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???

Sorry to hear about your crap appointment lumen. I hope you can find somewhere else that suits you.

wild where does the full thyroid profile? I'm interested.

jellie sorry to hear you're feeling down. A bit of hibernation sounds like a good plan.

Hope everyone else is ok. I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a bad attitude! Grumpy as hell. Assuming that it is pmt right on cue.

Jellie PM me and I'll add you to the other group!

I reckon any fertility clinic would do the test for you Tiger - or there is a company I've used before which operates nationally and is good. I'll dig out a link for you tomorrow.

Barking I know what you mean about getting jumpy about the New Year clusterdiff, although I haven't been what you've been through. Just remember that someone getting pg/ not getting pg has no bearing whatsoever on the outcome for anyone else.

Thanks wild my logical head knows that! I guess I just don't want to get a bfp at the same time as everyone else, and then have another mc and watch everyone else be at the stage I would have been at. Again. Too close to home. But, I'm going with positive thinking on this one!

Jellie your aunt said what?! I don't think I would have bitten my tongue at that one, well done.

Jellie sounds like a tough time for you but we are all here for you. Keep thinking of your DE's in feb.

Gil I am totally bah humbug too and I normally LOVE Christmas! It's totally out of character. I do think I just want to crack on with the IVF now.

Barking I really hope the iui works for you, I will be willing you on. I do worry as well that IVF won't work, but I suppose I'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Having to pull out of a hen do too as my potential otd will be a few days before, it's out of the country so I don't want to risk it either way, not sure what to say to the hen though...

Wild so do you take noristerone (apols for spelling) then downreg then stim? Do you know how long your cycle takes?

HB that's really a thoughtless comment of your relative, I find it's usually a lack of understanding. How are you going otherwise?

Sorry to those I've missed, I can't scroll back a page!

Damn it - wrote a long post on my mobile but then someone called me and now I come back to this page and it's all disappeared!

Am about to get on my plane home now, so can't rewrite. Will speak to you berries once I get back to blighty!

Lumen if you are in London then try Zita West clinic. I had a long chat with a friend of a friend who is a GP who specialises in autoimmune disease and women's health. She had eight attempts at IVF and then chose to go there. They do all of the screening and apparently have a good outcome for "unexplained" and as she said to me it isn't unexplained, they just haven't found the reason yet. In the end she had to go for a surrogate but has twin boys as she had loads wrong with her including an infection that would not go away. I can look up the name of the Dr if you want. I haven't gone there as it would be just a little too far for me to travel, but their prices are not much more than Hampshire prices. Actually talking to her was really useful as she told me about the barrage of tests to ask for should we end up in the same position as last time.

I have to say it was a struggle to hold my tongue, especially as the relative I question used to be a nurse. I have been through this all but when I told her they had found the cyst her response then was "could that have caused the failed cycle earlier this year and did they miss it?" Again there where so many clever responses that I could have given but I decided against. To be honest, I am so used to people saying just relax that it doesn't really gets much of a rise out of me but it does cause me to question myself.

Smidge hope the flight was ok, welcome back to snowy, rainy, windy Blighty (let's weather as appropriate as the county is currently split I think)

BTW not suggesting that any of us will need to go to surrogacy........

Thx for the suggestion hb they are on my potential list. Do you still have the list of barrage of tests? Would be interested in seeing that.

barking I understand completely on missing clusterdiffs as both of my IVF cycles coincided with clusterdiffs for me but for them.

I can dig them out Lumen but the Zita website lists them nicely; they do two levels of immune testing then second of which is what is commonly know as the 'Chicago' tests. They also look at male / female antibody issues. Their website is advertising 74% success rate for the under 38s but their sample size is pretty small. George Ndukwe is the clinical director.

Cheers hb

I've also heard lots of good things about the Zita West clinic lumen apparently she makes you have a break from ttc while you do tests etc. I have read a couple of her books and they were really good and interesting. She is quite woo-y though but not as bad as Emma Cannon who thinks chicken soup solves the worlds problems

HB yep that would be difficult of she was a nurse. I can't think there's anyway they would miss a cyst though! People sometimes don't realise that being a know it all can be really unsupportive.

Here you go Tiger - advanced thyroid profile it’s the third one down in the table that you want, the advanced thyroid profile. They give you various options for where to get the test itself done.

Dr Ndukwe at Zita West apparently bases his protocols on the ARGC approach - at least I think that’s right! CRGH in London also offers some immune treatments, but not everything. There is also Dr Gorgy at Fertility and Gynaecology Academy who does all the immune tests and treatments - I think he will work in conjunction with other clinics if you would rather have the actual EC / ET somewhere else. Hope you find somewhere you like Lumen

Interesting to hear about the Create approach Spare - I'm all in favour of the throw the kitchen sink at it style myself. I personally feel that if I'm going to do it then I may as well go all out, but it depends on your personal circumstances in the end.

Beaky yes that’s right, I take the norethisterone, then down reg, then stim. The cycle will be 42 days or so + 2ww. It sounds long!

Ooh look! Christmas biscuits everyone...

It's quiet here tonight! Is everyone ok?

the dreaded lurgi has arrived, and I'm feeling a touch sorry for myself.

smidge hope you've had a good journey home!

hb I have been tempted to go for a consultation at Zita West. I like the fact that they seem to want to understand the individual rather than the conveyor belt treatment that seems to be common to the NHS and some FCs. We haven't even seen a consultant from the fertility part of the hospital, only gynae consultants. Crap.

Sorry you are both feeling bah humbug beaky and gill, I think I might join you. I was feeling festive but af is knocking at the door so feeling generally ragey instead.

