Less than 12 hours 'til my pregnancy blood test! I've been having conflicting emotions for......oh, the past week! Some days I think I am, some days I think I'm not. Having never been pregnant before, I guess I don't really know what I should feel. And, being on hormone supplements, I don't know what's real and what's not! I missed my period but that's nothing to get excited about since the progesterone supplement I'm taking blocks me from starting a period. So instead of trying to judge each little twinge, I've just been focusing on work, trying to ignore the impending test! BUT IT'S TOMORROW!
Oh, and I hope I am pregnant.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Breathe out......
HOW CAN I WAIT NINE MORE DAYS?!?
I want to know RIGHT NOW if I'm pregnant!
Had more blood work this morning. The nurse always calls around 2pm with the results. My husband heard the message and sent me a text saying she sounded really positive. :) So cute! I listened to it when I got home. I think she sounded the way she always does.
Estridol - 1,992
Progesterone - 40.3
Progesterone levels in the first trimester? 10 - 47 (or 90, depending on what source it's coming from). BUT, we can not get excited. On Monday the doctor started me on progesterone suppositories - 100mg 2x/day. I've been trying to find out how quickly they take effect and can raise levels but with no luck. Some sites I've come across say they make no difference at all. Either way, higher levels seem to indicate a better chance of pregnancy!
I was also instructed to give myself an injection of 5,000 IU of hcg tonight. Which means that I can't take an over-the-counter pregnancy test because I will get a false-positive. I must wait until Friday April 9th to get the blood test!
Oh, right now I'm just going to believe that I am! ;)
Just stumbled across this:
Vaginal suppositories of 100 mg progesterone produce a rapid increase in plasma progesterone levels, which peak within 4 hours between 9.5 and 19.0 ng/mL. Over the next 8 hours, there is a gradual fall in plasma a levels.
???
I want to know RIGHT NOW if I'm pregnant!
Had more blood work this morning. The nurse always calls around 2pm with the results. My husband heard the message and sent me a text saying she sounded really positive. :) So cute! I listened to it when I got home. I think she sounded the way she always does.
Estridol - 1,992
Progesterone - 40.3
Progesterone levels in the first trimester? 10 - 47 (or 90, depending on what source it's coming from). BUT, we can not get excited. On Monday the doctor started me on progesterone suppositories - 100mg 2x/day. I've been trying to find out how quickly they take effect and can raise levels but with no luck. Some sites I've come across say they make no difference at all. Either way, higher levels seem to indicate a better chance of pregnancy!
I was also instructed to give myself an injection of 5,000 IU of hcg tonight. Which means that I can't take an over-the-counter pregnancy test because I will get a false-positive. I must wait until Friday April 9th to get the blood test!
Oh, right now I'm just going to believe that I am! ;)
Just stumbled across this:
Vaginal suppositories of 100 mg progesterone produce a rapid increase in plasma progesterone levels, which peak within 4 hours between 9.5 and 19.0 ng/mL. Over the next 8 hours, there is a gradual fall in plasma a levels.
???
Monday, March 29, 2010
How romantic!
Early this morning my doctor's office called and said since my blood test on Saturday revealed that my progesterone is around 5, they are calling in an order to the pharmacy for me. I didn't ask but I believe they want to see it closer to 15. So, we picked up progesterone suppositories. Yep, suppositories. They are flat pills a little bigger than the size of a nickle and they fit into a tube that you then put in your vagina and push in, like a tampon. A friend of mine who is also going through fertility treaments said that you get a discharge from them that is like wet cement.
Oh, that's hot!
Oh, that's hot!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
10 million sperm
Back to the doctor yesterday for a second IUI. This time 10 million were inserted. Grand total - 29 million sperm. My second egg had released, as seen on the ultrasound - the follicles had shrunken and there were white dots around the black follicles, blood cells that had entered the ruptured follicle. It seems impossible that one of his 29 million sperm would not hit one of my two eggs!
My boobs are super sore. So sore that I had to switch to my exercise bra, thus giving myself uni-boob. On the plus side, they are so swollen that even when I lay flat they stay perky instead of sagging down to my sides as they started doing around the time I turned 29.
I go back to the doctor on Wednesday to have blood drawn. I have one more Pregnyl (hcg) injection left and the doctor said he will more than likely have me take it on Wednesday. More on those results as I get them.....
