Another Reason to Move to Chicago

For the past few days, I've continued on the doses of 75 Gonal-F, one ampule of menopur, and 5 units of lupron, along with dexamethasone, folgard and prenatal vitamin. I am starting to feel nauseated and uncomfortable. The good news is that when the nurse called this afternoon, she said I did not have to give myself any stimulation shots tonight or tomorrow morning.

This morning, when I went in for my ultrasound, there was a new tech, and she gave me the option of guiding the transvaginal wand myself. Now, if you having done a few rounds of fertility treatments, as I have, you may be tired of having people poke things in your vagina. It is actually nice to be given the choice to do it yourself.

The tech told me that she can always tell the patients who have traveled from Chicago, because they always reach for the want themselves. Apparently, this is standard practice at a few major clinics in that fair city.

Tomorrow:
9 a.m. IVF physical
9:30 Ultrasound, bloodwork, and meet with nurse
10 massage (!)
11 genetic consult

Ready, Set, Go!

Yesterday I got the word that the cyst had disappeared and I was ready to move forward with this IVF cycle.

So this morning I started my first stimulation shot of IVF #3--Menopur.
I added a photo of the Menopur paraphernalia at right. You will notice three small vials in addition to the Menopur box and the two needles. Two of those are the Menopur powder, and one is the sterile diluent, which I think is just a fancy way of saying saline solution, which in turn is just a fancy way of saying salt water.
The Menopur comes in powder form and I have to add 1 ml of diluent to one vial, using a long needle, and wait for it to dissolve before sucking the mixture back and adding it to a second vial of powder. Then I suck that mixture back up, and unscrew the long needle and screw on a short needle. Then I ice my belly, wipe a spot down with alcohol, and inject.

It has been nine months since my last fresh IVF cycle, and once again, this morning, as I was mixing these powder and very nearly accidentally stabbing myself with the wrong needle, I remember why I am not a chemist.

Tonight, Gonal-F.