IVF/ICSI Support Group

lola,
most ladies who go through ivf, go through a long protocol. this is the rough guideline. but the actual details and timeline will depend on individual and which clinic u're with.

1st stage: suppression
usually starts with oral contraceptive pils (OCP) followed by ~2wks of suppression jabs (lucrin or some clinics use other drugs). some ppl dun hv ocp and start straight away with suppression jabs.
suppression jabs are done daily at home

2nd stage: stimulation
once hormones are suppressed, u will start on stimulation drug (puregon or gonal-f).
stimulation jabs are done daily at home and u still hv to continue the suppression jab.
so 2 jabs a day.

3rd stage: egg retrieval (ER)
during stimulation stage u will hv 2-3 scans to check on the growth of yr follicles. when dr deems u r ready, u will be sent for a pregnyl jab to trigger the follicles to final maturity. pregnyl jab is usually done at a clinic.
egg retrieval procedure will be schedule ~36hrs after the pregnyl jab

4th stage: egg transfer (ET)
after ER procedure, the eggs will be fertilised in the lab and 2-3 days later the fertilised embryos will be transferred back to yr womb.

5th stage: 2 week wait (2ww)
after ET, u will be scheduled for a blood test (BT) ~2wks later to check if the embryos implanted successfully. i.e. r u pregnant.
during the 2ww, u will be given med support in the form of progesterone inserts, pills or jabs and/or hcg jabs.

total time for long protocol is ~6wks
 


lola >

like grumpus said long protocol is 6 weeks

For me i did short protocol FYI...

for short protocol is less then 4 weeks

skip the stage 1 go to stage 2....

depend on individual and on doc...
 
Grumpus, thanks for the detailed steps. It sure is a lot of determination & 'pain' (from needles)! I am so afraid of needles...I am doomed...
& during the six weeks, is there any need to take time off from work?

Mdm Khoo, thanks for sharing ur personal experience. I am with SF Loh from KKH. Hope I am in good hands.
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How much in all did you pay for the IVF?

Was checking with the nurses on the subsidies but no avail. Will have to check with the doc the next I see him.
 
Hey lola, I am on my first ivf cycle and just went through the long protocol, going for my er on wed. Most of the time, you be in hospital for scan and consultation frm abt 8 am to 930, sometimes even longer depending on the crowd.

1st stage - 1 appt
2nd stage - abt 3 - 4 appt
3rd/4th stage - each abt 1 but since they are procedures, might be longer.

I am also with dr loh. If you are Singaporean, can go for medisave and gov subsidies but this will only kick in at stage 2. So I spent abt 500 before that.
 
Hi,

I am new to this thread. I'm on my first ivf cycle under KKIVF. I am now in my 2ww and gg back to hospital daily for progesterone jabs.

Just got result on my progesterone blood test and it is 399.2 and the nurse said that it is good.

I have 9 more days to go before Beta and am seriously emotionally drained. Thot of joining you all here to keep me sane.
 
Hi Nip, all the best for your ER!!!
Are u saying for each of the appts at the different stages, i will be having scans & consultations in hospital?
I read from CurlySue...daily???
Isnt it that we cant choose doc if it is subsidised? U are so lucky to be attached to him at subsidised rate. So you ask to down grade at later stage?

Thanks Mdm Khoo, am getting more anxious. Not sure if this whole process is disruptive to work.

CurlySue, lotsa nice ppl here sharing their experience!
 
Lola, yup scans and consultation but with other doc on duty. Hardly get to see dr loh, only about 3 times frm the start till now. I am not on subsidized rate, considered private leh. Cos we just read up and choose him and he happened to have free slot so went to see him.

I planned all dr loh appt on sat but for the rest all depends on luck. Did not realize that need to go down so often.

Don't be too anxious. But do plan when best you can have the procedure.
 
Hi Lola,

Yes, it is daily. For 17 days after ET, have to go back to take progesterone jabs. Dr Loh said better for me cos scared that I might not do the vaginal inserts properly.

Tomorrow Day 9 of jab. As I opt to be injected in the butt, it tends to get sore and sometimes discomfort when sleeping at night.
 
Nip1, am not subsidised either. Cos I also read on web about him. Met him once, doesnt rush me through the consultation. Guess that is the minimum expected of patients after the long wait.
 
CurlySue, can you not opt for pills instead? Is it disruptive to your work since you have to travel to & fro hospital?
Wishing you best in the result to follow.
 
Not really. I'm a teacher and having school hols now so it's not really that unconvenient.

U mean pills that are to be consumed? There are only 2 types : progesterone jab or progesterone vaginal inserts.

But I think most ppl r given the inserts as like what you said, might be a little troublesome to travel to and fro. But since Dr Loh said it's better for me, I just listen.

Have you started IVF yet, Lola?
 
Hey all, can I check what happens immediately after et. My et is on fri and I will be away frm mon to thu. Must go daily for jab? Hmm
 
CurlySue, I am still in a dilemma. I am not too sure if I can manage the whole process since I have a demanding job. That's why I wish to hear from this support group how it is like, so as to be mentally prepared. I want to be sure of what I am going for.
I am considering quitting my job too. But twins can be taxing on my packet, so keeping a job is good too!
Thanks for sharing your experience. Surely isnt easy at all but your are halfway thru stage 5! Hooray!
 
hi nip,
away? u should on 2 weeks hospitalisation leave le... and u suppose to bed rest to increase ur chances of implantation... the gals here rest at least a week in bed... for the jabs may not be daily but depends on wat the doc says...
 
hi Lola,
for ivf all is private rates, there is no subsidy at all... onli govt grant...
i'm on short protocol, where i start my jabs on day 2 for a period of abt 14 days then can do er = egg extraction...
from er, u get 2 weeks hospitalisation leave for u rest...

hi curlysue,
all the best for ur beta... may u bfp bfp bfp...
hm.... i dunno how to explain the exact details here... u have to go stage by stage and step by step... then we can provide u with quality advice step by step...
 
curlysue
You mean dr Loh suggested that you take jabs instead of inserts?

cos most of us are on inserts. unless less than 15 retreived, then will be on 4 pregynl jabs.

