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

Ok, panicking here ladies, Penny emailed me this morning to say our donor is ready to start so I have to start meds tomorrow. NOT looking forward to injecting clexane and neupogen every day, but mostly bricking it because this is our last chance, and it's all come around a bit too soon (if you know what I mean).

Hope everyone's doing great and enjoying the sunshine :)

But kind of exciting-scary at the same time, no? You're doing an amazing thing. Keep thinking positive thoughts and you'll be fine. All fingers etc crossed x

Well I have ov'd at least - got a :) ov stick yesterday on CD9(?!). At least we'd got in an early swi. I'm still going to skip the Pred - will start if I get a bfp. I feel like I'm coming down with a sore throat though. I never know if its good or bad for my NKCs to be occupied fighting an actual infection when I want them either subdued or their attention elsewhere... Anyone know about that?

All excited for Ari's next few weeks :)

Waves to all

Aw ari good luck, I'm injecting daily and you get used to it. Get some magic elma cream :) mix of emotions I know but how amazing
Good luck choccy get busy :)
I'm nervous about Thursday as symptoms seem to of disappeared except I'm starving and not sleeping. Had a headache too over the weekend which panicked me. It's my birthday Monday so praying for good news
Waves to all xx

Good news you have ov'd choccy, good luck!

Ari can totally relate to how you are feeling re the last chance but it is also v exciting!! I wish all the very best and will have everything crossed for you. Just remember how positive Penny was.

Mel I know it's so very hard but try not to worry about the symptoms, also have everything crossed for you! Is your scan thus Thursday?

Brilliant ari waiting around achieves nothing just prolongs the anxiety.
Fingers crossed mel.
Choccy glad you r ovulating and that nasty pred can stay away until bfp.
Pebbles and breezy what's happening with you?
I'm totally bored waiting for next NHS app that I'm thinking of doing a gonal F cycle while I wait... Tumble weed, big sigh oh who knew what journeys we would all face!

Ari fingers and toes are crossed for you. Sounds very positive and it seems to be moving very fast.

duggs would using the gonal F make any difference to your ivf cycle when they start it? I have no idea. If it makes no difference and you want to try, then why not?

choccy like I have said previously I think pred upset my cycles and there are plenty of people on the other thread who have taken it from BFP and been OK

Mel hope you are doing OK.

Waves to sue and breezy and anyone else lurking

I would go for it duggs, is horrible waiting around doing nothing!

I took my second humira injection at weekend and then go and have my blood test in another week and a half. Got the form yesterday to get my thyroid checked and need to get the blood tests done for ivf. Don't think I will get there to get them done until end if next week as staffing problems and busy at work. We go away on 2nd June so don't think I will start ivf until I get back. Still not 100% about where having it yet but prob Newlife and if that doesn't work if we can afford it might have one last go with donor eggs at Serum after seeing how great they have been with Ari

How are getting on Sue?

Yay for the OV :) choccy ... interesting day 9 though, what's going on there? Still, if it produces the goods, it doesn't matter, right? Lots of luck for catching that egg!

mel Is it today, the Thurs, of your scan? Huge good luck for today if it is, let us know how you get on!

duggs I'd go for a gonal-f cycle, if you have it - why not, if you're waiting anyway? You'll still have a follie scan with it as well though, yes? In case you over-stimulate?

lemon How are you getting on, everything progressing ok? Feeling ok too?

pebbles How did you get on with the humira, no reactions I hope? Thinking of choccy and how it affected her! With your thyroid & HIV etc tests for IVF, do you have one of those walk-in 'commuter' phlebotomy clinics near you, so you could go in on your way in to work? That's what I do, otherwise like you I'd never have time to get tests scheduled. The 'commuter' clinics are usually open from something like 7am, really handy.

Well I'd thoroughly recommend Serum pebbles, obviously :), and not just for donor eggs - from reading FF, it seems they get much better results for OE cycles than most clinics too, with often gentler protocols too. But hopefully you won't need a second go, hopefully your next cycle will be the one that counts! :)

Thanks for all your good wishes ladies, I really appreciate them. It's all a bit mad and rushed, had to arrange lining scan and intralipids for next week (more time off, thank goodness I have an understanding boss right now), and then wait to hear when to fly out for ET, but likely to be sometime around 17th-ish. Oh, and started the injections last night ... nightmare, bled like anything with the neupogen one, must've hit a small vein, and the clexane hurts as much as everyone said, even for a good hour afterwards. So looking forward to doing THAT every day for goodness knows how long. :( Still, onwards and upwards, right, no pain no gain and other such cliched nonsense! :)

/waves to all, hope you're all enjoying the sunshine!

