HCG, the Great Mind F*ck

And I thought progesterone mimicked pregnancy! Nope. HCG is worse. Obviously, of course since it is the pregnancy hormone. In the past week, I've had the following symptoms:

O-day: O Pain, Increased Appetite, Heartburn
1dpo: Increased Appetite, Gassy, Heartburn
2dpo, 3dpo: more of the same, minus the heartburn
4dpo: same, adding in mild AF like cramps
5dpo: Fatigue that hasn't let up yet
7dpo: Nausea
8dpo (today): Dizziness, Nausea, Fatigue, Headache, Mild Cramps

Check it out...




A number of my TTC girls are convinced I'm pregnant. I am not convinced. I've had a total of 4 shots of hCG in the past week and a half. That's all it is, along with the progesterone. At least I'll know what early pregnancy feels like!

Oh the ups and downs

I wonder what tomorrow will bring. Yesterday I was sure we'd be on our way to IUI or IVF. Today, the PCT was great and Hollie the Follie has left my ovary! She's dancing with the guys and gals that I didn't kill off and hopefully letting one in to make me Mommy!



Have a great night!

Well...now it's just Damn.

I had the post coital test this morning. As it turns out, at least today, I have so many white blood cells in my CM that it's killing the swimmers. I also seem to have lower estrogen than what they would like to see at this point in the cycle. So, here's the next steps:

Tonight: BD and pray that things go better tomorrow.

Tomorrow: Repeat PCT and u/s. Possible bloodwork.

Friday: HCG shot given by the nurses (cause it has to go in my butt), start progesterone.

Monday: HCG shot again.

Wednesday: Bloodwork.

Thursday: Last HCG shot.

February 9th: Blood pregnancy test.

The HCG shots are to hopefully raise the estrogen level, I believe. If the PCT comes back bad again tomorrow, even though Doctor Hippie says she's seen bad PCTs with pregnancy, I'm thinking it's on to IUI next cycle.

Thanks for the support - Love you all!

Hot Damn!!!

I have one lovely follie! Kerri named her Hollie the Follie. I love it! I love her! I love Hollie the Follie! I love everything right now!

So I've done my Ovidrel shot, and tonight and tomorrow night are "homework" nights. Tomorrow morning I go in for another ultrasound and the post-coital test. I can barely sit still I'm so excited! I feel like I could dance a jig!



Keep those prayers coming girls. I REALLY hope this is finally it for us!

Blah

No follies as of yesterday morning. My estrogen was 604, but I had not one follie other than my PCOS cysts. I have no idea why I'm not responding to pure FSH, but I need your prayers that my scan tomorrow will show at least a little something!

Now I'm off to go sulk a little more and hopefully get rid of my headache.

I've been meaning to write this for 2 days. Oops.

It's been a busy couple of days, but I wanted to tell everyone about my blood draw from yesterday and apologize for the delay!

Friday morning - ass early as usual - I make my way out of my nice, comfy, warm bed and into the frozen tundra that is my bedroom. I shiver a bit and wish that I didn't have to go anywhere, but then remember that this is all in the interest of baby making and if I get my wish, late mornings will be a thing of the past. So I get dressed and ready for work, grab my purse and off I go running only about 5 minutes later than I had planned.

I park in the first spot by the door, walk inside and sign in. I see Ms Former Favorite Nurse, but thankfully her back is turned to me and Ms New Favorite Nurse comes out to get me instead. I reminded her I needed to lay down. She *gasp* has absolutely no problem with that! As I explained the situation briefly to her, she totally understood. I made sure to talk a little loud so Former Favorite could hear. When it was over, even though it hurt and I'm bruised like a sonnovabitch, I was much happier than last time.

I asked her when the ultrasound would come in to the picture here. Former Favorite stepped in to the room and said that they have to wait for the estrogen level to hit 150 before they can see anything at all. Now really, how hard was that to tell me? It probably took much less breath than the grunted nos and not yets I got from her earlier in the week.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to not only have New Favorite to draw the blood, but I also got one of the other nurses when I called in for my dose. Not only am I sticking with the same dose last night and tonight, but I have my ultrasound tomorrow morning! I said 'Oh! So my estrogen is at least 150 now?" and Nice Nurse looked in my chart and said it was 141, so it would be over 150 by Sunday. Woo! Ultrasound first thing in the morning! I will be so excited to get up for that :)

Let's hope I'm growing at least one big healthy Betty in there!

