Monday, July 29, 2013

Update and Retreival

It has been VERY HECTIC around here to say the least!  Here is what has been going on:

6/26-7/14 Birth Control
7/15 Blood work and ultrasound--everything looked great
7/17 Period started
7/19-7/23 Gonal-F Injections
7/24 Blood work and ultrasound-- 2 follicles seen and everything looks great
7/24-7/25 Gonal-F Injections
7/26 Blook work and ultrasound-- 4 follicles seen.  My ovary was hiding behind my uterus and was getting caught in my intestine....yuck!  Doctor was concerned that it may stay like that until the time of retrieval.
7/26 Gonal-F Injection
7/27 Gonal-F Injection and Ganirelix Injection
7/28 Follistim Injection and Ganirelix Injection
7/29 Blood work and ultrasound-- 6-7 follicles seen and  my ovary wasn't hiding :)  After reviewing the ultrasound they confirmed I have 10 follicles ready to be retrieved!!!!  All of my hormones are where they need to be as a well :)
7/29 hCG Injection

With that said my EGG RETRIEVAL IS JULY 31!!!!!!  That's right in less than 2 days :D :D :D :D :D So, Wednesday John and I will go to Massachusetts.  He will do his stuff and then I will be put to sleep while they aspirate my follicles.  The following day I will be called and told how many follicles survived fertilization.  The doctor will then decide if a Day 3 or Day 5 Embryo Transfer will be best for us.  After the transfer we will wait 12-14 days before doing a blood pregnancy test.  We will have to do two test since I am using hCG to cause ovulation tonight.

I am so excited, nervous, scared, thankful and so many other things.  I can't believe that this time has come.  We weren't sure if we would ever get here and we did!!  Going from 4 follicles to 10 has improved my positive attitude even more :)

Without this technology we would  not be given the opportunity right now to have a baby.  While some believe we should just rely on God sometimes you have to do what you think is right at the time.  This is right for my husband and I.  My tube may eventually be cleared but it may not happen before my egg reserve is gone.

Please keep in mind while the burning question will be...Did your IVF cycle work??? we will not be announcing it to the world until we are out of the first trimester. I will be a High Risk Pregnancy and things sadly do happen that we can not control.  I do not want to announce a pregnancy and something happen.  Please respect that.  This has been a very emotional and painful journey for us.  

I will post again either after the ER or after the ET.  Please keep us in your thoughts and or prayers!

Until next time....




Wednesday, July 17, 2013

IVF Scheduled

I haven't updated this blog in a while.  I apologize.  Things have been very hectic around here.  I was also waiting on the right time to announce some BIG news(no sadly I am not pregnant)!!

John and I are very blessed to have such wonderful, loving, caring, kind and generous family and friends.  Due to these amazing people we have been able to pay for IVF and the medication a lot sooner than originally thought.  Everything is paid for :)  I have my IVF Protocol which is the OCP Antagonist Protocol.  Thankfully no Lupron is needed since I just came off of it.

On June 26, I started Junel Fe which is a birth control pill.  I know some are wondering why you would take BC while trying to get pregnant.  It was used to make sure I did not ovulate during last months cycle.  This past Monday I had a suppression check.  It consisted of blood work and a ultrasound.  All of my hormones were perfect and I actually had healthy follicles in my ovary :) :)  I stopped the bc later that day.  Since I was able to stop the BC and I am suppressed I was able to order my medications yesterday and they were delivered today.  I should be starting the injections and inserts this Friday.  Yes, as in 2 days...YIKES!!!! I wasn't expecting such a large box or this many items but in the end it will be worth it!  I have to admit when I opened this I got scared and overwhelmed!

 I will be on the following:
-Gonal-F 900IU Pen x3 (each have 4 days worth of meds)
-Ganirelix 250MCG/0.5ML x5
-hCG 10,000IU
-Endometrin Vaginal Insert x84

The Gonal-F is a Follicle Stimulating Hormone(FSH) which will regulate the growth and development of my eggs.  The Ganirelix will help prevent premature luteinizing hormone(LH) surges so I do not ovulate.  The hCG will induce the final maturation of my eggs prior to my retrieval.  The Endometrin contains the hormone Progesterone.  The Progesterone will prepare the lining of my uterine lining for implantation. 

So Friday, I start the medication and 3-4 days later I go back for more blood work and another ultrasound.  HERE IS THE BIG NEWS.....10-12 DAYS AFTER I START MY MEDICATION WE WILL DO THE RETRIEVAL!!! THAT MEANS WE COULD DO IT AS EARLY AS JULY 29.  THE TRANSFER WOULD BE 2-4 DAYS AFTER THE RETRIEVAL!  THAT'S RIGHT I COULD BE PREGNANT BY THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST!!!!!  I will have dates next week at my next appointment.

10-12 days after the transfer I will do a BhCG to see if I am pregnant.  Now due to the fact I will getting the hCG trigger shot I will have to do at least 2 BhCG test to ensure it is actually a pregnancy and not the medication.  If I become pregnant then I will continue a Progesterone regiment for the next 8-12 weeks to keep the uterus from contracting.  I am more prone to have a miscarriage due to past health but I will be monitored very closely.  I will be a High Risk Pregnancy.

Please know that if I become pregnant that I will NOT be announcing it to the world until after the first trimester.  I want to be at a point were I am less likely to miscarry.  I hope you all can try to understand.

Needless to say we are so blessed to be given the oppurtunity to start this adventure.  I will admit I am very excited, nervous, overwhelmed, elated, scared and a ton of other emotions.  However, I know that if it is meant to be this will work!  John and I are so grateful to have so many wonderful people that care about us and are here for us no matter what.

Well, until next time.......

Please send prayers, positive thoughts and baby vibes our way!  We are in need of them. This is a very emotional time right now not that it hasn't already been emotional.

Hoping and Praying....

Hoping and Praying....