9 replies to this topic

[RoomWithoutARoof]

Hi,

 

I have previously went for several unsuccessful clomid/IUI rounds at Genesis and then switched over to Olive. I just went for an appointment with Dr. Taylor where she recommended IVF with ICSI. Has anybody done this at Olive and what is your experience? After the doctor's explanation of all the drugs and injections I just can't imagine it. Getting up and doing injections  ..  and then going to work? How did it work for you?

 

Has anybody out there gone to Olive and other clinics for IVF? how did that compare?

 

This is not an easy decision to make and a big step if I choose to do it. Kind of stressing out here . .. Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

[chiara]

Dr. Taylor did my first IVF at the UBC clinic and she was very good. I am not sure how the embrylogists are at Olive but it seems to be a great team overall. Not sure if this helps. Re injections, I would give them to myself at work at around 5 or 6 pm. No biggie. Seriously. You can do it. Good luck!

[feydruss]

I did all my IVF/ICSI cycles at Genesis, and have nothing but nice things to say about all the docs that moved over to Olive (including Dr. Taylor, who did both the ER and ET on my successful cycle). FWIW, I did injections in airport bathrooms, gas stations, in the car, all sorts of places, and had no real discomfort or problem. Please be reassured that they are not as scary as it sounds!

[DMG]

Hey there.  I did IVF/ICSI at Genesis with Dr. Hitkari Nov 2009.  My fresh transfer resulted in a BFN but my FET 2 cycles later was a success.  I recently moved to Olive as I wanted to stick with Dr. H and had a successful fresh transfer (again IVF/ICSI) and am currently 12 weeks pregnant.  The overall atmosphere and feel of Olive is no-comparable to Genesis in my opinion. I know I made the right decision to transfer to Olive.  As far as doing ICSI, if they recommend you do it, you had better or the whole cycle may be a bust and you just don't want to risk that.  The injections are a breeze, its a quick shot twice a day 12 hours apart.  They also offer a crash course with a nurse if you think you need it.  There is also a Ferring Pharmaceuticals website that will guide you step-by-step as well.  It is so easy. 

 

The lab at OIive is one of the best in the coutry as far as newest and best state-of-the-art equipment.  Go to their website and check it out!  I hope I have helped and If you have anymore questions, pm me!

[Breezy]

I did IVF/ICSI at Genesis and then moved over to Olive to stay with Dr Y.  My second attempt at Genesis resulted in my son and I am currently 7 weeks pregnant from the cycle I did at Olive.  

 

I never did my own injections...got DH to do them for me but it wasn't bad and you get used to it.  Like someone else I was doing shots everywhere (we camped the first round so shots on the beach, in the campsite, on the ferry, in the truck, parking lots, etc) - you just do what works for you!  I bought myself a box of cookies and rewarded myself with a cookie after every injection (and for round 2 I did 23 injections as I eventually had to do morning and evening).

 

I never did any other treatment...went straight for ICSI as that or donor sperm was our only option.  

 

I love Olive...the clinic, the staff, the doctors.  

 

Good luck!

[mitchellcat]

I did my first ivf/icsi in 2007 at Genesis and then a fet in 2009 both were successful with the same doctors that are now at Olive. I currently finishes ivf/icsi #2 at olive in august resulting in 6 eggs only 1 ovary was retrieved from as other was hiding 6 fertilized and 5 made it to day 5 blastocyst and 1 6day so we went 6 for 6 I credit the lab and embryologist given my age 39 years old. I am currently preparing for a fet at olive for a November transfer. Hope this helps.

[TKCH]

I just did ivf-icsi cycle for the first time at Gnesis with dr. Kashyap. I did a round of IUI w/dr Hitkari in 2009, he is at th Olive right now. I was very disappointed when I found out that the the IUI we did in 2009 basically had no chance of success, and dr Hitkari recommended it over ivf-icsi.. I felt like he wanted me to spend more money on IUI b4 he switches us to ivf-icsi. I was very happy with dr Kasyap at genesis. She presented me with cold hard facts and presented me with the success rates for each option given our diagnosis. We decided to go ahead with ICSI, whole experience was very positive. Injections are not a big deal, at first I was afraid to give one to myself and had my hubby do it, until he went on a night shift and I had to do it myself.. It was nothing dreadful
I responded great to meds, did my ER 4 days ahead of schedule, 13 retrieve, 12 fertilized. 2 grade AA transferred on day 5, 5 grade AA frozen on day 5, one more frozen on day 6, rest did not make it.. I just had first two blood tests done and both very positive.. I'm pregnant. and my HCG levels are great.. I have 1st u/s scheduled in 2 weeks...

All said, I'm glad I decided to stay with Genesis and try dr. Kashyap, she might not be very talkative, but will answer all ur questions. You have to make a decision that will make you happy. I like my doctor to be blunt, professional and give me all the info I require. I do a lot of research on my own and than ask questions.. Also I look for emphatic, moral and emotional support at home.. I do not need that from a doctor as long as they do their job right.. Good luck

[RoomWithoutARoof]

Thanks for the information ladies and congrats on the pregnancy Dawn G. , Breezy and TKCH! It took me a while to read this thread again because I feel that I need to get over a mental hurdle of making the decision to go for it. Thank you for all the positive stories and for that psychological push-it's just what I needed  ! 

