Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Sept. 27,2008
I am now 23 weeks pregnant. And I have gained about 12lbs so far. We have a very active baby. I am scared he's going to be awake a lot when he is born .
Sept. 23,2008 Crib Assembly
My sister-in-law came to put togehter my crib/chnaging table and dresser. We did some more shopping. The nursery looks so cute. And we are not even done decorating it yet.
Sept. 11,2008 Shopping/ OB Appointment
My sister-in-law came to Raleigh and we went baby shopping. We got my crib/changing table and my nursery bedding along witht eh matching lamp and mobile. We made a day of it. But we had to squeeze in my Ob appointment. I got to meet one of the Doctors there. The baby's heartbeat was great and she said everything looked good.
Ralleigh OB Appointment Sept. 8,2008
I saw my new OB prenatal nurse in Raleigh today. So again I have to sit throught the nutrition, weight, and history. But the practice seemed like a nice one. It is located right beside Rex Hospital.
August 28,2008 High-Risk Appointment
I saw the high-risk Doctor again for another scan. The baby was very active and looked great. There were no concerns this time.And you could see that it was definitely a BOY.
August 23,2008 We Move to Raleigh NC
We move to Raleigh today. Moving is hard work and very tiring. especially being pregnant. We got to Raleigh about 10pm and didn't get everything off the truck until 3:15am . We were thankful to have the help of my sister-in-law and her boyfriend and also my sister.
August 21,2008 Final Amnio Results
Greta News. The final Amnio test was also normal. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amnio Results
We got our preliminary test results back from the Amnio today. August 14,2008. They were normal. What a relief. But we still have to wait another week till the final results come back. But they said they were expecting them to also be normal since the first test was normal.
August 14,2008 OB Appointment
My next OB appointment. we were able to hear the baby's heartbeat on the Doppler this time. And everything sounded great. I was told to ome back in 4 weeks.
August 12,2008 Baby Scare
I had another appointment with the high-risk doctor for a scan. And what a nighmare that turned out to be. The doctor said that there were some small markers for Down's Syndrome showing up on our baby. We were told that he had a short nose bone and blood in his bowel.How upsetting this news was. And then the decision to have an amnio done. Which I had said in the beginning I would not have done. But now with the new news I was stressing out. So after crying and talking with Gary I decided that I could not go the rest of the pregnancy without knowing if our baby had Down's. Not that it would change our decision to keep the baby. We already loved the baby and would not think about ending the pregnancy.So I had the Amnio done and it was not as painful as I thought it was going to be, It was a very quick procedure. So then we have to wait till the end of the week for a preliminary test result.
Sunday August 3, 2008
My husband had been trying to decide about a job in Raleigh, NC for the past week. And we finally made the decision to move to Raleigh so he could take the job. So the stress of moving begins. House looking was the worst. we have 3 dogs and trying to find a place that has a fence is a nightmare.
July 24, 2008 First Time seeing New OB Doctor
Saw my new OB for the first time. She did the normal blood pressure, weight and talked about any problems I was having. She also tried to listen to our baby's heartbeat on the Doppler but could not find it. Which scared me. She ended up doing an ultrasound to make sure everything was ok with the baby. And thankfully the baby was fine. And you could see all 4 chambers of the heart.
California Wedding Trip
We went to CA for a wedding on July 16, 2008 . We got to visit with my Gary's family and friends. The wedding was beautiful. We also drove to Vegas to visit Gary's grandmother. She was happy to see us.
July 9,2008 High Risk Doctor ? OB Doctor
Went to the High-Risk Doctor this morning. Had my first scan done. It was amazing. They have a huge flat screen Tv that you get to see the ultrasound on. He was a very active baby. We were asked if we wanted to know the sex. The woman doing the scan said she was pretty sure of the sex. She said she thinks it's a BOY!
This afternoon I saw the prenatal nurse at my OB. They went over nutrition, weight,medical history and any other concerns or questions I had about eh pregnancy.