In other news...I am getting my hair cut tomorrow. I know, that's not generally something that is newsworthy, but it's been 7 months since I've had a trim. Tomorrow I'm going to the big spa and using my Spa Finder gift certificate (from my wedding shower almost 3 years ago lol) and getting a Design/Cut/Style done. I really hope it turns out well! I need at least 4 inches cut off this mop I call hair. After that it's off to my father in law's house to watch the Ravens v. Steelers game. GO RAVENS!!!

Follow Up Appointment

I was all ready this morning for my ultrasound and bloodwork. I was even on time for the appointment (I am perpetually 5 - 15 minutes late for most things). I get to the office and sign in.

The nurse brought me back and said that I wasn't having an ultrasound today, just bloodwork. She then told me to sit down and she would draw the blood. I reminded her that I have to lay down or I will pass out. She then proceeded to tell me that she could "get me over" fainting. I explained like I do every time I go in for bloodwork that I have the vasovagal reaction, not a fear of needles. She pressed the issue and looked at me like I was an idiot and didn't know what I was talking about, and asked if I wanted to "try" sitting up. I said "If you want to pick me off the floor, sure."

I got to lay down, but I guess my snarky remark pissed her off because when she stuck me, she really STUCK me. I have no idea why she chose the smallest vein in my arm, but I'm not the professional. Now, about halfway through the draw as my blood is flowing nicely through the tubes and into the vial, Ms. Former Favorite Nurse decided it would be a good idea to yank the vial up closer to her face causing the needle to feel like it was going to rip out of my arm sideways. I was not happy, but she had the ability to inflict pain on her side, so I held my tongue.



I got her on the phone when I called for my dose and she didn't sound happy to speak with me at all. Anyway, I have two more nights of the same dose and then more bloodwork on Friday morning. She better not be the one to draw it on Friday, but if she is she better be a hell of a lot less condescending and less stabby/pully with the draw or I may not be able to hold my tongue again.

I still have no ultrasound setup. I have no idea when that will be. Friday will make CD8, which is a little early I guess, but I've seen ladies on injectibles that do their trigger shot on CD11. I just want to see what my ovaries are doing!!!!

Hope everyone is having a good week....

The Mad Scientist Strikes!

I did it! With a little help from Courtney (Thanks again! You're the best!) my first injection was a success. I mixed the vial of powder with the special water. I let the bubbles "settle." I filled my syringe. Then I freaked out a little bit and called Courtney. In the end, it wasn't near as bad as I thought it would be. It's still sore and bruised feeling, but that's normal even if it is annoying.

So I have 2 more nights of this dose then I go in Wednesday morning for an ultrasound and bloodwork. I can't wait to see what my ovaries are going to do! Wow. Excitement. That's a feeling I thought was long gone in the TTC arena....

Coming soon to my stomach...

....needles. Needles, needles and more needles. Not the Gonal-F pen, like I thought. No, I'm not that lucky. I get to mix my own medication, fill a syringe, and then inject it.



That will be me tonight - except not the pen part. I can't even find a picture of the non-pen injections! I also don't get to jab the side of my stomach. I get to inject at a little smile under my belly button. Isn't it nice how they describe these things? "A smile." Yeah, I'm really thinking "smile" through all of this.

To be continued....I will post again after the injection tonight.

Houston, we have AF!

Finally!!!



Goddard Space Center is just an hour down the road from me - think they could help knock me up? Their ships are quite phallic looking....

So ladies and gents - well, one gent (hi Marc!) - I start shooting myself full of Gonal-F Sunday. I popped in my educational DVD last night to review how to give myself the injection. It's been quite a few years since I used a syringe, but I stabbed lots of oranges back in college with my nursing student roomie. We also injected said oranges with vodka. Ahhh, college. Too bad the vodka didn't mix well inside the orange. The nurses at the fertility center will refresh me on it as well when I go for my ultrasound and bloodwork on Sunday - injections, not vodka oranges, that is.

Anyhoo...I'm nervous about it, but very excited. This has GOT to at least get me to ovulate. I mean, I'm giving myself straight FSH. How can follicle stimulating hormone fail me? Please tell me it won't fail me!!! But really, I'm so excited I don't even care that I have to get up at my normal workweek time Sunday to get my ultrasound and bloodwork done - and that's saying alot because I LOVE my sleep!

Well, wish me luck! I'm so glad I'll have something more to write about here. This last month has been SO boring on the TTC front!

And now back to work...