IVF Cycle #1 Break Down

Some people think a IVF Cycle is easy and takes no time or no effort.... WRONG.  It is 1,000% emotional,exhausting, frustrating, and many other things.  I am not going to sit here and act like it the hardest thing that one will do in life because it isn't but it's close enough.  It takes a lot of time, pain, traveling to the doctors office (mine is over an hour away one way), pills, inserts, injections, patience and most importantly support.

I'm going to break down this cycle for you so some can see what it really takes.  It is lengthy but it is reality for some of us that this is what it takes to have a baby or babies!

Summary:
19 BC Pills
13 Injections.. 12 done in my stomach by myself or husband
7 Endometrin Inserts....77 more to do
6 DR visits for B/W
6 U/S
1 Egg Retrieval with 14 eggs :D :D :D :D
8 Fertilized Eggs :D :D :D :D
1 soon to happen Embryo Transfer
1-2 soon to happen blood  pregnancy test
Ovarian Hyserstimulation Syndrome which at this time is mild.
THIS ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF WHAT SOME HAVE TO DO!!!

Here is a complete history of our IVF Cycle #1 from start to Monday. 

IVF Cycle #1
6/19 Consult with my Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE)
6/22-6/27 AF came to visit
6/24 Day 3 B/W
                   E2 29
                   FSH 9.6
                   TSH 3.10
                   Prolactin 8.0
6/26 Start Junel Fe Birth Control Pills
6/28 B/W
                   Chickenpox, Measles- Immune
                   Cystic Fibrosis
                   Ab, RBC w/ REFL Titer
                   RPR
                   HIV 1/2
                   HepB Core Ab Total
                   HCV Ab
                   HBsAG Screen
                   ALL OF THE ABOVE TEST WERE NEGATIVE OR NON REACTIVE
                   TSH 2.16
                   ABO Group O
                   Rh Factor +
7/14 Stop Junel Fe
7/15 Suppression Check via B/W & U/S
                   E2 <25.0
                   U/S RT Ovary normal values
7/17 Aunt Flo came to visit again
7/19 Gonal-F subQ injection

7/20 Gonal-F subQ injection
7/21 Gonal-F subQ injection
7/22 Gonal-F subQ injection
7/23 Gonal-F subQ injection
7/24 B/W & U/S
                    E2 173.2
                    U/S RT Ovary Follicles
                    R1 12.7mm
                    R2 8.62mm
       Gonal-F subQ injection
7/25  Gonal-F subQ injection
7/26 B/W & US
                     E2 320.7
                     LH 0.6
                     U/s RT Ovary Follicles
                     R1 13.92mm
                     R2 12.32mm
                     R3 10.98mm
                     R4 11.33mm
7/26 Gonal-F subQ injection
7/27 Gonal-F subQ injection
        Ganirelix subQ injection

7/28 Follistim AQ subQ injection
        Ganirelix subQ injection

7/29 B/W & U/S

                     E2 702.3

                     LH 0.5

                     U/S RT Ovary Follicles

                     10 viable follies seen and are ready to go :)

        hCG Trigger shot given at 1900

 

7/30 A MUCH NEEDED BREAK FROM PILLS, B/W, U/S AND INJECTIONS :)

7/31 Egg Retrieval (ER)

                     14 eggs retrieved

                     13 viable

         Start Endometrin Progesterone Vaginal Insert

8/1 8 FERTILIZED EGGS were confirmed

         Start Endometrin 3 times a day, 8 hours apart

8/2 Endometrin TID

8/3 Endometrin TID 

8/4 Endometrin TID

       Phone call to confirm Embryo Transfer(ET) for following day.  Find out how many Blastocysts

       we have. Receive further instructions.

8/5 Embryo Transfer

As you can see this isn't an overnight process.  It takes time.  Everything is precisely planned out prior to even starting.  The doctors obviously tweak things if they need too.  I had to have an extra dose of FSH to make my follicles mature faster overnight and it worked :D  

Monday is only 3 days away..YIKES.... Thankfully John is able to go with me.  It is going to be amazing to look at the ultrasound screen and see the fluid containing our babies be injected into my uterus.  Between 12-14 days after the transfer we will do a BhCG test.  If it is positive we will do another one a few days later to make sure my hCG levels are continuing to increase.  It may test positive even if it doesn't take because of the hCG trigger shot.  I am still getting a positive when I take a pregnancy test.  Yes, I am taking a test every morning to see that line fade so I can hopefully see a more solid line in a few weeks :)  The line is actually almost gone :) 

Well ladies and possible gents that is what a IVF cycle looks like.  I know it is a lot to take in but we are still processing it all even now.  

Well until next time....