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?

Well we are at the top of the list but need to wait a bit now as our holiday is in the way! It is all very well to think sod the holiday (I kind of do) but now it is almost here I can wait. It gives me a few more weeks to get in shape so June has turned into August. So there we go! Feel good.

Good news Italian Hope the days go faster for you. I am waiting for AF to start my second cycle of IUI. The docs want to try everything the same as the first time..so will be on 75ml of the injections.. Have had a bit of a rough week -- IE, my body is very confused and not sure when to get going with AF. Did the test of CD 32, it was negative so at least that's crossed out. Have had 41 day cycles this past year..so hopefully AF will be here by then..which is this weekend. It's just a rotten week to be in where you know you are not pregnant but AF isn't here..and it means facing up to all the confused broken bits inside... BAH!

Thinking of you nook hope you are progressing well along.. :)

despite drugs I only have one egg, that's bigger than it should be with lining too thin. Not sure if IUI will even happen this month. Peed off

italian thanks for sharing about your embie pics - i think that's lovely that you remember them that way. I'm really sad about the one of ours that didn't make it. DS was a twin just for a few days I guess. We'll never know what happened but I know God is taking care of that little one.

it's an interesting point about the ones that just stop growing - no-one ever says they have died, just that they aren't growing. I always think of them as having died, very sadly, but I can't understand why the term "stopped growing" is used. Perhaps the doctors don't see them as "alive" at just a few days old? Sorry to ask big questions about embryos, i just think each one is SO precious... our hospital was very kind and allowed the less normal looking ones an extra 3 days to see what they would do but they "stopped growing". I'm praying and praying that our egg collection will be on a day which means the hospital staff will be in 5 days later so that they can do the same this time. Even if we have to pay them to do it, I guess (last time was NHS funded). Egg collection is NEXT WEEK. eek. Back in for bloods tomorrow, then friday, and I guess on friday they'll tell me if it's going to be monday or wednesday. I'm both very excited and a bit terrified. Is anyone else at this point at the moment?

love to all xx

Lucy so sorry, hope whatever happens works out well for you, even if now seems not very good, may it work out!

Woowa yes, they are all precious. All the very best for the egg collection and the day/date. YES I always try and over think it and wonder and it actually seems to just work out. Hope it will for you too.

Woomanly really hope it will all work out for you. Hugs

I had a car accident today.

It was totally my fault.

Thankfully, and amazingly, no one was hurt. I was a bit shaken up and our car is very much the worse for wear and might even be a write off! But praise God because I really was not injured! It has made me really, REALLY think about road safety, driving slowly, paying attention etc and also making sure I am not too tired when I drive. I don't think that was the case today but it so easily could have been on another occasion.

So, I am just glad to be alive and not to have caused anyone else injury.

I really feel it must serve as a warning to me about road safety.

Drive safely ladies!

Italian how upsetting for you that you had an accident and thank goodness that no one was hurt. These things can just happen in a split second, and it really is a good reminder to pay attention to what you're doing and take care (I mean, not just you, everyone, crossing the road, cooking, all of those potentially dangerous things we do on auto pilot a lot of the time). I think it might be a good thing to have a hol before your treatment starts, as hopefully you'll be starting it in a state of extreme health and relaxation!
Womanly, has af arrived yet? What drugs are you on for your IUI? I had letrozole for days 2 - 6, followed by a few days of Gonal F (that's the stage I'm at now) followed by my trigger shot, possibly tomorrow or Friday. How many eggs did you get first time round?
Woowa how exciting about egg collection, how did you get on at your scan today? Fingers crossed all's going to plan.
How's your mum keziah?
Waves to rowing over in the czech republic, hope it's going well!
I'm still feeling a bit gutted about yesterday, but I think I felt worse because the consultant didn't seem to care particularly and not only did he not give me any reassurances, he also didn't even give me any information when I asked him questions. In fact he spent most of the time reading my notes and filling in forms, and I really thought he could have prepared himself a little by doing that before I went in. It's not exactly cheap to start with, so I came away feeling very short changed and disappointed.
So, today I had a last minute acupuncture session to 'work on my lining'. I do wonder what my life has come to at times. I'm back in tomorrow for another scan to see how my solitary big egg is doing, and whether the lining has caught up. That is if I haven't ovulated naturally by then, which he seemed to think was a possibility as he asked me to do OPKs a couple of times a day. Good grief, I'm on day 8, what's my body thinking of?? Is this the result of the drugs, or is this an underlying problem that could be part of the reason why I haven't got preg so far? If my egg doesn't crack (so to speak) IUI is scheduled for Saturday morning.

