Assisted Conception and the bits inbetween

[soosy]

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

Thanks for the effort LL, starting to regroup now a little

Hi Sooty, so sorry to hear what you are going through. It's devasting and so soul destroying. I send you lots of love and luck. Take care of yourself and keep on posting, we're all here to listen. joc xxx

.....devastating (oops sp!)

Sooty I am so sorry to hear your news, it is all so difficult as you get so prepared for the whole cycle that bad news is so devastating.

I had an abandoned cycle, I lost a follicle (they sometimes stop growing and the FSH levels don't keep going up to support the rest) and it just meant everything went wrong, but I did go on to have several more cycles and DS. So please don't despair at the moment. I am sending lots of hugs and keeping fingers crossed that it is something similar.

Sx

Livvigirl yes, I am sorry to say weight does make a difference. Even losing 10% of you body weight will make an enormous difference, to you trying to conceive. Underweight is not good either as you need a certain amount of body fat to ovulate, apparently you should aim for about 23 or 24 BMI.

Good luck with everything.

S x

Hi Sooty,

My cycle got abandoned today too... totally didn't expect it. gutted but lovely mrs nargund explained it all to me and feel a bit better this afternoon.

I have pcos and when they put my ovaries to sleep they didn't plan on them not waking up again! the folicles just weren't growing so we've called it a day. I know it's silly but with everything we've been through in the last 12 months I just though this might work for us.

Was devestated when I walked out the clinic but went back for a chat about what to do next and feel a bit better for having a plan (next bleed - scan day 1 or 2 and no suppresion)

Sooty hope you are ok?

It really shouldn't be this hard.

xxx

Sooty, thanks for that, I kind of thought as much, diet will start on monday! And good luck to you x

So sorry Mowmi to hear you have had yours abandoned too. . . I found it so much more devastating than my last IVF cycle just not being successful, it's hard to accept that you might not get to embryo stage . . . seems like you are not getting a fighting chance.

I am really annoyed with my clinic (NHS) because they haven't rung me back with a follow-up appointment and I know what you mean about 'having a plan' . . .

Can I ask - how do you find 'Create'? I am considering natural IVF because when I was doing IUI I had a good sized follicle every time - and the drugs for IVF only produced 2 follicles last time and none this time - so it feels like I am wasting my time. I wish my clinic would call me . . . then I have to wait 2-3 weeks to see if they will approve me starting again! I know I should be really grateful that I have this available to me (and I am) but sometimes the lack of communication is frustrating.

Okay, I must be feeling better - all that chat. Sorry again Mowmi I know I was devastated a few days ago . . .

hi sooty,

I know, i surprised myself at how upset I was when they told me things were not going well...they went off to call mrs nargund and came back with a message that she was probably going to advise me to stop this cycle - i felt like i'd been punched in the stomach. I was lucky that she was on her way in and had time to see me, I felt so much better for that 10 minute chat. I have every faith in her, I know if this can happen she's the lady to help us and if she says this cycle is a no goer than I have to stop.
i really think you should go and see them if you can find the cash to go private - their ethos is all abour affordable, safe IVF and natural IVF whilst being so much safer, is so much cheaper too.
Honestly, in all the months I've been dipping in and out of posting on this site I haven't seen any other consultants strike up the same reaction from other ladies - any post mentioning her name is followed by "wow she's a wonderful lady, she did this blah, blah" now I haven't got another experience to compare it too but I would not hesitate to recommend them to you. If you want to chat offline about them let me know and we can find away to make this happen (not sure it's allowed!) I'm sure there are lots of all lovely, talented consultants out there helping ladies like us - I'd place Geeta way up there!

Feeling better again today, have the whole house to clean which should take my mind off things - who said buying a bigger house was a good idea? whose husband promised to help them with the cleaning if they bought it....?

