FAO - ShouldknowbyFriday

[evansg01]

Hiya

Sorry I have not replied sooner ut work has been a bit hectic.

I'm doing the long superovualtion protocol. This cycle I start Norethesterone on day 19 for 7 days. On day 21 I start the puffer, buselin (spelling!) for 3 weeks. 3 days after stopping Noreth. I get my period and for approx 8-12 days from my period starting I'll be taking the FSH injections. I'm scanned on day 8 of the injections to see how the follicles are doing. You can't ovulate until they give you an injection of HCG. The puffer makes you stop producing your own LH surge.
I did a couple of microbiology degress but my career has been in Pharmaceutical companies working on various stages of clinical trials on new drugs.
Good to hear your SIL got pregnant at 43. We have no children and can't get hoping that it will happen naturally so have gone for a more aggressive approach. I can't quite believe your husband does not know what you are up to.

A couple of questions for you:

• has you clinic given you a limit on how many eggs you need to produce. Will they cancel if you produce more than 4. Are they happy for you to do timed intercourse
• in one of your earlier posting you mentioned a friend got pregnant through a dono egg, do you know which clinic they used? Thanks G

Thank you evans for the info, now I understand what you mean about 10 follicles, etc as you will either undergo IUI or IVF depending on result of injectibles. When you say you start the super ovulation on 12 Aug and injectibles on 30th, what does that mean? I was told the injectibles start between day 2-5 of cycle so maybe you are talking about the hormone treatment assoc with IVF? I did have my FSH levels checked in January and it was 7.2 which the dr was pleased with. My follicles were counted and there were 2 on each but I don't know if they were the resting follicles. 2 actually sounds dire! I did get preg on first clomid cycle but miscarried on day 42 while I did respond well to clomid the subsequent 3 cycles were unsuccessful. It is interesting that you say that your next cycle started 3 days after the last tablet as that is what the clinic has advised me. If that is the case with me, my fertile time will fall aroudn the time when DH is away so will wait until Oct. Did the clinic advise you that the injectibles can bring on an earlier ovulation I wonder. Re: doctors, I am not one of those that just takes their word on whatever they say, I have had a lot of experience with them also in a work situ and I know that alot of them are just 'practising' ie, still learning and gaining knowledge and that it is important to make your own decision on their diagnosis/prognosis. Can I ask you which field you research?
My sil got preg naturally after 4mths ttc at age 43 so it can be done. She didn't have any scans etc as I think she was actually dreading having another as her dd was 4yo and easier so I think she was secretly hoping that the over 40 theory would apply to her. Not the case so age 43 is not impossible.

The very best of luck and do keep posting with your progress! I think we are now moving over to the new thread.

Sleepless - good luck with the 2ww, for me the worst part about ttc
SKBF - I'm having a very low week, I am doing my bloated thing and have a niggling pain low down on my left side. My AF is due on Saturday and I'll be doing the ovarian test on Monday. I'm sure I'm not pregnant but the last time I was like this they found a cyst on one of my ovaries. If I have a cyst they won't be able to test my ovaries. DH is coming with me so I made sure we have an appointment to see Dr Ranieri. I'm sure if we do another superovulation/IUI we won't be able to start until January. On a positive note I'll be able to have some feastive drinkies.

Hope you are keeping well and the nausea is under control.

Good luck Sleepless, thinking about you in your 2ww. FIngers and everything else crossed.

Evans, I had that dull ache on my birthday and DH away all of that weekend and the ache put me in such a foul mood which I had to hide from my children and then a few days later I found out I was preg. Try to keep your spirits up. I am thinking about you.

