Phase II Appointment

Today I had my Phase II appointment and mock embryo transfer. Warning: a lot of info here so you can skip it if you want.

I met with one of the nurses who gave me my calendar. This lays out all of the meds that I take and when along with the anticipated date for my egg retrieval and embryo transfer. I have a lot of appointments between now and when my egg retrieval is "supposed" to happen which is on March 29.

They also found a study for us to participate in!! I don't really understand it all (and haven't totally read through all 12 pages explaining it) but from what I understand after they retrieve the eggs and before they are fertilized they trim off the outer rim of the egg. The study is testing this outer rim that they trim off (which they would normally throw away). They will test the outer rim to see if it gives any indicators to how good of quality the embryo will be. So far we quality and we need to retrieve between 5-25 eggs. If we retrieve in that range then we get a check for $1000!!

Ok...back to the appointment. My nurse showed me how to start the first stage of injections, Lupron. This drug is to suppress my ovaries and make it so I will not ovulate while I am on meds. I will be on this for 8 days before starting additional medication. My doctor did my mock transfer where they measure my uterus so they know exactly where to put the egg on the day of my embryo transfer. I go back in a week for some blood work and another sonogram to make sure everything is "quiet" before I start my medications to stimulate my ovaries to produce lots of eggs.