April 5, 2006
I passed my suppression scan this morning. No surprise, I have no problems suppressing, it is the stimming that is the challenge for me!
They are switching up my protocol a bit. I think I am going to be somewhat of a guinea pig, at least for my doc, but I trust her, so I am not too concerned. They told me that there are some studies out there that show that the use of what my doc called a type of “micro dose HCG” instead of Repronex or Menopur has been shown in some cases to improve egg quality. Apparently my embryologist is a big proponent. Also, it will be much cheaper, as I only use 20 IU a day... my nurse said it will probably only cost about $100 for enough microdose HCG for the whole cycle... much better than all the money I spent on Repronex last time. Although it is a proven drug, and has been used in many cycles before, my RE hasn’t done many protocols using this drug, but I guess she thinks I am a good candidate. She gave me the option to stay with Repronex, in case I was the type of person to insist on exactly what I did last time (since, for me at least, I had a good stim). But I think, what the hell, let’s give it a try. Bottom line is that last time didn’t work, so why should I stick to that, right?
I am also using Follistim this time instead of Gonal-f, since a friend of a friend gave me 600 IU for free (yea!). So my nurse showed me how to use the pen today. Seems pretty simple. I do only microdose Lupron (10 IU morning and night) beginning on Friday. I start my stims on Sunday. 200 IU Follistim in the am along with 20 IU microdose HCG and another 200 IU Follistim in the pm. My first stim scan is Friday, April 14th.
April 13, 2006
Trevor and I just got back from vacation in Jamaica. The hotel was so wonderful and relaxing and I can’t wait to go back. I wish I could have taken the time off during the last 7 days of stims, but those pesky monitoring appointments get in the way. Traveling with the meds was no problem. We used a cooler for the plane trip (the same one Trevor bought for IVF #1 to use in Chicago). It is funny how I started my meds on the road this time, too. The Follistim pen was really easy and it was nice using just one type of needle for the Lupron and MDHCG instead of having to switch needles and reconstitute the Repronex. Last night on the plane ride back to KC I started feeling nauseous. I don’t know if it was due to all the traveling, or if the MDHCG is giving me phantom pregnancy symptoms. They are not too bad, just kind of annoying and also a bit cruel, given the situation. My first b/w and u/s is tomorrow morning, and of course I am nervous. This is the worst appointment for me. Trevor has to go to work early, so this will be my first appointment solo. I thought about asking Angie or my mom to go with me, but I think I will just go it alone.
April 14, 2006
My first b/w and u/s appointment was fine. Very uneventful, I was in and out in 15 minutes. We saw lots of follicles on the ultrasound (at least lots for me). Brandi said they were a bit on the small side overall, but that is typical for me. She said there were about 15 that looked really promising. She had no problem finding my left ovary like last time. Plus, it looks like it is contributing a little more this time around (last cycle I think we got maybe 2 mature eggs from the left). I am feeling really good about things. Plus Brandi said she had just gotten in a free sample of Follistim from the rep and gave it to me. Yea! That is another $400 saved. Believe it or not, there is a very real possibility that my meds for this cycle will be under $1,500. Brandi just called. My E2 level is 745, which I think is good, but it is lower than the 800 I had at this point in my last cycle, so I can’t help but feeling disappointed. I am to stay on the same dose of meds through Saturday and on Sunday I drop to 150 IU Follistim morning and evening. My next appointment is Monday at 8:30. I should have made it earlier so I could do my shots afterward, but I can do them a little before 8:30 and still be fine. I will just pack them in the cooler and take them in my car before my appointment. It is amazing what you can get used to by the third cycle.
April 17, 2006
Talk about becoming old-hat. I am too uninspired to journal about this cycle, so I am cutting and pasting from my Cycle #2 journal and filling in the blanks with #3 numbers. Second blood draw and ultrasound today. Brandi looked like she measured quite a few follicles and said everything looked good, but I didn’t bother her with a count request. One thing I have found through my cycles is that it is no use to get worked up about follicle count. What will be at retrieval will be, so I am not going to get my hopes up just because it looks like I have a few more follicles than last time. I thought with #2 that I would get tons more eggs than with the first cycle and I only managed to get 3 more. Sure, 8 more were mature, which is huge, but the original number retrieved wasn’t much better. So I am not hoping for tons of eggs with this cycle either (although I can’t help but secretly hope for 15, since that what Brandi quoted on the first scan).
Blood work came back with an E2 of 2235 (really close to last cycle which was 2254 at this point… although I have to admit it is a bit psychologically disappointing to be on the low end, even when it is this close). Once again, they have decided to stim me an extra day which will put retrieval on Friday, April 21st, instead of the 20th (which we assumed would be the case from the start). I am to stay on the same doses of meds (10 MDL, 150 Follistim and 20 MDHGC am and 10 MDL and 150 Follistim pm) up to my next b/w u/s on Wednesday morning at 9:00. It looks like I will trigger Wednesday night for a Friday retrieval.
