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

Sorry bedhead but I did laugh at smudge!

Smidge/smudge glad you and Mr S are having a bit of fun. I know what you mean about the plodding on, that has been me until now.

Well, I did the trick designed to bring on af and bought a pack of hpts last night, sure enough, back ache and the first appearance of af. There goes the fufc fantasy . Expecting proper start tomorrow so I'll be ringing the clinic and picking up the drugs, stabbing in around 21 days time. Feel a bit sad, and very far away from Mr T right now. Still, onwards and upwards!

Hope all you other berries are ok!

Oh and then tonight I'm off to see my friends new baby. great timing!

nightmare tiger, sorry about your nfufc. There will be moments where everything seems impossible and far away. BUt they do pass - I promise. You are a paragon of restraint re vices.

barking whatever that woman did to you I want some of it!

I may have missed something happy but what is a baby farm pls? presumably not as creepy as it sounds.

beaky sounds liek you're getting back into a good headspace, well done you. whats your next step?

off for my next set of bloods this pm. I'll be hollow by the time this is over

tiger sorry you didn't get a fufc, at least IVF will be a step forward. What's your clinics frosties policy? Do you FETs with your allowance? I hope you and MrT are back together full time soon, it's hard going through all of this without them there, but we are here when you need us too

Nolly more bloods! What are these ones for? I've got a follow up at the FC in a couple of weeks so will take it from there. I was getting really frustrated that time is pressing on so I had to have a word with myself! It's inevitable and I should know better anyway other projects are helping me keep my focus elsewhere.

Hope everyone else is ok, it's a little quiet around here!

D'oh!

Tiger sorry that AF got you but glad things can start to move forward IVF wise.
Nolly I saw this article a few weeks back www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2944746/Reflexogist-helped-couples-conceive-300-miracle-babies-ancient-Chinese-massage-technique.html
and although I'm very about all things woo I met with her yesterday and had pretty much decided to get some treatment from her. A lot of what she said made sense and even though I was still quite sceptical I thought that the worse that could happen was that I'd get a lovely foot rub. But then I happened to spot a leaflet for infertility reflexology in the waiting room of the FC and it's £25 quid a session cheaper. Sounds like a no brainer so I'm definitely going to look in to that option first.
FC have given us a choice between a medicated and natural FET. Any thoughts? We're leaning towards the natural because of the lack of drugs, although it wouldn't be completely drug free as I'd be on Clexane and 1 Cyclogest a day. We can get going with it next cycle if we want but as we'd be on hols for the 2ww we've decided to wait til the cycle after next which will probably mean ET towards the end of April.
Barking any sign of AF?
Hope everyone else is ok. Almost the weekend ladies!!

Drop the cynicism and embrace the positive woo happy .

I had electro acupuncture tonight and listened to my hypnosis track while the needles were in. Triple woo!!!! No sign of AF yet though....

Happy I've no idea about FETs I'm afraid, but did they have any insight into the first two cycles? Also, I saw a positive article recently for mums about using pressure points on the feet to help soothe their babies so I think go for it on reflexology front!

happy I think I'd go for the lady with the track record for the sake of 25 quid but then I've wasted a fortune on unnecessary treatments so what do I know?! Definitely embrace the woo as barking says!

Hope the electro-acu was good barking, not long till you kick things off. Are you short protocol?

Not sure re frosties beaky think we do but have to pay for the freezing. The waiting is the hardest bit of all this, but glad other things are proving a distraction. If I had known it would take years to have a baby I would have got on with life a bit more!! Still, planning some nice things included a post IVF weekend away and a trip up to the NE to the coast with Mr T's family over Easter.

Am feeling a bit better too, I always get the sadness pre af, cried at diy sos ffs! Had cuddles with a 4 week old this evening, very nice, then had cake instead of dinner because I couldn't be bothered to cook! Have been über healthy all week so fuck it! So much for the restraint eh nolly! What are the bloods for this time?

Aargh! Tiger I cried at DIY SOS too! Can't believe I was even watching it. But it was sweet to see how protective and supportive the teenagers were of their dad.

