Waiting for bloodwork this morning, I heard the tech call my name. Just my first name. That's funny, I thought, but then, come to think of it, they've just been calling my first name in general of late.
I thought maybe they had decided to be more HIPAA-compliant or something, and I asked.
"Oh, no. It's just that now we recognize you, so we say your first name."
This may not seem so strange, except that my clinic is big. I mean really big (as in, sometimes I think the waiting room looks a bit like an upscale airplane terminal). In fact, about 200 women cycle there a month. And so the nurses and techs have never called just my first name.
The personal touch was nice, but I have to say, I started to feel like a real old-timer. When they have my birthdate memorized, then I'll really know it's time to move on.
Got more baseline results:
FSH: 6.8
E2: 32.7
LH: 5.47
Not sure what to make of them. FSH looks good, but not sure about the E2 or LH. Any of you know?
Will is out of town, and I am going to a party solo tonight, so will be mixing menopur and shooting up the follistim in the bathroom. Guess I need to bring a little refrigerated bag or something. Ah, the glamour of IVF!
Mo
I remember crossing over into the "old timers" club at my clinic when the receptionist looked up and said hi using my first name. I laughed and told her I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad that the staff at my fertility clinic knows me by name and recognizes me when I walk in!
ReplyDeleteGood luck to you with this cycle. I'm not sure of blood levels for 2 days of stims. I hope they're all ok.
No clue on the numbers, but good luck on your IVF! I'm sending baby dust your way!!!
ReplyDeleteICLW
Oh Mo, I had a small clinic, which I loved and whenever I called I didn't have to tell them who it was, she saw our last name on the call display and picked up the phone saying "Hi duck how are you today?" etc... when we returned for transfer a few weeks ago we were hugged, hugged! So in a way i think it's good when they know you, they can think good thinks for you, not patient number 142...
ReplyDeleteFSH looks great, I know nothing about e2 or LH numbers :)
Oh good luck good luck! I will keep my fingers crossed. This is a site I referenced often for hormone level guidance http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hormonelevels.html
ReplyDeleteIf those are your CD3 numbers then I think th E2 is good. As far as I know you dont want it over 80 or some such thing. Anyway, good luck - I'm a fellow 37 year old (?I think thats your age) who just finished my 4th cycle and am pregnant with twins.... so perhaps the 4th one will be the charm for you as well!
ReplyDeleteMo, FSH under 10 and E2 between 25-75 is optimal, or so Dr. Google tells me.
ReplyDeleteTake a look here: http://www.fertilityplus.org/faq/hormonelevels.html
I'm 35, my E2 was in the fifties, and my RE said it was normal.
As for a clinic where everybody knows your name is both comforting and disturbing. My clinic calls everyone by their first name and I like that they recognize me.
There was another woman with my name at CRMI. I was worried we might end up cycling at the same time. sort of comforting and depressing a the same time when they get to know you. I usually went to the Mt. Kisco office which is very small so that I didn't have to sit in that huge waiting room with the perfectly polished women. I always felt young, unrefined and rather a mess next to them in their heels, make up and nice clothes... me sitting there hair still wet in a track suit.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the mixing fun. My worst mixing experience was for an IUI. I hate too much wine with dinner (I know no drinking... I was a bad non-compliant patient for IUIs) and I had to mix the menopur in a coworker's bathroom without anyone finding out. I was a mess. The other one I have to top that is DH giving me my PIO on an airplane in the bathroom. :)
In 4 IVFs have you ever had to take a shot in a weird locale?
I don't know about the numbers but it sounds like you have a major bash going on tonight. :) Have fun.
ReplyDeleteI too only have Dr. Google to rely on and I am not sure about day 2 numbers unless it is really your day 3, in which case there are quite a few references and I believe your numbers are all in the "good range". I only have blood work on Monday - which will be the start of my 4th day on stims...
ReplyDeleteI have no clue what the numbers mean. But I wish you so much luck and happiness. I am so excited to go through this journey with you.
ReplyDeleteKami
There's nothing lovelier than shooting up alone in a bathroom. I was an old timer at my last clinic. To the point where on the morning of my beta at the clinic the tech took my blood and then said - guess we'll see you in a couple of days - as though there was no point in waiting for the results for me to start the next clomid cycle. Personal yes. Inspiring - not so much.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the party, guess you have already gone at this point! Hopefully shooting up in the bathroom went ok - last cycle I only got to have my shots at home 2 times. Insane, I went everywhere with a little cold pack. Soooo glad this time they were more willing to work with my schedule!
ReplyDeleteSorry, I am clueless about the numbers (since no one cares about mine, donor eggs and all) - hopefully yours are perfect and this is the lucky cycle for you!
fsh looks good. the E2 looks good, too. i think mostly they want it to be under 75 for the start of the cycle and they just use it to follow your progress over the course of the cycle.
ReplyDeletelooks good. so glad that you are officially starting again. :) old timer or not!
Ah, the old-timers club. Yeah. After doing this for 5+ years, my local RE's office knows my voice, number and all the intimate details without even asking! I think I owe them a few coffees!
ReplyDeleteBTW, you've hereby been nominated for an Honest Scrap Award! Peek at my blog for the details. And sending best wishes to you for the rest of the stim stage!!
My most interesting "shooting up" story was at a Rod Stewart concert - and it was the trigger shot so we couldn't mess around with times, we just got on and did it RIGHT THERE IN OUR SEATS :)
ReplyDeleteAnd like Gill, I also tagged you
http://leighloveslists.blogspot.com/2009/02/tag-about-honesty.html
them recognizing you can only be good, you'll get more personalized care!
ReplyDeleteYour E2 is very good. It means you are properly suppressed, and primed to go(your ovaries are resting).
Good luck!
To my knowledge (which is limited by my inexperience but based on my information whore-ishness) those numbers all look quite good.
ReplyDelete