follicle check sunday, 11.7.10

Super awesome. It just deleted my whole effing post. I will try to duplicate.

Egg is at 16.4mm, exactly 3mm larger than it was on Friday. It's growing! Slow growing, but still progressing.  It's just a lazy potential-Garcia.

As of now, I've been instructed to grab an OPK (ovulation predictor kit). They're in the neighborhood of $60+, so I'm going to get the week supply, since I only need 2, for $20.  I wish I had time to shop online, I know I could find them cheaper--but I don't have the time. Plus, if this cycle doesn't work out the way we hope, maybe I'll have a use for the other 5.

Dr Chen wants the egg to be at 20mm before the IUI.  My uterine lining surprised us all when she checked it today--it was like a normal ovulating woman's uterine lining! I think it was 5? With that news, (the lining is supposed to thicken when a maturing egg is in the making to prepare for baby/implantation) she thinks I just might ovulate on my own, since the rest of my body is shockingly acting 'normal.' That would be amazing.  I'm a 'natural' type of person, so this process has been a mix of emotions for me.  I'm thankful and excited that we have a real shot at this with the aid of modern technology, but at the same time the more I can 'do' on my own the better I feel, the more grateful I feel.

Backtracking a bit.  The high dose of Clomid (I'm sure I've mentioned this) thins your uterine lining, and you need to be supplemented with estrogen. I'm so happy we're not going to need more estrogen.  Moving forward. Our instructions are to buy the OPK, use one tomorrow morning (Monday, 11-8) and Tuesday morning (at the same time I did it Monday morning).  God willing, it will be positive come Tuesday morning. If it is positive Tuesday morning, I am to call the office, tell them the good news and make an appointment for a Wednesday IUI.  If negative Tuesday morning, I will still call the office, but it will be to make (another!) ultrasound appointment for Tuesday to check the egg's progression.  By this time, at the rate it's been growing, it should be 20mm.. or damn close.  She'll give me the hCg (hGc?) shot to trigger ovulation and we will also make a Wednesday appointment for IUI--though I believe it will be a different time of day as opposed to the positive OPK appointment. Either way! Wednesday is the day, assuming nothing crazy happens. :)

Oh, I've been reading the famously ridiculously informative (and sometimes silly) book 'What to Expect When You're Expecting.'  Many things I knew prior to picking up the book, quite a few that I didn't, and some I laughed at. At any rate, I am much more informed than I was before.  I'm reading it alongside Sebastian and his book, 'What to Expect When Your Wife is Expanding.'  His is mostly just hilarious. I bought them both on Amazon a couple weeks ago for about $11 total (including shipping). Of course, in his book the front page is devoted to a wonderful dedication about what a great dad Ronald was going to be in September, 1993.. but it was a sweet dedication, so I just crossed out Ronald's name and put in Sebastian's. And replaced John and Kim's name with mine.

they grew!! ultrasound 11/5/10

Well, one grew! One is better than none, but not as great as two or more--but nonetheless we have a ripening eggie! So we get to move to the next step this cycle. I have an appointment this Sunday at 8:30a to have another ultrasound to make sure that the egg has reached at least 18mm. Today it was just under 14 (13.6) which is more than double since the last ultrasound on Monday. Things are lookin' good!

A mature egg needs to be 18-20mm for the trigger shot followed by the IUI. She has no doubt it will be at least 18, but the date for the shot is up in the air.  Could be Sunday or Monday. We'll see! I'm excited that I'm going in on Sunday because Sebastian will get to go with me and not take any time off work.  Of course, for the IUI on Monday, he'll have to take time off work but the less time he takes off the better.

Well that's about it for now.  More good news to follow on my Sunday post. :)
Oh, and did I mention I have to give myself the shot? Super!

Ciao!

egg progression

Had my 'egg check up' this morning. There are two eggs (one on each side) that are growing, but not all that great. She figured they'd be farther along now, but she was happy that they were at least bigger than before the Clomid. They're at 6mm and they were at 4 or 5 last week.  They need to be about double what they are now to receive the trigger shot and IUI.  So, here's hoping they double by Friday! I have an appointment Friday at 9:30a to check their progression again.  She's thinking they'll be 11 or 12mm by then, and we'll do the trigger shot Sunday and have the IUI Monday. If things don't look bigger and better, then we know that no amount of Clomid will work for us and we'll move to the injectable medications.

I'm a little bummed, but still hopeful.  You're supposed to ovulate 5-10 days after your last Clomid pill (read it online, not from Dr) which would put us in a range for between this Wednesday and next Monday. I also read that people need trigger shots when they are on high doses of Clomid (150+) but that some people don't need them.  Dr Chen seems to think that I do, and I trust that she knows what she's talking about!

So keep your fingers (and toes!) crossed that we get some serious egg growth by Friday!!

last day/dose of clomid!

I was feeling overly excited on account of the fact I've had very little side effects from the Clomid.  Then I went online and found that most women have side effects (mostly hot flashes) after they stop Clomid. Super!

I planned a 'weekend getaway' this weekend, now let's just hope I don't have insane mood swings and hot flashes, blurred vision, bloating and gas!!

I have to go into work tonight, too.  Not that I mind.. but I feel like my time could be better spent packing.  Oh, one thing I've noticed (and read online after noticing) I've been extremely exhausted.  Like, ran over by a freight train after running a marathon kind of exhausted.  I generally have a lot going on, so I'm not always 'peppy' and awake, but I'm never this tired. I need to take naps between my errands instead of running them all at once--no joke! So I suppose that's an unwanted side effect. Other than that though, honestly no complaints.. yet!

I'll post after our appointment on the 1st, Monday and let you all know how the eggs are progressing!