The Two-Week Wait!

[Kelly72]

The Two-Week Wait!

I am put on a white coat tie me up and take me away crazy right now. Absolutely, positively (What? Did I hear positive pregnancy test?) Crazy.

The 2ww (two week wait) infertiles have to experience during an IVF cycle is by far the worst part of this IVF mumbo jumbo. First let me tell you what ‘all’ entails and then you’ll get some idea of why a simple two-week wait is such a big ass deal.

Most fertiles think IVF is the be-all in fertility treatment and works (not only does it always work, you’ll get twins-a boy and a girl, like Julia Roberts).

Put 3-months hard work (physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally), no, make that a life-time’s hard work into a single treatment that makes you wait 2 weeks (that’s 14 whole days, 336 hours) to find out if it worked or not. It worked or it didn’t. This is black or white for baby.

Let’s dissect the medical prodigy they call In Vitro Fertilization. 1. What does it take to do it? 2. What’s involved? I’m glad you asked.

1. It takes balls (from both partners). Very likely, if you’re still alive and kicking and you’ve neared IVF territory you already have balls. Big naked balls (naked because it’s second-nature for you to nakefy yourself in front of doctors at two shakes of a cotton loincloth).

2. Finding a clinic that has doctors and staff that you respect and will trust, has good success rates, is reputable, isn’t halfway to Timbuktu, has reasonable prices (reasonable? It’s relative), will accept you as their patient. Obtaining and faxing medical records. Doctor consultation to go over medical history and get naked. Pathogen testing for both partners. FSH/E2 Day 3 blood test for female partner. A $120 semen evaluation (semen is precious, I tell you). Hysterosalpingogram (histo what? It’s an X-ray of your dye stuffed uterus and fallopian tubes to look for abnormalities). Ultrasound and trial transfer (did I mention, you get to be naked again?). Pap Smear. Instruction Class (get tx and meds instructions, tx schedule, consent forms, rx’s) Big bucks money deposit. 1, 8 pound box filled with meds you have not idea what the heck they are for.

Then comes the fun part. It’s drug-junky time. Oral contraceptives for 2 weeks, it’s to prime the ovaries for ‘optimal response’.

Moodiness sets in.

Lupron injections (subq once daily) starting at week three, to suppress your already suppressed ovaries further into a menopause state. Side effects: headaches, hot flashes, breast tenderness. Menstrual period. Penetration by “Peter” el ultrasound Probe to make sure no cysts. Doxycycline twice daily for 10 days by each partner to prevent infection. FSH (stims) injections along w/ lupron for 10 days (now we’re up to 3 injections daily, 12 hrs apart). Side effects: ovarian hyperstimulation characterized by abdominal bloating, weight gain due to body fluid retention, pelvic and abdominal discomfort.
Have I mentioned moodiness?

Impaled by “Peter” again and vampire suctioned (i.e. blood draw) every day to check E2 levels until eggs are mature. Injection of HCG hormone to induce final stages of egg maturation. Thirty-six hours later, make sweet, sweet love to Zanax and Diloted for ultrasound guided egg retrieval. (By far the best part of the whole IVF experience. I would do the whole bloody thing again for another taste).

Husband submits cup-full of semen to same morning of ER (Egg Retrieval). Pray during the ER you don’t get nicked where you shouldn’t to cause severe hemorrhage (apparently 1/1,000 chance). Bed-rest for 24-48 hours. Possibility of nausea, abdominal cramping, vaginal bleeding, bloody urine.

Sleep. Start to miss the effects of your new favorite drug.

Meanwhile eggs and sperm are having party in culture medium filled petri dish. Unless you are one of those ICSI people (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), what you say? Basically an arranged marriage between 1 egg and 1 sperm! Next morning, fertilization report.

Pray they divide the way they should.

