Guess who showed up today? AF! I was caught off-guard, yes. Last month on clomid my LP was extended to 16 days. This month? 13. Same as my usual without clomid LP. Uhhh? I’m confused. I’m also feeling extremely nauseated. But I’m refusing to take a midol.

Good thing I’d waited to call the nurses this morning… I’d have had to call them again to say “CD1 today.” So I called and left a message trying to be very succinct: only 3 covered IUIs, done 2 on clomid, should I do injects for last one? So a nurse called back while I was at work and she had answers for me!! She says that the RE WILL probably want me to do injects for my last IUI cycle. Which is what I’d anticipated. And I know just a few weeks ago I was very anti-injectables, but at this point I really don’t feel like doing another clomid/IUI cycle, I just don’t see a point to it. And I’ve heard that injects gives better quality eggs. So 1 cycle of injects is free with insurance, SURE let’s try it.

But of course it’s too late to do it for this cycle. Which is fine with me, actually – I was kind of surprized at how fine I was. We scheduled an injectables class (required before you do a cycle on injects) for February 8th at 1:30pm. They only offer the classes wednesday and thursday, and only at that time. With me working wednesday I chose the thursday so I wouldn’t have to worry about anything. Den is going to take that time off to come with me, she said they prefer the partner to come to the class as well, and he’s probably going to be the one giving me the injections. We still have an appointment with the RE for Feb 1, at which point we’ll go over the protocol I’ll be following for that cycle.

As for this cycle… I asked the nurse about us doing just clomid. She said sure, we could do that if we wanted to. We know it’s not going to give us the best chance at pregnancy, but it’s better than doing nothing this cycle. With clomid only doing like $10 more than we were paying in co-pays for the meds it’s an easy decision. 4 eggs instead of 1. Makes us at least feel like we have some chance this month.

I did ask about a possible ultrasound this month with the clomid – you know me, I want to know how many follicles are there, how big, etc. She unfortunatey didn’t know. So I’m going to call the insurance coordinator to ask if insurance would cover an ultrasound coded under “ovulation induction” (since we get 4 of those under our plans – but I don’t know if they apply only to those who don’t ovulate on their own). If it’s not covered the cost would be between $100 and $125, said the nurse, and unfortunately that’s probably not worth it. It doesn’t really give us any better chance than just using OPKs and having sex every other day… it just gives us more information (which is good in my book – but definitely not necessary in the grand scheme of things). So short form: if insurance will pay we’ll do that and trigger then just have sex like bunnies; if not, then we just have sex like bunnies and chart. Yes, charting again – blah, I have to go back to setting my alarm every morning. Booo. ;)

So there you go. One month of clomid, then one month of injectables and IUI. Then a break in March to avoid a Christmas baby. Then, if we make it that far… IVF. Which wouldn’t be starting until April. Gives me lots of time to absorb information and prepare myself.

Oh and somewhere in there probably a lap. At that appointment with the RE I’m going to ask her about that and probably schedule one. Just out of curiousity’s sake I didn’t take a midol or any pain meds when my period hit and I started cramping. I wanted to evaluate how bad the pain was. (You know, in an attempt to decide if it was endo or not.) I made it to 5:30pm. It sucks, man. Not just pain in a sharp “ow” kind of way… but major stomach upheavals and twisting and a squishy kind of “ugghhhh” pain. And the pain was getting worse. Was it so bad I wanted to die? Well no. (Not yet, anyways.) If it was, say, labor pains I’d be fine and dandy, because it would mean a baby was on the way. I could stick it out, no problems. But when it serves no purpose but to remind me how miserable I feel? Screw it. I took two midol and went to bed (where I am now).

Oh and PS? It’s great having a hubby who is getting mildly annoying and yet is attempting very hard to cheer you up and make you laugh; and having a cat who LOVES cuddles. Soon as Merlin came in here he ran over to me and layed on my chest purring. Kitty cuddles make everything seem better, don’t they. (Now he’s playing with my dog, who was very whiny and looking bored and full of energy. Built-in exerciser.)