Friday, July 27, 2012

No pain, only excitment


The weird pain is gone. I was telling a Greek friend about it and she said it sounded like a kidney thing because of the position and type of pain, and actually doctor Google said the same. She told me that it could be “Cold Kidney”; she mentioned that the kidney is very sensitive to changes of temperature. The truth is that I am complaining every day that my husband cranks up the air conditioning and I am always cold. Yesterday I decided to put on some more clothes and sleep with a thicker blanket, surprise, surprise, no pain this morning and during the whole day.

Today I got the confirmation that one of the medicines I have to start taking on day 20 of my cycle has arrived. The medicine is called Synarela (Nafarelin Acetate) and it is a spray that I will have to use for 2 weeks before I start the induction. I am getting excited about the IVF and trying to work on a positive thinking. I want to believe that a positive attitude is going to help me to get my BFP. 

The total of the medicines (Synarela+Merional) added up to a little under $ 1.000 (us dollars). I am not sure how much will be the total cost in the clinic but it shouldn’t be more than $2.000. Compared to the price in U.S. clinics it is a very good price (if it works, obviously). I am trying to think that even if it doesn’t work we will have more information on about what to do next. 

The dificult part will be to remain calm and try not to get anxious. I wish I could go to sleep now and only wake up when I have a positive stick in my hand (lol)!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Mysterious Pain in lower back


Today was one of those days that I knew I shouldn’t have gotten out of bed. For the last 10 days I have been feeling a dull but persistent pain in the lower back. I can’t feel the spot where It hurts, it feels like somewhere inside between my back and abdomen in my left side. Since the pain started before and stay during my whole period I guess I felt it was probably the endometriosis making its job and torturing me. 

My period finished on Sunday, but I can still feel it. It is not an awful pain but it is very uncomfortable. Last night I couldn’t find a good position to sleep in and it took me quite a while to fall asleep. This morning I went to my primary care doctor. They attended me very quickly; I wasn’t even expecting to see a doctor. Turned out that in my file it said that I was an officer, instead of a family dependent. Once I told them that my husband is the officer and not me, and then things went back to the normal speed.  

The doctor examined me and said everything seemed normal. I told him about me using clomid a while ago and that it could be a cyst in my ovary, but he didn’t seem to be concerned. He actually just said, go home and take an aspirin and wait a week to see if you still have pain. 

I am so nervous; I hope it is nothing important because I really don’t know what else to do since the RE back in Europe won’t be seeing me 5 after I start the induction.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

IVF in August


Finaly we reached a consensus! We are going ahead with IVF. The doctor we contacted back in Europe has given us all the direction and all we have to do to go ahead with IVF in August. Up to now, I wasn’t really nervous, but yesterday when we were looking for the medicines to buy online and the tickets I got into panic mode.  I started fighting with my husband because of nothing really important. Poor guy! He’s been so stressed this time around, since he has to do pretty much all the work translating between me and the doctor. When we had the IUIs, the only thing he knew was the day to show up and produce the sperm. Now, he is thinking about medicines, dates, shots, I can see he is really anxious and nervous. He keeps asking me to not get depressed if IVF doesn’t work and to not make him feel guilty.

I feel so sorry for him, but can I really promise him I will be fine if IVF doesn’t work? Of course not!  I will be destroyed. So there is no other option but a positive result. I can’t really imagine going through all of this more than once. 
 
I am leaving to Europe in 10 days. I will start with a GnRH agonist (Nafarelin) on day 20 of this cycle that just started, around August 8th, and then induction will start on the 21st. I have been reading about Nafarelin/ Synarel, couldn’t find much though. It seems that they only use this in a few countries in Europe. It is not only used to control ovarian stimulation but it also used to treat conditions such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids. 

Our major concern right now is the distance. I am sending all the test he asked from the U.S. but it is not the same as if it was from his laboratory of preference. Also, he will be on vacation right when I start the induction and he won't be able to see me every other day as it is usually done. But we won't have other chance to go with our schedules, so it is now or never. The doctor is still confident we can make it work. As if all of this wasn't enough, I will be at my mother's house and I don't want to tell her what is going on. I don't need the extra pressure... uff... it will be a crazy month, that is for sure!

Thanks to my endometriosis I had the worst period of the year during the whole weekend. Nothing helped, I was really bloated, awful cramps and very high flow.  The flow was very dark and the clots were bigger than ever. I wonder if the baby aspirin is helping at all. Today is day 5 of my cycle and I am spotting and I still feel a burning sensation in my left side. I can't wait to go right back to birth control pills so I can keep my endo under control.