Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Waiting for stims...
So, here I am...I have finally finished the horrible birth control pills. Now, I am on to phase 2 of the IVF cycyle. Three days ago, I started Metformin, Estradiol and Androderm (testosterone) patches. I am still taking prenatal vitamins and a baby Aspirin everyday as well. I feel like an old woman, popping 6 pills a day :)I have to admit, I have been doing okay, until yesterday. The Metformin has horrible GI side effects...and everytime I eat...I soon regret it. I also started my cycle today, which has made things worse, becuase now I am cramping. So, I am moody, crampy and irritable. What a combination. On top of everything, we decided to get Libby a puppy. She has been begging us for a toy poodle. So, we finally caved. Last night, we were up all night with the puppy. This may not have been the best time to add a new member to our canine family! :)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Mock Transfer
So, yesterday, Me, Brad, Mom, Dad and Libby piled into Mom's car and made the 3 1/2 hour trip to Jacksonville. Libby was just diagnosed with Strep, so we couldn't bring her to school, so she tagged along. She was an excellent little trooper and I was actually glad we got to spend some time with her during the ride. I have to remember that I can't neglect her, especially during this emotional, difficult time in our lives. She's the reason we are making this journey again. She is my motivation to continue. After all, she's so incredibly wonderful, how could I NOT have another one (or two)?
So, we arrived for the long appointment. Mom and Dad camped out with Libby in the lobby with books, movies and toys. They said she was very well behaved...of course, she got a bribe!
The mock transfer went well, I didn't have to have the sono hysterogram, since I had just had my Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy in April. The physical exam and baseline ultrasound went great, I had several antral follicles on both ovaries, she didn't count, but said they looked "great!". Then, we sat down with the nurse for our "official RN consult" to explain the details of what is to come. Everything looks great. The nurse was able to give us 900 iu of Follistim,which is worth about $900! I am still waiting for the other donated meds which should arrive today...my grand total for medications...$620. That's a vast improvement from the $1900 that was quoted last week! I am so incredibly thankful!
It was a bit strange having to sign some of the papers. For instance, we had to "give custody" of our potential embryos to my sister in the unfortunate event that Brad and I both die. That was a bit strange. I haven't informed her yet that she gets to inherit my embryos :) I figure, they should go wherever Libby goes...so, now she is the "godmother" to our potential embryos :)
So, I have a few more days on our birth control pills. I will be so glad to be done with them!! I start my androderm patches this Saturday. The idea is that for women with hypothalmic-pituitary dysfunction, the testosterone increases the response of the ovaries to the injectible FSH medications. Of course, if I sprout hair and my voice deepens, that's not gonna help me any! I have prepared my employer and my husband that I cannot be held responsible for moodiness that is sure to come with all of the hormonal changes!
I am ready...let's DO THIS!
So, we arrived for the long appointment. Mom and Dad camped out with Libby in the lobby with books, movies and toys. They said she was very well behaved...of course, she got a bribe!
The mock transfer went well, I didn't have to have the sono hysterogram, since I had just had my Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy in April. The physical exam and baseline ultrasound went great, I had several antral follicles on both ovaries, she didn't count, but said they looked "great!". Then, we sat down with the nurse for our "official RN consult" to explain the details of what is to come. Everything looks great. The nurse was able to give us 900 iu of Follistim,which is worth about $900! I am still waiting for the other donated meds which should arrive today...my grand total for medications...$620. That's a vast improvement from the $1900 that was quoted last week! I am so incredibly thankful!
It was a bit strange having to sign some of the papers. For instance, we had to "give custody" of our potential embryos to my sister in the unfortunate event that Brad and I both die. That was a bit strange. I haven't informed her yet that she gets to inherit my embryos :) I figure, they should go wherever Libby goes...so, now she is the "godmother" to our potential embryos :)
So, I have a few more days on our birth control pills. I will be so glad to be done with them!! I start my androderm patches this Saturday. The idea is that for women with hypothalmic-pituitary dysfunction, the testosterone increases the response of the ovaries to the injectible FSH medications. Of course, if I sprout hair and my voice deepens, that's not gonna help me any! I have prepared my employer and my husband that I cannot be held responsible for moodiness that is sure to come with all of the hormonal changes!
I am ready...let's DO THIS!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Still waiting
So, now we are waiting. We had a very successful yardsale this weekend, raised $500. That will cover half of the cost of medications. Hubby, me and mom are making the long trip to Jacksonville next Tuesday for my sono hysterogram and ultrasound with mock transfer. I am so anxious to start! I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas. While laying in bed last night, I told Brad, "I am so excited about July. I cannot wait to be pregnant again!" It is such a longing and I am sooo excited that it's going to be here so soon.
