IVF Cycle No 2, IVF Journey, Trying To Conceive

Start of IVF Cycle No 2

Putting this on private till i’m ready to share about the pregnancy. 🙂
Yes i’m pregnant with our 2nd child.

The 2nd cycle was really quite straighforward since we’ve done all the previous check up etc. We just had to do some blood test cos it has expired, mainly HIV etc. My egg reserves are still good, above average but it has halved from the previous cycle in 2013. So yes, age factor. The earlier you do IVF, the better.

Here is the IVF Timeline if you’re interested to know!

This time round, they gave me Pergoveris right from the start, together with Gonal F 150iu. Yes, Pergoveris, the one that stings so so badly.

21 April – 25 April 2017: 
Pergoveris (Morning)
Gonal F 150iu (Evening)

26 April – 29 April 2017
Cetrotide & Pergoveris (Morning)
Gonal F 150iu (Night)

30 April 2017 
Cetrotide & Pergoveris (Morning)
Suprefact 150iu Trigger Jab at 11.30pm

1 May 2017
No jabs. Fast from midnight onwards.

2 May 2017 
Sperm Collection at 9.00 am
Report to Ward 2A at 9.30 am
Oocyte Retrieval at 11.30 pm
Out of Operation Theatre at 12.45 noon
Ovidrel jab by nurse on tummy
1st meal at 4.00pm. Discharged at 5.00pm

They extracted 5 embryos and all from left Ovary.

3 May 2017
Embryologist called to inform out of 5 embryos, only 2 fertilised.
1 is a 3 cell & the other one is a 4 cell. They will update me again the next day if the eggs are growing well and fit for transfer.

4 May 2017
Embryologist called, both eggs are growing to 8 cells, excellent quality. We’re good to go for the Egg Transfer the next day!

5 May 2017
Embryo Transfer at 11.00 am. Done by 11.15 am. Discharged at 1.00pm. Our two wee wait begins this day!

I was quite slack this time round honestly. Didn’t follow my diet as strict as  the 1st cycle.
Or maybe cos i was really busy this time round and i didn’t have much expectation. I went ahead with IVF Cycle No 2, knowing this will be our last cycle. Whether it turns out positive or otherwise, we leave it to Him.

We even went for a 4D3N trip to KL during my 2WW just to eat & shop and when we were there, i had a feeling i was pregnant. I had minor cramps, i was tired and had leg cramps. My immune system was down, i fell sick. Had fever & flu out of nowhere. Few days before the blood test, i was exceptionally tired. Kept wanting to take afternoon naps, lasting 2-3 hours each time & kept having vivid dreams. I know it was also a side effect of all the Progesterone Suppositories i was taking but deep inside, i know i’m pregnant. My boobs were sore. I couldn’t lie flat on my tummy & not cringe cos it was so painful.

The blood test day, i left Nadya at my mom’s & insist on going alone. Just in case, it’s negative i might want some time alone. Had trouble drawing blood out, but what’s new kan? But i managed to get everything done by 9am and went off to Jem for breakfast. I wanted to go shopping and do so many things at Jem but i was so tired and when i still have not heard from them by 12 noon, i board a taxi to head back to my mom’s place to rest. Just as the taxi was turning out of Jem, the nurse called & asked for my location & told me to come back cos Doc wanna see me cos i’m pregnant! Woot wooot!
i rushed back to NUH to see Dr Shakina, who was happy to see me.
“You very lucky ah. 2 cycles all strike” Alhamdulilah..

Took my progesterone medication and hello Proluton! Time for the twice weekly butt injection again for the entire 1st trimester. Surprisingly, the injections don’t feel as painful as the 1st cycle. Maybe cos i’ve learnt to manage my expectations this time round.

Alhamdulillah for the smooth 2nd cycle. Now hoping the 2nd pregnancy will go on smoothly just like the 1st, Insha Allah.

 

IVF Journey, Our Little Family, Trying To Conceive

IVF Part II

The time has come!
We’ve finally decided to go for Cycle No 2! Actually we’ve talked about this previously. About wanting to try for No 2 when Nadya turns 2.

Nadya turned 2 on Saturday, 14th. NUH gave me an appointment yesterday, Monday the 16th. HAHAHA. Betul nya kasi chance nampak?

