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.
Showing posts with label follicles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label follicles. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
All's well except for the oranges (IVF/ICSI #2, stim day 6)
I had a wonderful Nurse Practitioner wield the Wanda this morning. She is one of the kind, gentle nurses who offers up blood test results, follicle size, and other information without being prompted.
My estradiol was over 400 on Saturday and today there are seven follies between 10-12 mm on the left, and two between 9-10 mm on the right. Apparently a few more might be waiting in the wings on my overachieving left ovary. I'm so relieved that everything seems to be on track. Ra, ra, ra follies!
The migraine is gone (hallelujah) and I feel great. The only minor complaints are:
1.) I feel like I swallowed two huge oranges whole. It's pretty darn uncomfortable, and my tummy is protruding like I'm pregnant. Oh, cruel world.
2.) I'm exhausted, and it's only Monday.
This time around has been much easier overall. I'm more resigned to being the marionette controlled by a group of manipulators. It's pretty amazing how easily I relinquished control this time around. If you knew me IRL, you'd be astounded.
Compared to last month's cycle, things are definitely moving much quicker. I'm on 300 iu Gonal-F now compared to the 150 iu start the last time around. The nurse predicted a Saturday (3/21) or Monday (3/23) retrieval. Aah, wouldn't it be simply wonderful to stim for 9 days instead of 12?
On the weirdness scale, an ER on 3/23 would be off the charts. With February and March dates falling on the same days of the week, this month has been a constant stream of déjà vu experiences. This month's cycle started two days later than last month's, but with the higher dose of meds, it looks like I'll be catching up. Not that I'm rushing to relive the BFN.
Last month's retrieval was on Monday, the 23rd. If that is indeed the retrieval date this time around, then the singleton due date for this cycle would be... wait for it... my birthday. Twins would be... on my brother's birthday. I about died when the calculator spat out those two precise dates.
A colleague, who didn't know when my birthday is, told me he has had a recurring dream about me the past two nights. In his dream, he was visiting me on my birthday (close to Christmas), and felt compelled to bring gold, frankincense and myrrh. But strangely, he said, he was visiting me at my house on my birthday, but the presents weren't for me. Someone else in my house was having a birthday. He knew he couldn't afford gold, so he had to find a substitute. Aah! He could bring Gold.schläger sch.napps! But then he realized, I couldn't drink. Hmmm. How very weird - and hopefully psychic of him.
My estradiol was over 400 on Saturday and today there are seven follies between 10-12 mm on the left, and two between 9-10 mm on the right. Apparently a few more might be waiting in the wings on my overachieving left ovary. I'm so relieved that everything seems to be on track. Ra, ra, ra follies!
The migraine is gone (hallelujah) and I feel great. The only minor complaints are:
1.) I feel like I swallowed two huge oranges whole. It's pretty darn uncomfortable, and my tummy is protruding like I'm pregnant. Oh, cruel world.
2.) I'm exhausted, and it's only Monday.
This time around has been much easier overall. I'm more resigned to being the marionette controlled by a group of manipulators. It's pretty amazing how easily I relinquished control this time around. If you knew me IRL, you'd be astounded.
Compared to last month's cycle, things are definitely moving much quicker. I'm on 300 iu Gonal-F now compared to the 150 iu start the last time around. The nurse predicted a Saturday (3/21) or Monday (3/23) retrieval. Aah, wouldn't it be simply wonderful to stim for 9 days instead of 12?
On the weirdness scale, an ER on 3/23 would be off the charts. With February and March dates falling on the same days of the week, this month has been a constant stream of déjà vu experiences. This month's cycle started two days later than last month's, but with the higher dose of meds, it looks like I'll be catching up. Not that I'm rushing to relive the BFN.
Last month's retrieval was on Monday, the 23rd. If that is indeed the retrieval date this time around, then the singleton due date for this cycle would be... wait for it... my birthday. Twins would be... on my brother's birthday. I about died when the calculator spat out those two precise dates.
A colleague, who didn't know when my birthday is, told me he has had a recurring dream about me the past two nights. In his dream, he was visiting me on my birthday (close to Christmas), and felt compelled to bring gold, frankincense and myrrh. But strangely, he said, he was visiting me at my house on my birthday, but the presents weren't for me. Someone else in my house was having a birthday. He knew he couldn't afford gold, so he had to find a substitute. Aah! He could bring Gold.schläger sch.napps! But then he realized, I couldn't drink. Hmmm. How very weird - and hopefully psychic of him.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Are My Eggs Cooked?
I drove to the nearest Quest lab this morning to have my FSH, LH and Estradiol tested. Let’s hope my ovarian reserve looks as good as my RE said it did after looking at the “many follicles” during my u/s. I can’t handle more bad news right now.
If my FSH is over 9, then the news is not only bad in terms of ttc, obviously, but it’s a double whammy because we won’t qualify for the shared risk insurance option down the line. My mom was 39 when she gave birth to my brother, and I’ve read that one’s mother’s fertility clock can be an indicator of one’s own ovarian reserve. I’m cautiously hopeful.
A poster on one of the forums mentioned a clinical trial in NYC. I completed their pre-screening evaluation, so we will see if anything comes of it. They are comparing different IVF protocols. My RE reckons I’m at risk of OHSS, so mini-IVF wouldn’t be objectionable. I wonder if MF is reason for disqualification. We shall see. I wouldn’t mind a free IVF cycle.
If my FSH is over 9, then the news is not only bad in terms of ttc, obviously, but it’s a double whammy because we won’t qualify for the shared risk insurance option down the line. My mom was 39 when she gave birth to my brother, and I’ve read that one’s mother’s fertility clock can be an indicator of one’s own ovarian reserve. I’m cautiously hopeful.
A poster on one of the forums mentioned a clinical trial in NYC. I completed their pre-screening evaluation, so we will see if anything comes of it. They are comparing different IVF protocols. My RE reckons I’m at risk of OHSS, so mini-IVF wouldn’t be objectionable. I wonder if MF is reason for disqualification. We shall see. I wouldn’t mind a free IVF cycle.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
