Day 23: Day before egg retrieval
Yesterday the ultrasound showed a mix of small and large-sized follicles. After the appointment, the nurse said I was on the fence. The blood test results would tell us which way to go — trigger tonight or another ultrasound appointment. I booked an appointment for the ultrasound and the nurse drew the little circles on my backside for the trigger shot, just in case (these little circles, one of the left and one on the right, will act as targets for shot placement). As the day progressed, I was certain I’d be going back to the pharmacy for yet another supply of Menupur and Follistim. However, later that afternoon, I got the call that last night was the night! The trigger shot was to be given precisely at 9:30pm.
Unlike Menopur, the trigger shot was pretty easy to mix. There was no Q-Cap, which made the mix and draw much easier to do. I mixed 1ml of diluent with 10,000 USP units of Pregnyl — the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). The HCG is the hormone that pushes the eggs to mature and stimulates ovulation. It is only given when the estrogen level and the follicle measurements look best for successful IVF outcome, which is why we had to wait for my blood work results. HCG will instruct my body to ovulate 36-48 hours later.
Because I was nervous the mixing process would take as long as 20 minutes — the longest it has taken me to mix the Menopur without bubbles in the syringe — I started at 9:10pm. I finished with a little time to spare and calm my anxiety about the rush of getting the shot prepped and given at exactly 9:30pm. The nurse instructed that it had to be given as instructed, precisely 36-hours before egg retrieval so we collect the eggs just before I ovulate.
The target for the trigger shot is literally just above the buttocks. It’s an intramuscular injection, so the needle has to be longer and bigger than the other needles I’ve been using to make it into my muscle. As I was standing there, holding my shirt up as my husband prepped the target with an alcohol swab, I thought about how this time has gone by so fast. It seemed like it was only yesterday that I was in our injection training class and the thought of having to administer shots for 20+ days was very overwhelming. Looking back at the past month, I’d have to say this whole process has been relatively easy and painless. The thoughts that go through your mind before you get into the thick of things is way worse than reality. And right at that instant…BAM! THE INJECTION HAS BEGUN! HOLY SHIT!
The pain from this injection was very intense, yet secluded to just the injection site. I could feel the twinge of pain run down the length of the needle through to its tiny tip. The video indicates injecting the needle in a “dart like motion” so it enters the muscle as quickly as possible. Once inside, you are to pull the plunge up ever so gently to see if any blood enters the syringe. If there’s blood, you are to pull the needle out, change the needle, and inject again. Luckily there was no blood and I only had to endure this pain once. The burning greatly intensified as the medicine entered my body. It was a short-lived, painful little bugger of a shot. I walked around the house for a bit afterwards to work the medicine into my muscles. I heard that moving the muscles after an intramuscular shot helps to move the medicine about and alleviates any future pain or swelling (and it worked!).
Today I realize that what I thought was “the worst” (the injections) is now behind me. Tomorrow is the egg retrieval — a quick 20-minute procedure where my doctor will use a thin needle “vacuum” to remove all of the mature eggs. I will be “knocked-out” for the procedure via anesthesia, so hopefully it will be the best 20 minute nap I’ve had in a while. I have no expectations for tomorrow. I just look forward to seeing my husband in the recovery room once the procedure is complete.
Wannabe Mumsy 