TTC 10+ months Part 13

Good morning ladies and happy valentines day to you all. Here I bought you each a naff bunch of from the garage on my way in

Oh and by the way Mr P did get me a card; no present. But that's ok he's working his bollocks off to finish our house and did pick out a very pretty floral material sample for our new pouffe yesterday that he thought I'd like (a selfless act as he wanted something much more manly) and bought me a bag of crisps for after yoga last night. It is the small the things :)

So, Doll, I kinda heard a birdie say that you have one in the oven?! Huge congratulations - loved how you slipped that one in there, although it was given away on my "Threads your on" by the other ladies when I checked in this morning, so I didn't get the full surprise that would have been if I'd just read the thread. But I'm still delighted to hear your wonderful news. Soooooooooooo well earned too - your cowboy IVF does work then, huh! Hoorah!

So, I better go and do some work. Hot date with an Ikea kitchen designer called Doug this afternoon, so I'm only in for 3 hours (well, 2 and a half now) today.

Waves of pom pom, sparkly knobs and loves for you all. Hoping that this is just the start of the BFP 13 spree for the 10 plussers.

And meant to say joy thinking of you today xx

Omg doll, amazeballs Love the stealth announcement too. And symptoms as well! You and euro show that you don't need to produce tonnes of eggs during ivf for it to work, which backs up create's philosophy.

And hurrah euro for the +ive blood test. Hopefully you can now really believe it.

sea so sorry about the af arrival. Even when you know the stats, it's still hard to deal with a failed cycle.

ten was it you who was asking about create? I'm intrigued as to who your consultant is. Think I've seen every blooming dr at the clinic and they've still not got me pregnant I chose Create mainly as they offer a low drug version of ivf. I've always reacted quite a lot to synthetic hormones eg the pill, so just had a feeling I'd over stim on normal ivf drug doses. Turns out my theory was right, as I produced lots of eggs on the low stims and nearly over stimmed on the 2nd cycle anyway! Create is also the clinic physically nearest to us, we can park there and it is a lot cheaper than other clinics. They always run late and are generally disorganised but I put up with this due to them offering mild ivf. If you have any other questions, do ask. An open day is a good idea.

rabbit so sorry you are in the tent. I am about you fur baby too and I don't even know him! I hope he pulls through. We were told ours would need to be on meds the rest of her life and that they don't really make meds for her type, but what the vet gave her seemed to sort her out, aside from the odd wheezy patch! The spotting must be a head fuck. It doesn't mean the M word is on the way though. I think princess had some mid cycle bleeding too and now she's preggers!

Waves and happy VD to everyone else! On the train so keeping it shortish.

Dave did well this morning and have me a nice arty card and a box of posh chocs. We're off to an exhibition launch tonight ie he's working and thought he'd better take me along!

I have one foot in the tent with rabbit. It feels like the cystitis that plagued me for most of last year is coming back. It ruins my life, as it means I can't drink anything other than water if I don't want to be in agony. No tea, wine or gin . Also makes me feel like all ivf has done is break me (the 1st cycle gave me it). Ah well, will have to sit on the phone for ages this arvo and try to speak to a dr about my wee bits, in front of my colleagues.

Doll!!!! That's incredible! Totally thrilled for you. What a fab story and Doesnt Euro and Doll show that you don't need a massive crop of eggs to get pregnant. Screw those docs who say otherwise. This has put a big smile on my face.

Wow oh wow oh wow. Doll that is just the most amazing, wonderful news. Are you going in for a Vally's day blood test confirmation? So even after all these years, the miracle can still happen. I am just so happy for you . Now we need 8 months of worry free, pukey free, stress free pregnancy please. And you better stick around here too!

Euro hurrah for the blood test confirmation. So much for shredding wombs! Gosh have we ever had 2 so close together? Amazing news.

Joy I am still quietly wishing things will turn out differently for you, but either way, you know where we all are. You are (outwardly at least) handling this with such dignity, but falling apart would be totally ok too. This is just shit. I have a tiny glimmer of understanding of what you are going through (the waiting for the phone to ring is a horrid memory from my cycle), but you have just been put through so much, it's beyond unfair. You WILL get your baby though.