This afternoon I saw the prenatal nurse at my OB. They went over nutrition, weight,medical history and any other concerns or questions I had about eh pregnancy.
New York
Went to New York June 28th thru July 3 ,2008 for a business trip with my husband. My son and I got to see NY while my husband was in his class. We went to a Science Museum which my son enjoyed. We also went to the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.
Monday, June 23, 2008
June 20,2008 Morning Sickness
I have had morning sickness most of the day today. I went to dinner with my family and could not even eat. I chewed Ginger Gum which seemed to help a little.
June 20,2008 Morning Sickness
I have had morning sickness most of the day today. I went to dinner with my family and could not even eat. I chewed Ginger Gum which seemed to help a little.
June 17,2008 Ultrasound 8 1/2 Weeks Pregnant
Went for another ultrasound. Everything was still right on track for this stage of pregnancy. We were able to hear and see the heartbeat. We could make out the head ,body and legs. The heart rate was 178 BPM. Morning sickness is getting worse. Not just in the mornings. I have it more in the afternoon and evenings. And heartburn also. Doctor gave me a prescription for Zofram to help with the nausea.
May 30,2008 6 Weeks Pregnant
Saw the fertility Doctor today and had another scan . We were able to see a heartbeat. The heartbeat was 115 BMP. We were told that everything was measuring good for this stage. And that there was only one baby. So we can rule out having twins.We were told to come back in 2 ½ weeks for another scan. Morning sickness has started to be bothersome. The Doctor gave me a sheet on things to help with this. He said do not let your stomach get empty or overfull. You should eat small meals frequently.
May 27,2008 5 1/2 weeks Pregnant
Went to Doctor they did a scan. Saw the sac. The Doctor said he only see’s one sac. So it looks like we are not having twins. But they will verify with the next scan.
May 19,2008 HCG Results
May 19,2008
I go back to the Doctor for another Beta HCG. HCG results were 448.
I go back to the Doctor for another Beta HCG. HCG results were 448.
May 15,2008 Pregnancy Test
Yeah we are finally pregnant.
Did a urine pregnancy test and it was positive. Also had a Beta HCG blood test done. Won’t get the results till Friday. At least I don’t have to wait all weekend for the results.
Did a urine pregnancy test and it was positive. Also had a Beta HCG blood test done. Won’t get the results till Friday. At least I don’t have to wait all weekend for the results.
May 8th & 9th Last days in Cape Town
We did a little more sightseeing . But for the most part took it easy since we just had the transfer.
Transfer May 7,2008
Went for acupuncture before transfer. Had transfer at about noon.We put 2 embryos back. Did not hurt at all. Laid on the table for about 15 mintues.The nurse said it only takes 15 minutes for your cervix to close. After the transfer I was given instructions on my medication and when I should have a pregnancy test. I can test next Friday.Also learned that it takes 48 hours for the embryos to implant. So before we actually leave Cape Town I will hopefully be pregnant. We chose not to freeze any embryos because your chances are reduced to about 50% and as much as it costs and the distance that we live the Doctor said it would better t use fresh eggs. Went back to our room and rested the rest of the day.
Cape Point May 6,2008
We went to Cape Point. It was beautiful. It is worth the trip but do it after the retrieval but before the transfer. It is a lot of walking. There is a tram that will take you part of the way up. (We didn’t see it) It is very windy there so make sure to take a jacket or windbreaker. And the Resturant Cape Point Resturant was excellent. Not expensive but great food. And great view.
May 5,2008 CFC Appointment
Acupuncture at 10:15 and see Dr. at 11:30 to see if they are going to transfer the embryos today .They did not do the transfer today.They wanted to let the embryos grow a few more days so they could tell which ones were the best to put back. They said that they were looking good. We were told to come in On Wednesday May 7th for the transfer.
Aquarium May 4,2008
Went to the Aquarium at the V&A Waterfront. Gary went scuba diving in the shark tank. It was a raining day in Cape Town so the Aquarium was the perfect place to stay out of the rain.
