Page 23 | Assisted conception (and the bits in between!) - part 4 - all welcome

mummycat1 · 2009-10-28T19:39:52+00:00

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

LeviStubbsTears · 12/02/2010 11:20

Hi there

Sorry I've not been on for a while - like amberc things went a bit quiet with the whole TTC and treatment thing.

But I've now got a date for the start of IVF, so will be super-attentive to this thread! (Starts in my March cycle, so will start down-regging, all being well, about 26th March??)

So much good news on here - congratulations, everyone, on BFPs and good news from other stages of the process. Huge congrats, Rosiebeagle and MercenaryMom. Hope you're ok, Cerubina, and to hear more good news from you - any updates?

Don't know the lingo, really, but I am:
age 37, #ttc1, starting 1st round IVF March 2010

I'm quite nervous and the whole thing sounds pretty grim, as I'm sure you can all attest, but also feeling pretty positive (I know, first-timer optimism - I do understand it may not be a happy outcome this time round...)

Anyway, hope you're all doing ok, whatever's happening with you, and very glad that there are some happy hearts among you at the moment. xx

DuelingFanjo · 12/02/2010 11:37

Penguindreams chin up and try not to worry.

I just had my first cup of wheatgrass, it was ok. surprisingly soo. Perhaps all the nettle tea has changed my tastebuds! Looked disgusting though!

MercenaryMom · 12/02/2010 13:28

Penguin, I read somewhere recently that sore boobs aren't a good indicator of pregnancy anyway if you're doing IVF - something to do with all the drugs. So please don't feel down. As someone on this thread said recently: pregnant untiil proven otherwise!

DuelingFanjo - you are a strong woman. Well done on the wheatgrass drink!

ALFIEMAC · 12/02/2010 13:35

Gosh, not been on MN for a couple of days and so much is going on and all good stuff it seems!

RosieBeagle and MM - many many congrats. I remember that feeling so well - shaking in disbelief when I got a BFP having convinced myself the treatment had not worked.
PDreams - I also well remember continually prodding my boobs so much so that even if they weren't sore they soon were!!! - wishing you all the very best for a BFP and you too Islegrin LondonLottie - I also remember very well what you are currently going through. I have twin boys who were conceived when I was age 39 (born when i had just turned 40) who are now coming up to 3.8 months old. As I am sure many people have told you it really does get easier. Are you a member of TAMBA - good tips from other multiple parents to be found on there and various discounts available to members. May I ask you which clinic you used to conceive your twin girls and how many attempts it took? I am currently trying to convince my DH to have another go at IVF as would really love another child whilst at the same time hoping for a "miracle" conception. I will be 44 years old this year.
Bumpless and Bluebell - thanks for your advice re Create and Geeta Nargund - shall definitely give them a call and see what she has to say. Bluebell - I take it that you are now pregnant is that correct? Assume you were treated at Create? What did you have as in IUI or IVF?

Must dash as at work today!

ALFIEMAC · 12/02/2010 13:38

Sorry, I should have said my twin boys are coming up 3.8 years!!

Bumpless · 12/02/2010 13:42

MM !!!!! This is FANTASTIC!!!!!! Well done you! I hope you're both enjoying your daze.

Cerubina , any more news?

Thanks for shaking me out of the state I was getting into girls. I've been catastrophising so much that it was as if I had already failed and was still walking into disaster. Amazing how the films we play in our heads become reality in our minds somehow. So that just leaves the drug crazy to deal with (LoL Penguin !) but hey, we all have a little of that.

Camel I'd take a notebook and write down everything. You'll think you understand it, but later you won't be able to remember quite what they said. Also, don't let them tell you your results for X or Y are 'fine' or 'a bit high/low'. Get the actual number results for things like FSH and AMH, if they've done those tests, and same for any sperm parameters, as you'll want to read about what they mean later. Agree with the others about getting a list of all the next tests you might require from a clinic, and also not wasting time with Clomid. (I speak from experience. The doc failed to tell me I had a high FSH or that my DH's sperm lowered our chances even more, and put me on clomid which wasted 6 months of my rapidly declining fertility trying to conceive when his swimmers probably couldn't get there anyway! )

Isle LoL to your pissing plans! oblivion sounds like a brilliant coping strategy, what a shame you can't use the traditional crisp, dry, fresh, tasty aid to blottoness (who? me? Missing wine? why would you ask that????)

Horton nice to see you again. Well, not nice really. Very sorry about your MMC and I'm not at all surprised you're still wobbly. We're all here to be wobbled on.

londonlottie · 12/02/2010 14:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Penguindreams · 12/02/2010 15:22

Updated:

Bumpless, age 42, ttc #1, 3 failed IVF in London, DE cycle in Greece Feb/March, doing the right thing!

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, almost certainly peeing like a doped up racehorse from Feb 11th onwards

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, currently transformed into Crazy Lady of London and trying to think of the next thing I can pointlessly obsess about

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

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

LeviStubbsTears age 37, #ttc1, starting 1st round IVF March 2010

Graduates
LondonLottie Cerubina, 1st scan...?
RosieBeagle, 1st scan 4 March
MercenaryMom, 1st scan ...?