I will admit,that I am still grieving over the loss of our last baby. I also admit that I will probably always mourn the fact that Brad and I cannot have a "normal, surprise pregnancy". From all of the reading and research I have done into the psychology of infertility, this seems to be a very normal feeling. Women are meant to have babies, and for those of us who work so hard and wait so long to become mommies, this is very hard to accept that we cannot have babies like the rest of the world. Imagine failing at the one thing that EVERY female mammal is meant to do. It's a tough pill to swallow. I am ready to hold my baby in my arms, and ready to move on with the rest of my life. Please God, let it be soon!
I will admit,that I am still grieving over the loss of our last baby. I also admit that I will probably always mourn the fact that Brad and I cannot have a "normal, surprise pregnancy". From all of the reading and research I have done into the psychology of infertility, this seems to be a very normal feeling. Women are meant to have babies, and for those of us who work so hard and wait so long to become mommies, this is very hard to accept that we cannot have babies like the rest of the world. Imagine failing at the one thing that EVERY female mammal is meant to do. It's a tough pill to swallow. I am ready to hold my baby in my arms, and ready to move on with the rest of my life. Please God, let it be soon!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Blessings...
So, I am still in the midst of the Birth Control pills. I absolutely HATE them! They make me feel nauseated, moody and give me horrible headaches. Baby Pullen...I hope you realize how much Mommy truly loves you...I am really putting my body through torture to meet you!
Yesterday, I finally got in touch with the mail order pharmacy regarding my box of medications for the cycle. Now, given the fact that we are doing a "minimal stimulation ivf"...I had anticipated spending around $1,000.00 on medications. The pharmacy gave me a grand total of $1,972.12!! Way more than I had budgeted. Of course, I was quite distraught. That's ALOT of money for medications. So, I called the nurse at the clinic and begged her for any coupons or samples she could get her hands on. She called me back and informed me that she was running some numbers and would try to get me at least one 600iu vial of Follistim (which would save me around $600.00). She called me back to inform me that not only could she get the sample of Follistim, but she also found a coupon for $50 off of the Endometrin. So, I called the pharmacy and figured out that my new bill would be around $1,400.00 That didn't sting quite as much...
At the end of the day, I received a message from a member of my online support group (RESOLVE). It was from a member who had her first successful IVF a couple of months ago. She has volunteered to send me her leftover meds!! Another 600iu vial of Follistim! What a HUGE blessing. If I can get two donated 600iu vials...that brings my medication total to $900! Which was the price that I had originally budgeted for medications. Needless to say, it was a very nice way to end a very rough day.
We are preparing for our yardsale tomorrow. I am hoping to make at least $500 to add to our "Baby Pullen fund". Last year, when we began our treatments with the Reproductive Endocrinolgist, we made $500 at a yardsale which covered the cost of our very first IUI. My mom and sisters have both donated items to the yardsale...I am hoping that it's very successful! My husband has also taken on a second job as the Minister of Music at our church. It doesn't pay much ($150 per week), but we are putting all of that money into the pot for the IVF fund.
So, that's about it for now. I am really hoping that these next few weeks FLY by so that we can get started with the next phase!
Yesterday, I finally got in touch with the mail order pharmacy regarding my box of medications for the cycle. Now, given the fact that we are doing a "minimal stimulation ivf"...I had anticipated spending around $1,000.00 on medications. The pharmacy gave me a grand total of $1,972.12!! Way more than I had budgeted. Of course, I was quite distraught. That's ALOT of money for medications. So, I called the nurse at the clinic and begged her for any coupons or samples she could get her hands on. She called me back and informed me that she was running some numbers and would try to get me at least one 600iu vial of Follistim (which would save me around $600.00). She called me back to inform me that not only could she get the sample of Follistim, but she also found a coupon for $50 off of the Endometrin. So, I called the pharmacy and figured out that my new bill would be around $1,400.00 That didn't sting quite as much...
At the end of the day, I received a message from a member of my online support group (RESOLVE). It was from a member who had her first successful IVF a couple of months ago. She has volunteered to send me her leftover meds!! Another 600iu vial of Follistim! What a HUGE blessing. If I can get two donated 600iu vials...that brings my medication total to $900! Which was the price that I had originally budgeted for medications. Needless to say, it was a very nice way to end a very rough day.
We are preparing for our yardsale tomorrow. I am hoping to make at least $500 to add to our "Baby Pullen fund". Last year, when we began our treatments with the Reproductive Endocrinolgist, we made $500 at a yardsale which covered the cost of our very first IUI. My mom and sisters have both donated items to the yardsale...I am hoping that it's very successful! My husband has also taken on a second job as the Minister of Music at our church. It doesn't pay much ($150 per week), but we are putting all of that money into the pot for the IVF fund.
So, that's about it for now. I am really hoping that these next few weeks FLY by so that we can get started with the next phase!
