TTC for 10+ months, part 10

[princesschick]

A very friendly and supportive thread for those taking way longer than they had ever expected to make a baby.

Morning lovely 10+ers!

Sorry, I've not been here for a week (well, I tried to catch up on Tuesday and failed) so I am incompetent at name checking, I fear.

BUT massive congrats to frannie. Yay for another IUI-win, I am keeping everything crossed for a sticky cousin to cheer your nephew up.

So any other news since Tuesday? Of since last week in fact? I might try to read back, but as I am working from home, I don't think I can spend all morning on it. Stuff is much better and happier in lemon-land. The counselling and lots of weekends away have actually done me a lot of good. One more sesh with the counsellor next week and another two weeks away with SB (other halfs BESH name, if we're using nicknames here too, it stands for skinny bint, as he weighs less than me and is a lot taller).

Friendly waves and pats and encouraging noises for those in treatment, those having woo, those hiding and taking a break (especially pout how are you?), those diffed (yes, that is you as well, princess). I did find my week off MN quite relaxing, although that might have to do with excess alcohol over the weekend and exercise during the week, so I might not get properly back into keeping uptodate!

What, voluntarily test the fucking vicious AMH, gin? Well you know I'd advise everyone not to

Took my first noristhisterone. Hooray. Still, no time to dwell on it!

morning all

wow, congratulations Frannie! An IUI win, great news. This fred is actually not doing too badly for BFPs I think? Princess, we might have to drag you back when it's time to start the new one, you seem to have brought us some luck this time [hsmile]

Lemon good to see you and I'm glad you're feeling better. Excess alcohol and weeks off sound just the job! (I'm ignoring the exercise bit [hgrin]).

akuaba a job interview in leather trousers? Respect to Ken for that. Did he get the job? Apparently leather trousers are one of the most regretted clothing purchases. Can't imagine why...

Gin I'm baffled by your clinic's 'when is a period not a period' thing. Where I go I reckon they decide when CD1 is to suit them. Create's admin do sound like idiots. I'm entertained by the [hbiscuit] [hbiscuit] (and still a bit [hblush])

Nelly the wedding dress sounds gorgeous. So exciting! I am in awe of you dealing with wedding and IVF stuff at the same time. I'm also having acu on the basis of being too scared to stop even though i don't think it's doing anything for me physically. Wednesday's treatment was supposed to hurry my period up, after which it pretty much ground to a halt [hconfused]

Mellow gosh your friend was just a little bit unbelievably selfish... well done you for rising above it and being kind. Not sure I could have done that. I hope she manages to ask after you and be a bit less self centred when you speak to her [hhmm]. I'm like Euro and Buzzy, I'm a lot more mercenary (or just choosy) about friendships these days and several friendships have fallen by the wayside in the past couple of years. My dad being poorly was the real eye-opener. MissM is right, a lot of people have no clue when all they really need to say is "this is shit and i'm sorry it's happening to you".

I went for my scan this morning hoping to start stimming but my lining isn't thin enough yet - not surprising as I'm only CD4 of what seems to be the lightest period I've ever had (I swear my body is conspiring against me [hhmm]). I thought they'd tell me to go back on Monday or Tuesday when AF should have finished but no, I have to wait until Friday next week and do another full week of downregging because the consultant says everyone has to start stimming on a Friday. When I asked why Fridays the nurse said it's so they can avoid having to do egg collection on the weekend. WTF? She got really shirty when I questioned this and said that's just the consultant's rules. Having said downregging isn't as bad as I'd feared, it's still not pleasant and I don't want to carry on doing it when it isn't necessary from a medical point of view, just so the consultant can spend an undisturbed weekend twatting around on the golf course or whatever he does with his six-figure salary in his spare time. I work weekends - I'm working this Sunday in fact - because I'm in a public facing industry where the needs of the customer should come first, and I'm not even doing anything as important as messing with people's health. Looking forward to another full week of feeling vague, not sleeping, forgetting to put my underwear on and watching my hair go down the plughole [hhmm] [hangry]. AIBU to be pissed off by this?

Sorry for the rant ladies. I'll calm down. It's not important in the grand scheme of things, there are far worse things happening in the world than me having to do some injections for a few more days, but it just doesn't seem the way things should be.

Waves to Critter, Sar, Rabbit, Princess, Joy, Cosmos, Freedom and lurker Pout (I hope you're still out there and OK). I'm so glad it's Friday.

