TTC 10+ months thread 12

[buzzybee123]

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

Oh viv so sorry to hear about your weekend. Is there any chance he was making it up about the drinking for months, just to annoy you? The whole ttc thing is incredibly stressful and really does put relationships under huge pressure. Big hugs and I hope things are a little better today.

Welcome back sar! Happy new year and lots of good luck for tomorrow. I hope it will provide a solution for you and should certainly give you a better idea of what's going on. At some point, I need to quiz you about FETs and how they work, but only once you are all recovered (and have your lap medal).

critter I should be project scrooging but instead appear to be on a one woman mission to keep the economy going! I just can't resist those sale bargains. One purchase for a friend's little girl were the cutest vintage style pjs from monsoon. If only they also sold babies too, to go in the pjs.

joy throw everything at it I say! They really don't do things by halves do they? Having said that, I was on steroids and clexane at Create, the supposedly drug lite clinic. Hope you are doing ok today.

viv as euro said, you'd know if you had ohss. I was at high risk of it during the last ivf and think I had a very mild case. It's very unusual if you aren't doing ivf, or something to produce lots of follicles. Estradiol (e2) is the hormone that would indicate it, not progesterone. I think it's when the empty follicles fill with fluid after EC and the fluid then seeps out into you abdomen and can cause all types of nasty things. I didn't think you could get it until after ovulation euro, but I may be wrong. I had high e2 levels and a small pool of fluid behind my womb , but it went away on it's own and my kidney function remained fine. Anyway, you prob don't care about this now, but just wanted to set anyone who was worrying about it mind at rest! joy you are being so carefully monitored that I can't imagine argc get any cases of it.

freedom sorry about the bfn. How many iui goes are you having?

doll boo to the dry Jan. As I've been (and will) be off the booze for the AC cycles, I decided to forego dry Jan and am making the most of being able to drink. Although I don't seem to be able to drink so much these days, which is probably a good thing!

Happy Sunday to everyone else. I'm still in bed . We went to see the hobbit last night, which finished late. I was pleasantly surprised by the good lookingness of some of the dwarves :)

I don't know if anyone else is as obsessed with stuff about AC as I am, but there's a programme on BBC4 on mon at 9pm about a fertility clinic. I will be watching...

sar Good luck for tomorrow, I will be thinking of you

euro sorry I seem to be confused, hoping this is your month

viv I hope you are ok and that you and DP have had a chance to sort things through.

gin at your monsoon comment, was the Hobbit good??? I saw the first Lord of the Rings and was bored shitless by it its not really my kind of story but the casting looked good for the Hobbits

oh hi gin nice to see you. I would be watching if I was still in the UK. Mind you I spent my last evening discovering Made in Chelsea much to the horror of my family, I don't know how these TV snobs made me . We had a massively late morning here too. Still raining.

Where is my other lovely IVF buddy art ? hope you are ok.

Welcome back sar will be thinking of you.

So sorry to hear about your situation viv as others said hope things look a bit better today, if that's possible.

Sorry I'm not back to checking in with everyone yet. Grey Sunday waves.

oh buzzy reminded me that's why I logged on to say hi to Gin the pj comment. I'm loving your comments on less well accepted methods of getting baby and procurement language in general You do realise that there are police residing at the adoption boards that may hunt you down?

Sar - welcome back! Really really best of luck tomorrow. This is a good thing and you will finally get your answer and treatment. Please let us know how you get on and rabbit can give you your medal tomorrow.

Viv - so sorry to read your post. I hope a new day has brought something positive and you have managed to talk to dp.

Gin - thanks for the ohss explanation. I always thought it was people who had loads of eggs that can suffer from it. I certainly don't and haven't worries about it but who knows. I have had 2 blood tests for oesteial today so may be they are keeping a close eye. Oh so you were on steroids too. It's suppose to help with egg quality and implantation so mr google tells me. Scared of the moon face thing so trying to drink loads!

Not much to report from me. Daily scans now and 2 blood tests a day. Follies are growing. This week could be EC week. On the steroids now plus other things.

joy I didn't notice the moon face thing, but then I have a fat face but the women I do know who did get it were on the steroids for a long time and on a high dose, I'm on 25 mgs. I don't think I could cope with 2 blood tests a day :( did they tell you how many follies were on the up??

