I am gearing towards the 2nd IVF Cycle. The preparation quite hectic. First of all I have to schedule the surgery for the polyp. As todate it already scheduled on 27 April 2012.
I cannot stop thinking how expensive is medical in United States. Even with health insurance, it still crazy expensive, imagine for those who cannot afford it. For this surgery I have to pay in advance for $1056.96! That's because I have to meet my $2400 deductible. That's what I said crazy, even you have insurance, means you not 100% can be happy that it cover, you still have to pay certain portions of it. Until today I totally cannot understand all the things in the health insurance.
I also received my next protocol, which will be Estrogen Priming Protocol. Sounds rocket science. But my RE think this will help me to get more follicles and eggs, and hopefully the quality one. The only issues, the medications will be double dose! You know what that means also? More money! Luckily I have a little bit left over from my first cycle but it's not enough.
Here my meds list:
1. Bravelle 40 vials
2. Menopur 40 vials
3. Lupron (1/2 weeks kit)
4. Novarel #1 (HCG trigger)
5. Dexamethasone #60
6. Estrace #60
7. Cetrotide #6
8. Crinone Gel #30
What I managed to get:
1. Bravelle - Purchased online 16 vials ($450) - TOTAL 40 COMPLETED
2. Menopur - Purchased online 16 vials ($450) - TOTAL 40 COMPLETED
3. Lupron / Leuprolide - Apothecary Pharmacy ($99) - COMPLETED
4. Novarel - Freedom Pharmacy ($69) - COMPLETED
5. Dexamethasone - Will get thru Medco
6. Estrace - Will get thru Medco
7. Cetrotide #4 - Purchased online 4 boxes ($120)
8. Crinone Gel #30 - Purchased online ($80)
Let me tell you, the price of Bravelle is about $49.99 per vial and for the Menopur is $71.99 per vial. I need additional 16 vials.
Today I emailed few girls that want to let go of their meds. I managed to get Cetrotide and Novarel for $180. Not bad at all, if I purchase from Pharmacy it will cost me easily over $600. Just now found a girl from NY willing to let go her Bravelle and Menopur for $950. That saved me over $800 if I purchase from pharmacy. Now I need to look into Lupron, and Crinone. For Dexamethasone and Estrace I can order it from my medical insurance company. They cover it and it cheap. As todate, I calculate total that that I spent almost $2000. That's not all yet. IVF not only stressful to your physical but also to your financial. Hopefully we will get through this.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
BETA Day
I woke up early for my Dr. appointment this morning. Did another HPT test, and again stark white. So I kind of knowing what my result will be today.
I kissed Kevin before walked out the door. Drove to the hospital and surprisingly I feel okay. I still have slight hope, wishing that probably the embryos are the late implanters. But I am ready for the word 'you're not pregnant'.
The blood draw very quick. Only took few minutes and I went to work. It pretty easy day with most of my jobs done fast than I thought. When you have time in your hand, so does your brain. At lunch I went out with Reggie, my buddy from work. She such a nice lady, always there for me. She is a good listener, and surprisingly understand and care about my situation. Not that my other friends not care. Everybody care in different ways, and I appreciate that.
I called the Austin office few times checking about the result. Finally, at 2:30pm they said the word that I think I already knew "You're BETA is less than 5". I feel okay, very calm as I expect that. Sometimes I surprised myself that actually I can handle things and news that I would think I could not. In my heart, I am thankful for whatever Allah decisions. Whether it a success or a fail, Allah know best. What we can do just keep trying and hopefully one day Allah will granted our dreams, InsyaAllah.
I kissed Kevin before walked out the door. Drove to the hospital and surprisingly I feel okay. I still have slight hope, wishing that probably the embryos are the late implanters. But I am ready for the word 'you're not pregnant'.
The blood draw very quick. Only took few minutes and I went to work. It pretty easy day with most of my jobs done fast than I thought. When you have time in your hand, so does your brain. At lunch I went out with Reggie, my buddy from work. She such a nice lady, always there for me. She is a good listener, and surprisingly understand and care about my situation. Not that my other friends not care. Everybody care in different ways, and I appreciate that.
I called the Austin office few times checking about the result. Finally, at 2:30pm they said the word that I think I already knew "You're BETA is less than 5". I feel okay, very calm as I expect that. Sometimes I surprised myself that actually I can handle things and news that I would think I could not. In my heart, I am thankful for whatever Allah decisions. Whether it a success or a fail, Allah know best. What we can do just keep trying and hopefully one day Allah will granted our dreams, InsyaAllah.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
5 ET Embryos
I managed to scan the embryos that we transferred on the 04/04/2012. As you can see 2 on the right are the Morulas (Day 4 development). It should be a Blast at this time (Day 5), but the RE told me that ours are one day behind. We transferred 3. The bottom one probably not a good embryos, but who knows.
As todate, I don't feel optimistic and kind of knowing and feel that this cycle is not working. I hope I am wrong.
