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

MM I hope you are ok and that your DH is being a bit more supportive.

I have a general questin about sperm analysis.
My DH was given the result by his GP and it was 'satisfactory' - that's all we have ever been told. When I went for treatment planning the IVF clinic were unable to find his sperm sample results even though the sample was given at the hospital the clinic is based in.

Should I chase this up?

Also - with IVF do they 'wash' the sperm like they would in IUI?

DF yes, they wash the sperm for IVF too. I think you should chase the results and see if you can get actual numbers or a at least the ranges. You want to know count, motility and morphology.

I always insist on numbers... even when getting my estrogen or progesterone blood levels. "Normal" or "satisfactory" is just their way of trying to keep you insulated so you don't obsess over numbers. But I say, if we want to obsess over numbers we should! (and it helps us judge and make decisions based on facts rather than their interpretations).

best

Evening everyone, just popping on very quickly on DH's silly little laptop that I can barely type on as the power pack thingy on my laptop has died (this has already taken me ages!) before I go to pick up DS from the childminder. Had the first scan today to check the womb lining and that the ovaries were cyst-free - they are, hooray! Then the nurse showed me how to do the injections of Menopur - I was so frightened that I just about passed out. Then I realised that the needle was already in and I'd felt practically nothing, and it was FINE. I managed to do the next one myself easily - what a sook! But good to know that I can actually do this myself without too much drama (poor nurse, she must have been laughing her head off at me hyperventilating!) So 5 days of Menopur, then next scan on Monday, when I start Cetrotide injections as well, then another scan Weds, and again on Friday. The egg collection should happen about 3rd March ish. THey're replacing my frozen Pregnyl, but I don't actually know what that's for, as I was completely overwhelmed by the whole needle thing and couldn't take in any more information. (Doesn't that make me sound like a flake!) And yes, it was me that had the big work thing, that's on March 16th. So it will now be in the middle of the tww, which is just fine.

Sounds like you're all doing ok - MM, hope the spotting is nothing to worry about. Big chocolatey hugs to you all.

Smacks Isle on the wrist for wanton lack of self control ! Far far too early to tell, as well you know, but obviously now you've started you'll have to continue!

I will test tomorrow, I will, I will (unless I wuss out again). Just had my work meeting so no excuse really, aside from aforementioned wussiness!! I want to stay in my cocoon of 'maybe baby' forever!

DF, we got told 'satisfactory' 1st SA for my H too... Turns out the lab stamp was over the bit which said very substandard morphology, so we sat around thinking all was fine for about 6 months longer than we should have done. Your GP should have a copy even if the hospital has lost it - get your H to request it.

KK - hooray, you've started! The injections really aren't that bad now, are they!

Waves to all and hopes Amberc is at home right now relaxing!

Thanks for your kind thoughts! I'm probably being a bit unfair on the DH, since I expect its probably difficult to be supportive to a psychopath!

The spotting isn't period-like heavy, which is the only thing giving me hope. But it has gone on for several days now. I contacted the clinic today, but they won't do a blood test or anything else. Protocol is apparently to wait for the scan - so not helpful at all!

I am travelling to a part of the world where medical care is not so great, but since the clinic seems content to see what happens and I don't seem to be getting worse, I figure I might as well go. At least it will take my mind off it! I thought the 2ww for the test was bad, but the 2ww for the scan is going to be even worse!

Enough moaning from me. Big wave to everyone and keeping fingers crossed for Penguin's test tomorrow! And big round of applause to KK for her outstanding bravery with a needle tonight - once you get past the first one, it gets much easier!

Oh blimey MM - you must be out of your mind with worry. Could it be implantation bleeding? I had that with DS1. Some spotting but then it went away again. I was doing an intensive driving course in the middle of nowhere for a weekend so i know how you feel about being away from everything. It did take my mind off it though and by the time I got home it was gone.

KK well done on the needles hun. I hated feeling like a big pin cushion but I guess you do what needs to be done and hope it works its magic!

