After my miscarriage and removal of tissue (called d&e for dilation and evacuation), we had to wait for my HCG (pregnancy hormone) to drop to zero before starting another cycle. I had blood work each week drawn and they followed my levels. On February 1, it was below 5 and considered negative, and I was able to start birth control pills for this cycle.
Here is the tentative schedule for this cycle:
2/1-2/18: birth control pills, aspirin 81mg, prenatal vitamin
2/6: hysteroscopy (scope with a camera in uterus) to make sure that my uterus was healed; benign tissue (scar tissue? polyp?) was removed.
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You can see some tissue there that they removed and then the last pic was a pretty and clear uterus that didn't print correctly. But, rest assured my uterus is now good to go!
2/18: stop birth control
2/23: start injectable meds (usually 10-12 days, being closely monitored via blood work and vaginal ultrasound every 2-3 days)
First week of March: tentative egg retrieval (ER) and the either 3 or 5 days later will be embryo transfer (ET).
Then, we wait. We wait about 2 weeks to find out if it worked. And since I am now even more terrified of miscarriage, we wait 12 weeks to make sure it's a viable pregnancy. It's a really long process when every day is waiting and hoping.
Back to today: Left my house at 6:45 for my 7:30am appointment. I had blood drawn, then waited until 8am for the doctor. She did a vaginal ultrasound (fun as it sounds) said my ovaries look good, but I still have a fair endometrial lining which I'll need to shed (aka period-like bleeding). They drew blood this morning to make sure my hormones are okay. If they are, I can start injections next Saturday. If they are not, then we have to wait a few more weeks. Hoping I can start.
Update: call at 2pm. Good news! Hormones are low and since I am shedding the lining, everything is ok to start. We went over meds and that I will start injections on Saturday the 23rd and my first appointment to check how it's going is Tuesday the 26th.
The nurse will call my meds in to a fertility pharmacy that can ship them overnight. Insurance pays for none of these meds, and they aren't cheap. But here's hoping it's a baby in a box. Here is a picture of my meds from last cycle:
Yes, that sharps disposal container was completely filled with my used needles at the end. Ouch!
My instructions for the coming weeks:
Stimulation Start Ganirelix Cycle
Patient Instructions
Female Partner:
·
If
applicable, intercourse without protection whenever, keeping in mind that 2-5
days of abstinence is required prior to retrieval.
·
Zithromax (Azithromycin) 250mg 2 tabs with
breakfast and 2 tabs with dinner on ____2/23____(date)
·
Continue your prenatal vitamin and Aspirin 81mg
until your pregnancy test.
·
For
your reference additional injection training can be viewed on our website
·
Other
Medication: ___Synthroid__________________________________________________
·
Begin your stimulation medications on
______2/23_________
Take _____375____ units/ vials (powder)
of ___Bravelle__________ PM
Low dose HCG starts ___2/23______
10units daily with the orange cap syringe
·
Your
next appointment for blood work and an ultrasound is __2/26____@__8:15am____
you will need blood work drawn at each appointment. Please allow time to have
your blood drawn before your ultrasound appointment.
·
Place a dose (blue box) of Ganirelix into your
purse. You
will be instructed on when to begin this medication (when follicles ~14mm).
Once you begin the ganirelix it must be taken every 24 hours until you
are instructed to take HCG.
Male Partner:
·
Zithromax (Azithromycin) 250mg 2 tabs with
breakfast and 2 tabs with dinner ____2/23____(date)
·
Your
testing should be complete and / or donor sperm ordered and delivered, if
applicable.
·
Please
have 2-5 days of abstinence prior to egg retrieval. Please bring your sample
and driver’s license the day of the egg retrieval.
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