Candle smugglers of the world unite! The Berries have loaded up the charabanc and have Barry on repeat. Destination BFP (via the pouch of Douglas)

[happylass]

The small print:

The Berries have strict entrance criteria: TTC #1 for 12 months+, over 30, NO instadiffers, must have a special pimping pot and absolutely no mention of baby dust/dancing. Not that we're fussy

Current passengers

Happylass, 37, TTC since Aug 2012. 2 failed ICSIs. Hopefully FET early May with only frostie. Long awaited NHS appt in June
Beaky 35, ttc coming up 3 yrs, 2x failed iui 1x long protocol ivf cancelled due to poor response. On the pill awaiting short protocol IVF in may
Minx, 34, both tubes blocked, 1 buried ovary, IVF info evening June, IVF "booking in" appointment in July
Nolly, 33, TTC 2.7 years, mc Dec 2014. awaiting ivf August 2015 while dh is off on a jolly.
Wild 40 - TTC for three years. Embies on ice and planning FET with immune treatment in 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 and all test results good. Currently in the middle of long protocol IVF, 13 eggs collected and awaiting news for next steps.
Gillster, 41, TTC since Feb 2012. Had IVF in Feb 14 and had 6 one cell embies frozen due to polyp. 2 x 2 day embies finally put back 14 months later on 16th April, BFP 28th April
Smidge, 39 this month, TTC since Jan 2013. Unexplained. IVF#1 Short protocol July '14 BFN, IVF#2 Nov'14 and IVF#3 Feb '15 both Long protocol BFNs. High NK cells immune treatment. 2 frosties due to be put back in natural FET in May or June.
Kuma - 40. TTC 2.5 years. Low AMH high FSH - DH antisperm ABs. Failed IVF June 14 and March 15. Looking to change clinic and try another natural cycle in June 2015.
Lucieloos, 35, TTC 18 months, low AMH & sperm motility. 1st ICSI in Czech Republic in April 2015. Awaiting results.
Barkingtreefrog, 35, ttc since Dec 2011. Clomid bfp summer 2013, mc @ 7 weeks. IUI bfp summer 2014, mc @ 7 weeks. Diagnosed with factor v leiden thrombophilia (but
not thought to be the cause of the mc's as they were too early). Failed IUI January 2015, failed IVF March 2015. No further NHS help. Going private for nk cells testing and a scratch before putting the frosties back, hopefully this summer.
Rain, 33 ttc since March 2012. unexplained. mystery bfp oct 13, MMC Nov 13. NHS IVF starting in June
Spare planning FET with remaining frosties shortly
Pont 1st IVF in Czech Republic in July.

Ooo, shellsuits...

Thanks Beaky, I got my dhea from an American site as apparently the micronised dhea is the one to get as its pharmaceutical grade and the doses are guaranteed whereas in a lot of the cheaper ones you don't know what you are getting. It's not cheap mind. Was £40 for a 2 month supply but that includes extra that I paid for super quick 4 day delivery.

This is the site...
www.dhea-uk.com/product.php?productid=1

Thanks Lucie, do you know your amh then? Was there a particular reason they recommended it for you?

Happy are you around? When's otd? Thinking of you and pompoming madly over here!

My AMH is 7.4 beaky what is yours? After our last round I asked if there were any vitamins or supplements that could help. I also asked why she thought the two that we had transferred failed to implant. She said maybe a little bit of poorer egg quality due to age which is true as a larger proportion of eggs won't be viable at 35. She mentioned that some ladies took them and to help with quality and quantity and I could give them a go if I wanted to. She recommends taking for 2 months before treatment but I'm not going to have that long, more like 6 weeks but I'll still give it a go and see if it helps at all.

