Lupron

I think one of the hardest parts about preparing for a surrogate pregnancy is the medication regime the clinic places you on.  There are usually 3-5 meds to take on any given day, and often the doses and amounts of each medication will change over time.  I'm always afraid I'm going to miss something or forget something....  Otherwise, it's not too bad.  Right now, most of the medications I'm taking are pills.  I started Lupron a week ago, though, and that has been an experience!

Lupron is one of my injectable medications. It's only a subcutaneous shot, though, so it's not that bad.  A little needle, and only about a 10th of a cc of fluid (so a very small amount).  It goes wherever you can "pinch an inch", usually in the fat of the belly- of which I have plenty!  I've gotten to be a pro at giving them to myself; only once every 4 or 5 times does the poke make me jump, and the medication doesn't really burn.  Now let's talk about the side effects.

According to the sheet the clinic gave me, Lupron is given "to inhibit the release of certain hormones by the pituitary gland, which might interfere with the development of healthy, mature oocytes.  Lupron causes a pseudo-menopause: many of the side effects are menopausal signs and symptoms".  Then it lists te following side effects:
hot flashes
vaginal dryness
decreased sex drive
headaches
depression
weight gain or weight loss
night sweats

Fun, right???  Nowhere on that list does it say anything about mood changes.  Well.  Late last week, I posted on my agency's FB page: "Does the Lupron make anyone else short-tempered, or am I just having a bad week???".  And guess what the girls answered???  You got it!  I got a whole bunch of "nope, it's the Lupron" and "the Lupron made me crazy" and "oh, yeah, I hated that one"......  Hmmmm.  My poor family.  I think I have to be on it for this week plus two more. 

Although, reading the information sheet, I'm not sure why gestational carriers are asked to take this one.  I didn't take it when I was prepping last time.  I assumed it was because we did a frozen embryo transfer then, and we are doing a fresh transfer this time- thinking it is one of those meds they use to sync my cycle with the egg donor's.  After reading though, it seems like it is more for healthy egg development.  We're not harvesting MY eggs......  I'll have to ask my clinic coordinator about it and see what she says.