Hey Look, I'm Back!

Well there's no denying it now, we're in full IVF swing.  Ovarian stimulation started yesterday...so we've been at this for a little while now, just without the blogging. 

I think it was necessary for me to step away from the computer.  There's been a lot going on and one of the main points was my lack of "being here" because of work.  Work was taking over in a very bad way and some lab results proved that to actually be impacting my health.  I couldn't very well come home from a 12 hour day at the office and tell my B that I'd be in our office for a bit longer to type up my "goings on"...  I missed him.  He missed me.  We needed to spend any time possible just hanging together- trying like hell to de-stress. 

Not to say it worked all too well.  My cortisol levels have proven to be continuously high, and a bit higher than the last time I was tested.  Then they found that my glucose levels were a little too high...so they needed to do a continuous glucose test (has anyone had this done? It's ridiculous! They didn't really explain it to me at all, I just sat in a room and all of a sudden they came in, stuck a needle in my side, taped it in there with some sensor, gave me a self-tester, and told me I had to prick my finger 4 times a day, carry this other sensor thing around with me everywhere I go, and input numbers all day long...).  Well that didn't come back great either.  My glucose levels sky rocketed a couple of times a day...but only while I'm at work. And my diet doesn't change much at work compared to the weekends, yet my levels are perfect as can be on the weekends.  Doctor's conclusion = I'm prediabetic and stress is worsening it. 

WTF?

I don't believe it- I have absolutely no symptoms of diabetes (which I guess is standard for pre-diabetes) but the sensor was way way off a few times and never once did I test myself high- I was always in the normal range.  But nonetheless, I need to stop stressing. Period.

So, I'm taking a break from work.  A few weeks away from the office while we undergo an incredibly peaceful and successful IVF cycle!  I only have four more days of work left before I'm off for almost all of March.  I'm so excited to stop freaking out about things that just don't matter in the grand scheme of things.  I'm excited to focus my efforts on making my body a great place for a little one to be (or maybe a little two?)!  And I'm so so so excited to get a good result this time around!

I started doing acupuncture a couple of weeks ago.  It's been going really well. I definitely enjoy it.  We started Lupron on the 10th.  I stopped BCP on the 13th.  Got AF four days later and started stims yesterday. We're doubling up our protocol- so this time we do injections at 7:30am and again at 7:30pm.  I thought it was a lot the last time when it was just in the PM. Yikes! But it feels like we're really doing something to make this happen. 

We've also decided to do ICSI this time around.  It added to our bill, ugh, but I'm feeling really good about it bettering our chances, and at least giving us a little more of a glimpse into what's going on with my eggs.  They just didn't have any answers the last time about why we had so many beautiful looking embryos on day 3 and almost nothing on day 5.  This time, we'll get a little more education at least! 

So we've got an appointment on the 24th for an ultrasound and blood tests...pray that my estrogen is a lot higher than the last time!  Hopefully this double protocol works it's magic. The retrieval is tentatively scheduled for March 3rd and 5 day transfer would be March 8th!!!

Bring it!  This is our time.