The doc called this morning with the numbers: out of 32 eggs collected, 24 were mature, and of those, 18 (75%) were fertilized normally! That's better than the 70% rate they like to see. So today is Day 1, and on Day 3 a nurse will call to let me know how they're doing and when to come in for the transfer.
Apparently yesterday when they were wrapping up, the doctor told C that it was likely they'd only transfer one embryo because of my risk of OHSS. I was a little disappointed when I heard that afterwards, mostly because of the decreased opportunity for only one embryo to implant. But it would be much easier and cheaper to take care of one little one! And OHSS complications are not very much fun (and last longer when one is pregnant).
My mom was happy to hear the news. She is calling them her Grandzygotes already. :)
I took today off work again, and have been sleeping here and there. Still feeling pretty swollen and uncomfortable. But I'm off the pain meds, so that's progress!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Retrieval
C and I got up at 4:30 this morning, showered, and hopped in the car. I'd slept better than I thought I would last night; I laid there being worried for several minutes before dropping off, but once I was out I was out all night.
We got there probably 20 minutes early, and had to wait about 20 minutes after we were supposed to be there for everything to be ready. I met the nurse and the anesthesiologist, and they went over what would be happening. Off went the pants, and they covered my lower half with a sheet while they hooked me up to the cardiac monitor and stuck the IV in. The IV was painful; it stung a lot and the anesthesiologist said it was probably because it was poking a valve in my vein. She adjusted it a little but it wasn't super helpful. She also put on one of those finger clamp thingies. Meanwhile, the nurse called down an order for more meds so we could pick them up in the downstairs pharmacy.
Then the doctor (the same one as my last two ultrasounds; I like him) came in with a resident (she squeezed my hand and it felt weird to be on the receiving end of a hand squeeze; no idea why) and had me sign consent forms. One was for the procedure and the other was so they could use my discarded eggs (ones that don't fertilize, or immature ones) for a study several of the doctors are working on that has to do with mitochondrial DNA therapy for fertility.
Once all of my thinking was finished, they went ahead and started the sedation. It worked FAST. I kind of felt weird for a minute, and then felt super tired. They got my legs up in the stirrups and turned the lights down, and then C said goodbye to me as it was time for him to give his sample. Turns out he missed the whole thing; they sucked out all the eggs and did some painful poking on something up in there (I can't remember what they were doing and I wasn't quite with it enough to say anything) and then got me out of the stirrups and I was lying there recovering when he got back. He was there, though, when the lab tech stuck his head through the door and said "We got THIRTY TWO eggs!" Holy cow. The doc said transfer would most likely be Sunday or Monday.
So I lied there for I don't know how long; maybe fifteen minutes, and then they started gradually sitting me up to see how well I was recovering. I was OK until I stood up and was helped back into my pants, and then I got super dizzy and sweaty and I told them I was going to have to lie back down. (I'm not surprised; even when I give blood I tend to need several extra minutes to lie there before I can get up.) So back down I went, and C stroked my arm and face for awhile. They had taken all of the heart monitor things off of me so they put the cuff back on and checked to make sure my blood pressure was OK. It was; and I slowly sat up again and this time was able to stand up and get over to a wheelchair. While I was upright, the nurse drew big rectangles on my butt so C knows where to put the progesterone.
The nurse wheeled me downstairs to the pharmacy, who had not checked their messages yet from earlier in the morning so they weren't ready for me. So C wheeled me out to the car where I called Mom to let her know I was doing well, albeit groggy. C came back to the car twice; once to give me a bottle of water and a scone, and once with the pain meds (acetaminophen and hydrocodone) and to drive me home. I slept for an hour in the car, and another hour once I got home, and now I'm taking it easy for the rest of the day.
We got there probably 20 minutes early, and had to wait about 20 minutes after we were supposed to be there for everything to be ready. I met the nurse and the anesthesiologist, and they went over what would be happening. Off went the pants, and they covered my lower half with a sheet while they hooked me up to the cardiac monitor and stuck the IV in. The IV was painful; it stung a lot and the anesthesiologist said it was probably because it was poking a valve in my vein. She adjusted it a little but it wasn't super helpful. She also put on one of those finger clamp thingies. Meanwhile, the nurse called down an order for more meds so we could pick them up in the downstairs pharmacy.
Then the doctor (the same one as my last two ultrasounds; I like him) came in with a resident (she squeezed my hand and it felt weird to be on the receiving end of a hand squeeze; no idea why) and had me sign consent forms. One was for the procedure and the other was so they could use my discarded eggs (ones that don't fertilize, or immature ones) for a study several of the doctors are working on that has to do with mitochondrial DNA therapy for fertility.
Once all of my thinking was finished, they went ahead and started the sedation. It worked FAST. I kind of felt weird for a minute, and then felt super tired. They got my legs up in the stirrups and turned the lights down, and then C said goodbye to me as it was time for him to give his sample. Turns out he missed the whole thing; they sucked out all the eggs and did some painful poking on something up in there (I can't remember what they were doing and I wasn't quite with it enough to say anything) and then got me out of the stirrups and I was lying there recovering when he got back. He was there, though, when the lab tech stuck his head through the door and said "We got THIRTY TWO eggs!" Holy cow. The doc said transfer would most likely be Sunday or Monday.
