Welcome ICLW'ers!

Hello!  This is my second time participating in ICLW and it could not have come at a better time.

First, a little about us.  My blog name is Miss Mac and I'm married to PC, who thinks he has the better computer... I must disagree with his thinking here, but he is indeed my P.rince C.harming:]  We live in the southeast and have three furbabies who provide stress relief along this journey of IF. 
 

 

We've been TTC for 5 1/2 years with nothing but a B.F.N. to show for it.  I am anovulatory, have a partially blocked left tube and tests from this past year add premature ovarian failure to the list.  Sigh.   I started stims for my first IVF cycle on March 11th.  We are now two days away from egg retrieval and five days away from the transfer!  I hope to add acupuncture somewhere in the middle.  The transfer day has actually landed on our 6th year anniversary!  I have one and only wish... that this anniversary brings us the best gift ever, a BFP!  

I would love any and all support this week as we have been very guarded in sharing the details of this cycle IRL.  We have a small IRL support system who really don't understand exactly what we're going through.  Many of you have been there, you are there, or you're going there and you understand.  I hope to follow many of you in your journey and wish you all the best...oh, and a baby...or two:]

Update- Day 10

IVF #1- Day 10 update
E2- 738
Left Ovary- 1-15mm, 1-14mm, 1-13mm, 1-12mm, 2-11mm, 1-9mm
Right Ovary- 1-14mm, 1-18mm

My tentative schedule has been pushed back one day because they want to give the left side a couple more days for the smaller follicles to produce mature eggs.  I would love to see the same number of follicles on the right side, but these eggs must be my strong fighters and I'll take them!  I need fighters!  I'm out of meds after tonight so I have to go to the pharmacy at the RE clinic in the morning before my final (I think) monitoring appointment.     

Now I'm going to work on a welcome post for this week's ICLW.  Blog therapy is much needed this week in the lives of Mac and PC and hope that I can support others on this journey as well, whatever place they may be!  Happy first day of Spring, here's to new beginnings:]

The new schedule-
March 21- Trigger
March 23- Retrieval
March 24- Acupuncture (hopefully)
March 26- Transfer as well as our 6 year anniversary, I cannot believe the timing!  Just another reason I really want this to work... any and all prayers appreciated!  

A Few Good Eggs

First Follicle check today:
E2- 225
Left Ovary- 3 Follies at 6, 8, 11
Right Ovary- 2 Follies at 14

I was bummed when the u/s technician said "three good sized follies" but Nurse LLD called and said that I should not be discouraged.  She said to remember that it only takes one good egg.  Umm... I told her we need a few good eggs and a few more back-up good eggs!  She also said that day 6 of stims is still early (really?) and things could completely change by my next ultrasound (Friday).  I hope she's right... I need some more follicles to show up to this party!!!

She also told me, "no more menopur."  I have quit trying to ask so many questions or understand the protocol at this point.  Just do as told.  I was not a fan of Menopur anyway.  It stinks that any leftover meds can't be sold or given to the RE clinic to help another couple.  As far as I know, my RE uses any donated meds for injection training purposes only.  I'm hoping this morning was my last ever rendezvous with Menopur.

Other exciting news... tentative dates:
March 20- Trigger
March 22- Retrieval
March 25- Transfer
March 26- Mac and PC's wedding anniversary- 6 years!  Need I tell you what I'm wishing for?  :]  

IVF Questions- Part 1

I have two days left to take progesterone.  I am on day 5 of Lupron shots.  I am supposed to call Nurse LLD when AF shows up after the last progesterone pill.  Disclaimer- I know that every cycle is different, every person is different and to 'expect the unexpected' over the next few weeks.  Nevertheless, I always have questions floating around in my head (hence the Part 1) and say "thank you" in advance to anyone who would like to share your thoughts about any of the topics below. 

1.  How closely does the antral follicle count predict number of eggs at retrieval?
2.  When I get to the stims, are their any foods/diet tips associated with reducing the risks of OHSS? 
3.  Did anyone else not take BCPs prior to an IVF cycle? 

Lastly, should I put this back under the counter or not?!?

 

It's had a home under the counter for a long time but my RE clinic is also connected to a university and my "delicate and sensitive areas" as described on the box will soon be on display for research purposes as well as IVF.  Prerequisite for IVF- keep your sense of humor about some things!  :]  

If you hate infertility...

Irony?  That would be my afternoon.  In fact, it would have almost been comical if it wasn't so cruel!  I left the office this afternoon with my ARC contract (more about that below) for IVF in hand.. hot off the printer... and still had it in my hand when I slipped in to support a co-worker at her baby shower!  Something's wrong with that picture!  I slipped out quickly to go read the darn contract.  Who hates infertility, raise your hand!

