Friday, October 29, 2010

5w5d ultrasound


Thank you so very much for all of your thoughts and your stories of cramping and progesterone. They have been such a comfort to Will and me. We have been, as you know, a little bit beside ourselves.

We had the ultrasound today.

And guess what? There's some hope here.

There is a gestational sac! It is small, measuring about three days behind, but it is there.

There is also a yolk sac!

Squint hard at the picture below (yes, we're back to squinting again, just like with the pee sticks at the beginning). If you look really, really hard, you'll be able to see...well, probably absolutely nothing.

But trust us! There is something there!


Our NYC RE was much more optimistic than I expected. He basically said that everything could turn out ok. That the small size of the gestational sac doesn't worry him so much because it is from a frozen transfer. "Think about it," he said. "If some of the cells die during the freeze and thaw and have to grow back, of course the embryo will be measuring behind." (We didn't even get into the fact that this embryo was also biopsied and therefore lost a chunk of trophoblast cells in addition to whatever was lost in the freeze/thaw). My RE said he's done a study of FET pregnancies and the curve of growth for the FET pregnancies was often 2-3 days behind where you would expect.

So we might be fine. Can you believe it? We might be fine. Wowza.

The NYC RE said that betas are meaningless at this point, now that we are visible on ultrasound. I think they are supposed to continue to rise, but the rate of rise is unimportant.

He also wasn't so concerned about the progesterone. He said the vaginal progesterone doesn't show up as much on bloodwork, so could be ok. He thought it was possible we have a bad batch of PIO, so we will switch vials (ok, to be honest, I came up with that unlikely notion, but he didn't say it was unreasonable). And we will be doing the 3xs a day suppositories plus 1 cc PIO daily from here on out.

He wants to check hormone levels on Monday and offered to do another ultrasound on Tuesday to see if the gestational sac is larger (he'll be out of the office the rest of the week after Tuesday). "Would that make you feel better? Why don't you come back in if it would make you feel better?" I love this man. And you guys know us by now - of course we jumped at the chance to peek inside again. It will be too early to see a fetal pole or a heartbeat on Tuesday, but the gestational sac should be larger.

So the main take home message from all of this?

It's not over yet. Things could turn out ok.

THINGS COULD TURN OUT OK.

Repeat to self again and again, as needed.

Mo


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65 comments:

  1. Mo...soo happy things look great so far. And I GREATLY appreciate your info about the p4 levels and the info about the sac measuring 2-3 days behind due to frozen embryo. Thinking of you but things look great!!

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  2. So very glad to hear this-- I've been stalking you today, and am so relieved to hear that your baby is there, and is snuggling in. As hard as it is, take heart from the doctor's words-- a few days behind is nothing when you think about 10 months of pregnancy. So glad that you're being watched so closely and so very, very hopeful for you! Glad to see your baby's first picture!

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  3. Oh Mo, what good news! Praying things stay where they are and keep growing!

    I'm sure it is going to be a long weekend for you :)

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  4. Alrighty, then. Hope is still in the building! I'm very glad that everything is looking ok. And what he is saying makes perfect sense. I had no idea that vaginal progesterone did not show up...very interesting. I'm glad he's checking everything again in a few days. Hang in there, sweetie. I know it's easier said than done but it's all I got. Always thinking of you.

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  5. Just wanted to let you know that not only did my betas not double, but they went down: 184 then 162 two days later. This was a Friday...I had to wait until Monday for more (and in my mind, useless) bloodwork, but they wanted me to keep going since I transferred two, and might have had one still growing. That Monday, my beta was 2200, and the lab rechecked everything, and the results were unchanged. My failing betas are almost 3 years old now--both of them. Go figure! And warm wishes!!

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  6. I am sooooooo excited! I love your RE...he has the same philosophy as ours about FET's...they tend to run a bit behind and that ran true for our little bean too...it took me longer to get a positive HPT, my beta was lower than with my other pregnancies and then the early u/s showed a couple days behind. I, of course, freaked out at all of this because along with all that I had some very scary bleeding issues...but here I am .. 19 days from delivery and all is fine! I'm hoping for the same for you. Oh...and with ALL my pregnancies (4 total with two live births out of it)....I was always super crampy in the first few weeks and then it leveled out! Yay for a great appointment and all looking good! Grow baby...Grow!!!!
    kd

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  7. Such wonderful news!!! I am beyond excited for you guys!

    Grow baby, GROW!

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  8. Oh boy! What a rollercoaster! I'm glad today's ultrasound swings back toward the positive. I always cramp a lot in the early weeks, and my p4 tends to fluctuate in the early weeks, dropping and gaining 10 from check to check (though I will admit it is fluctuating within a higher overall number). I'm glad the NYC docs remain optimistic. I will too!

