Still going strong...

Today was a good day...or make that a great day!! I got my blood drawn early, first thing this morning by my wonderful friend Amy (I am giving you credit hun!) and sent it right off to lab. Then I waited....and waited....usually our lab is very timely when something is ordered stat (which mine was) but then 10:30 rolled around and I still hadn't heard anything...UGH! So I called over to the office to see what my result was, they told me that hadn't seen it yet.....another UGH! So I went about my day looking at the caller ID on the phone next to me every time it rang (and if you are familiar with our unit...that is a lot). Finally at 2:30 I was totally frustrated and needed to know something! I called the office back and she said she would call lab and find out the result...
She called me back about 5 mins later and told me the good news....My HCG level went from 220 on Tuesday to 563 today!!!! That is wonderful!!! Then she said she thinks there might be two in there......I think my throat fell into my stomach and my eyes had to be as big as a house. I always knew this was a possibility, but never thought we would be lucky enough to get one....let alone two!!!!
So now I sit here typing this update, I just took my first of what I can assume will be many doses of Phenergan (nausea med) and I am hoping to sleep soon.
My ultrasound is scheduled for July 15 at 8 am!!!!

POSITIVE!!!!!

Well, it finally happened...I got a positive pregnancy test! I woke up this morning somewhat eager to pee on my stick. I was thinking it was going to be negative and I would go on about my day and go to work......boy was I shocked and almost choked on my toothpaste when it came up instantly with 2 LINES! Every other time I had peed on a stick I would want it to be positive soo bad that I would see 2 lines there even when there wasn't. So I double/triple/quadruple checked it and even sent a picture to Matt from my cell phone to see what he thought!

This is what it looked like. The white one is the first one I peed on, then drank some water and peed on the second little blue on for verification (all the while hyperventilating)

I could not wait to get to work and wait for 8 am to roll around so I could call Dr. Carnovale's office and tell them! They always know it is me when I call from work due to caller ID, Carrie answered the phone and I think she could tell by my voice (which has been a few octaves higher lately) that it was good news. She instantly faxed me over a order for me to get my blood drawn to confirm. I walked around our unit to find someone to draw my blood (usually this isn't a problem, but for some reason everyone was busy), finally I found Betsy...she drew it and I sent it off to lab and waited (somewhat impatiently) for Carrie to call me back! When she called me back and told me my HCG level (hormone in your blood that you produce when you are pregnant) was 220 (which is good)....I nearly cried. I screamed and probably scared a few patients in their rooms! I instantly called Matt and he was just as excited as I was.

Now we wait (yet again), but not for long this time. I have my blood drawn again on Thursday to see how that same level is doing. The goal is for that number to double or come really close.
Now I am also worrying about how many are in there........

So far I have been feeling fine. I have been very crampy the last couple of days (hence why I thought my test would be negative), but everyone assures me this is normal. I also feel quite bloated :(

Well, I am off of here for now...couldn't really sleep last night and work today was rough....I need some rest for me and my growing baby!
I will post more on Thursday!!!

Third Times a Charm!

Today was the IUI. I was not looking forward to this day for a few reasons. A week ago, I couldn't wait for this day to arrive because it meant we would be having our egg retrieval today. Since last Thursday and finding out that I would not be doing that, but instead doing an IUI, made me sad/mad/etc. Once it was set in my mind that it was going to be yet another IUI, I then started dreading it because I knew it was going to cause so much pain...AGAIN!
However, this time went smoothly. Dr. Carnovale decided to use the abdominal ultrasound while doing the IUI to kind of watch what he was doing while he was doing it. This wasn't the most comfortable thing, but it was far better than previous IUI's.  It worked, the little tube went in without any problems! So now comes the dreaded 2 week wait.....Matt is holding me to it this time :(  I know from previous IUI's how long it takes my HCG shot to get out of my body for me to not get a false positive so I may slip while he is at work :)  Matt is very optimistic about this....me not so much. I have am really tired of getting excited only to get my heart smashed. He made me say at the doctors office today, "this is going to work"....
Meanwhile, I think I am developing a nasty urinary tract infection...my bladder feels like it is very mad at me. I am hoping the discomfort is just from my ovaries being a little bigger than normal and it isn't an infection. I will just have to wait and see.....

Sad Day...

I will make this short, as I really don't feel like typing.

Ultrasound today: I don't have as many follicles as he would like to see. He wants 10-12, I have 3 and not even good ones at that. He gives me the, "meet me in my office so we can talk" line after finishing my ultrasound....
He tells me that he doesn't think it is wise to continue to do IVF with this cycle since I am not stimulating like I should. He says we can convert to an IUI (with Matt's sperm issue the success rate of that is now low too).

We decided to switch to an IUI and see what happens...probably nothing.

Thats it.

The Stimulation Continues...

Today was my first ultrasound since starting the stimulation medications. I wasn't expecting much, and that is what I got! I had 2 follicles (eggs) in my right ovary and 6 in my left. I had my blood drawn after my appointment and they called me to tell me what to do next.
Currently, I take my Follistim in the morning at 50 units and that won't change. I take my Menopure in the evening, which is 1 vial. They increased that to 2 vials tonight and 1 1/2 vials tomorrow. This bummed me, because that medication hurts soo bad and the idea that I have to put more in just freaks me out!
So, the next two nights are going to suck......My next ultrasound is on Thursday morning. Will post more then!

Baseline

All is going well. The Lupron shots aren't really giving me any side effects, I can barely tell that I am taking anything! The shot part does hurt..it burns. I will be glad to decrease that one tomorrow :)

Today was my baseline ultrasound...and for once, it went well! No cysts at all! I had my blood drawn too. They called me a little later today to tell me all was a go and I could start my other meds (Follistim and Menopure) tomorrow as planned! I am so excited.....not about the 2 more shots per day but just getting going. We are near the finish line.........

Just a look at what my day now consists of..... Follistim (left) in the morning, and Lupron (middle) and Menopur (right) in the evening!

I have another ultrasound on Tuesday 6/7. I will post more then....maybe I will have some pictures of follicles (eggs) to show you!