TTC 10 plus months, Part 7

[lisacn]

A friendly, supportive thread for those of us who are taking a bloody long little longer time than average to conceive.

Great to hear you had such a good time. I also spent most my time in the waiting room being surprised by how normal everyone else is, although we occasionally snigger that some people are there because frankly you cannot imagine making a baby the usual way with one of the partners

Well, there is always hope that spotting is not AF, but the evidence is to the contrary. I am 13dpo, which is my standard day for spotting, and usually after 24hrs it becomes the full blown misery. Had a quick chat with DH about it and we're taking a cycle off after this one... Need some time to relax.

Afternoon all, well I still feel very excited about the meet last night and keep chirping away to OH about discussions that were had and how lovely and nice and understanding and normal and friendly everyone was. I think I suitably grossed everyone out with a demonstration of my proud finding of EWCM the night before and a recount of how I showed OH with glee Yes, really. I did. I showed him the small piece on the end of my finger and then stretched it for him. I think he was actually quite interested but also gave me the grossed out my-wife-has-just-scarred-my-fragile-metro-mind-in-yet-another-irreparable-way-with-an-image-I-will-never-erase-from-my-brainhole look. I followed this up with, see it's just like a gloopy bit of spaff.... Ok, ok, sorry TMI

I really did enjoy the party feed although I was a bit disturbed by wines, are you still partying [catbum] post to lemons

So for those of you who didn't come to the meet, here is how my journey from Brighton to London went. In case you are a bit scared of the logistics, I can confirm that it was all good, well sort of. euro and joyce definitely have better MN ladydar's than I do :)

Here is how it went:

• Leave work and get on train (stay with me it gets better)
• Receive phone call from sister on train who wants to talk about her pension and her recent work trip to Amsterdam (weird as she never, ever calls - we quite often go months without talking). Sister asks why are you going to London? And I explain in a rather busy carriage and probably a bit too loudly that, "I'm going to meet some ladies I've met on the internet" (actual words). Cue lots of strange looks from people around me. Followed by, "they have the same problem that I do". Sister goes, "well have a nice time" and we move on to her work trip. Absolutely no idea what the people around me thought. But I don't care. I think there may have been an excited bloke sat not too far who liked the lady finds other ladies on internet scenario a bit too much....If only he knew...His fragile male mind would have been seriously warped too :)
• Arrive in London and on tube journey to meeting place keep wondering if the ladies around me are secret MN ladies. Feel like spy in Spooks or other exciting TV drama / film.
• Don't do too well at navigating to venue but have a nice walk along the river anyway and think to myself that I should make more effort to do interesting things in London and stop obsessing about TTC Still feel like an exciting spy in Spooks or other exciting TV drama / film
• Arrive at Venue and see huge queue of people waiting for a table. Starting to feel a bit nervous at this point and panic about finding the other ladies.
• Wait in queue but then realise that everyone is already inside, so waiting for a table is a stupid idea. Also quite excited about le grand reveal.
• March into restaurant confidently (I am a spy from Spooks...ok even I got tired of this by now) and find waiter. Explain to him that I am meeting some friends who arrived half an hour ago but I can't find them. Try to play the damsel in distress. He helpfully suggests that I take a walk around to try and find them. I look at him, panic across my eyes, please help, you have no idea what is happening and say, could you help me find them please? He looked at me like I was a bit 'special' I mean the place is open plan, there are no corners for 'friends' to hide in. Still, luckily he helped and I realised I had already walked past the table, which I had eyed with suspicion already. Ah there you are. I am Princess. Nice to meet you all :) And off we all went.

