IVF update

H’s take:
It’s been awhile since we updated our blog and a lot has happened!

Stims day six through nine brought lots of shots and lots of doctors appointments. I was constantly being monitored to check follicle growth, see how many follicles there were, and blood work to see what my estrogen levels were. Each appointment I started to worry more and more that I was going to get OHSS and not be able to do a fresh transfer. However, I had high hopes and would do everything I would to keep the OHSS away! We finally got the green light to take the trigger shot on Monday and then our egg retrieval would be on Wednesday.

The morning of the egg retrieval I wasn’t nervous, more so anxious to be done with this part of treatment. The surgery was only about 30 minutes long and I was back in the recovery room with A. As soon as I woke up I was in so much pain. Once I had some pain meds and was able to walk, we headed home. I got into bed and that’s where I stayed for the next few days. I was still in so much pain and I was so bloated that I looked like I was three months pregnant.

On Friday we were supposed to go to the doctors to check for OHSS and make sure that we were still on track for our fresh transfer on the following Monday, I called that morning and cancelled the appointment and our fresh transfer. I knew that I had OHSS and I knew that transferring an embryo would only make things worse. I was devastated. I cried. I now had to wait to transfer our precious embryo and I would have to go through another long and agonizing few weeks of shots, this time, in the bum.

By Friday night things had gotten worse. I felt awful; I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, couldn’t drink, and couldn’t keep anything down. I called the doctor and they scheduled for us to come in first thing the next morning. That morning we got up and A drove me to the doctors. They checked for free fluid in my belly and found some. Then they drew my blood and immediately took me to another floor to hook me up to an IV, I was severely dehydrated. After four hours of monitoring, a bunch of fluids, and some anti nausea meds, they sent me home.

After Saturday I started to feel better. By Sunday I was able to walk around and even left the house a few times. It’s now ten days post retrieval and I finally feel normal again. My belly has shrunk, I can eat normal, and walking doesn’t hurt. I don’t think I could have gotten through the week without A. She played nurse, got up in the middle of the night with me, made sure I was eating/drinking, etc. She really is amazing.

While physically I’m great, emotionally I’m not. I’m sad that the fresh transfer wasn’t an option for us because my body didn’t cooperate. I’m mad that we’ve been trying for six months to get pregnant and now we have to wait even longer. I’m nervous for the months to come, the new meds, the shots, the appointments, etc.

This process has not been easy. Our house has seen a lot of tears lately. Neither one of us has been ourselves. We basically eat, sleep and dream IVF. It’s completely consumed our lives. The only thing keeping me going is knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This process will be worth it. We will have our sweet little babe at the end.

Oh ya, the eggs! We retrieved 44 eggs. Out of the 44 eggs, 28 were mature and 24 fertilized. On Tuesday the embryologist called and told us that we have 18 grade A frozen embryos. Bring on the mini van!