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....

Sesame of course I wouldn't mind sharing. I've been on 10mg Pred and 20ml Clexane per day since ET. When I rang the FC to report the BFP the nurse told me to up the Clexane to 40ml which I did but then the next day I was told to drop back to 20ml as 40ml is only for those with diagnosed clotting issues I think Barking is on 40. Glad your cycle is progressing and everything crossed for you.
Antonia it's completely expected to have down moments. I took ages to get my head around my first IVF failure. Not much comfort but it does get easier, especially when you start to make plans for the next phase of treatment .
Feel free to add me on MFP as happylass. I've been useless lately but trying to get back on track. I've also got a Fitbit if anyone has one and wants to add me there.

hi chloe I joined after you left...but lovely to hear from a berry grad.

only just seen your question happy we had a nice chilled out and calm bank holiday weekend (dh also got some time off, for the first time in ages). was nice to switch off and just catch up on some tv progs we'd recorded. how was weston? love going there, although not been for years. hope you are doing well, and distracting yourself before your scan.

I've been waking up really early lately too tiger (I suspect its my cat disturbing me...he starts wanting to go out, once the sun is up, but we lock him in overnight) pain in the arse still I put up with it though really glad you had such a lovely lunch...that gnt sounds lush.

how's the new job going beaky? I've just started one too...not quite sure how we are going to do a cycle in may, without me having to tell them whats going on...which I really don't want too. I understand your worries about maternity cover/leave...I think its only natural to think about all of this. I so feel for your frustration, with feeling like you've not had an answer about your infertility...I know you have had more cycles than me, but I feel much the same as you (makes me want to scream the roof off)...like you all our test results come back looking good/within expected ranges "should" be getting pregnant, but no bfp. I do worry about doing test, after test, after test...starting to feel like we are being taken advantage of (because of our desperation in wanting a baby)...I don't know what to do for the best sometimes. sorry, not helpful, but you are not alone feeling like this. we are always here, if you want to vent.

good to hear af arrived on time seasame, really hope your follies behave and progress as you need them too.

sorry to hear you are feeling disengaged tiger, but I do get what you mean...its hard to manage emotions and state of mind with all of this isn't it...I know I am still early days with all this, but there are days when I think screw this, I can't do it anymore... that thought rarely lasts very long

so we are currently thinking about cycling in June, with having the day 21 treatment planning app, in 3 weeks time. they are talking about doing a long protocol this time (it was short last time) when I last spoke to the fc (at the wtf app) they also suggested I should have a scratch.

this all seems like a good idea, but I also feel, like May is now a total right off (as we won't be able to dtd at all, because of the scratch) I think in my wishful thinking head I was maybe hoping for a natural miracle in the May cycle ridiculous I know, and now that feels like its taken away, cause of the scratch (which I do want). its just another definate month of definatley not being pregnant...my head really struggles with coming to terms with that.

although we are in control of saying yes/no to all of this, it makes me feel very out of control with what is going on...kind of like an out of body experience...maybe its because we have to defer to experts so much. does anyone else feel like that?

Yes Tiger I totally know what you mean, I feel a little like that because there isn't anything I can do at the moment and I'm not sure what's going to happen now. Maybe it's a bit of self protection mode for you? And it's such a long wait til your next appointment, especially when you've waited for so long already. I think you are doing the right thing getting the immunes done though, I hope it helps. That cake sounds amazing too! Where is the recipie from? Thanks for the support its very much appreciated. I will look into the Coventry nk cells testing, that's much cheaper that the one my clinic recommended.