Joy how on earth are you managing to work?? I am already worried about trying to fit in all sorts of scans etc. when we get to ivf. I don't know how accommodating the clinic will be. I also wonder if they would be more flexible with timings if we were paying as opposed to nhs. Difficult for me to get out of regular sessions at school until after the kids go home at 3:30..... Although I don't work far from the clinic so might be able to do lunch times without having to tell everyone and their dog what I'm up to.

gin I shall be watching on Monday. I also stayed in bed until noon yesterday. We must take advantage of our chldlessness while we still can .

doll made in Chelsea is a step too far for me but MrM hates all of the crappy reality stuff that i like to watch, anything that purports to be a documentary but is really just being really nosy about other people's lives - Big Fat Gypsy Weddings anyone?????

buzzy I didn't manage to get through all of the first lord of the rings. I refuse to go see the Hobbit. My mum will have to take one of her Internet dates instead

madness I was ready to walk out of it as well, so long winded I was a bit surprised as usually Peter Jacksons stuff is good. I just don't think I could sit through 3 hours of it, and then the next 3 hours and then the next

Gin you might be right. I could tick off the symptoms though, including stuff like decreased urination. It only lasted for a weekend and then went away. But then I think we all know by now that I am a bit "special" when it comes to reactions to hormone drugs.

joy I never got the moonface thing. I did get disrupted sleep and concentration though.

Buzz - are you still on the steroids? was it Predinsolone (sp?). I am on 1mg of Dexamethalone which is stronger but that is equivalent to 6mg of Pred so perhaps I will be ok. I think because I had the Ivig, the dosage is lower...perhaps.

Madness - I have been so incredibly lucky with timings this cycle. I started over the xmas holidays so that meant i could do the hysto etc. And the Ivig fell yesterday when normally they wouldn't do it on a Saturday. And the blood tests and scans in the first week start at 7.30am so i have done everything before work. But work is also 8mins from the clinic (it must have been fate that i ended up at this job). This week may be more challenging if i to slip out twice for the blood test and the pm scan but i may just take a late lunch and a very long loo break. EC & ET take place at 7am so i may be able to do all this before work as well. This has been one of my biggest worries as I just don't want to tell the unapproachable male bosses what i'm up to.
Would you be able to tell someone at work? A clinic close is such a blessing. Will you be able to start when it's half term or the holidays or won't you get a choice?

ah yes, i got in to ~Big Fat Gypsy Weddings...i sat like this whilst watching it.

joy I took 25 mgs of steroids Prenisolone from ovulation until AF, I did it for a few months but it really disrupted my sleep and I actually had a day off work as I had not slept all night. That is when I went to see Shehata privately. I stopped taking it for a few months then he put me on 200mgs of Hydroxychorlquine a day which is much better to take. When I get a BFP i'll start the steroids and the Intralipids. You're going to work after EC?? Won't you bee too sedated??
You ladies should be able to discuss the situation with your Occ health depts if you can't speak to your boss. I pretty much think most people at work know I am planning IVF now

joy I think buzzy is right, the ET is no problem for return to work, but I think you will need to make a plan for the EC, it takes a while for one and I doubt you will want the go into work after, whatever time it is. Gin and sar and others warned me off an afternoon meeting I wanted to go to and Im glad they did.

'My big fat gypsy wedding' has been recommending to me. I'd be all over it given the chance. madness Ken too is challenged in the area of crap TV. Some improvement was noted following a training programme I ran for him while living in NYC, he still has limits though.

Ivf seems like a full time job joy. I agree that having the clinic close by is good. We haven't had much choice, there is only one place in the city that does ivf. The other clinic which was part of the public hospital closed down because they said it wasnt financially viable and it was diverting resources from the maternity unit. On principle now, if I ever do get pregnant I will not be giving birth there. The head consultant left in protest when the decision was taken by hospital bosses, he said they viewed fertility treatment as unimportant and he couldnt agree with their thinking. As it happens the clinic we are using is very close to our house, so it makes things easier.

It sounds like you are being given the full works when it comes to ivf. I can see why they get the results they do. When do you think ec will happen? I'm not planning on telling work, I'll just have to find a way to work around it. Im also thinking that if I do get pregnant then I won't want to tell anyone until after 20 weeks. I wonder how easy that is to do.

gin I too thought ohss happened after ec. It's more likely to happen in a cycle that ends in pregnancy too.

viv sorry to hear about your dh. I hope he's sobered up and you've managed to talk to him.

sar I'll be thinking g of you tomorrow. I've found it helpful to think about what I'd consider to be the worse case scenario, and then I'm hoping I'll be able to deal with anything that isn't that. My worst case of they discover I've got some terrible disease that can't be treated, my next worse is they have to remove ovaries and uterus, next worse is they remove just ovaries, next is they remove one ovary, then remove both tubes, and then removing one tube doesn't seem so bad. I don't need it anyway for ivf. I do think that if it's damaged it's best to get rid, otherwise if ivf fails I'll be thinking it might have worked if it were not for the rotten tube. Have they said they'd try to drain it? I think this can be an option, but my dr warned that it's likely to refil with fluid so not really solving the problem. Anyway, hopefully they'll discover all is shiny and glistening and you get a clean bill of health. But even if they do find something, it can be treated.

madness you've been through so much, I admire how chilled you seem. Was the infection there before the lap? Is it endo that's caused all the problems?

