Day 7 Stim Check

This morning we traveled an hour to our RE's main office for another stim check. This was my first stim check at this office and it started off on the wrong foot. Perhaps I'm a bit sensitive and irritable, but when the nurse called out Becky and was looking right in my face I was totally annoyed. Granted I grew up as Becky and my family still calls me Becky, but all my paperwork says Rebecca. Why the hell did she call me Becky? She quickly apologized why I snidely asked her if she was talking to me.

We went back into the ultrasound room and she seemed to have a very difficult time reading my left ovary as it was high. I'm not even sure she knew what she was doing and actually got on her phone during the procedure asking another nurse to come in and help. I'm not putting too much stock into my results because somewhere in the last two days I've lost a couple follicles. How the hell does that happen?

After the ultrasound, the nurse that came in to assist actually finished up with me and blood work. She must have been able to tell how damn irritated I was. Anyways, here is where we stand:

Left ovary: 15, 14, 14, 10, 9 and 4 smaller ones
Right ovary: 15, 12 and 3 smaller ones
e2: 1430

I'm continuing at my 375 of Gonal-F, 20 units of diluted Lupron and 10 units of low dose HCG. I have go back tomorrow morning for another check. Of course they cannot get me until 7:50 am. Awesome.

Day 5 Stim Check

It was after today's appointment that I realized how night and day my two IVF cycles are. Dr. D. is much more aggressive with my doses and I really think its going to pay off. After 5 days of stims my follicles are:

Left ovary: 12, 11, 11, 11, 11, 7 and 5 that are too small to measure and likely won't turn into anything

Right ovary: 12, 10 and 4 smaller ones

My e2 is 959

For IVF #1 I ended up with a total of 7 eggs retrieved and only 4 mature. Additionally, my e2 was just under 1,000 at time of trigger.

At this point I'm staying on the 375 nightly iu of Gonal-F and adding in 10 iu of low dose HCG and I will keep on the 20 units diluted Lupron twice daily. I go back in on Sunday morning for another check.

Keep your fingers crossed!

And We're Off....No Scrambled Eggs for Me

Although my IVF cycle tecnhnically started on 12/25 when I began the birth control, it really feels like it started last night. I started my diluted dose of Lupron on Friday and then started my Gonal-F (stims) last night.

I still haven't decided if I'm more nervous or excited. I still carry with me that renewed sense of hope the new doctor and protocol instilled in me back in October. I'm just now starting to see the difference a new doctor makes. I'm on a totally different protocol, my first dose of stims last night was 450 compared to the 150 I was for the first round of IVF.

This has to be a good thing, right? I mean I know I will never produce 20 eggs due to my low antral follicle count, but hopefully I can get at more than 4 mature eggs. I promise not to scramble or hardboil them......

From the Mouth of Michael: The Pressures of Spooging on Demand

From the Mouth of Michael:

On December 31st we made another visit to the RE so Rebecca could have a mock transfer.

I had the fortunate experience to give them a sample for them to freeze incase for some reason I am not able to produce any when it comes to the day they do the egg retrieval and do the insemination. It is never something I look forward to. But I got it out of the way and is one less thing or fear I have on my mind right know.

It reminds me of a swim meet. I have swam the back stroke before by practicing, but not sure how I was to perform in the race. Visualizing the race in my head, but getting more nervous as it got closer to the time the clock started. What if I got tired right away? What if it is really close? What if I get a bad time?

This was the same thing. What if I went into the room and didn't get a good time!!! No, not have a good time, get a good time!!!! Well my swim meet is over and I feel like I swam the best I could for the day and circumstances. Just have one big meet left coming up. I hope I don't die on the last lap!!!!!

New Technique: Positive Thinking

Forgive me for not remembering, but someone mentioned their doctor recommended they should imagine themselves being pregnant for 5 minutes each day. I've since added that into our nightly routine.

Every night after we get ourselves ready for bed, we spend some quality cuddle time with Nina and Billy. They sometimes are cuddling with each other in the same bed, but as of lately, Nina snuggles into a little (or big) ball on a chair and Billy curls himself into his 90 lb ball on one of their beds.

While cuddling and loving the dogs we now talk about what we look forward to if/when we find out I'm pregnant.

Night 1

Me: The first time Mike is able to feel the baby kick

Mike: Rubbing my belly knowing there is a baby in there

Night 2 (we must have been really tired because these are both pretty weak)

Me: Not having to each sandwiches every day for lunch - I'm so sick of lunch meat

Mike: Changing my ring tone to Rock-a-Bye Baby

I will try to keep the list running, hopefully, one of these days we will be able to experience it.

Excuse me, I'd like off this roller coaster now

I've been a terrible blogger. Part of that is from the holiday rush and busy work schedule, but I also think its because I just haven't felt like myself lately. I'm very emotional and am having a hard time finding balance before things change again.

What was supposed to be a one-cycle break between IVF cycles turned into two cycles. Just when I accepted that I went in for my annual pap and it came back abnormal. I went in for my colposcopy/biopsy on 12/23.

Dr. D. said he would continue with our plan providing the results come back okay and not needing further treatment (LEEP procedure). I'm pretty much on pins and needles until Wednesday.

I did start birth control pills on 12/25 (Merry Christmas) for 10 days leading up the Lupron. I'm hoping and praying that the biopsy comes back normal so we can proceed. I go in on Thursday for a mock transfer and for Mike to freeze some sperm. Sounds like a fun New Years Eve, doesn't it?

Appointment with Maternal Fetal Medicine Doctor

First off, I've been a bad blogger. A few days after I met with the new RE, he called me for two reasons. One: he requested I meet with a maternal fetal medicine (MFM) doctor due to my history of polymyocitis, an autoimmune disease and my hypothyroid. Two: he suggested we meet with a genetic counselor due to my family history of colon cancer.

After lots of thought and several heart-to-hearts with Mike, we decided we would not go through with the genetic counseling for the cancer. This was a hard decision as my mother is in remission from colon cancer and I lost a wonderful cousin to colo-rectal cancer at the young age of 36. There were a couple factors that played into our decision, the most major being with my low AFC we weren't all too confident that we'd ever get enough eggs to have the luxury of knowing and selecting the best and healthiest eggs.

We did, however, decide to meet with a MFM and did so this morning. He informed us of all the things that could be associated with autoimmune diseases like gestational diabetes, increased chance of miscarriage and heart development issues in the fetus. He recommended a blood test to check and see if I'm a carrier of two genes that are tied to the fetus heart development issues.

We also talked about my hypothyroid diagnosis and he also mentioned if the thyroid is not regulated properly it increases your chance for a miscarriage. He therefore recommended that as soon as I find out I'm pregnant, I should double my synthroid and get in for blood work right away.

Because of both of my health concerns he said he would recommend a lot of ultrasounds and tests once I actually am pregnant and overall felt confident that I would be able to have a normal and healthy pregnancy.

Mike and I were both happy with him and they way he explained things. He really wanted us to understand the concerns and his recommendations. Essentially what he is doing is laying out my care plan for when I do become pregnant and sharing that with my RE. Its nice to feel like they are looking out for me and our baby.

I am expecting my period any day now and then will go see Dr. D for blood work and the dildocam. We are both excited to get the show on the road for IVF #2.