Safari May 3,2008
Went on a Safari. It was a lot of fun. The Clinic called to let us know that 7 eggs fertilized. We had an appointment scheduled for Monday in case they decided to do the transfer.
Retreival May 2,2008
Had retrieval done. Dr. H did my retrieval. Everyone at the Clinic was really nice. They retrieved 10 eggs. And said they would call tomorrow and let me know how many fertilized. After the retrieval they told me to rest . The staff there was really nice and attentive to me before and after the retrieval. They give you juice and a muffin when you wake up.
Rhodes Memorial May 1,2008
Went to the V& A Waterfront and Rhodes Memorial. Did some more sightseeing in our car. The view from Rhodes Memorial was worth the visit.
April 30,2008 CFC Visit
Saw the Doctor again for another scan. Follicles had grown even more. At 11:30pm took the HCG trigger injection. And let me tell you that hurt. I almost passed out.
April 29,2008 Rental Car
We got a rental car. And that was scary. The whole driving on the other side of the road and the turning. I was a nervous wreck. But as time passed my husband got used to driving on the wrong side of the road.
April 28,2008 CFC Appointment
Saw the Doctor again for another scan. Follicles had grown. Things were looking good. I continued the Gonal-F and the Cetrocide to give the follicles more time to mature.
April 27,2008 Sightseeing Tour
Went on sightseeing tour from the V & A Waterfront with Amanda another woman going through IVF at Cape Fertility Clinic. It was a very nice tour. I would recommend it to anyone visiting there.
First Cape Fertility Clinic Appointment April 26,2008
Had our first appointment at Cape Fertility Clinic in Cape Town. Very nice facilities and everyone there was really nice.Had a scan. Had about 7 big follicles and some small ones. Started Cetrocide to keep bigger follicles from bursting and also continued Gonal-F to let the smaller ones grow some more.Cetrocide injection was a bigger needle than the Gonal-F but not too bad. We also met Amanda another woman going through IVF and staying in the same place. We all went to dinner.
April 25, 2008 Arrive in Cape Town
April 25,2008 arrive in Cape Town
Dawie from Anne’s Corner where we were staying picked us up at the airport. He gave us an orientation of Cape Town on our way to the Guesthouse. It was about 9pm when we arrived .Our Guesthouse was about 15 minutes from the airport. There are very few hotels in Cape Town. Most of the places to stay are Self-catering Bed & Breakfast. All of the places in Cape Town are gated and are very safe.
Dawie from Anne’s Corner where we were staying picked us up at the airport. He gave us an orientation of Cape Town on our way to the Guesthouse. It was about 9pm when we arrived .Our Guesthouse was about 15 minutes from the airport. There are very few hotels in Cape Town. Most of the places to stay are Self-catering Bed & Breakfast. All of the places in Cape Town are gated and are very safe.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
OFF ON OUR IVF SAFARI APRIL 24,2008
We leave for Cape Town. This was an overnight flight. We flew South African Airlines. It was a nice airline. They offered us plenty of food throughout the flight and drinks anytime you wanted. It was a very long but comfortable flight. Depending on what time of year you go the flights are cheaper. South Africa’s winter season begins on May 1,2008 .It also depends on where you fly from.
MY FIRST GONAL0F INJECTION APRIL 21, 2008
I had my first Goal-F injection tonight. Read ALL the directions before taking the injection. I made a mistake of reading only part and my husband had to stick me twice. Make sure you pull out the end of the pen after you set the dosage amount. And hold the pen in the skin for 5 seconds after injecting the medication to make sure you get the full dosage. It is a small needle so it doesn’t really hurt. But I had a horrible taste in my mouth for about 10 minutes after the injection.
PERIOD STARTED APRIL19,2008
My period was right on time. Which is great because I can start my first injection on day 3 of my cycle.This is what the doctor in South Africa told me. They use birth control to regulate your cycle and then they can control your period with your travel plans.
