Fertilization Report

well not the news I was hoping for!

We had 20 eggs retrieved and 12 of them fertilized. Only 7 of those that were fertilized are dividing appropriately. So in 24 hours we have lost more than half of our potential babies already. I am hoping these 7 are strong and stick around for a while.

Does anyone have experience with this...I just don't know whats NORMAL to expect, being our first IVF.

Oh...and sorry for being a bad blog reader/commenter...I just have not been into it and have NO excuse. I will try to make it better this week while resting.

Retrieval

Everything went well. Really really well.

We got there early...I wanted to, because I am a hard poke for an IV...but that was a waste because they waited until 11amish to start the IV. I waited and had a massage in the massage chairs(they have no stretchers, all reclining massage chairs with heat). I was really nervous last night, but felt better this am, until we got to the IVF suites.

I got changed into my lovely blue attire and I had on one of my fancy scrub hats from work (all of the nurses at the clinic want these now...so I will have to figure out how to make them). She got my IV in after some fist pumping and slapping of the vein (but it was only a 22gauge, so it was teeny tiny). My Dr was actually on time, and I was the first retrieval of the day so we went back only shortly after 1130. We went back to a bigger room afterward where both T and I got a massage chair.

The Retrieval was awesome...I felt GOOD! The DR told T I am definitely not a cheap drunk, because I needed a lot of meds. T looked hilarious in his OR gear too...too cute! I got to watch them retrieving the eggs from the follicles on a screen to my right, and watch the lab finding the eggs in the fluid on a screen to my right. I told all the nurses in the room this was too cool for me...with my scientific brain...I was eating it up!

There were a lot of people in the room, because my BP was really high....but it settled a bit. and they had to keep reminding me to breathe because my O2 sats went down, to 85 or something(from all the drugs). I told them those numbers don't scare me, I was used to much scarier values at work! I also told them IUI's are boring...compared to IVF....which is totally true, but I was hopped up on meds too. I think they all got a kick out of me.

I had some water after, and some cookies. Proved I could pee...so my IV came out and I went home. We got home around 2pm and I went to sleep.

Now I am having some spotting and cramping...hoping to fee better tomorrow! We had 20 eggs retrieved, and find out tomorrow about fertilization.

Ready, Aim, Fire!!!

Trigger TONIGHT!!!

Monday Retrieval!

I am so excited/nervous/scared/crazy! I am anxious about the sedation....I do not sedate easily. I am nervous for the IV...I have shitty veins. I really hope we get a lot of mature eggs that fertilize well.

We have 20ish follicles that look mature, and a few that don't...I am hoping for 15 to fertilize...is that too much to ask? Maybe...but this is our ONE shot at this....so I am hoping!

I feel a million times better too...not as bloated as a few days ago, so I am hoping we will miss the OHSS train. Trigger is at 1230 tonight....woot!

I Owe An IVF Update

I have seen the RE twice now without updating...shame on me. I will update by appointment:

Tuesday Sept 1st:

Still have those follicles hanging around, now they measure in and around 14mm, keep meds the same Tuesday, Decrease Gonal F to 150IU and Increase Repronex to 150IU Wednesday, return for another check on Thursday.

Thursday Sept 3rd:

Still 20ish follicles, now measuring 17-18mm on average, some lagging at 13, some ahead at 20,21. Decrease Gonal F to 75IU, increase Repronex to 225IU, return for another check on the growth tomorrow.

So I will update here again tomorrow. I am suspicious that they will trigger tomorrow night for a Sunday retrieval....this came SO FAST...the first part of the IVF goes so slow, but once the stims came it happened so quickly.

I am also suffering some mild OHSS already, so I have been drinking the gatorade like its going out of style, they also said to drink a lot of water and eat salty foods, so I have been trying. I have bloating, and my ovaries are very sore. I think with action on this now, hopefully we can have it gone or prevent it from really getting any worse by retrieval.

So I had my first IVF follicle check today....today is Day 4 of stims.

I had...20+ follicles...all ranging is size from 8-11mm. I was not expecting that many, when my Antral Follicle count was 13. I should have given my response to 50mg clomid a few months back...but I didn't.

