[Warning this post may be TMI for those who don't want to know about "female stuff"]
So I have been on the hormones for a couple weeks now. One shot in the morning to suppress my natural hormones, another shot at night to stimulate my ovaries.
The first shot didn't affect me much but by the second day of the second shot I quickly learned that I needed to wear elastic waistbands. My ovaries went into hyper-drive and within a couple days they were swollen and had several follicles over 12mm on each of them. This is decidedly uncomfortable and painful at times. It is much like having a cyst, except as of today I have about 30.
The other uncomfortable part of this process is the constant check-ups. I have been getting a pelvic ultrasound every other day, and each time it is a different tech. It can feel a bit like being on display. "Welcome to my uterus, stranger of the day, please no flash photography, the left ovary is shy." There is also blood drawn each visit, and the nurse today switched to my other arm because the right one was getting too bruised.
But it is all worth the hassle and the pain, this morning the tech was quite impressed by my cluster of potential eggs, and sure enough I got the call this afternoon to take my final shot tonight that will stimulate the maturity of the eggs in preparation for harvesting on Monday. Three to five days later we will have a selection of embryos ready for implanting. Exciting!
I also find myself oddly proud of being the most productive little hen in the hen house. I am free ranged, but not hormone free ;)
