Today was a good u/s day! Harvesting will take place in one week!!!!!!
During my last visit, the doctor wasn't too hopeful about my left ovary producing many follicles or at least of much quality. Great news is, not only did my right ovary produce several follicles, my left one did too! Despite the cyst. My endometrial lining is 8 (not sure what exactly that means, but it is more than 5 from the previous visit).
So, I have 6-7 follicles measuring 10-14mm on my right ovary. ~4 11-12mm & ~3 13-15mm follicles on my left ovary. And boy oh, boy, I feel twinges and pangs on my ovaries! Nothing unpleasant (like I had been having last week before the injections), just enough twitchiness to know something is going on. Almost O-like symptoms, but not quite.
I will do 3 more days of Puregon injections (today, Tues & Wed). Then on Thursday morning I go back in for another control u/s, even though they already know they will harvest on Monday, the 22nd. The doctor said they still want to do 2 u/s. *shrug* Ok.
And then next Monday DH and I will go in early for my procedure (harvesting) and DH will give a sample. I've been told the harvesting is quite painful, so we'll see how that goes. And then on Wednesday I'll get 1-2 starts inserted back into me! In addition, on Mon-Wed, I'll be home from work on "sick leave".
I haven't felt this happy and hopeful in ages!
2nd u/s today to see how the eggies are doing. Not much has changed since Monday.
The endometrium lining is good and follicles are still growing. Since some of the follicles are a bit small, I'll continue with injections today and tomorrow. Saturday will be the O-stimulator injection and a break from needles on Sunday.
Monday we go in at . DH will give a sample and I'll be harvested. I've been told it will take 15-30minutes for he actual procedure, but we'll be in the office about 2 hours total. I will get some pain killers and antibiotics intravenously. No driving for me for 24 hours. Good thing I'll have 4 days of sick leave (it is paid time off here in
I've been warned by a co-worker that when his wife had this done, it was painful! So, I'm trying to prepare myself for pain and also try to prove them wrong and that it isn't painful. LOL
And then a week from today will be the reinsertion date.
(In response to what someone said: Yes! What I wouldn't go through to get a LO! Pain? What's that? What am I not going through? This mega amount of hormones is totall kicking my butt. I'm so tired, sometimes a bit nauseous, food doesn't always sound good (totally not me), sensitive skin, heavy feeling ovaries, a couple of bruises from the injections. Thankfully I don't think I'm too moody...or at least not any worse than normal. lol
Harvesting can't be as painful as some birth stories I've heard. Can it? (famous last words) And this won't be that long of a procedure...)
Today was harvest day!
DH and I were a few minutes late (just after ), but that didn't seem to matter. *phew* The whole thing today only took about 2 hours.
The nurse called us to the waiting area (several beds cordoned off by curtains) and had me strip down below the waist and put on a hospital gown. DH was sent off to give his donation. There was a Paracetamol/Tylenol waiting for me. After I got dressed in my gown, the nurse put an IV in my arm and started the antibiotic drip (because of me having endo). Basic questions were asked of me (any allergies to medication, how long had we been trying, etc) DH came back and we just waited. When the antibiotics were done, the nurse told me to go to the bathroom. And right before the procedure, she told me go again (~), saying that nerves can stop the bladder from emptying fully and if I didn't go a 2nd time, I'd get a catheter. (yikes! No!)
The nurse and I walked to the end of the row of beds into the procedure room. There was the doctor/surgeon and one more lady. They had me get up on a table with stirrups (the type you rest your calf/knees on, not your feet). I got a shot of morphine in my IV (heheh). It went to my head almost immediately.
The doctor put a speculum in me to see what everything looked like and then she gave me a local injection (like at the dentist's) at my uterus opening. That pinched a bit. Then the doctor & nurse got the u/s wand ready. I couldn't quite see what the doctor did to it, but I believe the needle was clamped on to the wand. At least I know they only put one thing inside of me. Then the doctor found my right ovary and started the procedure.
The screen was turned so I could see what was happening. It was quite fascinating. The screen had a line of green dots going across it for the doctor to know the angle of the needle. Once the needle was in position (after a tiny pinch and ouch) and in a follicle "cell"(?), the needle started sucking it up. It was 'funny' to see the fluid being sucked up like in a straw. They told me when they got the first follicle in a tube and I just didn't hear them as I was so focused on the monitor. lol. The right ovary was harvested in no time. On to the left ovary.
