Round 3: Step 4 (Choices Pt. 2)

Yesterday was CD21 and I had yet another ultrasound. I am beginning to think we should have bought a place next to the hospital at this rate! Anyhow, I was able to see my doctor for the consultation afterwards so that was good. Usually you get the doctor on call but because of the situation I am in he said to see him after the last visit for a follow-up.

Once again there were no real changes No dominant follicle, lots of mediu, sized ones, etc... and once again he gave me choices but there were three this time.

1) Stop treatment and try again. I asked him if he would recommend this. Did he still think there was hope? He said yes. He said that some people do not respond for a month on their first round with Gonal-F because they do not know what dose works best for you. So, based on this I decided not to stop.

2) We could try In-Vitro Maturation (IVM). What this means is that immature eggs are collected (like the ones that I have now) and are matured in the lab for 24-48 hours. Once these eggs are mature they would be fertilized and transferred back into the uterus similar to IVF. You can read more about this and even see some pictures here. While this sounds great because it would mean I could stop the injections and speed things up it is not possible at the moment. This process alone costs about 4500$ not including the necessary medications. I realize we are already spending a lot of money but it is still far less than this. Even the doctor agreed that I am a bit to early in treatment to be considering this. But, it is an option if regular treatment fails for sure!

3) Last but not least, and the option I chose, was to up my dose yet again and see what happens. I am now taking 150 IU until Monday. If something happens (anything at all) I will either continue this dose or increase again for another few days. If nothing happens... we have some decisions to make I guess... I don't really know at this point.

I took my first 150 IU injection last night and that went well in itself. However, about 12 hours later to the minute I was hit with yet another splitting headache. This seems to be a pattern and the headaches are worse and worse with each increase in dose. It is for this reason that I have finally given in and I am now taking Advil as well. For the last month I have avoided any and all medications other than those for treatment but I couldn't do it anymore. The doctor said it was fine in moderation so I only take one each time but it has been working wonders so that's good! Also, I was given a syringe to extract the remaining drops out of each pen in order not to throw money away and on one hand I am happy that we can do this (I should be able to extract about 300 IU at the moment) but tonight I used that syringe for my injection and it hurts! It looks like the same needle as the pen but it is probably three times thicker. Now, I know that still isn't thick but when you are used to a "mosquito bite" it's a shocker! Unfortunately, I will probably have 2 more of those ones to come... Oh well... "no pain no gain" yet again.

Fingers and toes crossed everyone!

Squirrel Rescue

Today, I went into the kitchen to make lunch and saw something swimming in the pool. I realized it was a squirrel and went outside to find him struggling to get out of the pool. I got the pool net and managed to get him out (he swam right into the net and held on like he knew I was only trying to help) but he was exhausted. I put him in the shade next to the pool but then the birds started attacking him because he was whining so I put him in a box with shade, peanuts, and water to drink.

Then I called the SPCA, Animal Control, Shelters and NO ONE wanted to help the little guy. I was on the phone for over an hour and they all offered to euthanize him!!! I didn't save him to kill him!

So, once he got his strength back up I put the box near the hedge and he scampered away into the bushes.  I hope he will be OK!!! And NO MORE SWIMMING!!! I know it's really hot outside but pools are for people!

Round 3: Step 4 (Choices)

Yesterday was CD 18 and I had yet another ultrasound. I am beginning to lose count! On Saturday I had 1 follicle measuring at about 8mm on the right surrounded by a bunch of smaller ones and a "pomeganate" on the left so that side is being useless this cycle. Well, yesterday the one that was 8mm was now about 9mm. Normally speaking, follicles grow 1-2mm a day... even WITH injections, mine are growing about 1mm a week. This is due, in part, to being polycystic. The hormones I take are split across dozens of follicles rather than targetting 1 or 2.

I was able to see my doctor afterwords and he gave me 2 options. I could either stop treatment now and start again next cycle (or most likely the one after that, so July some time) or I could stay at the 75 IU dose until Friday and see if that does anything promising. I am still a higher risk for hyperstimulation so I have to be careful but I chose to continue at least until Friday and see what happens. I still have enough Gonal-F to get me there so why not? Another problem is that, as I keep being told, my uterine lining is responding really well to the Gonal-F and what happens when your lining gets too thick? AF arrives! Go figure, never getting AF used to upset me because it was a reminder that I wasn't "normal" and now that I don't want it, it's around the corner....

Now, why am I at home? The 75 IU makes me very nauseous in the morning and it also seems to give me headaches at night (although, none yesterday) and between the ultrasounds poking around and the pomegranate inside me I have cramps randomly throughout the day. Emotionally this is also taking a toll on me. I knew things were not going well but I didn't think I would have to make a choice to stop or not. Overall, I just need to take a break. I will be home until Friday and then I go back to the hospital to see what's changed, if anything, and then make more decisions. It's not easy... but (my) life never is!

On sick leave...

Hi everyone,

I will post more tomorrow because I do not feel up to it now... but for this week (at least) I am on sick leave. Nothing major, no need to worry. I had some difficult decisions to make today and I took the harder route. I will be at home because I am already drained physically and mentally and the next few days will be rough.

I am just going to spend a quiet night at home with DH and relax. Nothing more I can do right now...

Round 3: Step 4 (Damn oyster continued...)

Yesterday was CD15 and my third ultrasound this round after taking alternating doses of 37.5 IU and 75 IU since the last ultrasound. The hope continues to be that one of the 7mm follicles would have continued to grow and the others would have stayed the same or grown only a little but that there would be a larger dominant one. Well, no such luck yet again. On the right side, there was one at about 8mm and a whole bunch at 6-7mm. On the left side, she just said I was full of smaller follicles (picture the inside of a pomegranate - best analogy I have found to date). The only thing that seems to be responding well yet again is my uterine lining which I have heard each time, but what good does that do if the follicles don't respond? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Bupkus.

I have to continue alternating doses again until CD18 and then go back for another ultrasound. I also had to buy my third Gonal-F pen but this time I got one with 450 IU instead of 300 IU so that I should have enough for a whole week if this continues.

Some of you have asked me how much this has all cost so far so I ran the number yesterday out of my own curiosity as well. Oh, and none of this includes the daily Metformin for the insulin resistance, the Synthroid for my thyroid problem, or the pre-natal vitamins.Here is how it breaks down:

Round 1: 51$ for Provera and Clomid 50mg
Round 2: 85$ for Provera and Clomid 100mg
Round 3: 1203$ and counting for 3 Gonal-F pens (1050 IU) and my Ovidrel injection (yet to be used)

Thankfully, my insurance cover 80% of these medications so we have spent less than 300$ on this. However, they only cover me up to 5000$ in a lifetime so this won't last forever (and if we have to do this again for another baby there probably won't be much left by then). DH will be adding me to his insurance soon as well so we can offset more of the balance but they will only cover up to 2400$ in a lifetime so that one will run out eventually as well. They will also be getting a shock! DH has had this insurance for over 3 years and never made a claim... just wait until they see my bills!

That's it for now... at least the weather is good and we have a long weekend. We are finally getting some much needed work done in the yard which I should probably get back to... hopefully cutting down bushes will take my mind off things for a bit!