Lisa - I am thinking of you and hope you get some female embryos A silver-lining in all this is that the process has shown that you are INCREDIBLY fertile Do you mind my asking how you felt physically after EPU? Just trying to figure out if I can take care of DD myself later on the day.
Cuddlepie - Thanks for your well wishes. As you can see from my post below, all 8 follies have grown (there was one new one at 4mm but that one will go no where). They were 12-18mm in size. Do you know what this means for EPU with SIVF? What size do they need to be??
Kate - thanks for your story. Knowing this sort of stuff is what is helping me get through this
Meredith - welcome back, hon'. Great news about your HCG settling way down. Interesting you are doing the same cycle as me. Feel free to fire away any questions you may have, though I still have a long way to go. BTW I much prefer this type of regimen. Less jabbing, less time
AFM - Scan went as well as can be hoped for. 8 follies all between 12 and 18 mm. Am awaiting BT results and to be told next step (maybe another scan tomorrow). Had a bit of a scare on Sat night. Was my second night of Orgalutron. The plunger in the syringe is VERY stiff and when I tried to expel the large pocket of air before injecting some squirted out I do not know if it was a significant amount - maybe 10%? Hoping my LH has not started to prematurely surge as a consequence of this. The US operator is unable to tell. My clinic is checking this with my FS and will let me know later this afternoon.
Cuddlepie: Will get a phone call late tomorrow afternoon with the gender results.
Kmn: You are right, I have to accept that I have done everything in my power and that from here on in it is in the lap of the Gods. If we get just one girl, she will be a tough little cookie.
Where's the hope: My EPU wasn't a lot of fun. It looks like I react really well to aneathetic, I was out cold with the pre-med. Was out for 1 1/2 hours, not sure how long the procedure actually took. When I was returned to the day surgery area, I was supposed to be back in a recliner, but still so out of it they left me on the bed. Didn't leave there for another couple of hours during which I went in and out. Really sore upper thighs when I woke up, nurses put that down to being up in the stirrups. Spent Friday and Saturday in bed, quite bloated and sore. Still bloated today, but back at work.
I typically am OK after surgery, had 3 wisdom teeth out and was eating lunch 2 hours later. Had an eptopic pregnancy 11 years ago, and was back home the next morning. Both times came out of the aneasthetic well. Just to be on the safe side I would have back-up help for DD.
Lisa, I will be praying really hard for you for tomorrow, hope there is a good result. You might get 3 girls who knows.
WTH, 12-18mm sounds great, normally they are looking for the size between 19-21mm (roughly) and hoping that they can get as many as possible in this range so they can get many eggs. So I'd say you will have another 2-3 days will be ready for EPU! Well done hun! About the actual procedure, if you are with SIVF, they normally will just give you local anecetics after the sedation and you will feel a bit dizzy (feeling like drunk) and I didn't feel much pain during the procedure and might just feel a bit pressure when they are sucking the eggs out and you will be concious during the whole procedure. Listening to the scentist calling out how many eggs they've got is the best distraction I find, of course the screen showing your embies. I was able to walk out of the Day Surgery after an hour or so in recovery, then just bedrest for the day. You probably will need to arrange someone to take care DD for at least one day I say.
Yikes, Lisa. That EPU does not sound like a walk in the park at all! Thanks for filling me in and best of luck with your phone call tomorrow
Cuddlepie - I am so confused over the definition of a mature follicle or egg. I have also heard anything over 14mm is ok. The nurse I spoke to said they were aiming for 20mm. How do I get them all at one size? I hope they all make it. Next scan and BT now Wednesday I am pretty upset about my E2 today. Was up from about 1300 on Friday to about 2600 today. Seems pretty low to me... I read on the Orgulatron sheet (from the box) that you cannot expect as high a levels on this cycle compared to the other protocols so I guess it all fits...
WTH, I personally find that knowing all the numbers just stress me out because I over-analyze everything...so now I've learned that if the nurse says everything is ok, the next step is...I won't ask the details...
