Game Plan

This morning, DH and I went to the RE's office to discuss our options. First, Dr. K. did an u/s (which he said everything looked great) and then we went into the consultation room to talk. Since I'm healthy, young and my charts show good ovulation with good LP lengths. Dr. K. doesn't think I have a progesterone issue (or any other issues of the sort and didn't think I needed blood work today). Even with my P4 being 10.3 last week, he said that is perfectly normal for a non medicated cycle and that it increases after implantation. The 7 DPO level just confirms O, it doesn't have a grade of how 'strong' ovulation was. So that made me feel a little relieved.

He thinks the reason we haven't conceived yet is due to 1. DH's sperm (which he really doesn't think is an issue since DH has fathered three children, but we did a SA while we were there just to make sure and we'll get the results tomorrow) or 2. something is wrong with my tubes. We know both tubes are open since I had a CIS done in Oct and showed very clear, open tubes, with no slow or thinned portions. Dr. K. thinks it could be because they are a little on the shorter side, but still long enough to TTC without much issue.

The conversation the turned to discussing our options. He said we could keep doing what we are doing, but that we would probably have the same results....no BFPs. He talked about IUI/IVF and told us what our chances would be with those. Since neither of those options are on the table (due to our religious beliefs) we talked about the effectiveness of just doing meds. He said meds alone would only give us a 1 maybe 2% chance more of conceiving, while IUI with the meds would give us 3-4% increase. After some more discussion with Dr. K. and then with just DH and I, we have decided to do just meds. We can do these meds for three cycles. If no BFPs happen by then, then I think DH and I are to the point of ending our journey. We won't TTA (try to avoid) of course, we just won't actively TTC.

While Clomid is usually given from CD3-7 or CD5-9, Dr K said go ahead and start it today.

So the plan is as follows:

2/7--CD4--Baseline u/s, start 50mg Clomid
2/8--CD5--50mg Clomid
2/9--CD6--50mg Clomid, 25IU Follistim (FSH) SQ
2/10--CD7--50mg Clomid, 25IU FSH SQ
2/11--CD8-- 50mg Clomid, 25IU FSH SQ
2/12--CD9--25IU FSH SQ
2/13--CD10--25IU FSH SQ
2/14--CD11--Follow up u/s and then based on how that one looks, I will either need to keep doing FSH injections for a few more days or I will do the Ovidrel trigger.

36 hours after the Ovidrel is when they would normally do the IUI, but since we're not doing that, we'll just be BD'ing as much as possible.

Since progesterone is one of those "can't hurt, might help" type drugs, I will be starting Prometrium capsules vaginally approx 3 days after the trigger.

Then blood HCG draw 2 weeks later. Of course I'm a POAS-aholic, so I will be testing out the trigger so I know when it goes away (and will hopefully start seeing a BFP a day or so later).

Dear God, I pray this works. I think its the perfect time for another Novena to St. Jude and St. Gerard.