[Joysai]

Congratulations to all members that have achieved a successful pregnancy. I feel so much better after reading this thread. We are going for our IVF/ICSI in november at Olive. We just found out that we have no option but to go for ICSI because of low sperm counts. I have been feeling low because until recently we just had to deal with female factor for conception and now we have to deal with both female and male factors to conceive. Also, I was told that there are certain risks associated with ICSI.

 

Has anyone come across any cases where these risks with ICSI have appeared?

 

Woook, we went for the private orientation session with a nurse recently. And they basically sit you for almost 2 hours and explain everything in detail, including trying a mock water injection just to get some practice. There was a lot of info they gave that day, my hubby even took some video of the injection process the nurse showed and then I tried a water injection on my abdomen area. It wasnt that bad, but it may feel a little sore after one has to do those injections twice a day for 10 days. (Its just my assumption). Good luck!

[Olive16]

Hi, glad to hear you are going to try to have a family with Olive's help. Most people I met there were very nice, and every doctor I saw was very professional, all but one there has seen my vagina...(this can happen if you do it in the summer when people take holidays).

 

My ICSI failed age 36 with two 5 day transfers grade A and B and I was completely heartbroken, (and seriously it was a huge financial dent too!) It sucked big time.

 

For me: at first the meds were a necessity but odd to have to learn to use, and for me, who eats healthy, lives without twinkies and big macs most days, it seemed so un-natural to be 'pumping my body full of hormones and/or chemicals'

 

I got my husband to try injecting me once but he turned green so I knew it was up to me.... In my orientation, I passed with a saline solution shot. In the orientation, I took a deep breath and told myself, "I want a family" and from there on in, I did dosage measurements and took a deep breath every single time --it's a quick shot...if you make it that way... in it went and. For real, the menopur injections burned though. But only for a minute.

 

How it works for most:

2 cycles

You monitor your first menstrual cycle, then test for ovulation soon after you stop bleeding, then post surge (ovulation pee-stick test) you start taking your first med, 'Estrace', estrogen tablets (go get the no-name brand now 2mg twice per day, 30 day supply, maybe your med plan will cover it) Then you contact the nurses when your period starts again.

 

So basically for me, that was from about July 10-August 9

There was a few early blood tests in there.

Olive is really quite awesome for their early morning tests, they consider those who are 8-4'er's or 9-5'ers and book really early. You might be a little late for work, but let them know, this is important to you. Really, screw work.

 

So the big month is next, thankfully I don't work in August, so that's when I did it. I injected meds from Aug 9-Aug 20. I felt bloated most days and had a few nausea spells that's it. I had MANY blood tests though, but again, conveniently in the morning, but didn't matter to me by Aug, since I was off work anyway.

 

Next step in ICSI-Egg retrieval:

 

Ow.

Ok, the staff was awesome, but really it's VERY sterile and bucket below you catching blood and really, a dagger in your ovs. And sucking eggs out of you! Yep they gave me pain killers and tranquilizer, but it still hurt.

The doctor sucked my 13 eggs out and one ovary made me cry, it was painful and I think he actually felt bad about it. My poor husband felt bad too, (oh yeah, he gave a sample a few hours earlier in a jar, he says the rooms there for men to make there samples are just fine, comfy chairs, great vids to stimulate...)

Back to me... we got 'er done and soon, they put my little med skirt back on me and wheeled me back to recovery. I got a freebie Acupuncture treatment from the Acubalance doc (company that works along side of them) because I was in pain. It helped.

Any Vagina bashfulness is out the window by this time...And the bill is $12,000

 

Next step:

 

So, still in August, have a call 3 days after fertilization from a friendly worker in the embryo lab, "embies are doing well, we are going to leave 2 more days" This is the goal, to have embryos develop for 5 days to ensure viable embryos going in. The plan then was to freeze the four remaining.

 

Then I get the call to come in for transfer, only 6 have made it thus far.

 

This is where it was not a good experience for me.

 

I decided to go alone for the transfer, my husband was working.

 

The doctor had a problem, he struggled to get the transfer tube up in through my cervix, apparently because I have a tilt or a curve. Such precious moments...he told the embryo doctor to take my embies away while he sorted something out.

Then he was satisfied with his set up, and told the other doctor to come back, (what had happened to my precious embies in those vital moments I thought)

 

Next the embryo doctor stood around, this made me feel uncomfortable since he was staring into my vagina, the RE doc dismissed him.

 

So, all was said and done, and it wasn't a positive experience in the end. I don't know if it was because it was a nervous situation for the doctor or what, but I am currently researching my options. I am going to use them again, maybe it was growing pains, or maybe I should change doctors, I don't know.

 

1 day after my two healthy embryos were transferred, I had a call from the lab....SHE LEFT ME A VOICEMAIL TO TELL ME THAT ALL THE OTHER ONES DIDN'T SURVIVE. SHE LEFT ME A VOICEMAIL. The embryologist that did that needs a serious fn lesson in empathy. A SERIOUS LESSON....THANK YOU READERS.

 

One week later, I had a warm leak down my leg after using the toilet. I knew what it was. A week after that a heavy period. My ICSI had failed. Was my first day back to work when I started bleeding, I had to wait til I got home to cry.

 

BUT moral of my story is, I have NOT given up, I'm trying again next month at age 37. I am seeing an acupuncturist in my neighbourhood that knows what's up, do that for a bit, I'm getting yin and yang up to par, getting warm and knowing my body better. I would recommend getting your body fit and ready first ...warm is the key Traditional Chinese Medicine message I'm offered lately.

 

Olive16