Holy protocol, Batman!

I'm not even sure this protocol has an official title because its a bunch of protocols mashed into one. On my paperwork it says "low stim cycle using midluteal Estrace, ganirelix, with saizen and androderm patches and gel" Talk about a mouthful. Dr Rockstar also referred to it as MLEA which is 'mid lutral estrace antagonist.'. Which, to me, sounds the same as LEAP or 'luteal Estrace antagonist priming'... Anyways. From what I understand it'll go a little like this: estrogen & testosterone priming for 10-21 days followed by testosterone patches. Then I'll start stims, which for this low stim protocol will be menopur and clomid. I know, you're thinking "clomid? Really!?" Cuz I did, too. This is partially why it's a 2phase freeze-all cycle. Here's where it gets complicated... So clomid &menopur. Then add a steroid (to help the bod be more susceptible to stims). Then comes ganirelix to prevent premature ovulation of all those big fat follies. THEN comes human growth hormone. Then finally, egg retrieval. Phrew! Hopefully they get a bunch of eggs and all those eggs fertilize into beautiful blastocysts that then go into the deep freeze! Yes, our baby/ies will have been popsicles.

I'll heal, get my $15,000 period and then we gear up for a fancy frozen embryo transfer (FET). I have no idea what the FET will entail but I'm sure it's not going to be your typical, run of the mill transfer.

I've never heard of using HGH until now and apparently it's still very new. Using it for IVF is an off-label use.... BUT it's been shown to improve ovarian stimulation especially in poor responders and increase both embryo quality and therefore pregnancy rate. Something to do with granulosa cells .... I fell asleep during this chapter in micro .... but I digress. We had to sign special consent forms to use the HGH and the testosterone. Hopefully I won't grow a 3rd tit or a mustache. We'll see. Keep your fingers crossed.

I don't have an official IVF calendar yet and won't until I start the topicals in about 2 weeks. I attempted to make a rough calendar based off of the days of priming meds and stims and cycles, etc. If retrieval is in early April, I don't think transfer / BFP will be until May or June. !!!!
I'm glad we are pushing it to get started now because June seems sooooo long away. :/

I had my day 3labs & ultrasound last week and everything looked superb. FSH is still at a lovely 4.7 woot! Next step: I go in for a sonohistogram and trial transfer on Thursday morning.

My new rockstar RE

I went to consults in the greater San Diego and Orange County area for education. I had heard about Dr Rockstar... he came recommended by the fertility clinic doc in Seattle, his success rates are the best for IVF in SD county, his partners are also rockstars.  But I wanted to make sure.  I wanted to compare.  I like to make my own choices and not follow blindly just because so-and-so likes him.  

Needless to say, I was impressed.  I did like one other RE and he was cheap, but he was going to do the same old thing.  Not Dr Rockstar.  Last year him and his partners came up with a 2 phase low-stim protocol for poor responders that has had amazing success.  And when I say amazing, he told me somewhere near 80%.  Why should I believe him, you ask?  The proof is in the pudding.  Meet Dr Meldrum, Dr Rockstar's founding partner: Www.davidmeldrummd.com. He loves learning and graduated 1st in his MD class without ever taking notes.  Author of over a hundred articles and papers.  He fellowed at UCLA and was the first in the US to get a BFP using u/s guided egg retrievals.  Pioneered reproductive laboratory accreditation and was the first commissioner of such to ensure more consistent quality in reproductive labs.  One of the first to research Lupron and the first to suggest its routine use.  If you're reading this and done IVF, I'm sure you've heard of that Lupron drug? 

Dr Rockstar has been director of other SD IVF clinics, instructor of anatomy for canadian medical school, member of Scripps research, instructor & consultant of microsurgery for the Navy, and did 2 years of research at the Banting and Best Institute.  He had the first pregnancy last year using egg freezing.

No I'm not writing their biography.  My point is, we're in great hands.  These dudes have always been at the brink of research breakthroughs and therefore I am a believer.

Of course as part of my consultation I ask about all these damn supplements and herbs I'm taking and was directed to this website: Www.lifechoicesandfertility.com It was put together by Dr Rockstar and his team.  So....  Now I'm not taking Chinese herbs, but I'm def not taking any less supplements. ;)

Stay tuned to hear about this whiz bang protocol and when we'll get started.  