A summer meet with a picnic in a park would be really lovely. Can we have some sort of secret flag, maybe with a feather attached so that we can I don't look like such a muppet find each other next time? Or a secret ring tone so that we can ring the coordinator and listen out for the sound? I'm not sure what the ringtone would be - suggestions on a postcard? Maybe we should all have the same ringtone so that we can pick each other out of the crowd by in random places anyway....The Sutton ladies could play the game when they are doing the big shop in Waitrose?

lemon sorry about the spotting I was saying to gin last night that the pointy finger had to be you this month. Hope you are ok. I think critter came up with the tail feather dance (which I still love). Artemis is responsible for the sparkly knobs (which I also equally love. And nope didn't see any sparkly bits poking out of bags or pockets last night). Anyway, big hugs for you. Hope you have a nice month off. My 6 weeks off has done me wonders. I think I'm a bit too chirpy at the moment. I'm still obsessing about TTC (we all agreed this will never go away until head pops out of fanjo and baby screams) but just not is a destructive way.

kitty lovely to hear that all is swell. FX for an exciting scan and healthy mini kitty. It gives me a lot of hope to hear this sort of stuff. Keep it coming!

wine how are you today? I'm glad the purple sausage has gone and that you are able to walk about a bit better. I'm sorry that the doctors have been so crap with your notes. I looked into requesting a copy of my notes on the train last night after your experience (although they can deny access on the grounds that they would be too upsetting - I'm slightly scared that may decline on the grounds of my pendulum). This is not good. Are you going to complain to your doctor about your anemia? Hope your digestible iron tablets work ok for you and the rich in iron wine . I'm sorry to hear that they need you to do a test too. This does seem utterly ridiculous but it seems to be a stock answer to anything lady related. Got a temperature - go POAS; got a headache - go POAS; midcycle bleeding - go POAS; operation - go POAS; sore finger, ingrown toenail, excess ear wax - oo better POAS just in case. Honestly. I hope all comes back well and there is no more bollocks for you to have to deal with besides getting yourself into tip-top SWI condition.

critter I love the sound of your poetry retreat. That sounds really awesome. Oh and I love the sound of your MIL's daiquiris I'm not sure that a non-alcoholic vegetable daiquiri would be any good at all You made me with your talk about a hip flask at work. I hope you have enjoyed your time away with strangers and that all the TTC stuff melted into the background / provided you with impressive tortured artist material.

Pout-Dave (ha that has soooo stuck) you should defo come next time. I would love to meet you. You are very, very funny. And I can confirm that there were no biters.

Teu glad the job is going well. The first couple of weeks are always exhausting. I hope that everyone is nice to you and that they don't throw too much stuff your way.

Sarlat thinking of you. Not long now xxx

Joyce oh dear Mr Joy, oh dear! Still, at least he wasn't too worried about your whereabouts! Thank you so much for organising last night. xxx

Waves to Frannie, Gin, Euro, MrsD, LadyG, Artemis, Nelly and all the others I've missed.

Finally, I'm glad that I have been signed off on as looking normal by the other ladies was a bit worried that I had a list of ingredients on my head, which stated - WARNING! This princess contains crazy lady hormones, approach with extreme caution

I'm off to have my eyes tested soon. Just another part of me that functions inadequately. I hope they don't do the Clockwork Orange turning eyelids inside out manoeuvrings

Hope everyone has a nice day and look forward to hearing ringtone suggestions

I refuse to let them do the eyelids thing, Princess. They just write on my notes that I declined.

Hello everybody! Arrived back today. Had the best holiday ever ever ever! BFP last fri!!!!!!!!!!! Could not believe it so did another test to confirm. BFP again. Still couldn't believe it until Sunday and the onset of the most horrendous sickness! Havent eaten hardly a thing. Lost some weight (bonus). Trying not to complain as I've waiting so long for this. I'm on the phone so will catch up properly later. Sounds like the meet up was good fun?!

Oo congratulations becks!! Do come back with details, remind us of long it took, symptoms and anything different this month. That's a holiday you won't forget! I hope the finger is back to stay for a bit.

I'm so glad the meet up was lovely. princess you are brill at stories, I ,love them! How did you know it was the right group? I think pout your picnic idea is great. I will happily make a glittery feathery identity stick, I have primary teacher skillz. Old school nokia ringtone?!

Glad the job is good teuc

Sorry about the spotting lemon hope you're ok. I think I post biscuits to you because of the cake and to say hello of threads of old. I probably won't stop doing it! Cats bum biscuit anyone?

