IVF... and it worked!!

We had our first ultrasound on May 15th. Our little bean had a heartbeat of 118.
A "heartbeat", never have we seen a heartbeat with our other 2 pregnancies. It was an unbelievable feeling. Looking back now, I was still in disbelief at the time. I did not allow myself to be happy. But, dreams really do come true!




~Kristen

IVF... quick update, time for egg retrieval!!

My E2 (Estrogen) level was 5000 Wed. April 10th.
Trigger shot that night at 10:15 pm.
Egg retrieval was Sun. morning 8:15 am. 11 eggs retrieved.
Embryo report Sat. the 13th, 7 mature eggs, 6 fertilized.
Sunday morning report... all 6 look good and on track.

I have had some pain and bloating of course but nothing too awful. Drinking lots and lots of water!!

I wanted a 3 day transfer. Which would put us doing a transfer on Monday. But after speaking with my doctor and directly with the embryologist, looks like our best bet is with a 5 day transfer. This process has worked for us both times; IFV and FET but then I also had a miscarriages both times. I am so worried about having something left to freeze. I have doomed myself before I have even begin. I need to let that go... Of course, it will be, what it will be. I need to take a more positive approach. All of my test have come back normal. NORMAL! (more for my brain, than your info) My doctor assures me that IVF will work for me!

So, now I wait some more... they call every morning with an embryo update. I am taking my steroids, antibiotics, prolactin pills, estrace, baby aspirin, prenatals, extra folic acid and eating a little pineapple core for 5 days.  And I am praying. This needs to work, this has to work!! Please, oh please.... let this work!

If you read this and have a spare moment, send good vibes my way.
Love to everyone going through this extremely stressful way to make a family.
Stay calm and believe!!
 


~waiting on transfer.... Kristen

IVF, FET.... Betas and Spotting

I had my first beta at 12 days past 5 day transfer and it was 388. My second beta was 14 days past 5 day transfer and it was 847 and my third beta was 16 days past 5 day transfer and was 2073. So each time it is doubling plus some, which means that i should be celebrating. I should be dancing in the street, eating cake and planning where the baby bed can go because those are some kick ass beta numbers!!!! But with me, nothing can ever be easy when it comes to baby making right?? On Thursday I had some cramping and when i got home I had some spotting. I called my RE and was obviously terrified and requested another beta. Since my second beta was so good, they hadn't scheduled me for a third one. So I went on Friday morning and got my third beta of 2073. I asked her if I should be worried about the spotting and she said no that it was very common with IVF pregnancies and that my beta number was excellent.  So why the hell do I have bleeding with a beta of 2073?! Today is Sunday night and I have had spotting everyday since Thursday, not alot, maybe a few times a day...and I just don't know what to think.. I am one of those people who likes to do research so I have been doing research and found that 20-30% of pregnancies have bleeding within the first trimester. ALSO... It is very common for someone who is pregnant with multiples to have bleeding in their first trimester since the uterus is stretching more for two babies. I can't deny that it hasn't crossed my mind that I might have twins since my beta numbers were on the higher side. One moment I feel like everything is fine and its just a little spotting and the next moment I think i'm kidding myself because any bleeding during pregnancy cannot be good. So now I wait. I'm going to call the RE again tomorrow and have them reassure me that this is common and that I should not be panicking...because I am panicking!!! I am going to ask for an ultrasound but i know that they will say that it is too early. My first ultrasound is set for November 14th but I can't imagine waiting that long for some answers. Please keep me and my maybe baby in your prayers. I just want this so bad...so extremely bad. I cannot imagine having another miscarriage. I just can't. I need this to work for my sanity and my marriage and my life. Please oh please...let me stay pregnant.

~Kristen

My first beta...

When i first did IVF in May, my first beta was taken 14 days past 5 day transfer and it was 80. Today was my first beta after my FET and it was 12 days after 5 day transfer and it was 388!!!!!! Wow!!! Naturally I am extremely nervous about this pregnancy since I just had a miscarriage 4 months ago but man, that's a good number. I just want to let myself be happy and excited about this pregnancy. I am so envious of those women who take a home pregnancy test, get a positive and just announce it to the world with no worries at all. With my last pregnancy, I was cautious about letting myself get excited and prepared myself for the possibility of the worst and then the worst happen. And it was nice to be mentally prepared so I wasn't devastated into a deep depression but damn, I just want to be happy this time...I don't want to think about the worst. So, i decided that I am just going to be happy and enjoy the moment because right now in this moment.. I AM PREGNANT and I got a great beta today and after all of this, I deserve to be happy :) I searched for what hcg levels should be in what week and found this chart, hope it helps if anyone is wondering for their own number. Today I am 4 weeks 3 days. I found this website that can calculate expected due date for IVF/FET pregnancies:
~Kristen

http://www.ivf-infertility.com/calc_preg.php

That's the thing about the day before your life changes forever...it feels like any other day

