My fortune cookie!

Whenever I open a fortune cookie, I hope it says something good that I feel like could relate to our upcoming IVF cycle. I usually get the lamest fortunes. I remember during one of our IVF cycles- like the day before our transfer it said something like "don't put all of your eggs in one basket". I wasn't sure of what to think about that one! But it didn't turn out to be a good cycle... it must have meant, "don't count on this cycle working!!!". I know, they are only stupid fortune cookies! But I was happy about my fortune I got last night-

We've been doing soo much prep for this IVF cycle to Colorado! I hope this fortune is true and it all pays off!!

No BCP!! :(

So I finally got the word that I cannot be on BCP (even in conjuction with lovenox) due to my Factor II mutation. I don't know much about the factor II mutation, I found out about it in February when I did an extensive work up at the Beer Center for Reproductive Immunology (after my second miscarriage). Dr Google says that "women who have the prothrombin mutation increase the risk of developing a DVT by about 16 times by using estrogen-containing oral contraceptives". There's a risk as well with pregnancy but not nearly as high as that! I will still be on lovenox for my entire pregnancy! I hate that stuff- it stings and it gives ugly bruises :( But of course, worth it for both my health and baby.

I asked the nurse more about planning w/o BCP and after many questions the conclusion is there's no way around it and we are at the mercy of my body!! Usually, my cycles have been fairly regular but it seems lately they are not. I am such a planner and do not like the uncertainty of my calendar. I'd like to give my work advanced notice....don't want to leave them scrambling to figure out who's going to cover my shifts. I feel really bad. I was stressing over this last night and didn't sleep too well (I think a combo of the fact that I have a cold and was coughing, runny nose). Ughh.

Trying not to stress, than I may not ovulate and then it will be worse. Plus, there is nothing I can do about it. Just hope my body cooperates and make the best of it. This is our last IVF cycle so if I end up taking more time off work than I would like and leave them scrambling, oh well, this is our last time doing this.(well besides an FET, hopefully!)

Okay, there's one more thing I am trying not to stress over- this back up sperm sample situation. I think what we're going to do is DH will come out to give his sample and then go home and come back close to egg retrieval. I asked the nurses about the possibility of giving the sample locally and shipping it to CCRM but she said most patients find that this is not worth the hassle. Well, I'd like to know what's involved in this because coming back and forth is sort of a hassle too!! Or staying for 7+ days for DH is difficult for him since he'd miss more work!! What are you all doing about the back up sample?

New Calendar!

I got my revised calendar yesterday! Of course is dependent on when AF shows up! I'm going to to OPKs to see when to expect it! My period is due around 7/18.

Aug 7: cycle day 21- progesterone check if >5 start lupron
Aug 18: u/s and bloodwork
Aug 19: start stims/lovenox
Aug 23: Travel to Denver
Aug 30: Estimated Egg retrieval

My concern about the no BCP is that the progesterone check on cycle day 21 is based on a 28 day cycle. My nurse said that since my cycles tend to be longer that it may be a few more days before my progesterone is ready. Ughh. My last cycle was 37 days- so if it's long again it's going to be even more days! This makes it difficult for travel plans, time off work plans, etc. I've always been on BCP- was on them for 5 years when first married, have been on them for every IVF cycle I have done. No issues. I am glad though that CCRM is concerned for my health/safety ....but this does not make it easy for planning. I'm really hoping that I could be on BCP along with lovenox. I asked my nurse via email- hopefully she gets back to me soon...

A little bummed...

I'm a little bummed out that we're waiting. If we weren't doing CCS it wouldn't be so bad... but I think about transferring in November and it just seems like forever. I am usually so anxious to get started, usually fairly optimistic and not too scared. But this time I am really scared. This is our last shot!! Usually we have always had another try. Our previous RE had a great shared risk program where we'd get 90% back if it failed. A lot of costs were still involved for each cycle- meds, other costs like ICSI...but it was so nice get money back and to have a back up plan. This time- no back up plan at all. Just this is it!! It's kind of nice to enjoy another month off without the pressure!

