I feel as if I have lost track of time. I was pacing myself for this IVF cycle, slowly trying to adapt to the idea that the retrieval would be a week from today. Just as I was coming around to the idea, WHYBAML goes and throws me a curveball. After a scoot around the ovaries today, he has decided that the retrieval will be ::gulp:: on TUESDAY. Tuesday people. Today is Friday. Saturday. Sunday. Monday. TUESDAY. Right around the friggin' corner. Colour me petrified. I have no time! No time!
Apparently my ovaries are responding fabulously and WHYBAML is afraid that if he leaves it too much longer hyperstimulation might be an issue. During today's scan we learned there are a couple of follicles at about 17-18mm, with an assortment hovering around 14-15mm. WHYBAML said that based on what has popped up so far, he speculates that would yield 15-20 eggs. My question is--can that be predicted at this point? I feel like a complete idiot for questioning him as I am a complete IF ignoramus, but I'm intimidated by his quote because as a negative person I'd prefer that he underestimate rather than overestimate. Anyway, I'm going to put that out of my mind for now.
I am to do one last shot of Puregon (damn) at 100iu tonight, carrying on with the Cetrorelix until Sunday. He is going to phone me tomorrow to tell me when I need to hike my prodded and poked ass up to London on Tuesday for the retrieval. Yikes.
I am concerned about the size of the follicles and whether perhaps I could have been stimulated more. I understand the concern of hyperstimulation, but whilst perusing Google most protocols I have come across involve a vastly higher dosage of stims. I know everyone responds differently, and I am trying desperately to maintain my faith in the glory that is WHYBAML.
Before you venture on, two little WHYBAML stories for you. It was absolutely freezing this evening when I headed to the wanding. When I went to shake hands with WHYBAML, he said, "My, your hands are cold", and proceeded to put his non-shaking hand on top of my right hand in a comforting, albeit informal sort of way. Let it be said that he probably felt provoked to do this because I have the hands of a child and for a brief moment he may have thought that I was in fact 12, not 27. I'm not joking. My 8 year old nephew's hand are only a fingernail smaller than mine.
As this appointment was right after work, I was still a bit frazzled and yet to wind down. When I was left alone to take off my trousers and wrap the cootersafe sheet around me, it took me a bit longer than usual. Once I was sitting up in the chair, feet in stirrups, I realised the sheet was tucked under me and would thus cause complications when the ultrasound was to begin. WHYBAML was back in the room and equipping the wand for the poking by this time. In my attempt to get the sheet the way it was supposed to be, I perhaps was a bit...exposed. Nothing major really; it's not as if my snatch was giving WHYBAML a how do you do, the sheet just inched up my thighs a tiny bit. WHYBAML calmly reached over, patted the sheet down and said, "Let's cover you up a bit more." Shit WHYBAML why do you always make me feel like such a whore?
Keen readers may recall my post from a few months back when this happened previously. It seems I am quite eager to show off my beaver. Coincidentally I was laughing about the first time this occurred right before the appointment, so I smirked at The Dude when WHYBAML was forced to cover me up because I am a complete slut. My first instinct isn't even to cover up right away anymore, which is quite scary. The way I see it, I must have had over 100 scans in the past year and a half, and the Pru cooter is well-worn territory for these people. Why start to be modest now?
So, all systems are a go for Tuesday. Shit. This is real now, isn't it?
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Edited to say: WHYBAML phoned me this morning to say that my appointment is for 10.30am on Tuesday. I shoot up Ovitrelle at precisely midnight tomorrow (well, I guess technically it's Monday morning), and then I'm good to go. In theory. He still insists on calling me Ms Pru, which confuses me as he has intimate contact with my cooter numerous times a week. Surely we can be on a first-name basis.
21 comments:
So you've got a flashing problem, do you? You might want to see someone about that. Oh wait, you already are!! Wow, tuesday does seem quick, but how exciting!! Good luck!
I can't believe your retrieval is here already!
I would say based on the fact that you already have follicles at 17-18mm that Dr. WHYBAML did a really nice job with the dosages. If you'd been given more stims, you'd almost certainly have ended up with even more than you're currently at (15-20 is a lot!), and I'd be willing to bet you'd have gotten a nice case of OHSS. Sounds like he did a bang-up job.
Good luck on Tuesday!!!
Perfecto! That's exactly the range that my doctor wanted to see (and, boy, was he ever surprised when my elderly ovaries actually met the target). I am thinking very steady growth thoughts for your eggs and hoping that Tuesday comes swiftly and without too much stress.
--Bugs
Whoohoo! Go ovaries! You are an egg rocking goddess. I can't speak for everyone else, but the only reason they give me great whopping doses of FSH is because my ovaries suu-uuck. You produce eggs with less. Go you, this is seriously excellent. Tuesday will be a snap. Are they giving you the good sleepytime drugs? If so -- pfft. The thing is no sweat. Only bad part? You will be asleep when the Dr. does his next prudish sheetshift. The guy is hilarious, he really does that?
Woo! You'll be a day or two ahead of me with the retrieval, so I'm following close behind (and hoping my Dr. can give ME an estimated timeline tomorrow). I'll be crossing everything for you and your flashy cooter.
It's fantastic Pru, what a go-getter you are! As well as a slut of course.
Hope Tuesday goes brilliantly with lots of eggs in the basket for you.
thinking of you!
Hi there! Found your site by a google search for infertility blogs. I too am american, living in the UK and also battling infertility. Just thought I would say hello. Best of blessings to you and yours!
Amanda
http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=musingsofislandgirl
Ms Pru, your oh so pretty and young ovaries are doing a standup job and it sounds like Dr WHYBAML is doing that too!
LORDY, LORDY TUESDAY!!!!!
Roll on Tuesday! I will be anxiously anticipating your post about it.
I can certainly see why you'd be thrown off balance. Tuesday is right around the corner. But it sounds like your ovaries are chomping at the bit with their stellar performance.
Good luck!
Good luck on Tuesday!
When I had my last HSG, I hopped up on the table and spread em'. The poor radiology tech had to cover me up. I didn't even notice (or care) that I was giving everyone in the room a show. It IS sad when your first instinct isn't to cover up anymore.
I am so excited for you! Best of the best for you.
Wow, that went REALLY fast. You have a good dr it sounds like.
And you're a little bit of a exhibitionist in the cooter flashing department aren't you?
Good luck on Tuesday.
Holy cow! TUESDAY!?! That's so... soon.
I agree with the others, WHYBAML has certainly proven himself to be more than just a kind gentleman with concern for your modesty. Those results are exactly what I've been told they're aiming for just before trigger. Perfecto! Any higher and they'd probably have had to lower it or you'd have hyperstimmed or you'd have stimmed too fast, which isn't great for quality.
If you're worried about being too optimistic, tell yourself you're almost certainly going to have more than 7 mature eggs and getting to that benchmark means that your chances of success have inched up a bit. Yay!
Good, good, good luck!! Here's to the end of your romance with WHYBAML.
Congratulations on your amazing ovaries. I'm at work laughing about the cooter flash. I used to be embarrassed, shy, mortified about cooter scans, now there no big deal. Your Dr sounds kind.
Wow, that's exciting and scary and mindblowing all rolled into one! Still, I'm so happy for you that things are moving forward nicely. Good luck on Tues!
Pru as everyone else has said it all sounds fabulous. Remember those follicles grow at 2-3mm a day, so all the 14s from Friday should be 22 by Tuesday which is spot on. Sounds like you're going to have a bumper crop, I hope they all contain a great looking mature egg. Good luck for tomorrow!
Based on my one IVF (I'm *such* the expert), I ended up with more eggs retrieved than predicted. I think from my experience and what I've heard of others, they like to aim low so they look like stellar gods when they get more! (And, lots of times some eggs hide behind others on the u/s, so they find more when they go to get them than shown on the u/s scan). Do be prepared, though, that several will not be mature when they try to fertilize.
And to third, fourth, or fifth the others, sounds like you stim GREAT!
Just to give you an alternative to the sheet-scan DR, when I went for transfer, they put my feet up in these big ski-boot looking things. I was trying to keep the sheet over me, and the dr said "I know you are doing a good job of covering up, but we really need to see there". So, I carried on a conversation with the embryologist who I had never met before while I was literally "spread Eagle" for her and one of the docs. Twas strange, but like you said, my cooter is far from shy these days. I was putting the sheet on for *their* benefit.
Lots of luck on Tues!
Yellowgirl
TUESDAY! IS! TOMORROW!
HOLY SHIT!
15-20 is a gorgeous crop of eggs. As long as The Dude's lazy sperms do their part, you've got a really good chance.
Tomorrow!
I've never had a prediction (GOOD GOD LIABILITY), but so many RE's are different.
Good luck slutty! I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.
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