Doctor Appointment

Well had my follow-up appointment today.

I like the doctor that I see, Dr Geetha Venkat.

So - Good that I had 1 fertilised embryo - Bad that only 2 mature eggs. Next time they will wait longer before collecting my eggs (though the follicle size should have been ok).

So as of now - Plan of Action - IVF3. short Protocol, however slightly different protocol wth drugs. GnRh ANTAGONIST - (ORGALUTRAN)

350iu Puregon
75iu Menopur

Around these figures...so combined slightly higher dosage than before. Menopur might make my follicles react differently.

The doctor is very keen for me to have 3 embryos transferred and we had quite a long chat. I had to discuss my Las Vegas trip and my worries about flying.

So..when..? that depends on when AF arrives next - Sort of causing myself problems by going on holiday..that might delay it even more - I could cancel Las Vegas but I really feel it would do me good to get away from everything for that week - I know IVF is more important but with everything going on at work, I really do need the break.

As for being realistic- So ok I am paying the clinic, however I don't believe that they would encourage me if no chance of working - They only want good statistics after all!

Donor Eggs - There is a 6-9 months waiting list for donor eggs. So I'm looking at putting myself on it. It is not the way I want to go but at least by being on the waiting list I keep my options open. I think that one of the larger issues may well be money by that stage!

Oh and.. I told my mum at the weekend. I suppose she couldn't take it in. She never said much about it at all.....

Period

Well that is it - No more wondering. Period here. Done and dusted. Have not yet rung the clinic. Will do this later this week....

Actually feeling ok about it all - I think it is easier this time because it was more expected. I'd not felt pregnant...felt very normal.. I don't need to be told that you don't always get symptoms it doesn't necessarily mean anything - I really did know I wasn't.

Tuesday and the weeks dragging

Well...after spot on Sunday nothing happened until today..late afternoon...again possibly TMI...brown spotting..bit of red (tiny)...as you normally do when AF arriving kept going back and forth to the loo to check lol.

Went out with a friend for food, then home for 11pm. Visits to the loo showed no more spotting and no proper period though I keep feeling like its here..I wonder what the morning will bring... now off to sleep.

Sunny Sunday

Well it was a sunny day. Cold but sunny. Went for a walk along the canal from Cambridge Lane to Victoria Park, then had a quick cuppa at Nikis.

When I got back to my house I went to the bathroom - I had bright red blood when I wiped (sorry if TMI). I've occasionally had spotting 2 days before my period is due - So now I don't know whether it is a good sign (implantation, but possibly bit late) or just a way of telling me my period is just round the corner...I lean towards the latter unfortunately...I'll know either way within the next 6 days...

1 More Week to go....

Well..time is crawling by!

It is now 9 days since ET. Nothing major happening - hassle at work usual stuff!

No signs nothing, feeling very un-pregnant! :( trying to keep positive but most of the time ignoring that I've even done anything odd this month!

I managed it!! 1 Egg Fertilised!

Yeah...I know its still a long way to go but hey this is further than last cycle. Phone call 8.40am. I had 1 fertilised egg!! Couldn't believe it. So...drank water (have to have full bladder for embryo transfer).. 0.5 litre then 0.33 litre when I got to the clinic. Still didn't feel like weeing...they said wait 10 mins...then nurse gave me a cup of tea to help... there was another woman awaiting her transfer..she went in...and was far longer than I expected! I was desperate to wee. So...they took me in and scan me and my bladder was TOO full..so...had to go to loo..wee...but stop..managed it but thought I'd relieved myself too much...went back in...it was fine still plenty there!!

So - They did my embryo transfer - 1 embryo on board - Just have to hope that it sticks - Test date 16th February. As from last night doing 2 pessaries each day (morning / evening)

Photo:

Big black area - Full bladder

Area under bladder -Womb

Faint little white line, fluid containing embryo - It's too small to see! :)

Nurse advised me - No lifting, no baths, no swimming.. eat as if pregnant...

Factors resulting in poor egg quality or maturity

Determining the factors resulting in poor egg quality or maturity is difficult. Let's look first at what maturity means, and then at what might go wrong.All the eggs you will ever have were formed before you were even born, halfway through your mother's pregnancy. The eggs all started out with 46 chromosomes. But since we need just 23 chromosomes from the sperm and 23 from the egg, an egg must get rid of the extra 23 chromosomes, in a process called meiosis. Meiosis of all your eggs began while you were in your mother's uterus, but was not completed. The process was arrested, to resume in an egg after it receives a signal from your body's LH surge or the administration of hCG just prior to ovulation. For egg retrieval, hCG is administered approximately 36 hours before egg retrieval. It is the resumption of meiosis in response to that signal that determines egg maturity.
Unfortunately not all eggs receive the message and resume meiosis appropriately. Why? We don't really know. Possible factors include blood supply to the ovarian follicle in which the egg develops, hormone levels in the follicular fluid, the function of the hormone receptors on the egg, LH levels in the early follicular phase, the presence of normal egg chromosomes, ovulation medication schedules, and laboratory culture conditions. Much research is going on to determine the most important factors and to develop a culture environment that best supports maturation of the immature egg.