Another journey begins: we’re on the road to IVF. R and I met with the doctor about changing our minds about the injectibles and heading straight for IVF. He seemed a little surprised that we decided to skip that step and go to IVF, but he didn’t dissuade us from it at all. He said that even though he would recommend the IUI/injectible cycle, considering what we’ve been experiencing IVF was probably our best bet. So that’s it. We’re now IVF candidates.
Oh, and he confirmed, without a doubt, that I didn't ovulate a single one of my six follicles. Ain't that a kicker?
It was such a whirlwind meeting that by the time we left the office, my gut instinct was to say “Forget it. We can stick with the injections and IUI for a little while longer.” R and I talked about it and I proposed backing off from the IVF option and sticking with the IUI and he disagreed. He said that there’s no way he wants to keep going like we have been and he feels, just as I do, that we’re going to end up at IVF anyways. So, he reasons, why not just do it now. And he’s right. There’s no reason to not just go for it. Except that I’m scared. Really, really scared. I keep having these awful feelings like it’s not going to work. I told R and he said that he thinks that if I go into it with that frame of mind, it’s not going to succeed. That hurt, but he’s probably right. I really, really need to change my way of thinking. I need to remember that almost 60% of people that try IVF succeed. And we will be one of them.
Still, the procedure and process is overwhelming. It’s enough to make your head spin and your knees buckle under the weight of it. I haven’t gotten my final protocol from the RE yet, but the basic idea is that I will first take 21 days of birth control pills. I know, it seems ridiculous to take BCPs when trying to get pregnant, but there it is. They use the pills to ‘calm your hormones’ so that they can give your body a bit of a rest. The theory is that the ‘quality’ eggs have a chance to rest and will be the ones to move to the ‘front of the ovulation line’. Toward the end of the pack of pills, I will start the daily Lupron injections. This will throw my body into artificial menopause so that all hormones are turned off. Then, while taking the Lupron shots, I’ll start the FSH (which I think is another shot) and these are the shots that will start my ovaries producing lots and lots of eggs. I’ll continue these shots for about two weeks and once the follicles are large enough, we’ll have the retrieval. Now the retrieval is no small change, but luckily enough they’ll only put me under ‘twilight’ anesthesia. I’ll have to rest the entire day to make sure I don’t have any complications. Once they have all my eggs, they’ll put them in the Petri dish with R’s sperm sample and the lab will start making embryos. Three days later, those embryos should have split into at least 8 cells. The best two (or three) will be selected and they’ll put them back inside my uterus for possible implantation. I’ll have to be on strict bed rest for between 72 and 96 hours at this point. Two weeks later, we’ll pray that we get a BFP. And that’s that.
Welcome to the world of IVF.
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3 comments:
Holy crap! That is a complicated procedure -- so many steps to take. I had no idea!
Did the RE have any idea why you didn't ovulate this month? Didn't he think that you had ovulated in previous months?
I think it's wonderful that R is being supportive like that -- and helping you push on to IVF. I think you needed to hear that, you know? Let his positive thinking help you along too!
I can't imagine how scary and nerve-racking this must be for you, H! But at the same time . . .keep ahold of the idea that you will be making a baby! Don't second guess it, don't think "well, we might. . ." Nope, you WILL. (Yeah, easier said than done, I know. I just want to know that you do have hope -- b/c I think there is a LOT of hope for you!!)
And sort of off the direct subject . . .my OBGYN has always suggested that I TTC the very first month off birth control pills. He claims that you body is more fertile during the first few months off the pill. Is there any correlation b/n that and the idea behind doing that before IVF? I guess it's that your body will produce more quality eggs, yes?
And . . .yep, more E stories if you please! :)
I meant to add a comment to a post from you in reference to one of my past comments . . . as goats are plentiful here in Georgia, I think I can arrange the sacrifice . . . of course, I have to wait until the full moon to have it really work. Heh-heh! ;)
And I didn't even bother posting about the weekly and towards the end of the cycle DAILY blood tests. Oh, and then there are the daily vaginal ultrasounds.
I sort of wonder about that BCP vibe too. I asked if I could skip the BCPs and head right for the IVF, but he said that either way we'd have to wait three weeks to let my body have a period to rest. So, I figured since I got pregnant with E two weeks after coming off the pill taking them again might make sense. It seems like my body, despite the last cycle, responds very well to medications. And, given my new positive way of thinking, I know it's going to respond well to the next round of meds. I remember my general doctor telling me (when I told her I was TTC#1) to not try right off BCP because it would make the pregnancy hard to date. HUH? Still, I ignored her and was pregnant with E two weeks later.
Maybe BCPs are my good luck charm!
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