Wow. Just wow. I don't think I've been as excited and overwhelmed as I am today after our appointment.
M and I met up in the same ole parking lot we're getting accustomed to, and headed to the clinic. I wasn't as nervous as last time (which wasn't as nervous as the last, last time) and began nursing my 24 oz water bottle. They said I needed A LOT of water for my transfer, so chug a lug it went. (it almost felt like back in my 'younger' days when it wasn't water I was drinking, ya hear.)
After arriving, I really had to pee. I mean really. We made our brief movie that we do, and headed into the clinic. Shortly after my name was called a tech (whom I've not seen before) led me back into the rooms I'm getting used to, and had me undress and redress with the infamous paper gown. Into the ultrasound room we went. I told M that I remember my prior surgery that required a 'full bladder' and I bet I was 'going to fail the full-bladder-test' based on their standards. Sure enough, she lubed up the ultrasound, put it to my belly and said "Nope, not full enough." She showed me where my bladder was on the monitor, and showed me my uterus, and told me what it SHOULD look like. Ok, so I was no where near where I needed to be. Clothes back on. Another 24 oz of water in my hand, and into Dr. O's office we went to have our consultation. She said that after the consultation, we would redo the ultrasound and trial transfer once my bladder became more full.
Into Dr. O's office we went: We had written down a list of questions that we wanted answered this time around (pre-ordering the meds, the needle injections classes, statistics etc etc)
He answered all of our questions while I sipped, sipped, sipped my water and M did well to keep us on track with the questions as my need-to-pee was growing stronger.
Some facts told to us by Dr. O:
- One embryo has a 55% chance of implanting with a 55% chance of pregnancy
- Two embryos have a 55% chance of implanting with an 80% chance of pregnancy
-With my age and the fact that I don't have any fertility issues, he'd feel comfortable placing our chances of one embryo implanting up to 70%.
HOLY CRAP!! Here we've been thinking that each embryo had a 35% chance, and thus we've always assumed we would transfer over two, but by transfering over two, we'd have greater than a 50% shot of having twins. Yikes.
Of course all of this is dependent on the quality of our embryos, which we won't know for several weeks, but it's important that M and I have these discussions now so we know what to do when we reach our transfer dates. Dr. O said we would get our IVF schedule today (!!!omg!!!!) and gave us the info we needed. I started to fade at the end of our meeting because the need-to-pee became so strong I started seeing dots.
"Um, ya'll, I really need to pee."
Dr. O jumped up and led us to the ultrasound room, and they began the trial transfer procedure. The nice and lovely tech (my fave so far) made a comment that my bladder was definitely fuller as my stomach was protruding, and in Dr. O went with the empty catheter. I could barely focus on the screen this time, because the need-to-pee was so strong I wanted to do anything but THAT at that moment. All I wanted to do was pee. Sounds crazy, but try it and get back to me.
M was smart to ask the doc if we could get images and videos of all of the procedures there have been thus far. They said sure! The tech then did a movie of the trial transfer and saved it. Next time, Ill go in with a flash drive and save it all. (not sure who would want to see a movie of an empty catheter going into my uterus, but I sure do!)
Then Dr. O said what I was dreading. "You know, your bladder could be a little more full for the actual day of the embryo transfer."
"More full?!!?" I barked. (I tried not to bark too much as I'd probably end up doing a pee-bark)
They ultimately said they don't want me TOO uncomfortable or in pain, but that yes, it would be best if I drank more water for the 'real day'. Immediately after the trial transfer, I threw on my pants and ran to the restroom. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. I bet you know how that was.
Dr. O was attending another poor-gotta-pee-now lady and we talked to the receptionist about getting my IVF schedule, scheduling my needle injection class and ordering my hormone injections. We waited in the waiting room and a nurse came out with my IVF schedule. This is it! This is it! She calculated all of the tasks for the next month, based on my next cycle. My chart says I should get my period around January 2 or 3rd, so all dates are based off of that. If indeedy I go over or under, then the schedule will be re-adjusted to accomdate. Ok, you ready? Are you really ready?
Here goes:
- 1/3/08 - Period Starts
- 1/4/08 - Go into the office/ baseline ultrasound/blood work
- 1/4/08 (same day) - Start Birth Control Pills and low dose of aspirin
- 1/13/08 - Begin injecting myself with Lupron/ keep taking the BCP
- 1/19/08 - Stop taking the BCP/ Keep taking the Lupron injections
- 1/24/08 - Go into the office /ultrasound/blood work/ reproductive suppression check
- 1/25/08 - Reduce Lupron amount/ Begin new injection of Gonadotropin (each morning from 6-8am and night from 4-7pm)
- 1/27/08 - Go into Office / Blood drawn
- 1/30/08 - Go into Office / Blood drawn/ ultrasound
- 1/31/08 - Blood and ultrasounds every 2 days until follicles are mature
- 02/03/08 - "Trigger Date" (subject to change depending on how I'm doing on the meds)/ Inject myself with HCG hormone
- 2/04/08 - Go into Office / Blood drawn
- 2/05/08 -Egg Retrieval Day / Begin new progesterone injections
- 2/06/08 - Fertilization Report - Office will call me and tell me how many of my eggs fertilized
- 2/08/08 or 2/10/08 - Embryo Transfer Date (3 or 5 day embryos based on quality)
- 2/19/08 - Go into the Office /Blood Drawn/ Pregnancy test
WOW!! Holy appointments and needle injections batman!!They almost need to use the back of one piece a paper to capture all of the must-dos. So, now we wait until my period. If it so happens that I get my period while visiting family over Xmas, I have a couple of options. To go get an ultrasound in that state's hospital, or to wait another full menstrual cycle. Ugh. I would hate to do that. I think I would instead go to the hospital and get an ultrasound and blood work done, before waiting another 40+ days.
Next Steps:
- Wait until my period comes and go in for my baseline ultrasound and bloodwork - Scheduled right now for 01/04/08.
