Today's clinic visit was short and sweet.
Bloodwork - check!
Ultrasound - check!
Meet with RE - check!
Right: 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 10
Left: 12, 10, 10
If you're counting along, that's 9 follicles! Right on schedule :) We;re moving along nicely. There is still a real possibility to over respond but we're keeping a close eye on it. I was concerned that I since I had never taken suppressants I would over suppress and not grow any follicles, so I'm glad that's not happening.
I go back on Monday to check again.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Look beside you
CD9~CD11
First let me explain today's Cycle Day (CD) number. Normally, CD1 is the first day of AF and stims or other drugs start on CD3. However, because this is an IVF cycle, and my body procrastinated with AF, things happened a little differently.
My calendar told me to start stims on Sept 20th no matter what day AF started and since AF started the same day as I was to start stims it was kinda like CD1 and CD3 at the same time (i.e. CD1~CD3). This was ok because of all the other drugs I've done so far (OBC and Suprefact). Those got my body to essentially a baseline zero and would have kept me there whether I started stimming on CD1 or CD7, it still would a been a forced 'CD3'. If that makes any sense...
My FC refers to my CD as the later day (CD11) but in my head it's still really early and feels like CD9 so I'm counting both.
My first visit back to the FC since I was given my calendar almost a month ago was on Tuesday (CD6~CD8). [See, this is why I've been double counting - on the first FC visit this cycle I was still bleeding and that's not usually the case.] Anyway, Tuesday's visit was pretty uneventful. I had the standard U/S & BW and met with one of the RE's and a nurse. There was no measurable growth yet.
I'm not worried and as the RE pointed out, they want to make "wake up" my ovaries slowly so that I don't overstimulate in order to get the highest quality eggs. He did say that if my E2 (estrogen) levels were low he'd call in the afternoon to raise my Puregon dose. I didn't receive a call so I continued at 100 units for Tuesday and Wednesday night.
I went back to the FC yesterday morning (CD10~12) to check follicle sizes and E2 levels and things are finally starting to grow!
Right: 10, 10, 9, 9
Left: <10 p="p">
Well, at least the right side is growing. Lefty is still lazy!
I go back tomorrow morning to check again.
Yesterday was a busy day. Not only did I visit the FC, I also had a consultation with a new Naturalpathic Doctor. While I liked my ole one, she just didn't have the experience with fertility issues or the availability that I need. This new ND had done lots of research on infertility and has even spoken at a meeting of the local infertility support group. Not that I have ever been to a meeting, but I read their blog.
I'm happy that I will be able to have 2 more appointments with her before Egg Retrieval. The first will be to complete a physical before she can officially treat me and the 2nd will be for acupuncture. The FC said that if I could find an acupuncturist who can see me on the day of transfer both before and after transfer, that it has been proven to increase the odds of success. I'm really happy that I can get at least one session in before retrieval and possibly be able to book the two appointments on transfer day. I'll try for it, but I won't get upset if it doesn't work out. The ND doesn't seem to thing it's as necessary for it to be on the same day, the next day would be just as good.
********
Part of my job is to attend to tenants units with contractors if the tenant is not home. Today I had to babysit a contractor in a number of units while they worked for hours. I forgot to bring my Ipod with me so I wrote this post while I waited.
In one of the units, there was a piece of art on the wall that had a great saying. I wish I had my Ipod because it would have been a good instagram (which I just started using) but a good "old fashioned" digital photo will have to do.
First let me explain today's Cycle Day (CD) number. Normally, CD1 is the first day of AF and stims or other drugs start on CD3. However, because this is an IVF cycle, and my body procrastinated with AF, things happened a little differently.
My calendar told me to start stims on Sept 20th no matter what day AF started and since AF started the same day as I was to start stims it was kinda like CD1 and CD3 at the same time (i.e. CD1~CD3). This was ok because of all the other drugs I've done so far (OBC and Suprefact). Those got my body to essentially a baseline zero and would have kept me there whether I started stimming on CD1 or CD7, it still would a been a forced 'CD3'. If that makes any sense...