 

Paying for a one cycle plus package at Advanced Reproductive Care (ARC) will save about $2000 if we have to proceed with a frozen transfer.  If the fresh IVF cycle results in a live birth, we lose about $900 for paying for a frozen cycle up front but let me be clear that I.would.not.care!  *If the fresh cycle is canceled before ER for any reason, the options are a refund for all except $500 for bullcrap administrative fees or to pay the clinic for all services up to that point and use the package price for the next cycle.  **They do not pay for anesthesia.  ***They pay for up to 5 u/s and bloodwork monitoring visits.  Someone please warn me if I'm about to get into something with a lot of fine print!  

PC sometimes refers to crappy circumstances as a 'kick in the nuts.'  Here was my kick in the nuts today:   I don't even qualify for ARC's refund guarantee program because the information from my fertility charts suggests to them that IVF is not going to work for me.  Hard Kick!!!  They based that on my highest FSH (10) highest estradiol (144) and antral follicle count (10).  Can anyone give me some hope with those numbers?   

*Let's hope this does not happen.

**About $750 for a one hour nap.

***Nurse LLD said the average is 4-6 visits. 

Waiting Game...

IVF 2011 update: Still waiting on everything... AF, meds, schedule, financial clearance, BFP!

I have an MRI scheduled for this Friday to check out the pituitary area and another 'acupuncture before IVF' after that.

Here lately I've been letting my mind and heart go to places that I've avoided for a long time. Like actually scanning the baby stuff in stores when I walk by, thinking of potential names, imagining ways to share the news of a BFP and saying hello again to those darn 'I wonders.'

PC is totally on board with the IVF plan but very worried about me if this doesn't turn out how we want it to. He wants reassurance that I would be okay if it does not work. I've told him the givens 1- I want the answers from IVF about ovulation & eggs regardless of the outcome 2- life and the mission to 'make each day count' will go on 3- I love him very much and that won't change. Anything other than that is unknown territory and I would have to deal with those feelings & emotions in my own way, on my own time. At this point, I just want to get this process started and take it one step at a time!

FYI- I was informed by PC that my pics of the fur babies did them no justice so I've pulled that post until I can get better pet portraits... like that's an easy thing to do!

From B*tch & Gripe to Blogs & Gratitude!

Reverse (infertility) psychology... "AF, I don't need you to get here so I can start IVF. Take your sweet time and skip if you want to this cycle. I know a skipped cycle doesn't mean a BFP, but rather that I don't ovulate. Thanks for being such a faithful reminder that my efforts in baby-making have failed!"

I should probably lose the attitude during IVF. I'm hoping it's PMS!

I called my ob/gyn (Dr. B6) today and asked his nurse to see about ordering an MRI of the pituitary gland for me. I really haven't come across many blogs where this was done in the multitude of IF diagnostic tests but I want to do it for a couple of reasons 1- a pituitary adenomyoma can cause anovulation 2- what's one more test in the world of IF? I don't have headaches. I don't want to think about an adenomyoma hanging out in my brain. But I don't ovulate and this would be one more piece of the puzzle. I'm not sure why I even feel the need to explain this to IF'ers... resilient women who would go to the ends of the earth if it meant one step closer to the prize! Thanks out there in blog world for listening/crying/screaming/laughing along with me and letting me do the same in each of your lives. A blog should be on the treatment list right.before.Clomid! :]

Add emotional... gotta be PMS!

organizing for IVF ???

Calling all Type A :] (or not) bloggers out there who can share advice about how you organize for/during IVF? Anything in relation to preparing meds, doing the injections, keeping on schedule... ??? I'm feeling so overwhelmed & haven't even got past financial clearance yet!!!

2011- IVF, Here we come!

I am stepping back into the blog world, one year later, to document a new chapter of the infertility roller coaster ride. Our first IVF cycle! Right now... waiting on financial clearance so that our nurse can get the meds ordered. Since insurance covers nothing, we're paying for the cycle with a loan and for the meds with savings. We're getting a little discount by participating in the Ferring Heart program, we'll take it! Hope to connect with some New Year IVF'ers and for many BFP's!

Ramblings

AF is still long & strong here so- in other news... I've asked PC for a practice guitar for my upcoming b-day. I'm not very musically inclined. Nevertheless, I do know a few notes on the piano and enjoy music & the guitar seems like an interesting new "project" to distract me from work/school/IF. That and a new label maker & I'm set (love you, PC!). PC and I got a quote recently from a builder on a modest 3/2 brick home. Um....can you say "sticker shock?" It makes IVF look cheap! To end my ramblings, a list of 5 favorites:
1. Fridays
2. Fox News
3. Sweet tea
4. Jeeps
5. Flip flops