BASELINE SCAN FOR IVF
Saw the Doctor today for a post-op appointment and a baseline scan. Everything looked good. So we are a go for IVF #3. We will hopefully start Gonal-F on April 21,2008 if AF is on time.
PLANNING IVF # 3 - IVF SAFARI
PLANNING IVF # 3 - IVF SAFARI
Our plans are set. We have talked to the Doctor in South Africa and they have given us our treatment plan. We are set to fly there on April 24,2008. I am on birth control now and have been for the past 4 weeks. I have 2 weeks until I stop them and wait for my AF to show. The reason for the birth control is so the Doctors can PLAN your cycle. I will stop birth control on April 16,2008 and AF should show 3 days later on April 19,2008. We will then start Gonal-F on day 3 of my cycle.I was told to have a baseline scan done on days 1,2, or 3 of my cycle.Or I could even have it done up to 2 weeks before my AF because I have been on birth control.
Our plans are set. We have talked to the Doctor in South Africa and they have given us our treatment plan. We are set to fly there on April 24,2008. I am on birth control now and have been for the past 4 weeks. I have 2 weeks until I stop them and wait for my AF to show. The reason for the birth control is so the Doctors can PLAN your cycle. I will stop birth control on April 16,2008 and AF should show 3 days later on April 19,2008. We will then start Gonal-F on day 3 of my cycle.I was told to have a baseline scan done on days 1,2, or 3 of my cycle.Or I could even have it done up to 2 weeks before my AF because I have been on birth control.
POLYP REMOVAL # 2
POLYP REMOVAL # 2
March 26,2008 I went in for surgery to have the polyp removed. I later found out that I had 2 polyps removed and a D&C. Everything went well and I return to my Doctor in about a week for a follow-up appointment. I was told that I am now ready to go ahead with IVF (Invitro-Fertilization) # 3 .
March 26,2008 I went in for surgery to have the polyp removed. I later found out that I had 2 polyps removed and a D&C. Everything went well and I return to my Doctor in about a week for a follow-up appointment. I was told that I am now ready to go ahead with IVF (Invitro-Fertilization) # 3 .
Thursday, May 22, 2008
POLYP # 2
I then returned to meet with my Doctor here and discussed removing the polyp and my trip to Raleigh. I was hoping to have the polyp removed and then proceeding with the IVF my next cycle.. But after discussing with my Doctor here about my visit he suggested to me that I find a different Doctor. After listening to what he had to say I agreed to find another Doctor. We then visited another Doctor in Cary and was not impressed with her at all. We felt that traveling back to New York was a better option. In the mean time we had to wait to have the polyp removed because my Doctor was going on vacation we had no choice but to push our IVF another month .During the wait for the surgery I had a conversation with a friend that did IVF 3 times and finally had triplet boys. She knew the emotional stress that came along with the infertility journey and said if it was her and she had to do it again she would take a vacation somewhere and do IVF. She felt it would be less stressful. So as we were talking I was thinking. And later that day I went on the internet and put in IVF Vacation. I could not believe the price difference of an IVF cycle abroad.We made the decision to travel to Cape Town South Africa for our 3rd IVF.
SEARCHING FOR A LOCAL DOCTOR
While waiting for Febuary to come in December we learned of a study that a fertility Clinic was sponsoring . So we decided to try and get in the study. We traveled about 4 hours away from where we live for the intake process. We later found out that we did not get into the study because they had limited the number of people in my age group . So another disappointment. We then started exploring Doctors that were closer to us. Thinking that it would be more convienint. But not less expensive. The closest one to us is about 2 hours away. So we traveled to Raleigh and met with one Doctor. We were told that I had another polyp and that it would have to be removed before we could do IVF. Which we already knew it had to be removed before the IVF because I had one before.
