Question Re IUI & Trigger Shot

[GiGiGiGi]

Hello ladies.

I will be doing my first IUI this weekend.  I did not have my usual RE at my appointment this morning and am a little concerned.  Have been on 5mg of Femara.  Today (tuesday) I had 2 maturing follicles measuring 16 and 17.  I am to trigger on Thursday night and have the IUI Saturday morning.

I am a little concerned because I can feel pains in my ovaries already.  I'm at CD9 today.  Last cycle I O'd on day 11.  I am worried that I will O before I even do the trigger, nevermind the IUI.  I have NEVER had a follicle measure more than 18 on monitored cycles, and i am starting to FREAK OUT that this is gonna be a total waste of money and that I am gonna O way earlier than what this RE predicts.  

Should I be temping or OPKing to check to see if I O, and then cancel the whole darn thing if we end up missing it?  I dont know what to do, and I am scared to trust the doctor.  Should I call and pester the nurses?  Should I call and ask to come in for another U/s on Thursday (trigger day) to make sure that I have not already O'd???  I can just tell them i will pay for it, if they dont want to do it as part of what i have already paid for the cycle.

I just dont know what to do and am quickly starting to work myself up into a minor panic attack.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Gigi

[mhv]

Don't you love the Raspberry Leaf tea?  I think it really helps!  

[mrstallen]

Hi! If there is a target or walmart where u live this is the cheapest place I've found for opk's.  It's nomally $10.99 at walmart and $12.99 at target size pack are 7 per box but both are generic store brand but they reliable for me.  Hope this helps.

[mrstallen]

Hi! If there is a target or walmart where u live this is the cheapest place I've found for opk's.  It's nomally $10.99 at walmart and $12.99 at target size pack are 7 per box but both are generic store brand but they reliable for me.  Hope this helps.

[Hopefulcb]

I was on Femara and only side effect for me was a headache every day I took it.  I was also on Gonal F overlap and had no symptoms with that.  I usuallly feel O pain but this time felt nothing prior or after IUI.  Hopefully the trigger shot worked!

My Beta is Friday so I'll soon find out!

[kris71]

also - regarding the thin lining - i had thin lining at my last IUI but i think it was a side effect of the clomid. This time around, i did injectables. I have been taking red raspberry leaf since i started the injectables and I have no lining issues this time around but again. I"m going to drink it until my Beta.

[kris71]

GIGI - i totally know what you're going through. I am scheduled for my IUI tomorrow and  I also feel like I was having Ovulating pains today. THis happened at my last IUI too - the day before the IUI i felt O pains. I told my dr about it and he said it was impossible that i would have ovulated that day before and maybe what i was feeling was my ovary stretching. I don't know how he knows that i couldn't have ovulated that day. I know he has many years of schooling and experience with this but I also know my body after trying for almost 2 years. needless to say that IUI didn't work and i'm just hoping I have the right timing for tomorrow morning. My follies were 20 and 15 on wed. I would think the 20 one would be done today but who knows. My dr never does an U/s before IUI to see if i might have ovulated. Maybe it is an exact science with the HCG shot but who knows. I was VERY stressed out last IUI because i'm a control freak about this stuff but this time, i'm just going to let it go. i did not take an OPK last night before I did the trigger shot because i didn't feel like obsessing about it this time. i'm just going to hope for the best and pray really hard. good luck!! let me know what your dr says.

[mhv]

I stopped drinking it yesterday 4/5/10.  This is a little article I found...

Red Raspberry Leaf - You may take this herb during the entire cycle as it strengthens the uterine lining, thus helping to lengthen the luteal phase. But do ask your healthcare provider about continuing red raspberry leaf once pregnancy occurs. Usually, it should only be taken in the last trimester of pregnancy, because it “tones” the uterus.

[mhv]

Just make sure you buy Raspberry LEAF tea.... not just Raspberry Tea.  : )

[GiGiGiGi]

mhv - thanks for the info!  I will stop by the grocery store tonight and pick some up.

g

[mhv]

Here is an idea for you lining..... I went to my RE on a Thusday to do a pre-exam for a transfer on Tuesday.  When I got to his office, my uterus was only 5.9mm he said we may have to postpone or cancel the transfer.  I researched online for home remedies for thickening uterus and came across Red Raspberry LEAF Tea... You find it in the organic section of the grocery store.  I started drinking it 3-4 times a day on Friday and when I went back on Monday(3 days) for another ultrasound my uterus was 8.5mm !!!!we did the transfer on 3/25.  He did up my estrace, but has done that before,but that was the thickest my uterus has been since I started this process last July!  It's relatively inexpensive, and worth a try.  It is supposed to tone the uterus.  I did read that you are suppose to stop drinking it after a BFP, but I stopped as of today, and my BETA is Friday 4/9.

