Grab your Ganeshas and collect your cats: The Elderberry Pavlovas in the Quest for the New Year clusterdiff (thread 25)

So sorry HB - not what you wanted. Look after yourself today and have a good old cry - call in sick if necessary.

Tiger Drinking only on Saturdays or whatever might work. I bet it would have just as good an effect as giving up alcohol altogether. I'm inclined to let DH decide for himself what he wants to do and thinks is right. If you don't have specific swimmer problems then I wouldn't worry too much and just let him get on with it.

Beaky a puppy!!! [heart] [heart] heart] If you don't already have a name, might I suggest Barry?

Good luck with IUI today. It stands out for me as one of the most absurd experiences of my life. It's the way they keep showing you a little tub of swimmers with your DH's name on it and asking if that is definitely the right one. That and the head torch. Weird. But good luck!

So sorry hb thinking of you and sending love. X

Oh HB I'm so sorry. and [hugs] I know it was what you were expecting but that won't make it any easier. Do you have to go to work today or can you stay home with the hound?

Game over BFN

hope you're okay hb

with us, Mr nol is the non boozer so not sure what to advise tiger...sorry!

AF and fc appointment arrived together today. like a totally non ironic Morissette -style 'isnt it ironic ' weird to think last af was in November :( wish me luck berries

I'm up Tiger but I can't claim to be an early bird! Maybe you're right with MrSmidge. He does get a bit intraspective every now and then though. And yes, I am pretty practical and don't usually make a fuss. Will see how he is tonight.

If MrT's SA results were significantly better after no booze and plenty of vits, then I don't think anyone on here will be disagreeing with the lent suggestion! And I like the fact you can use that as your excuse if you don't want people to know about the upcoming fertility treatment. But I guess it is quite a while, and you don't want to cause resentments etc - so what about trying to compromise (something that he may find it easier to stick to, yet still be a positive step) - maybe agree only to drink on a Saturday night or something? My OH struggles with giving up completely. Proven after not drinking for ten days in the run up to giving his sample - that evening he came home with two 6 packs and finished them both that weekend. hmmm maybe his low mood on Sunday was actually a hangover

Oops happy I have lost a week! Hoping that this week passes quickly.

beaky aawwwww and squeeeee at the little pup. A dog makes a family complete. Good luck today my dear. Also, not 100% sure about the Mayan therapy beaky but it is recommended by good ol' Zita west and helps address uterus issues and release stress and tension from
your abdominal area. There is a lady that does it round the corner from my work so easy enough to go to, and I've not spent wasted any money on holistic therapies for a couple of months so I thought what the heck.

hb tight squeeze from me.

smidge perhaps it has only just hit him that you are having to go through so much. You sound like someone who just gets on with things, and people who cope make things look easier than they are!

I want Mr T to give up alcohol for lent with me (it's a convenient time period as it will take us up to ivf and also gives an answer to nosy people) but he thinks I'm being unreasonable. Thoughts? There were big differences in his SA results after cutting back on booze and taking vits.

Any fellow early birds up this morning? I woke up half an hour before the alarm, at 4.30am. I'm going to be tired today...

Good luck with the IUI today Beaky I'm thinking positive Barry White songs for you! And a puppy! Amazing gift we want pictures please.

Aww HB, hugs for the moment, lovely. I'll be checking in to see how you go.

Smidge MrS is probably just reflecting on things. I wouldn't think he's doing it as a "lets jack this in" thing but more likely as way to process things.

Jellie not long! Im excited for you getting things underway and fx it works out for you. Did you sort what you'll need to do with needles etc for the flight? Love the barry/berry thread title by the way

Happy I hope you're feeling ok so far, did the spotting stop? Fx for you. I thought you and wild had both said your amh was on the low side but other results ok. The consultant said they would just put me on the highest dose to see how I go.

Wild thanks, I think I'll see how I go on short protocol, then revisit extra testing. Your poor friend who list their dog, it's just so heartbreaking.

Tiger that sounds interesting, what does it do for you? Boo to a 5am alarm.

Sorry I've not checked in much, hope everyone is ok. IUI tomorrow nervous and in better news dh bought me the best present ever today... A puppy!

Hang in there hb

smidge one day at a time. Fingers crossed this is your time.

happy are you testing tomorrow? Good luck if so xx

Must have missed the Keira knightly pregnancy announcement, flicking this evening channels and came across the baftas and some presenter bleating on at her about bumps on the red carpet. Oh fuck off!!

Have booked myself a Mayan abdominal therapy appointment for this week. Another thing to try! If all else fails it should just be relaxing.

Hope everyone is ok. Just setting my alarm for 5am (eek) so best go to bed asap! Night berries!

I'm sorry HB I seemed to turn my sympathies for you there into a me me me post. .

Oh HB I'm so sorry. More metaphoric hand holding from over here. and . This process is really draining isn't it. MrSmidge spent the whole of Sunday quiet and distant and then when we went to bed said something about how crazy it is we're doing all this surgery, injections, pessaries and tablets. I hope he was just having a wobble as I'm not ready to even imagine a life without children yet. He'd been so supportive this time round too, it's got me really worried what he'll say if this attempt doesn't work out.

Oh no, HB, I'm so sorry you're feeling so crap. Not sure if there's anything helpful to be said at this stage, but have a virtual hug. Thinking of you x

Hi all, just thought that I would check in. I've been a very good berry and not pimped but have started to bleed today so am pretty sure what the news will be tomorrow. Emotionally I have been an emotional wreck (even before the bleeding had started) so I feel pretty overcome by everything and sick to the bottom of my stomach.

I will let you know officially tomorrow but it may be a long day; if I get a positive test like I did last time then I'll have to wait for my HCG result.

