So here we are on day #5 of this IVF scenario. I haven't caught you ladies up in a few days because I haven't had an appointment. Interestingly enough, I'm on a different protocol than most IVF patients because of my PCOS mainly. I am on a lower dosage of Follistim 150iu (the major stimulating drug) than most people. I will go in for my next appt. tomorrow for blood work and then next week we'll be in every other day for closer monitoring.

I of course, freaked myself out by reading "Fertility for dummies" book..which up until now..has been a great source of information. The book declared that I was on one of the highest dosages of Follistim 175iu highest you can be on, and that especially PCOS patients should be monitored more closely. Well, of course that didn't set well with me and I read it before bed (just some light reading) so that night I slept terribly. I of course got right on the email and emailed both my doc and my nurse seperately, and I also emailed one of my very best friends, Jessica (sorry Jess if you wanted anonynmity (sp?)) who is funnily enough, going through this same process and is just about a week or two behind me (which is very helpful to bounce info off one another). The doc and nurse both immediately called me, and assured me, I was on the right track and that I should reread my protocol over and over (a vast amount of paperwork they gave me back in October!!!). Needless to say, I felt kind of dumb, but at the very least, I guess I was keeping the docs on their toes.

I also had a good reason to call as my meds were going to be out tomorrow night (sat.?). I brought this up with my doctor and nurse and they said no problem. My father-in-law was already at work, and was allowed to pick up my medications. Once again, like a drug dealer, in a brown paper bag..no joke..that had hand scribbled Dr. Sutton, and he brought it home. IT WAS FREE! I am so lucky to have an understanding clinic, and a state that covers all IVF costs (therefore there is usually always extra free meds around). I know how lucky we are to be even saving a couple thousand dollars on medications. It's truly amazing.

During this week, I found myself just trying to keep busy. Taking lots of walks (even though it's cold out) and keeping busy helps. (Went and saw, "Freedom Writers", great movie, sidenote: McDreamy is in it and not so McDreamy..but don't hold that against him!). Right now, I'm just very sore, crampish and muscle ache. I assume this is a side effect of the Follistim? as I do not normally feel this way. But it's nothing a little heating pad action isn't clearing up. Tomorrow another blood test..and then I find out if I come back in on Sunday or Monday for another lovely vag-nay-nay Ultra sound and blood work again...then I've been told it's every other day up to retrieval. Also this morning, a very nice anathesiologist from Brigham and Women's the hospital where I will have the surgeries/procedures, called to have a phone consult to be ready for next weekend or the beginning of the following week. It went well and anticipate all will be fine in that department.

I hope this finds you all well. For all my Idaho girls, stay warm. I hear it's brutal there today!!

Love, Linds




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Here goes nothing... **Disclaimer ladies: what you are about to read will probably teach you more or confuse you more about our own anatomy. Please feel free to stop reading from this part if you do not wish to confuse yourselves or if you gross out easily! Here is a little diary, in the life of an IVF patient!So, here it is January 8th, the very first IVF appointment. I didn't sleep well last night, as was expected, because one has no idea what to expect when you go to your first unknown appointment, for an unknown procedure or two, for an unknown and unwanted look at your vag-nay-nay! Obviously, this appointment is the first appointment in Boston at the highly regarded Brigham Women's hospital/ together with Newton Wellsley Hospital (where John Sutton, my father in law is an anthesiologist) however, I've been "prepping" the body for this for a while. Recently, being diagnosed with PCOS (Poly-cystic ovarian syndrome) added insult to injury to my other long term diagnosis of endometreosis. Both of these things cause little to severe infertility in a large amount of women (the stats are truly amazing, or scary, whichever way you look at it). After many unsuccessful attempts over the entire year of 2006; the natural fun way, adding Clomid (ovulation drug), adding hormone stimulants (big giant long shots) and various other things, we realized with the doctors help, that IVf might be the best thing for us. So we added metformin to my daily routine (a horrible but helpful drug, that makes me constantly nauseaus and/or have major rhea problems) that is an actual diabetes drug but helps with the PCOS (no one truly knows why either..interesting). So today was the day we'd been waiting for. The first appointment in the MIGS dept (minimally invasive gynological surgical unit..just in case you were wondering). I walked in, with my mother-in-law (which was very nice having her with me, although I know some of you might not be able to picture that with your own mother-in-laws..hee hee), and they had us sign in. Many other women, were also waiting in the waiting room already, and it was only 7:10am! Most of the women, I noticed were dressed for work, so hopefully that meant we'd get in and get out. Most of the other women, were also significantly older than myself, so I feel lucky to be starting this procedure at an early age, with the help and encouragement of my doctors. I was immediately called in for an ultra sound, the vag-nay-nay kind, which aren't so fun. However, the tech was very thorough, fast and efficient..so that was over with right away. I came back out, sat with Cyndi for about 2min, and was greeted by my nurse who recognized me right away (good sign) and I only met her once about 3mos ago. Then I was called back into the back again, to have a "mock transfer" done with my doctor (who is a super cool lady and makes you feel very calm). The "mock transfer" was no fun, as they stuck a cathetar up me to see how far my uterus went up! Oh yeah, the pain was reminiscent of my HSG (another horrible test I had on my birthday of this year ironically, to find out how my endometreosis was doing). It was a lot of cramping but it was a very fast procedure. The lucky thing I found out while doing this was that on the day of the transfer, when all ladies are supposed to have full bladders for the entire transfer (ouch!), I don't have to have a full bladder because my uterus is tipped towards the pelvic bone (down) and if it was a full bladder, the uterus would be tipped too far back. Good news! After that little lovely test, I met with the doctor..who like a drug dealer, pushed me over some meds. I kept asking about them and she was very evasive about it. She was giving me the drugs for FREE!( A word, you seldom hear with IVF!) So in all, this doctor has saved us at least $1500 in free meds. We do love her!! I finished up with a meeting with my nurse and everything is pretty much set in motion. Every day I go in for an appt. I'm out by 9am at the latest ( I believe this is to get working ladies who live here, back to work). They call each eve. between 2-6pm to give me directions on what drugs I take, how much and when my next appt is. It's all very fascinating. The only appt. that will be at odd times, will be the actual surgeries to retrieve the eggs, and the transfer to implant the embyros (they happen 3 days apart towards the end of this journey here) and they have in Boston at a major hospital, Brigham Women's.So that's it for Monday! We shall see what's next....

by Lindsey Sutton
10:21:00 AM
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Here goes nothing...

by Lindsey Sutton
10:21:00 AM
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