Jax430
Hi!
Member since 5/05 18919 total posts
Name:
Jackie
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Here we go...Jax430's IVF Journal: Updated 11/25/11: GRADUATION DAY!!!
Me: 32
DH: 33
TTC since early 2009. I had a history of irregular periods, but never thought it would come to this. Years ago, I always said that if we couldn't conceive on our own, I would want to adopt. I never wanted to do IVF, but it's amazing how your views change when you're actually in the situation. I still can't believe we're at this point. It's just surreal.
Our pre-RE History:
5/09: 1st BFP
6/3/09: 1st m/c...5.5 weeks 
8/09 - 6/2010: TTC on our own
6/10: BFP #2...resulting in early m/c #2
Our History with Dr. B:
8/10: Consult with Dr. B.
Diagnoses: Balanced Chromosomal Translocation, PCOS, a little clotting antibody issue, a possible slight immune issue, a possible thyroid issue that we are not addressing right now b/c the numbers were inconsistent.
12/10: First IUI: BFN
1/11: Second IUI: BFN
2/11: Third IUI: BFP - beta doubled, then went down..m/c #3
4/11: Fourth IUI, first with injectables: BFP doubled twice, then rose too slowly. Had an agonizing 2 weeks of betas every other day....had a D&C 5/4/11
5/11 - 8/11: Loooong, relaxing break from TTC as I mentally and emotionally prepared to start IVF
....and here we go:
My Protocol
8/18/11: Started BCP for three weeks
9/8/11 - 9/10/11
Metformin 1500mg
Baby Aspirin
9/11/11 & 9/12/11
Gonal F 300iu
Dexamethasone .75mg
Metformin
Baby Aspirin
9/13/11
Gonal F 150 iu
Menopur 75iu
Dexamethasone .75mg
Metformin
Baby Aspirin
UPDATE 9/14/11:
Monitoring Day #1
Went to Quest in the morning, then Dr. B's in the afternoon. Bloodwork was fine, and sono showed about 12 follies on the right and 10 on the left. He said that he was really checking to make sure that none were substantially bigger than the others, and everything was fine. They were all about the same. I go back on Friday.
Meds 9/14/11 & 9/15/11
Gonal F 150 iu
Menopur 75iu
Dexamethasone .75mg
Metformin
Baby Aspirin
9/16/11
Start Ganirelix (1/2 dose) in AM, then go back for Monitoring Day #2.
UPDATE 9/16/11:
Monitoring Day #2
Saw Dr. B today. About 15 follies on each side, with the biggest at 14mm and the rest at 11-13mm. Lining was "grade A" and 8mm. Dr. B says he's 90% sure retrieval will be next Thursday.
Received a message from Linda tonight that Dr. B reviewed my labs from this morning and wants me to increase the Menopur to 2 vials. So my meds are as follows:
9/16/11
Dexamethasone .75
Baby Aspirin
Metformin 1500 mg
Ganirelix 25 units
Gonal F 150iu
Menopur 150iu
9/17/11
Dexamethasone .75
Baby Aspirin - LAST ONE
Metformin 1500 mg
Ganirelix 25 units
Gonal F 150iu
Menopur 150iu
Cipro 500mg 2x daily (for me and DH)
9/18/11
Dexamethasone .75
Metformin 1500 mg
Ganirelix 25 units
Gonal F 150iu
Menopur 150iu
Cipro 500mg 2x daily (for me and DH)
UPDATE 9/19/11: Monitoring Day #3
Went to Quest in the morning, and saw Dr. B for a sono in the afternoon. I've been in some discomfort from my swollen ovaries, so I thought the follies would have grown a lot. I didn't pay great attention, but the biggest few were 18mm, with a bunch of 17s and some that were 15 and under. I really hope that most of them release when I trigger! I heard Dr. B tell Cynthia that my lining was "8.3, B." The other day, he said it was "grade A," so that makes me nervous, but he didn't seem concerned.
Dr. B said that he thinks I need one more day, and that my retrieval will be on Thursday. I go back tomorrow.
Today's meds:
Dexamethasone .75
Metformin 1500 mg
Ganirelix 25 units
Gonal F 150iu
Menopur 150iu
Cipro 500mg 2x daily (for me and DH)
UPDATE 9/20/11: Monitoring Day #4
Went for bloodwork at Quest in the morning, and saw Sandra for a sono in the afternoon. All looks good. She said my lining looked great, and there are lots of follies on both side, with the largest few at about 20-21mm. Retrieval will be on Thursday at 6:30 am! I am excited and overwhelmed. I was thrown by all the instructions Sandra gave me...there were meds that I didn't know about, and now I'm expecting a delivery from Kraupners tonight.
9/20/11:
Lupron trigger
Cipro
Clindamycin vaginal suppositories
Dexamethasone
9/21/11:
8:00 lab for bloodwork
Cipro
Clindamycin
Dexamethasone
9/22/11: RETRIEVAL DAY!