The mere mention of having to see one line made my period come this morning only 5 ish days late. I had no prior warning, not a speck of spotting or anything noticeable. I'm not entirely sure I'd ovd so that might be why. But I am getting suspect now that in the 4 cycles I've not tried, there never has been spotting or nausea. I never had it before I started ttc. What gives?

General hellooo to you all, I'm so (there really should be a smiley envy face that signals mild jealousy rather than full on raging) that lots of you know each others names and faces.

I need to sleep. Period pain + short trip to the shop + everything else has left me rather knackered.

Hay

Becks - wow congratulations. Knew this would be a lucky thread. As Wine said, we want to hear all the details. What a high you must be on to have got an actual BFP on an actual holiday.

Joyce - loving your dh's interpretation of where you went last night!

And so glad all you girlies who met up had a fab time. I defo want to come next time (location permitting).

Lemons - sorry honey about the spotting. Please do have yourself a glass of well deserved tonight. But here's a thought - if this cycle did feel a bit different, maybe conception did take place??!! Maybe it's just a case of waiting for a really strong bean?? Keep marching on and give yourself a big pat on the back. Will you try another IUI?

Princess - got great images of you running through old London town, looking around every corner doing your bit as the super fertility spy. Also - I think it's great that you showed your DH the 'fruit of your labour' i.e. the ewcm! It's a very pround moment and one to be shared. This month is looking good for you!

Lemons again - "although we occasionally snigger that some people are there because frankly you cannot imagine making a baby the usual way with one of the partners" snigger snigger snort snort I know exactly what you mean. And the other thing I've noticed is how some couples look amazingly chillaxed by slouching down the seats in the waiting area with legs wide apart as if they were waiting for their chinese takeaway to be ready. I sit there looking very prim / alert, no idea why as I'm not normally like that.

I have given myself the most almighty kipper slap ever! I needed it. I was going crackers, crazy and crazy again. I have put the stress behind me. I can't even be bothered to do a POAS tomorrow before I go for the blood test. And I daren't to be honest. But I have calmed down. I think I needed to have an outward and inward panic - maybe as a way of making sure people in my life know this is not a done deal .....and now I'm ok again. (Although after the phone call from the clinic with the blod test results there is every chance I will be crazy lady again.)

I did feel like my period was coming on me this morning. It is 13 dpo today and it wouldn't normally come on until 15 dpo. But again due to the drugs this can not be interpreted as a symptom of early pregnancy or impending AF.

No - I am at the mercy of God and the Universe and will have to see what happens.

Congrats Becks that's brilliant news What a nice way to spend a holiday. Yay, our first BFP on this thread. Were you on fertility drugs or did this all happen au naturel? Ah, I really am pleased for you and MrB, if not a little as wine says in a mild jealousy rather than full on raging way :)

Euro I don't mind really. I just try not to think about it too much.

Wine I had to be taken to the group by a nice lady who the waiter entrusted me with. Don't stop posting the catbum biscuits they make me I would have one but I'm not sure they're brown diet compatible...Thanks for offering though! I think the same about the normal periods during not TTC. Mine have gone back to being regular, normal, no weird symptoms. I do wonder how much of it is the body having a little go at TTC and then for some reason not, hence strangeness. Hope you have a nice nap.

Sarlat hang in there! Is your blood test AM / PM? I have my fingers crossed. Oh and this month will not be my month because we have been banned from trying until I've stopped taking some of the supplements because they are incompatible with TTC. We will not be back on it until July. It's a nice break and I would be terrified of MCing again if we did fall before the crazy lady hormones have been tamed / boosted / realigned.

Well after a brief conversation over a delicious roast chicken, fennel seed and mustard door stop sandwich, we have decided that I will probably book in to see Marion Gluck, hormone lady (I really hope that she has this on her name plate - I would like one saying Princess Chick - Crazy Hormone Lady). I just have to find out how much she is and what piece of furniture I will have to sacrifice for the new house in order to see her. After discussions last night over dinner and my other research into the NHS, I'm not sure what they have to offer will be my particular brand of non-bleached, organic cup of herbal tea. I have worked so hard at the brown diet over the last 6 weeks and still going strong. I feel this is working for me. I am chirpy a lot more of the time. I am getting positive lines on the piss sticks. I am starting to get EWCM. My nails are hard and shiny (usually soft, ridged and crumbly) I'm loving reflexology, which leaves me calm and feeling rested. I know that the NHS will not a) like the brown diet because it cuts out dairy b) tell me that food alone cannot create a baby c) they do not believe in complimentary therapy d) they will say the Hair Analysis in nonsense e) they will want to fob me off with either cheap drugs or inappropriate treatment based on my set of fertility woes and all the rest up to z) I will of course keep you all up-to-date on this. Putting it out there makes it feel all a bit more real though...