Hello Berries old and new. I've not shown my face for a while. I'm fairly up to date via the t'other place.
Sorry to read about your amh results beaky. I don't know too much about it all really. Did they test that for you on NHS, or have you ventured into private testing.
Happy I'm really pleased that you're on your next IVF cycle already. That seems to have come round quickly. Where exactly are you up to right now?
Hi forty and anyone else I've not met before.
All the best for being PUPO HB. I'm wishing you lots of luck! How come you're on fragmin this time? Did you have a thrombophilia diagnosed?
spare fingers crossed that your lining thickens up. Are you on anything for it? Oestrogen? My lining was 4.2 for my abandoned cycle but I wasn't on oestrogen at all. In fact they didn't give me anything at all other than the usual stimming injections.
barking, I'm glad you've got your pecker back up, so to speak. I think of you often. What's your plan now?
lucie, sorry about your unsuccessful cycle. It totally sucks.
I've got just over a week left before I travel back home. These 4 months have done me the world of good. I feel much more chilled out about it all, but no idea whether that will continue when I get home. Have 2.5 months without Mr Funky so hoping to go ahead with our frozen cycle before he gets back.

Thanks for that Lucie I started short protocol yesterday so maybe a bit late but I'll try owt. My amh is 1.1.

Thanks Funky I was lucky enough to have my amh tested on the NHS, mainly because I didn't respond to the stims on LP IVF. Its nice to see you back! It feels like you've been away ages! What are they going to give you for your lining on the FET cycle?

Tiger Thank you for the welcome and the explanation :) there's still a lot of lingo to learn and congrats on your BFP such lovely news.

Beaky if its not a possibility we've decided to go private for 1 cycle and to be honest I understand completely the need for the NHS having cut of ages so I cant be cross. I've had day 1 bloods and day 21 bloods 3 times a dildocam 3 times (more to do with lost results at doctors than a desire to keep having that done, Honest ) Full blood screening for virtually everything known to mankind. I have AMH coming up this month on day 2 which the hospital have ordered. That's the extent of it so far although I expect there will be other tests I need to have done. Have you had others done ?

Hi Funky Thanks for the welcome :)

How are you all ?

Miserable weather today I'm flumping around the house in my PJs trying to make myself do some work and trying to avoid reading forums over and over and over.

Forty - just keep mentioning your age every time you have tests and things and hopefully they will fast track you. As long as you have started treatment before your birthday then it's fine. I think I was fast tracked at my FC and had my IVF one month before turning 40 which was the cut off for my area. The embryos then stayed in the freezer for the next 14 months but I had 2 put back on 16th April and got my BFP on 28th. I won't be hanging around much longer on this thread but you're in the right place as the support is amazing! Good luck! X

My doctor has got back to me today and has agreed I can try prednisone and clexane (heparin) on my next cycle incase of immune issues. I'm very pleased about this as I feel like I've tried everything I can then. Has anyone else used them at all? She has also said I can either do a Menopur only short protocol or a combination of Menopur and Gonal f. Last cycle we did Menopur and responded ok. Got 6 mature eggs all of which fertilised. Has anyone used Menopur and Gonal f combination and got a good response?

Gill Thank you and congratulations on the BFP such good news :) I will definitely keep mentioning the age (at risk of sounding like my nan I'm 92 dontcha know ) :)

Lucie I'd be on deltaparin (heparin) if I got a bfp but not before (for the thrombophilia). If they find raised unk cells when they do the biopsy I'll get prednisolone for a month then they'll do another biopsy - they won't give it to me during/after ivf unless I need it and they've proved it will definitely work for me. My consultant is very much against trying anything 'in case'!!

Forty I agree keep on mentioning your age, clinics are pretty good at getting you through if they can. I have a friend who managed to get two cycles pushed though by her clinic before her 41st (luckily she lives in a postcode that pays up to the age of 41).

Funky I'm on the fragmin as I have the MTHFR gene and an elevated protein S so my consultant thought that and the other bits and pieces would help.

Still feeling bloated and I think that my tummy hate me! On the up side, I've had a call from the clinic and the remaining emby has improved and is freezable. I feel so lucky; is that stupid?

Beaky hope all is going well, I have everything crossed for you this time. I can't remember if you've tried it before, but have you friend co enzyme Q10?

