So I started feeling the side effects of the Lupron yesterday. We are doing 20 units which seems like a lot compared to other people's blogs and postings. I see now why avoiding the internet is probably a good idea at times. Sometimes it makes me wonder whether they may have made a mistake with the dosage, but then I remember that the nurse had my chart in front of her while talking to me. I try not to doubt anything about my RE and trust in him 110%. It's amazing how quickly this all seems routine. Filling up the syringe, injecting, and then giving the team ___(our last name) high five to complete it all.
Yesterday after work I decided I wanted to go out and do something for our Friday night. Usually we spend weekend nights sitting on our couch streaming something off of Netflix. We like to lay low most of the time, but it also results in us falling asleep early. I decided I wanted to stay up later so last night was our gift card night. We had a bunch left over from Christmas and I am usually horrible about using them. I've heard that companies make a lot of money this way.
We first went to Marshalls to look for a side table to put next to our reclining chair. We ended up finding one but also got dog treats (2 varieties) and a new shower head (so our stinky dogs can get baths.) Of course we spent more than our $50.00 gift card, but nothing excessive. We then went to dinner at Panera with our $20.00 gift card. Midway through the meal I felt a hot flash. It put it together that I had felt one previously in the day as well. My face got so flushed and I felt extremely hot. I thought it would be an OK sensation (I'm almost always cold), but once you actually feel one you realize how unpleasant they really are.
Also, earlier that morning I was driving to a house for work and the sun was coming up. It really was beautiful, but not worthing tearing up and almost crying over.
The other really unfortunate reaction I have had relates to my digestive system. Once we finished eating we headed over to Target to look for either a Yoga Wii game or dvd. We weren't able to find a Wii game, but as soon as I found the dvd selection, my dinner hit my stomach. This made me immediately feel like I had to go to the bathroom. I guess I will be more direct and state the truth: I have had really unpleasant diarrhea. I go about 4 times a day and it's not fun, especially in a public restroom. That's all I'll say about that one. On the other hand I am excited about our new yoga dvd's.
This evening we are having some family over for dinner. We were cleaning up the bathroom and my hubby dropped something into the sink as I was cleaning it. He then proceeded to clean it off on the new and clean towel I had just hung in the bathroom. I immediately yelled "what the heck are you doing?!" He looked at me like I was crazy and then told me he thought it was a bit of an overreaction. I looked at him jokingly and yelled "I'm going through menopause!" In case you don't know, Lupron shuts down your body and acts similarly to menopause. Basically I am going through menopause, but I guess it is just a look into the future and will make me more understanding to those who actually are going through it.
I've noticed my skin breaking out a little more. Usually at a certain point in my cycle I do break out a little bit on my chin. That time had come and gone when I started my Lupron. Sure enough, those little suckers popped back up with some friends.
The hardest part has been not telling people about our IVF. Whenever I am around friends or family I think about it, but then realize it is just more people asking how things are going.
I work with a lot of young children and their families. This week I had two mom's asking me whether I had kids or not. This tends to be one of the first questions people ask me when they see how much I seem to enjoy children. I do love them and love working with them, but am sick of people asking me if I have my own children. Early on my reason was because I wasn't married yet. Once we got married, I said we were newly married and wanted to enjoy our time without kids. My newest reason is that my hubby wants to finish school and get a job first. This was the main reason we waited a while to start trying, but now that he is almost done this excuse isn't going to work for long. Here is a conversation I had with a mom this week:
Mom: When are you going to have kids?
Me: Ask my husband
Mom: Why, he doesn't want to have any?
Me: No, he just wants to have a job first
Mom: That makes sense. Isn't he almost done?
Me: Yeah, he has 19 weeks left
Mom: Well then you should start trying
Me: (smile)
Mom: (looks at the little boy I work with and says) Don't you think L should have a baby in her belly?
Awkward to say the least. Most of the families I work with the parents are younger than me and already have a few children. One of the families had a baby 3 weeks ago and I went to the house for the first time since she was born this Thursday. I was really looking forward to seeing the new baby, but when I got there she was sleeping in the bedroom. I kept looking over to the video monitor to see if she was going to wake up, but she never did. When the session was over I had to ask to see her. The mom brought me into the bedroom and showed me the beautiful sleeping little baby. She was absolutely adorable. I've found with the infertility that the initial pregnancy announcement is hard to take, but once I get over the initial shock I am really excited for them. One of my co-workers is pregnant and due in May. This week she found out she was having a boy. I am so happy for her because that is what she wanted. When she first told me I was shocked. She just got married in May. I tend to pry a bit and ask a lot of questions "do you guys start trying right away?" They were the "were weren't trying but we weren't not trying."
One of the weird things about my job is that I problem-solve situations about children with the parents (temper tantrums, potty training, getting rid of pacifiers, ideas for play, developmental milestones, napping, etc.) It is strange to give advice about these things not being a parent yet, but it gives me a better idea of what it will be like. I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly for sure!!
I wandered onto your blog, and hope you don't mind my posting. I've been through my own "infertility journey", and finally got pg with my son after 2.5 years of trying (along with 3 iui's, 2 ivf's, gobs of supplements and acupuncture!).
ReplyDeleteI noticed you mentioned having PCOS. I have some PCOS markers, but was never officially diagnosed (I have high DHEA-S levels, and that annoying extra hair growth stuff, and maybe insulin resistent). Not sure if you know this or not, but there are studies that show a possible link between vitamin D deficiency and PCOS.
I found this out on my own when I moved from upstate NY to the south and starting sitting out in the sun alot. That annoying extra hair growth went away after a couple of months and I started googling and found the possible vit D/pcos connection. And a month later I was pregnant on my own (I had been prepping for ivf#3). Not sure if you've ever had your levels tested, but I think it's worth looking at and considering taking supplements (especially if you live in a northern climate!).
Like I said, I hope you don't mind my posting and sharing this info. No one ever told me about it, and I think it's one of the things that made a difference for me.
- ekb88 (on ivfconnections)
Thanks for the comment! It's funny because I recently started taking a Vitamin D and Calcium supplement in the form of Emergen-C. Do you need to get out in the sun for it to be absorbed? I feel like I heard that before. It's true, we don't get much sun here in Upstate NY. Where did you live before?
ReplyDeleteI recently watched Food Matters and realized I probably have some kind of deficiency that causes my PCOS. I am not insulin resistant at this time, but my blood levels came back abnormal and my ovaries appear polycystic. We try to eat as healthy as we can. Are there are food sources that are high in Vitamin D?