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

Hi lucy. Stimming can be anywhere from 9-16 days. I'm currently using a medicine called Merional, and it's making me feel super crappy. I guess with all the drugs I'm taking on top of having my AF, it was bound to happen. Hopefully it'll pass in a few days. In the meantime, I have to drag myself out of bed every morning to get to the clinic for blood tests and scans. While I'm exhausted at this point, I don't feel put upon, as ARGC are SO thorough. I feel good about my decision to go there. Also, yesterday I did my repeat immunes to test my NK cells. Will get the results in a few days...

Italian-I hope you continue to find peace in your decisions. It must feel like a gigantic weight has been lifted from your shoulders.

Oh BB, I'm so terribly sorry. I wish you the best of luck with everything.

woowa- You still around? How are you?

scrummy- I did the same thing as you when I first started, googling all the terms and abbreviations. You'll get the hang of all the lingo soon enough!

AFM, plan on resting the whole weekend, although it's hard when you have to be at the clinic at 8 AM every morning!

Kisses and hugs to all...

lissy yay, that's great. How long does this next part take, is it around 2 weeks or could it be much longer? Here's hoping that it all goes to plan. I finding your argc reports very encouraging, and it sounds completely opposite to the treatment I got at the last clinic.
scrummy I also have a zita west book, I think it's the guide to assisted conception one, but I think the dietary advice is similar in them all. In that she talks about the importance of fatty acids, specifically omega 3 for both men and women.
rowing thinking of you and hope you're ok.
Hi to Italian and everyone else x

Lucy well done to your DH! That sounds really encouraging. Our gynea said to take selenium, zinc and vitamins A,C and E. No mention of fatty acids. Will get DH to take those too.

Italian I bough the 'guide to getting pregnant'. Would you recommend another one? Happy to increase my amazon spending

lissy really glad to hear you are happy with your treatment. Sounds as you are progressing to plan (is it obvious I'm a bit of a closet medic?)

Hi everyone! Hope you had a restful and relaxing holiday weekend. Just a quick update...

I had my scan today, and was told that I'm follicle free and my lining looked good. Tonight I have officially started stimming! Yay!

rowing- How's it going, sweets?

Scrummy- It is super super intense treatment at ARGC, but I've already got the feeling that I'm getting what I pay for. EXTREMELY thorough, phone calls every night telling you what your instructions are, blood tests every day, etc. etc. They don't pull any punches, that's for sure!

Love and chocolate boobs to everyone else...

Sorry I meant scrummy not lissy!

Lissy my DH had 2% morphology too. I forcefed him supplements (Fertility Plus for Men) and a fatty acid supplement. About 3 months later it has increased to 14%, well within the normal range. From your message, it sounds like you've got it covered anyway, but thought I'd put my bit of fertility advice in as well

Thanks again for all your comments and advice.

Italian I have that book and even managed to get DH to read some bits of it. I'm currently debating whether to start a detox (which we have done in the past and really enjoyed it, DH was the one suggesting it!) but otherwise very much seem to follow the advice anyway. I don't drink (apart from the sneaky glass of wine or two before 2WW, given up caffeine, eat organic where I can, which is pretty easy as I have an organic lunch place around the corner at work etc.) We've tried to ensure that we DTD at least every other day and sometimes if ov occurs on a weekend, one more extra for the road. I use OPKs and chart my temp to keep an eye on my cycles. I guess what im saying is that, as far as I'm aware, we are doing everything in our power to increase our chances.

I really hope you will get your baby at the end of this. You really have had to endure such a journey and any child of yours would be much loved.

keziah thanks for your comments too.

DH morphology is only 2.5% so our numbers game is reduced significantly from the average. He'll have the pleasure of providing more samples and his GP is considering about sending him to a urologist if the results don't improve. Despite this, I'm happy to complete the initial testing with NHS as on the face of it, I'm ok. My period are regular, I don't have any mid-cycle bleeding, I've had two negative FSH tests at home (my gynea didn't know you had such home tests!) and I have a clear LH surge each month, followed by a clear temp rise. I'm waiting to complete all the tests you mentioned in the next couple of months following my gynea visit last week. He also did an internal at my request and although he found a polyp on my cervix, everything else was ok and he seemed happy.

please don't think you were trying to teach a grandma to suck eggs, it's encouraging to hear from others that we are getting the correct support.

