May 2016 - IVF #3, All the Pills!

7 days of birth control down!  On day 8 today, and I will be taking the eighth dose this evening.  Started out with some nausea during the first few days, mostly due to the double dosage, but that has faded a bit.

I have mentioned it before, but it is worth reiterating.  One of the daily tasks I will be most happy to get rid of once this process concludes is ALL THE PILLS!  Unlike the shots and the fluctuating hormones, which come in waves, I am taking these all the time.

This part isn't all that miserable, but I am throwing myself a mini-pity party at the moment.  In addition to the no-fun diet, it is a constant, tedious, and sometimes gag-inducing reminder that the process is still dragging on.  It's almost to the point that if I'm drinking something, I feel like I should be swallowing a pill along with it.  For the daily prenatal vitamins

Just to recap, I'm taking a variety of supplements, both over the counter and prescription that help make my reproductive system as cooperative and fruitful as possible for IVF.

Here's an outline of my current daily dosage:

• Birth control (2 pills)
• Prenatal + DHA vitamin (2 pills)
• 4000 IU vitamin D (2 pills)
• Baby aspirin (1 pill)
• Chinese detox herbs (6 pills) - purpose: detox, digestive regularity as hormones come back in line
• These are temporary, and I will stop them before the shots start.
• Antioxidant supplement (3 pills) - purpose: egg quality
• L-Argenine supplement (3 pills) - purpose: circulation, improve response to stims
• Ubiquinol (2 pills) - purpose: egg quality, circulation, uterine lining
• DHEA (3 pills) - purpose: egg quality and quantity
• Royal Jelly (2 pills) - purpose: egg quality, uterine lining
• Inositol (4 pills) - purpose: egg quality, sleep, stress, metabolic stability

Total: 30 pills / day

For a visual, here's a picture I took last week (before adding in the birth control pills):

So many pills.

2x Birth Control pills at bedtime not included.

Most of these are pretty sizable ~1" long capsules, many of which contain air, making it particularly difficult to swallow.  For these, my strategy is to tilt my chin to my chest so they float to the back of my throat before swallowing.  Even then, they often get stuck and feel like they are lodged there until the next set of pills can push them down.  I have gotten to the point where I can take 2x at a time for the big ones, but either way, once I get them down they feel like they are floating in my stomach for about 20 mins, until their coating fully dissolves.  

I'm really just tired of it.  Of keeping up with it, and of forcing them down.  I really look forward to the day I can retire that awful 28 bin pill container!!!  I just wish I knew when that would be so I could see the light at the end of the tunnel!  Argh!

Ok, pity party is over.