9DPO Symptom Spotting

[unCliche]

Hey @ButterscotchBabe! Continuing our chat here 😁

I loooove that your temps did exactly what mine did too. So good that AF hasn't arrived at CD26!! Happy for you! When your temps increased last month, was it is to a gradual high or did it jump up again and then AF started? Because if this pattern is new, it could mean good news!

Ours definitely look like the beginning of a triphasic chart. My temps last month started dropping at 7DPO, so it still being high at 9DPO is such an achievement for me and no sign of AF either although my vulva feels AF'y in a weird way. My pulse and breathing rate have also continued to shoot up!! If temps don't tell you AF is coming, pulse rate defo will because it always starts falling a few days before AF for me.

I do suspect chemical but no BFP so can't confirm and nothing else changed that cycle so I can't explain it. Hormones were defo the reason I never took the pill, it plays such a big part in changing your reproductive cycle that of course it would have an affect on cycles after you come off them! 45 day cycles sound like a nightmare - especially when TTC too.

I do have a FRER! I'm always so scared to use it though. I always use rubbish ICs which probably aren't the best thing but I will use my FRER with you!

I like predicting what my temps will do with DH. What do you think will happen tomorrow? I think both our temps will go up again 😆

How's your af doing today? I don't think lots of spotting and light af is a good thing, it indicates low progesterone or a hormone imbalance. Really you need an NHS fertility specialist to look into all your results and investigate what's going on. ABC won't be able to fix the problem but I guess that doesn't matter if you end up with a baby 😀.

Temp went up this morning but they've mostly been less than previous cycles, so it will likely be a short LP for me. Probably caused by the vaccine! Yeh you could always give a compromised immune system a go 😂. A lot of ladies have said they felt ill before finding out they were pregnant.

Good luck getting things moving with ABC again 🙂. With regards to telling your boss, I guess you need to think about, how would you feel if it didnt work and then you'd have to explain that to him? How does ICSI increase your chance of twins? It increases the chance of more eggs being fertilised but you'll only get twins if they put two in. Unfortunately if your embryos are of good quality, they'll only transfer one. Twins would be amazing though, imagine only having to be pregnant once! 😀

Did you end up purchasing the bike? I can cycle but I don't have a bike, I don't like getting a sweaty bum 😂😂😂. I normally lose weight through dieting, exercise is too difficult 😂. I'll probably cut calories and do some squats or other strength training to build muscle.

I've damaged the mat, I accidentally got one of the foil sheets on the sticky mat and now it's covered in foil 🤦. I could probably still return it and pay for a new mat but I think I'll keep it. I'll just have to make the most of its other functions. You can also get an engraving tool which is cool! A new Hobbycraft store is opening nearby, can't wait!!

I need an Etsy shop to make back all the money I've spent on crafts 😂😂. You're very creative, you could definitely have a shop, think of something simple that's easily replicable and that wouldn't be too time consuming to make.

DP was pretty happy with the ski table names, don't think he expected me to suggest that 😂. DP prefers the rustic look, I prefer contemporary and glam. So I'm trying to create a rustic/glam look! Do you think you would renew your vows in the future? Would you want to plan a wedding again?

😱😱 Omg that's awful of that Bridesmaid! She should never have accepted the offer if she wasn't interested. That's a Bridesmaids from hell story 😂😂. Do you have any idea why she acted like that? Could it have been jealousy?

I've bought a giant Jenga game for the party and we have skittles, so fingers crossed it will be a lovely sunny afternoon! Hopefully you can make it but it will also be amazing if you have an embryo transfer!!

We don't currently have any plans in August so I can do any date 😊, a Saturday would be best.

The rabbits are okay thanks but we're not allowing them to play in the house anymore, until they've been neutered. The little rascals spray everywhere! They've also become very difficult to pick up, they hate it and constantly wriggle. Did yours allow you to hold them more after being neutered? Thanks for the advice, I hadn't been checking their bottoms but I will try, although it will be difficult!!

Oh wow that's a big step telling your Mum about the IVF, how did she react? Was she surprised? Haha that's funny, it's a shame they have restrictions on the embryo transfer number ☹️.

AF still going strong! Might be a 5/6 day AF! It sort of slowed down yesterday evening but today it still managed to fill up my menstrual cup! Maybe my endometrium was too heavy so it started shedding early hence the two days of spotting 😂 who knows 🤷‍♀️ I'll be taking SI from tomorrow. My hormones are probably unbalanced and I suspect estrogen dominance but there are people in worse fertility positions than me who manage to get pregnant! I suspect DH's sperm have gotten worse. He was on expensive fertility vitamins when he did his first SA and I worry since coming off them, his sperm have regressed. But we'll find out next week!! He's back on vitamins.

Aww yay! Your temps are doing well. It is increasing quite a bit compared to your other 7DPO temps. I don't think you should discount a longer LP this cycle. You could easily have a 10/11 day LP. I've booked my vaccine for 28th June (CD15) so I'll be ovulating around that time. Let's see what it does to my temps 😁

I'm currently trying to book two weeks off work for when scans and EC/ET would be. So W/C 12th and 19th July but there are other colleagues booking those weeks off too and we can't have too many people away at the same. I'll just have to ask again and hope he says yes! It just feels awkward telling my male boss I'm going through IVF 😅 With ICSI there's a higher chance of the embryo splitting but I'll be just as happy with one baby! Maybe I'll ask for two embryos to be transferred and see what they say. Any news on the NHS front? You heard anything back from them?

Yes, I bought the bike but decided I'll get the bus to the station tomorrow because I'm too chicken to cycle on the road 😂 Good luck with the diet! I'm not very good at controlling my food so exercise it is for me! I've been eating so much sugar and drinking alcohol these past few days. Definitely not doing a good job at preparing my body for IVF. But I will start the folic acid today. I have enough Vit D from the sun!

Haha! Oh dear! Cricut is a good brand so you'll find lots of use for it. Have you been watching youtube videos on how to use it? That's awesome! We have a hobbycraft here but I rarely visit. But if your Etsy shop kicks off then you'll probably be in there everyday!

I'd looooove to plan a wedding again! But what disappointed me was the fact nothing went to plan on the day! And that's because I wasn't the one in control. I had to be the bride 😡 I even considered going into wedding planning because I loved it that much. I think in the future I'll have someone else plan our vow renewal.

Rustic/glam is interesting 😂 You'll definitely have to share some ideas here!!

I guess that's just who she is as a person. She's constantly falling out with people so I suppose she's just not very good at being there for other people. Do you know anyone like that?

Aww fun!! I must attend now! I hope there are no clashes for real so I can be there. I'll be around CD16 so I may have already had the ET so might be able to come! Let's hope so 🤞 Do you have anything else planned for your party? Will you be doing the cooking? For DH's surprise 30th I ordered 6 boxes of Dominos pizza but baked his cake.

😱 I've never experienced spraying because mine were outdoors but sounds like a nightmare. Are you leaving them in their hutch? Nope, it was only time that sorted out the wriggling behaviour. Neutering won't stop them being fearful of being picked up but just keep doing it. They'll get used to it. I sometimes have to chase my rabbits around to catch them but once I've caught them, they're really sensible and they don't try to wriggle away. Even when grey rabbit's bottom was covered in poop I was extremely surprised with how calm he was with all the manhandling - made our job so easy.

