3 Weeks & 5 Days

I took two HPTs today... and well, a digital test says it best:

YAY!!!!!!!! So excited!!!! For all good measure, here is the 1st test I took this morning (the Clearblue Digital was second):



There is a faint line there! This is what sparked the need to take the digital test today :) This is an Equate brand test. I think I got my first BFP (positive HPT) at 12 DPO when I was pregnant with Emoree too!

Since Ovulation day was December 22, 2011, this makes me 3 weeks & 5 days pregnant today. Baby #2 is due September 13, 2012!!!! This means I will most likely have an August baby :o) Ahhh so overwhelmingly excited!

I decided to let Emoree tell Grandma that she is going to be a big sister today. We went to AC Moore's and I bought stuff and made her a t-shirt:

Emoree is excited too! She has been talking for awhile about wanting a sister (she doesn't realize she could end up with a brother, lol). I already bought yarn today (a pretty unisex peach color I have been looking at for months) to crochet a baby blanket. Now to pick a pattern I like!

I go Friday for the blood test to get my hCG number, and then I most likely go back 2-3 days later for another blood test hCG count. From what I remember last time, first ultrasound (performed by the fertility center) will be in about 3 weeks to see how many embryos... hahaha. This also means I continue on the Prometrium suppositories for the next month or so... fun!

I will update again with my hCG count on Friday!!!! Stay tuned over the next several months.... for my journey through a high-risk pregnancy and birth!

11 DPO: Two Week Wait Torture

Today I feel like I am losing hope. Pregnancy "symptoms" I had last week are long gone, and I figure they were just from the hcg shot. Now I feel nothing. I don't know what to think. Here is what it comes down to. Everything that says "Don't test too early, you will only stress yourself out," it is totally true. I am torturing myself with negative HPTs. If they weren't expensive (although, these are the dollar store ones but I bought the last two) I would test more than once a day and emotionally torture myself more.

These are from yesterday and today, respectively. I am making myself crazy... again... I am zooming in on the pictures, increasing the saturation levels, brightness, anything to see if there could be a remote faint line there. Alas, nothing. I KNOW, I KNOW. It is too early, right? I keep trying to tell myself that. It usually doesn't work. I've looked up every statistic I can online on what precentage of women get early positives on what days of ovulation.... I know I need to stop but easier said then done!

Today I asked myself what am I going to do if I am not pregnant? The answer: I got online and applied for FAFSA to go back to school. I looked up what classes I need to take (only two or three!) before I can apply for the Respiratory Therapy program. I might take Emoree to Disney World in the spring or for her birthday. This helps a little. At least, it is a distraction of something else to look forward to.

There is still a chance I could be pregnant. That is why, first thing when I get up tomorrow morning I am going to do another HPT, which is what I will do everyday this week until my blood test on Friday.





6 DPO: Waiting (Im)patiently...

Today is 6 days past ovulation for me, and 6 days past possible conception. I get more impatient the more I think about it!!! I still have 9 days until my beta blood test.

Not to be dismayed, this is the result I was expecting at this point. I took an HPT this morning at 6 DPO just to be sure that the Ovidrel HcG shot was out of my system, because that is the one medication I took that could show a false positive when it comes time to actually test for pregnancy. Today is 8 days after the Ovidrel shot (which typically takes about 7 days to clear your system), so it means when I test in a few days if it shows positive, it is accurate! It is still days too early for pregnancy hormone to show a postive HPT.

I am almost confident that I am pregnant. When I was early pregnant with Emoree, my only symptom was sore nipples. In the last few days, however, I have sore nipples/boobs, slight nausea here and there, smell adversions, and exhaustion. I am not a person who has ever taken naps in my adult life, and the past few days driving home in the early afternoon I have to keep myself awake until I can get home and take a nap! Yesterday I slept for 3 hours. I do have a slight cold / sore throat, but its not that bad! I am wondering how I am going to make it through my 12:30-9 shift at work today, since I don't and will not consume caffeine!

I think I am going to do an HPT on Tuesday, if I can wait that long!! Tuesday is 12DPO and 3 days before my beta blood test. Tuesday is another 6 days away!! However, I got a faint positive HPT at 12 DPO when I was pregnant with Emoree!

