Assisted Conception (and all the bits in between) volume 8

[lucylookout]

Looks like we need a new thread for Italian, Scrummy, Beginnings, womanly, lissy, rowing, fretfree, Teds77, keziah, frustrated and anyone else who wants to chat about assisted conception!

Teds that is fantastic news!!!!

SunnyG I?m afraid I have no advice on what to say to your friend! I am going to visit my newly pg friend (after 3 months of trying) and I have no idea what I am going to say to her, but if she tells me to be positive one more time I might shove my fist through her face I?m sick of people being positive and telling me that it?ll happen one day, because let?s be honest, there?s no guarantee, even with assistance. I?d rather face the facts and prepare myself, and then if it happens, brill, but if not, then I?ll be ready for that to be the case. I just want people to be miserable sometimes and stop being so damn positive

So sorry to hear that Scrummy, fingers crossed for next time

Ladies
Caved this morning and POAS. BFN. Whilst dissappointed am strangely ok. Just had a feeling it wasn't happening this cycle. Don't know why, call it women's intuition! Will of course do another on official test date next Tuesday but am pretty sure that's it.
Have to wait for AF to officially arrive to call the clinic and then I'll know when we start number 2. My clinic usually does a month on - month off. Plus if AF arrives over Xmas (which it's due to) then the clinic is closed and I'll then need to wait 2 months. That kind of sucks, but at the same time I know those nurses and staff need their break too and my god they work hard.

But thanks for all of your good wishes everyone, really makes a difference to feel you have people all wishing you the best.

Josie that's a very difficult situation with your newly pg friend. I honestly think no-one who's only been trying for such a short time can really understand this. AND she got lucky just after 3 months!!!!!

My friend who's just MC doesn't know our situation. In fact I've only told my Mum and one other friend here. No friends back home yet. It's just too difficult, 3 out 4 of my bf's have had a baby in the past 6 months, right when we were finding out we were destined for treatment. I just felt I couldn't rain on their parade. It's also very difficult to casually drop it into a 'catch-up' phone call. 'Yeah getting colder here, Christmas yes we'll be at the inlaws oh and did I mention we are having fertility treatment'.

But maybe while she's here I'll tell her. Not right away of course after her MC. Need to time it right.

oxox

sunnyg I'm gutted about your poas result but I hope you're wrong and get an altogether different result next week x

Keziah and Lissy yes, I'm expecting a call for a scan in the next few days. Maybe because they don't know when conception was, they're waiting a bit. Am feeling extremely anxious today about the thought of a scan and everything else in fact. Have pretty much convinced myself there'll be nothing there [loony emoticon].

Good luck fishfingersarnie with the EC and ET. I don't have any advice, but there are lots of experienced ladies on here who'll be able to help.

Pocket I'm about 5 1/2 weeks at the mo, so early, early days! Good luck with your exciting week ahead.

Scrummy that's great that you can go into your next IUI cycle straight away. Will they be doing anything differently this time, or are they quite happy with how you responded?

I did have the IVIG, on Wednesday. I wish I hadn't had to have it, because the whole 'blood product' thing freaked me out a bit, but the actual thing was fine, just sitting in a room of women having the same thing done, chatting, reading, eating etc.

Sunny I'm really sorry to hear about your BFN. You did test quite early though, so it's still possible things could change. Fingers crossed.

About your friend, I'd treat it as if she's been bereaved (well, she has). Be tactful and sensitive, but don't shy away from asking her about how she feels. Let her know you are there to talk about it if she feels she needs to.

Josie it's hard staying positive all the time and this ttc is a very difficult thing. I too get fed up of people telling me to relax etc. However, though I veer between hope and extreme pessimism, there in an underlying determination that I will have another baby to add to my family, be that with one of my eggs, a donor egg or adoption. And similarly with you, it is sheer perseverance that will get you your baby.

