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....

There's nothing else to say forty except that is beyond bloody unfair. The universe is cruel. I am finding pregnancy announcements and even potential ones (just the unconfirmed possibility!!) really hard at the moment, this close to my cycle.

barking it does in fact feel like forever since I started. The whole thing has taken an age. Still another week until collection. Trying to work out when OTD would be, I guess around 2.5 weeks from EC. So probably round about Easter weekend. I feel sick thinking about it. I'm being scanned every other day now, in again tomorrow. Hoping that there is something happening!

clem you are hardcore! Am impressed at your stoicism. Hopefully that's you fully on the way. How are you finding the merional?

sesame I think things are starting to get going - my ovaries feel tender and a bit swollen. Hoping my lazy left is doing something this time.

It's so hard to think about when to move on. I've definitely started to formulate a vision of how our life might be. I know I would need to keep going for now, another two cycles at least, before calling it a day and looking at other options.

Hello Ladybros. Been thinking of you all and wanted to stop by and say hello. I've been checking in to see how you are all doing but haven't wanted to post and pregno-rail the thread as that seemed twattish. I'm well AFAIK, and am past the 12 week scan now so finally letting myself relax a bit but still fairly anxious about the whole business.

I know pregnancy and birth announcements feel like death by a thousand cuts to many of you so all being well with my pg I will check in now and then to see how you're all doing but probably won't post here again. I just wanted to thank you all for welcoming me when I was at a really low ebb about ttc.

I guess hopes and good wishes can feel a bit empty but I really hope for all of you that 2016 is the year you get your miracle.

Love (and gin) to you all.
OTHM

barking really really sorry about the house move stuff, I’m hoping it’s just a matter of holding your nerve for a couple of weeks more, and then you will be moved and it will all be over. Good for you for working out some great post ivf plans – I really hope that this does indeed invoke law of sod . I also want to do other things with my life. The past couple of years have held back my career and I’d like to get that all back on track. And I definitely could do much more to mend the broken bits of my personal life.

clem glad you got through it anyway, when’s your first scan?

tiger how did your scan go today? Any news on when EC is likely to be? Hopefully this is it for you and you won’t be needing any more cycles.

manatee congratulations, hopefully there will be better news for a few more berries very soon

beaky are you any closer to making a decision on your next move?

Glad that you popped by manatee. I like to hear the updates, a good reminder that the win is still possible. It's also nice to be thought of. Hope you're doing well.

Scan was fine. There are a range of folicles on both sides, and I'm to continue to take 450 merional tonight and tomorrow, and my next scan is on Friday. The consultant thought I'd probably get around 10 eggs (a guess at this stage) and that I'm on target for EC on Tuesday. So all fine so far.

I found making a positive career move really helped me this year sesame. I'm more inclined to take a chance on something now, as when we first started ttc I took a sideways move into a baby friendly job and was miserable - crap job and no baby was the worst of all worlds!

Any news on the house barking?

How's things with you beaky?

Had a brief chat with a fellow ivf'er at the blood test this morning, she could have definitely been a berry. Might recruit her if I see her again on Friday!

That's all sounding very good Tiger .

You know one of those nights where you realise you've flitted from one thing to another and essentially done fuck all with your time, when if you hadn't bothered trying to do anything productive in the first place you could have had a pleasant evening with a book/watching tv/knitting? I failed to choose a wood burning stove (thinking positive about a move happening in two weeks), I failed to choose a dishwasher, I failed to tidy the house and I failed to pack any boxes. But I've spent all sodding evening trying to do each of these things.

AAaaaanyway. I need poms poms. AF needs to arrive tomorrow or I've got to cancel my scan on Friday and wait until next Friday before they will scan to see where the fuck it is. I don't like downregging, it makes me sick and gives me insomnia as well as hot flushes. I want to start stims. And I don't want any further bloody delays .

Is that a series trailer grin? The smug American-ness makes it all even worse!!

Any sign of AF barking?

How's everyone else? It's been pretty quiet in here today. Not much to report here, just gearing up for another scan tomorrow and plodding on with stims etc. l

Clementine Hope you're doing OK now that the cyst aspiration is over. You're way braver than me ! I would have been a blubbering mess.
Manatee Congratulations :)
Barking A belated pompom for AF sorry I was off for the last few days so I hope todays scan went ahead as expected.
tiger Hope your scan goes ok today and those follies are working hard.
sesame How are you ?
Grin That made me laugh much harder than it should have done ;)

Sorry updating in two parts as otherwise I loose track.

Beaky Have you had the discussion with the FC regarding the clexane and pred ? What was your verdict.
Smidge Hope your cycle plays ball for this treatement. It must be close to starting soon for you ?
Happy Any news on the start of your cycle ? Have you got the chance to fit it in this time round ?

