Lupron, My Dear Friend

Tomorrow morning I will begin taking Lupron injections again to get my body all prepared for a frozen transfer.

Wow, it's coming quicker than I expected.

I'm honestly GIDDY from the excitement I feel around this next transfer.

I've got quite some time to go, but I'm one step closer!

Day 5 of my IVF cycle

Sorry for how long it has been between updates. David and I were on vacation for the last few days, and I had very limited internet access.  We were enjoying the beauty of Lake Geneva, and we were remembering that this very well may be the last vacation before I am pregnant so we took advantage of it!

The day before we left for vacation, I began my IVF injections. 10 units of Lupron (yep..the drug I was afraid of) every morning at 9-9:30 AM.  I have continued that dosing, and I just finished my 5th day of Lupron injections.  Here is what I have experienced so far while on this drug:

- Itching at the injection site which goes away within a few minutes.

- Tiredness. I find myself ready for more naps or an earlier bedtime.

- Headache. Since starting the lupron, I have had a slight headache constantly and its focus is right behind my eyes. Apparently, this is a hormonal headache, but so far it hasn't been bad enough to make me need tylenol.

- Flushed. About 15 minutes after my injection, I get REALLY warm. This lasts for about 10 minutes, and then it's done. I haven't had any more hot flashes which I'm grateful for.

- Welt at injection site. This was only yesterday, although it did make me a bit concerned. I had a quarter sized welt for about 8 hours following the injection. This morning the welt from yesterday was gone, and today's injection did not leave a welt.

Overall, I can't complain at all about the side effects. I have yet to experience the irritability that many experience (though I'm sure it's probably coming).  I also have to say the side effects I have had are quite minor, and I'm grateful for that. I hope it stays this way for the rest of the time I'm on the shot.

I will continue on 10 units of lupron a day until 7/13. On 7/11 I will go in for an ultrasound and blood work. If all looks good there, I will decrease my lupron dosage to 5 units on 7/13 and continue that through my egg retrieval. On 7/13 I will also be adding my stimulating meds: Follistim and Menopur. If all goes well, and I am not over suppressed or over stimulated, I will have my egg retrieval July 23-29.

Big Decisions!

So, I got the call back from my R.E.'s nurse at U of C with the list of dates. I am supposed to start injections on June 26th and will have my egg retrieval the week of July 23.  She told me that I would be starting on Lupron injections the 26th of June.

Being my cautious (some may say paranoid) self, looked up the side effects of Lupron, and now I'm not so sure I want to do this. I react badly to drugs a LOT, and the side effects of Lupron are no joke. Basically Lupron is a drug used to treat Advanced prostate cancer and it has been called by some, a "poison" as the side effects can be serious. It is also used to treat endometriosis.  It is used off-label for IVF (basically, it's not one of the "approved uses" of the drug), and it is VERY common practice to use it in an IVF cycle. To see the side effects please go here.  This list is similar to the others I have found across multiple drug sites.  Basically the drug will shut down the pituitary gland from producing the LH hormone, thus ensuring that ovulation does not happen prematurely. It sounds like a good idea, but the horror stories (and yes, I realize they are rare, and they are titled "horror stories" for a reason) make me nervous.

As I said, I react badly to a lot of drugs, and many of the "horror story" reports state that patients who have taken Lupron have experienced irreversible effects from the drug. It also has side effects of high blood sugar (I already have diabetes) and is used with caution in individuals who have a prolonged QT interval (which I do). Needless to say, I'm nervous. I actually called the doctor today to see if there is a way to go about the IVF cycle without this drug (Waiting to hear back from them).  There's just something in my gut which tells me NOT to go on this drug. It may be fear, but my gut usually doesn't steer me wrong. If I can't find an alternative way to go about this process, I may just go back to naturally trying because I just don't feel comfortable taking the Lupron...even if it is for my dream of being a mommy.

Anybody out there with any ideas or who has used Lupron for IVF? I'd love to hear from you!