Hormone Hell...

Well, I discussed the Clomid process in some amount of detail. This month was a different regimen of hormones...somewhat more complicated. Since this blog is also about our fertility challenges, I figured I'd give an overview of what this regimen entailed.

We started out with 5 days of pills - Letrozole - pretty much the same concept as Clomid - setting up multiple follicles to produce eggs, rather than just one (which is the norm). In my research on these - one (awfully technical) description said that the use of Letrozole "enhances follicular recruitment". So it's wandering around recruiting the good follicles. I like to think this is like colleges recruiting for football players - wander around, find the really good and talented ones, and then bribe them to participate. :-)

Then we started into 3 days of injections - Follistim - to encourage the eggs to grow big and strong, and to thin out my ovary walls a bit so the eggs can push their way through. Keeping with the football theme, I see this part as training camp - beefing them up so they'll perform well in the big game.

Then, the next day I had my Ovidrel shot. I've done this one before - it jacks up my hormones to stimulate the eggs to push through the wall of the ovary and get out there to greet the swimmers. I've run out of football analogies.

After this, came the insemination. Same deal as always - no excitement there.

Now, a few days after the insemination, I have to do progesterone suppositories. This one is no fun at all. They are basically like little pills filled with what looks like an oil - and they have to be...well people, it's a suppository...administered vaginally...twice a day. This one is to increase my progesterone level to get the egg to attach, assuming the egg and swimmers met up and got along. Apparently, low progesterone levels are a cause of early miscarriage. My progesterone levels usually look fine - but a little boost can't hurt.

All I can say about that step is that we've sunk to a new low. My vagina is now taking drugs too.

My thoughts on all of this - it was a lot to keep up with. Pills then shots, then more shots, then a not so fun follow-up regimen that we are dealing with now. But, as with all of it, it would all be worth it if it worked this time. And, as I do every month that it doesn't work, I'll resent the whole thing and say it was the worst thing ever. :-)

So if there are any infertile folks who end up here while Google-ing their own challenges - it is survivable. It comes with horrible hot flashes, moments of extreme bitchiness - but all survivable. You do what you have to do - and in month 10 of this challenging process, we are still hanging in there. Well, I am. The wife is looking a little battered. Apparently there are moments where I act like I am possessed by some demon and have a fit because the mail was set on my desk in the wrong place. Who? Me? Never...

:-)