All you wanted to know about FET drugs and more....

Clearly this whole blogging thing worked out better in 2011 when I had no toddler to chase around. Although my posts have been sparse, in the interest of serving as a resource, I wanted to journal how I’ve been feeling prior to the Embryo Transfer Day… tomorrow!!!!!

Throughout FET I have been on two forms of IM injections.

1.       Delestrogen is a form of the estrogen hormone used to thicken the lining of the uterus to support a timed-pregnancy.

The side effects I’ve had on this: acne, continual low back pain and some hip joint pain, nausea (when I let myself get too hungry) and overall feelings of blah.

2.        Progesterone in Oil is a form of progestin hormone often given when your body is not making enough or used to send your ovaries into hyper drive to support a timed-pregnancy.

The side effects I’ve had on this: much more constant low back pain, hot flashes galore, fatigue, excessive hunger and an overall feeling of abdominal heaviness (typical of IVF).

Overall the IM injections look scary but haven’t been that bad. Thankfully I’m not afraid of needles, nor is my husband. I have a few bad bruises from hitting nerves that continue to nag at me, but that pales in comparison to child birth. It’s amazing how my pain tolerance has drastically increased this time around (post-child birth).

So tomorrow afternoon we’re set to see what is hopefully our future baby. We will get an embryo picture and all, Fin’s embryo photo is her first official selfie! If you are inclined to pray, I would really appreciate prayers for:

-         - A successful thawing of the embryo or embryos if one dies and they have to thaw another. This should begin happening shortly.

-          -A successful transfer and implantation of the embryo tomorrow and of course that if it God’s will we will get a + pregnancy test on August 4^th, followed by a few more with rising beta counts until or ultrasound the following week.

-        -  Patience and peace for both Wes and I and the loved ones we don’t even realize are worrying tremendously about us.  The 2 week wait has always proven to be intense, let it not consume our feelings.

-          -Unshakable faith for Wes and I… it’s one thing to say you have it, it’s another to make it count when you are walking in a valley. Let us not lose sight of God’s plan for us and His best intentions, regardless of the outcome. Pray for us that we will always count our many blessings.

Now hands up & sticky-baby vibes (insert spirit fingers) and go…….

TBT & 2WW

We are a little less than 1 week away from the embryo transfer and from the start of the 2 week wait (2WW). Fortunate for me, we will be vacationing part of the 2WW, which will help keep me busy and take my mind off the waiting. The drug that I will start next Wednesday, (PIO) Progesterone in Oil, is designed to create a pregnancy like state for the body. So many of the symptoms I will be feeling are typical of those you feel during your first trimester of pregnancy. It makes the 2WW difficult because you really cannot tell what is a symptom of pregnancy and what is a symptom of the drugs.

After 1.5 weeks on my current drug regimen the side effects I've had thus far include:
- pretty consistent low back pain (just a dull, nagging pain)
- inconsistent abdominal cramping
- acne (woo hoo...)
- some spotting, early on
- fatigue
- overall "heaviness" in my abdominal region.
These are pretty much par for the course, but overall I think I am feeling emotionally much more optimistic and stable than through IVF. I'll take that as a win!

In honor of TBT- here's a photo of me "large and in charge" just a week prior to delivering Finley. I get big with babies (par for the course of diabetic moms), like 57+lbs. big. Since viewing this picture I have thrown away that lime green dress! This was clearly the point in my pregnancy where very few things were fitting!