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?

hello um i have not posted on here before i had miscarriage last month and dont even know is we should have another child due to my medical problems which are many doctors advise against of course but it i think it just because they do not want to deal with the pregnancy they have stated that fact flat out we my husband and i would really like to just have one child together i just dont know if its to much or not

tametortie- Oh you poor love! What an absolute nightmare! I hope you feel better soon, get lots of rest and TLC from DH, and hopefully the docs will be able to figure out what's next.

Italian- Sorry you're having a crap time. I think it's the waiting that drives us crazy, and gives us way too much time to think, and second guess, and question. But you know in your heart what you want, and what's important to you. Feel better soon, have a relaxing and resful holiday, and know that we're behind you, rooting for you, no matter what...

scrummy- Thanks for the well wishes! This is by no means the end of my visits to ARGC. I'm in every other day for blood tests to check my progesterone and hcg levels. They'll do my six week scan, and then a scan a week until I'm twelve weeks. After that, they'll want me in once a month to do a full blood count. When they get you pregnant, they want you to stay that way!

AFM, my levels went from 252 Sunday to 384 Monday, then up to 899 on Wednesday, so everything is looking good. I didn't need intralipids, which means my NK cells are lower, which is excellent. Back in tomorrow for more bloods...

I hope everyone gets their BFPs this year!!

amelleanika welcome. i am so sorry to hear about your sad loss and to find out that you have a medical condition and may have problems with having a baby. Would this medical condition effect the likelhood of your getting pregnant, or staying pregnant or is it about something else? Only share what you feel happy to share, remember anyone can read this not just the people who post on it, so if you are asked a probing question feel free not to answer (of course!). Hugs to you at this sad time. No idea what to say as I have no idea what your medical problems might be. Usually, when I am in doubt I seek a second opinion. So if your own GP or consultant is not explaining themselves very well would it be possible to speak to someone else? Was the MC due to your medical condition or was it due to other factors or unexplained factors. I can't comment on what you should do medically but I know the desire to have a child is very strong and we are here to listen if you want to share your journey with us.

Scrummy thanks for your kind comments.

Hello Ladies! I am totally gatecrashing your thread but I really need some help. Long story short we are due to start ICSI imminently but DH has just had another SA at the clinic we are going to use and it's catastrophic 1 million count, 13% motility and 0% morphology. We have been told that he needs to freeze a back up sample next week, but I don't understand what it means. Can they do ICSI with abnormally shaped sperm? If so, why does he need the back up? Surely samples all given within a month period are all going to be pretty much the same? Has anyone esle done ICSI with such low numbers?

ellangirl Hi and welcome. I'm afraid I have no idea. What do the clinic say? Did you voice your concerns with them?

tortie so sorry for your pain and lack of fertilization. I hope you can recover well for a 2nd attempt - and it is good they are allowing you to cycle again with egg share.

ellen - the good thing with ICSI is that they can take the individual good sperm and use them, so the fact there is a high morphology issue should not be an issue - as 1million sperm is a lot when you will not have 1 million eggs to fertilise. We had ICSI too, sadly did not implant but the fertilisation worked. They told us 60% fertilisation of eggs was average with ICSI. Has you dh taken any supplements to help sperm - my dh was told to take a variety of things (in one supplement, menevit, or separately) and it improved a lot. We waited to do ICSI for a few months for his sperm to improve -as every 3 months sperm is new!! It worked for us. All the best.

Hi, have now spoken to consultant. The issue is his count was bad before (done locally) but not THAT bad. With being due to start a cycle next week it's terrible timing. It seems that there is a difference of opinion between the embryologist and the clinicians. The embryologist it turns out is fine with that sample and thinks he can do ICSI no problem. The consultant had decided they couldn't, but as the embryologists are the experts who actually do the magic so to speak, I trust them! To be on the safe side, DH is still going to go over next week to freeze a sample, so as to keep both sides happy. It'll only cost another £500 do that with flights and fees Ah well, who needs heating, and clothes, and food...

Hi ellengirl you mention flights, what country are you having your treatment in? Just curious, feel free not to say.

CareBear1 are you still around?

Lissy how are you?

Keziah, Scrummy, Lucy and Rowing what's the latest, what's happening.

Did anyone watch The Apprentice last night? Any time is treat time? Great slogan for kids (NOT!)

Italian we're having treatment in Leeds, because we live on an island where they cannot do fertility treatment. We can have the first stage here though, and just go across for egg collection and transfer.

Ellengirl all the very best, for your treatment and all your travels.

Can anyone recommend links to Fertility Friends or other websites for people who are trying for babies later in life or through IVF, please? A friend would like to know and I only really use Mumsnet! Thanks.

