Monday, March 30, 2009

Hot and Bothered

The Hot Flash Queen, Mrs. Duck, is apparently correct. I assumed that hot flashes mean you are deficient in some kind of hormone, presumably estrogen. I never got my hormone levels when they drew my blood last week before my transfer. I just assumed that I didn't need to worry about numbers when I got the message that everything looked good. Apparently, I have enough estrogen to supply a support group for menopausal women for a month, by my meager calculations. My E2 was just about as high as it was for my IVF cycle, just shy of 2000. I think that's crazy, and if I end up not pregnant, I'm gonna have a hellava hormone crash.

My nurse confirmed with me that the hormone fluctuations are what cause the hot flashes. She didn't seem concerned about it, so why should I? Because I keep getting these AF-like cramps. What would cause the hormone fluctuations? Implantation? I don't know, but that's pretty late for implantation - 5 days after transfer? I think last time I implanted 4 days after transfer, from my symptoms.

So what did I do yesterday but walked to the store to buy some evil pee sticks. Of course I could not wait to try one. That's like buying a chocolate bar and not eating any of it for 4 days. And of course it came up negative in the middle of the day after I had just peed an hour earlier 5 days after transfer and quite possibly the same day as implantation (?). My internal brain was eating crow, as I know I have told many a woman who has done the same thing that it's too early! It's my 2ww and I'll pee on a stick if I want to!! I've also optimistically told many women that AF-like cramps can also mean you are pregnant. Apparently, that optimism does not extend to hormonal moi.

After that lovely POAS experience and the weeping that eventually ensued that night and this morning, I have sworn off the evil sticks...until Thursday morning. Nishkanu has a great post about peeing on sticks. I agree with her that one should not POAS until as close to beta as possible, as in the morning of, but I could not wait. Now that I have had the negative reinforcement shock therapy, I am not going to drive myself crazy for the next two days.

Here's a great story. I have a friend here who has been my cycle buddy. She did her transfer with DE at BigShotFertilityClinic a week before mine. She was peeing on some cheapo sticks she bought last year, and they kept coming up negative. To torture her more, she had to wait an extra day to get her beta because of our blizzard. When she tested negative yet again the day of her beta, she was sure she was not pregnant. Not only did her beta come back positive, but it's so high that we are sure she's pregnant with twins.

I hope that my rising hCG is inversely proportional to the height of snow in my backyard, which is melting quickly!

7 comments:

DAVs said...

I hate the peesticks.
The only time I've seen a second line was that time...oh wait, i've told that story too many times.
At any rate, I'm glad you're going to hold out a little longer. It's just not worth the torture.
That's an awesome story about your friend--well, not the negative pee stick part, but the positive happy ending part!

onwardandsideways said...

darnnit, I tried to comment here earlier, don't think it took... anyway, you're right about the sticks... evil stuff... I can't figure out when my 'ovulation' was so I can't figure out how to calculate an implantation range. I'm just praying that I'm late and that that is what the spotting and negative reading was all about. This blows. But tomorrow, waiting for that call from BigShotClinic... that is going to suck even more.

Hang in there.

Josée Martens said...

Those flashes sound so uncomfortable. I totally wait til beta day. I can't handle peeing earlier than that and prefer to believe that I have a chance.

I am rooting for you!!!

Rela Pantaleon said...

You're right - it's your 2WW and you can POAS if you want to! :) Hope you follow your friend's great story, too!

Just a few more days! Hang in there!

Arpee @ The Saga of Becoming Fruitful

Emily said...

Sorry about the hot flashes - hoping it is a good sign! I think I have decided NOT to POAS at all this cycle - it just never works out for me. Great story though - another internet legend :)

Endometrium is just a name brand progesterone supp...

Oh, your name the frosties post had Sean & I playing a round on the drive this weekend. We were cracking ourselves up naming our frosties - jack & diane, bartles & james, slash & axl... teehee. Fun stuff!

GL!!!

Anonymous said...

I had AF-like cramps too (and freaked out about it) and it worked out just fine. If you had implantation then there's a lot moving around and going on down there right now. My clinic said "some women just feel it more than others." Hoping for you for good news in 2 days.

Anonymous said...

p.s. and I'm glad you liked the post!