Sesame let me get my spangly leotard out, I can do womble thickening and follie growth dances at the same time I reckon! I hope you manage to get your two. Who doesn't love a good ole dildocamming (my phone predicted that ) How are you feeling about things and are you managing to keep sane staying with rels? Thanks for the suggestions, I think dh had actually mentioned karyotyping when we were looking at Prague, and the clinic quoted me but said it wasnt necessary at the moment, I think they were coming at it from the perspective of this not being my final own round. They said similar about most of the tests I asked about. I can imagine that if clinics were offering a guarantee then they'd want it, but the prices they charge for that are extortionate. It's basically a deposit on a house

Hope everyone else is ok and the first day back to work wasn't too bad!

sesame I'm on 25mg of prednisolone, 400mg progesterone x2 a day, 0.4ml heparin and an intralipids drip every 4 weeks (started before downregging).
I do have diagnosed thrombophilia though, hence the higher dose heparin (and if all goes well I'll be on it until 6 weeks post birth). Tests showed high nk cells, high killer activity and elevated th1:th2 which explains the higher dose of prednisolone compared to happy. The intralipids are for the same immune issues.
I started all this between ec and et.

Arhhh I missed the new page! Ant yes since my last ivf I've put a ton on I am trying to get it off but so not I've not been successful cause I've no willpower and like to eat and drink if you want to add me on mfp message me your user name. It will get easier too, and I think agreeing when you will stop is really sensible and good for your sanity.

Happy how are you feeling? Did you enjoy your brief break away?

Clem I haven't started my new job yet, not long to go though. I find it difficult to tell people personal stuff. My problem is more that the job is fixed term so I am worried about ending up jobless and skint, and not pg either! Have you settled in ok to yours? Is there anyone you could talk to that you'd feel comfortable with? I know what you mean about missing the opportunity to try on certain cycles, it's frustrating for sure. I agree with the lack of control too, it makes you rely on people where you haven't had to do that before and you don't necessarily think they have the same level of interest in the outcome as we do.

ant well done on the yoga and trying to get back into fitness. I've also gained weight from treatment - it happens unfortunately... And I'm also trying to get on top of these things again.

happy and barking thanks for your protocol info. Interesting you are both still on pred - my fc starts with a 20mg daily dose following et, but only for a few days before dropping to 10, and they say to stop taking on otd, irrespective of result. They also gave me 40mg clexane initially cos I'm so fat, although if I ever get a bfp I plan to drop the dose down once I've used my leftover meds.

clem glad you had a lovely bank hol. I think one of the hardest parts of my journey was the bit between cycles 1 and 2. I found I was really anxious about af's arrival and having to book in for my next round. In the end I made the decision to defer for one more month and it made me so much happier. Don't worry so much about treatment in the new job either, at least you know what to expect and that most of the appointments should fit around it. I think you then would probably only need to build in a last minute day off for ec.

beaky you do look good in sequins! Thanks for the moves. It did the trick for my lining at least, which is where it should be. I know what you mean about the cost, I had to stop totting it up after the first round, as it just made me ill to think what I could have done with it otherwise. I've not even had a holiday in 3 years and my last one was a best forgotten family led disaster.

Scan this morning showed progress for my lining and one follie, but unfortunately the other follie isn't developing - the doc said it's gone a bit floppy technical. So we still proceed with the plan anyway, to try and get one, and unless the bloods show otherwise, I'm back in for another quick look round tomorrow before triggering for ec.

Hi ladies, just wondering if I could join you? I've been on and off mumsnet for a couple of years and my last thread's been shrinking for a while and I'm feeling a bit lost..

I'm 31, been ttc since 2013, no bfp, no nothing. Had all initial tests, low sperm count but "not terminal" and starting to get really despondent about the whole thing now...

Welcome Cooper. Sorry you find yourself here but you're in the best possible place. Are you considering any treatment?
Sesame glad to hear things are progressing but sorry about the floppy follie. Everything crossed for EC.
Beaky I'm feeling ok thanks for asking, although time is literally standing still. Weston was nice even though the great British weather didn't disappoint!

Hiya coop sorry you find yourself here. Do make yourself comfy with cushions etc. (I'm sure beaky will be along shortly with a selection as I'm never sure of protocol for these things.... ) I lurk on the besh sometimes and I've seen you over there if you had a special category for single besh (sbesh?) I might have been tempted to apply.... Do you have any next steps or are you planning any further investigations or treatment?

happy thanks. How is your pg going so far? Do you have many pg symptoms?