NEW DOCTOR - POLYP & IUI ( Intra-Uterine Insemination )
After that we decided to find a new Doctor here at home and see what he thought our options were. I was now 39 and I felt like my time was running out.To our surprise we found out that I had a polyp in my uterus . We were told that we should be glad we didn’t do the IVF because polyps cause miscarriage.So in August of 2007 I had surgery to remove the polyp.We could not afford to do IVF until after the first of the year. So we talked with our new Doctor and asked him if there was anything we could do to increase our chances after he removed the polyp. He suggested trying IUI again. So since I had one tube blocked we had to go in for ultrasounds to see what side my dominant follicle was on. We did one IUI in September of 2007 and one in November of 2007 neither resulted in a pregnancy. It was nearing the end of the year and we were planning on returning to New York in Febuaury to try a third IVF.
Second IVF ( Invitro -Fertilization )
IVF # 2
We started our medication at home again in July of 2007 and then went to New York on Cycle day 9. We used the same medication as before. I started Lupron a week before my period. Then on day 5 of my cycle I started Bravelle. Then On day 8 I started Repronex. We went to New York after 9 days of stimulation. We saw Dr. B on day 9 after we arrived in New York. There was some concern that I might have a cyst and that we would have to cancel the IVF. We stayed a week in New York going back and forth to the Doctor. We were really hoping that the Doctor was wrong about the cyst. But after I took the HCG injection my progesterone level got very high and it was determined that I did have a cyst. The Doctor said if we went ahead with the IVF he did not think that it would result in a pregnancy because he wasn't sure that he would be able to retreive any eggs. Also I would be at risk for bleeding and possibly ruining my future fertility.We were disappointed that we had to cancel the IVF. It was one of those trips that everything goes wrong.
We started our medication at home again in July of 2007 and then went to New York on Cycle day 9. We used the same medication as before. I started Lupron a week before my period. Then on day 5 of my cycle I started Bravelle. Then On day 8 I started Repronex. We went to New York after 9 days of stimulation. We saw Dr. B on day 9 after we arrived in New York. There was some concern that I might have a cyst and that we would have to cancel the IVF. We stayed a week in New York going back and forth to the Doctor. We were really hoping that the Doctor was wrong about the cyst. But after I took the HCG injection my progesterone level got very high and it was determined that I did have a cyst. The Doctor said if we went ahead with the IVF he did not think that it would result in a pregnancy because he wasn't sure that he would be able to retreive any eggs. Also I would be at risk for bleeding and possibly ruining my future fertility.We were disappointed that we had to cancel the IVF. It was one of those trips that everything goes wrong.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Our First IVF
IVF # 1
After 2 ½ years of no pregnancy we decided to look into IVF.
We started looking at IVF. It was very expensive in our area and we had no fertility insurance . So we would have to pay for it all ourselves. We began our search on the internet looking at the different fertility clinics in our area. The prices were no less than $10000.00 for a single IVF cycle not including ICSI or the medication. Our dream of having a child seemed like it was never going to come true. So we kept looking and tried to find an IVF Center that we could afford. We then found Dr. B in New York. His fees were much less than IVF in our area. I called him in November of 2006 and he answered all my questions about IVF for free. After talking with Dr. B we decided to fly out to New York for the weekend to meet him. After meeting him we then started to plan an IVF cycle with Dr. B. We decided to start our IVF cycle in December of 2006 at home and have my doctor here monitor me until day 9 of my cycle. He called in the medication we needed from the pharmacy and the pharmacy shipped it to us overnight. One week before my cycle was due I went for a baseline ultrasound and then started a medication called Lupron. I took it once a day until the day before the retreival. It was my first injection of many to come. Then on day 3 of my cycle I went for day 3 labs. They drew FSH and Estradoil levels. That night after the doctor received my results I was able to start the second injection called Bravelle. I took 225IU of Bravelle on cycle days 3 thru 6. I went for ultrasound and bloodwork every few days. And my results were faxed to the doctor in New York. On day 5 of my cycle I then started another injection called Repronex. I took 150IU of Repronex on cycle days 5 thru 8 and 150IU of Bravelle. On day 9 of my