Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. The show will resume in approximately 2 minutes.
I finally started my period today, so I've started wearing my Vivelle "dot" patches and taking one baby aspirin a day. After one day of testing, I can tell you that a baby aspirin is not an effective treatment for cramps. Do you think anyone will notice if I pop 800mg of ibuprofen tonight, really?
I also got our FET (frozen embryo transfer) calendar from the nurse today. We're going with the original plan, the more aggressive, "I will probably regret this later", plan.
Basically, I wear one patch for 6 days. Well, I don't actually wear the same patch for 6 days, I change out the patch every other day. Then I wear 2 patches for 2 days, then 3 patches for 2 days, then 4 patches for 2 days.
After that (on my birthday) I start something totally disgusting that I am not sure I'm even going to tell you about. Trust me, you don't want to know.
That's also when I start taking the progesterone shots, the ones that are oil-based and have the fat needles. These shots apparently go on and on and on, maybe even throughout the whole pregnancy. Yay...
There are a couple more pills I will be taking during the last few days, antibiotics I think. And all of this leads us to the embryo transfer on August 14th. If my body doesn't respond to the drugs this might move out to August 18th. As long as it happens on the 14th my doctor will do the transfer, any other day and we will have another doctor for the procedure.
During the last 3-4 days before the transfer they'll thaw our embryos and grow them to be 5 days old on August 14th. We have 12 embryos and we're hoping a good number of them remain healthy and make it to day 5.
After the transfer I have to stay in bed for 3 days, and then we will go back in to do a pregnancy test 9 days after the transfer. It's no good doing a home pregnancy test, apparently, because they've pumped your body full of all the same hormones that make a pregnancy test come out positive, even if you're not really pregnant.
I'll be back in a couple of days to let you know how it's going.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Everything BUT according to plan
It’s about time to start working on the “project” again. Actually, it’s past time. I should have started my period last Thursday and started wearing my estrogen patches, leading up to a transfer on August 11th.
So I called the nurse this morning to let her know I hadn’t started yet, and she proceeded to read over my calendar which had me starting birth control pills and Lupron shots and then having yet another period and THEN starting the patches leading up to a transfer in September! I told her she must have the wrong calendar, that I was starting patches immediately and my transfer was scheduled for August 11th. And she said “no, you are on the slower, more conservative calendar because of your history with endometriosis”.
Well, I lost the plot......as politely as I possibly could......and asked her to double check one more time because, as of Friday, we were still talking about my starting patches over the weekend.
She told me that even if I started patches this week, now that I am at least 5 days late with my period, that my transfer would be happening while my doctor is on vacation. And finally, she said she was very sorry, which helped A LOT.
That was in the morning, and I stewed all day long. I was getting depressed, thinking this is never going to happen, it’s just one thing after another. I was getting mad at the doctor for telling me one thing and then changing his mind…….and for taking a vacation. How dare he!
At about 5:30 this afternoon the nurse called me back and said “okay, you can go back to the original plan”. The doctor forgot that he had already told me I’d be on that protocol. In looking at everything today he would prefer I go the more conservative route, but I can move ahead with the original plan if I want to.
Of course, that doesn’t make me feel better because now I feel like, when it doesn’t work, I am going to be keenly aware that it was MY fault.
Today has not been a good day.
Oh, and if I don’t start my period by Thursday the doctor wants me to take a pregnancy test. Now wouldn’t that be ironic.
So I called the nurse this morning to let her know I hadn’t started yet, and she proceeded to read over my calendar which had me starting birth control pills and Lupron shots and then having yet another period and THEN starting the patches leading up to a transfer in September! I told her she must have the wrong calendar, that I was starting patches immediately and my transfer was scheduled for August 11th. And she said “no, you are on the slower, more conservative calendar because of your history with endometriosis”.
Well, I lost the plot......as politely as I possibly could......and asked her to double check one more time because, as of Friday, we were still talking about my starting patches over the weekend.
She told me that even if I started patches this week, now that I am at least 5 days late with my period, that my transfer would be happening while my doctor is on vacation. And finally, she said she was very sorry, which helped A LOT.
That was in the morning, and I stewed all day long. I was getting depressed, thinking this is never going to happen, it’s just one thing after another. I was getting mad at the doctor for telling me one thing and then changing his mind…….and for taking a vacation. How dare he!
