Huge Beta

I called the clinic as soon as they opened this morning and was able to get an appt before 10AM thankfully. I was dying to find out what my beta levels were and get our pregnancy confirmed by the doc! I showed up early but thankfully they never make me wait, even if I'm early. They called me right back and took my blood. She said since this was the first test, they would do both hcg (what I keep referring to as the beta) and progesterone. Progesterone is a necessary hormone during pregnancy, esp in the early stages to maintain the pregnancy (thus why I was prescribed prog. suppositories as part of fertility treatment).

So finally Dr Meyer called me back and confirmed that I am indeed pregnant. Yay!! He said my beta was 1100 (my reaction was 'woah, really?!'). That's a pretty high number which I knew from my internet obsessions. Here's a beta chart that you can look at to get a general idea (look at day 16, today is 16 days past ovulation for me). Notice there are two charts, one shows values for single pregnancies (one baby) and the other is for multiple pregnancies (twins or more). As you will see from the chart, 1100 is high even on the multiples chart.

Dr Meyer said that beta is high enough that it may be TWINS!! (as I was just alluding to) but that it's too early to tell. I don't even have to go back for a second beta as expected since it was so high. He said my progesterone looked good (I didn't ask the exact number). So I'll finish up the progesterone I have (just a few more days) but then do not need to refill it. He also confirmed my expectation that I no longer need Avandia or Glucophage (for my PCOS) while pregnant. So other than prenatal vitamins, I am going to be drug-free for the first time in two years! I setup an appt for two weeks from now (9/18) for our first ultrasound where we'll hopefully learn more.

Now off to tell our families...

Two Pink Lines

I'm Pregnant!!! This morning we did our home test and it was positive! The second pink line was very very faint at first & I almost threw it away thinking it was negative again. Once I noticed, I called Jack out of bed to look at it. As we pulled out the directions to compare, the line got a little darker. Yay! After two years of treatment, IUI (with superovulation) worked!

Of course I sat right down & figured out a due date online! May 12th if there is one baby. (Remember I had 4 follicles, so we're at risk for multiples). Of course it's a holiday weekend, so I have to wait until Tues to call the doc & get a beta test to confirm it.

We are SOO EXCITED! I'm dying to tell everyone I know, but Jack is being the rational one. He's convinced me that I need to wait until Dr. Meyer confirms it before I tell the whole world. So keep us in your prayers that everything continues to progress well!

Here we go again... (aka IUI #5)

Yep it's already time for another go. Thats one thing with infertility, you barely get time to let the last negative test (hpt or beta) sink in before it's time to move on (unless it's IVF, they make you wait after that).

This morning, after my scan, Dr Meyer suggested we change my protocol for this cycle. So, no more Femara. Instead, I'll start the Follistim earlier (day 3 instead of 7) and up the dose. Taking 75IUs tonight and then 50 until I go back next Wed (15th). I had been taking only 37.5IUs. This is a more agreesive schedule, but not too much. After 2 previous cycles with the same doses, he didn't think it made any sense to try another without making changes. He said I could try another if I wanted to, but I'm in agreement we shouldn't keep trying the exact same thing over & over.

last acupuncture

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.

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!

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 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!