As for your friend, if she's really a good friend, why not tell her that you're undergoing fertility investigations and while you are delighted for her to be pregnant, also feel a little bit sensitive about it. Hopefully that will be enough for her to handle it tactfully.

scrummy - sorry about the iui. HOpefully the next one will work. Thanks for the details about teh ARGC. Trying to fit ivf treatment around work is one of my biggest concerns. I work for a small company with mostly men and they certainly won't be sympathetic. Sneaking out isn't an option as it would be far too obvious. Out of interest can you plan in advance with ivf - i.e. will i know when i will have to have tests and ECs and ETs . Just wondering whether i can just book holidays.
Pocket - really best of luck with everything coming up.
sorry Sunny about your poas. Hopefully it was just too early.

Italian have you had your appointment yet? how was it?

joycep i know what you mean about appointments. i am lucky to work in central London and HSFC is only a 15 min walk from my office. i've been able to book evening appointments which has been great. Oh, and i've done a bit of mysterisous disappearing early and the odd lunchtime too. Good luck to you.

What's freaking me out this week is that one of the girls in the office just keeps looking at my stomach every time she sees me. i am a bit bigger, partly i'm sure to the meds and the lining and also because i've been lazy and not doing my gym - but it feels like she's on to me!! Or maybe i'm just imagining it!

hi to everyone else

lucy just wanted to say what a fab leapfrog forward 5/6 weeks is. that makes you our third most pregnant on the thread

scrummy so sorry the IUI didn't work and glad they are letting you get straight back into it next cycle. Good luck. I have had 2 sessions of acupuncture and will continue until I start IVF and I really feel great afterwards, it's so relaxing and she puts on a zita west tape that talks about visualising your follicles!! I feel closer to them already

TFI Friday have a good weekend ladies

Hi all can I join please? was on another thread but appears to be drying up. short version referrred for ICSI Feb seen May, DH ill few times so had to be delayed. natural bfp mmc at 9ish weeks. Started DR scan yesterday confirmed all ok given go ahead to start stims last pm. Sleepless nights and for the preceeding few. Do not really feel this is happening to me apart from when the needles go in, and the stim ones are bigger!! otherwise so far ok.
scrummy really sorry about the IUI so glad you have spoken to the clinic and have a plan baby dust
teds fantastic news.

Will catch up on all the rest

lucy honey, I know exactly how you feel. When I had my first scan after getting my BFP, it was around 5 weeks, and there was no heartbeat, just a sac. The doc was very reassuring though, saying it was early days, and I was back a few days later for another scan, and there was the heartbeat! Huge sigh of relief, but there was still a little anxiety for each weekly scan. The ladies at the clinic got used to seeing me in tears, because after each scan I was so happy that I cried! It'll be the same for you...

sunny- Sorry to hear about your BFN, but again, still early days, so I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for you...

Welcome bugsy. Glad you're doing ok with the stimms. Make sure to drink loads of water! Can I ask where you're doing the cycle?

joycep- Most clinics can give you a good idea of the details of your treatment, i.e. how many days you'll down-regulate, how many days you should plan on stimulating. All in all, when you're in the thick of it, once you start stimulating, it'll be about two weeks plus change from the time you start until the embryo transfer. I know it's frustrating that everyone tells you to stay relaxed. I think the key is to remain positive. Don't go into it with low expectations, go into it with the very best. You WILL get your positive, you WILL hold that baby in your arms, come hell or high water. Women are going to get naturally pregnant every day, and they have no idea what we have to go through, so of course there is going to be some insensitivity, albeit inadvertant. With friends, I feel it's best to be honest. Say you're happy for them, but feeling a bit raw emotionally because of your difficulty, and tell them that you might have to back off for a while to come to grips. If you have a good friend, they'll understand.

scrummy- It's a bummer about your BFN, but I'm glad that you can keep momentum going and have another try so soon. I'm also happy to hear that you're remaining upbeat. You'll get your BFP!

pocket- So what's your timescale?

rowing- Hope you're hanging in there, sweetie.

Italian- Any news? Appointments coming up?

keziah- How you feeling? Have you sorted out getting another scan? I'm sure if you asked to see a consultant to express your concerns, they'll sort out a scan for you....