In better news the hound is looking much better but was sick today so hoping that that was a one off!

I hope everyone else is ok and those on 2ww are getting through it ok.

Lol. "Barry and the berries in the Charabanc with homemade grumble". Next thread title right there!

Smidge - brill news on the embies! Switches pompoms into high gear!

Hb and Happy lots of folk have no symptoms at all. Cmon by the power of the berries!

HB so happy your doggy seems to be on the mend! There such a worry aren't they?

Beaky, !y amh is v low but no problem with FSH or lh. Like happy days its why they out me on Max stimms to start with. What was your afc? That's a hood indication too.

Wild - poetry?!?!? Going to have to try that one! .

3 days left people 3 days....

Good news on your pup HB it sounds as if he is getting the right treatment to get him on the road to recovery. It's horrible when a furry friend is ill. It's just awful to see them suffering and not really know what they are going through or be able to reassure them that you will do everything you can to help them.

A friend's dog died this week and he is just devastated. The dog was an old girl and had been fading for a while and she'd had a brilliant life, but it was just the two of them and he is missing his best friend so much. Very sad.

Smidge - 'Barry and the Berry Pompoms' ? That's a tribute act right there. It sounds like the Smidge porn did the trick and six fertilised is great. Counting down the hours with you until update time. (And trying to get my head around the time difference in the meantime.)

Beaky poor you and DH. It really must have been a shock when your IVF cycle went off course. It's really disappointing. If you wanted to get your AMH tested and the clinic wouldn't do it then you could get it done privately. It's not hugely expensive I don't think, maybe £150 for AMH alone (she said, plucking that figure out of thin air). If it would give you some peace of mind to know then go for it.

Tiger whoever said up thread that you need to be satisfied that you did everything you could in this game is spot on. Spending £150 on Zita vits is very little in the scheme of things. Especially if it results in an FUFC, then it's a small price to pay!

And Rhyl Happy ? It is hard to keep occupied in Rhyl. I went there once and the only place we could find to have dinner was in an amusement arcade. True story.

HB and Happy hang on in there. You can't know for sure until you test and in the meantime try to keep your minds busy with something else - maybe learn some poetry by heart? ^^

That's really good news 'Simdge how about wooing womb instead?

HB that sounds positive (I think!). Feeling different from last time must be a good sign. And despite my obsessive daily boob-cuppage in my tww, from all I've read, the hormone levels wouldn't be high enough to cause any noticeable changes til about week 5 (a week after BFP) anyway! Glad to hear your pup is on the mend too

Happy fingers crossed for you. Like I said for HB any symptoms that are different from last time must be a good thing, right?

Beaky I've definitely heard something about comparing the AMH to FSH/LH so don't dismiss what your doc said just yet - I think low AMH matters much more if your FSH/LH levels are also low

We got the fertilisation call yesterday and Barry (and the berry pom poms) must have done their stuff. 6 have fertilised normally (presumably it was the two teeny tiny eggs that didn't) so we're actually back in the game.... Fingers crossed they are good, strong, perfectly-chromosomed embryos who have each matched with the right sperm and are ready to get dividing and move back into my welcoming womb! (What's the opposite of a womb of doom? There must be a better phrase).

Day 3 call due in about 30hours not that I'm counting

Happy here for a hand hold if needed.

Beaky don't blame you for deleting the whinging vm, why people insist in oversharing like that is beyond me.

Smidge an news on your embies? Hope that you are feeling better, with your feet up and being waited on hand and foot. I am very impressed with homemade porn!

Tiger at the end of the day you have to be happy that you have done everything that you can regardless.

Jellie it may be worth contacting the airline as they may be a little funny about needles etc. they should be able to advise in the best course and may reassure you a little?

All okish here. The hound is starting to look better so stubborn infection it is (hopefully) which will mean up to eight weeks of antibiotics. Need to get the claim forms in as this has set us back about £1500. Still he is worth it

In other news not sure what OTD will show, my boobs are no longer tender and I don't feel of but I have given up trying to second guess what's going on. I still feel tearful (and this is different from last time) so I am clinging on to every shred of hope. DH is making like an ostrich and is still positive and so won't even consider discussing what happens next.

Thank you all for being so supportive and kind. I did put more detail in the post that was lost to explain things but then was hurrying to get a new post done!

Happy no to amh testing at the moment - he said it does indicate low ovarian reserve but he didn't think it would be too low as I have ok fsh and Lh (I know that's not necessarily right but I wasn't focused on that at the time) I will certainly ask at the next appointment though.

So I will trigger tonight and iui will be Monday afternoon, and they've given me the delightful bum bullets too. I did bleed heavily after about 8 days post iui last time. Wild yes by changing to iui I still get the full NHS IVF entitlement which is very lucky I know. Like I say they really have been good when I've needed them to be. I just have no faith in iui working!

Tiger I say why not to the vits! especially in the run up to IVF. That is going to fly now. Glad the new job is going well too, I definitely think we can't just put out lives on hold for ttc or time just passes.

Happy I hope the spotting is nothing, but remember it is very common. All fx for you lady.

HB how are you and your puppy?

Smidge what's the news? Did Barry White do his thing?!

Jellie I think you would be unusual if you weren't worrying about all sorts of daft stuff, that's just stress for you eh.

Yesterday whilst I was a bit miserable, I deleted a whiny vm from a client who was whinging about something which she said was so much harder for her because she has a 7 week old I didn't even listen to the full thing also dh later told me he went into a new housing development and basically quizzed the rep for 20mins about why the houses are laid out so badly! Again, I think it's fair to say he wasn't over the moon at the IVF cancellation. He is so laid back usually!

How's everyone else today anyway?