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!

All sounds very sensible Taydex, though of course I did none of that!

Only thing I would add is that you'd want to start taking Folic acid (400mg) at around 3 months before TTC. Doesn't need to be part of a supplement, you can buy just Folic acid cheap from Boots. In the end I took it as part of a pre-conception supplement as my diet was pretty rubbish. I'm now taking a Pregnacare pregnancy supplement with Omega 3 component as I don't eat any fish. Guessing it's working!

So, the scan went well. Yay! I managed to book in with the same sonographer/midwife which was good. The fluid was diagnosed as a corpus luteum cyst, which apparently is very common in early pregnancy and will usually start to shrink around 9-12wks. They can apparently cause quite a bit of pain, but I haven't noticed any so I'm not worried. The midwife wasn't concerned and says there's no need to do any more scans before the 12 weeks.

Heartbeat still going strong (and 100 miles and hour!), baby now measuring 1.7cm, but could see development of arms and legs and the placenta is starting to take over. So all on track.

Managed to get another piccie, though I don't think it's as clear as the first. Little fella (or felles!) was being shy and hiding from the camera.

Awe cloud look at the little bean! So lovely!!!!!
When's ur 12week scan taydex

Thanks ladies the tips!

I've already started the Zita west pre conception supplements, and am trying to reduce the coffee intake.... Re the food, it's tricky. I follow slimming world, which is a sensible eating plan as I still have weight to lose, already down over 6st in 2years (3 to go!) , so I'm doing it sensibly, and plan to continue during pregnancy under the guidance of a midwife (as its approved by them as a plan to follow during pregnancy if you need to) and with full medical approval obviously. I still have milk and yogurt, lots of chicken and fish, and mostly vegetables and fruit. I cook everything from scratch with fresh ingredients, so I'm hoping this all helps. I love nuts, but slimming world doesn't, may have to indulge though!!!

I just watched that 5star baby show from last night and I am researching maternity nurses. What a lovely idea, someone to help me get through the nights in the first 3-4 wks and settle baby into a routine. Must save harder!!!

kwick bad form about your long message! I appreciate the sentiment regardless!

Has anyone got any timeline ideas re Care Fertility, from initial appointment to procedure? In everything they sent, they didn't include that!

Thanks!

Oh my god cloud Getting a tad emotional for you!!!

I don't think there is a wait for iui once you've had all your tests I think you can start pretty much straight away. The lady I spoke to the other day said egg share ivf is a wait as has to line up with other woman but iui is just you...sure the lovely girlies on here will know more than me tho :)

I don't know about your clinic, I can only say my experience with my clinic. The only wait we had was for tests (which we had done on the NHS to save some money, and they probably did more than we needed as they were looking at possible funding too (waste of time for us)). Once that was done we booked consultation and we're ready to start in a few weeks (actually we had to wait for one blood test which was missed but that was quite quick).

Welcome Stork!
Just reading through your posts - I am also going to be doing my fertility treatment at Care Fertility Northampton! Small world, hey? Are you local?

Taydex & Shoes, I haven't been on the pill for over two years. I haven't had a relationship so haven't needed to - plus it exacerbates my asthma! I'm so confused. Ah well, two weeks until my appointment with the gynaecologist. I've been having AF-type pains today, but I only come off a week ago my body is really playing me up.

Cloud what a lovely scan! How far gone are you now?

Shoes am I right in thinking you had a scan this morning also?? How did it go??

How are all you ladies feeling?

I was pretty much the same as Taydex I think, though I took a years break between my first consultation and when I started the process.

But roughly it seemed to be:

1. do the consult and decide what route you want to take
2. do an initial scan & blood test to check every in working order. There may be a follow up consult afterwards to discuss the results but will depend on your clinic

1. get the screening tests done (I did this on NHS as well so it took a week or so. NOTE: the results need to be less than 3 months old when your start the process so you may want to wait if not startin straight away)

1. decide which month you want to start. Make sure you get the necessary hormone prescriptions from your clinic so you're ready to go. (NOTE: I did medicated IUI and most prescriptions cost about £80 each time)

1. if using donor sperm, order your preferred specimen at least 2 weeks before AF is due (NOTE: I was told I could order just one day beforehand but when I did that I was told that wasn't correct as it can take over one week to process the order, and some clinics won't start without the go-go-juice on site. Definitely check with your clinic on their timings as it got a little stressy for me!)

1. on the first day of AF call up your clinic and book in for your first scan

And the rest is history.

I found the whole timing with ordering sperm the most stressful thing. Plus I found the process at lot more emotional and difficult than I'd expected, so leave yourself some time to do that bit. You don't want to have rush that decision if you can help it.

Exciting!!

stork I think my long post that disappeared went something like this:
Egg quality is really important - you may want to consider taking supplements to boost that such as CoQ10, Vitamin E, drinking lots of milk in lead up to ovulation (but not after as can impact implantation), do the pineapple thing (after IUI/IVF), keep kidneys and feet warm at all times, plus baby aspirin during 2WW.
There is a handy book about egg quality called "It starts with the egg".

Not sure if you are using donor sperm? If so let me know and I will give you my two bits on that.

Ok way behind on thread...

oh yeah and:
Eats loads of walnuts (you can have them as syns)
Dose up on cayenne pepper after treatment
Eat lots of cinnamon (all of the time)

Amazeballs piccie cloud

If my memory serves me well in terms of tests:
They did bloods
I had a baseline scan... or a scan at some point in cycle
I did a swab
Due to a blood condition I had to see a genetic counsellor - this slowed down the process a lot but the biggest obstacle was my work travel - until something clicked and I started to prioritise my dream.
I also had to see an implications counsellor due to donor sperm.