In the meantime, we have been staying positive and sending out baby-thoughts to the universe. Today we made some sperm/egg art!
My boobs are super sore. So sore that I had to switch to my exercise bra, thus giving myself uni-boob. On the plus side, they are so swollen that even when I lay flat they stay perky instead of sagging down to my sides as they started doing around the time I turned 29.
I go back to the doctor on Wednesday to have blood drawn. I have one more Pregnyl (hcg) injection left and the doctor said he will more than likely have me take it on Wednesday. More on those results as I get them.....
In the meantime, we have been staying positive and sending out baby-thoughts to the universe. Today we made some sperm/egg art!
Oh, go sperm, go!
Friday, March 26, 2010
19 million sperm
19 million. One of those has got to hit one of the two eggs I'm releasing, right? 19 million!
We did the IUI at 7:45 this morning. First we did an ultrasound to look at the follicles. The left one didn't look like it had released but the right one looked like it did. It took about 45 minutes for the doctor to prepare the sperm. He inserted the speculum and then put in the catheter and released some of the sperm into my left tube, some into the right. I stared at a calendar that had a picture of a pissed-off looking cat with a milk mustache. I couldn't even feel the catheter.
Afterwards, I relaxed there for 20 minutes. During the sperm preparation (sperm washing), the prostaglandins in the ejaculate are removed. These can cause cramping and severe pain in the cervix and may even cause the uterus to collapse! I didn't have any cramping, just continued discomfort from the Pregnyl injections. Sperm washing can also remove dead sperm and those with poor motility, leaving the strongest ones. It works best with guys who have a count of 20 to 30 million. My husband has a count of around 20 to 25 million.
After the IUI, I got my blood drawn for, like, the 100th time this month. They called later on and said because of those results, we are going to do another IUI tomorrow. I believe what the doctor is looking at is my progesterone level, which should reach a certain number after the follicles release the egg. Mine were lower than that and so we send in more troops tomorrow to try to hit that second target.
He didn't say that I had to relax afterwards but when I left the office I took the bus straight home. I took a nap, snuggling my hot water bottle against my abdomen. I have to go to work tomorrow after the appointment and after work we are going to a quinceanera.
Oh, I hope we make a baby! One baby!
We did the IUI at 7:45 this morning. First we did an ultrasound to look at the follicles. The left one didn't look like it had released but the right one looked like it did. It took about 45 minutes for the doctor to prepare the sperm. He inserted the speculum and then put in the catheter and released some of the sperm into my left tube, some into the right. I stared at a calendar that had a picture of a pissed-off looking cat with a milk mustache. I couldn't even feel the catheter.
Afterwards, I relaxed there for 20 minutes. During the sperm preparation (sperm washing), the prostaglandins in the ejaculate are removed. These can cause cramping and severe pain in the cervix and may even cause the uterus to collapse! I didn't have any cramping, just continued discomfort from the Pregnyl injections. Sperm washing can also remove dead sperm and those with poor motility, leaving the strongest ones. It works best with guys who have a count of 20 to 30 million. My husband has a count of around 20 to 25 million.
After the IUI, I got my blood drawn for, like, the 100th time this month. They called later on and said because of those results, we are going to do another IUI tomorrow. I believe what the doctor is looking at is my progesterone level, which should reach a certain number after the follicles release the egg. Mine were lower than that and so we send in more troops tomorrow to try to hit that second target.
He didn't say that I had to relax afterwards but when I left the office I took the bus straight home. I took a nap, snuggling my hot water bottle against my abdomen. I have to go to work tomorrow after the appointment and after work we are going to a quinceanera.
Oh, I hope we make a baby! One baby!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Trigger time!
Today I was given the go ahead for the hcg injection. The drug my doctor is having me use for this is Pregnyl. He said after they received my bloodwork and gave me the results that I was to take it right then. Which means I had to give myself the injection. Which I've never done before.....
First, I had to prepare the drug, which is very.....ummmm....nurse-y and I am not a nurse. It's intimidating, using a syringe to suck water from one vial, trying to get exactly 1 1/2cc's, then squirting it into a vial containing the powdered hcg, mixing it, then drawing that back into the syringe, changing the needle to a smaller one that I will use to inject myself, then pinching the fat of my stomach and injecting it. The needle didn't hurt but something in the medication makes the injection site quite sore. I did one dose of 10,000 IU today and I was so sore afterward I would wince everytime I had to flex my trunk.
