Wednesday, October 12, 2005

And I didn't pass out or anything

Injection class c-o-m-p-l-e-t-e!

Woo - I have my handy dandy follistim pen, and am all edumacated about injecting myself. I mean if this whole infertility thing doesn't work out, I can now say that I've got a promising career ahead of me in heroin.

We'll start, pending the CA-125 levels on my next cycle.

There were six other women in my class, of varying ages. Everyone was very quiet, no one wanted to make eye contact - and I kept thinking to myself, do I know any of them? Do they know about this amazing support network that's available online? Do you read my blog, or one of the other lovelies that I've grown to love and lean on for support online? But instead, we all sat there stoically, refusing to acknowledge each other - some even refusing to acknowledge that they were there. It was awkward to be in a room with women who were, in some form or fashion, going through what I was and be unable to talk about it.

I was, of course, the troublemaker in the group. First, I questioned the protocol of prometrium orally vs. PIO or suppositories. Then I stabbed myself with the mixing needle for the HCG shot and got blood everywhere.

I'm so nervous. So incredibly nervous. But so happy too.

Has anyone used Schraft's pharmacy in NJ for your meds? My RE "suggests" using them because apparently none of the local pharmacies keep the drugs reliably in stock.

And then they told us that in the event selective reduction is necessary, that we'll have to travel to Chicago, or Denver or Dallas as no doctors here will perform it.

I am trembling with anticipation. Absolutely trembling. And the best part, Michael will be thrilled to know that he doesn't have to perform on demand at the clinic for the IUI. Instead, I'll only need to bring it in with the medium they provide within SIX hours of ejaculation.

This may actually work. I'm not counting on the first cycle, or even the second but Hope has come blasting back in and I'm not - just not - going to throw her out right now.

14 Comments:

At 5:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I haven't ordered from Schrafts but I've heard good things about them. I can also highly reccommend Metro Drugs (metrodrugs.com). They deliver all over the country. Good luck!!

 
At 7:06 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good for you! I'm taking my class next week can only hope to not stab myself.

 
At 7:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm so excited for you. :)

 
At 10:32 PM, Blogger Larisa said...

It seems we play that game in the waiting room too - everybody gives everybody else the once over, but no eye contact. Certainly no conversation. It's so weird - and I wonder the same thing - could some of these women be reading my blog?

Good luck!!!

 
At 11:26 PM, Blogger K said...

I have used Schrafts and have been very pleased with them. The meds arrive fast and they will work with you to get you refills as fast as they can.

 
At 12:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

How exciting! Things are happening!

I know what you mean about wanting to tell people about these amazing ladies online. A have a college friend who always seemed baby crazy but has not had children after 5 years of marriage. I actually (sensitively) went fishing around about their plans and see if perhaps they were going through infertility just so I could tell them about all of the support they could find online. Nope, just hadn't started trying yet. Ahh, well.

I'm one of those obnoxious bitches who would have tried to break the ice. "So, when's the last time you guys peed on a stick?" etc.

 
At 12:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have used both Freedom Drug in Mass. and Schraft's in NJ. Schraft's is good because they have a suppository that has vitamin E in it (the regular ones tend to chafe me and cause brown bleeding, which freaks me out.)

I'm glad that Hope as found you again and I hope she proves her worthiness as a friend.

 
At 2:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I use Freedom and I've been very happy with them. Schrafts once sent my friend all her meds and mixing needles, but none of the smaller injection needles. So, she was banging on my door at 10pm one night to see if I had any extras.

Whatever you do, don't trust your insurance company's captive mail-order pharmacy. Stick to fertility specialty pharmacies like Freedom and Schrafts.

 
At 3:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I never had a class, but I'm sure I would have stabbed myself in the finger, too. Why don't we speak to each other in the waiting room? Because it's us not speaking as well as them. Are we ashamed of being there? Or just too sad to talk? I'm going to try next time I'm there...

 
At 12:14 PM, Blogger Chee Chee said...

I think it's sad that many of us are so tramatized by IF that we cannot reach out to others, particularly in a setting like your injection class. If you are searching for support that is more "actual" than "virtual," you may want to seek out your local Resolve chapter (if you haven't already done so).

Good luck with the upcoming cycle!!! I've also heard good things about Freedom Drugs!

 
At 7:55 PM, Blogger MsPrufrock said...

As my IUI4 and IVF initial consultations were at my doctor's house, I had the opportunity to be in rather close quarters with another infertile. We also avoided eye contact, but I must admit to thinking, "I wonder if she reads my blog." How annoyingly self-consumed is that? I think highly of myself apparently. I do want to spread the blogging word though, and not only because I want more people to read mine. I don't see how people can go through infertility without reading blogs. My days sans blogs are hardly worth remembering.

 
At 7:57 PM, Blogger zarqa said...

Interesting to know that they do group classes where you are. At my clinic, we didn't get a class per se, just a nurse having us watch a video and then telling us verbally what to do.
Yeah, it's sad we can't be as nice to each other in real life as we are online.
Good luck with the injections!

 
At 1:25 PM, Blogger Stacy said...

I used the Follistim pen adn thoguht it was great and easy to use. The needles were small that they didn;t really hurt. I used freedom drug for all my meds and am very happy with them. Over a year ago I compared Freedom, Scrafts, and IVF Meds. I found Freedom to be the cheapest when supplies (needles, syringes, biohazard boxes, etc.) and shipping were included but prices have probably changed since then. Good luck with your cycle.

 
At 3:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Professional Pharmacy in Rosedale, Maryland 800-595-3196 has provided excellent service and pricing for my cycles. They ship quickly at limited cost,and the personal service helped ease the medication maze.

 

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