Follie Check #3

nawlinsgrl

The nurse teased me and said I got the early bird award at my clinic today (I was there before 7am, since DD decided to wake up at 5:30, and they open at 7:30), but this early bird was out of there before 8am, so no complaints.

The u/s tech logged 21 total follies: 12(3), 11(3),10(3), 9(3), 8(5); 7(3); 6(1).

My lining is 8.3, and my E2 is 807.

My RE wants me to stick with 150IU of Follistim tonight (reduced from the 225 IU I was on from the start until yesterday)  and go to 75 IU tomorrow.  I'll continue taking 3 vials of Menopur, and go in for monitoring on Monday.  I wish I was reducing the Menopur instead, since I'll run out of that on Monday, and I'll have plenty of Follistim left over, since there was lots extra in my 300 IU cartridges.  But, if this cycle works, I'll happily blow a few hundred extra on meds I don't need, rather than spend thousands more on meds I do need next month to cycle again.

The nurse didn't want to predict when I'll trigger, but it probably won't be before Wednesday or Thursday.  I was kind of hoping I'd be done a little sooner, but I just have to remind myself that slow and steady wins the race!

 

jeannaqueena

I saw your post on my thread.  Thanks for the words of encouragement, I do feel much better reading your insight.  They are thinking I will trigger Tuesday for a Thursday retrieval, but it is of course all in the air still. I am beginning to think that I won't be ready by then so I am not trying to plan on it.  

Looks like we are still neck to neck (not that I am racing you as I agree slow and steady is better!)  It is really interesting to see how just the E2 makes such a difference in their dosing the meds.  

Hey, quick question.  When do we need to stop having sex? I think they said 3-5 days before retrieval...I keep trying to remember to ask and forgetting.  

nawlinsgrl

I think that sounds about right.  I know it was a minimum of 2 days and maximum of 7 days (I think) before SA, so I guess it would be about that for this.  Bravo to you if that's still even something you are up for.  I'm feeling so uncomfortable, I can't even fathom doing it!  I don't recall having that problem last time, but it's really been bugging me the past couple of days, which is another reason I am ready to get on with ER.

I think you'll probably trigger before me, just because your follies are a little ahead of mine in size.  I think you've got a good chance of triggering Tuesday, and I'd be shocked if you went past Wednesday.  It just depends on how big your RE wants your largest ones to be, as well as how quickly you get there (i.e., are they growing 1 or 2 mm a day).  I'm thinking you'll continue to grow faster with the increased dose, but I could be wrong.  How much Menopur are you taking?

Are you having any side effects?  I'm exhausted, most likely due to the microdose lupron, since last time the follistim seemed to give me insomnia, when I wasn't taking the lupron.  Other than that, my abdomen/uterus just feels really "full."  It kid of reminds me of how I felt when I was a few months pregnant, I can't really describe it.

jeannaqueena

We originally didn't want to do a frozen SA sample to save money, now we are sort of regretting it b/c it would be nice to know we had a back up.  Did yall do a frozen one?  I am getting twinges here and there and can't wear my jeans b/c YES I feel FULL!!!

I had been triggering by CD12 on injectable cycles...so this cycle feels so long.  Today is day 12 my mind and my poor belly is running out of "new" places to stick myself.  I am only taking 1 menopur vial.  I have thought it was crazy you were taking 3 and me just 1.  I wonder why.  

I have been having some side effects, like extreme exhaustion during the day and then at night I do that "falling" asleep feeling and yet never get good sleep (plus DH has been snoring or I have just been awake to hear it).  I feel twinges in my ovaries and they feel soar.  I did notice that at the u/s today it was tender when my ovaries were poked!  

As for the "practicing" I guess I feel like I had to persuade DH to do IVF and he works so hard for our family that I want to make this part as normal for him as possible.  I swear he is like a 16 year old in that department!  Haha!  TMI maybe!

I can't tell you thank you enough for the support this cycle!  You are the experienced one!  I promise I am paying it forward to my "newbie" IF friends IRL! haha 

Any idea why they are monitoring you so much more than me?  I go in Tuesday for check #3 and you will be on #4 on Monday?  Do they have you on any centrotide or ganirelix?  I have been bouncing between them as I am taking whichever I can get for free. Both make my injection site ITCH like 5 mosquito bites.   

nawlinsgrl

No frozen SA, didn't realize that was an option.  I was referring to the SA they did to check for any issues with DH.  He was cleared last year, as well as this year.  Of course, he was above average for all numbers, so he likes to joke that his "super sperm" will have to compensate for my "rotten eggs." 

I totally agree about running out of space on the belly.  I do three shots a day (two lupron, one for both stims together), so real estate in that area is in high demand.  It sucks because I feel like my skin is starting to toughen up, making it harder to inject.

If you think 3 menopur is a lot, I was actually doing 4 at one point last year.  That time I didn't take lupron, but did use ganirelix one or two days at some point, I forget when.

As for the monitoring, I'm not sure why I am going more often, but I went with a similar frequency last time.  I had labs done after 2 days of stims, then full monitoring (labs and u/s) after 6 days, 8 days, 10 days, 12 days, and 13 days (then triggered), so pretty much every other day until the very end, for a total of 5 u/s.

I'm not sure why my RE felt the need to do monitoring the last 2 days in a row, but it looks like I'll have at least 5 u/s monitoring appts. this time around too.

I'm happy to offer as much support as I can.  I'm not all that experienced, just 1 IVF under my belt, but I have pretty good notes from last time, so it helps me give some advice.  I enjoy being of whatever help I can, and it helps pass the time, as does having a cycling buddy to compare notes with.  Just having someone else to discuss all this with helps me so much (DH is supportive, but his eyes kind of glaze over when I try to explain my monitoring results), so thank you right back.

I am also paying it forward IRL with a lady I met at the RE's office.  We were in the u/s waiting room together and she had that clueless look on her face.  I asked if it was her first time, which it was, and we talked about everything.  Then I ran into her again another day in the main lobby, and we talked some more.  Since she said she wasn't telling anyone other than her parents about IVF, I gave her my number (told her she could throw it away, but if she needed someone to talk with, feel free to call), and we've been talking a little here and there. 

jeannaqueena

My DH has super sperm too!  

I laughed when you said "DH is supportive, but his eyes kind of glaze over when I try to explain my monitoring results"  because I am encountering the same zoombie look!!  Then he tries to explain it to someone like his mom and gets it ALL wrong!

 That is great you have at least one person IRL to talk to.  I just recently came out on FB I am sewing items to sell and said that all funds go towards our IF bills.  Well, it was kind of amazing b/c 3 of my sorority sisters messaged me and now we have a private FB group that keeps growing.  I feel like I am the most experienced and I am the first to do IVF tho a couple are planning on doing it in January.