Quick look into the daily routine of FET's

Barren Pharmacy provides us with all of our injectable drugs for IVF.  These include needles for Lupron and Progesterone Oil.  Progesterone Oil has to be drawn from the vile by a certain gauge needle, then injected in the body by a different gauge needle.  So...for the two medications, I actually have to have 3 separate sets of needles.  Receiving our shipment of medications looked a little like this.....

I honestly feel like some sort of addict with all these needles!

Thankfully all of these shots are not taken at the same time.  Lupron shots are given in the belly and start early in the process.  They usually stop BEFORE the start of Progesterone Oil shots.

In addition to the injectables, there is a daily routine of medications that must be taken. That looks a little like this....

This picture includes my lupron shot, metformin (the giant white ones- see more about that in previous posts), estrodial (the little blue ones- which gets as high as 3 pills/day, and my prenatal vitamin (which is the horse sized maroon colored pill).  This picture does NOT include the birth control (which is taken for 2 weeks in the very beginning), the baby aspirin or the Estrogen patch which gets applied to the skin once every two days. 

Preparing the body for the FET means there are certain shots I don't have to take.....and it makes me happy!  This "routine" is actually a lighter load then the first time around with our IVF ICSI!  When it is all said and done...it's really no big deal when the final result is a beautiful baby! 

The next attempt with FET's will be in early April.  We would love to ask anyone out there reading this to send some prayers or happy thoughts our way!  We would truly appreciate it! 

Huge milestone.....

Today I am officially 10 weeks pregnant. That, alone, is a big enough milestone for Brandon and I, and of course Baby Bice! I have been waiting for 10 weeks since before we even got pregnant.

That may seem silly to some, but let me explain. Long before we had our egg retrieval or transfer and light years (to me) before I got pregnant I had to start injections. If you have read my previous posts, then you know it all started with Lupron shots in the belly. These weren't too bad, but they were sometimes painful and left me with bruises for many weeks. After the Lupron we did Hmg injections. These shots had to be administered by my sweet husband. The Hmg shots did not necessarily hurt, but they were a nuisance, as it needed to be given at approximately they same time each day. (Have you ever tried to give yourself a shot in a public restroom? I had to do this with the Lupron. There's nothing like syringes in a bathroom stall to make you feel like a total junkie!)

After the Hmg shots, we moved onto to Progesterone Oil shots. We really saved the best for last. These shots I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Not only does the oil not go into your body smoothly, unless slightly warmed, but it also leaves your body lumpy and ooohh sooooo tender. These shots, like the Hmg, had to be administered by Brandon. He was such a trooper through all of it. And the way I see it, he's practically a doctor at this point. Anyone who gives shots each day for 2-3 months should get some sort of "honorary" nursing degree. I don't know if I could have done it.

Below- Two gallon-sized Ziploc storage bags full of used needles.




*We saved all of these because they need to be disposed of properly at a doctor's office*

So...the milestone....

Today is our last day of shots. No more shots, no more metformin, no more baby aspirin. As of today I am off all the meds and getting to live needle free! Every night (when getting the shot) I have wished it was 10 weeks. SO HAPPY we are finally there!!!!

Apparently it's NOT the size of the needle

I always enjoy learning new things about myself. As long as this activity does not include learning things I don't like about myself. No one enjoys that.

Last night, as a married couple, Brandon and I both learned new things about our selves. We learned that Brandon does have the stomach (and steady hand) to give me a shot in the belly each day. Not that I doubted him.

We also learned, I may NOT have the ability to give MYSELF a shot each day. I did not have the courage to do it myself last night, but will possibly give it a go tonight.

The needles are tiny, like this..........


But that does not seem to comfort me in any way!

So...Lupron injection #1....complete. Tonight, I will try really hard to give myself the shot. And if not, at least I have trusty Nurse B there to help if I get in a tricky situation.

And nurses always have cute bandaids, right? (I wish).



UPDATE:
Last night (2/1/11), with the supportive coaching of my sweet husband, I gave myself the Lupron shot. It was not nearly as bad as I had expected, maybe even a little easier than receiving the shot from someone else. Yay!