Hope everyone else is well.

x

Thanks for your advice about Create mowmi, I think I will move to them at some point (maybe sooner rather than later) but I would like to have my follow up appointment first. I have a lovely Dr with the NHS, but the problem is I don't always get him, and although he has agreed to see me on request once or twice, the NHS seem to disapprove of this. Its not so much that I am disappointed in the Drs, but the ethos where you don't have someone overseeing and taking responsibilty for your care. It sounds like Dr Nargand really does this . . . . how nice.

I am still feeling gutted, and that I can't talk to anyone about it - other than madly researching on the web and trying to work out for myself what my options are. I think it has just got to that point where I want someone to sit down with my notes and spend an hour with me. . . but that doesn't happen in the real world of limited resources.

Hope your feeling better, I am slowly getting back some perspective. And as for getting DH to help you clean the house . . . you do know that the only real options are outsourcing or lowering your standards!

you should wait to have your follow up, you'll need the learning of what went wrong this time so it doesn't get repeated next time. If i remember rightly it took me about a month or so to get an appointment so just bear that in mind. how many goes do you have access to on the NHS? where do you live?

That's the problem with the NHS, nobody has the time to talk to you properly - they have so many people to see on any given day that it just isn't possible. We met Mrs Nargund when we were under St Georges (NHS) and we didn't always get to see her. The other doctors under her command were great but it was her opinion and advice we really valued. When we were advised IVF was our best chance we didn't want to wait 2.5 years for NHS treatment so we followed her to Create.

I'm feeling ok today, it was all such a blow yesterday - just wasn't expecting it.

Do you expect to hear from them on Monday?

One question I didn't ask was when I'm likely to get my period following this attempt - have you any idea how long it takes from this stage?

I was so hopeful (probably like anyone doing it for the fist time) that we'd be lucky and this would work, on top of the disappointment it's the realisation of how complex and how easy it can all go wrong - i just feel a bit more gloomy about it all.

look after yourself x

Hi mowmi, yes i have one more go (hopefully) on the NHS, I should be able to slip one in before I turn 40 in December, but they may not offer me another cycle so I may have to go elsewhere. I don't think my clinic does 'natural' cycles and this seems like my best bet - or a mild cycle.

When will AF arrive? Well I didn't ask either but I'll tell you what I know. When I was not on drugs I alternated between cycles when I did ovulate and annovulatory cycles. The ones when I didn't ovulate were 21 days long. Having said that my sister - who has premature menopause - has had a lot of trouble actually getting her period. So who knows?

Have you taken drugs on this cycle? This is the unknown factor for me. . . I don't know whether this will delay things?

I did the down reging drug burselin and 10 days of Gonal F so have no idea? - my natural cycles were around 36 days but have no idea how all the drugs will have affected. my womb lining was thickening on the scan so hope fully it'll be in the next few weeks? I'll call the clinic and find out on monday and report back.
I think it's mild IVF I'm doing next - no suppression and small amounts of fsh ( i have pcos which meant there were in excess of 20 follicles on each side - they had to start me on a really low dose so they didn't go mental and all grow, problem was they didn't really do anything following the suppression) fitted around my natural cycle. I will of course keep you posted on how it al goes.

hope you get a follow up appointment soon.
x

No more magnolia...just been looking at your page - loving the little ugg boots!!

Seems we have the opposite problem mowmi! But the same reaction to the suppression drugs !

You may get your af in the next few days, or it may be when it should. Sometimes the withdrawal of FSH means you bleed almost immediately, but maybe not... Sorry not to be more helpful.

I know this has been a really terrible time for you both and I hope things get back on track very quickly for you.

Have a good rest of the Weekend.

Finally have had a follow up to my failed FET in June - get this 3rd October!(NHS) So we'll see what happens then.

Sooty, don't get too hung up on age. My Gynae told me that 40 is not the big cut off point especially if you are having IVF, and women have been having babies in their forties since time began. It is only because contraception was introduced and the number of births to 40+ went down during 60's - 90's, (they are now at the same level as they were before contraception) and doctors now are not used to older mothers that they are banging on about it all the time. BTW I am 40 next year.

Both of you open the wine and have a chilled weekend.

