I didn't expect to feel like this...I never had this problem last time. I've never been one to POAS (pee-on-a-stick) earlier on in the two week wait. The first time around, I would always do a HPT before the blood test...as a way of preparing myself for a negative result. But I would always wait until around 14DPO (days past 'ovulation') at least before I would even consider it. And while of course I struggled waiting until that time, I was never tempted to POAS any earlier.
This time around, I can feel so much temptation to POAS! I ordered some HPT's online a while ago and got them in the mail the other day. I have been thinking that I will do one at some stage before the blood test like I used to do the first time around. I really do find it easier to deal with a negative result privately and on my own terms, rather than at a random time of the day with a nurse over the phone. For this cycle, the plan was to do a test on Wednesday which would be the equivilant of 14DPO, with the blood test being on Friday.
But I'm only 11DPO today and I can already feel those HPT's calling! I think I'm just getting frustrated with the not knowing. I had forgotten how many small adjustments I feel like I need to make to my life after a transfer. And some of these adjustments are a bit harder with a toddler - being careful not to overwork myself, not letting Jake jump on my belly, trying to minimise the amount I have to pick him up (which most times, can't be helped), not having those few glasses of wines at the end of the week. Not to mention the 8 hourly tablets and 12 hourly pessaries...the novelty is definately wearing off!
Plus I'm really not feeling that confident about this cycle - being my first one and a FET cycle, it doesn't give me great odds in my mind. Oh well, not too much longer before I can pull out the HPT's!
Aug 30, 2009
Aug 25, 2009
Meet Frosty
Out of interest, the title of this post is due to my hubby insisting on calling any frozen embryos 'Frosty'!
So, for a bit of scientific info...it looks a bit different from the usual blastocyst image. Here is a picture of one of the blasts that were transfered from my successful pregnancy cycle (so it could very well be my son!). The embryo that we had transfered yesterday was from the same stimulated cycle as this one.
The big clump of cells that you can see towards the bottom right hand corner is what would develop into the baby if it were to implant. Now, the reason that the first picture looks so different is due to the freeze-thaw process. They draw out all the water and inject a special chemical solution into the embryo to freeze it, then they reverse the process to thaw, removing the solution and replacing the water. This process causes the embryo to contract. Upon thawing, ideally the embryo would then begin to re-expand and continue to grow.
In the first picture, you can see, in particular towards the top right area, where the embryo has started to expand again which is obviously a good sign for the embryo. But, I am all too aware that good signs don't always carry a lot of weight, so all we can do now is wait and hope.
In the first picture, you can see, in particular towards the top right area, where the embryo has started to expand again which is obviously a good sign for the embryo. But, I am all too aware that good signs don't always carry a lot of weight, so all we can do now is wait and hope.
Aug 24, 2009
Transfer day
Well, I'm very happy to report that we made it to transfer! The first one of our two frozen blastocysts was thawed sucessfully, meaning we still have one blastocyst leftover in the freezer.
It has been quite a nerve-racking day though, transfer was initially scheduled for 12:45pm. I phoned at 10am to check on the embryos but they had not yet been thawed, checked again at 11am and was told that transfer would now be taking place at 1:15pm, but all the receptionist knew was that there was something to transfer. Another phone call at 12:45pm (which sent me into a bit of a panic) advised that the specialist was stuck in theatre and my transfer would now be taking place at 5:30pm! So the rest of the afternoon was spent worrying about how our embryo was coping since it had already been thawed. Just to add to my nervousness, the clinic phoned me at 5:15pm to see if I could come in straight away as they had managed to catch up some time - just seeing their number on my phone made me think something was wrong!
I met the scientist, who showed me a picture of our embryo and advised me that he had only needed to thaw one of the two blasts. He explained what I was seeing really well and told me that he was happy with how the embryo had survived the thaw process. Transfer took place smoothly and my blood test date and review date was set. My pregnancy blood test is set for Friday 4th September (ironically the same date my pregnancy blood test was for Jake 2 years ago :o), with the review being booked in for the following Monday.
