IVF Meds Take Two!

Now that the stim start date is inching closer and closer, I went ahead and placed my order for the next round of IVF! Since we had such good success with IVFMeds.com last time and the meds are SO MUCH CHEAPER, we went with them again. Even with the good amount left over from the extra we had to buy for last cycle I still had to order a tooooon of Menopur.

Thanks IVFMeds.com for saving me a ton!

Last cycle I had some extra Menopur left over from my second IUI and even with that extra, I still used a few of the last minute Menopur order. If this cycle is anything like last time, they expect me to use 90+ vials and stim for at least 11 days so I'm ordering over 80 vials of Menopur. Since I was one short last time, I also ordered 5 Cetrotide injections and hopefully that will be enough.

After the second batch of meds took a bit longer than was ideal to get here last time, IVFMeds.com offered to credit me the difference in cost for the extra vials I didn't use. I was skeptical because come on,  that's really excellent custom service, much more than I would expect from an online company based in another country. Instead of placing my order online, I rang up customer service and got the same wonderful rep that helped me last cycle. He remember me and my order snafu and in just a few minutes was placing my new order with a credit for the difference in the extra vials.  I'm still kind of shocked! It was all quick and easy, I rang them up, rang the bank to authorize the transaction since it got flagged again, and my nurse emailed me the new scripts to upload only minutes later. After all the calling and price checking and back and forthing of last cycle, I never knew the process could be so smooth.  

Impossible to beat these prices!

They're moving like ninjas this time and have already shipped out the first batch of my order, 40 Menopur and 5 Cetrotide. Like last time, I ordered so much Menopur that their pharmacy can't fill it all at once from in store stock so they're shipping it in two separate batches. This order went out on Friday so I'm not quite sure when to expect it. Priority Mail Express International does a lot of things regular Priority doesn't do, it's even delivered by a separate branch of USPS. If the package moves on Sunday, it should arrive in New York tomorrow and will probably be delivered by Monday. If it doesn't travel on Sunday, it'll hit the big apple on Monday and I'll get it Tuesday.  I also have to call Kaiser to authorize them ordering my Omnitrope and needles/syringes. The order was called in on Friday but from past experience I know they won't actually order it until I ask for it.

It doesn't make a difference protocol wise if the Menopur arrives on Monday or Tuesday since I don't need it just yet, but since I have to be here to sign for it in person, I have to plan my schedule around the delivery. Kind of a pain but well worth the savings!

SO ITCHY

My HCG symptoms finally went away and I was feeling really good! I could wear my pants again and was basically back to normal when it was time to start up birth control pills again. I'm used to the pills making me feel exhausted and hormonal but this round came with an unexpected and miserable side effect.

Bane of my existence right now

Almost immediately after starting the pills, I broke out in small, ITCHY, red bumps. I'm used to having rashes, I get contact dermatitis all the time from detergent, chemicals, all sorts of things you touch by accident, but those rashes are usually gone in a couple days and they aren't too itchy. This rash makes me want to scratch my skin off with a fork and I've had it for a week - I can't seem to get rid of it!

Thus far I've tried cortisone cream, coconut oil, tea tree oil, benadryl gel, benadryl pills, and the left over anti-fungal cream from when Button caught ring worm at the vet. They all soothe the itch temporarily but don't seem to be helping the rash. The anti-fungal may actually be upsetting it but I'm not sure.

It started under my right breast so my first though was heat rash or retained detergent in my bras. I soaked all the bras and washed them by hand while airing out my skin. Instead of going away, it spread down my belly and is still as itchy as ever.

SO ITCHY. You can tell when I've scratched it :(

At the same time the boob rash popped up, the same itchy, red bumps appeared in my right groin area where I usually shave and on my thigh. I mistook it for razor burn until it started itching and didn't go away with a cool compress and some coconut oil moisturizer. Then I thought it must be from my pads, I was on my period and last month had an awful reaction to the latex in my pad adhesive - maybe I was having a reaction to this brand too?