April 19, 2006
Third b/w and u/s appointment this morning. Trevor went with me and he and Brandi had a little fun playing the “what organ is that” game during the u/s. Everything looked right on track for a Friday retrieval. E2 is 3820 (3700 last cycle at this time). Finally the clinic is keeping up with the times and I got an email address for Brandi that we can use to correspond. In lieu of a further post I will copy and paste our exchange below. I also had my last acupuncture appointment before retrieval. Kathleen is kind of out there, but I can tell she is doing all she can for me.
***
Brandi: It was good to see you this morning. Your positive attitude is always uplifting at a time when I can't allow myself to be too positive. I was wondering if when you call/email later today to confirm the time Trevor should show up at the lab on Friday, you could also let me know my E2 levels from my blood draw today. Thanks, Erin
I passed my suppression scan this morning. No surprise, I have no problems suppressing, it is the stimming that is the challenge for me!
They are switching up my protocol a bit. I think I am going to be somewhat of a guinea pig, at least for my doc, but I trust her, so I am not too concerned. They told me that there are some studies out there that show that the use of what my doc called a type of “micro dose HCG” instead of Repronex or Menopur has been shown in some cases to improve egg quality. Apparently my embryologist is a big proponent. Also, it will be much cheaper, as I only use 20 IU a day... my nurse said it will probably only cost about $100 for enough microdose HCG for the whole cycle... much better than all the money I spent on Repronex last time. Although it is a proven drug, and has been used in many cycles before, my RE hasn’t done many protocols using this drug, but I guess she thinks I am a good candidate. She gave me the option to stay with Repronex, in case I was the type of person to insist on exactly what I did last time (since, for me at least, I had a good stim). But I think, what the hell, let’s give it a try. Bottom line is that last time didn’t work, so why should I stick to that, right?
I am also using Follistim this time instead of Gonal-f, since a friend of a friend gave me 600 IU for free (yea!). So my nurse showed me how to use the pen today. Seems pretty simple. I do only microdose Lupron (10 IU morning and night) beginning on Friday. I start my stims on Sunday. 200 IU Follistim in the am along with 20 IU microdose HCG and another 200 IU Follistim in the pm. My first stim scan is Friday, April 14th.
April 13, 2006
Trevor and I just got back from vacation in Jamaica. The hotel was so wonderful and relaxing and I can’t wait to go back. I wish I could have taken the time off during the last 7 days of stims, but those pesky monitoring appointments get in the way. Traveling with the meds was no problem. We used a cooler for the plane trip (the same one Trevor bought for IVF #1 to use in Chicago). It is funny how I started my meds on the road this time, too. The Follistim pen was really easy and it was nice using just one type of needle for the Lupron and MDHCG instead of having to switch needles and reconstitute the Repronex. Last night on the plane ride back to KC I started feeling nauseous. I don’t know if it was due to all the traveling, or if the MDHCG is giving me phantom pregnancy symptoms. They are not too bad, just kind of annoying and also a bit cruel, given the situation. My first b/w and u/s is tomorrow morning, and of course I am nervous. This is the worst appointment for me. Trevor has to go to work early, so this will be my first appointment solo. I thought about asking Angie or my mom to go with me, but I think I will just go it alone.
April 14, 2006
My first b/w and u/s appointment was fine. Very uneventful, I was in and out in 15 minutes. We saw lots of follicles on the ultrasound (at least lots for me). Brandi said they were a bit on the small side overall, but that is typical for me. She said there were about 15 that looked really promising. She had no problem finding my left ovary like last time. Plus, it looks like it is contributing a little more this time around (last cycle I think we got maybe 2 mature eggs from the left). I am feeling really good about things. Plus Brandi said she had just gotten in a free sample of Follistim from the rep and gave it to me. Yea! That is another $400 saved. Believe it or not, there is a very real possibility that my meds for this cycle will be under $1,500. Brandi just called. My E2 level is 745, which I think is good, but it is lower than the 800 I had at this point in my last cycle, so I can’t help but feeling disappointed. I am to stay on the same dose of meds through Saturday and on Sunday I drop to 150 IU Follistim morning and evening. My next appointment is Monday at 8:30. I should have made it earlier so I could do my shots afterward, but I can do them a little before 8:30 and still be fine. I will just pack them in the cooler and take them in my car before my appointment. It is amazing what you can get used to by the third cycle.
April 17, 2006
Talk about becoming old-hat. I am too uninspired to journal about this cycle, so I am cutting and pasting from my Cycle #2 journal and filling in the blanks with #3 numbers. Second blood draw and ultrasound today. Brandi looked like she measured quite a few follicles and said everything looked good, but I didn’t bother her with a count request. One thing I have found through my cycles is that it is no use to get worked up about follicle count. What will be at retrieval will be, so I am not going to get my hopes up just because it looks like I have a few more follicles than last time. I thought with #2 that I would get tons more eggs than with the first cycle and I only managed to get 3 more. Sure, 8 more were mature, which is huge, but the original number retrieved wasn’t much better. So I am not hoping for tons of eggs with this cycle either (although I can’t help but secretly hope for 15, since that what Brandi quoted on the first scan).
