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

Gill that's good news, hopefully it'll all be smooth sailing from now on in....yay!

Barking for personal experience I found the pain of the failure of the second round easier to cope with. Don't get me wrong, it was still really hard to process and get my head around but I knew what to expect. I do begrudge the money spent to date, but some of that is because of how close we were to the cut off age (1 week) so I struggle with that a bit, but we do learn something from the failed cycles and it does give me (on my good days) some hope for the next one. The biggest fear for me is what we do after this next cycle and I am struggling with that at the moment. I hope that that helps in some small way; it is so easy to feel alone when there is just you and DH experiencing it in the here and now. Whilst we all experience it differently though, you are not alone and i know that whatever happens I will be forever thankful for finding the berries.

Barking I did find it easier second time around, although without even getting a fertilised egg I didn't have to go through the 2ww again. Its such a rollercoaster of emotions because you build yourself up slowly to the treatment with the hope that 'this is the time it is going to work' and then when it doesn't you are dropped right back down to the bottom again immediately. I found it hard that few people really understand what a blow it is and you don't really get a lot of sympathy - although sympathy isn't quite the word I mean, maybe empathy, but I'm sure you understand. I also experienced the anger of not being able to control things when the cycle failed and wanted to immediately try again, even though that wasn't really a sensible idea. A couple of weeks down the road I feel comfortable to try again in June, which fits my schedule and I no longer have this feeling of urgency to do something now to avoid more lost time.

I don't regret the money I have spent, even though my first (private) cycle didn't work - it was something I needed to do. We've decided to do third cycle, but my current thinking is that it will be my last - partly because of my age. Whatever decision you make needs to be the right one for you, and even if you feel inclined to make decisions right away, it probably helps to give it a week or so to clear your head.

Gill Amazing news, so exciting that it is finally happening. I can't say I'm surprised the nurse didn't know what was going on - I don't think they bother to read their files! Probably don't have the time.

barking hope you managed to get through the day at work. There must be so much going round in your head. I don't have any experience of the situation but my obvious and not that helpful advice would be take time to think through all your options and work through the scenarios.

Such a bunch of strong ladies on here, I feel a bit tearful reading everyone's posts. You're all wonderful

Great news gill, I'm so pleased for you! Time to get the kids onboard. DR is going fine. I've had limited symptoms really, bit of wakefulness and hot flushes but nothing major. I'm over half way now, scan next Thurs. Can't wait to move things on but I'm a bit nervous too. Mr T and I are taking just over two weeks off though and I'm quite looking forward to that.

Hope everyone else is ok. I'm going to bed!

Kuma - glad you've got a plan in place and June will be round before you know it. At least it gives you some time to knock back the supplements and get into tip top condition. I think my notes are getting to be pretty hefty so that probably put the nurse off. It is worrying that she automatically thought we had blasts in the freezer. I'm sure they'd have got round it but I bet a lot if people just take everything the nurses/doctors say for granted and don't question anything.

Looks like we may be sharing some of the 2ww Lucie!

Are you having your scan tomorrow Spare? Fingers crossed that you'll be given the go ahead.

Just wondering how things are going to pan out with work over the next few weeks. The next 2-3 weeks are often my busiest in the work year and ideally I'd like to take a few days off here and there. There's no issue physically but just don't want to get stressed about things and end up working really late which has happened in previous years. DH is going to have to get someone else to lead an important meeting so he's not impressed with the timing although is obviously delighted that we have been given the green light to move onto the next stage.

I guess the next biggest worry will be if the kids survive the defrosting process. It's non-stop this worrying malarkey isn't it!

Barking, so sorry to hear about your cycle not working. Like the other ladies i too found the 2nd failure easier to bear than the first. I hope you're coping with work etc x

Gill - glad you've got the go ahead for your frozen transfer! Not long to wait! Is that medicated or unmedicated?

Hi everyone ends hope you're all doing okay x miss you lot!

I see there are a couple more ladies going abroad for treatment! Good luck, if you want any advice etc please do message me directly

Thanks for sharing kuma and hb, it does help to hear other perspectives.

Kuma what you said about a lack of sympathy, but really empathy, made me think of video.
My mate, who was in my bad books last week for sending a text simply saying 'Are you pregnant?' redeemed herself today by just texting to say she can't imagine what I'm going through and she was thinking of me. This is a huge improvement on her empathising with my situation after we'd been trying 2 years as she knew what it was like to be disappointed when AF arrived as it took her 4 months to conceive her 2nd (1 month to conceive her first).

Ponsian I have to admit, depending on what we discover relating to nk cells, and what happens with the frozen cycle and if we can learn anything, there is a tiny part of me that thinks it might be worth having a sneaky look at this Prague option, while previously I was dead set on my 3.5 year deadline, and not throwing money at private ivf.