Nelly your dress does sound gorgeous. I went for simple and unfussy too. :)

Artemis you may recall that I "lost my sh1t" when told something similar about downregging. By that point I was a shaking fruitloop and that is when we decided to stop. YANBU at all to be p1ssed off about it. I cannot believe they can get away with keeping people on hardcore drugs for their own convenience.

I think AF is around the corner. I've been spotting slightly (unusual for me as I only usually spot for an hour or two before full AF arrives), have cramps and my temperature dropped hugely this morning. Re: acu, I usually get shivers for up to a week before AF. My acu lady said she didn't think I would this month. And it is so. I have no idea how sticking a few pins in me can get rid of a PMT symptom I have had for years, but apparently it can.

joy I started reading that mindfulness ebook you recommended today.

Congratulations Frannie. This has been a great season for BFP's, let's hope it continues!

Emerging out the tent to say a massive congrats to Frannie. Wonderful news, this thread is doing well!

AF is properly here. And I've had my first proper mooncup fail. Brilliant.

Those things are not for everyone.
I've had to have mine removed by the gyno. She threw it away and made me promise never to use one again

Sorry to hear about the mooncup fail - I've been trying to build up courage to get one - they have adverts for them on the back of the toilet door at work here in SA - I'd decided I'd wait until I got back to the UK (rather arbitary, but I've been hoping they'd be obsolete for a while now )

I went to see a friend with her new baby today. She is using washable nappies and wipes, which is very admirable, but blimey, what a lot of washing! I like the idea in principle, but am prepared to try both. Apparently, the environmental impact of disposables is equivalent to having to wash cloth nappies - but I guess less landfill if you wash.... Hope we all have to worry about these things soon [hgrin]

I am normally a runner, but went to pilates at the gym instead today (obviously very busy at work!) - and the instructor was making a big deal about pregnancy. So at the end I asked at what stage in pregnancy you need to make it known to her that you're pregnant as we were trying (about 24weeks if anyone is interested) and she advised me to go and have a dirty weekend as that was the best route to success - damn, I wish I'd thought of that sooner!!

artemis I can't believe that they make you stay on meds for their convenience!!! that is crap.

Really Medusa? Blimey.

I've been using it for over a year. Only ever leaked at night before (so I don't use it at night anymore). Not today.

mrsmellow I do an exaggerated forehead slap and a loud exclamation of "have sex? If only we had thought of that" if anyone tries similar with me.

Oh no, poor you euro. I can't believe that today we still don't have a super efficient way of collecting menstrual blood. If only they could invent an app for it. [hgrin].
arte you are definitely not being unreasonable. It is absolutely infuriating that certain services do not work weekends. Especially in the case of the fertility clinics. How dare they alter our biological rhythms to become convenient for them. I was so for you.

gin I did another this morning, then was promptly sick! Interesting you said about high protein diet, I thought they usually helped you lose weight? I always find high protein breakfasts really hard to manage. There are only so many eggs a girl can eat! You'll look your gorgeous self at your brother's wedding. Are you bridesmaid?
mrsm your Pilates instructor sounds highly irritating. I've always wanted to do what euro says but tend to just be a pathetic and just laugh nervously.
lemon your post made me get a lump in my throat- I so hope so too. Your post sounded so upbeat, really glad the sessions have been helpful to you, along with a sprinkling of !

Hoping joy is recovering well and that the lovely ladies in the tent are holding up.

I'm going on holiday for a few days now but can I still be a lurker/ poster for a while please? TBH the rest of mumsnet seems a bit of a scary place, I was just lucky to stumble upon you all when googling for support a long time ago. If this situation does work out I'm not sure that I'd want to join another thread! I'll try not to outstay my welcome though!

I've only ever said it online. Noone IRL has ever been brave/dumb enough to say it to me...

Please do stay frannie. Although if the pregnancy hormones make you raging, I can highly recommend AIBU.

OMG frannie - that is incredibly news!! and you are already throwing up which is even better news. Huge congratulations and please stick around and let us know how you are getting on. I am so thrilled for you. I'm sorry they were pissing around for so long with your treatments but at least you have finally got there. Hopefully the next 8 mnths will speed by.

art - YANBU. I would be absolutely furious. It F's me off these weird ways these places work, i.e. fitting in to their hours. Poor you.

Euroshagmore , at your Bond name. Sorry about AF and the mooncup fail. Poor you.