Penguin - will you be up at the crack of dawn?! Massive crossed fingers for you x

Thank you to everyone for all the positive wishes for my ET today. It was amazing and they gave me a picture of my embryo which made me burst into floods of tears. I will be utterly gutted if this doesn't work out and I know i'll stare are my picture and cry so in a way I wish they hadn't given it to me until I had positive news. My DS jumped straight on my tummy already and now of course in my head I have killed it. Someone tell me I'm being silly and it's all cushioned in it's new home

Hi riggly - glad to hear your appointment went well. I wasn?t very happy after mine as the consultant has decided to put me on the pill (microgynon) on the first day of my next period ? but the nurse said that I?d be starting on the stimulating drugs then. Now I?m not starting on them until the period after next ? so I?m going to have to wait around for ANOTHER 3 weeks before we start on the hard stuff. I understand why they?re doing it but I?m finding all the waiting quite tough (god help me on the 2ww!!). The appointment was not improved by DH getting shirty with the nurse about data protection issues (I was furious ? these people are making our baby, they can know anything they want!!). In some ways it?s not a bad thing as it gives me a bit longer to lose a few lbs and also to do some more work on the house ? but still disappointing So, riggly, it doesn?t look as if we?ll be cycle buddies after all but ItalianGreyhound, I think we?ll be starting on the drugs at pretty much the same time now ? about 6 weeks?

MercenaryMom - I?ve got in some special emergency choccie biccies especially for you. Please look after yourself and take it easy [hugs]

PenguinDreams - I have my fingers crossed for your Big Fat Test tomorrow ? Good Luck!!

Naughty Islegrin for testing too early! I?m rationing you to just the one today

KiwiKat - sounds like you?ve had a traumatic couple of days, maybe MercenaryMom will share her biccies with you? (Just don?t put them in your fridge!!).

AmberC - fingers crossed for you as well after your ET ? make sure that you take it easy too. I?m not very well versed in these things but I?m sure that your little embie is fine after your DS jumping on you ? just imagine that there was a surge of sibling love upon contact between the 2 of them that?s going to make the little one want to stick around [big hug]

Hi Duelingfanjo, how?s the wheatgrass going? I keep forgetting to take my Zita West DHA capsules ? I only seem capable of remembering to take one type of pill a day, I never forget my folic acid! Definitely get the actual figures of your DH?s SA ? when we had our first one done, the GP said everything was fine but when we saw the Consultant he said that we had a problem. Apparently, because GPs aren?t experts in this kind of thing, they just go on sperm count and as the WHO cut-off for ?normal? is 20million, when he saw that DH?s count was 21million he said it was okay, without taking into account motility or morphology.

Hello and choccie biccies to all the other ladies! xxx

Hi all How you all doing?

I?m 45 now, I just had a birthday!

I enjoyed the vino the other night and last night I followed it up with ouzo! Must get back on this wagon for the next six weeks!

Have felt a bit in limbo.

We are now on 0.5 Buserelin and onto the thin needled syringes, yay, they are not hurting, in fact it does not even feel like I?m being injected!! But I know I am!

I wish I could get motivated, haven?t even been to keep fit for two weeks due to bad back!

Hi all MercenaryMom Thinking of you, hope it will all be OK. Try to relax and enjoy your work trip if poss.

Amberc Good luck for new embies today, please don?t worry about Ds jumping on your tum. They are very, very cushioned. How old is DS? Would he understand if you said you had a tummy bug or poorly tummy? Don?t worry and I know that is an impossible thing to say but just think those positive thoughts. Lots of orange coloured things isn't it!! Lots of sticky vibes coming your way. No sad blue faces until you know anything has not worked, pregnant until proved otherwise!

Idreaminchocolate welcome a cycle buddy, I was thinking I was getting left behind by it all! Actually, you know, who knows when would be the right time. Of course we want it to work out and we want it now, but maybe in a few weeks it would be better. So 6 weeks, how much do you want to lose? Tell me yours and I will tell you mine! I mean the amount to lose not the actual weigh - that would shatter the slim Italian greyhound image for good! And yes, DHs can be funny about stuff, I know when we actually had DD my hubby was worried about costs of parking at the hospital, 100s of pounds of fertility treatment and he was worried about parking costs!!

Isle still thinking of you and hoping that you tested early and it will be more positive later.

DuelingFanjo I'd chase the sperm, literally! I'd ask for some more info if they can offer it. How recently was it done? Totally agree with Isle about the right to obsess if we want to!

