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

Hi Barking, yes it's a lot cheaper than UK. With everything included in UK we would have been looking at around £5k but in Prague with flights, accommodation and everything else we are looking at between £2500 and £3000.

I am waiting for AF to arrive this weekend and then I will book my flights. I am on short protocol and have been told egg collection will be either cd13 or 14. Transfer is then 5 days later so it's fairly easy to plan dates etc. We are going over on cd12 and staying for 7 or 8 nights.

Hi guys,
Don't really know what to say, other than I'm back... Some of you might remember me, others won't, so my stats...
Sparechange, 33, TTC since Nov 2012, Got a IVF frostie BFP in Nov 14 but had to say goodbye in March. Now waiting for periods to come back so we can defrost another frostie

Lucie my egg collection ended up being cd16 as they gave the follies a bit more time to grow, I guess that's what I struggle to get my head round, not knowing when you will have to be abroad (and AF isn't predictable for me either) - having to book flights at the last minute must be expensive?
Wouldn't be an option for us anyway as we'd also be stuck to teacher holidays and DH is already away for most of August this year.
Our plan is adoption if this fails, I'm still sticking to 3.5 years as our ttc cut off. That's enough of putting my life on hold and living according to where I am in my cycle or treatment!!

Sparechange I am so, so sorry you have reason to be back here, but lovely to see you at the same time .

Aww I really hope it works for you this time barking. Sounds like you have been through a lot.

We are booking flights at the last minute and they are still only coming to £50 each. If something happened and egg collection was a day or so later than planned then I could rebook the flight home for about £20 or I may not even book the return flight until I am out there. I am lucky though in that I have been able to book a couple of weeks off work so I have some leeway

Hey Lucie That sounds reasonable and the sort of prices I was looking at with EasyJet but I did discover that they offer a service called Flexi Flights. Its where you book and pay a bit more around £70 each way but the flights can be altered by up to 3 weeks. You can also make the changes within just a few hours of your scheduled flight. It is something I am seriously considering as I like the peace of mind knowing I have something booked. The £150 on the scratch sounds reasonable too and good to know I can go just down the road for it.

That is good pont. We are actually going to fly from stansted with ryanair. They fly directly to Brno and their prices seem to stay cheap whereas easyjet have gone up too much for us. It's good if you can book early though and use the flexi fare just make sure there are no hidden charges? I think you may need to pay the additional cost of the flight if it has gone up since booking? It takes about 3 hours to get from Prague to Brno which is not far off what it takes to get from South Wales to Stansted so that could be an option for you. Ryanair also fly everyday whereas I think easyjet to Prague is only on certain days?

Some of the clinics I looked at offer an 'all inclusive' package ie the cost of accommodation/flights is included. Would probably work out more expensive than if you did it separately but would allow more flexibility with the flights. Swings and roundabouts I suppose
Spare I've been thinking of you and, as Barking said, I'm gutted that you find yourself back in Berry HQ but we are all here for you

Chlomid round three failed on Sunday, starting new and final cycle. Feeling sad

Ooh it is chatty in here today!

Welcome lucie it sounds as though you're in the right place and I'll be interested in hearing your experiences of Prague as my oh is very keen on the idea if our nhs cycle doesn't work which of course it will, positive thinking and all that but I'm undecided.

Hi pont when do you think you'll be heading to Prague?

£150 for the scratch doesn't sound too bad. (As far as paying for a horrible painful procedure goes!!) I was considering having it done privately before ivf but didn't in the end as I couldn't fit it in.

spare, sorry that you find yourself here again and so sad to think about what you had to go through. Fingers crossed this is now your time.

barking hope you're doing ok and you're not too snotty!

Patch sorry to hear you feel sad. and maybe to cheer you up.

So I've been dr for a week almost, and af is due on thurs. Am feeling a bit sore - boobs hurt and ovaries (?) hurt plus I'm massively bloated but otherwise ok. Going to brave hot yoga tomorrow I think. Not overjoyed to think I've got another 2 weeks to go!

happy very jealous of your sunshine holiday! Do you have to take anything before your FET?

How is everyone else? April tomorrow, one more day in the office then I'm on holiday! A few jobs to do then off to beaky's part of the world for a long weekend! Yay!