Monday, June 6, 2011
IVF number one!
So, I am writing this blog to chronicle my journey through IVF #1. My husband and I are incredibly blessed to have a beautiful little girl. She was an absolute miracle and was conceived from a Clomid/TI cycle. On her first birthday, we threw away birth control pills and began the long journey to make her a big sister. She is now almost 3 1/2, and we are desperate to give her a sibling. The desire for a second child is just as great as the desire I felt while waiting for my first baby. When we brought her home from the hospital, I looked at my husband and told him, "Our family still isn't finished yet." That's exactly how I feel. Someone is missing from our lives and I don't feel like I will be "complete" until I meet that little person. How is it possible to love someone so much, when you haven't even met them yet?
Our diagnosis is simple. I have mild endometriosis and don't ovulate regularly. As an adolescent, I was a competitive cheerleader and had a very low BMI, as a result I have a hypothalmic-pituitary axis problem, which causes annovulation. I have had three dianositic laparoscopies to remove endometriosis. I conceived my daughter after the first surgery, and after the second surgery last Spring, had two IUI's with Follistim. I became pregnant after the second IUI, but it resulted in an ectopic pregnancy. The weeks and months following the ectopic were some of the hardest days of my life. Some mornings, I only got out of bed because of my sweet little girl. Because of the increased risk of subsequent ectopic pregnancy, my husband and I have researched IVF. We found a clinic in Jacksonville, FL that performs "mini-IVF" and we have decided that is the route for us. "Mini-IVF" is designed to produce few, quality eggs. My husband and I really only want one more pregnancy, so we were concerned about having an abundance of leftover embryos. Also, the "Mini-IVF" is much more affordable for us, since we have no insurance coverage for fertility treatments.
My first consult with the JCRM was a week and a half ago. Since that time, we have decided to begin our cycle in July. I plan to use this blog to help during the process. Infertility is a long and painful journey. Writing seems to help me work through the tangles.
I received my packet of information and cycle calendar last week. I also began birth control pills to help suppress my ovaries before we begin stimulation. My "mock transfer" is scheduled for June 21st. I am nervous and excited. More than anything, I am ready to get started. I am so anxious and ready to be pregnant and ready to complete this journey. The birth control pills have had some horrible side effects this time around. The pills are a higher dose than I have taken before, and I am experiencing mood swings, nausea, headaches and horrible hot flashes! I will be glad to be finished with them and ready to start the next round of medications.
This week, my husband and I are throwing a family yardsale. My family is very supportive of our journey, and will be donating to help us save up for medications. We are fortunate that the clinic we are using offers in house financing, but we still have to come up with $3,000 for a downpayment and around $1500-2000 for medications, all which must be paid up front. It's expensive, but I will gladly sacrifice for a baby of my own.
Our diagnosis is simple. I have mild endometriosis and don't ovulate regularly. As an adolescent, I was a competitive cheerleader and had a very low BMI, as a result I have a hypothalmic-pituitary axis problem, which causes annovulation. I have had three dianositic laparoscopies to remove endometriosis. I conceived my daughter after the first surgery, and after the second surgery last Spring, had two IUI's with Follistim. I became pregnant after the second IUI, but it resulted in an ectopic pregnancy. The weeks and months following the ectopic were some of the hardest days of my life. Some mornings, I only got out of bed because of my sweet little girl. Because of the increased risk of subsequent ectopic pregnancy, my husband and I have researched IVF. We found a clinic in Jacksonville, FL that performs "mini-IVF" and we have decided that is the route for us. "Mini-IVF" is designed to produce few, quality eggs. My husband and I really only want one more pregnancy, so we were concerned about having an abundance of leftover embryos. Also, the "Mini-IVF" is much more affordable for us, since we have no insurance coverage for fertility treatments.
My first consult with the JCRM was a week and a half ago. Since that time, we have decided to begin our cycle in July. I plan to use this blog to help during the process. Infertility is a long and painful journey. Writing seems to help me work through the tangles.
I received my packet of information and cycle calendar last week. I also began birth control pills to help suppress my ovaries before we begin stimulation. My "mock transfer" is scheduled for June 21st. I am nervous and excited. More than anything, I am ready to get started. I am so anxious and ready to be pregnant and ready to complete this journey. The birth control pills have had some horrible side effects this time around. The pills are a higher dose than I have taken before, and I am experiencing mood swings, nausea, headaches and horrible hot flashes! I will be glad to be finished with them and ready to start the next round of medications.
This week, my husband and I are throwing a family yardsale. My family is very supportive of our journey, and will be donating to help us save up for medications. We are fortunate that the clinic we are using offers in house financing, but we still have to come up with $3,000 for a downpayment and around $1500-2000 for medications, all which must be paid up front. It's expensive, but I will gladly sacrifice for a baby of my own.
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