I had my last IVF related acupuncture appt today. This was to help with implantation. So we've done about everything we can do to make sure this first IVF round works! Funny thing was this time he put a needle right between by eyebrows, that was a little odd.
I'll post my beta results Saturday evening. I'm going to find out the results right as I leave for a girlfriends wedding shower, so I won't post right away.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
dreams & waiting
I'm sitting in the doctors office, waiting to find out how many babies we have. It's so exciting I think to myself, but where is that doctor? Finally he comes in, grabs his stethoscope and places it on my belly. We're waiting, and waiting, and waiting while he's moving it around. Finally he says, yep, I hear two heartbeats! What? Two, really!? That's wonderful!
Slowly I realize that's not how that's done. They don't use a stethoscope! What kind of doctor is this? And where is all the equipment and the nurse? Then I hear a dog's whine & a cat's meow. I'm lying in my own bed & the animals are ready for their breakfast. It was all just a dream.
This is the hardest part! Just waiting to find out if everything worked & we have a baby (or two or three) in my belly. The good news is that the shots have gotten to be super easy. Jack's nearly a professional now & it only takes a few minutes from prep to completion. So all I need to do is figure out how to make this week move faster...
Slowly I realize that's not how that's done. They don't use a stethoscope! What kind of doctor is this? And where is all the equipment and the nurse? Then I hear a dog's whine & a cat's meow. I'm lying in my own bed & the animals are ready for their breakfast. It was all just a dream.
This is the hardest part! Just waiting to find out if everything worked & we have a baby (or two or three) in my belly. The good news is that the shots have gotten to be super easy. Jack's nearly a professional now & it only takes a few minutes from prep to completion. So all I need to do is figure out how to make this week move faster...
Saturday, February 24, 2007
more medicines
Today I had more bw done & found my progesterone level is 33. I'm guessing that's not where they wanted it b/c they added Prometrium (another form of progesterone, though this one is not in a shot) to my already confusing medicine schedule. This one they've got me using 3x/day. Though at least I'm not wasting any of my money, I had been wondering when that big bottle of Prometrium would be used or if I should not have gotten it. (The way the IVF meds work, you have all of the meds delivered at the beginning of the cycle. So you open this giant box full of medicines, applicators, syringes, needles and then you wonder what the heck you got yourself into!)
They want me back for bw next Sat 3/3. This is the one we've been working towards. They are going to check my progesterone level again, but more importantly they are going to do my first beta! They'll do three betas and that'll let us know if we are pregnant!
They want me back for bw next Sat 3/3. This is the one we've been working towards. They are going to check my progesterone level again, but more importantly they are going to do my first beta! They'll do three betas and that'll let us know if we are pregnant!
Friday, February 23, 2007
Retrieval & transfer
I've been away from my computer for roughly a week & a half, I think that's some kind of record for me. I've been trying to rest just like the doctors expect so that everything will go right with this first round of IVF!
~ RETRIEVAL 2/14/07~
We had our retrieval on Valentine's Day in the early AM. I got a little nervous just as a I was in the back room waiting for my turn (someone else had to be there even earlier than us for their retrieval). But it was no big deal, just a little prick to numb me up for the IV. Then once the IV was in and they were ready, I was out like a light. The last thing I said (or remember saying anyway) is 'that was fast'. I had started to feeel the anesthesia as soon as he said he'd started it. The procedure takes about 10 mins itself, it's all the other hoopla that takes awhile. I got a little nauseated from the anesthesia but was sent on my way pretty soon. Jack got me home & made sure I was all comfy & following dr orders. They had gotten 20 eggs from me which is really good!
DM came by shortly after we got home and she helped DH to take care of me. I was surprised to find the worst part was the bloating & gas. It was miserable! It went away very very slowly & really was uncomfortable through Friday.
~ TRANSFER 2/19/07 ~
Our transfer had been tentatively scheduled for Saturday morning. However, we heard from the embryologist on Fri that he wanted to wait until Monday. Of the 20 eggs, 18 were usuable (1 not viable & 1 was immature). They performed ICSI on all 18 and 16 of them fertilized normally. As of Fri, they were ranging from 2-5 cells (that was Day 2) and he felt they would benefit from being cultured thru the weekend. Sat he called us again saying that we'd transfer at 2:30 on Monday and that 9-10 of our embies were looking 'really good' (Day 3).
I felt a lot better through the weekend, having finally been able to get rid of the majority of the bloating and get around better. DM had stayed thru Fri AM and then was just me & DH for the weekend. By then I really didn't need much, was just anxious for Monday to come.