At this point, I have no idea what's causing it. Since it popped up with the birth control my current theory is maybe a skin yeast infection? You usually see them as diaper rash in babies but you can get them from birth control and antibiotics. If so, the anti-fungal should help it but like I said before, I'm not sure if it's helping or hurting. It's hard to tell since I've been on so many medications and it could just as easily be some hormonal or immune reaction. It's also right where I lay on my side to sleep so it could be detergent in my sheets? Ugh.

I hate you rash. So much.

The only things I know for sure are that it's not contagious, it's only on my right side and it itches like a bitch. It's your standard nondescript red bumps so I'm not sure if I should make an appointment with the derm yet. In the past, they see red bumps, tell me it's contact dermatitis and to basically wait it out. If this is a birth control reaction and the price of success I'm willing to grin and bear it, but I'd really like to get it cleared up before I start stims.

I think I'm going to ask S, my nurse midwife/acupuncturist if she knows what it is and how to get rid of it. If she says I need to see the derm, I'll make an appointment ASAP before I scratch my skin off.

Birth Control ZzzZzzZzz

Today is day three of my birth control suppression phase for IVF #2 and I am SO. TIRED. I know that drowsiness is a side effect, but there's something about the combination of period hormones and birth control hormones that makes me feel like an absolute slug. My eyes feel heavy and sore and I'm pretty sure I'd fall fast asleep if I closed them for more than a few seconds. Zzzzzz.

The stims got really uncomfortable near the end, especially when I added in the trigger and my waist line blew up like a blimp but I think birth control still makes me feel the worst. In addition to being super, super sleepy, the combination of hormones and PMS has made me SUPER grumpy. I'm usually easy going and I let things slide off my back, but lately everything is bothering me. I just want to seclude myself with my cats, my dog, E and craft things like quilts, cloth diapers and paintings.

Of course, quilts and paintings take time, money, materials, space and skill, none of which I have at the moment. I don't think I've touched a sewing machine in 10 years but that isn't hampering my desire to start sewing owl and nature themed blankets. Not to mention, we need to actually be pregnant with a healthy baby to have an actual need for owl quilted blankets, so we should probably tackle that hurdle before I break out the sewing machine.

Adooooorable Owl Quilt

There is no way I should be anywhere near a quilting project but the hormones are insisting otherwise. In case anyone else falls in love with this owl quilt and has actual skill with a sewing machine and the ability to stay awake, you can buy the pattern here.

Cleared For Round Two!

While sitting in traffic on Thursday afternoon, I noticed that I had finally started to spot! Yay, progress! I know my body pretty well and I could tell my period was definitely about to start so I called up the clinic. The nurse I spoke to said that many women spot for a week before they actually bleed and she couldn't make my appointment until my period started in earnest. The clinic closes early so when my period showed up right on time a few hours later, I had to wait until Friday morning to make my CD2 appointment. Since Friday counts as CD 1, that puts 11 days between trigger day and CD 1 which is pretty much my standard luteal phase. I almost couldn't believe it, even with all the hormone injections and the retrieval, my body is still running on it's regular schedule. Apparently there's no screwing with this body clock.

So, Saturday morning rolls around, bright and HOT, and E and I find ourselves back at the clinic for for another round of labs and ultrasound. The baseline ultrasound is probably my least favorite of all the ultrasounds. I'm bleeding, crampy, sore and the whole thing is messy and gross no matter what I do. Luckily, there's no follicle counting to prolong the ultrasound so it was as short as it was uncomfortable.

When the ultrasound was done, the tech was able to give us the best news possible. My ovaries look like they're completely back to normal, no more swelling,  and we are officially starting IVF round two! I was hoping Dr. D had aspirated that tiny cyst on my left ovary, he thought he might have gotten it too because one "follicle" over there had dark blood, but it was still there, stubbornly stuck in place. Little bastard.

A different nurse than usual called back to say that she's writing up my calendar now and I can start planning to order my meds. I didn't get an official calendar last time though I realize that most people do. I'm not sure how useful they are considering that everybody responds differently and every cycle is unique but I'll take it if she wants to write it up. Ultimately, it will come down to how my follicles grow and develop but I'm planning on ordering enough Menopur for 11 or so days and enough Cetrotide for 5 days since I was one short last time. I ended up having extra Omnitrope but it's because my nurse calculated the dose wrong. She told me to take 0.25cc of the 5mg/1.5ml but it should have been 0.37cc. I'll correct the dose in this cycle and maybe we'll get even more embryos :) Here's to hope!

