Thursday, March 29, 2012

IVF consult & Mock Embryo Tranfer (a very very difficult one)

The mock embryo transfer was a huge disaster. My inner organs are drastically misplaced. My cervix is way high up (that's why my HSG took 2 tries), uterus is retroverted and right ovary is high up and can never be seen with a vaginal ultrasound. What fun. As if going through infertility is not enough, my body makes it even harder.
As per norm I went with a full bladder. The nurse came in to check if the bladder was full enough and decided that I need to drink another cup of water. The doctor came another 15min later and tried to reach my cervix. He had to use an ultra long speculum and after awhile inserted the catheter. They tried for about 15min to see the catheter and the uterine fundus on the ultrasound with no luck. The 15min was quite painful as they are constantly pressing and prodding and poking and pulling and pushing (all of this with a speculum, clamp & catheter inside me). Finally they decided that I need to empty my bladder. After that the doctor inserted the catheter and with a lot of difficulty and manipulation they were barely able to see the tip of the catheter and the uterine fundus on the ultrasound. So they decided that embryo transfer is going to be challenging.
The IVF consult with the doctor was about an hr long and very informative. He explained the whole process in detail and answered all my questions. With my age and AMH value he thinks that I have a good chance at IVF. But since my right ovary is high up they might not be able to harvest all the eggs from it. In the end it was decided that I am going to need another mock transfer a week before the retrieval to see how things have moved after I start the stimulation. I fall under the 0.01% of women who need to do the embryo transfer with an empty bladder.
The following sums up my whole situation:
1. Stimulation phase - High risk of over stimulation because of PCOS
2. Egg retrieval - Right ovary higher than normal and might not be able to retrieve all the eggs.
3. Embryo transfer - Cervix high up and retroverted uterus makes it real hard for catheter insertion and visualization on ultrasound.
I personally feel all of the above is going to bring my chances of success down. I have read everywhere that a difficult traumatic transfer can cause cycles to fail as the uterus starts contracting and pushes the embryo out. Mine he had to clamp my cervix twice during the trial so I guess it is considered quite a difficult transfer. Even after all that, they could hardly see the top of the uterus (fundus, which is the perfect spot for implantation). Anyway I have been on birth control pills for a month now and will be starting the second set in a week. They did not have any availability till May with their embryologist, hence the 2months of bcp's. The first week of BCP's were horrible. I had a mild headache all the time and was super emotional and cried a lot. Now my body is slowly getting used to it. I will be on the standard long lupron protocol and will be starting lupron in the end of April.
Things are getting better with DH. He has agreed to be more understanding and more helpful. But he definitely does not want me to tell friends or family. So friends from the blog world are my only vents and support system. I am a little scared about getting through retrieval and transfer and the rest without involving our friends or family. We are planning on telling our nanny so that she can do additional hours around that time. My doctor wants me to start acupuncture now and I start stimulations in May and it feels a long time from now. Hopefully I get to relax and rest a little in the next month.

4 comments:

Turia said...

Hi CG,

Thanks for keeping us updated. Glad to hear that DH is being more helpful/supportive. That is SO necessary with IVF. Honestly- the hormonal shifts are just insane. I used to spend days 3 and 4 on stims just weeping helplessly and claiming that Q.'s family hated me and that I was fat. Fantastic.

I'm really sorry your body is making it so challenging. For what it's worth, I didn't overstim with either of my two rounds. I came close with the second, but with a lot of protein and Gatorade we were able to manage it without it becoming serious OHSS.

I think it is awesome you need an empty bladder for the transfer, as long as they can still see what they need to see. My clinic always runs late, and it is agony sitting there waiting just busting to use the loo.

I think the acupuncture is a good idea, and just try to stay as positive as you can throughout. Post on here lots so we can support you!
T.

DandelionBreeze said...

Ouch :( That sounds very painful :(( Tranfers here in Austraila (will in the clinics I know anyway) are all done with an empty bladder... interesting how protocols are so different around the world. Great that your doctor feels that your chances are good... FXd for you every step of the way xoxo

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IVF Cost said...

IVF, standing for in vitro (glass) fertilization, is the term given for adding the man's sperm to the woman's egg in a laboratory setting, rather than through natural process. Often couples who cannot conceive choose this path when they still wish to have children, which may be due to quality or quantity of sperm, or tube blocking or cervical issues in the woman. IVF success rates can depend on many factors.

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