Hi everyone. I start down-regulation injections for my IVF cycle today and had hoped to get my body in really good shape to give it the best chance possible. Instead I have managed to get really worked up and have stopped being able to sleep at night. I think I'm stressing about all the work I have to do for my masters - I'm gettin so behind, and the thing is the masters is totally insignificant in comparison to IVF. I feel really out of control. I just think lack of sleep sends me over the edge! I was trying to be so calm and positive but have ended up a complete stress bag. I was so pushing to get this cycle instead of waiting any longer but now I wish I could postpone it and get my body and mind back into shape. I might try and get in an acupuncture session or two, and see if that helps...
Lizzie

Hi Lizzie,
Take a deeeep breath and relax. You have to just try to focus on TODAY and nothing beyond that. I know people say this all the time and my DH is constantly telling me too. This is hard for women because we are PLANNERS.
But when you get up every morning JUST focus on what needs to be done today!!
I'm throwing out all of this advice because this is what I plan on doing too! I start Lupron tomorrow so we pretty much have the same cycle!
I'm pretty freaked out too. Some days I feel ready and some days I don't, but I just keep pushing myself to stay strong and positive and you can do the same!
I truly believe the message from my fortune cookie;) "The hard times will begin to fade. Joy will take their place."
Try the accupuncture, try massages too, try hot tea before bed or a nice hot bath to relax.
keep us posted on how things go.

Hi Lizzie

It's great to hear from you though I'm sorry to hear that you are feeling so stressed out. You do have a lot on your plate at the moment and it is only natural that you are feeling this way but I am going to give you the same advice as Bee and tell you to take things one day at a time. It is so easy to feel overwhelmed when we think of the bigger picture so just do what you can each day. You will be okay!

Good luck with everything my sweet and I hope you're feeling better soon. Please keep us posted as I am sure I speak for all of us when I say that we will be anxious to hear how you are getting on.

Ruby

Oh LIzzie, I'm so sorry you're going through all of this. It's perfectly natural to feel nervous and overwhelemed when beginning any kind of fertility treatment, I can't imagine how IVF woudl feel! And then with your masters on top, dearest... it really is no wonder you are so stressed.

I'm going to echo what everyone else has said. It all looks big and unmanageable right now, but let's break the big picture down into bite size pieces. Spend tonight catching up on some reading... but don't be stressed, play pan pipe or ocean sounds CDs. Have a hot cup of tea. For every chapter you finish, treat your self to a cookie. :)

Have acupunture sessions, a massage or four ;), and maybe a yoga class. Know that everything is right on track where it should be, even though the track is busy right now. It's all moving along, and everyhtign is going to get taken care of. :)

Good luck dearest :)

:)Oh Lizzie, darn I am so sad to hear that you're stressed right now! :( I think about you every day as I know we are both getting so close to our scheduled transfers (and E/R ;))! I wish I could somehow take some of the stressful load off of your shoulders. Acupuncture really is a good idea... the relaxation is the only reason I really go... I'm not so sure I buy into the whole channeling of energies and blah blah blah. But I always end up in a relaxed snooze by the end of the session so for that reason I think it is very beneficial!

So did you start lupron injections today? Do you know when you are gonna be taking your stims? I know how important your studies are right now and I hope you find a really good balance between the schoolwork and dealing with the IVF cycle... extra time is probably not something you have a lot of right now, but I just wanna let you know that I'll be looking forward to any updates you can manage to give us. I'm definitely thinking of you!

Hi everyone.

