Frustrated

Just this morning, my friend Amy asked me how Caleb and I are doing with the infertility stuff and I was able to honestly say that we are doing fine and that we are not letting this take over our lives. That has honestly been true...until this afternoon.



I am currently on cycle day 33 with no period. This is the first cycle for Clomid and FSH. You can read all about it in the previous posting. I have learned so much about female reproductive issues since starting all of this that I am a little embarrassed that I didn't know this stuff before. My issue is anovulation which means I do not ovulate consistently. A woman's cycle has two stages, with the follicular phase being the first half of a cycle and the luteal phase is the second half. Apparently, the luteal phase cannot get screwed up, meaning that if you ovulate and there is no pregnancy, you WILL have a period within 14-16 days. It is the first half of the cycle that gets screwed up, prolonging ovulation, etc.



Knowing that, and after having three negative pregnancy tests within the last week, I don't understand how I can be 18 days post FSH injection and no period. I called the doctor today and explained what has been going on to his nurse, Christy who I think is awesome, she told me to come in to the office. My temperature has been elevated since the injection which can be a possible indicator of pregnancy if it continues with no period.



I went to the doctor today and of course, surprise of all surprises, I got to have another pelvic ultrasound examination. I really wasn't expecting him to say that I am pregnant since I have had three negative tests. I just wanted to find out what is going on since my cycle should have started and hasn't and we can't start the next round of fertility treatments until my cycle starts.



What I wasn't expecting him to say is that I now have a noticeable cyst on my left ovary. This is my third ultrasound in three weeks and there was no cyst prior to today's' exam. Cysts are a common side effect of Clomid but the doctor said that he couldn't tell me anything else until he got my lab work back. He didn't even order a pregnancy test because he felt there was no point. Labs ordered were for progesterone and estradiol. I know that progesterone levels increase with pregnancy and this is what causes cycle to begin again in the absence of pregnancy. Still not clear on what estradiol is for. Honestly, I got tired of reading about all of this stuff online.



Now I am waiting for the doctor to call with my lab results which may not come until tomorrow morning. There is no point in going into what this could mean until I hear from the doctor. It is just so frustrating to hear that now as a result of the medication that I have to take in order to improve fertility, there is a complication that could put off the next cycle of treatments.