Fingers crossed for everyone x

no scan today, just bloods and picking up more needles as I'm about to run out. And the HcG for the fridge............ Scan on friday, then I reckon they'll book me in either for monday or wednesday. Starting to lose concentration on everything else now...

lucy sorry you had a rubbish appointment. I have found nurses to be the best people to get information out of (and cry with :) ) and they feel a lot more sympathetic. Hope the acupuncture works for you.

italian sorry about the car, glad you're ok though. It is hard to drive when tired, and especially with lots on your mind at the moment.

Well, off to waste my life away, i just want it to be monday...

lucy so sorry your consultant was not very helpful.

lucy if there comes another time and you feel he is not giving you the attention you need please try and remember this anger and allow it to enable you to engage him in some direct conversation. I think if he gets you angry again you just be a bit more pushy, asking questions etc, it is very annoying that you are paying so much and obviously need answers but maybe at the moment he could not give them! I do feel the nurses are sometimes more approachable.

Bucksfizz, Woowa, Rowing, Keziah and all - all the best.

italian , hope you're doing ok. You're probably right and I could have been a bit more forceful, but I honestly did ask him things,
me: so do you think there's a chance that the lining will get thick enough by Saturday?
him: I don't talk about chances, I just talk about what's there.
me: If I did IUI again do you think the same thing would happen. Should I maybe just try a bit more of an aggressive approach like ICSI?
him: Let's just finish this cycle first and then talk.

I'm seeing him again this aft so hopefully the egg is still there, the lining is thicker, and he's a little more forthcoming. It confirms my instincts that it's maybe time to try a different clinic!
BB glad things are going well. I'm only just learning the terminology for all this but are you on short or long protocol? I've been injecting myself with Gonal F. My hands were shaking so much first time I did it, but it's weird, I watch a needle going into my leg and I really can not feel anything at all. If I don't get the ovitrelle shot this aft at the clinic I'll probably get DH to do it, as I don't think I'd be able to cope with a bigger needle

BB Good luck to you, honey.

Lucy I think you did all you could. In one way he is trying to cover his back (I think) and in another maybe you could say that he is wanting to wait and see what happens. You did ask so you did all you could. just relax, it only takes one!

Thanks Italian, it did go better today, lining was thicker (10 mm) and my one whopper of a follicle was still there, measuring 25mm. Let's hope Mr lookout's swimmers manage to find it on Saturday
How's everyone else? It's gone a bit quiet x

(Lucy* glad all is well and let's hope that big follicle can 'yoo -hoo - over - here! - the boys!

BB How goes it?

Rowing any news?

Keziah how is your mum?

We are so close, may start net month or July with a view to treatment the following month!

So excited!

Re my weight (sorry if you are bored with my weight sags, look away now!)

I am doing really well now that I am on the new ID course www.newid.info/

here

I have found I am not thinking about food in the same way, I am not feeling deprived by not having lots of treats etc and I am feeling so positive about what I do eat. It is great. It is early days. Only been to one session and the next one is coming up (there are 6 in total). Due to a sort holiday I will miss one session and I feel quite sad to be missing it! So, onwards and upwards (or rather downwards as I have already lost some weight, but the main thing is to get my eating in normal boundaries).

There is no no weigh in or talk of diets etc, or exercise, there is just a look at helping us with problems with eating.

I know it might not be right for everyone, and not everyone who overeats has an eating disorder.

I felt kind of weird 'labelling' myself as having an eating disorder as I have not been medically diagnosed but I know how I am around food, I impulse eat and at times compulsively eat too. So for me the course is just what I need!

Best wishes to all.

Let's hope so italian! It all went fine this morning. DH's abnormality count has gone done massively. Must be all those supplements I force feed him. He had 109 mil pre wash and 24 mil post wash, all moving well. I think he's going to frame the results and hang them on the hall wall for all to see . So here I start, the 2ww, the worst bit.

That's so good that things are moving along for you now too re treatment, and fab too that you're feeling positive about your eating treatment. Healthy eating is kind of a hard habit to get into. Even now with my DS I have to remind myself to not label certain foods as a 'treat' (chocolate, biscuits etc), because it then implies that tasty food that is really good for you is not a treat to eat, and will skew his idea of a balanced, healthy diet.

Wishing everyone a lovely Saturday. Give DHs sperm a cheer leader style shout and wave a pom pom if you have one lying around

Lucy pompom in hand! All the best.

Thanks Italian! Have you seen that there's an article in today's guardian mag on donor eggs? Thought you might be interested

Hi all

Egg collection Monday. eek. Just given myself the last jab, the big HCG one. Feeling very blessed today.