Congratulations becks. how lovely to get a BFP on your holiday. Please do remind us of your story when you get the chance. You are not on the list on the front page of this thread.

Sarlat I am glad you are having a temporary reprieve from the craziness.

wine sorry that AF arrived. I hope you managed to have a nap.

princess really interested in your visit to the gluckster. For me, I feel I have the next 6-8 months (from July) to see if this happens au natural. With all of fibroid gate and anaemia etc, I want to be well first and it is so frustrating that the nhs arent interested in the holistic thing. My newly flushed tubes need road testing first and I want to do good stuff with my body. I'm well up for reflexology and going full on green/brown again. I've currently got Honestly Healthy on pre order on amazon written by glucky friends I think. Did you get it must be your hormones?

euro it's ok, it was a welcomed period. It would have driven me mad for it to go AWOL and the hospital preg thing was a Headfuck of a joke. When do things start happening for you?

I do indeed have It Must Be My Hormones... I actually think to myself all the time It MUST be my hormones?! I'm off to see some old colleagues tonight so I won't have a chance to re-read but I am going to re-read again. I'm sure with your new tubes and spring cleaned womb it will be bambinos a-go-go all over the place. A book by Glucky friends you say? I can feel my fertility section expanding already.... :)

It's a cookbook. I will review it for you when it arrives. I feel me a green diet coming on...

Congrats becks! What a great holiday :) I'm really pleased for you.

wine have just read back and read of the horrors you have been suffering! Sounds awful and hope the bleeding has now stopped. at the multi purposing of the sanitary towels. Hope they have given you some bandages!

lemons so sorry about the spotting. Fingers crossed it doesn't turn into full on af.

pout yay to a meet up in a park! Sounds lovely and would be fab to meet you (but make sure you leave the truck at home).

princess you totally didn't gross us out with the ewcm demo, although the idea of shaving dh's pubes for a hair analysis did make me chuckle. The woo lady sounds great and well worth a try I reckon.

sarlet lots and lots of good luck for tomorrow.

teu hope the new job is going well. A good distraction from ttc crap I'm sure.

kitty can't believe you are almost at the 12 week scan. It seems to have gone really quickly (well to me). Very soon you will have your very own little baybee :)

Hallo to everyone else, esp the lovely ladies I met last night.

My bloody AF still hasn't arrived. Have all the usual symptoms, so it should be near. I'm now onto day 35 of my cycle. Ivf has broken me! Def not preggers though, as confirmed by sneaky pee stick - when will I learn?! Dr google days this is normal. Guess I should enjoy the longer cycle, but could do without the last week's cramps and headaches, humpf.

Oh and not wanting to start more mentalling, but did anyone else think k-middy's waistline was suspiciously loose in the latest pic of her?!

Evening all

Way hey for Becks... congratulations, here's hoping this is the start of a run of Lucky Seven BFPs for the 10+ brigade. I am seconding the calls to tell us how you did it? I don't mean the nitty gritty but were you having any treatment and if not, had you done anything different? I think that requires a fertility dance... I have preened my tail feathers and am brandishing a brace of sparkly knobs

Glad you all had a top time last night and everyone was normal . Would love a weekend picnic in the park if i can possibly make the next date. Is everyone on this thread southern based or are there [dons flat cap, kicks whippet] any other northerners out there?

Sarlat keeping everything crossed for you... probably best if you can avoid POAS and wait for the blood test, early pee sticks can give a false result which would be devastating either way. Thinking of you.

