Assisted Conception (and all the bits in between) volume 7

Hi all! Just a quick update.

Scanned by Mr T himself yesterday, who interestingly told me that I shouldn't have been having a full bladder for my embryo transfers because of my tilted uterus. Hmmm...

Anyway, EC on Monday! YAY! Will keep you posted...

Hope all are well, sorry not to name check.

Scrummy I did consider it but, from what I understand, IUI is best for couples with minor male issues (that can be sorted out fairly easily with the sperm washing) but as DH's SA had improved so much with the supplements that doesn't really apply to us anymore and I don't know how much more advantageous IUI would be than just having regular sex at the right time. Also, I found my consultant extremely frustrating and thought his care was a little sketchy, so I wanted to change clinic before any more treatment. And lastly (I bet you're wishing you never asked!) I wanted to enjoy these couple of 'inbetween' months and relax, get fit, enjoy life and get all those horrid hormones out of my body before embarking possibly on IVF.

Hi to everyone else too x

rowing - down is good, hope it really drops down today and tomorrow for you.

Scrummy - open evenings are really helpful - we learnt so much from the one we went to (not London based so not the 2 you looking at). Just wondering why it was day 18 bloods, is this your 7 days post ovulation test? For me I have a 29 day cycle usually so did mine on day 22.

Hi all. I'm still here. Just resting after a proper spurt of EWCM, so have kept DH busy. He has taken a real interest in improving his sperm and has found out that raspberries and blueberries are to improve things, so he's got the juicer out. He also found this link, which I thought was interesting reading, although not so sure about how scientific it is. here

Off to have my Day 18 bloods done on Monday and then have my pelvic ultrasound on Friday. Have also made contact with ARGC and got my brochure from Lister. I noticed Lister has an open evening once a month, so will book us on that.

rowing I hope your HCG levels drop this weekend. That pain/uncomfortable feeling must be quite unsettling.

lissy 14 follicles - wow! You must be pleased.

Lucy would you not consider another round of IUI whilst you wait for your appt with ARGC?

womanly I hope you got your BFP....

Italian Sweden is lovely. You'll love it.

Rowing really hope it keeps going down. Definitely sounds like something's shifting.

Hi all,

Just a quick check in to see if Womanly has tested yet....

I have had another hcg and it hasn't dropped enough, but it has dropped a little. I'm thrilled because it is the first time it hasn't been going up. Something is happening, plus cramps ow, but that's something happening too!.
The hossy has given me two more days before insisting on either another shot or surgery.
Down, down, down, down...[walks off chanting with glazed expression]

Just checking in on womanly. Any news my dear? Have everything crossed for you x

Lissy - all the best for those 14 follicles!!

Rowing - level 2's in July. If you got an embryo to stick (but in wrong place which apparently is a higher risk with ivf) then you may not need immune testing. The NHS will do it after 3 miscarriages (or some of it anyway, not too sure what as not got as far as a miscarriage yet, and hoping to avoid that stage). It is because of finding out I had autoimmune issues I am keen to do it, despite every consultant saying it should not be a problem - and so far one issue identified (am hoping for no major issues to be discovered, just small ones that explain why no bfp!)

Hi ladies...

So sorry not to do specifics, but I'm absolutely knackered, so a bit of a self-centered post.

As of yesterday I had 14 follicles growing. Have started nightly injections of Clexane, as well as 1 mg of dexamethasone and an aspirin every morning. NK results were on the high side of normal, so having a dose of IVIG tomorrow. At the clinic by 7:30 AM and have to wait around for repeat bloods, so blech!

rowing- I hope everything sorts itself out soon. I'm thinking of you!

Good luck testing womanly!

Italian- When are you off to Sweden? Sounds like a fantastic holiday!

Keziah- Think of it this way...you'll have four months of rest to sort yourself out for the next cycle! And I agree about the immunes. Better to have it done with so at least you'll KNOW, rather than spend a fortune on failed cycles and not know why they're failing.

Off to get a little rest now...

yes rowing tomorrow is when I need to test. Terrified. Fingers crossed for the hcg drop by Tuesday. Big hug.

Hi all,
Keziah when will you be having the level 2 immunes done? I wish I could afford them, but it is too far down the line for us. As you say, you spend so much on IVF that the immunes seem paltry in comparison. The problem is, people come to immune testing after a few failed cycles and having spent a fortune.
I'm very interested to hear how you get on.

Italian how is the thyroid? That is a big factor in being over-weight isn't it? Are you still doing the walking?

Womanly good luck for testing! Is it tomorrow?

Claralou are you still around? How did your IUI go?

Not much to add from me, but I do feel the methotrexate is working a bit now. I had a lot of heartburn and indigestion on Monday and Tuesday, but that is going down now - although it could have been from the shot. The feeling of something being there, in the area of my left ovary is still around though. I think this is going to take some time. Most people have advised me to stick with the injections, rather than go down the surgical route, so we will see tomorrow.
The nurses want to see a 15% drop in hcg levels from Tuesday.

