TTC Super Ovulation part 3

[Arianrhod]

Hey ladies -

There are a few of us who are ttc after mc's, however there will be ladies out there who are also ttc for the first time or second or third without success. If anyone is on, considering or had success on a super ovulation programme then do join us. How long did it take ? Did you try IUI with it.. ? Did you have PCOS?

Kicking this off and hoping some of you will join....

part 1 here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1385998-TTC-Super-Ovulation

Part 2 here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1475108-TTC-Super-Ovulation-part-2?pg=1

ari, I felt the same on my last cycle with only just ten days for a luteal phase, despite starting agnus castus again; since having medicated cycles I'd been having 12 to 14 days even on adjacent natural cycles. I got really quite angry/frustrated when AF turned up so soon. But then, I am a control freak ...
But I wouldn't give up yet if I were you. I've never had sore bbs in my life, except when considerably pregnant and breastfeeding, so personally wouldn't set too much store by them.
I'd also be very interested in Create's natural IVF results for older ladies. Breezy, it sounds as if we're in a very similar position ovarian reserve-wise as my FSH is just under ten too, so still misleadingly 'ideal', but just with rubbish AMH results!

Oh, and yes, Conceive Plus not nearly so good. Definite stickiness created by friction after a while. Not to mention sound effects!

From a fellow control-freak ... ROFL at your sound effects comment!

I've always but always had 27-28 day cycles (except for cycles immediately following miscarriages, but I'll forgive my body that), so this shortened cycle is frustrating the life out of me. Although, I haven't actually started yet - 4 days of almost continuous cramps and 2 days of spotting is not funny as a build-up to AF. I do almost always get a day of spotting before AF, but that's about it. As for the sore bbs ... well sometimes I get them before a BFP and sometimes I don't - but I have never had sore bbs that then went before getting a BFP. Only time they ever hurt and then stop is right before AF rears her ugly head.

Just goes to show that cramps around 8dpo (when you usually have a 28-day cycle) doesn't necessarily mean implantation. That's another preconception of mine blown out of the water.

Morning ladies

Well my lovely mother has thrown me a bit of a curveball. I was discussing (over email) that Mr S had told me IVF is my best bet (and that with donor eggs) but that isn't an option due to £££, and she then offered to fund one IVF cycle if we want to give it a go. I don't know what to do now - OH said right at the start of this 'journey' that we would only try 'naturally', no assisted attempts at all. Obviously I want to jump at the chance but I don't know how on earth I would persuade OH to give this a go.

I would probably go for the donor egg option - I've thought about this a lot (in case I ever won the Lottery!) and although obviously I would prefer a genetic match for my DD, you know, I would consider any egg that grows inside of me my own anyway, so I'm not that worried. Not sure OH would agree though. But my reasoning for this is mostly because it's such a huge gamble on my own eggs being any good now, at my age, and IVF being so very expensive - especially if I only have one shot at it - I don't think I can afford the risk of the IVF failing due to my cr@ppy eggs. I don't know. Right now I just need to figure out how on earth to persuade OH to give it a go - think I'd need a miracle though, given (as I've said before) he doesn't seem even vaguely interested in us getting a child naturally!

Why is this never easy?!

Wow ari! Maybe he has changed his way of thinking as time goes on? Maybe he's just said that due to finances but now you have this wonderful opportunity! if it were me I would kick myself for not trying but obviously you need oh on board I think you need to have a good chat t

Tonight maybe cook a nice meal first ;) good luck honey xx

Mmm I doubt it mel (although thank you for the good luck!) - I mean, I hope you're right, but OH has shown pretty much no interest at all in the whole process while we were doing it 'au naturel', he didn't like me doing SO either. And having a chat with OH is rather like banging your head against a brick wall repeatedly .. he just doesn't talk. Oh sure he'll talk about football, the weather, the state of the economy ... but anything personal is an absolute non-starter. I think our longest 'discussion' during the almost three years we've been TTC - including going through 6 miscarriages - has been about 5 minutes. Ok, I'll be generous - 8 minutes. He just won't talk about anything even vaguely personal. Drives me nuts at the best of times.

