IVF FET #1, scan #3

Hedging my bets, I took the nasal spray this morning but didn’t bother with the Estrofem, figuring that, if the transfer was cancelled, at least I’d save myself from ingesting four more doses of oestrogen.

To my surprise, it was the nurse from my very first scan in July last year, she of Dr L double act fame. She (who has never introduced herself and whose name I can never remember, terrible) is in training, with two years left to go, and I hadn’t seen her since the scan in which she was being assessed by a watchful and taciturn man in the corner and wasn’t her usual chatty self for obvious reasons. She passed that exam and I like to think the follicles and I played our small part.

She explained that, if I had a polyp, they would get rid of it as soon as possible. I asked if there was a chance I’d develop another one in the next cycle because of the drugs. Polyps can take two or three months to grow, though they can be quicker, so we would move fast to get the show back on the road again asap. If there was a polyp, timing-wise it most likely wasn’t down just to the recent Estrofem, which is oestrogen, but to the other drugs as well.

She had a thorough look and scanned the uterine lining from various angles. It was nicely thick and three-layered and she could see the area that Nurse B had been worried about last week – she showed me the slight lines, like cracks, that had caused the concern. But she reckoned there was no polyp. She said we’d consult with Dr L and, if there was any doubt, we could insert some saline that would show up any problems.

I asked if I could have an infection, as I began itching like crazy around the time I started on the Estrofem and was dry and uncomfortable for over a week. She reckoned it wasn’t an infection. Sometimes, when the lining is thick, you just see disturbances in it. It can even be down to shadows thrown by the scanning equipment.

Dr L came in while I was dressing and I could hear them looking at the scans. I was pretty relieved and kind of surprised to have gotten away so lightly, until Dr L asked, “Are you dressed?”  So undressed again and back into the stirrups for another check.

Dr L took a few shots from other angles, explaining that they don’t want to waste the “precious embryos” if there’s any chance at all of a problem. I was really hoping that the nurse’s inexperience hadn’t hidden some lurking polyp.

And it hadn’t. The lining is looking great and we’re good to go. Polyp schmolyp.

We asked about the possibility of an infection and Dr L explained that Estrofem can cause itching and dryness. As well as memory problems and extreme tiredness, apparently. Like a mini-menopause, which is odd, as I think it’s used as HRT for menopausal symptoms.

I’m finding it a little hard to process but we’re transferring on 11 September. I continue the Estrofem daily until then, stop the nasal spray at lunchtime tomorrow and start the progesterone, morning and evening, on Friday. I arrive at the clinic tomorrow week with a full bladder and perfume-free and we’re off.

As is the custom, Dr L waved me off predicting twins. The nurse said it was a nice omen that I’ve come full circle with the two of them. And she’s looking for some patients to follow up to the 20-week mark as part of her obstetrics training, so if I hit the jackpot this time you never know…