Monday 28 July 2014

Too much of a good thing?

Sorry to leave you all in suspense after my last post.  I won't drag things out.  So far, so good.  I'm still pregnant.  VERY pregnant, in fact.

After my BFP we flew to Vancouver for my friend's wedding, where I did a piss poor job of hiding the fact that I wasn't drinking.  Turns out that if you're planning to lie about drinking gin and tonics, you'd probably better make sure the bar is actually serving gin.  Otherwise people will demand to know where you got it and you'll be forced to admit that it's actually just club soda with a lime in it.

Best movie ever!

Fortunately for me the person who caught me is a discreet friend, and I was able to get away with just explaining that we were doing IVF treatment without having to disclose the results.  Thank goodness for people who have no idea about ART timelines!

My original plan was to wait almost a week before testing again, but of course paranoia got the better of me and I peed again the day after the wedding (11dp5dt), which was three days after the first test.  To my delight, the line was darker and in fact was starting to eclipse the control line.  After that I was able to relax a bit, and M and I decided to let our moms in on the news.  We obviously cautioned them to wait for the results of a blood test before getting too excited.

On the second last day of our trip, I called my RE's clinic and was happy to learn that they had no problem scheduling me for a beta when we got back.  To make sure I wasn't going to be disappointed (and to quell the crazy voice inside my head that kept telling me I had no symptoms so hence I wasn't really pregnant), I peed again on 16dp5dt.

It was the weirdest test result I've ever seen.  There was virtually no control line at all.  All the dye got sucked up by the test line.  It looked like my chemical pregnancy pee stick, but in reverse.

I think I broke it.

Hilariously, when you're as pessimistic as I am you don't think "OMG look how pregnant I am!".  Instead you think, "Shit, I must have gotten a defective test.  What if they accidentally reversed the strip and I'm having another CP??"

Fortunately I didn't have long to wait.   This morning (19dp5dt, or 5w3d) I had my first beta.  The results were pretty shocking.

18,689.

Yeah.  That's high.  Really freaking high, and to be honest it's scaring me more than a little bit.  My RE's office didn't seem concerned, but then again they seemed to assume I'd done a double embryo transfer and were surprised when I told them we'd transferred a single.  I asked them if there was such a thing as beta HCG numbers being too high, and they said no.  But Betabase is telling me that it's high even for triplets, and Dr. Google is frightening me with tales of molar pregnancies.  That would just be, like, the worst possible shitty icing on the infertility cake, so I'm doing my best to put it out of my mind for now.  A dose of reassurance from everyone's favourite infertile Ob/Gyn practitioner Jane Allen has helped immensely.  Molar pregnancies are extremely rare, and I know it's far more likely that I have either a very healthy singleton or quite possibly a set of identical twins bubbling away in there.  If it's the latter, it makes me even more happy that we did a single transfer!  I have a follow-up beta on Wednesday, and then they'll schedule me for an ultrasound at 7 weeks.

Oh, and my RE's secretary mentioned that I should get an OB referral from my family doctor and start thinking about which hospital I want to give birth at.  Yeah, OK, lady.  One step at a time here!

37 comments:

  1. I'm paranoid like you. With my current pregnancy, I was convinced I was having a CP (having lost my previous pregnancy that way.) Anyway, I finally get my beta numbers back and they're at triplet levels. I freaked about molar pregnancies and googled the heck out of high HCG levels. Everything turned out to be completely normal (at least so far, at 35 weeks). I hope it will be that way for you, too. Molar pregnancy is extremely rare, as you said.

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    1. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. I so badly needed to hear this.

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  2. Wow, that sure is a high beta! I'm hoping it's just a healthy singleton. But yeah, I'd freak out, too. We will always freak out over anything not within the range of normal after going through IF, I suppose...
    Hang in there! When can you get an ultrasound?

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    1. They'll schedule me for one when they call with my second beta results tomorrow.

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  3. Ha! You broke the HPT!!! One for the company website. ;)

    I wish I could tell you what was up with your beta numbers. On the plus side, this is excellent. But I'm not thinking molar pregnancy.... Anyway, try to distract yourself. One major bonus is it is likely you can get an earlier ultrasound as they should be able to see something very soon. In the meantime, hang in there

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  4. According to this table http://www.babymed.com/hcg-level-in-early-pregnancy you still within range, albeit the high end. I wouldn't worry too much, though I know easier said then done!! But, YAY!! Way to blow that first beta out of the park. : )

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  5. I'm with Jane. I think you just have really healthy baby in there. So start looking at hospitals to deliver girlfriend! ;)

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  6. hard not to worry about everything! Hoping all the news continues to be good. Keep your head up as you navigate the early pregnancy craziness.

