Starting Over

Sometimes people blog twice in one day. I've never blogged twice in eggciteddonor.blogspot.com, and/or my personal blog. I know there are people out there, that do feel the need to blog their emotions twice in one day. Today is the day, I will finally blog twice in one day. My emotions are running high (possibly due to the high levels of estrogen running through my veins), or possibly because I received a devastating phone call from my agency today. Basically, the blood work I completed yesterday, showed an astonishing amount of estrogen... meaning that, I am about to ovulate. Wait... what? How can I ovulate if I haven't even started my period yet for the month of July?

Story: Around mid-July, I called my agency in panic because I was spotting blood in the middle of my birth control pack. My agency assured me that it was okay, because sometimes spotting happened, but that there was no way it could be my period.

Problem: On July 20th, I should have started my "real" period. July 20th, July 21st.... July 30th came and went, and I never had a period. I found out this morning that I am about to ovulate (from my blood work done yesterday), and that my previous spotting had been my true period.

Problem 2: I feel like my body betrayed me. Why did aunt flo visit me before it should have? I feel awful, because my intended parents must be so frustrated with me. Maybe she even regrets picking me? I read many IVF future mama's blogs online, and I know how utterly stressful these kinds of set backs are. This time, unfortunately, me ovulating when I am not supposed to be, is her set back. Today, I would be the problem in her blog (if she has one, that is).

Problem 3: My intended parents still had to pay for those office visits... and will have to pay again for the same office visits again... They also might have to buy me some more Lupron... I feel like the most expensive burden for her.

Problem 4: My intended mama parent, travels a lot for her job, so she laid away August for egg retrieval. My body screwed that up for her. I feel so awful... Sick to my stomach, kind of awful.

Why: I had many questions for my clinic... "what happened?" "What did I do wrong?"

Answer: Basically, no one can be quite sure. One answer my intended parent is probably thinking that I didn't take my birth control daily. That would/could be the answer, but I DID take my birth control religiously each day. Possible answer #2: I was directed to skip the placebo pills in my birth control pack before I started Lupron. I did as I was told, and skipped the placebo pills, and immediately started a new pack. So, that's not the answer either. Possible Answer #3: Another possible answer is that my agency changed my birth control brand from Desogen to Lo-esterin last month. Lo-esterin may not have been enough for me. Possibly Answer #4: My body is making life extremely difficult for everyone.

Solution: After this upcoming period, I will begin a NEW birth control, because Lo-esterin may not be enough for me. I am to stop injections of Lupron today. Since, Lupron increases a chance for multiple births, I will have to explain to my husband to keep his distance from me... sorry babe. I am not to take any birth control until my next period (which should be coming in a week or so). When aunt flo does pay a visit soon, we will start this process all over again. *sigh* which will take another 6 weeks from the day I have my next period.

Does Lupron cause Cysts?

Where I am at:

-I began (10 units) Lupron shots on the 22nd of July.

-I took my last BCP on the 25th of July.

-I had spotting a week before my normal period. IP's clinic told me not to make an appointment with my monitoring clinic to get an ultrasound and blood work, because I was not full flow.

-I was supposed to have a full flow period by the 29th of July. It is now the 31st of July, and I haven't had a period.

Yesterday, I went into my monitoring clinic to have a baseline ultrasound and blood work done, even though I did not have my period. I find out today what my estrogen levels look like. I am not too worried about my estradiol levels because two weeks ago, the levels were nice and low. My lining is thin (perfect!) too. So why hasn't my period come??? I have never wanted my period so badly.

Two weeks ago, I had one cyst on my right ovary. The ultrasound yesterday showed that my right ovarian cyst had gone away, however, my left ovary now had one, small cyst. My agency informed me that my cycle might be delayed because they do not want me to start the follicle stimulating shots (otherwise known as follistim). they do not want me to start these injections, because, follistim can actually cause the cyst to grow bigger, and eventually burst (ouch!!).

I hope this does not delay me too much.

**Updates on my estradiol levels later**

Has anyone else had cysts that have delayed their donation process??

