Toot, Toot. Calling all dirty chicks! Jump aboard the charabanc with Barry & The Berries. Destination BFP" (thread 26)

[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.

Current passengers:

Happylass, 37, TTC since Aug 2012. 2 failed ICSIs. Time to defrost the spare.
Beaky 35, ttc coming up 3 yrs, 2x failed iui 1x long protocol ivf cancelled due to poor response. Awaiting follow up with FC and possibly short protocol IVF next.
Minx, 34, both tubes blocked, 1 buried ovary, appointment with consultant early March.
Nolly, 33, TTC 2.5 years, BFP Christmas Eve, MC New Years Eve. Awaiting "spontaneous conception" before IVF starts, August 2015.
Wild 40 - TTC for three years. IVF double-stimms freeze all embryos cycle started in February - due to complete May/June.
HampshireBlues 36 TTC 3.5 years, unexplained. Cycle 1 chemical pregnancy, cycle 2 abandoned due to cyst, cycle 3 failed. Plan thrombotic profile, scratch and short protocol.
Lumen, 35, ttc since Nov 2011, unexplained, two IVF cycles in 2014, both bfns, waiting for lap&dye and results of numerous bloods, aiming for one last IVF cycle in the summer.
Tigerdog, 34 ttc since Jan 2013. Unexplained. Starting ivf in March.
Gillster, 40, TTC since Feb 2012. Had IVF in Feb 14 and had 6 one cell embies frozen due to polyp. Cancelled FET cycles in Sept 14 and Dec 14 due to more polyps. Awaiting hysteroscopy before commencing natural cycle FET. Hoping to be at least PUPO on the 4th attempt!
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
Kuma - 40. TTC 2 years. Low AMH high FSH - DH antisperm ABs. Failed IVF June 14 and two cancelled IVFs Nov and Dec 14 due to poor blood results. Hoping for another try at natural cycle IVF end of Jan.
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. BFP Feb '15

Smidge we were told that 98% of frosties survive the thaw so you'd have to be pretty unlucky to be one of the 2% but this still scares the hell out of me given that we've only got the one frostie I think it was Wild who posted the article but our consultant told us there is research going on at the moment in to the 'window of opportunity' for implantation. Apparently whilst the progesterone prevents the lining from breaking down during IVF the womb is the most receptive to embryos 5dpo. We had ET on cd23 last cycle and given that my cycles are usually only 25/26 days it would make sense that my palace is not at it's most receptive to embryos at this time. But then given that you don't OV naturally for IVF I'm not sure how that's relevant? Could it be that the lining is just too old for implantation by then maybe?
Yes Gill I fear I am the only teacher Berry still here Still, happy holidays to me!!

Congratulations on bing PUPO Barking going away sounds like a good idea.

Every clinic has a duty to let you know that defrosting has risks, but so does the whole IVF process. Ours try to dissuade you from trying a frozen transfer with only one frostie as a precaution (hence why I'm still having fresh cycles) but they are very good at this whole process and I think that the stats that Happy has mentioned are about right. Interestingly a lot of clinics have better pregnancy rates with frozen cycles than fresh.

HB we were also told that there is a lot of research going in to the success rates of fresh compared to frozen cycles. At the moment it is leaning towards frozen. The results are due early next year and the consultant says that it may change everything and could be the end of fresh cycles.
Barking you haven't got too long to wait to test. My clinic sets OTD at 14dp5dt! I guessing I won't have nearly as long to wait after the FET (anyone know?). Even though it's a natural cycle I'll still be using 1 Cyclogest a day so not sure if this'll keep AF at bay?

Thanks Happy and HB, those stats help put my mind at rest for the moment. I think our 5dt have all been 5-7 days earlier than a natural 5dpo for me, so am clinging to the idea that a natural FET will be the answer for us! I have two frosties happy but one is pretty poor quality (well, was good enough to freeze but was at the bottom end of the scale) and the other is average - so am now hoping that our issue has been timing rather than egg quality!

I agree it's a bit mysterious though about the receptiveness of the uterus - it makes sense that just coz they've pumped me with progesterone and made the lining thick, that doesn't necessarily mean the cells are receptive as such...but at the same time, given all the drugs in a fresh ivf, how would your body know when normal timing is anyway?

I've said it before and I'll say it again.....I think they make it up as they go along!

Where is everyone?? Quiet times.
Barking what was the news on your other embies?

