Greetings from Texas!

I took the plunge and ordered the Domperidone yesterday from New Zealand. My hubby and i had a great discussion about the commitment and the controversy between meds or not... for us, i believe that we have already mentally bonded with our child (wherever he/she is out there) - for us, it's about making the best decisions for his/her health and well being - giving them breast milk from the get go seems the obvious choice.

Considering all that I did to my body during 5 IUIs and 3 IVFs - I think my body can stand a year of pill popping (it's beter than injections!), gastronomical discomfort and weight gain - those side effects may take their toll, but it will all go away when I am able to nourish our child.

Hubby was fine with everything until i told him we were ordering meds from NZ - he wondered if insurance would cover the costs <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Men.

So, I will patiently wait the next 10-12 days for the meds to arrive. I will take a copy of the protocol and all the info. on the bcps and Dom to my doc (who is supportive and curious since I will be his first patient ever to do this). I will continue to visit this site and glean all the knowledge I can from you pioneers and pray for us all that we may be able to provide this wonderful juice of life for our new babies!

I'll let you guys know when I start the protocol!

Renee,
I am glad you decided to do the protocol. I have been on it for 5 months, this is actually my second time on it. I did it about 1.5 years ago (was on it 4 months) and the adoption fell through. We then decided to go international, so its been a long time doing paperwork etc,,but we hope that we will get our referral of a newborn girl in the next few weeks, then 4 months of paperwork over in Guatemala and by end of July, beg of August she will be ours.
The meds usually do not bother peoples stomachs. The domperidone may for the first week but then it gets better, and take the bcp with a meal, not on an empty stomach. (The domperidone can be taken 30 min before meals or 1.5 hours after meals). I felt very fatigued the first 4 months while on Diane and domperidone, but with the Yasmin the fatigue is not quite as bad. Of course, working nights does not help me, only getting 3-4 hours sleep max a day.
I have gained 45 lbs, but luckily I was a size 5 to begin with, now a 16. I hope to lose it when I start pumping/nursing,
I did IVF 4x, so I know what you mean about the high dose of hormones with that.
My ob/gyn had never heard of inducing lactation either, I gave her a copy of the protocol, but she would not write me a script for bcp, so I got mine on-line. You will need to have your blood pressure checked (you can even do this now in the grocery store) etc,,,mine went from 90/50 to 145/78.
I have about 21 more days left of my Yasmin, then I don 't know if I will order more or just start pumping then, it will be six months on the meds at that point.
We are here to answer any questions you may have, congrat's on getting approved,,,we have been through that 3x, our agency took about 6 months the first time we did our homestudy, and 5 months this time,,,then we had an update this year that took 3 months,,,they are soooo slow!
Take care,
Cathy

Hi All!

I received my dom and got a scrip for the ortho novum 1/35. My questions are:
Do I have to wait until the start of my next cycle to begin the protocol?
Is it imperative that I take the dom every 6 hours - or can the timing be more relaxed?
The suggestion for taking dom is 90 minutes after meals for greatest absorption - can a meal be something light like a couple of crackers? or does it have to be something more substantive (I can't imagine eating 4 large a meals a day!!)
I f I accidentally forget or skip a dose of dom - is it recomended to take 2 as soon as you remember?
At what point do I consider switching to Yasmin if i don't see/feel significant breast changes?

I know I have a lot of questions - I appreciate your responses and check the message boards daily! i'm so excited and am ready to get things going!

Thanks bunches!

Hello,
Most women do fine on the Ortho and domperidone for the long protocol. If you are doing the shorter/accelerated I would definately rec. the Yasmin. I would give the Ortho 1/35 a good month or two before you decide to switch. Also, try to do the domperidone spacing the best you can. Dr. Newman has said not to wake yourself up to take it etc...Also, you can take is 30 minutes before a meal OR 90 minutes after a meal. I work nights and on my days off I never know when to take it...I think my body is pretty confused d/t the shift work. I just try to make sure I get the 80 mg per day in somehow! Just do the best you can with it. I am sure you will do fine. Take care, Cathy

Cathy - Thanks for the info. I appreciate your response.

I found a post by Lenore that recommended waiting for the start of my next cycle before beginning the protocol - since I have time and since it will reduce the amount of break-through bleeding. So I will start the protocol in the next week or so.

I'm glad for the flexibility on the dom - I understand that sleeping 8 hours a day will go away soon - so allowing myself 6-9 more months of sleeping in will be grand!

