Assisted Conception and the bits inbetween

[soosy]

Welcome to the new thread I only hope I can link it to the old one

Hi all,

I was forced to do IVF after two ectopic pregnancies (one in each tube) and 4 1/2 years of infertility. I have been reading the posts for the last few weeks and it brings it all back, I wish everyone luck. Sponge I have just had a daughter through IVF (now 3 months)and have in the back of my mind been thinking about the next cycle (won't be for at least a year though because I had a difficult pregnancy, DVT at 30 weeks and an infection in the womb post birth) but I do have frozen blastocysts at the clinic. I feel blessed to have DD (can't believe it happened after all I went through) but I would like her to have a brother or sister one day. Incidently I was also given clomid despite blocked tubes from a private Assisted Conception Unit.

Lots of love and luck NS XXXX

Sponge, my brain is sponge at the moment, we are moving to Buckinghamshire - what was I thinking, we were going to move to Windsor but the commute was going to be too long for DH. Sadly today the sellers of the house we were going to buy have pulled out so it looks as though we will be renting for longer than I anticipated. Have no idea why they have decided this now they seem to think they'll get a better price later, well they will be waiting some time.

I am sorry not at all about IVF or assisted conception .

Hi newishad, great story, and I am glad your difficult pg and birth hasn't put you off having another. My DS was the result of my 10th IVF attempt, great pg, lousy labour and birth! Have had five attempts since without success. I can't believe they gave you clomid, did they check your tubes?

Sx

newbishad, sorry to hear about your ectopics - how hard to have had two. Congrats on your DD. at your clinic prescribing you clomid - it seems everyone gets given it! I've known couples with male factor IF be given clomid - WTF?!

soosy at your sellers - the housing market is crap at the moment though isn't it?

I can't believe you've had 15 cycles of IVF - you have far more stamina than me. We were ready to jack it in after two .

Morning Ladies,

Sossy - sponge is right - 15 cycles...you should get some sort of award for that (hopefully the one you really want in the not so distant future!)

Quick update... cycle is still going (day 8 today) have to get a blood test tomorrow and I'm having another scan on Sunday. The scan yesterday showed my endometrium is doing well but the folicles are still a bit small. I'm carrying on with the larger dose of fsh and I have the cetrotide (?) all ready and waiting (should I get to that point of the weekend). The plan is to see if they improve by Sunday - if they don't it will get abandoned and well start the next one on a much higher dose of FSH.
Consultant is really surprised by how resistant my ovaries are to the drugs - really weren't expecting it due to my age and my natural FSH levels?

Keep your fingers crossed for me and send your good vibes in the direction of my lazy ovaries!!

Soosy - sorry to hear about the house - it just means you'll find a better one next time.

Newbishad - sounds like you've had a shocking time but congrats on your DD - It's lovely to hear positive news on this thread.

Sooty - how you doing?

and to everyone else hello!!

Wish me luck x

Hi all,

Thanks for your good wishes everyone! I think this is a lovely supportive thread and as I said I have been reading it for a number of weeks.

Soosy: 15 cycles of IVF. I can't believe it either...you must have great stamina and determination. Are you trying again? Great news about your DS. How old is he now?

Sponge: I knew it was wrong of the clinic to give me clomid and I questioned it. They told me I had a chance of conceiving depite 1 ectopic pregnancy and continued unexplained infertility (at the time). I then went to a second clinic and was recomended IVF because I was over 35. Two days before my inital appointment I was diagnosed with my second ectopic. I started the treatment 5 months later (after recovery) and conceived my DD on my first IVF cycle. I feel blessed (despite all the disrupted nights with a colicy baby). My name Newbishad comes from my two dogs; Newbie and Shadow because they were my children before Emily.

Mowimi: Good luck. Thinking of you!

Good luck all.

Lots of love,

NS XXXX

Hi all:

Mowmi - thinking of you and sending lots of folicle stimulating vibes!

