4th Ultrasound Series coming up!

Thank you all so, so much for your comments on my last post. I feel much better today, thank goodness. I really was feeling so patient... but finding out we were her "second" choice was tough. The chosen family had a DVD prepared... we did not. We kind of put it off - when we went to an Ed series class, there were several family who did not have one, or who said no one would ever see their video! Plus, it's expensive. Silly, when you consider the enormous check we'll have to write out once we get chosen. In any case, we're trying to schedule the session with the videographer - and we keep having schedule hiccups. Please pray we can get that scheduled soon! I don't want to be another "second" choice because we don't have a video!

Since we have no idea when a call will actually come... I'm wondering if maybe God said no this time because he wants to do amazing things during my next cycle, right? During another ultrasound series? Yes, of course, sign me up! Oh, if only.... :)

But, yes. I'm doing another one. Dr. M looked over my cycle review and thought it was an excellent idea to do an unmedicated ultrasound cycle. So, no femara, no HCG trigger, no cytotec. I'll just be taking post-peak estradiol and prometrium and the CM enhancers - amoxicillin, B6, fertile.aid and fertile.cm. No evening primrose oil though. I told the nurse I really didn't enjoy having an oily face! That was just plain yucky. I am just really interested (slightly scared. Ok, a lot scared) to see what develops without all the crazy stimulation.

However - praise the Lord - the nurse said they have had some patients in my area use a local radiology clinic. I was all for that switch. No more 2+ hour drives?  I called and scheduled the appointments right after I got off the phone with the nurse. The nurse confirmed that this clinic has worked with a few of their patients and knows their protocol. When I called to schedule the series, the scheduler seemed to know exactly what I was talking about and knew that I'd be coming in for a bunch of scans. She scheduled all of them right away, so I should be set. It's 15-20 minutes away, and only 10 minutes away from the church I go to for daily mass. What a relief!!!

Also, Dr. M is most definitely taking my chart with her on her trip late this month to consult with Dr. H. Sweet!!! Maybe together the two of them can come up with something great.

Again, I am so grateful for your comments and prayers on my last post. Your prayers are working - I feel much more at peace today. :)

Not looking good... UPDATED AGAIN

UPDATE 3/27:
The scan this morning showed that the follicle on the left (and as I understood from the technician), and one on the right were more complex. I don't know if this means they bleed internally, but I have another LUF cycle. On both the Cytotec and the HCG injection. I'm not sure what to think... emotionally I've been a wreck these last few days. I knew in my heart on Sunday when the follicle hadn't ruptured that I was going to have another LUF. Poor DH has been putting up with a lot. I didn't even bother with eye makeup this morning since I knew it would be gone before I got up to PA. Ugh. I do have to go for another scan tomorrow, as Dr. S asked that I go twice to see what happens the second day. The nurse said that they are treating several women at the office who are having LUFs. It sounds like they are trying to figure out what to do with us. I'm going to continue doing more research on them and the treatment of them (have any of you been successfully treated by Dr. H for these?) and DH and I will be doing a lot of talking in the next few days about what to do next. I know at least in May and June I'll be taking a break; with so many family plans going on those months. I won't be able to get in with my new doctor until July. Prayer buddy, please pray for our discernment on how to proceed! Thank you to all of you though, for your kind comments and prayers. I know I'd be even worse off if it weren't for you! :)

UPDATE 3/26: The scan this morning showed the follicle was still there. In fact, there were 2 on my left ovary and 2 on my right. I'm going up to PA again tomorrow...


What an insane weekend. First, when DH and I left mass on Saturday morning, we were driving his car. Not a mile from the church, his car stalled at a light. It was really bizarre. We ended up pulling into a parking lot - it wouldn't hold an idle - and then ended up taking it to the car place near our house.... where my car was! I had dropped it off for an oil change on Friday night. It took them about an hour - including a delay for an oil filter that they didn't have in stock. I was going insane. First, because I was trying desperately to find a phone number for the outpatient imaging clinic I was going to - I don't even know how many numbers I tried before finally giving up. I even called the hospital in the hopes that they could give me a number. All I got was the generic recording about making appointments and the hours from Monday thru Friday. I knew that the clinic closed at 12. I also knew they would call if I hadn't shown, but the only number they had was our home number. NOT my cell. Arghhhh!! I knew I could go to the hospital for a scan if I didn't make it... which we didn't. We arrived at the imaging center 10 minutes before it closed to find out that the tech had just left. We went to the hospital... and waited an hour and a half. The tech who would have done my scan at the outpatient clinic ended up coming it to do it because they were so bombarded with ER patients.

