Assisted Conception (and all the bits that go with it) volume 9

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A new snug for us AC ladies

Scrummy that's fantastic news!! Hope ET goes really well

Badger I'm so pleased it has worked out for you, it must be a weight off your mind during an already stressful time, good luck with the stims

Sunny I hope work are ok with your time off. I also think it's difficult to be at work when you're going through something like this, emotionally and physically tiring

Mini how are you getting on?

Pocket I'm really pleased you're happy with the immune testing, and great news that the thyroid and clotting tests came back clear, I've got my fingers crossed for the rest too

I've just been on the website for the other clinic and they say they offer a personalised service, so they might try different meds, and that their donor waiting time is approximately 8 weeks!!! I can do that!!!!

Sorry if I've missed anyone, been a bit me me me recently

sunnyg I really hope work is ok about it. Like you say you are not skiving off. I presume they are just covering themselves to make sure it is genuine.

Scrummy yay for your embryos. That is fantastic news. Will keep everything crossed.

Badger so glad you got the right result and treatment is still on.

Nothing much to report here. Am getting cramps which feels very AF like but am trying not to worry as I know it is too early for that. Was back in the office today which really helped distract me as too easy to day dream when working from home.

italian I'm really sorry the treatment didn't work for you. I can't add to anything that the others haven't already said, but am pleased that you sound at peace about it, and can't help but feel that this has all been part of a journey designed to bring you to a place where you are ready to provide a safe and loving home to a child in need of one. As you say, s/he might already have been born and could be out there somewhere waiting for you

Josie I'm really sorry it didn't work for you too. I can understand you probably feel devastated, but it sounds like you are coping admirably; keeping busy at home and proactive about future treatment. I really think you'll get there, you just need to persevere a little bit more.

Scrummy brilliant news on the 5 blasts. Hope your EC recovery and ET goes well. Have everything crossed for you. I'm in next week for a full blood count (have been signed off for immune treatment now, but still go in for a FBC monthly) so will prepare to be impressed by their new 'swishness' (yes, I know, it's all relative, but for ARGC it sounds swish!)

Mini cramps could be a good sign. Fingers crossed for you too!

Sunny good luck with the work thing. It's not what you want to be thinking about at the moment, but I'm sure clinics are used to writing suitably vague explanations and that it'll all be fine.

Pocket I'm glad the immune tests are going well. Whether they find something or not, it'll be a relief for you to know you've left no stone unturned.

Badger that's great that things went well today!

Lucy lovely to hear from you? How many weeks are you now? Are you feeling bumpy?

Thanks Josie I am hoping the rest come back as clear too. I hope it?s a big waste of money but whatever happens, its putting my mind at rest! 8 weeks wait wow that's great, go and check them out. Hopefully you wont need it but its nice to know you've got a back up

Sunny I was checking out the zita west podcast fertility things on itunes last night, didn't get as far as downloading but I may have another look. Some of the others were hilariously cheesy!

Hope everyone is doing okay xx

Hello ladies
Hope you have room for a little one
I'm preparing to (hopefully) start ICSI cycle number 8 sometime in the next few months just awaiting a phonecall from my consultant regarding the results of a pre treatment scan
I have a DD who is 15 months old and the result of ICSI cycle 7 and I would dearly love to give her a sibling

Scrummy amazing 5 to blast-off!

Badger well done. Lining good.

Sunnyg I always used to fall asleep to Zita!

Ellie welcome, the more the merrier.

PS Going to have a glass of wine while I do the washing up, just because I can! Do you think I can also eat one of DD's Lindt Easter bunnies????

Hello ladies italian enjoy that wine you deserve it Josie I'm sorry it didn't work this time I had a go at IUI without success but I am positive about the IVF as that gives you the best possible chance and you really know what's going on with your eggs

Just been for scan to find I have a big fat cyst so no IVF this month. May have to take drugs to get rid so I can start next month. Oh well not too disappointed as I still have options just a bit of a longer wait.

Baby dust to everyone and hoping I get home in time for Silent witness!

Thanks Pocket, I'm 26 weeks now. I certainly must be looking bumpy - someone said to me on the weekend 'how long have you got to go then? Not long by the looks of things'. Ummm, until the end of July...? I really don't care if I'm the size of a bus by then though. I've waited long enough to have a bump and now that I have one am exceedingly proud of it

Italian dig in (and tell yourself you're doing your daughter a good deed re her teeth etc! )

Welcome Ellie best of luck with cycle 8, you?re very brave to have gone through this so many times

Italian the Lindt bunny needs to go

Weller so sorry to hear your cycle won?t be going ahead. I hope you can get the cyst sorted and get started on your next cycle son.

Lucy I hope you?re enjoying being ?bumpy?

