TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF or just undecided - all welcome!

[Kwick709]

This thread is for anyone trying to conceive... or thinking about doing so through donor IUI or donor IVF. Nothing TMI - feel free to join, we are a lovely group here to support and help keep the cray-cray away!

Kwick yep, it's the first thing I checked when I decided to do this! And thanks for the welcome!

Not sure when they changed it - some time between 2011 and now... It was always an anomaly but something someone said last year meant I assumed that it was still in place.... Oh well - I would have still gone ahead so this is moot. Just have even more reason to win the lottery now!!!!

BTW have found a nice compromise between ginger nuts and oatcakes: Nature Valley Ginger Nut Crunch - 192kcals

Hey stork waves
Welcome,very excited for you. I'm going to be going to care in Tunbridge wells,they seem totally lovely so hope Northampton is the same :)

Ooh I heard back from the clinic but they advised I ring them to discuss my case informally with them,didn't even get a millisecond to breathe today let along ring the clinic but hopefully sometime this week

Hola Stork, of course you can join us. Welcome to the gang! And congratulations for making such an awesome choice. Sure you've already read our many success stories. We really are proof that this can work! And I've found these threads so very helpful. Immeasurably so at times. Please ask away, any questions allowed

Uh oh Kwick - that doesn't sound good. I'm going with the bury head in sand and save my ass off in the interim approach. I did get my new work's mat policy off a mate a while back and it just confused me. I think I get full pay for 18 weeks with Maternity Allowance from government (about £140 a week) till 9 months. But I'm totally expecting that I won't get the full pay bit cos I've misread or misunderstood the policy. Till then head in sand is fine with me... Hope yours isn't too bad x

Thanks guys, yes I've read the stories, and the successes are giving me lots of hope! I hope I'm as lucky!

I've always wanted children, I simply thought I'd focus on work till Prince Charming came along, but he seems to have gotten a tad lost... So I thought what the heck am I waiting for? My eggs are degrading with every day that passes!! I'm sad that I'm flying solo, as I adore my father, but hey, that's not to say I won't find someone eventually, right? Right??!

Maternity leave is a bit hit and miss I find, my company offers extended so it's full pay for 6.5mths, and I can add holiday allowance to it, so I should end up with about 7-7.5mths which I'm happy with. I say that now, when I have to hand the baby over to a nanny or daycare I'll be saying something else I'm sure! Good luck to those with varying allowances!

Soooo I spoke to the clinic today (they are always so lovely) and asked about the pill. Because of the time I'm on I don't have to come off until at least when I see the consultant who will advise exactly when but even then I can stop pretty last minute wahoooooooo :)

Taydex I am a big supporter of head in sand approach... at the time I even helped write our policy and I still don't understand it!!! Anyway I think I kinda decided that if my scan next week goes well I will make official at work - so that I can get clarity on this point. I will ask that they keep quiet until I get to 12 weeks.

Absolutely stork - my Prince Charming is just round the corner too!!! I must say though I think I will get quite a lot of "I didn't know you were married" comments at work... I plan to say breezily: "I am not". They stare it out with a smile.

Good news pickle :) You pill popper youu!
I have started watching Battlechefs - do they do the same route each week - the mis-pronounciation of the Spanish is beginning to grate and I am only on my second viewing!!!!

I have an excrutiating 5.30am pick-up tomorrow.. how fine can I cut it to get up... 4.45am? It is going to be a long day!!!

Kwick I get up at 5:35 and leave 6am twice a week to go into the office. The key is to do makeup once I get there.... If you aren't quick in the bath, shower before you go to bed, get up, get dressed, make coffee/decaff, grab bag and go!

So I had my second round of fertility enhancing acupuncture last night (anyone else tried this?) normally my cycle is clockwork, but I was 2days late this month- AF has just appeared. Apparently acupuncture can do this at the beginning, while the body is rebalancing and healing etc, and then it will regulate.. Hope so, just as I need the clock to chime on time with regularity it springs a delay!!

Anyway here I sit, feeling gross and waaay worse than normal, as if the 2 day delay has hit my uterus with a vengeance and I'm now paying the price for the disruption! Eugh.

Sorry for af stork I did not do acupuncture for fertility - I had actually been having acupuncture for relief from pain but when I decided to go for the upduffedness I needed to cull my spending - and this was something I cut. I did consider restarting when I was doing IVF but I just could not fit in... nor bear the thought of EVEN more needles!!!!
Speaking of which, have to o do 2 injections...

Stork, Kwick - Prince Charming is just round the corner, I'm sure. At least you didn't go as drastic as me. I hit 30 and was fed up of trying to find Mr Right when Miss Right came along instead! I'm very much a try anything once, but I never expected that!!! Talk about midlife crisis ha ha ha!

I'm also pretty sure all get a lot of husband comments. I must think up some witty retorts. I've only done 3 days in the new job so far and I've not yet let on I have a wife instead of a husband. It would probably be easier to say it from the off but I'm a chicken and just respond with "My partner/my other half..."

Pickle - great news re the pill. I wasn't a great fan of the year or two I was off it after about 12/14 years of being on it!

I'm planning on being honest with my colleagues, which is going to be interesting!

My situation kind of necessitates it though. My gay best friend works at the same place and everyone knows that I'm single and that we're close. If I don't explain that I've had IUI with donor sperm everyone will think that my friend was my donor! And that wouldn't be fair on him.

I'm not that bothered about Prince Charming now. My focus has completely changed. I do hope that in the future I might still have a chance of meeting a nice man though.

Vegemite is my new best friend. After having some at lunch time my nausea has been a bit more manageable.