So anyway as i was saying, we did talk about trying for No 2 but for a while, i was a lil undecided about whether i really want No 2 or not. It was not a casual thought. It went on for months actually. Even when Polyclinic gave me the appt date, i was still thinking if i’m really sure about trying for No 2 cos it’ll be a fresh cycle all over again. This time round, with a toddler.

IVF No 1 was easy cos i don’t have to care for anyone except myself. Same goes for pregnancy No 1. I just buat hal sendiri and if i wanna wake up at 2.00pm everyday also can. But IVF No 2 & Insha Allah pregnancy no 2 would be a different ball game.

Then i realised i was overthinking things and i should just STFU and just go jer.
If Allah makes No 2 a reality, it means He wills it and He knows i’m capable of it. If He does not allow No 2 to happen, then maybe He knows i’m really not ready for it. Then i should just Redha. Partly, i’m also scared if No 2 does not happen as easily as No 1. Entah lah. But i’m at a better place right now and very sure that i want IVF Cycle No 2 to happen. Whether it results in baby No 2 or not, i’ll leave it in His hands.

So we went to Clinic G yesterday, informed the gynae i want to go for IVF No 2 and mentioned we want to start after the March School holidays because we’ll be going for a trip and we don’t want IVF to happen halfway. The gynae ordered a new round of blood test & sperm tests for us since the last time we did ours was more than 2 years ago and it has expired. She also advised me to try and lose some weight between now to March. So it’s time for me to start eating clean again!

So Rusly did his HIV Blood test yesterday. I only did some vaginal swab for Chlamydia test etc and have to wait for my next AF to arrive so i can do my Scan & Blood test to check on my ovarian reserves.

Results for the blood test will take about 6 weeks so i think we’re on track, Insha Allah.

Please keep us in your prayers. I’m so nervous for this cycle, God knows why.
I just hope it’ll be as smooth sailing as Cycle No 1. Insha Allah.

 

First Trimester, IVF Journey, Pregnancy, Trying To Conceive

empty

you know it’s still quite hard to believe that i’m pregnant.
Some of my Mother-In-Law’s friends were wishing me Happy Mother’s Day yesterday and hope i ‘sangkut’ with a child soon. They didn’t know yet about the little thing i’m carrying now.

No one has outrightly asked me how it feels like to be infertile and if i could explain it, it would be infertility is invisible.
You don’t lose anything. You don’t have visible scars nor will you die from it. But boy, it hurts.
Hurts so bad when you see numerous negative test results.
Hurts so bad when you see someone who just gave birth few months ago, got pregnant again.
Hurts so bad when everybody is celebrating Mother’s Day and all you have is that aching emptiness in your tummy.

And all you want is a child to hug you and smother you with kisses and tell you that they love you.
I know that emptiness. Too well.

When i found out i’m pregnant, i promised myself i will not complain excessively on the morning sickness, back pains and how i can’t fit into my pants. Neither will i be that annoying mom-to-be, stroking my tummy every minute in front of someone i know who’s dying to be a mom. Yes, while i deserve to be happy and blessed after all i’ve been through, i can’t shake off that feeling of being ‘lonely and hopeless’ away.  That feeling of despair, bitterness & heartbreak.

But i’m human. I might forget. I might accidentally gloat and i apologize in advance.
If you are still trying to conceive, please know i understand how you feel. I really do.

IVF Journey, Trying To Conceive

Race to the end!

My 2ww is coming to an end soon! My blood test is finally tomorrow! 
So far here’s what i had during the 2ww. 

1st – 3rd Day after Transfer: 
Cramps and twinges at my abdomen area. I still go out for dinner and to my mum place because of my sister’s merisik session. The next day i went for a jamming session and on monday i went to the recording studio to do the final mix. But i make sure i don’t walk too much. No shopping trips for the 1st week. 
Most of the time i rest at home but i don’t lie down all the time. I had really long vivid dreams. Must be all the medications. 

4th – 7th day after transfer: 
I start to have heavy discharge. Very creamy lotiony type of discharge. Very little cramps. I also had loose stools. Not exactly diarrhea cos it was a once-a-day-affair but definitely loose stools.
I was starting to wonder if it is even gonna be successful but i kept my hopes high. 