I'm new to this, too. I found out that the only way to get pregnant is IVF last Monday, and this past Monday I started taking shots. I have had no time to think, which may be a good thing, due to timing. All I know is that I am an emotional wreck, my stomach is crampy and I feel fat, I don't know if this is normal, and I feel like I live in the doctor's office. I don't even know too much about the meds yet either, follistim for 4 days, then ganirelix, then luveris, and I think E/R next Thursday. My head is spinning- it's all so fast, and I feel like I could cry at the drop of a hat. This is my first IVF everything- cycle, experience, the works. POSITIVE thinking I keep telling myself, and this board really has been helping me, reading the many experiences. But I feel like I'm losing my mind. Is this normal? Or is this the "worst possible start" for me, too. The kicker is that I'm going to attempt to do this with two bad tubes, in hopes that it takes... and if it doesn't, I have to have them out. So many ifs... I am trying to be positive.. BIG GRIN! UGh! ;)
Laurie

Lizzie I am so sorry you are feeling overwhelmed right now but I know its natural IVF can be so overwhelming.Try to relax and keep busy take your mind off things I know its easier said then done.I know you will find a way to balance school and IVF you have come this far so just try and relax sweetie we are here for you.I hope you can manage to get some sleep.Good luck sweetie and keep us posted.

Laurie sorry to hear you are feeling overwhelmed as well.IF is so emotional and all the extra hormones dont help us either.They make us into more of an emotional wreck.Good luck with your cycle and know we are here for you.Keep us posted.

Love,

Mapia

Lizzie, I'm so sorry to hear you are so stressed out! I know it's not easy balancing everything. Life is stressful enough w/o adding the huge process of IVF to the mix. Hang in there girl. You are strong, and I know you will make it through. We are always here if you need to vent. I too would love to follow your progress, so please let us know how you're doing when you have a spare minute.

Laurie, I can't imagine getting the news you got & then jumping straight into IVF. You are so brave!! I'm really impressed! The emotions you're experiencing are completely normal. The hormones can make us crazy, and all the appts can be so overwhelming!! I felt really fat during my cycle too. That's the bloating from the stimulation. Be sure to drink lots of water, or even gatorade. It's really important to stay hydrated. It will help with the bloating too. Wishing you all the best. We're here if you need us.

Holly

Hi Lizzie,

I am very sorry to hear that you are so overwhelmed. You have a lot going on and it's so hard to juggle all of this IF stuff with all of the other stressors in life. Please hang in there! I know that time is a big factor, and squeezing in other things may be impossible, but maybe you can also try to take some 'you' time - even if it's just 5 minutes a day to try to put everything on hold just to breathe and relax? Try to keep your chin up, we are all here any time you need to vent!!!

Laurie - I am sorry you are also feeling so stressed!!! You had a lot thrown at you all at once. And to start straight and so quickly with all of these meds, etc -- I can see how it would be so overwhelming. Please know that we are all here for you!!!

Good luck to both of you, and please keep us posted as to how your cycles are going!!!

Love,
Kelley

Hi Lizzie, Hi Laurie!! I just wanted to stop by and check on you to see how the both of you are doing! I hope everything is falling into place and you get all of your goals and desires met! :D BFPs all around!!! :D

Hi girls,
Thankyou so much for helping me put all this into perspective. I had a whole night's sleep last night and feel better, if a bit fragile. I feel like I could sleep for days.

Bee's wife - I'd forgotten we had the same cycle! Thanks for your fantastic advice. You are so right. I think I had become obsessed with 'planning' and should just go with the flow.. I love the fortune cookie message - I'll hang on to that thought! Best of luck to you!

Ruby - thanks for your post. I'm really trying to follow your advice and just take one day at a time. I'll try and see my course leader to see if I can get extensions on my deadlines - although she's a bit of a battleaxe, so I won't get my hopes up! Hope you're ok. I'll try and catch up with your news when I have a chance.

Princess - thankyou. You always know just what to say to put a smile on my face! I find it comforting to think that everything is 'right on track'. I hope you're feeling better, and manage to have a constructive talk with DH soon.

Kari - I think about you every day too. I know we are so close in this cycle and it would be awesome if we got our bfps on the same day (and Bee'sWife too!). I've started both my down reg injections and my FSH's (I have suprecur and menopur). I had my first scan and everthing was good to go. Talking to the nurse was a bit depressing as she said I should never have had all those IUIs. She said if I'd been to this clinic before (I went to one further away but with a shorter waiting list) I would have had IVF straight away, which would have been this time last year! Oh well, that's life. How are you getting on? Is it all running smoothly? You know I'm getting excited for us now!

