Pssst, Pssst....I have drugs.... shhhhh!

Because I have a flare for the dramatic, I present to you:

My Stash of Drugs

And you may have noticed the bottle of Tequila,no? Last row on the left.

That would be my "shot" of choice if I could, but nooooo!

Either way, if this darn IVF doesn't work out, trust me, that bottle and me?

We are going to be one. 

And the sad thing is that I have more drugs than that, but the 

 insurance wont approve more than a certain amount at a time, yadi yadi yada

My pic could have been filled with even more drama!

Anyway...

Here is the deal, for those who may be doing IVF in the future and are interested in protocols. And I know I shouldn't be wishing you IVF, but you know? Misery loves company. I kid, I kid! And that's it. From now on, this post gets serious(-ly boring)

I had to write this up because I appreciated finding the very few posts about protocols and if it could help anyone in their obsessive ways, then I'm glad. If not, I'll at least have it for my own reference. I will be doing the:

Birth Control Pill with Lupron Method.

1- Birth Control is taken to suppress the pituitary, to resolve any residual ovarian cyst (which I have), and to allow flexibility in the schedule. I started on day 2 and will take it for 3 weeks. In between, I'm doing the water sono and taking antibiotics.

2- My third week of birth control will be overlapped with the Lupron injections. Its used to further suppress the pituitary in order to prevent ovulation. I have to take it for at least 2 weeks in the mornings between 6 and 9. Then go to work, wonderful.

3- Then I start Menopur injections, I think I overlap it with second week of Lupron, haven't received my detailed calendar yet, and I don't remember. Menopur is a mix of human-follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) and are responsible for inducing follicles/eggs.

4-I then get to add Gonal-F injections for even more ovarian stimulation. Like menopur, it helps to develop multiple eggs. Lots of ultrasounds around these times. And blood tests.

5- Start the Progesterone Oil shots somewhere here.

6- Get a Novarel shot (HCG) when ultrasound and estrogen levels show my follicles are mature. I will be using Novarel to induce ovulation within 36 hours. Yet another shot.

7- At exactly 35 1/2 hours, I will have my egg retrieval. This is the scariest part, but I will have an IV aneshesia (thank God). A long needle is introduced into the pelvic space through the vagina wall under ultrasound guidance, and eggs aspiration will be done.  Yikes!

8- They do insemination, and/or ICSI (IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection) into the eggies and wait for embryo culture.

9- Get embryo transfer, either 3 or 5 days later, depending on their developments.

10- Start Estradiol and progesterone supplements.

11- Wait 2 weeks, and find out if Yay or Nay.