Today was mock transfer day.
And give me all your money day.
Instructions for the mock transfer (it is what it sounds like – a fake transfer to make sure they won’t have any issues with the real one) include coming to the clinic with a full bladder.
Full bladders and I? We don’t really get along very well. The paper stated I needed to drink 32 oz of water prior to the appointment.
I laughed.
As someone who actually avoids drinking water during the day because I pee so much (and, well because I don’t like water. What? It doesn’t taste like anything!) I had to put much more thought into my liquid consumption than the average person. The office is about 20 minutes from my work and the one thing I hate worse than a full bladder? Is a full bladder in the car. So I cheated a bit and drank as I drove (WATER!).
Pleased with myself that I didn’t have to go to the bathroom already upon arrival at the office, I was pleasantly surprised to be called back for my noon appointment at 11:50. For half a second I began to worry I didn’t finish the water soon enough.
Wrong.
11:50 – Enter room, undress (by the way I’m totally wearing dresses for appointments from now on – so much easier).
11:53 – knock on door. But its only the nurse again, filling out something and checking the equipment
12:00 – internet stops working on phone. Annoyed. Have to pee a little. Stare at ceiling tiles.
12:10 – finish reading all 20 pages of the consent forms. Chuckle at all the suggestions that say things like “more research is needed” Have to pee a little more
12:15 – Crap. I have to pee.
12:17 – Ok, I’m giving this guy 3 minutes and I’m going to pee anyway
12:20- ok, 5 more minutes. *begin uncomfortable shifting*. Considered pee pee dance but somehow doing the pee pee dance commando just didn’t work in my head
12:23 – OMFG I have to pee
12:25 – doc comes in. He shakes my hand and says “hi”
Me: hiihavetopee!
He begins to explain what he’s going to do. I was glad I already knew what procedures were for because the entire time he is explaining them to me I’m thinking that he could tell me that they are going to insert egg eating aliens into my lady parts who will come running back out and spit eggs into a petri dish when we do this for real and I would have kept nodding because I HAD TO PEE!
He gets my feet into the stirrups and asks me how work is going.
For real? I find myself actually muttering “nothing more awkward than half naked small talk”. No one laughs. I mean come on. You all spend all day sticking random objects into women, and no one gives me a chuckle. Sigh.
I am relieved when this is over quickly and am guessing this means that transfer should go pretty smoothly, but at this point I don’t care. He asks if I’d like to use the bathroom.
Me: for the love of God yes!
I can see this relationship is going to go really well.
The mock transfer went well. The saline sonogram (basically checking for polyups or cysts) was all clear.
Afterwards I met with the nurse (with a painlessly empty bladder I might add) signed my consent forms, reviewed the calendar, and was released to hand over all of my money.
I’m not sure why, but I kinda felt like I was doing something sneaky. I had the nervous giggles. If I didn’t have payment in my hand and hadn’t uttered “I’m here to pay for my cycle”, someone probably would have thought I was about to take off with the plant by the front door or the magazine rack.
But it’s paid, and I didn’t have a heart attack or lose any limbs (literally – figuratively I think I’m down to one arm). And while, admittedly I have thought to myself several times before about how unfair it seems that we have to have the money to pay for this AT ALL (don’t gasp, you would have thought it too), I was actually relieved that it was covered and that we won’t have to make payments for the next 2-5 years.
This better work, dammit.
And because it just seems like the thing to do, the obligatory meds picture:
Hi, I’m ready to cause you possible headaches, nausea, bumps, bruises, sore breasts etc. Enjoy!
August 10, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Can I ask how you are able to do IVF now and then pay 2-5 years from now? My husband and I are going to be doing IVF and are wondering how we are going to pay for it because our insurance doesn’t cover anything.
August 10, 2012 at 3:34 pm
You can’t that I know of. I meant like finance and make payments every month. And be making payments on the loan.
August 10, 2012 at 3:41 pm
I once told a nurse that I absolutely could hold it not one second longer. She told me I could go into the bathroom and “half-empty” it. I would not recommend this–far worse than just holding it. 🙂
I like your acknowledgement that you handed over the money and lived to tell about it. I know how painful it must have been. Keep on hanging in there!
August 10, 2012 at 3:43 pm
So, when my doc is running late, the nurse lets me have 5 seconds of peeing. After 5 secs, I have to “pinch it off”. Which is a challenge- but doable. But oh, what a relief 5 secs can be!!
