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

[Scrummybumb]

A new snug for us AC ladies

Scrummy huge hugs to you and thank you for thinking of me, and to dear Pocket too, and any others. Glad you liked my names. I must admit I fetlt very attached to the name Cassia, maybe if we adopt we can add a little middle name in there! We need to wait 6 months before we can approach Social services formally but in the meantime my project is to get fit and read a few books on adoption, and maybe attend an adoption evening with DH.

Sorry Mini of course I meant was not to be this time. Who knows why, who knows why it works for some and not others. Thinking of you and sending arrow prayers for the future for whatever you decide to do next.

Sunnyg thanks for asking after my Mum. It was a urine infection and not dementia, and she is now recovered. Although it was very tough on route with her very disorientated and me very worried.

Teds thanks for your kind words and I am very encouraged by what you say. I do definitely feel my fertility journey is finished and I know I will not have any more treatment, even if it were free! I am getting out of touch where everyone is and what they are up to.

Josie dear I am thinking of you and praying for all the very best for you.

Mojangles huge hugs to you.

Bugsy, Badger, as I say I am getting out of touch where everyone is and what they are up to. Wishing you all the best with your next step.

Hugs and baby dust to Maplecake, Keziah, Lissy, Lexie, Weller, Lucy, Pumpkinjoy, vallinnapod and all. Healthy pregnancies, happy babies and families and chocolate boobs to all .

Teds I meant with you too!

Morning all. Thank you all for your thoughts and kind words. There were some more tears on Friday night, but I am feeling a lot better. I am going to call the clinic today to make our follow up appointment as I want to understand a little better how the cycle went and what we can expect next to time. I know deep down that one day, somehow, we will have a child. Until then I need to enjoy my life and enjoy spending time just the two of us. I read a article a few weeks ago that said about 70 abortions are carried out each year in the uk after successful ivf as couples don't make it through. We really, really want a family, but not at any cost, so the next few weeks/months need to be about me, my DH and us. We need at least a month off and then because of holidays and work trips it may be another two on top of that, so we've got to be patient. The good things in life are worth waiting for, and I have a lot of wonderful things in my life to hold on to in the meantime.

Happy Monday to you all, and sorry for not name checking. Am still catching up on thread.

Mini good to hear some positive thoughts and like you say the family of you and DH are so so important and we can roller coast over each other without realising it. Thanks for reminding me

Mini ditto Bugsy's sentiment. Its so easy to let this take over your life. Your words really touched me. Wishing you and DP lots of happiness a a life packed with wonderful things. x

Mini really glad to hear you are feeling okay and feeling quite positive. That was a lovely post about making the most of your time with DH and being grateful. It's good to remind ourselves about that every now and then I think.

Scrummy hope the first day back at work went well. At least it'll help not to make the 2WW go any slower than it usually feels. Thanks for asking all going fine in the cycle. Still down-regging but depending on Wednesday's scan due to start stemming Wednesday as well. EC Provisionally in for May 9th.

Bit hugs to all oxo

Mini I?m so sorry to hear your news, but it sounds like you?re doing well, and that is such a good way to look at it. I?ve said all along that I?d rather have DH and no children than have children and no DH. We seem to be lucky in that we are supporting each other, and if it got to the point where our relationship was deteriorating, I would have to have a re-think. We have had our ups and downs obviously, it puts a strain on you no matter how strong your relationship is, but if you can make it through this I think you?re set for life. I hope you can enjoy your time to yourselves and come back stronger than ever

Scrummy thank you for sharing that story. Sometimes I think to myself ?who am I kidding, I?m never going to get a BFP, these good things don?t happen to me? but in reality, there?s no reason why I shouldn?t be as lucky as anyone else going through this, so I?m trying to stay optimistic, and I know that if I can respond and get enough follicles to go ahead with EC and ET, then I stand just as good a chance as anyone else. And the new clinic?s success rates are apparently 10% higher than my current clinic...