I finally go the results of our genetic testing- we decided to test for SMA and Fragile X since they recommend it for everyone. Thankfully, both are negative :)

Nothing exciting going on for our weekend. It's my weekend to work :( Hope you all have a great weekend!!

August it is!

So my hubby and I talked it over this evening. I've had this nagging feeling that we should wait, part of it is, I know I am so scared to get back into this. Cause this is it!!! My instincts also say wait for some reason. Dr Sch did say he thinks I have an egg quality issue so I am on the egg quality supplements he recommended which I started at the beginning of June... so it would give me more time on those too...that would be 3 months total. So I think we'd go out there around Aug 22 or so. Looks like the wait between egg retrieval, waiting for CCS and prepping for an FET is about 2.5 months so our transfer would be mid November. Mid November is a special time for us. My DH and I got married on November 25, our son was transferred to us as a day 3 embryo on November 30, and it's Thanksgiving time which reminds us we have a lot to be thankful for. So maybe our transfer is meant to be around this time of year...

Calendar!

I received my calendar and protocol today. I will be on the standard long lupron as I expected. I wanted to get started with this cycle, but now I look at the calendar it seems soo soon! Ahhh! Not sure if we can plan it all in time. Work is busy for me during the dates I'd have to leave since one coworker is in vacation and the other is having surgery. Since I won't be on BCP (due to clotting issues) the dates aren't as certain. Right now the calendar says I travel to Denver on July 21. We may have to wait a cycle, I really need to talk with my DH tonight. I hope to get a hold of my nurse too, since I have tons of questions now about details. Even if we wait a month... it's almost here!

Regroup update

I was excited when the nurse set up my appointment so soon after getting the day 3 bloodwork. The bloodwork just arrived today and my consult was later in the day. I was a little concerned though that the bloodwork would not be ready or that the doctor would not have a chance to have looked at my result and decided on my protocol, I did question the nurse and she said it should be fine.

Well, it didn't turn out too great... my appt was orginally at 4pm but this am they called to see if I could change it to earlier. I explained the situation with the bloodwork arriving today, etc. They said the result would be ready. So I said ok. The appt was changed to 1230. Then I realized my home phone wasn't working at 1215, so I called them to change the contact number to my cell #. Still no call at 1pm. I was afraid maybe he didn't get the message and was calling my home phone. So I called back to double check. Ughh. I guess he was just running late. So he calls at around 1:15 and I asked if he had my bloowork results (since this was the main reason I wanted to talk- about my result and protocol). He didn't have it! Ughh! So he says he call me back. He got the result and called back within 5 min. But he didn't have my protocol ready....I was appreciative of the fact that he felt he needed to take some time to decide my protocol. So I was happy with that.

I was slightly annoyed (not his fault) but that the nurses set this up for me. The whole point was to discuss my results and the protocol/plan. We ended up talking anyway and he was nice about it. I got flustered and didn't ask as may questions as I wanted to though. My FSH was 7.0, he didn't have my LH result and the E2 was 49.I mentioned how the other RE's have thought I have an egg quality issue- fragmented polar bodies with the eggs, low fert rates. He agreed I probably have an egg quality issue but it could be resolved with their lab and how the eggs are matured (timing of HCG shot) also fert rates could improve with their ICSI expertise in their lab.
I asked about the supplements-inositol, Co-Q10, melatonin...and said I have been taking them- he said it can't hurt.

I also asked about being aggressive- how our last long lupron cycle was not too great- 17 eggs (good!!), 12 mature (pretty good) but only 5!! fertilized! I was devastated. That's why my local RE was more aggressive this cycle with the MDL protocol where I got 27 eggs, 20 mature, 12 fertilized. But Dr Schoolcraft still thinks the MDL is too aggressive and getting more than 20 eggs is not a good thing. Quality is compromised when >20 eggs are retreived. So I am trying to get used to the idea of more isn't necessarily better. He said he believes we will get 5 to 6 blasts for CCS testing.
He was positive and wished me good luck. I hope to get my protocol in the next few days and get a hold of my nurse to see if I can get started this cycle or not.