"I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22!"

Just thought I'd post a quick update! It's been 2 days since I had my last checkup.  Blood sugars are doing ok.  I have had quite a few lows but nothing too scary and they aren't getting super high yet so I'm happy.  Here's my numbers from today:

Estradiol increased from 446 to 1451! 
Uterine lining increased from 6mm to 7.5mm
And the biggest shocker for me was I went from having 4 large follicles on each ovary, to a total of 
22 follicles!!   Like the title?  Had to take the opportunity to quote my favorite Taylor Swift Lol

Here are my measurements in mm:

Left    

One side of my left ovary  

                        7.8

                        8.2
                        8.8
                        9.1 

                        9.3
                        9.5
                        9.6
                      10.1
                      10.6
                      10.7
                      11.1

                      12.9                           

Right

Can you see the follicle wrapped around another follicle?

                        7.8

                        8.9

                        9.2

                        9.4

                        9.9

                      10.2

                      11.0

                      11.1

                      12.4

                      14.5

So now that I have a follicle greater than 14mm, my body is trying to prepare me to ovulate all these eggs! So now I need to start injections of Menopur & Ganirelix (in addition to my Follistim) to help the eggs mature and prevent me from ovulating them too soon on my own. 

Menopur is a subcutaneous (in the fat) injection that contains a combination of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and leuteinising hormone (LH).  Fun fact!  It is extracted and purified from the urine of post-menopausal women.  Creepy! haha.  It will help my eggs mature.  I have to reconstitute it with normal saline myself!

Ganirelix is a subcutaneous injection as well that is an antagonist (hence the "antagonist" IVF protocol name) to suppress the LH surge and ovulation until the follicles are mature.

Melinda is out of town and the doctors were all out of the office today so my ultrasound was completed by the covering nurse, Ursula. She told me that on average follicles will grow about 2mm a day. If I have one that is already 14.5mm, it won't be long until I reach that 18mm mark! Maybe even by Sunday! I am worried that I will have to have the eggs come out before the original Wednesday plan. Dr. Williams is on call this weekend and I am not sure what would happen if this all occurs on Memorial Day. Maybe the meds they give me will slow things down a bit and I can at least wait until Tuesday. However, I am so ready to get these things out!! I feel like I am waddling when I walk and the constant tension by my ovaries is driving me nuts. I have already gained 3 pounds since starting meds and it's difficult to stand up from a chair. I have a pretty constant headache but luckily it's not bad enough where I have had to take any pain medication yet. Tomorrow is Saturday and another ultrasound and estradiol level. I believe they may even start measuring progesterone. Dr. Rhoton (the only female Dr which is how I describe her) was covering today and she said I should decrease my Follistim dose from 150 units to 125 units since my estrogen had such a big increase. I am excited for Justin to finally get to see my ultrasound in person tomorrow! I will post then :) Goodnight everyone!


Prayers:
-Everything will go smoothly even if I have to take out the eggs early.
-Continued growth and lots of mature, useful eggs!