Preparing yourself for IVF?

How did u deal w/ your feelings about taking the leap to IVF? I am meeting w/ my dr on Thursday but just spoke with the nurse practioner. She told me all the things u have to do.....take a class, meet with a social worker, get tested for all kinds of infectious diseases.

I am shaking just thinking about all of this. Does this mean I'm not ready? I feel like I could throw up any second.

Re: Preparing yourself for IVF?

We didn't do all of the steps you mentioned exactly becauase we converted from IUI....

but the testing for diseases/STDs is just going in for bloodwork - no big deal.

we didn't meet with a social worker.

the "class" was just us sitting down with someone from the clinic who went over the different steps of IVF and taught us how to do the various kinds of injections.

it all seems very overwhelming, but if you just take everything day by day.. you will be fine!

Re: Preparing yourself for IVF?

I was in the same boat as you and got physically sick thinking about moving to IVF. So, I decided to take a little break from it all, educate myself and make sure this is or isn't for me (us). In that time I have also decided to seek a consult with a different practice and really explore my options and see if this is really where we enned to be heading right now. For me it was the right thing to do because I am calmer and have much less anxiety right now. I couldn't go into an IVF cycle all anxious and angry about it.
But as MAM said, the b/w is no biggie and we didn't need to see a social worker so no advice there.

Shawnna

Re: Preparing yourself for IVF?

I was terrified. TERRIFIED! IVF always loomed far, far away as our last resort. To actually have our last resort right at the threshold sent me into a serious panic.

The way I dealt with it? Talked a LOT with DH about my fears. Met with my therapist frequently. Took LONG walks during lunch listening to my favorite music. Acupuncture.

And, what REALLY helped was to take a break and go on one hell of a vacay (Rome/Israel). The day I got back is when I started the lupron injections. That way I didn't really think about it much until the day we started the injections.

Re: Preparing yourself for IVF?

I went through five cycles of IVF and honestly the only time I started freaking out was thinking IVF wouldnt work and THEN what? IVF as a whole was not a big deal. I knew how much i wanted a baby and knew that IVF was there to help those that wanted babies and couldnt have them the traditional route. I had the bloodwork done...no biggie...couple of vials, had my IVF injection class where they went over how to give yourself the injection and I never had to meet with a social worker.

Re: Preparing yourself for IVF?

I did 5 IUIs before moving onto IVF and I definitely felt "ready". Because my last IUI resulted in a m/c, we did consider doing one more IUI, but then decided to move onto IVF. However, I felt like I gave IUIs a fair shot and they didn't work so I was ready for the next step. Also, because it took AF about 3 weeks to arrive after my D&C, I had even more time to "prepare" myself.

But, I have had many days were I get upset thinking about what if IVF doesn't work. However, I just keep telling myself that I will deal with that if and when the time comes.

Good luck

Re: Preparing yourself for IVF?

We did 4 IUIs before moving on to IVF. We had lots of bloodwork done and met w/a social worker as well.

Being on this board and talking to the girls here prepared me for the orientation. I think I would've if I went in there w/o some prior knowledge.

I'm not a patient person, so I wanted to start right away....

good luck!!!!

Re: Preparing yourself for IVF?

Honestly, I found the actual process of IVF to be a lot easier than everyone said. The shots were easy and relatively painless to give. The most annoying part was having to wake up early every morning to go to the doctor for blood. I really didn't think the process was bad. However, the depressing part is getting a BFN.