Blood work came back with an E2 of 2235 (really close to last cycle which was 2254 at this point… although I have to admit it is a bit psychologically disappointing to be on the low end, even when it is this close). Once again, they have decided to stim me an extra day which will put retrieval on Friday, April 21st, instead of the 20th (which we assumed would be the case from the start). I am to stay on the same doses of meds (10 MDL, 150 Follistim and 20 MDHGC am and 10 MDL and 150 Follistim pm) up to my next b/w u/s on Wednesday morning at 9:00. It looks like I will trigger Wednesday night for a Friday retrieval.
April 19, 2006
Third b/w and u/s appointment this morning. Trevor went with me and he and Brandi had a little fun playing the “what organ is that” game during the u/s. Everything looked right on track for a Friday retrieval. E2 is 3820 (3700 last cycle at this time). Finally the clinic is keeping up with the times and I got an email address for Brandi that we can use to correspond. In lieu of a further post I will copy and paste our exchange below. I also had my last acupuncture appointment before retrieval. Kathleen is kind of out there, but I can tell she is doing all she can for me.
***
Brandi: It was good to see you this morning. Your positive attitude is always uplifting at a time when I can't allow myself to be too positive. I was wondering if when you call/email later today to confirm the time Trevor should show up at the lab on Friday, you could also let me know my E2 levels from my blood draw today. Thanks, Erin
Hello! I just called your progesterone in to Stark’s. And I called Osco at 5170 Roe, 913-432-1262, with everything else. Hope that’s the right one! I will be happy to have a positive attitude for you!! I completely and totally understand that you have to keep your emotions a bit restrained. Actually, I am glad that you are realistic and not overly hopeful, setting yourself up for shocking disappointment. I like it when patients at least try to remain objective. I’m not sure I’m phrasing that correctly, but I think you know what I mean. Ovidrel x2 tonight at 9pm!!! Call me if you have any problems! Please meet the Embryologist at the lab entrance, Suite 125, at 6:30am on Friday. Your estradiol today was 3820. My fingers are crossed!!! Any questions? Thanks, Brandi
***
One more day to go.
***
That was the end of my journal, but I have gone back and cut and pasted a few email updates (they may look a little familiar to some, because chances are these emails were to one of you).
April 21, 2006
it went okay. they got 17 eggs from me and 14 were mature. to compare IVF #1 9 eggs, 4 mature and IVF #2 12 eggs, 11 mature. i am laying in bed, checking email and using the laptop as a heating pad! ha. Unfortunately, Trevor's translocation causes our fertilization rate to be way lower than average. We find out that info tomorrow.
April 25, 2006
There are 6 that are where they should be (12-celled to morula stage) and my favorite, Trevor Junior, who is bringing up the rear at 8 to 10 cells as of this morning's report. Doing just enough to get by... a real chip off the old block! :).
May 1, 2006
So, I am starting to ache is all of "those" places. I haven't told Trevor yet. Who knows, maybe it is not what I think it is... but I think it is. I am sooooo sick of this!! I am just tired and beat down and so sick of being on this stupid, painful and expensive hamster wheel. I emailed my IVF nurse this morning to get an idea of the FET protocol. From my summary research on the net this morning, it looks like at some clinics it is a 7 week ordeal! Seriously, I WILL go crazy by then. I have two frozen blasts. One passed PGD and the other got a non-read on the sample, but screw it. It probably won't take, and if it does and does have abnormalities, the chances are I would miscarry, so I say dump them both in, we have to get at least one lucky break during this process.
May 2, 2006
Well, Brandi wrote back and had this to say about timing for the FET:
Well, Brandi wrote back and had this to say about timing for the FET:
We usually skip a month after a fresh cycle just to make sure the ovaries have time to go down, but we don't always have to do that as carefully for a thaw cycle. I would have to check with Dr B, but I bet we could start right into birth control pills. Yes, you'll do pills for a few weeks, then Lupron for 2 weeks, then estrogen patches for about 2 weeks to get the uterine lining nice and thick. Then we thaw the embryo and transfer it the same day, usually on a Monday. It's a very easy protocol and easy to schedule. You will still have to do progesterone shots. I promise I will check with Dr B and plan your thaw cycle ASAP this week. We have lots of flexibility with birth control pills and planning a thaw, so we can pretty much make it fall whenever we want. At the earliest, you are probably looking at end of July or first of August (due to your ovaries needing some time, and the IVF lab schedule, and summer vacation schedules). Yes, I understand you wanting to just "get it over with." You've been through a lot! Major roller coaster....time for a little break.
End of July or August... ughhh! August... that is over three months! Trevor is going to flip. His patience is running even thinner than mine.
May 4, 2006
Not pregnant. Again. And also once again, not the least bit surprised. I had my meltdown last night, so I am fine today. Just wanted to let you all know. Thanks for checking in on me the last couple of weeks. Your support means a lot.
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