After completing my 23 BCPs in the month of December, CD 1 started just three days later on Saturday, December 26. And per my FET instruction booklet, I started giving myself 20 units of Lupron (actually, Leuprolide, which is the generic version) on Sunday, December 20 once per day for 10 days between the hours of 6:00 am and 9:00 am using small insulin syringes. I chose 7:15 am as a good time for the shots because I didn't want to get up at 6:00 am on the weekends if I didn't have to (re: if my daughter actually let me sleep in). Plus, during the week, we usually leave for daycare drop-off around 7:30 am so if I did anything later than that, I'd likely have to give myself my shots at work. No. Thank. You.
Anyway, I continued with the 20 units of Lupron and managed to give myself the shots every day between 7:00 am and 7:15 am. Per my nurse consult back on Monday, December 14, it was ok to administer the shots within one hour of my preferred time...so I was safe with the 15 minute interval. With my first shot, it was almost like visiting an old friend. The familiarity of it all came rushing back. Along with the sting of the injection. Like a rookie doing it for the first time, I forgot to release my fingers from the pinch on my stomach before taking the needle out so the medication didn't drip out of my body when I removed the syringe. By the next morning, though, I had much improved my technique.
Everything was going well until my first monitoring appointment - the day 10 Lupron and estradiol check, and ultrasound. My appointment was Tuesday, December 29 at 7:45 am, and I forgot to take my Lupron shot beforehand at the normal time. Ugh. Usually when I forget something in my morning routine, it's because there has been a change to the routine - like today when I had an appointment at my RE's office instead of just heading straight to work. I contemplated turning around and driving back home as soon as I realized I forgot my shot but I knew if I did, I was going to be seriously late for my appointment. So I continued on the road, freaking out, and praying everything was going to be ok.
And it was! I told my nurse what happened and she said as long as I could still take my shot this morning within a reasonable time (i.e. within the 6 - 9 am preferred time period), I would be ok. Even if it was slightly out of the normal time frame, one time wasn't going to hurt anything. So we proceeded with my appointment and I received good results. My u/s showed quiet ovaries and a thickening uterine lining (measuring at 4A). Then the nurse said to drop my Lupron to 5 units the next morning, start taking my Estrace pills once per day, continue following along in my FET booklet, and schedule my day 14 u/s and estradiol check on my way out. She also handed me my paperwork to take to the front desk for my blood draw.
When I had no more questions, the nurse left so I could get cleaned up and dressed. Then I checked in at the front desk again, scheduled my day 14 checkup (Tuesday, January 12 at 8:15 am, which was the earliest available), and handed them my paperwork. The paperwork provided my patient information (name, DOB, etc) and indicated what blood test I needed (estradiol, or E2). They then handed off my paperwork to the blood draw technician (very technical term), and I was shocked and upset to see it was the very same tech I dealt with back in 2012. I had hoped enough time had passed that she was able to draw blood for another clinic or hospital. {sigh...} So I mentally prepared for the worst and hoped for the best (maybe she had improved her technique over the past three years??). And the worst happened...the same familiar stab in my arm. I even looked at the bend in my arm the next day where the needle was inserted and noticed a line on my skin leading up to the puncture, like a scratch mark. So yeah, I wasn't imagining it. She scratched me with the needle before it actually went in my arm. But at least I didn't bleed all over this time.
Then I headed home again to take my shot, which I managed to do by about 9:30 am...not too bad! It just made me super late for work, which no one even noticed. Whew!
The nurse who was in the room with me for my u/s said if all was normal with my blood work, I would not receive a followup call. I anxiously waited all day but everything must have been good because no one called me. Another successful milestone checked off on this new journey. :)
***
Side note #1: As I waited to be called back for my blood draw, I let the receptionist know I had another question for my nurse that I forgot to ask during my appointment. She checked my nurse's availability and let her know I was in the waiting room and to come see me when she was done with her next appointment. A few minutes later, my nurse called my name and I asked my question right there in the waiting room. If my question had been more personal, I would have requested a private room or something but all I wanted to do was confirm I was supposed to be taking prenatal vitamins. I said I assumed I was supposed to but no one said anything about it at my nurse consult on December 14. And she confirmed yes, I was indeed supposed to be taking them. Everything with IVF is so specific, I didn't want to take something, even prenatal vitamins, that wasn't recommended yet so I thought it was better to check.
***
Side note #2: Per our financial consultation also on December 14, we were to pay our FET fees today (December 29) since we didn't send a check in the mail before my first monitoring appointment. No one at the receptionist desk asked for payment when I checked in today, and I didn't remind them, so I made it through without having to fork over $4,335. That is until they called me at 2:04 in the afternoon and asked for it. Humpf. At least the lady was nice that I talked to; she blamed the staff rather than me for the oversight. She said I could send a check in the mail or pay over the phone with a credit card. Credit card?! This was new information! I gave her my card number so I could rack up a few thousand reward points. I pay my card off every month anyway so the reward points are like a sweet bonus for all my typical (and atypical) spending. I'd just end up reimbursing myself with my HSA (Health Savings Account) anyway.
