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

Barking back when I used to monitor OV I had a few cycles when I had all the signs (EWCM, positive OPK, OV pain) around cd12 which was my normal OV time buy no temp rise. The signs then came back around cd16/17 when I did get a temp rise. I'm sure I read somewhere that if your body fails to OV on the first attempt it'll have another go so don't give up. Is this your first natural cycle since the IVF? If so expect it to be longer.
I too am awaiting OV. Haven't monitored it in so long though that I'm not really sure if it's still cd12 (which is today!). Hope it bloody hurries up though, the digi sticks cost a fortune!

Happy monday berries!
Sorry for my absence. I tried to block out 2ww stress by avoiding the thread for a few days, and missed lots!
lucie gill How are you, my pupo buddies?! Hope you've been looking after yourselves?
wild More great news!
smidge welcome back! Good to see your name again...
Barking Sending lots of positive vibes your way...

That's interesting happy, I got the OPKs out of the cupboard again this month, and had the peak (using both the standard and the pricey dual-digis) registering on Thurs 9th April. Would assume that means ovulation by Saturday 11th. So theoretically AF due 2 days ago. Not yet come (though have had 6 days of my usual spotting so don't you berries start telling me to pimp ).

Anyway, my point is maybe I have a double peak, with ovulation on the second one..? Might explain my longer cycles. I've never temped though so I guess I can't tell. And as ever, I suspect luteal phases don't have to be 14 days long no matter what all the literature/doctors tell you.

barking that really would leave people scratching their heads if they didn't know about the ivf . Hope your cycle plays ball and ovulation is on its way.

Spare hope you're doing ok and the 2ww stress isn't getting to you. Same for you gill.

Scan was good today, right ovary was a bit lower and they don't think there will be an issue. I was feeling a bit anxious beforehand but I'm relieved that it is all looking good. Different consultant and first time I've had a bloke do the scanning, he was nice enough but it would be nice to see the same people for a bit of continuity. My response has been pretty decent - 17 follicles on the right, 6 of which are 15+ and 13 on the left, one of which is 15 but most are less than 10. Lining is looking good at 10mm. They've given me one last bumper dose of menopur of 300 for today and then trigger tonight at 11pm for egg collection on Weds at 11am.

tiger That is GREAT news! Sounds like you are going to have quite the haul on Weds.
Hope you aren't feeling too uncomfortable at the moment?

tiger bloody hell, sounds like you're on track for a whopping haul .
And yes, if I ended up having to go through the frozen cycle on my own while DH was out of the country for a month and it worked, that would make a very amusing scenario .

smidge don't get me started on the 'all women have a 14 day lp'.

happy that is interesting. If this cycle is mega long, then it might just push next cycle into the dates working for the biopsy....

I can't believe I just used the word mega. I feel a little .

Hello Berries - just popping in and catching up with a week of posts - I had such a busy week last week I didn't even get a chance to read the thread, let alone post!

Wild Great news on your embies - double figures is fantastic - makes me question AGAIN whether to do the double stim cycle or another natural cycle.... sigh

Lucie great to hear you are now PUPO with two on board, everything crossed for you!

Gill, Spare - I hope your last few days of the 2ww are going OK and you are not feeling too tense.

Tiger that sounds like an amazing number of follies, I hope you are not feeling too uncomfortable!

Barking sorry to hear your body is messing you around. I'm at CD 22 and don't think I've ovulated, and I didn't even have any stimms last month, just the trigger shot. I'd normally expect AF in the next few days so have no idea where I am. I'm away on business for a week, leaving Friday, so would prefer AF to keep away as there are long haul flights involved... nobody wants to be wrestling with a mooncup in a plane bog!

Hi Minx, yes have Pimms, it's definitely the season, and it has fruits in it which is part of your 5 a day

Not much news from me really, DH and I had a chat about doing more cycles and he was in favour of doing another natural cycle or two, rather that fork out on stimms when my response was so poor last time. Still popping lots of pills and am another one with loads of spots, which I get from the DHEA, not massive ones, thankfully, but loads and loads of tiny ones all over the place .

Had a bit of a moment this weekend when I caught up with a friend of mine. She doesn't have a great record when it comes to her love life and has a 10y/o with her ex-H, she must have been in 10 or so relationships since her marriage broke down and has very recently met another guy who she is really keen on, and is now talking about getting pg. I swear if she instadiffs I will actually implode.

I'm so glad that your right ovary has dropped a bit Tiger. It's great they can get to all those lovely eggs and shouldn't leave you too sore. Smidge's story about being sick on the way home was not one you would want to follow.

Nice to see you Smidge - it's good that you have been busy and are back on the property ladder. And interesting chat on the cell development of embryos.

Barking - please, please get knocked up while your DH is out of the country, that would be amazing.

Happy -your slow cooker FB group made me chortle, just it's very existence amused me. With regard the baby-jacking, could you perhaps post a method for slow-cooking babies?

Kuma - the decisions are so hard. I went for the option of spending all the cash in one splurge and accepting that we almost certainly won't go again.

Spare, Lucie and Gill thinking of our PUPO Berries and hoping the 2ww is bearable for you all.

Boo to acne. I've decided to do a detox diet to get back on track after all those horrible drugs. My weight, skin and general bounce are not what I would like. I'm hoping that a detox of no alcohol or caffeine, and very little sugar, salt, gluten will improve matters.

Nice work on the detoxing wild. I have been trying to eat healthily and have cut out everything except sugar. Cake and chocolate are my weakness and I'm getting really in to gluten free baking. Surprisingly I've lost weight in the last 6 weeks, only about 5lbs but it means I'm lighter than I have been in years.