Me: went for nuchal scan. As there are 3 no point in analysing blood as it would be inaccurate. Very detailed scan which took an hour to do. They have nuchal measurements of 1.1mm, 1.0mm and 1.3mm and everything okay except no 3 has a leaking heart valve which is a marker for downs. Nos 1 and 2 have a risk of 1 in 694 based on my age and the fact that bloods are not worth testing and no 3 has a 1 in 10 chance. Saw the Proff after the scan who gave me the stats. He said that any woman carrying triplets has a 5% chance of miscarrying and further into the pregnancy the percentage is reduced. An embryo reduction adds a 4% risk to the 5% as dead tissue is then present which is absorbed into the placenta and I will know after a few weeks if the pregnancy is going to continue. The cvs adds only 1% risk for both babies so the total is 10% chance of miscarrying. I definitely want to reduce whether no 3 has a leaking heart valve or not and I am very happy that he has stated the 1% risk of the cvs as this is going to reassure me knowing that everything is okay. I am going to Kings tomorrow for a 'needle attack' as he called it and have bought my rescue remedy to get through it. I feel much more upbeat as my ob was nervous about so many needles and I wondered if I would have the cvs or not. As I am having it, all being well and the preg continues, I shall be able to enjoy (as much as I can taking into account the mammouth proportions I shall reach) the rest of the preg.

Re: sickness, feeling much better. Have worked out to have a good breakfast and then salad/veg in the evening. Finally it has subsided a little.

Will post tomorrow. Cheer up Evans. Gotta keep going. Oh! Did you watch the IVF programme last night. I started to then fell asleep. I saw that they filmed the ACU entrance and wondered if they showed any of the doctors there?

Both procedures done successfully so pleased its all over. I now have a 2ww!

SKBF - the epic saga continues. I was thinking when you dleiver you should print out this string of messages and write a book.

I was confused by your last message, have you done the reduction and CVS sampled the remaining two embryos? Yet another two week wait, I hope you are getting a chance to take it easy.

As for me AF has arrived on time. On certain cycles I spend from dat 5 to 12 after ovulation bloated, in disappears 2 days before AF appears. I'm still concerned that I will have a cyst on my left ovary. DH is coming to ACU with me, we will then get to spend a romatic night in London.

Evans good luck with your trip to London. I also had an ovarian cyst appear during my recent treatment, fortunatley they were able to pop it, resulting in a week delay in implantation. Keeping everything crossed for you x

Hi Evans, sorry to confuse. When I mean both procedures I meant 2 cvs and 1 reduction. I am just so pleased its over as it wasn't pleasant although I was surprisingly calm about it. The sickness has dramatically reduced and dh has started telling everyone that I am preg with twins and I am getting lots of calls from people to congratulate me. It feels a bit premature as I can still miscarry and when I said 2ww, the Prof said that was a good time frame. Only 11 days to go.

I hope you don't have a cyst on your ovary but if you do the whatever we both took before will sort it out. You also said that makes you/one more fertile. Fingers crossed. Hope you spend a romantic evening in London. Do you need any restaurant recommendations?

I feel yuk a bit like just before AF arrives but alot more nausesa. Does anyone think its possible to get morning sickness after 1 week? I'm sure it didn't appear to 5 weeks last time but then again i had mild OHSS so felt awful anyway.

Sleepless, I don't know if it's possible after one week for a normal pregnancy, ie unassisted, but the fact that your fertilised eggs did not have to travel down the fallopian tube and implant themselves, which can take 7-10 days depending on which book you read, maybe the nausea starts earlier with your method as your eggs are implanted full stop. My nausea started quickly on day 29 and I found out on day 28. Also on day 27 I noticed a darkening of various body areas and my sense of smell was heightened. So you may be pregnant! Fingers crossed and do post as soon as you know.

I had my cvs results through yesterday and all is okay. They even test for spina bifida now.

SNBF congratulations on the results. On second thoughts I think I've caught a touch of man flu off DH which would explain the shivering and aching limbs which started last night. On a positive note only 7 days to go.

Sleepless - I hate the 2ww because with every niggle or symptom you can't help but wonder if it has worked or not. As you say only another 7 days to go.

SKBF - is it time to relax and enjoy your twins! So pleased to hear the reduction went OK and the CVS results are good.