Now you see why I despair of persuading him to try IVF, even once?

Aw hun what a difficult situation for you I really feel for you, why can't men just communicate and understand :(

'Cos they're MEN! Actually that's very unfair, I know, I don't like gender-specific sweeping generalisations ... but if the cap fits, in this case .. ;)

It's amazing what similar situations we're in ari. When I told my DH last week about the possibility of free IVF for up to 42-yr-olds on the NHS, he said he wouldn't do it! I'm sure that was because there would then be a real, though small, risk that it might work. I'm sure he's just going along with the au naturel route because he's convinced I'm infertile and it will shut me up.
That is a brilliant opportunity for you though.
Personally, I couldn't go for donor eggs, as now that I've got one child and know how much work they involve, I would only do all of that for my own flesh and blood. Having a child has made me much more selfish in general. But everyone's different and your reasons are very sound ones.
Also, I throughly recommend everyone reading a book I'm working on called 'Understanding Masculine Depression' (when I say working, I mean proofreading, not writing it!). It's brilliant, and despite the title, it's really about all men, about the way they are socialised, about the way they deal with things (by ignoring them, distracting themselves, engaging in dangerous behaviours, etc, anything but feel emotions for what they are), and the way these behaviours are transmitted down the generations. All men ought to read it, all women and anyone with children.
Good luck with it Ari. If your mum's paying, does she have a budget?

Yes brown .. I think initially OH quite wanted a baby (although he never talked about it) but now I suspect he's just happy with the 'au naturel' way because he considers it's never going to happen.

It's only a brilliant opportunity if he agrees to go for it. I'm dreading that conversation - or should I say, I'm dreading trying to start that conversation, as I'm very sure it will go the way of all other baby-related conversations and last only a few minutes, with him saying very little.

Like the sound of the book - although where is the book for men to read, about women and how we work? I don't see guys in their droves rushing out to read such things, do you?

I thought that about donor eggs too - my biggest fear was the lack of genetic link with my DD - but then I read up on epigenetics, and now I'm not so worried. My DD looks absolutely nothing like me at all, if I wasn't there at the birth I'd think she was someone else's! - so as long as I have background medical history of the donor, I've come around to the idea.

However, knowing my OH as I do, I suspect it will remain just a dream.

My mum has said she will pay for one IVF cycle, having done all the research I would/will (shall I allow myself some positivity?) go to Serum so I told her the likely sort of cost and she said she'll pay for one go. But like I say, I suspect it will remain just a very nice offer, rather than a reality.

Spotting again today, that's 5 days in a row of cramps and 3 days spotting. Not amused

It can't be AF coming after 3 days of spotting, surely. It would have happened by now. I think it sounds promising.
... I've been using 10mg of pred this cycle since 4dpo. All this talk of pred yesterday made me think, what the heck, I'll try it again. This is maybe my last superovulation so why not give it everything? No side effects on 10mg at all. Except for being a bit thick today maybe.
It's such a shame that IVF involves conscious active participation by the man, isn't it?

Mmm I contacted someone to ask about maca and apparently it's quite common for women to have several days of spotting for their first cycle or so 'while their hormones are being balanced by the maca'. Well I don't know about that bit, but she advised me to drop my dosage so that's what I'll do.

I did that with the Pred a couple of times too brown, I found it ok on 10mg. Figured some suppression was better than nothing.

Ha! Oh yes, this whole thing would be a lot easier without the bloke having to be involved! I haven't figured out a way to raise it with OH yet, let alone how to persuade him :(

13dpo today, tested this morning (just for peace of mind) and sure enough, a greater lack of a line you couldn't expect to see. It's the maca. Ho hum.

