Podcast Summary: The Dr. Shannon Show

Episode: Coffee Chat: Payton's IVF Journey
Host: Dr. Shannon Ritchey, PT, DPT
Guest: Payton
Date: November 15, 2024

Episode Overview

This heartfelt coffee chat episode features host Dr. Shannon Ritchey and recurring guest/instructor, Payton, as they open up about Payton’s honest, challenging journey through infertility and IVF. The talk is candid and emotional, highlighting the layers of scientific, medical, personal, and emotional complexity surrounding IVF treatment, fertility struggles, loss, and resilience. Payton shares her story transparently—both the clinical process and the raw, human experience she’s had over nearly a year of navigating fertility, surprising outcomes, setbacks, body image worries, and personal growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Background and Diagnoses

• Payton was previously diagnosed with endometriosis and PCOS.
• Given both her and her husband’s medical factors, doctors estimated less than a 5% chance of conceiving naturally.
• Decision to Start IVF:
  • Skipped IUI due to blocked fallopian tubes and low odds (only 8%) of success with IUI.
  • IVF offered the highest chance and was fortunately partially covered by her husband’s workplace insurance.
  • This decision was finalized in late 2023 but the process only began in March 2024.
  • [03:32] "At that point, she let us know… less than 5% chance that I would get pregnant and maintain a pregnancy on my own naturally." — Payton

2. IVF Process: Egg Retrievals and Embryo Creation

• First Egg Retrieval (March):
  • 20 eggs retrieved; 14 mature; all 14 fertilized.
  • By day 6, only 4 reached blastocyst. Genetic testing revealed only 1 normal embryo.
  • The emotional rollercoaster of expecting more ("good news, good news, then a big drop off") [14:05].
• Second Egg Retrieval (May):
  • Adjusted protocol, added growth hormone.
  • 21 eggs retrieved; 20 mature; 18 fertilized, but only 3 made it to blastocyst stage.
  • After tense, delayed genetic testing, 2 normal embryos resulted.
  • [27:35] "Of the three, we got two healthy, two genetically normal embryos. That was like the one of the highest days." — Payton
• Lessons in Numbers:
  • IVF is a multistep process with attrition at every stage; the numbers can feel punishing and unpredictable.
  • Transparency in sharing numbers is an act of solidarity and normalization for others on this journey.

3. Physical and Professional Challenges

• IVF requires multiple intervals of no strenuous activity (risk of ovarian torsion).
• Payton, a fitness instructor, pre-recorded classes for weeks to accommodate downtime—anxiety about body changes and professional performance.
  • [19:42] "It was like, okay, I am likely going to have a significant decrease in muscle, probably an increase in fat… and no one knows."
• Fear of judgment without context: Concern that members might think she’s lazy or losing form, when in reality she was silently facing a massive internal battle.

4. The Transfer and Loss

• Transfer (July):
  • Chose a controlled protocol (including Lupron, oral estrogen, progesterone in oil).
  • Experienced severe illness (likely norovirus) day-of transfer.
  • [36:31] “I woke up feeling just very unwell... I got home, and I was, like, violently ill.”
• First Pregnancy Test & Early Milestones:
  • Positive beta HCG, then a strong follow-up—"My levels had skyrocketed. Like they looked great." [38:28]
• Heartbreak:
  • Ultrasounds initially showed correct growth, but subsequently slowed, leading to the loss of a heartbeat at 8 weeks.
  • Profound grief, especially after weeks of intense effort, hope, and invasive medication.
  • [41:46] "My doctor... said, 'This sucks. This is not common. This is not what we would expect at this point... but it happens.'"

5. Coping, Resilience, and Mental Health

• Emotional Growth:
  • Describes learning to be present, accepting outcomes, and building “resiliency muscle” after so many setbacks.
  • [48:28] "For me… it’s really being able to be present in each moment… the sense of knowing that everything will be okay regardless of the outcome."
• Body Image:
  • Struggled when faced with forced inactivity and physical changes, especially with no external explanation.
  • Recognized fears were often bigger in advance than in hindsight: muscle/fat changes were temporary and reversible.
• Shifting Perspective:
  • Minor inconveniences now feel trivial after surviving such large challenges with her fertility.
  • [50:51] "Minor inconveniences… really just feel like nothing to me now. It’s like this weird sense of okayness."
• Support & Community:
  • Payton shares the importance of finding trusted confidants, whether a partner, colleague, or friend: "That is what has really gotten me through." [61:03]

6. Moving Forward: What’s Next?

• Awaiting hormone levels to return to zero before next cycle/prep can begin.
• Timeline for the next transfer is likely early 2025; viewing the end of 2024 as a period for rest and healing.
  • [55:23] "The hope is that they’ll recheck my HCG level on Friday... and that it will be at zero... and start the prep work for my next transfer."
• Intends to update and share her journey more in real time with the Evlo community and via social media.
  • [60:05] "That is very vulnerable… but it’ll also feel a little bit more authentic to me and who I am and my personality."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being present and resilient:
  • [48:28] "It's really being able to be present in each moment. So I've tried really hard not to dwell in the past... the sense of knowing that everything will be okay regardless of the outcome."
• On fear, body image, and vulnerability:
  • [19:42] “It was like, okay, I am likely going to have a significant decrease in muscle... and no one knows.”
• On sharing while still in the struggle:
  • [52:15] "A lot of times people are talking about their journey after they have the outcome… and you were saying, it's really important for me to have this conversation before I have that outcome."
• On support:
  • [61:03] “Finding people in your life that you love and trust… that is what has really gotten me through all this…”

Important Timestamps

• Payton’s Diagnosis & Decision for IVF: [03:32–06:41]
• First IVF Round and Emotional Rollercoaster: [10:36–15:36]
• Second IVF Round – Protocol Changes, Fears, Results: [17:52–28:07]
• Transfer Process, Medical Experience, and Loss: [33:16–44:59]
• Mental Health, Coping, Building Resilience: [48:28–54:06]
• Future Plans & Approaching Healing: [54:26–58:28]
• Connecting with Payton / Community Support: [59:00–61:03]

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Payton’s narrative sheds light not only on the medical science of IVF but the layers of unseen struggle, stigma, and psychological adaptation required to face fertility challenges.
• Her story is a powerful testament to vulnerability and the importance of sharing while still in the thick of it, offering comfort to anyone still waiting for their own outcome.
• Both Payton and Dr. Shannon stress the irreplaceable value of support—be it from loved ones, colleagues, or online communities.
• For anyone experiencing infertility or loss, the episode normalizes the range of emotions involved and underscores: You are not alone.

Contact:
Listeners are invited to reach out to Payton via Instagram or through [Evlo Fitness] for community or support. She is open to ongoing conversation and plans to provide future updates, whatever her outcome may be.