Laurie - I hope you're feeling a bit calmer now. It sounds as if you haven't had even a moment to take it all in. The meds can mess with your emotions so it can be impossible to stay rational sometimes. I can't even remember what rational is, actually! I really hope you're feeling better and will be keeping my fingers crossed for your bfp (so, that will be four of us!). Good luck.

Mapia - thankyou for your kind words. I really appreciate your support. You are so motherly, your children are going to be so lucky. I haven't managed to keep up and see how you are getting on. I do hope it's all going well for you, and your next IUI will bring you your long awaited bfp.

Holly - thankyou for your encouragement. I feel stronger just for you telling me I'm strong (I'm not but it helps to hear that!). I did feel better for having a little vent, and you girls are amazing with your never-ending support. Hope all's well with you sweetie - I guess you don't have long to go now.

Kelley, I'm taking deep breaths (and trying to keep my chin in the air!), and managed to get some nice sea air today. Thanks for your
support. I have a feeling you are in a 2ww but I'm not sure as I never have time to keep up with the boards. Sending you lashings of babydust anyway******************************

Thankyou girls.xxx

Lizzie,

I'm glad you are feeling better, and am really happy that you were able to get some sleep!!!! I will be excited to follow your cycle, and am truly hoping that you have a BFP to report for us coming up soon!

Kelley

Hi Lizzie!

You are much stronger than you realize. And you're so sweet for having taken the time to respond to each of us individually w/ all you have on your plate right now. Last night, I couldn't fall asleep to save my life, and I was thinking of you & how stressful it must be to go through that night after night. I'm glad that you have been sleeping better, and I hope it continues. Good luck w/ your cycle. Any time you get overwhelmed, remember to take it step by step. And remember that we are always here to listen to & hopefully help out. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for your progress & also keeping you in my prayers. Hugs, sweetie!

Holly

Oh my goodness, Lizzie, with everyhtin gyou have to do, you still took time to write individually. Oh, you are such an angel, dear, you really are. :angel:
Everything is right on track right now, things are going, magic is happening. :D Dh and I had a wonderful talk, and everyhting got sorted out...we will wait three cycles and ttc naturally to see ifthe surgery worked. After that, and no BFP (and to be honest, I don't have much faith in that happening, he does though) then we will move on to Clomid.
I hope you have as restful as of a weekend as possible, dearest. Know that when it gets too much, you can break it down into chunks. (in ten minutes, I'm going to finish this paragraph; by next Monday I will be finished injections.....whatever helps :D)

******babydust*******

Hey Lizzie! I just wanted to check in and see how you are doing. I was surprised to hear this doctor office you are seeing would have had you doing IVF earlier :confused: What was the reasoning behind that? So how's the balancing act going with school and your cycle? Is DH being really good to you right now? When the men in our lives are good about being extra supportive I find that really really helps :angel: Well thinking of you and anxious for us to be talking about your E/R our our E/T's!

Hi, everyone... thank you all so much for your wishes and support. I'm so happy I found this place.

Lizzie, I hope your stress is better. I'm stressed, too. This whole thing was thrown at me so quickly, and all of these shots are making me crazy. No time to absorb it all or figure out how to relieve the stress without opening a bottle of wine!!!

What is helping? Today I forced myself to go to the gym. I didn't want to because I feel fat and disgusting from the shots, but when I was done I felt so much better. I know time is a factor with juggling your masters work, but maybe that would help- it helped me today- helped clear my thoughts and feel a tad less fat--the bloating is killing me--so uncomfortable. I also tried to think of the positive... like, if not so busy with work (I'm a teacher and even thought school ends at 3:30... it never really ends) then I would be obsessing over this cycle. Work keeps my mind off of it (sort of), so maybe diving into your masters work is a blessing in disguise?