Oh and can someone bring back the sunshine?

lucie
I was on pred and clexene (heparin) for both my rounds. And my best mate had 2 unsuccessful rounds until she was given pred with her third go and she now has a baby!
The clexene isn't the nicest, because the needles that come ready-attached to the syringes are weirdly blunt, so you need to give them a bit of a stab, but in the grand scheme of everything, it is fine... I was just on gonal F, so don't know about the combination, but it is the easiest to inject

HB Great news of the frostie! Clearly a good'un there!

Can I have a little bit of berry love please. I'm going to hospital tomorrow morning for the results of the autopsy on the baby we lost. And if that isn't bad enough, the doctor we are seeing is the head of the maternity unit, so I'm fairly sure we'll just have to sit in the waiting room with all the bumps. I've been pushing it out of my head for the last few weeks, but it has all caught up with me in the last couple of hours and I'm alternating between furious rage at the universe and trying not to cry at my desk.

Lots of berry love Spare I cannot imagine how difficult tomorrow is going to be and I truly hope that you get some answers. I hope that they don't sit you in with the bumps, I know that the clinic at my hospital doesn't make women wait in the main area and any hospital worth its salt would be compassionate.

Big hugs x

HB This is the same hospital that told me i would have to deliver on the labour ward, and the only special treatment they would give me was that I would be able to 'check out' in the delivery room rather than having to go up the front desk with all the parents taking their babies home, and then seemed shocked when I refused...

spare I can't imagine having to face that. We'll all be with you in spirit. If they sit you with bumps then just imagine us all standing round you so you can't see them .

Aw Spare all the berry love heading your way, what a harrowing thing to have to go through. I'm so sorry. What kind of awful hospital must they be to not even be a little compassionate. A massive big hug from me xx

Brilliant idea Barking. You've been through so much Spare I really wish you could get a break.

A barricade of berries!
A Berricade
For the purposes of my mental image, you'll all be in cheerleading uniforms, doing a human pyramid, with beaky at the top waving her fire batons
Thanks, you lovely lot. I don't know what I'd do without berries

Like the idea of a berricade.

I'm shocked at your experience Spare and dare I say it, embarrassed. I am dismayed that there are unfeeling uncaring health care professional out there. It makes me so grrr .

Oh Spare, will be thinking of you tomorrow and sending you hugs.

A huge wedge of berry love from me spare. We'll be there in spirit in our Lycra! Can't believe how much you've had to go through. Tight squeezes.

forty I'm sure you'll get in before the cut off. Usually policies include the year of the cut off, so I would have expected you to be ok but each area has different rules. my experience is that the cut off points are to save money so they make me cross - clinical guidelines say ivf should be made available to those up to 42 I think it is now.

Funky glad to hear all is going well for you, your trip has sounded just wonderful.

hb having a frosty is lucky! Great news. Hope your tummy settles down.

Lucie no experience but all sounds good.

beaky I won't be vanishing any time soon. I have cheerleading duties to keep up for starters! I hope everyone is ok with me hanging out here until I have some proof that there's something in there. I'm bricking it.

Hampshire Thanks will definitely push the point :)

Spare my thoughts are with you sorry you're having to deal with this terrible situation and uncaring treatment at the hands of the hospital.

Tiger Thank you I really hope we can get in before the cut off too I keep checking the site to see if I can find any idea of waiting times once treatment path has been determind but at the moment all I see is a year Hopefully they will allow it in the 39th year rather than cut off at the 39th birthday :) How are you feeling ?

Can I ask one more (probably of a series of questions) Is pom poming = cheering on ?

Lycra, pom poms, and hob nail boots just in case we need to boot any dickhead compassionless doctors in the bum. Will be thinking of you tomorrow spare.

forty
A little berry lingaphone
Pompom-ing - cheering on
Wanging/sausage wanging - getting a wallop to get a grip. Often requested when a berry gets disheartened
Barry White - putting the sexy music on during the IVF process so the eggs and swimmers can get it orrrn
Fanny candles/bum bullets - the bullet shaped progesterone suppositories that we get post-embryo transfer

And the berries... The medical term for a woman having her first child over 30 is 'elderly primigravida' which we thought sounded like 'elderberry pavlova' and thus, the berries were born..!