cycle we arrived in New York and saw Dr. B. He did bloodwork and an ultrasound to monitor my progress. I had about 15 follicles but they were not large enough yet to retrieve. So Dr. B increased my medication. I took 150IU of Bravelle and 450IU of Repronex. I then returned the next day for another ultrasound and more bloodwork. Every day I would go for bloodwork and an ultrasound to see if the follicles had grown. On day 10 of my cycle the doctor increased my Repronex to 600IU. On day 11 of my cycle I went again for more bloodwork and another ultrasound. Dr. B decided that the follicles were large enough for reteival. I stopped all the other injections on cycle day 10. And was given the HCG injection on day 11 of my cycle. I was told not to eat or drink anything after midnight. We went to the Doctor’s office on day 11 of my cycle for the retrieval. I was taken back to the retrieval room while my husband gave his donation in another room. The anesthesiologist and Doctor explained the procedure to me.. He first gave me an IV and then asked me where I would like to go on vacation. I said Jamaica. He then injected some medication into my IV and off on my vacation I went. I woke up about 30 minutes later to the anesthesiologist asking me how my vacation was. The Doctor was there also and said that everything went well. My husband was finally allowed into the room with me. We stayed in recovery for about an hour and then the Doctor gave me my first Progesterone injection. I have to say out of all the injections this was the worst. I was then given several medications. I started Doxycycline to help prevent infection. I was given Medrol which was an Estradiol tablet. And Progesterone suppositories along with the Progesterone Oil injection that I would have to take until we saw a heartbeat. After my time in recovery I was able to leave the office and go get something to eat and then go back to our hotel and rest. Later that day we received a phone call from Dr. B saying that they had retrieved 5 eggs and he would call us tomorrow and let us know how many fertilized. We were relieved that they were able to retreive more than one egg because we knew that meant we would have more of a chance of getting pregnant. The next day Dr. B called and told us that 4 out of the 5 eggs fertilized and that they were good quality eggs. We didn’t have to return to the Doctor until 13 of my cycle. We went in for bloodwork and to talk to the Doctor about the progress of our embryos. We were then told to return for a day 3 transfer which was day 14 of my cycle. All 4 embryos were transferred back to increase our chances of pregnancy.The Doctor said with my age the chances of all 4 taking was not likely. We then returned home on day 15 of my cycle. I caught a bad cold while in New York and was scared to take anything for it. So all I could do was rest. One week and 2 weeks after the transfer I went to my OB doctor and had my progesterone level checked and had an ultrasound to check the lining of my uterus. Every thing was looking good. But during the second week after the transfer I started getting those PMS symptoms and started having a little spotting. And of course I thought I was getting my period and was disappointed. I asked my Doctor if they would do an HCG blood test since a home pregnancy test came up negative. Much to my surprise the nurse called and said I was pregnant. I was happy but also worried because I was still spotting. My Doctor said that it is normal to have some slight spotting early in pregnancy. I then went in every 2 days for bloodwork. My levels were quadrupling. I was told that we might be having multiples. The first thought was fear. We knew we had transferred 4 embryos. The thought of possibly having 4 babies was scary. But we went in at 5 ½ weeks for another ultrasound and there was only one sac. And it was not measuring the size it should be. Our happiness went to worry. We had went so far and done so much to have the baby we had wanted . And then to have someone tell us we may lose it. We were told to come back in a week for another ultrasound and bloodwork. My HCG numbers continued to rise over the next week. But when we returned for our 6 ½ week ultrasound there was no heartbeat and we were told again that we would probably have a miscarriage. We were in a state of shock. hoping the Doctor was wrong.. But my spotting continued and by the time I was 7 weeks it was getting worse. I woke up the day we had the miscarriage and had a feeling that something wasn’t right. And sure enough the spotting got worse and then I began to pass clots. By the afternoon I passed what we believe was the embryo. We were told that it was nature’s way of fixing something that wasn’t just right. We were also told that it was probably something chromosomally wrong. Sadness filled our hearts. The dream of having a child together was gone. After months of grieving we were able to consider trying IVF again.