I'll let you all know when I start~!

Hi Renee,

Since you're taking the Ortho 1/35 for your breasts and not for contraception you can begin at any time. But because you have such a nice long lead time it's a good idea to wait for the 5th day of your cycle. This seems to lessen the chance of spotting that can occur if starting towards the end of your cycle when your period would be due.

If you miss a dose of domperidone, just take it when you remember and take the next dose a little later. Lenore recommends taking the domperidone 1/2 hour before meals and at bedtime because it's easier to remember than 90 min after eating but if you forget to take it, it's good to know that this option is available.

Lenore mentioned that she's doing the protocol with Ortho 1/35 because it worked for her last time. It's a nice reliable birth control pill for the long protocol. If you are concerned about breast changes after two weeks, ask her what she thinks. A lot of the time breast changes occur and we don't even know it till the milk starts flowing.

Cathy, do you have any tenderness in your armpits or the breast tissue near there? That's usually the first place to feel anything. I know my pits were pretty darn sore when I did the protocol but only if I touched them. Otherwise I didn't notice anything.

Esther

Today begins day one on the regular/long protocol.

I started keeping a journal - just so that I can track my progress and also to remind myself of my excitement as I start the process - 6 months doesn't sound like a long time right now - but I know that 6 weeks from now I may feel differently - especially after skipping a period and the effects of the drugs start kicking in - my hubby is most worried about mood swings - he is such a pleaser that he gets concerned when he cannot help me - when its hormones he just feels at a loss because he knows he cannot help me.

I am also beginning a low carb diet and hoping to not experience a great deal of weight gain - I mean the goal is increased cup size not dress size right? In the event that I do gain the weight, my hubby and I are prepared for that as well (mentally that is).

I'll post my progress and question on this post as I go and will continue to appreciate all words of encouragement and advice along the way!

Thanks so much...

Hi Ester,
I have had no breast changes on the Diane or the Yasmin,,,no tingling , no soreness or fullness. I know other women have had no changes and done fine, so I am hoping! Today marked the six month mark,,Yeah! I wll stay on it until we get our referral and then start pumping, hopefully in the next two weeks or so.
Thanks, Cathy

... and all is well. Yesterday I felt a big difference in my breasts - they felt heavy and full. I sometimes get breast swelling a week before my period - so this is very similar. They do not ache or anything like that. I have not had any headaches or stomach cramping or weight gain as of yet - I keep praying for minimal side effects - and am glad that so far, God is listening!!

Of course Day 8 is when I increase my Dom to 20 mg 4x a day - will see about headaches then! I am also on Necon 1/35 - and am feeling pretty glad that I am noticing changes in breast tissue - I hope this stays with me - I have read that some of you experienced breast changes and then they went away and so you switched to Yasmin.

My doc actually prescribed the Necon bcp for me - so I am really hoping this will work and I won't have to change to the stronger stuff. I'll keep you informed!

Thanks,

Hello,
Soumds like you are doing great. Since you are having breast changes I would just stay on the Necon for now. Take care. Cathy

My breast size has definitely increased. I'm not feeling as much tenderness as the first week - but the "swelling" is definitely there! I noticed that when I wear a snug jog bra - that my breasts feel better - the soreness is alleviated - of course, until I take the bra off - then I feel like 2 sand bags are hanging/pulling from my chest. (By sand bags I mean "little sand bags" - I barely filled a 34 B bra - now, if things continue like this, I may have to purchase a C cup soon).

I have yet to have the feelings of fatigue from the dom - does this mean my prolactin levels are still low? Should I even expect fatigue at this early stage of the regular NG? I have had no discoloration of the aereola nor visible vein action - again, at 12 days I'm not expecting this - but about when should I be concerned about not feeling fatigue, seeing discoloration, the disappearance of breast changes, or visible veins?

I think all is well so far - Also, about the timing of the drugs and food - I have been a very good "every 6 hour" pill popper - yes, I even wake up at midnight and at 6 a.m. to take the drugs (I feel better - Type A personality and all <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> )
but I am not as conscious about food intake - what's more important? - consistent levels of dom in the body? or timing with food to ensure absorption? I have also heard both - 1. take dom, wait 30 mins. and eat AND 2. eat then take dom 90 min. after eating - is there a "BEST" time?