If you just started your cycle, then we are on the same page. For me, I think it will be E/R on Wednesday or Thursday. I went today and was told I have 8 follicles. I don't even know if that's good? The doctor smiled, so I guess it's good news. ;) This is my first cycle and I'm still learning, but I think I've read enough to know not to be too excited just yet... but honestly, I don't know if I could do this again during the school year if it doesn't work. It's the appointments that kill me. And I feel like I'm in the FBI with the afternoon phone calls with instructions...LOL. We'll see... positive thinking... and keeping my fingers and toes and everything crossed for ALL of us! :)

Laurie

Laurie,

Good for you for going to the gym!!! I keep telling myself I need to get back in there, a month or so ago I was pretty good about going, and I did feel better as well. And as for work/school keeping you busy, it probably does help at least in keeping your mind busy as well. I'm sorry you are feeling so stressed - all this IF business is definitely a big stressor.

LOL, about what you said about feeling you're in the FBI with the instruction calls. I would have never thought of that, but you're right -- I find myself trying to talk back in code words when the nurse calls during work.

I am wishing you all the best this cycle!!! Please keep us updated as to how your appointments go!!

Kelley

Hey girls, thankyou all for being concerned. You are all so lovely.
I've just had a relaxing weekend at my mums being pampered and have now had 3 whole nights of sleep. I also got to meet my brother and SIL's new baby who is absolutely adorable!

Kelley, thanks for checking in and sending BFP wishes - much appreciated! Hope you're well and hope your BFP is just around the corner..

Holly honey, I hope you haven't suffered any more sleepless nights. Really hope that was a one-off. Thanks for your prayers and encouraging words. It's so comforting to know you girls are here, even if I don't get much time to call in and say hello. Lots of luck to you in the run-up to your cycle - hope it's all going well.

Princess - I'm so glad you and DH had a good chat and have come up with a plan. I will be over the moon if it happens naturally for you - I'm sure you have every chance. Did I read somewhere that it's your birthday? Happy birthday darling! 22 is a really lucky number and I'm sure you'll have your bfp at 22! :D

Kari, hi! How's it going with you? Not long to go now! My DH is being a sweetheart (although he's away now for the week - but I've borrowed my mums gorgeous dog for company!). I hope you're being pampered too. The reason I would have had ivf last year if I'd gone to this clinic is that they would have skipped the IUIs (they basically said the IUIs had virtually no chance of working for us). Can't be stressing about that now - at least I'm a dab hand at giving injections now, so it wasn't entirely wasted. Managing to reduce work stress by trying to convince myself that it doesn't matter what grades I get. Will just try and hand in something, no matter how shoddy! Take care sweetie - you'll be preggers any day now!

Laurie - you have such a lot on being a teacher - I know the day's work never ends, even if school ends at 3.30. No wonder you're stressed! I'm glad going to the gym helped. I try and swim when I can - that always helps me, especially if it's in the sea! You know you're so right about the masters work being a blessing in disguise. It is great to have a distraction to take my mind off ivf "what-if-it-doesn't-work" worries!

I think my ER will be Monday/ Tues next week but the nurse called today to ask me to go in for another scan on Wed instead of Fri - so perhaps it will be earlier? I had 8 follies in one ovary and 5 in the other. Some are still quite small. Still taking one day at a time and shutting out the rest.

Love and babydust to everyone.
Lizzie x

Hi Lizzie so glad to hear you went to moms for the weekend and got some rest.I swear no matter how old we get seems like mom can always make things better.I wish my mom were close to me she is so far away and I miss her so much.Wow cant believe your E/R is a week away I am getting so excited for you.Dont forget we are all here for you.Take care and hope you are feeling better sounds like you are.

