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!

Just saw this thread about higher BMI requiring a higher dose of folic acid. Linking in case this is new information for anyone.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2629729-PSA-Check-if-you-should-be-taking-5mg-of-folic-acid-please

Thanks shoes! Has anyone seen the studies about folate v folic acid?

Hey lovely ladies! Sorry I haven't been on for a while. I've been focussing on work a lot recently, oh, and sleeping excessively!

My 12 week scan is booked in for Friday 20th May (I moved it from Monday 16th May as I have Friday's off). However that will make it a 13.5 week scan, which I'm worries is really late. Cos I'm over 35 I'm worried about the increase risk of Downs and other genetic disorders. And basically it's just been too damn long since knew everything was okay!! I've decided I'm going to pay extra for the NIPT screening test and I'm going to try and get an early appointment next week to do the whole shibang ("12 week" scan + NIPT). If I can't get an appointment I'm thinking of going private to get an after hours session. Every day I just get a little more nervous that something will have gone wrong and I'll get to the "final" 12 week hurdle and it's all over. Or worse, something isn't right and I have to make some horrendous, life altering decision. Right now I just wanna know.

Plus it's been so long since my last scan it just doesn't seem real anymore. It still feels kinda surreal. The nausea is starting to ease (though I nearly threw up at work on Tuesday!) but now I'm just really tired. And I don't know about anyone else but I get breathless so easily. I walk up one flight of stairs and I'm puffing like I ran for the bloomin bus! I'm assuming it's not an issue, but I certainly won't be running any marathons soon!

Anyway, that's the update from me. Thanks to all you ladies for sharing your journeys. It's good to know we're not alone!

cloud I recommend doing what you need to do for peace of mind. FX all is well and you pass that crotical 12 week stage with flying colours.
BTW the stairs thing - that is me already
What is NIPT?

stork please explain folate vs folic [ grin]

shoes thanks for the link - I will read now - I take 800mg folic daily - I hope that is okay.

Work was okay - almost crying free.... Really helps that the sun is out... Still have 500 emails... Does not help that I have so many frigging meetings... Today I had to give training - I think I successfully out the fear if God into the group 😎

Just some research I've been doing as my Zita West preconception supplements contain folate, not folic acid which they say is better.... But I wasn't sure, hence research and reading:

wellnessmama.com/12543/folic-acid-vs-folate/

Oh jeez... Will need to get under this now...I take a pre-conception supplement with folic acid, additional folic acid as I am fat and then a vit B complex - so mega overdose on folic acid... Oh well never a dull moment...

Cloud I know exactly how you feel. My 12-week scan is on the 18th and it just seems like eons away. I looked into getting the Harmony test done privately (a more sophisticated version of the NHS NIPT I think) and found out that 'ThisIsMy' clinics (locations dotted around the UK) offer the Harmony test or similar for £395, and most of the Harley Street clinics for around £420.

But, I've had stern words with myself. I've waited this long and I can wait another two weeks. If money was no object I would definitely pay and have the Harmony test done privately but my finances are tight and I can't justify spending money that I don't have to. If you've got the cash, I'd do it though, for peace of mind!

Kwick I doubt you're overdosing. As far as I can tell the 5mg folic acid recommended on that thread is the equivalent of 5000ug! Standard folic acid tablets are 400ug.

Please check that though as it sounds a huge amount.

Quick one as I'm in bed and should be asleep...

Cloud - I know exactly what you mean. I was totally the same. Seems so long to wait between scans with nothing to really let you know all is still fine in the meantime (apart from feeling a bit shitty). I managed to get my scan for exactly 12 weeks. Still was agony waiting... The excessive sleep thing passes. And the sick feeling. For me it all cleared up between 11 and 13 weeks. And now I feel back to normal again (I'm 15 weeks now). Which again is disconcerting as you wonder if all is going well as you don't feel symptoms! I also got out of breath quicker but that seems to have passed too. I picked up a foetal heart rate detector/monitor on ebay for a fiver which has given me some peace of mind. But doesn't detect before about 13 weeks (says 14-16 on the box but with a good bit of poking around I found it earlier). That said it could just add to the kray kray... I agree with Kwick, do whatever you feel is best to put your mind at rest.

Not sure re the folic acid/folate. I've just been taking the regular Pregnacare or Seven Seas which are both 400ug. However, I can confirm that 5000ug = 5mg. (as a science geek who works with medicines all day long).

Kwick - Good to see you're back at work but take it easy please.

Will respond properly when I have some more time, just been a hectic couple of weeks.

stork We were treated in Institut Marques. Nearly all arrangements were via email which was great.

