A Post About Symptoms

I don't usually do symptoms on my blog.  I don't trust them.  But the more cycles I accumulate, the more I learn about what certain symptoms might mean.  The more days past transfer I wait, the more I wish I had recorded the symptoms from previous cycles to refer back to.

I don't remember when I started feeling side effects from Progesterone alone during past cycles.  I've been taking Endometrin suppositories 3 times a day for a week now.  I know that Progesterone causes fatigue, sore breasts, nausea, constipation and other pregnancy symptoms.  Until yesterday I didn't have ANY, not even the slightest bit, of those symptoms.  Yesterday I started feeling the slightest twinge of those symptoms.  Only the slightest, mind you.

The following is a list of symptoms I have experienced after IVF #1, when I was pregnant, and after FET #1, when I was also pregnant.

Insatiable Thirst.  I know that insatiable thirst is a definite symptom of pregnancy for me.  With my FET I was so thirsty, as early as 3 days past my transfer.  Do I have that this time?  No, not really.  Last night my mouth felt dry, not like thirst, but like I needed something liquid, or a particular tasting beverage, that I just didn't have in house.  So I drank a ton of water.

Sore Breasts.  Progesterone is often the culprit for sore breasts.  But for me, in early pregnancy, the nipple area is always involved.  A stinging, tingling, on fire sensation that comes from the deep center of my breast, rather than the sides which is usually progesterone soreness.  Do I have that this time?  No, not really.  This morning I felt a little of that central soreness but my breasts feel pretty floppy and small.

Stuffy nose.  I've heard women talk about this a lot and I experienced it too.  I do have a stuffy feeling this time, or I did yesterday.  But with it also an achy feeling like I was getting sick.  The night of 2dp5dt, my throat felt scratchy and I felt run down like I was getting sick.  I was able to sleep in on Thursday so I either kicked it with sleep or it was a pregnancy symptom.  The next morning I was a little stuffy but by the end of the day it had cleared.  I did still have a rundown feeling last night.  In fact, I watched Project Runway in bed.

Fatigue.  Another symptom of progesterone.  I'm not so much tired as I am run down.  The last two weeks have been stressful. Again, am I feeling run down because I am fighting a cold or am i feeling run down because I am pregnant?  I feel better today anyway.

Low abdominal bloating.    For me pregnancy bloat feels different from PMS bloat.  I know what pregnant feels like.  And I don't have that puffy feeling in my lower abdomen this time.  It should be there from transfer and not go away.  I don't feel like the embryos are implanting and nestling in.    The times I have been pregnant, I knew because of the puffy feeling, because of how my lower abdomen looked.  I, maybe, have a little puffiness, but I think it's deflating each day.

Constipation.  I always get constipated very early on when I'm taking progesterone.    I may be a little constipated, but not like the last transfers.  I'm not sending F out to buy any prune juice this time.

Crying.  This could be attributed to all the hormones from IVF, but every time I have been pregnant I cry all. the. time.  I am a wreck with emotion.  I did cry for much of my 3 hour drive home 2 days past transfer, but nothing since.  I am not a wreck.  I did laugh until I cried at a commercial last night.  F looked at me like I was insane.  It was a MacDonald's commercial of all things.

Frequent Urination.  Nada.  No getting up in the middle of the night to pee.  No discomfort when my bladder feels full.

Hot Flashes, Night Sweats and Flushing.  In the first few days after the transfers I would wake up soaked.  I would get hot flashes during the day.  My face would get flush at night.  Last night I did have a flushing after cooking dinner.  It usually reddens the bridge of my nose and my cheeks making my face hot.

Wooziness and Dizziness.  Possibly from progesterone as progesterone can cause nausea.  I usually experience it when I am out walking or after I get out of the shower.  This goes with feeling run down this time.  This morning I did feel hot and woozy after I got out of the shower.


Symptoms aren't looking as good this round.  Yes, I have a few, but not enough to convince me that I am pregnant.   I was so sure I was pregnant with my FET that I tested 4 days past the transfer and got the faintest of lines.  I knew 4 days past the transfer.  Today I am 4dp5dt and I know nothing. 


................UPDATE:  4 HOURS LATER......................

I went to the store this morning, just normal shopping, etc, and decided to go ahead and buy a box of FRERs before the weekend, when there is a very good chance that no matter what time you do your shopping you will run into someone you know, or one of F's students.  So I bought a box of FRERs.  I came home.  Tried to hide the box until at least Sunday.  But I just couldn't resist.  I am so weak.  I tested.  And it is positive.  Hold On.

My worry?  It has only been 11 days since the trigger.   From what I have read online, it takes about 10 days for the hcg to leave your system, about 1,000 iu a day.  If I took 10,000 iu on the night of Oct 8, then it should have been out of my system yesterday.  One day ago.  That's too close to bet on.

I could be pregnant!  I can't stand it!  I'll have to retest tomorrow to see if the line gets lighter (trigger) or darker (pregnant).