Wine I can't believe the bad luck you've had... hopefully getting the wound sorted and the start of AF marks the beginning of the end of this chapter. I bloody well hope so. I would be interested in your diet review, I'm contemplating brown diet/natural therapies approach too, since the consultant can offer me nothing but IVF.

Lemons I am waving a sparkly knob at your spotting in the hope of warding off the Evil Red Tide of Doom...

Princess your posts make me laugh... I loved the tale of your journey to the meet. And showing your DH the EWCM... MrA would run a mile. Perhaps next time you arouse the attention of curious men on the tube you can give them a demonstration to satisfy their curiosity

MrA had to do another jizz test today. Cue a fun mercy dash to the hospital through rush hour traffic to get the precious sample in for the helpful 8.30 time slot, then trying to find the bloody path lab which did not seem to be named on any of the gazillion differently coloured/fonted directional signage. I dared MrA to go to one of the many receptions and ask the bored receptionist where we could find the jizz desk but he wimped out. Eventually discovered it, conveniently located along some winding corridors, down some stairs, along some narrower corridors, down a very dark set of stairs and behind an anonymous door. There is a window with a red telephone next to it. There was another bloke dropping off a sample who avoided eye contact but otherwise also looked normal. Who are the people whose job it is to sit in an underground bunker and look at sperm? This is a 'swim through' test in which I assume they put them through a mini obstacle course, kinda like an aquatic Crufts. I think if MrA could have stayed to cheer his chaps on he would have done.

Nowt else going on here... Critter you asked where I'm at, I am just starting cycle 4 of clomid, so same as you ... have discovered that if I take them at night instead of first thing I don't get so many mood busting side effects. Or maybe my body is getting used to it. Or maybe it was never the clomid in the first place, i am just a narky cow I love the sound of your poetry retreat... I used to write, but I am out of the habit now and too busy with work but I do miss it and the barking nutters fascinating people I used to meet.

Ooh best get off, I've been having a rare burst of domesticity this evening and have actually made proper tea with pudding and everything so had better go and dish up and stop MrA from smothering everything in brown sauce. Sorry for haste, waves to everybody - I am always nervous to namecheck at this point in case I miss anyone but hugs and perky tail feathers to you all

Oo gin I will have to google the midster. I can't believe they would be putting it off much longer. Do royals have problems?!
Hope your cycle rights itself soon for you.

artemis I'm oop north last summer I threw myself into tidying up my diet and getting in more fruit/veg. Looking back, my food is quite different now than two years ago, everything home made, organic and a lot more fresh, no caffeine, wholegrain and very limited sugar. I do eat some dairy and I've struggled to cut out all wine without being miserable. I've found Heidi Swansons website and cookbooks really useful and inspiring. I did it Full On last summer and felt really sad that it left me not pregnant. In the end I went paleo for a month but that didn't suit me and contrary to all the hype, it left me feeling really ill. I try to not let myself get too sweeped up with things though as I've a history of anorexia (fully mended, took a long time) but with summer here I want to have a try at eating in an alkaline way as I'm convinced I have an acidic fanjo! Based on nothing. But you never know! Well done for surviving the sperm mission. My mum used to look at sperm all day in the labs!

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2151946/Prince-William-interview-Katie-Couric-Kate-I-keen-start-family.html. Urgh, more evidence. Not that I read the daily mail of course...

Gin I read that earlier and thought Wils was being a bit cagey. I haven't seen the pic though. But it's inevitable. I'm surprised it has taken this long frankly!

In my pre-IVF research I read that quite a few women have squiffy cycles after IVF. I guess after all those hormones it takes the body a few weeks to get back to normal.

Im worried by my interest in her being pregnant

Woohoo becks! Fantastic news- what a great holiday! Thanks for breaking the recent BFP drought! Weren't you the 'lady that douched'? (Cue mumsnetter en masse Google of 'How to douche for pregnancy'!). I'm very but very, very pleased for you.

Gin Reading that article made me think that they can't have been trying up to now. Anyone that open about saying they want to start a family in such an earnest way clearly hasn't seen multiple single lines! [cynical] Maybe they'll announce it this weekend? Crap about the odd cycle- as if you haven't had enough a headfook with the IVF. Hope it all readjusts soon.