I've been so busy with work this week, not much time to post. I'm still in limbo anyway waiting for the next appointment.
Another two friends have announced a pregnancy, always hard to hear when I'm waiting to ttc although I am honestly happy for them both.
And to put a downer on things, another friend had a missed miscarriage at 11 weeks - after two good scans at 6 weeks and 8.5weeks. Post IVF too which feels so much crueler. I spent Wednesday afternoon with her and our toddlers played together, but she was a bit of a mess.

Hey talulah how many times and for what duration did you need to be in Barcelona, I'm assuming it was IVF you did?

Donor egg IVF. So once for the initial appointment and to deposit DHs sperm (we combined this with a holiday) and then just for ET. We flew out and back on the same day as I couldn't take much time off.
All scans etc I arranged privately in this country with the help of my GP and ££££

Thanks Talulah.

Just got my Amh back. 12.6, apparantly it's absolutely fine... But online that seems low, though perhaps not for my age of 37, nearly 38.

Thoughts?

Wow taydex I will have to remember about home heart monitor!!!!

Thank GOD it is Friday - only did 3 days graft this week but I am knackered and have work trip Sunday and Monday.... But then on hols Wed-Sunday!!!! Yipee! Managed to get down to 60 emails unread... But have hundreds that are read and still require a response

Deliveroo ce soir methinks!!!

stork my amh was 2.... So yours sounds amazeballs!

shoes thanks for folic acid help - I am emailing my consultant for a prescription.

pickles are you ok my lovely?

kwick it's 12.6 pmol/l. was your 2 the other measure unit, or was it pmol/l?

stork I can barely count to 5... I have no idea!

Ha ha ha ha!! Brilliant. Well according to my research this result is a bit of a red herring on its own!

Hi - hope I'm ok to join the thread (have joined MN specifically for it)

I'm 29 and my wife and I have just had our first IUI on the 4th after having been pushed from pillar to post over the last 2 years since asking for a referral from my GP. No known fertility issues (I feel like they've done every test known to man), just a distinct lack of sperm, so we have done this cycle unstimulated except for a HCG jab the day before. I had a good follicle of 2.4 and donor sperm was 38million which the nurse assured us was good. We're now 3 days in to the 2ww and I'm already going a bit bonkers! The only person who knows is a guy I work with so it's a comforting thought that I might be able to talk to complete strangers who have gone or are going through similar things.

Welcome Hoping! We on here seem to be at all stages of the process. Welcome to you. I'm right at the beginning and doing it on my own and I know it's been amazing and frankly such a relief to have these ladies who are an absolutely font of info and support. Good luck to you and Mrs Hoping!

Hi Hoping, and welcome aboard! Good to have you with us.

Ah yes, the wonderful 2ww. I know, it's seriously the longest two weeks ever! I think everyone goes a little bonkers during it! But congrats on taking the plunge, as it were, that's fantastic! We're here to help so if you have any questions or just wanna share what you're going through please do.

FYI. I'm 37, single-mum-to-be-by-choice. I did my first medicated IUI on 2nd March using donor sperm, and I'm currently 11 weeks pregnant (it was quite a surprise to me too!!). Seven week scan was all good with strong heartbeat and now just waiting nervously for a private 12 week scan including NIPT test on Tuesday. (NIPT is a Non-Invasive Prenatal Test [i think!]. It's an advanced screening test for Downs etc, supposedly 99.9% accurate in diagnosing risk) Fingers and toes all crossed it goes okay!

Welcome Hoping!!!!! So your follicle was 24mm? Wow that is amazeballs! I never get beyond 18mm. Best of luck in 2WW... Which I used to think was most agonising thing ever but then I got a BFP and then the waiting to the the first early scan was worse and then the wait to the second early scan - and there unfortunately my journey ended.

Anyway cloud is right - this is a lovely thread with lovely ladies on it. Ask & share away!

Thanks for the welcome!

Yeah a 24mm follicle - I was so pleased coz I thought we'd missed the boat for this month due to them being closed over the bank holiday (we've been extremely lucky as we managed to get NHS funding for 3 cycles) and we'd already missed last month's due to Easter. It all feels very surreal at the moment as it's been a case of waiting, testing, being forgotten about, tests results going AWOL, more testing and more waiting so we were both expecting to be told more waiting not 'ok, let's do it tomorrow!'

I'm afraid I don't know how to 'tag' people on here, but I'm very sorry for your disappointment Kwick, and, having caught up on some previous posts, am inspired by your resilience and PMA.

Cloud - congratulations on your pregnancy - knowing the scan is so close must be amazing!

And Stork, good luck to you too!

Thanks Cloud, glad you've been able to make the start!

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