Tiger, I hate to think if you sad and lonely and far away from MrT. With any luck he will be with you soon in a brand new job. In the meantime, we are here for you.

Happy - I don't understand the advantages of a medicated v. Natural FET cycle, so I can't help there. I'm listening with interest to what anyone else says as I'm keen to know more.

Beaky it's good you are busy. It seems like ages to wait a month, but once it's all over you won't care that you had to wait another month.

Barking - electro-acu sounds seriously strong. It must be doing something surely? Other than standing your hair on end.

Beaky no real insight in to why the cycles have failed. Said everything looked perfect but obviously an issue with either embryo quality (despite them looking perfect at blast) or implantation but no way of knowing which
Wild the consultant said the only real difference with a natural FET is less drugs but you can't control the timing as it's governed by your own cycle. Don't think it's suitable if you've got an erratic cycle or have womb lining issues but I'm ok on those counts.

Tiger I'm not sure the Baby Farm woman has a better track record. She is infertility specific though whereas the other place is an alternative therapy clinic that does a lot of treatments for infertility and pre/post natal. I've been in touch with them and it's actually £30 cheaper per session. Given that they advise one session a week for 6 weeks, then fortnightly I'll probably be saving hundreds. Will do my best to embrace the woo though. Pointless paying out if you don't really give it 100%

Am interested to hear about medicated vs natural FETs too. I think mine will be natural given I ovulate normally.

For me a natural cycle means Having blood tests every other day from day 10 (think I'll lie about my day 1 though so I don't start that early - with a 33 day cycle I def don't ovulate before day 14/15!) then they transfer 5 days after ovulation. I'll be taking progesterone once a day after ET, and taking Clexane too (but only because of my high NK cells).

Hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend. More booze for me

tiger I'm doing the antagonist protocol.

wild the electro bit was an extra kick to try and bring on AF no luck yet. She puts the needles in the same as usual and then attaches clips to a couple of them which send pulsing electric currents through the needles!! It's ridiculous, but I was so hoping to start today as all the predicted dates would have lined up beautifully.... Now they won't. Rather than having the weekend to recover from egg collection it's likely to be a Monday morning. Typical! Oh well.

happy sounds like a plan .

Electric currents Barking . I wouldn't worry too much about the dates at this point as you've no idea how long you'll need to stimm for. My EC in my first cycle was 2 days later than they'd initially told me. Hope AF shows up soon for you though so you can get going!
Smidge no mention of blood tests for my FET. I really think my FC have a blood phobia as they never test for anything! I was just told scan on cd10 and they'd go from there - I challenged this though as I usually OV cd11/12 so she said they'd probably scan a bit earlier. Didn't ask when they'd be put back though or what happens if it falls on a Sunday. I had a killer migraine a couple of hours before our appt and I was feeling a big spaced out so there was loads of things I forgot to ask. Think I need to give them a call.
Happy Friday Berries, almost there!

It was too good to be true happy, I was just really hoping it would fall like that and all pan out beautifully as I also turned down a swanky awards do at work with three other girls I get on really well with, which would have been lovely, including a hotel on the company, because if I had started today I might have been doing egg collection that day. Now I definitely won't be and it's too late to sign up as my place has been filled .
That and the lovely thought of having a weekend with DH at home after egg collection. Oh well! According to my last two cycles pre iui I should have started today. Trust me to have one of my random longer ones just when I'm desperate for AF to arrive!!!

happy I think my clinic like taking blood too much . They can't win! I suppose I'd prefer it this way around, but I just wish they'd take into account the fact I have a long cycle. I don't think mine mentioned a scan for the FET though... Will have to check my notes on that. Suspect they ought to in order to check the lining is suitable. Ah well, a couple more months yet before I need to be sure of all these things.

When are you planning to have yours? Will we be buddying up again?

