IVF#3 Baseline/Med Class

April 24:  What a day.  I had FOUR IVF appts today.  I had to wake up at 5am in order to get to my first appt at 6:15.  When I don't get enough sleep and get a Fibro "flare" I either wake up with a rocking headache or I get diarrhea and cramping.  Today I got the later.  Unfortunately, because I'm not taking my Fibro meds anymore, I wake up with diarrhea and other Fibro issues pretty frequently.  I know, just what you all wanted to know.   I made it to my first appt a bit early and since I wasn't quite sure where to go, it worked out well.  I picked up my two very full bags of medicine and headed to the lab.  I got a couple vials drawn and went back downstairs to wait for my baseline u/s or what I like to refer to as the cattle call.  On any given day, there could be up to 50 women waiting to get an ultrasound.  It's first come, first serve.  Today I was the second one on the list so I was in and out very quickly. 

Report from today's u/s:

Lining: 2.5 mm
Left follicle count: 7
Right follicle count: 6

Let me just point something out.  Back 5 years ago when I did my first IVF, I had close to 30 follicles on my baseline u/s.  My second IVF I had around 20.  Today, 13.  Even though I'm only 29 years old, my age is already playing a very large role in my fertility.  I was a bit disappointed with 13 as there is no potential for any more than that this round. 

My last appt was at 1:30 and it was called a medication class.  I forced (and yes, forced is the correct term here) DH to go with me as I thought we could both learn something.  Let me first say that I'm not happy with my meds at all.  My protocol this time around is pretty much the same as the my first IVF-the one that didn't work.  There are a couple different ways to do IVF and I'm doing the less traditional one.  There were four women total for the class, and all four of us are doing pretty much the same thing (dosages were different and a couple random different meds but really the same).   The class ended up being over three hours long.  We did get to practice giving the injections (uh, I think I've had close to 500 injections from DH over the past five years) so there wasn't much for us to learn there but it was kind of funny listening and watching the other couples try it for the first time.  I kind of wish we would have had this kind of training before the first time we did IVF though. 

I'll be on two new types of meds (for me).  They are Follistim and a micro dose of HCG.  I have no idea how my body will respond to these meds.  I don't get why I couldn't just do what worked for me last time.  I start both those injections on Saturday and continue until Wednesday when my doc will adjust the dosages.  I will give myself one in the morning and one 12 hours later.  Follistim does come in pen form and a much smaller needle than Menopur. 

I do have to add this in too.  Both DH and I got a good chuckle in when the IVF coordinator said that we should be under no stress and have no other meetings or appts other than IVF for the next three weeks.  Monday is the start of the work conference for both of us.  I really am trying to laugh it off and not worry about what's to come.  I have to keep thinking and even saying out loud, "I can do this.  I can do this.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."