Thursday 28 February 2008

Self-Medicating Idiot

Trust me, I know what I'm doing. My Harvard Medical Degree [bought legitimately via the internet] just hasn't arrived yet.

In my infinite wisdom, I have decided that I need more luteal phase support and so have increased my dosage of progesterone.

My theory is that because of the PCOS my hormones are completely stuffed and since my ovulatory phase is suspect at best, then my luteal phase is probably shot too. I'm a bit hazy on the reasoning, could be my edometrium is just not quite juicy enough or my natural progesterone peeters out a little to early towards the end, or maybe low estrogen levels are to blame. I discussed this with Doc last time I saw him and he agreed to factor that in for my next stim cycle. But he doesn't usually offer any further support during a FET cycle.

So I have increased my Crin.one from once daily to once daily with an extra one slipped in every second day. Radical I know. Random, yeah I know that too. But apart from the risk of giving myself a false +ve pg test, I figure it probably won't hurt. Unlike the time I decided to increase my Pure.gon injections.... but thats another story.

I am a self-medicator from way back. Why do I think I know better than a doctor? Why must I meddle? Yes, you're right. I am an idiot. I know.

Wednesday 27 February 2008

1dp5dt

Yesterday's transfer went well. It was a very quiet day in Day Surgery, I think there was only 3-4 IVFers. One was a friend of mine going for No.2. I'm not used to chatting to other ppl in the 'holding area' [nice term that] and found it exceptionally odd discussing intra-vaginal operations with someone else's husband whilst naked under my very fetching green and white striped hospital dressing gown.

Unfortunately the embryologist was not very chatty. When I asked questions about 'frostie' she told me she knew it had thawed ok but hadn't checked since then. I wish I had the strength to tell her go check on my baby now. I am such a wuss. DH would have been able to find the words to politely ask, but for the first time ever he wasn't able to come with me.

The theatre nurse said my bladder was textbook full and the Doctor's surname was Hope, so I am Hopeful that the entire procedure and of course the result will be textbook. Countdown to March 7th. Thanks for your good wishes.

Monday 25 February 2008

Thaw Day

Oh its going to be a long day.... I can just feel it. I am waiting for the call from my nurse to advise the time for tomorrow's embryo transfer.

Of course this all rests on the ability of my dear 'frostie' to shake off the icicles and start yawning and stretching his little embryonic cells. Unfortunately he is on his lonesome in this awesome task. I am thinking of him and implore him to think warm and cosy thoughts and to continue the fantastic growth spurt he was on prior to the cryo experiment, when he enters the Hotel d'Ute tomorrow.

ewsdxc [this word of support was lovingly typed by your fur-brother Supercat - my knowledge of cat language is poor but I think it means something like 'thaw baby thaw'].


Edited to add:
Transfer is set for 11am tomorrow. No further news is good news, so I hope all is going well in the defrosting department.

Monday 18 February 2008

Systems ready....

Fanny-Cam today revealed a lining of 8mm and at least 29 follicles. 29 seems an awfully large number considering this is not a stimulated cycle, but apparently none are over 5mm, so just my ovaries going about their normal polycystic day.

Synar.el spray stops this Wed, which will hopefully put an end to this stubborn headache/migraine. Transfer is set for next Tuesday, no time has been set yet as we have to see if the little frostie passes the thaw test.

There are so many blogs I want to read and so many comments I wish to make, but I just can't look at the screen any longer. I wish everyone well....

Sunday 10 February 2008

Evil Auntmonster

My SIL went away for the weekend with her parents so my brother and his 2 kids came to stay. With the stepkids here as well its been a huge couple of days. B's kids are 2 and 4 and their behaviour of late has been fairly atrocious and has been getting B down, so I was ready to play bad aunt and help whip them in to shape while their mother was not around to stop us. She molly-coddles them and lets them get away with murder then complains about it constantly. B has been trying to get them to say 'please' and 'thankyou' but SIL thinks its all too hard and unnecessary, so I was prepared to go into bat for B and put the kids though a politeness boot camp this weekend. But of course they were perfectly behaved all weekend. Four year old R was totally besotted by all our animals and the peewee motorbike. While 2 year old A was mostly really quite adorable apart from needing to be carried everywhere - B's fault, he forgot to bring the pram. Steppies were sweet with them but all sighed with relief when they left.

It could be the IVF drug cocktail, but more likely carrying around a 2 year old all weekend, I now have a sore neck and a stinker headache over my right eye, so am soon off to bed. What kind of mother will I make if I can't carry my baby around without getting a migrane?

I heard a talk-back radio discussion last week regarding the news that a Melbourne woman has given birth via IVF at the age of 54. Apparently she's been ttc for 20 years. People were ringing up to say things like 'these people' should just accept that they can't have children and 'deal with it'. I should have rung but didn't. I had just been talking to my chiropractor about what a well-oiled machine the human body is, and sometimes I do wonder if my body knows something I don't and maybe I am pushing it to do something its just not capable of.....

Tuesday 5 February 2008

Cycle 10 Update #1

Sorry, no creative post titles today [not that that's really my forte anyway]. I am in the middle of writing a character reference for my eldest stepson to take to Court next week. Words like honest and sensible are sticking to the roof of my mouth. Words I would really like to use are LAZY, IMMATURE and IRRESPONSIBLE! Yep, in capitals with big black lines underneath too. Do you think the Judge would go easy on him if I explained my 'teenagers are aliens' theory? Probably not, doesn't seem to be working too well for Tom Cru.se at the moment.

I had a blood test at the clinic this morning. The usually gentle pathology nurse must of been off her game today [the bitchy comment about her colleague should have alerted me - see I'm off my game too] because I have the biggest bruise and my whole arm is sore.

Anyhoo... I just received the call back and am officially down regulated. I start the prognov@ tablets tomorrow, then have an ultrasound in 2 weeks. I've never taken the prognov@ before so I'm not sure what to expect. Which has just made me realise that I haven't had the standard 3-day-long monster headache that normally accompanies the down-reg cycle. Ha, got to be happy with that! Maybe the reflexology worked.

I had a reflexology session last week which i thoroughly enjoyed. Bugger all this soft and sensual full body massage with aromatherapy oils and mood lighting. I love a good, hard foot massage with the lights and all my clothes on! She gave me some points to do on my hands to stimulate the uterus to make a thick and juicy lining for my frostie baby. She suggested that I look into go.ji juice and said lots of people were having success with it, and there is certainly heaps of stuff about it on the net. I read all the info she gave me and was all ready to hand over the cash, but then I saw that she is a sales agent and it completely put me off. Is she trying to rip off the infertile kid or am I being overly cynical and missing an opportunity that just might make a difference? I'd probably go with cynical, but I guess I'll never know.