Sorry barking that AF isn't playing ball. But I second happy's comments that the subsequent dates don't fall to a set plan anyway. My clinic expects trigger to be taken any time between day 10 and 15. And sure enough, I stimmed for 9,11 and 12 days on my three attempts. Shame about missing out on the hotel do though. I think I'd have been a bit naughty and said yes, then freed up my spot later if it didn't work

My logical head knows that smidge, but the head that's in the clouds saw it all panning out beautifully and conveniently on schedule .

Question, berries. If AF turns up tonight (looked likely earlier when I had a rummage), do I go to the clinic tomorrow morning for day 2 scan even though I won't have booked in? I wouldn't on any other day, but it's closed on Sunday, so then I wouldn't be going until cd4, might that be too late? Too late to call the clinic now and ask. Although I suppose I could call at 8 tomorrow morning and still get there in time if necessary. Just answered my own question. Apologies for thread hogging with an unnecessary stream of consciousness, I'm turning into my DH and just rambling to myself...

Yes Barking go tomorrow. If it's too late to book it now then do it first thing - all on the condition AF shows her for-once-very-welcome-face. Tomorrow would technically be Day 1 - but I still think that waiting until Monday could be a bit long. Far better to put your mind at rest and get in there as soon as possible. It will make it far easier on you not to be fretting all weekend about whether Monday will be too late, etc, etc, etc...

I meant that if AF shows up this evening then tomorrow would technically be Day 1.

Aw Barking so sorry you missed out on the lovely awards ceremony, it's all going to be worth it though . Echo what Wild says. It's too late for today to be cd1 so will be totally fine for you to be scanned on Monday. I started stabbing on cd3 on both my cycles. However, if AF shows up tonight then definitely give them a ring in the morning as it'll stop you worrying all weekend. So excited that things are getting moving for you.
Smidge we can get going anytime with the FET and don't even need to let the clinic know until cd1 of the cycle we want to use. At the moment we are thinking of the cycle after next which would mean ET towards the end of April. We would get going sooner but we have a holiday booked over Easter so want to enjoy that first. When will you be getting yours?

Was reading this earlier on and thought it may be of use to someone? All about the postcode lottery and there's an e- petition to sign with regards to all CCGs adopting the NICE guidelines. Unbelievable to see the differences in provision, even just within the London area. Not too useful for me though as the IVF guidelines here apply nationally so no real postcode lottery it's just shit everywhere

www.fertilityfairness.co.uk/nhs-fertility-services/ivf-provision-in-england/

False alarm, cd30 and still nothing to see here .

happy that makes for depressing reading. I really believe it should be a blanket policy and you get the same entitlement wherever you are speaking as one of the many that gets just one go.

Hi everyone! Hope you're all okay! I'm still here reading everything but not !much to say as nothing really happening!

Barking, put some white trousers on and go out with no sanpro! That'll bring it on guaranteed! . Why Dont you say at work that your plans have fallen through and is there any way you Can now join? They might say yes

Happy, I'd have gone with the cheaper one too but then I'm tight!

Tiger - diy SOS is how I can tell when my period is coming? Its always a tearjerker!

Bugger it eh, barking it's bloody impossible to plan this shit. Hope af turns up and you can get going. Had to google antagonist protocol as that's a new one on me. Great that your clinic select an option around your needs. One size fits all at my clinic, even scans and EC are limited to certain days.

Glad I'm not the only one who cries at diy sos. Still feeling glum with a miserably heavy period. Friends cancelled plans because of poorly baby (understandable but was looking forward to it) and best friend's baby is one today- we started trying at a similar time and thought we'd have kids the same age. very woe is me, need a kick up the bum.

Aww Tiger hugs and for you, lady. When you get underway with the IVF you will hopefully feel better. I did for sure as I felt like we were doing something that might actually work. You've gone so long without any actual treatment so you totally deserve to be able to get on with things. In the meantime, cuddles with MrT and puppyT?

Barking fx AF rocks up ASAP for you! Best laid plans never come off hey.

Jellie glad everything is ok with you, do let us know when your first scan is, I'm dying to know if there's berrytwinnies on the way!

Happy weekend everyone