At about 5:30 this afternoon the nurse called me back and said “okay, you can go back to the original plan”. The doctor forgot that he had already told me I’d be on that protocol. In looking at everything today he would prefer I go the more conservative route, but I can move ahead with the original plan if I want to.
Of course, that doesn’t make me feel better because now I feel like, when it doesn’t work, I am going to be keenly aware that it was MY fault.
Today has not been a good day.
Oh, and if I don’t start my period by Thursday the doctor wants me to take a pregnancy test. Now wouldn’t that be ironic.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Taking time off to detox
We had a regroup yesterday with our doctor, and the news was better than we thought.
I'll just take it sequentially. First of all, I did officially have OHSS. Apparently another girl that was cycling at the same time as me had it too, and I should feel lucky because she was hospitalized! So, although gaining 21 pounds sucked, I am definitely happy I didn't have to go into the hospital to be drained.
My estrogen level was 6440 and my lining was 16.5 the last time they measured. Apparently these aren't even "close" but are way over the ranges CCRM will work with, before they call off the cycle.
They retrieved 20 eggs. Only 18 were mature. And actually, 1 of the 18 was too far along, so we basically started with 17.
5 of the 17 fertilized abnormally which means that they had 1, 3 or 4 pro nuclei (PN) instead of 2. In a normal fertilization there are 2 PN (one from the egg and one from the sperm). These 5 were classified as 'chromosomally abnormal' and were discarded :(
Another 7 of the 17 fertilized normally (i.e. they saw 2 PN on day 1). Since there were only 7 at this point, they decided to freeze them immediately. The best day to freeze is day 5, but when you only have 7, it's a big risk to wait 5 days because many of them are likely to stop growing. And apparently freezing on day 1 is the 2nd best option if you can't wait until day 5. Oddly, freezing on day 3 has the worst results. So, while we were thinking that freezing them right away was the worst possible thing, we found out it really is the second best option.
The last 5 of the 17 never showed signs of fertilization, but they did start to cleave on day 2 so they were frozen on day 2 which is the 3rd best time to freeze, after day 5 (best) and day 1 (2nd best). Because these 5 made it to day 2 they were able to be graded. 3 of them are grade 4- (which is like an A- in school) and 2 of them are grade 3 (which is like a B).
So, what happens next?
Well, things go quiet for a while. Everyone is waiting for me to have a period, and then another period, and when that second period starts I'll go back on meds. This time I will be wearing estrogen patches for while and then taking progesterone in oil shots. Those will be the big needles that have to go into a muscle, and the nurse said it's not just a long needle but it's a fat one too because the oil is so thick. And they won't let me take a shot of whiskey before!
I'll be on the patches and shots for a couple of weeks (knowing me, longer). Then they'll thaw out the 7 embryos that are on day1 of their lives, and the next day they'll thaw the day 2 embryos so that all 12 will be the same age. All 12 will go on together to day 3 and we'll see if they look healthy or sluggish. We will still try to let them reach day 5 before transferring. This is different from what the embryologist originally told us. She said they usually have to transfer them right away if they are frozen on day 1.
It takes 30 seconds to freeze an embryo, and they can actually thaw and refreeze them with almost no impact on the overall success rate. So, after we reach day 5 (thinking positively here), and after they transfer 2, if there are some blasts left, they will refreeze them.
So, now we are taking a 5-6 week break. We're probably not going to post any updates unless we just happen to have something interesting to share. But we'll be back in August to pick up right where we left off.
XOXO,
Amy and Kelly
I'll just take it sequentially. First of all, I did officially have OHSS. Apparently another girl that was cycling at the same time as me had it too, and I should feel lucky because she was hospitalized! So, although gaining 21 pounds sucked, I am definitely happy I didn't have to go into the hospital to be drained.
My estrogen level was 6440 and my lining was 16.5 the last time they measured. Apparently these aren't even "close" but are way over the ranges CCRM will work with, before they call off the cycle.
They retrieved 20 eggs. Only 18 were mature. And actually, 1 of the 18 was too far along, so we basically started with 17.
5 of the 17 fertilized abnormally which means that they had 1, 3 or 4 pro nuclei (PN) instead of 2. In a normal fertilization there are 2 PN (one from the egg and one from the sperm). These 5 were classified as 'chromosomally abnormal' and were discarded :(
Another 7 of the 17 fertilized normally (i.e. they saw 2 PN on day 1). Since there were only 7 at this point, they decided to freeze them immediately. The best day to freeze is day 5, but when you only have 7, it's a big risk to wait 5 days because many of them are likely to stop growing. And apparently freezing on day 1 is the 2nd best option if you can't wait until day 5. Oddly, freezing on day 3 has the worst results. So, while we were thinking that freezing them right away was the worst possible thing, we found out it really is the second best option.
