IVF Help

I am in similar boat as you are. I had my first baby 1.5 years ago, little girl. With help of IVF. I am almost 40, in few months. Trying for #2. We had one IVF which didnt go well. I am trying it again, starting today. It is very very very hard, but I find that it is the only way we will see light. Being relaxed is the only magic. Which i am trying but it is very very difficult. Wishing you luck for #2. I will pray for you.

Well, my story is very different for several reasons but I'll offer my advice anyway. After a year and a half of trying for #2 I just found out I'm 6 weeks along! I'm 34. We started fertility testing but never got to the point of getting any assistance - though we probably would have started with clomid this month or next.

Anyway - we got pregnant after a weekend away. My MIL watched our daughter and we drove up to Boston and spent the 3 days and nights around my ovulation time making love. We ordered take out/room service. We just walked around the city, had dinner with friends, and relaxed. Did I mention we had ALOT of sex?!?!? Just reconnect - and enjoy.

I think our problem (sorry if this is TMI) was that after my daughter I just wasn't producing as much lubrication as I had before. So even though my husband's count was good, the guys had a hard time swimming. And the stress of TTC made it even worse. We tried the lubes that are supposed to be good for when you're TTC but they gave me yeast infections. I think being away from home, away from our daughter (only the 2nd time in 4 years) and the new "toys" we bought really helped. Try to relax. I'll be praying for you!

Hi there, You name it I have been through it...and all in all a healthy beautiful 3 year old and a second due in May! Both results of IVF. My daughter's cycle worked the first time....but this time it took aabout 4 tries (I lost count).....my Dr was great and the whole practice was wonderful.....I also did a little acupuncture the month before I started p again...and although I was very skeptical I think if anything it made me calm and less stressed and what do you know IT WORKED!....if I could be of any help please don't hesitate to ask!

We had our first baby boy, naturally, when I was 24. I got pregnant right away. We thought it was going to be just as simple and easy the second time, but it wasn't. More than a whole year went by, and I could not get pregnant. I too became very frustrated and very depressed. I was consumed thinking what could be wrong? Then I read somewhere about doing a white vinegar and water douche prior to having intercourse. It was supposed to alter the acidity inside of me (or something like that). Anyway, I had nothing to lose, and hopefully something to gain, so I tried it, and got pregnant after about 3 months, and had a baby girl. My third pregnancy took about 5 months to get pregnant( another boy.) Around this time I had a friend who like myself, had the same problem. She could not get pregnant at all. She tried the douching. I don't remember her time frame to get pregnant, but she ended up getting pregnant twice...a boy, and then a girl. She always thanked 'ME' for getting her pregnant! Funny! Anyway, I'm nearly 62 now,(a grandma) and I'll always remember my own experiences, which I hope gives you hope too!

Both of my children are IVF babies. My oldest is going to be 5 in April and my youngest is nearly 8 months. It took me 4 cycles for both children. But with my last success I switched Dr's because the protocol wasn't changing and we were using frozen embryos from my daughter's cycles. The first fresh cycle we did with the new (wonderful) Dr I got pregnant right away. I was unable to do accupuncture with my last round of cycles due to scheduling. With all my IVF appts I couldn't throw in another set of appts with a 3 year old at home! So I actually had a massage the day before my transfer and it really helped me relax for the following day. I know several others who have done the same thing with success!
I wish you the best of luck and look forward to hearing happy news in an update!

Don't give up hope. Like you, my first pregnancy came easily and naturally, but #2 just did not arrive as hoped and planned. I left it a long time before we went for investigations as I kept thinking it would happen by itself. We had a lot of investigations etc and were just ready to begin IVF when I conceived again naturally.
Overall it took 3 years from when we started trying for #2 to when I became pregnant so I have a near 5 yr gap between my kids. It wasn't what we planned but it has been lovely - the older one was a great help with the new baby and now they are friends - my little one is almost 4 now.
You have done it once so it may happen again, maybe when you least expect it. Do "try" naturally but don't put any pressure on yourselves.
I do sympathise - secondary infertility was really the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with, and I have had a few trials in my life!! You are surrounded by moms and people getting pregnant, and you know what you are missing as you have already had one baby, but you just don't seem able to do it again. Plus you want a sibling for your existing child.
Very best of luck - my thoughts are with you.

Hi J.,

I had my first child at 41 using IVF. I too only have one ovary. It took me 2 rounds of IVF to get pregnant so don't give up yet. I also went to a Naturopth for nutritional and natural hormone therapy.

Good luck and God bless,
G.

J.,
Do an internet search for Dr. Deborah Metzger, she is now out in California but was my infertility doctor when she was here in Connecticut and is an expert in her field. She now owns Harmony Women's Health.

