According to this site, which does calculations based on "replacing cleaved embryos" (thereby making them a cool site, as no other sites seem to cover IVF dates), I will be 6 weeks pregnant tomorrow.
I know! I was confused, too. But then I read more about IVF, and seeing as IVF skips those early steps (egg floats lazily down fallopian tube. Mummy and Daddy get drunk and shag like inebriated rabbits. Sperm float down the tube and compare dick size to see who should nab the egg. Egg gets fertilized and starts to divide (Purple! Fairy! Dust!) and continues floating down the tube, into the uterus, and then lazily installs self in comfy uterine armchair.) pregnancies are on the fast track. So while I may have been only knocked up for perhaps 2, 2 and a half weeks, the development cycle is shorter.
Makes my knees knock to think that as of tomorrow morning, I am 6 weeks pregnant.
I suppose what floors me the most is that this FET cycle-this cycle, which comes with 16.2% odds-succeeded. At my clinic, they average that each month they do 81 FETs. And each month, the average is just 12 women that get pregnant. I remember my last FET, which was done May 2002-I had no doubt in my mind it wouldn't work, and it didn't. So now after 4 cycles (2 with my ex and 2 with my lovely boy) and 5 years, something has finally happened. I have gotten further than I ever thought possible.
But even more, it's like Donna said-how is it that in the July/August time frame all of us cycling in blogland did so well with FET cycles?
And yes, I still face the miscarriage odds-it's around 10% now, and after the heartbeat is heard, the stats go down to less than 3%. But man, just to get this far is amazing. Besides that, apparently evidence shows that obvious pregnancy symptoms are good signs, as it means the hcg is going full on.
And the symptoms, they are severe. I had no idea I would be knocked on the ass so hard. I am nauseaous most of the time, and suffer from food avoidance like you wouldn't believe. Nothing sounds good. I don't want to eat anything, it all feels so revolting. And sometimes I'll be eating something and halfway through it I'll suddenly go off it-more meals are being pushed away than I ever have before. I am absolutely exhausted and sleep like the dead. All of today has been spent on the couch, as I can't stand up without feeling hideously light-headed and pukey (but I have managed to catch up on many DVDs today, so I am not in the least upset.) As long as I sit, I don't feel like I'm going to faint, so pardon me while I catch up on Scrubs.
Please don't think I'm complaining, because I'm not. I'll take the nausea, the food avoidances, the exhaustion, the dizziness. I'll take it all. It's reassuring and a part of it all.
I went to the clinic on Thursday to get more drugs-they give you enough to get through the 2ww, then if it's positive you go in for more (and if it's negative, you crack open the wine). I went in, and the RE gave me a rundown on everything. I'm now on food restrictions-no partially cooked eggs, no pate (not a problem, as I'm veggie). Shellfish and fish from an approved vendor are ok if they're fully cooked, and cheese is ok as long as it's pasteurized (but I really don't feel like eating cheese, which is criminal.) I am to eat several small meals throughout the day, and to keep snacks on hand that are healthy, like granola bars and such (which I love, so ok). I am actually losing weight, but the RE said that was normal. I have found a few savior products that help beat the nausea-first thing in the morning I eat some plain crackers, and during the day I turn to plain tortillas (you can take the girl out of Dallas, but...).
I go back for what they call the "viability scan" (nice. Very nice.) in a little less than 2 weeks. There we should hear the heartbeat, see the fetal sac, and get measurements (Dear God, please let there be only one Dr. Seuss baby in there, yes? Aidan has already expressed that the Great Depression of 2006/2007 shall set in if there are twins in there, so how about just the one, ok?) and then we are dismissed from the fertility clinic and into the hands of our GP.
No hand-holding in our English hospital, nosiree! One "viability scan" and we're out!
Aidan has been a complete doll through all of this, especially in urging me to rest and taking care of things.
So there you have it.
6 weeks and hanging in there.
Posted by Vanessa at August 20, 2006 04:15 PM | TrackBackYou sound pretty pregnant to me. I hope you find something that you can manage to keep down!
Posted by: thalia at August 23, 2006 08:53 PMThis is fabulous news. And yes, my dear, you are definitely pregnant. I know, because I had many of the same symptoms in my first trimester earlier this year. I lost weight during my first trimester because I was so nauseous. When the nausea finally stopped, I would be hungry but not know what I wanted. I would get something, take two bites and decide it wasn't for me. I was utterly exhausted all the time (that improved greatly during my second trimester) and my sense of smell was out of control. Happily, all of the un-fun symptoms improved the day I started my second trimester, so keep the faith. It'll get better.