Thank you all for breast-related sympathy - I also have a slightly itchy toe, what could that possibly mean...?

ALFIEMAC · 12/02/2010 15:55

LondonLottie - have to say I found TAMBA useful in the early stages although rarely use the forums these days especially since discovering MN. Am I right in saying you now live in Switzerland? We were very fortunate with the boys in that we have close family near by who were and still are a massive help and support. Its the other way around in our house in that I would desperately like to have another child, twins again even but my husband is not keen or atleast he is not keen if it means going down the assisted conception route again, which is pretty likely really.
In your opinion how would you rate Guys? We had our treatment at the John Radcliffe in Oxford but am thinking if we go for treatment again we would go private and to somewhere more sympathetic to my age and where we would have the option of Donor eggs. Do you mind me asking you what age you were when you had your girls? When it worked for us with the boys I was just so over the moon to get a BFP that when it came to the scan 2 weeks later I had not even considered it might be twins and was in a state of shock for several weeks. It funny though, all I ever wanted before I got pregnant was the chance to have just one child, now I have two and I still want another!!!

Cerubina · 12/02/2010 15:59

Hello again ladies

Firstly huge congrats to MM and Rosie. I am absolutely delighted for you! What great success stories to keep everyone here heartened and long may the run of BFPs continue.

Welcome back Horton but I'm so sorry to hear about your MMC. Not surprised you still feel sad about it, it takes a very long time to deal with a loss when it is something you have wanted so much and that gets taken away so cruelly. I hope time is starting to help a little but do offload here when you want to.

Continuing good luck to all the 2WW-ers and isle let's fervently hope that now you've got the A-team on board you have the best odds ever!

I have had a MASSIVE wobble today. I did another test on Wednesday evening (First Response) and it showed pg but to my hyper-analytical eyes the line looked fainter than the one on Monday. I was immediately panicking that HCG levels were going backwards, but calmed myself with the idea that I'd drunk a lot of water that day and maybe it was a bad time to test.

This morning I decided on spec to buy a Clearblue digital test, did it immediately before going into a seminar and then had to sit there fretting hugely because it came up with 1-2 weeks pregnant on the indicator, and I'm damn near 3 weeks since conception now. So I emailed my poor husband and said I think I must be about to lose the baby because levels aren't what they should be and given what happened before I am just terrified of anything going wrong.

I have finally managed to calm myself down after a bit of googling where I found some evidence that the dates can be unreliable, but still obviously I'm concerned that I should prepare myself for the worst. This is what I hate about having had a m/c first time round - the chance of me EVER having a smooth and happy pregnancy are gone because I know what can happen. There's nothing to do but wait for a few days and test again (I suppose - kind of falling out of love with these tests now to be honest) and just try to stay calm, hope for the best, etc. We've told my parents and are telling his tonight, unfortunately now will have to couch the happy news with lots of worries too.

Anyway, hope you are all having better days than me and any good vibes you can send will be hugely appreciated! Have a good weekend all.

Penguindreams · 12/02/2010 17:22

Cerubina, you're still pregnant and those Clearblue tests don't show your levels going down - only blood tests can do that. It would be different if you'd had one test saying '3 weeks' and now this one, but it is quite possible that your levels are just building up more slowly. Would it ease your mind to pay for 2 private blood tests 2 days apart? Please keep hoping and we'll do the same - lots of stick baby stick vibes coming your way .

Horton · 12/02/2010 17:45

Thanks so much for the welcomes and the kind words.

Cerubina, I agree about getting proper blood tests done. Those Clearblue things aren't anywhere near accurate enough for this kind of thing. And the range of HCG levels (I mean normal ones leading to healthy babies nine months later) at this stage of pregnancy can be huge. It is only how much they are rising that is a sensible indicator of what is going on, and that can only be interpreted by a doctor.

Ailz · 12/02/2010 18:12

Ok i have read the whole thread, i dont check in for a couple of days and i am knocked down by all that has happened!
a million, gazillion congratulations to MM and Rosie. the best news ever! we need more of these BFPs please!
Cerubina i have to tell you i know exactly how you feel. i documented my mini-depression a few weeks ago. i descended into a fog of worry and could not see clearly after my BFP. took the shine off completely i must admit. i was 100% convinced that it would go wrong and it depressed me so much. however i never had a m/c, so you have some real evidence to help you feel down in the dumps. all i can say is that it will pass. you will probably knicker-check for months, but you will not be alone that is for sure. anyway i empathise. i am 20 weeks now and i still worry, though not as much. i am wishing the weeks away like you wouldnt believe. i just want it over with.
though when i see londonlottie trying to cope with two it freaks me out a little bit. Glad you are getting help LL, sounds like a great service.
Caitni delighted to hear you are nearly there, oooh the lovely maternity leave is here. enjoy.
hi everyone else, i read your stories and wish you all the best of luck. all the girls on the 2ww, i hope all these BFPs rub off on you i really do. Carry on and we will have to close the thread down!
I have gone back to see who was asking about clinics, but cant see your name, anyway just to say that i found Hammersmith very good and obviously successful on the second turn of IVF. good luck with your decision.

