So this was the big and last appointment before we got right into the whole IVF cycle thing.
This was mainly an appointment to fill out all of the consent forms and ask any questions.
On our way to the hospital i was reading through the IVF patient guide for the millionth time! I just wanted to know what was next all the time, i wanted to know everything before it happens so i don’t have no surprises on the way.
When we got to the hospital it wasn’t long and me and Jamie was sat in the room with our fertility nurse. We got out the folder with all our paperwork, she flicks through and praises us for actually completing them (many couples wait till they are there with her she said) There was a little section we waited to fill out as we needed to double check a few things.
Eggs & embryos for storage
So this was something we definitely knew. We did NOT want our eggs and sperm used for testing. But why? your probably thinking..
This may sound silly but we really don’t want one of my eggs or soon-would-be baby to be used like that before its even born. I even had visions of some clumsy trainee dropping them on the floor! What a waste that would be.
Storing Embryos
We want to freeze our embryos for as long as possible! We have decided we definitely want to have at least one more baby after a hopefully successful cycle.
How many go back in?
We have spoke about this a few times. TWINS! It would be lovely, I would love two little babies 🙂 But with that comes a few complications and a lot of hard work! We had to both decide and sign.. We agreed 1-2; Jamie seems more keen on just the one as he knows i will find it a struggle with two, I mean who wouldn’t.
There was a ton of questions and different sections in the pack I could go on for ages!
Once all the forms where completed we spoke a bit more about our treatment. Our nurse was sure we would be put on a short protocol – The difference between the long and short protocol can be found HERE. Its good in a way because we start sooner!
ICSI
We are most likely going to have ICSI as the quality of Jamies sperm isn’t excellent and may not be able to swim into the egg by itself. This procedure may cause damage to the egg according to SOME research. Our nurse told us ‘The more you read you can see its more that say it doesn’t make a difference but it will be more successful for us’. Of course we want it to be successful!
Injections
I was shown how to set up the Gonal-F injections. It seemed so easy! She showed me first and then i had to do it myself and inject a replicated tummy patch which was like a foam/rubber square. Simple I thought! Then she pulled out another injection set.. mix the powder with the liquid then syringe that. My mind was lost! She said she would show me that in a few weeks before i start as she likes her patients to try do their first ones when they are there. THANK GOD! The whole injection thing doesn’t worry me at all. Im ready for them just not the symptoms I’ve heard about. Jamie on the other hand is worried sick! He don’t want to see me having to put myself through this but then he knows its for a good thing in the end. 🙂 We got given an instruction poster which will be going on my wall as soon as the time comes haha!
Blood Tests
We needed to have our blood tests for HIV and Hepatitis screening. Jamie being 25 years old has never had a blood test. Shocking right? He’s got tattoos but was so worried of having a blood test. Once mine was done it was his turn. He wasn’t to bad bless him, once it was done he said ‘oh that wasn’t to bad’ (Yea right, wait till you hear what he said when we left)
Just at the end of the appointment she said we will receive a phone call over the next few days to say if we will be doing the short or long protocol and when we will be receiving our medicines and stuff.
She said after she will be going on holiday for 2 weeks! Thats when i got more worried, she is such a lovely lady and so helpful, if i start within them next two weeks who am i going to call for help! There is another nurse who can help but once you see one for a certain amount of time you get used to that person and the way they do things.
When we left it was all going round in my head, there was so many questions i still had. I said well done to Jamie for handling the blood test so well.. ‘Yea right Lau, it hurt! I didn’t want to sound like a wimp so i said it was fine, why do you think i couldn’t remember my date of birth when she asked? i was thinking of the pain in my arm!’ HAHA!
So that was it for that appointment we just needed to wait for the call to say what was next.
04/08/15 – We got the call!
Our nurse said we will be doing the short protocol as the consultant thinks i would hyper stimulate if i went on the long protocol and this one was for the best. All our blood tests were fine & the next time we hear from someone it will be when they say they will deliver the injections!
This process is already going so fast, I’m due my period in just over a week so thats when the injections start and this could get tough for us all.
If anyone has questions i would love to help you. Please also let me know how you feel about embryos/eggs/sperm being used for testing purposes i would like to hear other peoples views on this!
alittleivfjourney.wordpress.com 