Quiet in here

How are we all? Hope our pupo lady barking is doing ok?

Happy holidays happy! I'm not sure why OTD varies so much between clinics. Presumably it is roughly 14 days from EC no matter what, but some clinics must advise later testing to avoid false negatives.

I agree hb it all seems a bit trial and error.

beaky is the house purchase all moving as planned? I bet you are very excited! Have you started buying home magazines? I got a bit addicted to them. Pinterest is a better (and cheaper) way of finding good home ideas.

I'm fine except for a bit of bloating, which tbh I would expect at this point in my cycle. I'm not sure that the DR is going to delay af by much - did others find that it did? I feel like it is on its way and 3 weeks DR seems like ages suddenly. My acu lady reckons I might need more than the 150ml of menopur if I've been switched off for that long. What doses were you all on?

I'm struggling to drink 3 litres of water, I must have had a pee every hour at work today! sure you all wanted to know that

happy no news and I'm not inclined to call to ask as I don't want bad news!!
tiger I'm one big bag of mucus. Proper, full on cold. Good work on the three litres of water, it's a struggle for me, usually end up topping up before I go to bed then having to get up to wee!!!

I put 'ivf' into Pinterest and then really wished I hadn't. It's full of tips on how to help it succeed, which of course I'm not doing as I only just read about them, so then you start thinking....
Just best not to go there once you've started!!!!!

hope you're not feeling too grotty and that it's actually a good sign...

I have found that the more I drink during the day, the less likely I am to need a night time wee. My london flatmate also tested my theory and voila - drinking more water stopped the night time weeing. We have bonded over our dodgy bladders like a couple of old ladies!!

I would never have thought to put ivf into Pinterest!

That's shocking Barking that the FC hasn't given you an update on the embies. I totally understand why you don't want to call them, but they shouldn't keep you hanging no matter what the result. That's very poor in my opinion.

Sorry you're feeling grotty Barking.

Tiger I smiled at your tales of swapping wee habits with your flatmate.
Good work on the water drinking everyone. Keep knocking it back.

I've been taking the Norethisterone for round two of stimms. I finish the tables on Wednesday, so expecting AF at the weekend and then baseline scan.

Hi there, can I join you please?

I am about to begin my first ICSI treatment abroad! I have a endo scratch booked today and then should be starting stimms just after the weekend with egg collection 13 days later. Feeling nervous and excited all rolled into one!

Hi lucie and welcome. Sorry you find yourself here but you're in the best place. Where are you going for your ICSI? We've had a Berry get diffed with twins recently after DE IVF in Prague.
Just been for a smear ladies and the nurse said 'this may be a bit uncomfortable but I'll be as gentle as I can'. I so felt like saying 'Thanks love but after 2xEC, 2xET, a scratch, a HSG and 101 dildocams I think I'll be ok'. Good news is that there isn't any mention of our private cycles on my NHS records. Is there any other way they could possibly know? HFEA maybe?
Barking hope you're feeling better. I too have the sniffles but I'm consoling myself with the fact that I'm off to sunny España on Thursday for a cheeky week away with DH.
Hope everyone else is ok. Quiet times in Berry HQ.

Hey Berries, hope everyone has been ok and Barking good luck! keeping everything crossed and it all works out.

Happy - I too am on hols at the moment so you are not alone, just hope the weather improves! Also interesting to read about the NHS not having notes on private treatment, hope that is the case.

I can't remember if I said I had been in contact with the clinic in Prague but I had a positive reply back to my enquiry. The lady, Ditta, suggested I contact my gynae and ask for all notes/records to be sent to me then forwarded to her also to make an appt. to discuss things with gynae. Well, typical NHS Wales, my appt. won't be for another 7 weeks (6 now) and the consultants sec. is off sick and because of Data Protection rules I have to ask in writing for my notes, (email) then they will post everything out. The lady covering said this would take about 15-20 days excluding weekends! Yet another reason to be thoroughly disillusioned by the NHS here.

Lucie - Hi again! I was only thinking about you the other day and that your treatment has got to start soon. How have you found the process so far? I'd love to know as I have been contact with the clinic and would like to have treatment there this summer.
What is an endo scratch and stimms?

Hope everyone else is good xx

Hi happy and pont! Thanks for the welcome. So pleased you are going ahead with the treatment pont they have been really good so far!