[GiGiGiGi]

I will definitely talk to the nurse.  I want either another u/s or some bloodwork.  I know my body, and i know what i'm feeling right now.  I dont recall ever reading anywhere that femara caused ovarian pain, other than ovulation pain.  

I wonder if anyone else out there has just had pains caused by femara that werent caused by ovulation, but just by growing follicles.  I only have 1 on each ovary, so I dunno... but they were hurting yesterday too.

[Hopefulcb]

I just did IUI and they were taking bloodwork and ultrasound daily from day 9 to monitor and I actually needed the trigger shot earlier because I was about O on my own (LH surge in bloodwork starting).  I actually  had the trigger shot on day 10! I've always ovulated on my own usually between day 10-14 although more often on day 10.

I would definitely call the nurse to let her know.  Perhaps they can check an u/s and do the IUI earlier (sometimes the O pain is pre ovulation I believe)

Good luck!!

[GiGiGiGi]

Thank you for the response.  I know it sounds horrible but OPks are expensive as he!! where I live.  I normally buy them online but decided to leave it to the professionals this month... oh the irony.  Maybe i will swing by the drugstore tonight and see how much they are.  Maybe these pains are not indicating that O is soon, but are just a result of the Femara... I kindof doubt it.

They were talking about wanting my follicles to be around 22 by Saturday.  I have NEVER had a follicle that big when being monitored.  I did not see my usual RE today, it was his associate, and i am worried.  I have always have a thin lining.  When he saw that it was at 6.2 today, i'm scared he figured that it was an indication that I had a while to go before ovulation.  My lining has never been above 7.2, and while i'm not sure how much it would grow each day, I dont think that using it as an indicator of how long I have to go until O would make any sense for me.  I'm worried that he looked at that and thought that based on its thin-ness, that i would have lots of time to  go.

I got the impression that the nurse i met with this morning didnt like all my questions, and she sort of spoke to me like i shouldnt question he RE's decision.  I'm not questioning his decision, I'm questioning the information that he used to come to his decision.  If he did not look at my file - how could he know that I O early and that I have thin lining.

Sigh....  I called and left a msg saying that due to my pains I'm worried that I'm Oing early, and could they please call.  I better write out everything I want them to know so I dont forget.

Thank you for taking the time to offer your advice,

Gigi

[naturschld]

I take too long writing these things.  When I started it there was only one response and by the time I got it done there was a whole conversation. :) By then; it might seem out of place.  

[naturschld]

I agree about talking to them.  I can see why you would be worried.  You would be on day 13 by Sat. and that seems kind of late seeing as you o'd on day 11 last time.  Plus with the the follies being that big already, it doesn't seem likely you'll make it to Sat.  I think I would try the opk's.  Temping would tell you after you'd o'd so I don't know if that would do you any good (other than let you know its too late and save you money on the IUI); and unless you've been doing it and know what you're numbers usually run its probably much not help right now.  With the opk's you could still get into the clinic in time(if they moved up your IUI); you just wouldn't need the HCG shot.  I did 3 IUI's myself; lots of what if's involved.  Hope they listen to you and follow up on it.  Good luck and SSBD!

[GiGiGiGi]

Thanks for the response... I guess I'm just having some trust issues at the moment.  I always O on my own, so I'm just worried that my LH surge will override the hCG - which is possible - I asked the nurse.  The trigger cannot delay O in any way, it can only bring it on if it hasnt already happened.

You are right - these are professionals who know what they are doing.  As far as I know I will not be having any bloodwork between now and the IUI.  I think I might call to ask them if I can come in on Thursday or Friday just to double check that I havent O'd yet.  I have pretty bad pains in my ovaries today, and am worried.  

Thanks for the help - your reminder that these are professionals is just what I needed!

gigi

[GiGiGiGi]

I think i will give them a call tomorrow and explain that I am already having O pains and want to double check that I havent O'd before the IUI.  It wd make no sense to go through with it if I have already O'd.

I will also explain that I have never had a follicle grow to 20mm even, and they were talking about them getting to 22 by the weekend.  Not sure that is gonna happen...

I'm just scared, I guess.

Thanks for the advice!

[mrstallen]

Hi!  i'm doing iui and i always trigger then do procedure 2 days later. after the trigger it takes 24-72 hrs to ovulate , and on monitored cycle they know u didnt ovulate before thru blood work and ultrasound.  Don't worry thier proffessionals everything will work out , by the way egg can live 2 days.   Good luck loads of baby dust!

[mhv]

I am doing IVF, so I do not have any input, but I do have 1 comment.... I would definitely call the nurse.  You are spending a lot of money with them, and you deserve to voice your concerns.  I wish you the best of luck!