Not much to tell here just pootling along started the new job (love it). Haven't had any yet but have eaten enough chocolate sustain a small country for a month.

tiger I don't see myself as stoic, but I guess I am...thats going on my CV (the stoicism...not what happened on Monday

manatee nice of you to pop in and see us. glad to hear all is going well with you.

seasame not fertility related, but I was out curtain fabric shopping earlier, and there was one called seasame...thought of you

tiger glad your scan went okay.

barking I soooo have many days/evenings like that...I don't stop, but I sit down at the end of the day, and I've achieved bugger all...very annoying. any sign of af yet?

grin that video just makes me think "smug parents"...kinda like the smug married's that bridget jones had to deal with...just want to punch them all in the face

forty glad all is going well with you and that you are enjoying your new job.

I had my first scan today (day 6), not got my figures to hand, but she seemed happy enough with the size of the follies, given its only day 6. they are keeping me on the same dose of merional, as don't want to overstimulate me. I've also been given cetrotide tablets to start tomorrow too

My next scan is on Monday, and the nurse thinks EC will be next Friday.

So all's progressing okay for now...

Morning Ladybros. Just popping in for my weekly (as it seems to be at the moment) whinge. Another crappy week. Been full up with the lurgy since Tuesday. An absolute nightmare trying to teach with no voice. Don't think I've ever felt so ill for so long. And I can't take any time off or it'll completely screw things up for the Inspection . So enough woe is me, how is everyone else doing?
Clem and Tiger I'm glad the stimms are progressing well. Everything crossed for you both.
Manatee thanks for popping in. I'm delighted that all is going well. All the very best to you.
Forty I'm glad you love the new job. My follow up isn't until Tuesday so hopefully we'll know a little more then. To be honest I'm glad nothing's happening FC wise at the moment as I don't think I could cope with that on top of everything else.
Beaky Sesame how are you doing?
Grin that video makes me hate smug parents even more
Well I suppose I'd better get out ofbed and do some more work .

Morning all.

Ugh happy that all sounds so full on. Hope you managed to get some time to rest over the weekend. Good luck at the appointment too, I hope it's useful. The countdown to Easter holidays can't be too long now...

Good luck for the scan today clem. Hope things are moving along nicely. You'll be around 4 days behind me.

Hope Monday morning in the new job is a good one forty. Chocolate is my weakness forty, I think I would choose it over wine these days!

I'm thankfully working at home today. I feel so swollen, it hurts to go to the loo. At my scan yesterday they said my right ovary was very stimulated. Lazy left is a bit behind but definitely doing something this time. I triggered last night and am expecting to present for EC tomorrow at around 10ish.

My 2ww drugs regime is much more full on this time. Prognovya, Fragmin, cyclogest and asprin. Not really looking forward to continuing injections, so will make the most of my needle free day today.

Hope everyone is ok, and Monday is bearable.

forty glad the new job is going well

grin I didn't really get that video, I don't think I managed to get past how overtly American it was!

clem hope today's scan shows you're still on track, I miss short protocol, it all seems to happen so much quicker!

happy get well soon it's just hideous struggling through in the classroom when you just want to curl up in a ball and die.

tiger enjoy your needle free day and good luck tomorrow.

I started spotting on Friday which was too late for a scan last week but AF arrived properly on Saturday (really painfully) and I have a baseline scan this afternoon. It's all lining up to potentially be as inconvenient as it could possible be, both work and holiday wise. Bloody marvellous.

But, I just want to get underway now. Fingers crossed for starting stims today. That'll be three injections a day.

Friend who announced her second recently is really pissing me off as she's still running and cycling and is off skiing this week. Essentially she's already got a baby and whilst pg with the second is still doing all the stuff I have given up in a quest to increase my chances enough to just have a hope of getting pg, and if I get a bfp I'll just be terrified of losing it. Her confidence makes me so ridiculously jealous and bitter as I will never have that happy bump experience.

grin personally I love a youtube ttc video and thought that clip was great! Will there be any more?

forty glad you love the new job and are getting plenty of ! What are your next steps? Do you have a wtf scheduled?

clem love the sound of sesame curtains! Did you manage to choose some nice fabric? How did your scan go today?

happy nice to see you back here, but sorry about the nasty lurgy – get well soon! Good luck for your follow up appointment, fx you can get started with your fet soon.

tiger sorry about the swollen ovaries, but hopefully that means lots of good follie growth. Good luck for ec tomorrow and enjoy your stabbing free day! Will be refreshing my phone tomorrow to find out how you got on.

barking glad that af did finally arrive, but sorry if that still means all the timings are crap. What are the 3 injections a day that you are taking? Sorry about happy bump jealousy, that’s totally understandable. I saw a colleague just back from mat leave in the canteen today, I didn’t ask her a single thing about her sprog – although she did volunteer that she has reduced her hours due to childcare responsibilities – and I’m pleased to report I even managed to remain completely oblivious as to what flavour of baby she had.

beaky any news on your next steps?

smidge have you got a transfer date?