My mum was surprisingly chill. She was so nonchalant about it like it wasn't a big deal. I was shocked. But maybe now she can stop asking me if I'm pregnant yet 😂 Told my sisters today too. Youngest is excited for a baby 😂😂😂 Will you be telling anymore family members? I'm a bit nervous it won't work! I just feel like I'm shrouded in bad luck! I've been reading so many IVF/ICSI threads just to get prepared.

Hey. New here wondering if I could jump on and see what you all think.

I had a miscarriage back in feb and have been trying ever since. So I was due on AF on Tuesday but it came on Friday 5 days early which is unusual, I did a test anyway from some reason 🤷🏻‍♀️ and was negative. Anyway the period was different, last a day really then a little bit here and there till the Monday against so unusual for me. So now 6 days on I've been feel really crampy and I had this when I got pregnant with my son and something kept telling me to test so I did and got 3 very faint lines and I did a digital that said 1-2 weeks. Thing is I positive it's going to be a miscarriage because I bleed on Friday. I'm just so confused. Has anyone else had anything like this and had a healthy pregnancy? Thanks

That's good your af has been a bit heavier, hopefully you're getting a good amount of womb lining! Oooh so you're gonna give it a go on CD4, I think you'll def get another double ovulation. Good luck for your DH's SA next week, it will be interesting to compare with the previous results, fingers crossed things have improved 😊.

That's interesting your having your vaccine at a similar time in your cycle as I had mine. If your temps go awry as well, then we know it was from the vaccine!

Does your work operate a first come, first serve basis for taking annual leave? My work is quite flexible and generally always approves leave but if too many people want the same time off, it will be given to those who asked first. If you can't get the whole 2 weeks off, you could ask for day of EC, day after and day of ET? Ah I didn't know there was a higher chance of the egg splitting with ICSI! If they put two in, you could end up with 4 😱😱.

Yes I received a letter with a new consultation date for 5th July, a day earlier than my previous appointment 😀. However I still don't have a date for my MRI and we need those results for the consultation. So I've emailed the clinic and asked them to look into it. Fingers crossed they'll be able to sort the MRI soon.

Aww that's probably a good thing, cycling on the road is really dangerous. It's not worth the risk, find a nice scenic cycle route 🙂. Well if you get a BFP you'll have to be healthy for 9 months, so you might as well treat yourself now 😂😂.

I have watched some how-to YouTube videos but because the design space has had an update, many of the functions have changed and therefore I can't follow older videos ☹️. I'll have to keep an eye out for new ones!

That's a real shame nothing went to plan after spending so long organising the day! I can't imagine myself letting go of control, I'll probably have the 'order of the day' on my phone and keep checking the time 😂😂.

Maybe when the time comes around you might feel differently and want to plan the vow renewal. Then again you might have 3 kids and no spare time 😂.

The images I've attached are the kind of thing I'm thinking of for the tables 😊.

I've come across many "friends" that have been quite careless and selfish and just prioritise their needs. It's a shame but there are quite a few people like that!

For the party I was planning on ordering in food, maybe a few party selections from Waitrose or M&S but it's gonna depend on numbers. I've left the cake in DP's capable hands... 😬😬. Oooh I love Dominos pizza! DP hates it though!

They're in their hutch at night and we put them in the outdoor run during the day. It's gonna be a problem if it rains though, hopefully it won't for the next couple of weeks! Lol rabbits love to run away from us! Why can't they just want cuddles?! 😂

Aww that's nice you've told your immediate family and at least they no what you're going through now, so no more pregnancy questions! I don't think I will tell anyone else, I'm not on very good terms with my Mum, and my Dad and brothers probably aren't interested or wouldn't understand.

I would have liked to take the SI on CD4 but worried it wouldn't strengthen my egg enough so I'm starting today on CD5. Another double ovulation would be amazing! But maybe a single strong egg would be better. I feel like I've tried everything, and nothing has worked. Tried to fix LP, tried to fix progesterone, tried to fix strength of ovulation, tried lots of sex, tried very little sex, tried no sex, tried going all in, tried having a break, tried vitamins, tried without vitamins, tried with preseed, tried without preseed, tried before ovulation, tried during ovulation, tried after ovulation 😅 I don't even know what to try this cycle. Maybe nothing?

Good news about having a new consultation booked in. Looks like being on the NHS waiting list isn't so bad since you got an earlier date!! Do you think you could discuss your DH's SA results then too? Or do you defo want to wait for an MRI first? Have the clinic gotten back to you about the MRI? I spoke with my GP this morning and she'll be referring us to a fertility specialist. So I guess I'll be starting tests on the NHS too! It would be good to do abc and NHS in parallel in case the first round of IVF doesn't work.

I usually am allowed to take leave when I ask, I've even asked last minute and gotten it (policy is 2 weeks in advance), but there needs to be people available to carry any additional workload. That's a good idea though, I don't need to take the full two weeks off but it'll be hard knowing what day EC and ET will fall on as it'll depend on when AF shows up and when my eggs are ready so it would probably be safer to take that whole week off (W/C 19th) but maybe take off the individual days that the scans fall on (CD5, CD7, CD9 & CD11). Have you thought about how you'd fit IVF around work (or rather, work around IVF)? I think we're lucky we work from home so it might be a little easier to do so.

Haha! Good point! Might as well drink all the alcohol and eat all the junk food I want! I hope my body forgives me and doesn't make me fat 😂 Bless DH, he was so relieved when I told him I'd be taking the bus instead 😂😂😂

As the bride, you'll just have to let go of control and let the disaster unfold around you 😂 You'll be so preoccupied with taking photos, and doing speeches, and first dances and cutting the cake that you won't even acknowledge that time exists. The important thing is that DH and I got married and the guests had a good time. Everything else is just trivial now. Will you and your DP choreograph you first dance?? Since you both do jive (I hope that's right?)

Cuuute decor! I think that'll look lovely! Especially with your colour scheme. Will your aunt be making these?

It's been raining heavily and non-stop here!! We have a leak again 😪 Can't wait to sort it out but there's a lead time of 8-10 weeks so we have ages to wait before it can be fixed. We have a bay window just like in the image, with a gable roof on top and the water is coming in above the window. So, like shown in the image, we're going to get cladding fitted to the face of the gable to stop the water dripping in. Price was reasonable, like £1300 but that's because we need scaffolding as well (annoyingly). Have you had any rain?

It's a shame rabbits aren't cuddly pets. They're always portrayed as cute and loving but they're miserable little f**kers 😂😂😂 Aski has done a better job at supporting me emotionally than the rabbits could ever do but somehow, I still love em!! They're my babies 🥰

Aww if you ever need to talk, I'm always here anyway! You needn't feel like you have no one! I may not understand the intricacies of what you're going through but I'm always happy to listen!!

I'll be leaving for London soon to have my blood test! I'm so excited!! I'll probably be booking my treatment consultation and paying my deposit on Monday!! Can't believe it's happening! I hope my TSH comes back fine because an unexpected delay would be the worst! I still can't believe we started this journey together when I was on cycle 2 and you were on cycle 4 and 8/9 cycles later and we're still where we started and now both looking towards IVF. What are the chances that we both would be needing fertility assistance 😂 it's fate we found each other 💕

Throwback!