So I lied there for I don't know how long; maybe fifteen minutes, and then they started gradually sitting me up to see how well I was recovering. I was OK until I stood up and was helped back into my pants, and then I got super dizzy and sweaty and I told them I was going to have to lie back down. (I'm not surprised; even when I give blood I tend to need several extra minutes to lie there before I can get up.) So back down I went, and C stroked my arm and face for awhile. They had taken all of the heart monitor things off of me so they put the cuff back on and checked to make sure my blood pressure was OK. It was; and I slowly sat up again and this time was able to stand up and get over to a wheelchair. While I was upright, the nurse drew big rectangles on my butt so C knows where to put the progesterone.
The nurse wheeled me downstairs to the pharmacy, who had not checked their messages yet from earlier in the morning so they weren't ready for me. So C wheeled me out to the car where I called Mom to let her know I was doing well, albeit groggy. C came back to the car twice; once to give me a bottle of water and a scone, and once with the pain meds (acetaminophen and hydrocodone) and to drive me home. I slept for an hour in the car, and another hour once I got home, and now I'm taking it easy for the rest of the day.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Pre-Retrieval Jitters
Been a little jittery today, with retrieval thoughts in the back of my head, behind all of my work projects and underneath all the conversations in my meetings. It was mostly present in my feeling nauseated most of the day, just a little bit, like I had a migraine but without the headache. I ended up taking my lunch break in the car with a towel over my face and the windows down, and slept for awhile. That helped. I was worried a bit about OHSS but it's too early for that.
While I was bored yesterday, I counted: 46 needles have been in my belly and in my arm for one reason or another since we started IVF.
Tonight is the dreaded (but only by my husband) enema, in preparation for surgery. Seriously, he is more freaked out by it than giving me shots and can't even be in the same room while I do it. I have no idea why. It's like the least of my worries. We're all stocked up on Gatorade (to replenish electrolytes) and food, and I vacuumed, and will prepare the couch to receive me post-procedure. The only thing we didn't do was get my pain medications, which the RE was supposed to have called down to my pharmacy but my pharmacy had no record of it as of an hour ago. So we'll ask the RE when we get up there tomorrow; maybe they can redirect it to the pharmacy at the hospital instead. I kind of want those meds.
While I was bored yesterday, I counted: 46 needles have been in my belly and in my arm for one reason or another since we started IVF.
Tonight is the dreaded (but only by my husband) enema, in preparation for surgery. Seriously, he is more freaked out by it than giving me shots and can't even be in the same room while I do it. I have no idea why. It's like the least of my worries. We're all stocked up on Gatorade (to replenish electrolytes) and food, and I vacuumed, and will prepare the couch to receive me post-procedure. The only thing we didn't do was get my pain medications, which the RE was supposed to have called down to my pharmacy but my pharmacy had no record of it as of an hour ago. So we'll ask the RE when we get up there tomorrow; maybe they can redirect it to the pharmacy at the hospital instead. I kind of want those meds.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Stims Check #4: Last one!
C accompanied me to my final blood test and ultrasound today. The doc was happy to explain to him what we were seeing on the screen: softball-sized ovaries with lots of big ol' follicles inside. It took him about three seconds to decide that it was time to ovulate! So the nurse scheduled the retrieval for 7am on Tuesday and told us to trigger tonight at 7:30.
I'm so glad that it feels like it's happening so fast. Part of me is nervous, but the rest of me is happy to be moving forward.
I'm so glad that it feels like it's happening so fast. Part of me is nervous, but the rest of me is happy to be moving forward.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Stims Check #3 - almost there!
Had my third check today. The nurse who took my blood put the tourniquet on way too tight so it hurt more than the needle, which hurt more than usual because with the too-tight tourniquet my arm was more sensitive. Then she had issues getting the bandage on (it popped off the first time she tried), and put that on too tight too, saying "well, that's not the prettiest job I've done..."
