IUI # 1 - CD 3 Bloodwork and Ultrasound and First Injection!

Yesterday was my first really big day in this process because I had my very first CD 3 baseline bloodwork and ultrasound appointment! (I ended up going in yesterday instead of on Monday because yesterday turned out to be CD3 and we ended up getting snowed in on Monday, too) The appointment turned out to be a bit of a let-down, though, because the bloodwork just consisted of testing for HCG to make sure I wasn't pregnant. While that was disappointing, it was a bit of a relief, too, since I learned that they don't do baseline FSH tests! However, I was a bit worried that my vein popped out a bit this time during the blood draw. They usually never have a problem drawing blood, but I'm wondering if all of this recent poking and prodding has started to take a toll on my strong and hearty veins. As for my antral follicle count, I had 4 or 5 on one side and 1 or 2 on the other, so I think I'm off to a good start considering the state of my eggs.

I learned that my clinic does one IUI two days after trigger, but asks couples to have BMS the night of the trigger, too. They do not do a follow-up ultrasound after the IUI to check to see if the follicles ruptured. The nurse told me that they used to do the follow-up ultrasounds and found that all ladies' follicles ruptured after the Ovidrel trigger, so they don't see a need to keep doing them.

I also learned the results of my cystic fibrosis bloodwork back - normal - waa hoo. But I need to follow-up to confirm that normal means that I also am not a carrier of it. Now I'm waiting for the results of the SMA bloodwork.

Last night I gave myself (with DH's guidance and support) my first Follistim injection - 225 IUs. It turned out to be a breeze! I felt a bit of a pinch as the needle went in and then a brief stinging sensation afterwards, possibly due to the fact that the medication may have still been a bit cold. I was also a bit dizzy, but I think that was because of my nervousness leading up to the injection, especially when I was staring at the needle facing my stomach. One down, how many more to go...... Anyway, DH was wonderful during this process, too. He said that he would have been able to stick me if I had chickened out. I told DH that I thought I should get to shoot him up, too (without the medication, of course) so he can empathize with how it felt. He declined. :)

I will give myself an injection with the same dosage tonight and tomorrow night and return to the clinic on Friday morning for another bloodwork and ultrasound check-up. I suppose they will check my E2 level then.

As for another general ranting item -- I am a bit peeved at how my clinic runs things purely as a business - I feel like a cow in a cattle call or something, but if they know what they're doing and get me a baby, then I don't mind too much. However, I think that their actual patient care suffers because they have too many patients. This shows in their demeanor towards their patients (most of them appear to hate their jobs) and even in their actual work. For instance, my nurse called me back later yesterday afternoon to hurridly tell me (as usual) that I was good to inject myself that evening. She then reminded me that I still needed to sign the varicella waiver and would not be able to start my treatment without signing it. She doesn't seem too rushed to tell me things that I need to sign (like the varicella waiver, the IUI consent form, or making sure that DH got his bloodwork done), yet when I try to ask her about my results and express genuine concerns and questions that I have, she's always in such a hurry and is very abrupt with me. I can cite three occasions where she told me that she had mailed me forms that I needed, yet I never received. Anyway, like I said before, if this results in a successful pregnancy, then all of this is moot.