Think (+) Positive: What?

IVF {Part 4}

6/26-Start BCP's

7/14-Lupron (10units) & Dexamethasone (.75mg)

7/18-Last BCP

7/19-Down Lupron dose (5units)

7/22-Baseline E2 at 23

7/27-Add in Follistim (225units)

7/29-Add Luveris (1/2ml) and drop Follistim dose (150units)

8/2-E2 at 1337, U/S (31 measurable follicles, lining at 12.1), last Follistim & Luveris Injections

8/3-E2 at ?, U/S (? measurable follicles, lining at 13.4)

8/4-Last Lupron shot, begin Ciprofloxin (500mg) tablets twice daily

8/5-(2) Ovidrel Triggers (12:30am) begin Dostinex (.5mg) tablets & Clindamycin (150mg) suppositories

8/6-ER 10:30am (26 eggs retrieved with 14 thought to be mature, and 6 others being watched for possible maturity), begin PIO (1ml)

8/7-Fertilization Report: Out of the 18 eggs mature enough to be fertilized with ICSI, all 18 successfully took, but 2 fertilized abnormally and 2 didn't survive. We are so blessed to have 14 embryos growing in culture! Last Clindamycin suppository

8/9-Day 3 Embryo Report: All 14 of our embryos are still alive:
(2) 8-celled grade 2
(1) 7-celled grade 2
(5) 6-celled grade 2
(2) 5-celled grade 2
(2) 4-celled grade 2 & 3
(1) 3-celled grade 2
(1) 2-celled grade 3

8/11-5 Day Transfer of:
(1)expanded blast grade 1
(was 5-celled grade 2 on day 3)
(1)expanded blast grade 2
(was 6-celled grade 2 on day 3)
(1)expanded blast grade 2
(was 8-celled grade 2 on day 3)

Four more being watched for possible freeze:
(1)blast grade 2
(was 8-celled grade 2 on day 3)
(1)blast grade 2
(was 7-celled grade 2 on day 3)
(1)blast grade 2
(was 6-celled grade 2 on day 3)
(1)blast grade 2
(was 2-celled grade 3 on day 3)
Begin Viville Patches, up PIO (1.5ml)

8/12-Day 6 Embryo Report: 2 frozen! Last Dostinex

8/13-Last Ciprofloxin

8/19-Beta #1-11 (13dpo)

8/21-Beta #2-37 (15dpo)

8/23- Beta #3-114 (17dpo)

8/25- Beta #4-314 (19dp0)

9/1-U/S #1-A perfectly placed gestational sac, yolk sac and fetal pole!

9/16-U/S #2-A perfect heart beating at 165bpm!

Unexpected Journey

August 2010-IVF #4 *BFP* (details above)
July 2010-Begin meds for IFV #4
June 2010-Begin BCP's for IVF #4
May 2010-Repeat of CD3 Blood Work; AMH=2.9, FSH=5.5, LH=1.4, E2=45 (better than last year)
February 2010-IVF #3 *BFN* (details below) Begin CoQ10, Pycnogenol, Acupuncture & Yoga in hopes of improving egg quality for our last try
January 2010-3 year mark; IVF #3 egg retrieval & transfer
December 2009-Begin meds for IVF #3
November 2009-Begin BCP's for IVF #3
October 2009-IVF 2 *BFN* (details below)
September 2009-Begin meds for IVF #2
August 2009-Begin BCP's for IVF #2
July 2009-IVF *canceled before ET due to early trigger, resulting in a lack of embryos* (details below)
June 2009-Begin BCP's for IVF #1
April 2009-meet with IVF coordinator; determined protocol (Lupron) & Schedule (July 2009)
March 2009-MyCD3 blood work; AMH=2.8, FSH=6.2, LH=2.8, E2=48
February 2009-First actual RE visit & SA; SURPRIZE! Diagnosed with MFI (low counts, 2% morph & 37% motility)
January 2009-2 Year Mark
November 2008-Phone consult to RE finds previous SA results inconclusive. Order ConceptionXR vitamins ans schedule SA
October 2008-Second SA results normal. What's with our low post wash counts?
September 2008-IUI #2 *BFN*
August 2008-IUI #1 *BFN*
May 2008-LAP all clear, results are "prestine"
February 2008-HSG all clear, I have "gorgeous" tubes!
January 2008-1 year mark & "Unexplained IF" diagnosis
August 2007-SA results not amazing, but nothing that would stop us from getting pregnant. So they say.
July 2007-Gyno says "don't worry, it's only been 6 months
January 2007-Goodbye BCP's
September 2006-Married

