IUI #1

The actual IUI procedure is simple. It is quick, less uncomfortable than a pap smear and you know just how many million sperm are swimming around in your uterus. The stakes are high (and the chnaces are low), but for a first timer after 2 years of timed intercourse, and as the first step in assisted reproduction for unexplained infertility, the reassurance that comes with knowing that, at the very least, the sperm have made it past the cervix, is comforting.

The days leading up to a clomid IUI using ovulation predictor kits to time the procedure is not easy, reassuring or comforting. Waiting for your LH surge over a holiday weekend with your MIL visitng makes it even more stressful (this will be its own post later).

To begin, I am a temper, meaning I have recorded my BBT obsessively, every cycle, for 2 years now. However, I made a pledge this cycle not to temp. I knew I would not be able to stand the stress of trying to interpret temps, because, what if they were wonky this month due to clomid or spiked too soon or didn't match the opk results? you see? just too stressful. and we all know about stress...

I am relying on opks alone to detect my LH surge. My clinic recommended ClearPlanEasy OPKs. After doing these for a few days, I have no idea why they recommend this brand. Clear Plan Easy is neither clear nor easy. I can barely see the results after 3 minutes-10 minutes. The lines are blurry and light. Saturday morning, after another negative test on cd14, I looked back at all the tests I had taken (the instructions clearly say not to do this! Do not read test results after 10 minutes!) because I was not seeing any kind of change in darkness since the first test on Tuesday. After lining them up, I freaked out because Thursday's test looked the darkest and I thought I missed my surge. I immediately went to peeonastick.com to see what they say about CPE. Not good. I should have read this beforehand. This is what they say:

"Positive" test line does not become as dark/obvious as some brands. May take a "practice" cycle to learn what your positive looks like.

I panicked. I called F into the bathroom (I hear MIL ask from the couch, "did she take her test?") to offer some calm reason.

We decided to go out and buy another opk brand and compare results using two different tests. I bought the brand I normally use and took the 2 different tests 4 hours later (dipping this time). This time, the clear plan easy looked positive, meaning both the reference line and the test line were equally LIGHT. Annoyingly and confusingly, my usual brand showed a negative result. But there was a clear difference between the clear plan easy tests from Tues-Saturday--this test showed some kind of change in LH levels, right? So I went with that interpretation and scheduled the IUI for the following morning. Fingers crossed, so help me, that BETTER have been the beginning of my surge. My usual brand is an off brand so I am hoping that maybe there is difference in sensitivity that accounts for the negative test when CPE showed a positive. Further, I have decided not to test because I can't deal with the thought or possibility of being wrong!

I clearly see why people choose injectable IUIs over clomid and opks!

We dropped off the sample to the clinic at 7:30 this morning. They told us to come back at 10:30 for the IUI. F had 250 million sperm before the sperm wash. They injected 59 million (they want over 10 million) of the best swimmers with 74% motility (anything over 50 is good) into my uterus near the fallopian tubes. I felt kind of crampy and that was it. Dr. A had me lay on the table for 15 minutes.

Judging from my cervix and cervical fluid, Dr. A said I have not ovulated yet. We did not miss the surge (yay!). Now, hopefully I ovulate tonight or tomorrow for the best chances, because it is done for this cycle!