Yeh battlechefs is pretty naff, I've been recording it and watching if I get desperate-it's no masterchef
I've been on the pill for about 15years and mini pill for about 8 with no periods so a little pill to keep that going for a while longer is more than fine with me :)

I too would have much preferred the normal me+hubby+2kids but life doesn't seem to want that to be the case and don't want to not have kids just because I don't have a man....if a man... (Or a woman if follow in taydex footsteps :) ) then so be it but kids are more important to me. I showed someone at work my sisters baby scan today and my friend/colleague tried to convince this girl I was pregnant and she said "pah I think we'd all fall of our chair if .... Was pregnant" cos of no man etc however made me feel like some kind of leper!!

Have you had all your tests etc stork did they say how soon after your first consultant that you can have the first procedure? You must be so excited.

pickle stupid work person! What do they know?!

Not sure if watching One born every minute is a good idea but am hooked anyway!

Managed to stab myself with minimal issue tonight... phew!

I know people don't always mean it to come out that way but still hurts :(

Glad the stabby stabby was ok today :) do u have to have the injections for much longer?
Or is it until 12 weeks?

I don't usually watch one born but if I start I have to watch the whole thing as want to know what they are having and what they are going to name the baby :) addictive.com

pickle, nope all the assessments etc still to come, so no idea if it'll be DI, assisted DI or ivf at the mo. I've never tried to get pregnant before so no idea what kind of working order my bits are in!
So yep, I'm right at the very beginning... It is exciting, but also seems a little surreal, as it's been 4wks since I made the appt. and I'm not going till May3rd.

I have a business trip next week to NYC, so that'll take my mind off it (as can't stop thinking about baby names, furniture, clothes, strollers, carriers v slings v mai teis, nannies v daycare.....)

I also found out today that I need to go to Mexico in June which started a small freak up about zika virus contamination.....

Re timeline, it's unknown, but I doubt I will be ready test wise for May ovulation, June I'm on hols during ovulation, so maybe July? Unless everything happens quickly as its May, can anyone shed light on Care Fertility timelines from first assessment tests to procedure?

Thanks!

Eeek how exciting, I've got a while to wait as being sensible (or trying) going to pay off credit card and then save save save. I want to have my first procedure in may next year as I hopefully can save a reasonable chunk by then (if I don't eat etc I can save more, I have note pads with budgets all over-bit ocd!!)
Going to watch 5star babies on ch2 now, see how posh people get to have babies-sure it'll just annoy me but intreagued

Woah £10,000 minimum package to have a baby at the Portland!!!! Oh to have that much money

Mmm, Vegemite (well, Marmite for me but Vegemite's good too). I've had a couple of "dinners" recently that are just Marmite on toast as that's all I've fancied, even though I have real food in the fridge. I think the fussy eating and feeling nauseous may be reducing but not sure...

Pickle - People say stupid things. I hear it all the time. It seems like everyone is talking about babies and up duffedness since we got up duffed. I'm sure it's just that I've noticed it more. One day you'll prove 'em wrong (with a smug smile on your face)!

I can't bring myself to watch OBEM. It's hopefully too late now and I don't want to scare myself...! More head in the sand time.

Stork - I daydream about those kind of things all the time and have done for ages.

Hi Stork, welcome to the group - you've come to the right place!

You're one up on me for finding a support group first - I didn't think to look until after I'd started and was really struggling with it. Assisted conception is a wonderful thing and I'm so grateful for it (I'm a solo mum-to-be too), but I certainly found it surpringly overwhelming at first. But being able to hear and share with others going through the same thing made me feel much more normal - it's good to know you're not alone! And yes, we're proof. It works, whatever treatment you decide to do.

So, follow up scan is tomorrow midday. I'm a little nervous (I guess as you always are), but hoping that results come back with nothing to worry about (and a cheeky 8 week piccie!). Will keep all you ladies posted.

I found that breadsticks were also quite helpful for something to nibble on. Though I was quite proud of myself today - I actually managed to eat TWO lunches! A Pret baguette AND a large sausage roll. Probably the most I've eaten in a week! Long may it continue!

Right, suppose I should be heading to bed. School again tomorrow (thank feck I agreed to a four day week!)

Nite ladies!

How's your scan go cloud fingers crossed everything went ok for you.

Haha shoes I can imagine work gossip about whether it as ur gay friends bub,bet they won't be expecting what you actually have done.
I love vegemite/bovril/marmite so i could totally deal with that craving :)

I wrote a long post this morning... need a new phone

I just got back from day trip to Toulouse - I am light headed due to tiredness and really annoyed that I took such a heavy bag.

cloud how did your scan go?

stork I wrote you a long piece on things you can do now to improve egg quality plus what to do after IUI but I will have to re-write another day as I am dead on my feet.

I am a Marmite lover. Have not had vegemite for about 25 so cannot remember what it tastes like.

Dinner tonight: rice krispies... night night ZZZZzzzzzzzz

If I remember rightly, some things to eat/drink to improve egg quality are: an egg a day, yogurt (I think Activia type are best but I could be wrong), increase milk intake (I have on my cereal anyway, but added a decaf latte or glass of cold milk to my diet), nuts (anything but I think almonds and Brazils anything are good), protein with every meal (ideally white meat (chicken/turkey), fish (careful which type) or cheese). That's all I can remember right now but will let you know if I remember anything else (and others feel free to chip in). Also worth reducing intake of caffeine (200 mg a day, so about 1 filter coffee, 2 instant coffees or coke is actually quite low in caffeine), alcohol and red meat.

Anyone anything to add/correct me where I've gone wrong?

Oh, and also best not to go on any crazy diets too close to TTC, but I did find trying to squeeze all that above in, I ended up doing it as well as my normal food so put a few lbs on. Whoopsie!