Hi spare, how are you doing?

tiger our clinic is running a trial next year to see if they can find evidence that the scratch is beneficial. They will currently only do a scratch if you have proven implantation issue as they claim there is no evidence it helps unless you have a problem. Can you tell I asked for one?!
Hang on in there, you can get through it! I found it helped to keep planning little nice things to do to look forward to.

happy managed to miss that you're getting some sunshine next week, must have subconsciously been and didn't register it . Hope you do indeed get some lovely weather . DH was whinging because he was supposed to be going to Turkey over Easter but the ivf got in the way . Not whinging about the ivf, just bemoaning his lost sunshine.....

I think between Jellie and Lucie and Pont we have all the experts on ivf abroad!

Interesting barking there is much that is unproven.

For some reason I'm watching obem...there was an 'older' couple who turned out to be 35! Ffs! Not sure why I decided to watch this, perhaps because it is usually banned in our house but Mr T isn't here to stop me!!

Interesting to hear all the Prague clinic details. I'm at the prices and trying not to think about how much ours is costing here.

Welcome Lucie - you seem like a real expert on the whole Prague package. I'm only sorry that you have need to be an expert on it.

Patch I'm sorry you are feeling down. The cycle of hope and then let down is very cruel and wears you down. Have a few and then back in the saddle! There's every chance you will get there in the end.

Welcome back Spare. I'm sorry you've had such a tough time. Hope your stay here will be short!

Tiger long protocol sounds like a real slog. I'm secretly glad that I didn't have to do it. Hot yoga should prove a distraction; that's something else I don't think I could hack, but you are made of sterner stuff.

DH has informed me that if the IVF works then the baby would be born in the hospital featured in obem. It is nearly 300 miles away. But it's where DH was born so that's what counts.

Good to hear from you Smidge. The whole frozen /fresh transfer question is a conundrum, just like everything with this TTC lark.

Spare so so sorry lovely. Fx AF is back to normal soon and you can do another cycle. Will it be fresh or frozen?

Barking still crossing everything here for you lady, not too long to go! Will you poas early? Hope your cold gets better but I totally recommend lots of fresh orange for vit c, hot lemon and honey with ginger and rest rest rest! (Auto correct changed that to test test test!!)

Tiger I don't know if you remember but I had odd feelings in the ovaries whilst dr around the same time, but when I read up I concluded it was because at first it floods you with the hormone that kicks your cycle into gear (i.e. stimulates your ovaries) but then it turns it off because it continues at that level - apologies for the awful explanation! I read what you said your acu lady mentioned, the clinic would increase the dosage if you weren't responding fully, is your clinic flexible about stimming length? How are you feel otherwise and how is the job? Well done on all of the water! I am really excited now about the house, I am definitely going to stock up on home magazines! And Ooo what are you doing round these parts? The weather is awful so bring warm clothes, gloves, a hat etc, of was sleet and torrential rain today!

Lucie hello and welcome, good luck for icsi!

Patch sorry clomid didn't work again for you.

Happy have an amazing holiday! I hope you get plenty of vit d bit wear factor 50 lectures everyone on sun damage rolls eyes at self

Wild that seems like no time since your last round! Well before you know it you'll have your frosties on board! How long after this cycle will you wait?

Gill how are you doing with the patches?

kuma how are you? Have been thinking of you and hope you're ok.

Pont good luck to you too for Prague. When will you go?

Minx how are you? Any sign of the referral coming through?

Nowt happening here, just waiting for next round of IVF but I really need to go on a diet too as I haven't been careful throughout the last round eek!

Sorry to anyone I've missed, hope everyone is ok!

tiger I haven't watched it for years, but flicked through and stopped on it tonight. The 'old' 35 year old made me but the lovely couple who had been TTC for 6 years and succeeded after the 3rd ivf had me sobbing.

LadyWild it's like the census in the nativity, but instead of going home to register you have to return home (to the father's home anyway) to give birth!!!!

I think if I'm ever lucky enough to be in a position where I could be approached to be filmed, I would want to, just so I could be one of those good news stories of success after long term TTC, fertility treatment and two MCs . A balance to the effortless conceptions by perfect couples and the accidental differs .

xpost beaky I'm going to try not to.....
When will you get your hands on the house? Any ideas on a date?

tuts at accidental differs, bloody willy sniffers I can't believe you lot watch oben!

Batking (again with autocorrect but didn't want to correct!) no idea yet as it depends on the survey etc but we move out of ours early may! Sending some holding off early poas power your way, come on little batbaby!

at test, test, test - totally inappropriate autocorrect.