KiwiKat well done, I am a lazy B and let my hubby do the injecting for me!

Yes, Penguindreams I think fertility issues have actually brought DH and I closer too! Good luck for tomorrow.

Waves to all and greetings to anyone I missed....

Amberc I think you had one embie put in but I always write it as embies and when I said "They are very, very cushioned." I meant they in general. Didn't want you to think I was getting confused, even if I am! Seriously, someone else was saying about doing Roly Poly (not sure how to spell that!) and wondering if it would be harmful! I think we want to give the embie the best chance and be kind to it but I also think God and nature cushions the tummy very well for this type of thing so please don't worry.

My dd is very, very physical, she is always bashing me and trying to do things and so I just tell her to be careful there might be a baby in my tummy. I know full well there is not now but if there is in the future then I will want her to avoid hitting me!

Amberc I guess what I am saying is you are not alone in worrying about this and if you find it troubling you could just sit with a cushion on your lap when ds is sitting on you etc if that makes you feel better. I think your getting a photo is fab, maybe it will help you to visualise it happening and to be positive. You are much further down the line than me and I am rooting for you to get that bfp one day soon! No sad blue faces, let's have some

Morning everyone. Not good news here I'm afraid . The official test had the very very faintest of second lines, which since I'm 18DPO today doesn't look good. I've just done a First Response here at work and there is again the very faintest of lines (have to tip the test into the right light, and even then it's barely there. So I'm thinking it's a chemical one. I suspect that if I'd tested a few days ago if it would have been darker, and I'm quite glad I saved myself the excitement of thinking it had worked.

I'll pop in to see how Isle gets on and to keep an eye on you all, but may duck out for a little while now to lick my wounds and gear up for a FET at some stage.

Waves to all and goes to eat chocolate on her own in the losers' corner

PennyDreamyOne I was lurking waiting for your post... but unfortunately I don't even know what to say!!! I kinda don't want to believe that it's too faint, but I don't want to board the train of false hope. Soooo - I demand a recount! (ie blood test!) Doesn't your clinic do one anyway? It would be good to know an actual number instead of relying on a stupid strip of fancy paper. I'll be by your side, no matter what - but I'm still holding out a tiny bit of hope for ya. Hairstrokes in the meantime (boy your coat is really slickery - that's ace!)

As for me being naughty... well, that just goes with the tww, slap away! I have 4 more tries on my 5 days of POAS... so I'll post in the afternoon - UK time.

Ah bless ya Isle my dear (why Grin, by the way? I was thinking of you in the middle of the night - odd I know - and thinking how nicely Islesmile would rhyme!!).

No blood test here unless and until you get a positive from POAS - not sure why. I might cry on the phone to the clinic until they agree to give me one.

My coat is very slick and shiny, thank you. Solid diet of fish you see.

Good luck for the morning's peeing session - sleep well!

No, LL, don't say that, that might get my hopes up, which is v dangerous!

I called the ACU this morning and left a message that it was negative, so if they call back I will ask for a blood test. In the meantime I might see if the private practice up the road could do one for me today.

Honestly, the lines are so very very faint that there can't be much HcG floating around in my system, so I think it's a no, but I will update as events warrant!

Best of luck Penguindreams. Am rooting for you.

Penguin I got one of the clearblue ones that comes up either pregnant or not pregnant, could you try one of those to avoid having to anaylse the lines?
Keeping everything crossed for you

Penguinnny honestly, I've seen no line at all (aside from the very dark, menacing, control line) for so many years, that I'd be overjoyed with any whisper of a second line! Def think you should see if you can get a blood test.

Hmmm - Islesmile, yeah - why didn't I think of that? funny, I made this up several years ago and it never crossed my limited mind!

Test #2 = Negative (3 more POAS to go!)

Waves to everyone!

That's an excellent idea RosieBeagle but they can be wrong too if there is not enough HCG in urine. Penguin a faint line is still a line right? I think you should have called in a positive. Can you get a GP to do a blood test? Oh I hope you do another tomorrow and it's a nice clear line.

Italian Greyhound - thanks for the lovely post - much appreciated. DS is 19 months so doesn't understand really. I am still overweight from having him so I have lard to pretect my embie too!

