Sometimes they say no news is good news...but for us, no news meant we were still in the process of waiting. Thanks to being abruptly cut off of my injections last month, my body took a beating. For the two weeks following, I experienced a lot of cramping and swelling as my body tried to naturally take care of business. I had at least 6 follicles that measured 16mm or more, and ovaries just aren't made to expand like that! My swelling got so bad for a few days that I couldn't even button pants because my gut was so tender. I actually gave in and took half a vicodin a few nights just to help me sleep...and I wouldn't normally do that. I was so uncomfortable. The injections wreaked havoc on my monthly cycle as well. We patiently counted down the days until my next cycle, which of course, came and went with no signs or symptoms. The start of my next cycle meant we could start meds again.
Some people are reading the last couple of entries thinking, why the hell would you want to do that to yourself again?!? Injections=baby...enough said. I hear all the time, "Oh, I could never do that." Several of our friends shudder at the thought of giving themselves a shot. Then again, none of them have been trying to have a baby for 17 months, and lost 2 along the way. I've really found what I'm made of the past few months. I am far stronger than I ever realized.
Back to the update... Finally, after 48 days, my cycle started. I was beginning to think I was broken! Funny, most women would begin to think they were pregnant by then...not that I didn't take a precautionary pregnancy test, but I was very doubtful of the results, just needed to get it out of my mind. Cooter came home so excited that day. The thought of a husband being overjoyed about his wife's menstrual cycle was amusing to me. Most men dread that time of the month! We see beyond the bitchy days and complaints of cramps and bloating and the fact that there's never enough chocolate in the house for those few days. To us, this was our chance to try again.
I went to the doctor the next day, where they did the routine baseline bloodwork and ultrasound. That is so normal to us now. Cooter and I actually know and understand what we see during the ultrasound. We know what they are measuring and what numbers are considered normal now...as we were incredibly abnormal the month before. We know what the counts mean when they call me with blood results. Its really been quite the educational experience! We were given the go ahead to start injections the next day, September 17. They cut my dose in half this time, which actually made my shots more bearable. I had far less side effects this time. Its still uncomfortable, but completely different. Major prayers were answered financially as well...since we technically had a failed round of injections, Houston Fertility Institute was not going to charge us for this round. We pay 100% out of pocket for this treatment. Also, thanks to the lowered doses of meds, I had enough leftover from last cycle so we didn't have to buy more medication! Since I am not working right now, that was such huge stress removed from the situation.
We returned Monday, Wednesday and Friday the following week for bloodwork and ultrasounds. WIth each visit, we got more nervous as we watched the follicles growing. Especially the visit on Wednesday...that was the same time frame that we got shut down last time. If we could make it past that, there wasn't really a point of return. So we prayed, prayed, prayed for those
little eggs to be growing and the rest of the guys to take it easy. Wednesday's visit proved to be good...although we had one little guy that was already approaching 18mm. 18-20mm is considered mature and there is a small window for those follicles to be usable. If we let it go too long, we're in the same boat as conceiving naturally...a post mature egg. Friday's visit was good...we had 2 follicles measuring 19mm...prime suspects! There was another about 14, but the odds of that one catching up weren't great. Typically they want us to have 3-4 eggs to try to conceive a baby, maybe twins. We know that having only 2 mature follicles lowers our odds, but the doctors were so much more comfortable with this situation...as were we. So, I got to stop injections that day. I had completed 8 shots at that point. That night I gave myself an HCG shot (hormone that actually triggers my body into ovulation). We were told when to try and now we're back to waiting. I started progesterone supplements last night and will continue on them for the next 9 days. As of right now, the progesterone is a precaution. The elevated levels of progesterone will help sustain a pregnancy in the early stages. My estrogen count the day of my hormone shot was pretty high, which all plays into me getting and staying pregnant. I have a blood test scheduled for next Friday, October 8. That's the pregnancy test. Tell me that won't be one of the longest days of my life! That's technically a week before my cycle is due to start, but they know what they are doing. I suppose that gives time for subsequent blood tests in the days following if that one should be negative. We are very nervous...but we have done everything the doctor told us to, when they told us to, and how they told us to. My results up to now have been wonderful.
Now its in God's hands...