I have two types of HPTs I bought... and still considering buying some $1 store ones for fun :) I stopped my Dollar Tree today and they didn't have any. The two I bought are Equate Early Result, and Clearblue Digital. According to the boxes, at 3 days before your "expected period", the Equate test has 74% accuracy, and the Clearblue Digital has 82% accuracy. If I make it to 12 DPO without testing, I may just try both :)

I'll update when I take an HPT again, so a week or less!

Day 21: The Two Week Wait Starts

I had my second IUI today at 1PM! I had 9 million sperm injected into my uterus! The procedure was again quick and painless. So the two week wait begins!

I am positive I ovulated between 8-9AM this morning... because after that point I have had awful cramping in my lower abdomen. I had to take tylenol when I got home from my IUI and take a two hour nap, feeling much better now.

I picked up my "intermittent FMLA leave" papers from work today and took them to the fertility center with me today.. better late then never, right? I didn't even think I'd need them until all that happened this week.. Regardless they told me they will be calling me next week for more info to fill out the paperwork, and it can take 7-10 days before they submit them. I'm not too concerned about it, as long as it gets done.

Now starting tomorrow until about 8 weeks of pregnancy I get to take prometrium twice a day. Sure, they look like basic capsules... they are not. They are a progesterone supplement used as a vaginal suppository twice a day (again, thanks to my lack of natural hormones). Progesterone helps with implantation of the embryo and helps with embryo growth, helping to prevent miscarriage.

My next update will be in a week or so... not much to say during the two week wait except waiting patiently and making myself crazy wondering if I am pregnant or not!!



Day 20: 12 million, when it only take one!

I just got home from my first IUI! Easy, painless, and quick. I signed a paper explaining the motility, count, etc... They told me they like to have at least 3 million active sperm post-wash, and my little sample had 12 million! Woohoo! Another little interesting fact I didn't know before, aparantly the sperm sample I was using was frozen on 4/3/2006, I noticed that on the paper I signed. Anyhow, I thought it was interesting :o)

Easy and quick, they did the procedure it took less than 2 minutes. I didn't feel anything. Next they set a timer for 5 minutes for me to stay laying on the table, and told me to relax and for the next two weeks to treat myself as if I am pregnant. :o) They also told me I could stay as long as I liked, I think I stayed laying down for maybe 8-10 minutes before I left.

Next IUI tomorrow at 1PM! Then the two week wait begins...

Day 19: I can hardly contain my excitement!!

Day 19 is a good day!! I went in at 7AM for my usual, now daily, bloodwork and ultrasound. I got follicle measurements today!!! I have 19mm, 17mm, 13mm, and two smaller ones. EEK! The doctor looked at the ultrasound screen and said, "Well it looks like you pull the trigger tonight!" I almost bounced off the table with excitement!! The probability is that the 19mm and *maybe* the 17mm would release an egg, since there is still 24-36 hours or so for it to mature to 18. I got my phone call at 1:18pm today, so glad they didn't make me wait all day!! My estrogen level is 1,114. That sounds crazy to me!



Here is the super exciting part... My IUIs are scheduled!!!!!!!!!! I do my trigger shot tonight between 6PM-12AM. I go in for my first IUI tomorrow (Day 20) at 3PM!!  At 2PM tomorrow I have to call the Andrology Center to start thawing my donor sperm, that has been sitting there frozen for more than 4 years! My second IUI is scheduled for 1PM on Thursday (Day 21). The reason I am having two IUIs done on consecutive days is because I am using frozen sperm, and that is standard practice of the fertility center I am going to. If it was fresh, it would be one IUI.

If I haven't already explained it, IUI stands for InterUterine Insemination. The procedure takes all of 1-3 minutes. They insert a small catheter through the cervix directly into the uterus, and inject the sperm! It is painless, but can cause some cramping. After it is injected, they have me lay on the table for 5-10 minutes before leaving. That is it! Then it is best practice to "take it easy" for the rest of the day.

One hour before my scheduled IUI procedure the Andrology lab thaws the sperm, and also "washes" it. During this process they put the sample in a test tube and then a centrifuge, which seperates the sperm from other fluids. They then take the sperm and add liquid media on top, and then the most active sperm swim up into the media. The final sample contains just the most active sperm. Right before the IUI procedure, they will tell me the sperm count and motility of the sample.

I am going to do my Ovidrel injection tonight at 7PM. This shot "triggers" ovulation to occur, usually about 36 hours after the shot. With the times that my IUIs are scheduled, The first will be 20 hours after trigger, and the second will be 42 hours after trigger.

I have hope that this will be it!!! After this comes the "two week wait" before the blood pregnancy test, scheduled January 6th. I will probably post a small update tomorrow and/or Thursday after the IUI(s). Fingers and toes crossed the I get pregnant!

Day 6: Monitoring + etc.

First thing I've got to say is I don't know how all of you "normal" women deal with having a period every month. It can seriously GO AWAY now! 6 days is too long!

Anyway, after 3 days of Follistim at 75IU I went back in for ultrasound and bloodwork monitoring this morning. The doctor didn't say anything during my ultrasound this morning, but I did peak at the computer before I left and saw my uterus lining was about 10 mm, and the other measurements were just of my ovary, not of individual follicles, which I must admit I am a little disapointed about. He said I would most likely be coming back in 2 days, but to wait until I got the phone call this afternoon to see what the bloodwork said.

So I got the phone call, and my estrogen level was 60.2 which is a slight increase and a teeny step in the right direction, but no LH response, which my initial reaction was it is a little early for a LH surge anyway. They decided to up my Follistim to 100IU for 3 nights, and they want to see me back in 3 days (on Saturday) for bloodwork and ultrasound, which will be CD9.  I really, really hope I get SOME kind of follicle measurements on Day 9... or I may be a little heartbroken. My boobs have been sore, my lower abdomen has been cramped, I really felt like the Follistim was working appropriately so I was really suprised to be told to up my dose.

I did my injection of 100IU of Follistim tonight hoping and praying that I will not have to buy an additional vial. I've also been scowering the internet for similiar stories and blogs from women who have been in the same spot as me and I probably shouldn't have because now I am more anxious, worried, and a little discouraged. There are some really sad heartbreaking stories out there. I vow that I will not look up any more information on the internet about estrogen levels, LH surges, or follicle growth.

Hopefully I will have a better update on Saturday...

Day 3.. starting injection time!

Weekends at the fertility center are busy in the morning! The waiting room was packed. I had bloodwork and an ultrasound this morning at my 8AM appointment, I was only there for an hour. My veins didn't want to cooperate this morning, so I had to get stuck twice :-/ Anyway, I got the phone call earlier than I expected today! They said they would call back between 2PM-7PM for instructions, I got the call right at 2PM! Everything checked out good to start my IUI cycle! My estrogen level was 53.0, and my FSH level was 5.33. I am to take 75IU of Follistim tonight, tomorrow, and Tuesday and go back in for bloodwork and ultrasound on Wednesday morning. So exciting! I already took my injection tonight, since I am planning to do them at 8PM every night because it is best to do it around the same time each evening. I took the expensive little vial out of the fridge and put it in the cartridge pen, but not before reading over the instructions for the 20th time. I know I know I've done this before, 4 years ago, but I just want to be sure I do it right! I was again suprised at how the needle doesn't hurt! It is one of those little ultra fine needles.

Tomorrow I need to call the fertility center to set up my appointment for Wednesday morning, since I had missed the call today and had gotten all of the above information off of my voicemail. I'm so excited! I'm slightly nervous as to how crazy hormonally nuts the medications are going to make me over the next week or two... but in the end it is all worth it!!

Expensive little vial



I picked up my medications from the pharmacy this week. Without a blink, I pulled out my credit card and paid the $954.92 tab for 3 medications. A small price to pay for a priceless dream.
The 3 I picked up yesterday are Follistim 900IU, Ovidrel, and Prometrium. Follistim is a tiny little expensive vial ($852!) that does the magic that my whack hormones don't do. Once I start my cycle soon, I will inject it subcontaneously into my stomach every day for about 10-14 days to make the follicles grow in my ovary. Once the follicles are mature, I use the Ovidrel ($80) injection to release the eggs from the follicles. Then I will go in for the IUIs soon following. The Prometrium is capsules inserted vaginally 2x a day starting the day after the IUI through about 10 weeks of pregnancy. Prometrium is a progesterone supplement that helps prevent miscarriage for women whos progesterone levels are naturally low or non-existent.

