Roll up! Roll up! Mount those uni cycles and shake those pom poms. The Elderberry Pavlovas are drumming away in the hope of a Christmas clusterdiff (Thread 24).

[happylass]

The smallprint –
Berries have a strict entrance criteria (TTC #1, over 30, TTC for 12+ months, NO instadiffers, must have a special pot and definitely no mention of baby dust or baby dancing).
Those not abiding by the rules may be escorted from the premises.

The roll of honour:

Gillster 40, TTC Feb 2012, IVF Feb 2014 resulting in 6 frozen one day embies. No transfer due to polyp. Failed FET cycle in September due to polyps. Starting 2nd FET cycle on 4 Nov.
Happylass 36, TTC since Aug 2012. Antibodies in DH's sperm. 1 unsuccessful cycle of ICSI September '14. Starting cycle 2 in January.
Smidge, 38, TTC since Jan 2013. Unexplained. IVF#1 Short protocol July 2014 yielded 1 blasto, BFN. IVF#2 in process - Long Protocol Oct/Nov 2014
Serenity 34 TTC Jan 2013, unexplained infertility, DH has textbook super sperm, 3 rounds unsuccessful clomid, 1 ICSI June 14 with complete fertilisation failure, next ICSI Nov 14.
Jelliebabe - 40, Threw the pills away 8 years ago. Unexplained but have a very low AMH, 1st IVF with clinic in Prague, 2 embryo's, chemical pregnancy. 2nd IVF in London branch of clinic - 1 embryo, BFN. Hoping to go back to Prague for Donor eggs in January
nolly, 32, TTC since Sep 2012, unexplained. 6 months clomid did sod all, next appointment 29th Oct, hoping to start private round ivd soon.
Pixie, 33, TTC June 12, DH has zero sperm count but managed to extract some under surgery, start downregging in a week, long protocol, ICSI Nov
Tigerdog 34, ttc 21 months. Unexplained after all tests and currently on waiting list for IVF.
Beaky 34 ttc since aug 2012. Unexplained with recurring cysts and adenomyosis. 1 failed IUI, IVF appointment in November and hoping to start first cycle in January.
Bushy 36, ttc since dec 2011, low amh, ovarian reserve, dh sperm had low count & motility but improved to 'normal' standard, IVF/Icsi in May bfp, then later missed miscarriage at 12 week scan. 2nd Ivf imminent but not sure if dates will work over Christmas.
HampshireBlues 36 TTC since August 2011, unexplained. 1st cycle of IVF chemical. Had a break over the summer. Cycle 2 planned for November
WildflowerMarmalade , 40, TTC 3 years, unexplained, underactive thyroid + immune issues. Sept IUI - BFN. Due to start IVF in Jan
lumen, 35, ttc since Nov 11 without a sniff of a bfp, unexplained, had only nhs funded IVF summer 2014, no implantation, trying self-funded IVF Nov 14, currently mid cycle
AnnieHoo 41, ttc July 2012. Unexplained. MMC Nov 2012, MMC May 2014. IVF Oct 2014 BFN. Waiting for FET.
Trill 41, TTC since March 2013. Endo with one completely blocked tube and one kinked with adhesions. Currently stimming.

And Gil's handy guide to the current IVFers....

Smidge - PUPO on 3 Nov
Pip - ET on 5 Nov
Lumen -EC on 5 Nov
Trill - day 5 of stims
Pixie - week of DR done
Seren - stimming yet?
Gillster- start DR on 4 Nov
Kuma - you starting soon???

Hello lovely berries, it's one of the many berries stalkers your interloper here again

I've only just realised that whilst I did post my poss 'useful' bits (B6 and their nuts power to wallop cycle back into shape!), I forgot to then post the - v. RL - beautiful and 'full of hope' experiences I know of. Have no clue if they will help anyone but am figuring it can't hurt to know them (am horribly aware of saying the 'wrong thing' here - as can only begin to imagine the crassness you guys must face by the most well-meaning of people - but all of these are so very lovely I can't see that I could be saying the 'wrong thing' by sharing them). Do please though tell me to p*ss of if anything I write in any way upsets anybody, or even if simply to say you'd prefer we (as I def know I am not alone here!) stayed as lurkers just silently cheering you on

Right, in no particular order...