So, the next step for me is to continue with the 8 hourly tablets and 12 hourly pessaries...and just wait. I'm feeling pretty good at the moment, hopefully I have my head space in the right place for the next couple of weeks. I will also be trying to minimise too much heavy lifting, generally taking it easy, making time to relax each day but also continuing to walk every day. Other than that it will pretty much be business as usual here.
As a side note: I did get to take home a copy of the embryo picture - I will scan it in and include in another post.
It has been quite a nerve-racking day though, transfer was initially scheduled for 12:45pm. I phoned at 10am to check on the embryos but they had not yet been thawed, checked again at 11am and was told that transfer would now be taking place at 1:15pm, but all the receptionist knew was that there was something to transfer. Another phone call at 12:45pm (which sent me into a bit of a panic) advised that the specialist was stuck in theatre and my transfer would now be taking place at 5:30pm! So the rest of the afternoon was spent worrying about how our embryo was coping since it had already been thawed. Just to add to my nervousness, the clinic phoned me at 5:15pm to see if I could come in straight away as they had managed to catch up some time - just seeing their number on my phone made me think something was wrong!
I met the scientist, who showed me a picture of our embryo and advised me that he had only needed to thaw one of the two blasts. He explained what I was seeing really well and told me that he was happy with how the embryo had survived the thaw process. Transfer took place smoothly and my blood test date and review date was set. My pregnancy blood test is set for Friday 4th September (ironically the same date my pregnancy blood test was for Jake 2 years ago :o), with the review being booked in for the following Monday.
So, the next step for me is to continue with the 8 hourly tablets and 12 hourly pessaries...and just wait. I'm feeling pretty good at the moment, hopefully I have my head space in the right place for the next couple of weeks. I will also be trying to minimise too much heavy lifting, generally taking it easy, making time to relax each day but also continuing to walk every day. Other than that it will pretty much be business as usual here.
As a side note: I did get to take home a copy of the embryo picture - I will scan it in and include in another post.
Aug 19, 2009
Scan results
The scan went well today, seems all that pill popping paid off and I have managed to grow a good enough lining to attempt a transfer. My lining is now 8mm and is showing a triple line pattern which is a positive thing to see.
So I start progesterone pessaries tonight, then every 12 hours as well as continuing with the 8 hourly progynova tablets. The pessaries aren't too bad, I've decided that the best times for me to do them will be 8am and 8pm. You are supposed to lie down for 30 minutes after each one, but the nurse has told me that as long as I can do 5-10 minutes it will be fine which is helpful with a toddler running around to look after!
So at this stage, transfer is booked in for this coming Monday at 12:45pm. I need to call the clinic at around 10am to see how my embryo/s are doing. The aim is to thaw one at a time with the hope of transfering one. I must admit, after my last FET experience, I am not all that confident about getting to transfer, but my FS still has some hope because they are blastocysts, so it is worth giving it a go.
So I start progesterone pessaries tonight, then every 12 hours as well as continuing with the 8 hourly progynova tablets. The pessaries aren't too bad, I've decided that the best times for me to do them will be 8am and 8pm. You are supposed to lie down for 30 minutes after each one, but the nurse has told me that as long as I can do 5-10 minutes it will be fine which is helpful with a toddler running around to look after!
So at this stage, transfer is booked in for this coming Monday at 12:45pm. I need to call the clinic at around 10am to see how my embryo/s are doing. The aim is to thaw one at a time with the hope of transfering one. I must admit, after my last FET experience, I am not all that confident about getting to transfer, but my FS still has some hope because they are blastocysts, so it is worth giving it a go.
Aug 5, 2009
New cycle plan
The appointment went really well today, I had a few questions about the different methods of approaching a FET cycle and was a bit worried about discussing them with my specialist. But he was really fantastic...listened to all my questions, gave straight answers without rushing and allowed me to be involved in the decision process.