Happy, I am also having my treatment in Czech. We just couldn't justify the price in the UK and the success rates seem better. Can't wait for a little holiday too.

The scratch is a simple procedure a bit like a smear where they make a couple of scratches in your womb lining the cycle before you begin ivf. As they are healing they release hormones and chemicals which are meant to help with implantation and therefore increase success rates.

Stimms are the stimulation drugs that you take at the start of your treatment to get the follicles to grow.

Do you have any of your blood test results pont as they are the main things that they need. You could probably just ring your gp and ask for a print out of them. That is what I did and I was able to collect the same afternoon.

Hi barking just checking in to say congrats on being pupo!! When will you know?

Pont which hospital is this with? We had all our initial tests at Royal Glam and to be fair they were great with giving us our results to take to CRGW. I emailed the secretary and she posted them within a day or two. Initially she didn't send all the ones I needed so I had to ask again and they did send the right ones then. Hopefully things will be a bit quicker for you than they've said, it definitely wasn't 15-20 days for us. Can you emphasise that you need them urgently in your email? They've only got to print them and pop the in the post.
Lucie hope your scratch goes well, I had one a few months back and really didn't find it too bad - just a bit crampy.

I've just come out of CRGW for my scratch. I found it quite painful. The scratching itself was not too bad, very crampy but bearable but I found the clamp on my cervix painful :( Maybe i am a wimp lol. Really hope I don't need that again anytime soon!

Where are you with your treatment happy? Are you cycling at CRGW? We were due to have treatment there but struggled with the costs. We have had all our tests, dildo cams etc there though apart from a few blood tests at the doctors and they are so lovely!

Did you have much bleeding after your scratch or did it affect when AF arrived?

Sorry you found it unpleasant Lucie. The nurse said most people do and I know other Berries have. I must have a high pain threshold! I've had 2 ICSI cycles at CRGW. Unfortunately neither was successful (and yes it is bloody expensive!!) but we have just 1 frostie left over from our first cycle so we'll be having that put back in about a months time. Failing that we'll either wait on our NHS turn or look in to going abroad. I teach though so I'm a bit limited as to when I can travel.
I had a bit of brown gunk after the scratch but no bleeding as such. I think I was on the Norithisterone in preparation for ICSI when I had the scratch so that was controlling my cycles.

Lucie sorry to that it was painful. Did you have to pay for the endo scratch at CRGW and are these results then forwarded to the clinic in Prague? Also how have you organised your accommodation? I saw on the website they have a deal with the local Holiday Inn for £50 a night. I have already looked into a cheaper alternative though that my brother suggested where you rent someone's whole apartment for around £30-£45 a night. Sorry of I am bombarding you with questions!
Happy My gynae is based at Gwent where I have had one appt but most of my appt. and the op have all been at the Ystrad Mynach hospital.

Pont the scratch at CRGW costs £150. I think they also charge for copies of your records (£25?) although I don't know if this applies if you've just had tests there. The scratch is the only procedure (other than the actual ICSI) that I had done there. I had all other tests (bloods/HSG) on the NHS before I went private.

Welcome Lucie, one question I've always had with treatment abroad - how long do you have to stay in Prague? Presumably they can't predict when ec will be exactly, or when they will do the et, so there has to be a little leeway? I'm assuming even paying for accommodation and flights still makes it cheaper than in the UK?

rp thanks, otd is Monday .

Yes it was £150 for the scratch. There are no results to forward really. It's just a procedure that is done to help with implantation. With the other tests at crgw they have been happy to print off anything I need and haven't charged.

Most of the people I have spoken to including myself have booked accommodation on booking.com just make sure you get one of the rooms with free cancellation. That means you can log back on and cancel anytime normally up to a couple of days before arrival of your dates change. I booked a couple of places at first and then cancelled one when I had made my mind up. They have apartments and hotels on there at a range of prices so you can choose whatever takes your fancy. We are staying the first 4 nights in Brno and then going to Prague for 2 nights and then back to Brno for 2 nights for egg transfer.

Oooh, EVERYTHING crossed!!

Barking when I looked in to travelling abroad it said to allow 10 days for a fresh cycle, 7 for donor egg and 2 for donor embryo. That may just have been in the clinic I was looking at though. It does work out cheaper even when factoring in flights and accommodation. Definitely an option that I'm not ruling out but I think realistically it'd have to be summer or Easter hols for me.