Sx

Thanks soosy, I am feeling a bit better. . . and thanks for that stuff about the big 40, it does seem like a milestone - but I was cheered by Nicole Kidman (who was the year above me at school) having a baby last week because from all reports ( I rely on the gossip mags here - no inside information) it was a very hard road for her.

Why did it take so long for your follow up appointment? Good luck with it - I hope they are positive for you.

S xx

thanks soosy, it does seem a long time to wait for you...? october will soon be here though - what do you think is next in store for you?

Sooty glad you're feeling better, I am too. I have mild cramping today so I'm hoping it means AF is soon to be visiting?

DH may be rubbish at cleaning but he is lovely - he came home with a dozen long stem roses and a load of lovely pamper stuff for me yesterday... guess I'll be cleaning the loos for a bit longer yet!!
Going to have to get a cleaner in, when we bought this house I vowed we couldn't afford it but DH does bugger all and I'm sick of spending all day Saturday cleaning!! We both work long hours and it seems pointless bickering about it!

Hope I've not brought too much gloom to the thread - there is a new thread for IVFers I noticed...didn't have the heart to invite them over here - gosh we need some good news!!

Enjoy the last few hours of the weekend.

x

Hi all ... nomoremagnolia thanks for the invite to the tread.

I had CD1 on Friday so start sniffing on the 28th Aug...1st IVF cycle. Have completed 3 IUI cycles, with no success... so have I come IVF!

Right the sister said no drinking, I'm still drinking at the moment, when should I give up?
Also what can I do in preparation for the IVF? When do you have to start drinking milk etc to help thicken your lining?

Sorry for all the questions. XX

Hi Rah, I was told to just increase my protein intake for good quality eggs. I hate milk so I kept nuts on my desk at work and had a handful a few times a day - i also tried to include lean meat in my meals...?

Good luck with it all x

Thanks mowmi, How far in advance did you start making changes to your diet? Is there any vit's etc that are worth taking?

I've been trying forever - I generally eat quite well (80% is good - the other 20% well life would be just too dul!) I tried to cut down on my drinking (I didn't cut it out completely but will for next cycle as i don't want to blame anything I did or didn't do if the next attempt doesn't work again!) I take zita west's nutrition for fertility + her dha and epa supplement, I'm also taking milk thistle.
Good luck with it all - which clinic are you with?
x

Hi Ladies, I'm just popping in to wish you all luck. I'm still playing the waiting game - due to start IVF in Sept or Oct. By the way I'm 40 next year too. joc x

mowmi - I tried really hard when doing my IUI, but was doing it over 5 months and felt like it took over my life. So been more relaxed approaching the IVF and tried to focus on enjoying life instead of TTC whilst waiting. But like you said I want to give it my best shot so just booked acupunture to start on Wed and will start to think about less excessive drinking etc...I'm sure one glass will not kill me now and then until I start the drugs.
I'm with the CRM in Coventry which is our local clinic. I've been going there 4 yrs on the NHS, but got pregnant after my Lap and dye after 18months of TTC, but we lost that pregnancy at 24 weeks. Been TTC ever since. Mine is unexplained infertility, have PCO but don't suffer from the symptoms, as have regular periods and not over weight etc... but consultant thinks I have been suffering from annovulation and hence when I went on clomid my periods were a lot less heavy and were more regular etc... they went to exactly 28 days where at the moment they are regular but vary, but still in a good range.
Will be considering a change in clinic if this IVF does not works this time. They have decided to do blastocyst transfer if I get the eggs, as to restrict the prospect of multiple birth due to my previous history as seem to have a problem keeping a baby once pregnant..

I take pregnacare at the moment, is the zita west stuff good?

JustOneCornetto - good luck for Sept/Oct

XX

Hi! I am currently being prep for IVF. I went through 4 injections of Puregon already. 2 vials at a time. 300i.u. per vial. I have 2 more sessions to go before my ultrasound.

I feel a little bloated in the lower ab. Is this normal.

FSH makes a person gain weight?