Our journey for a baby

[Fay30]

Hi all,

Well here we are in sunny Barcelona, doing the assisted pregnancy.
My husband has low sperm count, so his little chappies need a helping hand.
For me, I have a slight touch of hepatitis C, and a small cyst on my left ovary.
Neither of these 3 items are going to give us a tough time.

So after much preparation, it was time to start the first of a series of ovarian stimulation's.
The fertility experts here have put me on Peregon, at 200UI per day, to be injected at 9:00pm every night.
The medication comes in a 900UI glass vial, which is inserted into an adjustable dose "pen injection"

So the first injection was Saturday, 24th, and my dear husband did the honours for me.
Then again next day, same time, Sunday 25th another 200UI
Then again next day, Monday, 26th, same time, another 200UI.
Then again next day, Tuesday 27th , same time, another 200UI.
Then we ordered another "900UI vial" each vial costs ?354.95.
Then on Wednesday 28th , we had our planned visit to the clinic in Barcelona (we are staying down here for the duration)
Doctors took scans, and blood, and was very happy.
left ovary has 7 follicles, and the right has 4 follicles (right has the cyst)
Any way, he was pleased, and he said to increase the dose of Peregon, from 200UI to 250UI.
So later that night, I had the remaining 100UI from the first vial, and then a second injection with 150UI from the new vial, we bought the day before.
So last night was my first night of 250 UI.

The doctor was pleased with the growth of the follicles, and was pleased with the number being developed.

He said all is good, and he is wanting us back again in Barcelona on Friday, for my second ovarian / follicular scan.

I am hoping he can see more than 7 on my left this time, and that my weaker right ovary (cyst) will further grow more than the current 4 follicles it currently has.

So today, it is beautiful and warm, the sun is beaming down, and all is bliss.

Later tonight, (Thursday) my dear husband will give me another 250UI injection, then Friday tomorrow, we will see how the developments are.

I feel great, no dizzy, no headaches, just feel completely normal.
This medication is amazing.

Depending on the scan and blood results that they will do tomorrow (Friday) I will need to continue with the Peregon, for about another 2-3 days.

Then there is a second medication, also needing injection, this is called Cetrotide.
I believe this Cetrotide, is the medication to stop my own hormones from throwing away all the hard work that the Peregon has done.

Keep well all,

Fay.

Good luck, Fay! I am learning so much here, as I was totally ignorant about IVF before. Really hope it works out for you.

Hello Fay. The very best of luck to you. Keep us posted.

good luck fay keep us up to date xx

Good luck Fay.

Hi all,, I am so happy for all the good wishes, thanks,

We went to the Barcelona clinic today, and they did another scan, and all the follicles are growing well.
For example, there are 7 on one side, and 4 on the other side, that they are interested in, and they have all put on 2mm diameter.
So tonight, as well as the Peregon injection, I have also been told to start the Cetrodine injection.
The clinic have done a print-out of the scan for me, and explained what every thing is.
At the moment, they are expecting the 7 plus the 4, plus maybe 2 other follicles that will reach maturity, by the time the extraction comes about.

So, pleased with the scans, they have again asked us to return to Eugin Clinic Barcelona on Monday, for more blood tests, and more scans.

It's all happening, and "full steam ahead"

Depending on what the scans show on Monday, will determine what they call "the trigger date"

This is some other medication, taken 36 hours before the extraction, needs to be taken at exactly the right hour, so we can't get this messed up.

I still feel absolutely fine, no sick, no dizzy, no nothing, just feel perfectly normal.

The staff here are fantastic, their English is great, and they are a real friendly lot, I like them.

www.eugin.es/

Oh, I also asked them about the costs of the medications, and as if it was cheaper here in Barcelona, of cheaper in UK.
There was a resounding answer that it is much cheaper here, and could actually be about 60% to 70% of the cost we would be paying in UK, so that cheered him up no end !!!

Keep well all, keep fingers crossed.

