"goodbye" to fertility treatments, "hi hi" my new life

Saturday, 17-March-2012

I began spotting on d14 (15-Mar) .. streaks of red, brownish stains. Today is d16 and I told Vince to help me buy a pregnancy test kit. I was still hoping that brownish stain might be an implantation stain. 

Benghua was picking me up at 4:30pm to Irene's housewarming. I felt really bloated and uneasy.  So before leaving home, I checked again and confirmed my MC "has arrived".  I cannot help feeling disappointed even though I know we can continue our current lifestyle if we don't have a 2nd baby but I cannot help feeling sorry because kyros will be without siblings. Vince said God must have his plans and reasons for not blessing us with the baby we so longed for.  When he closed one door, he will open another for us. 

We've discussed during the start of my 2WW and we decided that enough is enough.  If I fail this SO-IUI, we will not attempt another fertility treatment again. Vince agreed I've tried my best.  We will not have any regrets later on in life.  I rang my mother-in-law and told her about it.  She's resigned to this and said too that it is just not fated to be.  She asked how much I've spent since I started trying to conceive. wooo .. Dr WK Tan @TMC is just as expensive as Dr Loh.  So is Dr Soon.  I've also lost count of the amount I've spent on TCM. $20K maybe? My IVF & SO-IUI  (inclusive of the approx $4.5K via Medisave) already came up to ~$12K. And I remembered paying between $200-$300 for some trips to Dr WK Tan, and my bill for one of the x-rays was nearly $500. Incredulous.  Now, this is a good reason why my savings account has dried up.

So, good bye my Kate.  Looks like I'm not fated to have you afterall. After so many years, I'm really saying good bye to you and start living life from now on.

IUI procedure

I'm glad they came up with Novena Medical Centre & Novena Specialist Centre. Jeez! These buildings are so sleek, so new .. unlike most hospitals which are so run down .. TMC is one of them .. so tiny, so dark and old, so badly in need of renovation huh?

We were at CARE @Novena Specialist Centre (opposite Sq2) at 9:30am this morning to have Vince's sperm processed / washed for the IUI this afternoon.  The fresher the better so Vince had his masturabated at CARE.  Collection was at 12:30pm so we went to our fav Burger King for breakfast (yum yum crossiants!) and drove home because we wanted to send Kyros to sch.  The process of “washing” the sperm increases the chances of fertilization and Pre and post concentration of motile sperm is counted.  Dr Loh said Vince's were really good and concentrated. 

Both Dr Loh & Dr Marianne were out for lunch when I reached at 1pm.  It was weird having the collected specimen in my bra haha but thats what I was told to do because the processed sperm had to be maintained at room temperature. 

The IUI procedure was over in 3 mins but it was extremely comfortable to have my virigina held open by a cervical cap or whatever it is. Some refer this to like having a pap smear but to me, this is a many times more uncomfy. I was also given 30 caps of utrogestan to take for 15days orally. 

Dr Loh also asked us to go home and "add more power" haha .. vince was definitely delighted to know we can have sex as much as before ..

My bill fr Dr Loh came up to $345 today
consultation: $68
IUI $250
Utrogestan $27

$150 for washing of sperm at CARE

timeline
10-Feb: first consultation & collection of purogon $393
12-Feb to 15-Feb: 50iu of purogon
16-Feb: consultation, scan & increase purogon to 75iu $413
16-Feb to 19-Feb: 75iu of purogon
20-Feb: consultation, scan and increase purogen to 100iu + 1000mg metfomin/day $415
20-Feb to 22-Feb: 100iu of purogon
23-Feb: consultation, scan and increase purogon to 150iu + 150mg of metfomin/day $78
23-Feb to 24-Feb: 150iu of purogon
25-Feb: consultation, scan and increase purogon to 175iu + 150mg of metfomin/day $403
27-Feb: consultation, scan and continue purogon at 175iu + 150mg of metfomin/day $400
25-Feb to 28-Feb: 175iu of purogon
29-Feb: consultation, scan, urine test, collection of pregnyl 5000/$128
29-Feb: final jab of 50iu purogen & pregynl 5000 + 150mg metfomin
02-Mar: IUI $345

yay! i'm ready!

The clinic was not so busy today so I opted to consult Dr Loh.  Not too bad.  My appointment was at 4:30pm, I saw him at 5:10pm. 2 of my follicles were around 16mm avg and a 3rd slightly smaller.  I had a urine test done but it showed I am not ovulating. This meant I cannot have my IUI carried out tomorrow, and Dr Loh arranged for me to have the IUI on Friday 1:00pm instead.

The downside of seeing him at his clinic is, there is no nurses along the "production line". He had to do most things himself and I guess he has not gotten used to the idea of an ignorant patient.  Its only today that I actually appreciated the well-trained-and-knowledgeable nurses at KKH IVF centre.  I still hated the queue though.

I was given this form which I had to ring CARE @Novena Specialist Centre and make an appointment for my husband to go down on Friday 9am to retrieve & to have his sperms processed.  Then we are to send them directly to Dr Loh's clinic.  Dr Loh said either himself or Dr Marianne will perform the IUI for me. I hope its going to be Dr Loh .. perhaps I should make a special request huh ..

timeline
10-Feb: first consultation & collection of purogon $393
12-Feb to 15-Feb: 50iu of purogon
16-Feb: consultation, scan & increase purogon to 75iu $413
16-Feb to 19-Feb: 75iu of purogon
20-Feb: consultation, scan and increase purogen to 100iu + 1000mg metfomin/day $415
20-Feb to 22-Feb: 100iu of purogon
23-Feb: consultation, scan and increase purogon to 150iu + 150mg of metfomin/day $78 
23-Feb to 24-Feb: 150iu of purogon
25-Feb: consultation, scan and increase purogon to 175iu + 150mg of metfomin/day $403
27-Feb: consultation, scan and continue purogon at 175iu + 150mg of metfomin/day $400
25-Feb to 28-Feb: 175iu of purogon
29-Feb: consultation, scan, urine test, collection of pregnyl 5000/$128
29-Feb: final jab of 50iu purogen & pregynl 5000 + 150mg metfomin


furthest left navy box containing my purogon pen
1 syringe & 2 needles (Green for mixing and Orange for jabbing)
Before handling, always ensure hands are washed

Purogen pen with balance 50iu 

Pregnyl 5000 comes in 2 individual vials which I had to mix the two together

Drawing the liquid out with the thick green needle

See the liquid in the syringe? I'm now putting this into the vial to mix with the white powder which will dissolve immediately once it comes into contact with the liquid.

OK my hubby is really lousy at photo taking.  Here I am removing the green needle with a swab and attaching the orange needle for injection. 

The orange needle is now attached ~

To ensure there are no bubbles in the syringe, I hold the syringe upwards and pushed the syringe stopper till I see 1-2 drops of liquid oozing out of the needle. 

Hubby didnt dare administer the jab for me & I am afraid it will be painful to jab into my thigh muscle so Vince helped me ice the area .. and indeed there was no pain though the needle was a tad hard to push in .. and I reckon will be painful if he had not iced the area for me prior.  And I also ensured the area is cleaned with alcohol swab after icing, before the jab. 

aftermath ~