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

Thanks LL, I'm on the short protocol so started Menopur and Suprecur at the same time. I have had some EWCM this evening or perhaps it was the Jelly from the scan this morning! It worried me a bit!

Bumpless are you still walking on air?

Duelingfango 6 follicles sounds good to me. That is a great result. It is quality not quantity, I am sure that this is the case. I echo Londonlottie in that it is a good result. Good to hear you are listening to her. If you wish to could you ask someone at the clinic about being re-scanned? Just to put your mind at rest? I don?t know about the doctor but if you have any concerns then maybe it is best to talk to someone at the clinic if you can.

capricorn76 I had IUI but not with your drug, we had Menopur and we had Gonal F, we got pregnant the second time with Menopur (and only one follicle). Good luck. How did you lose the weight, I am all ears! Even us lean (hee hee) greyhounds need to get trim! How long have you been trying for? I?m amazed that you got booked in for lots of treatment. Is it NHS or private, if you don?t mind me asking?

Caitni Hi good to hear from you, what are you up to?

Penguindreams How you doing too, glad to hear from you.

Rosie Any news of you?

Today was a bit of an odd day. Waiting for my friend to go into labour so I can look after her two kids until her relies arrive to take over and a colleague coming into baby dangle at work (actually a lovely lady who met and married her hubby after 40 and so I felt really happy for her) so a very baby focused day! Actually it feels good. I actually held that little baby and did not feel jealous. It sometimes takes you by surprise how jealous you can feel at times and other times how not! So it's been a weird day.

We are building up womb lining, as you know.

The scan to check lining is in about a week and then about one more week to go.

So close now.

Finally beginning to feel excited.

Bumpless Still smiling for you

DDDUURR

quality NOT QUANTITY

I have to admit I have been back lurking in the last few weeks - following your progress Bumpless. Just wanted to pop in and say a big congratulations. Fantastic news and I am really pleased for you.

Actually I have been hanging on to hear good news because I was hoping to talk to you about DE in more depth as my partner has become very keen since I last posted after our final failed cycle. My email is [email protected], it would be great to hear from you as I have a lot of questions . . .

Good luck to all the rest of you cycling or thinkging about it . .. . you never know I might be back soonish . . . still trying to get my head around 'what next'

sootykalucy I went down the UK donor eggs route, a fair bit slower than overseas but feel free to ask me too, if you like.

My lovely friends, you?re all so brilliant and I?m so touched by your support! Actually, you?re helping me believe it?s real - I still haven?t had an emotional reaction. I keep trying an experimental skip or yippee, but mostly I resemble a rabbit in the headlights! But it is real, the blood test came back positive too.

And I?m so honoured that people have delurked too! Caitni, Penguin, LondonLottie, Sooty, Perfect, hugs all round. You?ll see a BFP too Perfect. Please stick around and give us your news. Sooty of course, I?ll drop you a line, glad your DH is feeling more open to DE.

Thanks for new name suggestions, love ?em ? new one definitely in order!

Bumpless Great, yea blood test passed, hooray!

Yay for the Blood test

Am worrying probably for no reason. My lead follicle was 17mm. I still have 4 days on the Menopur. This is ok, right?

Italian, hope your check on 22nd goes well.

Bumpless, FANTASTIC!!!!! Also want to know what you will be changing your name to, now that you are With Bump?

Hope you're feeling a a bit better soon, Isle.

Good luck, Dueling, I hope those follicles get big and fat and abundant! Remember, I didn't have many, and they were small, too, and we still got two embies. Bit worrying about the doctor, I must say.

No symptoms at all here, so am trying not to think about it, as I keep going around in circles - I'm not - but I might be - but I'm probably not - unless I am ...

Thanks Italian Greyhound. I am no longer based in UK though, but in Australia. We have pretty similar laws to the UK, but egg sharing is not such a big thing as the costs of IVF are greatly subsidised so more affordable for everyone.

HURRAH for Little Miss Bump - what wonderful news and I'm so happy for you! Relax and enjoy being pregnant!!!!

KiwiKat I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. Still sending you positive, sticky thoughts!

Dueling good luck and try to relax. As everyone else says, its quality not quantity that is important. I was over the moon when we got 12 embryos from 15 eggs collected. However, when they were thawed for my FET, all but two perished - leaving me back here where I started. So a big haul of eggs really doesn't necessarily mean success.

Sootykalucy I'd be interested to hear more about IVF in Australia. Its looking increasingly likely we will be relocating there later this year, so could end up doing an IVF cycle there, depending on how things work out.

I'm off the the IVF clinic this afternoon to review our failed cycle and discuss what to do next. Have also bought Zita's new book on assisted conception, although must admit that it made me feel immediately guilty that I didn't give my FET a fair shot because I was much too stressed...

