Taking progesterone in oil, aka PIO, during a frozen embryo transfer cycle.
This week’s baby making update video is about progesterone. For the most part the frozen embryo cycle was super easy except for the progesterone. I did a medicated cycle which meant my ovaries were shut down and I took estrogen and progesterone to mimic what my body would normally do. With all of my other cycles, including the fresh embryo cycle my ovaries were still actively producing progesterone. So on all of those previous cycles I was able to supplement with suppositories. This time I had to take the injections.
There are pros and cons to both forms of progesterone. The suppositories are messy and require you to use a panty liner. They are also super expensive, like hundreds of dollars if your insurance does not cover it. The shots are cheap like $30. But it is an injection. It is a big injection too. The Progesterone in oil is an intramuscular shot that goes in your butt. You can do it in the leg but I would not advise it. The pain the next day was shocking.
Since with the frozen embryo transfer my ovaries were shut down my doctor recommended the progesterone injections. I only had a couple of mishaps. Check out the video to see how I did the shots from start to finish.
I found your IUI videos on Youtube during the time I had made the decision to take charge of my own fertility. At age 32 I figured it was time to start my family, and following your journey kept up my spirits after a year at the fertility clinic doing IUI and getting negative pregnancy tests. I can totally understand how it is a roller coaster with all the money, emotions, medications, ultrasounds, labs, along with old wives tales on the side of bee pollen, and pineapple cores etc. As an African American woman myself I was glad to find a relatable role model in the conceiving process, and also that you have social anxiety like me. Well after a year of unexplainable negatives, and switching my IUI’s to fresh sperm and using Follistim injectables, my lucky month was in Jan 2017 and now I am expecting my first in Oct. I still don’t understand why it took so long, but it came to pass without any dramatic announcement from my body. I’m too shy to blog my journey, but just know I am cheering you on every time and all your supporters are going to be thrilled to celebrate your good news soon.
Eisha, Thank you so much for your support. Your comment means so much to me. I am so happy to hear about your lucky month and can’t wait to have a lucky month of my own to share.