On July 27th I started using an ovulation kit and the premom app. I have never used the kit or the app before so I know that some things will be guess for the app until it knows me better. The 27th my lh was low and the line was pretty light. Then on the next two days I had high lh, but on the 30th it went down again. So the app said I peaked, but I wasn't too concerned because I had my first ultrasound on the 28th. I found out later that some women will have an elevated level like that early, but it's usually only the last peak that signals ovulation.
During my ultrasound lining was only 5 mm. I had two follicles on the right that were 9 mm and one on the left that was 8.5 mm. So it was way too early. We talks about whether or not I should come in on Saturday or Monday, but I thought Monday would be ok based on Flo app and also my IUI last year was similar.
On July 30, I also has a phone consultation with Dr. Craig. It was pretty similar other initial appointments except on the phone. In his office he would have a paper with carbon copies beneath it. On paper it has a few graphs and a diagram of uterus. It also has sections for Diagnosis/Rx, Test and Plan.
So basically he just went over the diagnosis portion which was the same as last time.
1. I have regular cycles. There is an age factor that depends on the FSH and AMH. My numbers were good for both so I have enough eggs.
2. LH/FSH imbalance remember that the ratio should be 2:1, but mine was reverse 1:2. What that meant is that even though I have eggs, but maybe I'm not ovulating them. But it is super easy to treat and only needs to be treated when you are trying to conceive (TTC)
3. No weight issues.
4. My tubes were not blocked last year when they did the HSG X-Ray. Also the test can help clear out the tubes a bit too which makes it easier to conceive for up to a year, but it's been longer than a year.
5. No Endometriosis.
6-8 is for male factor but since I'm using donor sperm then that isn't a probelm.
So we made the plan that if I wasn't pregnant after this cycle that I wanted to continue the plan from last year. This includes: do another HSG x-ray to check my tubes/clear them a bit. do femara to help with the lh/fsh imbalance, ultrasound, trigger shot and progesterone cream. The only difference really is the x-ray and the femara.
After that I would have done 3 IUIs, at 3 IUIs about 1/3 of woman my age will be pregnant. Since this is an unmediated try it might be less. But I think after the 3rd try I would add an FSH inject. This can help increase chances but there is also increase chance for twins.
By August 3rd my ovulation kid started going up again and peaked again. Also on 3rd I had my second ultra sound. I had 9 mm lining good, and a 17.5 follicle on the right. So we were in business. Also, I read an abstract that said that more conceptions happen after woman ovulated on their right. Obviously they aren't checking woman who can get pregnant the typical way, so it might have something to do with infertility, but I will take it as a good sign anyway.
The plan was to take the trigger shot on the 4th at 9:30 then 36 hours later have the insemination. Last time I had longer so the trigger shot was delivered to my house, this time I drove to 30 minutes away to pick it up. I picked it up on Monday.
I have been spending one day working at my parents house now that I am working from home. So after my ultrasound I went over to their house and saw my parents, sister and played with my niece. I had to leave at 3pm to get the shot and my sister called me later and said it was suspicious.
They still know that I want to become a mom, but I told my sister and my dad that I was going to wait until closer to November. I guess I was initially trying to get to November, but I just couldn't wait any long. The time was right. I kept reading single mom by choice stories and they all said their biggest regret was waiting! I guess there might be a bias because women who really regret it would probably not be posting it on the internet, but I even read Single Mothers by Choice: A Guidebook for Single Women Who Are Considering or Have Chosen Motherhood. The author founded the Single Mother by Choice national group. She became a single mom in the 80s and there is a lot statistics and information on the single-parent family. It is also a good resource if you need help talking to people or your child about donor conception. So, in the end I couldn't wait any longer.
So I picked up the trigger shot, the pharmacist brought the shot to my car because of covid. Then went home and put it in the fridge. I was also getting progesterone which can help the fertilized egg stick. But it isn't needed until tomorrow, so that one was delivered today.
It was really hard to wait until 9:30 on Tuesday to do the shot. Especially because I thought every little cramp I felt was me ovulating. I even call the nurse's triage. I guess the follicles need to be bigger to release the egg, and it probably didn't happen in the few hours since I left the treatment center. So I did as I was told and waited until Tuesday.
