Embryology report

[aandp]

Hi -

I did end up having the ER yesterday and everything went ok....the exception was that they had a hard time getting to my left ovary and had to really push it to get anything. I'm still very, very sore today, but can take pain meds since we're not transferrring this month. Thank goodness!

With the last u/s, they found 37 follicles, but some were very small. They got 25 eggs yesterday and 14 of them fertilized. Now we wait some more.

Patti

[Levana]

14 fertilized sounds amazing!! I'll be checking back to see how everything goes. I hope you feel better soon -- I got much fewer eggs than you did and it still took me a good fews days to feel better after retrieval.

Thinking of you...

Levana

[aandp]

quick update

Thanks Levana.

We got a call this morning from our embryologist. All of the embryos are supposed to be between 2 and 4 cells this morning and 13 of ours are 4. So, we lost only 1 overnight. I feel like I can breathe again. ...if it didn't hurt still!

[Annette]

That's great news Patti!!! 13 embryos is amazing! Did you do anything special in addition to the ivf meds in order to get that many? Since you are not doing the transfer right now, when does that take place?

[aandp]

Well, yes, but not in the way that you'd think...

We had extremely low doses of the stim meds to get where I'm at. The nurse just said, "well, you are extremely efficient" with the meds. 3 days of Gonal F, 6 days of Menopur. In fact, I've been on the verge of overstimulating for the past week. I've had to take several shots of Ganerelix, which is a drug that slows down estrogen. I'm also still on medication to make sure the follicle fluid is released from my body - some pill - to make sure I don't overstimulate. So yes, extra drugs, but it's just because of how my body is reacting. Mixed blessing....My energy level is severely interferring with me plans for the day and I'm still sore.

If my hormone levels go down soon then I'll do an FET cycle in March. We'll find out the quality of our embryos 2 weeks from our Day 5 on Wednesday...and make decisions from there. We have to wait out a month to let my body heal...which was part of the reason we went this route, too.

BTW - there was no phone call this morning, which means all 13 are still growing and multiplying. I'm sure there are stragglers at this point, but we'll find out more later.

[Annette]

Will you be getting any more phone calls as to their progress or do you have to wait two weeks now to hear any more news?

[aandp]

Just got an update this afternoon...it's Day 5

And we have 5 wonderful embryos (2 are A's and 3 are B's). We will see how the other 8 are looking tomorrow. They say that a few are looking like they are just lagging, so we'll probably be able to add one or two to the 5 we already have. Everyone who is doing ok will be frozen today/tomorrow. I'm really happy with this news.

We'll hear how things go tomorrow and then nothing for the 2 weeks while we wait out our other results. And in 6 weeks, we'll be doing the FET....I kind of wish my body was ready now, but it's so not. Just yesterday I started feeling like myself and today I made it with only one quick nap...I'm very happy we didn't transfer at this point. I don't think any of them would have made it.

[Levana]

Sounds like you've made all the right choices. I am so happy to hear that you have five excellent embryos at this point and hopefully will even a couple more. Relax, take good care of yourself, and six weeks will fly by before you know it!

And I'm gearing up to start my FET cycle next week or possibly the week after...so happy I didn't cycle earlier as my parents were here for the past week and a half and it was *stressful*. They are now at my sister's so I'm ready to go as soon as AF shows up! :-)

Levana

[aandp]

So, I have a final number of totcicles.....

We have 8. They were able to add 3 more B quality ones into the mix today. I am very, very pleased with these numbers. Yay!

Levana - Woo-hoo! I know that you are more than ready for this. Let us know where you are and how things are going. Sorry that your parents' visit was stressful...

[Annette]

That's awesome!!! So now to rest and recover for your FET. Do you know how many you would want to transfer?

Good luck Levana!!!

[aandp]

Thanks, Annette. We'll transfer the 2 healthiest - in hopes of twins. It's the most our doctor will allow for me.

[Annette]

Well I'll be anxiously awaiting your FET!!

[Levana]

Patti, I'm really excited for you. To have eight frozen is excellent, especially since five are such great quality.

I'm going to transfer two this time as well. I can't kick the feeling that if we had transferred two after the fresh cycle, I'd still be pregnant. I know that there is absolutely no sense in thinking like that and I know it might not even be true and I even know that we made what we thought was the best most responsible decision. But I'm still sad inside...Anyway, we've definitely decided to transfer two this time, especially since once the embies are defrosted, they can't really be refrozen so why waste them?

Can't wait to see (and share!!!) some good news on this board. Here's to success!

Levana

[Annette]

That's exciting Levana!! When do you think the transfer will be?

[Levana]

Annette, I haven't even started the cycle yet. :-) I'm waiting on my period -- hoping it comes early next week. I think it took about 2.5 weeks before transfer last year when I did a FET but I don't remember the details exactly...

Levana