Then I had my ultrasound. My ovaries are now 1.5" across now, which makes sense considering they feel like golf balls. My lining is getting thicker, which is kind of fun to see, and the follicles are all close to 16-17mm. The doctor said they were super close but he wanted one more check tomorrow, just to be sure. He tentatively scheduled the retrieval for Tuesday - coming up quick! It'll be nice to stop the stims. There is bloating, and I'm pretty sure I now know why they prescribed an enema for the night before. (I Googled it just now, though, and people don't really complain about it until they start taking progesterone, so I don't know what's going on.) I don't really want to ever button my pants again, basically. For the sake of my coworkers, I'll be happy when this part is done. :)
Then I had my ultrasound. My ovaries are now 1.5" across now, which makes sense considering they feel like golf balls. My lining is getting thicker, which is kind of fun to see, and the follicles are all close to 16-17mm. The doctor said they were super close but he wanted one more check tomorrow, just to be sure. He tentatively scheduled the retrieval for Tuesday - coming up quick! It'll be nice to stop the stims. There is bloating, and I'm pretty sure I now know why they prescribed an enema for the night before. (I Googled it just now, though, and people don't really complain about it until they start taking progesterone, so I don't know what's going on.) I don't really want to ever button my pants again, basically. For the sake of my coworkers, I'll be happy when this part is done. :)
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Stims Check #2
Raced up to the clinic (it's about 75 miles away) for my second estradiol test and ultrasound this morning. Same on-call doctor, different resident, and I got the big room, which was nice. The resident looked like he was from Israel or someplace similar; and again I hung out for awhile after the follicles were measured so that the doc could show the resident around my organs.
So my follicles are now about 10-12mm, and my estradiol was 1097 (big jump!) so now I'm backing off on the Menopur; only doing 1 powder vial instead of 2. And I can tell things are going on in there; sometimes I feel like I have golf balls for ovaries and sometimes I just feel kind of full. Not super uncomfortable though. And I'm not moody at all (I don't think; maybe I should ask C!) which I'm happy about - the birth control made me moodier than the stims!
Afterwards, my friend E and her daughter L were kind enough to meet me downstairs and we chatted and played in the grass and the water fountain and the dirt for an hour. E has been my go-to girl online when I want to talk about this IF thing, and she's been so supportive; it's great being able to visit in person once in awhile. And her toddler is super cute too.
So back I go on Saturday! I'm looking forward to it; since I don't have to rush back down to go to work straight away. I'll stick around in the city for a few hours first.
So my follicles are now about 10-12mm, and my estradiol was 1097 (big jump!) so now I'm backing off on the Menopur; only doing 1 powder vial instead of 2. And I can tell things are going on in there; sometimes I feel like I have golf balls for ovaries and sometimes I just feel kind of full. Not super uncomfortable though. And I'm not moody at all (I don't think; maybe I should ask C!) which I'm happy about - the birth control made me moodier than the stims!
Afterwards, my friend E and her daughter L were kind enough to meet me downstairs and we chatted and played in the grass and the water fountain and the dirt for an hour. E has been my go-to girl online when I want to talk about this IF thing, and she's been so supportive; it's great being able to visit in person once in awhile. And her toddler is super cute too.
So back I go on Saturday! I'm looking forward to it; since I don't have to rush back down to go to work straight away. I'll stick around in the city for a few hours first.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Stims Check #1
After dropping C off at work, I ran up to get my estradiol tested. I was early, and was able to get into the blood test chair ten minutes before my appointment, which was good - I was hoping to get back to work to catch the tail end of a teleconference. But then the nurse asked me if I needed to use the restroom before the (transvaginal) ultrasound. Surprise!
I stripped down and wrapped the sheet around me and sat on the table... and sat... and sat for just over half an hour until the on-call doctor made it in with a resident and a nurse in tow. The nurse went to her place at the computer behind my head, and the doctor got started, but when he started measuring my uterus the nurse said "I've got computer problems, hold on a minute." So I got to lie there with the ultrasound wand for a couple of minutes while the nurse tinkered, and then we continued. It didn't take long; he measured several follicles (he wasn't even that interested in being accurate with a count because it's early yet, but there were at least 8 on one side and closer to 12 on the other I think, and they were all 6-8mm across) and measured a couple of fibroids (one of them he was a little concerned about interfering with the uterus so he was going to review my chart but I'm not too concerned because my doc wasn't concerned when he saw them last time). And then he spent another couple of minutes panning around my organs for the resident. I was glad I had put too much time on the meter!
This afternoon they called and said my estradiol was at 346, which was too high for a day 4 level, so they're having me back off on the Follistim by 50 units and they'll see me again on Thursday.
...and I missed the teleconference. :)
I stripped down and wrapped the sheet around me and sat on the table... and sat... and sat for just over half an hour until the on-call doctor made it in with a resident and a nurse in tow. The nurse went to her place at the computer behind my head, and the doctor got started, but when he started measuring my uterus the nurse said "I've got computer problems, hold on a minute." So I got to lie there with the ultrasound wand for a couple of minutes while the nurse tinkered, and then we continued. It didn't take long; he measured several follicles (he wasn't even that interested in being accurate with a count because it's early yet, but there were at least 8 on one side and closer to 12 on the other I think, and they were all 6-8mm across) and measured a couple of fibroids (one of them he was a little concerned about interfering with the uterus so he was going to review my chart but I'm not too concerned because my doc wasn't concerned when he saw them last time). And then he spent another couple of minutes panning around my organs for the resident. I was glad I had put too much time on the meter!
This afternoon they called and said my estradiol was at 346, which was too high for a day 4 level, so they're having me back off on the Follistim by 50 units and they'll see me again on Thursday.
...and I missed the teleconference. :)
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