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Monday, March 12

We've Got a Game Plan

How can a weekend feel like you both did nothing and were busy at the same time?  We had people over for D&D (although I got a migraine so I was a bit of a space cadet once medication took care of the pain), we saw Dr M, went to a house warming, went out with a friend for lunch on Sunday, and finished making my bra.  And yet I also managed to not clean the house and play hours of Plants vs. Zombies on our Playbook. 

The appointment with Dr M went really well. He agreed with us not to do genetic testing.  He feels the test at Yale is still controversial and isn't overly keen on pursuing that route.  I'm okay with that, I feel that at this point, we've proven I have issues through 6 pregnancies that went no where.  So the plan is to just go ahead.  We will do the scratch test, we're going to try intralipids instead of IVIG.  I still have to do some reading myself on this but intralipids are a fat that is given intravenously and was designed for people with nutrition issues.  It reacts much like IVIG but not being a blood product, it's cheaper and they can do it at the clinic and control the timing better rather than being at the whim of the hospital.  So really, how bad can the side effects be for a product to improve your nutrition through fats?  I'm good with that. 

The basic process for Frozen Embryo Transfers (FET) is this:
  • Next cycle will set up medication.  Around day 21 I'll take Lupron-Depot, a shot in the ass that suppresses my system for a month.  With IVF, I take the same medication as a daily injection for greater control.  Everything from here on in has to done through drugs because my body will not ovulate predictably.  If it did, this would be a whole lot easier.  Sometimes on that first cycle I go in for monitoring to see if it is going to be cooperative, but it hasn't worked yet.
  • Same day I'll take Provera to force my period to arrive.  This medication is evil, be ready for some crazy-woman posts and possibly a day of work if it gets really bad.
  • Cycle 2 starts and I return to normal, I book ultrasound (both external with full bladder and internal) and blood work for Day 3.
  • Somewhere between day 3-8, we'll do the scratch on the lining of my uterus and the intralipids
  • Day 3-8 I'll take Femara every day, this will make my follicles grow. 
  • Day 9 I will start going for daily ultrasounds and blood work.  No full bladder for these, it's just internal ultrasounds (believe me, you just get used to it, it's better than having to pee or worry that you don't actually have a full bladder etc).  These appointments will be alternating days until the follicles are starting to look mature, then I go every day, even on weekends.
  • When the follicles are mature, I take medication to trigger ovulation.
  • At this point, they thaw out my frozen follicles to sync them with my body.
  • When both of us are on either Day 3 or Day 5 (I can't remember how old these ones are, we usually do day 3), they will be transferred back to my uterus.  They guide the catheter past my cervix to my uterus by ultrasound, probably the worst of it is that my bladder has to be full.  Picture it, pap test with a full bladder.  How fun is that?  But, it's uncomfortable, not painful.
  • I rest for about 20 minutes at the clinic, then home to sit on my ass for 3 days.  I am not suppose to lift anything, walk more than necessary, just... rest.  I take these days off of work and generally get pampered by Mr. Lina.
  • This part is my favourite.  For the next week or so, I can just believe I am pregnant.  It's too early for there to be signs, I know multi-celled embryos are in there, I just believe and talk to my little embryos.
  • Then I start going crazy looking for changes in my breasts.  My nipples go all big and weird almost immediately.  They also return to normal quickly, thus far, they have been remarkably accurate.
  • 12 days after transfer (or 10 if it's day 5), I go in for a pregnancy test through blood work.  They call with the results later that day.  I have passed this test 5 of 6 times.  It means nothing to me, a pass here is simply a fact, not something to be excited about.
  • If that test is positive (HCG level over 5, home tests are positive at 25), then I go back in two days.  We should see the HCG levels doubling every 48-72 hours.  This is the test I usually fail or the numbers are dropping. 
  • If things go well, I go for an ultrasound about 10 days later.
  • If things do not go well, I have to go in for pregnancy tests until they fail.  Ectopic pregnancies will jump all over the place, they need to be sure I'm not pregnant.
There will be other twists and turns and medications, but that's the basics.  I already take Metformin, baby aspirin, and prenatal vitamins, they will add others.  Prednisone quite likely, possibly Fragmin (a blood thinner), we'll see.  So now to wait for Day 1 to arrive.  Given that I just had my period, it's going to be a few weeks and that first cycle is pretty boring with moments of insanity.  But it's a plan.  I like having a plan.

I will post about this later, but I did finish up that bra.  Pictures are going to be necessary to explain some of this.  I'm wearing it today so it fits well enough, but I think I'll have more to say with a days experience with it.

Also, I got a metric crap ton of unsoliciations on my Renfrews on both Friday (purple) and Saturday (blue/brown).  I was basking in the glow of positive feedback.

10 comments:

  1. Wow, that is intense. I don't think I would have the fortitude to do something like this once, much less the many times you have. I'm giving you positive vibes. I hope you will not be disappointed again xo

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    1. It does take a toll, but FET is a heck of a lot easier than IVF. The staff make a huge difference in making this possible. I would have crumpled years ago if the experience itself was made worse by the staff.

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  2. I will cross my fingers and toes for you! I agree with K-line, intense. So glad the staff are great, though, that makes everything so much better.

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  3. My heart hurts after reading this post. Thinking more good thoughts for you and Mr.

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    1. Yeah, it does seem like a lot written out like that, but it takes place over two months so it's just one day at a time.

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  4. Wishing you all the best with your process. I love what you said about loving the first week of the 2ww. Such a positive way to look at things! Here from Wag the Dad, I will be back.

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    1. Welcome! Thank you very much. I'll be gushing about how wonderful it is when I get there again. :)

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  5. Best of luck and blessings to you. That's so much to go through, you're amazing. :)

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    1. Like many complicated things, you just take it one step at a time and suddenly it's done.
      And thank you for the luck & blessings.

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