02 March 2009

one thing

Well, I can report quite happily that the ultrasound was "normal"-- 2 wee follicles each side (aww) and my blood work showed a too-suppressed prolactin level (from my little prolactinoma-my little pituitary tumor)-- so as of this moment I am off those suppressive meds (dostinex) at least until a repeat blood test next week. Apparently there is a sweet spot for prolactin when it comes to all things reproductive-- not too high like mine used to be otherwise it is bad for ovulation, not too low like mine is now since apparently it can interfere with optimal stimulation.
So, of course I took my weekly dose of dostinex last night, figures. So I will imagine it decreasing steadily as my stim drugs kick in over the next few days, to come to some sort of harmonious interplay of luscious and optimal ovarian simulationism sometime soon, like, say, wednesday.

good lord.

So anyway, they sent me home with my bag of medications and told me to do my first injection when I got home whenever that was- ahh yes, it stings like a mofo (I had forgotten how much). Strange how the fingers remember just how to do the mixing and injecting. And with a headache already I can say this cycle is now officially underway.

The snow? Almost nothing up north, but cold and blowing sideways- wild swirly patterns on the road and sudden blindness like running through hanging laundry-- but more and more snow the closer I got to home where we have 12" of fresh powder.  Came home to a stray dog, a plowed-in driveway and snow coming down with a cold wind.
The dog is safely home, a random guy driving by with a plow is now $40 richer after plowing me out, and it is really really pretty out there with all this fresh snow.

I stayed home this afternoon- did not want to drive an hour to work 3 to drive back home in the snow + dark, so this was a vacation day filled with probes and needles and slick slow driving.
But I am happy to be home. 

Next ultrasound friday morning- and between now and then?

150 menupur 75 follistim in the mornings,  75 menopur 150 follistim evenings.
This is my clinic's max dose.

Did you folks know that you do not need to refrigerate follistim if you are going to use it in the next few months?  (unless you are using the pens-- if so, ignore me)-- but if you are going the vial route as I am, you no longer need to give up a whole crisper drawer or fridge shelf just for this. Check with your pharmacist or RE, but the bag-o-drugs they gave me had been in the closet, not the fridge, and when I asked, they said I could fridge them if I wanted, but it was not at all necessary.
Who knew.

Second injection in the next hour or so before I go to bed, then tomorrow, I'll be back to my regularly scheduled 7:30 injections... 

Oh, on a broader reproductive note, in the interest of trying to calm the heck down, we've decided to focus on this IVF, and not try to multitask our way through educating ourselves on other options at the same time. I realized I was getting pretty stressed out and frayed at the edges (and the middle) from trying so hard to do so many things all at once- homestudy! donor eggs! ethical, personal and interpersonal issues! 

So, in a moment of absurdly unusual clarity it came to me: Do one thing.
This one. 

So that is what we are trying to do. So help me, if my hands type in homestudy someone taze me.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

glad you're focusing on one thing at a time; did you put the adoption packet in a drawer so you won't have to keep looking at it?

all good, kate, all good.

love you

Elle said...

Yes -- one thing at a time. And IVF is a big thing. Glad you're stimming. I know nothing about prolactin; didn't even know it was important for all this. Good grief, how many pieces are there in this crazy puzzle? :/

I'm rooting hard for you.

Grade A said...

I am reading "inner peace" between the lines. Ok, maybe I'm reading "temporary control on the crazies," but it sounds like you are in a good place. Hope you can stay there for a good long while. Multitasking can be exhausting and you already half enough on your plate.

Joannah said...

Sounds like you're off to a good start. I hope you get a lot of follicles to show up at your next US.

:-)

KC said...

Hello Mekate,

I am an MA student at CSM (Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design) in London. And, I am doing my major project: briefly, the concept is to invoke couples’ intimacy or togetherness during IVF treatment in order to reduce the stress from the process. Is it possible for me to ask your comments and suggestions about my three design items via email?
Please reply me if you could do me this huge favor.
Thank you

Best wishes
KC Kao

Email: kchsuan@googlemail.com
Course website: http://www.narrative-environments.com/index.html

Sarah said...

good luck with your singular focus; sounds like a smart idea.

i think you have to fridge the follistim if you've already started using it and want to save the rest, but not if it's unopened.

looking forward to friday's update!