New Cycle

Well, I finally went back to Iowa City on Thursday to start a new cycle.  (The last few months, AF has shown on her own, but at times when it would be impossible to get there CD 1, 2 or 3.)  My problematic left ovary was more difficult than usual and the US tech had to call in reinforcements.  She grabbed my favorite tech and got pictures within a few minutes.  I should just request her all the time.  (On a side note, you might be an infertile if you have a favorite ultrasound tech.)  Everything looks ok in there, so we're on for a femara/follistim/ovidrel/prometrium cycle.  Here's the schedule:

CD 3 (3/10): 5mg Femara
CD 4: 5mg Femara
CD 5: 5mg Femara
CD 6: 5mg Femara
CD 7: 5mg Femara and 100 IU Follistim
CD 8: 150 IU Follistim
CD 9: 150 IU Follistim
CD 10: 150 IU Follistim
CD 11 (3/18): Follicle Check in Iowa City to see where to go from there

At some point after that, I will be giving myself my trigger shots and then going for an IUI.  For those of you keeping track at home, this will be our 2nd IUI.  It is our 5th cycle using the "big guns" for ovarian stimulation.  (That doesn't sound like a lot when you type it, but we also had about a million cycles of straight up femara or clomid before that.  All in all, we've been "not preventing" since the day we got married.  I count that as more than 4 years of TTC, even if we weren't overtly trying the entire time.  Maybe that's not the correct way to measure...I don't know.)

The PA I see said that Nick and I should talk about IVF.  I was kind of surprised she was bringing it up already, considering this is "only" our 2nd IUI, but she said that the success rate is obviously much higher with that.  Also, she said that while I respond ok to the stimulation meds, we've only gotten one dominant follicle each time (with the exception of the cycle I got pregnant with Blackberry) as opposed to the two they prefer.  She asked about my infertility coverage and I told her I know we have it, but I couldn't remember for sure how many cycles of what they cover, but I'd look into it.  (8 cycles of IUI and 4 cycles of IVF in my lifetime, in case you were curious.)  She said it is something she'd recommend we at least talk about and maybe move toward that if this cycle doesn't "take."

So, needless to say, we've been talking and doing research the last couple of days.  I know it is definitely something we'd like to do, but we just want to know more about it and ask a few questions of our clinic and other people who have done it before we jump in with both feet.  (Look for a blog post about that soon, probably.)

All in all, I was happy with my visit and I'm hoping I respond well to the tweaked protocol this cycle.  I'll be headed back to Iowa City on Friday for my follicle check.  If history is any indication, we'll probably be triggering that night then doing an IUI Sunday March 20 (although I'm hoping for triggering Saturday with the IUI Monday because I'm supposed to work next weekend and if I have to go there half the day Sunday after having just worked the night before, I'll probably be calling in sick Sunday night).  That places testing for April 3rd or 4th.  Hopefully we'll have good news then!

(Also, if you want to read an awesome blog, head here and read my mom's blog!  She's awesome and hilarious and you can sometimes hear about me!  Enjoy!)