I?ve just got off the phone to the other clinic and I?m definitely going for a referral there as they give you a higher dose of stims and they do short protocol. The nurse seemed pretty optimistic and was really lovely so I?m off to the GP tomorrow to get a referral. The nurse reckoned I could be on my second cycle by June if not before. The only bad news is that their donor waiting list is only 8 weeks because people provide their own donor, so if it does still come to donor I?ll have a hell of a long wait ahead of me still, but if I can try short protocol IVF and I respond well, I might not even consider using a donor

Hi all

Apologies in advance for this little me episode. Firstly thanks all for your support and comments re the work situation. I woke up this morning with a massive headache and decided then if the situation presented itself I would talk to my boss about it today. Well when I got in the situation did present itself (just her and I in our usually busy office) so I just blurted it out. I know I didn't have to and I know the clinic would have provided me with a suitably worded letter but I felt it just hanging over me and I want nothing to interfere with this cycle. Anyway she was really good. She's quite a matter of fact person, but was totally fine with all the appointments/days off and was very encouraging really. And that's more than I could ask for. I cannot tell you the relief I feel. It'll be good to know that when things really get going around EC and ET I can confidently go about my appointments not worrying if they are running late (as we all know they often are) etc. I obviously asked her to keep it in confidence as I'm quite a private person, but I'm sure she will. She's kind of the on-site HR person so she has to really. Anyway enough of me, really thanks everyone. It was easy to get it out (yes more tears, what am I like these days?!?!) but just feel so much better!

oxox

Welcome Ellie to this fabulous group of ladies. You'll find much support here.

Josie that sounds really good about the potential new clinic. They sounds friendly and supportive which counts for a lot. You sound really positive.

Lucy too right you enjoy that long-deserved bump. When you've waited this long I'm sure you couldn't care less what people say. As long as there's a healthy bub at the end who cares?

Weller sorry to hear about the delay to your cycle. Hope the cyst is taken care of swiftly.

Mini cramps could definitely be a good sign. When's test day?

pocket I think it's great you are covering all of your bases. It's not quite the same, but with this cycle i'm doing my earnest to make sure I've done everything I can for it to work. You know the usual stuff, eating well, trying to keep stress to a minimum, going to acupuncture etc etc. Then at least if it doesn't I will just feel unlucky, not that I could have done anything more. I wonder if you feel the same?

Scrummy how are you feeling today? Is it ET tomorrow?

Italian down with the Lindt bunny and down with the wine! I'd say wine and washing up go perfectly together!

sunnyg I am so relieved for you that work turned out ok. It makes such a difference not having to stress about that.

weller sorry to hear about your cyst. Hopefully that will be resolved quickly.

lucy wow, 26 weeks. I very much doubt you are bumpy - I'm sure you have a beautifully formed bump

Blood test isn't until Friday for me. Was ok with wait till now but it I dragging on a bit now. I guess if it's good news it will still be so on Friday and if it's bad news I can carry on in denial until then - or something like that.

Welcome Ellie. Sorry to hear about your unsuccessful ICSI but wonderful that it worked for DD last time. Hope your scan shows good news and you can start treatment v soon.

Italian you can't do the washing up, you only have two hands - one for the wine and one for the chocolate!!

Weller honey sorry about the cyst - and to your delay. Make the most of your 'month off' by pampering yourself.

Lucy stuff everyone else. You have every right to be proud of your bump, I'm sure you look fab. I sat opposite a pregnant lady on the tube today and I was just wondering to myself 'could that be Lucylookout'. I smiled at her just in case.

Josie I'm so pleased you like the other clinic - sounds really positive. Push all thoughts of donor to one side for now, stay focused on your own eggs and hope you get a cycle soon. x

Well done Sunny that took some courage and I'm pleased it worked out. You're right to minimise stress where you can - this process is bad enough! Don't worry about crying 'better out than in' is my new mantra - I cried at my appointment today too (see below). I am keeping an eye on diet, exercise, stress and see an accupuncturist now too. I feel like I could do more but that would be stressy!? Are you doing any immunes stuff btw?

Poor Mini not long to wait now - it does feel like a long time, more like 3ww! Fx crossed for you for Friday. Allow yourself to think 'what if this actually works'. x

AFM I met with Dr Gorgy who has suggested we go for full tests £2600!!?!? Then it'll be £130 for another session to get the results. Then £??? for whatever treatment is needed. Plus £??? for ongoing monitoring and any other treatment. I'm guessing thick end of £5-7k. Honestly not sure if I want to do this now, it's just so much money. DP doesnt agree with it all anyway so it's causing disagreements. Am wondering if I go with one more round without immunes - my clinic do presnisolone and aspirin and cyclogest anyway. Ive only had one mc. And my thyroid and clotting are normal. I wish I could crystal ball gaze / have someone tell me what to do / wind back the clocks so that me and my eggs are young again / find a roll of £50 notes in the street.

weller sorry about the cyst, hope it is sorted soon.

Josie that sounds really good, that is great news, a nice clinic, hat is what you need.

Sunnyg so pleased that you broached the subject and all is OK now at work.

pocket all best wishes.

mini, Lucy and co - huge hugs.

