IVF #10 Retrieval and Fertilization Report

Retrieval was yesterday. It started out so well...

I was the first retrieval of the day so the clinic wasn't busy at all when I arrived. When I was laying on the table getting prepped I looked over at the computer monitor. They post how many follicles you have on each side. This is also the first time I noticed they list what number retrieval this is for a patient. I was on my sixth retrieval. Somewhat depressing.

My clinic doesn't use any anesthesia for retrievals. I know some ladies cycling there will self medicate prior, but I've never taken anything for it. It hurts, but it's over fairly quickly. The initial poke was probably the easiest one I've had at the clinic. But then the doctor kept pulling the needle all the way out after every couple of follicles. And it became progressively more painful. I ended up getting stabbed in the vagina four times. FOUR. TIMES. (I usually get poked once by each ovary. Then it's just a little poke going into each follicle). The last follicle he went after was pretty small, about 10mm. Follicles that small don't contain mature eggs and if they do get an egg, they usually don't mature in the lab, either. But for whatever reason he decided to go for it and before I could say no he was stabbing the follicle. Only follicles that small are hard to penetrate. The first poke didn't go through. So he pulled back and tried harder, this time stabbing it hard enough the needle blew through the other side of the follicle. But he did get the egg. Oh well. I really expect this to be my last retrieval. I'm thankful I'm done.

When it was all over with I ended up with seven eggs! Today the report from the lab was one egg was degenerated (basically over-cooked) and one egg was immature (hmmm, bet it was that really small follicle...). The other five were all mature and fertilized!

Grow little embies, grow!

Let's Get This Cycle Done

IVF #10 Trigger tonight.

I'm triggering with a little bit higher dose of lupron than normal. I have 6 follicles ranging from 13-18mm and several under 10. I also have a little cyst that will hopefully get aspirated during my retrieval, but possibly not since it's only 7mm. I would expect 5-6 eggs and 2-3 blasts. I just really hope we get day 5 blasts. Retrieval is labor day morning. Which I suppose is somewhat fitting.

Let's get this cycle done and over with so I can concentrate on a transfer next cycle! If my body follows its normal pattern I would expect to be transferring the very end of September/early October. And this is assuming my progesterone level cooperates. Good thing we're not transferring this cycle since it's already at a 2. I also have a TSH level in about a week and a half. It will be interesting to see what difference the synthroid has made.

IVF #10 CD 9 Results

Had blood work and ultrasound done today.

My follicles are not growing as quickly as they normally do. I ended up sticking with half a tab of clomid with an extra half on the days previously designated for me to take the gonal f boosters.

 FSH 10.9 E2 410 LH 11.8

I have six follicles growing that are between 10-14mm and a bunch more smaller ones.

Plan is to double my clomid dose and do a couple of shots of gonal f. I really didn't want to do them, but I think it will help get my follicles growing.

Follow up on Saturday.

This actually helps a lot because if I had to fly tomorrow flights are ridiculously expensive.

I just want this cycle to be over with already.

IVF #10 Baseline...and Making My Own Protocol

I had a fabulous baseline appointment earlier this week.

My FSH was stellar at 7.7. I had 8 measurable follicles and there were smaller ones they didn't measure. The biggest five were between 7mm and 8mm. My protocol was to take half a dose of clomid and then do some boosters of gonal f. It's the same protocol I had last month. I feel like the gonal f compromises my embryo quality. In the cycles I've used it I have made day 6 blasts. My best mini cycle was just half a dose of clomid and I made two perfect quality day 5 blasts. I had my doctor call me to discuss my concerns. Basically, he knows I'm being reasonable and is leaving it up to me to decide to do the gonal f, just the half tab of clomid, or substitute the gonal f for a little more clomid.

Decisions, decisions, decisions!

I'm leaning towards doing the extra clomid. I'll see how I feel this weekend when it's time for a booster.

I also ran my plan of doing a transfer on my next cycle and he said that would be just fine. He told me I could do a transfer this cycle if I really wanted to and my lining cooperates with the clomid. I thanked him for the option, but declined. I just don't want to be second guessing myself for transferring an embryo during a stimulation cycle.

Fingers crossed and lots of prayers for some high quality blasts this cycle!

IVF #10 Double Digits...

Today is lovely cycle day 1. Baseline appointment tomorrow morning. The plan is to do another mini banking cycle. I hope to get at least one or two more day 5 blasts. If this cycle goes well, then we will proceed with a transfer the following cycle.

Several weeks ago I started on a little bit of synthroid. After my ectopic I had my local OB/Gyn run a few tests including tsh and free t4. I'm pushing the borderline of being hypothyroid so I spoke with the doctor in CA and he though it was worth trying to bring my tsh level below 2.5. I do feel a little less cold and not as tired/rundown so hopefully it's doing something. I would like it to be in range for our transfer cycle. Next blood draw for my tsh level is in September.

Let's get this show on the road!

Good News and Family Drama

Good news is my dad completely misunderstood his skin cancer diagnosis. It was squamous cell, NOT melanoma, thank goodness! And the margins were clear on the first sample and the second surgery was to clear a wider margin. He should be just fine. We still haven't heard the pathology from the second surgery, but we expect it to be clear. This is why you take a family member with you for these things!

The last couple weeks, actually month, have been crazy with various amounts of family staying with us at different times. This week was my side of the family. And it was great, minus my mother. She seriously has some major psych issues that need to be addressed and likely medicated. The last straw for me today was how she treated her teenaged grandchild. There's absolutely no excuse for making snotty remarks to a child. Ever. My mother does not have a close relationship with any of her children and she never will. And if she keeps up the crap she pulled today her grandkids won't have anything to do with her either. I don't even know how to deal with her anymore. I live in the same city as my mother's parents and do a lot to help them out so there is always going to have to be some form of communication with her. I do my best to always be polite and kind, but more often than not, it doesn't matter. It's so ridiculous to see a woman in her 60's throwing actual tantrums when things don't go the way she thinks they should. Yesterday she threw a huge tantrum over poptarts. Yes, poptarts. It was pathetic and embarrassing. I need to stop thinking about all of this before my head explodes.

Proof My Mother is F_ing Messed Up

So my siblings and I received the following group text message last night from my mother.

Yes, I said TEXT message...

Thought you should all know- your Dad had foot surgery a week ago, the doctor sent the piece of skin they cut out to the lab, it came back skin cancer, the doctor wants to take him back into surgery on Wednesday to cut out more. I'll keep you posted. His doctor said in his 26 years of practice he has never seen skin cancer like that on a foot.

She didn't even tell us he had surgery in the first place, so this was completely out of the blue. I read the text and went to tell my husband. I couldn't even speak. I just handed him the phone and he made the comment, why do you look like someone just died?

I of course immediately called my Dad to find out WTF is going on. He's so clueless and nonchalant about it all. I asked my Dad what kind of skin cancer. He said he didn't know. I listed the three basic types and his response was, yea, melanoma, that's what the doctor said. The surgery on Wednesday is to try and get clear edges and to see how extensive the cancer is. There is the possibility he could lose his toe. Knowing my Dad he's probably had this on the side of his toe for a very very long time. I can't even look at google right now.