We started off at the acupuncture clinic a few buildings down. My acupuncturist did some needling to prepare my body for the transfer. Then we headed over to NCCRM.
Compared to the retrieval (and its afteraffects), the transfer was a cakewalk. First they showed us the embryos in the incubator (thru a microscope), said they wanted to transfer THREE embryos! and then got me ready for transfer. They got the US ready so the dr could see what he was doing, then they transferred our babies thru a cathedar into my uterus. There was no pain (all I had was a valium) and it was over quick. Then DH & I just chatted while I laid there for 15 minutes.
2 of the 3 embies were blastocysts which is supposed to be a good thing. So we really are excited and hoping to find that I'm pregnant! In the picture they gave us, only one (lower middle) was actually a blastocyst at the time. I think he said they had taken this picture Monday morning and that the one on the right became a blastocyst during the day before the transfer.
Afterward, we went back over for more acupuncture & then on home. I was on bedrest through Thursday and then still resting today though I've been up & about. I go back tomorrow to have my progesterone levels checked & then on 3/5 have the first beta test. (That's when we find out if I'm preggo or not). Though they do 3 tests and want to see the numbers rising, so I'm not sure if they consider us pregnant for sure until the 3rd beta.
~ RETRIEVAL 2/14/07~
We had our retrieval on Valentine's Day in the early AM. I got a little nervous just as a I was in the back room waiting for my turn (someone else had to be there even earlier than us for their retrieval). But it was no big deal, just a little prick to numb me up for the IV. Then once the IV was in and they were ready, I was out like a light. The last thing I said (or remember saying anyway) is 'that was fast'. I had started to feeel the anesthesia as soon as he said he'd started it. The procedure takes about 10 mins itself, it's all the other hoopla that takes awhile. I got a little nauseated from the anesthesia but was sent on my way pretty soon. Jack got me home & made sure I was all comfy & following dr orders. They had gotten 20 eggs from me which is really good!
DM came by shortly after we got home and she helped DH to take care of me. I was surprised to find the worst part was the bloating & gas. It was miserable! It went away very very slowly & really was uncomfortable through Friday.
~ TRANSFER 2/19/07 ~
Our transfer had been tentatively scheduled for Saturday morning. However, we heard from the embryologist on Fri that he wanted to wait until Monday. Of the 20 eggs, 18 were usuable (1 not viable & 1 was immature). They performed ICSI on all 18 and 16 of them fertilized normally. As of Fri, they were ranging from 2-5 cells (that was Day 2) and he felt they would benefit from being cultured thru the weekend. Sat he called us again saying that we'd transfer at 2:30 on Monday and that 9-10 of our embies were looking 'really good' (Day 3).
I felt a lot better through the weekend, having finally been able to get rid of the majority of the bloating and get around better. DM had stayed thru Fri AM and then was just me & DH for the weekend. By then I really didn't need much, was just anxious for Monday to come.
We started off at the acupuncture clinic a few buildings down. My acupuncturist did some needling to prepare my body for the transfer. Then we headed over to NCCRM.
Compared to the retrieval (and its afteraffects), the transfer was a cakewalk. First they showed us the embryos in the incubator (thru a microscope), said they wanted to transfer THREE embryos! and then got me ready for transfer. They got the US ready so the dr could see what he was doing, then they transferred our babies thru a cathedar into my uterus. There was no pain (all I had was a valium) and it was over quick. Then DH & I just chatted while I laid there for 15 minutes.
2 of the 3 embies were blastocysts which is supposed to be a good thing. So we really are excited and hoping to find that I'm pregnant! In the picture they gave us, only one (lower middle) was actually a blastocyst at the time. I think he said they had taken this picture Monday morning and that the one on the right became a blastocyst during the day before the transfer.
Afterward, we went back over for more acupuncture & then on home. I was on bedrest through Thursday and then still resting today though I've been up & about. I go back tomorrow to have my progesterone levels checked & then on 3/5 have the first beta test. (That's when we find out if I'm preggo or not). Though they do 3 tests and want to see the numbers rising, so I'm not sure if they consider us pregnant for sure until the 3rd beta.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
retrieval tomorrow
My bw today showed beta level of 273. I think that just shows that the HcG shots are working from last night. Anyway, nothing to eat or drink after midnight tonight (no shots tonight yippee!) and then off to the clinic in the AM. Wish me luck!