The last 5 of the 17 never showed signs of fertilization, but they did start to cleave on day 2 so they were frozen on day 2 which is the 3rd best time to freeze, after day 5 (best) and day 1 (2nd best). Because these 5 made it to day 2 they were able to be graded. 3 of them are grade 4- (which is like an A- in school) and 2 of them are grade 3 (which is like a B).
So, what happens next?
Well, things go quiet for a while. Everyone is waiting for me to have a period, and then another period, and when that second period starts I'll go back on meds. This time I will be wearing estrogen patches for while and then taking progesterone in oil shots. Those will be the big needles that have to go into a muscle, and the nurse said it's not just a long needle but it's a fat one too because the oil is so thick. And they won't let me take a shot of whiskey before!
I'll be on the patches and shots for a couple of weeks (knowing me, longer). Then they'll thaw out the 7 embryos that are on day1 of their lives, and the next day they'll thaw the day 2 embryos so that all 12 will be the same age. All 12 will go on together to day 3 and we'll see if they look healthy or sluggish. We will still try to let them reach day 5 before transferring. This is different from what the embryologist originally told us. She said they usually have to transfer them right away if they are frozen on day 1.
It takes 30 seconds to freeze an embryo, and they can actually thaw and refreeze them with almost no impact on the overall success rate. So, after we reach day 5 (thinking positively here), and after they transfer 2, if there are some blasts left, they will refreeze them.
So, now we are taking a 5-6 week break. We're probably not going to post any updates unless we just happen to have something interesting to share. But we'll be back in August to pick up right where we left off.
XOXO,
Amy and Kelly
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Waiting for my 'water' to break
How could I have failed to mention that I gained 21 pounds between Wednesday and Saturday last week?! That was certainly the 'biggest' thing on my mind, I can't believe I didn't bring it up. Anyway, I went in for an ultra sound yesterday, and they made sure I wasn't retaining fluid around my kidneys or liver or spleen, and I am not. It's only really around my uterus and ovaries.
I am still on the Ganirelix shots to help with that, and I always notice a big difference about 3 hours after I take the shot. I have also been up no less than 5 times every night to use the bathroom.
This morning I weighed myself, and I am down 9 pounds from Saturday, so that means the grand total weight gain (I am assuming water weight) is still 12 pounds. I really don't understand how the salty diet is supposed to help with this problem, but I am sticking to it.
I forgot to start taking my Tetracycline after the retrieval. I was confused about what to do with my post-retrieval meds since the original instructions were given when we planned on doing the transfer right away. Duh, I should have known I would still need to take the antibiotics after the retrieval. I started them on Monday night.
Yesterday's blood work showed that my calcium level is low and I am to take 3000mg of calcium (Tums antacids) every day for the rest of the week. Yuck. Also, my H&H levels are low, but I don't really know what that means, what causes it, or what I should do about it.
I have nearly reached information overload, I think. I am starting to get things mixed up.
One more thing that showed up in my blood work yesterday, and surely this is a joke, is that my sodium level is low in spite of all the salt I am eating. You've got to be kidding me!
I am still on the Ganirelix shots to help with that, and I always notice a big difference about 3 hours after I take the shot. I have also been up no less than 5 times every night to use the bathroom.
This morning I weighed myself, and I am down 9 pounds from Saturday, so that means the grand total weight gain (I am assuming water weight) is still 12 pounds. I really don't understand how the salty diet is supposed to help with this problem, but I am sticking to it.
I forgot to start taking my Tetracycline after the retrieval. I was confused about what to do with my post-retrieval meds since the original instructions were given when we planned on doing the transfer right away. Duh, I should have known I would still need to take the antibiotics after the retrieval. I started them on Monday night.
Yesterday's blood work showed that my calcium level is low and I am to take 3000mg of calcium (Tums antacids) every day for the rest of the week. Yuck. Also, my H&H levels are low, but I don't really know what that means, what causes it, or what I should do about it.
I have nearly reached information overload, I think. I am starting to get things mixed up.
One more thing that showed up in my blood work yesterday, and surely this is a joke, is that my sodium level is low in spite of all the salt I am eating. You've got to be kidding me!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Embryology report
We got the embryology report this morning.
