Though It Tarries

Moving right along... we decided to do another round of Clomid this month instead of the Bravelle injectables.  If this one doesn't take, we'll probably move onto the injectables, but I did feel more peace about giving Clomid another go.  Just a head's up... this post may be slightly TMI for some of you, so just skip to the end if you're the squeamish type. I had my ultrasound yesterday to determine follicle size and insemination scheduling, and it looks like I should have 2-3 good follicles and our IUI is scheduled for Saturday.  One side effect of Clomid is that your uterine lining can become thinner over time, and this is the first month that it's become an issue for me.  Nothing major... just slightly too thin for the best chances, so I have to take estradiol supplements for a couple days to hopefully build it up. I've decided I'm giving this cycle my FULL attention and throwing everything I've got at it.  I'm temperature charting; I'm ...

Surprise surprise... our last IUI cycle was, again, a big fat negative. So where do we go from here?  In case you've lost count, we're 3 cycles in and stillllll waiting.  Bleh.  Our clinic normally schedules an appointment with our doctor to sort of "regroup" after 3 failed cycles, so that's what we did this week.  We've been presented with a few options, so here's what we're tossing around at the moment: 1. (Simplest) - Continue doing up to 3 more IUI cycles with Clomid, same as we've been doing.  Just because it hasn't worked yet doesn't mean it never will.  This option is the cheapest, easiest, and least risky in terms of the possibility of multiples. 2. (A little more aggressive) - Continue up to 3 more IUI cycles with a drug called Bravelle (similar to Menopur), which is a daily self-injection (or spouse injection as I just don't think I have it in me) that will essentially cause more follicles to mature than Clomid does.  Th...

Well, our last IUI cycle unfortunately did not take.  Life got busy for a little while there, so I'm just now getting around to this update, and we're already mid-cycle for our next IUI!  We go in tomorrow morning for the insemination. I'm a little discouraged by the fact that I'm now on more medication, given how (relatively) simple our treatment was two years ago when I got pregnant.  Apparently, my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels are ever-so-slightly elevated, which is not preventing me from becoming pregnant, but can be problematic for the baby if I do become pregnant.  Also, my cycles have been a little on the short side despite the fact that Clomid is supposed to correct some of that.  So, I'm taking a synthetic thyroid hormone and progesterone supplements this time around, on top of the regular Clomid and Ovidrel (HCG) shot.  Of course, these extra meds are adding to the expense of everything, so I'm eager to be done with them as soon as p...

Quick update... tomorrow is the big day!  I took Clomid last week and had an ultrasound on Tuesday to check the size of my follicles.  It looks like I will have 2 follicles ready to pop tomorrow and took the trigger shot last night.  The insemination is scheduled for tomorrow morning... crazy! There are a few funny coincidences this time around.  I will ovulate from my left side, with 2 follicles, and be inseminated on a Friday... all of which were also the case when I got pregnant last time.  So I'm feeling good about my "lucky lefty" and my "lucky Friday." :) It's a little hard to believe how quickly this is all happening.  I kept procrastinating (unintentionally) on making our initial consultation appointment, so that part of it made me feel like we were off to a slow start.  But now, here we are, at a point when I can say "so I might be pregnant on Friday."  Weird.  At least I have that eternal two-week wait to make time slow down aga...

Welp, the extra dosage of Clomid has done its trick this month.  I went in for my ultrasound today (the one where they look at the follicle size to determine when ovulation is likely to occur), and I've got two follicles that are ready to go!  Normally, the follicles aren't quite ready by this point, so the insemination is scheduled for a few days later and the "trigger shot" is done at home.  But today my doctor gave me the trigger shot at my appointment and insemination has been scheduled for tomorrow morning! I'm excited that this cycle is moving along quickly.  I'm tired of waiting... just want to get things done now.  Ah, patience... how you torment me with your virtue.

Quick update post... I went in today for a baseline ultrasound to begin our second round of IUI.  The purpose of the baseline ultrasound is just to check and make sure there are no ovarian cysts forming as a result of the Clomid. Today I also begin taking Clomid again for 5 days.  The doctor has increased my dose by 50% this time around because last cycle my progesterone was a little on the low side, and typically Clomid should make progesterone spike.  So, we'll see if I have any side effects this time around. I'll go back for another ultrasound on the 18th, and will likely be doing the insemination sometime around the 20th.  Then I have to find some way to occupy my brain for 2 weeks. I've been sick the last couple of days, which didn't make today's appointment much fun.  All I could think about was getting home to take a nap... but then there was that pesky pharmacy wait.  Ugh. Please pray for me to regain my health quickly so I can get back to...

Today is a milestone!  We completed our first (and hopefully only) IUI cycle and we've got two weeks to wait and see what happens. Things I've learned over the last two weeks: The Pt. Loma Kaiser pharmacy (one of only two locations where you can pick up fertility meds) pretty much always has a one hour wait.  Bleh. Clomid is cheap, but Chorionic Gonadotropin (the ovulation "trigger shot") is really expensive... at least on my minimal insurance plan. Clomid isn't as scary as everyone makes it out to be.  I had zero side effects. Despite his general squeamishness about guts and blood, Mike was surprisingly calm and collected (dare I say... excited?) about sticking me with a needle at home. IUI is significantly less painful than the HSG procedure. So... here we go.  Commence emotional roller coaster.  Stay tuned, folks!

The realization of infertility approaches slowly.  First, your mind begins to wonder why things are taking a bit longer than you expected... but you quickly dismiss your fears in light of the fact that 8, 9, 10 months is still within the range of "normal," right?  Soon, 12 months hits and you're suddenly faced with the prospect that you may in fact qualify for the official diagnosis. Maybe we just haven't been timing things right.  Maybe I should stop drinking coffee.  Maybe I should try standing on my head (kidding). It was at this point that I finally sucked it up and bought a pack of magical ovulation-detecting pee sticks at Target.  Which, by the way, are NOT cheap!  $40 for a 1-month supply?  Excuse me, ClearBlue, but are you really that intent on adding insult to injury?  Just watch  me stretch your "1-month supply" into 4 months.  Start testing on day 6?  Psh.  Try day 10.  I live on the edge. Anyway, a...