FRI the 13th and IVF the 2nd

Yes, we're doing it again.

I'm sitting here with naproxen and hydrocodone in my system as I wait for the suppression headache to abate.  And that's just from the birth control pills!  I'd forgotten how sick they could make me.  I believe now that the lupron headaches last time may have been worsened by the bc pills.

I begin a new protocol tomorrow.  I had an appointment on Friday for the suppression check.  While there, they decided to check my vitals.  Holy hell, I gained five pounds on vacation!  The nurses flipped their lids! Suddenly, despite a great ultrasound showing 13 antral follicles (that's potential egg homes), I'm being told that we may have to postpone the cycle!  and they don't say for how long!  They checked my blood pressure - high - no duh!  I have it flashing through my head from the December anesthesia consult that if I put on any weight we'd have to find a different place for my hysteroscopy.  And now, I'm seeing that I gained weight.

I tried to joke about it with the nurse - mom's southern cooking and all that.  She said my weight was lower than the last BMI in December, although I remember differently.  But, because my blood pressure was up, she then says she's not allowed to release me.  I'm in a half hour zone, no lunch, a sick husband waiting on me at home to drive him on an errand, and a kid expecting to go to Red Robin as a special lunch treat.  But no, I have to wait.  We decide to take it again after all of this flashes through my mind with the vision of staying there for hours washes through my head.  Yup, higher.  ggrrrrrreat.  


They scramble for someone to speak with me.  Folks are on the phone, now I'm getting multiple warnings that we may have to postpone the cycle, and I'm feeling ill on a number of levels. I'm told i'll receive a phone call later to determine if i'll have to come in yet again and have a face to face with an anesthesiologist because of this grave matter.  


A nurse walks out from the procedure area.  She's seen me for my egg retrieval and for my embryo transfer. "oh, it's you!  you're fine.  I know you run a little high, but I do think you should talk to your primary care doctor:  You're free to go once you check out".  whoo!  what a relief, because what else could go wrong?


oh, yes, there is more.


I go to clear out with finance, knowing I don't owe anything.  "oh, good, D, we wanted to talk to you about something in your contract.  We've just learned it doesn't cover cryopreservation of embryos so you'll need to prepay an additional $900 in case you have any embryos to freeze".  Say whaaaa???  We've paid how many thousands of dollars and now we owe another $900?  The contract covers a fresh cycle and the retrieval, covers a frozen cycle and the defrosting and implantation, but not the in-between part where you freeze the embryo?  not cool, Attain, not cool.  We went round and round as I tried to understand.  We left it that if we do have embryos to freeze, they have my card on file and will charge then.


I scheduled further blood draws and ultrasounds, and left - much later, hungrier, far more stressed, but without a parking ticket.  My Friday the 13th was not going so well, but there was that.


And then.


I received a call from yet another nurse speaking warningly about postponing my cycle.  my meds are here!  they are in the fridge!  postpone??  I've got reserves shriveling up as the seconds tick down each day, and you think postponing is good?  Over five pounds?  When it's the same weight as I was at egg retrieval?

The anesthesiologist called Monday.  I queried about the astonishing alarm a five pound weight gain had wrought.  Were they concerned it was in my neck and that's why they had to re-examine me in person?  Was it because I weighed less than the first anesthesia in January?  He was laughing, a LOT, over it.  He explained that the nurses were following protocol, but because I'd had anesthesia (gosh, I'm finally learning to spell that word!) three times there and it was such a minimal weight gain, he'd approve me immediately over the phone.  Postponement cancelled.

No meds on Monday, no meds today.  I wake up tomorrow morning with a different protocol than last cycle and will take 10 units of microdose lupron before my morning coffee.  It's some kind of flare protocol.  My understanding is that they hope a tiny little bit of lupron just before I start stimulation meds on Friday will create a hormone flare, and they can capitalize on it with the stimulation medication and I'll have even more follicles.  I'm already excited that I have 13.  I had, what, 8? last cycle?

So, we're off and running again.  Wish us luck.