After my scan yesterday, my fc called last night to say my bloods weren't doing what they should. The doc couldn't decide whether to trigger me early for ec on Friday (to be sure of getting an egg) or carry on one more day till Saturday (so the egg is more likely to be mature) and he wanted to involve me in the decision.... In the end we settled on Saturday.

It was better news today. The scan looked ok, with my follie now at 18mm. My lining isn't particularly fat, but the doc seemed happy and it is still triple lined. The doc also just called with the blood results and it seems after the drama yesterday, my lh has gone down. He still wants me to pimp with an opk later to check in case I have an lh surge before trigger - which could mean game over. But all in all we hope to proceed as planned, although there are still a lot of things that need to fall into place for me. Any pompom waving and shimmies would still be very welcome!

Welcome cooper, I'm sure you can find a home here. We're not as busy as we once were, but it's still a great place for some support. What's your story, are you considering IVF?

hope all is progressing to plan sesame. Do you know what time you're in for EC? Am keeping eveything crossed for you.

ant I've also put on around 5lb in about a month. It's drinking that has done it, so I'm going back to not drinking again, or at least not too much. I have upped my yoga class attendance, and I'm also doing two 20 minute resistance training sessions with a personal trainer. It's basically weights and core work but it's a high intensity short work out - ideal for me as I get bored in the gym. Hoping to see some good results in time for our honeymoon!

beaky the cake recipe was a bit made up - sort of a cross between a carrot cake and a banana loaf, based on one I found by just googling. I added walnuts and cinnamon. Must eat less cake if I'm going to shed a few pounds. Hope you're looking forward to the new job, I can safely say, being on my third job since ttc, that it is a great distraction to do something new!

clem I did manage to do my first cycle without telling work at all, but relied on annual leave. Second time around I told them. I know what you mean about a wasted month, this will be one for us as I'm having the NK biopsy so must not get pg (haha). Hope you're doing ok.

barking and happy hope you're both doing ok. Keep us updated on any scan news.

So I rang the Coventry clinic earlier in the week and they said I could do the biopsy this cycle if I wanted, as all they asked is that I have had a natural period since IVF. I got out the OPKs and had a positive today so I'm booked in for Friday 13th . It's good to be doing something to move things forward. Less good to be spending £360 to have my insides scraped. Oh well.

What are you all up to this weekend? Very quiet one here, just sorting out the house a bit and getting some jobs done. Mr T has a job interview so is preparing all weekend apparently!

tiger thanks for the shimmies, well done on booking the biopsy, glad they could fit you in so quick.

EC was this morning, they got the egg and it's been injected. More news in the morning. Someone stick Barry on....

Hello and welcome cooper it's a brilliant thread for a shit part of our lives I couldn't/can't manage this crap without the berries. What will be next for you treatment wise?

Sesame thinking of you and sending hugs

Happy how are you? Thinking of you and Barking regularly and hoping for the best for you both.

Tiger you are very talented with your baking, it sounds lovely. Well done in the extra exercise and giving up wine for a while. Good luck to MrT for the interview, is he trying to avoid jobs whilst prepping surfing the Internet? Good luck for your nk cells biopsy. Do you just ring and get the special rate or is it a particular thing you need to ask for? What about other immunes tests? Have you decided where to go/what to get done?

I'm just having a little time off before new job so enjoying it while I can. I really need to give up wine though, I'm drinking far too much lately. What opks do people use? I am wanting to try and keep track of my cycles for a couple of months, in case I do have the biopsy and not because I have any hope of a bfp but I've only ever used clear blue smiley faces and they are expensive. Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend and the lovely weather, although it was cold and foggy here all day yesterday!

Thinking of you sesame.

I heard it was massively foggy your way beaky as the family are up on the NE coast at the moment. It was muggy here then we had a fabulous down pour and thunder storm. Lovely today, I'm just having a cuppa in the garden and contemplating doing something more productive.