Oh Rabbit I'm sorry for more menkullness and non-stripey hob-nobs and stupid bleeding, and poorly real Rabbits. I so hope he has pulled through, they are so important in our lives. However in my not very educated opinion, I think something is happening in your body. The stripey hobnob a few months ago and now this; I know it probably doesn't feel like a good thing, but I reckon your body is sorting itself out.

Sorry for only partial catch-up. Need to log on to work system now but thought I'd just say hello to the newly diffed . I'm kind of anxious to be getting on with my next cycle now.

Quick waves to everyone else. Oh Sea was it you who had the crap IUI news? I'm sorry it didn't work, but as everyone else said, try try again. That's my current IVF plan too!

A quick one to say good luck for today Joy. Will be thinking of you. Big hand hold.

Still v excited about Euro & Doll's good news. Happy happy thread news.

Rabbit - haha! I am equally excited at meeting a fellow yogi. I checked out womb yoga. Looks v different but I would def try it. It's a shame I live down sarf... I would love to come with you otherwise. Classes I found seem to be in Bristol. You must check out Jivamukti. I know they do classes oop North. Let me know when you start the bikram challenge as I might join you esp if it's around the time I take a break from TTC which I plan to after 2nd IUI. Im a big Bikram bore too - hahah! Hope the bleeding stops and you feel better soon. You def should get it checked out.

lemon - what new yoga were you trying?

Sorry for all the yoga chat. I know it's not v interesting for everyone.

Madness - lunch sounded lovely.

I agree with Mrsd, it's is just too cold now. Pls can we have spring weather!

Artemis - what a great nickname. Thanks for the support. Nice to see graduates come back on thread, just shows what a lovely place this is. Thanks for the lovely cake.. Yum.

Sweet - Keep busy to take your mind off tests and things is good. Always works for me too.

Happy St Valentines' Day for all. May your days be filled with love. x

doll happiness.

Woohoo! Euro and Doll Fantastic!

Sea- Sorry to hear about the bfn, I can understand how it would be such a letdown after an iui.
Doll - Congratulations! That?s wonderful news.
madness - your lunch sounds like it was great.
euro - Congratulations (again) now that it is no longer premature.
Critter - Yes DH and myself are Canadian.
Buzzy- ovulating late always sucks.

• DH and I are not doing anything for Vday other than eat cheap chocolate the next day. I am busying myself with odd jobs to avoid worrying about our upcoming tests and month long wait for results.

mrsden I have had a cycle like this before right back in the first months I think just as we went to using a persona and were sloppy with it. As my entire reproductive system was scrutinised for 2 hours I've had faith all is well in there and last fannycam in August was perfect. Fingers crossed its a blip. Faced with another lap - id go crazy. Don't tell viv.

Euro you WILL stay here! Firmness. And Doll.

Wow, doll. I'm so happy for you. I love the way you slipped it in, totally the opposite to how I would!

Euro, that's wonderful news that your blood test confirms it. Do stay on here, I'd miss you if you ran off. And doll, stay too!

Rabbit, I was going to suggest pregnancy or a cyst. I had a weird cycle a couple of years ago where I had spotting and my temps stayed high for a long while. I'm now convinced that is when my cyst first set up home. I've no proof of course. And she's been evicted now. Gp visit sounds like a good plan.

Joy, I'm thinking of you.

I wish spring would get a move on. I'm fed up of being cold. Totally done with snow and ice. Im in bed now with a hot water bottle, toasty warm for the first time today. I have an early start tomorrow so good night all x

doll that has for to be the classiest most low-key pregnancy announcement I've ever seen... What brilliant news, I am SO pleased for you and Euro, two BFPs in a week, hopefully the fertility gods have sorted their act out and there will soon be more! I'm just , fantastic.

My Internet connection is fucked (I believe that's the technical term) so once again I can't post properly because I make so many typos with my thumbs on the silly little phone screen it does my head in. Maybe I should give in and get an iPad (ponders tax deductibility). Hugs to Joy and fx for a miracle but I understand sometimes it's less traumatic to let go of the hope and start to process possible bad news. And Rabbit and Sea sorry you are in the tent. Passing in some lemon drizzle cake (I made a cake! It's edible! Mr A now wishes we had tried to get pregnant years ago) and virtual hugs. A doctor's appt sounds the best option rabbit, for the glandular fever symptoms and anaemia as much as the wacky cycles. I had GF as a student, it's hideous, wiped me out for nearly a year.

