IVF #1 – Week 1 Update

It’s been a rough week! I’ve never had side effects from drugs before, so I wasn’t expecting side effects with stims, but boy, was I wrong!

Last Friday was my first night of stims. I was excited, and ready to go. I iced my belly as suggested by Amie, and tried to give myself the shots. I tried exhaling, and poking it in, but I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t think it would be so difficult to jab myself, but I couldn’t do it. Luckily, DH was there and he was up for the job (he didn’t really have a choice).

I was originally more worried about the Puregon pen because of how the trigger spins and clicks, but boy, was I ever surprised by the intense burn from the Menopur! After that shot, tears just rolled out of my eyes. It was so painful! I guess in retrospect, that made the Puregon less painful.

The next day, I had the worst headache in the afternoon. I put it off to not having any coffee, and I drank more water. The headache just wouldn’t go away, so I caved and had some espresso, but the headache still wouldn’t go away. I didn’t think much of it, but by Sunday, the headache was worse, and it felt like I had a fever. Now, there was a woman in the waiting room with me on Thursday that was coughing like crazy, and I was so annoyed that I might have gotten sick from her. I had been so good with not getting sick while all my coworkers were sniffling and coughing all over the place.

I didn’t know if I could take anything for the headache and fever, so I just stuck it out. By Sunday night, I felt like crap! I had a sore throat, and my head was throbbing. DH and I went to his parents’ for dinner, and I did not feel good at all. I chewed some garlic cloves for the sore throat, and it did seem to help. By the time we were driving home, I felt so awful that I cried about not wanting to get sick. I guess the hormones are doing its job? LOL. I took my temperature before bed, and it was 38.59. I Googled what was considered to be a fever, and 38.59 is definitely fever range! I finally took a Tylenol and went to bed.

Somehow I turned off my daily alarms, and forgot to turn it back on. I was scheduled for my first monitoring on Monday. I woke up to pee several times, but never checked the clock. By the time I checked the time, it was 8am! My appointment time was 7:30am, and I lived 30 minutes from the clinic! Needless to say, I jumped out of bed, and put some clothes on and ran out the door. Luckily, the monitoring appointments are first come first serve, so it didn’t make much of a difference. I only had a blood test on Monday, so I was in and out in 10 minutes. I was only 8 minutes late for work!

I got the call from the nurse Monday afternoon to continue with the same dosage. She didn’t tell me my blood test results, but I had to go in again on Tuesday (a day early than planned) for another blood test and ultrasound.

When I went in on Tuesday, I found out my E2 was 980pmol (divide by 3.67 to get American pg units). The ultrasound was good, no lining update, but I had 4 follicles on each side. My E2 that day was 1758pmol, which is right on schedule. I continued with the same dosage, but I had to add Orgalutran. DH and I ordered Indian food for dinner, and it was delicious, but it gave me hives! I get hives all the time, so it wasn’t a huge deal for me, I don’t even take antihistamines for it anymore, but I think the Orgalutran made it worse. I got a small rash around the injection site.

I felt ok when I woke up on Wednesday morning. I got to sleep in because I didn’t have to go in for monitoring. But by the time I got to work, I felt lightheaded, and feverish, I was still covered in hives, and it felt like there was a huge lump in my throat. I ended taking a Tylenol, and I felt better, and worked the full day. The Orgalutran gave me a rash around the injection site again. In addition to burning, it also feels like it cramps the muscle. It’s a weird feeling overall, and it lasted about an hour.

I had to go for monitoring this morning. The office was quiet today. I got my blood drawn within 10 minutes, then was called in for the u/s within two minutes. I had another doctor that I never met before. He is another founding member of the clinic, and he was very thorough. I have 6 follies on my right that are 13+ and 3 that are less than 10. On the left, I have 8 that are 13+, and 2 that are less than 10. The doctor thinks egg retrieval would probably be Tuesday! My E2 today was 4977pmol. I am to continue with my current dosage and go back in tomorrow for more monitoring!

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