Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Plan in place!
I met with my new amazing RE yesterday and we have a plan in place! He thinks I'm a great candidate for IUI and wants to try that first. He also wants to do an endometrial biopsy to see if there are any complications that would prevent the embryo from properly implanting. He also ordered one more blood test to check if my body creates normal chromosomes for baby. He said he expects both tests to come back normal but just wants to be sure. After my next cycle starts, I will have an ultrasound. Then I will receive a crazy expensive injectable hormone medication called FSH. This is a "super ovulation" medication that I will receive by injection right in the ass (fun times)! It will cause me to produce multiple and higher quality eggs. The biggest risk is multiple gestation. It is a pretty hefty medicine, so before I receive the prescription for it, both Pablo and I have to go to the clinic and sign a consent form that is witnessed by a nurse. After about 10 days of the FSH injections, I receive the long, more painful needle: the HCG trigger shot, which triggers ovulation. 36 hours after this injection, I ovulate, which allows doctors to pinpoint when to schedule the IUI procedure. They will monitor my follicles carefully by ultrasound every other day. When they are almost ripe, they will order a very specific time for me to administor the HCG trigger shot. Pablo and I will then both go to the clinic. Pablo will submit a sperm sample and they will inject the healthiest sperm directly into my uterus via catheter. We are looking at about a month from now that this procedure will take place. I am so thrilled to have a plan in place and am hoping and praying it works!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Results
Well, my bloodwork results came back normal. I missed a call from their IVF coordinator while I was at the dentist- such a bummer!! I'm now waiting to hear back from her to see what is next.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
More waiting...
Still waiting on the bloodwork results. Hoping I get them before my next cycle starts so that we can begin putting a plan in place ASAP. My IVF support group has told me that the motto along this journey is, "Hurry up and wait." That has certainly been true for me. More hurrying up and waiting...
Friday, May 18, 2012
On Tuesday I had my first appointment with my new fertility specialist. I absolutely adore him. He is so kind and compassionate and he really knows his stuff. He told me he's so sorry I've had so many losses, that that is so sad, and he knows that this has been hard, but he promised he would help me. I was eager to start IVF right away, but he said that's kind of jumping the gun. He ordered a huge panel of bloodwork to try to determine why I keep miscarrying. HOPEFULLY I will get those results today. Feeling good about this, despite being a little bummed about having to do more waiting....
Monday, May 14, 2012
Another big week
I think things from this point forward will be kind of a whirlwind!!
We haven't been that thrilled with our current fertility specialist--he is just a strange grouchy man, but he does know his stuff....but no bedside manner whatsoever. We went in for my ultrasound on Friday (luckily we were the first ones there, as it is first come first serve and the place was packed). I introduced Pablo to the Dr. and he didn't even look up from his notes to say hi to him. He instead said, "I'm disorganized. I can't find my pen." Not exactly the type of person you would want to entrust your embryos to! Pablo asked him a question and the Dr. did not answer it. He instead said, "You will have to make an appointment to have a consult, where I can answer your questions." No thank you.
Despite the rudeness of this man, who looks like he just rolled out of bed whenever I see him, he did find good news. The cysts on my ovaries are completely gone and I'm ovulating on my own. We set up that consult with him for Thursday, but I may end up canceling and switching right over to the other fertility center here in Grand Rapids.
A few days ago, my mom pointed out an article in the paper, where The Fertility Center is offering a money back guarantee: you pay for 3 cycles of IVF upfront, and if this does not result in the live birth of a child, you get a full refund. It is kind of a gamble, because if we end up getting pregnant on the first IVF try, we will end up losing a lot of money and getting the short end of the stick. However, to me, the assurance is worth the extra money. I can't imagine paying up front for a cycle and having all of my eggs in that one basket, unsure of what the outcome will be (which is a less than 50% success rate, so a gamble for sure).
I called The Fertility Clinic and set up an appointment with them. I will see them tomorrow and ask what they suggest. If there are other noninvasive ways that they suggest have a good shot of getting me pregnant, we may try that first. However, if the odds are not in our favor, we would rather not waste the time and money on something that will most likely not work. So we will decide probably tomorrow whether or not to pursue our first round of IVF, which would begin in a couple of weeks.
We are excited, nervous, hopeful, scared and praying for good news soon.
We haven't been that thrilled with our current fertility specialist--he is just a strange grouchy man, but he does know his stuff....but no bedside manner whatsoever. We went in for my ultrasound on Friday (luckily we were the first ones there, as it is first come first serve and the place was packed). I introduced Pablo to the Dr. and he didn't even look up from his notes to say hi to him. He instead said, "I'm disorganized. I can't find my pen." Not exactly the type of person you would want to entrust your embryos to! Pablo asked him a question and the Dr. did not answer it. He instead said, "You will have to make an appointment to have a consult, where I can answer your questions." No thank you.
Despite the rudeness of this man, who looks like he just rolled out of bed whenever I see him, he did find good news. The cysts on my ovaries are completely gone and I'm ovulating on my own. We set up that consult with him for Thursday, but I may end up canceling and switching right over to the other fertility center here in Grand Rapids.
A few days ago, my mom pointed out an article in the paper, where The Fertility Center is offering a money back guarantee: you pay for 3 cycles of IVF upfront, and if this does not result in the live birth of a child, you get a full refund. It is kind of a gamble, because if we end up getting pregnant on the first IVF try, we will end up losing a lot of money and getting the short end of the stick. However, to me, the assurance is worth the extra money. I can't imagine paying up front for a cycle and having all of my eggs in that one basket, unsure of what the outcome will be (which is a less than 50% success rate, so a gamble for sure).
I called The Fertility Clinic and set up an appointment with them. I will see them tomorrow and ask what they suggest. If there are other noninvasive ways that they suggest have a good shot of getting me pregnant, we may try that first. However, if the odds are not in our favor, we would rather not waste the time and money on something that will most likely not work. So we will decide probably tomorrow whether or not to pursue our first round of IVF, which would begin in a couple of weeks.
We are excited, nervous, hopeful, scared and praying for good news soon.
Monday, May 7, 2012
big week
Just over a week ago, I lost my 5th pregnancy. I was optimistic and hopeful about this pregnancy, but unfortunately lost it at 5 weeks. For some reason, my body is not holding onto the little lives it creates.
Pablo and I will be moving forward aggressively with our fertility specialist to now do whatever it takes.
We have an ultrasound/game plan appointment this Friday morning. I am hoping to be able to move forward with IVF, but we will have to wait and see what the specialist suggests. I hope the week goes by quickly. Friday cannot come soon enough.
Pablo and I will be moving forward aggressively with our fertility specialist to now do whatever it takes.
We have an ultrasound/game plan appointment this Friday morning. I am hoping to be able to move forward with IVF, but we will have to wait and see what the specialist suggests. I hope the week goes by quickly. Friday cannot come soon enough.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