The whole fitting the appointments into my work schedule has been stressy, as well as the 5 failed IUIs plus donor sperm element- can provide further details if required.

shoes how are you doing?

I find I now have to talk to myself whilst trying to inject... I am going cray-cray!

Lovely piccy Cloud. Well done.

I had my 12 week scan today and all went well. Yay! And also phew! The sonographer was happy with what she saw. Counted arms and legs. Measured head to bum and head circumference. Saw heartbeat again, plus stomach and bladder. All feels a lot more real now. Looking much more like a baby than last time. Also measured nuchal fold and had blood test for Downs etc. Will get results back within the week.

Only slight negative was that I saw a lady from my new team at work when I was at the maternity hospital! Eek! She was getting her 20 week scan. I saw her but I don't think she saw me (she was chasing round after her 2 older kids), and I hid behind my wife as soon as I saw her, so I think I'm OK. I will be telling work soon so I guess it doesn't really matter but just threw me a bit. Typical hey?!

Eeek taydex what a lovely scan :) congrats xx

Great news taydex well done!!!

So I am watching the Portland Hospital thing.... There are some things I find a bit disturbing... But I am probs just jealous as I cannot afford! My clinic is slamp-bam opposite.

Yeh I was fascinated by it-lovely to be able to avoid such luxury. They seem to treat the babies like their next accessory tho most of them didn't seem to want to even hold their baby. That's why I liked the Brazilian woman best as she kept the baby in with her all night. I did quite want to be Nanna pat tho and look after all those lovely babies

Kwick, do the Pineapple thing? Does that involve more than eating it?!, walnuts, ok I can do that. Milk, can't drink anything other than skimmed as it makes me nauseated, will fat free Greek yogurt suffice?! Cinnamon, really? Cayenne pepper?

caution yes, I'm Milton Keynes, are you local? Have you had your first appointment there yet?

Yes I'm using a donor, I'm thinking I want an anonymous donor from the Danish sperm bank, I'm hoping that's allowed, and my first appointment at Care is with the donor team co-ordinator, they do that first before any testing so I believe. Honestly, I'm at the point where I just want to know if I have any glaring issues with my fertility so I know what I'm potentially dealing with, or need to overcome!

taydex beautiful scan!!!

That Chinese woman was who really got me. More interested in not being fat than learning how to soothe her little one. Utterly bizarre set up. But that couple who had the maternity nurse piqued my interest, I'm seriously considering that. as I would be on my own, I think some help setting into a routine and help for the first 3-4 weeks could be a god send.

I've got a bit of catching up to do on the thread. Shattered now, so I'll just update to say my scan today showed a little blob with a heartbeat

YAyyyyyyyy shoes that's brilliant

Ah Taydex what a beautiful scan.. You must be so pleased! I can't believe you're 12wks - to me, that's flown by! Has it flown by for you?

Stork I actually live in Northampton, about a ten minute drive from Care Fertility, so not far from you at all! When have you got an appointment with your donor coordinator?

Shoes - yaaaay! So glad they saw a heartbeat. You must feel so much more content :)

shoes this is fab news!

I would not want anyone but close family and friends looking after kwicklet those first few weeks... I actually wanted to punch the maternity nurse when she started talking about getting the first smile!

I did have a passing fantasy about paying to go private (although I can definitely NOT afford it) but after seeing that I do not want to become strange like those women!

I used a Danish sperm bank for first 5 tried (Cryos) as this was the one my clinic obliged me to use. There was very little choice for what I was after so ended up really with only one viable donor... Then when I was getting ready for IVF I found out my clinic had changed its policy and I could use any bank - so I looked at a number, including London Sperm Bank and Xytex (US one). You have to choose a donor that meets UK requirements - it significantly reduces the choice. There was a lot more on offer though and the cost was about the same (including delivery) as using the London bank!

One of the tests you will do is to see if you have CMV - most people show positive but if you are negative it means you can only use negative donors.... And there are not many of those!

Hi ladies,

Thank you. It's been tough going at times but I am so so glad we finally got here. Just goes to show, all that pain (mental) and bloody mindedness paid off and it was all worth it in the end. I still can't really believe it's finally happening. I have to stop and pinch myself. Also, as I've been pretty lucky with symptoms and not feeling too sick you do stop and wonder if it's still in there and going OK. Must check in the book to see when I'm likely to feel it moving. I think a few weeks yet.

At times it has felt like it's flown by (helps that I've kept myself busy with a holiday and changing jobs) and other times it's really dragged. Told a few more people now and planning on telling more over the weekend so that should all make it feel more real.

Not seen the Portland hospital thing but it sounds pretty good from what you've said so will look it up on catch up. Anyone any idea what channel it was on?

Stork - fear not, the pineapple thing is just eating it, nothing more scary. Kwick will probably remember better than me but I think you eat from IUI day for about 5-6 days (maybe slightly before too). You cut a pineapple in 5 (depending on size) and eat 1/5 a day, most importantly including the core as that's got goodies in it. Milk, I'm with you, semi skimmed is as creamy as I can go. They recommend higher fat for all the dairy which I wasn't a great fan of but sometimes you can disguise it (I managed full fat yogurt but couldn't do the milk apart from in lattes). Whatever works for you. Best it stays in though

The reason you are best with full fat milk, yoghurt and so on is because to be able to assimilate the calcium present you must have fat. Some IVF clinics prescribe milk - like loads of it - for the egg quality - I had loads on lead up to IVF and I am convinced it helped with quality

So I got a new iphone - actually got a great deal but my fricking itunes wont recognise the device so now I ahve two phones on the go... And no idea if any messages will come through....

taydex it is on the BBC