Assisted Conception (and the bits in between) Volume 5

[Bumpless]

Thought I'd set us up a new home! kettle's on and choc tin open.

This is a lucky start to our new thread: 2 BFPs and a fantastic fertilisation rate from Dueling!

Boobs and biscuits to everyone

Late--The Bridge does have qualifying criteria, but I have a feeling they're willing to bend the rules a bit. It's worth it to fill out an application and see. I know that there's an IVF+ section on the website...

Late--Here you go...

www.thebridgecentre.co.uk/01_home/ivfplus.htm

Hello everyone!

Sorry I've been very quiet lately, but trying to get through these 12 weeks without planning or stressing! Well had my 12 week scan yesterday (nuchal folds etc...) had blood test for it so have to wait for the results in the next few weeks, but other than that everything is going good!

I have had to change to insulin as found out my blood sugars were too high a couple of weeks ago and also had another episode of bleeding, but miraculously nothing too serious. It could never be that plain sailing for me!

So they were both there on the scan looking very lively! I just couldn't believe it and was quite emotional. So now I can tell people, the thing is I'm still a little scared to tell people, but am slowly ringing close friends to let them know. Once a ttcer always a ttcer I think

Cerubina I am absolutely thrilled for you - congratulations!!! Does your clinic give you an early scan at 6 weeks???

Pick your SIL sounds like an angel! If only everyone was so understanding and generous, she'll definately be one to help with all the babysitting! I also conformed to the sterotype and have a 2 year old dog - my Auntie convinced me that if I got a dog I'd fall pregnant - it still needed IVF though! Don't worry about taking vital funding from other places by using the NHS - just think your little one might be a genius and discover lots of cures for terrible diseases! So you may pay it back hundreds of times over. I work for the NHS and there are lots of needless ops/treatments that should be scrapped way before IVF. You could go on NHS list and have a private cycle first. Although I had a long wait to be referred to IVF the actual wait was within the 18 weeks it should be so it may work out just fine after one private cycle You may not need it (hopefully)

lissy thank you! that looks like a great program and i can see why you chose it... i dont qualify (sobs quietly in the corner)

lib75 i am new on here. congratulations on twins- that is very exciting seeing them squiggle around inside of you.

in my search for options with clinics (and in order to keep costs down..) i am now looking at some in other parts of the world... as if the choices in london werent enough!

libe75 i had no idea why i announced to you that i was new... sorry... brain burp...

Argh. Well, yet again my (supposedly in tip top condition) ovaries are not playing ball. I think this is going to happen every time. I just need to keep telling myself that it all worked out okay (apart from the no actual pregnancy thing) last time.

How do you mean Horton? Not many follies on the scan?

Oh, plenty of follies (7 or so in evidence, which is about standard for this kind of protocol). Just very very small ones. Heigh ho. Here we go again. I had the exact same problem last time.

Hi all

Sorry not to name check but Horton well done on the follicles, go go go!

Just FYI there is an interesting edition of Women's Hour (Radio 4) about adoption and an art exhibition, pretty moving.

At

Tooth 2/3 sorted! No more pain. Lissysilver yes I also grind or clench my teeth so now need to get a tooth guard thing fitted! But first things first!

All the best

Hi all,
Italian, I@m glad to hear your tooth is getting there. I grind my teeth too, my dentist informed me, but then added it is quite common and is quite common in people with young children.

Horton when is the next scan? A lot can happen.

Poppy I'm glad they are on top of your blood sugar problem, congrats on the scans being fine.

LAW I'm very intrigued to see what happens with your frozen eggs, re quality and so on.
How many are there frozen? It was very astute of you IMO. If I could go back a few years...

My news is that AF arrived yesterday along with a horrible vomiting thing, so this is the first time I have been out of bed since Wednesday evening. Very sore head!
Now I will have to start organising tests and that sort of thing. Hoping my GP will do level one immune tests for me. Does anyone know how long they take to come back?

Day 4 of sniffing...

How's everyone doing?

Rowing--Sorry to hear about your vomiting thing. Those are the worst! I had them about twice a year for the last two years, and it sucks the life out of you!