I had two frozen embryos left from my IVF procedure in May. The process of a frozen embryo transfer is so much more relaxed than invitro. There is not a process of making the eggs so no shots are needed which means no overstimulation. I had to take estrogen pills for two weeks then progesterone for 4 days before the transfer then steroids for four days after and estrogen and progesterone for the next ten days until the blood pregnancy test.  My frozen embryo transfer was last Wednesday on the 17th (which was the 3 year anniversary of our engagement..good juju right?!) My blood pregnancy test is scheduled for October 27th, which is 10 days past transfer. After a miscarriage in July, we really want this to work or should I say.. We really need this to work. My sanity needs this to work.  I of course, googled FET and found very high success rates and also that taking progesterone before the transfer makes the uterine lining sticky and ready for implantation. Google very seldom makes you feel better but i tried to only find accurate and successful information to keep my spirits up.  I felt confident but having infertility makes you feel like getting pregnant is nearly impossible so you say you are trying to be positive but its pretty difficult. Along with my other medications I have also been taking baby aspirin, prenatal vitamins and vitamin D all month. My transfer was on the Wednesday, I stayed in the bed Wednesday and Thursday and sat on the couch doing work Friday. Now comes the big question.. when to do my home pregnancy test? If you do it too early and its negative, its tough to mentally understand that it could still be too early. After IVF last time I tested 11dp5dt and it was positive and I kept thinking that if I would've  tested sooner than i could've known sooner! So now its been 5dp5dt and I'm still trying to stay positive..to just think positive, the mind is a powerful thing. And one minute I feel like this has to work, this is the plan..and then the next minute I am terrified that I will never have my own children. I feel like I could have some pregnancy symptoms: breast tenderness, sore lower back, smelling everything and even throwing up from a smell today. But as infertility women know, again, the mind is a powerful thing and I never trust my symptoms because so many times in the past it has been nothing. And so now I wait, I wait and wonder...will one day this week be the last day before my life changes forever? because today feels like any other day..

She turned her can'ts into cans and her dreams into plans

I called my RE today and they are in the middle of a FET/IVF cycle now and there will not be another one until January. But since i start my period in a week, i can still make this cycle. THANK GOD! I can't imagine having to wait until January...i would be crushed. I will call next week when my period starts to begin my birth control. I'm ready to make this work! I have heard good things about the success rate of Frozen Embryo Transfers and my friend even sent me this link to an article saying that Frozen Embryos may result in healthier babies

http://m.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/sep/04/ivf-embryos-frozen-healthier-babies?cat=science&type=article

IVF Back up Plan-Frozen Embryo Transfer

I'm finding out that time might not heal all but it does seem to be helping. Each day gets a little bit easier and it really helps to keep myself busy. And now for our back up plan. We have two frozen embryos from our last invitro cycle. The statistics for a frozen embryo transfer (FET) seems to be just as good as invitro (depending on age and egg quality of course). With FET, you can either do a medicated or non-medicated cycle. My doctor does medicated cycles unless you request a non-medicated one, a FET with a medicated cycle is the more aggressive approach. I will of course do a medicated cycle, this will involve lupron, steroids, estrogen and progesterone. So a FET cycle is like a mini IVF cycle. My RE says that my body needs to rest from my last IVF and miscarriage but we can do the FET in a few months. So I will call in August and tell them I'm ready! The worst thing about a miscarriage is that you want to be pregnant again NOW and with infertility that isn't really an option. So now we wait...

Beta Numbers

IVF Beta Numbers, the good, the bad, the heck if I know!

My first beta number came back at 80, got the call and its official... I am Pregnant! We have waited so very long to hear those words. I cannot believe that those words are real. The Charting everyday, then Clomid, then Femara, next the IUI's, then finally IVF.

I found this great site to give you incite into beta numbers. 16 days past ovulation and hcg numbers. BUT remember that when they test you after IUI or IVF, it will be earlier than a women that would have normally missed her period so the number will most probably be lower than the first number on the chart. It seems there is no right or wrong. Every woman will have different numbers, i have found numerous articles that say not to obsess over these numbers. (Obviously we obsess about every little thing at this point but they say to try not too).

So my next two betas were not as good as the doctor would have liked to have seen. He said since it was still early on, it shouldn't double but atleast increase by 60%. My second beta increased by about 40% and my third increased by 60%. Am I worried.... I am terrified. I know they have to prepare you for the worst just incase but I would like to not spend every minute of my day worried that my next beta won't be high enough and my miracle will be over.  I go back Tuesday for another one. The numbers always went up, never down. And by the info from the link above, I should be fine. I also found out that dehydration can effect the hcg levels and I have most certainly been dehydrated.

But as of now, I am pregnant. I keep telling myself, I am pregnant. I have a little sesame seed growing inside of me. I hope and pray that it stays there safe and sound. I am still trying not to get too excited or plan too much imaging what my beautiful family will look like and feel like. My Husband is getting so excited too, which makes me feel even more pressure to keep this baby growing inside me (like i have any control) but it still feels like my job and I would be letting everyone down. I am so very thankful for my miracle and now i just wait for my happy ending. Beta in two days...think high numbers!!!