IVF {Part 3}

12/1-Start BCP's

12/30-Lupron (10units) & Dexamethasone (.75mg)

1/3-Last BCP

1/4-Down Lupron dose (5units)

1/7-Baseline E2 at 31.6

1/12-Add in Follistim (150units)

1/13-Add Luveris (1/2ml)

1/18-E2 at 1956, U/S (23 measurable follicles, lining at 13.3), begin Ciprofloxin (500mg) tablets twice daily

1/19-E2 at 2558, U/S (30 measurable follicles, lining at 14.9) Last Follistim and Luveris shots

1/20-E2, U/S (32 measurable follicles, lining at 12.1) Last Lupron shot, begin Clindamycin (150mg) suppositories

1/21-Ovidrel Trigger (1:30am)

1/22-ER (18 eggs retrieved with 5 thought to be mature, and 7 more being watched for possible maturity), begin Dostinex (0.5mg) tablets and PIO (1ml) Last Clindomycin suppository

1/23-Fertilization Report: Out of the 9 eggs mature enough to be fertilized with ICSI, 7 successfully took and 2 more are being watched for possible fertilization

1/25-Embryo Report (Day 3): Not good. Out of the 8 that officially fertilized, we have:
(1) 6-celled grade 3
(1) 5-celled grade 2
(1) 5-celled grade 3
(1) 4-celled grade 2
(3) 4-celled grade 3
(1) 2-celled grade 1

1/26-Embryo Report (Day 4): After being examined today, it looks as though none of them will make it to the blast stage by tomorrow (day 5), so they scheduled us for a 6-day tranfer on thursday and we'll pray we have some blasts to transfer by then.

1/27-Embryo Report (Day 5): We still have 3 precious embryos growing in culture! Two are blasts but not yet expanded, and one still isn't quite a blast yet, all grade 3. Tomorrow's transfer is on as long as they survive the night...

1/28-Embryo Report (Day 6) & Transfer Day: God is so good! Two of our precious, slow growing embryos beat the odds and survived the night, becoming "beautiful" grade 3 expanded blasts! Last Ciprofloxin

1/29-Begin Progesterone suppositories, last Dostinex

2/5-Beta #1-negative. Stop all shots and suppositories, wait for consult appointment and IVF, Part IV

IVF {Part 2}

8/5-Start BCP's

9/16-Lupron (10units) & Dexamethasone (.75mg)

9/20-Last BCP

9/21-Down Lupron dose (5units)

9/24-Baseline E2 at 33

9/29-Add in Follistim (300units)

10/1-Drop Follistim (225units) Add Luveris (1/2ml)

10/5-E2 at 3565, U/S (22 measurable follicles, lining at 15.1) Last Follistim and Luveris shots

10/6-E2, U/S (28 measurable follicles, lining at 12.4) Last Lupron shot, begin Dostinex (0.5mg) tablets, HCG Trigger (11:45pm)

10/7-begin Clindamycin (150mg) suppositories

10/8-ER (22 eggs retrieved, with 7 thought to be mature) begin PIO (1ml) shots and Ciprofloxin (500mg)

10/9-Fertilization Report: Out of the 7 fertilized with ICSI, 5 are doing "well", with 1 more being watched for possible fertilization, Last Clindomycin suppository

10/11-Embryo Report: Praise God, we have 6 little pumpkin blessings growing in culture!
(3) 4-celled and grade 2
(2) 6-celled and grade 2
(1) 6-celled and grade 1.

