Rough day

Sunday morning I had another scan and more blood work done.  Spencer got to come with me this time since it was a weekend.  Blood work went fine.  The scan was fine too. Spencer got to see all of the follicles.  They were measuring a little bigger than Friday at 10-13mm, which the nurse said is excellent progression.  She said that the doctor would make the call for Monday or Tuesday as my next scan and blood work.  The call in the afternoon confirmed that I’d be going in again on Monday.  My estradiol levels were at 2794 and they told me to continue my dosages as usual.

Monday was rough.  My appointment started out ok, or so I thought.  I decided to switch up the arms for the blood draw and go back to the right arm. The nurse couldn’t find a vein.  So we went back to the left arm, where she still couldn’t find a vein.  Sigh. She went and got someone else, who came over and prepped me a little more thoroughly, then found the vein in no time like an old pro.  She bandaged me up and showed me to the exam room.  The scan went fine again.  The nurse said my ovaries are kissing; they are so enlarged they have come together inside me and are way closer to each other than usual.  The follicles were measuring up to about 15mm with many stragglers around the 11mm mark.  The nurse measured about 10 follicles from each side and there were still plenty of smaller ones she ignored.  She said that the doctor would either want me back Tuesday or Wednesday for another scan to see if it’s time to trigger.  If it’s Wednesday, I need more of the Ganarelix; I only have the dosage through Monday night.

The call from the nurse today set off a whirlwind of emotions in me.  My estradiol levels are great, in the 3000s at 3517.  She said that the doctor would like me to come back on Wednesday.  Well crap.  This pushes back the retrieval to Friday, not Thursday like I’d been mentally preparing for.  And I have to order more Ganarelix, so more money and a scramble to locate some.  I need the Ganarelix to be over-nighted or available for pick up.  The nurse gave me the names of a few pharmacies, and I called around.  The first one was going to charge 20 bucks to have it shipped over night, so I said I’d wait and shop around.  I called several pharmacies before finding one that has it and will over-night the medication for free. I called the nurse back and told her where to send the RX. Then I took a break and went for a walk because all of this really upset me.  Pretty sure it was just the hormones and the stress of trying to find the medication I need in such a short window. 

After a few tears, I went back to work. Work in itself is becoming tougher because it hurts to sit down.  My ovaries are so big, they make everything hurt. The ovaries are crampy because they are growing. I’m bloated because of this and the medications.  I’m thirsty all the time, so I down water like no one’s business.  This means my bladder is always full and pushing on much more crowded pelvic cavity.  It feels better to stand but that’s difficult without a standing desk.  I use two boxes to raise my keyboard and mouse then angle my computer screens upwards more.  This works ok, but my feet start to hurt after a few hours of standing.  Driving is worse because I can’t move around and the seat belt pushes on my belly.  I’m also hungry all the time; eating large meals is uncomfortable, so I have to eat a little at a time, but then I feel like all I do all day is eat.  I know most of this is temporary but it’s harder to deal with because of the hormones.  Today I think it was worse because I have to put up with it all for another day. Before this afternoon’s phone call from the nurse, I only had to make it to Tuesday when we trigger, then Thursday for retrieval.  Now I won’t trigger until Wednesday at the earliest and retrieval won’t be until Friday.  I can do this. Suck it up and get through it, is what I keep telling myself.

In the meantime, I haven’t felt like doing homework, so I starting to stress out about falling behind in my classes.  Just a lot of overwhelming feelings right now.  Most of it self-inflicted because of my procrastination.  Here’s to hoping this is all over soon and we get enough eggs to not have to do this again.  I have no idea how some women stand doing this for three or four rounds (let alone fund that many attempts). 

Shot/blood draw counter: IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII IIII II

Symptom tracker: ovaries feel like they are each the size of melons (hyperbole I’m sure), bloated, thirsty, lower back pain, hormonal/stressed out, tired, hungry, acne, some insomnia