The Brutal Truth About Bloat

Bloat is bad. Really, really bad. I feel HUGE and uncomfortable right now. I can't even walk down the stairs without my boobs killing me either! I can't believe I'm sharing these but here are some pictures of my gut in all its bloated and bruised glory. Dear Lord, it looks even more hideous in the pictures than it does in person, but here it is. In the bottom picture you can see where my jeans were cutting into me--I could barely get them on today. I was totally wishing I had one of those pregnancy band thingies, just to make my pants somewhat comfortable.

Beautiful Bloat and Bruising

Today I had blood draw #6 and about five or six hours later I received a phone call from my RE saying that my estradiol was not rising like it should and that he wanted to see me again this evening. Mike and I got back in the car and drove the hour to the clinic but luckily it was pretty empty and we didn't have to wait long. I had another follicle scan and this one was extremely uncomfortable, I'm guessing due to the size of my ovaries. I don't know how to describe it other than to imagine an extremely full bladder, so full that it's painful. Now, imagine poking your bladder with a stick. THAT is what my ultrasound felt like tonight but the good news is that it did show some growth since yesterday, just not as much as my doctor would like. I have four lead follicles and still a few more just hanging out around 14 and several smaller ones that he doesn't expect to get any good eggs from. He'd really like the 14s to mature so he sent me home with a few doses of Follistim, which I took tonight and will take another one in the morning.  He assured me that my "small harvest" should be plenty, so I'm trying to trust his judgement.  No more Menopur, which is especially ironic because guess what I FINALLY got in the mail today? That's right, my meds from customs. Go figure, right?

My doctor is really quirky--one of those guys who is so smart that he makes you feel like your a few brain cells short. He asked when H and I last had "relations" and it took everything in me not to giggle like a 10 year old girl. Poor guy just got home from the field last night and we're already 'abstaining' for retrieval. At least we made those first 12 hours count. *wink wink*  Tomorrow I go back for more blood work, another ultrasound and it looks like I will be triggering tomorrow night! I made Mike promise not to start drinking until after he does my shot. Smart thinking, right? As of right now, we're set for an egg retrieval at 0800 on Friday morning.


Oh! How could I forget---my lucky socks picture from today. Look familiar, C? <3