Jerry is an expert at giving me the shots by now. I just can't do it myself. There is something within me that is preventing me from sticking myself with a needle. I've already had to order another Lupron kit. What's another $600 in the grand scheme of things, right? It's not even a drop in the bucket of what we've already spent. Anyway... Here's what my FET schedule looks like so far:
January 11th - Almost Positive OPK.
January 12th - Positive OPK, P4 = 3.5 so no ovulation yet.
January 15th - P4 = 7.7 so ovulation has indeed occurred. Start Lupron shots (20u).
January 26th - AF arrives right on schedule. Received updated FET calendar.
January 28th - Start estrogen replacement therapy. 1 patch.
January 30th - Remove old patch and replace with another patch.
February 1st - Remove old patch and replace with another patch.
February 3rd - Remove old patch and replace with another patch. E2 = 83.
Let me tell you one thing about these patches... they hurt when I'm removing them. Ouch! I tried everything I could think of, including removing them in the shower and rubbing vitamin E oil on them. Those patches are sticky little buggers.
CCRM wants the E2 level to be above 50 for the first check. Mine was 83. So I guess that's ok. But here I go over-analyzing things again. With my last IVF cycle (November 2008), my first E2 was 73. Now how could my E2 for a FET cycle be higher than for the IVF cycle? I'm not taking any stim drugs now, just Lupron to suppress my ovaries and the estrogen patches to build up my uterine lining. But with the IVF cycle, I was actually taking stim shots (Menopur shot in the morning and Follistim shot in the evening). Hmmm...
So the next thing on my calendar is to progressively add more patches.
February 5th - Remove old patch and replace with 2 patches.
February 7th - Remove old patches and replace with 3 patches.
February 9th - Remove old patches and replace with 4 patches.
Then I have a date with the dildo-cam (ultrasound) to check my uterine lining and have my E2 level check. After my nurse gets the results, I will be told how many patches to use every other day.
February 11th - New patch(es). Start Prometrium vaginal suppositories 3X/day. STOP Lupron shots (yay!). Start Tetracycline 250mg at bedtime and then 4X/day until gone. Start Medrol 16mg once each evening for 4 nights.
Then I go in for a P4 check on February 12th. The level of my progesterone will determine if my cycle will be canceled or not.
I'm really nervous, as my body tends to want to ovulate. Remember my 1st FET?... I was on BCP and Lupron shots yet my body just had to pop out an egg and cancel everything. Ugh. I guess I should be happy that I do ovulate on my own, but still...
If everything is a go, we'll be headed to Denver soon. Oh GOD, please let it be positive this time! I don't know how much more heartache I can bear...
8 comments:
Linda - glad to hear your update and to see that things are rolling right along for you. I will cross my fingers that things turn out exactly as you had hoped, positive result and everything. Hang in there. I know I keep saying that but I am really, really thinking about you. As for those patches, maybe try rubbing the oil between the patch and your skin? Maybe if you lift up a corner and then try to work some oil between the patch and your skin it will come off easier? I haven't had to deal with these patches yet so I'm just speculating based on what I've read on IVFC and other blogs. GL! GL! GL!!!
Sounds like all is going super-well and is on schedule! I am sending you good vibes (most of the ladies on my private board are, too) for this FET cycle, Linda!
Sending you all the positive vibes possible Linda, this has to work for you xxx
Wahoo, the best of luck to you Linda! This just has to work! Big Huge Hugs!
This is VERY exciting! I SOOOO hope that your P4 level is perfect next week! And I SOOOO hope that this cycle works - you have been through SO much and it's well past time that this works for you.
You're just a little bit ahead of me - and YAY!! You're on your way already! I started my first patch today, and I'm not looking forward to changing the patch on Saturday! :-(
Good luck to you - I hope your body doesn't ovulate and everything goes smoothly!
Linda
I'm so glad to see you're well on your way. Sorry about those awful patches! I hope your progesterone level is perfect and everything is a go, and of course that you get that big fat positive you so deserve!
Those things hurt so much when you pull them off! I swear they took skin with them! I'd try to take them off in the shower and then tried using oil, nothing helped. Sorry you have to go through this too!
I was going to ask you if CCRM does lupron for a FET but you answered my question. Did you read MamaSoon's blog and see what he said about how successful the FET's are and why he thinks so? So, you are doing all the right things! this will be your cycle! hugs.
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