[Hopingfor1soon]

Does anyone have any good information on IVF or know where to find some? We are seriously going to be considering IVF soon and I would like to do my research before my July consult in case that is where we go next.

What type of meds do they use?

How long of a "plan" is it?

What are the typical steps?

How much time off from work would DH and I need?

What are the success rates?

What were the side effects to the meds?

Were they painful?

Etc....


Thanks!!

[MommaLee]

I'm sorry I don't have any info....April would know though.

[SavaAngel]

Juli too - Juli posted all her meds when she got them back in January, maybe you could find that post.

[snsgirl336]

I was gonna suggest April and Juli too... I bet they would know all the good info for you!

[MommaLee]

You know...I do have some info....money-wise. I had interviewed some clinics down in houston, so I have some prices:

Houston IVF: $10,800 and up for IVF (they will only transfer a maximum of 2 embryos)
Dr. Sonja Kristianson: $10,450 and up for IVF

And I asked about ethics also, as far as how many at maximum would they transfer, do they try and avoid twins, etc.

I figure, if you are going to pay the $$, you should only do it once.

[~April04~]

What type of meds do they use? Every clinic and doctor is different when it comes to protocol.. and it also depends on your age and diagnosis... I was personally on 75IU of Gonal -F, 75 IU of Menopur and Lupron (that's a VERY low dose)

How long of a "plan" is it? This also depends on you and your doctor. There are different protocols with IVF - I was on the Long Lupron Protocol - where I was on BCP for a few weeks - then on Lupron for awhile before I started actually stimming.

What are the typical steps?
1.) begin Lupron/BCP
2.) baseline u/s to see if everythings good to go and get an antral follicle count
3.) start stimming
4.) after you start stimming you'll be going back a lot for blood work (to check E2 levels) and ultrasounds to check on the follicles
5.) once your follicles are ready you'll trigger
6.) then you'll have the egg retrieval
7.) then you'll have the egg transfer either 3 or 5 days later
8.) then beta day

How much time off from work would DH and I need? It'll ultimately depend on how you respond to the medication -- Once my follicles were getting bigger I was there EVERY day until I triggered.. I'd say a normal cycle is about 10 days once you start stimming - so keep that in mind.

What are the success rates? You can look up the specific clinic on the CDC website or the SART website - they should be at LEAST 40% (my clinic overall success rate was 55% and they're one of the highest in the nation - my pregnancy rate for my cycle was over 60%)

What were the side effects to the meds? Once again it really depends on your body and how you react -- I really didn't have any side effects... my main one was bloating with the Lupron.

Were they painful? Nope.. the majority are Sub-Q which is not painful at all - the needles are the same they use for insulin - so really tiny... The IM shots are worse - but thats only the Trigger shot and the PIO - but even the PIO isn't bad if you know how to do it.. If you hop over to the MFI board - theres a sticky about IVF that will really help you.


HTH!

[Hopingfor1soon]

Thanks so much ladies!!

April thanks for great info!! I am going to stop over there now to check it out!