Pom Poms, Placards and Picket Lines. The Berries are putting up the barricades and will not be crossed! A delightful bunch of 30 something Ladybros TTC #1.

[happylass]

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 Ladybros:

Smidge 39, TTC since Jan '13. Unexplained. Some high NK cell immune treatment. IVF#1 Short protocol Jul'14 BFN; IVF#2 Nov'14 and IVF#3 Feb'15 both Long protocol BFNs; Natural FET Jun'15 - Another BFN. Trying to work out what to do next.



Happylass, 37, TTC since Aug 2012. 3 failed ICSI cycles, 1 failed FET and 1 abandoned cycle due to poor response. Awaiting next and final cycle with own eggs hopefully Feb/March time. HATE THIS SHIT!!



Beaky 35, ttc 3 yrs, 2x failed iui 1 long protocol ivf cancelled, 2 short protocol IVF both BFN, very low amh/poor responder etc. 3rd IVF in January.



Tigerdog, 35, ttc since Jan 2013. Unexplained. IVF #1 chemical pregnancy. Currently redoing tests in preparation for IVF #2.



barkingtreefrog 36, ttc since Dec 2011. clomid bfp summer 2013 then mc @7 weeks, iui bfp summer 2014 then mc @6 weeks. Factor V leiden thrombophilia diagnosed at the repeat mc clinic. IUI bfn Jan 2015, IVF bfn April/May 2015. FET bfn August 2015, remaining frozen embryo perished. Private tests showed high nk cells activity and th1/th2 as well as mthrfr gene. Started downregging for long protocol ivf in Oct 15 plus two intralipid drips, and got pg. Third mc @ 6.4 weeks despite heparin, intralipids, metafolin and prednisolone. Last Ivf attempt starting February 2016 then on to adoption. 



Kuma - 40. TTC 2.9 years. Low AMH high FSH - DH antisperm ABs. Failed IVF June 14 and March 15, cancelled cycle June 15. Last try Jan 16. 



Lucieloos, 36, Low AMH & sperm motility. ICSI#1, April 2015, Czech Republic, BFN. Icsi#2, cancelled before EC. Icsi#3 & 4, Embryo Banking. 3 blasts in freezer. Icsi#5 in Czech in Jan. NHS cycle in Feb / March.




Sesame, 40, ttc 2 years with no dp, multiple failed IVFs, 4 ETs, 1 bfp followed by mc, poor responder with v low AMH, but still looking for the golden egg.

Nolly, 33, TTC 3 years, 1 confirmed MC, 2 more suspected. still in limbo. 



Funkymonk 33. Ttc since October 2012. Mc June 2013, Mmc dec 2013, mc June 2014. Factor v Leiden thrombophilia. Abandoned IVF Jan 2015 due to thin lining. Abandoned FET Aug 2015 due to thin lining. 4 embies on ice. Currently experimenting with different cycles in an attempt to thicken lining.

Clem, 39, ttc since 2013. diagnosed with anovulation by nhs so on a course of clomid. no male factor issues. all other test results have come back okay inc. ovarian test reserves. currently being referred back to nhs for single funded cycle.

Nolly, 33, TTC 3 years, 1 confirmed MC, 2 more suspected. Starting IVF in January.



Antonia79 36, ttc #1 since 2009, adhesions made for sticky insides & one tube removed, confirmed NHS IVF route Sept 15, TTC naturally again as recommended by doctor until IVF cycle starts (early - mid 2016) if not conceived by then.



Grin - 35, TTC 3 years, NFI why I can't get pregnant,, 3 X failed clomid attemots, 2 X ICSI failed fertilisations, 1 x IVF BFN. Doing another cycle in Mar 2016 and thinking of embryo donation.



The Roll of honour:

Pip - Quite simply the Best In Show.
Lumen - The Legend that is....

Morning.

Great news that the sesembie is on board and I'm sure the rushing just got the blood flowing, which is a good thing! When is OTD? Getting the pompoms out now and cheering away!

beaky I've not heard of the endometrial receptivity thingy. How are your plans coming along, are you going to get a second opinion at another clinic? I start northisterone tomorrow - finally getting underway, although long protocol is, of course, long, so it feels like an age until I get to OTD. I felt pretty well on my last cycle, but I'm on a lot more drugs this time and I'm nervous about feeling unwell or having more side effects.

forty I'll be having merional, which I thought was the same as menopur (the two have been referred to interchangeably at my current FC. Maybe use a bit more dilutant to thin the solution? I start injecting again in just over a week, not overly looking forward to it but ready to get properly going.

