November 2016 - IVF #5, Getting Closer

Yesterday was my weekly acupuncture appointment, as well as my weekly chiropractor appointment.  Acupuncture during stims includes the e-stim machine (aka: electroacupuncture), where an electric current is run through two needles positioned over each ovary, which increases blood flow and massages them with electric vibration.  Similar technology to what is used in physical therapy / trainer sessions for sports injuries, just through needles!  This is a once a week thing starting the week before stims and going until retrieval.  Studies say this increases my odds of success, and it is indeed all about the odds.

Like this, but a pair positioned on my stomach above each ovary.

The chiropractor visits started during round 4 when my back became so uncomfortable that I could only gain some relief by lying flat on my back on the ground.  Turns out that compensating for the stomach discomfort and stress throws my spine all out of whack.  I've been getting weekly adjustments since then, and I have to admit, it feels better than getting a massage.  I'm hoping it might also help with nerve connections and blood flow to my ovaries.

Today was day 11 of shots / "stims", and our scan is looking pretty promising.  The ultrasound showed 9 follicles (excluding the cysts), but before you get too excited, only about 5 of them are reasonably in range to develop fully mature eggs (~10-17mm diameters).  The other 4 are in the 5.5-7mm range and probably won't get big enough to produce good eggs.  It would be really nice for the ones closer to 10mm to get closer to 15mm before we trigger.

This is, however, the best follicle showing we've had.  Even better than round 1.  I hope this is foreshadowing a good retrieval and day 1 fertilization report.  I'm actually getting a little excited about it all.  We could still come up with a big goose egg at the end of this round, so it's hard not to proceed with a little bit of caution.

The clinic wants me back again tomorrow for another check, since we're getting close.  They want to monitor the estrogen levels closely and make sure to trigger if they start to plateau.  The follicles are responsible for generating the estrogen, and they do so most aggressively while they are growing strongly.  It should be at least a straight line, if not an exponential growth rate.  Once that growth rate starts to slow or plateau, that indicates that the follicles are finishing up with growing and are running the risk of becoming post-mature (i.e. over-ripe).  It's a bit of a delicate balance between growing enough and aging too far.

As you may remember from the other 4 rounds, they want to see the lead follicles reach 20mm or so before trigger, but that seems to be of secondary importance to the estrogen level.  Estrogen rules all during this phase, which is why we can feel pretty good about the scan results, but always wait for the final word on the blood tests before knowing the actual plan.  At this rate, retrieval is most likely going to land on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.  We should know a little more after tomorrow's appointment.

My arm (and stomach) is sore and bruised, but I will tough it out.  My body is weary, achy, and bloated. It's uncomfortable to sit and stand. My ovaries feel...pinchy. That's the swelling and the crowding of the follicles making me feel like something is pinching me on the inside when I move around.   I really don't like feeling like such a wuss at this point.  It helps when Michael tells me I'm being tough and that I feel this way because it's working.  He has to be the one to lift,  carry, bend, and do anything twisty this week and for two weeks after the retrieval, and he takes this job very seriously.  He even carries my work bag to and from the car for me.  Feeling a little pampered really helps offset how uncomfortable and unattractive I feel.

More info (and some charts, in case you were craving some data) tomorrow!