AF FINALLY arrived and drugs starting 8 sept!

Yes to clarify it took 11 natural cycles to conceive DS, but even though I am only 34 my body is on the downward slide apparently, DH's troops are not great, so after 2 years of trying for #2 we are now having to go to IVF + ICSI.

I know what you mean about emotional roller coaster as I don't want to hope but secretly do. My brother's advice (having had failed ICSI earlier this year) is to take each step and not look too far beyond. Can we switch off the hormones, can we get any follicles to play ball, are there any eggs, etc etc and just treat each successful step as a good thing. Easy to say, not so easy to do.

got to go, MIL turned up and they don't know!!

Good luck Mowmi - grow grow grow . . .

Sorry to hear that your house fell through soosy, these things just add to one's sense of lack of control don't they? Still, last weeks headlines of 5% drop in June can only help you - you might even find somewhere better . . . fingers crossed.

As for Clomid . . I was having a bit of a moan to my consultant the other day about starting on a new cycle ASAP because I felt being on the NHS had held me up and I was prepared to pay rather than wait and he was really understanding. He also said that he felt the NHS had been irresponsible putting me on Clomid because it was obvious I was ovulating and at 38 it is just a waste of time. He said I should have gone straight to IVF then so he is very sympathetic. . . . I think it should be banned! And it made me feel absolutely crap . . . worse than the IVF drugs by far!

Mowmi, heaps of luck, hope things turn a corner now.

sooty, couldn't agree with you more about clomid - it's an evil drug, it's used far too readily for all infertile couples and recent studies have shown it's no more effective than just carrying on with the BMS! But . . . it's cheap!

Nappyvalley, forgot to say, glad you can start your drugs now - waiting is awful isn't it?

How did it go Mowmi? I am crossing my fingers for you . . .

Has anyone been recommended taking DHEA? My sister in Australia was and I have read it can be useful with diminished ovarian reserve . . . any thoughts?

Evening ladies, I have good news to report! After 2 wobbly starts it appears we are now on track! Hormone levels are good, womb lining good and folliciles - lots and at last a decent size! I'm waiting for the clinic to call me about when I need to take the hcg injection - Egg collection will be thurs, fri or sat depending on what today's blood test tells them
I can't believe what a rollercoster this has been - it was only last week they were talking about abandoning it! Even if the ET doesn't work at least we got my ovaries doing what they are supposed to do!

Sooty - I don't know about DHEA? I take DHA (because Zita West book tells me to!) but I've not heard of DHEA (shall do some googling this evening!)

Soosy - have you started house hunting again?

Thanks everyone for your follicle boosting vibes - they worked!

x

Fantastic news Mowmi! . . . am really happy for you. And you're right to enjoy this little victory - worry about the next bit when you get to it.

DHEA is a male hormone that has had some good results (but not definitive) with poor responders. My doctors were luke warm about it but in OZ they are all for it? Who knows . . . as my Dr said - it can't do any harm. You can get it over the counter in Aus and US but it is prescription here - guess the transsexuals have more pull there . . . . watch out for your voice dropping (just kidding).

Great news about the folly's . . .

Fantastic news Mowmi! . . . am really happy for you. And you're right to enjoy this little victory - worry about the next bit when you get to it.

DHEA is a male hormone that has had some good results (but not definitive) with poor responders. My doctors were luke warm about it but in OZ they are all for it? Who knows . . . as my Dr said - it can't do any harm. You can get it over the counter in Aus and US but it is prescription here - guess the transsexuals have more pull there . . . . watch out for your voice dropping (just kidding).

Great news about the folly's . . .

Great news mowmi I agree enjoy the victory of this step in your journey. Fingers crossed for the next stage later this week.

Think maybe it's time to introduce myself on this thread. Was hoping that I was going to be able to add myself to the endless numbers who conceive just as their assisted conception date looms - sometimes I can't understand why the waiting list are so long with everyone dropping out at the last moment!!