If IVF works first round with a fresh transfer, I'll be having an April baby! My mum and youngest sister were both born in April. My sister was born 3 days after my mums birthday but was actually due on my mum's birthday itself! How sweet! Spring baby 🌱

It would definitely be worth having your tubes checked, like you say, you've tried a lot of different things and I would have expected it to happen by now. Maybe there is a physical blockage, or possibly an overactive immune system/NK cells. This cycle try DTD around implantation time, apparently having semen in the vagina at that time makes the womb more receptive to the embryo!

I will definitely be asking about the SA results but at my first ultrasound the consultant said the results were 'fine', so it's more important to have the MRI results, as that will dictate next steps. It would be a very short consultation if we only had the SA results to discuss. Clinic haven't come back to me yet, they're gonna have to next week as 5th July isn't far away! Yay that's great news you're going to be referred! It will probably be 8-12 weeks though before you have a consultation.

Do you need to take days off when you're having scans? As you're working from home, you could just pop out for the appointment? Just thinking it might be better to save a full days leave for when you really need it. You might feel quite uncomfortable just before and after EC, as your ovaries will be swollen! I haven't thought about it too much, it's much easier working from home and my work are very flexible with leave, so I don't think it will be a problem. If I need to have surgery on my tubes, I'm hoping they'll record it was sick leave or special leave and not make me use annual leave.

Yes you're right, I think you probably view the wedding quite differently afterwards, than during the planning! Whilst planning how many flowers will be on each table seems really important now, it won't be afterwards 😂😂. Yes well remembered, we do modern jive 😊, our dances have never been choreographed, DP leads and I follow. He'll choose what moves to do based on the music and what he feels like 😂. Although one thing we won't be able to practice for, is the dress, that could make jive dancing more tricky!

Ideally I wanted to give my aunt some money and let her organise the centerpieces but I think she was worried she'd pick vases/jugs that I didn't like. So she's asked me to get those and the log slices, and she'll sort the flowers.

Oh no, another leak! Fingers crossed it stops raining! Will the cladding stop any further leaks happening? We've had no rain here for a while but the grass needs it, it's starting to go brown 😂.

How did your blood test go? When will you find out the results? If you have a patient access account you can probably find out sooner. Yay exciting times! How do you feel about the injections now you've had time to think about it?

Aww yes it definitely was fate 😊, thanks for the throwback link, that was funny to read! I feel sorry for our younger selves, thinking we had a chance of conceiving back then 😂😭.

Aww April could end up being a busy month! That's perfect timing though, you don't want to be heavily pregnant in the summer 🥵.

I've worked out how to write in foil, I spoke to a cricut advisor on their website chat 😊. So really happy about that! I'm gonna spend today baking cakes and practicing using the cricut machine. Do you have any plans for today? Hopefully it's not still raining!

Yeah maybe DH and I are genetically incompatible. Maybe I'm too healthy. Maybe my body doesn't like his sperm. Maybe my body doesn't like our embryos (IVF should prove this)! But that's a really good idea! I never knew that about DTD around implantation time. Thanks for the suggestion. Maybe we'll DTD 6DPO, 8DPO and 10DPO this cycle. DH's SA is on CD11 so abstinence for the SA won't be during a crucial time. My last natural cycle before IVF!! I want to make it a good one. SO maybe I'll use pre-seed and take vitamins and quit alcohol and only eat healthy and do daily exercise 😂 Actually what I'll do is DTD EOD from DH's SA to when AF is due. You've only DTD once this cycle so far, do you think you're going to keep trying anyway?

Do you know if I'll be referred to an NHS fertility clinic or a private one? Because the closest private one to me is the initial one I went to back in January. I've read that you can request a private clinic on the NHS as that can speed things up, so do you think I should do that? I am quite interested in having my tubes checked but as a non-sufferer of menstrual issues, I can't imagine there'd be anything wrong.

The scans will be taking place in Oxford. It's an hours drive there and another hour's drive back. I'd want to leave home early so it means I'll be having at least 3-4 hours out of my day each time and it's not possible to take half days off at work either. Depending on how quickly my follicles develop, I won't be able to guess when EC would take place, nor would I be able to predict if I'd need a last minute day 3 transfer. The safest bet would be to take off the whole week of potential EC and ET. I think you can take a surgery off as sick leave! No question about it! Would IVF be classed as sick leave as it's not compulsory and more of a choice?

I did my blood test at abc (actually CREATE) so they'll have my results straight away. I won't be able to check it on patient access as it's not an NHS appointment 😔 so I'll just have to wait until Monday. Getting to the CREATE clinic was easy via train and the building seemed comfy and clean. I think I'll choose that location for EC and ET.

Haha do you think you'll be able to have a non-choreographed first dance? I struggled to do Greek dancing in my dress as my heels kept getting caught in the multiple linings of my dress. What sort of dress are you thinking? If it's not a big, poofy one, then you might be fine! You could practise in a dress that has a similar cut so you have an idea of what to expect on the dance floor. Or you could change into a simpler white dress for the rest of the evening. I changed twice during my wedding.

Aww bless her! She wants it to be perfect for you! Definitely look on facebook/gumtree etc for second hand log slices and other bits of decor. DH and I bought 29 decanters for the wedding and that's 29 more than we actually need so we gave them away as gifts to friends and family but a log slice would be a tricky gift to give away so I'm sure someone would be selling them (or giving them away) second hand.

I hope the cladding works! Leaky roof be gone! I'm thinking about redecorating the house. Putting down new wood flooring, new skirting boards, new doors and door frames. Not sure how much it'll cost, DH reckons £10k. But that's not a job for now. Maybe next year! When do you think you'll be looking to buy?

I feel ok about the injections I guess. I think it's the apprehension and the not knowing what to expect. But ladies on the abc ivf thread have said it doesn't even hurt but I'll just have to experience it myself first to no longer be nervous about it. What bit of IVF are you least looking forward to?

I know, so clueless and hopeful. We really did get dealt a bad hand but at least we're doing something about it. We've probably pushed each other quite a bit to get shit done 😂 but I believe we'll both get our babies very soon!

Yay! You know you have to send pics of everything! 😂 Let's see your cricut attempts!! Enjoy baking the cakes! We had friends over last night and they've left today so DH and I will just stay in bed and watch stuff 📺

I've been meaning to ask you about work. I know you got given a permanent position but there were some budgetary restrictions so they couldn't confirm it back then, but has it been confirmed now?

Experimenting with the cricut machine 😍😍

Spotting has started so af is imminent!

That's lucky your DH's SA is early enough not to affect DTD 😀. I don't think you should put too much pressure on yourself this cycle, this is potentially your last month of freedom! Take it easy, relax and have fun knowing that next month, the clinic will be making the baby for you 😊. We didn't purposely only DTD once but I think DP has lost interest as he knows we need IVF to conceive. We'll try and do it more next cycle, just in case.

I don't know how other areas work but here you get referred to the NHS fertility clinic. If they'll send you to a private clinic on the NHS then that would be great but check that all the costs would be covered. You don't need to have menstrual issues to have blocked tubes, my periods are pretty regular but my tubes are likely blocked with fluid. I'm sure yours will be fine but it would be nice to tick off that box!

