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

Bucky I'm so very sorry to hear your news, I can empathsize completely! Just let it all out - do whatever you need to do and take good care of yourself!!!

Bucky So sorry it didn't work for you, are you going to get another chance?

Can't believe you're still here, are those twins not here yet? How are you doing?

Who else is still here from 18 months ago? I hope there's no one still here from back them, but if sooty soosy OAP or anyone else who remembers me are still around...

I'm just checking onto the thread, day 1 today so I've phoned in to book us in for this cycle. For those I haven't met, I was here a bit over 18 months ago for my first IVF cycle, which didn't work, then I had an EP which meant a year of tests and investigations and now we're having another go at IVF after being given the all-clear from all the various tests/investigations.

P.S. hello to everyone else too

Hi KC11,
I was just trying to find any information online about Crione gel and got to your posting where you mentioned it somewhere. I asked my doctors to give it to me and he says it's not available in the UK! obviously if you got it then it's available in the UK. Could you please contact me. at pteshka @ mail.ru

?

Hi Pteshka. Yes my clinic at St Bart's Hospital put me on it post IVF, both times. I can check the box and let you know all the details i can. It's definitely Crinone vaginal gel, which contains progesterone. Hopefully it will be available for you too.

Hi everyone

Glad to hear you got home LL, hope you arent too uncomfortable, how did it go with obs today?

Bucky really sorry to hear the bad news. Wish there was something I could say to make you feel better. It is shit.

Question: had to go to docs today as have been really really sick this week, so sick I couldnt go to work. Constant nausea is really getting me down and doc prescribed Prochlorperazine to help. Well I just googled it and all these scarey stories came up, they wouldnt give you it if there was any risk would they? Anyone know of or used this drug?

Thanks LL I think youre right. Ive decided to take one only if I really really need to. Bought some travel bands today and with them on, as long as I keep eating im ok. Im gonna be huge
Thats great theyve given you a date for CS Wish there was a way you could feel more comfortable tho, have you tried one of those gymballs? I found mine really helpful in last few weeks, sitting on it was the only way I could feel comfortable, also you can kneel on floor and rest on it while watching telly

Hello, just been catching up with you all.

Bucky so many (((hugs))) to you. Please let us all know that you are ok. If this really is BFN for you then maybe you need some more tests to see why this keeps happening. Take care of yourself and try to give yourself some sort of pampering treat or treats

Bumpless Well done for holding your friend's baby for an hour. The reality of it's not so bad is it? They grow so quickly once they are born and as they get bigger it helps the envious feelings subside I find.

Sounds like you have so many options for DE now. Hope you make your decision of where to go soon so that you can stop fretting, though I'm sure you'll still have plenty to think and worry about! It's all part of this agonising process.

Gingerwine Come on you - it's not so bad. I've been feeling blue too. TTC has been off of the agenda for me and DH as far as topics of conversation go and I've been going quietly mad inside! It seems like a long time to wait doesn't it? But I reckon we'll be doing this together again in 2010. Maybe you should try sex too - it can just be for fun you know - we sometimes forget that don't we? How about a romantic night out or evening in? You two need some lighthearted fun.

DH told me today that my sister-in-law is pg and I just thought, "I wanted the next pregnancy I heard about to be my own." Seems a bit selfish though as they have been trying for at least a year

GW and DF on the whether to mention it at work or not question. At times, going through my IVF cycle I thought, I could have got away with not saying anything, but after what happened to me, I'm so glad that my boss knew and was able to be both supportive and sympathetic.

LL Dec 29th - how exciting! I remember that rotten, "I'm too huge now!" feeling so well. Impossible to be comfortable, but at least it's not Summer time - that makes things worse! Glad you are safely back in hospital too. Please be patient and don't try to run before you can walk IYKWIM.

Lots of waves to everyone else.

My boss has asked me to take on more hours at work after Xmas - still considering it, but I reckon it I probably will go for it! Like Gingerwine says, "it wasn't what I was hoping for" but hey.