AFM, had my 25 week midwife appointment on Wednesday. Everything is great, heard a nice, strong heartbeat, fundus measured correctly, etc. Have a consultant appointment in three weeks, and I'm hoping to have a scan done then. Sleep has been absolute crap, mainly because I can't get comfortable, and secondarily because DH is unbelievably inconsiderate when I'm trying to get some sleep. I've had to resort to sleeping on the couch in the lounge that last few nights, because just as I've fallen asleep, DH comes barreling in, tearing up papers, popping pills out of blister packs, dustbusting up a mess, etc. ARGH!!! I'm on the verge of smothering him with the new body pillow I just bought!

Sweet ladies, have a restful and relaxed weekend. Hugs and baby dust to all...

Pocket - tahnks so much. I also work in central london so would only be 5 mins walk from argc. Therefore just may be i would be able to get away with mysterious disappearances and taking off weird days for holidays. And I remember when i got my bfp last year, I was convinced one guy was on to me in the office. He was looking at me strangely as my stomach really bloated I could hardly do my trousers up and he was asking why i was buying ginger biscuits. I actually think i was imagining it because as soon as it went wrong , those thoughts disappeared. But women are more intuitive so may be your colleague is on to you!!
Lissy - such wise advice thank you. Staying postive is one of my biggest problems but i'm working on that. I'm still just hoping that i won't have to go down the ivf route and will get a magical bfp in the next 6 months but am wanting to prepare for it in case not. Fab news about your 25wk appt. Don't like the sound of the sleep problems though, poor you!!

So sorry to hear that Sunny

Glad everything is going well for you Lissy

Went to see my friend yesterday and what do you know, she has decided not to be so positive after all. Maybe I was giving off negative vibes. She knows we're having tests and how difficult it has been for me so far, but she's always told me to keep trying, one day it'll happen blah blah, but this time I told her a bit more about how I was feeling and she understands a bit better now. I want to be prepared in case the worst happens and I can't get pg at all, even with IVF. Mam always says it'll happen one day but I can't think like that because there is a possibility that it won't, and I want to be prepared if that happens, not gutted because I hadn't thought of that. My friend admitted when I said we might have to go for IVF she thought 'oh well, it's just IVF' but when I explained it wasn't just a case of nipping to the doctors for half an hour to have the ivf, it's a long drawn out process and even though it might result in the baby we've longed for, it's still going to be a very difficult and emotionally exhausting time, and might not result in a baby, so she knows now why I'm scared, and why I'm struggling to stay positive. Anyway, I managed to talk about her pregnancy a bit, she wants to know the sex, and if it's a girl they want to call her Kaitlin Rebecca. I think when she has her scan on the 5th I might ask if it can just be me and her when I see it because the chances are I'll get quite upset.

Anyway, hi to everyone, hope you are all well

Evening everyone, hope you're all OK - whatever stage you're at. After a few weeks of thinking that this ICSI thing wouldn't be so bad, I'm now starting to get a bit tired of it all.
Went for a scan to check how the follicles are coming along and it wasn't the news that I wanted. They found 6 follies on the right, all less than 10mm but they couldn't really see the left (had the same problem at the baseline scan but they thought it was hiding behind my bowel or summat).They think they saw 4 follies, again all less than 10mm.
They've said that if they struggle to get to the left ovary at EC then they may not be able to get any of the eggs out.
I've just had to fork out more money for more Menopur as they've doubled the dosage until the next scan on Monday and they're hoping for EC next Friday so it's all kinda set back a week.

Now, I know this isn't really a problem compared to what some of you have gone through on this mad journey, but I've hit a low today and I know that you will understand. DH doesn't get how or why I'm feeling upset. Have the follies not grown cos I haven't been drinking enough water? The ACU haven't mentioned anything about what I should and shouldn't be doing.....

Would it be wrong of me to have a glass of tonight or would that be something else to beat myself up about???!!

OK, moan over! Sorry

sunnyg it is so difficult this waiting game, isn't it. I think though tht you probably tested too early. Let's hope so. So keeping my FX for you still.

arnie totally get why you would feel the way you do. Hang in there darling. Things can change quite quickly.

