Monday, April 30, 2012
First Lupron Shot
Video credit to Andie, though to be fair, I could only upload this snippet of her full 2 minute masterpiece.
First day of meds down!
The Eagle Has Landed
Meds from Freedom Pharmacy arrived on Saturday morning, as expected. Well, a little earlier than expected, really, so I still wasn't fully dressed and had to hide behind the door when I signed for them from the Fed Ex guy. Oops.
The goods:
The box didn't have a packing list, so I had to call the pharmacy to be sure I had everything. They're open 7 days a week and were very helpful, so that was pretty painless and everything was present and accounted for. There are a couple of things in the box that were not on my calendar, so I'll have to figure that out as we get closer to transfer. One of those things was the somewhat-dreaded valium, so I guess I do have to ask if I can skip it after all. If not, no big deal. I just hate to take something if I don't have to.
I have everything set up on my bedroom dresser, with the calendar taped to the wall so I can cross off things as I've taken them. This definitely works best as an old fashioned paper-and-pencil operation, since with so many meds to keep track of, it's easy to convince yourself that you forgot to take something when you didn't, or vice versa.
So right now, my calendar is nice and clean-- the birth control pill I took last night and the doxycycline I took this morning are crossed off, but that's it. I had wondered why the double-course of doxy early in the cycle and found this article: Outcome Of Subsequent Ivf Cycles Following Antibiotic Therapy After Primary Or Multiple Previously Failed Ivf Cycles, which concludes: "These findings suggest that a certain number of failures during IVF cycles are due to an intrauterine infection that could affect the course of the pregnancy, the mode of delivery and cause maternal and fetal complications." The antibiotics regime I'm on isn't nearly as stringent as what was used in the study (nor do I have failed cycles that we're trying to counter), but I imagine the logic is similar.
Anyway, Lupron injections start tonight. My kids are excited-- what could be more entertaining than watching mom give herself shots? And I'm excited! Every day is one day closer to transfer.
Oh-- just for the sake of remembering silly details. The other surrogacy-related activity last week was signing consent forms. Rick and I had to sign about 20 pages of medical consents, have them notarized, and then mail them back to Houston IVF. Thrilling paperwork. Would hate to forget that part of the process.
The goods:
The box didn't have a packing list, so I had to call the pharmacy to be sure I had everything. They're open 7 days a week and were very helpful, so that was pretty painless and everything was present and accounted for. There are a couple of things in the box that were not on my calendar, so I'll have to figure that out as we get closer to transfer. One of those things was the somewhat-dreaded valium, so I guess I do have to ask if I can skip it after all. If not, no big deal. I just hate to take something if I don't have to.
I have everything set up on my bedroom dresser, with the calendar taped to the wall so I can cross off things as I've taken them. This definitely works best as an old fashioned paper-and-pencil operation, since with so many meds to keep track of, it's easy to convince yourself that you forgot to take something when you didn't, or vice versa.
So right now, my calendar is nice and clean-- the birth control pill I took last night and the doxycycline I took this morning are crossed off, but that's it. I had wondered why the double-course of doxy early in the cycle and found this article: Outcome Of Subsequent Ivf Cycles Following Antibiotic Therapy After Primary Or Multiple Previously Failed Ivf Cycles, which concludes: "These findings suggest that a certain number of failures during IVF cycles are due to an intrauterine infection that could affect the course of the pregnancy, the mode of delivery and cause maternal and fetal complications." The antibiotics regime I'm on isn't nearly as stringent as what was used in the study (nor do I have failed cycles that we're trying to counter), but I imagine the logic is similar.
Anyway, Lupron injections start tonight. My kids are excited-- what could be more entertaining than watching mom give herself shots? And I'm excited! Every day is one day closer to transfer.
Oh-- just for the sake of remembering silly details. The other surrogacy-related activity last week was signing consent forms. Rick and I had to sign about 20 pages of medical consents, have them notarized, and then mail them back to Houston IVF. Thrilling paperwork. Would hate to forget that part of the process.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Calendar!
Now it's real! I have a calendar in hand that includes the magic words "Possible Embryo Transfer." Woohoo!
As Barb said yesterday, I start Lupron injections (just subcutaneous-- no big deal) on Monday, April 30. Apparently, I start a course of Doxycycline (an antibiotic) then too, which is strange to me, only because I didn't take it until the week of transfer last time. I saw someone else on SMO with early Doxy too, so I guess it's not unheard of. It looks like I don't even have two weeks of Lupron-- that's pretty nice. After that it's daily aspirin and Vivelle patches until egg retrieval. The week of transfer, I'll have progesterone (Crinone gel, I think), Vivelle, Doxycycline, and Medrol. And after transfer, just Crinone and Vivelle. No big scary shots! Phew.
All in all, pretty close to my protocol the first time around. I took estrogen in pill-form rather than by patches and I did not take aspirin at all. I'm not sure I took Medrol either. I notice there's no Valium on transfer day on this protocol-- I skipped it last time because they said I could, but I don't even have to mess with it this time. Oh, and I was on Lupron for weeks and weeks, but I can't remember what part of that was because of a cancelled cycle we had and what was really part of the protocol.
In any case, super-excited to have a plan. I love plans! We're just about 6 weeks out from transfer at Houston IVF with Dr. Hickman. Yabba dabba do!