Hi all

Italian how are you feeling now? It isn't long until the Autumn now. I hope you get on with enjoying Summer with your DD in the meantime.
I am on FF and there is an area on the forum for older TTC'ers, it's all pretty well-signposted. I'm on the bit for overseas IVF people.
I do find the forum invaluable for more detailed questions. There are so many people on there, that you always seem to be able to find somebody who has been there and done that.

Ellan welcome to the group. I'm afraid I am not very clued-in about icsi, but it sounds as if you have had some good advice.

Lissy your blood levels sound great. How are you feeling?

Keziah are you feeling a bit better now. I'm guessing you haven't been swimming while you have been under the weather, but you will soon be cruising the fast lane again.

Tortie hope you are ok and the pain is under control.

Scrummy glad to hear your hsg went well. Any luck with the appointments?

Beginnings when will you be going to the Lister for your consultation?

I'm off on holiday tomorrow, but have a blood test first. I'm hoping it has fallen lots. I'm so tired, but kind of feeling a bit less crampy and achey so hoping that is good news.

rowing - have a lovely holiday. I hope to be back in the slow lane, at your aspirations for fast lane, next week.

Hi - thanks to all of you who gave me advice about immunology testing. I still think this might be the key for us for some reason, but this week we had a follow up appointment at the clinic where we just had a ivf round which failed to implant (at The Bridge Centre). The consultant we saw wasn't that positive about the tests about what they show or what that would then mean for treatment (and after reading some of those links posted on here it does look like a new area of ivf). Wasn't completely convinced by the cons however unexpectedly our pct has changed their funding policy again and after us thinking the last round was the only funded one, we now have x2 FET and 1xIVF more on NHS at this clinic. So the plan is to go through those rounds and if they still don't work then I think we'll go to the ARGC after Lissy's success.

I've been on FF a few times but I find the threads on here easier to read and more relevant somehow. Too many things flashing on FF!!

Ellan, sorry I don't know too much about your question, and it seems we're in the hands of the experts a lot of the time doesn't it, which makes it confusing when they don't agree with each other! I'm sure they wouldn't attempt it though unless they thought there was a good chance it would work.

Italian I've been interested in your story. Not long now till Autumn. How much do you find out about your donor in advance? Its so true that going through this changes your perspective on everything. For me now its just motherhood which is the important thing, everything else is just semantics!

waves all. x

Carebear - that is amazing amount of extra pct funding - yippee!!

Hi all, I'm feeling very positive over here. Although annoyed with our hospital. I called on Friday to ask if there was any chance of a cancellation appt only to learn that the consultant has his next clinic in august (full) and then the one I've already got an appt on - in September. I then spoke to the cons secretary and asked if I could have a copy of my results sent to my GP. She refused. In her view the consultant is the expert and it would be wrong for the results to be sent to my GP for his interpretation. I think I made a mistake in asking for a copy for all of them. As I then called my surgery in the faint hope that my progesterone results would have been copied to them. To my surprise they were! And I was wrong. They've come back 'normal'! So what that means is we simply just really need a copy of my CD3 tests and DH new SA. I already know the results of everything else.

I'm going to write them a polite, but firm letter. I have a legal right to access my own records. She can't just refuse them. I wouldn't feel so frustrated if I knew that our next appt might include discussions about a treatment plan. But it won't. All he can do for us is to explain the outcome of the tests and then refer us to a private clinic. My GP can do that, or the cons can do that over the phone. I could save my appt for someone else TBH.

lissy WOW. I had no idea it was going to stay that intense all the way through. Good news about NK cells

ellangirl If only medicine was an exact science. just the sort of extra stress you don't need. Your story just reminds me of how amazing people are and how resilient we can be.

Hi Italian my pleasure. managed to watch Apprentice without falling asleep this week I thought Helen was a bit weak this time, but still managed to win it!

rowing I hope you have/had a good holiday

beginnings just let me know where to sign the petition

amelleanika I am assuming that the doctors are concerned about your and the baby's health. Are there other routes you would consider, if pregnancy is deemed to be such a high risk? It must be difficult. Have they offered you counselling? If not, I would recommend that you explore this, so you can both discuss your hopes and fears and frustrations in a safe environment.

tortie good wishes from me

carebear that's brilliant news! Have they said when they might be able to start treatment?

Scrummy that's ridiculous I bet you were ! Surely you can send the results to who you want, its your information. When I was gathering the various test results before our ivf round i needed a smear, and i did what the gp asked, did a home one and sent it off. turned out that was meant for under 25's. When the woman on the end of the phone who had my +ve result in front of her refused to send me a letter with that information on, because I'd used the wrong service, and told me I'd need to go back to the gp and do another test, i tell you i was crying and wailing down the phone like a loony out of sheer frustration!