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  9. My word verification was "hophave" I think that's a good sign, no?

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  10. Thanks for the update. You had me worried yesterday! I am so glad the ultrasound went well! Be good to yourself this weekend and take it easy! Praying like crazy that this little baby keeps growing!

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  11. D'you know - I wondered about the progesterone - I was thinking that the levels should have more to do with the progesterone being put in medically at this stage rather than the success of the pregnancy, so a bad batch makes sense to me. I am so pleased that things are still looking possible!

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  12. Just wanted to let you know that I'm so happy to hear that things are looking good. I continue to keep everything crossed for you all. And I'm so glad you Dr is so nice and having you come back. They should all be that thoughtful. Hope you can take your mind off things with a bit of Halloween cheer and maybe a little candy. ;)

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  13. oh thank GOD! I'm so happy to hear this, Mo! Things DEFINITELY could turn out ok! Still keeping everything crossed for you guys :)

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  14. WONDERFUL news!!! Yes, good things DO happen. Just gotta keep remembering that, and keep that awesome doctor who wants to make sure you feel reassured! He's a gem.

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  15. Great news!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so glad you saw something positive! Hoping the good luck continues into next week. What he said about frozen embryos makes total sense!

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  16. I'm just all teary reading this. Maybe because my former frozen embryo is 11 months old today. I can't wait to meet this kid!

    Love your NYC RE for being so reassuring. Are you still off chocolate? I think all this calls for a visit to Jacques Torres. Medicinal purposes, of course.

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  17. Dora, still off chocolate, unfortunately : (

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  18. Yay!! I've been checking in all day to see how it went, and I'm so glad that the u/s was good. Glad isn't even the right word.

    Also, good point, doctor, on the growth being a teeny tiny bit behind for FET's. I could be wrong, but I'm assuming that accounts for the initially lower beta too, and seeing as the numbers have been rising GREAT since then, it looks like everything is on track and beautifully NORMAL looking! Congratulations!!!

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  19. Here's what I love: lots of reason for hope and positive thinking after an ultrasound. An RE who cares about your mental state of mind in addition to your ute. And the fact that all signs are pointing to your finally, finally getting what you so deserve. I can't wait for more and more good news from you ahead.

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  20. Mo, I'm soooooo happy the news is so encouraging!!

    T.

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  21. So glad to hear the good news!
    Grow embie, grow!!!

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  22. Thrilled to pieces. Hoping along with you :)

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  23. Very happy to see this update and ((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))))))))

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  24. Oh lady, after three scary emm-effing pregnancies I am a virtuoso of early ultrasound interpretation and I saw the yolk sac and everything and WHOOO that looks like one of mine (who wasn't conceived with ART, but was just a slow grower from a wonky cycle with lots of cramping and bleeding and born at thirty-four weeks six days but fine after a few days) and I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS!

    I totally get it if you're scared silly though, and I would have jumped on that second ultrasound like it was an innernet bandwagon too :)

    Also my word-verification was "infanis." Huh.

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  25. Oh... this is amazing news mo!! I am so happy for you! Let the good news keep coming.

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  26. Yahoo! That is great news. Keeping you both in my prayers and thoughts. Lynne

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  27. I am so glad to see this!

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  28. Whew, that is great news, and a lovely picture. How far along are you now? How long til you could see a HB?

    Rest up, and be good to that little bean this weekend.

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  29. Wonderful news!!! I know you won't relax completely until this kid is 18 or so, but I do hope the news just keeps getting more & more reassuring. Love the first u/s picture!

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  30. That's awesome! I love when Drs let you go things that will reassure you and give you more chances to peak at your baby-to-be :) Congratulations x 1000

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  31. This is simply the best case scenario going into the weekend. So glad you went in, so glad the sac was visible, so glad, so glad, so glad.

    Do everything you are doing, remember to breathe, and know that things are progressing!

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  32. So so happy for your result Mo-- and it all makes sense (FET + biopsy = less cells)

    and I also thought about the PIO and wondered about the batch. So I don't think you're crazy.

    THINGS CAN TURN OUT OK

    with love,
    Kate

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  33. Keep repeating that girl! So so so happy for you.

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  34. Nice ultrasound! So glad you can go into the weekend with hope, and can get some added reassurance early next week. Wishing you all the best!