Final question - I swear! - I have not experienced the cravings and hunger as yet - and I am maintaining a "low carb" diet - IF the dom is best taken with food every time - what constitutes a "meal?" Can this just be a few crackers or lo-cal breakfast bars or shakes? popcorn? I want to maximize the effects of the protocol - being a stay-at-home wife - luckily, I have the time to follow the protocol to the T - and will time meals better if that's what it takes -

Sorry for the long post and the list of "detailed" questions -

BTW - hubby and I just returned from the agency last week to complete our home study - the standard approval time from this point is 30 days. We are currently working on our profile and hope that soon after approval it will be shown. (Of course the agency said it would be awhile before our profile was shown - they have to work down the list of approved and waiting parents first). I'll let you guys know when the approval comes along!

Thanks for all of your thoughts and posts - without you guys sharing your concerns and experiences - I would never have been on the protocol - Thanks again!

Cathy,

I'm at 6 weeks with Yasmin and dom. I've finally noticed some breast changes; some increase in size ( bra cups not as wrinkled) and little heavier. It's been a slow process, not the immediate changes. Maybe my nipples are erect more constantly. It does seem every woman is diff.
Laura

Renee,
I think the main reasons I had fatigue , weight gain and cravings etc..was that I was on Diane 35 for 4 months, not Necon. Diane is much stronger, and a different form of progesterone. It also made my skin very dry and made me have tons of new wrinkles under my eyes that I never had before. I went from looking 19 to looking older than my age (39) in the 4 months and the worst part is even after going off the Diane, all the wrinkles are still there. I had been on the Necon for one week, waiting for my Yasmin to show up and I got no cravings or weight gain on that. I had been on the induction or strictest phase of the Atkins of 20 grams or less a day of carbs for the last two years, I was a size 4/5. I have tried repeatedly to go back on it while on the Diane, but the cravings, hunger etc,,were just too intense, it felt like when I was on all the hormones of IVF or when I was pregnant. I work 12.5 hour night shifts and am very busy at work, at times have to eat standing up or while walking. It is also hard to diet when you have to just grab whatever you can. I am so glad that the meds are agreeing with you. By the way, domperidone is best taken on an empty stomach, the bcp with food. If you want to stay low carb, popcorn is a no no, as is regular breakfast cereal bars etc...There are low carb bars you can try, I tried all the major brands,,most are not that great tasting but will do. Atkins does have a good chocholate shake mix. You can get it on line, via phone or at alot of health food stores etc...
Again, I am so glad all the meds are working well for you. let us know your progress,,,take care Cathy

Laura,
I am glad you are having breast changes. Sounds like things are going well. keep us posted on your progress, thanks, Cathy

Cathy -

Thanks for the clarification. Wow - the Diane sounds hardcore - as does your job!! I used to work in the restaurant industry for 10 years and understand weird hours, late and long shifts, and the whole eat-when-you-can schedule... I admire your comitment to breastfeed and for staying on the protocol with all the side effects you experienced... thank you for sharing your thoughts. I will just keep on keeping on - and look into the Atkins shake you mentioned.

Thanks again!

Renee,
I am sure in the restaraunt business you know what hard work is also. I am so glad and excited that I am getting close to the end of the regular protocol. May 17th is my seven month mark and I know by then I will be ready to pump. I am just getting so frustrated with the Embassy in D.C. I need to take one day at a time, and realize that alot of this is out of our hands. I am busy on my nights off trying to organize and child proof our home. I got most of the upstairs childproofed, bathrooms etc..and the kitchen done. Now...I need to organize some closets, my son's school work from the past, lots of photo's etc,,,at least those mundane tasks take my mind off things. Thanks for listening! take care, Cathy

...and my hubbie noticed that my left breast was larger than my right breast! Is this normal? I can't tell if my left one is taking off or if my right one is deflating - I can't believe it's coming up on the conclusion of my first month - the protocol has not been that bad. I carry a 7-day pill case in my purse along with a sports watch with an alarm set for every 6 hours.., I haven't been more than an hour late in taking my pills throughout the whole protocol!

I have started taking a nap about 2:30 every other day or so - not sure if my feeling tired is a result of allergies OR increased prolactin levels -

?? -At what point would any of you recommend getting bloodwork to determine prolactin levels? Each month? At the half-way point? Ever?

Other than the deflated/inflated boob (depends on if you are a glass is half-full or half-empty type person <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> )... all is well!

Renee
STILL waiting on approval (we should have our approval in the next 2 weeks - I cant wait!)

