All I gotta say is if someone comes over and looks in our fridge they might be a little confused. We have orange juice, eggs, beer, things for lunches — oh and a big container full of medications.

We got our IVF meds today! Say it with me…hip hip hooray! Now we are officially set for when our IVF cycle begins in a couple of weeks.

I knew the medication was being delivered today, but it was still a weird feeling when I opened it. This whole experience is almost surreal. We waited so long for this to happen (3 years trying to get pregnant) and there are so many hurdles we’ve been through to get to here, and now it’s here! It’s exciting, scary, nerve-wracking, and such a relief all is one.

The fertility pharmacies are so great. There are only about a dozen across the country so they just FedEx everything overnight. And we already picked up a couple of meds from our local pharmacy so we are ready to play the IVF game.

Everyone’s IVF story is different, including what medication they need and don’t need. After lots of blood work, Dr. Huang looked at all my hormone levels and another hurdle cleared: my levels are great! So no need for extra medication (which equals spending more money). We were THRILLED when we found that out!

So what’s inside the most expensive package we’ve ever received?

Take a look!

 

Gonal-f injections:

This medication helps me produce multiple eggs. It’s a follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH. Once my IVF cycle begins, I will give myself a dose of this once or twice a day, depending on how well my body reacts and how many follicles start producing eggs. Remember, their goal is to get as many eggs out of me to fertilize as possible. We won’t know how many shots we need until we meet with the doctor next week.

Oh,and before I move on….the most important part: Yes, I have to give myself the shots. Yes, it makes me kind of nervous just thinking of it, and yes it will probably sting a little…but you know what? I’d do that a MILLION times if it meant for Laryen and I to get that bundle of joy!

 Cetrotide injections: 
This medication prevents my eggs from prematurely ovulating. (Isn’t science amazing?! So crazy that there is medicine out there that does all of this unbelievable stuff!) Since I’ll be taking the FSH injections, I’m pumping all these extra hormones into my body, so it’s bound to freak out and think it’s time to release the eggs. WRONG! This medicine tells those eggies to calm down and just be patient!

Ovidrel:

I’ve taken this medication before during our 3 IUI’s. It’s a trigger shot. I take this shot 24-36 hours before the egg retrieval. It ‘triggers’ my follicles to release the eggs.

 

 

Progesterone: 

Compared to the other shots, this one is not going to be fun. You know when your doctor says the shot is going to hurt – it’s going to hurt. I will take these shots after the egg retrieval. But these ones Laryen has to give me because they get inserted in my booty. Yep…my booty… d0esn’t that sound like fun.  And these needles are a lot bigger than the other meds. (see below!) I need to invest in an ice pack ASAP!

Ok, enough of the shots I have to take. I also have meds that aren’t shots (Thank goodness!)

Doxycycline: 

This is an antibiotic that I’ll take right before the egg retrieval.

Medrol: 

This is a steroid that I’ll take right after the embryo transfer.

Phew…..ok. That’s it! Now I just need to figure out how to make sure I put the medicine in me correctly…and hope that I don’t pass out from seeing the needles go into my stomach 😉