Gin - I hope the injection went ok last night. I hope you are feeling ok. I realised i couldn't be a junky after the meal i made out of injecting a bit of gonalf. And WTF with the random AMH testing? I would advise people NOT to do this. Can you imagine if you were single and just wanted to check things out at the age of 30 and it comes back very low?

I'm sure i've missed a load of stuff so will check the previous pages.

Thanks joy and thank you so much for encouraging me to push for metformin. I've been bloody infuriated when my friends have said 'I think I got preg so quickly because you told me about EWCM/ preseed/ etc etc' so I hope you don't read and think grrr but I genuinely believe it's what did the trick for me. There is so much info that I would still be totally clueless about, had I not found this thread. It's so shit that we are the ones that have to push for it. How are you feeling now? Are you back at work?

Frannie - i have heard so many success stories for people with pcos and who have been put on metformin and clomid for that matter. So i am glad that it has worked for you. You thoroughly deserve this after such a long time and you will make a wonderful mum.
I have been back at work for the last few days. I spent THursday staring at my computer screen but i was better yestrday. I'm just a bit sore and itchy now.

I'm very confused though, they seem to have slit me in a weird area...like down there, in the middle of the garden area if that makes sense. What is that all about - is that a hysteroscopy?? I thought a hysto went up through the cervix??

Well I have spent the last hour trying to swallow my first day of antibiotics. They are so grim. Today requires me to swallow 5 x 400mg of something called metronidazole - all in one go. They are poisonous. Dr G prescribed them and it doesn't seem to be on the Greek prescription they gave me. This poisonous taste is wafting out of my mouth and I haven't finished them yet. Urgggghhhhh yuk yuk yuk. I'm a bit melodramatic but just announced to Roy that we should start looking in to adoption as I dont want kids if I have to take any more of these antibs!!

Oh Joycep you poor thing metronidazole is poisonous, me and metronidazole have a long history together unfortunately. You have been warned not to have even a mouthful of wine haven't you? It's not actually true that its a bad combo for everyone but if you happen to be one of a significant minority it would make you really ill.

joy They are the worst anti b's to be on and to be on such a high dose , can I ask why you are taking them??

i'm glad it's not just me and my imagination believing that they are disgusting! Thanks Doll - it sounds like i should avoid alcohol. it does say that on the box. Can I ask what you use to take metro for?

Buzz - it's for the hidden C.

i haven't finished taking it yet. 4 down, 1 to go - so foul, i'm building up for it.

What is the rest of the hidden c drug regime?

Just a quickie from me... Joy I was prescribed those anti bs for a chronic wisdom tooth infection (my dentist was horrified I'd tried to soldier on for 2 weeks...) I was told NO alcohol under any circumstances until 48 hours after stopping the course. I did drink quite a bit of wine the day after stopping and I had a terrible tummy ache and green, loose poo. It was tres unpleasant. They really do mean no alcohol with those ones. Yes they are hideous but they saved my tooth in 5 days and prevented emergency surgery days before my wedding! so if they can kick that, they can kick anything!

Waves to everyone else :)

the next 24 days require Azithromycin and Doxycycline which shouldn't be so bad.

Thanks Princess - i really better stay away from the alcohol . I think i won't have any for the next month in fact...i mean green poo? eek!

Joyce - oh dear, those tablets sound most unpleasant. But don't they say the nastier the medicine, the greater the effect? (Trying to find a positive somewhere for you). Big hugs, not a nice thing to have to do. Have you got plenty of natural yoghurt on stand by to counteract some of the side effects?

Artemis - I'm sorry the stimming has to be delayed to fit in with their timeframes. This is not very patient centred at all, unethical and shows there are huge inequalities in standards of practice across the UK. But right now (unless you don't want to continue) write this crap down to hit them with in a letter later, then forget about it and focus on you, your body, your wellbeing and staying calm. You will need as mush energy and positivity as you can muster to carry you forward in the days and weeks ahead. I still have a very very good feeling about all of this for you. I know that is an easy things to say but there is no reason why this shouldn't be your time. Take care.x x

Frannie - the sickness is a great sign. It is the one time when being sick is more than ok. . That pin the sperm on the uterus game sounds vile. It is something I wouldn't have enjoyed doing even before all of the TTC woes.

Buzz - I am so delighted that your lifecoaching is having a positive impact. You ought to give yourself a massive pat on the back for taking charge. Please remember sweetheart, you are far from the end, but the jouney will hopefully be a bit less bumpy for you from now on.

