23 - Meds received - July 15th, 2008

Somehow we did not hear the fed ex person when he arrived in the morning with the meds (we were both home - we think it was a doorbell malfunction). I just happened to noticed the "sorry we missed you" type tag hanging on the door at about 9AM...I flipped out. Freedom Fertility Drugs emphasized that someone MUST be home to pick up the drugs because one of them (the gonal-f) was temperature sensitive. We called fed ex and attempted to get the truck turned around (without much success). So I then called the pharmacy to get the true scoop...would my meds actually be okay if I didn't pick them up until 4PM from the fed ex pick-up place? Yes, the gonal-f was actually packed with ice packs and only had to remain room temperature.

So I arrived at fed ex at exactly 4PM and picked up my crate of meds. Okay, maybe not a crate, but to me, the box looked huge...I think that is because I know that all those drugs will be going into my body over a relatively short period of time. Here is a list of the contents:

-LUPRON - this is the drug that will shut down my pituitary gland, and, hence, shut down my ovaries...making them a "clean slate" so to speak. I will take the Lupron via shot once a day starting around Day 22 of my cycle.

-DEXAMETHOSONE - this is a steriod that will help prevent my body from rejecting the embryo (i.e. treating it like an invasion). I will take this via pill and start it the same day I start the Lurpon - around Day 22 of my cycle.

-GONAL-F - this is a stimulation drug of pure FSH which will stimulate multiple eggs to mature. I will take this via shot in the evening starting a few days after my period arrives (about 10 days after I start the Lupron).

-MENOPUR - this is another stimulation drug, only this one is a combination of FSH and LH. I will also take this via shot in the morning starting the same day I start the Gonal-f). So at the height of this process, I will be giving myself 3 shots - one in the stomach and one in each of my thighs.

-NOVAREL - this is HSG and will be given via shot (this is the not fun, inter muscular shot which I will probably have a nurse to give it to me) the night before the retrieval to induce ovulation.

-MEDROL - this is another steriod that I will take via pill the night of the retrival (once a day for 4 days). Its purpose is similar to the dexamethosone - to prevent the body from rejecting the embryo (s).

-TETRACYCLINE- this is an antibiotic that is taken via pill four times a day for four days starting the night of retrival.

-ENDOMETRIN - this is the progestarone suppositories which I will begin a day or two after the retrival and continue for a few weeks...keeping my uterus a viable environment for the embryos.

-VIVELLE - this is estrogen which will be given in the form of a patch. I will begin this about 9 days after the retrival.

So now I sit and wait for this med cocktail to begin. I will go for a P4 test (progesterone test) somewhere around July 27th/28th. This will confirm that I have ovulated. If I have, then I will start the Lupon that night.