Due to start the FET in August. I have to say I'm not feeling very positive, only because I can't see why it would work next time if it didn't the last but think i've just got a bit cynical after all these years, I need to work on that! x

I was furious! So much so, that when I asked her the third time to confirm that she REALLY wasnt going to send them - or even ask the cons to see whether it was ok to do do (which she suggested herself at some point during the conversation) - I just knew I had to hang up or I would have probably said something I'd have regretted afterwards. The sheer frustration brought tears to my eyes too and I spent the next hour plotting/sharing my thoughts with DH over text. 'WHOSE load it is anyway!!!!' was his response when I told him his SA results would probably have been recorded as part of my record, when he suggested he'd contact them for his results. And he's so right.

I'm no-where near where you are in your journeys, but I can fully understand why it would feel difficult to feel positive. I'm having a strangely happy month. Not sure whether it's because all results are coming back normal, or because the testing is now over, or because I haven't been temping this cycle (no constant reminder of TTC) or life in general is hectic. But I certainly didn't feel this good in the last few months. Anyway, I'm glad to hear your treatment will start so quickly.

Hello everyone, it's been a super busy week so I've been lurking and reading but haven't had much time to post.

Amelleannika I'm sorry you find yourself here. As Italian said, it's hard to advise without knowing what your condition is, but like Scrummy I think that some sort of counselling would be useful to explore your options and maybe come to an agreement with your DH about your next steps.

Ellengirl hello, I hope your questions have been answered and wish you lots of luck for your ICSI cycle.

Italian I did watch the Apprentice. I thought Helen was going to come a cropper this week too (biscuits looked bad and agree, that was a terrible slogan). I still find Melody intensely irritating but think it was right that Zoe went. She has such a bad attitude and people skills.

Rowing hope your blood test was good and that you have a lovely holiday.

Carebear that's great news about the additional funding and best of luck with the FET. It's hard, but try to stay positive. This really could be your time, and you should try to keep on believing that. And even if your clinic is sceptical about immunes testing, could you get them tested privately anyway? The results could be useful....

Scrummy I'm not surprised you were fuming. I think you're right to write a letter asking again, especially if your request is downscaled to just your day 3 and the SA. The woman you talked to has clearly never been in the position where she has been anxiously awaiting test results otherwise I'm sure she would have been a little kinder to you. What an altogether silly process.

No news from me. DS has been a little star settling into his new nursery. I on the other hand have been the one sitting in the corner of the nursery room feeling all tearful at the thought of leaving him with someone new!

Scrummy - sadly your experience is usual and even in private we have had to wait 3 months to see the consultant!! However you do have a right to your records however they have 40 days legally in which to give them to you, yes that is right (we were told this by a legal advocate) - and waited and waited....

rowing- Have a fabulous holiday! Well needed and much deserved! Where ya headed?

ellan- My DH and I needed ICSI because DH is paraplegic, and there was no way to get a fresh sample. He had a TESA done in the spring of 2009, and it's been frozen ever since. I think the benefit of that is that the embryologists can really look for the good ones, but that's just my opinion.

scrummy- Despite the intensity, and I mean it is INTENSE, there really is a comfort in knowing that everything is being done to get you pregnant and keep you pregnant. It sounds intimidating before you start, but once you're in the middle of it, it really is ok. Plus, you start seeing some of the same people, and they become your cycle buddies, etc.

lucy- Hiya! Glad to hear DS is settling in. No separation anxiety? (yours or his)

Carebear- Wow! Lucky you with the funding! Where do you live, because I'm moving there! Our PCT sent us a letter saying we've met the criteria, congrats, blah blah blah, but we have to have treatment within three months of the receipt of that letter, otherwise we have to reapply and wait for another two years. Hopefully I'll keep this bun a-baking and it will be a nonissue.

Amelleannika- Sorry to hear that you're having such trouble. I think research and perseverance are the best weapons when it comes to fertility treatments. It's amazing how many GP's are totally ignorant when it comes to these issues.

Italian- I think of you every day, and hope that a donor comes soon. I just know it will! Sweden is calling...

AFM, levels went from 899 Wednesday to 1766 Friday, and I had more blood tests this morning. Felt nauseous and shaky yesterday, but I think it's more from the steroid than any kind of morning sickness. I think my first scan will be sometime next week. My poor bum is so bruised and sore from the progesterone shots...I sit down very gingerly!

My lounge is really starting to take shape...our new sofa arrived on Wednesday and it's super comfy, and new table and chairs arrive on Thursday of this week. After that we just need some shelves and then I'm done!

Off to a BBQ at the in-laws. Have a great day everyone!

How far gone are you now Lissy - great numbers are rising!

Keziah- Five weeks on Tuesday. Levels went from 1766 on Friday to 2972 today...

Excellent they are testing your blood so much so you can see progress. Wow they will scan at 5 weeks, how exciting for you!!

hello ladies - just popping by to see how everyone is doing.. I am currently in my break between IUI cycles - #2 also failed. Have a lovely week.
care good news on the new funding.. and best of luck for August :)