Hey, Renee!! I was just scrolling through...you know, just lally-gagging on a Saturday & read that you're from Texas!! We live on Dyess AFB (in Abilene, TX)...where are you? We are actually from Round Rock, TX (Austin)...we've been here for about 4 months or so. Anyway, we have just started the adoption process & I was curious where you are adopting from, where you are in the process, and to ask you some specifics about the protocol (since you're still so new to it). If you're interested in chatting, please email me at kellyandcandace@yahoo.com! I would love to hear from you. I have a few friends that have gone through the adoption process in the last year, but don't know anyone that's going through it right now & would love to have a buddy!

Take care & good luck!
Candace <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" /> [color:"purple"] [/color]

Renee,
It is totally normal for one breast to be larger than the other, I think in most women, the left is larger. But, just because it is larger does not necessarily mean more milk in that breast. My left is almost 2x the size of my right, and when I was pumping last August and September, I always got more milk out of the right, or my smaller one. Also, it is totallly up to you if you want to get blood drawn,,I never did. I would ask Lenore when the best time is to have it drawn.

Take care,
Cathy

Take care,
Cathy

Hi Ladies,

Would it surprise you to know that most women have one breast larger than the other? That one breast tends to produce more milk than the other? It's all perfectly normal.

Fatigue is an expected side effect of the protocols and is an indication of rising prolacin levels. Taking a nap is a great solution. Coffee is ok too, until you start breastfeeding, then you'll need to limit your caffeine to two cups of coffee per day.

For blood tests we usually recommend baseline tests before beginning the protocols for prolactin, estrogen, and progesterone. At this point you might want to check your levels now, and then monthly.

Hope this helps. fondly,

I feel like I'm losing the breast changes that I felt in the first month of the protocol - Am I just getting accustomed to the changes, I mean - is the swelling and the soreness due to growing pains that are meant to go away? Should I expect more changes as the protocol continues?

ALSO - I started bleeding about 8 days ago - I wasn't too concerned because i had read about break-through bleeding on the protocols - but I was only releasing an amount that barely filled a pantiliner - as of today - I think i'm going to have to switch to a light tampon. I know Lenore stated that she bled 5 months during her first time on the protocol - by "bled" - do you mean you were essentially ON your period for 5 months??? Does the flow get heavier and lighter? I've been sick with the flu this past week - would a decreased immune system have anything to do with the increase in flow? (I'm not on any antibiotics).

Finally - I have not had any decrease in libido as yet - but bleeding for 5 months will truly put a damper on things to say the least - I can see how sex can take a back seat to Aunt Flo - especially if her visit turns into an extended stay!!

Renee

I should also add - that as I was reading everyone's post of expressing drops after 23 days etc. - I HAD to check and see - so I was able, with less than a minute of hand expression, to produce clear drops from BOTH breasts. As soon as I saw the moisture - I stopped the manipulation - would this have triggered anything?

Mentally - It felt good to see the drops - I'm not sure if this is an adequate indicator for the type of response I am having or not - I just hope that I didn't mess anything up by trying to express while on the protocol <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/confused.gif" alt="" />

Renee

Renee,
I am glad to see you have drops after so soon,,,no you did not mess anything up by hand expressing the one time. Try not to do it oo often, your breast tissue needs to develop without oxytocin/let down,,,etc... take care, Cathy

Does anyone have any experience or advice to give regarding the break-through bleeding? I feel like I have been on my period for 2 weeks already!! Is there any sign of letting up? Should I go out and by the economy packs of tampons and pantiliners? I haven't had any psychological side efffects YET - but the thought of 5 months of a period surely makes the mood shift and not wanting to have sex a definite possibility!

Thanks,

Hello,
I had absolutely no bleeding/period/spotting the whole entire time, in fact I was even a little worried cuz so many people had bleeding and I did not have one drop. If you are bleeding really heavy for more than a few days, I would e-mail Lenore.
Some women do spot or have light bleeding the entire time on the meds. I know it must be a pain. Make sure you are taking vitamins with iron. Take care, Cathy

I guess things are going okay - the "heavy "bleeding I had around day 50 seemed to stop - I have sporadic breakthrough spotting on occasion. My pill box is full - 8 dom pills, 1- bcp, 1-baby aspirin, 1- Calcium, and 1-Centrum vitamin.

Due to a recent running injury - My doc put me on Celebrex. He said it shouldn't interfere with the protocol - but the label said specifically to NOT take celebrex while breast feeding. What do the experts think?

BTW - My husband and I received our approval from the agency yesterday. <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" /> Now comes the hurry-up and wait part of the adoption process. <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" />