In Vitro - does it hurt?

[snowsseven]

Hi, I am 33, and have been ttc for the past 4 years.  My husband has a very low sperm count and we were told the only way to conceive would be through IVF.  I have a set date for Sept, but am worried about all the things that happen before hand, such as the injections, and the egg aspiration.  Can anyone provide me with some insights into their own experience so that I have an idea of what I am getting myself into?

And how about statistics, I can't seem to find any real statistics on what my chances are.  I know that we will have icsi done - does that improve the chances?

Thanks

[booboo24]

hi
I am wanting to do the IVF with the icsi  but i dont know where i should go. by the way i am 23 and my husband is 24 we have been tryn for almost two years and still nothing i keep getting depressed when i take a pregnancy test and its neg i just dont know what to do. any advice will help. does it sound like i would need the help with the ivf.  oh and also my husband speerm keeps like flowing out of me............ thanks for any kind of help or advice.

[hopngfortwns08]

Hi,

Hope everything is going well at this point for you. im doing my ivf ccyle 1 st time. im on the two meds right now which are stimulating my ovaries for the egg retrieval. any advice you can give? we are doing ivf with icsi.so far everything is going good with my levels and verything. sperm was great on his part. just the waiting is killing me. thanks.

[hopngfortwns08]

Hi,

im doing ivf with icsi and i had a question. i just started my gonal-f &menopur and will be going the 1st week in july for egg aspiration. i will be sedated. when i awake will i be in pain? this is my first time doing this and i am very nervous! any advice will be greatly appreciated!

[snowsseven]

Best of luck to you!  Keep us posted.

[wishing4#2]

Well i am currently going through my first IVF.  I gave myself all the injections in my stomach, and my own trigger in rear.  I had my ER Yesterday and i was asleep for that, but sore afterwards, and still sore today. . . We did ICSI jsut to increase fertilization.  7 eggs had ICSI and all 7 fertilized. I am probably doing transfer on Wed. and we will transfer 2. I am not giving myself the progesterone shots in bum, iced it first, this was my first night for it. . .We will see hopefully all this poking and craziness results in a baby or two!! Good luck to you.

[SDteacher]

I sure will!

It is great that you have so many children though (biological and step).  


Have you tried IUI?  The shots were painless.  Right thigh... piece of cake.  
IVF shots have to go in the butt, that scares me b/c my DH has to administer.  I don't really like this idea, but no choice.  I also heard they are bigger than the follistim shots!  YIKES!

I have made friends with the RE nurse and she happens to live in my neighborhood!!!  She said she'd come over to administer the shots if need be.  I may take her up on her offer!  8-)

Best of luck to you.

[jaggie]

I have done IVF once and getting ready to do it again.  The scariest part for me was knowing I had to give myself shots in the stomach.  It was totally emotional for me as I am needlephobic but once I did it, I realized 1) I could do and 2) it did not hurt!  The egg retrieve process I was given a pill to make me sleep and not remember so I didnt feel a thing.  When I finally came to, I had to lay there for an hour and then go home and go to bed.  Had very slight cramping after but no pain at all.  The egg transfer process was emotional as you see the embryos on the screen being transfered but again for me, no pain at all.  They just insert a thin spaghetti size tube in the to transfer the embryos.  I had to lay there for 45 minutes after and then sent home to bed again. The only part that I had a hard time with was the progesterone shots after the transfer..I had to have them at the same time everynight and since my husband travels and I needed him to give me the shots, he had to work his schedule around being there every night.. And every night at the same time so you have to plan your schedule, dinners etc. around that time or you can choose whatever time works for you but be consistent each day with that same time. The shots were not painful when I iced my bum but if DH didnt ice it long enough MAN it HURT!  I still have a slight ice burn scar on my bum!!! LOL but you will get thru it and be stronger for it!  I had a positive experience with it as much as one can have going thru IVF!  Good luck and feel free to ask any questions along the way.  And don't be afraid to call the nurse and ask her too!  : )

[snowsseven]

Thanks. I am actually on my period now so I could have started BC but decided to wait.  I am 33 - I have one child from a previous marriage who is 9 and my husband has 4 children - 7, 13, 15, 17.  He had a reversal 4 years ago and we have been trying ever since.  Unfortunately he has a very low sperm count.  3 mil - which you would think one would get through - but NO!

I am really nervous - more because he can't stand to see shots given, let alone give me one. YIKES - I am afraid he will pass out.  :-)  But I want his baby so bad - it is crazy.  Every month is a huge disappointment.  

Good luck to you and keep me posted on how it goes.

[SDteacher]

I am also about to go through the same thing.... it is so overwhelming.  I should be ovulating on Wed. if my pattern stays consistent.  I will start all the meds then. Keep in touch and I'll tell you about my experiences with it all.  I have done IUI twice and figured I don't want to wait anymore.  IVF :  Our chances are better!  Percentage wise- not sure.

ICSI is a wonderful process that injects the sperm directly into the egg.  We will most likely have to have that done too.

I am 35 (36 in Oct.) and no kids YET!  How old are you?
We have been trying for a year.

So now, the RE has us on doxycycline (antibiotic) for 10 days and I am taking 81mg. of baby asprin daily.  This is supposed to increase blood flow to the ovaries and uterus.  Next med, I have to start Estrace and I will be given a calendar to follow if everything goes to plan.  

Hopefully it isn't as painful as it is overwhelming!  I know for the retrieval I will be SLEEPING!!!  For the transfer, I heard it is simple and you are on valium.  You need to be super still & the valium is supposed to help with that.

[mommyluv02]

ive never been through it but i have heard that it can be uncomfortable with the injections and all but i think that the worst part from what ive heard is the retreval cause they have to go in and get the eggs from the ovary but the pain i am not sure of i hope that it is easy for you if that is what you are going to do