Assisted conception (and the bits in between!) - part 4 - all welcome

[mummycat1]

Starting new thread with massive congratulations to Nanoo I reckon the old man can wait till he gets home! But of course - it's up to you really xxx

Congrats Rosie - fab news! Enjoy this exciting (though totally totally nerve wracking) time

On the cyclogest, Penguin, I had two "perfect" blasts put back but only one took. I was on one pessary of progesterone (at night) until 9 weeks. From what I could gather the jury is out on progesterone, in that some clinics don't even bother with it after a BFP (as the embryo does start to produce prog once it implants) and some clinics insist on until 12+ weeks...anyway, best of luck!

on the run but:

Cheers for Rosie !!!! Brilliant news!

Cerubina I'd definitely not tell the clinic yet, why put any pressure on yourself! You two are our new year's luck, keep going!

Bluebell Aliz and Caitni it's fab to see you! Hope you keep checking in and giving us your news.

Isle so the excitement finally caught up with you! wonderful about the 3 8 cell embies, and even more wonderful that you're feeling a bit more positive! I think they place the embies carefully where they would have arrived in the womb via the tubes, in case that has a bearing on things.

LL sounds like you've been at the end of your tether but not admitting it cos that would be ungrateful - your helpy lady sounds like an angel and you absolutely deserve more support! You need to be able to enjoy your little twinnies as well as work for them.

ItalianG I hear you about treading water. Feels like what I'm doing, can't start the next lot of drugs until the donor starts hers which isn't till next week. Not helped by having NO IDEA of any details about our donor, which is completely freaking me out, and they don't confirm till she starts her meds. Also not helped by still being in a murderously miserable mood, and knowing it's just the drugs talking doesn't help... Really hope we're not about to make a huge mistake here.

Waves to everyone, any of those posh choccie biccies left......

Bumpless - yes, you are doing the right thing. You've thought about it and analysed it and you're going with your heart. You're having pre-exam nerves (coupled with drug-induced craziness), that's all!

LL - YES to what Bumpless said! you are allowed to feel as stressed and mardy as anyone who didn't need quite as many extra people involved! Thank goodness for the Red Cross - sounds like they could be just the answer.

My H, who clearly has no idea whatsoever what's involved, is all for the idea of twins - keeps talking about that being 'perfect' and (you'll like this) 'how hard can it be'... Although he was so freaked out by the doctor at Guy's going on about the risk of both splitting that I had to give him a gentle reminder of what we'd agreed!

Thank you everyone for humouring my recent obsession with progesterone! Tomorrow it'll be something else!

No biscuits left but I do have a few Milky Bar mini eggs if anyone wants to try and grab them out of my paws...

Bumpless, age 42, ttc #1, 3 failed IVF in London, DE cycle in Greece Feb/March

DuelingFanjo, age 39 (just!), ttc #1, 6 months Clomid. MC June 2009, IVF to come in March

Italiangreyhound, age 44, ttc #2, MC 2006, several failed IUIs + 1 abandoned IVF, IVF with DE in UK

Islegrin, age 38 (just!), ttc #1, ectopic May '05, 5-IUI 1-IVF and 1-FET, 2nd FET on Feb 10, 2010

Cerubina, age 37, ttc #1, MMC Feb 2009, male and female factors in struggles to conceive, hoping to start ICSI cycle in a week or so.

Penguindreams, age 36 (about to turn 37), ttc #1 since Oct 07, never had a BFP (probable male factor), 2 x blasts transferred 6/2 and on the dreaded 2ww!

babybarrister 40 - DS 3, 1st IVF about to start in March, generally all "suboptimal" apparently ie they have no idea I suspect!

RosieBeagle, age 31 ttc #1 since Aug 06, 4 rounds of clomid, currently in 2ww of first of 2 available cycles also have 1 frostie

Kiwikat, age 44, ds aged 3.7, ttc#2. failed clomid, on microgynon, about to start cetrotide, first scan 17 Feb. No idea what we're doing!

Alfiemac - age 43. twin s's (3.8) - ICSI 3 x further attempts at IVF (fresh and FET)now ttc#3

tattycoram - age 38 - DS 3. Trying to decide where to have ICSI

Riggly - age 29, ttc #1 for 2yrs, male factors identified, waiting to start 1st ICSI cycle.

Horton - age 41, ttc #2 (3 years and counting), DD 3.5 who took two years to conceive, recently had MMC and now looking at IVF because of unexplained infertility issues

Hello, all. I'm adding myself to the roll call.

I was around here late last year on a previous thread but managed to get pregnant. Sadly I had a MMC in December so we are planning to have IVF this year, probably in the summer or autumn. We just couldn't bring ourselves to start immediately as I still feel very wobbly about the MMC.

I'm really coming here to pick people's brains! I wondered if anyone had any thoughts about fertility clinics in London and where to go/where to avoid? We had been due to see people at Queen Mary's Roehampton but I want to get this right and go for the best. It seems like the prices are little different anyway, so we may as well push the boat out here.

If anyone has any recommendations or advice, I'd be hugely grateful.

And it looks like there are quite a few graduates since last time I looked in on the thread! Many congratulations, ladies!

Hello people! Am popping in briefly to pick your brains - sorry to derail the thread.

I've been having all sorts of fun fertility tests, as has my husband, and we're due to get the results back on 18th February. What did you ask about at your follow-up appointment, after you'd had all the tests to see what was up? Was there anything that you should have asked at the time that you didn't? I'm worried that I'll sit and smile and nod politely and not really understand anything I was being told... Any and all advice really welcome!

londonlottie - I don't know if you are around but do you think it would be worth me pressing for more pessaries. I have a short cycle and I am worried that my IVF may be effected by this.

hi Horton and welcome back. So sorry to hear about your MMC

idealcamel have you had an HSG? if not then I would ask for one. I am too good at sitting there smiling and nodding and wish I had been more pushy so my advice would be to ask to be referred immediately to your local IVF/fertility clinic if you haven't already and if you already have then ask them about IUI and/or IVF and how long the waiting lists are, if you are entitled to funding etc.

