November 15, 2011

FET 10/31/11 and Progesterone

This post is only for the eyes of my blog readers. I am not planning to share this info with many people just yet.  Thank you for visiting my blog!! 

IVF #1 fresh cycle from August was BFN. I took a month off and went for FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer). Transfer was on Halloween 10/31 !!

The biggest difference on frozen cycle from fresh one is that I didn't have to do Follistim injection, medication to make my ovary create lots of eggs. It is very uncomfortable process. No Follistim because I used the remaining two embryos that had been frozen since August. So I thought it would be easier on my body. I have been taking steroid and follic acid for pills. I also have been doing estrogen shots twice a week and daily progesterone shots. These are hormone shots (butt shots) to make my body and uterus ready to accept embryos and keep them. Because I didn't create eggs this time, my body does not have those hormones. So I have to inject them for support.  What I am having the problem is Progesterone. Dosage is doubled from fresh cycle. It is tearing up my butt. I have knots, lumps, welts,, whatever you call it,,, golf ball size of them on upper part of butt. I have hard time walking or sitting down sometims.  It is intramuscular shots so it hurts and my butt muscle has been in shock.. Every night it has been a battle. I find it the hardest thing to deal with in IVF. Ice pack has been a big help for a last few days.

Anyways, FET happened on 10/31. I was nervous to see if my two embryos would survive the thawing, but everything was fine. My bladder had to be full in order to do the transfer (RE can see inside of uterus better this way -- standard procedure for egg transfer), but I had too much. I had to go pee out a little before the procedure. When RE examined, it was still over-full so he inserted catheter to drain some out. That was painful!
After the transfer, I had to lay there still for 1 hour but I had to call nurse 4 times to help me out with peeing. I told nurse I have 4 bladders. I went home and peed more. 

Result:

Beta? 96/264 !  Yes!  I am!!

My clinic does not do #3 or #4 beta.  I am scheduled for 2 ultrasounds. 11/30 and 12/21. I have NO symptoms. I am very excited but feel surreal at the same time. As much as I want to say it out loud, I am not going to just yet.  Pregnancy was always someone else's thing, was NEVER for me.  I am laying low for now, waiting for the first u/s day to come. 

I will post the update then!