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Post by skidevil87 on Aug 17, 2017 8:19:52 GMT -6
Hey guys- I'm back. I was first on this board about a year ago. Severe endo, 2 surgeries, 6 months of lupron, and I finally got a period last week, so now we are ready to move on to IVF. We meet with Fertility Centers of Illinois next month and I am terrified and excited. I'm really back on TCF HIH because I needed more of a sounding board as we start to navigate this uncharted territory around my friends and family. My younger sister found out she was pregnant not to long ago with the first grandchild in the family. I get a nephew and am over the moon happy... but my heart is also broken. Once I finally picked up the pieces, my baby brother (6 years younger than me) called me to tell me that he and his girlfriend just found out they are expecting... he's 24, she's 19... they've been together for 4 months. Again my heart broke because we KNOW that was an oops. Then I had to plaster a smile on my face and go visit the family last weekend. It was difficult, but as we all know, we get through it some how. I got to feel my nephew kick and my sister and I have never been so close.
I do have a few questions... how do we navigate this!? I know we meet with Dr. Rodgers at Fertility Centers of Illinois and she explains everything... but how do you deal with the shots when you yourself passes out and your husband can't even be in the room when I get an ultrasound?! I know I will get over the passing out- I'm a typical nurse- afraid of needles.
How do you deal with the swollen belly?! Is there a diet I should begin in order to better prepare my body for this?
We are actually looking into the INVOcell option- but it may not work because of my endo and adhesions. So traditional IVF may be the key.
Sorry for the book. I am grateful for each and every one of you.
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bonzo
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Posts: 1,187 Likes: 1,865 
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Post by bonzo on Aug 17, 2017 8:54:51 GMT -6
Welcome over here!
Shots -- after 1 round of IVF, I still hate needles. I can't look as H gives me the shots. Deep breaths, close my eyes, and try not to tense up. All I can say is good luck!
As for the swollen belly, I found that really uncomfortable. I basically gave up on pants that had a real waist after only a couple days of stims, because I felt really bloated and tender. Lots of water helped, and I tried to stick to a pretty healthy diet. It's important in general, but I also found that eating lots of vegetables and fruit helped counteract some of the constipating side effects of the trigger.
Also, you're welcome to join the IVF check in whenever you're ready, even if you're not cycling yet.
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Post by specter on Aug 17, 2017 10:45:48 GMT -6
Welcome back!
First off, I'm so sorry for all the emotions you have to go through with being surrounded by a family of pregnancies. It totally sucks balls. ((Hugs))
As for needles... I've never been too bothered by needles, so I may be the wrong person to be offering advice, but I'll ramble anyway.
I have personally found that the needles used with most IVF meds are tiny enough that I barely feel them. I was pretty nervous prior to doing my first injection, but after I did it and realized how small of a deal it is, it hasn't concerned me since. I hope it will be the same for you! You got this!! I know some people say that icing the injection area beforehand helps, so maybe that's worth a shot?
If you go the INVOcell route, I'm super curious to see how your treatment goes! A new clinic offering it just opened in my city, and pretty cheap to the first number of patients to sign up, but our diagnosis disqualifies us from trying it.
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Post by jense927 on Aug 18, 2017 7:00:17 GMT -6
Hi and Welcome!
Sorry for the long path to get here, it sucks. I totally feel you on the siblings and pregnancy. It is so so hard. I was trying to get pregnant while my sister was planning her wedding. She has since gotten married and pregnant and now my niece is 7 months. While I love her to pieces, the reality of how long it is taking us is tough. Then my youngest sister found out she was pregnant a few months ago. It is okay to be happy or excited for them but still feel sad for yourself.
The shots were really really hard for me too on our first IVF cycle. I am a control freak by nature and the thought of my husband administering the shots to be was not something I could handle but I also did not want to do it myself. That also freaked me out. The first two days were so hard. I literally spent 2-3 hours pacing around trying to get the courage to do it. Seriously though the sub-q shots are not bad and then don't really hurt. I will be doing PIO this cycle which is an IM shot and I am not excited about those. Now the thought of doing sub-q sounds like a breeze!
It helped me to have something motivating to do after I got the shot done. At first I did dinner before the shots but then I started doing that after. Ha - like no you can't eat until you do this. Eventually the hunger won! Good luck and hang in there!
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wisco
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Posts: 229 Likes: 527
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Post by wisco on Aug 18, 2017 16:06:36 GMT -6
Hi! I'm also new!
While I don't have any advice, I wanted to chime in and share my sympathy on the sibling issue. We were the first in our families to get married and the first to start trying to have kiddos by years and we've now been lapped by many siblings. It's definitely hard because we love our nieces and nephews so much… But the feelings of jealousy and grief still hit so hard when I think about how long we have wished for our own children.
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Post by birch113 on Aug 18, 2017 20:06:17 GMT -6
Welcome back!
For me, the first shot was the hardest. If your a Friends fan, picture Rachel and the eye drops episode. After that one, it quickly became NBD.
