Self-inflicted insanity for sanity!

In a moment of either complete sanity or insanity depending on how you look at it I begged the doctor to push my beta back...

I just heard from the doctor this morning about the results of my progesterone test on Friday. My levels were 11 which indicates ovulation (yay!) but is MUCH lower than during my last cycle (during which the level was 30). Without having a medical degree myself, my educated guess is that the test was done a lot earlier this time. Last cycle I got a positive OPK on a Saturday and went in for the blood test on the following Friday. This time I got a positive OPK on Monday and went in on Friday. So it was two days "closer" to ovulation. In any case I don't think it matters all that much as I am now on progesterone supplements anyway.

However, if my ovulation was either the day after the positive or two days after the positive then I am thinking I am 5-6 dpo right now. My doctor said to come in on Friday for a beta, which would mean I would be 9-10 dpo. This just seemed to early for my comfort. I know that its possible to get a positive (certainly a positive beta) at 9-10 dpo but given what happened last time I just don't want to worry about low levels and all that. So waiting until Monday will make me feel better with the result but it prolongs the agonizing wait! Hence the self-inflicted insanity for sanity!!

Just to add to the insanity, here is my start of the "symptom" list:

4-5 dpo: Crampy feeling, heartburn (though I have been eating like shite), not sleeping well
5-6 dpo: Crampy, heartburn, still not sleeping well

I have now taken 3 100mg progesterone suppositories. I don't think I am having any side-effects (but for the crampiness mentioned on the symptom list, oh yeah and the itching!!). No sore breasts yet...

So far, so ok?!

I have been meaning to make time to write about how this cycle is going and how I am feeling about things but work is so darn busy!

Today is day 21 and I finally got a positive reading via OPK on day 19. So I should have ovulated either yesterday or today. Needless to say there has been a lot of lovin' in our house these past few days.

I am a little concerned about how late it is in the cycle. I know its not terribly late but I wonder whether the egg quality is affected by the later ovulation. Last cycle I got a positive OPK on day 17 so its only two days later.

On Friday I will go in for bloodwork to test my progesterone levels to see if ovulation actually occurred. I will also start progesterone (vag supplements) on Friday as well. So keep your fingers crossed that Y's sperm are busy violating my egg! (yikes that sounds yucky).

So now the dreaded 2 week wait begins, though with things as busy as they are it should go by quickly.

In other related news, the toll of pregnant coworkers had grown to 14!! I work in a smallish company and this is definitely the highest number of people in this office to be expecting ever. I kid you not there has been less than 14 births in the company probably in the last 5 years total...

The calm before the storm

My last post feels like forever ago even though it was only a week. Last week was super busy and a bit stressful at work. I have a ton of projects right now and one is about to kick in to super busy mode. I am quite scared actually. Its a really big deal project for me and could make or break whether I get promoted in December. I feel excited about the project but also feel like I am going to crap my pants just thinking about the amount of work to be done/manage. August will be insanely crazy and I will be potentially be 4-8 weeks pregnant (assuming this cycle works)! Yikes.

Cycle-wise things are going along. Today is day 12 and I finished my Clomid on Friday. Today I start peeing on the OPK stick until that beautiful smiley face shows up. Last cycle I would POTS (pee on the stick) first thing in the morning (per my doctors orders) however, after reading lots of helpful posts/info from all of you (and other Nesties) I feel more comfortable with the accuracy by doing it in the afternoon this time around. However, that requires me to POTS at work. I am really bad at literally peeing on the stick and usually have to pee into a receptacle of sorts and then dip the stick. So I brought a J.ello pudding snack to work and I will eat it, clean the cup, and later this afternoon use it to assist with my peeing.

Thanks for the info re: the monitoring. I did not even end up asking for it because work was so busy last week that I never called the doctor to ask for it. I will call her today to ask about the progesterone as I need to get a prescription for that and figure out when to start taking it.

I have been reading everyones' blogs I just haven't had much time for posting. (Thank god for the Black,berry and the morning/evening commute, nice blog reading time!). I did want to send some positive thoughts out to Chell who is growing a city of eggs and dealing with some awful OHSS. I hope your retrieval goes well tomorrow and that everything works out ok with the fluid/sickness.

Every weekend should be a 3-day one!

Long weekends are so nice. I really think that work weeks should be 4 days and weekends should be 3 days long. People overall would be much happier I think!

We had a nice weekend, watched the Bosto.n Po.ps and fireworks show. The fireworks were really good though after a while there is so much smoke you can't see the fireworks very well. Yesterday we went to Wal,den Pond for a quick swim and relaxed on the shore for a bit. It was really nice.

Today is day 1 of Clomid. It hasn't arrived in the mail yet but should come this morning. Last time on Clomid, I had no side effects so I am hoping for the same this time!

Has anyone ever done a monitored Clomid cycle? How does it work? How often/when were you monitored?

What a lovely surprise!

Yesterday was CD1 of cycle 17!!! It came out of nowhere (temps are still high and no spotting) but it is here and for once welcome!!

I reordered my Clomid (50mg) and will start that on Monday (CD5-9). I really wanted to demand a monitored cycle this time to make sure that my lining isn't thining and have a better idea of how the medication is working but I didn't get to talk to the IF nurse because she is off for the July 4th holiday. I will speak with her on CD 6 but I am not sure if it is too late to begin monitoring.

I also need to ask her about the progesterone and when I will start that.

It feels really great to be back in the swing of things. I am also trying "The Sec.ret" with this cycle (power of positive thinking) so this cycle will work and I will be pregnant with a healthy baby in 4 weeks (or 2 going by fertilization).