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.

Getting Started!!

I had an u/s and bloodwork today. My lining is very thin, estrogen and progesterone are low. So I started the patches today! I guess that was probably my period afterall. They wanted me to start patches on day 1 of full flow bleeding... but I never had a full flow. So now there's even more of a risk of me ovulating too soon since I'm starting the patches on day 4. But since I tend to ovulate late I should be OK. But there is that risk. If I ovulate and get cancelled I will convert back to the lupron protocol but then transfer would be mid November!

For now transfer is Oct 14th and hoping for the best...

Cycle day 35

Still no AF, very minimal spotting and EWCM...ughh! I am so sick of this waiting! I've been feeling pretty down about this lack of ovulation and waiting. It sucks. Seems like everyone that had ERs after me are passing me up with their transfers. Just feels like it's never going to happen. It's really driving me nuts. The couple times I thought I had seen my LH surge or when I thought AF had showed... my mood changed completely. I just want to know what's going on and hate being in a standstill with no moving forward what so ever! This is definitely testing my patience.

The nurse I talked to on Thursday advised that I go in on Monday for and ultrasound to see what's going on in there. I hope to get an appt for Monday morning.

A girl on the CCRM girls thread on the Fertility Forums got her BFP today and I was so excited since she has the same grade embryos as we plan to transfer. She also did CCS and transferred a 5BA and a 4BB....her beta is looking very strong. Gives me so much hope since some of the ladies on the other threads all have perfect 5AAs and it hasn't been making me feel very good about our embies lately. I know there are many pregnancies with less than perfect embryos since I've obsessed over the CCS chart on IVFC and any other CCS results I can find on Fertility Forums. Gives me hope that at least one of ours will stick!!

Cycle day 34

I thought for sure AF was coming... but no AF. It's very light spotting now sometiems bright red sometimes more brown/red. I've been crampy at times... so it feels like it's coming but my poor body is so confused. Even seen some EWCM... so who knows what's going on.

I talked with the nurse yesterday and she said keep watching for an LH surge (nothing yet) and keep waiting for a full flow. If I get a full flow- start the patches. If I get an LH surge, well it looks like I'll ovulate... update the nurse and get a progesterone check 7 days later. If no LH surge or full flow by Monday then get an u/s to look at the lining and bloodwork. If the lining is thin..I could start the patches. If not, then maybe induce AF depending on how the bloodwork looks. Ughh. I've been tempted to go in and get an u/s this weekend. But maybe I'll just wait until Monday..

Cycle day 33

Found out yesterday that my LH and progesterone tests from Monday show I did not surge or ovulate. Progesterone was low at 0.2 and LH was 13. Unless we caught the beginning of my surge, but I don't think so since I am spotting now... it looks like AF is coming.

My nurse says I can just start the patches once AF comes. That puts me back at my original FET date around Oct 11! I guess there is more of a risk that I can ovulate on this protocol since we're skipping the lupron completely. Ughh! Something I will have to worrry about. I asked her how risky is this- she said 5% chance I'd ovulate. But I think I'll still worry.

Still waiting for AF, there's lots of brown spotting and some red spotting too..I feel that AF feeling, so I think it's on it's way. If I get a full flow before 5pm I will start the patches today.

Cycle day 30!

Today is cycle day 30 and I think I'm surging for ovulation! I've been testing every single day hoping to see a +opk since about day 14. This is getting old... and discouraging. I thought maybe I had a positive last week on Thursday... but the line was slightly lighter than the control. These last few days it's been almost there but not quite. Today is the first day it's exactly the same as the control line maybe even a little darker. Maybe I'm FINALLY ovulating!???

I had my blood drawn today for LH and progesterone, I didn't do it STAT so I won't have to pay for it and the results aren't needed today. Tomorrow, I'll get the bloodwork results- hopefully we'll have an idea of what my body is doing. I really hope it shows I am surging. If so, I would go next Monday and get my progesterone checked which should be >5 if I ovulated. Then a week later get AF, once AF starts I can start the patches. Looks like transfer is probably around Oct 27-29. Hopefully!