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I am thinking about doing IVF. I needs some advice about going through the process and what to expect. I have PCOS and my hubby has VERY low sperm count with bad motility and bad quality. We are going to a GREAT specialists in our area ( best one around - stat-wise) and he says with taking great measure that he believe we can get prego...ANY advice?
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1985863 tn?1327761216
Is that a dye test?
Helpful - 0
1756475 tn?1330538713
an HSG is an xray of your uterus to make sure that you don't have any blockage in your fallopian tubes.  its a little painful but take a couple advil and most people are good after it. I know it took me a couple hours but most of the pain was gone as soon as the procedure was over.
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1985863 tn?1327761216
What is an HSG? Im new to this and the letters throw me off sometimes. lol.
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Avatar universal
yeah, we are in the same shoes. It's alot to take in and it does put a strange out of your love. Kinda kills the romance with all of the timing and I have several friends that have dealt with the same issue. It's just alot to go through but I am HOPING and PRAYING for a miracle. Ours will cost 9500.00 per try but we have the combo option to pay 13,000.00 for a 2-cycle pkg in case the first doesn't work... so on that I don't know which one I want to do. The dr says our chances are good and I don't know that I would want to go through it the 2nd time. So we have to decide which one we want to do
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1668148 tn?1326828279
My advice would be to put God first because through this journal it might be some heartbreaking in the process and it’s a long process... But we serve an AWESOME GOD and he is a miracle worker and trust and believe in him to get you what your heart desire. PUT YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN HIM...COMPLETLEY!!!
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1755745 tn?1313367131
I totally understand the fear and apprehension associated with spending all that money (in our case, it was about 18K out of pocket and we certainly did not have that kind of money just lying around!) as well as the fear of being heartbroken if it doesn't work. I went through all the same emotions/questions as you are going through now. In our case, I guess we just knew that this was the end of the road and, in all honesty, since we had been trying for so long before my husband was tested (I always assumed I was the issue and the husband was pretty resistant to testing for a long time until I turned on the major waterworks and guilted him into doing so). That being said, part of me was relieved to just put it in a doctor's hands since I was so tired of dealing with the whole "timing" issue as well as the disappointment month after month of coming up negative. I was willing to take the gamble. I also think that the stress of trying was causing some major damage to our marriage, but in our particular case, the whole IVF process really brought us much closer.

But I promise, most of the shots are no big deal, really. The progesterone is really the only one that ***** at first, and you get used to that too after a while. Your mind will just go on autopilot because you have no choice--if you want the baby, you have to do it :) You won't even mind. Plus, your Dr. will probably let you switch over to suppositories after a while, which are yucky, but at least it's not a shot.
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1545464 tn?1376704158
Good luck to you. It became pretty usual these days having male and female fertility issues. You may undergo ICSI IVF, and PCOS can be handled well, as you said he is the best doc, he would decide the right protocol for you to produce enough eggs, then ICSI and then they implant embryos in you uterus. I wish you good luck and wish it works for you in first go, you take care. have enough protein diet, be careful to eat more fruits veggies and stuff.

take care. let us know in case of any questions, as multiple IVFers we will be glad to help you.
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Avatar universal
THANKYOU for your reply. You know exactly how I feel. I have struggled the last couple years with whether or not I want to go through the process. I am REALLY SCARED about it and I am worry about all of the money, if it doesn't work! I am scared about the shots. My general concern is getting my heart broken! They dr has given us this as a only option, my hubby's sperm count is only 20,000 out of 20 million and the motility is bad but our RE says our chances with IVF/ICIS are high chances of getting a BFP! So far during all of the ferility meds and everything we went through in the past, the HSG has been the WORST! We have been trying for 8 years and went through alot heartache through trying fertility meds and it not working. I greatly appreciate the advice because I am really needing it right now
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1755745 tn?1313367131
I did IVF in July and came up positive the first time. At 38, I didn't have age on my side, so that was one strike, and my husband had zero sperm count, which was the second strike. We therefore had to extract and had to do assisted hatching and ICSI, the works. I agree with Langstonlove that IVF is both physically and emotionally hard at times. The injections to prepare you for the retrieval sound scary at first (I was absolutely terrified and cried in the drs. office when the showed me how to do it), but really...the ones in your stomach are not really bad at all. You get used to them quickly. The progesterone shots are intramuscular, and I won't lie, they can hurt if you don't do them right (make sure to ice the area well beforehand! Numb it as best you can before doing the shot--the needle might freak you out at first).

As far as side effects from all the meds, I only felt pretty icky physically close to the retrieval (I produced 26 eggs, so there were a lot stuffed in there!) It was pretty uncomforable to walk, sit, or even lie down. But that doesn't last long. You're knocked out for the retrieval, which is no biggie, and the transfer is uncomfortable because you have a full bladder, but it's over pretty quick as well. Honestly, I found the HSG waaaayyyy more painful than anything I did associated with IVF (except for maybe the first progesterone shot, but that's because I think my husband botched it up because he didn't know what he was doing :)

I really do understand how scary this all sounds, but once you start the process, it's not so bad. My best advice is to try and not obsess on the process too much while you're going through it, or it will make you crazy. If it works, it works, and if it doesn't, it wasn't meant to be with this cycle. At least that was what I had to keep constantly reminding myself so I would not go insane. I also used forums like this to seek support and advice, which was a lifesaver. Had I not done that, I would have felt very alone, I think.

Good luck to you!  
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Avatar universal
Thanks for responding... I really need some encouragement about going through with the process. Best Wished on your POSITIVE!
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Avatar universal
Hi

U may or may not get the result the first time. IVF is difficult physically and emotionally. Best of luck. For PCOS do excercise and lose ur weight. Leave rest to god and the doctor.

You will be on injections to get more eggs. they r then retreived and fertilized. Only few will be selected and then they would be transfered. then wait for 15 days for the pregnancey test.

I just got one embryo. waiting for the result. 20.01.2012

Best of luck
Helpful - 0
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