The left ovary was a bit more painful! Almost each time the doctor moved the needle to go to another follicle, it pinched! It wasn't nearly as painful as I was expecting, but it sure did hurt. Getting an IUD inserted was much more painful (and I also had less painkillers)!! I "ouched" a few times and breathed deeply. Then all follicles were gathered! The doctor wiped up some blood, checked that there wasn't any extra bleeding going on and I was able to sit up. I sat for a few seconds and the nurse asked how I was doing and if I felt like I could walk back to my bed.
My head felt woozy-funny, but I was able to walk back without any problems. I just felt extremely tired. DH helped me get the blanket over my legs and I asked him what time it was. He answered, but I thought he was being silly and said "B14". After a bit of clarification, he said "a bit before 10".
A few minutes later the nurse came in and gave me some more pain medication in my IV. I laid there half out of it and sleepy for some time. The medication dripped and then the nurse said if I had something to eat with me (they recommended bringing a snack), I could eat it. So I sat up and ate my homemade pizza slices from the night before. *yum* After I had eaten, the nurse saw that I was sitting up and said if I was sitting, I must be well enough to go home.
The nurse went over some last minute details such as: 15 follicles were harvested (we won't know the quality of them or DH's sperm or how many fertilized nicely) and when to come back on Thursday. I got dressed and we walked (me slowly) to the car. DH drove us home and I came upstairs, he walked to work. I got me some more pain killer, tea, played with our younger cat and then crawled into bed to snuggle with our older cat. I tried reading for a bit, but was so exhausted that I closed my eyes at . I woke up a few times for a sec, but didn't fully wake up until .
I will start taking Lugesteron (progesterone) capsules this evening and then continue with inserting 3 a day (ugh) until my period comes or until the first u/s after a positive test in 2 weeks.
Right now, I am feeling a bit sore, achy and a bit bloated in the stomach area. I will be home on sick leave for 4 days (back at work on Friday just in time for the xmas party). Anything more than gentle walking has been forbidden for the next week.
Now we wait until Thursday.
(In response to what someone said: The process was actually much easier than I thought it would be. And I guess I've been quite lucky to not have too many s/e from the drugs (during the whole process). Ok, sure, I've had pregnancy-like symptoms the last 2 weeks, but nothing I couldn't live with (most of the time, heh).
And I'm so excited and nervous for Thursday. I know already that if this fails, I'm gonna be in tears if I see a BFN or AF after the 2WW. I just feel it in my bones. Sure, I've been sad all the times before, but this time is different..)
Today was Transfer day! And It went well. :)
We knew on Monday that they harvested 15 eggs. Today we found out the rest of the stats.
Of the 15 eggs harvested, 14 were mature.
Of those 14, 8 fertilized.
Of the 8, something happened (I didn't quite understand) and only 6 continued on.
Of the 6, 2 were transferred to me today.
None were frozen today, but there are 4 embryos that are still growing and have a chance at being frozen in the next few days. I'll get a letter sent to my home with all the info and how many will be (were) frozen.
As for the appointment itself, I was in and out in about 20minutes. It was almost the same as an IUI procedure, except I was told to drink lots of liquid and not go pee before hand. A full bladder helps them to see and position the embryo into the correct position.
I checked in at the 7th floor like normal and the secretary told me to go to the 4th floor. *shock* I'd never been there, but I'm assuming that is where the labs are. As I walked in I saw a friend in the waiting room also. (We didn't really have time to chat as she was called off somewhere almost immediately.) A couple of minutes later, I was called back.
The details I told above were told to me and then I stripped down and headed to the procedure room. A technician (from another room, via a square "window") asked my social security number to make sure they had the right person. I laid back in the stirrups, the cold speculum was put in place. With help from the nurse and an external u/s on my lower abdomen, the doctor inserted the tube-needle thing into place. That pinched! Then the technician from the other room came back with the 2 embryos and the doctor inserted them into place. They had me sit for a sec and then I got dressed and was on my way home.
As I was driving home, an emotional wave hit me. I wasn't expecting it, at least not until 2 weeks from now. I just really really want this to work! I am so tired of waiting. I am also concerned that if this first IVF doesn't work, I won't be able to start the next round until after the new year. That's almost 2 months away!!
Anyway, after a cry and chat with my friend, I felt much better. A few fresh baked cookies and a cute 20mo old little girl doesn't hurt.
So, it's progesterone suppositories for me for the next 2 weeks and we'll see what happens.
I definitely feel better after my little cry yesterday. It is funny how most everything is released with a cry.
I will do an hpt test on Dec 9th. Although, I am not sure if I can hold out that long. LOL. But I do have only 1 hpt at home, so that might help.. hehe
I have no idea when I'll go back to the doctor. It will all depend on the test. I will at least call the clinic to let them know the result of the test.
