So my call today did give me part of the answer I wanted: I get to trigger tonight (actually in 15 minutes so I will probably have to pause writing this to do it). I am so full and bloated I just couldn't have imagined needing to go another day so I actually said "Thank God!" when she said I could trigger. BUT my progesterone was 2.13 so it's "Highly, highly recommended to freeze all and do a frozen transfer instead of fresh". Que tears. I'll get to all the thoughts and fear in a bit. First let's take a look at these stats:
Right: 27, 25, 25, 24, 22, 19, 18.5, 18, 17, 16.5, and 11 ....so that's 11 on this side but 12 likely for retrieval.
Left: 25, 22, 21, 19.5, 19.5, 18, 12, 10, 10, 9, and 8 ...so that's 11 on this side too but only six likely for retrieval.
So 18 most likely at ER. I'm hoping for at least 10 mature and fertilized through ICSI. That's not asking too much, right?
My estrogen level is 2009. I've read they like between 1,000-4,000 at trigger and if Ganirelix suppresses that a bit then it sounds like I'm perfect. Now that whole freeze.... Hang on let me go trigger....
OK, so I know there are some that believe FET is better because your body has a chance to rest and heal up from the trauma of growing so many eggs, and in case you get OHSS and all. And I actually believe that. But here's my fears. We agreed to a price and made our deposit based on a fresh transfer. Are there additional costs moving the transfer to frozen? I had wanted to be KU or at least PUPO around the time of our due date for our miscarried baby. Now I won't be. In fact I'll probably be getting my period then. I had taken off all this time off work for the fresh transfer, now I'll need additional time off for the transfer.
Now the BIG fears. What if my egg quality isn't great? I am no a spring chicken anymore and I've read of those who have none that make it to freeze - that's not real uncommon. Do we watch and if they're not looking good do a 3dt fresh anyway? What if they say no to that idea and none make it to freeze and we don't even ever get the chance and just spent all that money for no even the chance to put an embryo in me? Freaking.the.fuck.OUT.
The nurse said not to worry too much. Yeah, thanks. On the cost factor - she said she could start trying to hoard drugs for me to save on that cost and as for the procedure, I can talk to Dr. Jacobs because he's quote "a good guy". Yeah, he's a good guy but that doesn't answer the cost question yet. Mmkay? Thanks.
Jeff of course has been great. And trying to get me to laugh, as always. But you know what really hurts a bloated full of eggs belly? Laughing. But I love him for trying.
Breath in. Breath out.
Breath in. Breath out.
Try to stop crying when you think about it.
Breath in. Breath out.
Damn hormones.
Ice bar in Vegas 2012
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
IVF Tips or advice? The good, the bad, and the ugly...
So I've been searching the internet for tips, advice, or just general info and I've come a some handy information. And so that makes me scratch my head. I know everyone is different so to each there own....but here is some I think I'd like to share.
1. Yoga Pant are your friends. Yes the bloat is unreal. Yes, I've done the trick using a hair tie on pants where you loop it through the hole and over the button. But nothing. Nothing! compares to stretchy, comfy elastic. And prepare your husband for the fact that even in those the bloat will make you pull said pants down to your hips and let your big ole bloated belly hang out in the open. So.Attractive. Ugh.
2. Find what makes you poop I had not heard that *before* ER that constipation would be an issue but OMG. I know you PG ladies or newer moms are probably like "you don't even know yet" but seriously, going into stimming I wish I had known. I was told today from a IVFer to start colace before ER because it will only get worse. But for now I've found coffee is what is my sweet relief. I'd tried to cut out caffeine completely, but I do believe I'll need to just accept I'll be having a cup a day (and maybe adding a glass of prune juice a day) in order to survive.
3. Go Shopping before deep into stims I read this on another website, and a separate one said budget for eating out. Wish I had read these over a week ago. Both of these are good advice because frankly I'm too tired, bloated, uncomfortable to feel like cooking. Jeff has stepped up with cooking last night and today but he's been OK with getting take out or going out to eat a lot this week since I have no energy or desire to cook. I thought "I'll go to the store today to stock up on some 'ready to eat' foods for after ER when I'm home and really won't want to cook." (Jeff will be home day of ER but back to work the following days. And yet? Ugh, the effort of shopping was a bit much. I ended up just getting two soups, a few staples and leaving. Might be making Jeff do a run for me for a few more meals or just accept I'll be eating take out.