We have decided that this time we are going to do a medicated or HRT cycle. This involves taking a tablet called Progynova every 12 hours for the first week, then every 8 hours after that. The idea of this drug is to grow the lining, without needing to also grow a good follicle. A scan in 2 weeks time to check if the lining has grown well enough for transfer, if so then progesterone pessaries twice a day starting that day, continuing with the tablets every 8 hours as well. Then hopefully transfer on the 5th day after that.
This cycle is a lot more straight forward in that there is no need for repeated scans, urine samples for OPK's or trigger injection. Most importantly, it bypasses the ovaries all together so I don't have to worry about if and when I will ovulate. Which obviously makes the timing a lot easier as well - much more control. The down side of this type of cycle is that if I did fall pregnant, I would have to continue the 8 hourly tablets & twice daily pessaries for another 6 weeks.
In my case, because we only have 2 frozen embryos, there is still a good possiblity that they wont survive the thaw process, leaving us nothing to transfer anyway. So we agreed that the most important thing for us it to get to that transfer moment so that we can see what these embryos are going to do.
Another reason for our decision - the blood test result from last week put my progesterone level at 35. He said that he would have liked to see it at around 60, people who don't ovulate at all are usually around 20. So I'm in the middle somewhere. Because of this, I would also feel a lot more confident having the progesterone support after transfer - I just don't trust my body to produce the hormones that are needed to sustain an embryo should it implant.
I feel really good about our decision and much more confident about getting to transfer day. So, tablets start tonight at 10pm, then 10am & 10pm every day until Wednesday next week when they will be at 6am, 2pm and 10pm. We have set alarms on both my phone and my hubby's phone - the nurse has told me that if I miss even one of the tablets, I will have a withdrawl bleed and the cycle will be over. No pressure there!!
We have decided that this time we are going to do a medicated or HRT cycle. This involves taking a tablet called Progynova every 12 hours for the first week, then every 8 hours after that. The idea of this drug is to grow the lining, without needing to also grow a good follicle. A scan in 2 weeks time to check if the lining has grown well enough for transfer, if so then progesterone pessaries twice a day starting that day, continuing with the tablets every 8 hours as well. Then hopefully transfer on the 5th day after that.
This cycle is a lot more straight forward in that there is no need for repeated scans, urine samples for OPK's or trigger injection. Most importantly, it bypasses the ovaries all together so I don't have to worry about if and when I will ovulate. Which obviously makes the timing a lot easier as well - much more control. The down side of this type of cycle is that if I did fall pregnant, I would have to continue the 8 hourly tablets & twice daily pessaries for another 6 weeks.
In my case, because we only have 2 frozen embryos, there is still a good possiblity that they wont survive the thaw process, leaving us nothing to transfer anyway. So we agreed that the most important thing for us it to get to that transfer moment so that we can see what these embryos are going to do.
Another reason for our decision - the blood test result from last week put my progesterone level at 35. He said that he would have liked to see it at around 60, people who don't ovulate at all are usually around 20. So I'm in the middle somewhere. Because of this, I would also feel a lot more confident having the progesterone support after transfer - I just don't trust my body to produce the hormones that are needed to sustain an embryo should it implant.
I feel really good about our decision and much more confident about getting to transfer day. So, tablets start tonight at 10pm, then 10am & 10pm every day until Wednesday next week when they will be at 6am, 2pm and 10pm. We have set alarms on both my phone and my hubby's phone - the nurse has told me that if I miss even one of the tablets, I will have a withdrawl bleed and the cycle will be over. No pressure there!!
Aug 4, 2009
Day 1
Well after two days of spotting (very strange for me), AF has arrived this morning making today day 1 of my new cycle. I phoned the clinic and spoke to the nurse this morning, I can still keep my appointment tomorrow as any treatment will commence on day 2 anyway, so it just means that I will start (most likely) Clomid tomorrow.
Let's hope that this next cycle is not as whacky as the last one. It's been nearly 3 months since my initial appointment...wouldn't mind having a transfer soon!
Let's hope that this next cycle is not as whacky as the last one. It's been nearly 3 months since my initial appointment...wouldn't mind having a transfer soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