All in all, pretty close to my protocol the first time around. I took estrogen in pill-form rather than by patches and I did not take aspirin at all. I'm not sure I took Medrol either. I notice there's no Valium on transfer day on this protocol-- I skipped it last time because they said I could, but I don't even have to mess with it this time. Oh, and I was on Lupron for weeks and weeks, but I can't remember what part of that was because of a cancelled cycle we had and what was really part of the protocol.
In any case, super-excited to have a plan. I love plans! We're just about 6 weeks out from transfer at Houston IVF with Dr. Hickman. Yabba dabba do!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Hints
I emailed Barb this morning to pester her about when I'd be getting a calendar. Her response:
N started acupuncture on Friday and said it was "different." She'll be going once a week until we get closer to transfer, then will bump it up to twice a week. I'm hoping it has a positive impact.
We spent all weekend digging out the flower beds and mulching them. Hard work and I'm feeling it today. They sure do look nice, though.
Looks like you’ll start your meds on April 30 –so next Monday ….we finish up the week of 5/28Hooray! Progress! Dates! Still a little light on details, but heck-- I'll take it. Monday will be CD14. Really interested to see the actual calendar. I still have so many questions!
N started acupuncture on Friday and said it was "different." She'll be going once a week until we get closer to transfer, then will bump it up to twice a week. I'm hoping it has a positive impact.
We spent all weekend digging out the flower beds and mulching them. Hard work and I'm feeling it today. They sure do look nice, though.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
I'd hoped for more exciting news
Today is my much-anticipated CD1. Hooray! Time to start cycling! Calendar! Yes!
Only not really. I emailed Barb and she told me to start birth control pills on Thursday. She said she's still waiting for notes/reports from the infectious disease doctors that M and I saw (a full week ago now), but that she will "start planning."
Ack. I'm feeling so impatient. We've jumped our hoops, let's get going! Come on, doctors. Fire up those fax machines. In the meantime, I'm hoping "start planning" is code for "get your calendar ready and right out to you so that you know you're transferring in May."
Only not really. I emailed Barb and she told me to start birth control pills on Thursday. She said she's still waiting for notes/reports from the infectious disease doctors that M and I saw (a full week ago now), but that she will "start planning."
Ack. I'm feeling so impatient. We've jumped our hoops, let's get going! Come on, doctors. Fire up those fax machines. In the meantime, I'm hoping "start planning" is code for "get your calendar ready and right out to you so that you know you're transferring in May."
Friday, April 13, 2012
Like Poodles, or Shamu
Trying to think of things that jump through hoops.
M had his "infectious disease counseling" appointment in Houston yesterday. N texted me this morning and said his doctor had a similar reaction to mine-- that there wasn't much of a point to the appointment. So now N and M have had two worthless appointments (this one and the MFM), in the interest of moving forward. Yippee.
I really think there's nothing else standing in our way now (though I'm sure I'm cursing it by saying so). I take the last Provera tomorrow night, so I could hit CD1 as soon as Monday. Then I'll call Barb and she'll give me instructions about when to start taking birth control pills (which I have on my dresser, all ready to go) and hopefully send me my calendar. Hopefully, hopefully. This is such a strange world, where you eagerly await getting to start giving yourself shots every day.
My predictions are: egg retrieval sometime around May 20 (+/-), then transfer 3-5 days later. Hoping for two pretty 5-day blastocysts, but we'll have to wait and see on that.
M had his "infectious disease counseling" appointment in Houston yesterday. N texted me this morning and said his doctor had a similar reaction to mine-- that there wasn't much of a point to the appointment. So now N and M have had two worthless appointments (this one and the MFM), in the interest of moving forward. Yippee.
I really think there's nothing else standing in our way now (though I'm sure I'm cursing it by saying so). I take the last Provera tomorrow night, so I could hit CD1 as soon as Monday. Then I'll call Barb and she'll give me instructions about when to start taking birth control pills (which I have on my dresser, all ready to go) and hopefully send me my calendar. Hopefully, hopefully. This is such a strange world, where you eagerly await getting to start giving yourself shots every day.
My predictions are: egg retrieval sometime around May 20 (+/-), then transfer 3-5 days later. Hoping for two pretty 5-day blastocysts, but we'll have to wait and see on that.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Hoop Jumped
As luck would have it, the doctor's office I called had a cancellation today, so I was able to get an afternoon appointment. I met with Dr. Metzger, who was basically perplexed about how to quantify the miniscule risk of CMV infection from an embryo (go figure-- there's not a lot of data on that) coupled with the very small risk of even symptomatic CMV, should infection occur. He said 90% of active CMV infections are asymptomatic, and the other 10% tend to be sub-clinical (lowgrade fever, general malaise). Oh, and I've cared for an actively CMV infected infant, lived with a CMV+ husband, and previously carried for a CMV+ couple. So no real worries about risk to me.
Anyway, we had an interesting discussion and that was that. He is sending his consult notes to Houston IVF.
Hoping M gets in to see the doctor in Houston just as quickly.
Anyway, we had an interesting discussion and that was that. He is sending his consult notes to Houston IVF.
Hoping M gets in to see the doctor in Houston just as quickly.
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