IVF protocol

Back from the Detroit Autorama show. Was fun. Went shopping, too. I didn't spend much, though, because of the impending IVF and its accompanying massive bill. But I did purchase a high-waisted BCBG skirt for $35! Screw special occasions; I'm wearing it all summer.

So the IVF protocol is similar to last time, though the doctor said I could try the antagonist protocol if I wanted, but I don't.

The main change is to drop my Puregon (aka: Follistim) dose from 150 to 125, and to start monitoring on the third day of stims rather than the fifth. The RE says that the stims last time were too much too fast, which I knew. Instead of 8 or 9 days of stims, he's trying to go for 10 or 11. And we're aiming for fewer eggs. That makes me nervous, considering I got 11 last time and only 5 fertilized (and then two died), but this doctor has fantastic success rates, so I assume he knows what he's doing. If we don't get the desired number of follicles, since the stim dose is so low, we will cancel and start over again.

Before retrieval, DH will cryopreserve one sample, just in case.

(Btw, DH was very grumpy about the whole DNA thing, since he wondered why our previous doctors said that he had crappy sperm. I pointed out that his sperm is still crappy, but the most vital part - the genetic info - SEEMS to be ok. I said that the semen analysis just looks at the sperm exterior, while the DNA integrity examines the interior. I compared it to buying a truck: you don't want to buy it without inspecting the motor, first, to ensure that it runs, no? He liked that analogy, so that was ok with him.)

We will use ICSI again, as well as assisted hatching.

I will take extra folic acid (4 mg) and co-q10, along with my prenatal vits. No Metformin.

The RE will allow a three-embie transfer if things aren't looking good (shows how weird our case is, since it's my understanding that most Canadian REs don't permit more than 2 until after the maternal age of 38, and I'm 30). If - a BIG if, which I don't count on - they're in good shape, we'll attempt a day 5 transfer of two embies. I said I'd like to consider using only one, actually. I mean, I don't think we'll have that nice 'problem' of having options, but you never know.

He seemed to feel confident that this would work. Last year, he had a 78% success rate among women my age - that's impressive. I hope I don't have to take the statistical bullet this time.

He's very chatty - I like that about him. He's the first doctor I've ever had who made me feel that my comments, questions, and suggestions were valuable. He mentioned our provincial government's inquiry into the state of infertility care, and was excited when I said that I'd been interviewed for that.

Anyway... Day 1 should be in two days. Wow!

Normally I would have thought of joining an IVF Vets buddy thread, probably on ivf.ca or ivfconnections.com, but I think I'm over that. Not because the friendship isn't valuable - it is, and I could really use 'buddies' right now, and I have friendship to offer in return. But I will not be able to cope with everyone else's success if I fail again. It's happened too often to me, and it is devastating. So I'll hang out here, instead, and on other people's blogs, so that I can pick and choose where I feel ok on any given day.

Today I'll happily accept luck, prayers, anything. Maybe even some (*gasp*) hope. Yes, I just dropped the 'h-bomb.'