I baked chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips that other night and they are sooooo good! Anyone who knows me knows 2 things: I hate chocolate and I hate baking. So this was impressive!
We have begun our FET cycle. For those who do not know here is some info about FETs:
Why Choose Frozen Embryo Transfer?
Many couples choose to have FET performed if they have had previously unsuccessful IUI procedures or if they have had extra embryos remaining from an initial IVF cycle. Some couples do not like the idea of destroying embryos simply because they are "left over" from an IVF cycle. Other couples know or suspect that they will need to do IVF again in the future and prefer to freeze their embryos in order to make future IVF cycles less stressful physically for the female.
In order to perform IVF, numerous embryos are created in order to ensure that healthy and viable embryos are available for transfer. Many couples decide to freeze some of these embryos in order to allow them the opportunity to get pregnant again in the future or for use in a later IVF cycle. Couples receiving donated embryos also must go through the FET procedure, as all donor embryos need to be frozen for at least six months to ensure health and safety.
Embryo Freezing
The FET procedure involves having your embryos frozen, or cryopreserved. Embryos can be cryopreserved at various times after fertilization, ranging from one day after fertilization up to five or six days after. Embryo cryopreservation allows your embryos to be kept healthy and viable for up to ten years. The freezing procedure is as follows:
Your embryos are placed inside of special glass vials, that look much like straws.
These embryos are then mixed with a special solution, called cryoprotectant. This cryoprotectant prevents ice from forming in between the cells of your embryo.
The glass vials containing the embryos are then inserted into a controlled freezer filled with liquid nitrogen.
They are cooled slowly until they reach a final temperature of -196° C.
Embryo Thawing
Before FET can take place, your embryos must be thawed after the freezing process. When your reproductive endocrinologist decides it is time to begin the FET procedure, your embryos will be removed from the freezer and thawed.
The embryos are allowed to thaw naturally, until they come to room temperature.
The embryos are then steeped in four separate solutions to help remove any cryoprotectant used during the freezing process.
Your embryos are then warmed to body temperature (37°C) and mixed with a small amount of culture medium.
The Frozen Embryo Transfer Procedure
The FET procedure is actually fairly straightforward. It is very similar to typical IVF embryo transfer procedures: your body will be monitored for ovulation and endometrial development and then the embryos will be transfered into your uterus.
I am on BCPs now to try and shrink my ovaries back down to normal size after my IVF. I have to be on it for 3 weeks (all of the active pills) and then go in for an ultrasound and some blood work. My RE said not to get my hopes up that they will be small by then but let me tell you... MY HOPES ARE UP. FET cycles are so long that even if my ovaries are ok on oct 25th my transfer wouldnt be until the week after thanksgiving and if they arent small yet then my transfer wont be until the week before christmas... are you kidding me!?!?
I am SO not patient enough for this.
Here are all the pills that I currently take:
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