1/13/08

We got up when it was still dark out this morning to get down to Chicago by 9 am. Needless to say, I'm exhausted. I had my baseline bloodwork and ultrasound today. The doctor had reviewed my results and the RN phoned me back to give me my protocol. I'll list it here, to date, of all that I've taken thus far:

IVF MED SCHEDULE:
12/20/07-12/30/07 Doxycycline
1/4/08-1/12/08 10 Units Lupron, 1 baby asprin per day
1/13/08 Baseline Blood and Ultrasound
1/13/08-1/14/08 75 iu Bravelle in the a.m., 75 iu Menopur in the p.m., 5 Units Lupron in the p.m., 1 baby asprin per day
1/15/08-56 iu Bravelle in the a.m., 75 iu Menopurin the p.m., 5 Units Lupron in the p.m., 1 baby asprin.
1/16/08- Blood & Ultrasound

The doctor monitors my follicles closely as well as my hormone levels and adjusts meds accordingly. So at one time, I will only have a couple days worth of protocol for the meds. Today, I was to take what they call the "loading dose" as soon as I got home, which is 75 iu Bravelle & 75 iu Menopur. These two are my "stims". Tonight, I am to reduce my Lupron to 5 units, and take that around 7/8 pm. TOMORROW, I am to do my Bravelle injection in the morning, then approximately 12 hours later do the Menopur and Lupron injections, and the same thing for the 15th (except at a slightly smaller dose on the 15th). THEN on the 16, I go in for monitoring, blood and ultrasound again (they'll check estrogen and LH in the blood, not progesterone this time, and then cound the follicles on ultrasound). Once the doctor gets the results, he'll again have the nurse call me, with a couple more days of med instrucitons. And it'll go this way until retrieval.

We did the first injection of the stims at about 3:00 pm today (as we were instructed to do them when we got home). I was nervous because these injections require you to mix the meds, get them drawn up, and switch needles. Really, I've heard that the Menopur burns like the dickens, so I wasn't excited. But...I got it all drawn up, pretty much without a hitch. Curt injected it like a pro...slowly as instructed, and while yes, it did burn, it WAS manageable. Not bad AT all! So...#1 done! We need to do the Lupron yet then done for today. Starting tomorrow...3 injections per day. My belly is going to go from slightly to quite bruised here real quick ;) It's all worth it though, right?

If anyone is wondering, the shots really are NOT bad. I hate shots, and the thought of shots to the belly made me squirm at first. Really, they're no worse than the arms. A shot is a shot is a shot. Pinches, burns a little, but then fine. Now...the HUGE needles that go into my hiney...now THOSE...THOSE are painful I hear... Oh well...you do what you gotta do, right?

Anyhow...stim shot #1 is done! Check! Finally started! I am so excited! :D :D :D