IVF / ICSI - everyone welcome for questions, hand holding, and waggle dancing

[Gardenpixie]

Ladies, we ran out of space on the old thread so here is a sparkly new one with dedicated areas for waggle dancing, hormonal outbreaks of bonkersness, sniffing, injecting and progesterone pessary related fartiness.

For anyone thinking about starting IVF / ICSI or going through it at the moment, do come and say hello. These wonderful ladies have kept me sane through the last few months and are a source of all knowledge concerning tests, down-regging, ov stimulating, DIY injections and much more so if you need any info or just some company, do join us.

So here's a welcome for everyone and an enormous waggle dance for many many more BFPs to come

Also owl fab news about the scan congratulations,

And zeebee best of luck for EC this week xx

Thanks Danny [bites nails nervously] emoticon.
Hope you are doing fine?
Z

Evening All

Hope everyone has enjoyed the lovely sunny weekend. Mine has been very relaxing, and you'll be glad to know I've done no vacuuming at all. It's been much cooler here today, so I'm no longer sweaty, just bloated and spotty

Congratulations on your scan theowl :) Here's to a happy and healthy 2nd trimester!

jumping I found ET totally fine. I was so nervous after the traumatic catheter test I had a month ago that traumatised me for life! But I think the cervix dilation really helped as it didn't hurt at all. But yes it was strange how quick it was, and also how they kick you out the room the minute it's over. I was convinced the embryos would fall back out if I stood up straight away, but they assured me they wouldn't!

I'm still bloated and also have slightly sore boobs. And I'm very feeling very tired and cranky.

zeebee good look for egg collection this week, I hope those follicles are growing nice and big. I felt very tired at this stage too, it was like my ovary was zapping all my energy!

I'm back in work tomorrow. I don't want to go back to work I feel like a greasy spotty blimp and have to go back and be all professional even though I can't fasten any of my work trousers or skirts and I have 3 boils on my chin! And I'll have a million emails to catch up on and a zilllion people ringing me will most urgent pieces of work that have to be done RIGHT NOW, and I'll cry (possibly). WAHHHHHHHH!

Just a quickie to wish you luck with your ec Zeebee

Hi
Start stimming today for short protocol- 187.5 menopur. Nervous but excited.
Good luck to all having treatment
Xxx

blacktreacle great news - short protocol - how short is it?
jumping thank you for your lovely message - alas egg collection now more likely Thursday as my estrogen levels are a wee bit high (whatever that means!) took myself off to Brighton beach today. Beautiful weather & feel refreshed...
Zb

Hi Blacktreaclecat, hope the stimming goes well! What's involved in the short protocol?

Zeebee, every cloud! At least you get to relax in the sunshine while it's still here! Hope Thurs goes to plan.

We had a call from Guys this morning telling us that of the three suspectedly dodgy embies they'd left in the dishes until yesterday, one was worth freezing, so now we have a unexpected Jack Frost! I know it's still far from a BFP, but it's a nice surprise we weren't expecting, so are rooting (and waggling) for the two transferred last week.

How are you doing Hoho?

Waves to everyone else!

I took noriethisterone from day 18 of my last cycle for 10 days. Day 2 of af today so I start stimming with menopur then on day 6 add in ceterotide which prevents ovulation. No downregging. I'm at Care Nottingham - anyone else?
What diet/ supplements etc are everyone doing? I'm having acupuncture twice a week during Stims and before and after EC. I have the zita cd starting to listen to that daily. Diet- trying to get lots of protein and fruit and veg. Given up alcohol/ caffeine obv! I've just had a 2 week holiday- got back a week ago and did have some glasses of wine then, hopefully that won't matter.
High dose folic, pregnacare, CoQ10, B complex, fish oils, calcium with magnesium and vit D.
I can't do personals on phone but wish everyone all the very best.

I took noriethisterone from day 18 of my last cycle for 10 days. Day 2 of af today so I start stimming with menopur then on day 6 add in ceterotide which prevents ovulation. No downregging. I'm at Care Nottingham - anyone else?
What diet/ supplements etc are everyone doing? I'm having acupuncture twice a week during Stims and before and after EC. I have the zita cd starting to listen to that daily. Diet- trying to get lots of protein and fruit and veg. Given up alcohol/ caffeine obv! I've just had a 2 week holiday- got back a week ago and did have some glasses of wine then, hopefully that won't matter.
High dose folic, pregnacare, CoQ10, B complex, fish oils, calcium with magnesium and vit D.
I can't do personals on phone but wish everyone all the very best.