I did pee on the stick (HPT test starting from the Day 3 of the transfer), I got very faint line from the Novarel trigger, so after Day 6, it totally gone. I only have 3 more days before my BETA (HCG) blood test. Can this a miracle to us? I am praying that it will be.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
IVF and Implantation
How long does an embryo take to implant into the uterine wall after an ivf transfer?
In case you're curious, here's the snapshot answer:
How long does an embryo take to implant into the uterine wall after an ivf transfer? Below is for Blsttocyst (for what Day 5 embryo should be), mine is Morula (Day 4), so it should be all another extra day.
1dpt....Blastocyst hatches out of shell on this day
2dpt.. Blastocyst attaches to a site on the uterine lining
3dpt.. Implantation begins, as the blastocyst begins to bury in the lining
4dpt.. Implantation process continues and morula buries deeper in the lining
5dpt.. Morula is completely implanted in the lining and has placenta cells & fetal cells
6dpt...Placenta cells begin to secret HCG in the blood
7dpt...More HCG is produced as fetus develops
8dpt...More HCG is produced as fetus develops
9dpt...HCG levels are now high enough to be immediately detected on HPT
For those of you who plan on taking hpt's (home pregnancy test) during your 2WW, I recommend holding out until at least 9dpt when HCG levels can be detected on HPT.
In case you're curious, here's the snapshot answer:
How long does an embryo take to implant into the uterine wall after an ivf transfer? Below is for Blsttocyst (for what Day 5 embryo should be), mine is Morula (Day 4), so it should be all another extra day.
1dpt....Blastocyst hatches out of shell on this day
2dpt.. Blastocyst attaches to a site on the uterine lining
3dpt.. Implantation begins, as the blastocyst begins to bury in the lining
4dpt.. Implantation process continues and morula buries deeper in the lining
5dpt.. Morula is completely implanted in the lining and has placenta cells & fetal cells
6dpt...Placenta cells begin to secret HCG in the blood
7dpt...More HCG is produced as fetus develops
8dpt...More HCG is produced as fetus develops
9dpt...HCG levels are now high enough to be immediately detected on HPT
For those of you who plan on taking hpt's (home pregnancy test) during your 2WW, I recommend holding out until at least 9dpt when HCG levels can be detected on HPT.
Back to Austin
We already back to Austin. I feel bloated and cramping once a while. Here a brief summary of what happen from our transfer day.
04/04/2012
Today is our 9th anniversary. Both of us so excited to do the transfer. We went to the clinic around 8am for my acupuncture. The healing center is amazing. Beautiful facility and decorations. The waiting time very quick. I don't have to wait long when a Chinese lady called me in. She immediately do her work, poke me with needles. Took about 45 minutes and they took me to OR.
The nurse super sweet, she told me that we need full bladder for the transfer. She said I may have to wait 45 minutes. Kevin came in to be with for the process. Do you know when you always have this kind of feeling? That something is not right? I always like that. For me I am a positive person, but always worry along the line.
When the RE came in, he briefed us about the 5 embryos. He said all of them 1 day behind! I was like...I knew it...as always there will something. As always, why it so hard for us. He assure us that the embryos still looks good just slow in growing. Yeah right....they sure don't want you feel negative, so they probably sugar coat everything.
Funny I don't feel really upset...I just feel numb. It just like...okay, another obstacles. May be it meant that we will not having kid if this so difficult. But why bother, hurry up and stick that embryos inside me and get over it.
It was weird because when I read other girls blog, they have embryologist explain before the transfer about the embryos but only my Doctor in there to explain it to me. And after the transfer, they asked me to stay on bed for 30 minutes before I can go back to the hotel. The nurse came in and showed me the pictures of the embryos. Honestly? If you asked my opinion? The don't even look like what I saw on internet. We put back 3 out of 5. The Dr. said 1 looks good, 1 okay and another one so so...hmmmm....the so so like a dying one. The good one doesn't look round. I asked if he can give his opinion, he seems rushing and said, they don't really want to rely on grades, for him sometimes bad looking eggs makes baby. But what worry me, he is not being honest that my embryos probably is in stage of 'arresting'...means dying. Not slow. But oh well, he is the Dr.
As usual, after back to the hotel, I kept comparing our embryos pictures online, I found out that the embryos probably about early Morulas, looks okay to me, but I still feel it won work. I have that feeling, I will see that 'negative pregnancy test' over and over again.
Kevin tried to reassure me to relax and think positive. How could I? We failed so many times. But miracles can happen.
04/05/2012
We checked out early and drove to Warwick, Rhode Island for our returning flight. It was an easy drive, feel this trip taking so long....I feel restless, I cannot wait to be back on my routine.