Gin - good luck with the injections. How exciting that your cycle has arrived. There is every chance that things will go your way, keep an open heart. It is still early days for you two.

Euro - sorry about the mooncup, never used one but I am impressed with women that do. All helps to reduce the landfill and all that. Sorry that AF arrived yesterday but it sounds like it has been a smoother AF arrival due to the acu? That is brill. Every little helps. . My AF arrived today, so we are hours aparts as usual.

Mellow - grrrr to that 'clever little titbit' from your pilates instructer. I would have hoped that someone who is well trained in body and wellbeing would be a little more sympathetic to fertility issues and realise that a 'good bonk' simply won't solve everything. I am very cross for you. It all adds to the humiliation and I just want to give you a big hug.

Lemon - it's lovely to hear how well and relaxed you feel. My goodness, you really deserve to feel this way.

Doll - are you downregging at the moment too? So sorry, can you give me an update of where things are with you.

Artemis, Gin, Doll and anyone else near the stimming stage, keep up the protein levels. The fluid in which the eggs bathe have a direct link with diet.

Hi all,

Frannie great news, a well deserved win! This thread is on a roll now, who will be next I wonder.

Joy those antib's sound vicious, well done you on being nearly through them. I only took the other ones. Did Dr G explain the differences and why they were all necessary? Am weighing up whether to do another testing via Serum to see whether I'm all clear now.

Art that is just so frustratingly annoyingly rubbish to be told to go away for a week and carry on downregging, you have my full sympathies, especially having geared yourself up to start stimming. As several clinics seem to do this it obviously is very accepted as safe in the medical world. I think the best you can say to yourself now is in for a penny in for a pound, and go along with their protocol especially if you can't change it, and I have everything crossed you get the result you want.

Princess lovely to have you back, please don't desert us completely, we need your funny anecdotes to cheer us up!

Euro sorry about AF.

Nelly I looove the idea of a Christmas wedding, that is so romantic, and the dress sounds gorgeous. What kind of a 'do are you having? Are you having mistletoe and ivy in your bouquet? Fewer bumps and babies sounds good to me!

Mellow I would ve been annoyed too about the friend only calling for support.

Doll good luck for the scan on Monday, let us know how it goes. My bond name was Ivana de Beauvoir

Big hello and waves to Rabbit.

Buzzy what does your life coaching involve, would you recommend it?

Hello Lemon and mrsden.

Wow Medusa about needing the moon up removed, I'll take it off the list of things I haven't tried which I can beat myself up about!

Sar how are you doing now, has the news of the other week settled a bit, what are your thoughts on everything now?

Well about the dinner I've swerved it, but suggested a 1:1 get together that requires far more effort from me than her, hopefully to show I still care about her. Is that acceptable friend behaviour? I haven't heard back yet. I find anything that combines Christmas and other peoples bumps or babies soooo hard it makes my chest hurt. Had another announcement today, sigh. An A- but still. wails when will it ever be me. Hmm so the new happy chill axed me didn't last too long!

However the gluten free is still going, as are the chinese herbs. I'm trying (and failing) not to obsess over my chart looking for improvements. Do people still chart on here? I did see this blog that I thought was worth sharing. Am trying to back to caffeine free, but might leave tackling the sugar till after Xmas!

Critter I did think of you when I read this, sorry if it fuels any mentalling.

www.blogher.com/my-gluten-story-gluten-fertility-and-hypothyroidism

Hi to anyone I missed off.

Oops pressed post too quickly,the lovely Gin hope your injection went ok, good luck for this week, when is your next scan?

HI Cosmos - Dr G didn't say what the difference was. I only noticed today that these foul ones weren't on the Greek list from Penny. However, I have got a meeting with this Doc who specialises in bacterial infections and chlamydia on Friday and he will look at the Greek results for me. I will report back what he says. It will be interesting to hear his thoughts on this hidden C stuff.
Offering a 1:1 is totally acceptable friend behaviour. You won't always be like this but whilst in the midst of long term ttc, you have to self protect and there is no point putting yourself in a position where you are going to feel like shit. I totally agree about xmas and bumps - it's incredibly difficult. I'm really sorry about the pregnancy announcement. You can always guarantee an announcement to knock you off your perch. I just have to try and accept that I will be the only person I know out of my friendship group who has an issue conceiving....although however prepared you are, there is nothing that quite prepares you for that gutting announcement.

Sar - the yoghurt is a good idea. I will be off to sainsburys tomorrow to stock up.