poke #10 - almost at the end of the road!

I went in this morning for the usual blood test, had coffee at the Patisserie again, and was called back for a second blood test. I was told to come back for a scan at 2:30pm and it was none other than Dr T, the famed doctor of the ARGC! It was such a privilege and even the women in the same queue as me found it such an honour. Obviously this man is held in very high esteem and to get him to do our scans today was like striking the mini jackpot (the large jackpot is of course getting pregnant and giving birth).

Dr T actually has a sense of humour. He asked me if I'm keeping up with my fluids, I said yes, and he asked if it's 30 or 40 litres. Ha! Then he looked at my ovaries - how full they are! My follicles are huge. I asked how many eggs he thinks I have and he replied in a offhand manner, "Oh, about 300 or so" and broke out in a grin. Heh. I like him.

He then gave me the good news that I will most probably do the trigger tomorrow which means egg retrieval will be on Thursday! Yay! I will have to go home straight away and poke myself with Cetrotide. Oh joy.

==

Here is a step by step guide to poking Cetrotide, you know, just in case if you ever find yourself at the verge of ovulating 300 eggs.
[No, you know the rules: please do NOT try this at home. These are powerful drugs you are messing around with with potential serious side effects.]


Step #1: Open one alcohol swab



Step #2: Open the lid of the vial with the white powder and use the alcohol swab to wipe the top of the vial



Step #3: Remove the cap from the syringe containing the clear liquid



Step #4: Screw the yellow needle onto the syringe



Step #5: Poke the vial and inject all the liquid in



Step #6: Leave the needle in the vial and gently dissolve the white powder until all that remains is a clear liquid. Try not to shake the vial too hard as the less air bubbles we have, the better.



Step #7: Turn vial upside down and draw all liquid back into the syringe. It is essential that all liquid is drawn.



Step #8: Remove any air in the syringe



Step #9: Remove the yellow needle and put the grey needle on the syringe



Step #10: Use the remaining alcohol swab to wipe the injetion area, which should be below/around the belly button



Step #11: Poke!


==

More stats:
Friday, 27 Nov 2009 PM: Oestradiol 5159
Saturday, 28 Nov 2009 AM: LH 9.2 IU/L Oestradiol 10,353, Progesterone 2.6
Saturday, 28 Nov 2009 PM: LH 5.9 IU/L Oestradiol 12,440
Sunday, 29 Nov 2009 AM: LH 0.3 IU/L Oestradiol 4853, Progesterone 1.4
Sunday, 29 Nov 2009 PM: LH <0.1 IU/L FSH 3.7, Oestradiol 4161
Monday, 30 Nov 2009 AM: LH 1.6 IU/L Oestradiol 11,410

how many more days? i can only guess

Today is day 9 of stimulation. I went in early (enough on a Sunday) for a blood test, then had coffee and a fabulous chocolate eclair at the Patisserie at Marylebone High Street while waiting for the ARCG to call back. Another blood test at noon and back home now. Instructions for today is 75 units of Gonal-F immediately.

Yesterday was a bit of a strange one though. I went in for the usual blood test and the results must have been crazy because I was then told to poke myself with Cetrotide, a different drug. What this drug does is to delay the LH surge, which means it just delays my body from ovulating. My eggs are not mature yet - they need to grow just a bit more - so LH level has to come down.

Cetrotide comes in a big box with two alcohol swabs, a large syringe, two needles and a vial with white powder. It's like doing Chemistry at O Levels all over again! After mixing the solution I poked myself below the belly button and it was actually quite painful, and painful to watch too as it was a large syringe and everything had to go in. I decided I don't like Cetrotide very much.



==

I had bouts of nausea that come and go but today was better. The only side effects of all the drugs (so far) are the sore area where I poked the Cetrotide, the bloatedness where my ovaries are and a bit of a headache. But the latter can be just because of the cold. I actually woke up to hailstorm this morning! Rubbish London weather indeed.

But everything I go through is nothing compared to the joy and happiness that T and G will have if this works. I saw a pair of twin boys at the Patisserie this morning and it reminded me of what T told me - that she thinks she will have twin boys from my donated eggs. I wonder how they will look, with a little bit of myself and G mixed together. Hmm.

Dr C told me last week when I was still in Hong Kong that the first recipient of my donated eggs, M, got pregnant but subsequently miscarried. I was really disappointed but I'm sure M will be trying again soon. I just hope that my seeds of labour will bear fruit. Really, spending time with T and G just made my realize how some people are destined to be great parents - and if anyone deserve to be parents, it's them.

