"Advanced" Maternal Age

Manic Mama turned 35 on Saturday.  I don't feel any different. . . but, I've now attained that dreaded label- "advanced maternal age".

Huh.

In other news, I'm 9DPIUI (11DPT).  Chugging along just fine, thank you. 

My breasts hurt.  Not sore or tender. . . we are talking PAIN.  I've had cramping off and on for the last 3-4 days (especially with O).  What does this all mean?  Maybe nothing. . . Maybe everything.

I'm wondering if the breast pain is related to the gonadotropins?  I am on progesterone but in the past that hasn't caused this kind of discomfort.

My cervix still feels high, slightly soft, and closed. My BBT is still 97.7+ (when I take it).

My favorite part of Christmas- when I was updating my Grandma on our fertility cycle, she proclaimed, "well, if I knew it was possible I'd have more kids with Celiac, I wouldn't have any more, what a burden!".  Are you kidding me????  I believe she called it "food issues" not Celiac, but whatever.  My children are not a burden.  I enjoy the challenge of finding new, healthy, innovative ways to eat. Sure, some days it'd be a lot easier if we could eat SAD food, but then, we would be far from healthy and likely spending more in medical costs.  But I digress.

Two Week Wait

After my CD7 scan revealed 4 mature follicles (17.6mm-19mm), we did one more injection of 225iu HMG/Lepori.  On CD8 at 10pm, I did the trigger injection (10,000iu Pregnyl).  At 9:30am on CD10, we went in for IUI.  Swimmers looked great (post wash- 34 million, 93% mobile, 3.0 progression; our pre-wash count @ 91mil/ml was the best we've had yet! I'm convinced that the 60 hour mark for abstinence is our best bet for the swimmers. . . we also did better the week leading up to IUI and was on a every other day pattern vs our normal every day).  The IUI itself took a bit of time (and discomfort) once again, thanks to my messed up cervix.  Finally, the catheter found the path in and all was good.

 I was given instructions to start progesterone suppositories on CD11 (today) but I'm waiting until tomorrow because we are at a water park and the thought of ooey gooey oozy progesterone suppositories + swim suit + public pool. . . well, you get the idea.  Normally, one would start progesterone at three days past ovulation anyway, so I'm not concerned, especially since my BBT was sky high today (97.83) confirming strong progesterone following ovulation.

I didn't realize that progesterone support was standard protocol following a gonadotropin cycle.  Something about messing with your bodies normal function, blah blah blah.  Progesterone is the witching drug if you ask me. . . although I shouldn't complain because at least Dr. A is kind enough to give us the suppositories vs injections of progesterone in oil (in the buttocks!).

I've spent the last 36 hours visualizing my eggs busting out, meeting up with the swimmers, and dividing as they travel down my fallopian tubes.  In a few days, prayerfully, one or more will find their way into the squishy lining of my uterus and continue to grow.

My instructions are to POAS 14 days from yesterday (January 4, 2013). . . we shall see if I can wait that long.  If I get a +, then starts the multitude of BETAs.

I feel really positive about this cycle. . . this is going to be in.  Things were perfect, including our timing and our swimmers. . . my lining is better than it has been in any previous cycle. . .

Part of me wanted to do another scan the morning of the IUI to confirm follicles and lining. . . but everything looked good on CD7, so there is no reason to think that would be different.  Dr. A is trying to help keep our costs down and not pushing for excessive monitoring.

Fast Responder!

Today was my CD7 scan to check on how the old ovaries were doing. . . I knew they'd started to wake up because I was feeling some discomfort, especially in the hours after my injection. 

When I went in to see Dr. Awesome this morning, I had taken 4 daily injections of generic Menopur (HMG/Lepori)  at 225iu, 225iu, 225iu, and 150iu.  We were planning on another 4-6 days of injections (minimum) before trigger.  Well, as luck would have it, I'm evidently very sensitive to this medication and I have FOUR mature follicles already.  Three on my right and one on my left, all measuring 17.6mm-19.1mm. RIDICULOUS.   My endometrium was already a healthy 8.2mm with a triple layer, so it should be a nice and squishy landing pad in a couple days time (this is better than I have had in the last several cycles on trigger day!).

So, the plan is that I would do one more injection of 225iu this evening, then tomorrow at 10pm (Thursday, CD9) I will trigger and we will IUI around 10am on Saturday (CD11).

Within an hour or so of my injection this evening, my ovaries started protesting. . . evidently they weren't happy with another dose of drugs.  My 9pm, I could barely stand up straight and had to hobble out to the car and swallow three ibuprofen.  I made it home and am now snuggled up with the heating pad on my belly.  Thankfully, the ibuprofen took the brunt of the pain away.  I hope this doesn't mean early ovulation for me, I'll temp the next couple of mornings just in case.  We are suppose to BD tonight anyway (thankfully the meds are working!) and then abstain until our Saturday morning collection time.

Here's to baby making!  With luck, the New Year will bring glad tidings indeed!

Clear for Take Off

Scan this morning revealed ovaries doing exactly what they should be doing.  Yay!  This means no needle aspiration for me (at least not today).

Because of an upcoming long weekend trip, we are manipulating my cycle. . . I'll continue the BCPs until Wednesday.  Then on CD3, I will start injections of HMG Lepori (generic Menopur/Repronex).  We will do a step down protocol. . . 3 vials (225iu)/day for 3 days, then 2 vials (150iu) on the 4th day and a scan on the 5th day (or CD7).  Depending on that scan, we will decided to go up or down on the dosage.  If things go according to the norm (and when do I ever follow the norm?), we may be back at the clinic for hopeful baby making on Christmas day.

Dr. Awesome said, "remind me again how you feel about twins or triplets?".  :-)  And reassured me that even with 6 mature follicles the chance of conceiving high order multiples (and staying pregnant to the magic 10 week mark) was slim to none given our history.  However, we are slightly increased risk of triplets due to our past proven fertility but also have the fact working against us that getting and staying pregnant has been difficult. . . So, in a way we have a higher risk of being in that 10% triplet group and in another way we have a lower risk, especially of making it to the magic 10 week mark. He said to not be surprised even if we initially conceive three, if they don't all stick.

So, our plan is to proceed with up to 6 mature follicles at trigger (which reminds me, I need to order a refill!).  If I have more than 6, Dr. Awesome will do a needle aspiration to remove the extras (to reduce risk of high order multiples and NOT cancel this cycle).

That photo above. . . that's my life for the next couple of weeks.  I'm so excited to give myself injections. . . NOT. But, if it gets us a baby or two (heck, I'll even take three), then it's all worth it!

I feel really good about this cycle (ask me a week ago and I was ready to bag it all!).  If this one doesn't work. . . well, then we are out of the medical route for a while. . . if it does, I'll have conceived just under the 35 year mark.