Ovulation, Medication, and Hope

The Ovulation Testing

I swear by the ovulation tests that the fertility clinic recommended! In the first months of trying, I used the Premom test kit, which came with an app to help guide the process. However, I found the tests difficult to read and often felt uncertain about the results. That all changed when the University of Iowa advised me to try the Clearblue Digital Ovulation Test. I found it on Amazon, and it made such a difference!

Following their guidance, I started tracking ovulation daily from cycle days 11-21. These tests provided clear results and took away a lot of the guesswork.

These ovulation tests will give a digital image of either a smiley face, meaning you are ovulating within the next 24 hours, a blank circle which means no ovulation, or a blinking smiley face meaning you possibly are about to start ovulating

The Bright Side: A New Plan with Letrozole

After months of testing, pain, and uncertainty, we finally received some hope—our doctors prescribed Letrozole. Letrozole is similar to Clomid, a medication used to induce ovulation, but it’s considered stronger.

I started my first cycle in July 2024, taking Letrozole on cycle days 3-7. While I was so grateful for a new step forward, the side effects were tough. My mood swings were intense, my emotions were all over the place, and the stomach pain was challenging. But I kept reminding myself: this was part of the journey, and it would all be worth it.

On cycle day 13, something amazing happened—I got a positive ovulation test for the first time ever! I couldn’t believe it. Out of pure curiosity (and maybe a little impatience), I decided to scan myself and saw that I was ovulating from my right ovary—the damaged one. I held onto faith, but I also knew that this might not be our month. And unfortunately, it wasn’t.

They say ovulation alternates between ovaries each month, so I remained hopeful for the next cycle.

The Cycle That Changed Everything

When August came, we started our second round of Letrozole. Once again, I got a positive ovulation test. But this time, I felt different—I scanned myself again on cycle day 13 and saw that ovulation was coming from my left ovary!

At that moment, I knew this could be it.

After that scan, I made a decision. This whole process—the tracking, the scanning, the overanalyzing—was consuming my thoughts. I needed to take a step back, breathe, and trust that God had a plan.

And as it turns out… He did.

My next blog will go into detail about the day we saw the positive pregnancy test, telling our parents and siblings, and finally our answered prayers! I will also dive into the first HCG blood tests and setting up ultrasounds to begin the best chapter of our lives.