Hope those cysts do one clem. It's hard waiting to get started. I'm hoping my first scan (probably in 2 weeks) won't show anything that delays my cycle. Nervous. The mind games are hard but I think you have nothing to lose by believing it will work. Fingers crossed for you.

Thank goodness for that barking! When's your next appointment?

happy how are you?

All fine here, just slowly getting to the start of my cycle....scan in two weeks hopefully once AF arrives and downregging starting tomorrow on CD 14.

Have been pretty busy - girls spa break and seeing various family at the weekend then booze trip to France this weekend. Wedding plans continuing at pace too, all feel very real suddenly!

Am feeling pretty cross with my work too, I was given (without much consultation and no choice) significantly more work/responsibility with no additional recognition. Now I'm leaving, my post has been upgraded. What a cheek!

Tiger that sucks!!

Barking glad the long awaited AF finally turned up.

I'm having waiting issues myself. My Day 19 blood test still showed no signs of ovulation, although my oestrogen had started to rise a little bit. AliG said she wants to do another blood test tomorrow (day 21) as well as a scan, to see what's happening, and if still no good then I won't be having my FEt this month. . I don't think I've skipped ovulation before. How annoying is that? And what will it mean for my cycle? How will my body know to menstruate?? Am I going to be in limbo like barking forever? The problem is, we fly out in the middle of March! That means I need to get our frostie on board before then. Aargh! I'm not sure if that's going to be possible given my long cycles. Previously they've put it back on day 20/21 so that means I need to get my period in the next 3 weeks or I'm completely stuffed.

Smidge what a headfuck. I hope your next scan shows ov then you can get this frostie back on board. What a nightmare with the timings though. How are you feeling about the big move?

barking hooray! Finally. What's the plan now?

Tiger the absolute cheek! Employers can be such arses sometimes esp mine how exciting that you get to start your new protocol soon, but daunting at the same time. I really hope this works for you. The wedding prep sounds like it is coming together nicely too, lots of exciting times ahead for you. I was thinking about a consultation with your clinic, or possibly one of the other London ones which does mild stims/low OR etc. I've asked the Prague clinic about various protocols, a hysteroscopy and any other tests they recommend (I've sent them everything we've had now) so waiting to hear back on that. I looked through my notes and don't understand some of the stuff. Also the consultants letter says "beaky has clearly undertaken her own research and asked a lot of questions, I have reassured her and explained that nothing can be done about egg quality or reserve" So, onwards and hopefully upwards anyway.

Clem sorry af turned up, I also hope the cysts do one so you can crack on next cycle.

Forty any improvement with the injections? How was your scan today?

Sesame hopefully your injecting has got a bit easier and I hope you're managing with the 2ww as well.

In other news, I have no motivation or interest in anything and hate work. I dunno what is going on or how to fix it. I'm worried that if we try again and it still doesn't work and after additional tests/different drugs wtf will we do. Also I really hate being at work at the moment.

clem really hope the pill does the business and sends your little friends packing. I know that feeling of anticipation too, but I guess you’ve got to be in it to win it.

barking hurrah, about bloody time she showed up. When do you start stabbing?

tiger, thanks for the pompoms. OTD is 12 Feb – I haven’t decided yet what to do about testing, cos my fc is a bit too far away to go just for a blood test. I could book it for my old fc, or they would also let me pimp and call in my result 2 days later. I don’t hold much up of being pg though, so all these options feel like a faff. So glad you are getting going with the first meds tomorrow. Just because you’re taking more drugs, there’s no reason why side effects should be any worse, and every cycle is different. So glad you’ve got lots of nice things to keep you occupied, hope you have a day out in France!

smidge so sorry no ovulation yet, good luck with your test/scan tomorrow. If they do see a big follie, could they give you a trigger shot to get things moving? I’ve had some anovulatory cycles recently (have done some charting to try and work out if I’m menopausal yet what my body’s doing), and my period still tends to arrive at the right sort of time.

beaky Thanks for pompoming for sesembie. I think the fc’s take you more seriously when you ask proper questions, and you get better treatment – so good on you. Every letter I’ve had from my old fc, says the same thing about quality and reserve and mentions donor eggs. Really sorry about work and all the motivation crap - fx it’s only temporary. I do sometimes have to focus on the fact that crap days at work do at least pay for treatment and if things do get really bad, I can always catch up on the berries.

