Bag of Goodies

Last week I was subbing and sharing with another teacher that's been going through similar situations as I am. She is a little older than I am and has had a very tough time conceiving, and has just announced that she is pregnant with her second child! She is so sweet and shared her experience with me and gives me hope!

She brought in a bag of goodies for me the next day! This is what some one gave her and she's passing them on to me!

The bag contained:

a miniature statue of the Patron Saint of Infertility--St. Gerard (Who is also the Patron Saint of Expectant Mothers and pretty much anything to do with pregnancy!)

an elephant which is regarded as a sign of Fertility in Indian cultures

a shamrock with an Irish blessing

an angel pin that says "protect this woman"

All of these things are reminders that there is hope, and that I can make it through everything that I'm going through! What a thoughtful gift!

4th IUI

So, this was our fourth IUI. It's our first with our injections as treatment, instead of Clomid. My chances are better, since I had more follicles. Also Andy's semen specimen was over 41 million motile sperm! Awesome! So the more swimmers, the better! Hopefully our baby was in that cup! Ha!

Now for the waiting as usual...two weeks and we'll see if it worked, or if we've gotta try again.

FSH Injections in action

So, my injections for the past 9 days have worked, and made me create more follicles. There were three good sized follicles that were mature enough to release eggs. One was much larger than the others.

The next step is an hCg injection, that Andy's gotta give my in the back of my hip tonight. Then an IUI on Saturday!

We'll see in a couple weeks if this is the extra little nudge we needed! :) We hope it is!

Again with the blood!

So this morning I got up early and went to have blood work done before going to Henrietta to substitute in Kindergarten! The ACM lab in Parkridge is the closest lab to my Drs. office, so I've just been going there. They told me I could go to any ACM, but I'd rather go to that one, because I know it'll get there! They opened at 7:30 and I got there a few minutes after, there were already 4 people in front of me waiting! It wasn't more than 10 minutes and I got right in and out. I even made it to work with time to spair! I should have stopped to get coffee, because I had a wicked headache all day! Tomorrow I find out if I continue meds or if I go in for an u/s to see what's going on in my ovaries!

I've been talking to a lot more people about their infertility. People that I know pretty good, and see on a daily basis, for the most part. They're very supportive and have all had success with different treatments. I really feel good about the Specialists I'm working with, and know that I have a real chance to actually carry a child. My hopes are higher, knowing they've been through what I'm going through now, and they've had children. Hopefully it'll be my turn soon!

Not high enough

So those Vampires at ACM get to take more of my blood! I'm totally kidding about them being Vampires, they are very nice and gentle! :) I'm going to continue tonight and tomorrow night with 225 units, go for blood work tomorrow, and then call Thursday morning for more instructions. I was curious as to what my level was, and forgot to ask, and also concerned about my work schedule, so I called back. My estrogen level was 126 and they want it higher...I'm going to google it and get back to you at what they want it to be at. The secretary asked the nurse when she thought I'd have to come in for u/s but they said it totally depends on the bloodwork! Soooooo, I'm gonna work Thurs. and if I have to go in it'll have to be at 3:15 or 3:30...if I don't have to go til Friday then I just won't go into work at all. My Drs. office is only open til 1 on Fridays, so I know I'll be going early and can't work. Either way, we'll be finding out soon if this stuff is working or not! Hopefully!

Vampires

Today was my 3rd time in a week having blood taken! UGH! ACM lab is my home away from home it seems! Seems like they take an awful lot of blood for one test! They probably only use a drop of it and dispose of the rest. Leave some for ME you VAMPIRES!

Up the dose

This morning I was waiting for the Dr. to call to let me know the results of my bloodwork, we're monitoring my Estrogen level. As you create follicles and prepare for ovulation the Estrogen level increases. I started at a level 21 before I started any injections. This is good, they want you to be below 50. After 4 days of injections I only went up to level 63. This is okay, but she wants it higher, so we're going to increase the dose for 3 more days, and then I'll get more bloodwork on Monday and find out Tuesday what to do next! So now I'll be injecting 225 units of the FSH and then we'll see! In this first pen, I've got just 225 units remaining, PERFECT! Then I'll start my second pen!

I'm really feeling good about this! :) Keep your fingers crossed!

The first time

Okay, so last night was my first injection on my own!

I opened up my pen, cleaned the tip where you attach the needle with an alcohol swab, then put a needle on. First time using the pen it has to be set to the lowest dose and have to expel that first amount into the sink. This is to get the air bubbles out, so they don't go into my body. So I do that. Then I have to turn the dial on the pen to 150 units, that's the dose I will be taking for these first 4 days. Then I pull out the end, this is priming the pen, so that I can actually push the end in to get all the dose out into my body. Once that's pulled out, I can't adjust the dose, so I've gotta get it right the first time, or I have to waste it. I did good! :) Then I sat down, swabbed a spot on my right leg and stared at it with the needle in my hand. I froze. I didn't know what to do! I was so worried about how it was going to feel, that I just sat there. Finally I remembered the nurse telling me to pinch my skin and then hold the pen just like a pen you would write with. I did that and then I was going over in my head, do I go fast or slow? If I go too slow, will it even go in??? AHH! Finally I just stuck it in slowly, and held it with one hand and pushed the end in for 4 or 5 clicks, I forget, and then had to hold it in for 5 seconds to make sure it all came out. Then I pulled it out and a big drop of blood formed, I cleaned it up with a gauze pad. After that. I replace the needle cap and then take it off the pen, and discard it in the red box for the used needles and put the pen away!

