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

[Italiangreyhound]

Hi ladies Pumplinjoy, Shirley, Lissy, Keziah, Womanly,Val, Late, monkeybumsmum, tametortie and Rowing* - hugs to you all.

woowa of course you can join us.

Choco and Horton and londonlottie do you still look in on us?

Can you all find us?

Couldn't write this in the same post. 2 embies in, no i hadn't thought of naming them. We'll wait and see what the scan shows and then think of some names. I don't want to get too attached until i know for sure that one or both will make it.

Italian, i'm sorry your wait has been so long, i know it's unbearable. We moved while on the waiting list in one area of the country to have to then start again on another list. And you only ever see heavily pg women when you're waiting that long.

Got to do some work for youth group tonight now, so trying to switch mn off...

babyB - perhaps in 3/6 months you may have a change of heart, if so we are still here. And kind of your dad to offer finance too.

2 embies - woowa hope they are sticky!

rowing so sorry to hear that embryo was in wrong place, but positive is that it worked - so really hope Sept's is a perfect cycle for you.

We are hoping to cycle in Sept also - see Dr in July, so hopefully if all things go well (those that know my story know that is always a big "if") then Sept would be good - well I would be thrilled for August cycle but I daren't think that positive!

BB hugs and thank you so much for your kind comments.

BB I think you are very wise just to take some time and think about it. If this really is the end of the road for you then may you feel a real sense of peace about it. If not, then I really hope you will come back and talk to us all again. I won't bore you with lots of details but for me we have looked into issues like immunology and thyroid and I am having extra medication for these to see if this makes a difference. For us this really is our last time. I did say that before but the coffers will be bare after this. I do feel ready for it to end so I won't try and talk you round BB but if you feel like chatting it through, ever, we are here (or feel free to PM me), or my email is my name here plus my imaginary age - 39 - at yahoo dot co dot uk

All the best, Helen

woowa- Yay, a BFP!! What wonderful news! Do keep us posted...

rowing- Argh, I'm so sorry to hear about your pregnancy Is there no hope that it could still be viable? I'm sorry if that's insensitive...I don't really know anything about ectopic pregnancies.

BB- I agree with Italian about taking time for yourself. Just see that you get lots of "me" time and give yourself time to grieve and work through it. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Keziah- Hope you're feeling better. Fingers crossed for a fall cycle.

Italian- Where ya going on holiday?

AFM, Day 6 of stimming, and I already have 12 follies! Yay! Feeling exhausted and twinge-y in my ovaries, but that was expected. At least it's a short week for me. Jewish holiday starting tomorrow night means no work Wednesday and Thursday. Although I'll still be shlepping to the clinic each of those days, I don't have anything to do but rest afterwards.

If I missed anyone, I'm sorry. I think about you all loads, and hope that we all get what we need to be happy.

12 follies is amazing so far Lissy - all the best for good eggs.

Rowing I'm so sorry that it's an ectopic pregnancy, but agree that the fact it stuck is a good sign and bodes well for the next time. Thinking of you and keeping my fingers crossed x

Woowa that's fab news, congratulations!

Lissy wow, 12 follies is great. Do you have any idea when EC might be? Thinking of you.

Hi to everyone else. I've been ill most of the weekend with a tummy bug and am still feeling a bit ropey, so will toddle off back to bed for a bit before picking DS up.

Hello

Well went for my pre-assessment prior to EC (hopefully) next monday. My blood pressure was high and was told I need to relax! Went home and listened to some nice music and cleared out living room/kitchen cupboards-hopefully therapeutic! First scan tomorrow to find out if stims are working. This is our first time so I just pray it is all working down there...

Lissy its great you have that many follicles. Very encouraging news for you.

Woowa Congratulations, lovely to hear.

Rowing I agree with what others and you have said-it's good to know that you got this far and does certainly bode well for next cycle. I'm just so very sorry to hear about the ectopic part of it-Are you feeling okayish on the medication they ve given you?

Love to all

xx

Lissy Yay, 12, fabbo

I'm off to Sweden.

Hugs to all.

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

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!

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

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, 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

rowing hugs to you, honey, so sorry that this is so crap.

Keziah wow how fab you found that out.

Lissy keep growing those follicles.

Hugs to all.

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!

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.

Rowing all the best, hope it will all be sorted soon. When I had my miscarriage at first I hope it would all be ok but by the end I just wanted it all to be over. Really you had a lucky escape because I know that eptopic pregnancy an be fatal in rare cases.

Keziah, Lissy, woowa, Woamnly, and all hugs to you and all you lovely ladies.

Rowing things are going well. I really hope you get into tip top shape. I really do have disordered eating so I think that for me the calories thing doesn't help. But I know it is different for others. For me I could watch calories for days and go mad one day and blow it all. I need to work out why I keep eating - maybe I am just plain addicted to food. I am working at it but generally feeling more in control.

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 and Keziah I had some tests done and it was decided for me to have some extra meds and also get my thyroid in order before our next and final go. Like Keziah I had not had lots of attempts, just one failed IVF. Although I had had numerous failed IUI and one IVF attempt which did not go to transfer). Anyway, I decided to get some extra tests done because I felt it was the best thing for us.

rowing hugs - thinking of you.

Lissy how are those follicles?

Thinking of you all

HUGS and baby bust and chocolate boobs to all

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.

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

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...