4. EWCM holy hell. I thought I had seen a lot of EWCM during IUI cycles but the sheer amount of estrogen that your body is producing makes it go nuts. On about day six? It actually felt like I'd started AF because I was so damp. Went to the bathroom and dear Lord didn't know that much production was possible! Another thing people don't seem to tell you.
5. You really cannot compare - but know you will anyway. Everyone has different age, hormone levels, protocols, diagnosis, etc that there is no way to really compare apples to apples in your cycle. But you're going to do it anyway. Fine. But just remind yourself over and over again that no one is in the exact same spot as you with your exact body, hormones, age, diagnosis etc. You will have your cycle develop however you will, you cannot predict based on others.
6. Ganirelix has dull needles Don't ask me why but others seem to agree. If you are on Ganirelix, you have to jab it harder in order to pierce the skin. It's a dull needle. Twice I've had it just bounce off my belly in pain because I didn't stab hard enough. Oh how I wish it came in a vial so I could use a 22 gauge needle, but alas it's not to be. So breath deep and stab.
7. Write everything down. I don't know how many former IVFers I've asked for their details that if they are over six months past their cycle they seem to remember almost nothing. And good, that's understandable but I want to be able to have this information to help others in their search for stories and information. Besides, it's a lot thrown at you day after day. Write it down.
That's all I can think of for now...
1. Yoga Pant are your friends. Yes the bloat is unreal. Yes, I've done the trick using a hair tie on pants where you loop it through the hole and over the button. But nothing. Nothing! compares to stretchy, comfy elastic. And prepare your husband for the fact that even in those the bloat will make you pull said pants down to your hips and let your big ole bloated belly hang out in the open. So.Attractive. Ugh.
2. Find what makes you poop I had not heard that *before* ER that constipation would be an issue but OMG. I know you PG ladies or newer moms are probably like "you don't even know yet" but seriously, going into stimming I wish I had known. I was told today from a IVFer to start colace before ER because it will only get worse. But for now I've found coffee is what is my sweet relief. I'd tried to cut out caffeine completely, but I do believe I'll need to just accept I'll be having a cup a day (and maybe adding a glass of prune juice a day) in order to survive.
3. Go Shopping before deep into stims I read this on another website, and a separate one said budget for eating out. Wish I had read these over a week ago. Both of these are good advice because frankly I'm too tired, bloated, uncomfortable to feel like cooking. Jeff has stepped up with cooking last night and today but he's been OK with getting take out or going out to eat a lot this week since I have no energy or desire to cook. I thought "I'll go to the store today to stock up on some 'ready to eat' foods for after ER when I'm home and really won't want to cook." (Jeff will be home day of ER but back to work the following days. And yet? Ugh, the effort of shopping was a bit much. I ended up just getting two soups, a few staples and leaving. Might be making Jeff do a run for me for a few more meals or just accept I'll be eating take out.
4. EWCM holy hell. I thought I had seen a lot of EWCM during IUI cycles but the sheer amount of estrogen that your body is producing makes it go nuts. On about day six? It actually felt like I'd started AF because I was so damp. Went to the bathroom and dear Lord didn't know that much production was possible! Another thing people don't seem to tell you.
5. You really cannot compare - but know you will anyway. Everyone has different age, hormone levels, protocols, diagnosis, etc that there is no way to really compare apples to apples in your cycle. But you're going to do it anyway. Fine. But just remind yourself over and over again that no one is in the exact same spot as you with your exact body, hormones, age, diagnosis etc. You will have your cycle develop however you will, you cannot predict based on others.
6. Ganirelix has dull needles Don't ask me why but others seem to agree. If you are on Ganirelix, you have to jab it harder in order to pierce the skin. It's a dull needle. Twice I've had it just bounce off my belly in pain because I didn't stab hard enough. Oh how I wish it came in a vial so I could use a 22 gauge needle, but alas it's not to be. So breath deep and stab.
