5 Days to Beta-Update

Where to start. Around 6:30pm last night, I realized the nurse hadn't returned my voicemail so I called the on-call nurse to at least ask about the Viv.elle patches. I've always had problems getting the patches off and they always leave some redness and residual adhesive behind. But lately the redness has been getting worse and started to itch. Bad. The on-call nurse told me to try topical Ben.adryl or some hydrocortisone cream and I told her I has some other questions if one of the nurses could call me back during normal business hours. She said she would send an email to my assigned nurse to call me.

I got antsy this morning and ended up sending my assigned nurse an email (I just recently got her email address when she sent me the list of acupuncturists) with all of my questions. Although she didn't reply until 4pm, she answered all of my questions and it was a much more effective way of communicating. I didn't have to worry about my cell phone ringing during a meeting or missing a phone call. Here were my questions and her answers:

1. Viv.elle patches. Is there anyway to avoid the itchy red weltiness or is there anything else I can do to make it go away faster?

This is a common complaint with these patches and as long as the red welts don't start spreading outside the outline of where the patch was, that it isn't anything to worry about and can't be avoided. Continue using the Ben.adryl or hydrocortisone cream.

2. PIO. Any tips you can give me to make these a little less painful (not the shot itself, but the soreness afterward)?

Nope. Again, a very common complaint, but not much you can do about it. (I guess I'm just being a baby on this one)

3. Does Dr. S ever recommend using progesterone in ethyl oleate (which I hear is thinner than the PIO in sesame oil and therefore easier and less painful to administer)?

I've never seen any patients use this.

4. Did our lone embryo make it back to freeze?

It made it to blast, but was poor quality that they did not think would survive a thaw so it was discarded.

5. Why doesn't the clinic do another progesterone level check in between transfer and beta like some clinics do?

We don't do it because we check the level on the day of transfer and adjust at that point if necessary. We then check with the first preg. test and adjust again if pregnant and if the level needs to be adjusted. If you want to, we can do an extra check for you this week.

Not exactly the answers I wanted to any of the questions. But at least they are answers. The Ben.adryl is helping the itch a bit. I'm debating whether or not I want them to do another progesterone check this week. It might make me feel better, but it is just another blood draw that they don't really feel is necessary (which means it isn't part of the shared risk program and I would pay out of pocket). Plus, getting to their offices during the middle of the week before going in to work is always a pain. It is hard enough to get my PIO shot in every morning and I've been getting to work later and later.

Not that I've been that productive at work this week. My mind has obviously been elsewhere and I've been a little flaky. When I got home from work today I went upstairs to change into happy pants and a sweatshirt. As I was walking back downstairs, I looked down and realized I was holding a bra in my hands. No need to bring it downstairs. Really. The hamper is upstairs, my dresser is upstairs...I must be a danger on the road these days.

I think it is sad that our lone embryo didn't make it back into the freezer, but I know we still have 14 others waiting for us to thaw. Definitely could be worse. I still cringed when I read the word "discarded."