Ah, about the size of the follicles, seems like what your nurse said is in line with what FS said before, must be SIVF's protocol, aiming for 19-20mm.
Timing is everything on this. You have to wait for the small ones to catch up but could also risk the current largest one to grow too mature. The key is try to pin point the timing that you will have most of the follies between 17-20mm then trigger...what a tricky business we have asked our body to do...
Don't think to much about it hun as at this point, we can't control anything, its all up to our ovaries, god bless them. Hope Wed scan will give you a balanced result.
Lisa - praying you get good results later today. Go little girlies, go!!
WTH - I am exactly like you...stressing over every little figure. E2 levels aren't really an issue so long as they are aqequate enough to create good lining which sounds like you have already.
Praying those 8 little follies all even up in the next 24hrs. They do aim for 19-20mm but anything over 14mm can potentially create a pg. From my IUI cycles, i prob got at least one of my twins from a 16ish mm follie. I guess the main issue, is how many make it to PGD test day and then beyond to transfer. The more I think about it, the more the whole thing scares me to death. I wonder if anyone ever gets any/many to freeze from a PGD cycle?
CP - hope you levels are all good and the provera gets going. It feels good to at least be doing something.
Me - desperate to stop the pill and just get going. Only 3 more tabs to go and hopefully AF will be her by Mon. I guess the real stress then kicks in!
Lisa, thinking of you...hope its a great result for you!!!
Meredith, getting close, I, too have been so bored with all this waiting, but like you said, stress starts now...nevertheless, I am happy to be doing something. Looking forward to next Thursday's appt. with FS, we will then know DH's 2nd SCSA result. I can't imagine what we will be doing this cycle, IVF, ICSI, PICSI or with PGD. Gee, so many options, its doing my head in ATM....
Got THE phone call and all 3 are girls, it was such a relief to hear it, I was sitting at work holding the hand of a lady from my department and I burst into tears.
Unfortunately, my head was in the clouds so much that the scientist said something about them fragmenting or not fragmenting, they were transferring them into a different syrum and that should do the job. She didn't sound concerned at all so I guess that's a good thing.
I phoned back about 20 minutes later to clarify what she had said but everyone in the lab had left.
Does anyone have a clue about what she might have said?
Sorry hun, no clue about the syrum, but as far as they are not concern, don't worry about it! I am so happy for you, all three are girls, YAY!!!! hey I was right!
When is the transfer? Everything is crossed for you and hope this is the one!
Cuddlepie - Thanks, you were right, maybe you should bet on the horses? Transfer is midday tomorrow. That was another thing the scientist said, or didn't say, she didn't mention having to phone me first thing in the morning to let me know if everything was still on track - that has to be good.
Lisa,
I'm pretty sure they need to transfer them into a different serum to freeze them - I assume that you are putting back 1 or 2, so at least one will hopefully end up frozen.
Enjoy tomorrow - it's much gentler than EPU, although it tickles like nothing on earth.
LISA I am so thrilled for you. You must be so relieved. Good luck with your transfer, hon
Cuddlepie Thanks for the info about follicle size. DH was great and rang our FS who managed to make us both feel a lot better about how things were going. He was happy with the growth over the weekend and told us not to stress about the E2. I am feeling a lot more crampy so figure things must be getting bigger and better. EPU forecast for Friday or Saturday
Got a phone call a couple of hours before my transfer to tell me that 1 had stopped dividing, and the other 2 had come back positive for Trisomy 21 and 15. So no transfer.
Meredith - I just want to send you a friendly I was in such a rush when I posted last night I did not intend to miss you!
Cuddlepie - at SIVF do they remove all follicles over a certain size, eg: 16mm? I realise they want them to be 19-21mm, but do they just discount those under 18mm or do we get a chance to fertilise some of the smaller ones as well? I am having EPU/PGD/hopeful transfer done at Kent St
AFM - In that anxious limbo AGAIN Had 10 follies at scan. Two had actually REDUCED in size, plus two very small ones, and six between 16 and 21 mm. I don't even know if they will go ahead with a PGD cycle with that number? If they leave it up to me (which they may) we will go ahead. So we are now looking at six at best... I did not think they would SHRINK! But with two at 21mm I think if we are proceeding I will trigger tonight. If we do not proceed I think I will be going into heavy duty therapy Will keep you posted...