7. Write everything down. I don't know how many former IVFers I've asked for their details that if they are over six months past their cycle they seem to remember almost nothing. And good, that's understandable but I want to be able to have this information to help others in their search for stories and information. Besides, it's a lot thrown at you day after day. Write it down.
That's all I can think of for now...
Friday, September 27, 2013
Keeping them eggs a cookin'
I'll update this later with E2 and P4 later but for now just a quick recap on the follies...
Right - 18.5, 17, 15.5, 15, 14.5, 14.5, 12.5, 12, 8, and 8 = 10
Left - 15.5, 15.5, 15, 14, 13, 12, and 9 = 7
Lining - 9.57
So seventeen above 8mm of which fourteen are 12mm and above. I'm starting to think that's a more realistic number of how many we might retrieve - 14. My original hope was to have 15-20 retrieved. But trying to remember to be accepting of whatever may happen and be thankful for the incredibly wonderful response I have gotten.
And with that I think I might be off to go back to sleep. Five hours of sleep really doesn't work for me. Oh, and I'm happy to say I'm now off work for the next 12 days and it could not have come sooner. I've been getting more and more bloated to the point last night that it really was uncomfortable to be wearing non-stretchy waistband pants and I can't speed walk anymore so I spent much of last nights work shift just sitting in my office - which seems lazy and weird to me. I expect to be in yoga or sweatpants much of the coming days.
Right - 18.5, 17, 15.5, 15, 14.5, 14.5, 12.5, 12, 8, and 8 = 10
Left - 15.5, 15.5, 15, 14, 13, 12, and 9 = 7
Lining - 9.57
So seventeen above 8mm of which fourteen are 12mm and above. I'm starting to think that's a more realistic number of how many we might retrieve - 14. My original hope was to have 15-20 retrieved. But trying to remember to be accepting of whatever may happen and be thankful for the incredibly wonderful response I have gotten.
And with that I think I might be off to go back to sleep. Five hours of sleep really doesn't work for me. Oh, and I'm happy to say I'm now off work for the next 12 days and it could not have come sooner. I've been getting more and more bloated to the point last night that it really was uncomfortable to be wearing non-stretchy waistband pants and I can't speed walk anymore so I spent much of last nights work shift just sitting in my office - which seems lazy and weird to me. I expect to be in yoga or sweatpants much of the coming days.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
You know what I don't like? Non similar styles
So since my clinic doesn't do U/S on Thursday I had to drive 40 minutes out to Buffalo Grove office. I'm so spoiled having my local office be just 8 minutes away. But what I hated about that was not the time, but the different U/S tech because I wish they all thought the same. Mine has the screen turned towards me so I can see as she goes along. She also prints out my report and gives me a copy (along with pics sometimes). And she measures everything 8mm and over. Therefore my report from yesterday said I had 14 measurable follies and another four small ones.
BG's U/S tech had the screen turned away and only measured anything above a 11mm so she said I had 13 follies (one of the one's on my right clearly hasn't made it to 11 yet...I'm guessing it's the one that was 8 yesterday). And she didn't mention if the four small one's from yesterday were still there. So it's as if I have one person saying I had 18 yesterday and only 13 today.
Um, thank goodness I pay attention and know it's only the difference in what these two share. And thankfully I see Roberta again tomorrow so I can be back to what I'm used to and like.
Then, I also had someone different calling me today. Which since it's always the Highland Park IVF office that calls me with my med instructions I don't know why today was someone new. But she didn't give me all the sizes either. Ggrrrrr. And I had to actually *ASK* to get her to tell me my hormone levels. My progesterone dropped down to 0.95 so it's below one again. But my E2 also dropped down to 860 (Huh? It was 1108 yesterday?) I asked is it normal for it to drop? I thought it was just supposed to raise? She said since my follies are still growing as they should be they are "not concerned". Yeah, thanks. Tell a IVFer to not worry is like telling the sun not to rise! But I'll just let it go until I can ask Roberta tomorrow, she'll be open and honest with me.