Not much time but massive congrats bumplessnomore .
Hi to everyone else

Bumpfull - YAY!!!! Congratulations! So, so, so pleased for you

Just a quickie post tonight. I think the busy-ness and the emotions of the last few months has finally caught up with me and I have totally run out of energy. I had a lovely spa day with my sisters and mum yesterday and I could barely drive home afterwards I was so tired. I started with a cold on Sunday and as I was up drinking Lemsip at 4.30am this morning so I decided to call into work sick. I told my boss I had a "stinking cold", which was an exaggeration - i do have a cold but really i just felt (and still do ) feel exhausted and I couldn't face going in. To make things worse my 75 yr old FIL has been taken ill and taken into hospital today (St. Mary's in London - aren't some of you lovely ladies having your treatment there?), so DH has hot-footed it down to London to be with his parents. Yet another thing for the pair of us to get stressed about....

Off to watch OBEM and then bed! xxx

Hi Mercenary Mom. Yes IVF is much cheaper here (around $3 000 - 5 000) per cycle but you would have to qualify for Medicare. I think you need to have lived here for 2 years, or in my case not been away from AUST for more than 3 years in a row. The information is on the website under eligibility.

If you don't qualify for Medicare subsidies you will have to pay for it all yourself which is about $10 000 a pop. If you are moving over here keep in mind that the pound is lower against the Australian dollar than EVER before in my lifetime so probably not a good place to spend your pounds at the moment. Sorry to be disheartening but a lot of UKer's have this picture of AUST as being idyllic and cheap . . . .but it's not always the case. I expect for you, unless you qualify for Medicare, and unless the pound goes back to it's normal levels (unlikely) it would be better to push on in UK.

Kiwi nearly there!! I?ve got absolutely everything crossed for you. When do you test?

Dueling I think your 17mm will be fine ? I think you mean will it pop early? The jab that you started taking around day 6 (if your cycle was like mine) will stop it ovulating while the others keep growing. Then the trigger shot matures all the eggs in their follies so they?re all ready to be collected. It?s all designed like a horse race handicap, to get them all crossing the line at once (in theory!)

MM how was the clinic review meeting? Relocating to Oz ? how exciting!

Thanks Choccydreams and I think you?re doing the right thing by giving yourself a little break today.

Isle how's the gloom today chickie? Big hugs to you xx

I think it's finally starting to sink in. I was sitting in a meeting today thinking that if I was feeling as crampy and achey as this with AF I'd be in a terrible mood, but as it's because of a BFP I don't mind, and suddenly thought 'oh yes, I'm pregnant' and felt happy. I know I sound like an emotional cripple but it seems like I need to take baby steps towards accepting something good's happened after being beaten up as much as we all have! I wonder when I'll dare to change my name... I think I like Bumpety best!

Idreaminchocolate Sorry to hear about FIL. I hope he will be better soon. I think it is perfectly right you had the day off for feeling ill. We can?t have people in charge of rockets on Lemsip, now can we! .

You must be tired as we have not had our regular dissection of One Born Every Minute. Well tonight was interesting. Big kudos for the man raising someone else?s child with the woman on the farm. Not sure I would be slopping out animals at nine months pregnant, but luckily we have no animals to slop out, not even a hamster yet! The other lady got a surprise that it was a girl, I think if I am lucky enough to get up duff I will not be able to find out what it is because I would like the surprise! Anyway, hope you enjoyed watching it and all the screams did not put you off!

Bumpless you are not an emotional cripple. No negative language here, please. You are a super star and you need to be nice to Meeny, Miney and Mo!

.

I so hope I get two, embies, I?ve got two killer names picked out for them. One is like a super hero and the other is like a country and western singer! / This really is counting your chickens before they are hatched!

sootykalucy hi - how's it going? We are not egg sharing, well I suppose technically we are because our donor is an altruistic donor and we then share the eggs between us and another couple but it is called altruistic donor and not egg sharing because they are not shared with the donor. Does that make sense?

Anyway, how is OZ? I am also on the Forty something thread and there is someone in Oz there. I lived in Oz for a few months a long time ago (working my way around) and loved it.

MM I think stress is overrated. I am sure loads of people get pregnant when stressed. Think of all those drunk teenagers who get pregnant when they are at collage doing exams etc! Seriously, though, don?t let it stress you further. I am NOT fatalistic at all. I do think we can affect things but I also feel that sometimes these things just don?t work out and whether you had been stressed or not may have had no impact! So please just relax for next time. I have got the ZW relation CD and guess what, I am too bl**dy busy to use it!

Well not much to report so will say good night. I am fighting the insomnia and it is fighting me back but I am wining. Believe it or not 1.00 a.m. is mega early for me!