Fingers crossed!

poked by the wicked witch of the west

T brought me to the theatre tonight to catch Wicked, the acclaimed musical I have heard so much about. It was brilliant. Absolutely fantastic. One of those shows which I'm sure I can watch another three times.

But today was a weird day in terms of the egg donation procedure. I went to the clinic at 8:30am for the usual blood test, then trotted over to La Fromagerie off Marylebone High Street for coffee. On a side note, the shop is like a little paradise for me. Anyway I hung around as I thought I would receive a call from the clinic to go in shortly for yet another blood test (it happened yesterday).

But no call came. I headed back to T's place and because it was a beautiful day, I did some raking in the garden. My very first time raking! Pleased as punch. Then came the call from the ARGC to say I have to poke 75 units of Gonal-F now and go in at 2:30pm for blood test and scan.

More stats:
Wednesday, 25 Nov 2009: LH 2.9 IU/L Oestradiol 2577, Progesterone 1.7
Thursday, 26 Nov 2009 AM: LH 2.7 IU/L Oestradiol 4190, FSH 5.5
Thursday, 26 Nov 2009 PM: Oestradiol 4989
Friday, 27 Nov 2009 AM: LH 2.6 IU/L Oestradiol 5147

Follicles are growing nicely, big and round like the Japanese grapes. Dr G (yet another doc!) had a very quick consultation - I'm starting to feel like I'm cattle now, what with all that prodding and poking and being hurried along - and then off I went.

The evening instructions came at 6pm for 37.5 units of Gonal-F between 8-10pm. But because I was going to watch Wicked, I had to poke myself at the intermission. I couldn't possibly have poked myself at my seat so I had to do it in the bathroom. It was a stroke of pure chance that we were sitting right next to the Ladies, which made things a lot easier. So many pokes for today! What is it, 4 pokes? That sure is a record. My arms are getting sore and bruised with all the blood tests. And we're only halfway through. Wish me luck!


Hello, my name is Real Golden Goose and I am a druggie.

poke #2.5 and prod #2.3

More pokes and prods. Yesterday's poke was Merional 75IU and today I was back on Gonal-F 112IU. Earlier this morning (Wednesday) I went back to the clinic for blood tests (that's probably poke #2.5 but oh, who's counting when it's just my arms) and another prod. Again I have a different doctor, a female one, hurrah! She was much more gentle although had a more hurried manner. I felt as if I only had 5 minute to see her.

I do have polycystic ovaries which explains why I have many follicles and almost all of them are of the same size. It was explained to me that the symptoms of Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) include weight gain, excessive facial and body hair, very irregular periods, etc. I have mildly irregular periods but definitely no excessive hair (on the contrary, I'm actually so hairless I have never shaved my legs!) nor obesity, so there's nothing to worry about. The upside of this is that T will potentially receive a lot of eggs from me, like M the first time round. Well, 55 eggs or not, I hope I don't get OHSS again.

More stats:
Monday, 23 Nov 2009: LH 2.7 IU/L Oestradiol 678
Tuesday, 24 Nov 2009: LH 2.0 IU/L Oestradiol 2220

I have no idea what Oestradiol is but to see it jump from 678 to 2220 is scary. I was assured that everything is going fine, with the doctor saying that nothing is out of the ordinary. I sure hope so. Fingers crossed.

poke #2.3

The ARGC requires me to go in for a blood test every day so after the trudge down to the clinic on early Sunday morning, T, her daughter and I went to the zoo. Of course I had to go - it's the London zoo!

That was a lovely excursion which distracted me just a bit, before a call from the ARGC in the late afternoon instructed me to lower the injection to 112 units of Gonal-F. Apparently I am reacting a little too well to the drugs.

I went in for a blood test and a scan this morning. Nurse K at the clinic managed to get my file right on top so I didn't have to wait too long - how sweet of her! This time it was Dr D who greeted me (how many doctors do I have to see, I wonder?) and he said I have too many follicles and not one dominant one. Ideally there should be a few big ones but mine were all "democratic". Hmm.

