October 29, 2014

FET protocol has officially started!!!!!

After being over a week late (which is typical for me) my cycle started on Friday evening. I called my doctor's office and was instructed to come in Monday at 11am.  It was a really quick appointment. Dr. Haas just performed a baseline sonogram to check for fibroids and look at my ovaries, etc.  I still had fibroids however they weren't too big. I had them with Avery-Harper as well which is why I had to have a c-section.  He also mentioned that my ovaries were still quite low in position but that we didn't need to worry about it because we weren't trying naturally to conceive.

He then gave me my calendar for my prescriptions and scheduled me to come back on November 10th for my next appointment which will include a sono histogram, practice transfer and check of my blood estrogen level and my lining.



Below are the medication names and prices rundown-

Started these on Monday:
Estradiol (estrogen) 2mg 2x a day- - $26.99
Minivelle Patches 0.1mg apply one to lower abdomen and change every 3-4 days -- $112.99

Haven't Started These Yet:
Doxycycline 100mg- 1 tablet by mouth 2x a day-- $46.09
Methlprednisolone (Medrol) 8mg- 1 tablet by mouth 2x a day-- $29.89
Endometrin 100mg- 1 tablet vaginally 3x a day ---- $579.10 (it would have been $998 through a regular CVS pharmacy.  So I called Village Fertility Mail Order Pharmacy and with a $50 coupon that they applied it came out to be more than $400 less)

So the total tally for right now on the medication only is $795.06.  I didn't think the medicine would be so pricey but it's no where near the price when the injectables were added for my fresh IVF protocol.

If I get pregnant I'll use the refills on the Minivelle and Endometrin until the 11th week of pregnancy just as I did with Avery-Harper.

Let the mood swings begin!!!!!

Turns out she didn't need Stitches...

So last Wednesday on 10/22/14 my daughter took a spill inside of a store at the mall.
She fell in a store and hit her head on a table displaying products.
She screamed, I picked her up and she stopped crying immediately.  She hugged my neck and motioned to get down so I put her down. As we were walking my sister Jesseca started yelling "she's bleeding she's bleeding"!!!!

I picked her up and put her on the counter so I could figure out where the blood was coming from. Blood was just gushing down her face and neck. I only stayed calm bc she wasn't crying at all!! In fact she was smiling and trying to play. I saw that the blood was coming from the side of her head so I took down her ponytail and applied pressure. The bleeding clotted quickly. All the while she was playing with everything on the counter 😳😳😳😳

Sent photo to hubby and he said I think stitches so I headed to ER. He met us there. Doctor said they could do staples but that it wasn't really necessary bc it'll heal on its on in a few days. Basically it looked worse than it was!!!! You would have never known this child was hurt! She played and danced the entire time in the ER!!!

Now don't misunderstand because I was totally freaked! I ONLY kept my cool bc she wasn't crying and I knew I couldn't help her if I panicked. I learned that from her first allergic reaction to eggs when the 911 operator was trying to calm me down 😐 #mommyfail
Had she been crying in distress I might have freaked out because it was A LOTTTTTT of blood. The doctor said the head always always bleeds a lot so I'll remember that.

Nevertheless she's great! The gash healed beautifully and quickly! I'm super proud of my girl because she took that incident like a champ! Within minutes of her fall even with blood everywhere she was totally unfazed. If it had not been for the blood I would have never known she was hurt. I thank God it wasn't serious and my baby was OK.

Moral to the story......my baby is gangsta! 😎




October 14, 2014

My Miracle (Pictures)

Avery-Harper 19mos

Avery-Harper 19mos

Avery-Harper 19mos

Avery-Harper 19mos

Feeling just fine after EB-

So it's the day after my endometrial biopsy and I feel just fine. I'm no longer bleeding and all the cramping has subsided. Yesterday I kept pad on until the evening but after that it was not needed. Now I just wait for my cycle to start-


If that minor procedure can increase your chances in anyway, I advise all ladies to take advantage!

