Trying to conceive for 10 months or more. Thread 5. All ten plussers welcome.

[lucieloos]

Thread for anyone TTC for over ten months. Please feel free to join us!

Oh Lucie that sounds rather painful, I hope they're smaller than normal vial. You are a brave woman though...

I'll update again after thurs, then I'm signing off until bfn or BFP or I'll irritate you all with my constant monologue...

itsme big hugs - you have age on your side big time so echoing everything the ladies have already said

Oh and all those twats on Jeremy Kyle who seem to manage to breed like rabbits can all just knob off.

sammy I reckon that sounds very persuasive! You had the specific antibiotic you can't drink on, not the generic 'oh I'm on antibiotics'. Cunning!

lucie I was the same but it was OK in the end. It was a pain in the arse - the particular test I'd ordered was ONLY available as a finger prick kit, so I had no choice but to self mutilate in the bathroom. I thought I'd never get enough blood in the vial but I kept using the finger stapler thing and squeezed really hard and did get there! It's a bit like the thought of the first injection - the anticipation is worse than the doing of it. I got a bit hot and bothered when I thought nothing was coming out, but I got there in the end....

And MPP congrats on passing your exam. And for having all your meds. It's all go!!

Lucie you can do it. Just sit down in case it does make you feel strange. Break it down. 1) do the jab (you're an expert at these), 2) draw the blood, 3) pull the needle out. Have something sugary ready for afterwards (as a treat, and to make you feel better)

Itsme - don't feel you have to disappear until test day. I for one am happy to hear your 'monologue' if it helps you. The IVF 2ww is tough. I know I've needed the support of you girls to get through it.

Thanks banana, I thought that would help! I even told them about it being similar to what they give alcoholics to make sure they don't drink! have totally outed myself now if any of them stumble across this!

Ps Lucie, the suspense is killing me! Lol. It's still a whole week until OTD

Aww thanks everyone and Sammy thanks for breaking it down that does help. Stuff to do with blood makes me feel a little funny. That's why I don't mind the injections because it's stuff going in but ewww squeezing blood out is gross.

Argghh still a week Sammy!

Itsme, I agree you don't have to disappear if you don't want to. We have all been there with the 2ww and it helps to have somewhere to vents your worries.

You're not alone in that Lucie, my BIL is the same for one. He can't watch anyone else have blood drawn either... In fact he doesn't even like to have his pulse taken! He's find with having injections though.

I had blood drawn today and the phlebotomist said how impressed she was that I gave blood, as she's scared of needles....!!

She spends all day sticking needles into other people but is terrified of them herself

So you're a champ!!

Haha thanks guys you are the best! I will let you know how I get on tomorrow if I haven't passed out on the bathroom floor

Ok next problem which maybe banana can help with. The envelope that the lab have given me to send the samples back in no way complies with the requirements to send blood through the post so I will have to get another padded envelope and put it in that but the first line of the address is 'The Doctors Laboratory' What on earth can I say I'm sending them when they ask?!

I just packaged mine up in the mailing pack included and popped it in the letter box!

They have recommended I send it guaranteed next day delivery by 1pm.

I did it, took absolutely ages and looks like one of the two is messed up and wouldn't mix in with the substance at the bottom of the tube and now it's gone really weird looking. Fed up and really late for work

Lucie hopefully it will be OK. Sounds like a nightmare to do though. You and Banana are very brave. I'd get quite squeamish at that I think!

itsme as the others said, please don't feel like you have to go if you don't want to. You could never irritate us. That's why we're all here- to support each other.

Thanks for the congrats Banana! Hope you're doing OK?

Sammy still a week? I hope it passes nice and quickly for you, though I bet it feels like it's crawling by! Everything crossed for you!

Well done Lucie! How long does it take for the results?

Am rooting for your embies Itsme good luck for tomorrow.

Are you planning to test sooner Sammy? Eek, feel nervous for you (I could barely build up the courage to test last time) and really really hoping it is a BFP.

Thanks trixe and MPP wasn't a pleasant job. They are going to send me another tube for the one I messed up Results of the other one should be back in a couple of days.

Sammy, I think you would get a reliable result by now I can understand you wanting to wait though. With the last one when I suspected bfp I couldn't bring myself to test for a couple of days afterwards just incase I was wrong.

Lucie can I please pick your brain as I'm having a minor panic! Meds have arrived but none of the directions are in English! I'm so confused! Which need to be refrigerated? Ive shoved them all in there for now And how on earth do I use that weird looking Gonal f thing!? Do you know if I can get English instructions anywhere? Is there anything special I should know about any of them? Sorry, I'm flapping a little at the moment!

MPP there's some brilliant videos on YouTube to show how to use all the different medications - we found them really helpful

Gonal-F needs to be refrigerated, as does Ovitrelle (if that's your trigger)

Cetrotide / Orgalutran don't need to be refrigerated, neither does Pregnyl if that's your trigger

Trixie realised I missed replying to you - great news about progress, not long to go!

MPP, there isn't any point in putting the drugs back in the fridge now. I checked this with Pharmawell on my first round and because they have been out of the fridge for a period of time they told me its best not to put them back in. Gonal f is ok out of the fridge for 3 months and Ovitrelle for 1 month. Cetrotide / Orgalutran don't need refrigerating at all.

The injections are all pretty easy when you get used to them. I watched a YouTube video for each one. There are some really good tutorials on there which other clinics have posted up. With the Gonal f pen you just screw the needle onto the end, twist the top to dial up the dose you need in the little window and then put the needle in and press the top down which will administer the drugs. Keep it pressed down until the the number goes back down to zero.

Don't panic it will all become clear as you go along and is really nothing to worry about.

Cheers both! I should really have expected that I wouldn't understand the instructions! I'll retrieve them all from the fridge now and get looking for videos. I actually remember someone (Boris I think) saying they watched the videos to learn. I should have used my brain instead of descending into panic! It all looks rather scary at the moment, but I guess it will become clear, as you say Lucie.

Thank you both so much for responding so quickly!

Ignore me MPP and listen to Lucie! My drugs were delivered refrigerated and I was told to put the Gonal-F and Ovitrelle straight into the fridge. Came in an absolutely colossal cool box!!

Oooh ok I do have one more question. With the gonal f, I have one box that says Gonal-F 450 IU(33mcg)/0.75ml inj.pso.lqf.1x0.75ml and one that says Gonal-F 900 IU(66mcg)/1.5ml inj.pso.lqf.1x1.5ml. I'm probably being very stupid here, but why is that? Is it just different amounts to make up the total amount I will need or will the dose be changing or something? Sorry for all the questions!

Ah, mine came in a small box Banana. Definitely not refrigerated!

Sorry banana, don't mean to undermine what you have said. Would definitely keep them cool if they had arrived cool as that way they will last until the expiry date on the box but unfortunately the Czech clinics have no way of doing this so once they have been taken out of the fridge they need to be used fairly quickly.

MPP, yes the 900iu is a larger pen than the 450iu and it's just to make up your dose. Keep an eye on it because you will have enough to last you through to day 10 of your cycle meaning that they hope you will trigger on day 11 and won't need anymore after that but sometimes you may need an extra day or two. If I were you I would contact your coordinator and ask that they email and post you a prescription for another 450iu just incase you need an extra day or two at the end. Chances are that you won't but all too often I've seen ladies have their final scan on day 10 and the doctor will tell them that they won't trigger until day 12 or 13 and then they don't have any meds left and it's a mad panic. At least if you have a prescription you can go to one of the supermarkets or Ali's pharmacy and have it with you the next day.