Tomorrow I do one more dose of 10,000 IU of the Pregnyl and by Friday I should have one or two eggs release. We do the IUI that morning!
First, I had to prepare the drug, which is very.....ummmm....nurse-y and I am not a nurse. It's intimidating, using a syringe to suck water from one vial, trying to get exactly 1 1/2cc's, then squirting it into a vial containing the powdered hcg, mixing it, then drawing that back into the syringe, changing the needle to a smaller one that I will use to inject myself, then pinching the fat of my stomach and injecting it. The needle didn't hurt but something in the medication makes the injection site quite sore. I did one dose of 10,000 IU today and I was so sore afterward I would wince everytime I had to flex my trunk.
Tomorrow I do one more dose of 10,000 IU of the Pregnyl and by Friday I should have one or two eggs release. We do the IUI that morning!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
It's like a small rodent is gnawing my ass
Ganirelix is evil. It feels like a gerbil gently gnawing my flesh at the injection site. I confirmed with a friend who also had to take Ganirelix that this is common. Well, that you have pain at the injection site. She didn't necessarily agree that it felt like a rodent chewing your ass.
My friend also said that the gonal-f injection made her super sleepy. She was on a much higher dose than I am and said she got sleepy immediately. I've been having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning and thought that might be it.
I haven't been feeling totally positive about our upcoming IUI. I think that is partly because it seems impossible that we will finally become pregnant, partly because I don't want to get myself worked up, only to be let down. But.....I think I need to get pumped up about it! We will get pregnant and have a baby 9 months from the begining of April!
Oh, positive thinking!
My friend also said that the gonal-f injection made her super sleepy. She was on a much higher dose than I am and said she got sleepy immediately. I've been having a hard time getting out of bed in the morning and thought that might be it.
I haven't been feeling totally positive about our upcoming IUI. I think that is partly because it seems impossible that we will finally become pregnant, partly because I don't want to get myself worked up, only to be let down. But.....I think I need to get pumped up about it! We will get pregnant and have a baby 9 months from the begining of April!
Oh, positive thinking!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
I sure felt like biting that x-ray tech
I was scheduled for an HSG on Monday. A hysterosalpingogram. The secretary from my doctor's office asked if my husband was coming along with me. I told her he had to work and she responded "....oh.....o-okay." After I hung up the phone I thought maybe I should do a bit more research on this. I mean, my doctor just kept calling it an x-ray but the sound in her voice.....
What I find online is a description of the procedure followed by comments from women who have had an HSG. Most of them were negative. Then there were those who said it wasn't so bad and you just had to be able to handle pain. I knew that I would be in that latter category. I'm no wimp!
Well you know what? I am a wimp when it feels like I'm being stabbed in the cervix for 2 minutes. I'm not going to sugar-coat this. It was horrible. The doctor inserts a cold speculum, then pushes a catheter through the cervix. He then injects a dye into the cervix and they take x-rays as it flows into the uterus and up and out the fallopian tubes. It's done to make sure there are no blockages or cysts in the uterus or tubes. And it feels like a hot poker is being repeatedly stabbed into the tender tissues of my cervix.
As this is happening, the x-ray tech is asking me if I've seen 'Alice in Wonderland' and starts to blather on about how it wasn't as good as 'Avatar'. You know what? How 'bout I bite you? Is that as good as 'Avatar'? I just take deep breaths and glare at him.
Some other good info to have before going in:
- you will be made to change into a hospital gown and will more than likely have a "recovery room." Being escorted to my "recovery room" before the procedure immediately put my guard up. They should call it something different.
- you may bleed afterward. I brought a pad with me and it's a good thing because I did have some spotting plus that dye leaks out for the rest of the day and, in my case, into the next day.
- you may have some cramping. The doctor said I could take Motrin. I didn't have any cramping but I did feel tender inside for the rest of the day.
This is what I know.
What I find online is a description of the procedure followed by comments from women who have had an HSG. Most of them were negative. Then there were those who said it wasn't so bad and you just had to be able to handle pain. I knew that I would be in that latter category. I'm no wimp!
Well you know what? I am a wimp when it feels like I'm being stabbed in the cervix for 2 minutes. I'm not going to sugar-coat this. It was horrible. The doctor inserts a cold speculum, then pushes a catheter through the cervix. He then injects a dye into the cervix and they take x-rays as it flows into the uterus and up and out the fallopian tubes. It's done to make sure there are no blockages or cysts in the uterus or tubes. And it feels like a hot poker is being repeatedly stabbed into the tender tissues of my cervix.
