10dpIUI updates (now with confession!)

My chart is beautiful. It's my first official "triphasic" chart ever. (but if you would read the link, you'll see that although promising, it also can mean absolutely dick). I've gotten close to having one before, but my temp moved up to the next level before 8dpo. It's the first time I've had FF say "Implantation Signs: Possibly Triphasic on Day 28".

My poas odyssey shows another light bfp. Remember folks, I got the hcg trigger twice this cycle. The first was 6,666 UIs day before ovulation and the second was 3,334 UIs 5 days past ovulation. Yeah, the last time I got LP support hcg shots and the last one was at 6 days past ovulation showing a bfn on 10dpo is neither here nor there. This cycle I have not been able to pee a negative yet, so nothing means anything. Except that my hpt is totally most likely trigger shot still in my system.

So that's that.

Okay, that's not that.

I remembered I had two digital tests in my sock drawer. Yes, yes, I know what I said about digitals. But I did ~not~ buy them. A girl at work gave them to me once she used the first one out of the 3 pack to determine she was pregnant on her first cycle trying. (bitter much nance?) Well, I figure "hey, since these internet cheapies suck, I'll try one that says it only detects 25-50 UIs of hcg and that will tell me". So I dig one out, pee on it (hrm, not FMU, but I still hadn't had anything to drink and I hadn't peed for almost 2 hours) and wait. Damn, those things take awhile to show up. There's no peeking before the 3 minutes up on these tests! A few minutes later and I see "pregnant". What a neat thing to see.

Then the rational part of my brain wakes back up and says "wait a minute, we have just determined there is, indeed, hcg in your system. And we have no idea if it is or if it isn't from the trigger. So why the hell did you just waste another test? It's not like the digitals only pick up natural hcg and not trigger!" So yes, I'm a confessed moron. But, it WAS, in fact, cool to see "pregnant" on a digital test. I may have to change my mind on those (but only after confirmation so "pregnant" actually means "pregnant".

And, if you've been a reader since last October, you'll remember the trigger of October '07. And I see myself going there again. So I'm going to just accept, right now, that I can't figure this out and I must wait. No more peeing with tell me anything. At least for today. ~wink~

I like my eggs sunny side up.

Back from the ultrasound. Righty ~is~ an overachiever! She went from having a follie sitting at 15 to 19.25! (21.4x17.1). Lefty was still growing too, showing she was still the allstar @ 21 (22x20).

I trigger myself tonight w/ 2/3'rds of the hCG. I am to reconstitute w/ 3ccs and inject 2ccs tonight. Then, at 5dpo, another 1cc to support luteal phase.

And get this - lining was 8.4 and deemed "perfect". Holy shit. RE also said the follicles were located in the "optimal" place on my ovaries - on the outside where they'll have no trouble being sucked up into the tubes.

I can ~not~ believe that on cd20, everything is "perfect". I still know the statistics, but I'm still very hopeful for at least having a chance at this thing.

Insemination tomorrow morning at 9am!

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From this morning ...

The "peak" in all it's glory.
cd20. Seriously.






Another +opk (which was with fmu, which totally doesn't count, I know. But it was + yesterday after work too. yay.)
And now looking at picture, it doesn't look positive, but IRL, the test window ~is~ as dark as the control.

cd13 update & a "holy crap" advil/aleve warning!

Slow grower I still am. 5 on left still there, but either still at 10 or have started to shrink. Lefty was a little shy today and we could only get a good measurement on 2 of them - both were about 15 on there longest side and still oblong. Which, is normal for me - I usually don't see them plump up to be circular until the end.

Plan is to have another u/s on Monday (cd15) where they should be 17-18mm, trigger on Tuesday and IUI on Wednesday. All subject to change of course.

But found out something big! I have a back issue from a birth injury w/ #2. I used to have to take narcotic pain meds on a daily basis, but with many back injections and 2 RFAs (radio frequency ablasions - where they go in and microwave the nerves to confuse them enough to get them to stop sending pain signals) I get by just fine on advil. Now, I know you can't take advil when pregnant, so I always stop in the 2ww.

When mentioning my meds today to the nurse, I told her I took advil last night and today. When the doc came in and read my chart, he was shocked at my use of advil. He told me that advil and NSAIDS (like aleve) can really screw up ovulation. It can make you annovulatory. It can make you ovulate prematurely. It can make things like growing follies but not releasing them happen. (hello? The latter is totally my issue). He told me to NOT take any advil or aleve or anything like that. To take tylenol and if I ever need anything stronger, to call him and he'll give me a narcotic (which still surprises me. I can't take advil while pregnant/ttc, but I can take a narcotic). I declined anything today and asked him if my slow growth will still be okay. He said I'm definitely still in the window of them being "good", so not to worry. Whew.

Did anyone else out there know that?

I'm a big fat liar!

Righty is ~not~ an over achiever. Not at all.

cd11 follie check didn't show much in any kind of achievements. Righty still had 5 - all at 10mms (which I mentioned they didn't do anything and he said they all grew. Last time they were all under 10. My mistake.) and Lefty had 5 also, 2 around 10mm and 3 around 13mm. So we're growing, but slowly. Oh, and my lining SUCKS at a big 4.4 - I've never had good lining.

One thing that got me thinking ... RE mentioned that I was growing, just slowly. I responded with I've been known to be a slow grower before, but they always come through. Then he asked if my insurance pays for my IVF meds. Why would he ask me that? Since I'm a slow grower, does that mean I need a crapload ~more~ meds? So he was making a note about how much my meds will cost because I'm a slow grower?

