IVF Take 1 Protocol

We (finally) got our protocol from the nurse. The hoops she had to jump through to get records from our previous doctor were unbelievable and it took a solid week and a half..but they got there.

It gave them enough information to put together our protocol for the month and barring the addition of ICSI - or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (YOU GUYS THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GRAPHIC FOR A MINUTE) which is bypassing normal fertilization by choosing the very best swimmers and injecting them right into the egg - no plans have changed.

My mom is going to be so proud of all the big medical words I've been learning from this - with proper pronunciation and everything.

This Monday, we're going in for a quick blood draw to complete the standard and required tests for infectious diseases, Saturday is our IVF class where they tell you what's about to happen to you, how to give yourself shots, how not to be a crazy broad, etc. etc. and then we will jump right in.

It goes little something like this:

CD3:
Monitoring Appt - CD3 - suppression check (ultrasound and blood draw, review injection mixes and dosages)
Start Stimming - FSH injections, low dose HCG injections

CD6:
Monitoring - blood draw only - continue stimming injections

CD9:
Monitoring appt - blood draw and ultrasound

CD12:
Monitoring appt - blood draw and ultrasound
Estimated start date of antagonist (cetrotide, ganirelix) - they are waiting to see the largest follicle hit 14-15mm

CD13
Expected monitoring appt - blood draw and ultrasound

CD14:
Expected monitoring appt - blood draw and ultrasound

CD14:
Expected date of "trigger shot" - which is high does of the HCG hormone that will trigger ovulation
Stop FSH, HCG, Antagonist injections

CD16:
Expected date of egg retrieval (in which they knock you out and retrieve all of your follicles via large needle.) I'm super looking forward to this.
ALSO: ICSI date- in which our tiny embryos are created.

CD18:
Start progesterone-in-oil injections. These will go in my backside. Good thing I have plenty of real estate back there 'cause I hear these ones bruise and leave welts.

CD21:
Expected date of embryo transfer, in which we will transfer either 1 or 2 embryos that have hopefully reached "blastocyst" stage and are the highest grade possible. If we have any left over, we will freeze for a frozen cycle - please pray we don't need this - or any future attempts at having children.

The dreaded "two week wait" commences and we will know sometime in early March if it was successful.

I am excited beyond words.