BG's U/S tech had the screen turned away and only measured anything above a 11mm so she said I had 13 follies (one of the one's on my right clearly hasn't made it to 11 yet...I'm guessing it's the one that was 8 yesterday). And she didn't mention if the four small one's from yesterday were still there. So it's as if I have one person saying I had 18 yesterday and only 13 today.
Um, thank goodness I pay attention and know it's only the difference in what these two share. And thankfully I see Roberta again tomorrow so I can be back to what I'm used to and like.
Then, I also had someone different calling me today. Which since it's always the Highland Park IVF office that calls me with my med instructions I don't know why today was someone new. But she didn't give me all the sizes either. Ggrrrrr. And I had to actually *ASK* to get her to tell me my hormone levels. My progesterone dropped down to 0.95 so it's below one again. But my E2 also dropped down to 860 (Huh? It was 1108 yesterday?) I asked is it normal for it to drop? I thought it was just supposed to raise? She said since my follies are still growing as they should be they are "not concerned". Yeah, thanks. Tell a IVFer to not worry is like telling the sun not to rise! But I'll just let it go until I can ask Roberta tomorrow, she'll be open and honest with me.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Will worrying ever end? 5 days of stims update
Ah the life of an IFer. I went in today for more monitoring. I'd had just five days of stims and since I had 9 measurable follies and 4 just under I had hope today we would see 16. That is actually what I was shooting for. And today she saw 16. OK - turns out she either said it wrong or I heard wrong because there were 14 measurable follies and another 4 that are small...anyone that can do math can see that's 18. Whatever - still continuing to be very pleased with performance on stims. Biggest however is 15.5 so I knew that meant instead of two shots a day I'd be on three. Need to add the Ganirelix now to keep from one of the bigger ones from ovulating on their own before retrieval. And she said my lining was 8.9. Awesome! It's never been that fluffy this early! In fact, I'm not sure I've had that good a lining ever. So feeling happy when I walked out of appointment.
Fast forward to the phone call message I got at 4:15. I had been at work so I missed the call (Which I was sad about because I assumed they'd call around the same time as Monday which was after 5pm so I could take it.) Anyway - she said my progesterone is now at a 1.0 and they want it below one. So quote "We need to watch it very closely because if it gets too high they may have to do a freeze all and do only the egg retrieval and hold off on transfer." Meaning I'd have to wait a month or two and do a FET.
No!! I have mentally been preparing that I'd know if I was PG or not by the time our estimated due date of the baby we lost in February comes around on Oct 16th. And I've taken 12 days off to have a nice window of time to de-stress and lay around for ER and ET. Will it cost more to do a FET without a fresh transfer? I'll have to take more time off work. All these questions start to make me worry. So I've just been thinking on that the last hour and a half. Infertility - the never ending worry. How am I going to get to sleep tonight with all these thoughts in my head? Oh, and because of this I'm now on daily monitoring. I've not been given any clue as to when ER will be but I'm now betting it's Sunday or Monday instead of Tuesday or Wednesday like I originally thought. So tomorrow I'm off to Buffalo Grove office since my local office does not have a ultrasound tech in on Thursdays.
So here they are...my stats from today:
RT - 8, 9, 9.5, Three at 12.5, 13.5, 14.5, 15.5 and two small ones = 11
LT - 7.5, 11, 12.5, and two times 13 and two small ones = 7
e2 - 1108
LH - 9.5
P4 - 1.0
Lining - 8.95 5 layers
Fast forward to the phone call message I got at 4:15. I had been at work so I missed the call (Which I was sad about because I assumed they'd call around the same time as Monday which was after 5pm so I could take it.) Anyway - she said my progesterone is now at a 1.0 and they want it below one. So quote "We need to watch it very closely because if it gets too high they may have to do a freeze all and do only the egg retrieval and hold off on transfer." Meaning I'd have to wait a month or two and do a FET.
