Tuesday, September 21, 2004

IVF part 1

So I started the IVF process, and I want to be talking about it (ok, I'm DYING to talk about it), but the more people who know I'm doing this, the more people I'll have to tell if it doesn't work. So I'm posting privately, to become public when I'm done.

Here's where I am with the fabulous world of IVF:
I started taking birth control pills on 9/1. Immediately got super bloaty and felt horrible. Beach ball in my stomach. After a week I decided to email my obgyn, because I'd had breast tenderness for two weeks. (I know, I know, some causes of breast tenderness: being pre-menstrual, check; birth control pills, check; stress, check.) Obgyn had me come in, told me that yup, she sees some fibrocycstic changes in my breasts, but that it is nothing to worry about. She'll follow up in a month to be sure, hopes to see me pregnant soon.

On Thursday (9/16) I started taking 20 units of Lupron - this drug stops me from ovulating, so that I can grow some nice big follicles without having them ripen before my doc is ready for them. The Lupron is administered by subcutaneous injections - thin short needle like the kind diabetics use. I set up the needle, filled it with Lupron, cleaned the injection site . . . but could not stab myself. I started to cry - Chris said "you can do this", to which I replied, "no I can't" and handed him the needle. He jabbed me and it didn't hurt. The next day I did it fine by myself.

Some possible side effects of Lupron: headaches, hot flashes (!), mood swings, nausea . . . I've had a little weirdness with temperature, which might be hot flashes, I'm not sure. No headaches.

Saturday I started going for acupuncture again. A German study showed a 40% improvement in IVF success rates for people who did acupuncture. Not sure if it really does anything, but I feel the need to try everything I can. It might be doing something - it makes me cry every time. Not from the pain, which is minimal, but from some kind of emotional release. Weird. Plus, I feel all calm and floaty afterwards, so it is at least worth doing for that.