For me I'm in a bit of a tizzy. I have to say I found the ACU a little hectic and confusing. My scan showed I had 7 antral follicles: 3 on the right and 4 on the left. I didn't have a cyst so that is OK. My blood results have come back borderline, 50-50 chance that I will respond to treatment and produce a reasonable number of eggs. Dr Ranieri suggested I try Clomid on this cycle. He reasoning is that it is much cheaper than the injectable FSH and is likely to produce the same number of follicles/eggs, we would then do IUI. The problem is that it will all happen next week and I'm not sure work is going to be impressed with my request for 2 weeks off at such short notice. For the last IUI I tried to juggle work and going to the clinic which was stressful. This time I can't do it as I have to travel to London. I think this will be our last attempt and then we will try to find a donor egg.

Evans, pleased to hear there was no cyst. All the best for next week. As for work, if you broke your leg tomorrow they would manage wouldn't they, but I do understand having worked whilst doing my first IVI its not easy especially when people are relying on you.

IVI? ment to say IVF, brain gone!

Evans, 3 and 4 follicles is fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!! I had only 2 on each side. What were your blood test results out of interest? I am really hopeful for you. Why do you need 2 weeks off? I know its stressful but 7 follicles is really really good. I understand why he has suggested clomid and then you will have the fsh injection to release the eggs when they feel it is the right time. Can you say to your supervisor that you will have say 4 medical appointments and need to travel to London on those days and that you will work the others? If you take 2weeks off you will have alot of time on your hands and you will probably have your scans and treatments in 4 appts. Am really interested to know your blood results. And why consider a donor egg? If you have that number of follicles and clomid doesn't work, the fsh injections are stronger and if they work for you you will then have your own egg producing a baby. I am really happy to read there were 7 follicles!!!!! Many more than I ever had!!!!!!! Such good news. Just re-read your post. Why can't you do this next week but getting early train from Bristol or coach? You can make it happen. Think about the number of appts I had and acupuncture and reflexology. Boring and tedious but I got there in the end.

Oh! Still not time to relax yet, my ob said I could miscarry up to 16wks due to the dead tissue and the Prof said 2 weeks so if he is right I have another week to go and if ob right another 3.

SNBF does make a good point about working during the 2 weeks definitely went faster last time. Evans Would your online manager be sympathetic to last minute appointments? Don't know how active/stressful your job is but mine can be rather confrontational at times and my manager was very flexible.

SKBF - I'll feel more confident when I go back to the clinic on Monday for a scan. I think on my last treatment I had around 8 antral follicles but with the FSH injections I only got 2 - 3 good sized follicles which were released for the IUI. I'm not sure if Clomid will work any better. This Monday will be day 10 of my cycle and I'll have taken 5 days of 100mg of Clomid. So next week will be taken up with popping back and forth to London and staying with DH as he works away from home. On my second week I just want to be able to rest and take things nice and slow, I'm sure I have had at least 2 chemical pregnancies so I want to give implantation the best shot possible.

SKBF - how did you do with Clomid? Did you have a same/better response with the injectables.

Sleepless - another day closer the the big test, hope all is going well.

SKBF - Dr R did not tell me my blood results. I hope to get a copy when I next go to the clinic. If my 7 antral follicles grow into 7 big follicles I'll be over the moon.

Thanks evans, nothing to report, which hopefully is a good sign. Will be away next week to see family (who have no knowledge of latest try)unfortunatley DH has to work away will try to get my hands on a computer to update you all there.