My FC refers to my CD as the later day (CD11) but in my head it's still really early and feels like CD9 so I'm counting both.
My first visit back to the FC since I was given my calendar almost a month ago was on Tuesday (CD6~CD8). [See, this is why I've been double counting - on the first FC visit this cycle I was still bleeding and that's not usually the case.] Anyway, Tuesday's visit was pretty uneventful. I had the standard U/S & BW and met with one of the RE's and a nurse. There was no measurable growth yet.
I'm not worried and as the RE pointed out, they want to make "wake up" my ovaries slowly so that I don't overstimulate in order to get the highest quality eggs. He did say that if my E2 (estrogen) levels were low he'd call in the afternoon to raise my Puregon dose. I didn't receive a call so I continued at 100 units for Tuesday and Wednesday night.
I went back to the FC yesterday morning (CD10~12) to check follicle sizes and E2 levels and things are finally starting to grow!
Right: 10, 10, 9, 9
Left: <10 p="p">
Well, at least the right side is growing. Lefty is still lazy!
I go back tomorrow morning to check again.
Yesterday was a busy day. Not only did I visit the FC, I also had a consultation with a new Naturalpathic Doctor. While I liked my ole one, she just didn't have the experience with fertility issues or the availability that I need. This new ND had done lots of research on infertility and has even spoken at a meeting of the local infertility support group. Not that I have ever been to a meeting, but I read their blog.
I'm happy that I will be able to have 2 more appointments with her before Egg Retrieval. The first will be to complete a physical before she can officially treat me and the 2nd will be for acupuncture. The FC said that if I could find an acupuncturist who can see me on the day of transfer both before and after transfer, that it has been proven to increase the odds of success. I'm really happy that I can get at least one session in before retrieval and possibly be able to book the two appointments on transfer day. I'll try for it, but I won't get upset if it doesn't work out. The ND doesn't seem to thing it's as necessary for it to be on the same day, the next day would be just as good.
********
Part of my job is to attend to tenants units with contractors if the tenant is not home. Today I had to babysit a contractor in a number of units while they worked for hours. I forgot to bring my Ipod with me so I wrote this post while I waited.
In one of the units, there was a piece of art on the wall that had a great saying. I wish I had my Ipod because it would have been a good instagram (which I just started using) but a good "old fashioned" digital photo will have to do.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Procrastinator
Even my body likes to procrastinate!
A couple of days ago I mentioned that it felt like my period was going to start and I was happy that it was going to be on time. Well... it didn't start.
I was told to call the clinic on Wednesday (today) if AF hadn't shown up yet before I could start stims on Thursday. All day yesterday I felt it coming on, and I was spotting; all day today too, but nothing!Since the clinic is only open until 4, I called around noon to let them know that I still hadn't started.
The nurse told me to make an appointment for tomorrow morning to come in and have some blood work done and have an ultrasound to find out what was going on. She mentioned that the couple days of spotting I've had could be it, all I was going to get, but that I should come in just to be sure.
She also said that if my period should start tonight or tomorrow morning, I can call and cancel the appointment and go ahead and take the drugs as originally scheduled tomorrow.
I've been going to the washroom every few hours to check and still nothing all day.
All day that is until about 5:30. Finally a little more than just spotting! I'm not calling to cancel just yet, but it looks like my body was just waiting until the last possible minute, just to screw with me!
A couple of days ago I mentioned that it felt like my period was going to start and I was happy that it was going to be on time. Well... it didn't start.
I was told to call the clinic on Wednesday (today) if AF hadn't shown up yet before I could start stims on Thursday. All day yesterday I felt it coming on, and I was spotting; all day today too, but nothing!Since the clinic is only open until 4, I called around noon to let them know that I still hadn't started.
The nurse told me to make an appointment for tomorrow morning to come in and have some blood work done and have an ultrasound to find out what was going on. She mentioned that the couple days of spotting I've had could be it, all I was going to get, but that I should come in just to be sure.
