Paging Doctor K

I've done it twice now.  As with most things, the first time was ridiculously awkward and, really, a semi-epic fail.  But the second time was better, if slow as molasses.  Yes, I've been initiated into the self-injection club, and I'm proud!

It's actually been kind of exciting.  The build to doing an injectable cycle has been sooooo long for me that it feels so right and strong to have forward momentum.  Several years ago, I did a few unsuccessful IUIs and probably would have gone to injectables next had my organization (that I'd been employed with for several years) not closed it's doors and had to let everyone go.  

Then, I moved to the Bay Area, and I think I shared when I first started blogging that I intended to do an injectable cycle two years ago - had actually done the tests, seen the RE, taken the injectable class and been given my protocol - and  then was laid off from my job again.  Aaaargh.  

Jump forward to last year, when S and I tried naturally for several months and were talking about bumping things up to doing an injectable cycle in January.  Well, we all know how that ended.  So, yeah, it's been a long time coming!

I know the odds are that it would take several injectable cycles to be successful and may not be successful at all, but I'm so grateful to be trying.  To be giving ttc this final push (final meaning this year not this cycle).  I may be able to do another injectable cycle or two before the end of the year but would need a couple months after this one to gear up again.  So, I'm praying fervently for success... and am aware of the realities.  That doesn't mean I won't be emotional! ha!  But in the big picture, I'm aware, if that makes sense.

Back to the present... so the first night, I got all my supplies out and my instruction sheet and dove in.  If I thought too much about it, I would have become paralyzed by fear and self-doubt, so I just jumped.  I did my best, but, dang, it was awkward!  I totally felt like I was playing doctor.  A very, very incompetent doctor.  I went through all the steps (you have to liquefy and transfer three vials of meno.pur on a flare protocol before injecting), and when I got to the final vial, drew up the liquid and... had only 60 units!  Hell!  I was supposed to have at least 90!  Well, there was no turning back.  The nurse who gave me my refresher injectable instructions covered this scenario.  Inject anyway!  So that's what I did.  I did manage to salvage 5 units from another vial that had escaped.  Some may have leaked a bit with my lame-ass withdrawal technique or I didn't draw up enough saline solution at the beginning.  But, onward and upward!

Then, last night, I made a bit of a costly error.  When I put the 5 units of lup.ron into the first vial of Meno.pur, I looked at the vial and there was no powder!  I hadn't rolled the vial to mix it at all.  So, I thought I had somehow received an empty vial.  But no, in further reflection, the cap was on, so how could it have escaped!  It really does reconstitute that easily and quickly.  By the time I realized this, however, I had started on a new vial with the lu.pron.  Real doctors, please tell me if I'm wrong, but I cannot use that reconstituted Meno.pur vial in my injections tonight, correct?  I think I read that's a no-no.

Anyway, exciting stuff!  ha!  I have to admit, I felt kind of badass doing all these medical preparations, then sticking a needle in myself and self-injecting.  I hope it continues to get easier.

Oh and I had a godawful headache yesterday and almost felt like I had the flu.  Apparently, Meno.pur can give you these side effects.  But today, I feel pretty good.

My next steps are to call the RE office Friday morning and schedule monitoring appointment for Sunday, then see where we go from there.  Likely into several more days of injections.  Woo hoo!

Side note:  I'm picking up some more lower-cost Meno-pur tonight from two lovely ladies who live not far from me.  I love that there is this whole underground network of med sharing on email lists, Crag.slist, etc.  I know there are risks, but I do some up-front vetting and feel comfortable so far.