Brilliant ari! My only clexane tip is with the angle you inject. Keep it right angle and straight in seemed to hurt a little less. Do they have stats on the serum own egg results??

Thanks duggs .. I did inject 90 degree angle, it's just the needle seemed to struggle getting into my skin, I had to really push it in. And it really only started hurting after the needle was out. Oddly though it didn't bruise ... although the neupogen one (which had gone in as easily as the ovitrelle ones do) has bruised quite badly. I'm a bit worried having to do two injections into my belly every day, I'm going to run out of non-bruised areas to inject pretty quickly!

I'll see if I can find their OE stats, I know they're not keen on stats per se because so many people that go there have got other issues. But I'll see what I can find.

Hmm I just read this post from the FF 'guru' Agate to answer someone else's question about stats recently, and it kind of echoes what I thought:

when i've asked before whether serum publish official stats, I got the impression that they think its a waste of time because, in a country which hasn't published guidance on how to calculate official stats yet, they would have to spend a very long time assessing all the different ways to calculate them to choose which method to use, and that they are better off concentrating on recording their stats just for themselves so they can see more quickly what 'tweaks' really seem to make a difference for their patients or not.

they also seem to mainly get patients who have tried many other clinics first before they come to serum so aren't typical of IVFers. the economy is so bad in Greece that they have almost no own egg local patients, mainly overseas patients coming for OE and DE who have lo-n-g histories of failures elsewhere but want someone that is finally going to care about whether their treatment works and go back to basics to see what has been missed.

it seems to be that if they can't see how it improves success rates they won't do it - so they don't have cameras to show you the embryos, even though almost all other clinics have them now - because having them won't improve live birth rates and they seem to be totally opposed to doing things just because other clinics are doing them if they can't see a good reason to have them.

penny will go through all your history AND look at your ovaries and do whatever other tests she thinks you need before she then estimates your own personal chance of success - which probably given a lot of previous cycles will be more realistic for you than looking at 'average' stats for your age group?

Read more: www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=303677.20#ixzz2S8Y8HTiS

If anyone is even vaguely thinking they might consider Serum, bear in mind that a consultation with Penny is free; you can fill in their application form (it's online) and send it to her, then she'll arrange to phone you for a consultation at a day and time to suit you and your OH. She called us I think at half-eight in the evening, our time, half-ten Greek time. She works late hours! If you have them electronically, you can send her all the test results you've had to date - I scanned mine in and emailed the whole shebang to her. What I like about her is that she obviously does read every single bit of info you send her, and is fully clued-up on your case before she calls you. I know I have seen consultants before where it's quite obvious they haven't read through your notes properly before seeing you, and it's just frustrating when you have to remind them of things they should already know.

Not an advert, I hasten to add, just info just in case anyone's vaguely considering it. If you recall, I had our infections testing done through Penny last summer with absolutely no intention of going there for anything else (due to cost mostly), and she still treated me as if I were a valued patient of theirs. Just stuck in my mind as decent customer service.

Lurking for news from mel, in case it is this Thurs for the scan :)

It is I am in the waiting room.... Thanks ladies xxxx

Waited an hour but dates are spot on and saw a heartbeat best present ever!! Intralipids and scan at newlife Saturday next xx thanks ladies

Oh fantastic mel, what brilliant news! :)

All you ladies who've injected Clexane .. how the heck do you get the needle into your skin? It took me three attempts in three different places tonight before I could get the needle to go in, and it still hurt. Actually the liquid itself once in really really hurt, for about 15 minutes after. I don't know how on earth I can be doing this every day :(. If you have to leave 5cm from the belly button to inject, are there some places better than others to inject? I was injecting around my belly button (5cm away) but how far out can you still inject?

Thanks ari so emotional it's furthest I've seen!!
If you buy some elma cream and apply it an hour before you inject you won't feel the needle going in at all that's what I have to do or I couldn't bear it! Elma cream numbs the area for you it's great stuff. I have some lovely bruises though :(
I'm 7 weeks on Sunday and hopefully this is our take home baby, we've got to pay for Mexico at the weekend and ill be 20 weeks when we go I'm not sure if with my history I will be able to go, who makes that decision?? X

Mel if you are having an uncomplicated pregnancy then it should be OK. Airlines sometimes want a fit to fly note but think that tends to be later in pregnancy. The main problem is likely to be getting insurance that covers pregnancy related problems with a recurrent miscarriage history. Not sure if you have had any late losses, if you haven't then it should be OK

Ari am watching with interest.