She also said that if my period should start tonight or tomorrow morning, I can call and cancel the appointment and go ahead and take the drugs as originally scheduled tomorrow.
I've been going to the washroom every few hours to check and still nothing all day.
All day that is until about 5:30. Finally a little more than just spotting! I'm not calling to cancel just yet, but it looks like my body was just waiting until the last possible minute, just to screw with me!
Monday, September 17, 2012
It feels like the first time
I'm trying to go to bed early tonight because I'm still dead tired from J's awesome bachelorette on Saturday night but for some reason this time of night is when I do my best thinking and writing.
As I was getting ready for bed tonight, I discovered that I'm spotting. This probably means that my period will start tomorrow, right on time. I was told I'd get a period between 3 to 5 days after stopping the pill. Tomorrow will be 4.
Upon this discovery, I went down stairs with a big smile on my face and told D that AF was starting. This is not how I usually look when I tell him that do he was a little confused!
"Is that a good thing?" he asked.
"Yes" I said. "this could be my last period for a long time"
"I hope so" he said.
It feels wired and kinda scary to have this feeling again... Hope... Real hope.
For all we know this could actually be the first time we've ever had any chance at success. This is like our first time (hence the cheesy song title).
Hope is a pretty scary thing, but without it, we couldn't go on. A little hope is a good thing. A lot of hope is terrifying... In my experience, with infertility, the higher your hopes the farther you fall when you fail.
There are still no guaranties with IVF. This could still fail. I could still fail. There are still many hurdles to get over before we even get to transfer. I don't want to dwell on the negatives. But sometimes I have to remind myself not fly too close to the sun or I could get burned.
That glimmer is just so attractive...
That glimmer of hope.
As I was getting ready for bed tonight, I discovered that I'm spotting. This probably means that my period will start tomorrow, right on time. I was told I'd get a period between 3 to 5 days after stopping the pill. Tomorrow will be 4.
Upon this discovery, I went down stairs with a big smile on my face and told D that AF was starting. This is not how I usually look when I tell him that do he was a little confused!
"Is that a good thing?" he asked.
"Yes" I said. "this could be my last period for a long time"
"I hope so" he said.
It feels wired and kinda scary to have this feeling again... Hope... Real hope.
For all we know this could actually be the first time we've ever had any chance at success. This is like our first time (hence the cheesy song title).
Hope is a pretty scary thing, but without it, we couldn't go on. A little hope is a good thing. A lot of hope is terrifying... In my experience, with infertility, the higher your hopes the farther you fall when you fail.
There are still no guaranties with IVF. This could still fail. I could still fail. There are still many hurdles to get over before we even get to transfer. I don't want to dwell on the negatives. But sometimes I have to remind myself not fly too close to the sun or I could get burned.
That glimmer is just so attractive...
That glimmer of hope.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Birth Control
Birth control and I have a long and sordid history.
I first started taking it when I was 16. I still remember writing to Jules and asking her what she thought of the idea. I believe it was her who reminded me that I could go to the Dr. and ask for it and he wouldn't be able to tell my mom. I took her advice and went to my Dr. He gave me 3 months worth of free samples and encouraged me to talk to my mom.
After a few months on the pill I lost my virginity to my high school sweetheart. With my next period I had the most painful cramps I'd ever experienced. I thought I was dying. My mom took me to the hospital and of course the ER doc had to ask all of those standard questions...
"Are you on any medications?"
Me in a whisper "the pill"
Oh did I mention my mom was still in the room with me? Because yes she was.
"Are you sexually active?"
Me in a whisper "yes"
And right there I died of embarrassment!
The good news was that my mom could not be mad because how can you be mad when your daughter is lying in pain in the emergency room?
