CD 11: IUI #2 In Progress... and Thoughts of IVF

I don't remember if I updated or not, but after our first injects/IUI cycle we were benched due to me having multiple large cysts (the largest being 3.4 cm) and ovaries two times the size they are supposed to be. Obviously we weren't successful on our own while I was benched (see post title - ha!), but at least the cysts did go away on their own. 

Let me start by saying that I am so not happy with my RE's office right now... more specifically my new nurse. The nurse I had been seeing for almost a year is apparently no longer there anymore - no clue why - and I really, really dislike the new one. She isn't really new because she has been there doing financial stuff and sometimes filling in with nursing duties, but she is new to me. Anyway, she just rubs me the wrong way and doesn't give me any information. Hello, lady! I'm kind of OCD about all of this, and I need to know how thick my lining is, what my estradiol level is, how many follicles I have, what side they are on, and exactly how big they are!!! Even with me asking, she still didn't divulge any info. Like I said, she isn't my favorite. And since she is being so "secretive" I don't have a lot of information to update because I don't have it myself!

So, this cycle they started me out on CD 4 taking 3 vials of Bravelle (225 iu). I did this for 5 days and then went back in for monitoring. According to Nurse Secrets everything looks "good," whatever that means. Apparently not good enough to trigger, though, because I then had to do 3 more days of Bravelle injects (same dose). I'll do the last shot tonight and go back tomorrow morning to see what's going on. I am really hoping that I can trigger tomorrow and don't have to buy more meds, because we have already spent $950 just on meds this cycle. If I need to do even one more day of meds, it will be another $180. We shall see, though! I am specifically praying for 3-4 mature follicles on my left ovary. 

Also, we have been thinking and praying a lot about what our next steps will be. My RE recommended 3 IUIs before moving on to IVF, and we are on number two right now. Of course I am praying that this is the one that works and we won't even have to deal with IVF, but I also want to be realistic and have a plan in place. Part of me wants to do the 3 IUIs like my RE suggested, but on the other hand, J doesn't have any sperm issues, so I'm not really sure how much an IUI ups our chances compared to just trying on our own, ya know? If it doesn't improve our chances too much (I need to see if the RE can give me some percentages on trying on our own vs. IUI w/injects vs. IVF), we are tossing around the idea of just moving straight to IVF after IUI #2 to save money. I mean, injects cycles are expensive, and we could put the ~$1500 we would spend on an IUI cycle toward the IVF, which is insanely expensive (RE mentioned $12,000 at one point). Unfortunately, we don't have the money for it right now, so we would save up between now and next summer and go for it then. During the time we were saving we would continue to try naturally, and I would work on losing weight. 

Where we would do the IVF is also another thing to consider, because my RE only does IVF 4 times per year (every 3 months). Apparently he contracts out an embryologist - there isn't one there full time. They have wonderful success rates, but at the same time, I worry that I would get OHSS or something and have to wait 3 additional months to do a FET. I know I'm probably thinking way too far ahead, but I want to have some kind of game plan in place. There is some clinic in Dallas, TX that has good success rates and seemingly good prices, too, if you pay out of pocket. Their website says the cost is $6,500 without meds, so that seems pretty good. Again, we are just going to have to keep researching!