I was in the same boat as you, only it was for over 3 years and I had 3 other children. She used micronized progesterone that she had compounded from Women's International Pharmacy and after a month of being on it I conceived my son and then another son 2 years later. Anyway if anything she can tell you what to have your doctor check for and offer advice. I know she will do telephone consults as well as e-mail. She is now one of my dearest friends, so much so that my kids refer to her as their adopted aunt; she is very proud of her 2 miracle boys who are now going on 13 on April 2nd and 10. Let her know you got her name from me. Let me know how you make out, I hope you do have another child.
Hugs,
T.

Hi, J.,

I conceived with IVF when I was 37. All in all, we had 4 IVF cycles spread out over a year or a little more. I had an ectopic pregnancy with the 2nd try, and after that one, I took a couple cycles off to recover (physically and emotionally). The 3rd attempt was the most depressing because we only produced one embryo, although it was considered a "good" one (the other two tries, we had produced only two embryos, also considered "good"). And I didn't get pregnant.

After the 3rd try, I took off another cycle because it was the holidays. At that point, my doctor also made some adjustments to the protocol, switching me to different drugs. I had been using a combination of Follistim and Repronex, and he switched me to Gonal-F and Menopur. For that cycle, I got three good quality embryos (a very exciting improvement!), and became pregnant with my now-2-year-old twin daughters.

I had pretty much decided that our 4th attempt would be our last no matter what happened, because the whole experience is so draining (physically, emotionally, financially, etc.). We consider ourselves extremely lucky.

If your doctor hasn't discussed switching drugs, you might talk about that with him or her. My doctor said it shouldn't make a difference, and I can't say that the different drugs were what brought our success. But there's probably no harm in switching and it could help. Also, because it is such an emotionally difficult process, consider finding a counselor to talk to who specializes in fertility issues. The clinic I used had one on staff who came in one day a week, and it was enormously helpful to talk to her.

Good luck and take care,
A.

J.,
Gonna sound silly, but go, get some exercise, relax, get something nice to eat - a rare treat - find some good music, relax a little more.

Do this for several days before you are due to ovulate.

Try not to watch crazy films or movies and such that raise your excitement levels. Don't try just on the days you are supposed to ovulate.

Do things out of the norm - and that you love - with your husband.

Above all, relax. Most people I know who have adopted children and their own children have them less than a year apart - after the STRESS of trying to get pregnant was OVER. They had given up.

I hope this works for you, Good luck!
M.

I personally know 5 people who have used accupuncture in conjunction with IVF with successful, healthy pregnancies as a result. In addition to helping the whole hormone process, it can significantly help with your stress level.

Good luck to you!

Hi J.-
I did an IVF cycle ( first one) in 2005 and had a beautiful son. Since then I have tried two more IVF cycles and three artifical inseminations. I took some time off (6 months) and now I'm getting ready to try another IVF cycle. It is so disappointing when you do everything you are supposed to do and it doesn't work. This time around, I'm preparing for this cycle. Right before the procedure, I'm going to see a message therapist to ensure that I am relaxed because stress plays a big part in the outcome. I wish it was an exact science, but unfortuately it's not.
I wish you and your husband all the best.
K.

I did 3 cycles of ti w/ progesterone & hcg. Have a 18 mo. Old. Got pregnant emediately after naturally. Had ectopic. Devistating and painful. took for ever for levels to be back to normal to start trying again. About 6 mo. Later did a couple more cycles of ti and drugs with no luck. Now I'm 40 and did first ivf. Got bfp but no heart beat at 8 week apt. Saw heart beat @ 6 weeks. Its so hard. Now I want to try ivf again. Its so painful.

Updated

I did 3 cycles of ti w/ progesterone & hcg. Have a 18 mo. Old. Got pregnant emediately after naturally. Had ectopic. Devistating and painful. took for ever for levels to be back to normal to start trying again. About 6 mo. Later did a couple more cycles of ti and drugs with no luck. Now I'm 40 and did first ivf. Got bfp but no heart beat at 8 week apt. Saw heart beat @ 6 weeks. Its so hard. Now I want to try ivf again. Its so painful.

Updated

I did 3 cycles of ti w/ progesterone & hcg. Have a 18 mo. Old. Got pregnant emediately after naturally. Had ectopic. Devistating and painful. took for ever for levels to be back to normal to start trying again. About 6 mo. Later did a couple more cycles of ti and drugs with no luck. Now I'm 40 and did first ivf. Got bfp but no heart beat at 8 week apt. Saw heart beat @ 6 weeks. Its so hard. Now I want to try ivf again. Its so painful. I did read that the number of women concieving naturally after delivering via ivf has increased over the years. And I read a lot of stories about women who concieved imediately after miscarage so there is hope:)