Hi blacktreaclecat, no downregging sounds good, I an already in bed feeling exhausted with mine! What is the reason for short protocol?

I'm doing no diet/supplements/acupuncture/anything really other than conception vitamins which I've been taking nearly a year now. I am drinking a lot more water to try to alleviate symptoms and no alcohol, but I'm allowing myself the odd cup of tea, just not my usual 6-7 cups a day! I'm trying to keep life as normal as possible, apart from going to bed ridiculously early (I don't usually go till midnight so this is a bit of a change!)

I have quite a high AMH (29.4) and antral follicle count (30) so am at risk of OHSS. I think this is why she chose to put me on short protocol. We'll see what happens.
Just did my first injection feeling v proud of myself.

Hello all,
Thanks for the lovely welcomes last week. It's Day One for me, so I'm properly joining this thread (if I can keep up!). I'm already confused by my treatment- is it just me or is there an overload of drugs involved?? My previous clinic had a lovely clear one page set of instructions indicating what drugs to take on each day. My new London clinic has an 8 page protocol that had me lost on Page 2!
At least I can stop taking the sniffer and have a 2 day break before the stabbing starts. Oh joy!

Dannyboy/Marmite I'm keen to hear how you're managing all this around school drop-offs/pick-ups. I'm in the dilemma as to whether I take another Mum into my confidence to have a back-up picker-upper if I get stuck in procedures.

One other question- has anyone else found a procedure so degrading that they asked for it to be done differently? I had to have a dummy-catheter insertion (despite having had 4 IUIs, ER and 3 ETs without incident!) and I was mortified by the procedure. Tipped up, legs spread, naked from just under the chest down . I've been through a lot but found that absolutely horrid. AIBU to ask for at least a sheet between the tummy scan and the nether-regions?? My previous Drs managed that way.

So, Blackcat, it looks like we'll be cycle-buddies. I've started accupunc. 1/week, and now must head off to drink green tea, chew vitamins, listen to Circle & Bloom CD and avoid biscuits.

Good luck all.

Avoid biscuits? In the abscence of alcohol, chocolate is my saviour!

Hello all, am still lurking about on here, as have my appointment on 11th and now know that my day 21 is 22nd Oct, so guess I'll start then! V exciting. Pink, no, I don't think you're being unreasonable at all, that sounds awful. You're already vulnerable, so why did they not make you feel a bit more comfortable. If it was me, I'd mention it next time somehow....not very nice at all for you.

So, am waving to all, and hope that you're all still feeling really well.

Jumping, really great news they have one for the freezer! Also hope you're doing ok and the days are flying by...

Bye for now, x

MrsMiggins, speaking from recent experience that time will fly by, the whole process has seemed to happen quicker than I expected so far.

Over halfway through downregging now, I've been quite tired although I don't feel as bad today as I did yesterday so trying to get some marking done this evening. Good old DH went and picked up dinner so I didn't have to worry about going shopping :)

Did ladies who have been through this before find their AF came later than usual? Still no sign for me and I'd usually at least be spotting by today in a regular cycle. Is this a problem? :/

Hi clo - yes my Af was late on the DR - by about 3 days or so. I know exactly how you feel re being tired in the evenings - i literally couldn't keep my eyes open past 9.30pm (i too am a night owl - up til midnight normally)!

MrsM great you are starting so soon - it really will fly by once you get going.

jumping so pleased about your frozen jumpette - how exciting to be told that and not have expected it either... how is the 2WW going? any side effects??

The hosp rang me this afternoon to say I need to do the big injection tonight at 10pm, and I will be having EC on Thursday at 10am but also ... i'm sure it will all be fine, but it's suddenly REALLY HAPPENING! I just pray we get some eggs!!! So tomorrow will be blood test/spray/Gonal free - how wierd will that feel! Just done my lovely Zita west relaxation CD, and having accupuncture tomorrow all in preparation....

have good evenings one and all

ho ho how are you doing?
ZB

pink
I haven't started treatment yet, still waiting for initial consultation at The Lister on 27.10.11, so haven't had to juggle school run yet. planning to engage my mum as school run back up but have made a few friends at school who I know would take dd home but so far no-one there knows. haven't decided yet whether to tell....

which London clinic are you at? I agree that process is traumatic enough without feeling you are on display.