2-5 days later… Meet with doc to discuss embryo quality and how many to transfer. Transfer takes 3 minutes to complete. All this in 3 minutes? I think of Thanksgiving dinner. A 10 minute under-appreciated inhalation after hours of slaving in the kitchen. (Now comes the fun part. You wait. That’s right, you wait 2 weeks, 14 days, 336 hours without getting to do anything aggressive that you did before which gave you a warm sense of pseudo-control. No injections. No blood draws. No “Peter”. No nekky nekky. Just progesterone (aka, hell in a suppository) and anything to make you relax.

Relax. You think, oh that must be nice. After such a long haul of invasive treatments you are finally able to take private time to yourself and reminisce. Reminisce my butt! Your brain starts thinking of the possibilities. Your body plays tricks on you. Shall I give her a little gas pain and make her think it could be implantation? How about fatigue, a headache, or a metallic taste in her mouth that you only start to notice after a friend mentions it was her first symptom of pregnancy. Sore breasts? They are now. I can’t stop squeezing them to find out if they are sore or not.
I have found myself missing the staff at the clinic. It’s been 11 days and I have 3 to go. Torturous. What do you do to keep busy that keeps your mind off of ‘it’? How do you keep sane? Chocolate? Nope, sister. Caffeine is from the Devil, Remember? Ice cream, lots and lots of it.

[Moritsha]

Brilliant Kelly! Just what we endure to get the dream of our lives. Good luck with your treatment. Paula x

[Macca8]

Kelly,

You should write a book love. You could be the new IVF "Carrie" from Sex & The City.

Great read...

I had my egg collection today and hubby was so disappointed that he was not allowed into the "mans room" to review the quality material that is offered to most. He wanted his go eventhough we have the "arranged marriage procedure" (ICSI)

Lisa XXX

[Kelly72]

Hi Paula and Lisa!

I saw something similair to this, and thought I would make my own version. I sent it in e-mail to all my friends who think I am crazy and don't understand what I am going through! It made them stop asking questions! WHEW!

Anyway good luck Lisa, I hope you news is good tomorrow!!! Here is my story:

I have my first Beta this Thursday the 17th. I am SO nervous about it. I have absolutely not one symptom that I will get BFP! I know that most people feel nothing yet, but it is so hard to be positive.

For background, my DH and I where diagnosed with "Undetermined why we can't get preg". Later we found there was some male issues with low mobility.

We tried for three years this Sept. 1 year with nothing, the second/third we have done 4 rounds of clomid, 4 rounds of Follistim injectable w/IUI. We just completed my first round of IVF. We used Lupron, Bravelle and Menapur. The ER was on 8/2 and we got 11 follis. Out of those only 5 where mature, and we did ICSI and only 3 made it with that process. We ended up doing a day 2 transfer on 8/5 of three embryos Grade 2, 2 cell. They said since it was first thing in the am, 2 cell would have been the best they could have been. They looked perfect when they put them back. I am taking progesterone suppositories and boosters of Ovidrill (HCG).

And now I am waiting for my first test this Thursday... (they told me it could be a false + cause I am taking the HCG boosters... So everything will be confirmed Monday. I did get my progesterone back last week and it was 209.4, so I was happy with that.

[wannababy1229]

I couldn't have said it any better!

[AuntyPebbles]

Kelly,
loved the post sooo very true,
i also wanted to wish you so much luck for thursday will be saying prayers for you....

Debz

[samandaw1]

That just sums it up!! I actually am sending that to a few of my close friends!!

Sam

[Ems1971]

Fantastic read. You should write a book!
I have sent this to my friends who have all got pregnant at the drop of a hat so they may finally have some clue as to what we go through.
Brilliant!
Emma x

[Macca8]

Kelly,

Hope your test went ok today honey. Thinking about you.

Lisa XXX

[Kelly72]

My Beta came back at only 29. I am so unhappy. I am not on the PIO but on booster shots of Ovidril and suppositories. So my nurse told me my first test could be a false +. So I thought it the number was low then likely it would be. And now it is low. I am depressed. I have to wait to Monday and have another blood draw.