No!! I have mentally been preparing that I'd know if I was PG or not by the time our estimated due date of the baby we lost in February comes around on Oct 16th. And I've taken 12 days off to have a nice window of time to de-stress and lay around for ER and ET. Will it cost more to do a FET without a fresh transfer? I'll have to take more time off work. All these questions start to make me worry. So I've just been thinking on that the last hour and a half. Infertility - the never ending worry. How am I going to get to sleep tonight with all these thoughts in my head? Oh, and because of this I'm now on daily monitoring. I've not been given any clue as to when ER will be but I'm now betting it's Sunday or Monday instead of Tuesday or Wednesday like I originally thought. So tomorrow I'm off to Buffalo Grove office since my local office does not have a ultrasound tech in on Thursdays.
So here they are...my stats from today:
RT - 8, 9, 9.5, Three at 12.5, 13.5, 14.5, 15.5 and two small ones = 11
LT - 7.5, 11, 12.5, and two times 13 and two small ones = 7
e2 - 1108
LH - 9.5
P4 - 1.0
Lining - 8.95 5 layers
Monday, September 23, 2013
First IVF monitoring info
7am appointment on a Monday - clearly not the time to visit my office. They all seem to have a case of the Monday's.
Upon arrival I was told they needed the deposit (yeah thanks I remember) but since the 401K check arrive "No Problem!" I said with a smile while handing over five thousand dollars of our hard earned money. Ouch. But happy to do it if it brings us our miracle of science.
No wait time, Roberta - my fav U/S tech calls me back while asking the admin about her schedule. She learned she had two saline sonos scheduled for just 15 minute sections and it put her in a sour mood (which never seems to happen). But I digress... My U/S showed nine follies of measurable size and another 4 below 7mm.
Right Side: 10.5, 10, 10, 9, 8 and two others they could see that were "not measurable".
Left Side: 10, 9.5, 8, 7.5 and two others "not measurable".
She said my lining was five layers. Huh? I've heard of triple stripped but not five layers, but whatever.
E2 - 392
LH & FSH "Still nice and low as we'd like it." She didn't give me exact figures.
When I just told Jeff the results he said "I thought they found 19 on Wednesday, where'd they go?" So I had to try and explain that the AFC is a guide to how your ovarian reserve is not how many eggs they'll get. I said some people will have a AFC of 16 but end up getting 25 eggs and some people with that same 16 AFC will only get 5 eggs. I told him it's a crap shoot based on how someone responds to the meds and that they told me "more can pop up as the meds continue to work". It's sometimes hard to remember just how *much* info I have in my brain from years of reading eFriends stories that he just doesn't know. Yet I also know his eyeballs would bug out if I started to really go into great long detail and he'd just zone out if I gave him a billion scenarios.
He always tells me to fall asleep I should just "turn off my mind" but it takes me a good hour or more to "gear down" and it's best if I have the TV on because then I can not think. If I just lay in the darkness all that goes through my mind of the "what ifs" and a billion scenarios. Guys just are not like that. I think if I filled his mind with the billion possibilities, he'd get a window into how a womans mind really works but he'd just give me a hard time again that I worry too much. Where as to me it's preparing me mentally for what may come and I'd rather have that then be blindsided. But again that's the difference between men and women. He thinks a bit more in black and white where as I see the hundred shades of gray.
For me, I'm happy with three days of stims resulting in these numbers. I hope by Wednesday I can say "They see 16 now (instead of 13)" to him to show that more can grow. Until then I will just continue on with 150 follistim and 150 menopur. Next appt Wed. 8am.
Upon arrival I was told they needed the deposit (yeah thanks I remember) but since the 401K check arrive "No Problem!" I said with a smile while handing over five thousand dollars of our hard earned money. Ouch. But happy to do it if it brings us our miracle of science.
No wait time, Roberta - my fav U/S tech calls me back while asking the admin about her schedule. She learned she had two saline sonos scheduled for just 15 minute sections and it put her in a sour mood (which never seems to happen). But I digress... My U/S showed nine follies of measurable size and another 4 below 7mm.
Right Side: 10.5, 10, 10, 9, 8 and two others they could see that were "not measurable".
Left Side: 10, 9.5, 8, 7.5 and two others "not measurable".
She said my lining was five layers. Huh? I've heard of triple stripped but not five layers, but whatever.
E2 - 392
LH & FSH "Still nice and low as we'd like it." She didn't give me exact figures.