Tough decision kuma, have the FC given any advice? Hope you don't have to deal with an instadiffing friend in the meantime.

I'm just gearing up to do my trigger in an hour or so. Looks like I've got a few eggs cooking, so fingers crossed for a good haul. Not too uncomfortable at the moment, little bit crampy and bloated but that's it.

Ooh sounds good Tiger.

Wild I think I ought to follow your detoxing lead. Mr Smidge keeps commenting on my belly (in a nice cuddly squishy way ) and although he seems very happy with it, it's made me realise I really am being lazy on the food front. And guess why... coz I knew the next ttc attempt would be using frozen embryos so no need to attempt to up the health of my eggs!! .

Good luck to the PUPOs... Can someone please remind me of the various upcoming OTDs, so I can cross fingers and pom pom accordingly?

Wotcha berries!

What a day! Been at work for 14 hours so am pooped. Also left my phone at home so have been bereft without my frequent berry updates.

Tiger - great news on the descending ovary. Can't believe you'll be having EC on Weds after all these months. Sounds very promising re: numbers.

Smidge - great to hear from you again, been wondering what you've been up to. Are you definitely sure of this spotting malarkey? Are you sure you're not about to get a stealth BFP?

Hope you're recovering from your EC Wild and enjoyed your champagne at the weekend. Are you the one who has to check if it's definitely champagne and not some cheap imitation?

Hi Barking! Hope your various dates work themselves out over the next few months. At least the weather is nice and the nights longer so you can keep yourself occupied in the mean time.

Hey Kuma, boo to pesky skin. Glad you've decided a plan of action with your DH. Hope you can progress things soon.

Hi to Minx and Happy and anyone else I've missed who've posted recently.

Spare and Lucie - Are you managing the symptom spotting? I've been going slightly mental in the last couple of days. It's a good job work was mental and that I didn't have my phone for more random googling. Nipped into Superdrug at lunchtime and almost caved and bought some HPTs. Had to walk straight out again as knew if I bought anything I'd be P'ing OAS tomorrow morning.

For those asking about OTDs:

Me 29th April
Spare 30th April
Lucie 6th May (I think)

Will have to return to Superdrug tomorrow to buy the goods!

Ooo ooo ooo!! 29th april Gill?!! That's tomorrow! as if you don't already know (today for me)... So exciting! And then 30th april... I know you're trying not to symptom spot, but do you feel any different? Do you have the same preAF symptoms? Or nothing at all? One day I'll get to enjoy the excitement of symptom spotting myself and won't have to live through the other berries .

It's approximately 32 hours away Smidge not that I'm counting

Not sure about the symptoms. Felt a bit crampy on some days last week although this has now subsided over the last couple of days. I get crampy feelings in my ordinary cycle and imagine that it's just the polyp(s) growing though.

Been really tired and sleeping right through most nights but isn't this related to the Progesterone?

Slightly sore boobs in last couple of days - could be AF due?

So all very tenuous to say the least. Only POAS will tell!

kuma it's a tough decision. It's good you're both on the side of trying again though, someone I know in RL had their last cycle cancelled part way through. They collected eggs and they fertilised but a couple of hours before et she got a call telling her they had perished . Her DH has now said game over, but as she never got an embryo to put back in on the last attempt she doesn't feel like that counted, and she's not ready to give in. They had to pay for that round though, their one nhs ivf ended with an ectopic .

I was told at my ivf follow up appointment I had shown 'low ovarian reserve' at the baseline scan and this was why I was given the maximum stimming dose, which fortunately worked for me. But what does that mean? My eggs are running out?

Gillster nearly there!!!

Gill Not long now! Are you going for FRER?
smidge how are you?

Gill I felt super crampy, I was sure that AF was on her way.
Very sore boobs and feeling dizzy.

Did anyone watch the thing about Harley Street last night.

Hmm not sure whether to go for a Superdrug own brand and/or a FRER. I've heard the Superdrug ones are good and obviously cheaper (although don't think this is the time for penny pinching)!

Hi Pip! What was the Harley Street thing? Worth a watch?

The Harley Street thing just made me cross. It was about all the quacks. Most people were just fools and their money being parted but one woman was getting herself ready for another round of IVF.

pip! How are you?
Didn't see the Harley Street thing. Is it on iplayer?

Hi Spare
I'm OK thanks. I've not really been Berrying much as I'm not really trying am I.
The Harley Street thing should be on iPlayer. The woman having IVF was having acupuncture, which I know some Berries swear by, and isn't as much 'snake oil' as some of the other stuff. They still charged the poor thing a zillion pounds though.
Some of it was twaddle though, especially the guy with the different length limbs. If you watch it you'll see what I mean.

So I may have caved on the early testing front. On the way out of work I needed a wee and I had 4 early response Superdrug tests burning a hole in my bag.

Whilst I haven't pee'd on many sticks in the whole of this 3 year TTC process, I'm pretty sure that this means that I have a BFP!!!

Only just stopped shaking and now trying to compose myself before driving home!

Oooooooooh. Gill. Yay!!!!!!!

Wwwwwwwaaaaaaaahhhhhh! omfg gil that is certainly a bfp! Lovely clear and dark line too. twinz congratulations! So chuffed for you!

Wow Gill that's amazing news!!!! So happy for you, what a brilliant line! How many dpt are you?

Yoweeeeeee!!!! Squeeeeee!!! That's amazing. Well bloody done Gill - all that patience has finally paid off.

What did MrGill say? Assuming you've told him as well as the Berries.