I am finally starting stims tonight and I am so excited. 1. Because this is the next step in the journey and one step closer to the prize, and 2. Because this Lupron exhaustion is no joke.
24 hours per day, I am either hungry or sleepy, or both. Right now I am off to take a nap to keep myself from eating.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
IVF Humor
You know you are trying to get pregnant when someone asks you what day it is,
and your response...
CD21.
and your response...
CD21.
Side Effects
I am pleased to report that so far, the side effects have been minimal. I was worried that BCP would make me crazy, but I only took them for 17 days so there was no time for the crazy to creep in. I think my skin looks better though. No zits - woo hoo.
Side note: at age 38, a woman should not have to battle pimples and wrinkles. One or the other, ok!
I was also worried about headaches while on Lupron - a common side effect. The first 5 days, while on 10 units of Lurpon daily, I had virtually no side effects. There were 2 days that I had some minor itching at the injection site, but it only lasted for a few minutes. I had heard that the headaches come when you stop taking BCP and your estrogen levels drop. My RE also dropped me down to 5 units of Lurpon daily so it really hasn't been bad at all. I have been fine most of the day. At night, I can feel a slight headache creeping in and I am much more tired than usual, but that could also be the reduction in my caffeine intake.
We'll see how this changes when I start Stims on Saturday, but all in all, the first nine days have been fine. Whew!
Side note: at age 38, a woman should not have to battle pimples and wrinkles. One or the other, ok!
I was also worried about headaches while on Lupron - a common side effect. The first 5 days, while on 10 units of Lurpon daily, I had virtually no side effects. There were 2 days that I had some minor itching at the injection site, but it only lasted for a few minutes. I had heard that the headaches come when you stop taking BCP and your estrogen levels drop. My RE also dropped me down to 5 units of Lurpon daily so it really hasn't been bad at all. I have been fine most of the day. At night, I can feel a slight headache creeping in and I am much more tired than usual, but that could also be the reduction in my caffeine intake.
We'll see how this changes when I start Stims on Saturday, but all in all, the first nine days have been fine. Whew!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Money Matters
When I decided to become a single mother by choice, I knew that just the cost of getting pregnant was going to be a lot. I had a friend who had done it before me so I knew about what to expect. Add in years of Internet research and I thought I had a pretty good idea what getting pregnant would cost me.
I never thought I would have trouble getting pregnant so I made a budget and figured at the outside, I would spend about $5000 and then I would get to take home a baby. I was so wrong. Before I sat down to write this post, I opened an Excel workbook and starting adding up the costs. Even though I wrote every check and signed every credit card receipt, I was still shocked at the grand total... so far.
At the time I started seeing my Reproductive Endocrinologist, I had pretty good insurance coverage. They obviously would not cover any fertility treatments, but all diagnostic testing was covered at 100% after my $250 deductible and a $40 co-pay. I know how incredibly lucky I am. From July - October of 2010, my insurance paid over $14,000 towards diagnostic testing. I paid about $600. The result? I was perfectly normal and should not have any difficulties conceiving within 3-4 cycles. So, I ordered $3500 worth of frozen sperm from California Cryobank - enough for 6 cycles, which also came with 1 year of free storage. I really did think that I would get pregnant within 2-3 cycles and would have 3-4 more vials left in storage for baby #2.
Running total: $18,100 and no baby yet.
That was followed by three un-medicated cycles at $550 each, plus $210 shipping for the sperm then three months of Clomid cycles at $1450 each, plus shipping. You also have to add in 6 months of ovulation predictor test strips, pregnancy tests, Clomid, Ovidrel, Prometrium, hospital parking, etc, etc. It adds up to about $8500.
Running total: $26,600 and still no baby.
Then there's the $250 IVF consult, $450 in additional bloodwork and $950 in diagnostic testing that is all OOP now that I no longer have group health insurance coverage. $4300 in IVF fees for my RE, $6000 for the surgery center, anesthesiologist and embryologist, $930 for sperm and shipping and $3000 in IVF meds. This IVF will cost me about $15,880.
Running total: $42,480 and while my odds are much better with IVF, there is still no guarantee.
And I had originally budgeted $5000. The cost of infertility is astronomical. And that's just the financial cost. It may be years or even most of my lifetime before I realize the full impact of the physical and emotional costs.
I can say this though... no matter what the final cost ends up being, if this journey does end with a baby in my arms, it will have been worth it. This is my dream and you cannot put a price on a dream.
I never thought I would have trouble getting pregnant so I made a budget and figured at the outside, I would spend about $5000 and then I would get to take home a baby. I was so wrong. Before I sat down to write this post, I opened an Excel workbook and starting adding up the costs. Even though I wrote every check and signed every credit card receipt, I was still shocked at the grand total... so far.
