Tell me everything I need to know..

About IVF.

Any tricks, things I should do before, after, things I should avoid.

How many appointments a week can I expect? With insurance how much do the meds usually cost?

I feel like I have so little time to prepare for this.

Re: Tell me everything I need to know..

First things first, make sure you are with the best doctor you can find .. have other opinions laid out .. make an informed decision. This is about what's best for your family, it's not personal. You may LOVE your doctor, but there's more to it than just that. I have too many regrets in my past to not pass this advice along to other people!


IVF is so much more manageable once you get started. It's on average 8-12 days of stims .. then retrieval .. transfer.. then your beta before you know it. It all moves SO FAST! If you have not done acupuncture before, you may want to consider it now. Not only can it have medical benefits for your cycle, but it can help keep you relaxed which (trust me) is half the battle

Don't think too much... Don't use your nightly injects and sit around thinking about how THIS is what it takes to make your baby. Do your injects and move the hell on.. Watch a movie .. go for a walk .. The less wallowing the better!

Expect appts to pick up towards the end .. you may be going in everyday for a few days before the retrieval. If you have questions, ASK. Make sure you are always on top of your meds supply.

The cost of meds ranges a TON based on your insurance and your protocol.

OH - and make sure that you get any pre-approvals taken care of NOW. You don't want to delay the cycle at all and if your insurance is like many others out there, you may require preauthorization which could take a week or two.

Most of all .. stay realistic.. stay in the moment. Remember that the purpose of all this is so that you will have your baby!! That is everyone's goal here!!


Good luck!!

Re: Tell me everything I need to know..

Posted by PennyCat

First things first, make sure you are with the best doctor you can find .. have other opinions laid out .. make an informed decision. This is about what's best for your family, it's not personal. You may LOVE your doctor, but there's more to it than just that. I have too many regrets in my past to not pass this advice along to other people!


IVF is so much more manageable once you get started. It's on average 8-12 days of stims .. then retrieval .. transfer.. then your beta before you know it. It all moves SO FAST! If you have not done acupuncture before, you may want to consider it now. Not only can it have medical benefits for your cycle, but it can help keep you relaxed which (trust me) is half the battle

Don't think too much... Don't use your nightly injects and sit around thinking about how THIS is what it takes to make your baby. Do your injects and move the hell on.. Watch a movie .. go for a walk .. The less wallowing the better!

Expect appts to pick up towards the end .. you may be going in everyday for a few days before the retrieval. If you have questions, ASK. Make sure you are always on top of your meds supply.

The cost of meds ranges a TON based on your insurance and your protocol.

OH - and make sure that you get any pre-approvals taken care of NOW. You don't want to delay the cycle at all and if your insurance is like many others out there, you may require preauthorization which could take a week or two.

Most of all .. stay realistic.. stay in the moment. Remember that the purpose of all this is so that you will have your baby!! That is everyone's goal here!!


Good luck!!

Tell me everything I need to know..

I agree with PennyCat 100%...just remember to be your own advocate as well...we sometimes just rely on what the doctors say as bible but they are human as well...if something doesnt feel right say something..you can check your RE's SART ratings http://www.sart.org/

wishing you tons of luck!!!

Re: Tell me everything I need to know..

Posted by DitD

Posted by PennyCat

First things first, make sure you are with the best doctor you can find .. have other opinions laid out .. make an informed decision. This is about what's best for your family, it's not personal. You may LOVE your doctor, but there's more to it than just that. I have too many regrets in my past to not pass this advice along to other people!


IVF is so much more manageable once you get started. It's on average 8-12 days of stims .. then retrieval .. transfer.. then your beta before you know it. It all moves SO FAST! If you have not done acupuncture before, you may want to consider it now. Not only can it have medical benefits for your cycle, but it can help keep you relaxed which (trust me) is half the battle

Don't think too much... Don't use your nightly injects and sit around thinking about how THIS is what it takes to make your baby. Do your injects and move the hell on.. Watch a movie .. go for a walk .. The less wallowing the better!

Expect appts to pick up towards the end .. you may be going in everyday for a few days before the retrieval. If you have questions, ASK. Make sure you are always on top of your meds supply.

The cost of meds ranges a TON based on your insurance and your protocol.

OH - and make sure that you get any pre-approvals taken care of NOW. You don't want to delay the cycle at all and if your insurance is like many others out there, you may require preauthorization which could take a week or two.

Most of all .. stay realistic.. stay in the moment. Remember that the purpose of all this is so that you will have your baby!! That is everyone's goal here!!


Good luck!!

Thank you so much for the reply. I have been having acupuncture but stopped because my insurance ran out, but I am going back and will just pay out of pocket.

I have read a ton of reviews on my doctor, she always gets 5 stars. She is very knowledgeable, etc, but is there a website where you can direct me to where I can more information on her?

Re: Tell me everything I need to know..

Just make sure she's not on a website where all the bad reviews get taken down (half kidding.. some people will get what I'm saying .. )

You can check the SART report SART data

but really, check to see what the person's experience is with people who have your issues. Ask around .. not just on LIF.


I would love to ask around, but I live in Cali, and I barely know anyone married, let alone TTC. That is why I read every review I could find, and everyone seemed to love her. I am going to check that website.

Thanks again ladies! I don't know what I would do with out this site

Re: Tell me everything I need to know..

My doctor isn't on the SART website, but her partner is. I have no idea what I am reading. Can someone fill me in?

link

Tell me everything I need to know..

pennycat's advice is all spot on! i would add to it (and i think she is actually the one that told me this)...expect the unexpected. you may have delays or setbacks and that's all a part of the journey. take each day at a time and before you know it, you will be at transfer :)

Re: Tell me everything I need to know..

Re: Tell me everything I need to know..

Don't be intimidated when your big bag of meds arrive. It's a big bag!! The website www.freedommedteach.com is great for going over how to mix and administer the meds. The videos are very easy to follow.

My meds were covered by insurance and I ended up paying ~$120 out of pocket for all my meds and needles. But your out of pocket amount obviously depends on your insurance plan.

If you have a needle phobia, you can ask for a prescription for EMLA cream, which is a numbing lidocaine cream that numbs the skin so you don't feel the needle going in,

Don't compare yourself to others - I know this is hard. Everybody is different and what worked for someone may not work for you.

Good luck!

Message edited 11/6/2012 11:54:09 PM.

Re: Tell me everything I need to know..

everything everyone said....day by day step by step

we r all here to help