10/13-Embryo Report & Transfer Day: All 6 embryos are still alive! We trasfered (2) expanded blasts grade 2, and (1) blast grade 3, and the other (3) are being watched one more day for possible freeze. Last Dostinex

10/14-Begin Progesterone suppositories

10/15-Freeze Report: none of our precious remaining pumpkins made it to freeze

10/18-Last Ciprofloxin

10/21-Beta #1-negative. Stop PIO shots & suppositories, wean off Dexamethasone

IVF {Part 1}

6/2-Start BCP's

7/1-Lupron (10units) & Dexamethasone (.75mg)

7/5-Last BCP

7/6-Down Lupron dose (5units)

7/10-Baseline E2 at 67

7/14-Add in Follistim (300units)

7/16-Drop Follistim (225units) Add Luveris (1/2ml)

7/20-E2 at 1852, U/S & Urea Plasma (24 measurable follicles, lining at 16.5) Last Follstim & Luveris shot

7/21-Last Lupron shot

7/22-HCG Trigger (1am) begin Clindamycin (150mg) suppositories

7/23-ER (13 eggs retrieved) begin PIO (1ml) shots and Ciprofloxin (500mg)

7/24-Fert Report: Only 3 of our eggs were mostly mature and 4 were almost mature. All 7 were ICSI'd and 2 fertilized

7/26-Embryo Report: We lost one of our precious embryos, and our remaining embryo is only 3-celled

7/27-Embryo Report: Game over. Our little guy is still only 3-celled and not growing. Stopping all meds and waiting for our second chance

Friday, August 22, 2008

What?

So I called the Dr.'s office yesterday to let them know that the progesterone I'm taking is not solving my spotting issues.

Me: My spotting showed up yesterday. Should I double my dose since I have extra pills?

Nurse: What day in your cycle did you start taking them?

Me: CD19. I've been taking them for 4 days.

Nurse: (mumbling to herself) So that would have be CD1 for you... just stop taking them, your period will come.

Me: Stop taking them? What!?!

Nurse: What?

Me: Wha...never mind. I can't stop taking them, they're supposed to prevent spotting and keep my lining lookin' good.

Nurse: Ooohhh. Ok, let me get your chart...(long pause, and I can hear her talking to another nurse in the background)...ok, so you are supposed to be taking 200mg of progesterone at night. And it says here your lining looks great.

Me: Right. But I'm spotting again. So the progesterone isn't working. Should I double my dose and see if that helps?

Nurse: Wait...so why are you taking the progesterone?

Me: *sigh* To try and stop my spotting. But it's not working.

Nurse: Oh, ok, I can see that in your chart here. So you should take 200mg at night.

Me: Yes, I know. But should I be taking more since it isn't working?

Nurse: Well, hun, how do you know it's not working?

Me: (rolling of the eyes) Because I'm still spotting.

Nurse: Well, you could be spotting for reasons other than progesterone issues. Your chart here says your progesterone levels are fine. Or maybe your body just isn't responding to the low dose.

Me: I know, but the Dr. thought this would work, and it's not. So what should I do?

Nurse: Just keep taking them.

Me: So should I take a higher dose just to see if it works?

Nurse: Ummm...no, I don't think so. Just keep taking the 200mg at night.

Thanks a lot.

So I decided to double them up, just for a few days to see if I notice a difference.

I don't think the nurse knew what she was talking about anyway.

"Always listen to the experts. They'll tell you what can't be done and why. Then do it."
-Robert Heinlein

5 comments:

Emily said...: I love the dialog!! I can't blame you for wanting to double up. I was told that my lining and progesterone levels are find too - so why do we both spot before AF arrives?!?! Good Luck - I hope the extra dose helps!; August 22, 2008 at 12:19 PM
JenM said...: Oh, man, that would have been a frustrating conversation. I'm sorry you're spotting, I hope the extra progesterone helps.; August 22, 2008 at 7:02 PM
jessica56 said...: What a joke! I hate when you are an educated patient and the doctors or nurses act like they think they know more than you! I will keep you in my thoughts!!; August 23, 2008 at 8:10 AM
Amber said...: Oh god - I know that frustration ALL TOO WELL. I've got some pent up anger that I need to release - care to share the address of that nurse?

I hope doubling up helps. Hang in there.; August 24, 2008 at 9:48 AM
WantWait&Pray said...: Hey girl...you almost at the end of your 2ww....how are you doing? Still spotting? Did you test at all??? Keep me posted!; August 25, 2008 at 6:52 AM

Think (+) Positive

Storms Make Trees Grow Deeper Roots

IVF {Part 4}

Unexpected Journey

IVF {Part 3}

IVF {Part 2}

IVF {Part 1}

B

Friday, August 22, 2008

What?

5 comments:

Life After Infertility

Just Ask Me!

TEAM TAB

Dr. Greene's Blog

Praying For Miracles

Answered Prayers

OTHER RANDOM BLOGS I LOVE