it has begun...

(for my own records this try will be try # 18)

I love my doc. I feel like I can never say this enough. Just seeing him today when I went in for my baseline u/s made me feel so good. He is truly a great man and I am so lucky to have him for my doc. He is so present when I am there. He listens and really hears me. He cares so much and it shows.

My u/s was fine. My left ovary was hiding as usual but with me pushing in and down it showed up. My lining is thick so I am starting Lupron today and will go off BCP Sunday. I will go back for another lining check on the 9th just to make sure it has thinned out.

I came home and gave myself the Lupron shot. I am lucky in that I only have to be on 10 units for 5 days and then I can go down to 5. Lupron makes me very cranky (as Bliss puts it) and the idea of being on 10 units for over 10 days was terrifying.

I am going to post my protocol because I am always interested in this stuff. It will also be an easy way to refer to it myself.

5-1 start Lupron 10 units in the AM
5-2 start back on Metformin 850 2 times a day
5-3 take last BCP
5-6 drop to Lupron 5 units in the AM
5-11 start Follistim 225 units AM and 225 units PM
5-11 start Menopur/Repronex 150 units in the PM
5-11 start Dexamethasone 1mg in the AM for 90 days
5-19 go in for CD9 u/s

I also take:
Aspirin 81mg daily
DHEA daily
B-100 with 800 Folic Acid daily
Vit. D 1000 daily
Flax Seed 1200 daily
Vit E plus Selenium daily
Calcium 1000 daily

I have also begin the low cal/low insulin diet again. I am trying to put myself in a slight ketosis state (a state of losing weight) for this cycle.

This is the highest I have been on of stims. Doc said at 600 the receptors are at their saturation point and that beyond that is wasting money. It is 75 units a day more than last time. I guess that is not a huge difference but for some reason it feel like it. I am also doing the twice a day thing which I didn't do last time so that feel interesting too. I am glad belly shots do not even phase me otherwise it would be stressful.

I also have the PIO in Ethyl Oleate on order to be sent when the time is right. I cannot stress enough how much that changed things for me and how much less pain was involved with that. The PIO in sesame just builds up until I have lemon sized lumps that literally crippled me last time.

I am also fortunate that between stuff I had extra and the amazing kindness of friends and strangers alike I only have had to order 4 things from the pharmacy and all of these were cheap or insurance covered items. Thanks to each of you, you know who you are, it has really made such a difference.

So that is the news. I am beyond relieved it has started. I told doc I want 2, my 2 babies back and he said he would definitely put in an order for that.