We checked out at Radisson hotel close to the airport, it very nice hotel. We really impress. Since we did not celebrate our wedding anniversary yesterday, we decided to have a nice dinner. So I look around for a great seafood restaurants. I told Kevin that since we're close to the ocean, it must be good seafood also which very hard to find in US. Finally I found one, it just next door to the hotel! It is Legal Seafood. I ordered lobster, mussels and bunch of other thing. Kevin ordered fish and chips. When the order arrived, my eyes almost popped out! The lobster huge, full intact! You rarely see that in US! So you can tell how excited I am. All the times when I ordered lobster, it will be just the little tail. But this time I cannot wait to eat every part of it (of course not the head)....haha. Even I want to, I don't want to make myself look weird in that classy restaurant..hehe. Both of us enjoyed our food tremendously. It cost us almost $80.00 but it's worth it.
We did not do much after that, went back to the hotel and just rest.
04/06/2012
I ordered nice breakfast for Kevin and I to the room. Feel that we pamper ourselves, which I don't mind. We have not having nice vacation for a long time. It really feel we spend so much time together and I still feel the same way as I feel when the first day I met my husband. It really easy to forget all those when you already married after 9 years, but Kevin always a good husband, loving and care.
We asked for late check out and they allow us to stay until 3pm. Our flight not until 6:15pm that evening. We had connecting flight in Atlanta. But from Atlanta to Austin, I felt restless, and cannot wait for us to arrive, it only for 2 hours, but felt like 10 hours! I feel so happy to be home, it's true when people say, home sweet home :)
04/04/2012
Today is our 9th anniversary. Both of us so excited to do the transfer. We went to the clinic around 8am for my acupuncture. The healing center is amazing. Beautiful facility and decorations. The waiting time very quick. I don't have to wait long when a Chinese lady called me in. She immediately do her work, poke me with needles. Took about 45 minutes and they took me to OR.
The nurse super sweet, she told me that we need full bladder for the transfer. She said I may have to wait 45 minutes. Kevin came in to be with for the process. Do you know when you always have this kind of feeling? That something is not right? I always like that. For me I am a positive person, but always worry along the line.
When the RE came in, he briefed us about the 5 embryos. He said all of them 1 day behind! I was like...I knew it...as always there will something. As always, why it so hard for us. He assure us that the embryos still looks good just slow in growing. Yeah right....they sure don't want you feel negative, so they probably sugar coat everything.
Funny I don't feel really upset...I just feel numb. It just like...okay, another obstacles. May be it meant that we will not having kid if this so difficult. But why bother, hurry up and stick that embryos inside me and get over it.
It was weird because when I read other girls blog, they have embryologist explain before the transfer about the embryos but only my Doctor in there to explain it to me. And after the transfer, they asked me to stay on bed for 30 minutes before I can go back to the hotel. The nurse came in and showed me the pictures of the embryos. Honestly? If you asked my opinion? The don't even look like what I saw on internet. We put back 3 out of 5. The Dr. said 1 looks good, 1 okay and another one so so...hmmmm....the so so like a dying one. The good one doesn't look round. I asked if he can give his opinion, he seems rushing and said, they don't really want to rely on grades, for him sometimes bad looking eggs makes baby. But what worry me, he is not being honest that my embryos probably is in stage of 'arresting'...means dying. Not slow. But oh well, he is the Dr.
As usual, after back to the hotel, I kept comparing our embryos pictures online, I found out that the embryos probably about early Morulas, looks okay to me, but I still feel it won work. I have that feeling, I will see that 'negative pregnancy test' over and over again.
Kevin tried to reassure me to relax and think positive. How could I? We failed so many times. But miracles can happen.
04/05/2012
We checked out early and drove to Warwick, Rhode Island for our returning flight. It was an easy drive, feel this trip taking so long....I feel restless, I cannot wait to be back on my routine.
We checked out at Radisson hotel close to the airport, it very nice hotel. We really impress. Since we did not celebrate our wedding anniversary yesterday, we decided to have a nice dinner. So I look around for a great seafood restaurants. I told Kevin that since we're close to the ocean, it must be good seafood also which very hard to find in US. Finally I found one, it just next door to the hotel! It is Legal Seafood. I ordered lobster, mussels and bunch of other thing. Kevin ordered fish and chips. When the order arrived, my eyes almost popped out! The lobster huge, full intact! You rarely see that in US! So you can tell how excited I am. All the times when I ordered lobster, it will be just the little tail. But this time I cannot wait to eat every part of it (of course not the head)....haha. Even I want to, I don't want to make myself look weird in that classy restaurant..hehe. Both of us enjoyed our food tremendously. It cost us almost $80.00 but it's worth it.
We did not do much after that, went back to the hotel and just rest.
04/06/2012
I ordered nice breakfast for Kevin and I to the room. Feel that we pamper ourselves, which I don't mind. We have not having nice vacation for a long time. It really feel we spend so much time together and I still feel the same way as I feel when the first day I met my husband. It really easy to forget all those when you already married after 9 years, but Kevin always a good husband, loving and care.
We asked for late check out and they allow us to stay until 3pm. Our flight not until 6:15pm that evening. We had connecting flight in Atlanta. But from Atlanta to Austin, I felt restless, and cannot wait for us to arrive, it only for 2 hours, but felt like 10 hours! I feel so happy to be home, it's true when people say, home sweet home :)
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