Bucky I?m so sorry to hear this. Heart-wrenching to have a third MC. Are you having any investigations? I really hope you can find out what the problem is. Good luck and hugs ((((Bucky))))

Gingerwine I can understand why you?d feel that the logistics of DE would be too much to take on. Especially while juggling two DCs! I?m aiming to do this without telling work, as I hated having to tell my boss during the last 2 IVF cycles. In fact, I think it might turn out to be easier to keep quiet, no scans, I?m planning further ahead and it will just look like a couple of long weekend to the outside world (I hope). How are you feeling now?

Nanoo sounds like you?re doing brilliantly, 9 weeks, wow. Although you and Bluebell both seem to have the chunders something awful?

Hi Flibberty , have dropped you a PM.

LL you finally made it home! Whoohoo! Although I see the drama continued on your journey. With everything that?s happened in this pregnancy so far, I?m looking forward to hearing about the grand finale!

Mummycat sounds good that things are moving along at work, at least. Think of the money and get yourself an extra treat with some of the extra from the new hours!

We have finally made our decision and are going with the DE clinic in Athens. I was very tempted to go to Cape Town! But there were two factors that swung it ? one was that, despite having dozens of donor profiles including photos, masses of information about family, personality, interests etc, none of them were actually me and I was starting to go into clone-finding mode and rejecting everyone, so having extra info wasn?t an advantage. The other was my acupuncturist?s reaction: ?South Africa ? long way to go back for a frozen cycle?. Strangely, it hadn?t even occurred to me there might be frozen embryos, since we?ve struggled to get any and certainly not enough to freeze! I have a lot of family links with Greece anyway so it?s sort of nice to be going there. Although it now seems that all the convenient flights to Athens are seasonal, which makes it slightly less convenient than I was hoping! But anyway, we?ll be off in January for the first consultation, and hopefully doing the DE cycle in Feb/March. Now I just need to get into a positive place about it. All this has felt a bit like choosing which cliff to throw myself off, based on the view from the top ? I need to stop thinking about the debt, stress, likelihood of failure or possibility of not bonding with any baby, and start counting blessings [chin up emoticon]

Bumpless it's GOOD news that you've made the decision - please don't feel like you're throwing yourself off a cliff. Def don't think about the debt - ignore that for the mo - and there needn't be any stress if you think positively. This could be it! You're on your way. It's been a huge decision, but now enjoy it, and all the hope it brings. Keep posting - I'd love to hear all about your trip to Athens (you'll prob even catch some winter sun!).

LL you're home!! That's amazing. I genuinely thought they'd keep you there til your C-Section. Wow. How are you feeling now? - it didn't sound too good in your earlier post. Don't worry at all about moaning - that's why we're here! But keep resting - don't worry about anything else (I imagine it's quite hard when you're in your new house for the first time, you probably feel like getting things sorted for the girls....but don't! there will be plenty of time after they arrive - they'll sleep loads at first).

Bluebell really hope you feel better soon. I've been v sick, far worse than with DS (who wasn't IVF) - I thought this time was perhaps because of the IVF drugs, but I guess that can't be the case for you. Anyway, keep eating (you're gonna be huge anyway!). The worst carbs seem to work the best - the heaviest, most unhealthy (and actually I found an early Christmas pud with loads of cream sorted me too for a while!!).

Hi all - may I join you? Just found out today that IVF is our best chance at procreation so have signed on the dotted line. I'm on CD 23 and start taking the contractive pill as soon as my period starts. It's private and going to cost a fortune but at The Lister in London which is one of the best I have heard with good success rates. I have one child already aged 17 months and My DP and I have been trying for 10 months now. DP has sub optimal sperm and my AMH level is 2.6. Still can't work out how things got so bad in 2 years but tht's nature for you I guess. Please tell me success stories! I have no idea what I'm doing!!

Bumpless so glad to hear you are starting on the DE journey! and to Athens!!! Best of luck to you and I hope you finally get your BUMP this time.

Amberc welcome - this is a fantastic group with loads of ladies who've been through this. LondonLottie is one of the succss stories that have stuck around this thread. She's in her 8th month with twins!

bucky still thinking of you... I know it's more crap than whipped cream right now, but I hope there is some silver lining that you can find.