It turned out to be a cyst that ruptured on my right ovary. I still wonder to this day if it was the trauma of that day that caused the damage and blockage of my right tube. Anyway, for the next few years the pill and I got along just fine. I went to university and in my second year I started to notice a change in my moods. I broke up with my previously mentioned high school boyfriend and started on some antidepressants. I did a little research and found that one of the common side effects of the pill is depression. Since I no longer had a boyfriend I figured I could experiment a little and go off the pill and see if that helped with the depression. It defiantly did. I was able to go off all other medication cometely and felt more like myself than I had in years.
Over the next few years I went back on the pill a couple of times while I was dating someone but hated every minute of it. When I started seeing D, he was terrified of the fact that I wasn't on any birth control. I agreed to go on it but warned him of the massive mood changes that were to come. He agreed that if they were really that bad he would find a way to be ok with out me taking it. I was only on it for 1 month before he came over to find me crying in bed because my boss was mean. Granted, my boss at the time was a class A jerk face but this was an extreme reaction. I stopped taking the pill and both D and I have been happier ever since.
That is until this business with infertility.
Who would have thought that part of the treatment for infertility would involve taking birth control pills! I mean, every one knows the firsts step in trying to get pregnant is to go off the pill. I have now been taking the pill as part of my protocol for IVF for the past 16 days. I have definitely noticed a change. I was really scared of this part, but it hasn't been as bad as I feared. Yes, I've been crying at stupid things on tv. And maybe I over reacted about the comment from my chiropractor... But I was afraid that I would be inconsolable when ever I thought too much about our situation. I wasn't and for that I'm happy.
I am ecstatic to say that tonight was my last BCP!
I'm so happy to finally be done with it! I'm also hoping that this heartburn I've had for the last week will finally go away now...
I first started taking it when I was 16. I still remember writing to Jules and asking her what she thought of the idea. I believe it was her who reminded me that I could go to the Dr. and ask for it and he wouldn't be able to tell my mom. I took her advice and went to my Dr. He gave me 3 months worth of free samples and encouraged me to talk to my mom.
After a few months on the pill I lost my virginity to my high school sweetheart. With my next period I had the most painful cramps I'd ever experienced. I thought I was dying. My mom took me to the hospital and of course the ER doc had to ask all of those standard questions...
"Are you on any medications?"
Me in a whisper "the pill"
Oh did I mention my mom was still in the room with me? Because yes she was.
"Are you sexually active?"
Me in a whisper "yes"
And right there I died of embarrassment!
The good news was that my mom could not be mad because how can you be mad when your daughter is lying in pain in the emergency room?
It turned out to be a cyst that ruptured on my right ovary. I still wonder to this day if it was the trauma of that day that caused the damage and blockage of my right tube. Anyway, for the next few years the pill and I got along just fine. I went to university and in my second year I started to notice a change in my moods. I broke up with my previously mentioned high school boyfriend and started on some antidepressants. I did a little research and found that one of the common side effects of the pill is depression. Since I no longer had a boyfriend I figured I could experiment a little and go off the pill and see if that helped with the depression. It defiantly did. I was able to go off all other medication cometely and felt more like myself than I had in years.
Over the next few years I went back on the pill a couple of times while I was dating someone but hated every minute of it. When I started seeing D, he was terrified of the fact that I wasn't on any birth control. I agreed to go on it but warned him of the massive mood changes that were to come. He agreed that if they were really that bad he would find a way to be ok with out me taking it. I was only on it for 1 month before he came over to find me crying in bed because my boss was mean. Granted, my boss at the time was a class A jerk face but this was an extreme reaction. I stopped taking the pill and both D and I have been happier ever since.
That is until this business with infertility.
Who would have thought that part of the treatment for infertility would involve taking birth control pills! I mean, every one knows the firsts step in trying to get pregnant is to go off the pill. I have now been taking the pill as part of my protocol for IVF for the past 16 days. I have definitely noticed a change. I was really scared of this part, but it hasn't been as bad as I feared. Yes, I've been crying at stupid things on tv. And maybe I over reacted about the comment from my chiropractor... But I was afraid that I would be inconsolable when ever I thought too much about our situation. I wasn't and for that I'm happy.