Off to bed....

and sticky vibes to all, God Bless

bumpitybumpbump WAAAHOOOOO!!! Massive congrats! I'm so happy for you, what a sigh of relief! Now the real fun begins. Enjoy this time with your hub, it's the beginning of a whole new chapter. Much love!

I'm still wandering around, not knowing what to do next... perhaps it's time for some home renovation.

Isle just checking in to say hang on in there and enjoy the home renovation. Thinking of you in sunny Hawaii.

KiwiKat just noticed your blood test is 22nd, same day as my egg collection. Am keeping fingers crossed very tightly for you.

bumpless and others - thank you so much for putting my mind at ease RE the follicles and the chances of me ovulating before the EC! I am very chilled at the moment but little worries do kep popping into my head.

Had acupuncture yesterday and really did feel the difference for a change.

Italiangreyhound I watched 'one born every minute' for the first time ever last night. Scary but inspiring too. I think if I get pregnant I will find out the sex as I just won't be able to stop myself. I also have names picked out though DH thinks if we do get up-duffed then we will probably change our minds.

Idreaminchocolate hope you have managed to have a good sleep and are feeling better after your hectic day.

islegrin Hope you are ok and taking extra special care of yourself.

Hi to everyone I missed.

After thinking I had escaped any major side effects I have pains in my ovaries now and feel quite bloated and sore. Menopur runs out after Thursday's injection, scan on Friday and then EC on the Monday. Not sure if I will have to be given more Menopur for the friday but guess my trigger shot will be Saturday?

DH very stressed at work but I am trying to rise above it. He seems to have overlooked the fact that it is me who is having the injections and the bloating and the invasive procedure and that I'm probably going to find the 2WW very stressful. I have 2 weeks off work from the day of the EC and he's decided to take it off too which is lovely but I am wondering if I will find it irritating!

Hi Italiangreyhound thanks for the welcome . I have been losing weight by doing lots and lots of exercise and cutting down my portions a little. I go the gym nearly every morning before work.

With regards to the treatments I have lined up, they're all on the NHS. I think I have a lucky postcode as apparently only a few trusts give you that many chances, nevertheless, I do believe that my fertility specialist doesn't think it will take that many to get me pregnant.

I've been trying officially for nearly 15 months without so much as a false positive. Literally nothing has happened. We were kind of trying but not making much of an effort about 4 months prior to that but I'm not counting those months as we weren't making a proper effort.

I must admit that I told my doctors that I had been trying longer than I had done based on advice from friends who ended up on waiting lists for ages. I tried naturally until my treatment start date (10 months between first consultation and start of treatment). I was hoping I'd be able to cancel the treatment but after many tests it appears that a natural conception would've been pretty difficult (one tube, lower than average ovarian reserve)

Take care.

'Italiangreyhound

I also forgot to say that they suspect that I have a short leutal phase.

Good luck with your womb lining scan, hope it all goes well !!

Hi all

Bumpety, our newest graduate, how are you feeling now? The reaction from everyone says it all doesn't it, this is a great place to get support and we are all so pleased when it goes well for one of us. I can totally understand that you need time to absorb the good news after the hard road you've been down. We don't dare embrace good things when they happen, but I feel sure this good thing is going to stick around for you so take your time.

Dueling I hope you are feeling more OK about the number of follies now and excited for EC on the 22nd - let us know how many you get as soon as you know! I think you're quite brave taking the 2WW off work, as I'm sure I'd spend it trawling the internet for reassurance and pessimism in equal measure. Having your husband around might help distract you and hopefully he is going to be less stressy about work if he is having a decent break. Do you have plans, are you going away anywhere at all? Hope the springlike weather holds!

Welcome Capricorn. Are you settling in OK here? If you haven't been offered a biscuit yet then it's probably because we have been over-excited by Bumpety's news. Have a hobnob! Your local authority must be one of the really good ones to offer you so many goes on the NHS but let's hope you crack it first time round! Where in the country are you?

Amberc 3lbs weight loss is great! Well done you, it's very impressive.

Pumpkin - good luck for the appointment with the nurse on Friday. Have you got all your questions worked out already? It's definitely worth noting them down in advance in case your mind goes blank when you're there.

Great that you're starting to get excited about the next phase coming up Italian, it is an exciting time for sure! You did a good turn signing up to babysit while your friend is in labour - has she produced yet?

MM how did it go with your debrief? Did you feel reassured that they are happy to give it another go in due course, do they think they would need to change anything next time? Presumably not since you got the BFP. Hope you are continuing to feel a bit better every day, it's a big disappointment that you have had. Also, what's your opinion on the ZW book - worth getting? I am in danger of making our bookcase look like a specialist fertility library if I'm not careful but have been thinking about buying this one so would be interested in reviews.

