Welcome to 4DPO
Pull up a seat and take off your pants- because that's what I want to do right now
In my head I knew how bad this was going to be because everyone always talks about their symptoms from crinone (progesterone cream you shoot up your hooch) and from the estrace (estrogen you put down the food hatch)
But holy fucking shit I was not prepared for this.
1) I'm so bloated I legitimately do not fit in pants. I've been wearing dresses to work the past few days because of the bloating, but today I had to put pants on because I woke up to 3 inches of snow. In April. FTS!
2) Edema. I've got a mild case of OHSS, and I'm dealing with significant edema in my legs- like my pants would not fit over my calves the other day, and last night I wish I would have taken a picture of my cankles because I could barely believe them myself.
3) Gas. I'm crop dusting my entire department several times a day. At least I take them candy while I crop dust, LOL.
4) Hot flashes. I couldn't fucking sleep last night. DH turned the thermostat down to 65*, I had a fan blowing on me, and I was only sleeping under a sheet, and I still woke up soaked in sweat.
5) Sore tits. I'm wearing a sports bra with a 3 piece suit today. If that tells you how bad the girls hurt. Yesterday I closed my office door and just took my bra off half way through the day and refused any visitors, saying that I was in meetings.
I am trying oh so desperately to hold off on testing until 11DPO which would be 4/22. I don't want to disappoint myself by testing sooner than that. We'll see if it works.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
The facts will kill you
So since we got the go-ahead to trigger I've been obsessing over researching IUI statistics.
And generally driving myself crazy.
To recap: 1 blocked tube, borderline motility, 4% morphology, and annovulatory cycles.
So I keep finding research that gives me hope. Not all of my source links direct straight to the research. I apologize.
So there are things I find that make me smile.... Like this:
"The pregnancy rate per cycle was similar, 17.3% for the unilateral tubal occlusion group and 16.5% for the unexplained infertility group. The rate of miscarriage (11.1% vs. 23.3%) and ectopic pregnancy (11.1% vs. 6.7%) was similar between the two groups. The pregnancy rate was higher in patients with proximal occlusion (25.0%) compared with distal occlusion (13.9%) or unexplained infertility, but not statistically significant." (SOURCE)
Or these:
Four follicles IUI: Success rate of 23% (SOURCE)
Number of cycles: IUI success rates are highest in first one or two cycles depending on study (SOURCE)
And even tips for increasing IUI success rates like these:
And generally driving myself crazy.
To recap: 1 blocked tube, borderline motility, 4% morphology, and annovulatory cycles.
So I keep finding research that gives me hope. Not all of my source links direct straight to the research. I apologize.
So there are things I find that make me smile.... Like this:
"The pregnancy rate per cycle was similar, 17.3% for the unilateral tubal occlusion group and 16.5% for the unexplained infertility group. The rate of miscarriage (11.1% vs. 23.3%) and ectopic pregnancy (11.1% vs. 6.7%) was similar between the two groups. The pregnancy rate was higher in patients with proximal occlusion (25.0%) compared with distal occlusion (13.9%) or unexplained infertility, but not statistically significant." (SOURCE)
Or these:
Four follicles IUI: Success rate of 23% (SOURCE)
Number of cycles: IUI success rates are highest in first one or two cycles depending on study (SOURCE)
And even tips for increasing IUI success rates like these:
- Try progesterone luteal phase support: boosts IUI success rate from 14% to 24%, 13% to 21%, 6% to 19%
- Perform IUI on a full bladder: boosts success rate from 7% to 14%
- Perform IUI using ultrasound guidance: boosts success rate from 14% to 23%
- Minimize abstinence period before sperm collection to 2 days or less: boosts IUI success rate from 3% to 14%
- (SOURCE)
- For age <32 years, HOMP was 6% for three to six follicles and 20% for seven or more follicles (SOURCE)
- Approximately 30% of pregnancies resulting from gonadotropins are multiples. While most of these pregnancies are twins, up to 5% are triplets or greater due to the release of more eggs than expected. (SOURCE)
So I've concluded that I'm looking at a 20%ish chance of pregnancy this cycle, and if we're pregnant, a 1 in 4 chance of twins or more.
So there's no point in stressing. The horse is out of the barn, and what is meant to happen will happen.
So there's no point in stressing. The horse is out of the barn, and what is meant to happen will happen.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Houston, we have FOLLIES!
We have FOLLIES!
