Thursday, March 19, 2009

Follies in the crockpot (IVF/ICSI #2, stim day 9)

Today's monitoring appointment wasn't at all what I expected. I hoped I'd be triggering sooner, but apparently not. The brash nurse - who needs to be reminded that she can't gesture with the hand that is maneuvering Wanda - said firmly, "You're not ready." (I think she could see the rebellion on my face: "Yes I am! Yes I am!" like a 2-year old. "Come on, follies, prove me right!") But alas, it was not to be.

I'm disappointed, but I don't want the RE to retrieve immature eggs for the sake of my comfort. We've come too far, these follies and I. Most of the follies are around 15 mm and they need to be at 18 mm. We're almost there, but not quite. The follies are in the slow cooker, which might not be a bad pace after all.

Yesterday, my lining was at 11, and they saw 9 follies. Today she measured 12 follies around 15 mm in size "with a couple more that might be ready by retrieval." Compared to the last cycle when we only ever saw about 8 right up until the end, things are looking up. Still only 2 follicles on the right, and 10+ on the over-compensating left ovary.

My estrogen must be through the roof, because they insist on close monitoring, and seeing me every day, tomorrow included. They have me almost coasting tonight, but not quite. Just 75 units of Gonal-F. I listened to the dosage message the nurse left on my cell phone three times, because she mumbled and I couldn't believe she said "75" and not "175." Just 2 clicks, that would be a piece of cake!

Tonight might be my last encounter with the Gonal-F pen... should I write "for this cycle" or "forever?" Either way, I might jinx it.

8 comments:

momsoon said...

good by gonalf forever is my vote!!! You can do it, I know the lovely sensation of being a walking egg farm at the end of stims and having an expressive,chatty, gesturing technincian. I always got 'her' on my final checks too...
sending you hopes that you hear the sound of the trigger tomorrow!!!!! Hang in there and avoid the potholes and tight pants!!!! check with you tomorrow.

Carrie said...

Let's hope it is the last Gonal-F ever! As someone who has the bastard OHSS right now, slow-cooking is the WAY to go!

So proud of your ovaries- they are really showing up!

Hugs,
Carrie

Meinsideout said...

Sounds good - slow is better - I stim so fast I leave many good soldiers behind!

poppy.f.seed said...

I hope it is your last gonal-f ever! And, that you get good, full follies.

Sapphire said...

I am really hoping things go great for you. Hang in there!

Megs said...

Yay...hang in there :) Sounds like you should have some nice follies come retrieval time! Will be thinking about you!

Nichole said...

I know all too well how it feels to have a "slow" cycle. It is so frustrating and dissapointing! I am sending you big cyber-hugs!!!

Kate said...

By now you may be done with the stims, but it sounds like they are doing a great job monitoring (2 hour drive sucks I know-- mine too!) and gosh you are doing a great job producing a great crop-o-follicles! I hope you are ok-- and that things are where you want them to be today.
Your numbers sound really great, really really-- so,

GOOD LUCK! We're all out here pulling for you!