Evans, so you have taken Clomid this month! Good! Do ask Dr R for your results and make a note of them so we can compare. I think 7 would be too many follicles at the egg releasing stage as I had on the day of my fsh jab to release the eggs on L 19mm, 2x 12-14 and on R 16mm so the 19mm and 16mm must have fertilised as well as one of the 12-14mm which would have grown by the time it was released 36hrs later. They took an estradiol reading on the same day to check levels and were hoping for a 2000 level. They called me in the evening to say it was if I remember correctly 3750 which was obviously high but the nurse checked with the dr and he said at my age it was unlikely that more than two would fertilise! Hah! Had he said it was too high they would have advised not having timed intercourse. With clomid the first cycle I got 2 ripe follicles and that was the cycle I became preg. After that I mostly had 1 good sized follicle and smaller ones I think. When I saw Paul Serhal for one of the scans and asked him if the clomid didn't work what were my options and he said the injectible because they produce more follicles and they did for me. He said the risk though was a multiple pregnancy which could result in a premature birth and that is why they like to start off with clomid. If you look at the clomid thread you will see all my follicle sizes if you are interested but I didn't have the number of resting follicles that you have. You are off to a good start. I have also had two early miscarriages one in Sept 04 and one in March this year and this cycle was my most hectic as very busy at the office/socially. Have you still kept off the caffeine? I also took Bioforce Milk Thistle tincture to cleanse my liver which I don't know if I have mentioned.

I am really excited about your cycle and am keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Hmmm. I may have got the estradiol reading wrong and don't have time to check it. I know though that it was much higher than they wanted but they thought my age was a barrier to too many eggs being fertilised.

To SKBF - many thanks for the information you provided, it made me feel more positive about Clomid. I have been taking it for 3 days and I can feel my ovaries grumbling away. I really wish I was trying the short protocol that you were given. This cycle is going by so fast, at Bristol I was on the long protocol and spent all my time sniffing Buserelin. This time it is nice that I'm only on one drug and it is matching my normal cycle. I'm a little anxious about Monday and hope my follicles are a reasonable size. If not I'm sure Dr Ranieri will classify me as a non responder.

Hi Evans, good luck with your scan tomorrow. I always felt hope when the scanning time came around so tomorrow all will be revealed! Post as soon as you have the measurements. You can ask the scanning dr for your results for the day 3 and 4 blood tests if you like.

I am having my scan with my ob tomorrow so looking forward to that.

What's happening Sleepless? Any news yet?

Hi SKBF - the scan went OK yesterday. I'm responding the same on Clomid as I did on the very expensive Gonal F. I have 2 good sized follicles, 14-15 mm, one on each ovary. There were a few small ones around 10mm and 8mm. Yesterday was day 10 and I usually ovulate on day 12. I'm checking for my LH surge and will have a scan on Wednesday. I'm expecting we will do the IUI on Thursday. This cycle feels so much better than the last, it is nice it is matching my normal cycle and I'm not so bloated.
It is a female asian/arab doctor who scans me. She explained my stress test results. They prefer to see 8 or more follicles to consider IVF/ICSI etc. My FSH level was 4.7! That is the lowest for a while. I didn't quite see my estrogen level, it managed to double but it was on the low side. So the conclusion was I should try 3 Clomid cycles, if that didn't work the next step would be donor egg. Getting back and forth to London is a nightmare, so I will probably do the other Clomid cycles in Bristol if needed. I'm feeling up beat and looking forward to taking things easy next week.
I think Sleepless is on holiday this week so won't be able to post.

Okay so two good sized follicles is good. I had 2 when I got preg with clomid. And your fsh level of 4.7 is amazing!!! Fantastic egg reserve!!! My oestrogen level was 77 which is good but after the injection on day 3 and the next blood test it went up to 226 on day 4. The dr (same one who said 'It's bad news, it's triplets!) said that they would like to see it nearer to 300. So I am really excited for you. I can imagine getting to London is stressful. If you do the clomid cycles in Bristol, will you do the fsh injection in Bristol as well and the IUI? The fact that you are having IUI gives you a better chance as not relying on sperm swimming up to womb. I never did that. The dr that scanned you, was she in her sixties? They are all nice but if that is the one her name is Ifat and on one of my last scans she said 'I hope the next scan I do is a pregnancy scan' and it was!!! If the clomid doesn't work, why not do the fsh injections? I know it depends on how you respond. Would you consider acupuncture for your lining and reflexology? They always used to tell me my lining mm and this is what the acupuncurist worked on and one scanning dr described it as 'juicy'. I don't know what it was like before acupuncure though. The very best of luck with this cycle, I am so glad you are feeling upbeat!!!