Getting Hungry

I am a really active person. Whether it be Spin class, Zumba, Kickboxing etc. I'm slender, errrr, I was slender, up until a couple days ago. My weight scale numbers have been slowly creeping up on me since my third Lupron injection. Lupron makes me feel hungry all the time, and I

feel like my stomach is bulging out.

I had no idea Lupron was the medication that made me feel like raiding my fridge all the time. I thought those were different meds that came later. Am I going crazy for blaming Lupron for my scale numbers increasing? I'm not complaining... I just want to know if these are typical Lupron symptoms?

I work as a doctor's assistant, and his wife went through IV. When his wife discovered I was undergoing the donation process, she praised me at how calm and collected I was behaving at work lately. I gave her a confused look at this odd statement. She explained that when she was on Lupron during her IV, she was extremely hormonal... and, uh, "witchy." I kind of giggled at this, and told her that instead of moodiness, I must have gotten a "fattening" side effect- because no matter how much cardio I do, I gain MORE weight, and feel MORE bloated.

I googled Lupron forums, and most women mentioned how much they hate the medication, Lupron. Most said they hated it because they swore it made them hormonal, and gave them constant headaches. Hm, I haven't gotten those side effects (yet?) - *knock on wood*.

Other than that, giving myself injections of 10 units of Lupron in my stomach is super easy. I can barely feel the needle, because it is so small. If I do go out somewhere during the time I need to take my injections, I take them in an insulated lunch pack with tons of ice packs. Totally easy- not a problem at all. For you ladies that are contemplating egg donation, but are scared of injections... don't be. You won't feel a thing. I swear! :) Help a couple unable to bear kids, while you aren't using your eggs!! :)

Vagina Ultrasounds, rainbows and butterflies.

I've always had a hard time scheduling my Well-women exams, because they are not the most comfortable thing. Since I became in contract with my IP, I have had 4 vaginal ultrasounds in less than 2 months,so... putting my legs in the stirrups, in my birthday suit from the waist down, has almost become second nature to me. I'm glad my bravery about doing spread eagles more often than usual to physicians has increased. Maybe now, my well-woman exams will not be so bad for anymore next year.

Early this morning, I checked in at my monitoring clinic for an ultrasound of my ovaries and blood work on my estradiol (estrogen) levels. I was afraid that my intended parent would delay the process after the ultrasound today, because an ovarian cyst had developed on one of my ovaries. To my relief, my fert. nurse gave me to go-ahead to begin taking 10 units of Lupron shots tonight. On the 25th, I am instructed to take my last active birth control, because these contraceptives will overlap the Lupron. From what I understand, Lupron is utilized to suppress your reproductive hormones and for the clinics to have complete control of my cycle. When I begin my cycle (which should be soon!), I will make an appointment with my monitoring clinic for a vaginal ultrasound, and also decrease my units of lupron to 5. Here is a picture of the two boxes I received earlier this week that held over $3,000 worth of medications... wowza!

Sorry... nothing else really exciting today!

I'm getting the shots next Tuesday!

Update!

I'm receiving my shot medicine next Tuesday (7/20). There will be three types of shot I will have to administer everyday, beginning the 22nd of July. The intended parent's agency has given me a tentative time on my next, and final visit to New York* for the egg aspiration (8/11).

(I found this video to watch! It's really informative!)

I'm much more excited to go with a companion for this upcoming trip. On my last day-trip to NY*, I was scared in the Big Apple by myself for the first time! I am taking my husband this time around for the week. When you become a donor, and you have to travel out of state, the intended parent's should/will pay for your rental car, approximately $50/day to the donor, and $100/week to the companion. I do think that the salary per day should be increased... During my last visit to NY, the $50 barely covered me. When I returned the rented vehicle, I had to refuel the gas tank (I didn't use much gas, so it turned out to be $5 to fill it back up... I also had to pay an extra fee of $25 because I'm under the age of 25), plus I am a cautious individual, so I purchased the 1-day insurance (17.99). I was left with just a few dollars to my name for the day... and I hadn't even eaten yet! I settled for a sub at subway (the only meal I ate the entire day). Is anyone else a donor that reads this, that gets slightly more for her daily salary while traveling? I know the entire process is EXPENSIVE for the parent, and I don't want to be greedy... but, what is a fair amount to give a donor for the day?