Injection day 3: feeling like myself again.
By the third night, the injections were familiar enough that I could finally notice both what my body was doing and how much more confident I felt.
Day 3 at a glance
- Injection preparation
- Approximately 25–30 minutes
- Medications
- Follistim and Menopur, as prescribed
- What I noticed
- Injection-site soreness, different burning sensations, a milder headache, very light bleeding, and visible bloating
- Emotionally
- More confident and more like myself
- Support
- Flowers from my mom
Today felt... easier.
Not because the injections themselves were easier, but because I finally felt like I knew what I was doing.
After a 45-minute call with the pharmacist the day before, I learned that I had been mixing the MenopurThe stimulation medication I mixed before injecting. correctly. I went into tonight with a lot more confidence. I wasn't second-guessing every step or wondering if I had somehow messed something up. Instead of spending the entire time anxiously checking instructions, I was able to move through the process more naturally. I think the whole thing took around 25–30 minutes, though I'd have to check the exact timing.
Footage from injection day 3. Content note: shows a self-administered injection with a needle.
The medications, side by side
One thing I noticed tonight was that the two medications seem to burn differently.
For me, the Menopur burned most while it was going in. That's the moment I really feel it.
With FollistimThe FSH medication I injected using a pen., I noticed the burning a few minutes afterward — once I've cleaned everything up and started moving around, it starts to sting. It's almost delayed. I hadn't really picked up on that the first couple of nights because I was so focused on making sure I was doing everything correctly, but now that the routine feels more familiar, I'm starting to notice the physical sensations more.
My stomach is also becoming noticeably sore around the injection sites. I had been rotating sides each night, but I was still using the same general area of my lower abdomen, and the tenderness is definitely increasing.
I also woke up with another headache this morning. Thankfully it wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday's.
What I tried for the headache
Two Extra Strength Tylenol, and staying on top of water, Gatorade, and fluids throughout the day. That combination kept everything manageable.
My period had already been unusually light the day before, and today it became even lighter — there's barely anything on my pad anymore. I don't know if that's simply part of the stimulation medications or just the timing of my cycle, but it stood out enough that I wanted to make note of it.
Visually, I can also tell that my stomach is getting more bloated. I don't necessarily feel bloated yet — it isn't uncomfortable — but I can definitely see it. Looking in the mirror, my abdomen already looks fuller than it normally does.
Nothing felt severe or unmanageable today, but I was starting to notice several small physical changes.
But mentally... today felt different
I've been in a bit of a funk over the past month. Between the uncertainty of this whole process, losing my job, and everything else life has thrown at me, I've felt heavy, unmotivated — like I was dragging myself through each day.
Today, for whatever reason, I felt like myself again.
I ran errands, cleaned, and finally completed an administrative task I had been avoiding. I stayed out of bed. And I felt a little more confident — not just with the injections, but with myself. I don't think I realized how much of my anxiety came from not trusting myself with the process until that anxiety finally started to loosen.
One of the sweetest moments of the day was when my mom surprised me by sending me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. It completely brightened my day. The flowers made me feel loved from home and less isolated. They also gave me something beautiful to look at while I gave myself the shots — a reminder, sitting right there in the room with me, of how cared for I was.
Going through something like this by yourself can feel incredibly isolating. You're the one mixing the medications, giving yourself the injections, waking up for monitoring appointments, and managing all of the emotions that come with it.
So having those little reminders that people are thinking about you — that they care, that they're rooting for you — means more than I can explain.
Sometimes support arrives in the form of a phone call. Sometimes it's a text. And sometimes it's a bouquet of flowers sitting on your kitchen table, reminding you that even though you're physically alone, you're not actually doing this alone.
Looking back, Day Three felt like a turning point. Not because anything major happened, but because I finally stopped feeling like I was learning how to survive the process — and started feeling like maybe I could actually do it.
It was the first day my confidence grew at the same pace my body was beginning to change. And somehow, that felt like progress.
Personal experience, not medical advice. Medication effects, dosing, and treatment instructions vary by person and clinic. Follow your clinic's directions and contact them about symptoms that are severe, persistent, or concerning.