Quick back story. TTC 3 years now, no problems found with me (self diagnosed short luteal phase though), DH has had middling to poor (mainly poor, managed one middling) SA results.

So we are heading for ICSI in November. Still seems like a while away, but I have one natural cycle left (day one today) then I start the drugs. Very concerned about how evil they could make me - there tends to be one day a month at the moment I make DH cry. If that behaviour were to go on for longer I think he'd leave me.

I've done a fair bit of lurking here and on other websites, but any tips pre-treatment would be very welcome. I am particularly looking for good, non-soy, sources of vegetarian protein.

Welcome back Londonlottie. You mentioned before that we were of a similar age - I'm now 39. I can see you deliberating and I really understand the desire for it 'just to happen'. But if I had my time again I would have gone straight to IVF and not mucked around with Clomid then IUI. I have now been diagnosed with diminisihed ovarian reserve despite good FSH levels. Don't muck about, it's not a perfect world . . .

Hi londonlottie, as far as clinics go I have only gone through the NHS at Homerton. I would recommend the doctors but not the system which can be frustrating. I would go ahead with your NHS option but maybe do one privately in the meantime. Be wary about this because I think it is against NHS guidlelines (depend on the trust) but who is to know if you don't tell them? I am looking into Dr Nargunds clinic, but I think it might end up being too far away. The Lister is one that also gets talked about a lot . . .

My last cycle was abandoned as I didn't respond - so despite reasonable FSH they are saying it is diminished ovarian reserve . . . it makes sense actually and I do remember that I was having shorter periods when I first started trying at 36 and that is one of the key indicators. There is still hope but it has got a lot slimmer. I am going to give it one more go this year on a normal cycle if I can because even though I only got two eggs last time, I did get two embryo's so I'll see if I can repeat that. If not . . . I'll have to look at other options.

My understanding is that it is not what's 'normal' that matters but what is normal for you. I noticed that my period was lighter and that sometimes instead of my 28 cycle I had 21 day ones. . . at the time I didn't think much of it. My consultant was really frank with me the other day, he said that the Dr's that had sent me away with pee sticks to see if I ovulated and then clomid had been wasting my time. I've never had even the most minimal health concerns so I just didn't take enough responsibility in getting to the bottom of it . . . but then hindsight is hindsight.

Hi to LL and Rattling,

LL I'm with Create (Mrs Nargund) i really do rate them - they are all really lovely and I feel really cared for, their success rates are good too.

Sooty - just come back from EC - feel fine...don't remember any of it, let alone any discomfort. Feel like I have bad period pain now. I had a lot of follicles which have produced a good amount of eggs. The last couple of days leading up to this have been pretty uncomfortable - bit like the pain of a full bladder (i had 45 follicles - felt like I could feel every flipping one of them!!). Because I had so many follicles I'm at high risk of OHSS so not sure when ET will be yet.
They are calling tomorrow to let us know how many have fertilised.

Hello to everyone else.

x

My God Mowmi - what a turnaround! Hope it all calms down for you and you recover well. I hope you get to ET, but my understanding is that Frosties are pretty good - so you'll have a harvest for the rest of the year. Well done . . . and take it easy, I rushed about after my first one and suffered for it later . . .

thanks sooty, I knew i had a lot of follicles but I got all paranoid waiting for the embryologist because I could hear the nurses talking about how may eggs the other ladies had and they'd not been to talk to me... we got 18 eggs out of it!!

How you doing? Where you at with what to do next?

x

I'm still waiting for my period to arrive ! Then, I can get some dates and work out what my best course of action is. The NHS have said they'll do a cycle in November but I might have to to go Australia . . . as always a juggling task . . so I might do one privately in early Oct with 'Create', as I still have a consultation with them lined up . . . but as there's no blood yet I can't make any plans. Good luck with the fertilisation . . . fingers crossed.