A real quick one from me ...
So glad you have a FET date set Gill. You've been so patient. And now, yes, it is time to start fretting about the thaw.

Barking hope you are bearing up ok. It is incredible to read everyone's experiences and be reminded what an heroic bunch you all are.

Tiger I bet you will be glad to finish with the down reg and get onto the next stage.

AF started for me today so I will soon be stimming again - so long as can get drugs and paperwork sorted in time!

Hello to everyone else.

Ohh great we may be sharing some of the 2ww Gilster. Will be good to have someone else to share it with.

If you do want any advice on treatment in Prague in future Barking I will be happy to help.

Did my first Menopur injection this evening. I was a little nervous about mixing it all but I was really surprised that I didn't feel a thing when I put the needle in so I'm pretty happy with that. Have a scan booked for Monday and Wednesday next week and then have my flight booked to czech a week friday ready for egg collection . It's all happening!

Barking, hope work today was bearable, have been thinking of you

Gill hooray, pom-poms at the ready for you! I'm so pleased you will get to defrosting stage and come on little frosties is my pompoming chant! You will be having your FET when I start the pill again that sounds so bizarre!

Tiger that's not long now! I know you mentioned in an earlier post about AF being on time, well mine was too and I still had a good week and a half to dr after that. As Gill says, 3 weeks seems to be standard. How's work going at the mo? I'm going to stock up on the house mags soon, getting a bit excited!

Kuma June will be here in no time, are too going to change clinic?

Wild great news that you can get going again! Will you wait a cycle in between before doing FET or go straight ahead on the next cycle?

HB what is your next steps? Sorry if you said already.

I want to loose a bit of chub berries. I'm a terrible yoyo dieter and have tried loads of different ones but struggle to keep weight off. Does anyone have any recommendations? My will power is absolutely shit at the moment too.

Is anyone up for having a new list? There's a lot going on and I can't keep up!

Sorry lucie I missed your post! Well done on your injections and I'll keep the pompoms handy for you too, not long to wait til EC really!

gil heroic is right. All you IVF berries are tough nuts, even if you don't always feel it. Fab news on your FET, will be rooting for you

lucie and wild good luck with the stimming, eyes on the prize!

beaky I've shifted 1.5 stone since new year on weight watchers. I am a goals and rules person, so it suits me well! it was pretty easy to get into and I've found it even easier to stick at as you don't have to cut anything out completely. Has definitely changed my whole attitude to food and making sensible choices instead of drinking all the gin and eating all the cake

pont we're with the nhs. fortunate to have a pretty generous IVF policy where we are, so very grateful for that. Hoping there will be some other June/July cycle buddies! (kuma, nolly???)

Gill great news that you're finally getting going! How many embies are you having put back? Always a but worrying when the professionals don't quite know what's going on - good job we're on the ball! For my last cycle the nurse wrote on my schedule to inject 50iui of Buserelin. When I asked why this had changed from the 30 I injected on the first cycle she said (after much scanning through my notes) oh yeah sorry it is 30 - I thought you were long protocol .
Beaky I find the My Fitness Pal app really good for keeping an eye on diet and exercise. It's basically just calorie counting but you can 'friend' people so they can keep an eye on you too. I'm on there and there were a few other Berries on there before they went on to have their bambinos. I mostly use it just to keep an eye on my weight and what I'm eating/the exercise I'm doing rather than for any serious weight loss as I'm absolutely rubbish at dieting I'm aiming more to tone up. You could also use it alongside WW/SW if you wanted.
Hope everyone else is ok. Last few days in España and the weather has turned rubbish. Was so windy last night it was a struggle to stand! Oh well at least I'm in a nice hotel and get some quality time with DH. Have a lovely day all.

That's great gil - how exciting to be finally on the way!

wild, Lucie, good luck with stimming. We're due a bunch of luck around here by now.

good to see you rain. officialyl I'm due to start in August... so could be cycle buddies - ish.

scan on thurs tiger. how are you feeling about it all - symptoms calmed down?

beaky new list is a good idea. WRT exercise and weight - I just book classes as then I am too ashamed to not go to them. it's the only way. I am absurdly lazy so I need some serious incentive to do it.

nolly, 33. currently on cycle 30 :( awaiting IVF August, 2015. Alone for the summer with a bunch of Colombian builders as DH off to Save the World.

Barking
How are things today? Hope you and DH are as well as you both can be...
Are you going to get the NK cells test or just ask them to prescribe you the steroids next time?