Keeping Busy and New Hair

Today was super busy and delicious. I prepped one of my favorite crock pot recipes before heading off to work, and the house was full of the delicious aroma of pot roast when I got home. I use a modified version of this recipe and I can't recommend it highly enough. I've made it with all sorts of different meat cuts and it comes out consistently delicious every time. I usually serve it with garlic mashed potatoes, hot buttered noodles, or I add in quartered red potatoes an hour or so before it's done. It's yummy no matter how you do it and basically impossible to screw up. 

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Ingredients: 

• 1 (5 pound) bone-in beef pot roast - I used two boneless round roasts, one 2lbs and one 2.65lbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or as
• needed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms - I used 16oz, I love mushrooms
• 1 medium onion, chopped - I used a large onion, yum
• 2 cloves garlic, minced - I used about 6 cloves, are you seeing a trend here?
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth - one can of beef broth, one can of chicken broth
• 3 medium carrots, cut into chunks - I used little carrots, so maybe 3-4 big ones?
• 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks - I used 4 stalks
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary - I used 5 sprigs
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Red wine, I eyeball it and use it to deglaze the mushrooms and onions 

Directions:

1.	Generously season both sides of roast with salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over the top until well coated, and pat it into the meat. Shake off any excess. One of the roasts floured, right before I shook it off
2.	Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Sear the roast on both sides for 5-6 minutes each, until well browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside . I brown it until it's almost black, the darker it is the deeper the flavor
3.	Reduce the heat to medium and stir in mushrooms and butter; cook for 3-4 minutes.
4.	Stir in onion; cook for 5 minutes, until onions are translucent and begin to brown. Add garlic, stir for about a minute.
5.	Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons flour; cook and stir for about 1 minute. Add tomato paste, and cook for another minute.
6.	Deglaze the pan with red wine. Slowly add chicken stock and beef stock, stir to combine, and return to a simmer. Remove skillet from the heat.
7.	Place carrots and celery in the slow cooker. Place roast over the vegetables and pour in any accumulated juices. Add rosemary and thyme. One of the roasts in the pan. I cut the other so half fit into the open space, and I put the fattier half on top so the fat would drip down.
8.	Pour onion and mushroom mixture over the top of the roast. Cover slow cooker, turn to high and cook the roast for 5-6 hours (I did about 5 hours high, 2-3 hours low), until the meat is fork tender. All in here!
9.	Skim off any fat from the surface and remove the bones. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

I forgot to take a photo of it after it was done because we promptly began shoveling it into our faces. I'll have to put in a stock photo, but we ate ours over hot buttered egg noodles.

Pretty stock photo!

After I switched the crock pot to low, I headed off to the salon to get a hair cut. I haven't had a hair cut in ages, basically since I cut it all off after my wedding. My hair is pretty slow growing but I should probably get it cut more often than every three years.  I pointed out my salon's new, cool wall mounted blow dryers and my stylist politely informed me that they were installed over two years ago. Whoops.

I'm not particular about the length of my hair but E tends to prefer it shorter rather than longer. I usually leave it up to my stylist and end up with it cut pretty short, somewhere around my shoulders. It gets curlier and curlier the older I get so no two cuts look the same. 

Apologies for the crummy photos, I should have E take some but these selfies will have to do for now. As I was sitting in the salon chair I also noticed some definite cramps and it looks like my period is finally on the way! I'm only spotting a tiny bit and the clinic says I can't come in until it's a legit flow, but I'll take any progress I can get. If it turns into a real period over night, I'll be able to go in on Saturday for my baseline and possibly get this next cycle kicked off.

Best ice cream evvvvver!

We decided to celebrate with a banana split made with Tillamook Udderly Chocolate ice cream, possibly the best ice cream ever, and the perfect conclusion to what has turned out to be a supremely delicious day. If you haven't had it yet you need to get your hands on some straight away, all of their flavors are worth going out of your way for!