Italian--Glad to hear you're getting the teeth sorted out.

Horton--Argh, damn ovaries! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Cerubina, Poppy, MM--How's everyone feeling?

Late--It might be worth a phone call to the Bridge Centre to talk about the qualifiers. Maybe they'll be able to suggest a good program for you? I am certainly mistrustful of the NHS after all the stories I've heard...

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend. Maybe we'll get to see the sun...

Rowing hope you feel better soon.

Horton sorry, I had not realised your 7 were small; I was just excited you got 7! When I got seven via donor eggs last time I thought it was a lot (but of course the donor must have produced about 14 to give me 7).

BB have they done any tests to see if you are producing anything that would stop embies sticking?

Poppy75 great news about seeing the twins.

Picknmix just looking back and answering posts from earlier this week, which now seem hopelessly lout of date! Just my views but ....If your SIL is offering it then would take it. She probably feels very fortunate to have her kids and wants to help her 'baby' brother/big brother and lovely SIL. So I'd grab it! Also, if you do go NHS, don?t worry about taking places or money from NHS, your child might become a doctor or nurse and help thousands of patients, or they may be a road sweeper and keep the place tidy! Whatever they do I am sure they will contribute massively to this aging population (of which I am one, aging I mean!) so investing in the future is vital and with many choosing not to have kids or not to have many someone has to look after our future pensions! Seriously, very noble to worry but go for it and remember you have paid into NHS, and your family, for just such a time as this. I would suggest like Lottie says that if you can find something tailored to your needs that would be best. Just check whether having paid for fertility treatment invalidates any NHS treatment on offer. I am just not sure what the situation is if you can still get it on the NHS if you have had it private, I am sure someone will come back and say you can so maybe you can. Just asking! We travel and hour and a half to our clinic, it is a long hike but as our own local one could not help us we did not have a choice. It is do-able. Also, you said. "4 miscarriages and only now do they say it might be worth doing investigations into recurrent mc." I can't believe they have not looked into this yet, I think they should and it would be awful to have treatment not being sure what the plan was, NHS or private the care should be the same (in my humble opinion) it is just that the wait is longer for NHS. Anyway, if they are now looking into it all great, if not, then I would start to ask some questions, they need to give you some attention (IMHO)!

Late - you said "boy argc sounds scary", why is that? Did you get that 'Knock me up' tattoo off your forehead and how did you meet your partner, just being nosy, no need to reply if you don't want to!

Cerubina your GP should take the sharps bin or your local hospital. They should all be able to dispose of it safely which you cannot. If anyone is 'arsy' just say 'what I should do with it!!!!! I can't believe they would not take it. Really, your clinic should but if you are not going back there I can understand your not wanting to take it, or will you get a six week scan. I would ask for one if you can and then take the sharps box all in one go!

Did anyone read the article in the Sunday paper about masses of embies in freezer in the UK and elsewhere? Quite interesting but only really told half the story!

Hi all,

Italian that's interesting about the embies. I don't think it's my freezer, although there are things in there I can't identify.

BB the level one tests, I have been reliably informed, check the thyroid function, full blood count, liver function, hormone profile, blood glucose, autoimmune screen, antibody screen and test anticardiolipin and thrombophilia.
As far as I recall the most common reasons for mc were due to blood-clotting disorder or sometimes an over-active immune system: raised natural killer (nk) cells.
The blood clotting issues are often remedied by aspirin or heparin and the NK cells, seem to be remedied by steroids, such as methylprednisolone or clexane, which suppress the immune system.
I think the immune tests are available via your GP. I am expecting to have to put forward a case for the tests to be conducted, they probably don't want to spend the money.
Thyroid disorders can also cause miscarriage.

italian re argc... from reading other boards it sounds like they monitor and prod and poke and do lots of tests.. i feel like i have been through the mill on that stuff already and i know i may have to go through more- but they seem to do extra bits... oh and the cost... but i know its all pretty high on that front.
oh and the tattoo rubbed off once OH and i had out DD nearly 2 years ago... but its kinda seeping through again as we want another child (very greedy i know..)

