IVF#2 - CD 12 - RETRIEVAL

5 eggs retrieved.

4 from my right ovary
1 from my left ovary

The retrieval wen smooth. We came in at 7:30am. I was called in to the prep room. Changed into hospital gown and was right away was hooked up to glucose (sugar water) and sodium (salt water) IV. My husband was called to produce a sample. Around 8am he was allowed to come in to the prep room. We stayed there until 9:15am. After that we were taken to the procedure room and I was administered sedative medication as well as the pain medication.

Sedation drugs used:
Fentanyl - a powerful opioid analgesic
Metazoline - sedative

My doctor came in and together with an ultrasound technician, they did an ultrasound to double check my follicles. Then a spectrum was inserted and a gauze with topical anesthetic was applied. Minutes later I felt a sharp needle "down there" which was some additional local anesthetic.

The procedure started. Me and my husband were able to see on ultrasound screen my eggs "shuffled" around in my ovary. Then my doctor picked out the big ones and I felt a lot of pressure and poking/pulling sensations on the ovary. Eggs were sucked out through a tube and given directly to an embryologist through a little glass window that was connected to the embryology lab.

Later I was whisked away to the recovery room where I stayed for 1 hour.

Feeling bloated and have a constant feeling like I need to go to the bathroom. Also some other things that I will not mention since its too much information ;-)

Now wait until tomorrow afternoon for my RE to call with the results of cell devision and fertilization. I am not sure if my eggs will make it to 5 day transfer. We might just have to do a 3 day. We'll see...

IVF#2 - CD 10 - Trigger

Ok.....scared now. Tonight I am suppose to take my last injection of Puregon 200IU and finally trigger with Ovidrel (HCG) @ 9:30pm. Scared because RE told the nurse to "advise patient that she only has 4 follicles for retrieval"....to me sounds like a warning before a disappointing fall....we'll see how many eggies we will get. I hope I will end up with at least one embryo for the transfer. I truly hope...

My stats today:

Right Ovary - 2.1/ 1.9/ 1.4/1.3/ 1.3 + 2 small ones = 7 follicles
Left Ovary - 2.0/ 1.3 + 2 small ones = 4 follicles
Uterine lining - 0.9cm

Taking last shot of Puregon 200 IU + Ovidrel (HCG) @ 9:30pm

Day 11 (May13)

Just bloodwork

Day 12 (May14)

Egg Retrieval @ 9:30am

IVF#2 - CD 9

I now have ultrasound and bloodwork everyday at 7am. Lack of sleep is really getting to me.

It seems like I made a right decision to fight for my cycle to stay "alive" because my leading follicles slowed down in growth a bit, while the other ones are catching up. Now it seems like ER will be as schedules. Just thinking that if I was not persistent in persuading my RE not to cancel, I would have been doing IUI now instead of this. I really hope I was right, and if I was this is just another example that you should sometimes listen to your gut instincts rather than to your doctor.

Here are my stats as of today:

Day 9 (May11)
Estrogen - 2481
LH - 2
Prog. - 9.9
Right Ovary - 1.9/ 1.6/ 1.3/1.2/ 1.1 + 2 small ones = 7 follicles
Left Ovary - 1.8/ 1.0 + 2 small ones = 4 follicles
Uterine lining - 0.9cm

IVF#2 - CD 7 - Almost Cancelled!

So frustrated and upset!

I am now on my day 7 of IVF cycle.

My doctor was about to cancell it because she said that my follicles got into "groups" of mature ones and immature. She wants them all be at the same level. I put up a fight with her not to cancel.

I said - "I am progressing well and I still have 5 more days of stimulation to go, and my estrogen level is good, I already have 6 follicles. They might grow more in 5 days. Please let's wait and see and if not, I think 6 follicles is enough for ER. I'm willing to risk."

She said - "Only because you are young, I am willing to give it a try and go to ER even with 6 follicles, but that decision is up to you. You night end up with no embryos to transfer, that would be a waste"

My ER is scheduled this Thursday, May 15. So upset and scared now. Tired of waiting. This is second attempt and this crap again??!!