Hello, need some advice please. I've had 2 rounds of iui and was due to have another last month but had too many follicles and the cycle was abandoned. I now haven't had my period for 55 days. Am I right in thinking the follicles turned into cysts and it will take a while to sort out my cycle now? I called the hospital and they've prescribed proverb to force a bleed but we're taking a break for the summer so would rather let it come on its own. Anyone had any experience of this please?

I've had a loss at 16 week and lu was born at 29 weeks after waters went at 25 so I'm a dodgy case! X

Hi Tilly! I'm no expert - were you taking injectibles or just clomid/femera? Think if there were too many there would be too many for iui but would have been ok for IVF cycle. Presumably they told you to use contraception or abstain whilst cancelling the iui? I take it you didn't over stimulate and get any of those symptoms? If you didn't then yes the follies would just turn into cysts and fade away until hormone levels start a new cycle- I guess your body is just taking a bit of time to respond and adjust to natural hormonal levels?? If you're taking the drug to induce a bleed I presume that helps get the hormone levels back down which then triggers the start of a new cycle and new follies to grow. Will you try again this next cycle or have you been advised to have a natural cycle next? Do u ovulate naturally usually?

Oops sorry you are taking a break. I guess then if you are happy to wait then the hormone levels will eventually catch up and you will bleed I guess it just depends on how you feel? Sorry I can't be too much more help on this one...

Hi Mel great news on your scan, one more important hurdle crossed.

Ari wow, great things are moving so quickly for you. Really keeping everything crossed for you. Penny sounds amazing and is obviously doing all she can. As for the injecting, I think it is 5cm from your belly button but then anywhere outside that is fine. That's what i have done inthe past. Make sure you get a good pinch of tummy between your fingers before you put the needle in. Good luck with it, hopefully it should get easier with time.

AFM, have just started taking the pill and start down regging on 20th. Only really apprehensive about having ivig. Haven't made a final decision as to whether to have it or not yet but think I probably will as we are in the last chance saloon. On a bit of a downer today, went to look at a house with a view to moving and it was a beautiful family home full of pics of gorgeous kids and their toys everywhere, what we all dream of right? Been feeling positive recently but finding it hard to snap out of this mood despite the amazing sunshine.

Duggs sorry to hear you are still waiting on the NHS. The whole time issue is frustrating isn't it? I agree with Pebbles about the gonal-f.

Choccy i don't blame you skipping the Pred until bfp, has worked for plenty of ladies and much better for you I reckon. Let's hope this is your month.

Waves to everyone I've missed. Enjoy the bank holiday weekend. X

Fantastic news Mel so happy for you, how wonderful to see the heartbeat. Have a lovely Birthday.

Ari I don't seem to have had any side effects really so naturally slightly worried it hasn't worked! Guess I will find out in a couple of weeks....

Haven't heard of those commuter clinics but what a good idea, we are off to a 40th for the weekend next week so am going to get the blood tests done with my dh before we go. Explained to my manager need to go to London for the other blood test ( to see if humira worked) so will take a morning to go and get that done week after next.

Thanks for all the information you posted re Serum, all v interesting.

Sorry you are finding the injections tough Ari I found the clexane very painful and found the best way was to jab it in as quick as poss and as Belly said get a good pinch of skin. I can't remember if you can do it in the tops of thighs like the stimulating drugs in ivf?

Sorry you are feeling down Mel some days it just all gets a bit much doesn't it? Make sure you take plenty if time to relax once you start your cycle as it can get a bit tiring and mentally I didn't feel like doing much, just wanted to hibernate watching films and reading magazines on the sofa!

Well we are on the way to Devon to see dh's family, his brother we are going to see has two gorgeous little girls and I always feel v jealous by the time we go home on what we are missing out on.

Just a quick bit of advice, had some letrezole left over, enough for four days at 5mg. Thinking of taking it and just timing it without a scan??

Enjoy the bank holiday everyone.

Fingers crossed mel this is a great step! Pebbles DO IT just use clear blue or whatever so you can see when you ovulate and carry on as usual. I did it month before this one. I am so interested in the donor egg cycle keep us updated!

Sorry my post should have read sorry Belly you are feeling down!!

Thanks Duggs