Gill
I think we might be transfer and 2ww buddies... I've got a scan at midday to see how things are looking, plus some blood tests to see if my thyroid has settled (it was too low a month ago and is now too high. Grrrr)
Are they transferring them as blasts? Ours are also PN1, and they plan to try and get them to day3, but last time they all perished on the first day and they had to transfer one they'd defrosted that morning.

lucie Another 2ww buddy hopefully!

wild Great news on your next round. This all has the making of a berry cluster....

Beaky Loads of my friends have got one of those jawbone wristbands and swear by it. You can use the app to log your food as well, and it also works out how much sleep you need, so you are less likely to comfort eat because you are tired. They are currently £50 on amazon, but everyone I know raves about them... My friend has lost nearly a stone just by making it her mission to take her required number of steps every day

spare plodding through one day at a time... Feeling totally exhausted today, which isn't great as we're going on an Indian cookery course tonight which is 3.5 hours long!!!

I'm going to get the nk cells tested. My consultant is not one for doing anything unless there's a clinically proven benefit. I want to know for my own piece of mind anyway.

Happy sorry about the less than perfect weather, hope it improves. I'm sulking because the weather here is lovely and I'm stuck in a hot office while DH is out having fun with the dog!!

beaky I'd go for exercise over diet every time. If I try and deny myself any food it's all I crave... I try to consciously eat well rather than deliberately avoid anything, hopefully I'm then not hungry and craving the bad stuff.

Lucie if the frozen cycle fails I may well take you up on that! going against everything I ever said about this was the last try

Hey Lucie how are you doing today with your injections? Hope its as easy as the first time. Were these drugs sent by the clinic in Prague and are your scans going to happen at Llantrisant?
Hope you are ok Barking and what do you mean by nk testing?

pontsian
NK cells are natural killers cells, which some people produce. They see embyos as foreign bodies and attack them. It is still a relatively new area of medicine but there is a growing body of evidence to suggest it is a big factor in unexplained infertility.
There is a test that can be done to detect the cells, and if they are there, you are put on steroids which suppress the immune system enough to give the embie a chance in the early weeks.

Because the test is new and expensive and only available in a handful of hospitals, some consultants prescribe the steroids when they suspect NK cells, others will only do it after a test.
Some clinics, like ARGC, will try and treat the cells, but it can take up to a year to get them down to a level where they will start ivf...

Thanks for the tips berries. Rain how is ww these days? I did the points one many moons ago and found I was always too low on the points so I would eat a choc bar to boost them! eejit well done on the 1.5 st! That's fantastic

Happy boo to the weather, hope it improves before you come back. Do you have another week off after this one? I have my fitness pal but I'm flaky and need someone to keep a check on me!

Nol how long is MrN away? Doing his good work bless him! Have you moved now then or are you just exchanged?

Spare how did the dildocam and bloods go? Hope you got the go ahead.

Barking can you not get signed off for the rest of the week? Your Indian cooking class sounds brilliant, but not with the exhaustion. Will you get the NK testing done privately then?

I am so crabbit today, don't know what's up with me. I wish I had a reason for being so mood swingy instead of just being irrational!

I have the same problem some days beaky although not when there are Easter eggs lying around . It's total gamification, but that works for me! I'd rather do exercise alone a la barking, but unfortunately to actually lose weight it is majority down to what you're putting in your gob! I don't go to meetings, that is not me at all, I just have the apps! Let me know if you decide to give it another go, I'll gladly be your remote weigh in buddy!

Got a ton of paperwork to complete for the clinic before DHs staff test, but have spent this evening procrastinating choosing new towels. I'm sure a psychologist would have something to say about that!

Barking, hope you are ok or as well as you can be.

Pont, I am good thanks, did my second injection tonight and again it was fine and pretty painless. I did get my medication from the clinic in Czech. I had intended on finding a pharmacy in the UK but I shopped around quite a bit and they were a lot cheaper out there. The lady in the pharmacy has been fantastic and so trusting she sends out all the drugs without any payment and doesn't chase up at all lol.

I am booked into llantrisant on Monday and Wednesday next week for the scans. Feeling a little nervous about them but fingers crossed they will be ok.

I wanted to ask if anybody here normally ovulates quite early like around cd10 or 11 and if so what day you started taking the cetrotide or equivalent on short protocol? My first scan is not until cd8 and I'm panicking that might be leaving it a little late to start with the cetrotide?

Beaky is it AF on the way which is making you crabby? It's usually a big warning sign for me. I'm glad you asked for chub-shifting tips - the Berries have come up with some really interesting suggestions. I'll be putting them into practice myself after this cycle.

I got the go ahead to start stimming from tomorrow. It will be a freeze all cycle Spare. I have very low AMH so the FC suggested doing two rounds if stimms and freezing all resulting embryos, then we will do a FET, probably in June. The FC would do it in the cycle following this one ie. May but we are going on holiday and I don't want a date clash.