The RE I saw (mine is on vacation until Thursday) said in her patients she would have decreased the dosage of Go.nal F given my response, but she knows that my RE wouldn't....so she left it, and said if my E2 was too high when they got the blood results that they would call me to decrease my dose tomorrow. No call...so I am assuming my e2 was fine.

I go back for another check on Tuesday. She warned me to drink a lot of fluid and watch for signs of OHSS now and for the next few weeks. Its a funny balance, between getting as many eggs as possible because its such an expensive procedure...yet trying not to get sick at the same time. I hope for no more or no less follicles Tuesday....just bigger ones :)

Follicle Sizes...Injections....Symptoms...Oh My!

So its day 2 of stimms....Go.nal F and Re.pronex. And I feel...well...normal. Not a symptom to speak of. I don`t even know if I would have symptoms this early into stimms, or what they would be. I am assuming the typical.... feeling like your ovaries weigh about the size of an elephant, and crazy hormonal bitchiness.

I am on 2 shots a day right now. 0.1ml(0.5mg) of Lupron in a teeny little SubQ injection. 225IU of go.nal F and 75IU of re.pronex in one giant IM injection together...and it goes in my behind. I do it myself...I guess thats the nurse in me....but it is difficult...very difficult, and since today was day 2 and I have now done one shot on each side, I have found it is much easier to turn myself into a pretzel to the right rather than the left.

I go back to the clinic on Sunday for a follicle check and bloodwork. What should I expect on Sunday....should I expect these follicles to be massive, or tiny, or what? I tried goo.gling this to find out, but have come up with nothing.

I hope everyone out in IF blog world is doing well...congrats to all the newly knocked up girls! and to those cycling or still waiting for your miracle...know I am here for you!

Suppressed

...better than being depressed huh! I have been successfully suppressed. I would have started stimms today...but its wednesday. What does that have to do with it.....well...apparently the clinic doesn't start people on stimms Tuesdays or Wednesdays in an attempt to avoid weekend retrievals. This really sucks, because I was hoping for a weekend retrieval...so that T could stay home with me.

Anyway...it looks like Retrieval will be Sept 7th...I am assuming....since that's the Monday after next weekend. I start Re.pronex and G.O.nal F tomorrow. This is really happening!!

Some Fun and Games

So how many noticed the cute little bingo card....and even more recently the little link under my blog header?

The Blogger Bingo was thought up by the stirrup queen herself. its a fun little way to get bloggers out there reading and commenting on other blogs. Theres a little prize in it for the bingo winner too.

As far as my little game. Its a survey about my upcoming IVF to see what everyone thinks. The person who guesses closest to the actual number of shots I take this IVF cycle will win a little prize, to be determined later. You have to be willing to provide me your address obviously though, so I can send your prize.

Good Luck Everyone, and have fun playing!

I Have Been a Bad Blogger

I am so sorry for my lack of blogging lately...I really just have NOTHING to talk about.

Right now we are on vacation at my in-laws lake home. much needed time away from reality I must say...but reality slapped me in the face today....I did my first lupron injection. We are OFICIALLY on the road to IVF. I am still waiting to hear about my labs and whether they are wonky or not, but as long as we hear in the next week(ish) we will be full steam ahead.

So, any super tips from you IVFers out there...what should I expect from all these meds? And BTW....still petrified of the retrieval...not even sure I told you all about that. I do not sedate easily, and I am so scared I will feel everything...all of it....anyone with experience?

Today is my 2nd Wedding Anniversary

and I have nothing planned for it. Relax at home with the hubby I guess....I expected to be at a different place by this time in our Marriage...it will come though...I know it

It is also my Birthday Next Tuesday!

I am excited because I get to be at one of my favourite places in the world this day, the in-laws lake house. Yay!

On a side note...I am a week into Birth Control for IVF....and IVF is full steam ahead. We did some bloodwork to make sure my B vitamin levels are all ok, and that my thyroid and homocysteine are all ok too, I will find this out on Aug 13th, and if its all good, lupron starts on Aug 14th.....looks like we will have a retrieval first week of Sept...as long as everything is fine.