Moving into the process of going down the IVF road was easier than I thought it would be. I had so much hesitation towards doing IVF. It's been the elephant in the room each cycle with thoughts, "If this cycle fails, I'm this much closer to doing IVF." Now, I'm here. I'm in the process of doing my first IVF Cycle. In a way, I can't believe it. I didn't think my journey to having Baby C would take me down this road. I honestly thought I'd get pregnant within a few IUI cycles.
Life has its own ideas of course.
Now, I get to dive head first into this very scary and very real IVF world. I started really researching what happens in IVF when Cycle #3 failed. I'm going into it pretty knowledgeable, but there are still a lot of questions I have. I'll get those questions answered at my consult on 11/9. I'm hoping to come out of the consult with a good understanding of what needs to happen and what everything looks like.
It's a little strange going down this path... I'm just not sure what to expect. Yet, it almost feels like "Business as Usual" (BAU) moving forward with IVF. You know when you have been on this TTC journey for a while when the RE's office staff knows your voice when you call and doesn't even ask you for your name! True story. I've become a "regular" at the RE's office.
I wish a baby was guaranteed at the end of this long TTC journey. But it's not. I just have to keep faith and be positive while trying to be cautious and realistic. Yeah... easier said than done, not so easy actually living it!
We'll go with: Cautiously Optimistic that IVF will lead to Baby C.
The great thing about IVF is that at least I'll know if the egg was actually inseminated. Doing IUI's were torturous not even knowing if the egg and sperm met up. At least one mystery solved there with IVF. Is it weird that I'm actually looking forward to seeing pictures of my embryos developing? This is considering: 1) My follicles develop, 2) Egg Retrieval goes well and we get a few good eggs, 3) the Eggs inseminate and divide well, and 4) the embryos make it to day 5. Doing IVF will be like living from one step in the process to another. Like walking a tight rope. Well, that's what this entire Trying to Conceive process has felt like! So I guess it'll be BAU.
I'll do my best to track this journey. I have a feeling that I'm going to have a lot of updates, as I'm going to have a lot of monitoring, and there's all this new stuff I'm going to have to learn.
Here we go down the IVF rabbit hole... let's do this! Right now I'm feeling really optimistic and excited to be doing this. It feels "right" to be doing this right now and the timing works out wonderfully.
Life has its own ideas of course.
Now, I get to dive head first into this very scary and very real IVF world. I started really researching what happens in IVF when Cycle #3 failed. I'm going into it pretty knowledgeable, but there are still a lot of questions I have. I'll get those questions answered at my consult on 11/9. I'm hoping to come out of the consult with a good understanding of what needs to happen and what everything looks like.
It's a little strange going down this path... I'm just not sure what to expect. Yet, it almost feels like "Business as Usual" (BAU) moving forward with IVF. You know when you have been on this TTC journey for a while when the RE's office staff knows your voice when you call and doesn't even ask you for your name! True story. I've become a "regular" at the RE's office.
I wish a baby was guaranteed at the end of this long TTC journey. But it's not. I just have to keep faith and be positive while trying to be cautious and realistic. Yeah... easier said than done, not so easy actually living it!
We'll go with: Cautiously Optimistic that IVF will lead to Baby C.
The great thing about IVF is that at least I'll know if the egg was actually inseminated. Doing IUI's were torturous not even knowing if the egg and sperm met up. At least one mystery solved there with IVF. Is it weird that I'm actually looking forward to seeing pictures of my embryos developing? This is considering: 1) My follicles develop, 2) Egg Retrieval goes well and we get a few good eggs, 3) the Eggs inseminate and divide well, and 4) the embryos make it to day 5. Doing IVF will be like living from one step in the process to another. Like walking a tight rope. Well, that's what this entire Trying to Conceive process has felt like! So I guess it'll be BAU.
I'll do my best to track this journey. I have a feeling that I'm going to have a lot of updates, as I'm going to have a lot of monitoring, and there's all this new stuff I'm going to have to learn.