Work Woes

I had a last minute consult with another RE on Monday.  I wasn't supposed to meet him for another 3 weeks and he's such a rockstar his wait list is 3 months long.  I jumped at the opportunity.  Then i got a reaming at work for needing to leave early.  NEEDING to leave early, not wanting to.  Here's the deal with work: I work at a hospital near downtown San Diego that used to be a county hospital.  We get all the homeless and traumas and really sick patients.  There is another hospital in the same system in La Jolla that has all the spoiled doctors and makes all the money with their fancy surgery & technology.  HC hospital (the old county hospital where I was *hired* for) has plenty of staff and everyone loves it.  TH hospital (the prison, as I like to call it) is short staffed and has a bunch if travelers for numerous reasons.

  As part of the budget crisis, instead of making people go home when we have a light schedule they've been sending us up to TH to help them staff.  Out of the goodness of my heart, I've been volunteering to go there on my days off.  Monday was one of these days.  A day I could have been at the pool, doing laundry, getting a pedicure... You get the idea.  But no, they needed help and I think hey, extra money would be nice, so I go.  That morning I do the usz "I need to leave at 145" and the charge nurse throws a fit.    2 hours later I get called into the office. 

Now, at HC they have a nice little system where you write your appointments for the week on a calendar and the interim/afternoon staff usually has no problem letting people leave early.  My charge nurse is a superstar at making her staff happy.  Not in prison.  I was told that I'd have to make my appointments for later in the day because they can not plan on letting people leave early, this is their policy.  Sentara all over again...  (My old job I LOOOOAAAATHED(picture the grinch saying it)). I played the 'I'm doing fertility treatments and can't help it' card to which her response was basically: too bad so sad.  Then, to try and relate, i heard her story about I-thought-i-had problems-too-and-when-i-was-about-to-start- clomid-i-got-sick-during-a-marathon-and-turns-out-i-was-pregnant.  Crickets.  I was so pissed and sad and frustrated I didn't know what to say.   I'm supposed to be OFF today, you a-hole. 

 Then I get to go back in the OR where Brahms lullaby is playing and try to stifle back the hot tears.  The day goes on and 1:30rolls around.  I start tapping my feet with impatience as I'm really nervous about this consult.   In the OR it's a requirement to have one RN circulator per room so it's not like I can just leave. 1:44.... 1:47..... No one... 1:52.... I finally call out to the desk and can imagine feet stomping temper tantrum as I ask if someone is coming to get me out? 1:56 someone shows up.  I'm in a huge, complicated case but sorry you're stupid, I don't have time to teach you all about a bilateral re-do hip replacement.  Ugh. 

The bummer part is TH hospital is literally across the street from my RE. HC is 20 minutes away traffic dependent.  Te commute & extra cash would've been nice but sooo not worth the headache!

The positive side to this shit pile is TH doesn't own me, HC does.  I think they forgot that.  I don't need them, they need me.  My superstar charge was über pissed at them when i told her what happened.  They've been calling for my march schedule (yes, I actually let them schedule me in February.  nice, huh?) and I get to tell them that since my appointments are such a problem they can plan on not having me at all.  They can be short staffed all friggin day instead of just for 45 minutes.  Suck it, jackasses!

well that was awkward...

I finally found a yoga studio I like!  I've only been looking for 3 months... its called HaPa- happy parent :). How cute, right?  The offer childcare for when we get to that point and lots of prenatal and pregnant friendly classes.  Its a really great mix plus its close to work and not too far from home. Score on all fronts.

SO.  Since we're coming up on the start of a cycle (post on that coming soon) I decided it would be good to attend said prenatal class since, ya know, I wanna be all friendly to my fertiles.  I walked in and saw about 9 ladies crammed into this room who all look at least 6 months.  Agh.  I suffered through class and had to "stretch to make room for baby" and "spread your knees so baby can breathe." Yeahhhh.... pretty sure its just fat rolls at this point.  Though I love the studio, I won't be going to prenatal class until its like, fa sho positive.

Worst.idea.ever.