After 2 ½ years of no pregnancy we decided to look into IVF.
We started looking at IVF. It was very expensive in our area and we had no fertility insurance . So we would have to pay for it all ourselves. We began our search on the internet looking at the different fertility clinics in our area. The prices were no less than $10000.00 for a single IVF cycle not including ICSI or the medication. Our dream of having a child seemed like it was never going to come true. So we kept looking and tried to find an IVF Center that we could afford. We then found Dr. B in New York. His fees were much less than IVF in our area. I called him in November of 2006 and he answered all my questions about IVF for free. After talking with Dr. B we decided to fly out to New York for the weekend to meet him. After meeting him we then started to plan an IVF cycle with Dr. B. We decided to start our IVF cycle in December of 2006 at home and have my doctor here monitor me until day 9 of my cycle. He called in the medication we needed from the pharmacy and the pharmacy shipped it to us overnight. One week before my cycle was due I went for a baseline ultrasound and then started a medication called Lupron. I took it once a day until the day before the retreival. It was my first injection of many to come. Then on day 3 of my cycle I went for day 3 labs. They drew FSH and Estradoil levels. That night after the doctor received my results I was able to start the second injection called Bravelle. I took 225IU of Bravelle on cycle days 3 thru 6. I went for ultrasound and bloodwork every few days. And my results were faxed to the doctor in New York. On day 5 of my cycle I then started another injection called Repronex. I took 150IU of Repronex on cycle days 5 thru 8 and 150IU of Bravelle. On day 9 of my cycle we arrived in New York and saw Dr. B. He did bloodwork and an ultrasound to monitor my progress. I had about 15 follicles but they were not large enough yet to retrieve. So Dr. B increased my medication. I took 150IU of Bravelle and 450IU of Repronex. I then returned the next day for another ultrasound and more bloodwork. Every day I would go for bloodwork and an ultrasound to see if the follicles had grown. On day 10 of my cycle the doctor increased my Repronex to 600IU. On day 11 of my cycle I went again for more bloodwork and another ultrasound. Dr. B decided that the follicles were large enough for reteival. I stopped all the other injections on cycle day 10. And was given the HCG injection on day 11 of my cycle. I was told not to eat or drink anything after midnight. We went to the Doctor’s office on day 11 of my cycle for the retrieval. I was taken back to the retrieval room while my husband gave his donation in another room. The anesthesiologist and Doctor explained the procedure to me.. He first gave me an IV and then asked me where I would like to go on vacation. I said Jamaica. He then injected some medication into my IV and off on my vacation I went. I woke up about 30 minutes later to the anesthesiologist asking me how my vacation was. The Doctor was there also and said that everything went well. My husband was finally allowed into the room with me. We stayed in recovery for about an hour and then the Doctor gave me my first Progesterone injection. I have to say out of all the injections this was the worst. I was then given several medications. I started Doxycycline to help prevent infection. I was given Medrol which was an Estradiol tablet. And Progesterone suppositories along with the Progesterone Oil injection that I would have to take until we saw a heartbeat. After my time in recovery I was able to leave the office and go get something to eat and then go back to our hotel and rest. Later that day we received a phone call from Dr. B saying that they had retrieved 5 eggs and he would call us tomorrow and let us know how many fertilized. We were relieved that they were able to retreive more than one egg because we knew that meant we would have more of a chance of getting pregnant. The next day Dr. B called and told us that 4 out of the 5 eggs fertilized and that they were good quality eggs. We didn’t have to return to the Doctor until 13 of my cycle. We went in for bloodwork and to talk to the Doctor about the progress of our embryos. We were then told to return for a day 3 transfer which was day 14 of my cycle. All 4 embryos were transferred back to increase our chances of pregnancy.The Doctor said with my age the chances of all 4 taking was not likely. We then returned home on day 15 of my cycle. I caught a bad cold while in New York and was scared to take anything for it. So all I could do was rest. One