Next follie check is on Saturday. Man, I'm going to get the award for most u/s in an IUI cycle at this rate. If I grow at a rate of 1-2mm/day, let's say 1.5/day, the leader should only be 16mm by Saturday and only 19mm by Monday. Hey, I'm happy as can be with more checks. I'd rather have more checks to be on the safe side, rather than miss a huge growth period. I'm just making my guesstimates on sizes. Hrm. Should I jinx it all and try to make an end call on what I'll have? I'm going to guess that I'll have 2 definitely mature and a third that'll be left as an "iffy". At trigger, I'll have 2 over 20mm and 1 around 16-18. Heh. Shit. Is that positive thinking? I should change that then, since I've been said to be a horrible negative nelly.

Back to ultrasounds. If I have one on Monday and trigger then or the next day, I'll have one more at IUI time, making the total u/s of this cycle six. That'll beat my all time record of 5. Ahhhh, my love affair with the wand monkey....

Well now, ~that~ is a new one.

Just got back from the RE (in a handful of new inches of snow and it being 16 degrees, but what IF patient actually skips an appointment?) and had my HSS and follie check.

Lining: Thin. Check. (thin lining is synonymous with the name "nancy")

Follies: Left: 5 under 10. Right: 5 under 10. (ack. the under 10 is no biggie, I'm usually a slow grower at cd9 and always have some outstanding ones at my next appointment. But 10? Not my usual count. I'm only going to let 20% of these babies mature (no pun intended) because any more mature, my cycle is cancelled.

Uterus: Normal. Check.

WHAT? What was that I just typed? NORMAL? Yes people, yes. I've got a NORMAL uterus. And I'm quite pleased with myself. So pleased, I had this conversation with Mr RE:

Me: Wow. That's a nice looking Uterus.
RE: Yes, I'd have to agree.
Me: No really, have you ~ever~ seen a nicer uterus?
RE: As a matter of fact, it is one of the nicest uteruses I've seen in months.
Me: Well, I can't let nature take all the credit. I have, in fact, has quite a bit of work done.
RE: Cosmetic surgery junkie?
Me: Yeah, I must admit. I'm thinking of a ute lift if a few years. But in the market for an implant right now.

I ~love~ the fact I don't have to make this shit up. Oh, and that I really like Dr Dick now. I have to come up with a better name for him.


A little fun for the day. I signed up for some daily horoscopes - things like my tarot card of the day general overview, etc. I actually forgot about it and got my first emails today.

Tarot: The Knave of Swords card suggests that my power today lies in promise.

Overview: Something new has captured your attention and riled you up -- in a good way.

Greenscope: Minimize bad emotional energy. Toss out anger, envy, doubt and hatred. Apologize if necessary, and let the other stuff go. (lol. Is this a "secret"? Does Secret Loon work at the website?

Love Tarot: The Four of Wands card suggests that you may be celebrating a commitment. The two of you are enjoying success, attention, relief or reward at the most fundamental level of your relationship.

Babyscope: You have a strong sense of what you want, so go ahead and let the other around you know, so together you can be more successful than you would have working alone.

Cosmic Calendar: Powerful and yet unusual forces are on the march - beginning with the potent New Moon. The good news - with any New Moon - is that the solar-lunar convergence suggests that golden opportunities are ripe for the picking. There is also an aura of optimism, exuberance and anticipation that success is just around the corner. (okee dokey. How cool is this one in regards to making a baby? "potent". "ripe for the picking". "optimism that success is just around the corner". All great fertile words and phrases!)

Anyone ever take Femara/Letrozole?

What was your protocol?

I'm on my third cycle taken randomly over the last 16 months. The first cycle was given to me by my OB and was ten 2.5mg pills total, taken cd3-5, twice a day. The second and third cycles are the same total amount, 10 2.5mg pills, but taken like this: 1 cd3, 2 cd4, 3 cd5 and 4 cd6. Four days of pills, ever increasing amounts.

I'm all for the current protocol. The first round wasn't monitored (down with OBs acting as REs! Although I do love my OB to death, I promise) but all I ended up with a few cysts. This can't really be counted as a result though, because of my diagnosis of LUF Syndrome (I make the follies, I get the surge, but the follies don't leggo the eggos). With the inclusion of an hCG shot, those follies let go of those eggos faster than a fat kid at breakfast grabs them out of the toaster (forgive me).

So, all I have to look at is one round, C11's IUI#2, which made 2 nice and plump amazing follies which released on cd13-14. Bottom line is I'm happy with continuing that same protocol until proven otherwise.

For me, clomid doesn't do anything special. I still get a follie on time, but usually just the one. (which, I know, is what is SUPPOSED to happen on clomid. Too many people get too greedy with clomid and think their clomid cycle failed them if they only made one egg. Ah, a pet peeve of mine.) Clomid's side effects are on the low side, but damn, it wrecks havoc on my already thin lining. I still get a hot flash or two on the femara, but nothing really to complain about too much.

Anywho, I'm getting way off my point. I'm wondering what other Femara protocols are out there. Anyone?

cd1 snuck up on me.

She started, although lightly, yesterday. cd27 on birth control pills, well, actually, 34days on bcps, but pesky AF came anywho yesterday. Told you I was an expert menstruator. (wink)

So tomorrow is my HSS, but since I'll be cd3, I don't know if they'll do it or not. Hopefully I can still start IUI#3 protocol and just push the HSS to next week.

Regardless, 2008 starts with me ttc again.