PHEW! I made it through. It was weird, because I'm pricked all the time, for the hCg injection and blood work, why was I so nervous? Probably because I had to do it myself, and Andy wasn't even here for moral support! Tonight won't be so bad, and I'll do it in my left leg. Alternate each night she told me, so that I don't get irritated! Yay for injections! I hope that they work fast so I don't have to do this for months and months!

The Package Arrived

Tonight I will be giving myself my first injection. I have to do it at night because my instructions when it comes time for change, will always be given to me in the morning.

The package came to me this morning, I was waiting anxiously! It came in a foil package, on ice, and had to go right into the fridge when I took it out. It's kept in there until I start using it. Then I can either keep it in the fridge or at room temp.

I met with a friend of mine today who is also dealing with fertility treatments...we're both so anxious to bring good news to our families and friends. It's really nice having some one to talk to about all my feelings and emotions and dreams, and for them to really, truly understand what I'm going through. Although I wish that both of us didn't have this in common...it's no fun! But since we do, she keeps me sane...lets me know that she feels, reacts the same way, and that I'm not alone. Gives me a little comfort where others can't.

So hopefully with this new treatment, we'll have success. I'll be visiting the doctor more often for bloodwork and u/s appointments, so hopefully we'll have good news soon!

Baseline

So today I went in for a baseline ultrasound. It was my first one, and it was kinda gross, but what has to be done, will be done! She was checking for any cysts on my ovaries, and said she found something on my left one. She sent me for blood work and that will tell the level of estrogen in my body and if it's low enough, we will be able to go ahead and start the injections. The injections are the FSH, and we're using the brand Gonal-f. The nurse showed me how to use the injection pen and I'm ready!

So until tomorrow, 9am. I do nothing but wait for their instructions!

Lost the battle, about to win the war!

So I got my stinking period last night. So, we do have to do the injectable drugs. I was really hoping, as I always am. It's just as hard as every other time!

BUT...I have more hope going into this next cycle with a new plan in action. These injections will increase everything and my chances will be even better! I can't do anything but take care of myself and continue to have hope.

My best friend told me yesterday, that I'm destined to be a mother, and I believe that so much. I just can't wait much longer for it to be a reality!

Wish us luck!

Next Treatment

So today Andy and I went to an information session about Injectable FSH. What this is, is a hormone that your body already produces, and they're just increasing the levels by injecting more of this hormone. What that in turn does is creates more eggs! With the Clomid I was producing one follicle, so the chances were quite low for it to survive. With the FSH injection we could have 5, 10 even 50 eggs at a time! Only one should fully develop and release for the chance of conception. So this injection will definitely increase our chances! It also thickens the lining of the uterus, making it a better environment for the fertilized egg to attach and grow!

There a two side effects:
1. Multiples...twins are about 15% common, triplets and more are way less common, but still a possibility.
2. Ovarian Hyperstimulation...causes pain in the ovaries and enlarges them, in turn sucking water from blood cells and can be prevented 100%. Only women at high risk get this, and they can tell if you are high risk BEFORE they start the injections.

So, I was spotting this morning, and nothing since then, waiting until tomorrow to see if I've got my full blown period. If so, I'll call the Dr. and set up an u/s for either tomorrow or Saturday, and they'll make sure it's okay to start the injections and teach me how to do 'em!!! I don't want to have to start this treatment, hoping maybe I'm not really getting my period, just spotting...but at least it's a much more likely chance of conceiving!

What's to come...or not...

So today I went to Dr. H about what we'll do next if the Clomid and IUI didn't work. This was my third try. Here's the list she made:



1. Continue with 150 mg Clomid & IUI

2. Try a different pill with IUI for 3 cycles

3. Use injectable fertility drugs & IUI

4. Perform a Laparascopy (an elective surgery where they go in and take a look-used if

they're totally unsure of why things aren't working right)

5. IVF-in-vitro fertilization (this is our last resort because it definatley is very expensive)



So her advice was to continue with the Clomid and IUI's for 3 more cycles, and things might work out, or if I'm ready to try something different, convinced if this 3rd try didn't work, that we start injectable fertility drugs. So I definately opted for the latter. I am anxious, and hoping that this last try was successful, and we won't know for sure until this weekend, but if it didn't work, God forbid, then I'm MORE than ready to try something new!



So we're going to go to a class where the Drs. will talk all about the drugs that we will be injecting and what they're actually doing...and then if need be we'll learn how to do the injections at our first appt for that. Like I said, if we're pregnant, then we scrap all of this, and go down the exciting path of pregnancy, totally different appts, something I'm looking more forward to than anything!



I'll update Thursday after our class, when I'll be more informed about the drugs. Hopefully not too long after that, we'll have some good news!