Triggering tonight. First time my body's made it this far with more than one follie without having to cancel . And holy shit am I excited.
Monday appointment:
Right ovary- 1@ 13.5
Left Ovary 1@12.5
E2: 2086 (hello- that should have been the indication that we're moving)
Today's appointment:
Right (blocked) ovary: 1@16, 1@15, 2@13, 10@10-12
Left Ovary: 1@16, 2@14, 2@13, 4@11-12
E2: 3657
We're triggering tonight (40 units of lupron) at 10:15PM for a 10:15 AM IUI on Friday. It's looking like we'll have somewhere between 5 and 7 mature follies at ovulation, depending on if the 13's catch up or not. With my E2 levels, my RE seriously thinks that the 13's have a real possibility of maturing between now and then.
Which meant we had the incredibly difficult conversation about fetal reduction today. I can't even get pregnant with one baby on my own, and we had to have a serious come to Jesus talk about potentially killing off one or more of our future children.
But I know all too well the risks of a higher order multiple pregnancy, and I will do WHATEVER it takes to have one or two healthy babies- even if that means having to reduce.
Please don't judge me. My RE has compared my ovaries to Ka.te Goss.elin's on multiple occasions- he knows quite a bit about her case (not her doctor, but knows her doctor). I refuse to birth a litter, but at the same time we can't get a controlled response to injects, and I don't respond to oral meds so this is our last shot before IVF.
I just hope that DH's swimmers hit one of those 5 targets.
My 2WW starts today. I refuse to test before 11dpIUI which is 4/22. Earth day. The anniversary of my favorite grandmother's death. It's got a cliche circle of life feel about it.
So here goes nothing......
Triggering tonight. First time my body's made it this far with more than one follie without having to cancel . And holy shit am I excited.
Monday appointment:
Right ovary- 1@ 13.5
Left Ovary 1@12.5
E2: 2086 (hello- that should have been the indication that we're moving)
Today's appointment:
Right (blocked) ovary: 1@16, 1@15, 2@13, 10@10-12
Left Ovary: 1@16, 2@14, 2@13, 4@11-12
E2: 3657
We're triggering tonight (40 units of lupron) at 10:15PM for a 10:15 AM IUI on Friday. It's looking like we'll have somewhere between 5 and 7 mature follies at ovulation, depending on if the 13's catch up or not. With my E2 levels, my RE seriously thinks that the 13's have a real possibility of maturing between now and then.
Which meant we had the incredibly difficult conversation about fetal reduction today. I can't even get pregnant with one baby on my own, and we had to have a serious come to Jesus talk about potentially killing off one or more of our future children.
But I know all too well the risks of a higher order multiple pregnancy, and I will do WHATEVER it takes to have one or two healthy babies- even if that means having to reduce.
Please don't judge me. My RE has compared my ovaries to Ka.te Goss.elin's on multiple occasions- he knows quite a bit about her case (not her doctor, but knows her doctor). I refuse to birth a litter, but at the same time we can't get a controlled response to injects, and I don't respond to oral meds so this is our last shot before IVF.
I just hope that DH's swimmers hit one of those 5 targets.
My 2WW starts today. I refuse to test before 11dpIUI which is 4/22. Earth day. The anniversary of my favorite grandmother's death. It's got a cliche circle of life feel about it.
So here goes nothing......
Monday, March 31, 2014
Why do my ovaries hate me?
I'm exhausted.
Plain and simple.
Exhausted.
I've been stimming for... 19 days? And my largest follie is 9mm.
Really?
REALLY????
I'm supposed to be traveling out of state for a conference this weekend, and my body's decided it doesn't want to play fair.
So my options:
1) Skip the conference that I was invited to speak at. Huge ding to my professional reputation
2) Convert to TI and bring DH to conference. Requires hiring a pet sitter.
3) Cancel the cycle. There goes another month down the drain.
I am SO SO SO fucking ready for IVF at this point. I just want them to make my ovaries go nuts, get a shit ton of eggs, get a good transfer, and get some frosties on ice.
Plain and simple.
Exhausted.
I've been stimming for... 19 days? And my largest follie is 9mm.
Really?
REALLY????
I'm supposed to be traveling out of state for a conference this weekend, and my body's decided it doesn't want to play fair.
So my options:
1) Skip the conference that I was invited to speak at. Huge ding to my professional reputation
2) Convert to TI and bring DH to conference. Requires hiring a pet sitter.