It was for sure a done deal now. We were all paid and ready to go! :)
Anyway, I continued with the 20 units of Lupron and managed to give myself the shots every day between 7:00 am and 7:15 am. Per my nurse consult back on Monday, December 14, it was ok to administer the shots within one hour of my preferred time...so I was safe with the 15 minute interval. With my first shot, it was almost like visiting an old friend. The familiarity of it all came rushing back. Along with the sting of the injection. Like a rookie doing it for the first time, I forgot to release my fingers from the pinch on my stomach before taking the needle out so the medication didn't drip out of my body when I removed the syringe. By the next morning, though, I had much improved my technique.
Everything was going well until my first monitoring appointment - the day 10 Lupron and estradiol check, and ultrasound. My appointment was Tuesday, December 29 at 7:45 am, and I forgot to take my Lupron shot beforehand at the normal time. Ugh. Usually when I forget something in my morning routine, it's because there has been a change to the routine - like today when I had an appointment at my RE's office instead of just heading straight to work. I contemplated turning around and driving back home as soon as I realized I forgot my shot but I knew if I did, I was going to be seriously late for my appointment. So I continued on the road, freaking out, and praying everything was going to be ok.
And it was! I told my nurse what happened and she said as long as I could still take my shot this morning within a reasonable time (i.e. within the 6 - 9 am preferred time period), I would be ok. Even if it was slightly out of the normal time frame, one time wasn't going to hurt anything. So we proceeded with my appointment and I received good results. My u/s showed quiet ovaries and a thickening uterine lining (measuring at 4A). Then the nurse said to drop my Lupron to 5 units the next morning, start taking my Estrace pills once per day, continue following along in my FET booklet, and schedule my day 14 u/s and estradiol check on my way out. She also handed me my paperwork to take to the front desk for my blood draw.
When I had no more questions, the nurse left so I could get cleaned up and dressed. Then I checked in at the front desk again, scheduled my day 14 checkup (Tuesday, January 12 at 8:15 am, which was the earliest available), and handed them my paperwork. The paperwork provided my patient information (name, DOB, etc) and indicated what blood test I needed (estradiol, or E2). They then handed off my paperwork to the blood draw technician (very technical term), and I was shocked and upset to see it was the very same tech I dealt with back in 2012. I had hoped enough time had passed that she was able to draw blood for another clinic or hospital. {sigh...} So I mentally prepared for the worst and hoped for the best (maybe she had improved her technique over the past three years??). And the worst happened...the same familiar stab in my arm. I even looked at the bend in my arm the next day where the needle was inserted and noticed a line on my skin leading up to the puncture, like a scratch mark. So yeah, I wasn't imagining it. She scratched me with the needle before it actually went in my arm. But at least I didn't bleed all over this time.
Then I headed home again to take my shot, which I managed to do by about 9:30 am...not too bad! It just made me super late for work, which no one even noticed. Whew!
The nurse who was in the room with me for my u/s said if all was normal with my blood work, I would not receive a followup call. I anxiously waited all day but everything must have been good because no one called me. Another successful milestone checked off on this new journey. :)
***
Side note #1: As I waited to be called back for my blood draw, I let the receptionist know I had another question for my nurse that I forgot to ask during my appointment. She checked my nurse's availability and let her know I was in the waiting room and to come see me when she was done with her next appointment. A few minutes later, my nurse called my name and I asked my question right there in the waiting room. If my question had been more personal, I would have requested a private room or something but all I wanted to do was confirm I was supposed to be taking prenatal vitamins. I said I assumed I was supposed to but no one said anything about it at my nurse consult on December 14. And she confirmed yes, I was indeed supposed to be taking them. Everything with IVF is so specific, I didn't want to take something, even prenatal vitamins, that wasn't recommended yet so I thought it was better to check.
***
Side note #2: Per our financial consultation also on December 14, we were to pay our FET fees today (December 29) since we didn't send a check in the mail before my first monitoring appointment. No one at the receptionist desk asked for payment when I checked in today, and I didn't remind them, so I made it through without having to fork over $4,335. That is until they called me at 2:04 in the afternoon and asked for it. Humpf. At least the lady was nice that I talked to; she blamed the staff rather than me for the oversight. She said I could send a check in the mail or pay over the phone with a credit card. Credit card?! This was new information! I gave her my card number so I could rack up a few thousand reward points. I pay my card off every month anyway so the reward points are like a sweet bonus for all my typical (and atypical) spending. I'd just end up reimbursing myself with my HSA (Health Savings Account) anyway.
It was for sure a done deal now. We were all paid and ready to go! :)