Thursday, June 14, 2012

Next Steps

Yesterday, Ian and I met with our doctor about next steps if this final IUI doesn't work.  I'll give you the short version.

* Another test, that sounds pretty painful (if anyone has had the saline ultrasound, lemme know.  similar to HSG?  That's what I'm assuming. I know you have, C.M.)
* Ian needs a fancier sperm test
* Potentially remove part of my uterus depending on what they see (I have a heart shape - perhaps it is too heart shaped and that is the problem and the peak of the heart will be removed.)
* Wait month for healing.  If no surgery, no waiting month.
* Move into an IVF Cycle, which we would likely try at least twice.  First time August or Sept depending on uterus heartness.
* At a cost of $10,000+ per cycle
* Maybe cheaper the second time if I have extra embryos to freeze the first time
* It involves daily blood tests during the time I am being "stimulated"
* It involves making 10-20 eggs ready to be "retrieved"
* A surgery (with general anesthesia) to retrieve them
* Fertilization in a petri dish
* Transfer of embryos (3-4 of them) to uterus.  Cross fingers that they implant
* There is about a 20% chance that any given cycle will be cancelled due to problems (over-stim, under-stim, eggs don't fertilize etc etc etc)
* There is about a 30-40% chance that any given cycle will result in a pregnancy
* There is a 25% chance of twins in any resulting pregnancy (with a 3 day transfer, which is what he recommends)

Am wondering if I shouldn't take a month off work during this.  Others who have gone through it, what are your thoughts?  How was the process?  What were the drugs like?  How did you feel?  How often were you in the dr office?

Dr. Tran says that the last two patients who had this consultation with him before their final IUI cycle was finished got pregnant in their final cycle.  I wish I had any hope left.

I am just so so tired. 


7 comments:

  1. Still silently reading in the background. If you want me to hook you up with my friend who had IVF, let me know. I'd be happy to do so for you to ask questions.

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  2. from what my Dr. told me, it's not as bad as the HSG (there's no "bag" that's inflated) and if/when cramping occurs, just massage your lower tummy (kept me from passing out in my HSG) good luck!

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  3. The ultrasound was not at all painful, much much easier than HSG.

    I didn't take a month off. I took off the retrieval and transfer days only. They are good about early morning appointments.. so you're in every few mornings for the ultrasound & blood work, then back in the office by 9 or 10. I felt bloated and hormonal, but otherwise functional.

    IVF was just different in terms of the hope thing. It really helped for me to be able to get feedback on how each step went. The wait was agonizing, but I wasn't nearly as pessimistic. The final blood test call was awesome. Good luck!

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    1. Thanks, Christine. It sounds do-able. And I can see how having more information along the way will make me less pessimistic. Hope so! xxoo

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  4. I had the saline ultrasound, after my first IVF and it was painful, mostly because I couldn't take an Advil beforehand. And it was similar to, but not as painful as the HSG. But it was good in that it found a polyp and 2 adhesions in my uterus that had to be removed. (There would be no implantation otherwise, which explains a lot.) For the first IVF I only took off a few days for the retrieval, luckily the transfer was around the 4th of July so in total I had a week off. You will definitely need the day of the retrieval off. The second IVF I took off 2 1/2 weeks mostly because it was around Thanksgiving, but it was nice to have a few days off before the retrieval and I also had lots of acupuncture in the weeks leading up to the retrieval and transfer. And an acupuncture session the day before the transfer and another one hours after the transfer, and then a full week off. You will be in the drs office a lot, btw, almost every day in the last week before retrieval, mostly to make sure your ovaries are ok. Previous to that you may be at the drs only every three days or so. It goes fast, though. I didn't have a hard time with the drugs at all, aside from the expense, but the progesterone shots are painful and I couldn't do them myself. Luckily, Daryl is pretty amazing with a needle. After a while everything is bruised and painful in the tummy area so be prepared for that. Also, you will have to have a lot of blood tests and your arms will be bruised near the end. I mostly did the first IVF to see what was wrong with the both of us fertility-wise, but it turned out the dr had no explanation for us. My eggs were fine, his sperm was excellent, they met up just fine, but after 9 years of unprotected sex, nothing and no explanation. Very frustrating. We only did the second IVF as a sort of last resort and they gave me some steroids in addition to the other drugs and removed the polyp and adhesions, so who knows what the issue was. In any case, going through the IVF will help you see what the possible issues are and if they are fixable. It might be a really simple fix that you need, you never know. Good luck!

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    1. Thanks for so much information! You are the second person I know who had something found and removed from the saline ultrasound. Interesting...

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  5. I had that egg retrieval surgery once a long time ago. I don't remember it as being painful- I only remember that goofy feeling after waking up from general anesthesia, and a little crampiness on the car ride home. So I would say you shouldn't worry about that part, at least.

    Good luck with everything. You are strong and brave and I know that you will be an amazing mommy to an amazing baby some day soon.

    Lots of love from NYC,
    Kate

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