We arrived at Gramercy Fertility early, b/c we left a lot of extra time. We were able to park on the street until 8, and then DH moved the car.
I completed paperwork, and got taken in fairly quickly. The anesthesiologist brought me into the procedure room. i found her a bit brusque at first. No real time for niceties, but after a minute, she did introduce herself. The embryologist came in and introduced himself...I don't remember his name. I don't remember meeting the doctor before the retrieval. I had a nice sleep, and when I woke up, I quickly asked how many they got, and the the anesthesiologist said, "a couple dozen." So 24 eggies sounds good to me! 
In recovery, I felt pretty okay, with occasional sharp pains in my lower abdomen and vaginal area. The anesthesiologist repeatedly checked on me and gave me pain meds via IV on three occasions - once before leaving the procedure room, and twice in recovery. The last dose she gave me was big, b/c she wanted me to be okay for the car ride. Unfortunately, it made me sick. I first got really woozy, then nauseous. She had me put up my knees and lay all the way back with my head lower than my legs. I felt better, but later got nauseous again and ended up puking. I felt better after that, but by the time we got home, I ended up getting really sick again. Felt much better after that and slept. Now I don't have any more nausea, but I am definitely sore and bloated. I've been trying to drink as much water and Gatorade as I can.
I am anxious to hear my fertilization report tomorrow, and am not looking forward to starting PIO tonight! 
9/23/11: FERTILIZATION REPORT
21 eggs fertilized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More than I could have ever hoped for! 
9/24/11: EMBIE UPDATE
17 embies are doing well: 14 Grade A and 3 Grade B. Looking at a 5DT on Tuesday. 
9/25/11: EMBIE UPDATE
Dr. B emailed me that we have 16 grade A embies!
9/26/11: EMBIE UPDATE
As of this afternoon, we have 10 Grade A embies at the morula stage (according to Dr. B, this is the expected stage for day 4), and 6 more that are already progressing to blasts - also Grade A!
We will be transferring 3 embies tomorrow. Dr. B originally said 4, but he wants to be a little cautious, in case the PCOS has also been playing a role. For my first transfer, he's more comfortable with 3. That's fine with me, b/c 3 is my favorite number. I am so excited for tomorrow. Transfer is at 11:00!
9/27/11: TRANSFER DAY!
My appointment at Gramercy was at 11:00, and we arrived there at 10:30, since we left plenty of time to allow for traffic. I got taken in to get changed slightly after 11. I heard the nurse talking to another patient about freezing embies, but no one came to talk to me, so I had to bring it up and make it known that I wanted to freeze my remaining embies.
Once I went into the procedure room, I noticed that the screen showed 2 embies on it, and our plan was to transfer 3. Carlo, the embryologist, confirmed my name and DOB, and then said, "you're transferring 2, right?" I corrected him and he questioned why we were doing 3. I explained about my history of loss due to translocation, and he went to choose a 3rd embie. I wish that this had been communicated from Dr. B's office before I got there.
It seemed to be like the procedure itself was taking long, and it turned out the doctor, who never introduced himself, and had no personality, was having trouble getting past my cervix. Carlo put the embies back in the incubator for a few minutes while the doctor kept trying, and eventually, he got into my uterus, and the transfer was completed. I had to pee sooooo badly at this point, but managed to lie in recovery for another 20 minutes until I was about to explode!
In total, we had 21 embies, 18 of which were "very good" according to Carlo. We transferred 3 of the best hatching embies, and are freezing 15 others. The three that we are not freezing were at the morula stage today, a little delayed.
So, here is the first picture of our potential babies:
10/5/11: Beta #1
So, I actually POAS on Monday morning, and it was positive on both FRER and CBE digital. I tested again yesterday afternoon, and the line on the FRER was nice and dark.
Today's beta result: Beta: 118, Progesterone: 168!
I am happy, obviously, but still very, very cautious because we have been here before..not with IVF though. I'm scared to get too excited. Following my last IUI, my beta doubled at first, then slowed by beta #3. So, I'm going to be on pins and needles for a bit, but I'm going to try my best to be as calm about it as possible.
10/6/11: Beta #2
I started getting really nervous last night, and was more nervous when I got home today to a message from Dr. B, b/c he typically emails me my results when they are good. However, everything is fine so far. Beta doubled, progesterone lowered, but still high.
Today's beta results: Beta: 248, Progesterone: 96
Next beta is on Tuesday. That's the one I'm most anxious about, b/c last time, my numbers doubled, then slowed for beta #3. I am going to be praying like I've never prayed before during Yom Kippur!
Oh, and I guess I don't have to fast, since I'm PG!
