Dreaded depot lupron: third time is surprisingly...different

I wanted to write a brief update on my depot lupron experience this time, in preparation for FET #3.

I have done two rounds of it this time. Previously, I have always had really intense side effects: hot flashes, hair loss, insomnia, headaches, and pretty intense blues too. It tends to feel like the bell jar is descending... just wham, despondency.

To be honest, out of years and years of infertility treatment, my experiences with depot lupron have been among the most difficult. To say I dreaded taking it again would be an understatement.

I anticipated that this time would be no different.I was so sure, that I had Dr. Schl. prescribe add-back therapy ahead of time, because previously that has ameliorated the worst of the depressive symptoms.

This time, month one went by, not much problem. Hot flashes by the end, and the searing headaches, but eh, I've been through worse (I guess there's a positive side to having had lymphoma?!)

I did the second shot, waiting for the veil of progressive doom to fall onto me....

And...well...I can't sleep, and I'm hot flashing, and my hair is thinning....but...well, mood-wise, I feel fine! And really, with my mood intact, the rest of this is no big deal. Uncomfortable and unpleasant for sure, especially in the midst of this heat wave, but seriously, it's fine.

I keep wondering - why is this time so different than my prior two experiences with depot lupron? And all I can guess is that having Magpie means I am so very happy, that plunging me into a chemically-induced menopause can't shake it.

I don't know if that's the real explanation, but I'll take it. I start estrogen in about a week...and dare I say it? This has been so doable this time.

Mo

Click here to subscribe

Toddler straight jacket

Little Magpie is a crib climber. I first learned this when she was 18 months old and I heard a crash from her crib, where I thought she was sleeping. Fortunately, she wasn't injured in that long ago fall. But I knew from that moment that she was no longer safe in the crib as things were.

I also knew that she was not the kind of child who would do well at that age in a toddler bed. My Magpie is the kind of child who would have quietly woken up and then gotten into all kinds of trouble if she were able to get out of bed.

So we had to think quickly about what to do, and we ended up deciding to introduce a sleep sack, which I hastily purchased that night. The sleep sack has now become an indispensable part of the nap and bedtime routine, and we have two different weights of sack, one for winter and one for summer. We now use the Grobag, which is a bit pricier than some of the other brands and comes from the U.K., but is really well-made and high quality. And they make a size that goes up to 36 months, that fits Magpie just fine.

It keeps Magpie warm, but it also keeps her contained. She is quite capable of toddling around in it but not able to get enough leg movement to climb, which is fantastic! We will soon hit the point where Magpie needs to be up in the night to use the potty, and I guess that is the point in which we will introduce a toddler bed. She's basically potty trained now during the day, so at some point it will be time to tackle nighttime as well.

Those of you with toddlers: when did you first introduce a toddler bed? any recommendations on how to go about it to make the transition as easy as possible?

I am aiming to get Magpie as close to age 3 as possible before introducing it but will also be mindful of not delaying her development regarding overnight toilet training.

For now, the situation works for us. We've put the sack right into the nightly routine...

Which looks something like this:
1. Dinner
2. Bath time
3. Pajamas and diaper on
4. Tooth brushing (more popular than ever before now that we use special "princess toothpaste")
5. Sack on
6. Reading in the rocking chair
7. Turn on the white noise
8. More rocking and storytelling ("Tell me about my day"!)
9. Magpie goes in the crib and mama sings (usually "Frere Jacques" and "You Are My Sunshine," at her request)

The days are long and demanding, and I am often exhausted by the end of them, but oh I will miss this stage later when she's more self-sufficient and doesn't need us so much.

Mo

Click here to subscribe