So basically Barking I'd have to travel hundreds of miles on a donkey, just like instadiffer-in-chief the Virgin Mary.

tiger if it is any help, I had two scratches before my abandoned transfers and then didn't get round to having one before my FET where I had my bfp..!

merkin and all the other lovely berries... I'm getting there. Good days and bad days but more of the former now. The law of the sod wasn't content with just taking the baby away after our only ever bfp - it had to do it on the same 24 hour period that my best mate in the world got rushed in for a c section. So having to avoid her at the moment as well!

It is good to hear lots of berry progress stories. Especially barking. How many days til you pimp?

Just laughing at the image of LadyWild, 9 months pg, travelling 300 miles to scouseland on a donkey .

spare that's a special kind of shit timing right there . I've still not visited my mate who had her baby when my 2nd baby was due (last month). Feel guilty, but she knows the significance of the date and that I'm in the middle of the ivf and just can't face it right now. She only lives 5 minutes from our house and walks her dog in the park, sooner or later I'm going to bump into her, but need to get the ivf out of the way first. I can't imagine how much worse it must have been to have been pg with your best mate and then have it ripped away. I hadn't told her I was pg so we never 'shared' as I lost it so early.

OTD is Monday. 6 days.....

Oh gosh, turn your head away for a minute and the place is bombarded with news!

I've been doing a little bit of work hence my reduced appearance over the last week. Ridiculous reason to be honest as I'm only doing a couple of hours a day, but it somehow impacts my usual routine more than that as it's spread out across the whole day - conf calls with diff people at 9 then 11 then 2. Still, it's good to have the money and a distraction.

Tiger down regging did delay AF for me - by about 3 days I think. Keep up the water intake. I think I felt bloaty and sore mainly coz of the constant full bladder!

Wild can't beloeve you'll be on round 2 so soon. Are you properly recovered from the last EC? I think I'd be feeling very wussy at the idea of having EC in such quick succession. Still, I'm sure I'd do it if they suggested it! in fact I'm beginning to think this is the way forward. Get all the eggs first, then let the body recover and do natural FETs.

Welcome Lucie. MrSmidge and I will be coming back to England for 18months in a year's time. if the FET doesn't work maybe we'll have to look into Czech as an option then. Though I'm not sure he will be happy with the idea of continuing this saga in his long awaited career (and I suspect other ttc stresses!) break. Oh and I was another that found the scratch painful. My doc has said she won't bother next time as her research suggests it either works first time or not at all (I guess if it isn't the cause of the problem, then having it doesn't help)

happy have yourself a lovely holiday envious

Oh Spare I'm so sorry it didn't stick this time. I can't imagine how you must be feeling. I can't help but feel getting the BFP is the goal - which I know is dangerous. I hope you are taking some comfort in the fact you have achieved a BFP though, so that's one hurdle at least - now it's 'just' a case of finding the right embryo.

Patch I'm sorry you are also feeling down. Clomid doesn't seem to be the answer for many of us really. (Unless the issue is simply a lack of ovulation of course). I had 3 rounds before starting IVF, but only coz it was cheap/non invasive. Given I was already ovulating AliG never really thought it was going to do much other than regulate the timing - and sure enough, not a hint of a BFP for me. Doesn't mean IVF won't work though. What are your next steps?

Hope I haven't missed anyone.

Oh, and in some good news, I found some Thornton's Easter eggs for sale - proper UK chocolate, yay! And with the special toffee, even better . The tat they normally sell over here under the generic 'chocolate' banner is just rubbish

Oooo, special toffee is my favourite smidge! Not had any in years and now you've got me drooling at 3am!

When is FET smidge?

How weird, I had some Special Toffee yesterday. Not sure I've ever had it before., think I may have lost a few fillings!
Tiger we are going au naturel on the FET so no drugs beforehand but I'll be on Clexane and one bum bullet a day afterwards.
Gill how are you getting on?
Feeling rotten today and I've got a million things to do.
Hope everyone else is ok, almost the long weekend Berries.

Ah, lovely Clexene, happy
Did you get bruises from it?
Smidge Great chocolate news! Although I'm also getting flashbacks to that toffee. Doesn't it also come in a big slab, so you have to twist and twist and twist and twist a corner until a bit comes off and then get really sticky hands? or just chew the whole thing