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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Have first appt at teh Lister re IVF today...

46 replies

CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 12:02

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NorthernLurker · 21/04/2008 12:03

Good Luck

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 12:04

Thank you!

Have decided we may as well go and get checked out and look into it as am now so geriatric is almost too late

Not sure if we will go ahead, we just want to know all the info and the wait on the NHS will be forever

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ClairePO · 21/04/2008 12:04

Good luck!

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 12:07

Am slightly concerned they will say go for it even if not a good idea so tehy can get £££

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ClairePO · 21/04/2008 12:12

Have you read the Robert Winston book on assisted reproduction? Think it is called 'A child against all odds' and it was quite enlightening, I'm not at that stage yet but I saw him on This Morning and decided to get book. It may be worth getting as a balanced view, although its quite a long read.

You can't be too far from me, I'm in Bedfordshire and Lister is my closest.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 12:14

The Lister in Chelsea?

Is there really nothing closer to you!?

No I haven't read that, thanks I will see if i can get a copy

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ClairePO · 21/04/2008 12:16

Eek no - stupid me I thought you meant the Lister in Stevenage, although now that doesn't make sense as why would they do private fertility treatment, God i feel thick now, sorry.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 12:17

Oh I didn't know there was more than one!
Me being thick really!

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Buda · 21/04/2008 12:20

Oh good luck CD! Was wondering what you had decided.

Trying to decide whether to have a last shot at it myself. Am 44 next month.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 12:22

am rather scared of becoming mad hormonal bitch
My pmt has been awful lately and I gather it is like that x 100

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Buda · 21/04/2008 12:24

Not necessarily CD. I was the bitch from hell every month before I had IVF and my friends were contemplating getting suits of armour made when I was starting IVF but it didn't seem to affect me that way.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 12:25

Oh you have had it before?

What is it like?

Did you have to take loads of time off work?

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Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 12:26

They say is 15% live birth rate for my age

Will this increase becasue I have already had a child (conceived naturally)

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oiFoiF · 21/04/2008 13:00

good luck lovely

Buda · 21/04/2008 13:05

Have had it twice before CD.

Once successfully - 1st attempt - age 36. Had treatment in Bangkok while living in Vietnam. Wasn't really working so not an issue.

Second time unsuccessfully - age 42 - overweight too. Had treatment here in Budapest - def wasn't as user friendly as Bangkok. Much more stressful.

I am note sure about chances CD - it is all very much dependent on why you haven't conceived since etc. In our case my DH is both impotent and infertile so no chance of a happy accident.

All I can say is it isn't as bad as some media articles would have you believe.

And 15% chance is 15% more than you have any other month.

OldBint · 21/04/2008 13:29

I'm in pretty much in exactly the same boat as you, CD (am namechanging reg) - have conceived naturally in past, am getting on a bit, low tech traditional method doesn't seem to be working, so after a few checks etc we've gradually moved on to IVF.

Have been toying with starting a thread to ask if IVF has to be stressful etc. Now am answering my own question! TBH - it hasn't been for us. Clinic I'm being treated at is not too far from work so have been able to nip out for appointments without too muc hassle. Cost of it not too traumatic for us. Injections etc have been fine once you get used to them. At my age you have to have mega doses but hasn't turned me into hormonal mad woman at all.

IME, they are quite good at telling you whether it is worth proceeding or not - definitely not a question of taking your money when you have no chance.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 13:30

OldBint (great name!) thanks
that is reassuring

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Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 13:32

And Buda

Will let you know how we get on!

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OldBint · 21/04/2008 13:38

One thing my specialist told me was that the technology was changing all the time, so book are actually not much use as even those that are 18 months old can be out of date. (However I think the technology has not got nearly as good as it is going to get, so the rate of change will be/is slowing down).

My odds are about the same as yours. Have also had natural conception and I think that must improve things. (DH and I have no identified problems other than age - both early (ish) 40's).

Good luck - will be watching with interest (am incognito because DH and I have decided not to discuss it with anyone due to variety of family reasons and I know some people on here in RL)

foxinsocks · 21/04/2008 13:38

hope it goes well gooner girl

have heard they are good (at the lister)

Buda · 21/04/2008 13:45

Good luck to you too OldBint.

I am thinking of trying 'soft' IVF where they don't stimulate the ovaries to produce more than one egg as last time I only got one follicle anyway - 2 months running. It could be down to weight or age. So am thinking of trying with only one.

Original poster
CountessDracula · 21/04/2008 13:46

ooh can you do that?
I m;ust remember to ask about it this pm

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LadyMuck · 21/04/2008 13:47

They're fantastic - Who are you seeing?

Have to say that my first appointment there was sooo good. They gave me real hope.

Don't be too nervous - they are lovely and professional.

hifi · 21/04/2008 13:48

hi cd, i had one of mine there, do you live or work near to the lister? i think its the week before egg collection you have to go every day or other day for a scan, i did it in my lunch hour as i was working near there.the only thing i didnt like is dh had to inject me in my backside everynight which was hugley stressfull, the ones before i injected myself with a pen into my thigh, far better.
we went for icsi, had 12 eggs, they did the icsi proceedure on all of them then let slip later they should have split them between ivf and icsi, v v v pissed off. they knocked £1500 off the bill bit obviously that wasnt the point.

Earlybird · 21/04/2008 14:06

The fertility clinics operate by a strict ethics code, set out by the governing body (HFEA) and can be penalised quite heavily if they are not truthful with patients about recommended methods and chances of success.

Good luck with it all CD. If you go ahead, you will definitely feel as if your body is one big science experiment. But obviously all worth it if you are successful. (And in my own case, all worth it - though not successful - because I knew I had done everything possible (within my own personal limits) to give dd a sibling and so could accept that for me/us, another child simply wasn't meant to be.)