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

all set to go

After a lull in the egg donation arrangements with T, I finally got the email that started a flurry of events. T's clinic has agreed to let me do half the treatment with Dr C and the other half with them in London, including the egg retrieval. I'm just really glad that I don't have to spend two full weeks in the UK and that at least I have a familiar doctor who understands my ovaries + follicles. That's a huge relief!

So it's now planning, planning and more planning. I have to make an initial trip to the UK to see T's doctors - Dr T and Dr G. After doing some research (thanks Mr Google) I know that T's clinic is a very large one and has some of the highest success rates in IVF and ICSI in the UK. However, Dr T is quite controversial as he is one of the highest paid IVF doctor (think millions and millions of sterling pound), had several run-ins with the fertility authority and not every patient who has seen him likes him. I take this with a pinch of salt; after all, a doctor of such prominence and who sees thousands of patients a month will surely not be liked by every single one of them, eh?

The dates are tentatively set on 17-21 June, giving me two full days to visit the clinic for the full range of tests I have to undergo (more pokes and prods, how exciting) and another two days to visit family and friends. Hopefully when I'm there the London weather will be kind enough for me to have a ice-cold Pimms at a pub and not look weird drinking it.

The actual treatment should take place some time in July/August. The sooner the better, I suppose. I have another diving holiday in October and I certainly don't want it to be a repeat of the last egg donation when I was bleeding so heavily.

Friday again! Bliss.