As this is happening, the x-ray tech is asking me if I've seen 'Alice in Wonderland' and starts to blather on about how it wasn't as good as 'Avatar'. You know what? How 'bout I bite you? Is that as good as 'Avatar'? I just take deep breaths and glare at him.
Some other good info to have before going in:
- you will be made to change into a hospital gown and will more than likely have a "recovery room." Being escorted to my "recovery room" before the procedure immediately put my guard up. They should call it something different.
- you may bleed afterward. I brought a pad with me and it's a good thing because I did have some spotting plus that dye leaks out for the rest of the day and, in my case, into the next day.
- you may have some cramping. The doctor said I could take Motrin. I didn't have any cramping but I did feel tender inside for the rest of the day.
This is what I know.
Gonal-F pen & Ganirelix
"The doctor said that if you aren't nice about this, he is sure he can come up with something for me to inject into you," is the warning I gave my husband as he swabbed my ass with an alcohol wipe.
On my cycle day 7, we started injections of gonadotropin hormone, or FSH - follicle stimulating hormone. It's used to develop multiple follicles. I'm on a low dose - 75 IU. This is the third day of injections. Today we switched over to my left ass cheek 'cause the second one in my right side last night left me feeling a bit sore. We inject another 75 IU tomorrow along with Ganirelix. Ganirelix blocks LH - luteinizing hormone. It's commonly used in conjunction with FSH injections because the body wants to release all those follicles and we don't want that to happen until we are ready to do the IUI.
We must keep our sense of humor about us as we give this a go! So, for your entertainment.....
On my cycle day 7, we started injections of gonadotropin hormone, or FSH - follicle stimulating hormone. It's used to develop multiple follicles. I'm on a low dose - 75 IU. This is the third day of injections. Today we switched over to my left ass cheek 'cause the second one in my right side last night left me feeling a bit sore. We inject another 75 IU tomorrow along with Ganirelix. Ganirelix blocks LH - luteinizing hormone. It's commonly used in conjunction with FSH injections because the body wants to release all those follicles and we don't want that to happen until we are ready to do the IUI.
We must keep our sense of humor about us as we give this a go! So, for your entertainment.....
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Drugs....
Got a big bag of drugs today. Now to make sense of all of them....
I was wrong in the last post about the drug I'm starting with. It's Arimidex. Eight pills today on cycle day 2, eight tomorrow.
What does the interweb tell me about Arimidex?
****
By suppressing estrogen production, aromatase inhibitors trick the pituitary into producing LH and FSH. This boosts follicle growth. Many aromatase inhibitors are released from the body within 45 hours. This suggests that taking oral doses of aromatase inhibitors should pose little to no harm to the body or the developing embryo.
*****
My doctor says that it is commonly given to women diagnosed with breast cancer. The tumor is removed and then they take a dose of Arimidex every day for the next 5, 10, 15, etc. years so that their body doesn't produce too much estrogen.
He chose to give it to me because it is less potent than Clomid and I don't need that much stimulation. I grow nice follicles just fine on my own. He is hoping for one or two more than usual since my hubby's sperm do not do well at trying to hit one small moving target. Now they will have more to aim for.
Taking 16 pills was easy.....
I was wrong in the last post about the drug I'm starting with. It's Arimidex. Eight pills today on cycle day 2, eight tomorrow.
What does the interweb tell me about Arimidex?
****
By suppressing estrogen production, aromatase inhibitors trick the pituitary into producing LH and FSH. This boosts follicle growth. Many aromatase inhibitors are released from the body within 45 hours. This suggests that taking oral doses of aromatase inhibitors should pose little to no harm to the body or the developing embryo.
*****
My doctor says that it is commonly given to women diagnosed with breast cancer. The tumor is removed and then they take a dose of Arimidex every day for the next 5, 10, 15, etc. years so that their body doesn't produce too much estrogen.
He chose to give it to me because it is less potent than Clomid and I don't need that much stimulation. I grow nice follicles just fine on my own. He is hoping for one or two more than usual since my hubby's sperm do not do well at trying to hit one small moving target. Now they will have more to aim for.
Taking 16 pills was easy.....
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