IVF Consult

I cannot believe I have a blog entry with this title. I never, ever, ever imagined us being to this point. When we first started trying to get pregnant, I read tons and tons of boards and blogs, and would always see people post about IVF. I would skip those posts, because I didn't think it would ever apply to me. It makes me so sad that we have come to IVF, yet so happy and grateful that we have this as an option. There is a lot of information below, which I am mainly typing out for my own reference. All this to say, we still have to decide if this is for us. It's a lot to take in, and to be honest, I'm scared of it- the whole process, the meds, and the chance of failure. If we decide to move forward, I just so hope and pray that this is what is finally going to give us our take home baby.

 

The Consult

The whole process takes about 6-8 weeks. On day 1 of my next period, I will start taking birth control pills (bcp), and will continue these for 3-4 weeks. During the last 12 days of the bcp, I will begin the injection Lupron in my tummy. After the 12 days are done, I stop taking the bcp, and should have a period. They will reduce my Lupron injection by 1/2, and begin me on a very high dose of the Follistim injection (also given in tummy). I will be monitored by blood work and ultrasound every day for 9-10 days. Dr. P likes to see around 15 eggs at retrieval, so if we are on track, we would trigger and 34 hours later go in for them to remove my eggs. This is a surgery and I am put under anesthesia. Within 5 hours of retrieving the eggs, they fertilize them with T's swimmers, and begin watching them. Depending on how they are looking, we will transfer two embryos to my uterus on either Day 3 or Day 5, then we wait to see if they implant. During this waiting period, there is another injection that T will have to give me in my butt. If there are any embryos left, we can freeze them to use at a later date. 

What could go wrong:

-Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)- Normally, a woman produces one egg per month. Some women who have trouble getting pregnant may be given medicines to help them make more eggs. If these medicines stimulate the ovaries too much, the ovaries can become very swollen. Fluid can leak into the belly and chest area. This is called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). OHSS occurs only after the eggs are released from the ovary (ovulation). Source

Outcome: Eggs would be harvested, but not transmitted back to the uterus until a later cycle, once the OHSS has cleared. 

-Produce Too Few Eggs

Outcome: Cycle cancelled or possibly converted to IUI