Ah I didn't realise your scans were that far away, hmmm that will make it a bit more difficult. Do you have the option to take a long lunch and work later in the evening? I think it would depend on my Manager and whether they felt IVF was a medical need or a personal choice. Nobody wants to choose IVF, it becomes a necessity but some people, particularly men, may view it as optional.

Once we've chosen the first dance song, then we'll probably practice at home, so DP will get an idea of what moves work. It will also help once I've chosen my dress, so I'll know what kind of movement I'll have! I like the princess dress and a tight fitting/sexy dress, so complete opposites 😂😂.

I've booked log slices to hire at £2 each 😊, only downside of hiring is I won't see them until the day! That was a good idea to give your decanters to guests, you don't wanna be taking all them home 😂. I might try that!

Oooh that's a lot of changes but it will be nice to make the home truly yours, do you still plan on updating the bathroom? We're now using our savings to pay for the wedding, so we won't have a deposit for another year. So we'll probably look to buy after the wedding, aslong as we're not having to pay for IVF!

I think the hardest bit will be getting over the mental block of stabbing yourself, unless you can get your DH to do it! The daily injections are the bit I'm least looking forward to. I am also worried about EC but that's a one off (hopefully). How does your DH feel about it all? Although most of its happening to your body, so he shouldn't be feeling too anxious!

Yes my permanent position was confirmed 😀😀, which is great because now I'll get maternity pay on a higher rate (than my previous perm position).

Are you doing anything for Father's Day? We normally go and see my Dad but we're just staying at home this year. They're quite worried about catching covid and we met friends in the pub a few days ago, so it's prob safer to stay away until they've had both vaccines.

Wooow the foil text looks so cool! You can do so much with that! Where are you thinking of using the foil? I've only ever used my machine to cut vinyl but this is much more awesome. I look forward to seeing the end results! Also the paper flowers look really professional! The machine is going to keep you busy for a long while! Have fun with it 😁

Booo to AF! But your LP has stayed at 10 days for a good few cycles now, so not too bad! I haven't had an 11+ day LP in a while. But nothing I've done has really increased it much, not even progesterone pessaries 😂 so I guess I can't escape my short LP.

I asked DH what he wanted to do this cycle and he still wanted to try. I wouldn't have minded relaxing but might as well give things one last try and know that we did all we could ourselves. I'm not expecting anything this cycle though, I think IVF is 100% on the cards for me. My infertility inkling from before we started TTC was right. Nothing like gut instinct eh? 😅 Maybe you guys could switch to NTNP, so DTD when you want but not target ovulation - take the pressure off and make DTD less about making a baby.

I've started get pain in my ovary. Feeling it mostly in my right side but felt something briefly in my left. I think I'll definitely ovulate from my right side though. It's pretty early for pain though! I'm only CD7. Still a week away from ovulating so could be an early ovulation.

Yeah, you're right. My tubes could be blocked without any other symptom. I guess when they go to do the EC they'll be able to see if there's anything wrong with my tubes. I'll ask them to have a poke around while I'm sedated 😁

I think what I'll do is play it safe and take two weeks off. I still have every two Friday's off at work so at least that's one day I wouldn't need to take off as annual leave. Do you know which clinic your IVF would likely take place in? Would it be at the place you currently go to? Is it far?

Get both dresses! Go for Princess for the ceremony and form fitting for the reception! No rules saying you can't have two dresses 😉 Will your dad be walking you down the aisle?

That's good! Hiring is definitely much better than buying. Have you bought/hired anything else for the wedding?

Yes, we'll defo update the bathroom. It might actually be better to do the bathroom first and then the kitchen and then the floors, doors and skirting boards. I want to change the layout of the bathroom too but need to think of the best way to do it. We have a bath and a shower but maybe getting rid of the shower and having one over the bath will add space.

Aww searching for your marital home together as husband and wife. Cute! Will you still be looking in the Midlands? How many cycles of IVF do you get on the NHS in your area again?

I'm leaning towards DH doing the injections but at the same time, I'd rather do it myself as I don't trust anyone but me to get it right 😂 But I guess I'll have to trust DH to do it right as I want him involved in the process in some way. I want it to feel like we're making this baby together. DH says he feels ok about the IVF, so yeah, no anxiety there 😁 I'm feeling excited but I know once we get started, I'd be so nervous! Is your DP ok with the prospect of IVF?

Our chats will change so much once we start IVF. We'll be talking about medication, and embryos, and embryo grades, and FET. I hope it works first time for both of us with loads to freeze 🤞

Congrats! Maternity leave and pay is so important so I'm glad you're in a more fortunate position with the permanent role!! I'm definitely staying at my current company until I've had all my kids, just for the maternity benefits. We'll probably go for a FET cycle before our youngest is 18 months so I still have another few years at the company. Do you think you'll stay at your company in the longterm?

Aww shame you can't see your dad but better safe than sorry. DH and I are staying at home too but I've spoken to my dad and also sent him a card. I have another four day work week so I might visit my parents on the Friday. Or maybe the Thursday after DH's SA, as that'll be in London as well.

Tomorrow I find out my TSH results! I hope it's normal 🤞🤞🤞 I also hope I can get a treatment consultation date in for before my next cycle 🤞🤞

TSH was normal at 2.23mU/I and I've booked my consultation for 1st July so should be able to start with my next cycle 💃 I've also been very unwell today! Lots of pain in my ovaries/back. Had a stomach ache and been to the toilet a few times 💩 feels like food poisoning but no diarrhoea 🤢 also quite worried that the covid vaccine will bring AF back or push it forward and mess up my IVF cycle. Already argued with DH today as he said "no vaccine no IVF", which I think is a really unfair ultimatum and completely strips me of my freedom of choice.

Great news your TSH level is normal 😀. That's exciting, 1st July is only next week! Oh no, I wonder why you're experiencing pain this early 🤔. Maybe there's still some left over estrogen from the SI last cycle, so now you're topping it up again, it's increasing even more. It might be best to stop the SI, if it's hurting now, ovulation might be agony and you don't want to give yourself OHSS.

How are you feeling now? I hope you've felt better since earlier.

That's a shame your DH has put that pressure on you. He's probably only doing it because covid is really dangerous for pregnant women, with a compromised immune system, you would get a much more severe illness if you weren't vaccinated. I remember in the early days of covid, a young pregnant nurse caught Covid, her baby was delivered in ICU and she died shortly afterwards. The baby survived but now the Dad has to bring two children up on his own. That's why I was quite keen to get the jab before starting IVF.

Weirdly my temp went up this morning and there's been no more spotting, I did an IC but BFN so not sure what's going on!

When they do EC they won't be able to see inside your tubes. The only way they can do that is with dye and x-ray scans (HSG) or an MRI. For egg collection they stick a needle through your vaginal wall to get to the ovary. They won't be going near your fallopian tubes and even if they did, ultrasound is not clear enough to see through them.

That would be good if you're able to get the full two weeks off 😊, will your DH be taking any time off? The IVF would be done at the same hospital I already go to, it's only about a 20 min drive from home, so it's handy it's quite close 🙂.

Haha I can't afford two dresses! I'll have to see, maybe my perfect dress/es happen to be on sale 😱. Yes my Dad will be walking me down the aisle 🥰, bit nervous about everyone looking at us/me, I don't like to draw attention to myself! How did you feel with all eyes on you, all day?