3) Cancel the cycle. There goes another month down the drain.
I am SO SO SO fucking ready for IVF at this point. I just want them to make my ovaries go nuts, get a shit ton of eggs, get a good transfer, and get some frosties on ice.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
It's honestly a lot of waiting for nothing
My ovaries. They suck. That's all there is to it.
I've been stimming for the better part of 17 days now, and we'll find out tomorrow morning if there was any reason for it. With such shitty response, I'm expecting my cycle to be cancelled and for us to start our long break before IVF.
I haven't been posting much because frankly there hasn't been much to say.
I've been stimming for the better part of 17 days now, and we'll find out tomorrow morning if there was any reason for it. With such shitty response, I'm expecting my cycle to be cancelled and for us to start our long break before IVF.
I haven't been posting much because frankly there hasn't been much to say.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Last shot at a 2014 baby
Had my CD howeverthefucklongitsbeenproverasucksandIdidntbleed "3" ultrasound today.
I'm 17 days post my final provera pill. No sign of AF. So they had me come in to check for cysts. No cysts.
Lining= 6.5mm
AFC= >20 follicles measuring <8mm on each ovary. At least I have a shit ton of potential.
So despite my ridiculous AFC, they're starting my next cycle.
Protocol is 4 days @50IU of follistim, 4 days @75IU, and then ultrasound and E2 check.
They're planning IUI with a lupron trigger
I'm 17 days post my final provera pill. No sign of AF. So they had me come in to check for cysts. No cysts.
Lining= 6.5mm
AFC= >20 follicles measuring <8mm on each ovary. At least I have a shit ton of potential.
So despite my ridiculous AFC, they're starting my next cycle.
Protocol is 4 days @50IU of follistim, 4 days @75IU, and then ultrasound and E2 check.
They're planning IUI with a lupron trigger
Did the math- if I actually get to go forward with an IUI, this is our last shot at a 2014 baby.
Come on ovaries, don't let me down!
Come on ovaries, don't let me down!
Monday, March 3, 2014
Feel like a blogging slacker
So I feel like a complete an utter blogging failure right now. My provera-induced period is taking for-freaking-ever to show up, so there hasn't been much to say on the infertility front.
On the personal front I've been incredibly busy launching a small home-based travel company. I have a passion for travel, and I've been the "go to" for many of my friends for years when it comes to booking their trips. After doing it for free for so many years I decided it was time to start getting paid- especially since the price that my friends will be paying to the cruise line/resort will be the same or less as if they booked on their own.
In other words my friends get the same level of service from me that they did before, the same or better price that they would have paid had I simply given them advice, but I get paid at no cost to the consumer.
Too good to be true, right? That's what I thought. But it's not. I work with a "host agency" that takes a portion of my commission off the top before I get paid. But other than that, I have no fees- there were no "association fees" to join, no monthly recurring fees, nothing.
But DANG is it work. I mean a LOT of work. I spend an average of 4-5 hours booking something as simple as a cruise for a client, following up between booking and sail to negotiate better rates, etc.
Let's use the client that I booked last night. She and her boyfriend are taking a 7-day caribbean cruise. They are paying roughly $1200 when all is said and done.
My share of that $1200? Less than $100.
So it's a lot of work for very little reward, but at the same time I was doing it anyway for free, so at least I'm making *something* now.
On the personal front I've been incredibly busy launching a small home-based travel company. I have a passion for travel, and I've been the "go to" for many of my friends for years when it comes to booking their trips. After doing it for free for so many years I decided it was time to start getting paid- especially since the price that my friends will be paying to the cruise line/resort will be the same or less as if they booked on their own.
In other words my friends get the same level of service from me that they did before, the same or better price that they would have paid had I simply given them advice, but I get paid at no cost to the consumer.
Too good to be true, right? That's what I thought. But it's not. I work with a "host agency" that takes a portion of my commission off the top before I get paid. But other than that, I have no fees- there were no "association fees" to join, no monthly recurring fees, nothing.
But DANG is it work. I mean a LOT of work. I spend an average of 4-5 hours booking something as simple as a cruise for a client, following up between booking and sail to negotiate better rates, etc.
Let's use the client that I booked last night. She and her boyfriend are taking a 7-day caribbean cruise. They are paying roughly $1200 when all is said and done.
My share of that $1200? Less than $100.
So it's a lot of work for very little reward, but at the same time I was doing it anyway for free, so at least I'm making *something* now.
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