Ta DuelingFanjo (brilliant name, btw). I've had an HSG, dildocam and blood tests; husband has had sperm analysis and blood tests. I know I'm entitled to funding (PCT amazingly funds 3 IVY cycles and 6 IUIs) but hadn't thought about waiting lists.

IVF! IVY in the mind of my over-enthusiastic spell checker.

just a quickie from me - gotta run

RosieBeagle HUGE CONGRATS on your new unchartered territory of the BFP!

LL yes, I really do think they defrosted the wrong tube of ours last time. We had two tubes with three each. One had three 8 cells the other had one 8, one 7 and one 5. Last FET they told us that they thought the thawing process had taken a toll on the 8's and they had fewer cells. Scott and I were aghast at how different the photo looked of those three versus the fresh three the time before. Now, this explains a lot! They didn't actually deteriorate - they just pulled the wrong Islegrin tube! Lucky for us the landing pad has been newly resurfaced, so chances might be 1-2% bettter now!

WB Horton and welcome Camel!

Rosie - congratulations, I'm so excited for you

Camel - we found out pretty early that hubbie had probs, but I still had to go through loads of tests before the local fertility clinic I had been referred to would refer me on to an IVF clinic. This included 4 sets of blood tests, each with consultation with (a junior) doctor in between, which surely could have been done at the same time (obviously some need to be done at specific points in the cycle but surely things like HIV and hep B can be tagged onto some others). Anyway, if you think you are going to need IVF and are not at a clinic that does it, try and get them to refer you asap, if they want to do more tests ask them what are all the tests you will need before referral (inc. blood tests) and try and get appts for all of them.

Hi to everyone else!

Well, I'd hate to break our run of good luck, so....

RosieBeagle snap! (again)

I tested at 6am this morning too... and also got a BFP! Hurrah!!!!!!! Not bad for two "average" embies!

I don't think it has really sunk in yet for me. I've spent so much time preparing myself for disappointment that I haven't spent any time thinking about success. DH was very calm about it until around lunchtime, when I got a bunch of stunned texts and now he's all giddy about the prospect of a baby - or should I say babies as he's convinced its twins.

Islegrin and Penguin - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you on your 2wws!

OH! I have been silently worrying that it wasn't going to be good news MM and didn't want to ask incase you were having a tough time. Massive Massive Congratulations.

MercenaryMom WAHHHOOOO!!! Congrats!

Thanks to everyone for our congratulations I got all emotional reading them back! and can I just add my own to MM I'm still in a daze too! Fingers crossed it is all plain sailing from now on for us
This run of good luck has GOT to continue!!
I have been to the clinic this afternoon to have a blood test and sign forms for this medical trial, I go back for a scan 3 weeks today, it can't come soon enough

Hi Camel I would say that 3 IUI cycles is plenty to tell you whether or not it would work. Our doc usually only does 2 or 3 before moving on to IVF, and we pressed them to give us FIVE IUI! (in hindsight, we should have gone with just 3) but I'm stubborn and at that time I was sure it would only take another cycle of IUI to do the trick. Also there's quite a bit of research that says that for all that you have to do with stimming and such, it's best to just cut to the chase and go straight to IVF, but for a load of reasons we were just not comfortable or ready to take that step. So it's important for you to take into consideration, where you and hubby are mentally. Just bear in mind that all of these steps sound a lot more scary and complicated than they really are. Mostly you just have to follow the directions of the protocol. It can be unsettling because you aren't familiar with the steps, but once you go through it once, most of us will tell you - it's not that bad. Best!

Congratulations RosieBeagle and MercenaryMom - that's fantastic news!!!!

Wonderful news Rosie and MM! It's been so busy on here over the last two days - turn your back for a moment, and look what happens!

Just watched "8 boys and wanting a girl". Am a little bit mad now

Congratulations MM! Told you to have some faith in them! (Now if only I could follow my own advice...). That's wonderful news for a Friday morning. Keep us posted on how many are in there!

RosieBeagle, plain sailing all the way now, fingers crossed!

Islegrin, I'm sure your chances are a hell of a lot better with your best embryos - what a nice twist at the end! When is your OTD?

Well the news from Crazytown this morning is that my boobs have stopped being sore, so I am feeling v down. They're still the size of a small country but I really have to prod them (I know, I know) to feel anything unusual. I think I'm the next one to test and I have a v sad feeling that I'm going to break the run of good news on this board

Hello to everyone else!

Penguin no no no, that's my job to break the streak... you keep it right up, you!~ TBH I don't know what my OTD is... it's on a sheet of paper somewhere but I'm trying to stay oblivious. Don't worry I'll be pissin' on everything in a week or so.

If you keep poking them long enough they'll be sore, don't give up! How did you meet Mr. Penguin, being a Yank and all?

That is my plan - prod'em until they're sore! My H has hidden my official test and so I'd actually go out and buy one to sneak a test in early, which is irritating but might save me from myself. Why would I want to test and know the outcome, when instead I could obsess and google and obsess some more, I ask you?

Met the H when he was posted over here with the US Navy. Intended to split up when he got transferred back 5 months later and just... didn't! He's now over here permanently but we head back fairly frequently to see friends and relatives, and we'll retire to the US. Where are you from originally before saying aloha to Hawaii?? had a pub quiz the other day and learned that Hawaii has the UK flag (Union Jack) on its state flag, which I never knew!