Monday, July 14, 2008

Cycle 3 - CD29 - My confusing weekend story

So after my Friday ultrasound I was advised to test with OPK's till Sunday and come back on Monday for another ultrasound. Saturday evening my test line was as dark as the control line. It was not darker but still I wasnt sure if it meant a surge. When I called my clinic they asked me to come for an ultrasound on Sunday morning. I had to go to my clinic's main office 1hr away instead of the regular office (30min away) as the regular office is closed on weekends. Also the main office is open only between 7:30am and 9:30am on weekends and my appointment was at 9am, so we left at around 8am.

After the ultrasound I glanced at the screen and saw my dominant follicle size at 20.6mm and was feeling confident. When I came out to speak to the nurse she had a totally different measurement and confused me completely. She said that the follicle size was 18mm and that could mean that I ovulated and hence it is becoming smaller. She also told me that my lining was 8.5mm whereas on Friday it was 10.5mm. I was sure that there was a mistake and was feeling very frustrated. I was asked to continue tesing using OPK's and if I found a surge Sunday evening then go for an ultrasound on Tuesday else on Monday. Yesterday evening when I tested the test line was dark but not as dark as the control line so I went for an ultrasound this morning.

The ultrasound tech in my regular clinic is very friendly and tells me the results even before I meet the nurse. She said that my lining was at 12.4mm and my dominant follicle at 21mm.

Fri -> Uterine lining -> 10.5mm Follicle size -> 19mm
Sun -> Uterine lining -> 8.5mm Follicle size -> 18mm
Mon -> Uterine lining -> 12.4mm Follicle size -> 21mm

This clearly indicates that my Sunday scan was a big mistake as there is absolutely no way both my follicle and lining reduced in size and increased significantly by Monday. When I spoke to the nurse this morning after my ultrasound I told her about how confusing it is and she said that even she was surprised. But since she works for the same clinic she did not want to say that the other nurse and ultrasound tech were wrong, instead she said that with different people the measurements change. Anyway after all this she tested me for LH surge and it wasn't there, so she went ahead and gave me the HCG trigger shot (10,000 IU), which means that I will be ovulating between the next 24 to 48 hrs. I go back on Wednesday for another ultrasound to make sure that I ovulated.

Since my progesterone values were low last cycle my doc recommends taking 3 lower dose HCG booster shots during the luteal phase. These shots trick my body into believing that I am pregnant and so makes my corpus luteum produce more progesterone. For me it means that I will have all possible pregnancy symptoms during my 2ww and still should not have high hopes (as if that's gonna ever happen). So I go back on Thursday with my husband for the first booster shot and he gets to learn how to administer those. These are sub-cutaneous and given in the tummy. Then I get the second and third shots on Sunday (07/20) and Wednesday (07/23). I have my progesterone tests on Tuesday (07/22) and Friday (07/25). Finally by Tuesday (07/29) if I don't get a period then I test at home for pregnancy.

Unlike last cycle this cycle I have to go to the clinic for so many different things in the 2ww and I have friends visiting and staying with us this weekend and friends coming home for dinner next weekend. This would occupy my idle mind so that I will have less time to worry about my 2ww.
Wish me luck.

I have a few questions and would like to get the help of the IF community.

1. Is my uterine lining at 12.4mm too thick for implantation?
2. I got the trigger shot at 10am this morning, so when is the right time to bed with my husband?
3. Is there anyone out there who have done these HCG booster shots and can you let me know your experiences with it (regarding side effects and benefits)?

2 comments:

SAHW said...

Sorry I cannot answer questions, as I'm a relative newbie myself...just wanted to wish you best of luck and hope this works out for you. :)

Anonymous said...

What a confusing weekend! Sorry I'm no help at all- you're ahead of me, so I'm going to learn from you!

I can't remember- was your husband's SA fine? If it was, I would think you could bd every day for the next three days or so, and that would give you the best odds?

I've been reading about egg quality and late ovulation too- it really seems like REs haven't reached a consensus on the issue yet.