emotional).

Dr says with my situation and age group, I have a 70-80% chance of having success on the first try. This is according to the clinic's # of live births. Does this seem high? We're used to 15% odds with IUI, so anything over 50% sounds good to me!

What do you know about FET cycles? We've been told that we can freeze embryos for later use...How does "using" them work? Is it like another IVF cycle.


Lots of questions, but lots of time to get them answered! Not doing IVF until end of June (still in preliminary screening and regulation stages)

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Erica(27) & DH (27)
TTC since Aug 2005
DIUI Dec 06-Apr 08
M/C #1 8/13/07
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ectopic
Starting the path to IVF for summer 2008!
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Hi there! I don't have any personal stories, as we're doing IVF for the first time soon ourselves. But I can help with some of your questions...It depends on your clinic and your risk of OHSS, but our clinic likes you to wait one natural cycle in between IVF cycles, others two, and some are fine for you to do them 'back to back'


The whole process can be stressful, it's important to be good to yourself and relax whenever possible. The shots cause you to develop multiple follicles and this can feel quite uncomfortable, you should take it easy, and a lot of sites recommend you rest. I found
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very helpful.


It does seem optimistic, most clinic's give chances of success anywhere between 20% to 40%. Try looking up your clinic's results, and asking them to explain why yours are so high.


Basically a FET cycle can be similar to a normal IVF cycle, in some cases clinics might use a natural cycle. Obviously the main difference is that there is no egg collection.

I hope that helps? Wishing you lots and lots of luck!!

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Hey there!
I got pregnant using IVF almost 2 years ago. I was 35 my first cycle and the reason we did it is because dh had a vascetomy. So they were able to get his sperm out, so I had to do IVF. I did not produce many eggs, partly due to my age, but there could have been other reasons, that I don't know about, because I had never been pregnant before.
The shots were not bad at all. The daily ones take little needles it is when you get to the Estrogen shot, right before retrieval that it gets worse. But dh gave me that shot because we had to give it at a precise time and in the hip, then after that, you get the eggs out and then a couple days later or so you have your transfer. I found out it is the quality of the eggs not the quantity. Then you have to have the progesterone shots, so Drs. us suppositories but mine we had to give shots and those shots are in oil and they can leave bumps on your hips and all and can be painful at times, but that is nothing really when you are trying to have a baby. My 1st cycle I got pregnant but miscarried a few days later, I had no reserve eggs, so I don't know how long between cycles you have to wait. We did not do our second IVF til I was 37 and again I did not get many eggs, but the ones I got I implanted and now have a beautiful almost 2 year old girl! Our miracle. Good luck with everything, I hope I answered some of your questions. But being on the hormones can cause alot of emotional and physical changes plus the stress of will it work or won't it. You just have to be patient and do be kind to yourself, pamper when you can. It is not easy but the reward is wonderful!

Thanks for your story JagsAli! I am also 35, and hoping that it's not too late.

It's not too late, keep us posted......I only produce 6 eggs the first time and 4 the second, so miracles do happen!! hang in there honey

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