I'm stumped to know how I've got a damaged tube. I never had unsafe relations until ttc. And Ive had annual medicals which have included std checks so I know I've never (and neither has dh) had an std. I've never had abdominal surgery, no miscarriage, abortion. I'm mystified. I wonder if it's possible to have endo with no symptoms?

ginsoaked 5 IUI tries I think - so 3 down, 2 to go. My insurance pays for 8 but my doctor said he never bothers with 8 as after 5, max 6 goes most of his patients are getting fed up and ready to move on with IVF.

thanks for the kind words viv akubadoll and buzzybee and euro. euro well done on not mentalling yet. I am 16 days past IUI and still waiting for AF and pretending not to look for symptoms despite 2 negative tests. New cycle will start tonight or tomorrow no doubt.

madness joycep sarlat especially big respect to all of you.

oh, no period *freedom' ....it's a sign I've heard Hang in there. Great insurance by the way.

mrsd you got me wondering. Apparently OHSS can occur before ov, but is most common afterwards. This article mentions cancelling the cycle if symptoms emerge before ov, so it must happen sometimes (but it also mentions it being normal for symptoms to appear soon after ov, so that must be more common). I only felt those symptoms on the second of my three superov cycle, just after they had upped the dose. Whatever it was, it was definitely some sort of side effect of the drugs.

16 days past IUI, eh freedom? Interesting. How long is you luteal phase usually?

ages euro ages. I have had a 45 day cycle before. But that was when I wasn't taking my make-me-a-lady-hormone drugs. Now my cycles are shorter, 28-35 days. I know that is not the exact answer to your question, but despite charting and OPK sticks and such like I have never been able to exactly calculate my Luteal phase myself.

Note: I am actually a lady. I just have a lot of male hormones. In case you were thinking - maybe this is why it is taking her so long. She is actually a man.

buzzy I know that a colleague has done icsi already and she got lots of support from our boss. It's just that I work in lots of different schools and don't really want to tell everybody and their dog when I'm doing ivf. I don't mind people knowing that's how we got pregnant, but might not want to have to talk to everyone if it doesn't work or i have an early miscarriage. The people I'm closest with are people from my team but they're off at different schools as well so not working with me day to day ifyswim. Oh well, I will cross this bridge when we get to it!

joy that all sounds good. I could do 7:30 appointments and still make it in before the bell . I think I could choose timings with private care but with the nhs you have to take it when it's offered. I second the others that you might want to take the day off for EC.

freedom not knowing when to expect AF has got to be awful for menkulling! My issue was that I always started bleeding during the 2ww and couldn't accept that it was all over but felt the disappointment anyway .

sar i hope you're having a good day and remember to have a late evening snack as it will be a while before you eat again!

mrsd no one can tell me where the infection came from but was definitely there before the lap. They found pus when draining the abscess . Google tells me that the endometriosis can make them more common. I've only ever had 2 sexual partners (only 2 for goodness sake) and have been tested for std's on many occasions - all negative. MrM had a prostate infection a few years ago and was checked over really thoroughly for everything and all negative for him too. Because they sent away the sample this time we know that it was a strep infection so maybe the consultant will be able to tell me more. It just freaks me out that it may have been festering away for a long time without me knowing. I don't know how they can check that it doesn't come back again without going back in. You can have endo with very few symptoms but hopefully that is not the case for you.

Ok lamb tagine almost finished, green beans to steam and couscous to fluff. Pasta salad in the fridge for packed lunches. Let's see how long my organisation lasts as I head back to work. In the past it's been about a week

glad to hear that you are a girl freedom it means you stand a better chance with the whole pregnancy business. Before you were on the thread a whole bunch of the ladies turned into men Guess you had to be there

madness I can understand that, I don't particularly want everyone to know but I don't mind people knowing, I want work to know as I want their support with time off etc, it is easier if they know why, the colleagues I work closely with have been amazing and have said if I have an off day or want to start a little later etc then just to let them know, I appreciate knowing that they will be understanding and patient with me. I don't want to have to try and explain why I am unable to do certain things etc, if they know then hopefully they will give me less grief and agro we shall see

Evening all.

sar good to see you back on here and I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. There is every chance that this will sort things out for you and allow you to conceive, it happens and you should keep that hope. I'm shining up your medal all ready.