Of the 20 eggs they retrieved, 18 were mature enough to go through ICSI. ICSI is where they inject a single sperm into a single egg; as opposed to just letting them all swim around together hoping they find each other.
Of the 18, only 7 fertilized. Usually 70-80% fertilize, so this is considered 'lower than normal'. And because of the low rate of fertilization they will be freezing them all immediately, on day 1, instead of waiting until day 3 (usually the minimum) or day 5 (preferred).
Today they are at the day 1, '2PN stage'. And usually when you have to freeze at the 2PN stage, after you thaw them, you go ahead and transfer them the next day, which would be their day 2. It's much more typical to do the transfer on day 3, and preferable if you can transfer blastocysts on day 5 which is about the time they'd usually be entering the uterus out of the fallopian tubes in a natural pregnancy.
Overall, they are considered 'at risk' at this point. That basically means we will transfer them earlier in their life cycle than usual and will probably transfer more eggs at once.
There were 5 more eggs than had not yet shown signs of fertilization as of this morning, so they are going to observe those until tomorrow to see if they do eventually fertilize, and if so, they will freeze them for backup.
Now we know for sure that we won't be able to donate extra embryos to another couple as I had hoped. This is because we have to donate at least 6 to give them multiple chances for pregnancy. And since we only have 7 to begin with, it's not going to be an option.
But on the bright side, it looks like they're going to let the embryos decide whether to live or die inside me for the most part, instead of in the dish, which actually makes me very happy. One of the biggest problems I have had with this whole process is creating all these embryos only to let them die in the dish. So, in a roundabout way, this is a blessing!
Of the 20 eggs they retrieved, 18 were mature enough to go through ICSI. ICSI is where they inject a single sperm into a single egg; as opposed to just letting them all swim around together hoping they find each other.
Of the 18, only 7 fertilized. Usually 70-80% fertilize, so this is considered 'lower than normal'. And because of the low rate of fertilization they will be freezing them all immediately, on day 1, instead of waiting until day 3 (usually the minimum) or day 5 (preferred).
Today they are at the day 1, '2PN stage'. And usually when you have to freeze at the 2PN stage, after you thaw them, you go ahead and transfer them the next day, which would be their day 2. It's much more typical to do the transfer on day 3, and preferable if you can transfer blastocysts on day 5 which is about the time they'd usually be entering the uterus out of the fallopian tubes in a natural pregnancy.
Overall, they are considered 'at risk' at this point. That basically means we will transfer them earlier in their life cycle than usual and will probably transfer more eggs at once.
There were 5 more eggs than had not yet shown signs of fertilization as of this morning, so they are going to observe those until tomorrow to see if they do eventually fertilize, and if so, they will freeze them for backup.
Now we know for sure that we won't be able to donate extra embryos to another couple as I had hoped. This is because we have to donate at least 6 to give them multiple chances for pregnancy. And since we only have 7 to begin with, it's not going to be an option.
But on the bright side, it looks like they're going to let the embryos decide whether to live or die inside me for the most part, instead of in the dish, which actually makes me very happy. One of the biggest problems I have had with this whole process is creating all these embryos only to let them die in the dish. So, in a roundabout way, this is a blessing!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Ready Set Extract!
We made it through the first step!
We arrived at the hospital this morning at 8:45. They had reserved a special place for us to park in the underground garage and we took the elevator up to the floor where the surgeries are performed. Pretty special.
Amy went in first to get prepped. Three sticks to get a good IV started...pretty traumatic! They didn't let me go in until after she had stopped crying and calmed down. I'll have to admit, hearing about the difficult time getting the IV started made me a little nervous (I was next).
Was not long before they pulled me out of Amy's prep room and gave me my own. Had to put on one of those gorgeous matching gowns with the air conditioning in the back.
Sure enough, it took three sticks for my IV as well. They said the dehydration is what makes the IV hard to get going. Not fun......
While I was getting ready, Amy headed back for the egg extraction procedure.
When I met the Dr......it made me feel a little better....really cool Dr. (cowboy) Horn. Good bedside mannerisms...explained the procedure and made me feel comfortable.
The anesthesiologist shot something into my IV....and that was all it took...I was out within 5 seconds and did not wake up until I was in recovery. Don't even remember being wheeled out of the prep room or moving myself onto the surgery table in the OR.