Monday, February 12, 2007
got a date
Today my bw showed levels were low enough to set a retreival date (they didnt tell me what the level was though). So we go in at 8:30 Wed (Happy Valentine's Day). I still have to do more bw tomorrow (and I thought I was going to get a day off). Tonight I have to take 2 'trigger' shots of HcG at 10PM.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
almost there
My estrogen levelled off today at 5206 (was 5204 yesterday). I was told that is good, but needs to go a little lower (around 4000 range) before they can give me my trigger (HcG) shot. So they gave me more of that Ganirelix Acetate shot to help bring it down. So that plus Lupron & back in the morning for bw. I don't know how fast it will go down (it went up plenty fast), but when it hits the right level, then they'll tell me to take my trigger shot & give me a date/time for the retrieval. So, I'm thinking maybe Wed...
Saturday, February 10, 2007
overkill
I've gotten in this habit lately of sleeping pretty late on Saturday mornings. I know when this infertility trip is over, I'll have a lovely baby waking me up early and that's ok. But a Saturday morning trip to the doctor is NOT a good reason to be awake.
So today my estradiol level continued to climb (that's with no additional FSH or Ovidrel last night) up to 5204. Today the clinic admitted that's not great as they prescribed a new medicine called Ganirelix Acetate. This one is to 'help the estradiol levels come down' in the words of the nurse. Ok, so they pumped me full of all these drugs & they overdid it? Lovely. So I get to take another one to combat that. I actually laughed out loud when I read on the packaging that this drug is an 'antagonist'.
So anyway, back to the doctor bright & early on Sunday morning for more bloodwork & another ultrasound. Hopefully this time we'll hit the mark (I don't even know where the mark is).
So today my estradiol level continued to climb (that's with no additional FSH or Ovidrel last night) up to 5204. Today the clinic admitted that's not great as they prescribed a new medicine called Ganirelix Acetate. This one is to 'help the estradiol levels come down' in the words of the nurse. Ok, so they pumped me full of all these drugs & they overdid it? Lovely. So I get to take another one to combat that. I actually laughed out loud when I read on the packaging that this drug is an 'antagonist'.
So anyway, back to the doctor bright & early on Sunday morning for more bloodwork & another ultrasound. Hopefully this time we'll hit the mark (I don't even know where the mark is).
Friday, February 09, 2007
getting close!
my estrogen level is 3661 today. and i only have to take ONE shot tonight instead of 3 :) so i'm only taking 5 lupron tonight, no ovidrel or follistim. but i do have to go back to the clinic tomorrow (yes on saturday), so thats a bummer
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
tuesday bw/us
Yesterday the RN msg said to reduce my FSH to 125, keep Lupron at 5 & Microdose Ovidrel at 10. It also said my 'levels were 643'. I had no idea what that means so between diggin on the internet & asking the RN today, I found that they are measuring my 'estradiol' or estrogen levels. Being that it was 'day 3', they said those levels should have been around 200 so mine was slightly high. That is why they had cut down my dose last night. They also had me come back in today for more bw/us. The US showed that I had a lot of follicles already & she said that's why my levels were so high. We'll know later this afternoon what the levels were today & what my doses will be for tonight. Hopefully I won't have to go back for bw every day!
Monday, February 05, 2007
more bloodwork
I managed to get into Cary without too much trouble this morning, maybe b/c I left later. I got my bw done & just waiting to hear back. Should just be some changes to my dosages & then back for more bw on Wed AM.
Friday, February 02, 2007
I hate Cary
Cary is a nightmare ... of course the clinic is in Cary so I got stuck in traffic this morning trying to get to my US. I don't care if it is one of the top 5 places to live in 2006, driving there sucks.
Anyway, I did finally get there & the US went fine. BW came back fine too. So as scheduled, RE wants me to reduce my Lupron to 5units from 10. Start 10units microdose ovidrel and 150 IUs on my Follistim pen. Plus, start my estring and keep up with the prenatal & BA.
I go back on Monday for more BW & then they might change my dosages. At this point we're only about 2wks away from transfer. Not too shabby!
Anyway, I did finally get there & the US went fine. BW came back fine too. So as scheduled, RE wants me to reduce my Lupron to 5units from 10. Start 10units microdose ovidrel and 150 IUs on my Follistim pen. Plus, start my estring and keep up with the prenatal & BA.
I go back on Monday for more BW & then they might change my dosages. At this point we're only about 2wks away from transfer. Not too shabby!
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