WTH, do not panic yet! I am pretty sure that your FS will remove all the fluid in all the follicles regardless how big they are, they want to have the best possible result for you. Also when FS does the procedure, what he does is to suck all the fluid including your eggies guided by u/s and then pass it to scientist who is in the same room, the scientis is the one whon will call out the number of your eggs...so I'd say you'd be surprised that they might find some eggs even in the slight smaller ones. About the shrinking follicles, they are the ones get grown out and dissappear I think - over cooked....
Lisa, I am so devastated about the result. Its such a harsh reality to swollow after all the meds and emotional rollercoaster...however, on the other side, it also proves that PGD did served its purpose as I am sure you don't want to go through another heartache if any of these are transfered back but not result in a healthy baby... take care of yourself and hope Brendon's result will be avaiable soon and then you can form some strategy to give it a go again....whenever you want to talk, we are here for you hun...
Meredith and Sara, hope all is well!
AFM, not much happening a bit boring really and not having the most positive day. Just thinking everything is too trivial in life and not have least of interest in anything but when will the 'big thrill' hit me? I am tired of waiting.
Lisa - I posted around the same time as you. I am so sincerely sorry. This TTC business is such a difficult journey that so many take for granted. My thoughts are with you. I am impressed your clinic picked up on the Trisomy 15 (my last MC was one of those and PGD via SIVF does not test for that one unless you specifically ask). You must have a very good and thorough clinic! Take it easy and take extra special care of yourself
Cuddlepie - thanks for the info (yet again ) I am not getting my usual FS here in the Illawarra so I cannot ask him, but I believe it will be Dr Bowman or Livingstone who I have heard great things about. I won't know for another hour or so the next step. We really want to go ahead but know the odds really are against us this cycle. I think I have heard that about 1/2 fertilise then about 1/3 make it to Day 5. So we will be lucky to have even one make it to PGD... Meanwhile DH is saying, "it only takes one egg". He is trying to be optimistic for me. I think he views six eggs (if that is what we get ) as six months of TTC (which normally results in a PG for us). But I don't think IVF works that way. I hate to burst his bubble, though.
I think your DH is right, it really only just take one! Don't burst his bubble, go with him!
Livingstone was my old FS, although we have some different opions regarding cycle strategies, I have to say that he is very calm and does a good job at procedures. You are in good hands, I have hardly had any pain either at EPU or TF, so just relax! You will be fine.
Interesting that you are waiting for some instructions...is that regarding whether to do PGN or not? Does your FS make the decision based on how many follicles you get? Would be interested to hear on that aspect. I might be in the same boat soon.
A silver-lining in all this is that the process has shown that you are INCREDIBLY fertile 
Do you mind my asking how you felt physically after EPU? Just trying to figure out if I can take care of DD myself later on the day.
I do not know if it was a significant amount - maybe 10%? Hoping my LH has not started to prematurely surge as a consequence of this. The US operator is unable to tell. My clinic is checking this with my FS and will let me know later this afternoon.
I am pretty upset about my E2 today. Was up from about 1300 on Friday to about 2600 today. Seems pretty low to me... 
I read on the Orgulatron sheet (from the box) that you cannot expect as high a levels on this cycle compared to the other protocols so I guess it all fits...
I was in such a rush when I posted last night I did not intend to miss you!
In that anxious limbo AGAIN 
Had 10 follies at scan. Two had actually REDUCED in size, plus two very small ones, and six between 16 and 21 mm. I don't even know if they will go ahead with a PGD cycle with that number? If they leave it up to me (which they may) we will go ahead. So we are now looking at six at best... I did not think they would SHRINK! But with two at 21mm I think if we are proceeding I will trigger tonight. If we do not proceed I think I will be going into heavy duty therapy 
Will keep you posted...
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