I just called up and booked myself in for the NK biopsy. I'll PM you the number if you like. It's all very simple to do, it's a research trial, that's why it is so cheap compared with other tests. I use cheap OPKs off amazon and they seem to be fine. I haven't really got any further with thinking about other tests, will see what this comes back with as a starting point.

Hope everyone else is out enjoying the sunshine!

beaky your comment of "and you don't necessarily think they have the same level of interest in the outcome as we do" is so spot on...you kinds of feel like a number sometimes (as with many things in life don't you...due to them not being as invested in this as we are...cause its baby related, it just stings so much more). ref. opk's I've always struggled to get any positive readings from any opk's I've bought (clear blue digital/tesco own/one step from amazon)...so I gave up trying.

tiger same here with the weight gain...I am getting proper lardy, especially around middle...nothing fits rights anymore, and I just feel eeeeuuugghghh. sorry to jump in on this one...but the nk biopsy, are there any requirements/history needed, to get this test done?

welcome cooper, sorry you find yourself here...hope your stay is short.

so, we have decided to not cycle in June anymore (so no 21 day planning app or scratch this month). we are going to just try naturally for a month the words cat and hells chance spring to mind

we're off to a small fertility exhibition next weekend, so we will talk to the fc there to try and help us decide whether to do our next cycle at the same one we did our first one at, or to go with another one. we are quite torn at the moment, as to whether to go with the same one (better the devil you know), or to go elsewhere (elsewhere is likely to be an abroad clinic). at least this time when we go to the exhibition, we'll be better armed with questions for each of them (last time we went, we'd not started ivf by that point, so we proper rabbits in headlights).

hi clem, the only requirement for the NK biopsy is that you must not have had failed IVF or miscarriage within two months. When I rang up, they clarified that this meant having had a normal period following the post IVF bleed. You need to track ovulation and then let them know when you have ovulated, and they book you in 7-10 days post ovulation.

This link Coventry gives you the contact details of Prof Quenby's secretary. She is helpful and can explain how it works.

fab, thanks for that tiger, timing wise, that would mean I'd need to start tracking ovulation now, as I'm 2 months post failed ivf (withdrawal bleed and a natural bleed)...only issue for me, is I have always struggled to get any positive readings from ovulation kits (think I was whinging about that in my post earlier, so not sure how I'd manage). think I'll give them a call tomorrow, and see what they say.

Just popping on quickly to mark my spot as the Berries have fallen off my watch list! Apologies for to silence. Will pop back tonight to catch up properly. Have a good one all.
PS - just noticed there's now a donor conception board on MN which I think is new? or I'm just oblivious

Hey berries. Hope all is well.

Good luck sesame

Baking sounds good tiger. I should probably do some now I'm back in my house with a lovely kitchen but I'm still excited to be able to buy fantastic cakes from supermarkets, yay for Mr Kipling, M&S and anything else I spot that I've missed for the past 5 years

Welcome cooper

Finally booked the Italy trip - flying to Pisa and then spending about 10 days around there / Florence - 2 or 3 days in each hotel. One's an olive grove/farm thing, looks fab

Hello! I just wanted to say that I bumped up the Berrycopter thread (it's been quiet for a while) for those of you who feel ready to jump aboard! It's in Antenatal - sorry for not posting a link but can't figure out how to do it on the IPad.

Hang on, maybe this will work...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/2444385-The-Berry-Copter-Mid-2015-edition?watched=1&msgid=61000960#61000960

Morning all,

smidge that holiday sounds fab. We went to Florence last time I was in Italy, it was lovely. I also liked Sienna and Perugia. Hope you have an amazing time - when are you off? Have you and Mr Smidge settled back in? How's the job hunt?

happy I also noticed that board for the first time the other day. Hope you're hanging in there until the scan.

Hope the fertility show is useful clem let us know if you pick up any useful information!

beaky how are you?

ant have you made any progress on the extra half a stone? I'm struggling but determined to step it up a gear!

I hope that the chopper springs back into action chloe. Especially as (everything crossed, touch wood etc) it looks like some of the Berry royalty might be moving on up there soon.

