IUI #1 in Omaha

April 16th, 2013 we had our "baseline" ultrasound,  this was always a ultrasound at the start of my cycle usually day 1 or 2.  This would tell us how my ovaries look prior to any stimulation.  The medication that we were started on to help grow my follicles was an injection called Follistim... Here is the following schedule we did...

April 17-21: Injections 75iu Follistim

April 22: Ultrasound

April 22-24: Injections 100iu Follistim

April 25: Ultrasound (cycle day 11)

April 25-27: Injection 150iu Follistim

April 28: Ultrasound (3 follicles measuring 15mm- wooohoo!!)

April 28: Injection 225iu Follistim & Bravelle 150 Injection

April 29: Trigger Shot

May 1: IUI #1

Towards the end of stimulation we wanted to make sure that the 3 follicles that were getting close to mature size pushed into the mature 18mm size, so we added one more medication called Bravelle.  On the 29th when we were ready to release the mature eggs from the follicles we did another injection called a "Trigger Shot" this does exactly what it sounds like it releases my mature eggs and they start their decent down the fallopian tubes.  Since there is a bit of a distance that the mature eggs have to go we release about 12 hours prior to our IUI.  We then arrive and perform the IUI procedure with the "washed" sperm and lay there after the procedure for 15 minutes to allow things to settle.

http://www.sandiegofertilityspecialist.com/fertility-services/iui-intrauterine-insemination/

After this point we head on our merry way and then we start the fun (but not so fun 2 week wait).  During this time we started vaginal suppositories of progesterone.  Progesterone is a hormone which helps to sustain pregnancy.  Progesterone is vital to a healthy long pregnancy and not all women can produce sufficient amounts of progesterone during pregnancy.  This is where hormone supplements come into play.  In many reproductive cases they add in progesterone just to assist and even prior to knowing if there is a production problem. 

On May 15th we took our pregnancy test.  I remember waking up before Derrick was up, I was so excited to test, so excited to deliver the good news.  I snuck into the guest bathroom and followed the instructions, while I sat there and waited the two long minutes, I hoped, I prayed.  Then just to see one line, one stupid stupid line.  Back to the drawing board....

A few days later I was feeling pretty uncomfortable, I was full and puffy.  Due to the stimulation's I had grown many follicles although with the trigger shot we released the mature follicles there were still other medium sized follicles that had continued to grow into large cysts.  I had another ultrasound on May 18, 2013 to find many cysts, the solution for this was to start a round of birth control pills that would help to return my hormones to baseline, along with my ovaries, as a sort of 'restart'.  Although I didn't want to sit out a cycle in between I knew due to the cysts that I would feel better getting those resolved before starting again. 

Costs for IUI#1 in Omaha: Ultrasounds $295, Medications $695, Labs $64, IUI $300 (these costs were our of pocket costs after deductible was met)