I’m still coping with the stabbing, which has been pretty challenging this time especially as I had zero drugs to start with. I now have a big bloated belly with a trail of clexane bruises across it . And a very sore backside that feels I’ve gauged chunks out – I think I’ve been stabbing the wrong bit, so fx I can fix that this evening.

I remembered I meant to give a shout out to any lurkers out there who might be thinking of dipping into the berry thread. If you are ttc #1, over 30 for over 12 months, and feel like you want a bit of support, please feel free to come say hello!

Beaky Thanks going slower helped a lot ! I've had a lot less bruising the past two or three days :) The scan went well today and I've started my Cetrotide injections and back in for my next scan next Monday. Am sorry you're finding work crappy. Do you think its partially related to the uncertainty you have at the moment or is work just poop in general ?
Sesame I think they are 2ml Syringes they are yellow (if that means anything). Im currently on 450 iu of Merional and as of this morning 25mg of Cetrotide. Sorry you're having a tough time with the stabbing.
TigerThe spa break sounds lovely hope you had a great time. Sometimes work sucks I had a similar thing in my previous role the pay was raised by an additional 10k when they advertised for the post and I was left interviewing my replacements knowing they were being paid market rate for it, I think its partially a symptom of being there a while and also being good at your job... sometimes it pays to move jobs reasonably frequently I guess. Hope you're getting treated better now ?

What time do you ladies do your morning injections ? Im struggling to find a time that will work everyday of the week ?

tiger that's so annoying about your job but oh, so common! particularly for females
A friend of mine is raging because someone at our work was employed to do a certain job. Turns out they were shit at it. They failed their probation as a result and were asked to leave. A couple of days later they've had a chat outside work (friends of the boss) and they're back in, but only for two days a week. My friend has taken over the role and this person just swans in for two days a week doing all the easy bits they can't possibly get wrong but is still fucking useless and still takes home the same (pro rata) salary which is more than my friend is on!!!

smidge is it possible ov is just late? Would they still do a transfer this cycle? I ov around cd19-21.

beaky I'm with you on work. I'm normally extremely motivated and very productive. Not right now. I've even been replying to emails from the solicitor and estate agent during working hours, which I never do!

forty I have no advice just sympathy for the morning injections. I start work at 7.15 so it's either jabbing at work or getting up early on a weekend. Neither is a great option!

Sesame still pom pomming away for you

I had a scan and blood test yesterday. Got a call today, everything's fine and I'll start downregging on 21st. If AF has arrived by 4th March (pleeeeease be back on track now) I'll be in for another scan to see if I'm ready for stims.
I think I'm a couple of weeks behind you Tiger?

Thanks sesame, it's good to know my cycle length may not changed even if I don't ovulate.

As it happens, apparently my oestrogen has risen today. My lining was measuring 7.1mm, and I had a 16mm follicle. However my LH is also rising so AliG wants me to have another blood test tomorrow - she now thinks I am about to ovulate (though I don't - no ewcm, and isn't 16mm quite low still? I thought ovulation was more likely around 21mm?). My LH rises early (had this problem on my short protocol/ antagonist cycle too where she triggered me early whereas the Prof said he'd have waited another day at least).

Ah well. I presume she'll keep with the blood tests until whatever level drops to show I have actually ovulated, right..?

Ahhh. Phone being v painful and giving a mahoosive delay when I type. Painful. So a big shorthand shout out to all other berries. Hopefully it'll play ball tomorrow and I can catch up on other berry news.

Smidge any news? Crossing fingers toes legs etc for you over here to get this frostie back on board.

Sesame thinking of you, hoping the next week or so goes over quickly. Fx. Hope the gestone is going ok. We seem to have lost some of the newer berries we recruited. I wonder if they are lurking.

Forty Yey! Glad my tip helped! I found with the merional dose being so high the liquid was thicker so injecting slower definitley helped me. I used to do Cetrotide just before I left the house on a weekday so that on a weekend I didn't have to get up too early. So for me 7.45am. Glad your scan went well, did they tell you what follies you have etc?

Barking so pleased things are moving along for you! Fx your dates fit too. You have so much going on it must be so stressful. Work just interferes with all of this at the moment! I've been holding off applying for other jobs but I think I'll just go for it now.

Counselling was interesting, I was in a right state but i feel a bit better today. She made me think about ending treatment and when that will be (it occurred to me the other day that I think this next treatment with all the extras is going to work, but actually it might not and then what). And that bit is hard like. So on that happy note, I'm off to do some work surf the net looking for a solution to my infertility

Sorry Smidge your post didn't come up til after I posted! Well at least it looks as though somethings happening and the lining is thickening up nicely too. At what point after ov is she planning putting them back?