Obsessive monitoring of my cycles has finally paid off. My app has confirmed that I did manage to ovulate on my own, for the first time in bloody ages. This is despite all the problems at the fc at the beginning of the month. This means my af should be due next weekend, which means I should get to start all over again very soon.

happy thanks for keeping everything crossed. sorry to hear you are having such a crappy week, and feeling so ill, really hope you feel better soon.

tiger hey cycle buddy, not sure why it took me till now to realise this...I really should pay more attention hope ec went okay for you yesterday, and that you enjoyed your injection free day. sounds like you have a lot to manage injection wise, in your 2ww..I currently have no idea what I'll be on.

barking how did your baseline scan go yesterday? have you started your stims today? sorry to hear your friend is doing your head in...so know what you mean about all of it...seems so unfair.

seasame didn't manage to buy any curtains, but have some samples being sent home, so that I can see which one work better in my room. glad to hear that you ovulated and that the monitoring paid off. great that you can get started again soon.

hi to everyone else.

as for me, my scan went well yesterday, nurse was very happy with the progress of the follies. they still expect ec on fri, and want me back up there on wed, for one last check, and I assume to give me whatever I'll need to trigger.

Barking Sorry you're having to deal with the news of your friend whos bouncing around all over the place. Glad to hear your cycle has started but sorry its at an inconvenient time.

Tiger Good luck today, I hope it went well.

Clem Glad the scan went well and the follies are coming along nicely.

Sesame Yes WTF is in two weeks time. I had to reschedule as we're away for a week or so. Great to hear your cycle is behaving itself now and good news that you can start again soon.

Hope everyones doing well. Happy tuesday.

Evening Ladybros.
Yay to ovulating Sesame!
Barking how did things go with your scan yesterday?
Clem glad to hear things are still progressing well. Hope you're not getting too uncomfortable!
Had my WTF appointment today and it was literally that . Planning on doing the the first FET next cycle which will probably mean mid April for transfer. She's happy to give me the scratch plus Clexane and Pred which is as much of a kitchen sink approach as I think I could hope for on the NHS. I'm also thinking of getting intralipids privately. Can anyone explain to me the science of a medicated FET please as I did natural last time? Assuming AF turns up on the 26th I start taking Progynova then and gradually increase the dose until they scan me on April 11th. I think I introduce Cyclogest then too. As I understand it the Progynova plumps the womble and the Cyclogest makes conditions prime for implantation, but what stops me OVing naturally? Or will I OV? I assumed I'd down reg in some way. When exactly will the FET take place given that my frosties are blasts? All very confusing!

That sounds like a reasonable approach happy. I start prognovya tomorrow and cyclogest today urgh bum bullets ready for transfer, so it sounds similar. Fragmin and asprin too. I'm sorry but one of the more knowledgable berries will have to share the science behind the approach as I'm uncertain!

barking how did your scan go? You're on to stims now, no? Hope you're getting along ok with the multiple injections! When's your next appointment?

Glad it continues to go well clem, hope the scan tomorrow confirms good progress!

Great that you're ovulating sesame. It's reassuring when bodies do their thing - delays to my cycle etc always make me unduly anxious. Not too long until you're next underway hopefully.

Thanks for the good wishes, EC was fine. In and out without issue, seemed to be fairly pain free and I think they gave me some good pain relief after as I felt almost a bit too good afterwards! high 11 eggs is the haul, think there would have been more but my right ovary had moved to a place that meant they couldn't get them all, and had to squish me to get the ones they could. The consultant popped in beforehand and said that my stims scan had looked good and to be careful of OHSS. I am much less bloated this time though, and my acu lady said I had very little fluid retention, which is a good sign.

I could probably go back to work tomorrow, but I'm keeping my day off to look after Mr T as he is having a minor op tomorrow. I also remember feeling a bit worse on day 2 so I'll take it easy.

beaky hope you're doing ok and getting there on your next steps. Decision making is so hard.

Just awaiting the nail biting call timorrow - the next three weeks are the hardest - no control over this bit!!

sesame I'm on suprecur, menopur and gonal f. Suprecur is just getting one dose from the vial, gonal f comes with a syringe of water that you mix with the power and suck up again, so you have the two needle faff as well, but the menopur is the two needle faff plus a vial of water and four vials of powder to individually squirt into and pull up. As I was in the office today at the relevant time I stabbed all three into different parts of my stomach, ended up with an angry red rash around the suprecur injection, the gonal f bled and the menopur was really painful. #skills.

