Assisted Conception (and the bits in between) Volume 10

[MoJangled]

Our new home, hope you all find me soon...

Hello ladies
Sorry not to have posted for a while - whilst have found this second cycle a lot easier, the meds still make me really tired so have just been focusing on getting things I needed to done. Throw in DH's birthday (which I spent half of asleep on the sofa), and surprise Wimbledon tickets and amazingly my 3 weeks on injections have flown by and egg collection is tomorrow. So fingers crossed for a few good eggs.

Whilst I haven't managed to post I think I've kept up with most of the news, not that I'll remember it all correctly now. Huge hugs to pocket and ellie on your results. I am so sad for you. As someone on the other Ivf thread was saying, sometimes it seems success is a numbers game with a hell of a lot of luck involved. Pocket hope you manage to find a donor sooner than you expect. Sorry if you've said this but have you thought about going for treatment abroad? Its something we had vaguely thought of if/when we need to consider donor eggs and ive seen a few threads about it. A few of my RL friends have said they are thinking about donating, and I know it's a huge undertaking but i think it is an amazing thing to be able to do - I wanted to before I found out my AMH was so crap.

mini hope the ARGC is going well - ill be keen to hear your experiences
sunny have the headaches settled yet?
Waves to weller, mo, bugsy, badger, italian maple and everyone else I've missed - sorry, am on my phone so can't scroll back.

pocket -sorry, just re read and seen your comments about treatment abroad. Ignore me

Aaaarrrgghhhh just lost my post.

Ellie I'm sorry. For me it was 4-5 days between bfn and af. So it's early days yet. Have a massive glass of wine tonight as a treat. You deserve it.

Weller I'm glad you hadn't lost us too. Your friends story is interesting - any info or insight hugely appreciated. I just can't see how the appointments, scans, meds etc will work. My London clinic is 15 mins walk from my office so I was in and out of there so much I know everyone by name! If your friend is on mn maybe she could pm me?

Badger I'm excited about your MiniBadger scan this week.

Chicken glad this cycle had been easier and may you have a bounty of gorgeous eggs tomorrow! And Seriously if your friends are thinking of egg donation, send them my way (it can be anonymous through my clinic)

Big wave to everyone. Glad that hosepipe ban is lifted (for whatever difference that will make to the already sodden garden)

pocket u only have one visit for matching then another for transfer then everything else is managed in UK. My consultant has talked about the same process for me if it comes to that. Have u asked your clinic how it would work if you stayed with them but outsourced to a donor abroad? Perhaps they have clinics they work with too?
Anyway I'll get all the details tonight and ping you

pocket don't be embarrassed! I'd do exactly the same in your situation (and may well be there in the future). If they are serious about it I'd look into the logistics more as the problem is they are all up north where I originate from so don't know whether anyone London based (like me and you) could benefit? I have heard that if you bring someone in to donate you can jump to the top of the queue rather than using their eggs - I think I would feel a bit funny knowing that my child was a direct product of my friends egg - but not sure if this is true.

As weller said, I too have heard that for donor egg Ivf abroad a lot of the scans are done here. Do you want to say what clinic you are with now? I know the bridge and the lister have clinics abroad they liaise with so it isn't just a case of doing it all alone. Even my local hospital said they'd do the work up for donor eggs if we wanted, even though they don't have a donor scheme themselves. It still comes down to what is right for you and DP in the end though.

Thanks Weller really appreciate that. And i will ask my clinic about working with overseas clinics. I guess i'm also worried about the costs given that we're almost bankrupt and about to go again and how you work out who gets paid for what

Chicken thanks to you too for indulging me . i'm with harley street fertility clinic (hsfc.org.uk/ and my unique reference is 177). They are fine if i find my own donor - and if its not a match for me, then they'll offer 'my' donor to someone else on the list and then offer me someone else's donor - its called donor pooling. Feels weird talking about something like this in such a cold 'trading' way but whatever it takes to get us those babies hey!?!

I'm going to post on ff and sofeminine tonight to see if there's a donor out there - although i've seen some really weird threads about donor sperm where the donor insisted on 'NI' (natural intercourse) in hotels..... wish me luck girls I am a bit scared!!

Good luck Pocket

I love that you've coined Mini-badger. I think that that is The Bean's new name... (Maybe MB for short outside of my house!).

chicken hope you get a whole clutch of eaglets tomorrow.
ellie I found I started mc 2 and 4 days after stopping progesterone hopefully the body will be cooperative now.
sunny how are you getting on any joy from NHS?

Waves to everyone else, Italian, weller, badger, mo, maple and all those I have missed sorry.

