IUI #11

Well, I had IUI #11, rather uneventful. At the end, though, it got interesting. I was prescribed Lovenox, a blood thinner, to help with recurrent pregnancy loss, what they now consider me due to age and 2 chemicals. So, I am presently dealing with that turn of events, getting myself convinced I can inject myself once daily with a med that everyone says leaves nasty bruises and stings as it goes in. Wonderful! I think I'll start tomorrow AM but am not sure. It's hard to think about.

Other than that, most is well. I have some pain from my ovaries, a nagging ache most of the time, except when I use my muscles to sit on the edge of the toilet seat to urinate. Urination is by gravity (no bearing down at all). This is worrisome. I'm hoping it disappears by tomorrow or I may call the clinic to ask about it. I hate being such a pest, really. It's just the unknown and not knowing if it's fine or if I should be worried about it.

2 week wait ... maybe, just maybe!

IVF Gone Bust

I just got off the phone with my clinic. I had my second ultrasound and bloods this morning for IVF with injectables. (First were Wednesday.) Even though I am taking 5 IU Lupron to hold off ovulation, my body went ahead and is surging with 2 large follicles (25, 20) and lots of tinier follicles (12, 8, 7, 6, 6, 5) ... Hey! I'm good! If I can screw it up, I will! And it is only CD 7! So, I am to take Ovidrel tonight at 6:pm and go in tomorrow morning for an IUI.

This was my first foray into injectables and since my insurance will pick up my IVF, we were just going to go ahead with that. The retrieval was set for next Wednesday. Ho hum. So now we know some things. 1) 225 follistim doesn't get me much. I was bumped up to 300 on Wednesday and that's where all those little ones came from. 2) 5 Lupron does not hold off ovulation. I don't know what next month's protocol will be but I imagine it won't have 5 IUI Lupron again. 3) Injectables are easy, even for a self-acknowledged needle-phobic. And I did it all last night without first icing the area down! (We're talking major progress.) 4) My first IVF is now still off into the hinterlands. I'm getting really good at IUIs (#11 coming up tomorrow).

Beginning IVF cycle!

Well, changes abound. I got AF on Friday and called the fertility center. Since I was out of town, I finagled a deal where I went to my old RE's office for bloods and ultrasound. I have 3 follicles in one ovary and 5 in the other. Upon talking it over with my old RE's nurse, I decided to go for IVF, especially since it is covered by insurance completely. So, I spoke with the clinic ... I began IVF meds last night (Saturday) and will probably have retrieval the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving. Fun! So, I took two shots. Lupon, 5 cc's, easy as pie, and Follistim, 225 cc's, not as easy but not hard either. It was just tough figuring out how to press the plunger ... holding it like an insulin needle did not work so I had to change to thumb depression and that worked. It's just a different finger configuration. OHMIGOD! This is it! How exciting!

My folks will be up here for the retrieval and I am very glad for that. Since it is general anaesthesia, you have to have someone else accompany you, etc., which is kind of hard for newly-moved single gals. :) Loving it. I'll keep you updated on the follicle development ... first u/s on Wednesday, HSG on Thursday. Ah ....

Still waiting ...

No idea what happened. There is no cyst, my progesterone level is 25 (mid-cycle) and I have a lot of little follicles growing. I've been spotting minimally. It's just a waiting game to see what happens. This is just not cool. Come on already!