cycle #1

We have officially started Cycle #1 of our trying to conceive (TTC) journey!  There are a lot of mixed emotions with that sentence.  I think you could select any adjective in the dictionary and it would somehow apply to the feelings I am experiencing at the current moment.  I jokingly sent Kara a text message when this cycle started the other day that I had a feeling that this would be the last time (for a very long time) that I will get excited to start my period. 

I have mentioned on more than one occasion that there are a lot of unknowns in this journey.  One of these unknowns is whether or not it is going to be difficult for me to get pregnant.  The other big unknown is how much this journey is going to cost us.  Because the cost of donor sperm (DS) is a significant cost and obviously an expense we would need any month in which we decide to TTC, Kara and I have decided to be somewhat aggressive in our attempts each cycle.  Therefore, our cycle this month will go as follows ...

I went for a baseline u/s yesterday.  This was on CD 2.  The baseline u/s is necessary for a couple of reasons.  The first of which is to make certain that I do not have any cysts on my ovaries.  This is important because I will also be taking a fertility drug known as clomid that can actually cause cysts to develop.  I will get to more on this drug in just a bit.  The baseline u/s is also important because it allows the RE a view of the follicles in my ovaries.  There should be a lot of small follicles in my ovaries at the start of a cycle.  The follicles are actually what encases each egg in my ovary.  There is a essentially a race that goes on in a woman's body each month.  The follicles compete to become the "biggest" follicle of the bunch and eventually an ovary will release an egg from the most dominant follicle.  This is ovulation.  So anyway ... the baseline u/s went just fine.  Although I am sure my female readers would agree that an internal u/s on CD 2 is not the most pleasant experience!  I am only just beginning this experience and already feel as if I have no shame.   Joy. 

I started taking 50mg of clomid today (CD 3).  I will take the clomid through CD 7.  This drug is used to stimulate ovulation.  It essentially helps to produce eggs.  This occurs because clomid reduces the amount of estrogen being produced in my body.  This causes the pituitary gland to produce more hormones to raise my estrogen levels. The pituitary gland also produces more FSH and LH hormones which stimulate follicle and egg production in my ovaries.  Therefore, the goal is to make certain that come ovulation time I have a couple of mature follicles.  It is unknown at this time how my body will react to the clomid.  I could have no reaction or there is a slight chance that I will overstimulate (produce too many follicles).  If this were to occur, then we would not continue with the insemination this month.  This is why it is important for any woman taking clomid to be closely monitored by a doctor.  I personally do not want to become the next octomom!

I am then scheduled to go back for another u/s on CD 11 to check the progress of my follicles.  This apointment will determine the date of the intrauterine insemination (IUI).  More on that later.   

So that is it for now.  I'm just hoping that I don't become a hormonal mess in the next few days (the lovely side effects of clomid)!

Mary