BFN, again

Big.

Fat.

Negative.

Turns out it’s a good thing that I asked them to file that paperwork, because we will be needing the IVF cycle after all. L Again, it wasn’t a surprise when they called because I tested at home, but it is still really depressing. I hate this. In reality, this only had a 10% chance of working each month, but still. UGH.

IUI #2 In The Books

IUI, Take 2, complete. So far this time I’ve had much less cramping. Both months I took the morning off and went to school, but this month I’d never know I had something done this morning. A nice change! Now, to wait. Again.

I did ask the doctor’s office to file the pre-approval paperwork for IVF today as well. I don’t want to be pessimistic, but I need for there to be a plan just in case. If this doesn’t work, I want to roll right into the next step and not be stuck waiting for a month or more just for paperwork.

Fingers crossed that it won’t be necessary! J J

Trigger Already?

Last month, I started my monitoring on day 11 and it took 4 days of checking before the two follicles were big enough to take the trigger medicine to release the eggs. After the trigger, there was 36 hours until the procedure. (Everything is timed, not exactly to the minute, but down to a few hour window.) This month was vastly different. Today as soon as they started the u/s, a giant blob showed up. The doctor thought maybe it was a cyst, but they called a few hours later and said my bloodwork did point to it being a ready-to-go follicle and that I should take the shot ASAP and schedule the IUI for tomorrow morning. This worries me. I called back (since it was a message on my cell while I was teaching) and asked if this was just a hail Mary pass. I don’t want to be playing catch up if we missed the best window, since this is the last insurance covered IUI we have. (Seriously – why do insurance companies think that Infertility stuff is all just a bunch of random elective surgery?? After our measly tries, it’s covered the same as elective boob jobs. That annoys me. Anyway, I digress.) She said that we were still in the ok window and that my bloodwork says I’m fine. I asked about the oddity of last month having 36 hours between shot and procedure and this month having 18 hours between shot and procedure and she said that’s fine, there’s multiple ways of doing it. I have no choice but to believe them.

Then came the next situation. My husband wasn’t going to be home until after dinner. They said to take the shot as soon as I possibly could. That meant only one thing – I had to be a big girl and do it by myself. Ugh. Luckily, it’s only been a month since the last one and I remember that it seriously didn’t hurt, it was just the fear that was bad. That helped a lot. I did get a little ribbing from my husband though when I called him to tell him. He did offer to come home and do it before he went to the gym, but I said that was silly and I’d be fine. Then, as I was having a mental image of driving to the gym with a needle in my hand for him to jab in me, he said “If you show up at the gym with that thing I’m going to point and laugh!” J In the end, all was well. I did it on the first try. Even though a few people who give themselves shots had warned me that skin has more resistance than you’d think, I was still surprised how much I really did have to push the thing in. But I am proud of myself now. J

Beginning the Clomid, Round 2

Round two of medicine started today. I had to do some math to figure out when to take it and set a phone alarm because I’ll switch time zones again before I’m done with all of them. Here we go again! At least I'm on vacation - everything is easier on vacation! :)

IUI #2, Baseline Appointment

Hooray! For once, my body cooperated. I was able to get in and do the cyst check this morning and we don’t leave until tomorrow! I’m not usually a drinker, but I think in Vegas I’m going to have to partake merely because I can.

IUI Results :(

We got the official negative blood work news that our IUI did not work today. It is a LOT harder to not have success with a medicated cycle than it was to not have success over and over again on our own. It surprised me much it really stung, even though I had taken a home test and never gotten a positive so the phone call wasn’t a surprise. We are hoping to roll right into our 2^nd (and final insurance covered) IUI cycle, but once again a vacation may hinder our chances. (We keep having the important weeks be major holidays!) Depending on how long it takes my period to get here, I may or may not be able to get the baseline bloodwork and ultrasound done before we go. It has to happen on specific days of the cycle. I can take the pills while we are gone because I’ll be back in time to check and see if they worked, but they have to clear me to take the meds first. Fingers crossed.

IUI Day

Today was the actual IUI. After all the monitoring, the IUI was like a complete non-event. I honestly can't believe that the insurance company doesn't cover more of these since they really can't cost that much overall. Some ultrasounds, some bloodwork, and one tiny lab procedure. Plus the cost of the turkey baster, I guess. ;) It was actually a really thin straw like thingy.

What kind of stunk was that I was alone. Our appointments were a couple hours apart to give them time to do whatever they have to do to the "sample," so he was already at work by the time I went for my appointment. I laid there, they did their thing for about 30 seconds, and then I stayed for 15 or 20 minutes before heading off to work. I thought they'd send me home to do headstands all day but I was assured that would not increase my chances of working. I'm a little crampy now, but nothing horrible. Now, we wait.

They gave me a HILARIOUS "how to cope" card afterwards. It's terribly hokey and says things like "do something nice for yourself" and "call a good friend." Personally I think they should give you free therapy for 2 weeks. :)