I am ecstatic to say that tonight was my last BCP!
I'm so happy to finally be done with it! I'm also hoping that this heartburn I've had for the last week will finally go away now...
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
1 down... Around 45 more to go
Today was my first injection for IVF.
Of course I've done injections for other cycles, but this is a new medicaiton for me and is a diferent type of injection.
The injections I've done before have been a drug called Puregon. It comes in a pen form. You put on a fresh needle, dial up the dose, inject the needle and press a button to release the medication. I will use this drug again later in my cycle (next week actually), but this drug I'm using now is different.
This drug is called Suprefact. It is used to suppress my own natural horemones so that my RE has complete control of my horemones through drugs. It comes in a vial and I have a bunch of regular syringes that I have to fill from the vial and inject into my stomach. The way you hold the pen is much different from the way you hold a regular syringe. For the pen you just have to press the button, but for the syringe, you have to push down on the plunger. The needles on the pen are also a lot thiner and therefore pierce the skin easier. This morning I wasn't sure if it was going to go through or not!
The only side effects I've had so far was some redness and itching around the injection site, but that went away within a few minutes.
Of course I've done injections for other cycles, but this is a new medicaiton for me and is a diferent type of injection.
The injections I've done before have been a drug called Puregon. It comes in a pen form. You put on a fresh needle, dial up the dose, inject the needle and press a button to release the medication. I will use this drug again later in my cycle (next week actually), but this drug I'm using now is different.
This drug is called Suprefact. It is used to suppress my own natural horemones so that my RE has complete control of my horemones through drugs. It comes in a vial and I have a bunch of regular syringes that I have to fill from the vial and inject into my stomach. The way you hold the pen is much different from the way you hold a regular syringe. For the pen you just have to press the button, but for the syringe, you have to push down on the plunger. The needles on the pen are also a lot thiner and therefore pierce the skin easier. This morning I wasn't sure if it was going to go through or not!
The only side effects I've had so far was some redness and itching around the injection site, but that went away within a few minutes.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Random Conversations
It's amazing how in topics completely unrelated to fertility you find yourself in an awkward situation and completely off guard and unprepared for the questions.
I went to the chiropractor yesterday and when I walked on he was in discussion with another patient about an old disney movie. He asked me if I knew of the movie, which I did not, and I mentioned that I started a Disney movie collection when I was in high school. I have around 25 disney cartoons, some of which are still in the original packaging.
Chiropractor: "either you or your sister are going to have to have kids soon to use those Disney movies. Ha ha chuckle chuckle. I bet your mom says that all the time! chuckle"
Me: "actually no, not any more. We are in the middle of fertility treatments, so she doesn't say that any more."
Chiropractor:"oh really?! That's exciting!"
Me:"It's really not, we're going on two and a half years now so the 'excitement' has worn off."
I have told him in the past that we are going through this, apparently he hasn't paid attention. He is an extremely religious person and I haven't wanted to discuss this with him at all because I worry he doesn't believe in ART.
I think it might be a good time to switch chiropractors...
I went to the chiropractor yesterday and when I walked on he was in discussion with another patient about an old disney movie. He asked me if I knew of the movie, which I did not, and I mentioned that I started a Disney movie collection when I was in high school. I have around 25 disney cartoons, some of which are still in the original packaging.
Chiropractor: "either you or your sister are going to have to have kids soon to use those Disney movies. Ha ha chuckle chuckle. I bet your mom says that all the time! chuckle"
Me: "actually no, not any more. We are in the middle of fertility treatments, so she doesn't say that any more."
Chiropractor:"oh really?! That's exciting!"
Me:"It's really not, we're going on two and a half years now so the 'excitement' has worn off."
I have told him in the past that we are going through this, apparently he hasn't paid attention. He is an extremely religious person and I haven't wanted to discuss this with him at all because I worry he doesn't believe in ART.
I think it might be a good time to switch chiropractors...
Monday, September 3, 2012
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