I jotted down my blood test results:

Tuesday, 17 Nov 2009: LH6.0 IU/L Oestradiol 37
Thursday, 19 Nov 2009: LH 8.4 IU/L Oestradiol 37
Saturday, 21 Nov 2009: LH 5.9 IU/L Oestradiol 137
Sunday, 22 Nov 2009: LH 3.2 IU/L Oestradiol 420

They don't mean nothing to me, but it seems that my Oestradiol shot up a little too much and hence the lower dosage of Gonal-F. I started on 150 units on the first poke, down to 112 units on the second and third poke (today).

in London (again) - gear two!

After sitting through a stifling flight on Cathay Pacific - what is comfortable about the new "clam-shell" seats?! - I finally arrived in London. Every time I visit this city there is usually beautiful weather and I was proven right again with a rare bright autumn day greeting me.

I was driven straight to T's place and what a wonderful, big, lovely house it is. The guestroom on the third floor was enormous; the bathroom itself is bigger than my study in Hong Kong! Neat. And the house has a large garden, complete with an apple tree (!), plum tree, lavender shrubs and a 2 metre-high trampoline. It is paradise for T's precious adopted daughter, B, 5 years old. It is paradise for me. I'm 28.

We went straight to the ARGC to get in queue; they have a maddening system of patient management which I have to accept. No specific appointments, just go in and queue. So T and I queued for almost 3 hours before we saw Dr A (all doctors are your doctors - that's the motto!), had a scan and blood test. LH level is finally down to 5.9 so I can finally start stimulation.

My suspicions that the ARGC wanted me to be in London before I start the injections were proven right when we were waiting for our turn to see the doc. Part of the waiting game means you hold on to your medical file and wait - which means I get to see everything in the file. There was a memo inside which says that since I will be in to see the clinic on Saturday, I may as well start stiumulation then. Ha! They are unbelivable, aren't they.

This means that I will have to remain in London till 4 December at the very least. Sigh. As much as I love London, I need to be home soon...

Anyway, we are set in gear two now. Poke #1 tonight!

last visit to dr c

It was my last visit to Dr C this morning. She made me wait again, as usual. I believe she is the only woman in my life I will wait two hours for!

There were no updates from the ARGC, not to her nor me. So in other words I continue with my Suprecur nasal spray 4 times a day like a druggie having it straight up. I quite like it actually, besides the part where it trickles down the throat leaving a bitter after-taste.

So Dr C and I just chatted. She reminded me that I would have to stay in London for two weeks (!!!) as there will be a minimum of 10 days for the injections/stimulation, and 2 days later the egg retrieval will happen. I can't possibly get on a flight on the very same day, so one rest day and off to Hong Kong. Sigh. I told her I will be so bored and she said I can go shopping. I'm not much of a shopper, I'm afraid...

And Dr C told me about her time spent in Edinburgh where she put on 10 pounds even though she was running everyday (not anymore in HK though, thanks to her 3 year old son). Conversation drifted to how it will be cold for my training (I am doing a 250km desert race in 2010) and how the sun sets early, and that it affects the mood of the people in England. Suicidal rates go up during winter months - thanks for the tip, Dr C. I suppose I will have to keep my mood light and happy while in England.

I ended our visit saying that after I'm back from London I will take her out for dinner. I quite like Dr C - she makes intelligent conversation, is gentle and appreciative, and just the kind of friend that will make you smile on a gloomy day.

been too busy - a long due update

I'm definitely still donating my eggs for the second time and I am starting stimulation very soon. I have been on the Suprecur nasal spray for about 3 weeks now (instructions from the UK clinic) and the dosage has been increased to four sprays a day instead of three. So far there has been no side effects with the spray although I can't say the same for T, who developed a rash from it, unfortunately.

I saw Dr C on Tuesday, had a scan - nothing special - and more blood tests. Had another one earlier this morning which was a bit of a pain as the nurse had a tough time locating my vein so it was extra painful with all that poking around. At one point, Nurse E was calling Nurse V for help while the needle was still in me. Ouch.

Dr C will fax the blood test results to the UK clinic and upon their instructions, I will then be given the injections for today. A final trip to Dr C tomorrow and then off to London tomorrow evening!

==

I returned from Tokyo last week after a little side holiday I decided to take on a whim, armed with ten small boxes of Japanese grapes - so amazingly sweet and juicy. I gave Dr C three of them since I noticed she likes her fruit (there's usually a kiwifruit or pear on her desk) and it was a hit. So chuffed that someone else appreciates the grapes as much as I do! Let's see if I can bring some over to London for T. I think they are still pretty fresh...


They sure look like my follicles eh!