Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Transfer day.


After all of the heartache following the fertilization report, the transfer was a good experience.

On Saturday night we drove back to the RE (our third 3-hour trip in one week - *whew*). We had déjà vu checking into the same hotel we had checked into three nights before.

TMI, but I was suffering from some really serious constipation around transfer time. I tend to be constipated anyway, but this was terrible. It hurt to even sit down on the bed, I had to sit with my legs folded under me for cushioning.

Therefore, I spent most of the night before transfer trying in vain to have a bowel movement. It hurt. I was stressed out about it because I knew in the morning I’d be loading up my bladder and it would be a bad time for my bowels to start moving.

We got to the hospital and I took the Valium I had been directed to take upon arrival. They settled me in with my gown and some beverages.

The embryologist came to give us a photo of our embryo. She said they would have liked to have more to choose from and some to freeze, but overall this was a beautiful embryo. I know enough to know that 6 cells isn’t great. But I chose to believe her.

In what seemed like no time, Dr. Friendly came in to take me back.

I wish I hadn’t taken the valium because it made me feel very floaty. My memories of the transfer are fuzzy, and I had questions to ask him that I promptly forgot.

I did remember to ask what the chances were of this working. He had previously told me I had a 75% success rate with IVF, but that was before The Day My Eggs Turned to Shit.

He just looked at me and smiled and said “It’s gonna work. That’s the attitude we have to have. It’s gonna work.”

Another note about Dr. Friendly: that man is a WHIZ with a speculum. The radiologist who did my HSG practically wrenched me apart with his speculum, and both my IUIs were uncomfortable bordering on slightly painful. Maybe it was the valium, but his just glided right on in.

I could see the catheter on the ultrasound machine and watched as he squirted Little E into my uterus. I laid there for about 5 minutes, and then it was time to go home.

I stayed in bed all day Sunday and on the couch all day yesterday. Now I’m back to work and the girls here are being incredibly sweet by doing a lot of my work that requires walking for me.

I am upset because I am on these hcg booster shots. Has anyone heard of these? I take the 7/24 7/27 and 7/30, beta on 8/5. Unfortunately any HPT I take prior to 8/5 is going to be unreliable. I have tested every day since the day of the transfer and I’m keeping the tests taped to a piece of notebook paper so I can monitor the boosters’ effect.

It’s a little heartbreaking to see three positive pregnancy tests and know I’m not really pregnant. But I hope that by keeping careful watch on the lines, I have an idea of how the beta will turn out. I have to get the news at work and my husband will be out of state when we hear. So I really want to have a good idea going in.

Thank you all for your support, and HOORAY for making it to transfer!!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a good feeling about this. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Jo said...

I've never done the HCG boosters -- did your RE tell you what the purpose of those was? I'm very curious.

I'm a pee-holic myself, and I've tested the trigger "out" of my system with each IVF/FET. I know how hard it is to FINALLY see those two lines, and know they aren't "for real."

I know the next two weeks will drag by, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that at the end is your real, and fabulous, BFP.

Hugs,
Jo

Jem said...

HOORAY!

I've never heard of HCG booster shots.

Thinking sticky thoughts!

Emily said...

YAY for being PUPO!

And don't throw rocks at me, but I'm glad to see someone else got horribly constipated. No one ever told me that could happen, but boy, did it ever!

Fingers crossed for you!

TheThirtiesGirl said...

Great news. Will be crossing my fingers for you.

My New Normal said...

Fingers and toes crossed!! I'll be on that transfer table next week,,,, hopefully they will give me some valium!

Chickenpig said...

No one can know what your OWN odds will be :) Doctors can only quote you statistics, and you are not a statistic.

I had two of the crappiest embryos you ever did see, one a 6 cell and the other a 4 cell, both of them highly fragmented, and they both stuck! I had a handful of the prettiest 8 cell embryos ever, and nothing, kaput. You have every reason to be hopeful and optimistic.

And what is with the HCG booster shots? I've been at this ART thing for 10 years now and I have never heard of anybody doing this? I'm really curious to know.

Alex said...

Everything's crossed for your embie! I've heard of the HCG booster - I didn't do them, but I know people that have, and with success! It's a bear with POAS, but try to have patience, my dear... I know, it's hard. Thinking of you and your embie!!!

Marissa said...

I'm sending all my happy hippy sticky positive thoughts your way!

*hugs*

Denver Laura said...

My next IUI will include the 3 booster shots. It's to increase progesterone. As opposed to a suppository, it tricks your bost into producing HCG in addition to the HCG you are injecting. Once the blob sticks it will start creating it's own hcg. You'll probably test positive on the HPT until your beta.

Lulu said...

Thanks for all the feedback regarding booster shots. It's worth noting that I am also on progesterone suppositories. I did some googling and the main purpose seems to be to increase the LP, which doesn't clarify a lot for me since I 1) don't have any LP problems and 2) thought the Prometrium was already doing that.

Really I think they put a note on the charts of uptight, controlling, Type A people like me, and make them take the booster shots to humble them until beta ; )

Kristen said...

Congrats on a great transfer! Fingers crossed for you!!!

Kerrik said...

The HCG boosters are a new one to me, but I'm sure your RE has his reasons. Congrats, and fingers crossed!

Jem said...

Thanks for your encouraging words on my blog. I'm so excited!