islegrin · 12/02/2010 18:23

Cerubina as others have said those tests are meant to be in a range, not that precise. The only way to really know is to have HCG bloods drawn on a regular basis. Will your clinic consider giving you a test to ease your mind? But on a more general note, we ALL want to know what's just around the corner - the future! Try to keep your mind in what's happening now as much as you can. Enjoy what you have, if something takes a twist or turn, you can and will certainly deal with that at THAT time, worrying now won't stop the future anyway - good or bad. I hate to see us worrying so much about what happened once might happen again meanwhile we're ignoring what we have. You are diffed my friend! Until a blood test tells you otherwise!!!

PenPen when someone called you PDREAMS it made me think of wetting the bed! ha ha haa... so sorry! That's just part of my oblivion here. (Yes Bump I wouldn't mind a bit of kahlua and cream about now!) I met my hub while he was stationed here in the AF, our first date I told him I had no plans to move, and he said - that's ok if it works out I can retire here (at 38). My mom was an army colonel, so moved around a lot - Colorado feels the most like home, but Hawaii is my longest place lived...ever!

islegrin · 12/02/2010 18:29

and yes! the Hawaii state flag does have the UK flag as part of it!

MercenaryMom · 12/02/2010 19:29

Cerubina I know how you feel. I've taken 3 tests now and all have faint-ish lines (don't seem to be getting any darker). It has been worrying me that it is somehow a bad sign - which is probably why I haven't been able to relax about my BFP yet.

Does anyone know if faint lines have any significance? The test instructions say a line is a line, no matter how faint. But is it really? Or is it just me looking for something to worry about?

Italiangreyhound · 12/02/2010 21:22

Rosie Well done, amazing, what can I say. That is so great. May you be the first of many BFPs on this thread? No pressure!

MM fantastic news, great.

Bumpless I am sure all will be fine. You could write what we know about our donor on the back of a half a postcard, so we are still quite in the dark. If we get pregnant we get a few more details and when/if we have a birth we get some more details. Not exactly sure why they do it like that. Hope you are feeling better about it all.

Horton Hi and welcome. So sorry to hear about your MMC. Just an opinion but if you can I would get the stats from the Human Fertility and Embryology people HFEA and try and visit a few clinics to get a feel. Some may have better stats for treatment and it may depend on your specific situation so best to ask, do some research before you commit to anyone clinic. I would second the idea of not paying too much if you can and getting anther go. I also chose a clinic not in London as I didn?t fancy going by tube etc but wanted one I could drive to, just me!

idealcamel Welcome. Our initial appointment was so long ago that I can't really remember but I would write EVERYTHING down now that comes to your mind or anyone else says, formulate questions and then go in with your notepad. It?s hard to think when you are in there. Get dh to do the same. Is it a problem with dh, you or both of you etc. Find out everything you can from the other ladies here, who may be more recently informed than me. Our initial consultation was in 2003 (I think) and we have 5 year old now (dd) so our initial diagnosis was a long time ago but I did have a hyperpinko-thing and we had all the blood tests etc. Hubby sperm was not too bad 7 years ago but not so good now so we may need ICSI now.

Islegrin Amazing that they defrosted wrong ones but lucky they were still yours! If you know what I mean! Let's hope this extra 1-2 % chance is enough to tip it over the balance into a big fat PPPPPPP. Where is the embryo website, please?

LeviStubbsTears Great to hear from you again, I am looking at late March with egg collection etc. And for you, it just may be a happy outcome so don?t assume the worst.

Cerubina all best to you, try not to worry, easier said than done but please try.

Waves to Caitni.

Waves to all.

islegrin · 12/02/2010 23:03

Italian Here's the link to day 5-6, but you can navigate back and forth by clicking on the teal buttons just up and too the left of the photograph (not ALL the way at the top). www.visembryo.com/baby/4.html

Good pictures, but there is a scary alien stage we all go through, perhaps our mothers and grandmothers had it good that they never knew about that particular "look".

islegrin · 12/02/2010 23:05

ffs! attempt #2www.visembryo.com/baby/4.html

Italiangreyhound · 13/02/2010 00:01

Wow Islegrin amazing. I think you are referring to Carnegie stage 10 first trimester!! Is that right? Actually, a lot of this looks rather alien for a while!

Idreaminchocolate · 13/02/2010 11:43

Islegrin thanks for that link - totally addictive. I foresee several wasted hours over the next few weeks!!!

Hi to everyone - hope you 2WW ladies are staying sane.

I have updated the roll call again as I seem to have got left off the last 2 updates [cute hurt-puppy type face]: