Assisted conception (and the bits in between!) - part 3 - all welcome

[Caitni]

Right ladies, time for a new thread.

And a big welcome to everyone . Here's to many more success stories and healthy pregnancies!

Sooty very happy to hear that you're at day 10 already (getting hard to type with all the finger crossing I'm doing ). The early testing can be really misleading so waiting til Sat is an excellent idea (even if in reality I don't know if I'd last as long myself!).

Lottie yet more psml going on here - wish I'd thought of that with my younger sister's pressies! Glad to hear you're coming back down to earth and coming to terms with your news.

OK, need a bit of advice ladies (TMI alert!). I've been feeling quite wet down below ()and earlier I had a massive bit of EWCM (I have been firmly ignoring goings on down below, as my TCOYF/temping/charting days are most definitely behind me, but this was there when I wiped so couldn't ignore it ). I'm worried that body is trying frantically to ovulate despite the hormones I'm filling myself up with . I'll just have to wait for the scan tomorrow to see what's happening but thought it wouldn't hurt to check if any of you had anything like this?

Thanks Lottie - I'm on day 5 of stims (as in take my fifth injection this evening) and starting to feel (imagine?) twinges in my lower abdomen...if work eases up I may trawl through the FF cycle buddies thread I'm lurking on see if anyone had something similar (though it moves so quickly and has so many women on it that I should probably just keep my nose to the work grindstone instead!).

Caitni I definitely felt wetter during stimming, and seem to be now actually, although I didn't get the big blob you did. I think LL's right and you're body's just singing along to the tune the stims are playing! Could be good - if your body's joining in this enthusiastically you could have lots of lovely follies, all growing fantastic eggs...

OK Sooty, if you can do it I can do it... waiting till Saturday! That's still 3 days earlier than the clinic want me to test but I'm only human! And I have to go to a funeral on Friday - my v young PA's husband has just died of cystic fibrosis at the age of 32, which puts things in perspective rather - and I'd like to be looking forward to possible good news rather than reeling from possible bad news or I'll be a wreck in front of lots of colleagues, so there's an added incentive. So here's to the Sooty and Bumpless Willpower Club! Follicles with no eggs sounds like the height of unfair, poor you for that. I think I've read somewhere that in cases where eggs aren't recovered they were usually present, but not mature enough to unstick from the follicle walls, did they give you any clues about what was happening in your case?

Any Cyclogest Queens out there, I have a v unsavoury problem... Def TMI so sensitive souls look away now! I think I've avoided the oil slick and dissolving knicker problems by continuing to use the pessaries through the back door rather than the front, IYSWIM, but wow! I am completely bunged up, bloated and gassy as a gassy thing. Averaging 2-3 days between, hem, going , when I used to be a once or twice a day girl. Has anyone found any remedies? I have a 3 fruits and flaxseed smoothie for breakfast every day which used to guarantee exemplary guts - is more fibre the answer? are laxatives safe? perhaps a sink plunger is what's needed? Hoover attachment? help!

V sad to hear about your friend LL. It's a ghastly disease. My PA's hubby had a lung transplant a year ago, which should have given them 10 more years together, but he never really made a full recovery. I really hope your friend has better luck .

OK, willing to try anything including being a walking butter dish ! Not sure whether it's the drugs in the bloodsteam or the pessary in my bottom that's doing the blocking! I'm on 2 a day at the moment, what a joy. Will swap doors and see if things improve!

I got the smoothie idea from Sarah Dobbyn's Fertility Diet book, although I've adapted it as I've found other things and depending on what's in the fruit/veg box each week. It started out as a way to get protein, vitamins and fibre into me every morning and I'm quite addicted now! Here it is:
1 banana, 1 apple, 1 orange, 2 tbsp low fat live yog, 1 tbsp flaxseeds, 1/2 inch peeled ginger if I'm feeling frisky or 1/2 tsp cinnamon if I'm feeling mellow, 1/3 glass water - all in blender for a minute. Makes about a pint and you feel very healthy!

Hello

Bumpless - really sorry to hear about your PA's dh.

Hope you and Kitten are both hanging on in there. I can only imagine how nervewrecking it must be.

Caitni - unfortunately I don't have anything constructive to say about dissolving pants. All sounding good though. Good luck for tomorrow. Let us know how you get on.

Lottie - when's your next scan? I can't wait for the next instalement.

Nothing much to report from my meeting today other than that my AMH is 53 which sounds alarmingly high. She wasn't particularly forthcoming in telling me what that actually means other than I've got a lot of eggs sitting around not doing much but she did say, after much urging for info on my part, that maybe IVF would be a better option than IUI in the circumstances. I'm having a scan on day 14 to see whether the drilling has worked so we're going to have a think about IUI vs IVF in the meantime in preparation for August's plan b.

Issy - good luck tomorrow. Can't wait to hear your news. xx

hi everyone, I have been directed here as am in similar situation to a lot of you. i have not read all of the thread, but intend to do so in my own time! I am about to begin IVF next week i think. have meeting with nurse tomorrow to discuss ins and outs (pardon the pun). Nervous but excited. also feel it is all a bit final. we have 3 year old dd, but trying for nearly 2 years for second. to no avail obviously. they have done extensive tests and some clomid but nothing wrong with either of us, so IVF here we come. god.
Congratulations lottie! really great news! as i said have not yet read the thread properly, but will. it is nearly 11pm so should go to bed! just wondering if you had IVF or something else?

Hi ladies

Just wanted to quickly wish Issy good luck tomorrow - will be checking in and hope it's good news.

And good luck to Rattling bringing her boys home from hospital tomorrow too

Ailz welcome . I've heard good things about the Hammersmith. As Lottie has said (and I've said on your other thread ) it's good to have realistic expectations but nothing wrong with having a bit of hope too, since that what keeps us all going. You'll also find that time flies once you start the downregging etc! Good luck with the nurse tomorrow.

Bumpless I was chortling at the idea of my lady parts singing along to the tune of the drugs . Can't help with the cyclogest (though the nurses have already recommended I use the front door - not really looking forward to them but hey ho) though think Lottie's advice is good. Sorry to hear about your PA's DH (and your friend Lottie) - it's a terrible disease.

Summer don't worry too much about the AMH reading - I think that's probably "normal" for someone with PCOS (I did a bit of googling with my own results - I got 20.4 or something like that - and remember reading that higher readings were more common with PCOS - sorry but I no longer have the links). You'd probably respond beautifully to the IVF stimulating drugs with AMH like that

NPA hope the blood test was fine last night and you don't have to wait too long for the results.

Well, things still wet down below with me so hoping my scan tomorrow morning just shows some nice follicles growing (am wondering if they'll check estradiol too). I've booked in for some more acupuncture at 11 as well, with the vague notion of just taking the whole morning off work. Shame the sun will have disappeared by then!

Night all

Will power? I'm not sure it's that - my resolve not to test seems to be more motivated by fear of a bad result. Also, as I am happily not on pessarries/cyclogest this time, but took 2 pregnyl injections I am a bit wary - pregnyl has been known to give false positives. Actually LL I think my logic is pretty similar to yours, I want to be one day late before I test. So Bumpless I am still hanging in there, and I think you're right about the funeral, better to have something hopeful, young peoples funerals in my experience are harrowing affairs.

Caitni I wouldn't worry about the wet/lumpy stuff. I have this when I stim, once it was spectacular! Also my sister reckons the one time she got pregnant naturally was when she experienced similar 'volumes'. My Dr's have always said it's the sign of a good cycle, so don't worry. I did actually ovulate before EC, but I had been stimming for 20 days and had a very strange cycle and that was only once and I always have increased 'volume'.

Hope your boys are happy to be home Rattling, congrats.

Thanks guys, went to bed that time, but not early enough because i am quite grumpy today, think i am a bit stressed about IVF coming up and that is not like me. didnt help that my 3 year old dd absolutely refused to join in her new football class and I was absolutely fuming! not like me either. bit stressed alright!
Lottie, yes i know you are right about not pinning my hopes on first time, i think i need to have a good chat with myself and dh about that tonight. Just found out that my meds are costing £900+ shocked, never occured to me that it would be that much. anyway what price a baby! yes just keep saying it!
Thanks Caitni yes trying to be realistic and hopeful at the same time! its a balancing act! I had that severe, stringy TMI CM (I mean it was amazing, not in a good way) after i had the HSG x-rays. so it must have had something to do with all the fluids and poking around in there. dont know if i was ovulating or not at time.
Off to nurse soon to learn all the info. poor dh nervous about all the injecting. I wish that was all i had to do! x

Afternoon ladies

Ailz being a bit stressed is normal but talking things over with your DH sounds like a great idea (I know how much it helps me having my DH to moan talk to). The drugs are crazy expensive alright (the whole IVF malarkey is like a money pit ). Sorry to hear of wonky CM after HGS - mine own was fine, if more than a little undignified cos the junior doc couldn't get the catheter past my cervix so had to bring in the big gun consultant to do it). I'm on intimate terms with my CM after yonks of charting so I'm not worried about it anymore (good old estrogen doing its thing).

Lottie our mutual acupuncturist was delighted with your news - very chuffed that it's all working out so well for you (and also glad that you're recommending his services ). He's a big fan of Guys.

Sooty lucky you not being on the cyclogest - is it because it's the mild IVF? The pregnyl does give false positives but I think it leaves your system after 10 days or so. So best to just wait until you feel ready to test

Issy hope your scan went/goes well today - thinking of you xx

Big hello to all the other ladies I've not named

So my scan this morning was a bit of a mixed bag. My lining is perfect (10mm), which is good. But I've got 6 follies at 17mm or above (2 at 19mm ) with about 6 more at 12-15mm and lots of small ones. Since I've only taken 5 stim injections these are way way bigger than expected (could someone please tell my ovaries it's not a race?). I was a bit upset, as I'm worried the eggs won't mature quickly enough and I'll be left with loads of follicles but no good eggs. But I'm trying to dismiss that - the nurse was clear that there's nothing to do but wait and see and I don't have any control over what's going on down there. Just got to stay on the water and bide my time. Should have a beter idea after the next scan on Friday morning but egg collection could be as early as Monday . I'm also waiting to hear my estradiol level to see if I need to change my dose of the menopur or burselin.

I was glad to have acupuncture booked in for after the scan, mainly for the chance to chat about it with someone who knows what he's talking about. And he advised not using the hot water bottle anymore as a small thing I can do to try and help the big follicles slow down and the smallies catch up.

Sorry for the rambling post!
xx

Hoping for good news Issy and Caitni following todays scans, everything's crossed...

Well, swapping doors for the Cylogest seems to have worked a bit! in any event, things are moving - normal service not yet resumed but definitely more action since last night than the past 4 days put together! Phew ! Thanks LL! Inspired by this success, and equipped with armour-plated knicker pad, can you bear with me for some more obsessive side-effect spotting? Very hot (night sweats, hot flushes in meetings) and very hungery (eating like a wolf, just polished off chips and treacle tart with custard while my colleague was teasing a salad). I'm slightly hoping it's the drugs rather than pure unfettered greed... Anyone else? Plus very low energy and unfocussed today, borderline grumpy, everyone said it would happen at some point during the 2WW and it seems to be today. Fortunately I don't have a meeting this afternoon so I can sit in my office deleting emails, always satisfying!

Welcome Ailz, you've come to the right place, the ladies on here are experts and lovely supporters too. This is my second cycle of IVF and the first was a total bomb, but it did get us to understand a bit more about the things involved. Tell your DH that he'll soon get the hang of the injections and it's nice for the boys to have something to do in all this. Mine was petrified, white as a sheet and shaking the first time he needed to stick a pin in me, but quickly became so good at it that I just lay back, arm flung over eyes, visualising the drugs as a lovely whoosh of goodness washing over my ovaries and giving them all the things they needed to grow big healthy eggs, which was a much less stressful experience than it seemed like it was going to be at first!

Hi Caitni our posts crossed - wow, what a responsive pair your ovaries are! Here's to the small follies catching up and the big ones setting a good example by waiting for them. I hope they manage to adjust your drugs too. It's brilliant having an expert acupuncturist to talk to as well, isn't it, mine's just the same and incredibly calming and supportive. I hope you're feeling ok - how likely is it that big follies would contain immature eggs? I always imagined the folly growing in tandem with the egg ripening, but realise that I don't think I've ever read any science to back that up. If it's right though, you'd have at least 6 eggs, which would be great - and I have def read that egg quality isn't correlated with egg quantity. Sending lots of good vibes to your minicaitnis - hang in there!

Thanks for the vibes Bumpless . I think you have a way with imagery btw (loved how you visualised your stim drugs - lovely!). Glad to hear that your digestive tract is (nearly) back on track. Your symptoms sound promising, especially the massive appetite. Fingers crossed for you!

Another Lottie stalker here - sorry everyone else! Congratulations, Lottie, that is SUCH amazing news! I'm so so happy for you, your DP and your little beans!!!!

Lottie - you should start a cult! You've got more of a following than Jesus.

What's a gonal f pen? Sounds exciting.

Caitni - I think that's really good news. Fingers crossed for Friday.

Ses - your baby is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

Hia Ailz - my consultant uttered the most annyoing thing ever yesterday - "Just look at you, you're getting all uptight about it all. Try to relax and calm down and it's more likely to happen." I felt like hitting her over the head with her bloody keyboard. Let's take a deep breath together.

Hope everyone else is ok.

Come on Issy. The suspense is killing me. xxx

I know... it's ridiculous to switch to organic everything and take every supplement known to man at home and then pig out on chips and puddings in the canteen at work! Must get a grip!

Don't have sore (.)(.) at all really and am more grumpy than tired, now on D11, so think all this is cyclogest side-effects more than early BFP sympoms, alas. I did have cramps up to D7/8, but was never sure whether that was just things recovering from having been prodded. Are you still v tired LL? Maybe from all the fertility dances! Thanks though - don't stop! Glad you enjoyed the smoothie too.

There should be a special curse reserved for people who tell you to relax AS IF WE'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT ONE ! Now if they could tell us HOW to relax we might get somewhere...

Bumpless I am laughing at the picture of you lying down with arm flung over eyes and dh hovering with a needle, white as a sheet! I think it will go something like that in my house too! All that food should get you moving in the nether regions i would think! have you tried hot water with lemon (squeezed in). the hot water works the bowels and all the rest and the citus fruit is good for the same job, apparently. i drink it because my skin breaks out at any opportunity. i can only imagin what the hormones will do!
Caitni I am absolutely shocked at your follicle numbers.. amazing! also sending good vibes your way.
summer you should say 'oh really, relax, is that supposed to help, why the hell didnt someone tell me that before!' I take it you are on the 2ww. i keep losing track of where everyone is. i need a flow chart x

Hi everyone. Really sorry I've not even had chance to read today's posts, other than Caitni - just wanted to say my follies went really quick too and had large ones at my day 5 scan but the others slowly caught up.

Thanks for all your good wishes. Scan was all good - one baby with strong heartbeat. Very relieved and happy. Know things can still go wrong but finally feeling like I can allow myself to be excited.

Must phone mum and a friend now as they rang before I got home. Will catch up with you all later in week. Take care xxx.

Hooray hooray Issy. That's such brilliant news. I am so so so so so so happy for you.

Congratulations xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx