Even the tiny needles freak me out.
When I was maybe 13, I remember meeting a kid who had diabetes and thinking about how impossible it would be to give myself shots.
Advanced fertility treatments rely on a variety of drugs to control your girly parts.
Lupron and birth control pills keep you from ovulating. Like a fake menapause. Complete with hot flashes.
Baby aspirin and estrace help build your lining. Progesterone helps maintain a pregnancy. Then there are other things ... I don't even know what those do.
These things come in abdominal shots, butt shots, oral pills, vaginal pills, patches and suppositories. The donor takes something called follistim, which is just like it sounds: follicle stimulating. Follicles are the things that pop out of the ovaries with eggs -- the more follicles, the more eggs. The more eggs, the better chance that we have of making a baby.
All these drugs are hormones. When I was on my IVF cycle, I called the combo of Lupron and Follistim the "hate and rage" drugs. I felt edgy, emotional and angry at all times. Living and working with me was a real joy, I'm sure.
This time, my only anxiety is related to the actual injections. There's no pain and my husband gives them to me because, well, I was right when I was 13. I could NEVER give them to myself.
Still, I dread facing that needle every night at bedtime.
I've been on the Lupron for a week. I'm now done with my birth control pills. I have a doctor's appointment on July 29, then start the estrogen drugs after that.
It's a time when it feels like a waiting period, but there's a crucial 10 unit shot that must be delivered every day.
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The Brambles
15 hours ago
3 comments:
My first cycle with the RE was an IUI on clomid with a trigger shot. I thought I would have my husband do it but we had a guest that night and I had to trigger at a specific time. He was busy talking with our guest so I had to steal away and do it myself. I was scared but I did it and I felt empowered. For the next 6 cycles which required many many shots, I decided I'd rather not make both of us anxious every time. Now, he just sits with me while I do them. It works for us and thankfully we do not have to do PIO injections this time - I'm using progersterone suppositories.
Wow. I couldn't imagine doing that trigger by myself. In fact, on our IVF cycles, I would have a big glass of wine right before my husband gave me the trigger -- that needle is so long and it just freaked me out. I just know that I must REALLY Want this if I'm willing to go through this.
OK ... I just re-read my response. I was actually talking about the trigger during our four IUI cycles, not our failed IVF cycles. Just wanted to correct the record for those who are watching. :)
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