Saw my doctor yesterday and scheduled for hysteroscopy on Monday... it's routine, easy surgery. I can't help but feel broken , but hopefully there will be something to repair. I also asked if she would please try to reopen my left tube... and she said if it's at all possible she'd do a cannulation to reopen. So that might give us another 25% chance (however that is calculated).

Waves to all!

Well hello to nomoremagnolia good to see you again. We might be cycle buddies this time around, EC for me is scheduled for the week of 11 Jan, how about you?

For those of you who don't know me, I've been on and off these threads for what feels like decades. I have a 3 yr old DD from my first IVF attempt, and have had 4 cycles since then, with one miscarriage to show for it in March this year. I'm about to embark on yet another cycle, and as I'm 40 on Friday (sob!) we get to put up to 3 embryos back this time, subject to availability - the fertility nurse made lots of disapproving noises about triplets, but I just snorted - as if! Twins would be cool though - I always wanted a big family!

Waves to Lottie over there in the snowy mountains, can't believe how the time has flown, and you will get to meet your girls so soon.

Hi to everyone else, some names I know, some I don't.

bumpless - didn't get your PM - email me at sam dot bramwell at hotmail dot com. glad you have made a decision - believe me that is the toughest part. Happy to chat xxxx

LL what, where and how are you? - 29 Dec is my littlest brothers birthday! Nearly there my darling.
OAP good luck with your cycle - fingers crossed for twins.
isle good luck
Hi Nomore - hope you are ok??

All doing fine here, life seems to be calming down a little, Louis is managing to go longer at night (5hrs)between his night feed.

had to have a smear last week due to abnormal cells during my IVF last year. So hoping that comes back clear

Can't believe today a year ago, I had Et!

HUGS XXXX

So I read my pack last night from the hospital and I cannot believe how many drugs have to be injected/inserted! I have never injected myself with anything before so I hope I don't become a baby doing this. I've told DP to be on standby. My DP has decided not to tell his family about the IVF because they already think we can't cope with the one we have. Not sure I like that idea as I think we're going to need support both emotionally and in terms of childcare! So for those with successful outcomes, how many cycles did it need before you got preggers?

Welcome Amberc - you're in a great place on this thread - you'll get so much support here. Don't worry about the injections - it always appears alot, but actually it's all very straight-forward, and really doesn't hurt. You can't really relate everyone elses outcomes to your own case, as everyone is different, with different fertility issues and histories. But you will find there are HEAPS of things you can do to prepare for your cycle and support it (eg it's been well documented that there is a relationship between successful IVF and acupuncture - it's not for everyone - but it's worked for me in the past, and my clinic actually recommend it and have an acupuncturist in the clinic for EC and ET days). Again, depending on what the issues are, I also think getting nutrition right in advance helps - but you may already have a perfect diet!!

Isle I'm so sorry you feel broken :-( but have all my fingers crossed for you for Monday - let's hope they find something.....25% sounds a good strong chance!

Hello Ladies ? room for another one? Like Amberc, my fella and I have just got the go ahead for ICSI and I feel like I?m at the top of a roller coaster looking down!
Looks like we?ll be starting around the end of January so any advice you can offer will be greatly welcomed, thanks!

Hi girls. Just been catching up with you all.

Mummycat I know you are right. Things are a little better although I still feel a bit down at times. We have got back to normal in the bedroom department too! 2010 here we come!

nanoo I hope you are not feeling too sick and that all is ok with you. I agree eating is good for morning sickness. Christmas pud sounds nice!

bucky I'm so sorry it didn't work. I know too well how you feel and that there is little anyone can say that will make much difference. Time will help. All the best with things.

nomore and onlyaphase Welcome back to cycling again. Lets hope the new year is the year for all of us.

lottie Hope you are ok. I imagine you are getting even more uncomfortable by now. You must be about 35 weeks now? Given all the drama it's great that you've got so far.