Penguindreams - not quite sure what to say, but I've still got my fingers crossed for you. And please don't call yourself a loser, because as my (lovely) MIL said last night - this kind of business is only from the strong-of-heart - you've got this far and even (whispers) if it doesn't work out this time - it will work in the future and you'll have your own little penguin chick (that is the offical name for a baby penguin - I googled it for you).

Islegrin - sorry if I upset you , I was just being a bit cheeky. I stand by your right to POAS whenever (but maybe not wherever) you please.

Idream oh, no - please don't worry about that. I was just being cheeky too! (besides, it's not like you were the only one)

I know everyone wants to ride me for testing early, but I have the 20iU sticks so I stand by my right to test. So far, it's still a free country.

AmberC - meant to say that your emby is fully protected by the intense muscles you've developed over the years through laughter. best!!!

Well I did a digital after lunch and it did not pull its punches so my remaining 0.00001% of hope is riding on tomorrow morning (and frankly, who am I kidding this long after transfer). So the penguin chick (thank you Idream!) still seems to be somewhere in the Antarctic and I wish it would bloody hurry up and get here!

Thank you all for your replies

ooooooh Penguindreams a faint line is a faint line is different from no line! Everything is crossed, literally, pissing off the cat who has just been turfed off my lap so I can cross legs for you too (hmm, maybe that's what I've been doing wrong all these years). Really rooting for you and the chickie for tomorrow morning.

And Islesmile (love it) I'm still hoping your 3 superembies have stuck too, come on stick No 3...

Thanks all for your support about my donor ? I love this thread, it really does feel like a team effort! Yes, Cerubina , having acupuncture and its great for emotional resilience. And I think I?ll book a massage too ? good advice C and Italian ! I think the oestrogen?s finally getting into my system on the new drugs phase so I?m starting to feel less homicidal too, which is nicer ? for everyone!

Amberc congratulations on your fab emby! I found back door was less messy but gave me unbelievable constipation and bloating, front door dreadful walking butter dish, but went for it anyway after a few days to keep the pipes working. You sound like a poor stress bunny, of course your emby is absolutely fine and hasn?t felt a thing. It?s completely protected inside lots of nice muscular layers and just deciding where it wants to plug in for the next 9 months.

Italian are you OK about the 6 week wait? That?s quite a long time, hope it flies past. I?ve been much less strict with myself about wine and caffeine since we decided on DE ? can?t bugger up my own, can I! so you deserve a glass. Am I right in remembering that you bought your donor a gift? Mind me asking what? I?m wondering about doing the same. I asked if she?d like to write a letter to any children we have, explaining why she made the donation, and she?s said she?s happy to! I'm keen to give them a sense of history. We?re also doing a scrapbook of our trips to the clinic etc to give them. (get me, saying ?them? how optimistic is that???? )

MM stressed does NOT sound good just at the moment! How?s it going now? work trip, hmm, hope you'll get the chance to take it easy a bit...

KK (oops, got the big work dos mixed up) LOL to your virgin needle experience! DH and I were both white and shaking the first time we tried! You?ll be a pro soon. And yay to getting started!

DF we were told ?low but OK? and believed it for 2 years, right up until we got told ?he cant get you pregnant? so I?d definitely chase up that result!

Idream what a shame you have a delay ? they?re really tough to take when you?re all geared up. Good on you for making plans to use the time doing constructive things!

Adding FairyG 's stats to the roll-call. And FairyG you are absolutely NOT a failure. Would you think that if you had a broken leg or tennis elbow? This is no different, just a body thing to be coped with, and you will be a fantastic mummy.

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

Idreaminchocolate - age 32, ttc #1 since oct '07, male factors identified & PCOS (me, not him!), due to start 1st ever round of ICSI (short protocol) in March

fairygodmother1 age 29, ttc #1 since Nov 07, never had a BFP, 6 months of clomid (not worked yet), waiting to get on IVF waiting list

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

Hello all! I posted a while ago as idealcamel. Have namechanged but would like to come and play "officially" pliz? Am 32. Starting ICSI in May/June: husband's sperm is 0.8 million per ml, 3% normal, I have a blocked tube and FSH is 13.