Just a quick update...

I went in for my ET on Saturday monrning.  We showed up at 8:30 for our 9:30 appointment.  My acupuncturist showed up and treated me for 45 min before the procedure and about 30 min after!  (yes, I am willing to try anything at this point).  I took my valium 30 min prior to the procedure.  All this time they don't tell you anything...so I am assuming everything is still going well with my fertilized embryos.  I walk back into the room and they call the babysitter (that is the dr that deals with the embroys) and he gives us a pretty good report.  Of the 11 that fertilized we have four excellent blasts and two that are about a day behind.  So we transfered two and will freeze four!  At our last IVF we had four excellent blasts.  So I guess I am very happy but I have been here before with the same results and not gotten my BFP.  I guess I just need to keep chilling on the couch and try not to count the days until my Beta. 

I will leave you with a picture of Costa and Rica...(these little ones will hopefully be the reason we don't get to go on our vacation to Costa Rica this year!) 

A Good Report from the Dentist!

Let me start off by saying I have always gotten a good report from my dentist! That is until I started fertility treatments. Two out of the past three cleanings they have noted that my gums bleed. It just so happened that both of those cleanings were after my miscarriages when I was going through my 10 IUIs.


Looks like this article might have some explanation for me. Seems like Clomid can cause sensitive gums and bleeding.
http://www.preconception.com/articles/trouble-getting-pregnant/flossing-for-fertility-1445/

I went in for my dental cleaning today fully expecting a bad report but she noted that everything looked great and I didn’t have any bleeding. I was a little surprised because I am on all sorts of estrogen, progesterone, and other meds for IVF. I always thought it was all the hormones left from the miscarriages that caused the bad dentist report…I guess it was just the Clomid.

Just got my fertilization report!

Out of the 17 retrieved, 13 were mature, and 11 fertilized. I am scheduled to go in on Saturday for a five day transfer. Now I just need these little ones to keep kicking until then! I called my acupuncturist to see if she can go in on Saturday with me! I think that will help me relax and it can’t hurt to increase blood flow to that area! Please send me good vibes Saturday morning at 9:30 during my transfer!!! I can sure use them!

Retrieval

I went in to the RE at 7:00am this morning for my ER. I was the only one getting this done today so I had all the attention of the staff which was nice. They retrieved 17 eggs which is a little higher than I initially thought so that is good. I will get the fertilization report tomorrow so keep your fingers crossed that they were all mature and ICSI worked!



I have been feeling pretty good…some cramping and tenderness but the Tylenol with codeine seems to be working! I will be back at work tomorrow. My hubby has done a great job taking care of me today! A girl can get used to this!

If slow and steady wins the race than I am a looser!

I have been in for my monitoring appointments every day this week. They have me on 20 units of Lupron am and pm, baby aspirin, and 450 units of Follistim. When I went in for my first US on Tuesday the doctor said that I was going fast. My follicles were measuring double what he expected. WTF does that mean. I was a little confused. The RE doing the US is the old man dr that doesn’t really say much so I left with minimal information. I was assuming they would back off my meds if I was going that fast but I was wrong. They kept me on the 450 of Follistim. The next morning at my US I asked the old man RE what the deal was. I asked if going too fast meant bad egg quality or if they were going to cancel me. He said…and I quote “fast is good, super fast is bad and you are just fast.” So I guess I am ok? They have not reduced my meds yet. My ER date has moved from next Thursday (27th) to this Sunday or Monday. I guess that’s ok with me…my ovaries are hurting already and I am so bloated. I can’t wait to spend the weekend in sweat pants! I think they will retrieve about the same number as last time. 15ish…with about 10 or so being mature. Not too bad…I just hope they are good quality.




Happy Weekend to everyone! I will let you know how my ER goes!

The Great Shot Debacle

I have been on Lupron since the 13th – 20 units am and pm. They have been no big deal…hardly even hurt. Saturday night I added 450 units of Follistim. I have been on follistim many times before so we are old pros…or so we thought…


As most of you know the follistim cartridges hold about 425 units of meds. With my dose at 450 I would need two shot. No big deal right?


Well sweet hubby gave me my lupron injection without a hitch. It didn’t even hurt. Then he cranked the follistim pen to 450 and stuck me. Half way through the shot he pulled the shot out saying it was slipping out and he needed to restart – I was thinking wtf another injection??? So he restuck me and finished with the 425 of Follistim. So I suggested changing needles since he has already stuck me twice with that one. I figured I wanted a nice sharp one for the last little bit. So he changes needles and sticks me but nothing happens…needle is in but the pen is not injecting the last 25units of the meds…wtf again…


Well, hubby remembered to change needles but forgot to put in the new cartridge of meds. So, I got one more shot…at this point I am laughing so hard that I am crying. The look on Hub’s face is priceless – I can tell how bad he feels causing me more pain than necessary. Hubby is worried that I am crying and not laughing. Oh the joys of injections. Saturday I needed three shots but got five. I guess even old pros have trouble sometimes. At least I got a good laugh out of it.

Ahhh…

Back to weekly acupuncture appointments and I love it.  I don’t know what it is that makes me instantly fall into a nice deep sleep when I am full of needles but…it could be the peaceful music or the heated bed or the fact that the speaker is attached to the bed so it vibrates along with the bass of the music – fantastic.  So I start my Lupron shots tomorrow am then Follestim on Saturday.  Let’s get this show on the road!  HOLLER!

A funny little story

This is the story of our first month of TTC.  Keep in mind this was over four years ago and we were blissfully innocent.  It all started with a breakfast out one Sunday morning.  We had been married for just about a year and we had the typical conversation about starting our family.  So that day I threw out our BCP and was so excited.  I thought I understood the timing of everything and basically knew what to do.  We had spent plenty of time practicing so I thought I would be one of the lucky ones who got pregnant right away.  We had timed intercourse then about three days after the timed intercourse I felt some twinges in my ovary area and I was sure it had worked.  To the point that I looked at hubby and exclaimed “I think it worked”.  He just laughed at me and we went on our way.  Well it didn’t work.  I had my timing way off and we got busy on cycle day 10/11.  The twinges I was feeling was from ovulation.  I totally missed the window that month.  I still think back to my “I think it worked” comment and giggle.  I guess I didn’t really know my body at all since I was on the pill for 10 years or so.  I had never felt ovulation pain or even really thought about it.  Now that I am off the pill I will never go back on it (not that I will ever need too).  I love knowing my body and feeling what it does and actually understanding it. 

I have a plan and it feels good!

So NYE was lots of fun and we probably had one too many cocktails…but we were saying goodbye to a crappy 2010 and welcoming 2011 with open arms. It has to be better than the past two years. We are starting the year off jumping into IVF. My CD1 was December 29 so I started BCP then. I will be on the Flare protocol for this IVF. That is different than my first IVF which was the Antagonist protocol. Change is good right?




Here is my timeline…

Stop BCPs the 9th, US on the 10th, start Lupron on the 13th and Follistim on the 15th. With retrieval the week of the 24th. Typing this out, I just got really excited!


So anyone with experience on Lupron- bring on the stories of the horrid side effects! I hope they are not too bad. I guess I should set up my acupuncture appointments to help with the side effects.


So, I say goodbye to alcohol, caffeine and all the other bad stuff and start popping pills! The RE did say that I can continue working out until I start stims. I really need to drop a couple lbs…