Insurance will pay for the flooring not the roof of the conservatory and it leaked again Friday helpful whilst the assessor was there. Not sure whether to take money and run or get them to fit, we were hoping to put roof on conservatory in next few yrs as is open plan to kitchen and cold. So if we put new floor down will it get ruined and would if the roof is not fixed. Decisions.

I was a silly mind in neutral person today put petrol in disel car oops at least I did not put the key in the ignition. Is at garage not yet drained!!!

Scan tomorrow to check all clear, then haematology appointment. Got results yes I am double mutation for MTHFR so will discuss tomorrow but I know this consultant does not rate it.

Hope it is a good tues for all

Hi all

bugsy what a stress about the flooding and insurance. Have you made any decisions yet? This summer seems to have been horrendous for flooding. Luckily we dont live anywhere particularly vulnerable but really feel for those affected. And hope the scan was/is ok today.

pocket good luck with the donor search. Eeeew to people wanting "NI" though!!!!!

I'm back home after EC, chilling on the sofa . We got 6 eggs which we are really pleased about , esp as we only got one last time. Before we left the hospital they said 4 were ready to be injected straight away and they were hoping the other 2 would be soon so we are properly wishing the other 2 are ok and a good number fertilise ok. The waiting begins!!!

DH's sperm numbers have gone down AGAIN too so we are wondering if he should see a urologist just to check if any reason for the decline. Any thoughts?

Hugs to all x x x

Well done Chicken put your feet up and let DP look after you!! x

pocket I'm impresed with your spirit, good to see you taking control!
ellie I hope you are feeling a little better today and have not drowned too much in wine x
chicken I too had decided to donate eggs before I got my low AMH, bloody body letting me down again - I can't even give blood because I received blood when I had my ectopic
weller glad you're chilling, sounds like a plan in this lovely sunny summer

waves to everyone else

AFM we went to see the proper consultant this afternoon, following on from my email complaining about the last consultant. She was brilliant. She went through all my results, described the whole fertility thing in easy detail, and answered all the questions I'd raised in my email without me having to ask.

When I asked what her colleague had based his prognosis of

Oh and fx for chicken and the little eaglets

Hope all goes well with your eggs chicken

Scarlett - great you got this helpful dr. I have seen time and time again on threads people told to go straight to donor and when seeing another dr/clinic they get a different opinion!! Also great news that you could conceive naturally!! Yes to dh taking vitamins.... they say 3 months for them to work so ideally he should have started them well before treatment!!

keziah Mr SuperSperm has pooh poohed me whenever I've mentioned manvits [not hugely helped by the 'boys together' style metaphorical pat on the back the last consultant gave him for his excellent SA.., I'm glad she told him off for it today, she pointed out that even if taking them only increased our chances by 0.01% then why not?

We won't be starting anything til Sept at the earliest do at least he will have 2 months on them, not ideal but better than nothing!

Scarlett that's excellent glad she took the time answered your user ions and has given you the facts and boyed you up. Great day
Chicken am with you dh results went from 12 million to 0.1 million cannot explain it. Maybe we should get him referred but there are so few people who specialise in men's fertility if anyone knows let me know.

Scan ok all cleared but now have a cyst 4cm x 3cm . Not decided re insurance will put mind to it soon. Haematologist does not believe in treating mthfr probs but referring me to Birmingham women's I think to a dr lister anyone know?

Happy evening to all

Chicken champers and disco lights for the deed

scarlet so pleased you got to see a good doc in the end and glad you feel a lot more positive - so important for you but also helpful for chance of success sometimes I feel. If you're looking at sept might you and weller be cycle buddies?

bugsy interesting to hear your DH is similar in decreasing sperm count. Think there is a urologist interested in fertility at st helier (surrey, near us) so we are going to ask for referral there, just to rule out any cause I think - thinking of a few years time too when hopefully we might be trying again?!?

AFM we got the call from the embryologists this am, 5 have fertilised so really really pleased. Started on the lovely cyclogest too!!! Transfer probably Friday unless they are all v strong, in which case they will look to go to blasto. So the waiting continues but as we all know just have to take one step at a time!!!

X x

Badger thank you so much for your message on the other thread. Fx for MiniBager scan tmw. Hope he or she is not sleepy and is full of waves for mummy and daddy x

Chicken exciting week for you. As you say, one step at a time, but so far so good!

Bugsy mixed news about the scan. Good your all clear but bugger the cyst. What happens next? And good luck with your insurance claim, what a pain to have to sort that out.

Sunny how are you lovely?

Lucy Teds sending you loads of love for the arrival of your babies which must be due any day. Update us soon x

AFM I posted my egg donor help me message on mn, ff and sofeminine. And I have been overwhelmed by the kindness of complete strangers. I am talking to a few ladies and fx my gorgeous lovely donor is there...