Busy day yesterday as had to travel for a meeting, do last bits of Christmas shopping and then went out in the evening. I think I need a few to cheer me up! A very busy weekend ahead and I'm not really feeling up to it. Also think I'm out this month surprise surprise so I think I'll be ending my 6 weeks of not really drinking with more than a few this weekend. Boozy couple of weeks and then healthy new year! Only a week to go until we go on holiday too, phew.

Interesting to hear the discussions about various testing. I'm torn between thinking that there is nothing wrong with me, and I just need to 'do my time' ttc and eventually I will get lucky, and the other scenario that I have some undiagnosed issue that requires further testing. Thanks for the link wild I am tempted to do the advanced thyroid as my levels via the basic GP test were around 2.5 if I remember rightly, and although that is within normal range, I wonder if it is low enough.

I've had the all clear following my smear, and I'm just waiting on my AMH result now, which should be through in another week. I don't think there is anything else left that the NHS tests for that I haven't had!

Hope everyone else is ok, and has lovely weekends planned. I am going to pull myself together and cheer up!

I still hope it's not AF for you.

Tiger fantastic news that your smear was clear we have to celebrate the little things! and fx for your amh results, do let us know how you get on. I am totes jel of your holiday! It's so cold here a bit of sun would be lovely. I am really far behind with my Christmas shopping and have so much to do which I think is putting me off.

Hello berries. I've been lying low for a while continuing to test every day. I'm still convinced this is af I have to admit. Smidge it was 6dp5dt that I started feeling the grumbles and then general aches stated about 8days. Hope you have good flight over and enjoy your trip...some areas are due some snow this weekend! Not down south though...
Sorry to hear a number of you are bah humbug. I think it's one of those years...I've not bought a single Christmas present yet, neither have I put up a tree . I'd be with you on the having a bucket load of booze... get it in before the next clusterdiff in the new year.
Tiger mine was brought down to 2.4....they aim for 2.5 highest I think so you're just about ok.
I think my protocol was quite similar to a number of you in the new year...norethisterone then buselin spray then menopur injections. Wild it actually went by pretty quick! by then, you'll just be so relieved to finally start!
I have a scan booked in 29 Nov to check what's going on so please keep your fx that it is progressing well. In the nicest possible way, I'm really hoping I don't find myself back on this thread but I'm also realistic that, as we know, anything can happen.
I shall be keeping an eye on the thread every now and again and look forward to seeing how you all get on in the new year. If I can help with any ivf/icsi questions then feel free to message me otherwise, thanks for everyone's support. It's a hell of a nightmare for us all and I've really appreciated having you berries.

Pixie if you want to join the berry-copter thread it's in the pregnancy section.

beaky you're sitting on my feet. There's no room on the bah humbug bench, I've been sleeping on it since the start of December and have it reserved until January. Got my sleeping bag and everything. You and tiger will have to sit on the floor I'm afraid. You can have some rum from my hip flask if you like?

Oo I love a bit of rum, Barking or whiskey, gin, wine, fizz, anything really clearly an alco

But not vodka, funnily.

Hello berries. I'm loving being back - the weather today is glorious! I missed the air traffic control issues thankfully so had a very long day yesterday (flight arrived at 4:50am!).

Before my post was rudely lost by a phone call, I was trying to put my two penneth in re lumen and her disappointing conversation. Totally agree on wanting to have the immune testing done. I can't understand why AliG didn't do it for me first thing to be honest. Bit annoying everything being dripfed. Yet to see if it makes a difference of course, but given my NK cells are high, it feels a good idea to at least try to soak them up with this intralipid infusion thing/give them a steroid fuelled punch etc.

However, I'm not so surprised he gave you 25% stats.... Just that I'd read that blastos only have an approx 30% chance of becoming a live birth anyway (there might be a caveat there to say at our ripe old age), so I'm not hugely surprised that after two failed attempts (like me) they would bring down the odds a bit. But 25% is still a reasonable number for playing the odds I reckon. I think I've given myself 5 attempts (fresh and frozen) to get a positive if number five doesn't work I reserve the right to change this . Though I must say, I'd rather feel I've had five attempts with everything incl the kitchen sink being thrown at it, so it could be worth paying for a couple of extra tests - as long as the FC are happy to act on those results of course.

As for me, I phoned the nurses at my centre to ask about potential timing changes given my unreliable AF appears to be likely to come early this month. If she came on time, I'd be back in Sydney on day 23 in time for my bloods and to start down regging on lucrin. However, AF seems to be coming early - and of course I don't want to miss out on another month. The nurse said what I can do is start taking the pill if AF is early, then I won't need day 23 blood work, and can simply start the lucrin when it suits, overlapping 3 days with the pill. I'd then just have bloodwork done on day 2 of the stim month as normal.

Felt muchos relievos.

Am planning to use the loestrine 30 that I have leftover from my supposed fertile days rather than get a new prescription for Microgynon, but assuming that's ok... may consult Dr Google later as it seems I always need to fret over something

Tmi alert, spotting started on the plane and looked incredibly purple!! what's that about?! Seriously weird bright violet. I was tempted to take a pic in case it meant something. I've since wondered if it was just weird plane toilet lighting. (But secretly imagining something I've eaten/drunk has somehow eeked its way into my uterus lining)

In Christmassy news I have done nothing! Apart from order the M&S pants that MrSmidge wants - and will be given to him by my parents (hope he doesn't think that's weird )

On the upside, I am definitely going to be drinking this Christmas. Yay!

Parents have some fab looking liqueur chocolates (you know the liquid ones shaped like a bottle) but v disappointed to find out my mum plans to give them away as a present. Damn. Thought they were for long lost daughter returns home consumption

Glad you got back safe Smidge, must be quite a contrast in temperatures for you. Also glad you have a plan of action over the next couple of months. How long are you in the UK for and are your parents in the north or south? Hope you're not missing Mr Smidge too much yet.