When I just told Jeff the results he said "I thought they found 19 on Wednesday, where'd they go?" So I had to try and explain that the AFC is a guide to how your ovarian reserve is not how many eggs they'll get. I said some people will have a AFC of 16 but end up getting 25 eggs and some people with that same 16 AFC will only get 5 eggs. I told him it's a crap shoot based on how someone responds to the meds and that they told me "more can pop up as the meds continue to work". It's sometimes hard to remember just how *much* info I have in my brain from years of reading eFriends stories that he just doesn't know. Yet I also know his eyeballs would bug out if I started to really go into great long detail and he'd just zone out if I gave him a billion scenarios.
He always tells me to fall asleep I should just "turn off my mind" but it takes me a good hour or more to "gear down" and it's best if I have the TV on because then I can not think. If I just lay in the darkness all that goes through my mind of the "what ifs" and a billion scenarios. Guys just are not like that. I think if I filled his mind with the billion possibilities, he'd get a window into how a womans mind really works but he'd just give me a hard time again that I worry too much. Where as to me it's preparing me mentally for what may come and I'd rather have that then be blindsided. But again that's the difference between men and women. He thinks a bit more in black and white where as I see the hundred shades of gray.
For me, I'm happy with three days of stims resulting in these numbers. I hope by Wednesday I can say "They see 16 now (instead of 13)" to him to show that more can grow. Until then I will just continue on with 150 follistim and 150 menopur. Next appt Wed. 8am.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
The check came! Happy Dance!
So the only real stress I've been dealing with the past two weeks was getting the money to pay for this cycle. They need $5k up front from us. We sent a check in to pay off our previous 401K loan on Sept 3rd thinking "Thats enough time". Our impression was the check needed to be in by the 6th and be processed then. They did NOT tell us that yes it needed to be processed then, but then there would still be one last payment on Sept 13th out of Jeff's check. Meaning we couldn't get a new 401K loan until that had fully processed (ie we could ask for a new one on Sept.16th because we can't do it over the weekend).
So fine, we did it on Monday but learned they can't direct deposit if you'd not done that before without it taking two weeks. Wha?!?! :::Deep breath::: OK, it said the check would be here in 3-5 business days. But my baseline was Wednesday. What if they asked for the money? I had my sob story all worked out in my head. And stressed over it laying awake the night before. But thankfully baseline day came and they didn't ask at the office so I flew out of there as if my pants were on fire. But then when they called with the bloodwork results and to set up Monday's appointment they said "And we'll need your deposit then."
Ok. No problem. Check will arrive Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.
Well Thursday. No check...just my target pharmacy rewards. ::::taps foot impatiently::::
Friday. Nope - just some junk mail saying I've won a travel voucher. ::::Starts sweating from the pressure::::
Saturday. I'm almost too nervous that it won't be there that I ask Jeff to get the mail and promptly fall asleep to take a nap (I'm like an ostrich sticking my head in the ground hoping the world disappears). Later I hear the door shut and I open my eyes just long enough to ask, "Did the check come?" "Yep" And drift back to peaceful dreams. Half an hour later I woke up worried it was a dream but nope - it was real. Woohoo!
Happy Dance time!
So fine, we did it on Monday but learned they can't direct deposit if you'd not done that before without it taking two weeks. Wha?!?! :::Deep breath::: OK, it said the check would be here in 3-5 business days. But my baseline was Wednesday. What if they asked for the money? I had my sob story all worked out in my head. And stressed over it laying awake the night before. But thankfully baseline day came and they didn't ask at the office so I flew out of there as if my pants were on fire. But then when they called with the bloodwork results and to set up Monday's appointment they said "And we'll need your deposit then."
Ok. No problem. Check will arrive Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.
Well Thursday. No check...just my target pharmacy rewards. ::::taps foot impatiently::::
Friday. Nope - just some junk mail saying I've won a travel voucher. ::::Starts sweating from the pressure::::
Saturday. I'm almost too nervous that it won't be there that I ask Jeff to get the mail and promptly fall asleep to take a nap (I'm like an ostrich sticking my head in the ground hoping the world disappears). Later I hear the door shut and I open my eyes just long enough to ask, "Did the check come?" "Yep" And drift back to peaceful dreams. Half an hour later I woke up worried it was a dream but nope - it was real. Woohoo!
