Friday, November 30, 2007

IVF #2 - Stim check #1

My appointment went better than the last time. They saw 11 follicles. They were all under 10mm at this point. My estrogen level is 154. The nurse said that is exactly where it should be.
I am staying on the same doses of meds...Gonal F 300 and Menopur 150. I have my next stim check on Sunday. I am getting excited.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

IVF #2

I had my suppression check this past Saturday and everything looked good. My estrogen level was 52 and there were no cysts. I was cleared to go ahead and start my stimulation meds this coming Tuesday. They are starting me out at Gonal F 300 and Menopur 150. My first stim check will be this coming Friday. No lupron at all this time.

I am sure that I don't need to mention that I am really really hoping that this time it will work.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Conclusion to IVF #1

Sorry that I wasn't able to update my blog in the end of the cycle. I was having computer issues and had to take it to place for work on it! $300 later it's up and running. If I added any more money...I could have had a new system!

I had my egg retrieval on a Wednesday 10/10/07. It wasn't bad at all! They started my IV, walked me into the "OR" type room. I sat at the end of the stretcher and that is all I remember about the procedure. My husband says that I was talking in spanish in recovery. That in itself is funny. I am bilingual but my primary language is English. I think in English, translate things in my head and then speak Spanish. My husband is 100% American and doesn't speak any Spanish. I also told them I had to hurry because I had soccer practice. Well, I played soccer in middle school for ONE year.

I did have some mild cramping later on but nothing to write home about. I had no spotting. I took off work the following day because of the emotions of it all. I felt like I needed to just sleep.
When they called me the following day with my update....that only 6 eggs were retrieved, only 4 were mature and only 2 fertilized. I was glad that I got that update at home. I tried to be happy but felt disappointed.

I had a 3 day transfer. They put back one 6 cell and one 7 cell embryo with no fragmentation. The fact that they weren't 8 cell also made me sad. I know....I know....I am a perfetionist. The doctor kept telling me that they were perfect embryos for day 3.

After that...I began taking home pregnancy test on day 6 after my transfer. My thought was....I want a negative one first....to make sure that the trigger shot is in fact out of my system.....so, if I get a subsequent positive....I know that it is really a positive. Unfortunately, my test continued to remain negative up until the day of the beta which was also negative.

I was pretty heartbroken. My husband and I decided to give it one more try. Our insurance doesn't cover IVF because I had a selective tubal ligation. Therefore, it meant taking out another loan.

We met with our doctor and she changed things around for this time. She felt that I oversurppressed on the lupron and developed a cyst. Therefore, this time she will put me on the birthcontrol pills for the 3 weeks (as before) for suppression but she will not use Lupron. I will go in the day after I stop the birthcontrol pills for a "suppression check"....mostly to make sure that everything looks normal and that there are no cycsts. Then on day 4 after stopping the birthcontrol pills I will start stimulation meds. I will be adding Ganirelix to my meds when my follicles reach about 14-16mm which will prevent ovulation.

I am really hoping that this time I make more eggs, that some make it to day 5 and that I actually get pregnant. I am currently on week 2 of the birthcontrol pills. I am suppose to start stimulation meds on 11/27.