First Round Fail

So, I have to warn you, this post is not a positive one. We found out over the weekend that this first round of treatment did not work. So, that means that this current cycle is a rest month and then in the next cycle, we will start round two.

After talking to the doc, they have decided to up my injection medicine quite a bit for the next round. Until then, we need to continue to try the old fashion way, without medicine. I don't have high hopes for this. If we couldn't make it happen with the meds, how are we gonna make it happen without them? But, alas, we really, really want a baby, so we will try.

-Lauren

Taking the Fertility Drugs

Please note, this post will be too much information for some, don't feel like you have to read any further if you aren't thrilled about other people's TMI.

Once I finally started my cycle, I had to go into the specialist's office for an ultrasound. This ultrasound was transvaginal (internal not the one they use when you're pregnant over your belly). The reason for this ultrasound is get a picture of how many eggs I have in both ovaries. Plus, they make sure there are no cysts, if there is a cyst and you start taking the injections, that could be bad news bears.

So, all was good on my ultrasound. That next day, I needed to start my meds. On day three of my oral meds, I started the injections. I was super scared to give myself the injections, so my wonderful husband swooped in and saved the day by giving them to me instead. I expected it to hurt, but it didn't really. 

In total, I took eight days of meds. The morning after I finished my last injection, I headed back to the doctor's office and had another ultrasound. This time, things weren't so good. I had eggs, but none of them were mature. One egg was 16mm and most of the rest were between 11mm and 14mm. Meaning the amount of medicine just wasn't enough. I felt majorly defeated. I know it was nothing I could have done to change the outcome, but I still felt defeated. 

So the doctor decided that it was best to take two more days of medicine then go back for another ultrasound. So during ultrasound #3 we found that I had one mature egg measuring in at 22mm and a 16mm and 15mm. So with that, the nurse as able to administer my trigger shot. I opted for the nurse to administer it instead of Rob, because this one was scary looking! The medicine needed to be mixed and the shot was huge. Plus, it went into my back hip area. Let's just say, the amount of pain I was in for the rest of the day would have been 10x worse if Rob had been the one to do it. 

So the day after the trigger shot, we were instructed to "do it" two days in a row and then every other day for a week. If this thing worked, then I'll have to see the specialist a few more times and get two more ultrasounds before I'm released to my OBGYN. If it doesn't work, we will have a rest month and then start again. 

So that is that. Now we just have to wait...

- Lauren

Our Infertility Treatment Plan

So, when you think of fertility drugs, most people think of IVF or just injections. But in reality there are lots of different drugs, ways to take them and all different kinds of treatments. Before we saw a specialist, I had been taking oral fertility drugs called Clomid and then Fermara, each for several months. Clomid is not a friendly drug, but it's the most basic and it's what most doctors have you start on.

Anyways, both of these drugs are taken for five days, twice a day. These types of medicines just stimulate the production of follicles (eggs) increasing the chance of conception because your body produced more and bigger eggs.

This is Fermara

Once we figured out that this nonprogressive treatment wasn't working, it was on to a specialist. Once we met with the Specialist, and we both had some basic testing done, we received our new treatment plan. This new "specialized" treatment involved taking Fermara for five days, twice a day as well as Gonal-f (injections) for five days. 

Gonal-f is a fertility drug that you inject. It comes in the form of a pen that you inject into the left or right side of your belly button. It's really not has bad as you think. Gonal-f is a medicine that helps eggs mature. A mature egg, which is what is released at ovulation, is at least 18mm. 

This is a Gonal-f injection

Once I have at least one mature egg, I get a "trigger" shot which is called Novarel. This drug is the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) hormone. It triggers ovulation within 36 hours of getting the shot. Then after getting the shot it's time to get to the fun and easiest part of making a baby...sexy time! 

So that's our treatment. We will follow this treatment three times, then it's back to the drawing board for a new treatment, if this one doesn't work. In my next post, I'll share my experience actually taking the fertility drugs, how they know if I have a mature egg and what happens next. 

- Lauren 

And It Just Hit Me...

Today, literately 30 minutes ago it hit me. It really hit me that I, will be starting my first infertility treatment soon. What caused this sudden rush of panic, dread, and massive nervousness.

This, was sitting on my doorstep when I got home tonight...

Yeah...that's kinda intimidating, since I'll only be taking three different medications. Upon opening the boxes I find the big ol' needle that I will have to use at some point for my final injection. It's pretty scary...the fact that I, myself or Rob will have to stick in my thigh or butt.

Here is a collection of components for my upcoming treatment. This is only one months worth and not shown is the bottle of oral medication I have to pick up tomorrow.

I  thought I was prepared and ready for this treatment to start. But it wasn't until just now, that it really sunk in. Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.

"When are you gonna have baby #2?"

At some point after you have baby number one people start asking "when are you going to have baby number two?" At first you laugh and brush it off, then you start thinking about it, then you start talking about it. Before you know it you've set a date for "this is when we are gonna start trying for number two." That date comes, and for us it went and now a little more than a year later we are still hearing the question "when are you going to have baby number two?" 

With Sophie everything about getting pregnant and my pregnancy was quick and easy. Seriously. I think I was off birth control for all of about 5 minutes and BAM we had a sweet little bun in the oven. I had a healthy pregnancy and miss Sophia was ready to meet the world three full weeks early. Which of course was fine with her momma. 

Easy is not in the cards for us this time it seems. After about 5 months of trying on our own and 5 months of basic fertility drugs from my regular doctor he decided it was time to see a specialist. So we went and met with a specialist. I actually felt relieved. I love my doctor but knowing that we were finally seeing a man with a plan...for us; I felt relief. 

Side note - Fertility Specialist office's are plastered with baby pictures. 50% of those pictures contain more than one baby. How exciting. 

After meeting with the doctor we were instructed to each get some tests done before a treatment plan could be determined. For me these were just additional tests but for Rob (sexiest man alive - he literally just referred to himself as that) this was the first and only test he had been instructed to take. You know, that one when they count your little swimmers. 

Anyways, once said tests were taken and the results were in, we could finally talk about a treatment plan. I don't know what I was expecting, but all the tests came back normal. Yay!! I think. But if we are two healthy 27 year olds who have already successfully had a child, why are we having problems? I still don't know that answer, but I do know that we have a plan and I really hope this plan works. 

-Lauren