Here we go down the IVF rabbit hole... let's do this! Right now I'm feeling really optimistic and excited to be doing this. It feels "right" to be doing this right now and the timing works out wonderfully.
Step #1: Insurance Approval and Costs
As things turned out, it was relatively "easy" to get the Infertility Coverage Approval. I didn't have to submit anything. My RE's office had to send two items: 1) Proof of the 6 medicated/monitored IUI's (cycle sheets) and 2) Blood work results. When I went in for my baseline ultrasound earlier, they gave me the update: I'm approved for Infertility Coverage! Woohoo! Yippee! Ok, there was a part of me that a little worried that my insurance would find a way *not* to cover me! So, it was a nice relief to finally hear that YES, I have insurance coverage for IVF! :)
The only things that aren't covered would be the "extra" stuff. My RE is suggesting I do ICSI, but ICSI is not covered. That'll be $1525 out of pocket. PGD (genetic testing) is also not covered. That would be over $5000 out of pocket. Not to mention I need to purchase more donor sperm...
At my consult on 11/9, I'm going to ask some detailed questions on ICSI and PGD testing. See if it's worthwhile to do or not. Right now, ICSI is definitely a YES. PGD... I'm not sure yet.
Step #2: Baseline Ultrasound
What's funny is the day I scheduled my ultrasound, I started receiving messages on my RE's website. I have a feeling that there will be a lot of communication on there for this IVF cycle. For my IUI's, I didn't have to use their message center. The message mentioned an "injections class" which will be an hour long. I wonder if the injections will be more complicated than what I'm already used to? Guess I'll find out. I'm already petrified about doing PIO (Progesterone In Oil) shots. I've read a lot about those... I'm going to be honest, I've already tried to get out of them! But they said that I have to do them, but it's only for 14 days. Ummm, 14 days of giving myself shots in my bottom?!! Ugh.
The baseline ultrasound went well. No cysts, so I'm clear to move forward. Discussions:
- Start Birth Control pills starting tomorrow (10/31) and do not take the placebo pills, go straight to a new pack.
- Consult on 11/9, I'll receive my IVF calendar. Will also get a run down of all the costs associated with it.
- Discussed ICSI being needed.
- Said blood work came back and it looked good. Which I already saw the results on the message center online! I had NO CLUE that all the blood results were inputted on this message center. I guess for all my Beta tests, I could've went on there to check it out before I received the call from the nurse.
- I asked about my left ovary, if it'll be hard to retrieve eggs. They've always had a hard time seeing it. The RE pressed on my stomach and seemed satisfied with how my intestines and ovary laid... Which I guess is good. He's the expert. He said that during Egg Retrieval, he can push on my belly and get better access. I'll be under anesthesia, so I won't feel anything.
- Right Ovary had 10 follicles and the Left Ovary had 5. RE said he's expecting to get 10-15 at Egg Retrieval, said he'd be surprised if he didn't get all of them. I hope he's right.
- I'm going to have to do another sonohysterogram. I had my first one in January. Last time, they found a polyp and I had surgery, a hysteroscopy, in February. I'm hoping that they don't find anything... because I fear it'll delay everything. Fingers crossed.
- We'll do a "mock transfer" to make sure it's easy to get the catheter through my cervix for Egg Transfer. I guess it's a little thicker than the IUI catheter.
It seems like a very complicated process. I'll be happy when I receive the IVF calendar and can really "see" how things are laid out.
Overall, wow! I can't believe I'm doing this. That IVF is actually happening. Hoping this process will go smoothly and there will be no delays.
Fingers Crossed and hoping baby dust is sprinkled all around! This process is so tiring, stressful, and exhausting. I'm actually looking forward to NOT being on any fertility meds for the next few weeks! It'll be nice to feel like myself again, even if for a little bit.
Next Steps:
- Start Birth Control pills tomorrow (10/31)
- IVF Consult on 11/9/15 @ 4:00 p.m.
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