HCG

My nurse asked me to get my HCG checked before starting estrace.  I did and it came back 17.  I was 7 weeks post D & C at the blood draw.  It should be zero by now. 

I  am going in tomorrow  (8 weeks post) to have my HCG checked again and it needs to be below 5.  If it does not go down, my nurse said that I could have retained tissue.  If I have retained tissue I think it means another D & C...  I have read a few cases online where woman have slow falling HCG numbers and they did not have to have another D&C.  I'm really hoping I'm in that camp. 

Also, I can't start estrace/my cycle unless HCG is below 5.  I'm already playing out worse case scenario.  I want to think positive thoughts, but it's been really hard. 

I wish the IVF crystal ball would appear and tell me what to do.  I still wonder if we are just wasting our time with me.  I'm making normals, but are they healthy eggs able to get the job done?  I'm worried about another failed pregnancy and another D & C.  The one thing I've have going for me is my lining.  I do not want to screw that up.

I guess I will have an answer on Thursday. 

A little Sad

I found my sadness.   

As the Christmas cards come in I am reminded of how I wanted to announce our pregnancy via a holiday card.  I think about how I would be showing by now and feeling our baby kick. 

Protocol

Newbie - protocol 3 or the Shoyer protocol worked to combat my dominant follicle issue several years ago.  I had my best two cycles as far as follicle numbers and no dominant.  You take ganirelix  and estrace before your period starts.  As you know, the protocol can work different on you.    
When I cycled with the progesterone protocol we saw better quality eggs, but I had a dominant.

I've chosen to go with the protocol 3 hoping we can get more eggs.  I'm hoping half the reason we saw better eggs was because of CCRM's lab.  My estrogen toward the end of my cycle was only slightly higher.  Was this because I was younger?   

I'm an ongoing science experiment.  Come read what my body does next!        

3s a charm

Wednesday was Day 1 (5 weeks from D & C) I had a normal period with no crazy bleeding, cramps or issues.  I have my calendar from CCRM.  I've decided to go with protocol 3.  The protocol that first gave me hope two years ago.  If everything goes well with my HSG and baseline, I will be in CO in early January for our 3rd CCRM IVF.