Shot # 1 (female post)

*Things in bold italics are also links that will take you to more information.

So yesterday I had my first Lupron Depot at 9am. As many of you know this is a major treatment for endometriosis, which I had lasered off while having surgery in November on my uterus. This is what our fertility doctor recommended would be the best thing for us to do. The first shot went a little something like this... I walk in and the receptionist, E ( I'm going to abbreviate names bc I don't know all titles..) says she'll check me in. A few minutes later she calls me up and says that I will go over a little questionnaire. She tells me to answer honestly and be prepared to answer it each time I come in for my shot. The questions were SOMETHING like this...

Cicle One

- I feel I look as though I always have.
- I feel I've gotten ugly recently.
- I feel like I could not get any uglier.
- I feel like I am the ugliest person in this world and I can't go on.

-I feel like I am not being punished for anything.
-I feel as though I am being punished for something.
-I feel like I've done something really bad and now I will have really bad.
-I deserve to be punished.

They call it a BDI Mood Assessment. So yeah, immediately, I'm like hmmmm what have I gotten myself into.. The only one I did answer with 1 was I've gained weight. That was 1 of that question 4 being I feel I'm so fat I can't go on. I'm not depressed bc they say my weight gain is due to getting off birth control and my reproductive system not proccessing carbs and sugar. So, mostly annoyed, haha. Anways, they give me this test because of the "moods" & feelings I could experience with these shots. They told me if I come in on the third shot with no makeup and in my pj's they will know something is wrong, so to really try to answer honestly each time. Duh, I'm honest. E also tells me after the questionnaire that if my husband ever has any questions he can come with me because he will be going through this too....poor thing.

After the questionnaire I go back to C. She is the one who always checks vitals,lab work, etc. She goes over the information on the shot. She asks me a few questions and what not. She has me sign a sheet saying I know what the shot (Lupron Depot) is all about. The sheet reads that Lupron is used in Chemo treatment of prostate cancer and it lists the symptoms, which C summarzies as menopause.

They gave me a sheet to take home for reference and these are some things it says do..
take a multi-vitamin
take calcium supplement with vitamin D twice a day
take omega 3 & B6 twice a day (to help with moods)
take a fiber supplement.
drink lotso water bc hair and skin may get really dry

I get the shot in my hip..not painful at all. After the shot I go get in a machine to to check my bone density. This shot could decrease and they wanted to check it. This test detected that I have Osteopenia. This means my bone mineral density is low but not low enough to be classified as Osteoporsis. The determined my hips and spine were lower than they should be. This can be repaired. Typically older people have this but due to the meds I've been on in the past year and probably my lack of calcium intake has contributed. They put me on Actonel to help this with this. I'll start it tomorrow and do it for probably 5 months. You take it once a week. You have to sit straight up or stand for 30-45 minutes and only drink water. Supposedly it messes with you if you do not. My mom is also on Actonel! C was glad to hear I had been doing lower carbs. The shot will help quite a bit with the PCOS (cysts on ovaries)...as well as the Metformin once I start that.

On appointments for shots #2-4 they will do lab work to test my estrogen levels. If they aren't doing what they should, they  may move the shots closer to every 3 weeks instead of 4 and add one on the end. At shot #3, I'll start the Metformin (glucophage) and Brent will have his sperm tests done.

The told me between shots 1 and 2 would be the weirdest because my body would be adjusting. I had two more active birth control pills. C said to take those and I'll probably start my cycle and then once it's over I'll be done with them and start having a hard time. She said everyone is different but she assured me to call with any questions at anytime.

I left and worked for a while then went to brunch with Kristen & Cameron. I felt fine until about 2 o'clock then I start having shooting paints in my hip where I got the shot. I came home and laid down and put heat on it. They told me it was just the muscles hurting from the lupron. Hopefully this do not leave a HUGE indention in my hip like one of the Kenalog shots I got did! So, I laid around and watched Bounce (good but sad movie with Gwyneth & Ben Affleck). After a while, I felt fine with no more shooting pains. Brent and I went and saw our friend Emily and her little boy Jack. They head back to China Monday. We went to the yummie Garlic Rose with Emily and her dad and then we met some friends for a few drinks.

I woke up this morning feeling TERRIBLE. Brent went to a Cross-fit demo at the gym and I had breakfast with Cameron and Jamie. I came home and laid around. I fell a sleep and woke up to feeling like I was sinking and going to throw up! I was dripping sweat and my hands were shaking and arms tingling. I call my mom and she says read the notes they gave me and eat peanut butter or orange juice. Since I'm having sugar issues and the shot I'm just going to be out of wack. I've been in bed ever since. I feel a little better but that was not a fun little "spell" or whatever the lingo is.

Brent has been a good nurse. He got me TCBY, freesca and he even gave me some of his steak for dinner. I have several posts I may do as I watch some movies and rest. I hope everyone is having a good weekend!

love ~ Megan

"It's not brave if your not scared.." ~ Bounce