Monday, May 23, 2016

Final Preparations

I get the best fortune cookies.

Telling the story of this cycle seems to be dragging along.  I apologize for that.  It's nearing an end...I promise.


Somewhere between administering *Devil Lupron* shots, electromagnetic acupuncture, and ordering FET meds, Dr. Schoolcraft’s office called to say he would not be in the office on Monday, May 9, to perform my embryo transfer.  Huh?!

They said we could move our transfer to Wednesday, May 11, or we could have another physician perform the procedure.  Considering we came to Colorado for Dr. Schoolcraft, we opted to wait.  However, since our flight, rental car, and condo were already booked for Saturday to Saturday, we decided to leave those details alone.

On April 18, the frozen embryo transfer (FET) meds began.  I always assumed that there would be fewer meds for an FET.  That’s not necessarily true.  Keeping on schedule with meds for any part of an IVF cycle can be confusing.  I had to convert the “calendar” that their office gave to me into my own to make sure that I didn’t miss any dosages.  I was taking meds three times a day at one point during the cycle, so it’s just a lot to remember.

Many cycles ago, Todd organized all of our meds onto a single shelf in our pantry to make it easy to find everything.  It was a very romantic gesture.  Then, our girls made me a cute sign that said “Preggo Central.”  We have used that sign for every single cycle since.  This time, though, we moved the meds into the closet for easier access.  In another romantic gesture, Todd cleared off one of his shelves in the closet for the entirety of the cycle.
All of the meds & supplies I need for my FET, plus my red notebook containing my calendar.
For those like me that enjoy *geeking-out* on IVF med protocols, this is what I was taking:

  • Vivelle 0.1mg patches – started with 1 and quickly escalated to 4 patches every other day
  • Lupron 5 units daily – NOT *Devil Lupron* – This shot is much smaller with much easier side effects.
  • Aspirin 81-83mg daily
  • Medrol 16 mg daily
  • Endometrin 100mg twice daily
  • Doxycycline 100mg twice daily
  • Progesterone in Oil 0.5ml every other day – Um, it makes a world of difference when this shot is not daily.


These were the starter meds for the FET:  Vivelle, Lupron, and Aspirin.
I do want to mention two more things about this med protocol. 

I have been known to state this cycle that Prometrium is one of my all-time least favorite drugs.  It’s just gross.  Well, Endometrin is the exact same thing except that it costs more and comes with applicators.  Totally. Worth. It.  I would not go back and do this any differently.

Also, thanks to the Progesterone in Oil (PIO) not being daily, I have been taking the shot without any pain relief.  If you have ever taken PIO, you know that most people use ice or Lidocaine or something to help numb the shot area.  Well, in past cycles, PIO was always administered in the evening, so I was able to do that.  However, this time, we are doing it in the mornings.  (“We” because it’s in the rear, so Todd has to administer it.)  Anyway, because I forgot to get up an hour before the shot to start the numbing process the first few times, I just decided to see how it was without.  Not as bad as you would think.  Honestly, I think I’m just getting used to it.  It still stings like crazy, but it’s worth it to get my beauty rest.

The only real side effects I had during this preparation were weepiness (you’re welcome, Todd) and sleepiness (you’re welcome, boss).

For the final 4 weeks of FET preparation, we both participated in relaxation therapy because we can and we should.  In addition to the electromagnetic acupuncture I was doing twice a week, Todd also went with me for weekly massages or float therapy sessions.  If you haven’t heard of float therapy, you should look it up.  Basically, you float in an 80% salt water mix for 40 minutes.  It’s incredibly relaxing.

This is what the pods look like.

It’s bitter sweet that all of this is finally coming to an end.  We have been saying that God was giving us our final embaby as a Mother’s Day gift.

5 comments:

  1. You've been on my mind, girl! I've been reading about float therapy! It looks and sounds so relaxing. Glad you and Todd were able to enjoy some down time during the cycle. It's very much deserved for you two!

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    1. You're a doll. Thank you, Chelsea. You should definitely try out the float therapy. I really enjoy it!

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  2. I keep waiting for an update! Hope all is well :)

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    1. Ha! I'm the worst blogger ever, huh? You'll have another update tonight. Thanks for hanging with me. :-)

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  3. Float pods are definitely the most popular since they're small and are better at giving a sensory deprivation experience. For more information on float pods, read me.

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