Right on time this evening, actually 6:05, but as long as I'm between & 6pm-7pm, I'm alright....Even with the chaos of making dinner, making cookies & a kiddo on a sit and spin in the middle of my rather tiny kitchen floor.
I'm been a little short tempered today, but I don't think that's the meds. I think it's the fact that the kiddo was off school Friday, so I took the day off work rather than pay a king's ransom for daycare & outside of a 50 minute class this morning, we've not had a minute a part (other than sleep, of course). My patience is wearing thin. Here's hoping for an early bedtime & a moments peace for moi!
It's getting to be cold weather, it time to sit down with a good cuppa & knit 1, purl 2.

This evening, it took me 3 hours to watch a 2 hours movie & I was 30 minutes late taking my injection....no blood, no foul. Other than forgetting & waiting until 7.30, totally unremarkable. The MD office called this afternoon to remind me of my appointment Monday morning.

In a bathroom stall...

Last night, I packed my Lupron, an alcohol wipe & syringe in my not-so-little black bag for my dose of meds this evening, because I knew there was no way I was going to make it home before 7 PM. So, my one choice was to "shoot up" in the handicapped stall of a Chinese restaurant restroom.
Lupron has been prescribed to me by one of the finest reproductive endocrinologist in (________), my home town & home to one of the top 10 hospitals in the country....But it was still 'covert'. I still felt a twinge of guilt and a wee bit dirty. I'm not sure if it was because I was in a less than sanitary public restroom. Granted, it wasn't "The dirtiest public toilet in Scotland" dirty, but of course it wasn't as clean as my restroom at home. Maybe it was just the fact that I was using a hypodermic syringe in a public place, which, I packed out. I was hesitant to leave it in a trash bin in a public restroom, just because. It's not like my name was one it, or anyone would have seen me leave it in the bin, but still, somewhere I was worried about the possibility of it coming back on me.

Other than the less than clean conditions, the injection was unremarkable. Actually, because I was trying to get in & get out quickly, I didn't even feel it & there was absolutely no pinch or itching, which has come back, although very mild, still irritating.

Drugs are Bad, M'kay....

I've been meaning to post the complete list of possible side effects of the drug(s) that I am taking, I've a few free minutes, so not time like the present. Currently, I am only on the one med, Lupron, but I will be starting Follistim soon, so I am going to list all of its possible nastiness, too.

I've taken this info, verbatim, from the patient information sheets that came with the drugs from the pharmacy.

Leuporlide 1mg (Lupron)

Uses:

This medicate is a synthetic hormone. When it is used, the body stops producing testosterone hormone in males and estrogen in females. When the medication is stopped, hormone levels return to normal. Leuprolide is used in the treatment of prostate cancer in men, early puberty in children and anemia (due to uterine fibroid tumors) in women.

How to use:

This medication is given as an injection under the skin.

Side Effects:

Adults- This medication may cause nausea, vomiting, hot flashes, night sweats, bone pain, swelling of the feet and ankles, headache or difficulty urinating the first few days as your body adjusts to the medication. Notify your doctor if these symptoms become bothersome. This medication may case reduced sexual desire. Notify your doctor if you develop any of the following while using this medication: rapid heartbeat, chest pain, breathing difficulties, fever, chills, painful urination, testicular or prostate pain (men), persistent pain at the injection site. Tell you doctor immediately if any of the highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: severe headache, vision changes, severe drowsiness, unusual or one-sided weakness. A serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if this occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction include : rash, itching, swelling, dizziness, trouble breathing. (The remainder of the information sheet pertains to use in children)

Almost as fun as a bag full of cats, but read on, it get better!


Follistim AQ 600IU

Uses:

This medication is used to treat certain fertility problems in women. It provides the hormone (FSH) that helps stimulate healthy ovaries to produce eggs. This medication is usually used in combination with another hormone (hCG) for the growth and release of a mature egg (ovulation). This medication is not recommended for women whose ovaries no longer make eggs properly (primary ovarian failure).