The scan showed that my follicle had shrunk, and there was a bit of a ring around it... which she thought indicated it would rupture soon.

This morning (Sunday, CD15) the scan showed that the follicle had grown. It was under 2.0 cm on Saturday morning... today it was over 3.0. Well, that explains the pains I was feeling most of yesterday afternoon and evening, but I guess they weren't ovulation pains.

I'm really thinking its going to be another LUF.

Today was not a good day. I think if it weren't for all your prayers, and knowing that I'm not in this alone, I would have gone insane. As it is, I know I am so blessed to have an amazingly understanding husband who is. my. rock.

Prayer buddy... I'm offering this up for you!!

And to my prayer buddy... please pray that whatever I see tomorrow, I will have peace. I don't have much right now.

And, one question - any of you that have taken an HCG injection before, did you have crazy anger/depressive mood swings? Obviously, it could be that it looks like I'm not ovulating - that's enough to drive any IF girl nuts, when all signs have indicated for years that I am... but still, even DH said "Where is this coming from??"

More tomorrow...

It's time for HCG!

Please step up your prayers! The follicle today measured 2.0, so tonight I'll take the HCG shot. In all chaos of making sure I got it in time, I ended up coming home today to find a SECOND dose in the mailbox. I called to make sure it would be fine if I kept it... but I told the pharmacist I'd send it back if the first one worked, haha! I talked with one of the fertility care nurses today and she said that the follicle should rupture this weekend, or it will turn into another LUF. I'll need to go tomorrow and maybe Sunday to PA to check. So I need your prayers! Come on, HCG, do your thing!! :)

Happy Friday, everyone!

Follicular Ultrasound Series... Round 3

So this round is proving to be even more interesting than the last 2! Daily trips to PA began yesterday, and I'll probably have to continue going through next Monday-ish. Yesterday (Tuesday) there was quite a bit of excitement. On Monday I decided that it would probably be a good idea to have one of the nurses at Dr. S's office administer my HCG shot the first time around since I was pretty nervous about doing it right. It was a good idea, but I forgot to actually call the office to ask. So Tuesday morning I was trying to get in touch with them on my drive up to see if it was possible (I had the goods with me). Of course, since I had no idea what my follicle size would be, I wasn't even sure if I would need to get it that day. I told them I'd call afterwards to see what the size was. At the appointment I had a tech I'd had before, but only once. (Most of them know me by name now!) She told me she saw 5 follicles (yay!) and one was bigger than the others. At the end of the appointment she told me it was 2.2, almost 2.3 cm. I think I asked her 3 times to confirm it was that big. As soon as I got out, I called Dr. S's office again, and they said to come on over. The nurses in the fertility care office were not going to be there until 2 pm... and I could not afford to wait. So, one of other nurses was super nice, and explained everything in detail to me (although she was following the directions since she had never done it) so I could repeat it next cycle if necessary. I got the shot, it wasn't painful at all (she put it in my stomach - I thought that would hurt a lot, but I could barely feel it. It was just slightly itchy afterwards, for a few minutes). No problem... I can do this on my own!

When I got home, I called and emailed the office because I realized I had no idea when I was supposed to go back for the next scan. One of the nurses called later in the afternoon and said I would need to go this morning (Wed) and daily until the follicle (hopefully!!) ruptures.

A little while later she called to clarify some things....

My 2.2-2.3 cm follicle? Nope... that measurement was my ovary. My follicle was 1.7. The size needed for the HCG trigger shot was 1.9. Uh... oops!! But, it became somewhat of a comedy of errors when she informed me that the nurse had given me a diluted version... 1/10th of what I was supposed to receive. Apparently, it wasn't a big deal, because a small dose of HCG can be used to help a follicle grow. But, it was a big deal because I could no longer use what I had and needed to get more for a full dose.

So... last night I was frantically trying to get ahold of a compound pharmacy to see if they could overnight the HCG should I need it today. No luck... they were all closed by the time everything was figured out at the office and the nurses were able to get back to me. And I was kind of stuck until the scan this morning which would reveal if the follicle had grown enough for the full dose HCG.

The scan this morning showed the follicle was not quite 1.9 cm yet. Whew! And I was able to order another round of HCG (overnight fees being $30ish, ouch) to be delivered tomorrow.

I have no idea what is going to come out of this cycle, but despite all the chaos, I think I'm handling it fine. I keep reminding myself that the goal is worth it. And prayer buddy, I'm offering it all up for you!!!!

And to my prayer buddy... please pray that the HCG arrives tomorrow as planned and that the follicle grows and ruptures just like a good little follicle should! :)

Another LUF

Dr. S called last night (bless that man; he called after 9:30 and apologized for the late call as it was a "long day at the office"). Sheesh. I told him it wasn't a problem!!!

I had another LUF. Dr. S said the follicle grew to a mature size faster this time than last cycle, so the scan on 2/27 was later than needed to catch it. Next month, I'll start scans a few days earlier, start the Cytotec earlier and will also take the HCG trigger shot. I told DH he was going to administer it! :) I got allergy shots for years so I'm not all that concerned. Plus... it seems that for some of you the HCG trigger shot led to very positive results, right? :)

It makes me wonder though... 2 cycles in a row, both stimulated... have I ever ovulated?? And why on earth do my cycles appear to be "normal" if they're anovulatory???

Blogger Meet-up! & Dr. S appt

Yesterday afternoon my DH and I were blessed to meet and enjoy a lovely lunch with Rebecca and The Man! We met at a wonderful coffee shop after our mutual appointments with Dr. S. We talked for 3 1/2 hours straight! It's so nice to meet the people behind the blogs (I am getting addicted!) and it's so refreshing to be able to talk to people who "get it". I certainly wish none of us were going through this, but it's a HUGE blessing that we are in this together. The power of prayer is immense. Rebecca, it was terrific to meet you and The Man and I hope that we can all get together again soon - maybe to cheer for our Black and Gold! :)

My appointment with Dr. S... well, he hasn't given up hope. :) First, he suggested that I add Evening Primrose Oil to my regimen, 2000 mg per day, from CD1 thru P+1. Have any of you used this? Has it helped CM? Also, I'm going to get the food allergy panel done. I'm calling my health insurance after I finish this post to ask about covering it through our FSA. I'm also adding Cylotec, 200 mg per day CD12-16. He is hoping that will trigger ovulation. Have any of you taken this? Has it helped? I forgot to ask him what the side effects might be... The other thing is that I'm doing the Follicular Ultrasound series again. It will be a little more limited - I'm going for a scan on Friday, CD4 (since Saturday is out), then not until CD14 on the 27th. I almost always identify peak as CD15 or 16. So please pray that the follicle ruptures!!! I know I'm blessed to be able to clear my schedule to go up every morning, but it is exhausting. Dr. S said he would continue to monitor me until the end of March. He also suggested switching to Dr. D. (Dr. C is works more on the surgical aspect, which I don't need anymore.) He did confirm that a new doctor is coming to Rich.mond next fall... but I don't want to wait until then. He asked how I was doing... handling all this. I was honest, but I did mention now that we're officially waiting to adopt. It eases the pressure a bit. I know we'll be parents one way or another. I told him I would keep working on trying the medical route, but if we are chosen, I anticipate taking a break, at least at first! :)

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Scan Day 13 & Blog Giveaway!! UPDATE!

Scan Day 13 is tomorrow. Sheesh!! I'm glad my DH loves road trips... please pray that this darn thing ruptures by tomorrow at 11:30! I DO NOT want to be traveling to PA every morning while my sister is here. Plus, I think my choir director is wondering what is wrong with me as I've missed 2 Sundays and 3 rehearsals. I'd appreciate any of your prayers for rupture!

UPDATE:
Dr. S. emailed me and said I don't need any more scans! Hooray! He said the smaller follicle-fluid area hasn't changed significantly and it could be an area of fluid collected outside the ovary, considering that adhesions might still be there to some degree. I just have to get labs drawn on Monday. I am SO going to enjoy sleeping in tomorrow and NOT getting up at 5:30 am!!! (I did tell DH that this wake-up time has given me more of an appreciation for the fact that he does it EVERY day. It also gives me more incentive to get to bed earlier so he can get more sleep too.)

Now for the giveaway!!

DH and I LOVE to read. This means that we have many books. Hundreds probably... I can't imagine counting them. Among them we have several duplicate books - spiritual reading in nature. So, since Lent is just around the corner, I'm going to give away 2 of our duplicates. (There will be 2 winners!) They are not new (maybe read once or twice) but are in great condition.

Here they are:

Lukewarmness, the Devil in Disguise
by Francis Carvajal

and

The Sacred Passion
by Luis de la Palma

If you want to enter the giveaway, leave a comment and let me know which one you'd prefer. If either is fine, let me know that too!

The giveaway will close next Friday, February 10th!

Good luck! :)