I have a few things to update. I started ovarian stimulation and had my first two monitoring appointments. The first appointment was 6 days ago and they took an ultrasound of the uterus to see what’s going on in there. They saw about 18 follicles on that first ultrasound, so they decided to start me on the Menopur (two vials), Follistim (150 units), Lovenox (one pre-filled injection) in addition to the Lupron. Yes, my friends, that’s four shots that I’m injecting into my belly every day! Some women want their husbands to do it, but I decided I wanted to do it myself. I think the mental aspect of taking four shots a day is a lot, and if you must coordinate with your husband to do these shots two times a day, it really adds another layer of complication–so, I stick myself! It’s kind of empowering, believe it or not!
Ok, the shots are NOT BAD! For the Menopur, I have to mix two vials of powder and one ML of solution. There are loads of tutorials on how to do this, so it’s not hard at all. This one does burn a little, but again, not too bad! Follistim is a pen, no mixing with this one. Burns a little, but again, it’s not bad. The Lovenox is by far the worst one. It burns going in. The first time I injected this one, it was PAINFUL! But, since that first injection, my expectations were set and I knew it was going to hurt. And now I’m used to it. If you make it this huge deal, then yes, it will be a huge deal. If you think of it as just part of your day, it’s no big deal. Wash your face, brush your teeth, give yourself your shot….done and done! Move on to the next thing! Also, I’ve not really felt any side effects. I’m bloated, but that could have just been the brownie I ate last night!
On the second ultrasound, they saw over 20 follicles, but all under 10mm. That means they are all small, and they need to keep stimulating me. After the appointment, they increased my Follistim to 300 units from the 150 I was originally on.
Dan and I also had to start an antibiotic to reduce the risk of infection at the time of retrieval. My next appointment is tomorrow, so I will update next week!
Thanks so much for reading!
-Katie
*Please note that each patient’s case is unique and Dr. Miller creates individual care plans for each couple based on their medical history.