Assisted Conception (and the bits in between) Volume 6

[rowingboat]

Hi all,
I just went to post on the old thread and noticed it had been locked, so here is a new one!
Come on in!

Rowing I have no idea ...opps! I have polycystic ovaries so until it comes the time that we have some follicles growing I don't think anyone was going to attempt to count anything My period had just started so I guess the 16th scan is to...oh, give up. I am just doing as I am told

Everything crossed for you BB Were you hoping to freeze too?

Fingers crossed for 2 now and 2 for the freezer!

ahhhh that's why you cleaned out the freezer....

(sorry couldnt resist... )

Hi all,

BB, it's such a tough time with the sore tummy and all the prodding. This may sound a bit mad, but I have noticed people with lower numbers of eggs seem to do pretty well.
My two fresh cycles were like your first, loads of follicles and 10 fertilised all textbook, both times. However, on both cycles and for both resulting FETs I had BFNs so not really all that helpful. I firmly believe it is the quality of the eggs at the end of the process, not having huge numbers which works.
I bet this is the time for you!

Vallin laughing at your ! It is a bit confoooosing isn't it. I still can't remember the names of the drugs I took last time, just gone blank.

Not much to add here, still feeling very scared about putting myself through this again. Must try to calm down a bit and sort out accommodation.

Hi all. Just wanted to pop and say hi to everyone. Having a bit of a rough time of it the past couple of weeks. It's the first time since we started on the fertility roller coaster that I've really felt down and heavy. Hopefully it'll pass quickly.

On the upside, my boss is absolutely AMAZING. She's offered to help my husband and me by talking to her obstetrician, who does pro bono work. I'm really blessed to have found such a great family to work with (I'm a nanny), so that gives me something to smile about.

Good luck to all of those sniffing, stimming, and transferring. Sticky baby dust to all!!!

Haven't posted for a while. Sorry. :( Been finding this first round of IVF very hard - not the drugs so much as the emotional roller coaster thing.

FX for all of you.

Am having egg collection on Friday, only 11 follies but I know people who have had that elusive BFP with less, so hope it works...

bb but more room for icecream and you will be needing that for your impending cravings...

DRule hope all goes well tomorrow

lissy love a good boss. makes all the difference methinks... have you decided on a clinic yet?

afm just tapping away at my keyboard and trying to remain interested in that which keeps my family clothed and fed... and thinking about christmas...

late--Still going for ARGC, I think, but keeping options open. Rebooked for the open evening at CRGH, and boss is talking to her obstretrician either this week or next.

Tried to call NHS to see where we were on the list for our funded cycle. Got transferred to about fifteen different people before I left a message. I'm sure I won't be hearing back. The problem is that I don't know who to ask for to get specific answers.

BB--Good luck sweetie. This is the one!

Dachshund--Hope all goes well for your EC tomorrow. Take a deep breath, relax, and go to your happy place.

Hi all,

BB sorry to hear you are feeling down, can't be helped by all the hormones flying around. Fingers crossed your two good ones turn into teeny babies soon.

Lissy, having a helpful boss is great you need all the support you can get during assisted conception. I'm being secretive at work, pretending to be going to CZ for a holiday! They probably think I live a grand old life, swanning off all the time.

LAW I don't think they let me put my frosties in the freezer at home. Shame really, I think they would love to get popped into a tub of Haagan Daaz with teeny spoons. Yum!

Val how are you getting on sweetie?

AF has arrived and I have no idea how much oestrogen to take. Am raking around my old emails to see what they said. Feeling very PMSy and paranoid (I'm sure you are all talking about me when I'm not here - looks around furtively!)

Hello everyone - would it be ok if I popped my head in for some advice? I was surprised that there isn't an entire section of talk for assisted conception so I'm sorry if I'm wading in and interrupting things.

We have been TTC for 22 months and so far our inability to conceive is unexplained. My bloods are fine, DH's sperm is fine and my tubes are clear.

I'm 28 and DH is 30. I have always suffered from extremely painful periods but after I was told at 17 that having a baby would sought that out, never pushed for further investigation as to why. I now have BUPA cover and my GP has agreed to refer me for a Laparoscopy to speed up further investigations.

We have decided that in the new year we will go down the IVF path - I'm just concerned that by the time the NHS looks at all possible reasons for our infertility our chances of IVF working will have diminished.

I have heard how stressful and intrusive IVF treatment is and I thought I'd be able to handle this knowing it was worth it for the end result but following a HyCoSy earlier in the week that I was terrified of having and found very traumatic, plus the agony afterwards (I could hardly walk the following day)I'm now afraid that perhaps this is nothing in comparison to what I'd go through with IVF.

Nobody I know is going through anything like this at the moment and I would be so grateful for your advice.

Thanks so much and I'm really sorry if I'm in the wrong place to ask for help.

x

Hi plumtrees sorry to hear your HyCoSy experience was so awful. I had one a couple of months ago but apart from a few moments during the procedure I didn't find it that bad. I am only at the beginning of the IVF path - just over a week into my down regulation nasal spray, so utterly painless so far I would be lying if I said I wasn't apprehensive. I am not looking forward to the first couple of injections, but know I'll be fine after that. I am actually more apprehensive about embryo transfer than egg collection as the nurses told me I would be sedated during EC and basically not remember much - sounds like the sedation they gave me when they pulled my dislocated elbow back, I remember nothing of that .