Big hello to everyone

Ah Pocket I couldn't read and then not say hi! Sounds like there are definitely people out there so will be following the thread with interest.

Oooh, Chicken I do not miss the cyclogest! I think I found that worse than the injection stage... I hope Friday/Monday comes round for you quickly.

Waves to all.

badger good luck for the scan. Hope mini badger gives you some good shots.

pocket so glad you are starting with next steps and looking for donor. I don't know anyone that is a donor but will keep my ears open.

chicken yay for your EC. Well done you. I know this sounds really radical but actually found dh's SA improved after he stopped the vits. Before you think I'm completely mad the dr recommended we try stopping them on the basis that his results had only got worse since he started them (and they were so bad that it was worth a shot) and they are slowly improving. Dr thought it might be due to overload of non-soluble vits in his system (but he was guessing). Don't want to confuse you and urologist is good next step just thought id mention it in case was helpful.

scarlett really pleased you have a good consultant now and they are giving you options. Makes such a difference when you can built up trust with them.

Had my mid cycle scan and immune testing yesterday. 19 vials of blood - seriously, are they running some kind of blood donor bank on the side

Scan went well thanks Mini. Mini-Badger did some good flips although was a bit awkward on positions for some of the tests but we got there in the end. Tests all came back normal for Downs which is another hurdle crossed.

19 vials of blood! Still, I guess that gives them lots to test which can only be a good thing. I hope they get some answers for you.

I've put a put a picture on my profile (mainly thanks to Pocket's naming skills).

Yay for MiniBadger you must be chuffed to bits. I can't wait to check out piccie later

Excellent progress Mini. I believe it has been medically proven that chocolate is good for you post blood test . So that means you're due a whole Thorntons shop!

Hope everyone is doing okay x

Badger how do i see your profile pic? I cant seem to find a way

Pocket I actually have no idea! I've uploaded and it says it's public but I've not used my profile page before...

Someone else will hopefully fill us in!

Hope everyone is doing ok.
Water is the bane of my life at the moment. Last pm dh walked out of kitchen drop of water hit him on the head looked up and water coming through a light. Upstairs toilet leaking at the valve where you can turn in flow off. And I have tonsilitis again. Think I just need 2 months on a desert island anyone want to come?

Morning all on this (surprise, surpass!) very rainy Saturday. I've been catching up with all of your news and eating choccy biscuits. Perfect for a rainy saturday morning!

chicken sounds like EC went very well. I hope you are doing well on the bench and not too fidgety?!

Scarlett good on you for persevering and asking for more answers. Sounds like your new consultant is on the money. In an ideal world perhaps we wouldn't have to do so much of this ourselves, but with our national health system so stretched I think we have to be on top of things ourselves.

Mini how do you feel so far about ARGC? I'll be following your journey there with interest, it may be somewhere we consider (after we beg, borrow or steal the cash!) in the future. Their success rates are so good it's hard to ignore them eh.

badger yay for successful scan and mini-badger. I'm so pleased for you.

How's are other two lovely preggers ladies, scrummy and maple ?

Mo how are things with you? Are you going back for FET soon?

Josie what are you up to?

pocket I am so glad you are moving forward with your plans. Going for ED must be such a huge step but I think you are very brave. I really hope someone out there can help you very soon. Honestly if I thought I was strong enough now I would. The clinic overseas sounds like a good option? As you know I just egg-shared and whilst I think the wait at my clinic wasn't too long for a donor (maybe 4 months only) I know it's hugely expensive here for the recipient. Overseas does sound much like better value and then all the eggs are for you.

bugsy you poor thing with more water and more tonsillitis. Count me in for that dessert island. When do we leave? Aslong as it's sunny i'm there!

AFM feeling much, much better. Had a mini-break away last weekend by the sea. I know it's cliche, but there is something about being by the sea that is good for you soul. Came back feeling like I had maybe started to turn the corner. Thanks all of for your suggestions about NHS, headaches etc. Finally got to see my gp on Monday. No shocks she said no to a scan. I described the actual miscarriage to her and she was confident no scan needed. So I just have to hope she's right, and to be honest I think I just need to move on. Also headaches whilst not gone completely, are definitely improved. No longer feels like my head is going to explode 24/7. Doc thought it was just all of the meds leaving my body which makes sense. As with the egg-sharing I was on some kind of hormone or drug for almost 3 months.

Many, many thanks for all of your support over the past month. It's been, as always invaluable.

And a big hello to teds and lucy. Wishing you both all the best for the arrival of your bubs. We'll be waiting to hear

oxoxo And sorry all for mammoth post!