Back on track!

That was a close call!

So after being pretty worried and stressed and imagining the worst (which at this point would be that they put me back on birth control for 8 weeks since we can't do IVF next month cause we'll be in MD) it turns out everything is now ok!

And now there will be a few graphic-ish details so feel free to skip - the basic message is everything's ok now! And now I am happy like I am in this picture:

When we got to my apt I told them that I was worried I never really got my period but that I just spotted/bled the whole time I was on birth control. Dr. Foulk was doing the ultrasound and he quickly saw that my endometrial lining was very thin and reassured me that all that bleeding was my period and we were good to go. Ok sounds good.

Then the cyst - still there and it was really big. He said we could just drain it and then it'd be gone and we'd be fine. Cysts will form and then dissolve all by themselves but we didn't want to leave it there because we didn't want it to interfere with the follicles that we were going to be stimulating. I was a little nervous about the draining bit but was definitely on board with doing whatever was needed to keep us on our current schedule!

(desperate for pictures!)

Ok so some details on this - not for the squeamish... so in order to drain the cyst they needed to first clean me out so they did what he called a "super-douche" which was kind of uncomfortable but he had warned me and it wasn't as bad as he made it sound. He said "dilution is the solution to bacterial pollution." Ok great. Since they were going to be inserting a needle through the vaginal wall we needed to make sure there wouldn't be any chance of infection - or the round of antibiotics we did last week would be for naught!

After the "super-douche" they put the ultrasound probe in, found the giant cyst, and then he warned me when he was going to put the needle in and that I'd feel a poke but to try not to jump. It was definitely a "whoa" feeling but like he said, it lasted only about 5 seconds. Ok, then this was crazy, he showed us the amount of fluid that was drained out - it was 35 cc's so that was like a syringe as thick as my thumb full. He said it was fluid just like you'd have in a blister. Anyways I was shocked! We watched on the ultrasound machine as the needle went in and then it totally shrunk... very interesting. Sorry if that was gross. Wait, I created this blog so I wouldn't have to apologize for sharing details! Just, usually that won't be that gross hopefully....

When it was done they had me stay laying down for 10 minutes because sometimes people can be a little woozy. The nurse said, "that was like a mini egg retrieval - just 5 seconds instead of 45 minutes!" I got up and felt fine - a little weird down there but not bad.

I was just so relieved that we didn't have to push this back or go back on birth control or anything! I was able to start my other 2 medications tonight (was supposed to start this morning but they had told me to hold off till we re-checked the cyst) and then the next step is a blood test on Friday to check my hormone levels.

I'm so grateful that things are going well so far - thank you all for your prayers and support!

Baseline apt - bad news?

Friday I had my Baseline apt to make sure everything was good to go before I start all the stimulating medications on Monday.

The first thing they did was an ultrasound - I haven't actually started my period since stopping my birth control pills Monday night which they seemed like it should've started but it's still normal so my uterine lining was still kind of thick. THEN she was checking my ovaries and dang it.... a cyst. Next step was a blood test to see if the cyst was making estrogen or not - if not it shouldn't be a problem. So after two pokes they got my blood and I would get the results later that day. They finished the apt with the shot class to teach me about the next two medications I would be starting Monday if everything went to schedule.

I got a call from them that day just before 5... she said my estrogen level was 36 and that that was normal and good but that Dr. Foulk wanted me to come in Monday to recheck it to see what the cyst was doing. I'm supposed to keep doing my Lurpon but not start the other medications till after they recheck it. Sometimes cysts can just dissolve and go away. If the cyst was making estrogen then it would interfere with the stimulating meds. If it's not making estrogen then it might be fine to just not worry about and continue with the meds. I'm not exactly sure why if my estrogen level was normal that I can't just take my meds on Monday and keep going according to plan - except I haven't really gotten my period yet either and that could be related and I think it needs to actually start.

So basically I need two things to happen right now - for my period to actually start (instead of spotting like I have been for weeks), and for this cyst to go away. Praying for this to happen asap! Monday I'll go back in and see what they say.

Worst thing would be if they decide the cyst is a problem and then they put me back on birth control and this all gets pushed back. I'm going out of town July 15 - Aug 7th so that would really mess things up if this gets pushed back.... ugh! I feel like despite how annoying this is I'm trying to stay positive - there's really nothing I can do at this point and I know no matter what everything will work out... somehow...