Long Time, No Talk

I used to blog regularly from 2008 to 2012.  After starting to shoot competitively and discovering Instagram, my blog fell by the wayside.  When embarking on this IF and IVF journey I had grand aspirations of regular writing.  As you can see, it's been awhile since my last post. I discovered the Resolve forums and a super supportive IVF Instagram community.  I've spent most of my online IVF time between the two.  Resolve for the super helpful information and support and IG for the camaraderie.  But I've decided that I should get back to this so that I have a journal of this process, should I ever want it.

Where I am...

I started my first cycle, in early May.  In fact, I did my first Lupron shot on Derby Day.  I was on the microdose flare protocol.  According to my RE, this was the most aggressive protocol for DOR.  Before starting this protocol I was on BCP for two weeks to “quiet my ovaries”.  Unforatunatlely I think they were too quiet.  On May 13, 10 days into stimming, my cycle was cancelled.  I had a lead follicle at 14mm and only four others between 7 and 10mm.  The doctor and his colleague said there was very little chance of the other four catching up to the lead so it was best to cancel.  After 41 shots, it stopped.  Just like that.  I was angry, upset, disappointed, sad, and despondent, all rolled into one.  We have good insurance and weren’t worried about the financial aspect of continuing to retrieval but the doctor said no.  I harbored this anger until a week ago.  Slowly, I let it go.  So many people say the first cycle is just a test to see how you respond to the meds.  Well I responded sh**ty!  I wanted to jump right back into the saddle.  Fortunately my doctor was agreeable to this.

I triggered on May 15 so that I’d ovulate and could start right away on a new protocol.  This time around I did the estrogen primed antagonist.  I placed my first Vivelle patch on my belly over Memorial Day weekend.  According to the timeline my doctor gave me, I’d do five or six patches.  Well as I’ve quickly learned with IVF, the timing for this wasn’t right.  AF arrived five days earlier than the doctor thought it would so I only made it to three patches.  I started the injections on May 30.

I’m currently on day 11 of stims and 35 shots in.  This protocol calls for Follistim and Cetrotide in the morning and then Menopur and more Follistim in the evening.  As of yesterday’s monitoring, my E2 is 1,331 and I have nine measurable follicles.  One is 16.2mm and the rest are 10.3-13.7mm.  A much better place than day 10 last month.  I had monitoring again this morning and the follies are still there and growing some.  Yesterday my nurse said that I’ll likely stim until Thursday morning and then trigger that night.

Tomorrow I’ll share why I think I am doing better this time around.