Mapia

Hi Mapia, I'm feeling heaps better thankyou sweetie. I feel for you being so far away from your mum. It must be so hard for you at times. I just felt like a little child again letting my mum look after me and cook for me. I know what you mean, we're never too old for that! Maybe you could persuade your mum to retire in sunny Greece? Thanks for getting excited for me!
Lizzie

Oh wow Lizzie, until I saw it written down I didn't realize you were so close!!!! E/R and E/T next week then for sure!!! And your follie #'s sound really good! I'm so glad we'll be in the wait together! Def keep us posted on how the next ultrasound goes, okay? How are you feeling physically with the stims thus far? I know it's still a little bit on the early side to be feeling the full effect, but I imagine there's no doubt you've got lots of crazy hormones flowing through your body!!! I'm so glad you've got your mom's pooch to keep you company. My animals always help bring me a smile no matter what my mood! :) Thinking of you sweetie!!! Hope all conitues to go smoothly for you!

Lizzie, I am glad you are able to get more rest these days. I totally feel you. I too am working toward my Master's degree, and working full time. I couldn't tell if you are working as well as going for the master's. Either way, congrats on the master's its rewarding for me to have something that I'm working toward, even if this whole IF thing doesn't work out for me.

I have major insomnia, and even though I finally slept 10 hours last night, I still feel exhausted like I could sleep for two more days.

It's hard because I am not allowed to take baths, no exercise, no bd or orgasm, no alcohol, no massage, but oh...be sure to relax, hmmmm. ok, I'll try.

Hi Lizzie,

I'm so glad to hear you got some rest and are feeling better about everything. It sounds like your cycle is going really well, and before you know it, e/r & e/t will be behind you, and then you will be thankful for the distraction of your master's program. Taking it one day at a time is definitely the right attitude. I'm so excited for you sweetie!! I cannot wait to hear how it all goes next week!!

Holly

Kari - I know - it's all come around so quickly. My ovaries are really painful now, I'm even walking strangely. You're right - I am a seething mass of hormones! I have my next u/s in the morning so I'll try and get online and let you know the results. How are you doing? Are you still having stomach pains? Hope you're feeling better now. Yes, I'm really glad I have the dog - she's so cute and keeps snuggling up with me, bless her.

JustDance, it sounds as if we are leading parallel lives! I'm only working part time though. I don't know how you manage to work full time. Last term I had lectures nearly all day everyday, and coursework after coursework after coursework.. It's not much easier now, but fewer lectures. I'm so sorry that you also suffer insomnia. It's the worst as it just distorts everything. I just lose the plot after a few sleepless nights. I didn't sleep last night, but trying not to get worked up about it. Wishing you so much luck for tomorrow. All this will be worth it when you get that bfp. Will be praying for you tonight.

Hi Holly. Thanks for being so enthusiastic on my behalf! You're so right, I'll be really grateful for lots of work to distract me in the 2ww. I'm sure it will help pass the time. I haven't had a minute to catch up on your thread, but hope it's all good with you.

Hey Lizzie! I'm anxious to hear how the morning's ultrasound goes!!! Sorry to hear that you can already feel your ovaries. It was such a weird sensation for me when I did my first try at IVF... I had never before felt my ovaries or my ovulation. Now I totally know the feeling of "active" ovaries! Well definitely take it easy... try not to walk more than you have to. It's really a good time to physically go easy on yourself. Hope you are getting good sleep and let us know how your follies are doing when you can!

Lizzie,

Just thought I'd reply and bump your post up. How did your ultrasound go today? Hopefully very well, it's so exciting that you are so close to e/r & e/t, I can't wait to hear the results. And lucky you will be waiting with Kari. I'm sorry things are really stressful for you right now, but I'm slowly learning that it never ends, just when we catch our breath, life throws another one at us. You just have to really concentrate on those few good relaxing moments and really enjoy them to their fullest. Easier said than done though, especially in the middle of an IVF cycle!:confused::dizzy: Sending you tons of sticky baby dust:D

Christin

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Thank you and Baby Dust to All!!