IUI Cycle #1: The torturous Two Week Wait - Week 1

Let's be honest, patience has never been my thing. Waiting is hard and this Two Week Wait is no joke. Here are my ramblings and ruminations while the TWW went by at a torturously s-l-o-w pace and while I waited for my BETA Test on 4/27. Decided to ramble here instead of annoyingly talking to my friends about it! 

How the first week in the Two Week Wait went for me: 

CD16 - 1dpIUI (4/14/15): It's so weird. All this build up and then there's no release to all this pent up excitement. I'm feeling a bit emotional about the whole thing. Like if the egg is going to meet the sperm, it would've happened within the first 24 hours after the IUI. I have to wait 2 entire weeks before I find out if the first 24 hours was successful. Ugh. It's also strange to be super excited since I'm not sure if this will be the cycle that'll get me my BFP. I'm extremely hopeful, but I'm also trying to keep my mind-frame in check. I've also gotten worse with my sickness or allergies or whatever it is that I have :(  In the back of mind I keep wondering if my compromised immune system will impact conception somehow... 

It's like I imagined things being so "perfect" with my IUI that I didn't realize that I had these expectations until things didn't go as planned. I would be healthy - for one. I would be able to rest afterwards - that's two. I would feel some inner sureness that "THIS WILL WORK!" - that's three. Of course, things never go as planned! But I'm dealing with it. 

Interestingly enough, I received this in the mail today from my insurance. I also received emails at work on virtual classes to take before going on Maternity leave. Coincidence that I received both of these "pregnancy" things on the same day - the same week as my IUI? Hmmm... Maybe it's a sign? :) 

CD17 - 2dpIUI (4/15/15): Yesterday I did have some light spotting, but I think that was due to the IUI procedure. I normally spot after I get a pap smear as well, so it's pretty normal for me and nothing I'm worried about. I started the Progesterone Vaginal Suppositories last night. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and not as messy. There are a lot of side effects to the Progesterone:

Bloating, stomach/abdominal pain, nausea, breast tenderness, headache, drowsiness, mood swings, irritability, or vaginal discomfort may occur. 

Joys of fertility drugs! After one use, I haven't noticed anything - so I may not be as sensitive to it as I was to the Clomid. 

I've also decided to do some "home remedies" to help increase the chance of implantation -- Pomegranate Juice and Brazilian Nuts. They say it helps! I also read that pineapple core helps too, but I'm going to skip that... I've also started monitoring my Glucose levels more frequently. Need to keep my blood sugar in check. 

CD18 - 3dpIUI (4/16/15): I think I'm experiencing one of the side effects of Progesterone --> drowsiness. I'm TIRED. Like overly tired. Even when I sleep a long time, I don't feel rested, I feel like I haven't slept very long. I'm starting to feel a lot better though, meaning I'm not as congested! Small victory there. Trying not to think about all the "what ifs" right now, but it's hard. I've been combing through the forums that I follow... a little obsessively! I know there's nothing I can do to "help things along" at this point, which is frustrating knowing there's nothing I can do! It's the control freak in me! Oh joy of the TWW and the WAIT part of it all. I also experienced some minor cramping and lower back pain. Might all be unrelated or due to the progesterone. 

I've also been getting MORE bills on my Hysteroscopy surgery -- bills I didn't expect and wasn't told were coming. I received a bill from the anaesthesiologist AND additional costs for the surgery - my insurance didn't cover it 100%. The $$ for all of this is getting a little frustrating since I can't budget for things that I don't know are coming. So, getting bill that are over $700 out of the blue = no fun at all. Grrrrr. 

CD19 - 4dpIUI (4/17/15): I have to admit, I am not above "symptom" hunting!!! I know it's really early and most of my supposed "symptoms" are most likely due to the progesterone. However, just for record keeping purposes: I am still extremely tired, I'm irritable, I'm running "colder" (I usually feel hot - but I've been feeling cold), I have a bit of insomnia, last night I had to wake up in the middle of the night to go pee (which I normally don't do) - and then I couldn't go back to sleep. So today, I've been awake since about 3:30am-ish. 

Since I'm confessing a bit... I've also consulted with the Google-Oracle and have been reading article after article on "Early Signs of Pregnancy" and "Implantation Signs". It does say most women don't experience ANY symptoms in the first few weeks of pregnancy... and with the Progesterone, it'll be hard to tell whether or not I'm truly having symptoms, if it's due to the drug, or if AF is coming. I've also been reading a website called "The Two Week Wait" and foraging through the SMC Forum / Pink Pad Forum / and What to Expect Forum with increased vigor. 

Not overly thinking this TWW at all. Nope, not at all...! 

CD20 - 5dpIUI (4/18/15): Still having the "wake up to go pee" in the middle of the night and had some weird vivid dreams. Not sure if related to TTC... But still not my "normal" thing. Feeling a little less stressed about things. It's really out of my hands at this point. On the plus side, I'm starting to feel a lot better and sleep better at night -- as my congestion has gone down and my sore throat is gone. I still have upper respiratory junk though. 

On a side note - I can't find Brazillian nuts at the store! But I finally got POM Juice and started that today. POM Juice = Yuck. I don't like it! Not a fan. Why do things that are to "help" with fertility are so disgusting? Why can't pizza, Ice Cream, or grilled cheese help with fertility? Ugh. 

I have been talking to my belly in case there's a little blastocyst in there :) I'm almost scared to let myself think, "I can be pregnant right now."

CD21 - 6dpIUI (4/19/15): Yet another late night restroom visit. Hmmm... I'm not drinking more fluids than I normally do. Odd. I've also gotten some aches in my uterus, lower back pain, and I'm still really tired. I'm sure it's related to the fertility drugs. Fertility drugs really "mess with you" since the symptoms can mirror pregnancy signs. Also, I think I may just be super aware of every little thing my body is feeling. Plus, I already know that it's way too early to have ANY pregnancy signs. But it's good to track how I'm reacting to the fertility drugs at least. 

CD22 - 7dpIUI (4/20/15): Here's a bunch of If's for you. IF conception happened and IF implantation is going to happen --> it can start happening today! Typically, implantation occurs 7-10 days after conception (technically, it can happen a little earlier or later). I am officially Half-way through the TWW... 1 more week before I find out IF I'm pregnant. 

I think I *may* test early after all... Not too early, but on 4/26 - one day before my BETA. Hopefully I won't regret it!