Evening Ladybros. Just realised I've been reading but not posted for about a week .
Sesame I hope the 2ww is passing quickly for you. Everything crossed.
Smidge I hope things work out this cycle and you can get your frostie back on board asap.
forty I'm glad your scan went well. Everything crossed.
Beaky sorry you're struggling at the moment lovely. Not much comfort but it's perfectly normal. I've had a titful of work too. Absolutely zero motivation at the moment. Sending big hugs
As for me I started bleeding on Monday so it's game over for this cycle. Managed to get a follow up for the 29th (DH bartered them down from mid April) so will find out then what happens with the frosties. Keen to get going asap as we'd hoped to be done with all this by now so we could move on to DE. No idea whether they'll let me do a natural FET or if it'll have to be medicated. Anyone know the timescale for medicated? I can see this dragging on in to the summer and beyond
Hope everyone else is ok. Almost the weekend and I'm planning on shed loads of this given that I really have had a dry January.

happy sorry to hear you are out for this cycle

smidge your stats do look promising, and my old fc would always trigger a follie once it got to 16mm. Once you ovulate, your bloods should show a rise in progesterone. Fingers crossed your next bloods look good.

beaky thanks, gestone is getting a bit better now I’m doing it in the right spot (the lower back, level with the hip bone). We lost a new berry who joined off another thread I lurk on after her ivf bfn, only to get a bfp 2 days later . Glad you feel better after counselling – I did find my fertility counsellor quite challenging with those sorts of questions. Will you go back for any more sessions?

happy thanks, so sorry about your bfn . How are you feeling? Glad you got your follow up organised so quick. Really hope you can get moving on the frosties quickly. I don’t know much about FETs, but if your cycles are pretty regular, hopefully they’ll let you do a natural one. Enjoy February!

I’m adjusting to the gestone jags, with a bit of help from youtube and the infertility board. The injection site is still very tender to the touch, but I’m starting to come round to thinking it’s much better than the fanny candles. I am also starting to get pg symptoms from all that extra progesterone kicking round my body, which has made me feel a little uncomfortable the last couple of days. It is a mind fuck as the last time I got those symptoms was last year when I was actually pg, and it’s still far too early to even have had implantation yet (assuming sesembie hasn’t stopped dividing…).

hi, I've been advised by my fc to start taking inofolic and proxeed supplements (I would then stop taking the pregnacare conception supplements).

Has anyone taken inofolic or proxeed? do you think they improved anything for you?

Happy so sorry it didn't work out for you. Fx they let you move to a natural fet quickly. Would you have any further tests for implantation failure or anything?

Clem no idea on those sorry, what are they for?

Sesame pompoming away for you over here with a few high kicks in since I've had some wine How are you feeling? What a total headfuck with the symptoms. I am hoping they are for the right reasons. Glad you're getting to grips with the gestone too, I hate cyclogest, more than any other drug I have to take. Which newby was that? That's an amazing result for her! We've had such a poor run lately we need some luck. I do find the counselling to be really helpful. I like her too (not sure if that's good or not!). I delved into a deep convo with dh last night while out for tea about next steps. It was quite thorough but I totally bummed him out. I think we have come to a rough decision about limits and options. I really struggle to get my head around adoption too and I'm not sure about it. I feel awful even saying that.

Smidge any more news? Still crossing my fingers for you.

Grin any updates on the donor embies?

Forty when are you next in for a scan?

Sorry Clem but I can't help you with the supplements. I take a mixed pre-pregnancy supplement which has 800 folic, CoQ10 and sometimes extra folic when I happen to have some lying around. (I had to have heaps more when on the predisolone)

Happy I'm so sorry it didn't work, but Hurrah and Huzzah for MrH managing to bring the wtf appt so much sooner. I don't think medicated FETs are much different in terms of timing vs non-medicated. (Ie only the one cycle - don't think you need anything the cycle before). Though I always wait a month inbetween as I find the prog cocks up the cycle following (whether fresh or frozen).

Thanks Sesame and Beaky. My blood test on Friday showed another increase in oestrogen, and apparently AliG thought I'd have probably already ovulated but wanted me to do another blood test and scan today, to be sure. I've just had them, and my follicle is definitely still there! 19mm now. So I'm right that I've not yet ovulated! So guess what, scan lady says she's sure I'll be back tomorrow for another blood test. AliG is going to have to come to terms with the fact my LH starts to rise a few days in advance of the proper peak.