October 13, 2014

Fancy Hygiene

Brushing her teeth while wearing mommy's fascinator! Sometimes it helps to feel a little fancy.
 
 


MY GIRL (PICTURES)

 

Her first lollipop (19mos)

Trying out a new hairdo- The faux bun aka top knot

Trying out a new hairdo- The faux bun aka top knot

 
 

Endometrial Biopsy Performed

Back from my endometrial biopsy and it was a highly uncomfortable 25 seconds!!!! I took 3 Advil a few minutes before to help curve the discomfort. It was a quick procedure but here I am more than an hour after leaving the doctor and I'm still cramping.  Cramping and light bleeding are both common and should subside by tomorrow morning.  I just have to take it easy the remainder of the evening. All and all it was not a bad process and also a very small fee ($250) to increase my chances for baby #2!!!

From what I can recall the procedure went like this-

Undress waist down
Feet in stir-ups
Chair elevated
Speculum inserted
Catheter inserted
Tool used for scraping the uterine lining

The entire procedure was less than 5 minutes. Hubby was in there with me the entire time holding my hand.  I checked in a 2:05 and was walking to my car by 2:25.


My cycle should start in a week or so and then the real protocol shall commence!!!


Oh found this article about the endometrial and the possibility of boosting one's chances:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WomensHealth/womb-scratching-technique-boost-ivf-success/story?id=17365332


BABYDUST TO YOU ALL!!!!

October 2, 2014

FET Protocol Consult

Last Wednesday (9/24/14) I went back to Dr. Haas' office to embark on the journey of my first and last FET cycle. It was such a pleasure to see Dr. Haas after such a long time. I last saw him and Kristie when the baby was 3 months old because I took her for a visit http://mylife-somethinglikeamiracle.blogspot.com/2013/08/avery-harper-meets-her-miracle-workers.html.  I make sure that I send them updates on her with pictures every 3-4 months. After all they are my miracle team!

Due to the fact that we now have a toddler and my 7 year old nephew is back home to live with us full-time, the hubby stayed back with the kids.  Being back in that office was giving me a real mind trip. However this time I was back not as a woman wanting to be a mother, but as a mother of a smart, healthy, happy and beautiful baby girl. It was so surreal seeing my daughter's picture on Dr. Haas' "baby wall of fame".  I never thought I'd have a child on that wall.....any wall for that matter.  However God (and my miracle workers) had other plans for my life.

I'll give you all the play by play on the FET protocol but first let me tell you about my "elective procedure" that will precede the FET.

On October 13th at 2pm I'm having a Endometrial which is an elective procedure.  This procedure is suppose to scrap the uterine lining and as it heals it will become very "sticky". The stickiness can help the embryo adhere.  I had a polypectomy before my IVF because the polyp had to be removed before I could proceed. Dr. Haas stated that while he was doing the procedure he'd scrap up my lining to give me a better chance of success.  I'm not saying that is the reason my previous IVF was a success but why not give this last embryo all the chance I can.

Dr. Haas wrote out a little outline as he always has and the FET protocol goes as follows:
  • CD 1 (cycle day 1 of menses)- call the office and schedule appt for baseline sono which will be within 2-3 days
  • Practice Transfer/Sonohystogram
  • Start Estrogen for two weeks
  • return for midcycle sonogram- check lining and blood estrogen level
  • 5 days of progesterone
  • embryo thawing starting 24 hours before transfer
  • embryo transfer (90% survival rate)
  • stay on progesterone for 10 days
  • pregnancy test

Payment Breakdown (self-pay)
$160 for FET consult visit
$250 for Endometrial Biopsy
$250 Practice Transfer/Sonohystogram
$1500 FET fee

The only thing not included is the amount for the medicine. It's not suppose to be too much because there aren't any injections. I'll need to take Estrogen patches or pills and two types of progesterone.

That's all the info I have for now but just as I did for my IVF cycle, I will be detailing this journey whether the outcome is good or bad. This may help other women that may also have to travel this path one day-