Day 4

Today I went in to Emory for bloodwork. They just called back with my lab results. My Estradiol was low (59) compared to with what they wanted it to be, so I am to take my normal dose tonight at 8pm, and then starting tomorrow I will take 75 units of Menopur and 225 of Bravelle TWICE a day, at 8am and 8pm. That is almost doubling my Bravelle, and it is doubling my Menopur. Lupron stays the same. I moved to twice a day in my last IVF cycle, but it was towards the end of the stim. Hopefully by starting the twice a day shots earlier in the cycle I won't go quite as long.

I'm pretty sure the last thing I need is twice the amount of drugs. I am having some crazy side effects this time around, namely depression, anxiety, and horrible, horrible, horrible Lupron headaches. The headaches last all day, and nothing seems to help. Of course, I'm only allowed to take Tylenol and that is usually ineffective against headaches.

The depression and anxiety completely caught me by surprise and started with the stimming. I didn't remember having side effects last cycle and wasn't expecting them, but in hindsight that's probably because I was already depressed going into Julia's IVF. I was in a very good place starting this cycle, and it is shocking to find myself so out-of-control emotionally for no reason.Well, there is a reason. And I'm paying a lot of money to be so depressed, so I guess I should just embrace it and eat lots of chocolate and cry for no reason at all.

I suppose I have about 8 more days ahead of me, give or take a few. My next appointment is on Thursday, and beginning on Saturday I will have to go in everyday. Julia is doing wonderful with the babysitters I've had at the house and that makes the whole process easier. What is not easier is that Julia seems to be getting all of her teeth in at the same time and she is a disaster. Yes, this means we are both disasters. While I will take your pity, it's probably Greg who should get most of it. :)