I like to prepackaged baggies with all the supplies I need to each med dose, from all non-refrigerated meds to needs to alcohol swabs. It made things a million times easier and faster.
Side note: your doc is basically a celebrity to me. I absolutely adore her from the Beat Infertility podcast.
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Post by skidevil87 on Aug 21, 2017 7:04:26 GMT -6
Welcome back! For me, the first shot was the hardest. If your a Friends fan, picture Rachel and the eye drops episode. After that one, it quickly became NBD. I like to prepackaged baggies with all the supplies I need to each med dose, from all non-refrigerated meds to needs to alcohol swabs. It made things a million times easier and faster. Side note: your doc is basically a celebrity to me. I absolutely adore her from the Beat Infertility podcast. The second you said the Rachel and eye drops I laughed! that is a great way to think of it. And I listen to that podcast too! I'm very lucky to be able to see her. hopefully she can get me knocked up! Look into the INVOcell- that is what we are going to try to do... 1/2 the cost of IVF. Less stimming meds, etc. |
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Post by skidevil87 on Aug 21, 2017 7:07:33 GMT -6
Hi! I'm also new! While I don't have any advice, I wanted to chime in and share my sympathy on the sibling issue. We were the first in our families to get married and the first to start trying to have kiddos by years and we've now been lapped by many siblings. It's definitely hard because we love our nieces and nephews so much… But the feelings of jealousy and grief still hit so hard when I think about how long we have wished for our own children. Same with my family. We are on year 3. Married for 5 years next month. Sister has been with her boyfriend for about year. Due in December. Brother has been with his little thing?! for about 4 months. Due in March. But OK. Here's another thing. I'm buying my sister's kid a car seat. I promised her I would do that. But now what should I do for my brother?! I'm hoping I will need to buy a car seat (or 2) of my own this winter... Do I have to do for both what I did for one?! Or is it a different situation with each kid? I love them both just the same, obviously... but I am sort of hoping I can't afford it this winter. Gah. |
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wisco
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Post by wisco on Aug 21, 2017 8:54:44 GMT -6
Hi! I'm also new! While I don't have any advice, I wanted to chime in and share my sympathy on the sibling issue. We were the first in our families to get married and the first to start trying to have kiddos by years and we've now been lapped by many siblings. It's definitely hard because we love our nieces and nephews so much… But the feelings of jealousy and grief still hit so hard when I think about how long we have wished for our own children. Same with my family. We are on year 3. Married for 5 years next month. Sister has been with her boyfriend for about year. Due in December. Brother has been with his little thing?! for about 4 months. Due in March. But OK. Here's another thing. I'm buying my sister's kid a car seat. I promised her I would do that. But now what should I do for my brother?! I'm hoping I will need to buy a car seat (or 2) of my own this winter... Do I have to do for both what I did for one?! Or is it a different situation with each kid? I love them both just the same, obviously... but I am sort of hoping I can't afford it this winter. Gah. I totally get this. I don't think you need to gift your brother the same thing. The way I see it, the situations are different. Maybe your brother's gf has a different support system, and they won't need it? I've learned that you can't compare when it comes to sibling gifts - people's circumstances change and there may be a difference about how much you can give at any one time...especially when you're all of a sudden going to be a new aunt several times in a few short months. We were definitely more generous with the first niece/nephew than we've been able to be with the following kiddos. We've REALLY scaled back on our gift giving lately...and we're open about the fact that we're paying through the nose for fertility treatments and meds, and we just can't be as generous as we'd like to be. Plus, I TOTALLY get your sentiment that we'd like to spend the cash on essentials for our baby in the near future! Hope this makes sense. |
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Post by skidevil87 on Aug 21, 2017 15:00:35 GMT -6
Same with my family. We are on year 3. Married for 5 years next month. Sister has been with her boyfriend for about year. Due in December. Brother has been with his little thing?! for about 4 months. Due in March. But OK. Here's another thing. I'm buying my sister's kid a car seat. I promised her I would do that. But now what should I do for my brother?! I'm hoping I will need to buy a car seat (or 2) of my own this winter... Do I have to do for both what I did for one?! Or is it a different situation with each kid? I love them both just the same, obviously... but I am sort of hoping I can't afford it this winter. Gah. I totally get this. I don't think you need to gift your brother the same thing. The way I see it, the situations are different. Maybe your brother's gf has a different support system, and they won't need it? I've learned that you can't compare when it comes to sibling gifts - people's circumstances change and there may be a difference about how much you can give at any one time...especially when you're all of a sudden going to be a new aunt several times in a few short months. We were definitely more generous with the first niece/nephew than we've been able to be with the following kiddos. We've REALLY scaled back on our gift giving lately...and we're open about the fact that we're paying through the nose for fertility treatments and meds, and we just can't be as generous as we'd like to be. Plus, I TOTALLY get your sentiment that we'd like to spend the cash on essentials for our baby in the near future! Hope this makes sense. ugh. Stuck in the box. On Wisconsin  I hail from the Milwaukee area |
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I hail from the Milwaukee area