There's a tremendous amount of poking and prodding in the land of infertility. It's invasive and occasionally scary. I'm told I have delicate veins each time I flinch when my blood is drawn. I don't like needles and I'm a wimp when it comes to pain. I was not looking forward to the IVF shots that were about to begin.
Our IVF drug start date loomed on a calendar circled in a bright red sharpie. I hung it in our kitchen so he would help me remember how real this all was about to become. Our nurse called as a reminder too.
We celebrated the night before with a bottle of red wine and a delicious dinner. They suggest you abstain from alcohol and caffeine when you start the drugs. I'm not a big drinker, but I will miss my wine. I had an upcoming dinner party planned and I knew my friends would question my lack of wine glass in hand. Solution: make sangria (with wine & without). It workslike a charm.
I failed to completely wean myself off coffee but was down to 1/2 caf/ 1/2 decaf in the morning. I figured I'd be pure within a couple weeks. I was starting a hard freelance job and knew I'd need that extra bump for at least one more week. The doctor didn't seem too concerned as long as I started taking Estrace (pills).
The first shot you'll take is Lupron. It's injected in your thigh or arm Your nurse can show you the drill. Or you can simply follow the instruction as we did. Side effects may include bloating, mood swings or 'fuzzy brain' ( I had all three, but nothing too extreme).
My honey is a methodical one-task wonder, so I wasn't too concerned that he'd miss a beat in our nightly ritual. Sure there was the pain issue, but I was concerned that I'd feel awkward or embarrassed by this unsexy route to pregnancy. Wrong! Call me crazy, but there was something romantic about these shots. Big needle or not, he was tender in all the right ways. It's intimitate in that good way. This may not be as fun as baby-making the old fashioned way, but who knows where the night might bring you both. Light a candle. Enjoy.
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