Still not figured how to tackle OH :(

Ari you are not going to lose anything by approaching him. I suspect it may have been the money worries. I remember you saying something bout redundancies at xmas time. Do you think he would be a bit worried about taking money from your mum? You know lose of male pride or any strings attached. I just know that I would not take money from my in laws from my in laws. We did for our wedding and got the same amount from my parents. They were thanked in the speech to everyone,we thanked them in person, but my in laws are still upset we did not make more of a big deal about their contribution to other people!!!!

If I was you I would try IVF, I think you would regret it if you didn't.

You're right lemon .. but he said right at the start of our trying that he wouldn't do 'assisted conception' and that was almost 3 years ago, long before redundancies loomed. Yes I think he may well balk at accepting money from my mum too - that's on top of his reluctance anyway ... and you're right, I have nothing to lose, it's just if I can figure out how to approach it right he might .. perhaps .. possibly ... agree? I doubt it, but stranger things have been known!

I'd definitely like to give it a shot, if I get the chance.

Hope all is well with your pregnancy?? :)

We are doing well. Still having lots of antenatal appointments but it is probably better this way.

Do you think it would help to tell him how important it is for you that you try this? Men can be so difficult sometimes.

Hi all, just been reading about the money offer from your Mum Ari and agree with Lemon that you may regret it if you don't give it a shot. If you explain to your oh just how much it means to you and that he doesn't actually have to do very much himself. I wish you good luck whatever you decide, keep us updated.

Have my appointment with Mr S next week, will send what he has to say and then make an appointment with Create. Currently at home with conjunctivitis and a flu type virus.

Mel have you had your results yet?

Aw pebbles I've got sinititus v painful but a humira side effect I believe :( got results today and levels dropped from 54.0 to 49.6 so in the right direction but unfortunately not back to normal limits apparently, is that 30??
they recommend that we repeat the Humira injections x2 as before. So one injection then two weeks later the second injection. "We normally don't repeat the test as we are unable to give further Humira at this point, it is informative but doesn't change the management and has cost implications" what does this mean??
Been told we can ttc after second injection and that its a safe drug in pregnancy so why can't we ttc before 2nd jab??also as they don't retest I won't know of they are down enough so will it sustain a pregnancy?? I'm so worried and disappointed :(

Oh Mel I am so sorry to heat that and can imagine how disappointing it is. It seems crazy they don't test again to make sure the second lot has worked! What did Mr S say and did you have to pay again for this blood test or was it included?
Sending a virtual hug your way.x

Thanks hun I've rang Louise and my sister nurse so feel abit better! My my sister said she Thinks that the cost implications idea is that even if your levels haven't dropped to an ideal level, they would still treat as if they had, the idea being that some reduction is better than no reduction. Why bother doing more tests if that is the case, it just costs you money and time and doesn't change how they would treat you.
What you need to bear in mind is that drugs can have a cumulative effect, one dose might reduce levels by 10%, but two doses might reduce it by 30% and 3 doses might reduce it by 75%.
Louise said that to be in mind the humira is being used for conception, I'm having another 2 injections then going on superovulation for a few months then maybe see about ivf. Going to see mr s for ist superovulation round scan. The blood test I paid £265 when I last saw mr s in dec when I first knew I had to take humira so at least it was paid for when I had blood test 2 weeks ago but of course another £700 for humira!! I'm going to request the pen version this time!!
I was in a tizz about if I concieved would it sustain a pregnancy but Louise said to bear in mind I'd still need the nk treatment as well, think I'd just forgot what the humira was for!! She said its safe in pregnancy and though they advise against conceiving until after 2nd injection people do fall pregnant and her concern is that they haven't had steroids from ovulation. So it makes sense again now! She did say some people's levels have gone up so at least mine are reducing abit and it stays on system 9 months! Argh more pain xx

She recommends def to try superovulation again for a couple of cycles before ivf xx

Sorry keep thinking of more! She went through how it effects arthritis in three levels and even if blood results don't change much the symptoms can and so as I'm ill that's good!! I could get blood done today and get a diff result! X

My query now is I'm ovulating now so do I take steroids just in case I'm pregnant or risk not?? X