So I've now booked the registrar, a cake baker and hired a sparkle backdrop (see pic) and sequin table runners. The next big things to do are to book accommodation for night before wedding and ask bridesmaids/groomsmen. How did you ask your bridesmaids? I'm thinking of sending them a pamper box, put together myself, with a message inside.

The giant Jenga game arrived today, it's sooo heavy! Not surprising as it's loads of blocks of solid wood 😂😂. Definitely not something I can move!

Having a bath over shower is great idea, that will definitely give you more space in the bathroom. That's what we have, although our bathroom isn't big enough to have them separately 😂. Imagine having your little one, it would be nice to have the extra space for nappy changing!

Yes we're still considering the Midlands but unfortunately IVF is no better there. Most places only offer 1 IVF round (as here does), it's pretty much only places in the north that offer 3 rounds.

I think it's good to get your DH to do the injections, then he'll be more appreciative of what you're going through. If you do it all yourself, then he won't really see or understand how difficult the process is. Yeh DP is fine with IVF, he's convinced now that's the only way we're gonna get a baby!

Yes I really like the organisation I work for, they're very flexible, so I'll definitely stay there whilst having children and possibly longer. We're both lucky we're pretty comfortable and secure with our jobs 😊, one less thing to worry about 😂.

Haven't decided how I'm going to use the foil yet, possibly to write place names and table names or maybe pretty patterns. I've ordered a debossing and a engraving tool, so they'll be fun to play with 😀.

Well tomorrow will be interesting, will my temp be it's highest ever at 12 DPO?!

Omg omg omg! Did you test today? What did your temps do? Do you think you could have...

Conceived???

If anything, your LP will be longer by one day, so that's something, but a BFP would be better!! It could be an effect of the vaccine as well but not sure it would have an impact on your LP, maybe ovulation, but definitely not the LP. But Oooo, I'm really excited for you! My temps have been stable. Sort of hovering around 36.3 which is normal for me, so last cycle's really low temps was just a fluke and maybe nothing to do with the SI - could have been the weather? Maybe I was too hot and my body temperature dropped to cool me down.

I think for fertility, a TSH of below 2.5 is ideal and I feel mine is pretty near that so could be an issue? It's definitely not hypo- or hyperthyroidism so I guess it could be worse.

I'm feeling much better now thanks. Not sure why I was so unwell. Took an IC yesterday just to rule out an unexpected pregnancy (obviously BFN). I think I'll expect an early ovulation because my ovaries are definitely doing something! I'll take my last dose of SI today and hope my ovaries don't explode! I'm thinking, if I respond so well to a vitamin, how well will I respond to fertility drugs?? Really nervous about OHSS!

😒 He's annoying. I know being protected is better but I don't like being told what to do and him not giving me a choice only makes me want to go against him even more. If I didn't want a baby, I'd happily say to him, "fine, no kids for you then" and never get vaccinated. My second vaccine is booked for September so I'll probably have to have it while pregnant (fingers crossed) - I hope it'll be fine for the baby.

I'm going to ask my boss if I can preliminarily take those two weeks off but not use all the days and just confirm which days closer to the time. That way I only need half days for the scans, which will add up to 2 full days and then maybe 3 days for EC and ET, including time to recover (Boss has just said it's fine 🎉). DH's boss is a good friend of ours and he knows we're doing IVF so DH has told him he'll need to take some days off during the IVF cycle. He probably won't come with me to the scans, but definitely the EC and ET. How involved do you reckon your DP will be? Do you think he'd want to be there for every single appointment?

Yaaay! Registrar is definitely one you don't want to forget to book! That's really good though! It must feel so real now! Are you getting more excited the more you do? Your decor will be stunning! I can definitely see the glam influences in your choices! Glad you have a baker sorted for that gorgeous cake! I was going to ask my bridesmaids in a cute way, with the gifts I'd created for them. But in the end as they were mostly family and close friends, I just added them to a WhatsApp group and gifted them the day before the wedding 😂 A pamper box will be so sweet! Does your DP know who his groomsmen will be? Will you have a maid of honour?

The second dress doesn't have to be expensive I suppose. It could be something simple and comfortable and less than £100. It doesn't even have to be classed as a wedding dress, just white. Aww! Definitely enjoy the attention but on the day, you definitely won't notice. When I was walking down the aisle, I was focused on DH, I was just so happy to see him after the disastrous morning I had so I didn't notice anyone else. Then through the day so much is happening that you don't really have time to think about everyone staring at you. It's yours and your DP's day so focus on each other and enjoy it 💕

Yeah I definitely think having a bath and a shower is a waste of space, considering neither DH nor I really take baths but then we can't get rid of the bath altogether as we'll need it for the baby, so shower over bath is a happy compromise and then there'll be more space for useful things like nappy changing and storage 😁

Do you think you'd live even further up north than the Midlands? It's definitely really cheap. I remember when house hunting, we saw mansions in Norwich within our budget. If only houses down south were just as cheap! Do you think you'd prefer living in the Midlands over Devon?

I think it's good we have partners who are ok with going through IVF, I mean, all they need to do is ejaculate into a cup, so it's easy for them but some men can be against IVF all together. I've read posts where the man completely refuses to do IVF and it just sucks for the woman!

Place names are definitely a good idea. How many guests are you having? I invited 300 people to mine so there was no chance I'd be creating individual place names for them 😂 but if you you're having much less than that then it'll be a fun activity to do.

2.5 weeks to go before I start IVF!! I can't believe how close it is. I've watched all the injection videos and I'm trying to get familiar with the process! I'm hoping that my age and the fact that we're only dealing with MFI will mean it works first time 🤞🤞

My other chart didn't attach!

Nope not conceived! Af has started, although it's still very light and brown in colour but I think it's heavier than spotting. I had one day of hope! 😂😭.

That's interesting the SI haven't dropped your temp again, maybe your body is more used to them this time, so is reacting less 🤔. Although that doesn't match up with the pain you're in!

I had my TSH level done last year and it was 1.29, so yours is closer to the limit but it's still under. They set those limits for a reason, if a rate of 2.23 was enough to affect fertility then they would lower it. They're probably being safe saying 2.5, so I don't think you need to worry. Do you know if there's anything you can do, to bring it down?

When you had your previous consultation, did they say you would be put on the lowest dose of medication, to reduce the risk of OHSS?

I get what you mean about not wanting to be told to have the vaccine and having your choice taken away. I had the same problem but the other way round. My Mum has become obsessed with conspiracy theories and believes the covid vaccine has been developed to kill off humans and reduce the population 😂😂. She was very strongly trying to get me not to have the vaccine. She has no respect for my right to choose and thinks I don't have the capability to do my own research. This just made me want to have the vaccine more and so I did.

Great news your boss is fine for you to take those days off! You might want your DH to go with you to scans, depending on how your feeling. If your ovaries are massive and painful, it maybe difficult for you to walk or sit down and you don't want to get on busy public transport incase you get knocked into. Although that risk is probably reduced now with social distancing. I think DP would like to be there for every appointment but hospitals are being really difficult at the moment. So I doubt they would let him come in for scans. They better do for EC and ET or that would be horrible!

