Immunology Update

I've had some tests run since the immunology clinic (Alan E Beer Clinic) is following my immunology. They ran an hcg level today- it's 3428!! wahoo! Still doubling at 34hrs! That was a relief! They rechecked my NK and Cytokine levels. All looks good! One test they are doing is somewhat new is called "T-reg". Mine is slightly low at 0.5. They want above 0.7. Since it's low they recommend IVIG which is very expensive! Ughhh! I am not sure I even believe in it. I need to do some research on it this weekend and decide what to do. I know for sure what Dr Schoolcraft would say. The Beer Clinic does not believe in intralipids so that's not an option, unfortunately. I just hate to pay so much for an IVIG infusion if it's really not necessary. I sort of regret even going to the Beer clinic since now I am worrying about this and there's a good chance I should not be worrying. Ughh. Maybe I'll have them re-check the t-regs again and maybe it will be within normal range. I hope!

The Beer clinic also wants my progesterone levels >20. Mine is 12 on suppositories but I explained to them that suppositories show lower levels in the blood. But they still don't like it... I am not sure if it's the nurse that doesn't completely understand. She thinks my progesterone is dangerously low. I switched to PIO so it should go up and meet their expectations at my next check anyway.

They also ran my TSH level and it's gone up. Which I'm not surprised since for me it's always gone up with pregnancy. My last check was at 0.93 (about two weeks before transfer) on 88mcg/daily. And now it's 3.0! So it looks like they'll up my dose.

Nothing new....

Nothing new happening here...hoping my embie(s) are still growing??! I just feel normal, don't feel pregnant at all. Maybe a little more tiredness, occasional nausea feeling (very mild), occasional heartburn. No crampiness, maybe an occasional twinge...maybe? For the most part...nothing!

I switched my progesterone to PIO. I was on Endometrin which was about $165 per box of 21! So that's $165/week! I think that's ridiculous, so I changed over to PIO which actually- believe it or not, I like one shot a day better than remembering 3xs a day to put the suppository in. Plus it's so messy and gross!

My ultrasound appointment is set up for Novemeber 12th! Seems so far away! 2 weeks from today..I will be 6wks6days!!

Second beta is.....

Second beta is 476!!!! Doubling time 35!! Very happy and relieved... can take a deeper sigh of relief for now. Will be nervous as it gets closer to u/s day... Since with our last two pregnancies everything went great with the doubling betas but things didn't end well. I do feel more confidence with CCS tested embryos, so thankful we chose to do this testing.

Getting darker 11dp5dt

Today is beta day #2. I've been feeling pretty much nothing at most times of the day...so I don't feel pregnant at all. So for some reassurance I took an HPT this morning....and I was pleased to see that the test line is now darker than the reference line :) Will keep you all posted on beta #2!!

Beta number is....

Beta is 181. Not super high. But strong, especially with my history of lower numbers. Hoping for doubling numbers for Monday!!! Progesterone is 12.9 (they look for >5 with supppositories). If on PIO they look for higher values. The nurse explained to me that the suppositories show lower levels in the blood than PIO.

As far as symptoms:
5dp5dt- started to feel "different" yucky- tired, nauseated at times, back ache, crampy- a heaviness in the uterine area. Also headachy and a weird taste in my mouth. Not sure why it's all disappeared... concerns me a bit. But I do know that symptoms can come and go in pregnancy and it's also totally normal to have no symptoms what so ever especially this early in pregnancy. So for all of you obsessing out there... it's just hard to know either way. With my last cycle, I thought for sure I had all sorts of symptoms....but it was a BFN. With my son, I remember not feeling anything at all. It's so hard not to obsess though... thinking of all of you in the 2ww and those getting ready for transfer! The "2WW" is dreadful... hang in there!! I'm sure I'll be seeing lots more BFPs soon!!

Beta day!!

I wanted to test with my first morning urine....but I was up late last night since I was at work and probably drank too much before bedtime. I woke up at 4am having to pee really bad, collected my urine in a cup, but it looked so dilute that I was afraid to test. I was also panicking since all "symptoms" of pregnancy I seemed to be have all disappeared. (another reason I was afraid to test).
So I held my urine for four hours- went to get my blood drawn and when I got back I tested...my urine still looked pretty dilute but tested anyway.



That's the best line I've had at 14dpo!!! Although, my last two beta's were only about 40!! With my son it was 116 and we had a second sac too. Looks like we'll get a strong number...So happy and relieved!!

5dp5dt POAS?

I'm 5dp5dt, beta is on Saturday. I've decided not to POAS. Even if it is positive I will obsess over the line. It would be nice to start celebrating now but I can wait a couple more days...4 more days to go! And I have a history of low betas so there could not even be much of a line at this point even if two stuck. Although I may POAS on Friday morning- I should see something by then if it's positive. We'll see if I get the guts to do it. As far as symptoms- on Saturday (2dpt) evening I started feeling "gaggy". But I think I felt that with my last BFN cycle. I have been feeling kinda yucky (tired, headachy, backache, gaggy at times). But who knows.. I think I had these symptoms with my last BFN.

My babies

Here's the pic of my babies-

One fully hatched from it's shell :) Looks like the other one is hatching!!! I can't stop looking at the picture!!! So happy they were continuing to expand and grow!!!

Bedrest completed- 2dp5dt

Yay! I am done with bedrest! I was going to go all alone but so glad I brought my best friend's mom- "D". We chatted a lot, watched movies, she read a book while I got on the internet :) She helped a lot so I was able to follow those detailed bedresting instructions! (I was surprised to see how strict they are!!) D's like a second mom to me and she said she was honored that I asked her. She really thought it was special to be in the transfer room to see my little embies she said just as special as seeing her granddaughter being born in August. (an IVF baby by the way) Thankfully I had her there to take some pictures. (which I will add once she emails them to me today :)) Can't wait to share the picture of my babies to you all!!