At the time I started seeing my Reproductive Endocrinologist, I had pretty good insurance coverage. They obviously would not cover any fertility treatments, but all diagnostic testing was covered at 100% after my $250 deductible and a $40 co-pay. I know how incredibly lucky I am. From July - October of 2010, my insurance paid over $14,000 towards diagnostic testing. I paid about $600. The result? I was perfectly normal and should not have any difficulties conceiving within 3-4 cycles. So, I ordered $3500 worth of frozen sperm from California Cryobank - enough for 6 cycles, which also came with 1 year of free storage. I really did think that I would get pregnant within 2-3 cycles and would have 3-4 more vials left in storage for baby #2.
Running total: $18,100 and no baby yet.
That was followed by three un-medicated cycles at $550 each, plus $210 shipping for the sperm then three months of Clomid cycles at $1450 each, plus shipping. You also have to add in 6 months of ovulation predictor test strips, pregnancy tests, Clomid, Ovidrel, Prometrium, hospital parking, etc, etc. It adds up to about $8500.
Running total: $26,600 and still no baby.
Then there's the $250 IVF consult, $450 in additional bloodwork and $950 in diagnostic testing that is all OOP now that I no longer have group health insurance coverage. $4300 in IVF fees for my RE, $6000 for the surgery center, anesthesiologist and embryologist, $930 for sperm and shipping and $3000 in IVF meds. This IVF will cost me about $15,880.
Running total: $42,480 and while my odds are much better with IVF, there is still no guarantee.
And I had originally budgeted $5000. The cost of infertility is astronomical. And that's just the financial cost. It may be years or even most of my lifetime before I realize the full impact of the physical and emotional costs.
I can say this though... no matter what the final cost ends up being, if this journey does end with a baby in my arms, it will have been worth it. This is my dream and you cannot put a price on a dream.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
My IVF Protocol / Timeline
Before I started the IVF process but when I knew it was a possibility, I scoured the Internet searching for different IVF protocols. I am a planner by nature, so I wanted to see what other women were doing so I might know what would be in store for me.
For that reason, and to preserve my memory, I am documenting my full protocol here. I hope it will help someone else if they ever come searching.
IVF protocols vary greatly by person and RE, but most will fall into one of three groups: Long Lupron, Antagonist or Microflare. The most common is the Long Lupron protocol which is what I will be doing.
03.05 - CD1
03.07 - Start BCP, prenatal vitamin and 1 mg folic acid
03.19 - Begin Lupron 10 units SQ and Dexamethasone 0.75 mg (steroid)
03.23 - Last BCP
03.24 - Reduce Lupron to 5 units SQ, continue Dexamethasone
03.27 - Baseline bloodwork and ultrasound
03.28 - CD1
03.31 - Continue Lupron 5 units and Dexamethasone (am), begin Follistim 300 iu SQ (pm) and 2x daily antibiotic through embryo transfer
04.02 - Reduce Follistim to 150 iu and add Menopur 75
04.06 - Ultrasound (14 follicles) and Bloodwork (E2 = 2300), decrease Follistim to 75
04.08 - Ultrasound (21 follicles) and Bloodwork (E2 = 4000), stop Follistim and Menopur
04.09 - Ultrasound (18 follicles) and Bloodwork (E2 = 5900), coasting, continue Lupron
04.10 - Bloodwork (E2 = 5100), 1/2 dose of Novarel HCG IM injection
04.12 - Egg retrieval (23 eggs!), begin Progesterone In Oil (PIO) IM injections and continue through 11th week of pregnancy
04.13 - Fert report = 23R, 20M, 17F
04.15 - Lab report - 13 embryos still growing
04.17 - 8 embryos made it to blastocyst - 5 day transfer of the best two, begin low dose (81 mg) aspirin
04.18 - Lab report - 2 made it to freeze. Begin Estrogen/Progesterone suppository daily through the 11th week of pregnancy
04.22 - HTP at 5dp5dt - BFN
04.23 - HPT at 6dp5dt= BFP!!!
04.24 - Beta #1at 7dp5dt = 58
04.26 - Beta #2 at 9dp5dt = 114
04.27 - Beta #3 at 10dp5dt = 187
05.03 - 5 Week ultrasound - one gestational sac
05.17 - 7 Week ultrasound - TWINS!
I will update this as I go along for accuracy.
If you found this post because you were searching for information on IVF protocols, please leave me a comment. I would like to know if you found this information to be helpful/useful.
For that reason, and to preserve my memory, I am documenting my full protocol here. I hope it will help someone else if they ever come searching.
IVF protocols vary greatly by person and RE, but most will fall into one of three groups: Long Lupron, Antagonist or Microflare. The most common is the Long Lupron protocol which is what I will be doing.