Happy Dance time!
Oh and....Jeff found out last week he paid off his student loan for law school at DePaul. I've joked that it would take until he retires for that debt to be paid off. Hell, that alone should be celebrated. 20 years, but damnit my baby paid of law school!!
Yeah. You could say we're pretty excited over here. They say money can't buy you happiness. But it sure as hell can ease your mind and stress I'll tell you that much.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
IVF baseline Stats
So it's start time! Got all my meds yesterday. Had my baseline today. Start meds on Friday. And will have follow up monitoring on Monday. Hells Yeah!! As for the blood work done today:
E2: 52
FSH: 7
LH: 5.6
P4: 0.2
Now I know the E2 is the estrogen and before I start growing follies this will be low. The number goes up and they grow and each mature egg produces 200-300. So based on U/S counting follies and this number they can take a guess at how many they can retrieve at the last monitoring appt I have. (Which will be probably weekend after next).
And I know P4 is progesterone, which after a BCP cycle of rest or at the start of any cycle should be almost non-existent. I also know that FSH stands for Follicle Stimulating Hormone, but since I have not started to take meds yet I really don't know what it should be so I'll just believe them when they say this level is good. Ditto for the LH level (Luteinizing Hormone). I might go hop around the blogosphere to see what successful IVFers had.
As for my ultrasound - as she said "Alls quiet on the Western front". Quiet ovaries just like we want. AFC of 19 is what she told me but when they just called they said 21. I don't know which to believe but since I was happy with 19 I'll take either. It's like in the IVF web world manual to take a pic of your meds so that some day you can say "This is everything I took to get you" so here it is...
E2: 52
FSH: 7
LH: 5.6
P4: 0.2
Now I know the E2 is the estrogen and before I start growing follies this will be low. The number goes up and they grow and each mature egg produces 200-300. So based on U/S counting follies and this number they can take a guess at how many they can retrieve at the last monitoring appt I have. (Which will be probably weekend after next).
And I know P4 is progesterone, which after a BCP cycle of rest or at the start of any cycle should be almost non-existent. I also know that FSH stands for Follicle Stimulating Hormone, but since I have not started to take meds yet I really don't know what it should be so I'll just believe them when they say this level is good. Ditto for the LH level (Luteinizing Hormone). I might go hop around the blogosphere to see what successful IVFers had.
As for my ultrasound - as she said "Alls quiet on the Western front". Quiet ovaries just like we want. AFC of 19 is what she told me but when they just called they said 21. I don't know which to believe but since I was happy with 19 I'll take either. It's like in the IVF web world manual to take a pic of your meds so that some day you can say "This is everything I took to get you" so here it is...
Isn't it a pretty stash of drugs?
I have to give a shout out to my #75strong girls. When I heard the Ganirelix would be $840 out of pocket I put a message up on our FB board at 9:30am. By 2:30 I had three girls mailing me the amount I needed (it's the nine blue boxes in the back) I asked on Wednesday and by Monday they had all arrived. The three grey boxes front and center is the Follistim another #75strong gal gave me last year after she adopted her son (who was born on my birthday!). She sent me enough to do our last two IUIs and this IVF. And I should still have enough to pay it forward and donate the leftovers since I can't imagine I need 2700iu. Thankfully it's good until spring of 2014 so there's plenty of time for others to use it too. So four kinds of injectable meds (with plenty of needles), two oral pills (also not pictured is my PNV, baby aspirin, 600mg of CoQ10 I take per day) and the oh-so-yucky vaginal suppositories. A friend of mine at work said "Only you would be excited to get a box of needles and something to shove up your who-ha." Nah, girl...you just have not met enough IVFers!
So there it is folks, the start. I will be updating with boring stats throughout the cycle. And any ramblings to just word-vomit to get it out of my head. Next appt. Monday Sept 23rd.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
started BCP
So I went in for my suppression cycle baseline. Great news is my AFC was 10 on left and 11 on right. You might remember that my AFC the last two cycles were not as good and I figured this was because I am now over the dreaded 35, where they label you AMA (advanced maternal age). But that count is as good as it was three years ago (I believe). So that's good. The tech used to say I had the ovaries of a 23 year old, and with this AFC, I kind of feel like it. And they didn't call me with any issues on my blood work so I guess there was no concerns there.