Now I was trying to be sneaky because I didn't want my roommate to see, around 9:15 she came out to get a drink, but luckily she didn't stick around too long. So I took the shot. It didn't bother me at all, it seems less painful if you do it yourself, maybe because I know it's coming. Plus it's in your stomach, so it doesn't hurt as much as my arm.
I felt more cramming on Tuesday last night, but I think I was just being sensitive to it. It was also pretty high more near my waist so it probably was gas.
During the IUI today, I texted when I arrived and they text when you can come in. I have to wear a mask, but that doesn't bother me at all. There is a young lady that takes your temperature and asks if you have been exposed to covid-19. I haven't.
Last week, I decided to pick a new sperm donor and I ordered two more vials. His Keirsay report says he is the Guardian Inspector type. So I will call him Guardian. It arrived on Wednesday, but I had forgotten to call the office to let them know, which wasn't a problem. But now I had two donors and which would they unfreeze.
He is similar to the Champion because he has blue eyes and is taller than my dad. But he also has red brown hair. I didn't filter for hair color, but I was actually looking for someone with red hair or at least parents/grandparents with red hair. I know I carry a red-hair gene because my mom has red hair, and my brother does as well. So if the donor had red hair or at least the chance of having the gene then it would be fun to get a child who has red hair or at least a better chance at passing on the gene.
So I said, if thawing one is harder than the other then just do the easiest one, but if not then go with the new vial, the Guardian. I'm not really a person who thinks that things happen for a reason, but I guess I wanted to leave it up to chance a little bit.
It's kind of nice because instead of waiting in the waiting room they take you right back to where you need to go. I was in room 2. It was the same room as before! At least the photo of the ocean was the same. Dr. Craig came to do the IUI this time. He varied my name on the paper and the vial, and I saw the Guardian's number on the vial too. There were 16.6 million sperm 10 million is necessary.
So he put the speculum and I don't know why but getting a speculum at the treatment center has always been so much easier than at OB-GYN appointments. It still is uncomfortable a bit, but it's not painful. They also always say they are putting it in, clinking it, and etc. So I think know helps. Also I think they use a plastic one and I think that might make it less painful too.
Last time I remember feeling the catheter go in and I think I even felt the initial sperm leaving the needle, but I didn't feel anything that time. He said he put 80% inside and 20% outside because some studies show that cervical mucus helps and some says it doesn't. So then we would have some in both environments. I have heard that it depends on the type of mucus, if it's sticky which is usually before ovulation then it will hinder, but if it's like egg whites in color and in stretchy then it is good. I have been checking mine and it's between watery and egg white/stretchy. So not bad, but I do remember have more egg white/stretchy when I was younger.
After the procedure they have you wait for 10 minutes. I read it can help to lay down for up to 15 minutes after, but it is not conclusive. After the nurse came in to let me know I could go, I put in a menstrual disc/cup. I see a lot of women are doing this to help get pregnant. I don't think a lot of studies have been done on it yet, and I know many of the sperm would get to the egg anyway, however, I don't think it could hurt to put one in for a few hours which I did until 1:30ish.
I also have tried to work with my feet on the couch and the laptop on my legs for most of the day. It's probably isn't necessary, but it doesn't hurt.
So tomorrow I start the progesterone and in two weeks I will do a pregnancy test at home. Then I call the clinic with the results, which is different than last time, but kind of nice to keep social distancing and also I don't have to spend money on a blood test unless I get a positive test at home.
I have tomorrow and next week off, so it's going to be difficult to wait, but because I took the trigger shot I need to at least wait until day 8 to take a pregnancy test since the shot can create a false positive. Also the progesterone and the shot can give me pregnancy symptoms. So a symptom might just be from that. Additionally, early symptoms could be a sign of a pregnancy, but if there is an abnormality the pregnancy could end without any difference to my cycle, except maybe a heavier flow.
I'll try to fill you in a little bit.
Next week we are going to San Diego for a few days, but probably just staying at my sister and bil's house not doing anything too exciting. I might do one or two trip logs for that to distract me.
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