I'm just chilling here at home with my dog and my computer...and a little bit of football. I couldn't ask for a better Sunday morning! :)
I feel pretty good. I've got some mild cramping and I find myself walking somewhat gingerly, but it's nothing major.
We got back from the RE's office about about an hour ago. As far as I can tell, the retrieval was smooth...and they got 14 eggs.
If things go well, the plan is to do biopsies on Friday and a day 6 transfer on Saturday morning. Of course, I know that things can change in a flash and I could back in the office for a 3 or 5 day transfer depending on how things progress over the next couple of days.
At this point, I've done all I can do, so I'm just going to take care of myself, check out the ICLW blogs, and enjoy the quiet house.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
October ICLW
I just wanted to post a quick welcome message to anyone stopping by for October ICLW.
I am in the thick of my first and probably only IVF cycle (so I hope it works!). My retrieval is tomorrow morning. Wow. Honestly, I never thought I'd be here. Historically, I've been terrified of needles...and the mere thought of the "big needle" used for retrieval was the scariest of all.
But here I am. For this cycle alone, I have given myself 36 shots. And I am oddly calm about tomorrow. I guess reading the stories of other women going through the same process I am has been more comforting that I had expected.
So the quick recap on my cycle is this: I did the long Lupron protocol and started stimming last Friday night. I stimmed very well...so well, that I am risk for OHSS. I expected this based on how my body responded in prior injectable IUI cycles that I've done.
Thank you to those of you who passed on your experience with OHSS. I don't fully trust the nurses at my clinic (I seem to receive conflicting information), so it was good to match up your experiences with what I read on dr. google and what paperwork I received from my clinic. It sounds like high protein and lots of electrolyte drinks are the way to go...and to keep a close eye if I get pregnant, because it could/will get worse.
Thanks for reading. I'm off to the couch for a quiet evening in front of the tv.
I am in the thick of my first and probably only IVF cycle (so I hope it works!). My retrieval is tomorrow morning. Wow. Honestly, I never thought I'd be here. Historically, I've been terrified of needles...and the mere thought of the "big needle" used for retrieval was the scariest of all.
But here I am. For this cycle alone, I have given myself 36 shots. And I am oddly calm about tomorrow. I guess reading the stories of other women going through the same process I am has been more comforting that I had expected.
So the quick recap on my cycle is this: I did the long Lupron protocol and started stimming last Friday night. I stimmed very well...so well, that I am risk for OHSS. I expected this based on how my body responded in prior injectable IUI cycles that I've done.
Thank you to those of you who passed on your experience with OHSS. I don't fully trust the nurses at my clinic (I seem to receive conflicting information), so it was good to match up your experiences with what I read on dr. google and what paperwork I received from my clinic. It sounds like high protein and lots of electrolyte drinks are the way to go...and to keep a close eye if I get pregnant, because it could/will get worse.
Thanks for reading. I'm off to the couch for a quiet evening in front of the tv.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Monitoring Appointment #2
I had my second appointment this morning (after 6 nights of stimming)...
Here are the numbers:
Lining: 8
Right ovary: 18, 18, 14, 13.5, 13, 12, 11.5, 11, 11, 8.5
Left ovary: 17.5, 16.5, 13, 12.5, 12, 12, plus four smaller
E2: 2430
I just took my last Menopur and Follistim shots (yay!), I trigger tomorrow night and ER is 8:30 Sunday morning. Woo hoo! The nurse called today to instruct me to only take 5,000 IU of the Novarel. I hope this helps with any OHSS symptoms.
I'm feeling good...definitely full. I've read many blogs and have always wondered what the women were experiencing when they said they were "uncomfortable" and "felt full". Now I know!
I'm okay, though. I got that last run in on Tuesday afternoon plus some core work, and then walked the 5 mile run route yesterday. And then I got a 35 minute walk in today. I would have gone for longer, but it was my husband's turn for the AM workout and I didn't realize until late that he decided to skip it, but I took what I could. Hopefully I can keep up with some semblance of movement to help maintain my sanity.
