More info about medications and other updates

I just wanted to come back and just talk a little about the different meds I am on and what is expected of me with the cycling. 

This week, I will stop taking birth control on Tuesday.  I will have my baseline appointment for ultrasounds and blood work on Thursday the 19th.  Baseline ultrasounds are vaginal ultrasounds that are looking at the ovaries to make sure there are no cysts, it is making sure there is a nice smooth uterine cavity with no obvious deformities and it is making sure the lining is the correct thickness for the beginning of the cycle.  I have been on birth control for about 6 months now.  The Birth control helps to 'keep the ovaries quiet' meaning it makes sure there is no ovulation which could cause cysts.  That is the important part that BCPs have in the process for surrogacy/IVF.  Also, at this appointment, I will have blood work done.  My progesterone, estrogen and beta (test looking for hCg -- pregnancy hormone) to make sure I am not pregnant.  This is standard in IVF protocols because they do not want for the carrier to be pregnant and medications be started.  (No concerns of that in this house though!) 

On Friday, if everything is normal with my ultrasound (which we are anticipating) I will start my del estrogen shots every third day.  The estrogen in the early part of the cycle is to build up that lining inside of the uterus.  It usually is around 3mm or less when the lining has been shed by a period.  The estrogen will help to build it up so that it is nice and fluffy and prepared for an embryo to snuggle in!  

On April 8, I will have another ultrasound completed as well as the same blood work (minus the beta) to see how thick the lining is and to make sure the levels of estrogen are good.  

Just before transfer, I will also start progesterone in oil shots.  These are 1cc each and many people have issues with lumps from this injection due to the thickness of the oil.  The progesterone is the hormone that signals the body that it is pregnant and not to shed the lining.  In a standard normal cycle, the Luteinizing hormone (Lh) will signal the body to release an egg.  When that egg is released the Lh also signals the body to begin making progesterone to keep the lining nice and thick.  If a woman gets pregnant naturally, the placenta of the embryo will begin to produce progesterone and will signal the body to not shed the lining or have a period.  If a woman is not pregnant, the progesterone will stop being made by the body and the level of progesterone will drop rapidly thus causing a woman to have her menstrual cycle and shed her lining.  So this thick oil will be continued until about 12 weeks because the body is being put into a false state of pregnancy and until the placenta/baby can sustain the progesterone itself naturally, the doctors alter the hormones by giving the injections or sometimes they do vaginal suppositories.

Sometimes reproductive endocrinologists (the doctors that get us pregnant) will also require antibiotics and steroids and also valium just before transfer.  I do not see the medications listed on this protocol, so right now, I am assuming that I will not be using these medications during transfer.  They prescribe antibiotics to reduce chance of infection when anything is put into the uterus.  Steroids are given because there is some research indicating that it helps aid in the body not rejecting the embryo.  Finally the valium is given to help reduce cramping during and after transfer.

Then of course we have the transfer on April 14.  I have a friend going with me to keep me company on the ride and in the hotel so I am stoked for a couple of days of girl time!

Between now and the transfer, our family will be moving from our beautiful house to an apartment.  We were fortunate and sold our house to a friend (also a military family) but her husband deploys in May and she wanted to be established before her husband left which is totally understandable! We don't move to the DC area until mid-june so we will move to an apartment until we leave this base and then again in June.  We are moving most of our household goods to storage in the DC area.  We will be virtually camping in a beautiful apartment for a few months, but again, we feel blessed that we were able to sell our house!


Finally, I sent a package to L.  Some of this stuff I had since our cruise in December.  I have just been holding onto it.  I got her a scarf that just looked like the trendy woman that L is and a clay ornament from Cozumel that I thought was beautiful.  I also got her an Origami Owl necklace and plan to add charms to it throughout the journey!  I chose hope, faith and blog for our first 3.  I think the first two are obvious why, but the blog is a big part of our journey because of you faithful followers! We can share this with the WORLD (literally) with the click of the share button! She received this gift and loved the things I sent-- She is so fun to shop for because she is so stylish!

https://graceful.origamiowl.com/ (In case you want to check out the wonderful Origami Owl Collection!)


I will be sure to update after my appointment on Thursday with how the ultrasound was and if I am lucky, they will give me a couple of print outs for everyone to see what they are looking at and measuring!  Also I will as L if I can share other exciting news too! 

Ciao.