Posted by: kitty at August 22, 2006 10:33 PMi have been away so missed THE BIG DAY! Vanessa, i am so pleased for you - i felt so positive for you and i am so glad that turned out to be right.
abs xxxx
Posted by: abs at August 22, 2006 10:09 AMI've been out of town and away from my blogs, but was crossing my fingers when I got back I'd see you were pregnant! I am SO HAPPY for you. It's a little weird to be this happy for someone you don't 'know'. :-)
Posted by: Polichick at August 21, 2006 07:06 PMI have it on good authority from several mommies-to-be that papaya juice or ginger ale are good remedies for morning/afternoon/evening sickness. Maybe one of these will work for you!
Posted by: lambchop at August 21, 2006 02:53 PMI am so very happy for the both of you!
Posted by: justme at August 21, 2006 01:22 PMYou're six weeks tomorrow? SO AM I!! Does that mean youre due on the 17th April too?
Posted by: Meg at August 21, 2006 11:33 AMIsn't it strange how terribly exciting it is to have all those horrible symptoms? I know you aren't complaining for real.
I know everyone must be full of advice, but for me, I found that very cold things helped the nausea quite a bit. Icy ice water, cold cold lemonade, and popsicles were all lifesavers for me in the beginning. Let me know if you want me to send you some Preggie Pops (if you can't find them there). Supposedly they help too, but I was over the nausea before I discovered them.
Hang in!
Posted by: donna at August 21, 2006 02:11 AMHow wonderful!! Of course, I remember all too clearly the smell/vomit cycle. Hang in there. It WILL get better.
Dana described it best: your body goes through so many changes, so quickly, it's like going from a shoe box to a space shuttle and back again in 40 weeks. NO WONDER we feel a little irritable and our tummies are messed up a bit!!
I shall continue sending loving light and prayer your way.
xoxo
Posted by: Just Me at August 20, 2006 10:54 PMSorry about all the nausea, but look at the bright side: since your cycle is shorter, then you're that much closer to end of your first trimester, and hopefully the end of the ickies!
I'm so very, very happy for you!!
Posted by: Amanda at August 20, 2006 09:58 PMVanessa, I am so happy for you!
And, as for pregnancy calculators, my favourite one is at IVF.ca. Here is the link:
http://www.ivf.ca/calcu.htm
That site also breaks down the trimesters, and shows you which milestones your baby reaches at what dates, and when your major tests should be done, etc. It's really interesting.
What I love about this calculator is that you can choose to date the pregnancy from the Retrieval/Ovulation date, as opposed to using LMP's, which give incorrect due dates, anyway.
That is so awesome that you are 6 weeks today -- according to the pregnancy calculator, I should be exactly 4 weeks today (assuming everything is going according to plan in there!)
I can't wait to hear how your scan goes! I hope it goes really, really well! And as far as the twin vs. singleton pregnancy goes -- it always amazes me how many people actually hope for twins, when it really is so much more of a riskier pregnancy. In the end, it's better for the baby and the mother to have a singleton pregnancy. Most RE's consider twins or more to be "high risk", and each time I cycle my RE comments that they hope I just have a singleton pregnancy! But to each her own, I guess! ;)
Anyway, I am wishing you the very best with your pregnancy, and look forward to more updates. :)
Take care,
Nilla
I am so excited for you! I hope the next few weeks fly by so you can have your viability scan and find out how many lodgers have taken up residence. I understand your twins fear, or rather I empathise because I haven't been through anything like this myself. My baby is 6 weeks old and its bloody hard work, but (cliche alert) I wouldn't change any of this for the world. Am off now to install batteries in a plethora of gadgets I bought today in an attempt to keep her entertained! What happened to "my child will play with twigs and stones" bring on Fisher Price! Good luck with everything, I am so excited to read about your adventure ahead!
Posted by: Sarah at August 20, 2006 07:25 PMYou know...I was sort of jealous of two IFers who had successful IVFs at the same time as me and were pregnant with twins. I didn't WANT twins, but I still wondered how they ended up with two fetuses, and I just had the one.
Fast forward to when I actually have one of those real, live babies, and Christ on a bike am I glad I only have one. Twins are for women far stronger than I.
So yeah...that was positive talk from me, huh?
Anyway, I hope all those crap symptoms go away. I had them quite badly at that stage too, and I was back in the US for the first time in a year. It was ever so blissful to be spending the bulk of my time sleeping, feeling incredibly ill, and avoiding all mention of food. Fun times.
Let me convey again how pleased I am for you. Yay.
Posted by: MsPrufrock at August 20, 2006 07:14 PMFucking Excellent!!!! I am soooo excited for you
Posted by: Cheryl at August 20, 2006 07:10 PMTwins would be the worst thing in the world if you didn't want them.
Hopefully we'll be able to eat cheese again soon.
Posted by: statia at August 20, 2006 06:34 PMtwins wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.... but just one is a fabulous thing!
Hooray!
Posted by: caltechgirl at August 20, 2006 06:15 PM