Right, my eyes are starting to cross too now. Apologies for random typos and autocorrect silliness. I shall be back in Internet land soon I hope and will be able to do the proper catch-up I keep promising.

I shall be all night now

rabbit with conventional IVF all your natural hormones are shut off and then artificial ones are added at the "right" level, so hormonal menkulness shouldn't have any effect.

I had no blood tests before my IVF (save for the compulsory HIV and hep ones). The last hormone tests I had were in May 2011, done by my GP at the first appointment! I had one blood test during, to make sure my LH wasn't surging before they were ready to collect the egg.

Thanks to everyone for their kind words. I'm still very nervous and will hang around here for a bit longer, if that is alright with all of you. I really couldn't have managed without the support I have received on this board.

It has been an eventful day in the 10 plus festival village. I raise a glass, sticking one hand out the tent, to valentine bfps and to all of us trekking onwards through the nice and positively gruelling bits of the journey.

Sea I am so excited to speak to a bikrammer! When I'm on one with it I am a bikram bore. Im well you've done the challenge. Annoyingly the times in Manc don't make it easy but I WILL do it. It makes me so pleasingly smooth do you find that? I'm all up for a bit of kundalini - do you have the maya fiennes DVD? Crazy stuff but I like it. There aren't classes here though. Check out womb yoga. Major woo-land but if you wanted to come with me I'd be up for it! Sorry everyone else for yoga gushing but I'm excited to find sea Poor sea!

Sar I think the cyst is a good theory. I feel rough as at the moment and think 3 weeks of bleeding is making me anemic as I recognise the horrible signs. So gp visit good. Does hormone disaster cycles mean ivf won't work for me? anyone? Do they check all these things beforehand?

Just had to pop on and say massive congratulations to doll and euro!! This is such wonderful news and thoroughly deserved. Am also keeping everything crossed for joy and shall be thinking of you tomorrow.

doll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a typically low key announcement. I am so, so happy for you. :) (The blood is the standard way of officially testing at my clinic and I refused to believe the pish sticks, so I was hanging on the result, being mental.)

ten I hate taking drugs generally and have to have a headache for hours before I will pop a paracetemol, so when the drug delivery for my NHS cycle arrived in a massive box I completely freaked out. We waited a few months and then decided to go for it, although I was never entirely comfortable with the idea. The downregging made me depressed and anxious - I was like a completely different person. It was upsetting for both of us. When they wanted me to downreg for an extra week to suit the clinic's timetable, we decided to stop there and then, investigated other options and heard about Create. If you go to the Open Day, they will tell you they go for quality rather than quantity. It makes some sense (but is obviously also a sales pitch for their method). The body is designed to pop out 1 egg a month. Forcing it to ripen 20 or whatever in one go is a massive ask. There is often a big drop off in nos. fertilised and then at every stage, so according to them, you don't end up with more viable embryos than doing mild IVF and starting with a smaller no of eggs. However, there are other clinics doing conventional IVF with higher success rates so make of that what you will. Obv the consultant has an interest in selling her services privately, but I would say there is no harm in popping along to an Open Day if you think you could be interested. I went for natural rather than mild and went into it planning on 3 cycles (which costs about the same as one full cycle at some of the more expensive clinics). Happy to answer any other questions.

joy I've been thinking of you all day. I hope you and Roy are doing ok. x

Doll & Euro - !!!!!!!!!! You made my day!! So happy to read your good news! Yay! 10 plussserr BFPs! 2 come in one go! Let?s have some more!