03.05 - CD1
03.07 - Start BCP, prenatal vitamin and 1 mg folic acid
03.19 - Begin Lupron 10 units SQ and Dexamethasone 0.75 mg (steroid)
03.23 - Last BCP
03.24 - Reduce Lupron to 5 units SQ, continue Dexamethasone
03.27 - Baseline bloodwork and ultrasound
03.28 - CD1
03.31 - Continue Lupron 5 units and Dexamethasone (am), begin Follistim 300 iu SQ (pm) and 2x daily antibiotic through embryo transfer
04.02 - Reduce Follistim to 150 iu and add Menopur 75
04.06 - Ultrasound (14 follicles) and Bloodwork (E2 = 2300), decrease Follistim to 75
04.08 - Ultrasound (21 follicles) and Bloodwork (E2 = 4000), stop Follistim and Menopur
04.09 - Ultrasound (18 follicles) and Bloodwork (E2 = 5900), coasting, continue Lupron
04.10 - Bloodwork (E2 = 5100), 1/2 dose of Novarel HCG IM injection
04.12 - Egg retrieval (23 eggs!), begin Progesterone In Oil (PIO) IM injections and continue through 11th week of pregnancy
04.13 - Fert report = 23R, 20M, 17F
04.15 - Lab report - 13 embryos still growing
04.17 - 8 embryos made it to blastocyst - 5 day transfer of the best two, begin low dose (81 mg) aspirin
04.18 - Lab report - 2 made it to freeze. Begin Estrogen/Progesterone suppository daily through the 11th week of pregnancy
04.22 - HTP at 5dp5dt - BFN
04.23 - HPT at 6dp5dt= BFP!!!
04.24 - Beta #1at 7dp5dt = 58
04.26 - Beta #2 at 9dp5dt = 114
04.27 - Beta #3 at 10dp5dt = 187
05.03 - 5 Week ultrasound - one gestational sac
05.17 - 7 Week ultrasound - TWINS!
I will update this as I go along for accuracy.
If you found this post because you were searching for information on IVF protocols, please leave me a comment. I would like to know if you found this information to be helpful/useful.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
What IVF Looks Like
This is what IVF looks like... from a pharmacological viewpoint.
For years now, I have been following numerous blogs written by women in various stages of fertility treatments or single-motherhood. Every woman who has undergone IVF posts a similar picture. This is what I call the line-up - all the drugs and supplies for one IVF cycle lined up. I never thought I would be posting one of these pictures, but here I am.
Front: Lupron, Progesterone in Oil, Dexamethasone, Doxycycline, Folic Acid, Novarel, Estradiol
Middle: Follistim, Menopur
Back: Various needles, syringes, alcohol swabs and 2 Sharps disposal containers for medical waste
Total value: $3000
Front: Lupron, Progesterone in Oil, Dexamethasone, Doxycycline, Folic Acid, Novarel, Estradiol
Middle: Follistim, Menopur
Back: Various needles, syringes, alcohol swabs and 2 Sharps disposal containers for medical waste
Total value: $3000
Medical History
Day 3 Labs (01.05.12):
AMH: 2.0
FSH: 6.1
Estradiol: 35.9
LH: 3.5
Prolactin: 5.1
TSH: 1.81
T4: 1.01
My Fertility Timeline
07.09.10 - First appointment with RE
07.16.10 - CD3 blood work and u/s
07.23.10 - HSG
08.09.10 - Sonohysterography
08.16.10 - Infectious disease testing (all clear)
08.27.10 - Purchased 6 vials of donor sperm
09.10.10 - CD3 ultrasound, 21mm cyst - cycle cancelled
10.16.10 - IUI#1 cancelled, missed ovulation
11.21.10 - IUI#1 = BFN
12.25.10 - IUI#2 = BFN
01.22.11 - IUI#3 = BFN
02.20.11 - IUI#4, 50mg Clomid + Ovidrel = BFN
04.20.11 - IUI#5, 50mg Clomid + Ovidrel = BFN
07.11.11 - IUI#6, 50mg Clomid + Ovidrel = BFN
12.12.11 - IVF Consult
01.05.12 - CD3 blood work
03.07.12 - Start BCP
03.09.12 - IVF Calendar Review
03.12.12 - Repeat sonohysterography, uterine mapping, mock trasnfer, injection training
03.19.12 - Start Lupron injections
03.31.12 - Start Stims (Follistim / Menopur)
04.12.12 - ER
04.17.12 - ET (2 perfect blasts) - 2 Snowbabies
04.23.12 - HPT at 6dp5dt= BFP!!!
04.24.12 - Beta #1at 7dp5dt = 58
04.26.12 - Beta #2 at 9dp5dt = 114
04.27.12 - Beta #3 at 10dp5dt = 187
Welcome to The Baby Circus!
I have started this blog mostly as a way to document the three ring circus that is my life and also to keep family and friends updated on my journey.
Welcome to the greatest show on Earth!
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