Princess have to agree with gin. The public display of EWCM (to DH not us!) was funny... but pubic hair analysis . Poor Mr P! The new Gluck lady sounds interesting- def keep us posted.

joyce I hope you could tell DH about all you had learnt at your 'seminar'- see above! Mine actually asked lots of questions this morning and was surprisingly interested in it all.

wine hope you are feeling better as time goes on. You really have been through the mill with it all. I think the AF is the sign of a new start for you with your spring- cleaned womble!

pout can you pleeeeease change your nickname to dave?! I think it would be funny to see dave pop up on all kinds of MN threads! I wouldn't mind being your mate keith? I totally understand your feelings over the meet. Since all this ttc bullshit I have seen my social side gradually wither, to the point where I have had anxiety attacks before meeting up with a large group of friends. Last night I really needed to test myself to see if I could actually do something that would have been well within my comfort zone 2 years ago. I actually felt a tiny bit proud of myself last night, and strangely like I had loosened a grip on me. And apparently I appeared normal- so all good! A picnic in the park would be a lovely idea.

sarlat I have everything crossed for you- don't touch the sticks! xx

lemons argggh to spotting. Hope it doesn't turn to AF. Where are these bloody 15% of women that get preggo through IUI? When I reminded DH of a new blood test he has to take before next week's IUI he muttered under his breath 'What's the point, it won't work anyway'. And he's usually the positive one! We too are going to have a break do the same job by just shagging next month too.

teu new job sounds fab and a great distraction. Don't work too hard though- you know that you need time to 'just relax'!

critter and artemis hope the Clomid does the trick for you. How many goes do you get?

Right, I must get to bed...this was supposed to be an early night after my little adventure last night! Waves to those missed x

Ugh! Just logged onto FB to see a photo of my friend standing in a line with all of her NCT friends. 9 beautiful big bumps and 9 glowing mums-to-be. Meh. Happy Thursday everyone.

Morning ladies

Everything crossed for Sarlat today... hope the blood test brings you that long awaited BFP.

Gin I x-posted with you before. Hope AF arrives soon. Don't think I've ever said that on this thread! What is your plan now post IVF - relax and recuperate I should imagine, but are you thinking yet about another cycle? I have a load of bumf on IVF from the consultant but can't bring myself to read it yet. Personally I don't give a flying f toss whether or not K-Middy is diffed but I am dreading the media fest when she is, it will be impossible to ignore... I bet royals do have problems but you can bet your life they won't be turning up on any NHS waiting lists. She will have been checked out before she was allowed near Wills. And now Harry is advertising for a brood mare... At least we are beyond the days when royal wives who failed to produce an heir faced the chop, but the whole media circus of expectation just reinforces the tyranny of the 'perfect' nuclear family. Can you imagine what would happen to a royal wife who didn't want or couldn't have kids? I think the Daily Fail would explode

Pout I am sorry about the Dave thing not really

Princess I would also be interested in how you get on with Dr Gluck though I imagine she will cost huge amounts. You could always go to her Milan office...! Would you recommend It Must Be My Hormones? I've thought they were to blame often enough. I am twitching towards Amazon again. The brown diet definitely seems to be working for you and if it helps you avoid medical intervention that would be terrific. I have done some googling on diet for fertility and got so confused with the conflicting advice from different practitioners. Aside from recommending you avoid the obvious nasties (caffeine/alcohol/sugar etc) they seem to have differing attitudes towards the proportion of grains you should eat, whether or not meat is OK, whether or not to avoid dairy etc etc... I end up getting quite cynical about the whole industry that has sprung up around fertility. Everyone recommending diet/nutrition/alternative therapies seems to promise the earth (or at least a miracle baby) in exchange for a significant chunk of your cash. Anecdotes are trotted out in place of data. This despite my belief that the holistic approach is the way forward and my mistrust of the medicalisation of women's health. It is hard to know who to trust. Humph. I guess you just have to trust your own instincts and go with what seems to be working. Avoiding alcohol, caffeine and cakes/biscuits/sweets (ie all the stuff I like) does make me feel healthier so I am increasingly leaning to the full-on brown. It is really helpful following your journey on here

Wine greetings to a fellow northerner! Acidic fanjo??? I have never heard of that - hurrah, something else to mental about... I am assuming that would not be a friendly environment for sperm but what makes you suspect that? Trust your DH has not been getting acid burns...!

