Awww. My doctor missed me, which puts a smile on my face even though this post is a hard one to write.
Come to find out, I was supposed to go in to her office 14 days after my IUI – on May 29 – for a beta test. Well, no one told me that. Whups. I think Dr. Koopersmith thought Dr. Landay covered it before the IUIs, and Dr. Landay thought Dr. Koopersmith was going to tell me when I had the procedures done. Ah, well. In the overall list of crazy mixups that have happened to me with various doctors (who shall remain unnamed…Dr H…), this was minor.
I didn’t call until I officially got my period. I kept getting negatives on my tests at home, so I just waited for my period. She said she was about to call me yesterday and check in before she saw my name on her schedule this morning.
Here’s where the bad news comes: I needed to come in for a beta test because home tests aren’t reliable. They don’t ever trust them. Ever. Home tests are qualitative, meaning they measure if and only if the HCG is there, whereas beta tests are quantitative, meaning they can measure the precise amount of HCG in your blood stream. Way more accurate than peeing on a stick. They can pick up literally ONE mIU/mL, whereas home tests can only first detect hCG around 25mIU/mL.
I was using the cheapie internet sticks, because you can buy them for like a nickel each, and avoiding the First Response Tests, because while they have a sensitivity of as low as 6.3 mIU/mL…they’re expensive. Like, eight bucks a pop, if you buy them on sale and mortgage your house.
Anyway, why did I need to come in? Because I have such a regular period…and I was super late…and while we can’t prove it since I didn’t friggin’ come into her office, Dr Landay is fairly certain this was another chemical pregnancy.
Well, crap. I didn’t know.
This isn’t like before. I NEVER got a positive test at home. I may have had “signs” that I chose to ignore, but I didn’t feel the same way as back in September/October. It sucks, sure, but I think I’m dealing with it well enough.
Let me say this, first and foremost: My Dr T was right. It sucked that I got that cyst/rupture/torsion thing, but I’m completely in love with Dr Landay. She’s the best.
Anyway, moving on to notes from today’s baseline reading:
I now have seven follies. Five on the right, two on the left. So, they switched. Usually my left ovary has four and my right as two…so I guess the hormones are working? Kind of?? I grew one more than I’ve ever had, but still I’m supposed to have between 25-29. So 7 is…depressing.
She also mentioned the dreaded words. Hormone injections. I only grew two mature follies last cycle on Clomid, and they were both small. Mature follicles should be between 20-25mm, and mine were only 16mm and 19mm. So, if the IUI doesn’t work this cycle, we’re adding injectable hormones to my slurry in July. Oh yay.
I’d take the Clomid CD3-7, and then starting on the 8th day until I ovulate I’d have to shoot myself in the tummy. So let’s please please please pray it works this cycle. I don’t like needles.
We’re moving forward, meaning I’m back on Clomid tomorrow. Same dosage. Oh, joy. Because crying at random stuff and hot flashes make a girl feel special.
Random things I’m crying about today:
- injectable hormones
- only 2 follicles on my “good” side
- the $1350 bill I just had to pay to the clinic
- overall feeling of dread that I’ll go bankrupt before this works
- one of my critters ate my favorite wedge this morning and left it lying in pieces right in front of our pet camera, like he was proud of it
Okay, I guess those aren’t nearly as random as coffee and raisinettes, but give it time.
I really need a drink.
My Stork Got Lost 