How To Use:

Read the Patient Information leaflet before starting hits medication and each time you get a refill of this medication because new information may be available....Inject under the skin (subcutaneously) usually once a day or as directed by you doctor. Dosage and duration of therapy is based on you medical condition and response to therapy. Is the pen is stored in the refrigerator, allow the medication to warm to room temperature before use.

Side Effects:

Headache, stomach pain, bloating, redness/pain at the injection site, breast tenderness/pain, or dizziness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because of the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using the medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: vaginal/uterine bleeding, flu-like symptoms (e.g fever, chills, muscle aches, tiredness). Tell your doctor immediately if any of there rare but serious side effects occur: one-sided weakness, slurred speech, vision changes, sudden severe headache, pain/swelling of the calf muscles, chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling of the hands/feet. This medication may cause a condition knows as Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). This condition may occur during therapy and after treatment has been discontinued. Rarely, serious OHSS causes fluid to suddenly build up in the stomach, chest, and heart area. Seek immediate medical attention if you develop the following side effects: severe pain or swelling in the lower abdominal (pelvic) area, nausea/vomiting, sudden/rapid weight gain, or a change in the amount of urine. ( The relevant remainder of the information sheet pertains to symptoms of an allergic reaction, which is repeating the info from the Lupron side effects).

Kinda scary, isn't it....I'm not worried about any side effects, I'm going to will myself thru this with little or no side effects. Or at least that's the plan.

I think I'm beginning to sound like a broken record....Fill syringe, insert needle, depress plunger, you get the idea. No changes or side effects, other than the whole being hot at work, but I am certain now that's it' because the A/C isn't on. 90% of my department is "mentalpausal" or "post-mentalpausal" woman & today, collectively, they all snapped about having to work in near sauna conditions.
Tomorrow should be interesting-I'm meeting my 'rents for dinner at 6PM , I have to take my meds between 6 & 7PM. I've already pack the meds in my black hole of a not-so-little black bag & will have to sneak a trip to the ladies room without the kidlet. The 'rents don't know about it & I'm hesitant to tell them, just because even though I'm a grown ass woman & just a few credits from my nursing degree, when it comes to matters of health, they treat me like an 11 year old.

Status Quo, part deux.....

It's beginning to feel like 'wash, rinse, repeat"...Fill syringe, insert needle, depress plunger, dispose of sharps in make shift biohaz container. I like status quo, I like that I'm not having any side effects, so far. I don't know what the whole 'crampy' deal was yesterday, because it was gone today. Then again, I've got a pretty sensitive stomach, it could have been an mild allergic reaction to what I ate yesterday, who knows! There's little difference between my stomach cramps or menstrual cramps, it's pretty much misery from the waist down.
The itching & redness are totally gone, but the 'pinch' was a little more noticeable this evening...My 'assistant' (aka kiddo) was talking my ear off & I hesitated a bit. I'm just going to have to lock my self in the bathroom a scant moment of peace!

A whole week & I'm still 'in it to win it'. Today, I was kinda crampy,which I was surprised by, but my MD told me that it's still possible for me to menstruate while on the Lupron....And I was looking forward to a month off! My kiddo actually "helped" me give myself the injection tonight. Honestly, it consisted of holding the box the meds are in & asking a billion and one questions in the space of about 3 minutes.

I was quite warm again at work today, but I'm fairly certain they either got the air off or cranked up so high, that since it's 80F (26C), it've never going to kick on. I'm resigned to my fate of sitting at the desk & sweating from 9-5! Hopefully, it will cool off significantly before I start the Follistim & everything's out of wack or I may just have to work nude. Considering I'm in finance & not 'adult' entertainment, not to mention the fact that I would have been a model when Ruebens painting, that would fly like a lead balloon.

More info on Peter Paul Reubens-
http://www.answers.com/peter%20paul%20reubens

Status Quo...

Fill syringe, insert needle, depress plunger, dispose of syringe in biomedical waste container, which happens to be an old fabric softener bottle. No itching or redness at the injection site, which is nice, and no "new" side effects from the Lupron. Tomorrow is day 7, and 7 days from that I should be starting the Follistim. I think that's when the 'fun' will start.