Similar progress this time around

We're tracking just about exactly the same as we were the first time around.  That's good because we got 1 normal, great looking embryo out of our first IVF cycle.  But it's also a little bit of a bummer to us since we were trying double the medications in order to try for MORE than 1 embryo out of this second cycle.  But it goes to show you that sometimes the body is going to do what the body is going to do.

"Don't bother me, I'm doing what I'm doing"

I'm making good progress though - meaning my eggs are maturing (as usual, some faster than others) and my estrogen levels are looking good.  We're going to be triggering tonight which is Day 8 of Stimulation - a day earlier than we thought (and a day earlier than last cycle).

It seems my trigger snuck up on me so quickly during our last cycle and then we were thrust immediately into tracking embryos, so I never had a chance to discuss what the doctor is looking for when she gets ready to stop Stimulation and trigger you for retrieval.  You can also read about what doctors are watching for during a cycle here.  It's a balance of these items:

• progesterone levels - should not go above 2, once they get close, it's time to trigger
• endometrial lining - during Stimulation it will thicken and should be triamilar (show 3 lines on the ultrasound), but as it thickens and as the progesterone levels rise as it gets closer to ovulation, it will change
• egg maturity - if some eggs are ready but others aren't, you don't want to keep pushing the others and potentially lose or "over-mature" the ones that were ready

So really the body will only go as far as it will go and you can't push it anymore to (in our case) get the rest of the follicles to full maturity.

My Specs from this Stimulation:

Baseline (taken 3 days before Stimulation):
Right Ovary: 4 (antral follicle count)
Left Ovary: 12 (antral follicle count)
Estrogen (Estradiol) Level: 40.7 pg/ml

Day 5 Stimulation:
Right Ovary: 4 follicles (1 worth tracking:) 9.5mm, rest very small
Left Ovary:  13 follicles (8 worth tracking:) 4mm, 14mm, 12.5mm, 12.5mm, 9mm, 7.5mm, 8.5mm, 8.5mm, 8mm, 4mm, rest very small
Estrogen (Estradiol) Level: 354 pg/ml
Endometrium (uterine lining): 7.7mm trilaminar

Day 7 Stimulation:
Right Ovary: 4 follicles (1 worth tracking:) 9mm, 6mm, 3.5mm
Left Ovary: 12 follicles (6 worth tracking:) 6mm, 7mm, 12mm, 10mm, 9mm, 16mm, 10.5mm, 5.5mm, 18.5mm, 15mm, 6, 6mm
Estrogen (Estradiol) Level: 1094 pg/ml
Progesterone: .6 ng/ml
Endometrium (uterine lining): 11mm trilaminar

Day 8 Stimulation (today!):
Right Ovary: 3 follicles: 13mm, 15mm, 11mm
Left Ovary: 11 follilces: 7.5mm, 20mm, 13mm, 19mm, 20mm, 14mm, 11.5mm, 8mm, 16mm, 8.5mm, 8mm
Estrogen (Estradiol) Level: 1399 pg/mL
Progesterone: .7 ng/ml
Endometrium (uterine lining): 11.7mm trilaminar

Hoping for 6-7 mature eggs this time.

I don't care if they're pretty - just want as many as we can get!

Dr. A has explained that the "saturation" point for these medications has repeatedly been proven to be 300 IUs per day.  Meaning, you can try to give someone more, but most of the time they're going to react the same as if you gave them 300 IUs.  Last cycle I was on 150 IUs of Follistim and 2 vials (75 IUs each) of Menopur daily.  That equals 300 IUs.  This time I'm on 300 IUs of Follistim and 4 vials of Menopur per day.  That equals 600 IUs.

Now take a look at my Day 8 Stimulation this cycle compared to Day 8 last cycle:

Day 8 Stimulation NOVEMBER (300 IUs) IVF Cycle:
Right Ovary: 9mm, 7mm, 19.5mm, 15mm, 18mm, 9mm, 11mm, 17mm, 8mm, 8mm
Left Ovary: 14.5mm, 11mm, 11.5mm, 17mm
Estrogen (Estradiol) Level: 1300 pg/mL
Endometrium (uterine lining): 10mm trilaminar

Day 8 Stimulation JANUARY (600 IUs) IVF Cycle:
Right Ovary: 13mm, 15mm, 11mm
Left Ovary: 7.5mm, 20mm, 13mm, 19mm, 20mm, 14mm, 11.5mm, 8mm, 16mm, 8.5mm, 8mm
Estrogen (Estradiol) Level: 1399 pg/mL
Endometrium (uterine lining): 11.7mm trilaminar

It's almost identical.  The additional medicine won't hurt anything (other than my wallet!) and sometimes it DOES work to improve the results in some women.  But not too commonly...

So that's where we are.  Very hopeful for mature eggs - as many as we can get!