I had completely forgotten to mention the last “med” that I am taking. This is not an injection (thank god) but vaginal cream: Crinone gel.
This medication is used to treat infertility in women who do not make enough of a natural hormone called progesterone. Progesterone works by preparing the lining of the womb to receive a fertilized egg. This hormone is needed to maintain pregnancy.
I had my first application on Saturday night, just before bed time. And I keep wondering if I did it one day too late, as it wasn’t completely clear from the instructions given when I should have done it for the first time (Is “Day 1 after egg retrieval” the same day of egg retrieval or the following day? – not clear to me and Jon, and I couldn’t call to check on a weekend)
I must say that I was completely puzzled when I took the applicator off its wrapper… I hadn’t read the instructions, but I thought it would be straight forward. I was wrong. The applicator seemed to be designed for aliens and I had no idea how to work it out! I had to google it, and then it all became clear: I had to break off the square end… Ahhhhh!
I need to keep using it for a couple of weeks after embrio transfer, and I must say that I am not looking forward to it. Why? Because of the side effects. In the last couple of days I haven’t been feeling great and I couldn’t quite figure out why… Until I read Crinone’s list of side effects:
– Bloating: check
– Cramps: check
– Stomach pain: Double check – this one is killing me
– Constipation: check
– Breast swelling/pain: Triple check. My breasts have never been so delicate, tender and painful
– Pain around the vaginal area: kind of
– Drowsiness: kind of
– Tiredness: check
– Joint pain: check
I will continue to use it, but these symptoms continue I will have to check with the nurses on Wednesday when I go back to the Wessex Fertility Clinic for the embrio transplant.
It’s funny how three different types of injections didn’t give me any side effects, and a “insignificant” vaginal gel is killing me!
