Estradiol

Today I got routine blood work done to check my estradiol levels from the meds. This makes sure my estrogen levels aren't too high and I'm not getting hyper stimulated(ovaries going too much into over drive). Well as much as it feels like I am, I'm not. In comparison, last time around my levels were in the 700's. This time they're just above 1000. No need to worry until it gets over 3000 and as planned, I should be between 900-1200. Safari so goody, as my father would say! Appt sunday, stay tuned!

Here we go again!

So, I started the meds that kick my ovaries into over drive on Sun. May 24th. The bad news, it already hurts! The good news, we'll have lots of eggs to work with, in turn, lots of embryos = higher success rate. I'm doing acupuncture treatments this time around and I'm loving it! The egg retrieval or as I like to call it, the harvesting, will take place next week, tentatively scheduled for June 4th.last time I was ready a day early so I could be early again. The day of harvest I'll know how many eggs I produced. They are going to manually fertilize each egg and I'll get periodic reports as to the survival rate. They are going to grow the embryos out to 5 days to weed out the weak ones. At 5 days they're called blastocycts. On June 9th (if the harvest is not early) they will transfer back to my uterus. They say that they only transfer two because the success rate is higher with a blast. Transfer but I'm thinking I'll ask them to transfer three. We'll see how things go and what the Doc says. I'll be staying in tahoe May 31st through June 2nd for daily appointments. I'll be home on the 2nd and go back up for the harvest just for the procedure. I'll be home with my family receiving updates from the embryologists and return the day of transfer just for the day. After that I have three days of doing nothing and another 7 days of waiting! The worst part! That's it for now, I'll be in touch now that I have constant access to the internet. Third times a charm!

3rd time is a charm....right?

Another failed cycle! Even though the news was bad I got some more answers as to what is going on and why I'm not getting pregnant. The Doctor assures me he is extremely optimistic. He thinks that whatever insults I have had to my reproductive system in the past (I have had some sort of infection in the past I was unaware of until I started this infertility adventure) has effected my ovaries and in turn my eggs. The thaw process is a good indicator as to the strength of the embryos, and eggs. Sense my eggs have been exposed to infection at some point in the past and sense our embryos had a difficult time though the thaw process that tells us the problem is with my eggs. We have decided to try again and the Doctor said we are going to aim for more eggs, and in turn, more embryos to work with. Our hopes are high, thanks to my family; my optimism is lifted by the support of my hubby, hands down the best guy in the world, and my family and friends. As much as this whole situation...sucks, for lack of a better term, I'm incredibly thankful for the people in my life!!

2nd Embryo Transfer

Monday was the big day! I came up to Reno late Monday morning for my 3pm appointment. My friend Jaime Carter was my driver, sense I couldn't drive myself due to the medication they give you for the transfer. During the consult right before the transfer the doctor told me that all 4 embryos that I had frozen made it though the thaw process, which was unexpected. There was one embryo that was graded as "good" with 6 cells, one graded a little less that good with 6 cells and the other two were not in the best shape. They only had a few cells between them but the doctor said pregnancies have developed from embryos in this shape. So, we transferred all 4! Although, even with all 4, my chances are still only 40%. But, I'll take it!
I am staying up here in Sparks with Jaime so I'm not tempted to do something I'm not suppose to do. Doctors orders are not activity for three days, and limited activity until my first blood test next Tuesday. We decided to have Jeff stay home with our four legged furry kids instead of him just coming up for the hour the transfer took. It is really a quick process and painless, thank goodness!
Friday we are headed over to South Lake Tahoe for Jaime's batchlorette party, at lease I can be the sober driver for them! Whoopy! It will be fun though! I'll be home Sunday or Monday, not sure yet, just playing it by ear!
Stay tuned....

Round 2

The first cycle unfortunately didn't work. We found out on Monday. After speaking with my doctor he said it must have just been bad luck cause everything looked good. Thankfully, we have four frozen embryos! Doctor said it is likely that not all four will make it through the thawing process so my fear of quads was put to rest! I just hope that we have three or even two once the thaw process is complete.
I am in Reno now and have an appointment on Monday to start round two. We should be able to transfer the next set of embryos the week of March 16th (our anniversary is on the 19th, that has to be good luck!). So, that is all I know right now! Stay tuned...

Egg retrieval and Embryo Transfer

Well, after a traumatic series of fertility drug injections to make my ovaries engorged with eggs, they retrieved 26 mature eggs on Tuesday. They knocked me out for the procedure and thank goodness, I was in pain!! I got some great drugs pumped through my iv before they released me to have Jeff take me back to my girlfriends house to recover. I have been staying here in Sparks Nevada for the treatment and will stay until the embryo transfer. So, 24 hours after my girls and Jeff's boys were introduced we have 12 embryos marinating in the lab at the clinic. They fertilized naturally and didn't need any intervention from the embryologists. This was a huge relief to me cause now I know the problem isn't with my eggs. The next step is the embryo transfer on Friday at 4pm. I will consult with the Doctor and he will review how many embryos survived the three days and we will pick the healthiest two to transfer to my uterus. No, not 8! That is a whole other blog! after that we will know 10 days after transfer if it worked, but of course I'm sure it will! It's all about the positive thinking!!
Stay tuned...

One Step Closer

Today was surgery day! I had a uterine plop removed that was acting as an IUD and preventing attachment of an embryo. The next step is a Plan of care appointment. I will have an itinerary of my first and hopefully only in vetro cycle tomorrow. It is becoming real to me now and I am very excited about the next steps.
To be continued.....