I've been given some kind of steroid to take during stimms, it's called dexamethosone. The nurse said it's supposed to help with egg quality. I was a bit surprised because egg/ embryo quality seemed fine last time and I wondered why I was suddenly being prescribed something new. The most likely thing is that somehow that just didn't get prescribed last time when actually I should have been taking it. Oh well.

Barking how are you getting on, my lovely? And how is your DH doing. It's good to mull over some possibilities and come up with a fresh plan. I agree with everyone who said that if the time comes to walk away then you will know.

Kuma so nice to hear that you are making progress. It's exciting that you are going for another cycle. I think you once advised me to take TTC decisions which would leave me with no regrets or 'what ifs...?' Sound advice. Will you be on all the drugs this time around?

Lucie my pattern was to ovulate on day 11 and day 13 in alternate months. I took the Cetrotide from CD8 on my last round and all was well, it did the trick and EC was on schedule on CD14. Hope tonight's injections went just as smoothly.

Happy I'm smiling to think of you being blown over by Spanish wind. Glad you are looking on the bright side and enjoying some time with DH.

at Rain's towels. Which ones are you getting? (Nosey)

Lucie I had short protocol in July last year, and started my cetrotide on cd 6. (Yet my cycles are normally quite long - Though I guess the stimms will bring me back in line) My blood tests showed my LH was increasing despite the cetrotide so was told to take an extra dose of it on cd 10, when I also had to take the trigger shot that night.

My subsequent 2 rounds of ivf have been long protocol as a result. Though to be fair I still got 7 mature eggs (and 3 immature) from the short protocol.

Wild back on the stimms! It's all go . What day do they freeze them? Sorry if I've asked this before - info not sticking in brain not just beans and womb then

Rain I like your new towel procrastination method . But tell me - when the new towels arrive, do you actually throw out the old ones? I have a cupboard full of old sheet/duvet sets and towels that I somehow can't bear to part with, despite having no room. (They're even vacuum-packed hence the chance of me using them again is even more slim...yet I still can't throw them away! )

I'm back on the peesticks this week . Got a solid smiley face on the Clearblue and a darker line on the basic ones. MrSmidge is on a promise tonight oh but why do I do this to myself..?!! In a week I'll be spotting again and as disappointed as ever

Oh and updated stats for me...

Smidge 38, TTC since Jan 2013. Unexplained. IVF#1 Short protocol July 14 - 1 blasto, BFN. IVF#2 (Nov 14) & IVF#3 (Feb 15, also included immune treatments) both Long Protocol BFNs after transferring 1 blasto. Hoping our frozen embie will stick.

smidge see if there is a dog rescue near you - we donate old towels, pillows and duvets (or dooners if you're in oz lol!) to our local greyhound kennels. They're always crying out for them. When's your FET? Still think keeping on trying is the way forward - you never know - there have been a few berries with natural pregnancies following failed ivf.

Maybe they want to try one cycle with the steroid and one without wild. Your clinic's approach seems very sensible, I wonder why more places don't work like that? Are you in London?

lucie I start menopur in a week so won't be too far behind you. What dose are you on? My clinic won't scan me until I've been stimming for 9 days, and with 3 weeks of DR my cycle will be completely out of whack.

Big hugs for you crabby little beaky. I hope you feel more cheery today. For a week before af I first get weepy then angry! If only I was nearer to you, I have a stack of home magazines from the last 3 years! I find choosing stuff so hard - this week I have mainly been agonising thinking about what glass we should have in our new front door. This is not an easy decision! Work is going well thanks - busy enough to distract but not stressful. I'm another one for my fitness pal. I use it when I can feel myself getting a couple of pounds heavier. My weight fluctuates a lot and although my BMI is right in the middle of the normal range I can carry some podge if I don't watch it. I opt for smaller portion sizes, lots of veg and a little bit of what I fancy chocolate addict rather than giving up everything nice. I also find that weighing food stops me from overeating.

Well done on the weightloss rain I'm impressed! Hope you managed to get the paperwork done and choose some nice new towels!

spare how was the scan?

nolly the symptoms aren't too bad really now af has more or less left the building. I feel well in myself but I'm spotty and last night I woke up boiling - think I'm hitting the menopausal stage! Are your Colombian builders hot?! Hopefully your DH being away will fly by, time for a new hobby maybe?

barking hope the Indian cookery course proved a good distraction and you're feeling ok today.

happy hope the last few days of your hols are lovely!

Only one more week of DR to go...this time next week I will have had my scan!

Oh and my stats:

Tigerdog, 34, ttc since December 2012. Unexplained. First IVF underway, long protocol and due to start stimming on 16 April.