The cold I thought I'd beaten earlier in the week snuck up on me this afternoon! My belly is starting to feel "full"-it's firm to the touch, whereas it's usually a squishy momma belly and it's mildly distended. It's not uncomfortable, but it's definitely a noticeable change.

6:45am Monday.....

I have to be at the hospital Monday at 6:45 for my egg retrieval. I am 5 days ahead of schedule, we suspected that my retrieval date would be 11/11/05, which would have been a WHOLE lot easier than having to arrange for a ride & daycare on Monday (the kiddo's before school care doesn't open until 6:30 & the hospital is 25 minutes away).....So I'm still working out the logistics.
Tonight, I will only have one injection & that's a new drug, Ovidrel. The syringe isn't marked, but it appears to be about 30mg. Ovidrel induces final follicular maturation & it's got a list of nifty side effects like the rest of them, the info on the patient info sheet from the pharmacy is the same at the Follistim with one except, "Unusual vaginal bleeding."
I'm not worried in the least bit, and I'll actually be looking forward to it (as soon as I have transportation & daycare arrangements finalized).
So no more Lupron, no more Follistim, one shot left. I've gotten into the habit of dropping whatever I'm doing at 6pm to take the meds, I'm going to, in a oddly twisted way, miss it. I'm not going to miss the "John Holmes" ultrasounds, that's certain. Just keep fingers crossed that the retrieval on Monday goes off without a hitch.

Situation normal, all systems go.....Talked to Mary, my RNP, this afternoon and she's not concerned that I've at least 20 eggs at 1cm or more. I'm maintaining my does of Lupron & Follistim tonight & have to be back at the hospital at 8am for yet another blood test & "date" with "John Holmes".
I've had some 'twinges' today, been able to feel the eggs moving. It's seems more pronounced, but I'm not sure if that's just because I actually got to see the eggs today. Also, I've noticed a slight increase the frequency of my "urinary urges", which apparently is not uncommon because the ovaries are now pushing on my bladder...Increasing from making a trip to the little girls room twice at work to three times is no big deal. I did have quite a bit of soda to drink today to, so I know that didn't help matters any.
No real problems with the injection tonight, other than I had the Follistim pen at an odd angle so there was a marked sharpness (pretty funny considering I'm jabbing myself with a needle!) to it that I've not really had before.

At least 20 eggs at 1cm or more and I've only been on the Follistim for seven days. I will have to go tomorrow morning for yet another "John Holmes" ultrasound (Oh, joy). My MD is concerned that I might be overstimulated & that could lead to possibly serious side effects...This is from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's fact sheet on the side effects on Gonadotropins

{hormone that stimulates the growth and activity of the gonads, especially any of several pituitary hormones that stimulate the function of the ovaries and testes.}

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)... Occurring in 1 to 5 percent of cycles, the chance of OHSS is increased in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome and in conception cycles. When severe, it can result in blood clots, kidney damage, ovarian torsion (twisting) and chest and abdominal fluid collection. In severe cases, hospitalization is required for monitoring but the condition is transient, lasting only a week or so. Occasionally, drawing fluid out of the chest or abdominal cavity helps. The best prevention is to not give hCG to indue ovulation at the end of an overly vigorous stimulation cycle.

T-minus 18 hours & counting to "John Holmes ultrasound"....I won't say I'm dreading it, but I'm not doing back handsprings over it, either. Hell, they could at least by me dinner! ; >
I had to take 3 injections tonight, I ran out of Follistim at 100 units, so I had to "reload" and take my last 50. The nifty thing about the pen all I had to do was load the meds, reinsert the needle (I put a new needle on out of habit) and finish the injection....Didn't have to remember how much I needed or do the math. Pretty handy & would be especially if I was taking higher doses. I've got quite a polka-dot "road map" of bruises on my belly from the Follistim, but that's about the worst of it. I'm still can feel that something is going on it there, but it's anything but uncomfortable.

After sitting on the highway for about 45 minutes in morning traffic, I did finally make it to the hospital this morning for my blood work. Thankfully, I was spared a visit to the "John Holmes ultrasound machine". We get reacquainted on Friday morning.

I'm noticing a "change" today, nothing uncomfortable or irritating, but I can feel the eggs 'moving' about. It's noticeable, but it's more of an awareness that there's something 'in there' and that there's something going on. It almost feels like gas bubbles bouncing around (although it could be considering we had belly bombers {White Castles for those of you not 'in the know'} for dinner last night....a gastronomic delicacy that's not so delicate on your gastrointestinal tract, but they are SOOO good.) http://www.whitecastle.com/ But, I digress....

Apparently, my Estrogen levels are higher than they would have expected at this point, which is a good thing & we've actually decreased my Follistim from 225 to 150 units, still at 10mg of Lupron. And honestly, I think some of what I attributed to eggs this morning really was side effects of the White Castles. Not all of it, but certainly some. Other than that, and some minor bruising on my belly at my Follistim injection site,s no major side effects. Even just having an awareness that there's something going on in my ovaries, eggs moving or what have you isn't bad at all, and I even hesitate to call it uncomfortable because that's just too strong a word.

I will not get sick, I will not get sick, I will not get sick....Currently, I'm fighting off whatever is going around (hopefully not Bird Flu {just kidding}) and it's mind over immune system. I'm hopped up in Zicam & Echinacea tea, but other than that it's situation normal. No problems or side effects thus far from the Lupron or Follistim. Altho, I did take my doxycycline on an empty stomach this morning & that is NOT a mistake I will make again. I would have given my left arm to vomit & feel better. It passed after about an hour, but that's an hour too long teetering on the edge of nausea.
... early appointment at the hospital tomorrow morning. Thankfully, I'm spared a visit with the "John Holmes" ultrasound machine.

Happy Hallowe'en (and for my Celtic friends, Oidhche Shamhna)....late with the meds tonight because the kiddo & I were galavanting about in the rain for candy. It sure was a bummer in our neighbourhood this year, hardly anyone out & very few homes with their lights on.

I noticed tonight 2 small bruises on my stomach where I've given myself Follistim injections-I can't figure it out, because I've not had any brusing with the Lupron & the needles are the same gauge, altho the Follistim needle is a wee bit longer than the needle on my Lupron syringes. Wednesday I go for another round of bloodwork, so I may mention the brusing....honestly, it's probably 'user error'.

Samhain Info (for those that are so inclined)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain
http://www.celticspirit.org/samhain.htm

I spent so much time yesterday evening fighting with the kiddo to get the bedroom cleaned or there would be trick-or-treating today, that I just ran out of time to post before I fell asleep on the sofa. No news is good news, the only minor side effect I'm noticing from the Follistim is immediately after the injection, for about 5 minutes, I get very warm. Please let that be the worst of it.
Happy to report the bedroom is clean & we will be trick-or-treating (looks like in the rain, too).

Same ol' ball & chain.... Some days I wish I could take the meds 'whenever', because at 2pm today I was ready for my shot. I was just getting over being aggrivated that two of my four pumpkins were rotten & I only got to use my fancy, schmacy carving tools on two easy pumpkins. Maybe next year.
I seemed to have a slight reaction to my Follistim injection last night, very red & itchy at the injection site, but that was probably because I had to stick myself twice! Tonight, I am not going to multitask & take my injection, it's obvious that I am too uncoordinated for that!