Isle Lots of luck for Monday. It sounds fairly straightforward and i hope it is helpful. You are not broken but I understand how you feel. I often feel that my body has let me down and it is hard. Take care.

bumpless Well done for taking that step and planning your next move. I think Athens sounds great. Much closer and a nice place to go for a long weekend too. I really hope this works for you. I think bonding with a baby once it is growing inside you would happen quite naturally. Glad you can keep it quiet at work too. It is so much easier not having lots of people to tell if things don't work plus you can keep a pregnancy secret for longer if it does.

amberc Welcome. This is a great thread and full of answers to all your questions and support when things get tough. Like you my DH has sub optimal sperm and I have a low AMH (4). I have recently had my first cycle which failed but I did respond much better than my AMH suggested I would. Honestly try not to worry about the injections. They are fine really. If you look back through the thread you will see I became a bit of a wimp with all the injections and hormones at the time but I look back on it now and know that I would do it again.

Dollygumbo Welcome to you too. Do you know whether you are on a long or short protocol? I think the best thing in preparation is to eat healthily and drink lots of water. My DH and I are both taking Zita West vitamins. I think you should relax and enjoy christmas knowing that you have started the next part of your journey and then you will be ready for what the new year holds. Just ask on this thread whenever you have a question. There is normally someone around who knows the answer.

Hello to flibberty, KC11, cerubina and all.

Our news is that we had our review appointment with our consultant today. He was actually really positive and quite clearly wasn't expecting me to respond as well as I did. On that basis he has said we would have a 10% chance of success if we tried again (as oppose to 5% before the first cycle.)So it looks like aometime next year we will be going again. We are waiting 2 or 3 months though to get ourselves together and for me to settle into work. Still haven't decided what to say to them but I'll cross that bridge later.

Go Lottie!!! Lovely to hear about comical flailings and the two additions that are so close to being here!

And yes it is my first (and hopefully only) hysteroscopy. I have thought of backing out everyday since the appt was made, but I'll do it and fingers crossed we may have another ivf cycle in February if we can get partial funding.

Thanks to flibberty, nanoo and gingerwine! Glad to hear there is hope still sprouting for so many of us.

xx

Thanks for the welcome Ladies, it's so nice to be able to hear about the experiences of others in the same boat

islegrin I had a hysteroscopy in August, it was a very simple procedure and I was only under for about half an hour. I was very tired for the rest of the day but pretty much back to normal (and back at work) the next day. I had it because I have unexplained spotting from about 8dpo for five or six days, then AF starts. A polyp was found and removed but it hasn't stopped the spotting so it's still unexplained, probably hormonal.

Lottie Hoping the next 18 days fly by for you!

Have any of you taken Cyclogest? Have been prescribed it by the fertility clinic but my GP doesn't want me to take it until I've okayed it with my gynaecologist...

Hi there, I'm starting a cycle of IVF/ ICSI probably late January. It would have been before Christmas but I ran out of time before the clinic shut. I'm terrified, absolutely terrified of the whole thing, but mainly the egg collection, which I think I'll do under sedation. I worry I'm stupid to take the risk as I have 2 girls aready, both conceived naturally. Have been trying for no 3 for 8 years now with no joy. DH's sperm was 85% abnormal. Everything looked fine on my side but who knows, really.

Please reassure me, anyone who can!

OAP so nice to have a cycle buddy (though you wil be a couple of weeks ahead of me) though of course I wish you weren't still her on this thead. I didn't know you'd had a m/ce -so sorry to hear that.
amber dolly and musicposy welcome - it's a tough journey but well worth it. The girls here are fab with support and advice.
flibberty is Louis an ivf sucess story? I missed that too - congratulations
isle sorry you're feeling down, I had a hysteroscopy a few months ago - it was fine and because I wasn't sedated I could see everything on the screen and the doc talked me through my womb! It was really amazing [freak]
LL how exciting for you - after all the problems you've done amazingly well to get this far - take it easy and enjoy a quiet time with DH for xmas - goodness know it won't be quiet again for a very long time
After a bit af drama getting the delivery my drugs are here - dr starts on the 22/12 and I have to dr for 4 weeks instead of 3 because the clinc were overbooked for the week I rang in. Boo - dr-ing is the bit that I hate. Oh well, looks like ec/et will be w/b 1/2/10