I am planning on having accupuncture here once treatment starts

www.londonacupuncture.co.uk/default.asp

Marmite thanks for the acupuncture link. My lovely lady is both expensive and rarely available, only working Mondays. I need a back up given the rare odds that ET will fit with her hours, and that clinic looks good.

I'm at the CRGH (I take it it's okay to name names here). It's a far cry from SydneyIVF which was all posh and shiny and had Consultants straight out of Greys Anatomy (honestly!). I haven't been to the Lister but I imagine it's closer to the Sydney experience than poor old CRGH which is based in old NHS rooms. But I'm based in North London so proximity won out. And I'm too scared of the ARGC despite its great results.

I don't know about you but I'm like this mad stalker in the playground looking out for fellow fertility-challenged Mums of one. I then get really disappointed if they tell me their only child is by choice! How sad am i?!?

Good luck with the Lister. Dr McDreamy in Sydney recommended one of the consultants there to me as they have a reputation for the personal contact throughout treatment- as well as good stats.

I was too scared of ARGC as well (at least for a first go)!

might go there next if first cycle at Lister doesn't work and we have no frosties to use (thinking positive though)

we chose the Lister as we are outside of London but its only an hour in by train and they have a satellite clinic 30mins away where I can have bloods/scans. we also went along to their open evening and came away with good impressions

acupuncture clinic was recommended by a friend who had many IVF cycles at various places but then ended up using donor eggs/sperm in Spain successfully.

its very quiet on here today, hope everyone else is ok?

Hi everyone-just wanted to pop in to say GOOD LUCK to Zeebee for EC tomorrow-I think you said it had been put back to tomorrow but perhaps not confirmed yet-will be thinking of you and sending all positive vibes.

xxx xxx

Hi All,
I just wanted to share a freebie that just landed in my inbox- 'fertility relaxation audio' from Circle & Bloom: www.circlebloom.com/free-fertility-relaxation-mp3-sign-up/?utm_source=Your+Fertility+Deals&utm_campaign=e5e6446c38-Weekly_Offer6-6_2011&utm_medium=email
If you don't mind the american accent it's quite good!
Good luck tomorrow Zeebee- may you produce an abundance of healthy eggs all ready to do their thang and turn into delightful blastocysts by next week x

pink and pumpkin thank you for your lovely messages.
Means so much to me.
I am going in for 9am with ec at 10...
Had the big injection last night at 10pm - all ok an had nice relaxed day today and had an accupuncture sesh too... So I feel ready!!
Will let you know how it went when I'm back tomorrow.
Byeeee
zb

Good luck Zeebee! Hope all goes well tomorrow

Quick post from me.
Good luck Zeebe will be thinking of you tomorrow hope all goes well and that they manage to collect loads. From all our experienced ladies sounds like you will be having a chilled out affair.

Blacktreacle Am also at Care Notts. or would be if we could move a step further on. Hope all going well friend had short protocol there twice with dd both times. Feel like I am on a stuck record at present. Had to delay for a few months as DH kept being ill, then had natureal conception but unfortunately mmc at 10 weeks. Scan yesterday confirmed still have retained products (too small to operate will check) so am on antibiotics for a week scan in 2 weeks then will see am frustrated as just want to move on am am oldie you see. Where are you doing your acupuncture?

Mrs iggins it will pass quick get ready very exciting

Thoughts to everyone else

Hey there all! 2WW is going s l o w l y! Those 'in the know' about what we're doing are driving me batty with daily texts, emails and call to see 'how I'm feeling' and 'any word?'... well, feeling fine until you start banging on about it (don't they know how crucial distractions are right now?!) and NO! NO WORD! I apprecaite they're not familiar with this process (it's only the ones who have no problem popping out babies who ask!) but I'm not sure what they're expecting me to feel like! I know they mean well, but beginning to wish we'd not told them, it's just adding so much more pressure!

Zeebee, you'll probably be home by now, so hope it went well and your little clutch is being injected.

Blacktreaclecat, I'm not doing any special diet either, just taking folic acid and drinking plenty of water. I've cut back on caffeine and cut alcohol out before we started the process so just counting on a good, balanced diet. I'm also not doing any holistic therapies - not really by thing!

Good luck with your appointment MrsM! It will all fly by.