Joy ? Thanks so much for your kind words. I know IUI is only about one third or one fourth of an IVF in terms of chances. I tried really hard not to get my hopes up, thought I had but clearly not. I will be thinking of you tomorrow when you have your scan. You are a lovely lady. I wish only good things for you & Roy. Hand hold for tomorrow and happy to read you are taking the morning off. x

Rabbit ? Gladly take yoga bolster off you? Jivamukti yoga is similar to astanga but it?s done to music and quite spiritual. They do a special focus every month. Check out their website. I love Bikram yoga too. I did 30 day challenge last year and year before. Lasted 35 days both times but it is a huge commitment and my hair fell out from over-washing. I also like kundalini yoga, a bit out there but I fine it clears my mind completely. I don?t know what womb yoga is. I have watched anti-gravity at Mr Sea?s gym but not tempted to try yet. Would love to do a class led fertility yoga class but I have never come across any. Have you? You should check out this new doc film about yoga. www.breathofthegods.com/

Sweet ? nice to see another yogie. Om shanti. x

Thanks freedom, pout, lemon for your kind words & wishes. I means a lot. I am okay. It was my 1st go at IUI so I can?t really expect much but hard to not get hopes up.

Princess ? I loved your Valy day stories. I too love Valy day but Mr Sea is not so keen. He says he loves me everyday and don?t need a saint to tell him to be romantic.

Ten ? Big step to go to IVF. How do you feel about it all? Thanks for wishes. Pls share your findings on mild ivf. I am v new to AC. Is it the same as no drugs or less drugs?

Critter ? I love your nickname too. I googled and the pants look fun. I am planning on another 2 IUI and then will move onto IVF (possibly at ARGC). Will do next IUI straight away with no break.

Big wave to everyone I have missed.

DOLL!!! that is just bloody fantastic. My god and after so many times of symptom spotting I love that you 'knew'. I am so pleased for you, I want to give you a big fat hug!

So I just want to confirm that pondering on the odd events of the last two weeks I have eaten some hobnobs of the not striped variety. Which is ok as I'd have been frantic it was eptopic or doomed anyway. But of course whilst holding the stick I did wonder...

Doll - oh my gosh, oh my gosh, aaaaaaggghhh, you are pregnant. I am ecstatic for you.

Euro - I am giddy to hear about your positive blood test. Get in!

Ten - sorry to hear about the sa. It is frustrating indeed that ivf is now the only option. Is a repeat sa worthwhile if previous ones were good.

Madness - hooray for boozy dinners.

Rabbit - I don't know what to suggest but gp appointment is sensible. If not pregnancy, which it defo could be, maybe some sort of burst cyst? Oh rabbit, I am really sorry for the torment.

Joy - thinking of you lots and lots xx

thanks ladies. I feel like I have kind of 'known' for a few days in some complicated way. I have felt dodgey on and off since last Friday in a non-descript way. 'Night shift belly' is the best way I can decribe it, night shifts give you a nasty low grade pitty feeling in the stomach. By Sunday this become a pretty much permant arrangement with occasional sea sickness thrown in. Years as a barren and much past googling has taught me that these kind of 'symptoms' are possible at around 6 weeks not less than 4, then euro got her + and I said to myself there's a really one, the way it's supposed to be. My tummy wobbles were buried for a while. This morning we were in the middle of a crisis future conversation and I went and peed on an ov stick (all I had) because I 'knew' it would be + and was going to use this to lend weight to an argument (yes really, don't ask). It was +. Felt terrible all day, ran out of work for a HPT in the afternoon, peed on it at work, + straight away. Goodness, what craziness.

I am back. And slightly tipsy

Hooray for euro and the positive confirmation and to doll - wow wow wow. Did you just test yourself today? I want all the details!!!

rabbit I had just spotting some months and bleeding on others. It was really frustrating. Some months I had to wear pads for three weeks out of every four. It often started just a few days after ovulation and definitely got in the way of regular intercourse...... In hindsight I wish that I had pushed harder for investigation. Doctors only ever wanted to try me on a different birth control pill to regulate it.

Sorry for your disappointment this month sea. I hope that you're feeling like you can bounce back for another attempt. IUI wouldn't help us so I haven't been down that road. There are others here with better advice.

In my tipsy state I shan't name check everyone. Will try to catch up tomorrow. Lunch was lovely. Very posh (whispers that it has a Michelin star) and have been looking forward to it for months as was a Christmas gift for MrM. We ate lots and nodded as if we knew what he was talking about when the wine man told us what he had chosen for us to drink. Am now inspired to try to make some souffle. Pre ivf diet be damned!!!!

doll This is the best news ever. Am thrilled for you. YIPPEE!