Here are my stats so far:

Today - Day 7
Estrogen - 1515
Right Ovary - 1.5/ 1.2/ 1.1/ 1.1 + 3 small ones = 7 follicles
Left Ovary - 1.6/ 1 + 2 small ones = 4 follicles

IVF#2 - CD 5 Stats

So I went today. My lining is 0.8 cm. Not sure if that's good or not.

I have:

5 follicles on right ovary @ 1.3 / 1.1 / 1.0 + 2 very small ones
4 follicles on left ovary @ 1.5 + 3 very small ones

Because I already have at least one "leading follicle" over 1.2cm, I started my Orgalutran today to prevent me from ovulating.

Back for ultrasound Friday, May 9 (CD 7)

IVF#2 - CD 4 Stats

I had my CD 4 blood work done to see my Estrogen and it was at 652 today. The nurse had asked me to come back again tomorrow for blood and ultrasound. They want to see if I have a "leading follicle" of at least 1.2cm and if I do, they will add Orgalutran (delays ovulation) to my Puregon shots. We'll see how it goes. Just an update.

IVF#2 - Base Ultrasound

Today had my base ultrasound for antral follicle count. Scheduled Day 0 for IVF. My cyst is gone!!! Well, at least the ultrasound technician did not see it. I'm very happy.

I had:
5 follicles on my right ovary
4 follicles on my left ovary

Start Puregon (200iu) May 3 - CD 1

Wow, Puregon is expensive - $223 CAD per shot (200iu)! Wow!

Next B/W & U/S May 6 !

IVF#2 New Protocol

I just got back from my RE and was very happy because she changed my protocol from "Long" to "Antagonist". I was switched from Suprefact to Orgalutran. This cycle will also be shorter because my est. ER is May 15 (!).

About my cyct, my RE said she will "ignore" it if it's less than 4cm and if it grows, then she will "drain" it and still get on with my cycle. This makes me happy, because even though this is my IVF#2, I really did not get a chanse to even finish IVF#1 and did not even get to do stimulation phase of it.

Here are my dates:
Start BCP - April 4
Last BCP - April 30
Day 0 - May 2
Retrieval (est.) - May 15
Transfer (est.) - May 19

IVF#1 - CANCELLED

I am very sad today…started crying at work and just left…because….

I went for my repeat Day 0 ultrasound today and they found that my cyst on my right ovary grew from 2.2cm to 3.2cm in just 6 days. So, my IVF#1 cycle is canceled….All those birth control pills for 31 days and injections in the stomach for 3 weeks is for nothing. Now I have to stop all my medication and wait for my period to come. After that, it’s all over again – birth control in April, injections in May and MAYBE I’ll get ho have IVF egg retrieval and embryo transfer in June. That is IF my cyst goes away. If not, then I have two choices: wait for up to 6 months for the cyst to go away by itself OR remove it through surgery. I am so upset… I never had cysts before and don’t even know why the heck I have it NOW, out of nowhere

I am also on medication (Bromocriptine) for my elevated prolactin. My doctor wanted to cancel my IVF before because of it, but then decided to wait and see if meds help…

I am so heart broken…

I am such and emotional piece of nerves right now. This was supposed to be my first IVF and now I realize that all of you girls out there, who had/have fertility problems, had their cycles cancelled or had BFN after IVF – let me tell you, that you are the most remarkable women that have so much patience and strength that all you girls should be put on a pedestal and given a medal for being able to deal with this emotional & physical burden of infertility…

First base b/w & u/s

Well, I went for my base ultrasound today (March 20) and my RE said I have a cyst (2.2cm) on my right ovary and therefore should continue Suprefact (suppression) for another week (3rd week). I was supposed to start stimulation phase with Puregon on March 21. Now everything is pushed back 1 week because of this cyst.I also have 4 follicles on the right and 5 on the left ovary.

Going for a second "base" ultrasound March 27th now to see if the cyst is gone.