Bloody keyboard - just deleted post instead of posting

Will try again later (tho do tell me to f.off if don't want interloper posters on here under any circs!)

thinking turkey basting and you'll be along the right lines

munning by all means share your stories. From a personal point of view though, whilst I'm glad that all the friends of friends of friends I hear about had kids at 40/after 10 rounds of Ivf/naturally after they started taking whatever supplement etc have reached the happy end of their journey, I don't feel like it helps me personally. But that's just me!

tiger I seem to remember that rps dino is a result of the turkey baster?

I am afraid I an with you on the success stories, I think given where we all are on our ttc journeys we have all heard them before and they don't really help. But others might feel different.

Waiting to see my acu lady, not seen her since cycle failed

tiger I'm imagining some kind of massive plastic stork with a long, thin beak. The deposit goes into the stork's mouth, it closes, and the long thin beak goes... ^

What the Dickens is this stork contraption? Tiger we need more details.

Nice to see you again Barking what answers did you get about your losses? Well done for putting your foot down and insisting on getting something out of them.

All this talk of sewing machines is giving me an itch to find mine - except that the last time I saw it it was in my parents' garage and I bet they've thrown it away. Maybe I could tackle some blinds, or maybe I'd be better off just practising sewing some straight lines on a bit of random fabric.

I put up my Christmas tree today. The neighbours did theirs, so I thought what the heck and went for it. I've only put the lights on so far though as I spent do long shifting furniture around to make space or the tree.

Lets start a runners and riders list in a week or so? Feels a bit early just yet to me.

Hope you are all doing ok. Pixie how is PUPO life?

I agree with the others - I've heard plenty of success stories of friends of friends etc, but I'm a bit sick of them to be honest. Doesn't impact my chances, and I'd rather just watch the success stories of other berries unfold as they mean so much more than people I don't know/haven't been on "the journey" with (yuk! Hate that phrase).

Today is my last day at the overly bright office, so maybe I can forget about my greys again for a while!! My hair is dark brown (the ones still working) so going light doesn't really work - I just substitute seeing regrowth for seeing the grey. The dye that slowly washes out seems best, I just struggle to find the right shade. (Anything with a hot of chestnut and my hair goes orange)

stork

I don't even remember signing up to it, must have been a dark day of desperation. The RRP is £100 for each single use kit, so it's not cheap.

The Stork offers a relaxed and private way of conceiving in your own home - the way normal people do it?!

Right, I'll go and read the rest of it properly now.

perhaps that's aimed at same sex couples or where the man has ED and therefore would otherwise have to go through treatment!

Just been told by my acu lady that she is pg! But have to be happy for her as she had a failed FET and a chemical ICSI IVF before this IVF which has worked. She said she understood if I didn't want to go again but I am going to keep seeing her once a month.

Wow. Just. Wow .
tiger we need detailed feedback! Would love to see you explaining this one to your DH!! [grin
Having said that I'd be willing to try it .

wildflower I was diagnosed with factor V leiden thrombophilia. I'll never know for sure but blood clots could have caused the two mc's. I'll be on heparin injections for 9 months if I get another bfp.

OMG! Just looked at the Stork shenanigans in more detail. Looks romantic!

Lumen - I wonder if your acu lady had her own acu lady???

Ladies I need to share this and the berries aren't grossed by anything much after all we've been through.

So this morning I was having a poo and was rushing because I was running late. I have rather long finger nails and in my haste one went right though the paper and scratched my bum hole so badly that it bled. I had to scrub my nails and deal with a bleeding bumhole while late for work!!

pip the phrase lol has never been truer poor you! now get an emery board on those talons.