We don't qualify for NHS, but I'm not sure I would be happy to sit and wait on the NHS waiting lists anyway. And whilst I'm not entirely happy about possibly having to fork out such large sums of money for this, I'll just be happy that such an option even exists!

lissy blimey, I hadn't realised it was THAT intense. No wonder you need to be in good physical condition to put your body through all that. Interesting about you having the option of doing some of the tests with your GP. My GP has a special interest in all things fertility, so I'll run that past him,as I suspect he'd be quite keen to follow our journey. Glad your AF arrived!

Anyway, I'm ahead of myself. I shall make some enquiries like you suggest.

Hope you're feeling OK Keziah.

Lissy Yay! Bet you've never been so glad to see AF!

Italian I'm sorry to hear what a difficult time of it you've had over the last few years. It is certainly a testing time. Sometimes, when I look back on last year, I wonder how I coped, but somehow you just do, don't you. I guess that the one day at a time approach really works. I'm sorry too, I didn't realise you have tried donor eggs once already. Stupid question maybe, but in preparation for a DET is it advised to do all the normal preconception things? Like eating healthily, cutting down on alcohol and caffeine etc. Or can you be a little more relaxed about it all? I so, so hope it works for you this time. It sounds like it's about time things work out for you.

rowing I hope the bleeding has calmed down and that you're feeling calmer.

AF started in earnest today. I still feel fine. My ARGC appt is definitely the light at the end of the tunnel for me at the moment. It looks like this month is out for natural conception too, as MIL is coming to stay over the crucial period, so I'll be the one guzzling in the corner for the next month. Hic

PS - would also consider ARGH I should also have said.

~rowing congrats on the clearblue reading - despite bleeding it is looking promising. When you get to 6/7 weeks pregnant why not go to your local nhs early pregnancy unit (in daytime hours when it is open) and if you are still bleeding ask for early scan to reassure you?

Scrummmy - no idea of the Lister, but heard good things of it on the boards here. Sadly all private cycles cost £££. NHS criteria for cycles are strict and have joy of postcode lottery. For us it was:
no children at all on either side
under age 39, no smoking either of us, bmi for me under 30 and for dh and over a minimun size too. Also over age 23
have been ttc for 3 years or a medical reason diagnosed by nhs to show a reason for infertility

• we met the above and had our one and only nhs cycle. Sadly it failed, none in the freezer as the nhs here insists all are grown to blastocysts and only then freezes them if grade 2 or above (as otherwise they pay for FET's, so this is to avoid it, grrrrr - hated my embryo's being "wasted" this way).

Private costs £££ but ways to save money (say I who am preparing for first private cyce) are:

• do all basic tests on NHS if money is an issue, if not and time is don't! This includes: basic infertility screen, thyroid, prolactin (latter 2 to see if medical physical reason for infertility), recent smear test, chlymadia test, HIV, Hep tests (latter 2 for both of you) plus a HSG (to see if blocked fallopian tube).
• don't do Immune testing (level 1 or 2) privately unless you feel there is a need, or have had miscarriages - this is what we were told, they said or 3 failed cycles. We had one failed cycle and paid now for level 1 and level 2 tests ( £900 plus £1300 roughly) as I have known immune issues for non fertility issues

Anyway, sorry if you know all of above. If I lived near London I would certainly consider the Lister!! Good luck x

Morning ladies! AF FINALLY here!

