Testimonial: My second in vitro fertilization: waiting, pain and hope

The fertility clinic is closed during the 2 weeks of the holidays that end in 2014. I understand the clinic staff need time to rest. The enthusiasm of Quebecers to conceive has caused the attendance of fertility clinics in Quebec to skyrocket since the announcement of Bill 20. As a result, it seems that the staff needs a little time off.

But for my part, my period should start at the beginning of January, the clinic does not open until the 5th... All the Kegel exercises I did during the holidays to remember my periods will have worked! My #1 day falls on January 10, after a 33-day cycle, one of the few times I was happy with my long cycles.

So, we start all the steps again:

January 12, day #3: first ultrasounds, everything is beautiful, we are starting a new stimulation cycle! (beginning Gonal-F and Luveris).

January 14, day #5: blood test for hormonal balance (everything is beautiful).

January 16, day #7: ultrasound, we have at least 4 promising follicles in each ovary. But they are slow to gain weight, we double the amount of Gonal-F, but we start taking Cetrotide to avoid spontaneous ovulation.

January 18, day #9: ultrasound, the follicles are getting bigger, everything is fine, we continue taking hormones for another 2 days and then we induce ovulation in order to be punctured.

January 20, day # 11: taking HCG at 23:45 precisely, a hormone that will cause my ovulation exactly 36 hours later.

January 22, day #13: we go up to Ste-Justine for the egg puncture which will take place at 10:45am. I don't stress too much: it went well the first time. But I will learn that it doesn't mean anything... The puncture itself was very painful. In the “recovery” room (we are not really asleep during the puncture), I am bleeding a lot and I am really in pain. After 30 minutes, they asked me to go try a little pee. Chéri accompanies me, because I am not very sturdy on my legs. When I went to the toilet, my pressure dropped, darling just had time to pick me up before I slumped on the floor. He drags me onto my stretcher, I come back to myself. Another 30 minutes are allowed to pass, after which time I feel better and my bleeding has greatly decreased. We are sent home, but all the same with a nice catch: 10 eggs! Chéri takes me back to the car in a wheelchair: I don't have the strength to walk there. When I got home, he put me to bed and went to work. For me, I have to start taking Oral Estrace and Intravaginal Prometrium (do I really have to persecute this part of my anatomy as quickly?) These hormones serve to thicken the endometrium to build a beautiful nest for the embryo to receive, in addition, they prevent the onset of menstruation.

January 25: Day 3 embryos. The doctor who follows me advised me to attempt a transfer on day 3. According to her, there is no better incubator than the uterus, so more chances of success. The call of the embryologist: 7 fertilized eggs, but only 2 “average” embryos on day 3. Despite this not very promising result, according to my doctor's instructions, there will be a transfer. Despite what we might have believed, 3 days after the puncture we recovered enough to tolerate being “tapped” again! I can't wait, I feel like I have a date with my baby!

Back in Ste-Justine. After discussion with the embryologist, he chooses, I think, the least worst of the 2 embryos, to leave the other in prolonged culture (not very motivating, let's say). To prepare for the transfer, which is really less painful than a puncture, you need to have a full bladder, which means you want to pee. And now we are presented with the speculum. Really??? What am I going to do to not pee in the doctor's face?! I'm telling you, the body has abilities that the mind doesn't think is possible. With an ultrasound probe placed on my stomach, the doctor chooses the best place in the uterus to transfer the 3-day embryo. We are even given a photo of the transfer ultrasound.

What's next? The wait, always the wait! My blood test is scheduled for February 6. That's when I'll know if the embryo has stuck.

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