The nurse gave me a pamphlet on OHSS and wants me to be on what she called the "OHSS diet" with limited fruits and vegetables and low potassium. This "diet" recommends that you drink Gatorade rather than just water. So confusing.... I thought Gatorade was supposed to replenish electrolytes including potassium. I think it's time for me to pay Dr. Google a visit and get some more information. I don't want OHSS, but at the same time, I didn't come out of the meeting with a clear picture of what I should and should not eat. If any of you have any experience, please pass it on!
Here are the numbers:
Lining: 8
Right ovary: 18, 18, 14, 13.5, 13, 12, 11.5, 11, 11, 8.5
Left ovary: 17.5, 16.5, 13, 12.5, 12, 12, plus four smaller
E2: 2430
I just took my last Menopur and Follistim shots (yay!), I trigger tomorrow night and ER is 8:30 Sunday morning. Woo hoo! The nurse called today to instruct me to only take 5,000 IU of the Novarel. I hope this helps with any OHSS symptoms.
I'm feeling good...definitely full. I've read many blogs and have always wondered what the women were experiencing when they said they were "uncomfortable" and "felt full". Now I know!
I'm okay, though. I got that last run in on Tuesday afternoon plus some core work, and then walked the 5 mile run route yesterday. And then I got a 35 minute walk in today. I would have gone for longer, but it was my husband's turn for the AM workout and I didn't realize until late that he decided to skip it, but I took what I could. Hopefully I can keep up with some semblance of movement to help maintain my sanity.
The nurse gave me a pamphlet on OHSS and wants me to be on what she called the "OHSS diet" with limited fruits and vegetables and low potassium. This "diet" recommends that you drink Gatorade rather than just water. So confusing.... I thought Gatorade was supposed to replenish electrolytes including potassium. I think it's time for me to pay Dr. Google a visit and get some more information. I don't want OHSS, but at the same time, I didn't come out of the meeting with a clear picture of what I should and should not eat. If any of you have any experience, please pass it on!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Follicle update
I went in this morning for my first monitoring appointment. After four nights of stimming, here's what has been going on inside:
Lining: 6.4
Right: 12, 12, 12, 11.5, 10.5, 9, 9, and 4 smaller ones
Left: 13, 13, 10.5, 10, 9.5, 9, 9, and 3 smaller ones
I am particularly pleased with my left ovary because that one tends to be a little less enthusiastic than my right one, but it's doing a good job.
I also got two bonuses:
- No blood draw. Not sure how I managed that one, but there was no mention of needing to know what my E2 is.
- I got the green light to run this afternoon. So excited! It won't be anything long or fast, but I know it will make me happy. :)
I'll be back on Thursday for another check. The RE thinks that retrieval will be this weekend, either Saturday or Sunday, which is what I was mentally targeting. I think that means three or four more nights of pokes. I think that should be enough for me to finish the smiley face I'm trying to draw on my stomach.
Lining: 6.4
Right: 12, 12, 12, 11.5, 10.5, 9, 9, and 4 smaller ones
Left: 13, 13, 10.5, 10, 9.5, 9, 9, and 3 smaller ones
I am particularly pleased with my left ovary because that one tends to be a little less enthusiastic than my right one, but it's doing a good job.
I also got two bonuses:
- No blood draw. Not sure how I managed that one, but there was no mention of needing to know what my E2 is.
- I got the green light to run this afternoon. So excited! It won't be anything long or fast, but I know it will make me happy. :)
I'll be back on Thursday for another check. The RE thinks that retrieval will be this weekend, either Saturday or Sunday, which is what I was mentally targeting. I think that means three or four more nights of pokes. I think that should be enough for me to finish the smiley face I'm trying to draw on my stomach.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
I heart Friday night sticking parties....
Or Not.
The injections themselves haven't been bad. The Follistim is like an old friend and doesn't hurt and I'm enjoying the reduced dose of Lupron, but I'm struggling a bit with the mechanics of the Menopur. The pharmacist gave me these really skinny and long 1 ml syringes, so once I jab myself, I'm stuck (literally)! My thumb is not long enough to reach the plunger and my other hand is busy still pinching my skin, so I'm not sure what to do. The first night, I pushed the plunger in slowly from the side, and then last night, I made my skin pinching hand also hold the needle in place so my left hand could be freed up to inject the medication. There must be a better way! Do any of you who do your own injections have any other ideas? I'll be going in for a follicle check on Tuesday and if I'm lucky, maybe the nurses will have a wider barrel syringe that I can use, but if not, I'll need to figure something out.