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  35. Let the ride begin....IF is so crazy and so is pregnancy for some of us:) I have been in you shoes and my progesterone was good but my beta's slowed down a bit so My Reproductive Immuniologist had me doing 2cc of PIO and oral progesterone 200mg twice a day and it made a huge differance in the development and beta numbers:) Hopefully this will hold true for you...Best wishes:)

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  36. Congrats on some well-deserved good news:)

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  37. Still working my way through the ICLW list, so I'm a bit late, but I wanted to send you a huge CONGRATULATIONS!!! I will be keeping my fingers crossed for good news next week. :-)

    Jeannine

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  38. *Right now* things ARE okay. One day at a time, and FX that they stay that way!

    (((yolk sacs)))

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  39. Hi there, I've just recently found your blog - as in squinting at the stick day - and have been checking in on you periodically ever since. Anyway, just wanted you to know that at 5 weeks 1 day and 5 weeks 3 days with my two perfectly healthy pregnancies, I had a gestational and yolk sac, and was also measuring behind.

    Sending positive thoughts your way!

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  40. You are pregnant. Right now! And of course we know there is a chance things won't work out, but NOW you are pregnant and things look good! Live in this moment and rejoice!

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  41. I'm go glad that you got some relieving news. I hope that you're able to find some peace this weekend. Sending all sorts of good thoughts your way for Tuesday.

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  42. So fabulous!!!!! I forget which u/s it was (4w5d??) that they did not even SEE one of our sacs - and when they did see both at the 6 w mark, one was much smaller than the other - I am really, really excited for you!!!

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  43. Hooray for hope!!! Yay yay yay! Grow little embie grow!

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  44. Praying for you! I had tons of cramping and some spotting with my pregnancy which totally freaked me out. But everything turned out fine. I'm sure everything will be perfect for you too! Sending fresh sticky baby dust your way.

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  45. That is great news, and a very nice way to start a weekend! I don't think the fact that the sac is measuring a few days behind is worrisome at all at this point - at such an early stage, it's hard to get a totally accurate measurement.

    I think the fact that a sac is there and the yolk is visible is much more indicative of whether a pregnancy is potentially viable or not. During the pg's I miscarried that involved ultrasound at the end of the 5th week or beginning of the 6th, in every case the gestational sac was abnormally shaped and the yolk sac wasn't there or was questionable. You don't have either of those issues, so I think those are great signs!

    What your NYC RE said about the suppositories is the same thing that Dr. Sch told me when I asked him about it this summer. My progesterone levels (w/o PIO) were only 6.2 and 6.8. The nurse indicated that was kind of low, but Sch said not as much of the suppositories get into the bloodstream and if they were to do an endo biopsy, the progesterone level in that tissue would be a lot higher. But either way, I hope the new batch of PIO brings your numbers up and provides additional reassurance.

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  46. Oh, what a relief! Here's to a good scan next week!

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  47. YES totally, I'm reading this going.. Mo knows everything, MO KNOWS that progesterone if inserted vaginally does not get to the bloodstreatm in the same way if does when you shoot it in you rear. YES. she knows this, she's so mart and educated and knolwedgable... Ok, so good you do know. No use even testing for progesterone.

    you kow how to tell you got a lot of it.. you cramp up!! AND you get constipated. so DRINK TONS AND TONS of water. But if you do get constipated, email me and i've got some solutions for you.

    AND oh yeah, my little ones concieved after my FET, yep, they measured behind the ENTIRE pregnany. But at 6 months old, my little chubster is 75 percentile!! It's all good.

    So happy for you!!

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  48. Whew. Whoa, it feels good to let that breath out, doesn't it?

    The special care to get back in the stirrups on Tuesday is wonderful.

    I now return to my happy state of thoroughly enjoying your pregnancy.

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  49. It has to feel fabulous to hear that you don't have to really focus on bHCG values at this point. HUGE RELIEF!

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  50. ps - dont think we didnt see your dog loving on your pee sticks.

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  51. Mo,

    So happy for you. I know you will never completely relax, praying that all continues to go smooth.

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  52. Girl, I can see it w/o squinting, there is a yolk sac!!! sending so many prayers your way, I know Tues. can NOT come fast enough!

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  53. I wish the two of you ther very best of luck,

    g

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  54. Great news guys!!!!!! So hoping this good news trend continues!!!!

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  55. I couldn't wait to come home and read your update- -and am so excited for both of you that you keep getting confidently hopeful news. Waiting along with you in between these appointments. Hoping the roller coaster of waiting is a bit easier, knowing you have a whole cheering squad standing right along side you in blog land.

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  56. I found my way here via MeKate at I Can't Whistle and just wanted to say congratulations and send wishes for a normal healthy continued pregnancy!

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  57. WooHoo!!! This is great news, Mo and Will!! Fingers crossed that this is it!!

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