August 11, 2012 at 3:12 pm
i was 2 minutes away from pursuing my own 5 seconds, allowed or not 😉
August 10, 2012 at 4:00 pm
The good news… In my opinion. This I the worst part of ivf. I told my husband I will never listen to them again. I went with a full bladder and had to wait an hour. I had to empty “just a little” 3 times. I feel so bad for u. My next transfer, I don’t care if I have to go back 5 times to see if my bladder is full. I’ll do that. When the real transfer comes, your sitting there having to pee and they think this is a good time to talk about the status of your embryos. Dude! I have to pee. Just transfer it and send me a damn email! I am so sending good vibes your way!
August 10, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Teresa,
Im going in for my first ivf apt on Tuesday. Any suggestions on questions to ask?
August 10, 2012 at 4:21 pm
An ivf consult?
August 10, 2012 at 4:29 pm
I love this post. Love it.
1. I wear the same skirt and sandals to every appointment: easy on, easy off. I’m sure the nurses have wondered if I own any other clothes.
2. I’m grateful that not all doctors at my clinic ask you to have a full bladder for a transfer. Now, I’ve been told that a full bladder helps the doctor find the cervix. But my feeling is, if my doctor has been doing this for three decades and he still can’t find my cervix, then we have more problems then me potentially peeing on his hands.
August 10, 2012 at 5:50 pm
I can’t believe how quick this came! I’m sending you a million good vibes and hoping you respond well to the meds and everything goes swimmingly!
August 10, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Yay! So excited for you, despite the whole pee thing. That sucks. I have to pee quickly, like you so I did the same thing and drank water on my way! Good thing I did because I had to wait a little bit. GL!
August 10, 2012 at 7:44 pm
Oh the dreaded full bladder. It’s so awful! Glad to hear you made it through. Won’t be long now – good luck!
August 10, 2012 at 8:24 pm
Ugh, I totally know what you mean! I pee a ton as well. My coworkers must think I have some sort of issue as I’m in and out of the restroom so much! I was once told by an ultrasound tech that my bladder was “too full” for the test after I had spent almost an hour doing the pee dance and trying not to pee all over myself. I was almost in tears I had to go so bad. She then gave me a cup to go in and told me to fill it half-way and then come back to the exam room…that was awful too…like 3 seconds of relief and then it was just as uncomfortable. I’m not looking forward to having a full bladder for transfer! Good luck with everything! I’ll be starting all of this next month!
August 10, 2012 at 8:38 pm
So excited for you! This is happening!
August 10, 2012 at 10:09 pm
First, I’m so glad everything went well (minus the uncomfortable full bladder) and that everything can move on. Sucks to shell out the money for it, but hopefully you will get something good from it. I like to think of the visa commercial. IVF: x dollars, meds: x dollars, baby: priceless.
I had such a bad day today and reading your post was probably the first time I lol’d. For real, I laughed out loud. Don’t remember the last time that happened…..Sorry it was at your expense, but thanks for adding some funny commentary. 🙂
August 10, 2012 at 10:45 pm
Ha! When the nurses told me to come with a full bladder I was like mmmmyeah k. I drink so much water and perpetually have to pee. On the day of my mock transfer I arrived at the RE’s office, peed in the first floor lobby bathroom, and went on up. They got me in for the U/S quickly, and no one made any mention of my bladder, which I knew they wouldn’t. Because it was already full again, as I suspected it would be. Now I’m not too worried about the transfer day.
August 11, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Ive done 9 egg retrievals and 1 transfer and never have I been asked to arrive with a full bladder. In fact at my RE, they ask you to use the bathroom before any procedure.
They have this magical toilet in that bathroom, one with a heated seat, combination bidet and er.. dryer. I’m pretty sure it also folds your laundry.
Good luck! Happy shooting up and just wait til its time for Progesterone in oil. Good times!
August 13, 2012 at 7:49 am
The full bladder is not fun, it’s so freaking uncomfortable and you can’t even try to do small talk you have to concentrate. Best of luck, you are on your way!!
August 13, 2012 at 8:06 am
Right? I wanted to tell him that I honestly wasnt listening to anything he was saying, but I had a feeling that would have prompted him to start over. No thanks!
August 13, 2012 at 12:12 pm
The full bladder for transfer was the only part of IVF I was dreading! And of course, I was a “you’re too full” girl. But at least I got to lee a little! Whe will you start stims?? Best of luck! Time will start to fly before you know it!
P.s. I’m in my IVF 2ww (which is HORRID!) if you want to know what’s coming your way… 🙂
August 15, 2012 at 6:46 am
Boy can I relate to this! Apparently, you don’t have to drink the full amount if you are typically well hydrated. I have done so in the past and was in actual pain because I had to pee so badly. Finally, a doctor explained the 32ou requirement is geared for people who are typically dehyrdated, which is most of the population. And, holy hannah, that’s a lot of drugs! I imagine I will be taking just as many when it’s finally my turn. May you have fabulous follies and easy transfer! Baby dust!!!