So I started birth control pills on Friday. Now, those of you not in the infertility world are saying Birth control? Why? I'm on what's called the antagonist protocol where they suppress my ovaries to let them rest before we kick them into over drive. The good thing with this protocol is no lupron shots so the amount of sticking myself with needles is less.
I'm trying to psych myself up for this. But work right now is starting to drive me a nutty and making it hard for me to think of much else. Sad, because I said when I started retail that the best difference between that and commission sales is I can leave work at work and when I'm home be home. Leave it at the door if you will. Low stress. And yet it's become stressful. And the thing that I'm excited about the most currently for the cycle (other than hoping it works) is the time I've told them I'm taking off for the cycle. I am taking the last week in Sept to work only 3-4 shifts of four hours (total of maybe 12 hours) then I'm taking a week and a half off for the egg retrieval and egg transfer and bed rest. And I know you guys that have been through IVF are like "That's not needed! You only need maybe four days total." But I know that it hurts me to walk around 8 miles a day at work at a speed walkers pace when I have three follies growing, so I cannot imagine the pain of it with more follies. I've seen enough about torquing ovaries from simple yoga or whatever that screw it - I'm not chancing anything. And they always say keep your stress at a minimum so again - if I can afford the time off damn it I'm going to take it. If I had a desk job or couldn't take the time off, well that'd be different. But if this is our one and only shot at a fresh cycle I am doing everything possible to help this work. So yeah - I'm seriously looking forward to have the excuse to have my little stay-cation. And do almost nothing. And get away from the drama. Aaaaahhhh!!!
But so the BCP...my mom asked me today how I'm dealing with being on them. Ummm...have not noticed one side effect. Oh wait, I do have two zits that popped up. So there's that. And I reminded her it's only been three days. But thankfully no matter how it gets, I'm only on it for the next two weeks until Sept. 15th. And as I pointed out, hell I've been on much stronger hormones in treatment cycles then what might be in this little pill. So here we go.
So I started birth control pills on Friday. Now, those of you not in the infertility world are saying Birth control? Why? I'm on what's called the antagonist protocol where they suppress my ovaries to let them rest before we kick them into over drive. The good thing with this protocol is no lupron shots so the amount of sticking myself with needles is less.
I'm trying to psych myself up for this. But work right now is starting to drive me a nutty and making it hard for me to think of much else. Sad, because I said when I started retail that the best difference between that and commission sales is I can leave work at work and when I'm home be home. Leave it at the door if you will. Low stress. And yet it's become stressful. And the thing that I'm excited about the most currently for the cycle (other than hoping it works) is the time I've told them I'm taking off for the cycle. I am taking the last week in Sept to work only 3-4 shifts of four hours (total of maybe 12 hours) then I'm taking a week and a half off for the egg retrieval and egg transfer and bed rest. And I know you guys that have been through IVF are like "That's not needed! You only need maybe four days total." But I know that it hurts me to walk around 8 miles a day at work at a speed walkers pace when I have three follies growing, so I cannot imagine the pain of it with more follies. I've seen enough about torquing ovaries from simple yoga or whatever that screw it - I'm not chancing anything. And they always say keep your stress at a minimum so again - if I can afford the time off damn it I'm going to take it. If I had a desk job or couldn't take the time off, well that'd be different. But if this is our one and only shot at a fresh cycle I am doing everything possible to help this work. So yeah - I'm seriously looking forward to have the excuse to have my little stay-cation. And do almost nothing. And get away from the drama. Aaaaahhhh!!!
But so the BCP...my mom asked me today how I'm dealing with being on them. Ummm...have not noticed one side effect. Oh wait, I do have two zits that popped up. So there's that. And I reminded her it's only been three days. But thankfully no matter how it gets, I'm only on it for the next two weeks until Sept. 15th. And as I pointed out, hell I've been on much stronger hormones in treatment cycles then what might be in this little pill. So here we go.
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