Thanks for the suggestions on exercise. Biking and walking or hiking are still at the top of the list with some medicine ball work mixed in. I had forgotten about rollerblading...it's been a while, but my dog and I do enjoy a good sprint together. If I can fix the broken ankle strap (I got my skates in 1993!), I might try that. It might be kind of fun in the dark mornings....
But for today my running is still going strong. My dog and I had a great 9+ miler yesterday. It was a route that we both really like but haven't done in a long time. I felt fit, fast and light on my feet...what a bonus! It was great. It's so hard to believe that in two or three days I will start feeling uncomfortable and most likely unwilling to run. I'm just glad that means that I am one step further in this process.
On that note, I time to lace up those shoes and head out the door. I will update on Tuesday after my appointment.
The injections themselves haven't been bad. The Follistim is like an old friend and doesn't hurt and I'm enjoying the reduced dose of Lupron, but I'm struggling a bit with the mechanics of the Menopur. The pharmacist gave me these really skinny and long 1 ml syringes, so once I jab myself, I'm stuck (literally)! My thumb is not long enough to reach the plunger and my other hand is busy still pinching my skin, so I'm not sure what to do. The first night, I pushed the plunger in slowly from the side, and then last night, I made my skin pinching hand also hold the needle in place so my left hand could be freed up to inject the medication. There must be a better way! Do any of you who do your own injections have any other ideas? I'll be going in for a follicle check on Tuesday and if I'm lucky, maybe the nurses will have a wider barrel syringe that I can use, but if not, I'll need to figure something out.
Thanks for the suggestions on exercise. Biking and walking or hiking are still at the top of the list with some medicine ball work mixed in. I had forgotten about rollerblading...it's been a while, but my dog and I do enjoy a good sprint together. If I can fix the broken ankle strap (I got my skates in 1993!), I might try that. It might be kind of fun in the dark mornings....
But for today my running is still going strong. My dog and I had a great 9+ miler yesterday. It was a route that we both really like but haven't done in a long time. I felt fit, fast and light on my feet...what a bonus! It was great. It's so hard to believe that in two or three days I will start feeling uncomfortable and most likely unwilling to run. I'm just glad that means that I am one step further in this process.
On that note, I time to lace up those shoes and head out the door. I will update on Tuesday after my appointment.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Side Effects
I was so proud of myself last week because I thought I was one of the lucky ones who wasn't having any side effects from the Lupron. Sure I had a couple of small headaches, but they could have been from a little dehydration, etc. I didn't have any hot flashes or anything like that either.
And then on Thursday, I noticed that I just seemed angry, irritable, and quick to snap. I was mean to my husband and loud to the dog. And then I remembered...damn, that Lupron!
I am just unpleasant (to put it mildly) to be around. I've been trying (sometimes successfully, sometimes not) to remind myself to be patient every night when I get home from work, but I have to say that it's been bad timing for my poor husband to be making lots of changes around the house. For example, on Monday he brought in some guys to do some trimming because he just hasn't had the time to get around to it. He supervised them for part of the day and then went into work. When we got home, they had trimmed the bushes along the back fence so that any coverage and privacy from the two story house behind us (the only two story house in the neighborhood) was gone! I still remember clearly coming home from work one day nine years ago to find that the owners at the time had cut down the bushes on their side of the fence to expose this huge 2 story monster looking into our yard. I thought that we vowed that day to grow our bushes so that this would never be an issue again. And now we're right back to where we were. AND it's fall, so it's not like we're going to be seeing a lot of growth in the next few months. GRRRRR!
So I actually didn't get mad (out loud), but I did close all of the blinds when we were eating so I wouldn't have to look at the ugly house. And his comment was, "I'm sorry to disappoint you". :(
Yeah, so I guess I would say that there are some side effects.
In other news, I had my baseline ultrasound this morning.
Lining: 2.9
Right ovary: 14 follicles < 10
Left ovary: 10 follicles < 10
I'm all set for a Friday night sticking party. 125 IU Follistim, 75 IU Menopur and 5 units Lupron. I've been pretty sensitive to the Follistim in the past, so I'm very curious as to what we will see at my first monitoring appointment next Tuesday.
