Blood test No.2

Results came back and they were really positive. My pregnancy hormone is around 4000, which means the levels have doubled regularly like it's supposed to. And my progesterone level is 700, but the nurse said it was all good.

I'm due for my next follow up blood test next weekend, and then I'll be ready for my first scan the following week.

I rang my parents today to tell them they would have two grand babies in November this year. They were both so pleased, they nearly made me cry. They had actually thought of us when my brother announced their pregnancy. So yes, they were really happy. Now I'm going to bed to read Harry Potter to my embryo (that's Mum's suggestion).

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Positive or Negative?

9.00am
I went in for my blood test. It wasn't busy at all, I was in straight away. Fantastic!

11.00am
Had a few errands to do. Medicare and HBF rebates to claim. Puppies to fawn over in the pet shop. Groceries.

2.00pm
Got home. Chatted with the hubby. Played with the dogs.

2.30pm
What time is it? They usually call by now...hmmm, is that a bad sign? What does that mean? Difficult test results?

2.45pm
Still nothing! Do something. Finish putting the groceries away. Jump on the internet.

2.55pm
Well the fertility centre closes in an hour! They must have my results by now! I'm calling them. It keeps ringing for ages and I get butterflies in my stomach. Nervous all of a sudden. I get put through to someone from embryology. OK, that's weird. Maybe the nurse has gone home and they have to do the ring around? Nope!! She started telling me that 4 out of my 12 eggs fertilised. Sorry lady! Wrong person! Back to reception. My results still aren't ready yet. They will call me back.

3.15pm
Nothing. May as well watch a bit of Foxtel.
3.17pm
Waiting!!!

3.29pm
Phone rings. The nurse apologises for not taking my call earlier. She has good news. My Pregnancy Hormone is 290. That means I'm pregnant people! My progesterone level is 685. These are really good levels for the first blood test. I need to go in next weekend for my next blood test to monitor my levels. Once they reach 15,000 (or +32 days/6 weeks) they'll need to book me in for a scan. I'll feel more confident after that. I still need to keep going with the Crinone, so I need to go in tomorrow morning to pick up more meds.

I'm still in a state of disbelief. I had prepared myself for a negative result, so I was absolutely speechless when she told me. I'm on my way to a baby! I'm stunned. My husband had told me to buy some celebratory Cherry Ripes this morning. So we high fived and cracked them open this afternoon to celebrate.

Now, just stick around Little One, and I'll see you in November.

My predicted due date! (week 40)

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Day 25 - Second Blood Test, First Ultra Sound

This morning I had my follow up blood test and my ultra sound to check how my little follicles were going. I was feeling pretty optimistic. I was sure my levels would have increased like they should have. Just had to wait and see.

My Fertility Specialist (FS) performed the ultra sound today and I can't say he was too gentle. It made me very squirmy and uncomfortable. The ultra sound didn't sound very promising. The FS asked me about my previous blood test results and said it didn't look very good as he could only find one follicle on my right ovary. There were none on my left. You would normally expect at least 4 or 5 good follicles in order to proceed with IVF, but this lonely little follicle wasn't really going to cut it. He started talking about cancelling the cycle and making another appointment to work out what the next course of action would be. But first he would wait for my second blood test results that afternoon before he made up his mind.

I was very brave when he first told me, but it quickly disappeared when I got in my car. I couldn't call my husband to tell him, I had to send him a text, and it still got the tears flowing. I had to make a detour to the coffee shop on the way to work, just to buy myself some time to collect myself. That was it. Over. Cancelled. Try again next month. I was gutted. I was facing another failure.

I really didn't want to answer the nurse's phone call during work that afternoon. But she wasn't delivering the bad news I was expecting. She told me my Estrogen levels had increased to 2900, which is definitely a good sign. I ducked into the empty meeting room so I could ask her a few more questions. Yes, 750 from last Friday was low, but those 750 alone still indicates that there could be at least 2 follicles there. And levels of 2900 indicates that there could be 2 or 3 decent sized follicles, or there could be 6 smaller follicles. That's why they need to do a scan, to check how many there are and how big they are. My husband and I joked that I must have one gigantic follicle growing on my right ovary. Not so funny if it actually turned out to be true though!

So I went from coasting along on optimism, plummeted down to the depths of despair and then shot up again to the dizzying heights of hope again. It's an exhausting ride.

Hopefully my ultrasound just works out OK tomorrow.

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Day 22 - First Blood Test

The nurse range me with my result for my first blood test. My (Estrogen? E2?) levels are at 750, which apparently isn't as high as the Fertility Specialist would like. The doctor has increased my Gonal-f dosage to 187.5 and I need to go in on Monday for my next blood test and ultra sound. I'm annoyed at myself for not asking the nurse what my levels should be. I'll have to remember to ask on Monday.

I'm a bit worried about this cycle now. Are my levels too low? Will this cycle be cancelled? My husband tells me to stop stressing and trust that the doctor knows what he's doing. Well, did he know what he was doing in my last cancelled IUI cycle? Could he even explain why my body responded to Femara like that? No.

I had a quick look on the forums at Essential Baby, and read a few other posts about slow rising E2 levels, which sounded similar to mine. Their levels were much lower because their cycles were a bit longer, which means it takes a longer time for the levels to rise before it reached the ovulation stage. So, now I'm thinking that 750 might be normal for me, as I have a 30-31 day cycle.

I can't be sure, but it makes me feel better :)

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