10/11/11: Beta #3
My beta should have been close to 1000 today. It was 650.  Dr. B said that often, this is due to two embryos reducing to one....but he also said that last time, and it was not the case. I am just sure that I am about to go through another two weeks of beta hell like I did in April, with my betas slowly rising until Dr. B determined that the pregnancy was not viable. I don't know if I can do this again. I don't have the strength. I know I should try to be positive and hopeful, but I just can't right now. The only tiny shred of hope that I have is that last time, it only went from 270 to 450 at 19DPO, so this time it was a *better* rise, even though not great.
I go for another beta on Thursday.
10/13/11: Beta #4
And here I am, stuck in beta hell again. Deja vu from April....
Today's Beta: 950. Next beta is Monday.
The only hope I have is that it is still rising faster than it did back in April. I'm hoping that Monday, 4 days later, will be more telling. At the very least, my beta should get high enough to go for a sono sooner, so that he can try to see what's going on.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and positive vibes. They all mean so much to me. 
10/17/11: Beta #5
3000!!!
If it had quadrupled in the last four days, it would have been at 3800, but I'm still happy, b/c doesn't beta slow down after 1200? Dr. B wants me to go for a sono on Friday. I am absolutely stunned. I was expecting the worst, and now I have some hope.
What do you girls think? Does it sound good? The highest beta I ever had before was 1350!
10/21/11: Sono #1
So, before the sono, Dr. B said that it was very early and he didn't expect to see much, just a sac and a fetal pole. Within a few seconds of starting the sono, he saw a heartbeat!!!! I couldn't believe it! We couldn't hear it, but it measured at 111bps. He was expecting around 90, and said that this was even better.
Our little bean measured 5w6d. I had estimated 6w1d, based on date of retrieval, but he said it was right where it should be.
I am seriously in shock. This is my fifth pregnancy, and the first time seeing a heartbeat. I am ecstatic, elated, and nervous as anything for our next sono next Friday. This has to be it for us, it just has to!
Thank you to all of you for all of your support and prayers - they have worked and gotten me through this roller coaster ride.
10/28/11: Sono #2
Thank you all again for all your good wishes and prayers. We went for our second sono today, and all is still well. HB was 131, and the little bean measured 6 weeks, 5 days. I'm technically 7 weeks, 1 day, but Dr. B said this was absolutely normal.
I was so nervous between appointments, but am feeling better as each week goes by, and hope to have another good update next week.
11/4/11: Sono #3
I hope no one minds me posting PG updates on here...I'm so not ready to move to the Pregnancy board yet!
I had my 8 week sono today, and my LO measured exactly 8 weeks! Heart rate was 163, which Dr. B says is great.
I am trying to be more confident about this pregnancy with every good doctor's appointment. I just keep hoping that my specific chromosomal translocation only impacts my embryos at the very beginning of development, as all my other losses were so early, by 6 weeks the latest. It's impossible to know for sure, but I keep telling myself that we've never made it nearly this far, and I have a good strong bean growing in there. I will feel so much better when the first trimester is over!
Thanks again for all your support!
11/11/11: Sono #4
Maybe one of these days I will stop getting so anxious before each sono. I was convinced that something was going to be wrong this time around, but everything was perfect. Baby measured 9 weeks exactly, and heart rate was 178. DH was worried that it was too fast, but Dr. B said that it was totally fine. He said that a high heart rate doesn't mean anything, but low can be a problem, so I'll take the high end of normal.
Dr. B said that we are getting to the end of having to worry about genetic issues, so that made me feel good. Two more weeks and I graduate from Dr. B - exciting, but scary!
Thanks again for all the great wishes and support. I love this board!
11/18/11: Sono #5
I have to say that I was pretty calm this week, and only got nervous in exam room, waiting for Dr. B.
Everything is still perfect! The baby measured 10 weeks exactly, and was moving around a lot. It's the first time we saw movement. DH was in awe!
This pregnancy is finally starting to feel real. Next week I graduate from Dr. B. He said today that we were good to go, and I told him that he originally said 11 weeks, so he said that I could come back next week.
Thank you again for all of the good wishes.
11/25/11: GRADUATION DAY!!!
I had my last sono at Dr. B's today. Our little bean measured 11 weeks, 2 days, and had a heart rate of 163bpm. On Monday, I will see my ob for the first time this pregnancy, and will be a "normal" pregnant person. I am so excited, and yet still so nervous not to have weekly monitoring. I cannot believe that I am almost done with my first trimester, and will be able to tell the rest of my family and friends in a couple of weeks.
I cannot thank the ladies on this board enough for all of your support, good wishes, and prayers. This board has become my LIF home over the past year and a half. I can't wait until you all join me on the Pregnancy board, and I will be praying for all of you until you get there! Of course, I'll still be reading this board every day, and posting to help out where I can. Sending you all tons of hugs and baby dust!  Image Attachment(s):
Message edited 11/25/2011 1:25:29 PM.
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