If daily jabs, erm....usually for ladies who are late 30s or near 40 le....
 
StickyBFP, thanks! Tats' wat I need to know too. 2 weeks away from work...hmm... minumum a week of bed rest?
wat's beta? Wat's bfp???

Nip1, are you going on a holiday? Minimal walking?
 
Hi Lola,

Why dun u take a month off from work just to concentrate on IVF? You can opt for the short protocol. It's good to be mentally prepared.

Hi StickyBFP,

Thank you for the best wishes. Beta is on 22/12...hoping for the best.

All the best to everyone in this thread too. BFP all the way~
 
nip1,
usually progesterone support after ET is given through inserts. a small no. of ladies get their progesterone through jabs which is daily.
the other support is hcg jabs which is given every 3 days.
whether u get hcg jabs depend on how many eggs are retrieved.
 
My hubby booked a cruise and when I called kkh, nurse I spoke to said, good also, can take mind off the whole thing and not so stress....sigh...never mind la...I just go onboard and eat and sleep la. Anwyays, read that some of the ladies here did go back to work, right?
 
hi miracle,

I just turned 30 this year. During ER, 19 eggs retrieved. At first I was prescribed the inserts, then after Dr Loh did ET, he changed to jabs. When I tried to probe further, he said "U doctor or I doctor?"

Lol....so I listen lor......like kwai kwai girl.
 
Hullo everyone, have been a silent reader on this thread for a while as I've nothing much to contribute..today finally did my FET! Had to postpone ET during fresh cycle in Sept becos of polyp, thankfully cleared itself last cycle so no need to go for surgery. Officially starting 2ww as of today..Seems like a few ladies also in their 2ww..good luck to all of us!
 
Hi Lola,

I told Dr Loh that I prefer to do during the school hols so that it wun disrupt my work. So cos of that, he put me on short protocol and as to when I start, he looked at the dates that I get my menses. As it strikes on every 19th/20th of each month, he told me to start when I get menses in Nov.
 
Firedra90ni,
Sore breast could be pregnancy symptom but could also be side effect of progesterone insert.
Try not to read too much into the symptoms or lack thereof.
 
hi Lola,
bt = blood test
beta = HCG blood test...

hi nip,
is not true liao... urs too close... got at least 2 days bed rest ma?
mine is very theory based de la... ur fertilised embryo is multiplying inside ur womb, in normal cycles, they multiply in the tubes and move ard the tubes... by the time they reach the womb, they reach the blastocyst stage they start to bounce in the womb and get attached to the lining... for 3 day et, there isnt enough time to reach the blastocyst stage thats y running is forbided after et... cos gravity pulls the embryo out of the body or affects the fertilisation... also y, internationally suppose to bed rest 2 days as much as possible... lesser walking etc... afterall, our embryo is different from sperm, got tail to swim upwards...=) but is my theory la...
 
BB yes I m not only in 2ww but 2 days away fr bt!!! omg just 2 more freaking days.... Feel so jelly! Luckily already lying on the bed....

Infact since I started this programme bust been feeling sore n heavy! Anyway wat matters for now is the bloody test haha...
 
I think it makes real sense. Trying to cling tight n we still go jogging then embree gotta hold even tighter. Haha. When I drive i try to drive slow ESP over humps incase ga Lao sia. That's why we try to pang sai not gek sai.
 
Not sure if I said this before. Doc said bt can only tell if preggie or not. Won't be able to know how many make it until another 3weeks later to scan for heartbeat. Wat a torture!
 
Morning girls ;)

Happybb : on my way to the hospital now ;) a bit scare scare now
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scare very painful after the ER .. Hope got lots of nice nice egg retreive later on ;) tomorrow ur turn hoh.. How's ur jab last night painful ??
 
Wat is hpt ? Only told to go bk for blood rest. Looking at this forum looks Like I m taking minimum jabs n medicine. Like some ladies here after Er will have to do something daily but mine is pregyl jab every 3 days only. Now no need to jab anymore but insert v.gel. Some are using tablet firm. Mine is tube form.
 
Just started my 1st Lucrin jab yesterday,and I do not know if its coincident or what or was it the side effect,

I CAN"T SLEEP THE WHOLE NITE!!!!!

If its the side effect, then how can I counter it?

During this stage 1, we can still contiune with the Concieve Well, COq10, Folic Acid, Vit C, Fish oil rite?
 
stickbfp and curly, thanks for your concern.
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Ya...will be having et on Fri morn and going off for cruise on mon afternoon - intend to just rest and eat.

Anyways, I just had my pregnyl jab last night, wah....the needle quite long...scared. Now my thigh sore...

Bobzai, come to think of it, my sleep is quite disrupted during lucrin and puregeon jab...
 
Piggy... U will hv nice nice eggs de...

My jab was painful last nite... The nurse quite rough leh... I let out an ouch quite loudly... Now can still feel my thigh area aching...

Btw, r u planning to order tingkat? Just called up Mom's cooking... They r able to start delivering tmr...
 
looks like we got another buddy.... nip....
haha... happybb doing er tomolo same as nip...
hope ur get lots of good grade eggs... =)
me now waiting for my scan results...
hope piggy is doing fine now... =)
 



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