Lucy we chose to do level 1 immune testing (gp did some for us, we paid privately for the rest - ie more difficult ones!) after failed ICSI. Not usual to do immunes at this stage we were told, but I insisted (said "it is our money, sadly it is!) as I already have 2 known autoimmune issues and when we got to one good grade blastocyst put in our % of success was a good figure and it didn't work and I wanted to see if any issues with me - as only male issues identified so far and I bled 8 days before test day. This happens to be one test our gp did for us (he was kind, a real surprise!) so I am assuming they will give us clexane as from my reading that is standard treatment for the "sticky blood" issue I assume we have - await consultant in 6 weeks time to confirm

Yes, glad had to wait 4 months now if it saves a wasted cycle, which in long term is expensive in time, emotions and money. We have also decided to have privately done the level 2 blood tests, which our consultant did NOT recommend, but as I said "it is our money!" and my theory is £1200 for level 2 blood tests is cheaper than £6-10,000 per IVF cycle to then find out there are issues that could be found out for £1200!!!! If they are all ok, then we have some peace of mind. So consultant signed off the form for level 2's. No holiday at all this year, blood tests instead (£1,5000 in total) but we are happy with our choice. If I wasn't so old and been ttc for so many years and didn't have immune issues anyway then probably wouldn't have done this.

lucy no symptoms. Thank you keziah - good luck with your appts in july. Agree with lucy that you know what is to be done.
rowing sorry about what you are going through.
wave to everyone.

Hi all,
Keziah I'm glad to hear that waiting did actually pay off for you. Rushing in was always my first instinct, but there is a lot to be said for giving your body time to recover.
Hopefully, the clexane will do the trick and you will get your BFP.

Lissy how are you getting on?

Italian any progress on the food front? I had to be weighed at the clinic and was a bit shocked so am attempting to count calories. I know it's a bit old hat, but for some reason I quite like it and it's on every packet.
I think hormones play quite a big part in over-eating, I definitely crave sweets and cake more when the oestrogen is on the high side, or going up before AF.
I can't remember what your blood tests were like, were they OK?
Could you have any food intolerances - thinking about the ibs?
Enjoy Sweden - hope the weather is better there than it is here.

Lucy are you feeling any better today? Could you have lost a few pounds with the bug (trying to think of the silver lining )

Scrummy are you still out there?

Flip thank you for your support, you are lovely! I hope you are OK?

My news is not really sure what is going on, woke up feeling weird early this morning and now have more bleeding, so hoping that the methotrexate is kicking in and those numbers are falling.
Bummer is the blood test and possible second dose in on school sports day, but, because there is an hour or so wait before the hcg results are returned I should be able to give the blood then whizz down to the school, then go back later with DS to get the shot, if I need it. Phew!

rowing, I hope the injection starts to work and that another one won't be needed. What a worry for you on top of everything else. Hope you're doing ok.

keziah phew, what a good thing to get that diagnosed now. Did that just come out of routine private blood tests?

womanly good luck with your testing. Are you feeling any symptoms, imaginary or otherwise!?

lissy here's hoping those follies are still growing

And hugs to everyone else x

Hi womanly - hope IUI successful for you.

Rowing encouraging they can use injections to help remove embryo rather than surgery so hoping that you don't need another one or if you do it works!

Well although July we see the consultant (wanted a 2nd /3rd opinion) am so glad we have waited rather than just cycle again (am self funding as had the one nhs cycle) as the other consultant said as have found out am Factor V Leiden heterozygous, ie sticky blood - so hopefully in July they will prescribe me clexane which apparently is what they use, to help baby stick or not miscarry. Not got all of level 1 results back yet, so may be more things wrong - but from what I understand of the results that is what it is so far.

Rowing am so sorry to hear of your ectopic . How very sad and unfair and stressful for you. Sending you big unMumnsetty hugs

Hi all,
thank you for your support.
Lissy it's annoying, but there is no way they can 'move' an embryo which has implanted in the wrong place and it can be a huge danger to the woman if the embryo growing causes and internal rupture, so it does have to go.
Fantastic on the 12 follies, sending positive vibes for them to grow, grow, grow and get busy with the sperm!

I'm having a bad day because the methotrexate shot which was supposed to attack the embryo hasn't worked so far and if anything the hcg levels have risen too much. I have another blood test on Friday, but if the hcg doesn't drop I will have to have another shot. Waaaaah!
Feel like crying!

Hi,
I haven't been in here for a while... quick update about me - am on 2nd cycle of IUI, on pessaries (different from #1) and due to test at the end of the week..
Have a lovely holiday italian. Congrats woowa

Updating the list for me:
BB 42, 1 DS aged 4, unexplained fertility - problems with embryos sticking, 2 failed IVFs, this is last cycle
Italiangreyhound 46, DD aged 6 (from IUI), MC 2006, IUI/failed IVF, awaiting IVF donor eggs September 2011
KeziahHopes 36, no children, male factors and testing for immue issues, failed Ist ICSI March 2011, no frosties.Waiting to see consultant in July.
Lateatwork 40, DD aged 2.5 3 MC, frozen eggs 2006, IVF at ARGC twins due October (using fresh ingredients...)
LissySilver 36 (almost 37) DH is T4 paraplegic, so IVF a must. 1st cycle May 2010 successful, miscarried at 8 weeks. Cone biopsy following an ERPC. Second cycle Oct. 2010 unsuccessful. Starting at ARGC next week!
LucyLookout 39, DS aged 3.5, low ovarian reserve, DH all OK, 20 week termination Feb 10, 8 week mc June 2010, failed IUI cycle May 2011. ARGC appt in July.
Monkeybumsmum 35, DS aged 4, 2 MC's 2008, 2nd trim. loss 2010, failed cycle IUI 4/11, 2nd cycle about to start.
Nooknook 32, low ovarian reserve and thyroid issues, on 1st IVF cycle.
Tametortie 30, 1 dd with previous partner, unexplained fertility, TTC 4 years- 1 mmc in may 2008, currently egg sharing at crm in Coventry.
WomanlyTales 35, PCOS, Clomid resistant, 1st cycle IUI failed, 2nd cycle with pessaries- due to test on June 10
Woowa, 32, DH is C5/6 incomplete tetraplegic, IVF with ICSI only possibility. DD 14 months from 1st cycle, now onto second cycle