Idream how is your FIL doing now? Hope he is not too poorly and you and your OH are not stressing too much about it. Sorry you have been feeling exhausted but good that you recognise you need to slow down and look after yourself - it is probably an accumulation of things and with some rest and TLC you'll be back on form soon I'm sure.

And finally to Kiwi - best of luck for POAS on Sunday. We will be rooting for you and hoping it's the good news you deserve.

Hi to all the lurkers and anyone I've forgotten as well! Not all that much to report from me, I had a quick conversation with a nurse at Guy's today to bring them up to speed on where things stand with us and check that they are still happy for us to start a cycle when we are ready. She said it was fine, which is really reassuring. We will therefore deal with the m/c specialist and any tests that are recommended, and all being well look to start the cycle after that is done. I suppose that means a couple of months from now and in the meantime we can try to recreate the freak occurrence of conceiving naturally...

We're still trying to work out plans for a long weekend away. I think we may be trying to do it next week, in which case we need to get a wriggle on with booking it! Our plan is to go to Granada and maybe get some sunshine, and see the Alhambra. Sounds like bliss...

Good evening ladies. So much activity around here that I can barely keep up!

Best of luck to Pumpkin and Capricorn on Friday. Definitely take notes (and bring a list of questions with you) for your appointment, Pumpkin. And Capricorn, best of luck with the injections. The first one is always the hardest and then it gets easier - or at least less scary. My CIL (cousin in law?) is a nurse and recommended drawing down with one needle and then changing to a new one before injecting. Bit fiddly, but I found it was easier with a sharper needle...

Dueling I'm glad you're a bit more chilled about the number of follicles. It never ceases to amaze me how terribly complicated it is making babies, so how can you not worry? I'm actually going to be on holiday from Sunday, but will be so desperate to find out how you and Kiwi are doing that I may have to find an Internet cafe somewhere!

Italian you made me laugh with your comment about buying a relaxation CD and being too busy to listen to it. You've put your finger on the problem right there!

Cerubina Grenada sounds blissful. We're headed to Switzerland and I'm struggling to get excited about temps of -3, even if it is sunny...

And my update - the debrief at the clinic went very well. I'll spare you all the details, but since it will have to be a fresh ICSI cycle, I've got to get a few minor tests out of the way and then we can decide when to try again. We also had the chance to discuss some of the things that made us unhappy during the last cycle and the consultant/doctor (whatever he's called) took it all very seriously, which was reassuring.

As for the Zita West book - its her new one on assisted conception I'm reading. I've been dipping in and out rather than reading it from cover to cover. I'm a ZW virgin, so I don't know how different it is from her other books, but apart from making me a feel a bit guilty about my stress levels, I'm finding it useful. I'm particularly interested in her recommendations on non-medical things you can do to improve your chances of success. Although not a solution in themselves, at least they might help me feel a bit more in control next time.

She talks a lot about the emotional aspects of assisted conception and how to prepare emotionally. It is amazing how many of the issues she mentions have been discussed on this threat in the past few months!

The only irritating part is that she does include a lot of plugs for her own clinic...

Anyway, that's enough from me tonight. I shall leave you with a pack of luxury chocolate biscuits to celebrate Bumpity's great news (which still has me smiling)!

Hi Girls (and Dave the Trucker - was that you Italian?),

Thanks for all your nice messages - they've cheered me up. I went into work today. I considered not doing but thought that if I didn't go back in today that I'd find it really hard to go back at all (if that makes sense!). I've had quite a draining day - at 4.30pm the deputy head initiated a 121 about "why we're not getting on and why I slated him to the boss last week" (Er, because you're being a twat as usual and I can't ignore it as usual because at the moment I'm stressed). This lasted 2 hours. I didn't get home until 8.10pm...

FIL is still poorly and in hospital - they've said they're going to keep him in for a few more days I'm not sure how long DH is going to stay down there, but his mum needs him.

capricorn76 - so sorry for forgetting to welcome you . Have been shamed into running down to M&S and getting in some really fancy chocolate biscuits. I also have a short luteal phase - I start my PMS symptoms about the second after I ovulate!

Italian I did watch OBEM last night. I didn't think it was classic but I very impressed with the lady mucking out the horses at 9 months preggers (slightly concerned re: the bare hands and manure thing though - I thought you couldn't even garden bare-handed when you're pregnant?). Made me feel very lazy for having the day off just for feeling tired!

What are you going to call your embies? My guesses, based on your clues, are Dolly and Flash Gordon. You don't have to say right now because, seriously, I could carrying on playing this guessing game for threads and threads and threads (bet you get bored of it before I do...). But If I guess right will you tell me?

Cerubina - v. re: your prospective trip to Granada and the Alhambra. It's somewhere I've always wanted to go - and the weather should be lovely at the moment.

I'm now off to bed with a hot chocolate, 2 paracetamol (fed-up of Lemsip already!) and my library book. Night all xxx