I am excited but also worried about losing a lot of money, if we get messed around with Covid restrictions. Aww I bet that was a nice surprise for them to get a gift the day before the wedding! Yes DP knows who he is going to ask, I plan on asking a friend to be a maid of honour but I met her through DP, so she was his friend first. Hopefully she'll still like to have that role in our wedding.

Thanks for the advice and reassurance for the wedding day! I'll just look at DP when walking down the aisle and pretend no-one else is there 😂😂. Did you get any photos or videos that capture your DH's reaction, seeing you walk down the aisle?

We wouldn't go further North than the Midlands, I'd love to in terms of house prices but I don't want to be too far away from family. Would you consider moving to a cheaper area to get a bigger house? I don't like beaches so I don't think I'd miss Devon much 😂. Also there's so much building going on here, on lovely countryside, it's very sad.

Gosh yes I've also read posts where the poor woman is in despair because her partner won't agree to IVF. How horrible some men are, to put their self esteem above having children - some men view IVF as a failure on their part. Other men agree to it but are pretty rubbish and have no consideration on what it involves for the female body. I agree, it's great we've got decent partners but that should be the norm!

300 people 😱😱 wow that's a huge wedding! Did most of them come? We're looking at around 60 during the day and 90 in the evening.

Oooh I think watching injection videos would make it worse for me 😂, did you find it helped? Do you start injections on CD1?

Our babies will probably be about a year apart, especially if I have to have tube surgery first. We'll have to time the 2nd ones better 😂😂.

Ah poo! Sorry AF showed up. I was quite hopeful too. I would have loved for you to get your BFP this cycle and I get mine next cycle, then we could be pregnancy buddies 😔 Maybe the stars will align and we'll both end up pregnant next cycle ✨ But we'll absolutely need to time it better the second time round, I'd hate to move onto the pregnancy boards and leave you behind, but of course I'll stay right here on this thread until we both have our babies. Or maybe we'll upgrade to real life chats 💕

Who knows what goes on inside our bodies anymore. Nothing ever makes sense. Maybe my body is just responding differently to the SI this cycle to keep me on my toes. We must be in a Sims game and some psychopathic player is messing with us.

I decided to look into a study on TSH and IVF and the attached graphs show good stats so I'm a little less concerned now. You have a really good TSH level! I think if you didn't have the fluid in your tubes, you'd get pregnant really easily! I think I might suffer from hypothyroidism because I'm always cold or maybe I'm just anaemic. I think you can take iodine supplements to help with thyroid levels, but I'm too close to IVF to try anything new so I'll leave it. I'm only taking folic acid and Vit D now. I've also had my last can of cider, so no more alcohol going forward.

Yes, when I spoke to the consultant I asked about OHSS and she said, and I quote her words exactly (because I recorded the conversation), "absolutely, these are polycystic ovaries [...] but it wouldn't matter even though you had 10 on each ovary. I am not going to give you a huge amount of medication to begin with. We're going to take it slowly. What we have to remember is that you're 28. You're young. What we also have to remember is your BMI is 22.8. We have to be mindful of that. We have to be mindful that you have got good ovarian reserve [...] so we're going to start you on a small dose, we're only going to start you on 112.5 of the medication. If for any reason when we scan you on day 5 and we haven't got good stimulation, then of course, we can increase it. But we will not start you on huge amounts and then just go, 'Oh, what are we going to do now?'" If you'd like, I can send you the whole conversation, it's pretty long 😂

Oh dear, how did your mum get sucked in? Was it through Facebook? There is so much misinformation flying around, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. It's funny you reacted the same way as me and wanted to do something even more because someone else told you not to 😂 apparently I'm stubborn but I don't think so 😂😂 You must be stubborn too!

I'm now torn between taking annual leave or medical leave. But I have so many days left that maybe it wouldn't even matter. I'll be driving to my scans in Oxford and DH will attend the first one to confirm his identity. Getting public transport through London for EC and ET will be tricky! I hope my full ovaries won't be too uncomfortable. When I went for my TSH blood test on Friday, there were lots of seats on the train and on the tube, so I hope it remains like that. Yeah, you're right about hospitals and being difficult. It's still so unfair that women can't get moral support when going through something so difficult. Maybe by the time you start IVF, the rules would have changed.

Are there any clauses in contracts you've signed about refunds due to covid? It would suck to lose it all, especially when business would be quite reluctant to give it back. Have you thought about what your bridal party would wear?

Agreed. I'd also want to stay close to family so highly doubt I'd ever leave the South. My mum worked in Durham for a while and now she's thinking about buying a small house and moving there with my dad. I'm surprised you don't like beaches. I imagine this idyllic setting, with surfers and sea life and lots of fun, but I suppose with UK weather, it's gloomy and windy 90% of the time 😂 We have that here too in Reading, there's always one major construction work or another happening. A lot of new builds were built on marshy, sewer land 🤢 I'm guessing you'll be looking in a more rural location then?

Haha yes! I'll send you some pics of DH seeing me walk down the aisle. I think he started crying, the weirdo 😂 Do you think your DP would cry?

We had some Greek guests drop out of the wedding last minute because of covid so we ended up with about 250 people, which is still a lot! Only a small fraction were mine and DH's friends, the rest were family and friends of family! 90 is a reasonable number, I wish ours was that small and intimate.

Haha! I got sent a consultation guide and it had the instruction videos to the injections linked, so I watched them. Now I have to get DH to watch it at least 5 times so he 100% knows what to do. Injections will start on CD2, I guess to make sure that AF has properly started.

Omg my period pain has been awful today, I had to stop working this morning and take extra codeine. I can still feel it now, even with pain relief 😭. Don't know why it's so bad this time!

Aww you'll have to tell me what it's like on the pregnancy boards! Hopefully soon we'll be able to upgrade to real life chats 😊.

Those graphs are interesting and it's good that at your level, there aren't any negative impacts. In fact the 2-2.5 level has the best results! If you think you might be anemic, try eating more red meat. I eat lean steak and a beef burger once or twice a week. My Mum doesn't eat any red meat and she's anemic.

You recorded the conversation 😂😂, howcome you did that? Are you thinking you might need to challenge something in the future? That's great they're gonna start you off on a low dose, although she said that in a really long roundabout way 😂😂. I wonder what she meant by 'we have to be mindful that your BMI is 22.8', that's a healthy BMI so I don't know what she's implying? Aww thanks, I'm sure it would be interesting but it will take you ages to write it!

My Mum's been against vaccines for a while, she believes that they cause autism, even though the Doctor that made those claims has been struck off and discredited. So when it kicked off with Covid, she was ready to lap up every anti-vax claim out there. She now spreads a lot of misinformation on Facebook, it really annoys me but she's too far gone, I don't have the energy to battle with her anymore.

Haha yeh I can be stubborn, someone has to present a good case if they want me to change my mind 😂😂.

Take medical leave if you can, save your annual leave for when you can do something fun! I think people are traveling less in general now, now that there's more homeworking, so hopefully the trains will remain relatively quiet.

Annoyingly most suppliers want you to pay by bank transfer (so you don't get credit card protection) and the T&C's are written to protect them, not the customer. But I have no choice, everywhere is the same. Our venue has brilliant payment terms but everything else is pretty standard and doesn't allow refunds for covid. The attached pics are the kind of dresswear I'm thinking for the bridesmaids and groomsmen 😊.

