IVF Appointment #1

So my appointment yesterday went well.  We did an ultrasound to get an antral follicle count.  This is basically resting follicles.  I had 36.  This does not mean I will have 36 eggs, it just means that potentially I could.  They obviously don't want that many.

Next appointment is a pap smear, fluid contrast ultrasound and trial transfer.  That's on October 4th.

I also met with Jodi, the IVF coordinator.  We went over a tentative calendar.  Well it's not really tentative.  I started birth control ast night.  I'm on an antagonist protocol (whatever that means) and I am to take birth control until 10/29.  On 10/25 Todd and I go in and I do my baseline ultrasound and bloodwork and do our injection class - with is standard protocol even though I have been stabbing myself with needles for a long time.  Then on 11/2 I start the medication.  Estimating egg retreival (ER) and egg transfer (ET) to be around the week of November 11th.  This is the week that also have Tobin and Miles one year angel-versary.  I hope that means something.

So we are off to the races.  Or for right now we are taking birth control and waiting until next week.

Wow...that happened FAST!

So today is CD1.  That means no pre-IVF miracle baby.  (See...relax and it will happen DOESN'T WORK!!)

I have been seeing my acupuncturist for about 4 weeks now and I love it - it makes me feel good and relaxed.

I called my RE's office today to find out how we start this.  I hit the goal weight I needed to make the phone call to the office and I spoke with Jodi, who is the IVF Coordinator.  She said to come in tomorrow for an antral follicle count ultrasound (this counts the amount of resting follicles prior to stimulating them) and a pap smear.  Okay no big deal.

Then she starts talking about next week setting up a fluid contrast ultrasound.  This is basically to check the uterus to make sure there are no polyps or anything like that.  Then she said we could do the trial transfer at the same time.  This is where they basically set you up as if they were implanting embryos to make sure they have a handle on how it's going to be done.  We are also going to do a TON of bloodwork.

Then she mentioned starting birth control pills this cycle and looking at egg retreival and setting up a calendar for a November IVF cycle...

WHAT?!?!?

I was shocked!  She informed me that December is hard to do because the lab closes for two weeks Christmas to New Year and we should do it in November just to be on the safe side.  This way the lab isn't rushed. 

I can't believe it!  I could very well be pregnant by Christmas!!!  What a gift that would be.

So I'm going to be greedy and ask for all your thoughts and prayers that this works the first time around and that we are blessed enough to have some embryos left to be frozen.

We are very excited and anxious and hopeful that this works and we can finally have our take home baby.

I will post all the details here so follow along all you folks at home and see a miracle in the making!!

Update! (All good!)

So I have been at this crazy diet for a couple of weeks now - while I miss my dairy and my breads and potatoes it's really not all that bad!  And with the results I am seeing I truly cannot complain!  IN less than a month I have lost 20 pounds.  I have been to see my acupuncturist three times and my forth appointment id coming up this Thursday.  Technically I am pretty much at the point where I could call my doctor, but I plan on waiting another month for maximum weight loss.  I think my doctor will be shocked at how serious I took this.

Todd and I have had sevral conversations about the procedure and what we are going to do.  I think we have everything in order as to how this is going to work out.  We just need the time to get here!

Diet - yet another journey

So after meeting with the acupuncturist last week I am trying a new diet per her recommendation.  It's basically the Alkaline Diet - eating less acidic foods and I am also cutting out dairy for right now.  I went grocery shopping today and instead of buying things in boxes and jars and bags, I bought a lot of stuff that was fresh.  I bought kale and made crispy kale chips in the oven, and I made guacamole from scratch, filled with all fresh foods.  So it may cost more to buy groceries, but I know it's healthier for me.

I can still eat a lot of what I ate before - I just eat it differently.  For example - having burgers tonight.  93% lean ground beef on a grain roll with no cheese.  I might actually put some of that guacamole on the burger.  Much healthier than what I used to eat.  I'll pair it was a nice fresh salad with all fresh produce and I'll be happy.  :)

After going grocery shopping I know I can do this.  :)  I'm actually excited about changing my eating habits!  (Talk to me again in a week...LOL)

Acupuncture

This afternoon I am meeting with a fertility acupuncturist.  A friend of mine works for the office and got me a free two hour consultation.  Apparently she has great success rates but I am curious to see how it all works, and if it could work for me.  It's about an hour away so it's not the most convenient place, but if I went once a week and add in the gas costs, it's still cheaper than my IUIs would be every month.  I'm anxious to hear what she has to say.

I'll update after to let you all know what it's all about.  :)

Finally Updating

Well my period has come and gone and another cycle ended up with no miracles.

Todd and I sat down and had a discussion with my fertility specialist, Dr. Murray.  We are tired of throwing money at IUI and having no positive results.

Because we were both in agreement that we were frustrated we decided to move onto in vitro fertilization, or IVF.  This was not an easy decision to make.  We aren't fortunate enough to have any insurance coverage for these treatments.  Our IUI cycles could cost us up to $3,000 a month!  I don't want to throw anymore money at it, and neither does Todd.

So here is the plan...

I have to lose 25 pounds.  I am not sure how long that will take especially with my PCOS, which makes it harder to lose the weight.  As soon as I am down that much I can contact Dr. Murray to start the preliminary testing.  There are some ultrasounds and I'll need to be on birth control and there is some blood work to be done as well.  Then once that cycle is over and I get a period then I can start stimulating follicle growth.  Because I have PCOS I should have a good chance of producing over 15 eggs.  Once they feel I have enough I will go in for surgery where they will remove all the eggs.  Then they will mix Todd's sperm in with the eggs and hope for fertilization.  Depending on how they look they will transfer back two eggs and freeze whatever are left.  Then we would wait until we could test to see if one or both implanted.

The whole process will cost us about $15,000.  That's for one shot.  I never thought we would be here since the boys were conceived on an IUI cycle, but four IUI cycles and two natural cycles later and still nothing.  It's heart breaking.  I am taking some time to just work on myself and get healthy and save up money if we can.  We would love to do this by the end of the year, but we will have to see. 

I wanted everyone to know what road we were taking because it's not an easy road to choose.  Todd and I are not ready to give up.  We still want our child.  And if this is the road we have to take then so be it.

By taking this method of conception our chances of conceiving increase from 18% with IUI to 48% with IVF resulting in a live birth.  To us that is worth the $15,000.

I'll be in touch letting you know how we are doing.  I'm just hoping the weight loss is easy and we can move forward quickly.