Anyway, I think this is all good news in a way, that I will get my frostie put back at some point this cycle! (It's a (slow) blast so I assume they'll put it back on day 5.

I checked and she is OK for me to have HCG as well as prog this time. Can I check wit any other berries when they had the HCG? I've been told Day 4 after ovulation (1 day before transfer). That seemed a bit early to me as I assumed they'd do it around likely implantation. Just wondering what other FCs do.

Sesame sorry the progesterone is doing it's mindfuckery so soon. I hate that hormone! I'm ok for the first week usually, then the symptoms and mood swings set in. Maybe by injecting you're getting the effects sooner?

Oh boo and hiss. AliG called me herself today to say she's cancelling the transfer.

Apparently she's not happy with the combination of hormones and thinks this cycle is not ideal for transfer. I'm not entirely sure what the problem is really... My LH has been high for a while, but no peak, and now my progesterone is rising too yet I still haven't ovulated. My progesterone is 9.4 or something and she wanted me to have already ovulated by the time it reached 8.

Pah. I reckon she should have just given me another test tomorrow so she could add my stats to the existing info and increase the range/spread of acceptable hormone levels! .

Anyway, now I have another 5weeks of worry that I won't actually still be in the country by the time my period comes/I ovulate next month. I can't leave my last chance frostie behind! .

Smidge I'm so sorry . I have absolutely everything crossed that your cycle behaves and it's on board before you leave.

Clem I've not had either of those recommended to me.

beaky there's a large part of me that wants to fuck off the ivf and move straight to adoption. I'm just so fed up of it all, it was supposed to be over by now. I feel like we're just prolonging the agony as I have zero expectation of getting a baby out of it. It's different for us because both of us went into it saying that we'd adopt if it didn't work, the only thing we've had to agree on is how long we keep trying, and this is definitely it.

Happy any news on the fet or will you have to wait until the appointment?

Nowt happening here. Scan and bloods were fine so jabbing starts in a couple of weeks. Debating whether to ask for metformin.

Oh Smidge, so gutted for you - I really hope your next cycle is shorter, does AliG know you're flying off on March? I feel like she should have known given your past cycles. and

Barking I would definitley ask about the metformin as it may be worth trying. Fx for good dates lining up for you and this being your time. I think if I felt the same as you about adoption I'd do it now and wouldn't bother with my private cycle. I feel like a kitchen sink approach to this next one will help me feel like I've thrown everything I can at it before moving on. I don't blame you being so fed up of it all, it's really been a shit few years for you.

Hope everyone else is having a decent weekend, I'm off for an early valentines with dh!

clem no experience of either of those supplements, sorry.

beaky thanks for the pompoming. It was potatoes who got diffed . Glad counselling helped and you and dh are trying to get your heads round the big issues. It sounds like you've been on nhs conveyor belt for so long and it must be hard to figure out what comes next? Enjoy your early valentine's shindig.

smidge I'm so sorry your fet just got cancelled, that's really shit. . Is it possible you could do a medicated fet, that might be a more manageable timescale? Hcg regime in my old fc was firstly the full hcg trigger shot, as normal prior to EC. Then second dose was 1/4 of an ovitrelle pen (8 'clicks'), 5 days after ec, so equivalent of 5dpo. In my flare protocols I didn't use any progesterone at all, just the hcg. First time I bled on 13 or 14 dpo, so plenty of time for implantation to have taken place. Second time I got pg. So Ali G's regime sounds ok to me, it's just a low dose to give your corpus luteum a boost, then if an embryo implants it will start to produce its own hcg a few days later, which will sustain your corpus luteum - which produces progesterone up until the placenta is formed.

barking glad you're almost ready for stabbing and things are moving forward for you. I admire you for knowing how far to go with treatment. But I am really really hoping that this one last fling works out for you.

Have wasted most of my Saturday phoning various people at my fc, trying to get some outstanding things sorted like follow on prescriptions in case of bfp. The admin at new fc give me the rage. . It seems I have been spoilt by my last fc, and got far too used to getting to speak to efficient and professional staff who take pride in their work. Oh the fond and wistful memories of people who answer the phone, let you speak to a nurse, and dispatch you happily with smile and a good luck wish. Old fc are so efficient they even happened to call me this morning, in the midst of all the fruitless conversations with new fc, and so I booked my otd blood test at the satellite in my town.

So drunk. For the first time in ages blerghh.

Oh, spilled gin everywhere and beakypup tried to lick it up

How's the head this morning beaky?

Oo Barking! Shhhhhhhhh I'm actually fine thankfully, and surprisingly.....