Acupuncture, Ultra Sound, Morning Skin, and general randomness

I didn't update last night because I didn't really feel like I had much to say so here is a recap along with today's results.

On Wednesday I had my 1st acu session for this cycle. I went last Friday but since we hadn't started stims yet I count that as a "pre session." I went in feeling bloated and uncomfortable and irritated and came out wonderful. They worked on my belly for about an hour to relieve the congestion which is what causes the bloating, get things moving (I've been having digestive issues) and just working on getting my body ready and responsive. I kid you not, I went in with my jeans fitting snug and left with them loose. I've been going to acupuncture for so long (10 years for various issues/ailments) that I sometimes forget how not only does it work, but how quickly I see results. She said my tongue looked better but that we really needed to focus on getting my digestion better. I realized that I think it’s because I've become addicted to the peppermint butter mints in our reception area and eating 6-10 a day and while my taste buds LOVE sugar, my body has never responded well to me eating too much. So as of today, no more pillow mints.

Since my acupuncturist is also a fertility specialist (acu. fertility specialist) she is very sensitive and understanding of the whole process and also extremely positive. Yesterday she said something and referred to me as "mommy to be," which made me smile. She also shared with me some great news in terms of other patients in the clinic. In the past 2 weeks they have had 2 women, both over 40, become pregnant. One was naturally, after trying for 12 years and never becoming pregnant she found my acupuncturist's book and decided to seek her out and now drives 2 hours one way for appointments and after a year of weekly appointments (just acu no acupressure or massage) she became pregnant naturally. The other lady was via IVF. Now while I am not over 40 or even 40 its news like that that gives me hope because if she can help someone older than me who has had other issues and for longer then she can definitely help me and I've been far more diligent about making appointments to prepare my body n the last 6 months than my last IFV cycle. I go back again on Friday and this time hubby will go as well.

Last nights haterade session was okay but the menopain really hurt, to the point where hubby suggested asking the RE if we could use a different gauge needle. I literally felt the whole shot going in, meds coming out and needle coming out - it was the worst yet. I'm not sure if I just hadn't iced down enough or if I'm getting more sensitive but I can't take this much longer. I did moxa after the pain subsided and it felt MUCH better. I need to remember to do that nightly now. I should be doing it anyway but this will help remind me.

Yesterday morning and this morning we had some issues with the MD Lupron that I am now referring to as "morning skin." For some reason the needle just doesn't want to go in as easily as it does at night or in the previous mornings. Hubby says that my skin just kinda dips in but that the needle isn't going in without him really having to push it in. Since it only happens in the morning I'm guessing it has something to do with my skin either not being hydrated enough or something so I now call it "morning skin." Hubby thinks I'm nuts but I come up with new terms like that for so many things that he's used to it. Plus it makes him laugh, which in turn makes me laugh and that truly IS the best medicine right? Anything to get me to laugh in the morning in general is a good thing, more or less after a shot before I've even finished my 2nd cup of coffee.

This morning, after the morning skin, I had my 1st u/s since starting stims. I was hoping for some great bunches of grapes but at the same time wasn't expecting much since I was slow to get started last time around plus the whole short period makes me wonder. Sure enough I was right. I'm not responding super great yet, my lining hasn't even begun to grow and my follies are small. But, the doctor isn't concerned and said that he has no doubt that there will be lots of great, mature follies we just need to bump up the follistim. So starting tonight its 400IU instead of 300 and the rest stays the same. I go back Monday morning for another u/s and blood work. No blood work today since he said it would be negative based on the follie size and lack of lining. If he's not concerned then neither am I. Plus I have acu tomorrow and will start my herbs today which I should have done sooner and I have no doubt that Monday will be great.

Here are the results from today as well as from my baseline since I forgot to get those last time.
4/3/10 baseline
E2 (with having been on Estrace for 5 days): 327.2 pg/ml
Left Ovary: 25.03 (no idea what this means because it is not listed under the mm category, just above everything)
Right Ovary: 13.04

4/8/10 1st u/s since starting stims
Left: 6.26, 3.88
Right: 6.56, 6.33
Lining: 6.28

No idea what it all means. They have switched over to a completely electronic system so the results look totally different from 2008. He did say that there were a lot of follies but that none were at 10, which they like to see but that he had no doubt there would be lots very soon. One thing I do know is that they never beat around the bush; they always tell it like it is so if he isn't concerned then I have no reason to be.

The good thing is that my right side looks good he said and that is the side that didn't really produce any mature follies last time and not many in general. The left was the over achiever. This time it looks like the right has finally started to earn its keep and giving the left some breathing room. Considering the infection in Jan was on the left and that is where the fluid is residing I think this is all good news. Oh and we asked the RE about the Menopur needle and they gave us a bunch of smaller ones to use. YAY! They said that lots of patients complain about the size. Um, hmmm why not just prescribe the script with the smaller needle then? DUH! I'll let you know how that goes tonight.