12/27/2005

We are currently in our first (and hopefully only) IVF cycle. This process consists of many steps.

• Take birth control pills for three weeks to supress your hormones (check)
  
• Toward the end of the birth control pack take a new drug (injection) called lupron. Lupron is used to prepare the ovaries for stimulation with fertility medications. Lupron temporarily shuts down the messages from the brain to the pituitary gland, which then shuts down follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) production. Without the production of FSH, the ovaries can’t produce the necessary hormones to make eggs. When fertility medications are added Lupron allows the ovaries to grow multiple eggs and suppresses the selection process that only permits one egg a month to ovulate. It also prevents ovulation from occurring before the egg retrieval. (check)
• Start your next period (check...I was SO happy when I got this last period!!!)
• Day 2 bloodwork and internal ultrasound to check the ovaries (check)
• Start taking FSH injections (a MUCH higher dose than I previously took)(check)
  
• Day 5 bloodwork to make sure the levels are on track. My levels were a bit out of whack so they lowered my FSH dose by more than half and cut my lupron in half. (check)
  
• Day 7 bloodwork and internal ultrasound. now this was cool...the whole goal here is to grow follicles (empty sacs) on your ovaries for the eggs to fall into (the eggs going into the follicles is technically ovulation). In all of my previous adventures I either grew 1 or no follicles so a lot was resting on my shoulders with this ultrasound. The tech started counting on my right ovary and I couldn't believe my eyes. She was able to count 13 large follicles plus a lot of smaller ones which could easily grow more. THEN she went to my left and counted 13 more!!!! These hormones I'm taking are making me so emotional so I was just laying on the table crying out of happiness and relief. Chris had never come with me for one of these ultrasounds but since he had the day off of work he came with me. I was so happy he was there for that. (check)
  
• Day 8 bloodwork. They'll call me later today to let me know if I need to change my doses at all. (check)
  

Did you get all that? So through all of this I have lovely bruises on my stomach from the injections. Sometimes it hurts and sometimes it doesn't...just depends on the location I guess. I could cry at the drop of a hat and I feel very blah and poor chris gets his head bitten off every other minute.

So, as far as I know the doctor is waiting for my 26+ follicles to get a little bigger over the next few days. At that point I believe I will take an injection of another hormone (hcg) which will make the eggs to into the follicles. Then they will take them all out of me (retrieval) and fertilize them. We find out the next day how many fertilized and what quality they are. I believe three days later one will be placed back directly in my uterus (transfer). The rest will be frozen so in the event that this cycle doesn't work, I won't need to go through the whole injection/follicle growing process again.

OH, having my ovaries filled with follicles is VERY uncomfortable. Bending over to tie my shoes is impossible. I'm moving very slowly. I'm fine if I'm still but moving around is definitely painful.