I think I read about the stork before. I think it was rp who did a DIY version and is up duffed. Are you going to give it a go tiger?

Ooh that's a bit close to home re your acu lady lumen. Still, it sounds like she has been through the ttc mill too.

Had my early scan today and all is well thank goodness.

Great news bushy

Yes my acu lady has her own acu lady! I am pleased for her, I think you have to be when someone has been through so much to get their bfp

pip owch, get the nail clippers out!

My eyes are watering after that bit of news Pip - ouch!

Great news on the scan Bushy. Are you past the time now when you had your big bleed last time?

Oh my lord........loving the mini vids!

Good news on the scan Bushy
Pip emery board for Christmas methinks
Lumen sorry abou accu lady news but like you say it's hard not to be happy for someone who has been through so much.

AF has landed (she just had to be 2 days too late) so back on the pill for me and down regging just before Christmas. Bring on the hormones!

Omg pip that's not what you want. Grim. Well, I'm glad we're all able to share!

bushy so pleased for you. Gives me hope.

lumen Thats great news for your ACU lady, but pg announcements are always a bit hard even if you're delighted for that person. Keep believing though, all of our times will come.

I'm in a sunny mood today which is unusual as impending FC appoitments usually make me grumpy!

pip!!! ow!

fab news bushy. can't say how pleased I am.for you

off to IVF info night tonight, what fun.

hi to all you others... work bananas, will fill you in when I've got the story sounding funny rather than disastrous...!

Tiger glad the smear went ok, how was the IVF appointment today? Also, please tell us what your oh said about the stork...?!

Bushy great news about your scan, Im so pleased that everything is ok for you. Ill keep my fingers crossed that the 12w scan flies here uneventfully.

Nolly I quiet enjoyed the info night, report back so we can all compare notes! they hate it when we talk to each other! Hope your work situation isnt too bad at the moment.

Pip that sounds so sore! Def get those talons trimmed

HB boo to stupid AF turning up too late, at least shes here now I suppose. Hope you are feeling ok.

Lumen sounds like your acu lady has had a really hard time of it, maybe you need her acu lady!

Wild Im hoping we can put our tree up this weekend! We put the house lights up already but they aren't on yet - waiting for the other decorations to be up.

Pixie how are you managing with the wait? Still pompoming for you here

In other news, I got the date for my biopsy, they were offering christmas eve(!) but I managed to get an earlier one thankfully. Have to go in tomorrow for a pre appointment? Haven't a clue what that entails!

I was reading through the list at the start of our thread (I'm on the laptop instead of on phone for once) and it seems as though we've lost Serenity, hope you are ok if you're reading this, and Anniehoo - she mustn't have been around long, does anyone remember?

My IVF appointment was fine beaky. We did all the forms, went through the treatment plan and key dates, had blood tests for screening purposes, had the injection demo and got given our prescription, so we are ready to kick off once all of the outstanding results are back. We'll be waiting until March though, to fit in with my new job etc. I also realised today that I am still totally in denial about actually having IVF. I can't believe it.

Good news about your biopsy. Pre assessment is usually just a few basics, maybe blood test to get your blood type and height, weight etc, for determining your GA requirements, if I remember rightly.

nolly hope the information evening was useful. I did grudglingly think ours was ok, having been convinced beforehand that it would be an utter waste of time.

OH was pretty chilled about the stork proposal. I think he's game to give it a go, as seeing as it a free trial with just a short survey to do afterwards, there is nowt to lose except our dignity

pip, sudocrem is going to be your best friend soon anyway. but a sore bum is a good place to start the relationship.

Why do I need sudocream? What horrors are in store for me?

tiger will you be long protocol? I think if I think about the IVF too much, I still can't get my head round it. Thanks for the tips, I do vaguely remember something about swabs so hopefully it won't take long then am going to meet some old friends for tea

Pip will the sudocreme not be for mini pip?! crosses fingers for no future bum horrors!