Welcome bugsy And thank you.

lissy it should be DH sleeping on the couch! Consider him told off by me

lucy there were a couple of girls having IVIG when I waited for my IUI. I hope you managed to secure one of those big black chairs! Glad to hear it went ok. When do you test again?

josie sounds like you had a really good chat with your friend. Glad that she seems understanding too.

pocket Big day today?

italian the weeks are ticking away and you cycle will be here in no time

TGIF

Still waiting for AF. A bit of spotting for couple of days now, coupled with the most hideous headache. Called the clinic today to make sure they were happy for me to take pain killers. Let's hope AF shows up tomorrow, so I can go for my bloods and scan on Sunday. I have a critical customer meeting on Monday, so it will make it impossible for me to make my way there in the usu times. Will just have to be creative if that's the case.

Hello lovely ladies quick update from me. Scan all good - lining all good. Donor egg collection Monday - so i will know how many eggs we have that day. Embies will be confirmed Tuesday as will transfer for Thursday or Saturday. I have enough pills to rival Boots and sink a battle ship including pessaries .

Will read up on the posts later/tmw and post fully but hope everyone is okay.

For the record, my consultant thought a small drop of wine was okay since "there are no eggs inside yet". So ladies just go for it. With any luck, we will all be tee-total for the next year or so

Happy friday peoples, just popping on so that you know I still love you all and have everything crossed for everyone doing cycles.

Lucy best of luck with your scan - do you have a date yet? It'll all be fine, but we can all understand the nerves!

Pocket how exciting! LOADS of big juicy egg vibes coming your way! Hope you've been coping with the down-reg (I was a witch); it can actually be a relief to have the hormones back in your system after ET. How many are you going for, in the end?

Fishfingersarnie the advice I was given was to eat extra protein, at every meal, while stimming, to give the follies the resources to make eggs. So meat, milk, nuts, pulses, or eggs at every meal. And yes to water to let your kidneys process all those drugs and keep blood flowing to all your good bits. And visualise those follies growing every day. No idea how much difference it made but it was nice to have something to do!

Sunnyg hang in there...

Bugsy welcome, sounds like you've had quite a journey. When is your EC due?

Italian how is the countdown going?

Deep in delusion that TTC naturally will work this last month before our next DE cycle [crazed laughter emoticon]. Does mean actually having to have SWI which in my current mindset is a drawback. Actually, I dont think it will work at all, I just think I have to try. Had a scan to check for my pesky ovarian cyst, which has resolved, but I did have am 18mm follicle/cyst on the right and a smaller one on the left. Period started that same day so I'm slightly confused about what's going on as my ovaries were never that active before!

Chocolate boobies, groovy ladies xx

Thanks ladies so much for all your support and good wishes.

Lissy great news about the 25 week scan and strong heartbeat, how wonderful. Sorry that you're not getting much sleep, i agree with scrummy DH should be on sofa - doesn't he understand what you're going through together? men, honestly!

fishfinger sorry your follies arent playing ball but hopefully the news meds will get things moving for you - during my mock cycle it took three rounds of different meds to get me on the right dose. Hoping you're on track now for an exciting week next week

Welcome bugsy i'm sure you'll get support from this wonderful thread. And best of luck to you on your journey. wishing you a BFP very soon.

Poor you scrummy having to juggle AF, bloods and work stuff. hope it all goes to plan.

mojangles, I am keen on going for two but need to wait till we see how many and what quality embies we have? DP loves me pumped with hormones, he says I'm nicer than normal

lucy do you have a scan date yet? cant wait for your update.

dear rowing how are you?

hello to everyone else and hope you all have fab weekends

teds how are you doing? does it all feel surreal?

pocket that's fab news! Really, really pleased for you. Did you have your cheeky glass of wine? I had two glasses of champagne on Tuesday (might as well go for the special stuff on the odd occasion I'm allowing myself a drink )

mojangles really nice to hear from you. So you decide to give it another go after all. But of course you won't need it seen as you'll be up the duff by Xmas

weller when is your IVF scheduled again? Same time roughly as italian? Glad you're finding the acu of help. I've got another facial and massage booked for today

Hi to everyone

my AF arrived this morning - whoopee! So am off to clinic tomorrow. FX my FSH is ok.

Scrummy glad AF was obligingly prompt and good luck with round 2. I'm in tomorrow for bloods too. (Oh, and yes, I did get one of those comfy big black chairs, almost fell asleep).