Not much to report here. DH has the very important job interview today and I feel terribly nervous for him. He totally deserves it, and is the best man for the job, even without my obvious bias!

Whether he gets it or not, we're going out for dinner tonight and then the diet starts properly. Despite two weeks of yoga x 3 and high intensity resistance training sessions x 2, I have lost nothing, and my diet is to blame. I've also looked at my general activity levels and I'm not doing my 10,000 steps per day. In my last job I managed it pretty much every day, running around the hospital site and walking everywhere, but I am much less active in this job as it is purely desk based. I am going to have to introduce some running into my routine to shift this excess half a stone. It's making me seriously grouchy!!

Otherwise I am in for my biopsy on Friday and then should get my results a few weeks after that. Not really looking forward to it, I must say, but hoping it might provide some answers...

Good luck for tomorrow Tiger! Hope it's reasonably painless. Do you get sedated or anything? How was tonight's meal? Hope there was some celebratory real champagne from the champagne region on the go!

Happy the donor conception board is fairly new but not much is posted in there at the mo. How are you? How long til your scan?

Smidge that holiday sounds amazing! When do you go?

clem is the show this weekend? Please pass on any good info to us berries!

Ant how are you doing?

Barking still keeping everything crossed for you and hoping you are managing to get more sleep.

Sesame how are you feeling? Thinking of you

I'm starting my new job soon and want to do the nk biopsy but I'm not sure what to tell them... Any suggestions? I just feel anxious about giving any IVF info with it being a fixed term contract, iykwim.

Morning Berries. Finally getting around to posting again! Hope everyone is well.
Smidge your holiday sounds amazing. I did part of my degree in Italian and spent a couple of months in Tuscany - beautiful place. Have a thoroughly fantastic time!
Thanks for the copter thread Chloe. It's waaay too early for me to graduate (I'm hoping these lovely lot are ok with me hanging out here for the time being) but I really hope to be able to join you all in the future.
Beaky good luck with starting the new job. How much time off do you need for the biopsy? If it's just a day I'd go with hospital appointment. Any longer and I'd say 'medical procedure' and if they enquire further play the 'gynaecological' card. That usually shuts people up, especially if it's a bloke!
Tiger hope you're feeling ok after your biopsy. Fx they get the results to you quick smart.
Sesame I hope you're doing ok my lovely. I've been thinking of you
AFM I'm just about hanging on in there. Scan is Wednesday. I'm not sure how I'm going to get through it. Just can't shake the feeling that it's going to be bad news .
Anyway I'm off to a wedding today. I've been awake since 5am (like every other morning for the past few weeks!) so it's going to be a looong day. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend with lots of nice things planned.

Well this weekend has been two birth announcements and a pg next door neighbour enjoying the sun. I just wish it was me. Anyway...

Hope everyone has been having lovely weekends and that's why it's so quite here!

Clem how did the show go?

Happy how was the wedding?

Sesame how are you lovely?

Ant hows things? Is your new fitness/diet routine going ok? Mine isn't too much and

Hope everything is going ok Sesame, any news?

Hey Cooper, sorry to see you here but here is the best place to be as we know what you're going through.

Tiger, Beaky and Happy, I've done sweet FA on fitness/diet routine. I've had a cold and a bloody chest infection so everything has gone out the window! Writing off last week. Start tomorrow

Hope everyone is doing well!

The FC appointment was good. We went through everything and agreed that the treatment went as planned. My egg and DH sperm can be friends and make blastocysts. What didn't happen was the implantation. We discussed and agreed that the short protoco and ICSI would be the way to go and possibly change the Menopur for Gonal-F and maybe up the dosage a little to help with getting more mature eggs. They recommend having two natural cycles before having another round. They also said that there is no reason why we can't conceive naturally as I still have a tube and then the discussion on the cost of treatment.

So after a good talk, me and DH agreed to try naturally (argh) June, July and August. We're going on holiday end of August for a fortnight. If nothing has happened by then, back to FC we go.

At least I've got time to get myself back in shape.

Remember when Boodle would streak?