8th – 10th Day after Transfer: 
Cramps started again. Now even more intense. But other than that it’s quite uneventful. I’ve not had any implantation bleeding so far. There was also one night where i had a bad indigestion and could only sleep at 5.00am. 

9th – 11th Day after Transfer: 
Craving for oily & grubby food. Got quite bloated and gassy. Kept burping and passing wind. It was quite embarassing actually. But they said bloating & being gassy is normal cos of all the progesterone inserts. Got very tired easily. Sleepy by 9.00pm and in the morning, i’ll have this slight headache which will eventually go away. 

Today is my Day 12 of transfer and i hope we get a good beta for tomorrow’s blood test!
So exciting! 

IVF Journey, Trying To Conceive

The Start Of The Wait

Saturday, 26 April 2014

The day of the Embryo Transfer. The procedure was scheduled for 8.30am but we had to report at the hospital at 7.00am. Was instructed to drink 500ml of water slowly from 7.00am to 8.00am and hold my bladder and only on that day i’ve realized how weak my bladder is. At 8.00am, i was brought into the day surgery centre. I was at the verge of peeing already. Had to wait for 15mins at the cold lobby area. Trust me, i was in all kinds of position just trying to hold my pee. At 8.15am, i couldn’t hold it any longer. Plead with the nurse to let me pee a little bit because it was really uncomfortable. The nurse making me laugh at their jokes, certainly not helping! One even came close to me and whispered “even if you accidentally peed at the doctor, do know you’re not the 1st one.” HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Continue reading “The Start Of The Wait”

IVF Journey, Trying To Conceive

Halfway Through

The previous IVF post was getting too long with updates. I’m halfway through IVF now so i reckon it’s time to do a new one and update from here instead. 

Saturday, 19 April 2014

We are back from our hospital appointment! Had a bad blood test experience again. I blame it on my narrow veins though cos the nurses there are so nice, it’s hard to find fault with them. Hahaha
But really, the malay nurse is the one who always had to take my blood test and all this while she’s been doing it at my left arm. But taking blood test every two days at the left arms results in bruises and she was really reluctant to draw out any blood from my left arm again today. But she couldn’t find any veins on my right arm. She tried to draw blood my right hand instead. Which is really painful by the way. I’ll give you my juicy arms anytime but my hands are kinda off limits, now that i know how painful drawing blood from your hand is. So anyway, she attempted to draw blood from my right hand and halfway through the vein collapsed. It was so painful when she withdrew the nurse and for the first time, i cried while taking my blood test. So embarassing! Hahahaha

But the nurses were so nice. Told me to go ahead and see doctor, do vaginal scans 1st, go down have breakfast and drink water and come back for blood test and that’s just what i did.
Continue reading “Halfway Through”

IVF Journey, Trying To Conceive

start of my protocol

This is where i’ll update my IVF Protocol, every other day. So if you are interested to read, you can always come back to this page. Cos i don’t think i’ll want to publish so many private entries on the blog. Pretty sure i’ll have lotsa thing to update because this will be such an interesting journey. Lol

Continue reading “start of my protocol”

IVF Journey, Trying To Conceive

1st Phase

My 1st phase of my IVF protocol is going well so far. I’ve started my Nor E pills last Monday. It’s been 5 days now.
I’m really trying very very hard to keep to my meds timing. I’m so bad at this, no wonder i’m not a nurse.
I hate routines.

So anyway, 1 more week of eating Nor E and i’ll start my injectables next.

Nor E has been relatively kind to me except at certain part of the day, i’ll feel a slight cramp & twinges. Nothing too serious but noticeable. I’ve also been reading up on what to eat and what not to eat during this period.

I’m definitely stocking up on Brazil Nuts and Isotonic Drinks.
I’ve heard Avocados are good for uterus lining and i love Avocados!
While i’m really trying hard not to drink cold drinks, it’s really quite hard especially in this weather so i try and avoid carbonated drinks 1st. The only hot drink i love has to be tea but they say tea is not advisable to drink because it’s cooling.

How lah like that!

And oh, my blog stats are now not so crazy as before.
So i was initially fine with publishing publicly about IVF but i kinda like keeping it private for now as well. We’ll see how it goes after the IVF!