I went to my OB-GYN today for a violation exam > . <  aka pap-smear. My favorite question is always the "what form of birth control do you use?" it throws me off guard because I am not sexually active, which I guess isn't normal for someone about to TTC! The GYN visit was the last check on my list to get started!!! I'm sooooo excited! My OB today briefly flipped over my medical history today (he was my OB and delivered Emoree) and told me he hopes to see me back by Valentine's Day growing Emoree a little brother :o) He told me that with this pregnancy the baby will most likely be breech and early as well, and that I will most likely be on bed rest at 30 weeks. Whatever I have to do to make it to 36 weeks!

Tomorrow morning at 7AM I go in for bloodwork and ultrasound for the okay to start taking Provera for 7 days. This med starts a period for women who don't have a normal cycle, which I have gone 11 months without one before. Have I mentioned how excited I am?? Time is not moving fast enough I am so anxious to start!!

All Journeys have a Beginning

It has been awhile since I have been here, but I now have a purpose for this blog :o) Yesterday, I had my first appointment with my Reproductive Endocronologist to start the journey to concieve baby #2. I waited anxiously in the waiting room to be called back, thinking about my 3 year old daughter whom I had just dropped off at daycare/school. I had concieved Emoree with the help of this same fertility center just 4 years earlier.

Finally, my doctor appeared and welcomed me back. We went to his office and he asked me about Emoree and her birth. Emoree was born at 33 weeks & 4 days via c-section because my water broke and she was breech. Turns out, I have a unicornate uterus (a uterus is generally shaped liked a heart, of which I only have one half of, one fallopian tube, and one ovary), in addition to Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) so the mere fact that I was blessed with Emoree is a miracle in itself. So what nerve do I dare to ask for another miracle? Because I believe that I can make it happen.

Despite my medical history, my doctor says that I am his easiest and most easy going patient. I went in there, knowing exactly what I wanted, and how I wanted to do it. After all, I have been through this before. My protocol is cycle stimulation with Provera, and Ovulation Induction with Follistim Injections and Ovidrel trigger shot w/ 2 consecutive IUIs (intrauterine insemination). However, I'm getting ahead of myself now :o)



My doctor wrote me out a check off list of items I need to complete before I can start Provera in one week, on 11/23. I assured him whatever I needed to do I will get it done.
1. Social Worker consult
2. Infectious Disease bloodwork
3. Consent forms

The social worker consult would be anyone's biggest concern. It really wasn't a big deal at all in the end. After a game of voicemail phone tag yesterday, I finally was able to set up an appointment with the fertility psychologist for today at 3PM. The reason for this step is because I am using donor sperm to concieve, just as I did with Emoree but 4 years ago this consult was not required. I will address this is greater detail later. Anyway, a visit that she said would normally take an hour took only 20 minutes, and I was cleared! She asked me questions about my family support and about how to address Emoree's and baby #2's questions about the donor w/ age appropriateness. It was a very quick and easy visit.

Step 2. The infectious disease bloodwork was no big deal. As soon as I left the fertility center I walked down the hall and got my blood drawn, 4 vials. Very easy and another check off my list.

Consent forms was easy too, because I had signed all of those forms before when I went to concieve Emoree. I signed to decline genetic testing, I signed to decline CMV testing (which I later checked the donor's medical profile and his was negative, so there is no concern), I signed that I understood the risks of me NOT being immune to chicken pox (I had them when I was younger, but didn't build an immunity so I could get chicken pox again), and finally the consent form for ovulation induction and IUI. Check #3 done!

What was not listed on my "check list" that I also needed to have done was a visit to the GYN for a papsmear :-/  That appt is scheduled for 11/22.



I also talked to the financial advisor at the fertility center. The total for the cycle tests, observations, and IUI is $2200 plus the cost of medications. This was also not a suprise to me, and I already have it all in savings.

So here is the start of my journey. This blog will cover the ups & downs of my infertility experience, the two week wait, and here's hoping to the journey of my high risk pregnancy and birth. I hope you enjoy the ride! My next appointment at the fertility center is scheduled for 11/23 at 7AM for bloodwork and baseline ultrasound to start taking Provera to start my cycle!