Might not be back on the thread til I know what's happened, will let you know if they manage to make any woowaettes. We are ICSI which has a lower success rate than IVF in general because it's more traumatic for the egg. We are realistic but believe in Great things. The best thing I'll be able to tell you at the end of the week is if we're on the great 2ww.

Take care all

Woowa all the best for it, may it be a really blessed event. HUGS

Thanks Lucy read it thanks to you.

Lovely it really is.

I liked this bit, I have heard of this too. "She also mentioned that a director friend had made a documentary about oocyte donation and discovered that there was evidence of chromosomal crossover between mother and foetus. It made sense, considering the shared blood supply, and I was very happy to hear it."

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/may/14/donor-eggs-pros-cons-conception

here

I was told in summer 2006 (yes, almost 5 years ago) that we would not be able to conceive with my own eggs , I chose not to believe it and we struggled on with attempts with my eggs. It does take some getting used to. I don?t know if it will ever feel easy but I am excited, there is one kind woman out there who is willing to give me some eggs, and I just need to give it all I've got! SO excited!

Love to all.

Hi all,
grrr, my stupid digibox just deleted Eurovision, just before the judging started!! Throwing it out of the window, if I get anymore cheek from it. [glares at digibox]
Sorry, digressing slightly there.
I have just skimmed the thread and can I thank Italian and Lucy for the packing advice! I did just as you said, actually I'm going to give up making decisions for myself, it's much easier to post the question on here.
Italian I hope you are OK after the crash. Have you been checked out by a doctor?

Just wanted to come on and let you know about the FET. It was quite a nice break really, very hot weather and the actual FET was very fast and efficient, kind of conveyor belt, but they do know what they are doing.
I even managed to meet up with another girl who was over for transfer so it was quite jolly.
I got two embies, both blastocysts, transferred and am now 3 days post transfer.
I think blasts usually implant within 3 days, but frozen embryos can be a bit slower. So I was told to keep taking the progesterone and oestrogen and test 13 days post transfer, but I plan to test before that rather than wait.
Not feeling too bad at the moment, but I know the first week of the 2WW is the easy one and the second the crazed, descent into chaos.
Right off to find the Eurovision online....

Rowing HUGS honey. Read that article if you get time linked to it a while ago it is about a clinic in the land you have jus been in!

ALL the very best for this to SUCCEED!

Hi all,
Italian, thank you for directing me to that! There is a bit of a debate raging about the chromosome crossover thingy on Fertility Friends. Who knows? I'll take any old baby me!

Welcome back rowing, I'm glad the trip was good and congrats on the 2 embie transfer. I hope the 2WW goes quickly for you (I'm with you on the 2nd week sending you doolally, as by then you have a good idea of whether you're preg or not, and if not, you just want AF to arrive as quickly as possible so you can start again!) and that you have very good news very soon! In fact, we're cycle buddies. I'll be testing on Sunday 29th (yeah, right, ha, ha, in fact I'll be testing from any time mid next week!)

Glad you enjoyed the article italian. When/where are you off on your hols?

Very best of luck for the egg collection woowa. I'll have everything crossed for you.

I have acupuncture booked for Thursday, that'll be 5dpo, around implantation if the egg fertilised. I know the chances for IUI aren't great, but I do feel like I've given it my best shot whatever.

Hi to everyone else!

Rowing cna you provide a link to the fertility friends cross over debate (fasinated emoion!).

Lucy Sweden.

All the best.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I thought I posted last week, but I guess I forgot to press the post message button...

Italian- Sorry to hear about your accident, but glad that no one got seriously hurt. It only takes a second, doesn't it? Excited to hear that your treatment is going to start soon.

rowing- You're back! Glad everything went well. Good luck on your 2 ww...hope it goes quickly. I have no words of wisdom on that, other than to take care of yourself, do things that take your mind off of it, etc, etc.

woowa- Hope egg collection goes smoothly and painlessly. Keep us updated!

lucy- Good luck on your 2 ww as well! Hope to hear good things!

AFM, STILL down-regging. Had my hysteroscopy at the Wellington on Saturday...so posh! I had a room with a balcony overlooking Lord's cricket pitch, not that I went out there. Blood tests and scans out the wazoo, today's scan showed a follicle or a cyst that measured 18 mm. On standby for Provera and Pregnyl. Not to mention that I'm sniffing every six hours now, so have to get up at 1 AM to sniff. Argh, I'm exhausted! Hopefully it'll be worth it. Still feeling quite down, but not so bad as last week. Just have to remember that the end justifies the means.

Hugs and sticky baby dust to everyone! Oh, and mounds of chocolate boobs!! (Get it, MOUNDS? )