IVF # 4 and I'm a touch worried

[magda_s]

I'm 36 and this is my fourth IVF cycle (back-to-back) which we're doing as a result of male factor.  The first 3 tries I was on Menogan which is like Menopur, I believe.  First 2 tries were done at one clinic where I had 30+ follicles both times and had about 6 8-cell Type 1 embryos plus some others.  Unfortunately nothing was frozen as they transferred all the type 1 embryos and I didn't know any better at the time and thought that would increase my chances of getting pregnant.  Then we changed clinics and my new doctor believes in fewer follicles so I ended up with 14 and had three 8-cell, type 1 embryos on day 3.   A touch annoyed as I would have liked to have some to freeze.  
When that turned out to be a BFN my doctor was shocked.  He said everything had been so perfect he really expected it to work.  Anyway, we decided to go ahead with another try right away.
First hurdle: AF wasn't showing.  I had no cyst or anything.  I had already started Decapeptyl (like Lupron) 3 days before Af was expected so i was on it for a while until AF finally showed at about 15 days late.  But all was normal and I did my b/w and all went well there and I started stims
This time I'm on Puregon.  My doc said why not try a different stim since 3 tries on one kind hadn't worked.  So started 210 IU of puregon (or half a 300 IU ampule which apparently really contains 420 IU !!!!)on day 2 of AF.  
The next concern was the fact that I don't go in for my 1st u/s until day 8 !!!  I'm worried that that's too late to up the dose if it isn't enough!  But I'm not even sure how long he plans to have me on stims!  Just 8 days?  Or maybe he'll decide more days are needed once he does the u/s.  
Maybe 210 IU is already high?  Or maybe he knows how I respond to Menopur, so he can be pretty confident of how I'll respond to Puregon and knows this will be enough.
However, now, 2 days after AF left the building, I'm spotting dark brown.  Is this normal??  Has anyone else had this happen to them?
Could really do with any reassurance anyone can offer from their own experiences.
Thanks so much.

[magda_s]

Miky, from your mouth to God's ear.  
I know I've said this before but isn't 4 believed to be a lucky number by some?  The Chinese I think.  Here's hoping they're right because I really don't want to have to do a FIFTH IVF cycle.

Juana, I've got another 3 days.  Including last night that makes it a total of 10 days of Puregon.  On day 11 I do the trigger.

Sally, why do you do them in the belly???  I've been doing them in my thighs and it's virtually painless.  That might have something to do with the size of my thighs but hey!
Then again, I guess doing them in the belly is probably much of a sameness painlessness-wise.
Hope you're getting your Dh to rub the belly better every night!

Helen, as always, thanks for your support.

hugs to all
magda

[miky72]

In this case I love to say I TOLD YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so happy for you!
Hopefully this time will be the ONE for both of us!

[Juana824]

Nice work Magda! How many more days of stims do you have to do?

[Helen72]

I knew it!!!  16 is a good # although you probably have more.  Congrats!

[magda_s]

YAY!  I got in to see him tonight and all is well with the world once again.  He did a REAL quick scan (he never actually counts each follicle) and said I have a minimum of 16 and they look a decent size.  PHEW!

[Helen72]

Magda,
you have always responded so well to the stims that I am sure the dosage will not be a problem for you.  
My fingers are crossed for your tomorrow!!!

[miky72]

At what time are you going tomorrow?
I'll be thinking about you!

[sasparilla]

Yours are baby shots!  :)  My belly looks like I was beat with a bag of oranges.. now I have added my Cetrotide, I don't have any spots left.  
{{{{Big Bruised Belly Hugs}}}}}

[magda_s]

Thanks Sally!!!

[sasparilla]

Magda..   I am on 600 IU's, but you know my history.  I think your numbers are good, so that sounds like a good amount you are on.  :)

[magda_s]

Thank you ladies.  
It's actually too late to really do anything as tomorrow is my u/s, being day 8.  I guess I was really looking for reasons to believe it was alright.  And thank you Miky so much for saying that!  
I did do some reading on the net last night - studies and forums and all sorts - and I feel a bit better as I think 210 IU is actually fairly high.  People are on everything from 50 IU to 200 IU in general.  And although I found only a handful who said they were on higher, from what I can gather, higher (anything from 250 to 450) is for people who are expected, for whatever reason, to respond poorly or who have previously responded poorly.  So, as you said Miky, I think 210 should be okay for me.  At this stage, I can only pray it is!!
Thank you all.
magda

[miky72]

Magda,
I think you are OK!
Your ovaries are proven to be "very good" so I think your Dr is just "cheating" a little since he knows you are going to produce enough eggs.
BUT if you feel very stressed I would give him a call and insist to have an U/S before just to ease your mind!!!
Good luck and keep us posted,
Miky

[feather2e]

The best advice I can give you is to ask the doctor why you are waiting till day 8. I went through a year of medication issues as I was extremely sensitive to them and any change had dramatic results either overstimulating or crashing the cycle. You have to have confidence in what your doctor is doing and s/he needs to try and explain his reasoning.Ask questions now while you can do something about it, so you wont be left with "what if i had...."afterwards. This is your body and your future. I wish you the best of luck. Please keep me updated.

[marcyh]

Hi magda -  I can only say that I sympathize totally with what you are going through.  My husband and I are planning for our 4th IVF cycle.  And I know, when you've been through this stuff, how you question everything and second guess each decision.  I do the same thing!!  I haven't taken Puregon before - so I can't give you any info on that.. however, 210 IU doesn't sound like a lot at all to me.  My doctor put me on really high doses of the stim drugs last time - so 210 sounds like nothing..  
But 8 days for the first u/s does sound late to me.  I would probably question that if I was in your place.  I try to keep telling myself that the doctors know more about this stuff than I do - but that doesn't seem to stop me from questioning each decision.
So, I'm probably not much help here - but I do wish you the best of luck!!  I know how hard each failed IVF try is..and, for me, each try seems to become monumentally harder.  I'm rooting for you and I truely hope this is your time to get your BFP!!!
Good luck and lots of baby dust!!