12 March 2007

Needles, shots, injections, oh my

I had to start receiving a progesterone shot daily last Friday. The progesterone suppositories were irritating my va-jay-jay, so they recommended I switch to injections. Rudy was very brave and volunteered to learn to give me the injections (like he had a choice in the matter!!) I watched warily as the nurse made us watch a lovely video, then get out all the long, very pointy needles and vials of oily progesterone. Yuck. I was getting woozier by the minute just watching all the prep.

I first had to receive another 5,000 units of HCG, a "booster" shot to keep everything on track. She gave it to me sub-cutaneously in my stomach. Didn't really hurt, no biggie. Then it was Rudy's turn to give me the first progesterone shot. It is an intra-muscular (IM) shot. I dropped my drawers and bent over the nearest table and put my faith in him to not poke me too hard. My heart was pounding so hard, I was very worked up and nervous even though I had had a shot just like it a week before. It was a piece of cake, just a tiny little prick and then it was over. I jumped about six inches when it went in though, it was a more of a jolt than a painful prick. When it came out I started to feel faint and had to immediately sit down. I was sweaty and clammy - basically got myself worked up over nothing. But come on, the needle is 1 and half inches long! I sipped a little Sprite and was fine.

Rudy has given me two more shots since then and it really isn't a big deal. I get less and less worked up each time. I just can't watch him do all the prep or I will get freaked out and dizzy. He is such a good, supportive and loving hubbin. I love him so much!! I like that he takes good care of me and has a special job to do for our baby every day.

I have an appointment on Monday, March 19th for my first blood pregnancy test. They measure the levels of HCG in your blood. They are doing it 10 days after my last HCG shot to ensure it is out of my system. If the levels in my blood are above 5, I am considered pregnant, but they would prefer to see 20 or 25, I forget. Then, I get tested two days later and if the HCG levels have gone up, I am pregnant! By the way, my progesterone levels were tested last Friday and were 80.5 - they want to see 15 or up, so I am well above the minimum.

The bad news is that if I am pregnant, I still need to continue the progesterone shots daily until I am 12 weeks pregnant! That is 8 more weeks of shots, or 56 more shots. My bum is going to be a sore pincushion! Although it is worse if I am not pregnant as I will have to start this whole cycle over again and do Clomid, then start the shots again. At least I can take a couple of weeks off from the shots though. However, Dr. Miller may change the protocol and put me on some other kind of shots.

Basically, I am not going to get away from the needle until I am 12 weeks pregnant. COME ON BABY!!! I really really really really pray and hope that I am pregnant right now. Please please please?

No comments: