I feel like a druggie!

I gave myself 3, yes 3 injections today. I never thought I could do it, but really it was not that hard. I fee like a druggie- I have syringes and drugs everywhere, its crazy! I also went to acupuncture today, it was great, SO RELAXING!
I am starting to get ovary pain, they are starting to feel full, which is good, that means the drugs are working!

I go back to Dr. Littman on Friday for another ultrasound, so hopefully all is growing well!

This is how babies are REALLY made!

Got all my drugs today for our IVF cycle, a grand total of $21.00, what a bargain! I love our insurance. This is what it takes to make a baby in our world!!

200TH post! Sex Scheduling.

I can't believe we have hit 200 posts! How excited, so in the spirit I though I would spice it up a bit and talk about our favorite subject, SEX!

Now, as most of us know the frequency of sex drops after marriage, my husband always says that wedding cake is the anti sex drug! But its true, I think about how different our lives were when we were dating compared to our lives married. Now we have a house, a business, jobs, and other commitments. I have less time then when we were dating. I think its also a matter of taking each other for granted, I know he will be there tomorrow night, so whats the harm in pushing it off a night? Its bad and I am not proud, but sex does take a back seat to all the other commitments that come with marriage.

Now, throw dealing with infertility into the mix and talk about having no sex life!
Trying to have a baby without having any problems definitely leads to sex on a schedule, however when you have the added stress of infertility sex is even more on a schedule and when you get to a certain point in the infertility treatment you don't even have to have sex to get pregnant, it all happens in a doctors office with the help of a lab.

A lot of the fertility drugs cause a decrease in your sex drive, so taking the drugs that are necessary to get pregnant causes your sex drive to be almost non existent.

A study conducted at Duke University Medical Center, and presented at ASRM by Dr. Jennifer Norten, examined “sexual satisfaction and functioning in patients seeking infertility treatment.” Dr. Norten proved what many suspected, and in doing so validated our feelings. “The results of this study suggest that women undergoing infertility treatment experience significant changes in various aspects of sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, length of foreplay and frequency of intercourse.”

How can you feel sexually attractive when your body is full of hormones and bruised or sore from injections? You have to keep the lines of communication open. Talk to your partner, try and laugh about it, and when you feel up to it, try and make sex romantic.

John and I talk about and laugh about how we never have sex and when we do get pregnant John may not even be in the room. We know this is not how things are always going to be, but right now this is our reality, we want a baby more then anything and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

Now if you feel that sexuality or lack thereof is seriously jeopardizing your marriage, I urge you to seek seek help and support. Individual counseling and/or support groups help you realize you are not alone. Sometimes it’s nice to hear someone else sharing the same problems. That alone may be enough to get you through this trying time.

Remember this is temporary and we can do anything as long as it is temporary.

Friends Having Babies...There is Hope for us Yet.

Our good friends had their second child yesterday. They have had their share of infertility issues, but never really pursued any medical treatment. And haven't endured any of the drugs, shots, blood taking or doctor appointments. But it has taken them 8 years to have 2 children.

John and I have been friends since elementary school and grew up in the same neighborhood. Sometimes, I wonder if there is something in the water here in Las Vegas or it's just this town causing infertility. I know the facts about infertility, but sometimes you wonder is their something going on? Just like cancer. I know so many people going through that it's like what's up?

My Friend John is the same age as me, but he started trying having kids a lot sooner. Although, they had trying times like us he had a little more time.

I guess I worry that I will be too old to play with our kids or won't see them graduate or get married or have children of their own. But that doesn't mean we quit trying or give up hope.

We have had more than one friend recently get pregnant, who have been having infertility issues too, which gives such a great sense of hope. I believe if someone else can do it so can we. Our turn is next.

IUI #1 we are a go for launch!

I had my day 3 appt today with our fertility specialist. I had my blood drawn, yet again! I swear they are vampires over there! No, the blood really doesn't bother me, I have had so much drawn, one tube is nothing! I also had an ultrasound, which shows how my follicles are growing so they can see how my eggs are developing. Everything looked good and I was told to start my injections of Follistim. Follistim is an overpriced drug (and I am not kidding, its way expensive) that causes your body to make more follicles, therefore producing more eggs. So the more eggs there are the more targets the sperm has.
Shots don't bother me, its such a small needle, but I had myself so psyched up for the shot that I made myself sick, I literally had a stomach ache after I left the doctors office. But after about an hour I felt fine.

So, I go back to the doctor on Friday for another ultrasound. to see how my follicles are growing, I will keep you updated!