Hi all. I wanted to throw in my two cents for scrummy. I am currently undergoing treatment at ARGC. Before my two cycles last year, I also looked into the Lister. With both places, I can safely say that you should budget between £8-10K for a cycle. I chose ARGC because of their successful numbers. You can keep the costs down at ARGC by opting out of certain things, like the immunes testing, which is close to £1000, or a hysteroscopy, which is £1260, but those are some of the things ARGC is known for. You can also alleviate some of the costs of the monitoring cycle by having your GP do the Day 1-3 blood tests, which ARGC will happily accept. Every patient has to do a monitoring cycle, which is exactly as it sounds. They will do blood tests on Day 1-3, as well as HIV, Hep B and C (which you can get your GP to do), and then a mid-cycle scan and your immunes testing, if you so choose. Once treatment starts, it is an extremely hands on and intense process. You'll have to be there every day in the later stages of down regulation, and then tested twice daily once stimulation starts. The treatment is tailor made for each patient, and you will get a phone call every evening with instructions for your drug regime. Currently, I've been sniffing Suprecur for what seems like forever, but despite the sniffing I had a follicle growing, so they've given me Provera to bring on AF, and so I haven't been to the clinic in over a week. I feel very confident that ARGC is the clinic to get me PG. Feel free to ask any questions...

rowing- Yay for another BFP! I can sympathize about the bleeding, though. I'm sure you're biting your fingernails off!

lucy- Make a list of all the questions you want to ask at your initial consultation at ARGC. Also, I sent in all relevant medical paperwork regarding my previous cycles, so that they would have it by the time my appointment arrived.

lottie- You must have so many grey hairs of FIL's visit!! I really hope he offered to pay for the car!

Hi Italian! I know you like to be on top of all the religious observances, so I wanted you to know that the next Jewish holiday coming up starts next Tuesday at sundown. It's called Shavuot, and it's the day that G-d gave the Jewish people the Torah. It's not really a major holiday, like Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur or Hanukkah, but it's still a very important one. On Shavuot, we traditionally eat dairy (loads of chocolate and cheese ), we read from the Book of Ruth, and men will have an all night Torah study.

AFM, STILL waiting for AF. ARGH! It feels like she should be here, but she ain't...

Hope everyone has a lovely and restful bank holiday...

Yes please do hang about scrummy. But I hope you get your own natural BFP before any of your appts happen!

Here's the list. Anyone please feel free to add yourself if you want. It's not compulsory! I'm just nosey:

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 May 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!
Lucy Lookout 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, Waiting for next steps
Woowa, 32, DH is C5/6 incomplete tetraplegic, IVF with ICSI only possibility. DD 14 months from 1st cycle, now onto second cycle...

Rowing, that's great news about your test. Phew. Can you go to your dr for help with the progesterone once they reopen? I have 4 cyclogest pessaries left over and I'd be really happy to send them to you if they'd help. Just pm me with your address and I could send them today x

Lucy and rowing thanks for your comments. I did spot that Lister has an open evening each month and have sent a query to ARGC, so will follow your advice on that. I've checked through the stats and these two do seem to bring the best results. I'll be interested to follow your journey Lucy' so if you don't mind, I'll lurk around to see how things develop with you. And will probably ignore any reasonable reference to price

Sorry the IUI didn't bring your BFP, Lucy

rowing congratulations from me too. I can only imagine what that feels like. The normal 2WW is bad enough!

And the very best of luck to all of you.

Hi all,

Claralou welcome. Not long to go before your first treatment. I went to Reprofit in Czech Rep. If you need any advice about assisted conception in Eastern Europe feel free to ask.

Lucy of course you can stay here. I'm staying forever! They will have to prise my fingers off the door frame.

Italian that is interesting about Zita W's comment. Why did she ask about being scanned?

Hi Scrummy no advice here, but there are a few success stories from AGRC on here.

Lissy any sign of AF yet? I'm sure I drank Motherwort tea to bring on AF ages ago, also I think I read somewhere that dong quai encourages AF, if you feel like dabbling.

Lottie your FIL sounds terrific fun. What on earth happened with the car? Poor you having to listen to childcare advice from the 70's.

My news is still bleeding. Taking higher doses of progesterone seems to help (I mean huge) but I don't have that much to waste. I am still waiting for a new prescription from CZ.
That revolting wee is now down the loo, where it belongs, but I did do a clearblue test and it came up pregnant 2-3 weeks. At least that is reassuring, despite the bleeding. I just want to relax a bit. Wah!