week and 2 weeks after the transfer I went to my OB doctor and had my progesterone level checked and had an ultrasound to check the lining of my uterus. Every thing was looking good. But during the second week after the transfer I started getting those PMS symptoms and started having a little spotting. And of course I thought I was getting my period and was disappointed. I asked my Doctor if they would do an HCG blood test since a home pregnancy test came up negative. Much to my surprise the nurse called and said I was pregnant. I was happy but also worried because I was still spotting. My Doctor said that it is normal to have some slight spotting early in pregnancy. I then went in every 2 days for bloodwork. My levels were quadrupling. I was told that we might be having multiples. The first thought was fear. We knew we had transferred 4 embryos. The thought of possibly having 4 babies was scary. But we went in at 5 ½ weeks for another ultrasound and there was only one sac. And it was not measuring the size it should be. Our happiness went to worry. We had went so far and done so much to have the baby we had wanted . And then to have someone tell us we may lose it. We were told to come back in a week for another ultrasound and bloodwork. My HCG numbers continued to rise over the next week. But when we returned for our 6 ½ week ultrasound there was no heartbeat and we were told again that we would probably have a miscarriage. We were in a state of shock. hoping the Doctor was wrong.. But my spotting continued and by the time I was 7 weeks it was getting worse. I woke up the day we had the miscarriage and had a feeling that something wasn’t right. And sure enough the spotting got worse and then I began to pass clots. By the afternoon I passed what we believe was the embryo. We were told that it was nature’s way of fixing something that wasn’t just right. We were also told that it was probably something chromosomally wrong. Sadness filled our hearts. The dream of having a child together was gone. After months of grieving we were able to consider trying IVF again.
Tubal Reversal
July 7, 2004
Tubal reversal
Our journey to have children began on July 7,2004 . I had a tubal reversal.I was 36 at the time and we both thought this was going to be easy. We thought we would have the surgery and be pregnant soon after. After four months of trying we still didn’t get pregnant. We had post-coital test done and we were told that everything was ok. So we decided in December of 2004 to have an HSG to determine if my tubes were open. We got disappointing news . We were told that one tube was open and one was blocked. But we still had hope that we would get pregnant one day with the open tube. After several more months of disappointment we decided to try the fertility drug Clomid. I took it for several months and still no positive pregnancy test. We then resorted to IUI and more fertility drugs. But still after two IUI’s and hundreds of dollars later we were still NOT pregnant. We were getting very frustrated . People kept telling us to stop trying and it would happen. But it didn’t. So we then tried a drug called Femara. Which still gave us no pregnancy. After a year and a half of trying the two different fertility medications we were no closer to having a baby. But we were determined that one day we would have a child together.
Tubal reversal
Our journey to have children began on July 7,2004 . I had a tubal reversal.I was 36 at the time and we both thought this was going to be easy. We thought we would have the surgery and be pregnant soon after. After four months of trying we still didn’t get pregnant. We had post-coital test done and we were told that everything was ok. So we decided in December of 2004 to have an HSG to determine if my tubes were open. We got disappointing news . We were told that one tube was open and one was blocked. But we still had hope that we would get pregnant one day with the open tube. After several more months of disappointment we decided to try the fertility drug Clomid. I took it for several months and still no positive pregnancy test. We then resorted to IUI and more fertility drugs. But still after two IUI’s and hundreds of dollars later we were still NOT pregnant. We were getting very frustrated . People kept telling us to stop trying and it would happen. But it didn’t. So we then tried a drug called Femara. Which still gave us no pregnancy. After a year and a half of trying the two different fertility medications we were no closer to having a baby. But we were determined that one day we would have a child together.
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