So, yesterday, I had my CD2 ultrasound. She verified – again – I only have 6 total follicles. 2 on the right, 4 on the left. Not ideal, BUT – she finally got my AMH level back. AMH is a hormone that is produced by the ovaries and shows your ovarian reserve. She said for women my age, she likes an AMH level of 1.2.
Mine was 2.25. Meaning, even though I don’t have follicles, I have a huge supply of eggs remaining. Which makes sense, I guess…my body isn’t producing follies, so the eggs just chill out in my ovaries all microscopic and stuff.
This is really good news. Clomid actually helps to create follicles. My eggs aren’t the problem, it’s the…transportation? Getting them from the ovaries. This is where Clomid comes in.
Clomid is what they call an estrogen inhibitor. It blocks estrogen from being released in your brain, which tricks your body into thinking there’s not enough estrogen to mature eggs. Which sets off a chain reaction.
It causes your body to release a TON of estrogen, which is what gets the eggs ready to mature, and then that estrogen creates a TON of FSH, which creates a bunch of follies, which in turn, makes TON of luteinizing hormone (LH), which actually triggers ovulation. Why is this such great news?!?!
Because all my tests have come back so good, and my follies really seem to be the only problem…
Dr. Landay sees no reason to wait until June for an IUI. We’re proceeding.
THIS. CYCLE.
Holy cow! I was expecting it in June, but to have it moved up a month…this is so amazing!!!
So, knowing that, I got my prescription for Clomid yesterday (!!!). I take 100mg daily – at the exact same time – for the next 5 days. There are supposedly side effects – sore boobs, cramps, headaches. PMS-like symptoms. But I took the first two tabs at 7am and I still feel fine. So, we shall see.
Anyway, on CD8 (the day after I stop Clomid) – two things happen:
1) I start testing every day between 10am-3pm for my LH surge with the ovulation predictor kits.
Why in the afternoon? Because I can call in and SCHEDULE MY IUI!!!
2) Even though we are PROCEEDING WITH IUI!!!! Quincy and I still are under doctor’s orders to hibbitydibbity every other day from CD8 on. It’s hilarious that we will be under doctor’s orders to monkey around. He gave me the Vulcan eyebrow when I told him that.
Deep breath! The big test is next Wednesday, May 11. This *should* be right before my LH spikes. I go in at 8am for another ultrasound, where she counts my follicles again to see how many the Clomid produced. If I made too many, she has to cancel the IUI – can’t risk having multiples. But if it only created 1 or 2 more, we are go for launch. If it didn’t make any more, I may have to switch to injectable Clomid next cycle. Ick.
Barring any bad news on May 11, I continue testing for my LH spike (which, I know my cycle, it’ll occur either the 12th or 13th), and I go in the very next day with Quincy for the insemination. She does another ultrasound that day, too, to see if I’ve ovulated or am just about to ovulate. If I’ve already ovulated, she only does the one IUI. If I’m just about to ovulate, we inseminate that day, and I go back in the next day for a second IUI.
So, with a little luck…I’ll get inseminated either May 13th or 14th. Possibly both.
Oh man oh man oh man!
Some facts:
Chances of successful pregnancy through insemination using Clomid is 16.4% for the first cycle, 39.4% through the first three cycles. After that, it drops to 1%. Basically, if it doesn’t work the first three times…it ain’t gunna happen.
Chance of TWINS with Clomid/IUI is only 8%.
Chance of TRIPLETS or HIGHER is less than 1%.
So I’m not worried about that.. even though my sister WANTS me to have twins..eesh…she can pay for double day care!
My Stork Got Lost 