Do you think if your parents moved to Durham, you might move there? Lol yes the beaches here are often cold and very windy! I don't like pebbled beaches because they hurt your feet and I don't like sandy beaches because you end up bringing the sand home, it gets everywhere! I also don't like deep water as I'm not very good at swimming. So UK beaches aren't for me 😂😂

New builds are awful, such poor build quality and often built on flood plains. It's shocking that developers are able to get away with building such crap and charge a premium for it! Ideally I'd like to live in a semi rural location, so somewhere with lots of space and good transport links to a city. Do you go into central Reading much?

Lol I don't think DP will cry, he's never cried over anything so far. You'll have to plan your honeymoon at some point! Make sure you do have one! 🍹🏖️🏞️

Haha I'd be interested to know what your DH thinks after watching the injections video! I think DP would prob feel queasy 😂😂.

Oh babe, I'm so sorry! I think it could be the vaccine. I've heard people having different periods after being vaccinated. Are you feeling better today? Definitely take things easy and look after yourself 💕

I'm currently sat in a restaurant at St. Paul's, London, waiting for DH's SA at 2:30pm. I also called in super early this morning to see if we could squeeze in our blood tests (HIV, Hep C, etc) as we were in London and we'd need it done before we started treatment. They said yes, so two birds one stone!

I was meant to have a blood test to check my iron levels but never went. I'm a sickle cell carrier (I just have the trait, not the full blown disease) so anaemia is something that's possible. However, because it's a blood disorder, I'm not even sure there would be anything I could do about it! I'll just be cold for the rest of my life 😱 were you raised vegetarian by your mum??

Haha I always record conversations that have crucial information in it. I just didn't want to miss anything but also wanted to play it back to DH so he had all the info too. It's mostly for my own benefit and nothing legal related. I have no idea if there's a link between OHSS and BMI?? Maybe the lower your BMI the better you respond to medication (I know it's the other way around for BMI > 30) so they have to be careful not to over stimulate my ovaries. Haha she's a lovely lady and is very thorough with her words but I guess it means nothing gets lost or misunderstood along the way. I'll send you the recording I took 😂😂😂 transcribing it all would take forever!

Wooow! Does that mean she didn't get you vaccinated as a kid? Is she part of any of those weird and cultish groups like Q Anon? It'll be really scary if she was. It's probably tiring for you but definitely keep an eye on the groups she's associating with!

I got a bit emotional yesterday. So I asked the department PA to book in leave for medical reasons. She told me I didn't need to book leave if it was medical but that I had to confirm that it was medical first so that she could put it in the calendar. I ended up telling her I was having IVF and she said that if I needed any extra time off to recover that I should let her know. And my heart broke because I couldn't believe I was actually having IVF. But, I'll be keeping my annual leave! Yay!

😱 No refunds for covid 😱 no credit card payments 😱 Wow! I can't believe that. That's not fair at all. There's so much uncertainty right now but they expect you to take take all the risk. At least getting 50% back would be a fair compromise. Terrible! The dresses are lovely and perfect for a summer wedding! Will your maid of honor and DP wear something different?

Haha no chance of ever moving up North, not even if my parents are there 😂 Hahahaa! You definitely don't like beaches! I like how they look in the summer, with the blue skies and the blue sea but I agree with you about the sand and I also wouldn't go into the water because I hate being in water. How about moving somewhere warmer, like Greece? Would you live near the beach then?

Semi-rural is defo better. We have loads of greenery here and a huge field just round the corner but with a very busy town not too far away. I haven't really been into Reading that frequently. I usually drive to where I need to go and I haven't had a reason to go into town at all. DH likes taking long walks into town. It's about a 30 minute walk, which isn't too bad, but I wouldn't do it everyday. Do you go into your closest town/city regularly?

You've never seen your DP cry? I've seen DH cry but he is a cry baby 😂 you never know, seeing his beautiful future wife walking down the aisle might be the thing that sets him off. Gosh! I haven't even thought about a honeymoon. We'd have to take the baby with us or leave them with my parents 😱 I wonder if life with a baby will mean it'll never happen!

DH feels confident and says he understand what he needs to do after watching the vids. We shall see about that! I hope he doesn't inject me wrong. There's one medication that needs to be mixed and has two separate needles - one for mixing and one for injecting. I'll probably do that bit myself and just get DH to inject me.

We're going to start leaving for the clinic now. DH will be relieving himself while I get my bloods done then he'll get his bloods done too 😁

Eeeeek we'll be getting an email of DH's SA today!!! We actually ended up getting our bloods done together - how romantic. They've just called him in for his SA. The fun begins 😂😂

DH's count has more than doubled and his motility is great! Only thing is his morphology has gone from 4% to 3%. I feel like with those numbers, it should happen naturally but now I'm worried there's something wrong with me and that's why it hasn't happened. We'll still probably go ahead with IVF but at least he now has loads of fast swimming sperm to choose from.

My period has been weird this cycle, it's been heavier than usual and was very painful for 2 days, it hasn't been painful today but I've had a headache most the day 😣. Yes maybe it is due to the vaccine!

That's great your DH's sperm count and motility has improved! Strange the morphology has gone down but results will change slightly every time, so hopefully it won't make much difference.

Oh no, sorry you're a sickle cell carrier, does that mean your children might get the disease? DP has psoriatic arthritis which is genetic, so I hope our kids don't get it. No my family aren't vegetarian, my Mum eats chicken breast but that's the only meat, she's very fussy 😂.

I would imagine the lower your BMI the higher the risk of OHSS, same with most medications, the lower your weight, the more they affect you. Do you save the conversations on a laptop or something? Otherwise surely they would take up lots of phone memory??

We did get vaccinated as kids, luckily because the internet didn't really exist then (or not in its current form), she wasn't able to access that sort of information! Haha I don't know if she's part of any cultish groups but she's more of a hippie/leftie so not like Q Anon.

Aww that's sweet the PA was really considerate towards you, I'm nervous about telling work because I don't know how they'll view IVF. It seems your work are being really understanding and accommodating 😊.

Yes it is very annoying that the suppliers expect the customer to take all the risk! Yes DP and my Dad will wear something different, either a different colour buttonhole, tie or waistcoat. I'm not sure how to make the Maid of honour look different, as I'd like them all to have the same dresses. Maybe a different colour bouquet 🤔. How did your Maid of honour dress differently?

Haha yes I wouldn't mind the beaches of Greece or Spain! Shame we left the EU, now it's much harder to live there ☹️. You'll be long overdue a trip to Greece by the time restrictions are lifted, are your DH's family & friends over there hoping to see you soon?

I don't go into town much, I used to before covid but now I just buy everything online. I feel bad for those stores but the council make it really difficult, the roads are so busy and trains/buses are infrequent and expensive!

Nope never seen DP cry 😂, I can't even imagine him crying. Maybe he'd cry if I died but other than that, I don't think he would 😂😂.

I guess it depends when the baby comes or when you choose to go on honeymoon, if the baby is very young then you'd have to take them with you, if baby is a year or older you could leave them with your parents. What would you prefer?

Omg make sure your DH doesn't inject you with the mixing needle! I've read horror stories on the infertility boards of this happening! The mixing needle is bigger than the injecting needle 😱.