Keith Frannie that is rubbish about the NCT bump photo. Not a great way to start the day. I have hidden so many people on facebook because I can't bear constant baby updates... I can have 6 cycles of clomid in total so two more after this one. I am not that hopeful to be honest, it does not have a good success rate if you are unexplained (and the new NICE guidance no longer recommends using clomid in cases of unexplained infertility) and is apparently most likely to be successful in the first three months. I'm persevering because it's the last line of defence before IVF. I have really not got my head around the prospect of IVF - as people have said before on here, it very much feels like the end of the road. Well done on pushing yourself to get to the meet. This TTC stuff really does affect all areas of your life. I have been less social in the last year, and have lost touch with friends I either can't cope with or who can't cope with me - usually those with kids.

Well I had better depart and get some work done. Have a lovely day everyone - not long now until the weekend! (smile)

Morning

Gin - hope AF sorts itself out soon.

Wine - glad the af did come and that the eptopic suggestion didn't amount to anything.

Hello to everyone else.

Lemons - any updates?

Well I am going for my next dildo scan and blood pregnancy test very soon. May get a phone call with the results today or tomorrow.

But I'm still fairly chilled.........we'll see.

Thank you so much for all of the support you have given during this crazy journey. Will let you know the outcome as soon as I can.

xx

Hi girls, well I'm 27 DH 31 TTC for 19 months after 9 years on depo provera and 5 months on the pill. Took over a year for periods to become a bit more regular, cycle length now anything between 24-31 days. Saw GP who did bloods. I had a low progesterone count. DH did SA all normal. Referred to fertility clinic. Had bloods, and smear all normal. Consultant thought I was not ovulating so had mid cycle scan which showed a 20.3mm follicle and a PCT which showed thick acidic mucus with many dead sperms in it. Was recommended a sodium bicarb douch. (50ml syringe. 1pt of tepid water and a tbsp of bicarb. Lay in the bath squirt it up there then get to SWI) only to be done around ovulation and only need 50ml. Told i would start on clomid and oestrogen next cycle and was given the drugs to take on holiday. Now 6 weeks pregnant. Can't actually believe it other than the awful sickness. Have a Drs appointment today. I'm hoping I'm the start of a run of BFP now for everyone. XxX

Morning, morning,

Sarlat good luck! You are so brave and I know you will take everything that comes at you in your stride. I'm sooo FX for a BFP. Gentle hand holding / stroking from me.

Gin Where is this pic of K-Mid? Where is it! I need to see! I will be royally hacked off if she gets there before me. I don't care if she does get the best medical treatment in the land (wonders to self if they have gold plated fanjo inspection tools for real Princess'). She got married after me. AFTER! I watched her wedding on telly whilst I was pregnant last year (although I didn't know it yet). It. Would. Not. Be. Fair. And she will have a way better pregnancy wardrobe than me. And you can guarantee if that all the world will want to get pregnant and she'll set some horrid trend that sweeps the nation en masse. Everyone will be sporting bumps, even if they are fake so that they can wear the same maternity clothes. There will be no maternity clothes except for the horrid ones left. Oh gawd! Hope you are feeling ok and that wretched AF shows her face soon.