Fay

Good luck, hope it all goes well! XXXX

Best of luck! Will be thinking of you

Well, Sunday morning now,

The two lots of injections are still going in well. Peregon and Cetrotide.
On Friday evening I got a phone call from Eugin clinic, and they said that my blood analysis was through, (what they took as routine on Friday visit) and it was very good.
The Peregon was fully up to level in my blood.
So they said for my Peregon injection for Saturday and Sunday, can be reduced from the 250 UI back down to the original 200 UI.
Also I still need to continue with the Cetrotide.
The Cetrotide is a strange injection, I will tell you.
In the box is 7 "administers"
In each administer is a sealed packet.
Each has 2 needles, a long one about 40mm, and a short one about 25mm.
Also there is some 2mL fluid, pre-charged in the hypodermic, and a glass vial, that contains a white powder.
My husband takes off the metallic blue protection disc, off the top of the glass vial.
Under that is a rubber "vial top" what you stick the needle through.
He puts the large needle on the syringe, and gently empties the syringe liquid into the white powered.
Then he carefully, shakes the vial, which has the large needle sticking into it, until all the liquid and the powder is dissolved to a clear liquid again.

This takes about 1 minute of shaking, so mix the fluid and the powder.
Then he puts the end of the needle to the bottom of the glass vial, and sucks up the mixed liquid back into the syringe, and withdraws the needle from the now empty vial.

Then he takes the large 40 mm needle off, and puts on the small 25mm needle.
Then just like a doctor, he holds the syringe vertical, and expels the air, until he sees a small drop of liquid at the tip of the needle.
Then it's fun time, well, not really, but I, in the mean-time, clean my tummy, with the alcohol wipes, and "pinch a piece of fat" so that's where he will put the needle into me.

I always look away, he is really getting very good, some times I hardly feel the injection.
After he has done the injection, I hold another alcohol wipe against where the needle went in, then we are done for another day.

Well, today is Sunday, and we are back into Barcelona tomorrow for a 4:00pm appointment.

We are staying just south of Barcelona in a place called Vilanova i le Gultru, (just 5 minutes further on than Sitges, if any one knows Sitges) and takes us about 45 minutes to do the beautiful drive into Barcelona city. The Eugin clinic has it's own basement parking, so there si always parking available when we arrive.

It is another beautiful day, yesterday was a nice 32 deg, today looks the same, so we will head to the pool later.
Must get the laundry done first though.
Yesterday I done all my "whites", today it's all the "colours".
By the time I have them on the line to dry, they are dried withing 30 minutes, so warm.

Keep well every one,,

Fay

Hi all,

Well Monday came around very quick, and of course, it was time for us to present ourselves at the Eugin clinic again in Barcelona for 4:00pm.

So, strait into the observation scan room, and an update on how my ovaries are growing the follicles.

It was all smiles and happy, as the doctor counted first the right side ovary follicles, then the left side ovary follicles.

On the right side I have 8 follicles.
1@24mm dia
2@18mm dia
1@17mm dia
1@16mm dia
1@13mm dia
1@10mm dia
1@9mm dia.
They are not considering that the smaller 10mm and 9mm follicles will contain a mature occeyte

On my left side, the side my cyste I have 6 follicles
1@18mm dia
2@16mm dia
1@13mm dia.
2@11mm dia
Again, They are not considering that the 2 smaller 11mm follicles will contain a mature occeyte

So out of the 14 follicles, they are interested in 10 of them.
I hope that's enough to get us some good one's. :)

So then she (the doctor) said that it was time for me to have them harvested, and that I should return to Eugin, on Wednesday, at 09:45h, and I will be knocked out, and at 10:30h they will start the extraction.

So tonight, I only need 1 shot of Cetrotide, at my normal time of 9:00h, then later at 10:30h I must have the last shot, which is a "trigger".
It is called Decapedtyl, and I must do it exactly 36 hours before the planned extraction, for Wednesday.

We are both very excited, it has come around so fast, I can hardly believe it ".

So we are just waiting now until 10:30h, I have had my Cetrotide about an hour ago, and just waiting for the magic time for us.

I can feel I have put on a little weight, maybe put on half a kilo, but that's a lot for me, as I am quite slim, and only weigh 44,5kg normally.
Putting on half a kilo, to 45kg is some thing I can see and feel.

I just hope I go back down to my 44,5kg in a short time.

The doctor has said our chances of pregnancy is a good 50/50
And that when we return to put the embryo's in, in a few months, that they will put 2 inside me.
She said, that there is a 20% chance that both the embryo's will take, which kind of scares me.
TWINS !!!! OMG, don't know if I could cope !!!!

Fay