Clem Ooo, curtains. I move house next Tuesday. I already know which curtains I want for the lounge .
Yep, started stims yesterday. Can't believe you're almost at egg collection already!!

forty happy Tuesday

happy I did a natural fet so not sure, sorry. I remember thinking that ovulation would still happen and in theory I could get pg naturally as well as the embryo we'd made earlier and we'd get non identical twins, one of whom was technically older than the other. But dh wasn't in the country at the time so it would have been awkward explaining that one!

I'm supposed to be having my second intralipids drip on Friday but forgot to take the phone number to work today to call and set it up. Got home and found it in my coat pocket, I'd had it all along...

Sorry tiger, managed to miss your post. My next scan is on Monday, intralipids on Friday if I can get it sorted.
Great haul!!! turns down the lights and cranks up Bazza
Hope you've got plenty to distract you and dh is okay tomorrow.

sneaks back in after several days of absence..

Tiger congrats on the haul. Bummer they couldn't reach all the follies on the rampant right. Glad the lazy left kept up its share of the responsibility though. Be careful with your optimism at feeling so good - remember the pain and humpback waddle returns when the follies refill and swell up with liquid again.

Sesame you have to get those curtains. And every time you open them you can say 'open sesame' (made me giggle).

barking I'm glad you've got a moving date again. Though shame the cycle dates are now clashing with everything. Still, I'm sure it'll work out #berrypower

YouTube made me laugh. Though doesn't help for those of us with !!NO KNOWN REASON!! for infertility Grr. Have to suffer those annoying '... And then they stopped trying and got pregnant by accident...' stupid happy ending stories, made to string out the hope til you have none left for life in general.

(Sorry, it did actually make me laugh, not sure where that outburst came from!)

I had my blood test on Day 10, then again on Monday, which was Day 14. Then today (day 16) I had another, along with the Dildocam. Lining at just over 6mm. Follies of 16mm, 12mm and a few lower.

Last month after a 16mm follie I had another dildocam 2 days later, where leading follie was 19mm and I still hadn't ovulated. So I figured it would be similar this time - so was thinking I'd be back in on Friday, then Saturday, leaving it very tight for a day 5 transfer on Thursday (we fly on friday!).

However, the nurse called today to say I've already ovulated?? Don't believe it for a second. I'm to take some ovidrelle (whoops, I've just realised I've forgotten how much) on Friday (plus pessaries), blood test on Saturday to check prog has risen, then another ovidrelle on (... Err forgotten that too, whoops). I think they must be planning the transfer for Monday.

Really not convinced I've ovulated, but I have no LH pee sticks to check. But I guess AliG must be looking closely at my hormones given last month's failed attempt so I will just have to trust her. as if

MrSmidge is getting stressed at the move. I'm the opposite and getting blasé. I just met a random girl on a street corner to sell her a clothes rail for $10. It was quite exciting. . He on the other hand gets annoyed with buyers coming after 7pm and grumpy that things that cost us $700 five years ago are now only raising $180. Personally I think any money we get is an absolute bonus, and have even listed our laundry basket

Ha smidge I remember selling my furniture when leaving Australia. Didn't have much but did quite well out of it all. Poor old Mr Smidge, hope he's not panicking too much.
Can't believe you're leaving so soon!

I guess you have to try and trust them to some extent and go with it. At least the transfer will be done before you go.

I had the call from the embryologist. Of the 11, 8 were mature and 5 fertilised normally. Just doesn't feel like much to play with, so keeping everything crossed that these 5 are decent. I'll get another call on Friday morning, to either come in for transfer that afternoon or to advise on progress and quality for a day 5 transfer. I'm trying not to feel disappointed but I guess I'd hoped for more.

Oh and smidge you were right. I am swelling up like a gooden now!

happy glad your wtf app went okay. good to hear you are starting to plan your next cycle.

barking your "turns down the lights and cranks up bazza" really made me laff

smidge sorry to hear your having ovulation disagreements with your fc, hope its not stressing you out. loving your comment about seasames curtains..."open seasame"...just brilliant.

tiger sounds like you have got a good haul. fingers crossed they all make it to blastocyst stage.

hi to everyone else.

so I had my last dildocam scan today, and as they had predicted, I am on track for ec on friday. I now don't need to do any more centrotide injections (thank goodness, as I was getting localised swelling/rash at the injection site each time (does anyone else get this?)...didn't like that one much). have one more merional to take later and then I need to trigger later on tonight, and then I'm up there on friday for ec, with et predicted for either monday or wednesday, depending on how things go.

all of a sudden it feels like things are moving very quickly.

dh and I were talking when we came out, how currently, it feels very much like an out of body experience we are both having (suppose its the mentality that "other people have ivf, not us"...all just feels a bit surreal.