Artemis Your tales of getting the jizz to hospital and the aquatic crufts made me and and !! In other news, I sent the email to Marion yesterday, a huge email and at the bottom feebly asked for their price list. I may come to regret this... Perhaps her prices aren't on there because if you have to ask you can't afford. Yes, a trip to Milan would be very nice. It did occur to me before you ask...just a small bit...but then there be the land of exciting non-brown stuff galore My old favourites I did some manic googling yesterday and found out that she also does phone appointments if you are not near her office. Maybe that would be cheaper? I'm not far, it's only an hour-ish away for me, but what does one wear to an uber posh lady hormone clinic. I would fear that I need to upgrade my wardrobe... It's like when my parents take us on uber posh holidays and everyone by the pool is in delectable Prada swimwear and I'm in an Oasis number. After sending the email we had another conversation (over whole wheat noodles and tofu with a celery, apple and lime juice) that I should a) persevere with Henrietta as she starts me on the new phase of the diet and see how things come along - I personally feel like it's working I could just be delusional b) see the consultant's minion (I'm very glad the ladies informed me that a registrar is not someone who takes note of your name but is an actual doctor ) and take their offerings with a pinch of salt and tell them about my theories thus potentially delaying any scarey offerings and making me a more challenging customer. I have give this some thought. I will deploy the Princess toddler tactic. When I was two, I used to say "why?" to everything:
Minion: "Your progesterone is low"
Me: "Why?"
Minion: "We don't know"
Me: "Why"?
Minion: "Well, lots of people have unexplained lady bits"
Me: "Why?"
Minion: "Because they just do. That's why! I have no answers for you" (falls to ground sobbing with frustration)
Me: "Why?"
Minion: "GET OUT!"
c) see Marion having burnt my NHS bridges (cost / bank of mum and dad permitting) later in the year if all else has failed or if after 3 months of the diet I'm still low in progesterone.
Whereabouts ooop north do you live? I spent a fair bit of time in my younger years in the NW (Uni in Lancaster and 'rents in the Isle of Man not to mention the ex in Preston and another ex in the posh bit of Blackpool) Don't worry if you don't want to say. I'm just being a nosy parker.

wine I've worried about the acidic thing too. We bought this magical green powder called Keane's Supreme Green's. You mix a tablespoon into juice (apple or cherry were nice - but I can't have fruit juice now), shake it up and then you have this swamp coloured juice which tastes just about ok. It's supposed to have loads of amazing stuff in it and is supposed to help keep your alkaline / acid levels in check. We found the best way to shake it up was in a jam jar and then just stick a straw in the top. The man in shop who sells it down the road from us says that a cocktail shaker is just as good. I couldn't bring myself to use my cocktail shaker for this healthy drink tho. It didn't seem right!

Frannie-Keith Sorry about the rude picture this morning. Nine in a row? What's that all about? I would have to hide that friend's feeds as I can't deal with daily updates on growing bumps, pregnancy symptoms, scans, constant my-baby-just-did-a-wee or my-baby-loves-mummy-so-much puke fest profile updates. Gross people. I also think that if I was a baby now I wouldn't be very happy in the future to know that my early years were recorded meticulously on facebook? I would want an actual book that I could cherish and pass down to my children. My baby will not be a poster board my bored existence when it finally happens. I will be too busy at baby yoga and singing classes and hanging out with the pram in the park. In other news, your comment about all of us having men's names made me and is a stroke of genius! Can I be Princess Barry please?

Does anyone know how you can get a blood test done without going the GP? I'd really like to see in July if my hormone levels are different after the diet? I may have to consult doctor google / ask my sister who is a clever medical boffin... Or see if the nutritionist has any ideas. This should give us a better indication of if it works. I don't mind being the brown diet guinea pig for the skeptical amongst us :)

Right, make a cuppa and back to work. Waves to everyone and Thursday hugs too. I'm checking out of work early today to go and see Henrietta. I'll let you all know how it goes with her later :)

Hi ladies!

Apologies I've been awol for so long. Work and home life seems to be keeping me far too busy. I've been reading when I can but don't feel I have had much to say as we've been trying hard to put ttc to the back of our minds whilst getting through the 6 month wait for IVF/ICSI.

The meet-up and virtual party sounded fab. Arranging another one at a weekend would be lovely - I'm another northerner artemis, living in God's Own County.

Hope things start to ease up for you wine - sounds like you've had a rough time since the op.

Congratulations Becks! Lovely news and a holiday BFP too!

Sarlat - best of luck for today. I hope you get positive news.

I'm sorry I've missed so much - feel like a very bad 10+er for not keeping up with you lovely lot. Promise I'll be better now things are easing with work.

Waves to everyone x