IVF Schedule ... drum roll please ...
So here's my schedule (partial):
April 12: Start stim
April 15: Bloodwork & ultrasound
April 17: Bloodwork & ultrasound
April 18: Bloodwork & ultrasound
April 19: Bloodwork & ultrasound
April 20: Bloodwork & ultrasound
April 21: Bloodwork & ultrasound
April 22: HCG (assuming blood and ultrasound say it's ok)
April 24: Aspiration all around the nation (sorry, i couldnt help it. I'm a poet and didnt even know it.)
Transfer some time after that (God willing!), depends on what the embryologists say, 3 day/5 days. God knows :)
But here's what the rest of the schedule might look like:
April 27: Day 3 transfer
April 29: Day 5 transfer
April 30-May7: rest & relax and think of cute embryoes attaching to my uterus and lovin their new home.
May 8: pregnany test
I have a question for those of you who've done this before. Do i take a day or 2 off after retrieval? How many days should i take off after transfer?
What about assisted hatching? I dont know a thing about it except what it means. Some clinics do it automatically. Is it worth the cost? Should i chance it without? Does it matter?
posted by Fertile Soul @ 2:01 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
I didn't need to take any additional days off, other than the day of the retrieval and the day of the transfer. I sit at a computer all day for work, so going to work was not a problem for me and I was physically fine.
By assisted hatching, do you mean ICSI? Where they inject the sperm directly into the egg? On my IVF they did ICSI because fertilization did not look like it was going to occur on its own. They got all three retrieved eggs to fertilize although they didn't think the third actually did at first. Was it worth the cost? Well, my IVF failed, despite the ICSI. At the time, I figured we'd already invested a lot of money, so what was an extra couple thousand for ICSI, especially if it could turn a failure to fertilize into a successful IVF? Our infertility is unexplained (other than "advanced maternal age"), so perhaps ICSI could overcome what nature could not do (at least very often - I have conceived three times but miscarried early). One might ask if the entire IVF was worth it...having not conceived and birthed a child from it. I wouldn't say it was worth the actual dollar amount it cost us, but it was worth trying. If we'd never done IVF I would have always thought "what if?".
Best wishes and good luck. I really hope this IVF works for you.
I also didn't take any extra time off of work, except the day of retrieval. Transfer ended up happening on a Saturday. I repeatedly asked about bed rest. I asked again at transfer. My RE said I could get up off the table and do jumping jacks (but he'd prefer I didn't) because the embryo is kind of stuck to the lining and my activity won't disturb it. But he did say I shouldn't take up sky diving. And I put myself on a self-imposed regiment of no heavy lifting or ab exercises.
Sorry, no info on assisted hatching.
Good Luck
Lori, yes, it's icsi. And i just found out that the hatching part costs $600. Of course, i'm trying double and triple confirm this, but what's another $600 at this point. Once you're in debt, another drop in the bucket isnt going to do much.
I've had varied experiences after retrievals. After some of them, I was just fine the next day. After others, I was in bed and not about to go anywhere. If possible, I would try to leave a little flexibility in your schedule. The soreness after ER varies from person to person and from retrieval to retrieval.
Clinics definitely have different opinions on the whole bedrest after transfer issue. My current clinic asks their patients to do bedrest the day of ET and the following day. My previous clinic didn't. I feel more comfortable taking it easy the day after ET, but I think it comes down to personal preference.
As far as assisted hatching goes, my current clinic recommends it for women over 35 and for people with multiple failed cycles. My previous clinic did it for the majority of patients. Your RE and/or embryologist may have a definite opinion about AH for your specific case. I've had AH done on the majority of my cycles.
Good luck with stimming!
I agree with Amanda about the age thing for AH. If it is only $600 (only!), then I would personally do it. I felt pretty OK the day of retrieval (both times) until the drugs wore off. The 2 days after that were pretty rough (dizziness, nausea, generally feeling kack and kicked in the ovaries) but I don't think I deal well with the aftermath of the sedation. It is hard to know until you have done it. Some people feel great, some don't. I would plan for a couple of days to give yourself a break. By the time you get to retrieval, you can be pretty wiped out by the emotional toll, as well as physical.
hey... hadn't checked your blog in a while and how exciting to see that you're starting your first cycle.
they've done testing and apparently, women who really take it easy after transfer have no higher success rate than those who don't. that being said, the clinic I'm with now still recommends that you do take it pretty easy. personally, I think it can't hurt... IVF is stressful, don't kid yourself. it's a lot of change and new shit and new terminology. so I say: be kind to yourself and if you can take at least a day off, do it.
ICSI can really help move things along... some people feel it's more invasive than is necessary, but if your husband has any sperm issues whatsoever, they'll probably recommend. as you said, what's another $600 on top of the gazillions you're sinking into this, right...?
hope this helps and I am wishing you tons of luck on this cycle. just remember not to get to stressed or afraid... the retrievals and transfers usually go very smoothly and I personally did not have tons of pain. The injections were the worst. Hopefully you'll get a nice nurse too... :)
Soul Retrieval is very easy for the client. They lie relaxed and comfortable and I journey to the Lower World, using the sound of my rattle to help change my level of consciousness so I can journey and search for the missing soul part. Very often I am given a gift to bring back to the client along with a power animal, an ally, which assists and supports the client on their own journey through life
Soul Retrieval
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