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  7. OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! SO HAPPY AND EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS! Congratulations! (I know...one day at a time....but at least celebrate this victory today!)

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  8. Oh, congratulations! This is wonderful and exciting! That is a super high beta, but I'm with the majority here--I bet everything will be fine.

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  9. I also had concerns about a molar pregnancy because my numbers were higher than a triplet pregnancy. I hope this makes you feel better, out of all the research I did, a molar pregnancy would cause you to have crazy high numbers, like 100,000 + . I am really thinking you have a great healthy pregnancy. I also researched that higher hcg numbers usually are a great indicator of a healthy growing pregnancy.

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    1. But do you know when it gets that high? Would it be as early as five weeks? I know molar HCG numbers are waaaay out of whack, but I wasn't sure how quickly they get there. Anyway, hearing that you went through this too makes me feel better!

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  10. So happy for you!! Your worry will lighten once you see that tiny heart thumping on the ultrasound screen. :)

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  11. A meelion beelion babies! Seriously, I think you just have a super healthy, strong pregnancy starting. My numbers were in the triplet levels so I was super relieved there were only two in there. There is the chance your embryo split, I suppose. I am so happy you finally posted this. I have been thinking about you all week! Ahhhhh... I am so excited about this.

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    1. I thought of you right away when I got the number! Is this karma for me wishing a meelion beelion babies on you? If so, it's not funny!!

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  12. So happy things are going well! I agree with all of the other ladies, I'm sure you just have a very healthy singleton or potentially twins growing. Is your RE expecting your numbers to double with them being so high to start with?

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    1. No idea. I doubt it. Dr. Google tells me at this point they could take up to 4 days to double again. I'm hoping a reasonable second beta will reassure me that this isn't a molar pregnancy growing out of control.

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  13. I know It's so hard not to worry, but for now, just consider yourself super pregnant! Is there a reason they won't do an ultrasound before 7 weeks? Even a couple of days earlier, just to put your mind at ease? Hang in there lady. These early weeks are nail-biters, for sure.

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    1. I'll see what I can talk them into tomorrow. Honestly, I kind of used to shake my head at people who kept being worrywarts once they got a BFP, but now I'm totally seeing the other side.

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  14. Yay for an awesome beta! If it makes you feel any better, I had some pretty ridiculously high numbers with Seamus. They were between the twin and triplet range and we were pretty freaked out because I had triggered with three mature follicles. But as you know we wound up with just one perfect little guy. :)

    Can't wait for your ultrasound!

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    1. It DOES make me feel better. Thanks Jenny.

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  15. Wow! What a high number!! Praying for a REALLY healthy baby... Or babies!!! XO

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  16. I think based on all we go through it's perfectly normal to be anxious and over analysis what sounds to me like good news! I think you've come to the conclusion yourself that your high beta either means a really healthy, thriving singleton or the possibility of identical twins which would be amazing. Definitely glad that you went with transferring one! Best wishes friend. Keep us posted!

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  17. Congrats!!! I can't wait to hear if it's one or two growing away in there!

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  18. Can't wait to hear about your ultrasound - congrats on the great beta!!

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  19. This is so exciting! FX your numbers are fantastic tomorrow as well!

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  20. Congratulations! I'm sure everything will be just fine and you'll be holding your baby(ies) in 9 month at the hospital of your choice!

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  21. Can't help it: I vote for identical twins. (: Because: wow. I'll be hoping and praying for you sugar, but it sounds like your numbers are kind of low for molar? Maybe there was very early implantation. Maybe the Czechs sent it zipping down there fast. xoxo

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  22. My comment was deleted... Hrrruuummmppphhh!!

    I am SOOOOOOO freaking ridiculously excited for you it's unbelievable!!!!!

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  23. I'm late to the party thanks to Wordpress reader not updating blogspot blogs quickly enough, but congratulations! I am so excited for you! I know that we always worry about something... but at this moment, you're SUPER pregnant girl! Bob said maybe you have a couple of Angry Birds jumping up and down in there!

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  24. Oh lady I am so freakin EXCITED for you!!! And because I am commenting so late, I already know that you only have one super strong baby in your belly!! :-)

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