Amy was finished before I was and there with me right after I woke up. Good news on both the extractions. We will get a call tomorrow with the specifics around the results, but indications were that Amy was able to lay 20 eggs.....a lot more that we thought.....and we struck gold with my stuff as well (only on the left side, but should be plenty).
Nurse Ann was there with us all morning.....and the best neighbors in the universe picked us up and drove us home. They went to get my Percocet at Walgreen's.....and paid for it....$0.35!
Been recouping all afternoon. I've got some pretty good pain drugs and an ice bag, so not in too much pain.......Amy is only allowed to take Tylenol but she's doing well as well....
Nurse Jo and Nurse Ann have gone out to get us some dinner. Amy is still supposed to eat as much salt as she can and is still taking Ganirelix shots for 3 more days to control the fluid.
More tomorrow!
We arrived at the hospital this morning at 8:45. They had reserved a special place for us to park in the underground garage and we took the elevator up to the floor where the surgeries are performed. Pretty special.
Amy went in first to get prepped. Three sticks to get a good IV started...pretty traumatic! They didn't let me go in until after she had stopped crying and calmed down. I'll have to admit, hearing about the difficult time getting the IV started made me a little nervous (I was next).
Was not long before they pulled me out of Amy's prep room and gave me my own. Had to put on one of those gorgeous matching gowns with the air conditioning in the back.
Sure enough, it took three sticks for my IV as well. They said the dehydration is what makes the IV hard to get going. Not fun......
While I was getting ready, Amy headed back for the egg extraction procedure.
When I met the Dr......it made me feel a little better....really cool Dr. (cowboy) Horn. Good bedside mannerisms...explained the procedure and made me feel comfortable.
The anesthesiologist shot something into my IV....and that was all it took...I was out within 5 seconds and did not wake up until I was in recovery. Don't even remember being wheeled out of the prep room or moving myself onto the surgery table in the OR.
Amy was finished before I was and there with me right after I woke up. Good news on both the extractions. We will get a call tomorrow with the specifics around the results, but indications were that Amy was able to lay 20 eggs.....a lot more that we thought.....and we struck gold with my stuff as well (only on the left side, but should be plenty).
Nurse Ann was there with us all morning.....and the best neighbors in the universe picked us up and drove us home. They went to get my Percocet at Walgreen's.....and paid for it....$0.35!
Been recouping all afternoon. I've got some pretty good pain drugs and an ice bag, so not in too much pain.......Amy is only allowed to take Tylenol but she's doing well as well....
Nurse Jo and Nurse Ann have gone out to get us some dinner. Amy is still supposed to eat as much salt as she can and is still taking Ganirelix shots for 3 more days to control the fluid.
More tomorrow!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Twas the night before.....
Today has been icky. I can't wait to lay these eggs! Ha
I had bloodwork done this morning to make sure we had done the trigger shot correctly. The trigger shot has a longer needle than the others and had to go into a muscle. The rest were only subcutaneous shots.
My bumm is still sore so I was assuming we did it correctly anyway, but the bloodwork confirmed it. It also confirmed my estrogen level is 'REALLY high', according to the nurse. She called to make sure I was feeling okay because my level was so high. I asked her what my symptoms were supposed to be, and she said the bloating was probably very uncomfortable (duh) and that I was probably quite irritable (you think?).
I couldn't sleep last night because it hurts to lay on either side. My ovaries feel like they're being stabbed. And my bumm was too sore to sleep on my back. And when I tried laying on my stomach my nose started running.
Tomorrow morning can't come soon enough.
And if I never drink another Gatorade in my life it will be too soon!
I had bloodwork done this morning to make sure we had done the trigger shot correctly. The trigger shot has a longer needle than the others and had to go into a muscle. The rest were only subcutaneous shots.
My bumm is still sore so I was assuming we did it correctly anyway, but the bloodwork confirmed it. It also confirmed my estrogen level is 'REALLY high', according to the nurse. She called to make sure I was feeling okay because my level was so high. I asked her what my symptoms were supposed to be, and she said the bloating was probably very uncomfortable (duh) and that I was probably quite irritable (you think?).
I couldn't sleep last night because it hurts to lay on either side. My ovaries feel like they're being stabbed. And my bumm was too sore to sleep on my back. And when I tried laying on my stomach my nose started running.
Tomorrow morning can't come soon enough.
And if I never drink another Gatorade in my life it will be too soon!
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