I realise that was very unhelpful and just played out my own fears rather than helping to guide you. Come back in a few weeks and I can let you know first hand

However, there are several lovely ladies on here who may be able to help.

Plumtrees--You are most welcome! This is a great place for advice and support.

So far I've had two cycles of IVF, the reason being that my husband is paraplegic and there is no way for us to conceive naturally. The first time it worked and I miscarried, the second time failed. The process is stressful, but if you arm yourself with information and advice from the lovely ladies here, you should be ok.

In my experience, the treatment itself is not necessarily painful. You'll have blood tests, and ultrasounds up the wazoo (literally!), and the hormones may make you emotional. The egg collection is uncomfortable at the most, as is the embryo transfer (full bladder, ick!)

Do your research before picking a clinic. If you're in a borough with a short wait time, make sure you put yourself on the NHS list. As long as neither you nor your partner has a child from a previous relationship, and you fit all other criteria, then you are entitled to at least one funded cycle of IVF.

All of the ladies on here are amazing and supportive, so once again you've come to the right place. I'm sure the others will chime in as well..

Hi all,

Plumtrees welcome to the thread. I think anyone can jump in here, it's nice to have the support.
Fertility Friends is also a great forum for advice and support when going through fertility treatment.
I don't know a lot about it, but has your doctor investigated the possibility that you may have endometriosis (sp?). Just the painful periods can be an indicator.
Even if the investigations/waiting takes a year or two, you would still have an excellent chance at IVF at your age, you are in your prime.

Didn't get accepted on to The Bridge's IVF Plus They said it was due to PCOS. Totally understand they have criteria but slightly f-ed off as it (a) took 5 weeks for them to tell me this and (b) the consultant had said I was an ideal candidate as the whole purpose of the programme was to boost the clinics success rates.

Still going ahead, just a bit now there is no 'safety net' of a free second cycle.

Onwards and upwards I guess

suffering a mini hangover here. doesnt take much these days...

welcome plumtrees ouch. sounds like that hurt. havent had one of those but have had lots of prodding and poking... beware with insurance, read the fine print first cause sometimes they dont cover fertility investigations but do cover other stuff like investigations into MC for example. Worth having a read as it can certainly speed things up and save some money

vpod bummer about the bridge. am hoping you wont need the second cycle anyway...

bb thinking of you and hope all is going well...

rowing will now put some thought into what flavour i should be stocking in the freezer if i get to that part of the cycle...

oh and bored now at work... but fairly busy so thats good...

LOL LAW...>

Quick question, how long did people's stiming cycles last? I am being started on 50mg of Puregon (due to the PCOS we are starting low and building up if required). I only ask as DH has now booked a trip with work, only one night but about 14 days after stiming starts. Has said he obv won't go if 'required'...but now I am fretting a bit

hmm... rather a lull at work at the moment... but have a rather 'delicate' question about sperm samples... is there an alternative to the impersonal little box room with the pre used men's magazine? can you bring one from home on the day for example... i mean i know its no fun for the ladies part either but in a strange way, i kinda dont fancy that half of the potential baby being the result of a furious handshake in a small dirty room.

sorry if tmi... can ask to have deleted if i have offended

LAW if you live close enough, 30 mins I think, some places let you, well DH/P, do the deed at home

ohh thank you vpod! will check closer to the time with the clinic... but we are 30 mins away (traffic permitting) but think DP would opt for cycling there (quicker...) if it meant he didnt have to enter 'the room' again... and its a task we can share

oh oh and they have my results from my immunes back... they should be calling me tonight or early next week with the results. bit nervous. AND got a smiley face on ovulation stick (never happened last time i tried them...) last ditched attempt at natural this month but need to let them know wed re if going for fresh cycle... moving fast now. want to go home and hibernate for a couple of days just to take it all in. not telling DP about smiley face- too much pressure.

Hi all,

Val what a nightmare about the bridge. I hope you aren't too upset. Did it make you feel like crying or are you just brushing it off?
My stimming varied, when I did an antagonist protocol the first time it was around 9 days. The second IVF involved down-regging for ages and the stimming lasted around 12-13 days. Think my ovaries had completely gone off to sleep. Wake up!

BB how are you feeling now sweetie? Did the 2 good embies make it back in?

LAW have you decided whether to go for it this month? Are you saying you have to decide between TTC naturally and going for IVF?

Is there anyone very organised out there because I would really appreciate a kind of roll call of where we all are. My brain isn't really big enough to remember where everybody is in the process and I feel as if I am asking really dopey questions when I reply to you all. 'I TOLD you that already Rowing!' [through gritted teeth]

I'm finding the progynova (oestrogen] supplement is making me feel a bit depressed. It isn't constant, but I'm having waves of anxiety and discomfort every so often. Not very pleasant.