I was dreading telling my DD that I had eaten the bunny's ears! I had to have a heart monitor fitted today just to see what is happening with these palpitations. When I picked DD up she was quite sad about the fact I needed the monitor and was a bit worried, I did put her mind at rest. So when I told her I had eaten the bunny ears, she was actually OK about it and gave me the rest of the bunnies head!

I'm a bit worried about my Mum, she has been ill for a while, if you are a pray-er, please do shoot up an arrow prayer for her to be well!

I have just been posting on another thread about wholeness, because I'm feeling very peaceful now that our fertility treatment has come to an end. Someone kindly posted this link. It is very moving. Just wanted to share it with you.

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Tl58qufXfYk#!

OK, Ladies, I know this is a bit weird but as I won't be getting a BFP anytime and if we have a new child they will come with

a name (which I hope will be music to our ears - in time), I thought I'd share my top names with you all. To inspire any of

the pregnant ladies and just for a little whimsy!

Here is my top 10 girls names:

Evelyn
Cassia
Merin
Cadence
Merab
Hope
Camille
Claudia
Shelby
Rosealba

Having never had a son I can't imagine having a boy and I struggled to find even a few boys names I really liked, so here is

my top 7 boys names:

Thomas
Jonah
Nehemiah
Luke

Elijah
Joshua
Jude

So as not to crowd the thread with my name whimsy, if anyone would like to comment on my name choices. Please pop to the name thread at

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/1452532-What-do-you-think-of-my-name-choices?watched=1

Thank you.

pocket goodness that is a lot of money. I dont have any advice for you as its such a personal decision, but I guess it comes down to what you will regret more. If time and money were no object then immunes would seem an easy choice, but they always are. One mc doesn't necessarily mean an immune issue as so many women have one or more and go on to conceive and carry to term. I can't remember your history either in terms on number of attempts, sorry, but if you could do another round without and then reconsider, that might take some of the pressure off deciding right now what to do.

italian what lovely names. Thank you for sharing.

Forgot to say welcome to ellie - this is a lovely thread. I think you may become our resident expert on all treatment questions.

josie new clinic sounds perfect. It really can help to change protocols and there's every reason to feel hopeful.

Waves to everyone else.

Pocket - know Dr G very expensive. Could you look at Dr Nduwke at Zita West, still London. Though think he only takes on immune ladies that cycle with him - so that depends if you happy to change your clinic and can do. That way your immunes will cost the test fee and cost of the actual drugs. Advantage of Dr G is he will treat with other clinics, which is why he can charge so much. Dr G has long waiting lists, which is the downside as he is so popular.

Pocket I've heard Dr G is expensive, and also that his manner/approach sometimes has something to be desired. I have a friend in RL who went to him for an initial consultation and then decided she didn't like him so had her immunes taken care of by the Lister instead (even though her IVF cycle was with a different clinic). She saw someone called Dr Thum (I think) at the Lister and she got on with him much better, felt he explained things better etc etc. Hope this helps rather than confuses you more! x

Pocket in my case I wish that we had tried Immunes sooner but it's always much easier in hindsight, however I can recommend Dr Nduwke as he was the consultant who finally gave us our BFP although at Care and not at the new clinic in London.

oh yes /lister also does immunes.

Ellie - we were at care also. His manner is fantastic. All best for cycle 8.

Thank you lovely ladies. I appreciate all your help. My head is once again in a spin. I called the lister yesterday (that's where my embies are and where I will eventually have fet). Left a message and someone called me back today but I haven't had a chance to call them back.

Lucy I think my view of dr g would be the same as your friend, for £180 consult I would have expected a bit more. He was pretty matter of fact! But i think I have been spoiled by my consultant who is just so lovely.

Yet more homework for me to do. Will report back!

Hope everyone is well.

Scrummy good luck for ET think it was today or tomorrow. Xxxx

Btw i did call dr g's clinic before appt and was told tests were £1500. They knew I was cycling elsewhere. Had they'd said £2600 I would never have gone!!

Hi Pocket I know what you mean. It's difficult to know whether doing all of this is more stressful or less. Sounds like we are doing similar things as in diet, exercise and acupuncture. I'm not a big coffee drinker (like usually 1 a week) but now also trying to make sure I have decaf tea etc. Heaps more fruit and vege and organic where possible. But I think it's also a bit about just getting on with your normal day. Keeping go and not stopping and thinking about every little thing. Sorry I don't know much about immunes. I haven't been told I need anything like that so far. Sorry also to hear about your consultation and how much they want to charge. That is sure a bit chunk of cash. I think you are doing the best thing right now, more research more homework and then hopefully it'll become clear!

Italian sorry to hear about your heart palpitations and your Mum. Please take care of yourself. And thanks for sharing your names list.

Mini wishing you all the best for Friday and hope the time between now and then goes swiftly*

Scrummy hope you are doing well and that ET has gone well (was it today?)

Waves to all oxox