D left very early this morning so now I am on my own. My flight isn't until 430pm so I have some time to kill. I am allowed to resume "normal light activity" so I will head to the mall for some lunch and take it easy. I'm excited since my southwest flight will have Wifi!! It's a new thing Southwest has on some flights :) The internet will keep me occupied for my 2.5hrs flight..

As far as sypmtoms, I know it's way to early. Even beta day is too early! But I'll just document what I've felt...which is pretty much nothing but pretty crampy very early this morning around 4am. But that's gone now. Could be though that since I added in 2mg estrace daily that that can be causing some crampiness. Ughhh... the dreaded 2WW (actually 9 day wait!!!!)

I'm PUPO!!!!!

Well, I'm PUPO (pregnant until proven otherwise)! The transfer went well. Everything went so smoothly. I chose to do the pre and post acupuncture at the clinic. It was very nice and relaxing, I'm glad I did it :) The embryos thawed well- 100% survival for both.
Dr. Schoolcraft said they looked beautiful and looked like fresh embryos :) Yay! One looked like it was completely hatched and the other was hatching or starting to hatch. I'll add the pictures when I get home!!! The transfer was painless and I was suprised at how quick and easy it was. I am so thankful for such a smooth transfer and that our embryos thawed so well and started to re-expand and hatch. Couldn't have gone any better...

A nice weekend...

We had a nice weekend. Every year in October we go to see the airshow in the city called "Fleet Week" in San Francisco. It's usually beautiful weather in October in the city and it's fun to walk around the city and watch the airplanes fly above :) My son was really into it this year which was so cute.

Since we were in the city (we live about an hour south) and have some good friends who just had their first baby late August... so we stopped by to see the baby. This is a donor egg baby, so the type of baby I don't mind visiting. Not because it's donor egg, but they've been thru IVF and we're just so happy for them. They've been thru a long struggle and she was so depressed. They seem so happy! She's in her early forties and tried with her own eggs once but then moved on to donor eggs. Their baby is adorable... :)

Then today, we visited some other friends who also have an IVF baby. We actually met this couple because friends of ours introduced them to us since they were embarking on IVF for the first time about two years ago. They wanted to meet with us to talk about our IVF experience. They have become close friends and we both went thru a two miscarriages together around the same time. We've been a nice support for each other. She went on to have a baby this September and we're just so happy for them. Their baby is just adorable too :)

It was a bit easier seeing these adorable newborns knowing that my transfer is set and I'm finally on my way. I feel like we have such a good chance for this to work out. I know I can get pregnant and carry successfully. I've been pregnant three times now and feel like we have good explanations to why we lost those pregnancies. Of course, there's no guarantee...and I will be scared as ever as we approach those last few days before beta. I can't wait to get there and pick up our little ones on Thursday!!

Got the green light.....

Got the green light today... transfer is a go!! Lining was 9.2mm triple stripe!! Yay!
Bloodwork was good e2 305 (they want >300), LH 6 (<15) and progesterone was low 0.2! We're on our way! Leave for CO Wednesday! I'm so excited and hopeful but so nervous and scared at the same time!!

Prepping for transfer...

Not much new happening here, been prepping for transfer- getting levels rechecked and making sure I'm ready to go.....up to 3 patches now and hoping they are doing their thing! So interesting how medication can be delivered thru a sticker. I've seen it before as a nurse (such as fentanyl patches for pain or the nicotine patches for smokers)... it's just strange. I hope they are working!

I had my thyroid levels rechecked on Monday.. TSH level came out as 0.93. So it's a good level! My last check was about 2.0 just before stimms. So I'm happy that my levels are under control. I'm on 88mcg/daily. Also taking 1 injection of lovenox daily since I have factor 2 prothrombin mutation. I hate those shots- they sting!! Ouch! And bruise! My poor belly is so ugly from the bruises and patches :(

I know Dr Sch thinks it's all hocus pocus, but I went to the Beer Clinic to get my NK and cytokine levels re-checked. Just for peace of mind. I already did their huge work up last January so I figured I might as well get checked. All tests are normal, so no treatments needed, my immune system is under control and I am cleared for transfer. They will re-check my levels with positive pregancy. They are treating me with 1 mg dexamethasone daily since I'm ANA+, I started that on cycle day 6.

I booked my hotel, flights and car. All of these can be cancelled without a fee....will find out Friday if I'm cleared for transfer!

FET: First check

This stuff is all new to me since I"ve never done a medicated FET. I have done lots of IVFs but only one FET. Last summer I did a natural FET where I was monitored for my natural ovulation and then transferred 4 days after (day 3 slow frozen embryos).

Today I had my first check since starting the patches on Monday...they wanted E2 to be at least 50. Mine was 70, so that's good. I guess? Next step is to ramp up the patches from 2 to 3 to 4 patches.

I've never had lining issues (it's always 10-12mm and triple stripe) but got a little concerned when I read a blog where she had no triple pattern and it may have been due to a period that was just spotting- as if it didn't slough off all the lining? And some old lining was there underneath a new lining? Or something like that? My period was definitely just spotting this time..barely even spotting. Ughh! I hope it doesn't make my lining form incorrectly. I emailed the nurse and she said "it should develop normally". I guess I'll just have to hope for the best. One more thing to worry about!

Next check is on Friday- to check my lining where they look for at least 8mm and a triple pattern. Also will have my hormone levels checked- they want E2 to be >300 at that point and the progesterone and LH levels to show that I am not surging (especially since I am not on lupron)! Hope I pass all the checks and get the go ahead for transfer on Oct 14th.