viv sorry last night was difficult. I have a very close experience of alcoholism, it is incredibly hard. I really hope you've had the opportunity to talk things through.

madness I'm intrigued by your schooliness! Now I'm not directly in school I think the treatment thing is going to be a bit easier but I'm still really fretting about how I'm going to get to scans at the right time etc. I had a long time off in the summer and can't really afford any more sick leave on my record. I know exactly what you mean about the ivf. I have no problem with people knowing if I get pregnant but I don't want anyone at work to know during it. I don't want to have to talk about the ins and outs of it afterwards if it doesn't work. Your tea sounds yummy. I too have lunches in the fridge in new January mode . Also, today I made a bag and also a baby gift with my sewing machine. It has made me feel incredibly proud and pleased with myself!

joycep you are an absolute trooper and your work are lucky to have you. I am in awe of your braveness with all of this. Are you feeling ok on the meds?

doll I like those programmes that you mentioned

freedom sorry you are none the wiser yet. Fingers crossed.

mrsden what a mystery your tube is. I like your descending levels of worseness. I did that in the summer. I need to take stock sometimes when I'm miserable and remember that my womb did not come out, I will never forget waking up screaming have I still got a womb!!! I read the entire Internet on this as a phenomenon and couldn't find one incidence of this happening. Again, from the outside looking in I feel certain that all will be fine for you, this is just a nasty curveball but one step nearer to cracking the puzzle.

gin I am envious of your January tipple. Day 6 in the dry January hare and rabbit household. It's been surprisingly easy. I think I've been drinking less and less over a long and protracted two year period of denial of fun stuff. I used to drink like a fish so it's one of the good things to have come out if this whole sorry affair. Let me know if the prog is ok to watch. I used to gorge on all things fertility but kind of ignore it now.

I'm 14do and no af but barely there spotting since Thursday. I'm unimpressed. Whilst no one has ever raised a concern about spotting and it would appear that 20% of fertility friends women have it, it still makes me think things aren't quite as they should be. I thought I never used to have it till ttc. But as its so light as to be almost imperceptible maybe I just never noticed. Usually I get it maybe every three or four months but its been constant since the asprin so I'm knocking that on the head til someone tells me I actually need it. It means I don't get a two week wait. Can't decide if that's bad or good. It also means I'm bleeding in some form for about ten days which is a ballache. Oh well, another month of pointless shagging to get down to!

rabbit do they have a IVF policy where you work?? Surprisingly enough where I work they don't You have to do what is best for you during your treatment and what is less stressful for you, You want to give it your best shot. For me work is work and not as important as getting my baby. As far as I am concerned work will have to fit around me, my needs are more important!!!
I find the spotting changes from month to month along with how many days AF is around for, this time barely 24 hours 14dpo and no AF,

It's quiet on here this morning. sar I'm thinking of you today. Hopefully it's all over and you're recovering now.

rabbits Ive never worked out whether spotting is a problem. Drs dont seem to be interested in it. I also never noticed it before ttc, but I never inspected loo paper then. And I never quite knew when af was due so I wasn't looking out for anything.

joy what's on the ivf schedule today? How are your veins coping with the all the blood tests?

I need some ideas for healthy lunches that will keep me full until dinner time. I'm trying to be healthier in the new year, but lunches are my downfall. Most people use the canteen at work but it's salty and fatty rubbish mostly. So, I'm thinking I should make my own, but I'm not a big bread fan so sandwiches are out. I don't want to lose weight, if anything I want to put on a bit. But I want less salt, less bad fats, less sugar. Any suggestion s? Oh, and it's got to be quick to make!

I slept badly last night. I had a dream where sil announced she was pregnant, it woke me up in a panic and I couldn't remember if it was true or not. I suspect the announcement will come soon ish though, I really need to feel ok about it but I don't. I think it will knock even dh, who so far hasn't been in the slightest bit phased about any other pregnancies. I am getting the vibe that dh feels less confident that we will have a baby. Up to now he's been so positive, which I've found infuriating at times but I think I prefer it to the negative thinking.

mrsden do you have a blender at home? I know it's a drag to clean but useful for those lunches. Even if you eat with raw veg rather than bread, hommos has cals. Great for soups to take to work too. I tend to make lunches out of repurposed dinner stuff, rather than make from scratch.

sar sending a love for when you are back. I've been thinking of you.

buzzy no ivf policy, I checked today.

mrsden I'm not a sandwich fan and constantly hunt for lunch inspiration. The website salad pride has lots of good ideas and I add rice/cous cous/breadsticks/rice cakes/pitta chopped up/pasta (when I'm in wheat mode, which I currently am) gluten free alternatives when not. Soba noodles ate a favourite.