Thursday, March 27, 2008

Update from Wednesday's appt

A few enquiring minds have asked me about yesterday’s appt – sorry for not updating!

At the beginning of the appt I found out that the big problem last cycle was my estradiol levels. For each mature follicle (18mm+) they want to see estradiol of 250-300. I had one mature follie, plus one at 14, and then 5 smaller ones - and my E2 was only about 200. They didn't tell me then, basically because it wouldn't have made a difference - we still would have triggered and done the IUI. I asked if we should have waited to trigger, but then we'd run the risk of having a post mature egg while waiting for the E2 to catch up. It's all just so confusing - I don't know why my follicles aren't producing E2 like they should. I don't even know what produces it, or why it's important. I did read that it's the E2 that talks to the hypothalemus (sp?) that then causing the LH surge to happen. We already know that I had a problem with LH surge, so now I guess we're a step further that its the E2. It's just so frustrating - what is causing what?

During the u/s we were making sure that I had no leftover follies that were greater than 10mm. If I did, then we’d be trying this month on our own while my ovaries settled down. The largest one was around 9, so we were good to go. I have no idea how they can tell what is a cyst, what is a leftover follicle, and what is a newly developing one, but they seemed positive. Something about new ones have sharper clearer edges. We also did b/w to make sure that my estradiol levels weren’t too high (which we obviously weren’t concerned about since they never got high last cycle anyways.) Sure enough, around 20, so we were able to start injections last night.

They’ve increased my dose (3 vials instead of 2) to see if that makes a difference in my follicles. I go back on Monday for another u/s and b/w.

I did find out that if I’m not PG this cycle, they are changing drugs. Well, sort of. I was supposed to be taking Repronex, but due to cost they let me take Lepori, which is the generic European version. ($13.65 vial instead of $51.) They use it all the time, but in some people the Repronex just works better. So I’ll have to actually take the Repronex if this cycle is a bust.

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