Understanding what happens next? Want to be more knowledgeable

[Anonymous]

I've made an appointment with a RE (CCRM) but its not for another month (fine I knew to expect that). In the meantime I'd like to understand a bit better how the process will work / what to expect so I can be more informed/ask better questions along the way. I know CCRM does "one day" of testing to get a lot of the baseline tests out of the way (which I haven't had), but I assume things like an HSG can't be done that day (because they wouldn't know if it was needed). Is there a website or some other resource that walks through all the steps, possible tests, and potential timelines from initial testing to FET? With respect to the timeline is it roughly accurate to say that it will be about 6 months from first visit to first FET, assuming everything goes reasonably well (body responds to the drugs, things don't get cancelled) and I proceed directly to IVF?

[Anonymous]

Just to be clear in formulating a maybe helpful response do you already know you're definitely doing IVF? If doing IVF, would you want to do a fresh transfer? Test embryos?

[Anonymous]

OP - no I don't know definitely I'm doing IVF, but I'm guessing its a reasonably likely outcome. I'm 38, have a toddler, and we've been trying for a while and I'm not pregnant. I was hoping there was a book or blog or something similar that covered all the possible options in a an organized or systematic way. I can obviously read this forum and other sites on the internet but its usually one off questions so its hard to put all the pieces together in the right order.

[Anonymous]

I’m still in the middle of the process but can give a partial answer. I’m 37 and also have a toddler so, similar boat. We started trying in July. By December I got worried and scheduled an appointment with my OB (I’m with Kaiser). She scheduled my initial fertility tests (done on CD3) and HSG (between CD5 and CD12) plus husband’s sperm analysis in February. I couldn’t get an appointment with SGF until the end of March. We decided to go straight to IVF so we are about to begin an estrogen priming cycle with stims starting in May for a, hopefully, mid-May retrieval and fresh transfer.

I was similarly overwhelmed starting this journey. I’ve found the infertility board on Reddit to be a huge help. It has its quirks but overall is filled with science-based communication and support.

[Anonymous]

I am at CCRM. Just to give you an idea: It took about two months between my first consultation and our last consultation with the doctor. During that time, we did all the testing. At our second consult, we pretty much decided we would move forward with IVF. Our first egg retrieval cycle was six weeks later (but the holidays lengthened that timeframe a bit). Over that six weeks there was a lot of insurance paperwork and IVF docs to sign. Insurance approval took a bit of time.
One lesson I've learned through this process is NOT to set a timetable. It has been a very hard lesson for a Type A person like me and one that I am still learning. But the delays happen, whether because of insurance or an (unharmful) cyst or not getting the number of embryos out of an egg retrieval.
Best of luck!

[Anonymous]

OP - thanks for the responses. The timeline at CCRM is very helpful. I realize mine could be different but just having a general idea of what it could be like is helpful.

[Anonymous]

First time poster here... so pardon the formatting... here's a rough outline which you can tweak based on your own timings...

>Consult.
>Diagnostic tests: CD3, and between CD5-cd10...
>Review results, agree on course of action. Assume it's IVF
>Your next period (CD1)
>CD2 start Birth control pill for down regulation (some protocols don't have this.
>10-21 days of the pill
>Pre IVF apointment. Blood + ultrasound. If all looks good you start stims injections 4 days later
>Stimulation 10-14 days
>Egg Retrieval (fertilization happens this day)
>Embryo Development (3-5 days)
>If doing fresh transfer they'll sometimes transfer day 3 or day5
>If doing frozen, they freeze on day 5
>you wait for your next period...
>CD1: you start the Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) process
>BCP
>Estrogen
>lining checks
>Progesterone a few days ahead of the transfer
>Transfer
>2 weeks later BETA blood test
>continue progesterone for 10weeks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First time poster here... so pardon the formatting... here's a rough outline which you can tweak based on your own timings...

>Consult.
>Diagnostic tests: CD3, and between CD5-cd10...
>Review results, agree on course of action. Assume it's IVF
>Your next period (CD1)
>CD2 start Birth control pill for down regulation (some protocols don't have this.
>10-21 days of the pill
>Pre IVF apointment. Blood + ultrasound. If all looks good you start stims injections 4 days later
>Stimulation 10-14 days
>Egg Retrieval (fertilization happens this day)
>Embryo Development (3-5 days)
>If doing fresh transfer they'll sometimes transfer day 3 or day5
>If doing frozen, they freeze on day 5
>you wait for your next period...
>CD1: you start the Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) process
>BCP
>Estrogen
>lining checks
>Progesterone a few days ahead of the transfer
>Transfer
>2 weeks later BETA blood test
>continue progesterone for 10weeks

Thanks, this is very helpful and much appreciated.