In the meantime, I'm still running as much as I have time for, which is every day, but unfortunately, not as long or as far as I'd like. I'm still working through my workout plans once running is off the table. I'm thinking three options: workouts with medicine balls, putting my bike on the trainer, and getting up in the hills to hike. Any other ideas?
And then on Thursday, I noticed that I just seemed angry, irritable, and quick to snap. I was mean to my husband and loud to the dog. And then I remembered...damn, that Lupron!
I am just unpleasant (to put it mildly) to be around. I've been trying (sometimes successfully, sometimes not) to remind myself to be patient every night when I get home from work, but I have to say that it's been bad timing for my poor husband to be making lots of changes around the house. For example, on Monday he brought in some guys to do some trimming because he just hasn't had the time to get around to it. He supervised them for part of the day and then went into work. When we got home, they had trimmed the bushes along the back fence so that any coverage and privacy from the two story house behind us (the only two story house in the neighborhood) was gone! I still remember clearly coming home from work one day nine years ago to find that the owners at the time had cut down the bushes on their side of the fence to expose this huge 2 story monster looking into our yard. I thought that we vowed that day to grow our bushes so that this would never be an issue again. And now we're right back to where we were. AND it's fall, so it's not like we're going to be seeing a lot of growth in the next few months. GRRRRR!
So I actually didn't get mad (out loud), but I did close all of the blinds when we were eating so I wouldn't have to look at the ugly house. And his comment was, "I'm sorry to disappoint you". :(
Yeah, so I guess I would say that there are some side effects.
In other news, I had my baseline ultrasound this morning.
Lining: 2.9
Right ovary: 14 follicles < 10
Left ovary: 10 follicles < 10
I'm all set for a Friday night sticking party. 125 IU Follistim, 75 IU Menopur and 5 units Lupron. I've been pretty sensitive to the Follistim in the past, so I'm very curious as to what we will see at my first monitoring appointment next Tuesday.
In the meantime, I'm still running as much as I have time for, which is every day, but unfortunately, not as long or as far as I'd like. I'm still working through my workout plans once running is off the table. I'm thinking three options: workouts with medicine balls, putting my bike on the trainer, and getting up in the hills to hike. Any other ideas?
Thursday, October 4, 2012
The Stress Meter
When I was in college, my roommates and I would post a stress meter on the door of our dorm room during Finals week. Sadly, my stress meter bar was always the highest of my three roommates (unless I finished my last final before they did!). It wasn't like I was the one who tried the hardest; I just couldn't go with the flow as well as the others.
Work has been relatively low key this year, almost to the point of boredom. Until THIS WEEK! And it looks like things will be picking up over the next three weeks. Enter the stress meter. When thinking about this IVF cycle, I have made a point of also visualizing myself being low key and even keel. It's so important to me to embrace this opportunity because I don't know what next year will bring if this cycle doesn't work. I am scared because I don't want to put too much pressure on myself, but I also want and need to be able to handle anything and everything that comes my way. It's going to be tough.
Thankfully, tonight my husband gave me the green light to stay at work as late as I wanted, so I was able to take care of a good chunk of my to do list. Stress meter reading: 6 out of 10. Not bad for now. I hope I can maintain this!
The only update I have right now for the cycle is that I started the Lupron on Monday night and tomorrow is my last BCP. Yay! I haven't noticed any side effects from either, but I'm really looking forward to being done with this phase of the protocol. I'm so glad that October is here!
Work has been relatively low key this year, almost to the point of boredom. Until THIS WEEK! And it looks like things will be picking up over the next three weeks. Enter the stress meter. When thinking about this IVF cycle, I have made a point of also visualizing myself being low key and even keel. It's so important to me to embrace this opportunity because I don't know what next year will bring if this cycle doesn't work. I am scared because I don't want to put too much pressure on myself, but I also want and need to be able to handle anything and everything that comes my way. It's going to be tough.
Thankfully, tonight my husband gave me the green light to stay at work as late as I wanted, so I was able to take care of a good chunk of my to do list. Stress meter reading: 6 out of 10. Not bad for now. I hope I can maintain this!
The only update I have right now for the cycle is that I started the Lupron on Monday night and tomorrow is my last BCP. Yay! I haven't noticed any side effects from either, but I'm really looking forward to being done with this phase of the protocol. I'm so glad that October is here!
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