Pocket Fab news about EC on Monday. Let us know how it all goes! No news on my scan yet, although I don't think they give you much notice so I'm still thinking it could be early next week. My bloods yesterday were ok. HCG went from 7700 to just over 13000, so not quite doubling, but I think that around 6 weeks the HCG slows down a bit (is that what you heard at ARGC Lissy too?)

Mojangles sounds like there's life in your ovaries yet! Get thee to bed woman

fishfingersarnie hope you enjoyed your well deserved . I'm no expert but your scan results sound quite good to me; around 10 follies all around the same size, they just need to grow at the same rate and you'll have a bumper crop. Good luck on the increased dosage, I'm sure it'll work.

Lissy I'm fully prepared to be crying before, during and after the scan, whether the news is good, bad or inconclusive. I'll pack my bag with tissues to be on the safe side! That's great news that everything is on track with littlelissy and I second the others, you're pregnant for goodness sake, tell DH to sling his hook and sleep on the sofa!

Welcome to the thread bugsy and hope the dr is going OK.

No news from me today. Analysing every feeling in case it's something that will actually make me believe I'm pregnant. Quite tired and hungry, so that could be something (or I could just be a bit tired and hungry )

lissy we are at care nottingham. Not too sure why we plumped for there except friend had good results so far so good. Great news that appt went ok. second that DH on couch sleeping may get worse and turing more difficult with bigger bump. remember you should sleep on your LEFT side.
fishfingerarnie the good news was that the eggs were similar size they just need a bit more of a boost which they are now getting and the number is good. They struggled to find my left ovary bowel can be pesky like that hopefully it will play ball at the important time.
joycep I also find it difficult to think positive and like josie like to prepare myself for the worst! do do hope for a miracle they do happen DH and I are very lucky to have a DS aged 3. We were referred due to failure to conceive low sa all counts carried on life as normal as realised it could not work stopped the monthly agony went for appt told would have to be ICSI we had already decided that we would never have a dc as we would not go down IVF route. Realised I was day 31 at appt but as had not paid any attention to periods and had aching in side thought af coming. Told dh when I got home who joked congrats we are pregnant and we were!!!
pocket so exciting goodluck ooh the pessaries I love them not!
mojangles do not know when EC is just know I have scan on day 6 (tues) and day 8 (thurs) with bloods and hopefully will find out more. is it normally before day 14?
josie so glad you have been able to speak to your friend and now she is more aware
As you can see I cannot sleep brain not really functioning so I will wish you all a fun and productive Sunday

How funny lucy - we might have sat next to each other this morning for all we know Hope your levels were ok.

I didnt get my scan today (which I'm a bit peed off about, but I'll spare you the rant), but by bloods are exactly the same as they were last month. So I'll be back early tomorrow morning for another blood test and finally the scan, provided they can get me in and out by 8am. FCycle 2 here we come

Babydust, chocolateboobs and all things lovely to you all

Lucy that number sounds good. Mine didn't test after was 12,500ish as they said number was high enough and yes it wouldn't continue to double. Then it was scan waiting - 6wks, 8 wks and 12 wks!! Let us know how it goes. We saw a heartbeat at 6 weeks but it only measured 2.8mm so the sonographer said it couldn't be 6 weeks (put us down as 5 weeks) but by the time we got to 12 weeks they moved our dates forward - so confusing!!

Evening all, I've got my scan date; Tuesday. Eeeek. Truly terrified. Numbers OK again today (up to 20,000) and thanks keziah, nurse said the same thing. I've also started to feel a bit yeuch and tired so maybe those hormones are kicking in yipee!!

Scrummy I queued up outside and waited inside the bloods place (got a number 21 ticket) only to be told they didn't have my form so I had to go back to ARGC and wait there for a good half hour or so for my form and then go back round. Tch.

Great news your bloods are the same and good luck with your scan scrummy.

Hope everyone's had a good weekend.

scrummy good luck to you this week kicking off your next cycle - still time to get some good news before Christmas

lucy great news about your scan on Tuesday - i'm sure you'll be pleased to pin down how many weeks (even if it does change as Keziah's did). Glad you're feeling the symptoms , if you know what i mean