Bugsy I did mention funding to the nurse at the new clinic and she was under the impression that it still counted as a cycle of IVF, but I might just mention it again when I see the doctor

Pocket that?s fantastic news, I hope it all goes well and I?m pleased you?re happy with the direction you?ve taken, I know you were undecided at first

Italian I am so pleased for you, you sound so calm and sorted. I have my fingers crossed that your adoption journey is smooth and that you find the perfect child to share your love and family with

SunnyG hope all is going well, good luck for starting stims

Not a lot going on for me, checked with the dr and the referral has been done but it hasn?t been sent off yet so I?m pushing them a bit. I?m not normally pushy but this is so important to me it?s worth annoying people. Constantly

Sorry if I?ve missed anyone

Josie I know CARE do not charge full amount if you convert to straight IVF if ICSI has been booked likewise IUI. The big expense is egg collection and keeping the eggs in the lab for a few days. Am checking with our CCG what happens on counts but we have had this discussion before and a cancelled cycle pre egg collection is NOT counted as a cycle. I would not really expect a nurse or even the Dr to necessary know re this as is a commissioning issue. But if the c,inic is charging for IVF when you have not had it there is an issue there. Most PCTs pay for upto 6 IUI and some IVF on top not either or. I would contact your PCT and ask them. Just do not want you to be out of a cycle if you are entitled to it. Which is your PCT? Maybe able to find out for you if need be.

Bugsy that's really interesting thanks. I'm currently with Newcastle but changing to Gateshead shortly so I think I'll follow your advice and contact the PCT, thanks

Are you moving where you live? I know you are moving clinic. If you are moving where you live before you do check what they pay for fertility. I am in Staffordshire. South staff pays 1 attempt, Stoke 2 and North Staffs nil think I have them right all within a few miles radius. It is each pct that decides the pct that pays is the one that covers the post code you live in. Hope that makes sense. Hopefully second time or really first time ( IVF) lucky so it will be irrelevant but worth fighting for worth about 5 or more grand if needed

Josie suggest you look at nice guidelines and also infertility network uk pre contacting them. Your area do if upto date 3 full cycles, that includes IVF and use of any frozen embryos if there are any. In my area they have just updated what they would fund has stayed the same 1 fresh cycle. If you have anything in writing about what they would fund is good as well.
Waves to everyone else

Josie like Bugsy said, if you have IUI that doesn't count as one of your IVF cycles (as long as the clinic did not attempt IVF and just did what is charged in IUI cycles) but it will be your PCT not the clinic that will be involved in funding - perhaps your Gp, if Gp did the funding request, can help/

Just popping in to say a quick hello to everyone and to check up on Scrummy hope your not fidgeting too much in the 2ww bench.

Thanks Josie thinking of you too. I do feel very calm and excited about our fostering and adoption journey. Thinking of you and sending arrow prayers for next lot of treatment.

Sunnyg any news?

Hugs and baby dust to Pocket, Maplecake, Scrummy, BadgerFace, Keziah, Lissy, Mojangles, Bugsylugs, Lexie, Weller, Mini, , BadgerFace, Lucy, Pumpkinjoy, vallinnapod and all. Healthy pregnancies, happy babies and families and chocolate boobs to all .

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good meditation piece please. I know there are a few votes for ZW but wondered if there are any others as I'd like to look into it for myself....

Hope everyone is well on this thoroughly wet Wednesday!

Morning all, just had my 10 day scan and have responded well to the stimms, maybe a bit too well! 35 follicles, 10 looking mature and a further 6-8 which would most likely mature by friday if the clinic decide to do egg collection then. If not, collection will be Monday so excited and a bit nervous all at the same time.

Did anyone suffer from OHSS? I am high risk apparently. How quickly does it come on if it's a problem? I am worried if I trigger tonight about tomorrow as I have back to back meetings at work! But if it come on later then I can cope, have next week booked off work

Sunny g How was your scan?

Hello to everyone else!