What cycle day are you on now? You must be in your fertile period? I think you're about 8 days ahead of me!

Hey, how are you today? Is your AF still going? I'm guessing most of your pain has gone. It might be a something to report as a side effect of the vaccine as lots of women have reported similar. I was reading a thread on here and even menopausal women got a heavy bleed out of nowhere after being vaccinated. yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/

Yeah, I'm really pleased with his SA and he's feeling really hopeful. He wants us to postpone the IVF for 3 months, which I'm thinking of agreeing to. I'll maybe call abc tomorrow and schedule my treatment consultation for August/September. I might as well give DH a chance to show off his new and improved swimmers 😁

I started doing OPKs on CD11 but yesterday (CD13) I was out visiting friends in Banbury so I could only test before we left and after we returned (at like 2am). OPK in the morning was -ve but OPK in night time was +ve so I have no idea if it was the beginning or the end of my surge. I'll have to test loads today but I feel when I ovulate anyway so will update FF accordingly. Is FF down for you today?

Luckily, the sickle cell gene is recessive, so DH would also need to be carrier for our kids to inherit the actual disease. Fortunately, he isn't, so the worst our kids can be are carriers, like me. It doesn't come with symptoms but it does mean that some of my red blood cells are sickle shaped so my haemoglobin results can be a bit abnormal at times. I'm guessing your DP's condition is a dominant gene so it could get passed on whether you have it or not? The HFEA form you fill in for IVF asks about any genetic conditions so they may need you to get your embryos tested so only healthy embryos get transferred.

Haha so she's not vegetarian - just chickenatarian or whatever the actual name for it is (if it exists). Would you ever consider going vegetarian? I've tried but I like meat too much!

I don't have a lot of conversations saved. Just the consultation at abc and the other one I had with the consultant at my previous clinic. Sometimes if my boss is teaching me something important, I'll record it too as it's easier/quicker than taking notes.

Aw hippies are sweet. All peace and love ☮️

I still feel too awkward telling me boss about the IVF but since the P.A. is a woman, I felt a bit less weird telling her. If you have anyone in HR that you feel comfortable telling, that might be a bit better than telling your male boss who you have to interact with daily!

Yes, a different coloured bouquet for the maid of honour is a good idea. All my bridesmaids wore different dresses in the same colour but my maid of honour chose a dress that was a slightly different material and embellished it with a belt. Maybe you can also consider the same dress in a different colour for her? I made personalised hangers for my bridesmaids too, with their names, role and a little pink bow.

Yes, DH's family have been trying to visit but their flights keep getting cancelled so we're hoping to have them over at Christmas. Hopefully Greece gets added to the Green List soon so we can visit them. DH misses them loads and I feel very sad for him. How about your birthday holiday to Greece? Will you reschedule?

Definitely agree about feeling bad for high street shops. The council needs to make parking free. In my area, the centre has free parking and it makes shopping so easy but in Reading town, there's so many car parks but all quite expensive! I've tried to stop shopping on Amazon and actually travel to the shops that sell the items I need, unless they're pretty niche.

Haha! I'd like to think he'd cry if you died but then you wouldn't get to see it, unless you're a ghost floating around. Do you cry often? TTC has made me cry loads. I cry all the time now, so annoying.

I don't think I'd want a baby with me during my honeymoon. All the focus would be on the baby and we'd be less free to do what we wanted. I think it would be best to leave them with my parents. You'll probably be able to have a honeymoon straight away because you'd either be very early on in pregnancy or just about to start the IVF process!

Ommmmmggg!!! 😱😱 Sounds like a very, very painful mistake! 💉 when I got my bloods drawn on Thursday, the nurse doing it was moving the needle around in my arm and I'm sure she hit a nerve because my arm has felt weird since then! It's the most painful blood test I've had.

Wooow! You're CD6 and I'm CD14. Can't believe how far we are from each other. This must be the furthest we've ever been apart 😔

Looool I forgot to tell you! The rabbits escaped the other day. They dug a tunnel out and DH had to chase them around the garden. He managed to catch them but now I've locked them inside their hutch and their freedom to run around in their enclosure has been revoked! Actions have consequences!

FF is back up so here's my chart for today. Temps have risen a bit so FF thinks I've ovulated but once I put in a +ve OPK, that should change.

Af abruptly finished on Saturday, it was strange because on Friday it was heavy and then Saturday nothing! Hope my next one isn't as weird as this one has been!

Did you decide to call ABC today and delay the IVF? Do you think you'll be okay to wait another 3 months? In the big scheme of things, 3 months isn't long and it's worth giving it another shot with the improved sperm 😊. At least you know IVF is only a phone call away 😊.

We have our next consultation on Monday 5th July but I still haven't had the MRI, so there's not going to be much to discuss. I emailed them 2 weeks ago advising I needed the MRI booked asap but they haven't responded. I'm gonna keep the consultation so we can find out the SA results but the consultant will probably be annoyed because it's kinda a wasted appointment. Not my fault though, I did tell them!

Do you think your ovulating today? Have you had any ovulation pain yet? You're almost in your TWW and I'm not even fertile yet 😭. FF has been okay for me, I don't recall it being down.

That's great your children wouldn't get the sickle cell disease 🙂. DP's condition is an autoimmune disease, like Asthma, Crohn's or Diabetes, so unfortunately they haven't yet discovered what gene causes it, so they wouldn't be able to select embryos without it.

I tried going vegetarian for a short time many years ago but like you, I missed meat too much! Don't think I could live without bacon and southern fried chicken 😋😂. What's your favourite food?

Do you think the PA might tell your boss? Could be easier because then you don't have to have that conversation! My male boss has temporarily moved to the next manager position up, so he's basically my grandparent manager and now a woman is directly managing me. She's lovely so I wouldn't mind telling her but she's only in the team temporarily, so by the time I have IVF, she'll probably have gone ☹️.

Aww those dresses are so pretty! That's a good idea with the belt, I might get one for the MOH! Did you pay for them? I'm not sure what the correct etiquette is, with regards to what the bride should pay for. I think I'm gonna offer to pay for the dresses and getting their hair done. They'll have to get their own shoes and accommodation.

By Christmas most people should be vaccinated, so hopefully international travel would be able to resume, or at least to some countries. The Greece birthday idea is unfortunately no longer going ahead. It was supposed to be in May this year but my Dad rescheduled his booking for August next year, without speaking to me or my brother. My brother was pretty annoyed because he already had a booking for that holiday (we hadn't yet booked), and so he cancelled his booking and lost his deposit. He didn't want to reschedule to next August because it's a more expensive time of year.

I don't cry very often, the only times I've cried have been when DP has shouted at me during an argument. When I was a child, I wasn't allowed to show any negative emotions or appear angry/unhappy, so I always struggle when someone shouts at me.

It's strange how some blood tests are painless and others really hurt!

Omg I can't believe the rabbits escaped 😱😂. How long did it take your DH to catch them? They were probably thinking "woohoo freedom!" 😂😂 I worry about our rabbits digging a hole and escaping, there's lots of things round here that would eat them 😕.

I've started an Etsy shop! It's only got one item for sale at the moment, I'm hoping to make more stuff over the next few weeks 😊. I'll send you link in a private message.