Badger wow great response. I'm not too knowledgable about OHSS but I'm sure the other ladies can advise you. Will they be doing extra scans to monitor this? So EC set for either Friday or Monday?

Pocket I'm sorry I don't really know any other mediation pieces but I think scrummy mentioned one? I've only had my Zita CD for a a week and so far only listened to the pre ET track but have found it pretty relaxing so far. Not sure why but it's also made me start repeating this mantra in my head that goes something like 'it might happen, it COULD happen'. Sorry is that a bit weird. I've found myself repeating it over and over on the drive to work. Hmmmmm!!!!

Josie lots of good advice from Bugsy and Keziah about the ins and outs of the NHS fertility postcode lottery. If we wanted IVF on the NHS right now we wouldn't be eligible as we simple moved boroughs (that are literally next to each other) about 5 months ago. Our new borough has this ridiculous rule that you have to be registered with your new gp for a year before you met the criteria and that's before you even get on the waiting list. Ridiculous seeing our previous borough had no such rule (and we had been with that GP for almost 2 years). It's a minefield really, but keep pushing and keep asking for clarification. This is your future, push away I say!

AFM scan went all good. Things nice and quite so on track I'd say. Starting stims tonight. Not back in till next Tuesday. Started munching on the brazil nuts today, who knows if it's just an old wives tale but.............

Scrummy hope all is well on the bench

Hugs to Maplecake, Lissy, Mojangles, Bugsylugs, Lexie, Weller, Mini, Lucy, Pumpkinjoy. Sorry if I've missed anyone.

Sorry forgot to ask ladies. Quick survey about ET day. Back to the work situation (which is all fine so far). Have got the day for EC off obviously. I will see how I go the day after EC but I know if I don't feel good I can take the day off too if needed. Depending on the time of ET I would plan to go in to work beforehand but was thinking about taking the rest of that day off and then maybe even the next day. I know apparently it won't make any difference technically, or does it? I'd really appreciate your thoughts or what you've done with regards to this. Just the more notice I can give my boss (difficult with this treatment!) the less awkward it'll be........

Thanks heaps!

whoops just re-read first post. Meant to say things nice and quiet! Am sure you all got that tho! ox

sunnyg Had the call this afternoon and EC is set for Monday but with another scan on Friday to check things out again. Not long anyway!

Good luck with your Stimms. I'm planning to take off my ET day although the clinic said that I should/can carry on life as normal after ET, but I am going to try and see my acupunctuist for a session before and afterwards so think that'll all take up most of the day anyway!

badger I was at risk of OHSS as well but was fine in the end. It doesn't 'happen' unless you have trigger shot so you are fine till then. You need to keep drinking lots and up your protein in take. I found my only symptom was pain when weeing - sorry for tmi! You need to watch that you are going regularly though and phone them if you aren't or feel at all ill. Other thing to bear in mind is that risk is higher if they put more than one embryo back, so they may only do one if you are at high risk. What was your last level at? They brought my EC forward as they didn't want mine going any higher. Last reading was just shy of 10,000 which was day before EC and had gone up by 3000 in 24 hours from day before so was likely quite a bit higher when they actually collected. I wouldn't worry too much though as if they are happy to leave you a few more days you are probably a bit lower yet. Just make sure you keep an eye on your health as it can be serious. Best of luck for EC.

Waves to everyone else xx

sunnyg I had day of ET off and would have been fine health wise to work, but there was a lot of faffing. We didn't know until 10:30 am that ET was that day as they wanted to wait till day of to decide if to to blastocyst. By time had got to clinic and had procedure it was well past 1:30 so would have needed at least a half day off work. Guess it does depend on appointment timing though - which we had no say in, they just told us when it would be.

badger sorry, just re read your message. You should be fine for day after trigger as from what they said to me it's really only after they do ET that the risks start. I am sure you will be fine though - I was a bit freaked out when they told me so did lots of reading up on it. Really hope I havent worried you at all with anything I said.