rowing it was a gamble re eggs. but i remember around the time there were lots of pertinent articles in the media. it was my ex who cut one out and handed it to me. he didnt want children you see but knew i did (one of the reasons we split)... ironically, he now babysits for us.. ho hum... i had mine collected in the UK but there is a company in the US called 'Extend Fertility' i looked at them too at the time but it would have meant flying to NYC several times during the procedure... 3 hours to MF clinic was more convenient. I have 7 eggs on ice.

lissy thanks for the advice. I will call them and check it out. they are one on our shortlist...

nice day here. was supposed to fly out to hens do today but pulled at the last minute. too flat. too many big bellies. too tired. my second MC baby was due this week and my partner lost his job yesterday so feeling very very very very low. woe is me as now for the forseeable future i am the sole breadwinner (as opposed to the main which i normally am). blah blah blah. just wallowing in a puddle of self pity AND i am not even supposed to have a coffee or a drink to cheer me up. humph. rant over. onwards and upwards.

Hi all,

LAW just wanted to commiserate and give you a virtual hug {{{HUG}}}.
What a nightmare for you and your DP. Does he feel hopeful of finding something else soon?
What, going out, at night! The very thought. Any excuse not to go works for me.
Have a wallow and back up tomorrow!

Latetowork so sorry that you feel so flat. I am sorry DH lost his job. I know it is not much comfort but I really hope he can find something quickly. It is always hard to lose work and yet that programme (the Gob Fairy) was quite good as she managed to get people back in work who had been out of work for years! So there must be a few jobs out there, unless you are on a remote Scottish Island! Anyway, thinking of you. Also, I know what you mean, sometimes I feel greedy for wanting another, maybe others make me feel a bit like I am being greedy! They don?t mean to, I know, but they talk about enjoying my daughter as if wanting another means you don?t enjoy that you have!!

Rowing are you sure about all those big words because I am using that as the basis for my email to my fertility clinic, kind of like a shopping list....aspirin/heparin/steroids - methylprednisolone or clexane etc! (You think I'm joking.....).

LissySilver all the best.

Can anyone remind me what happened with Levistubbstears is she still around?

Cerubina How goes it?

Horton thinking of you and your follicles, what are they up to?

BB what are you up now?

MM How is it in Oz, you are quiet so I am assuming you are up to lots, making news friends, possibly a bit of throwing up and unpacking (let's hope not together). I do hope all is OK. I can?t help thinking of you as beautiful Angelina (she is my favourite film star married to my favourite film star - yes, I am really a sad teenage girl!).

Waves and hugs to all

Oopse type NOT the Gob Fairy, The Fairy Job Mother!!! About this woman who helps people get back to work!

OOOPse and BB that should be
what are you up TO now?

Is anyone else watching the X Factor on ITV2.

I am watching the X factor now - must go to bed!!!!!!!!. the X-factor is so weird and riveting in a silly way; the only other time I watched it was when I was in hospital having my DD. So it feels kind of weird! Actually, watching Louie Walsh?s grimace is quite weird!

Fantastic lady called Mary and another called Rebecca. I think it should be one of them.

Oh and a sexy life guard chappie!

Just realised I have no idea if this a repeat or what! Has it all actually finished!

Love to all

Hi all,
popping in.

Italian, I sat up and watched X-Factor at night as well. I thought the Michael Jackson acolyte was fascinating. 'There is no love in your hearts...whatsoever!'
I was sitting with DP saying 'There is no tea in my cup....whatsoever!' and that type of thing.

BB there are some women on my FF threads who have had the Chicago tests.
Is that where they test for 'hidden C' test, which tests for hidden chlamydia?
That particular test sounds a bit 'sus' to me. There is a big discussion because some of the women who have paid are a bit fed-up because they test positive and then take anti-biotics and test negative then test positive a month later for no apparent reason.

Hoping to see GP tomorrow to tackle the immune test subject.
Have also heard from a clinic we had written-off for this cycle. They now have some early embryos they can take to blast, which sounds great, but the details and price seem a little hazy, so waiting to hear back tomorrow.

Thanks BB very helpful.

Rowing, so glad you have some possible blasts. Keep us posted.

Yes X-factor, it is fun, I like Mary and Rebecca from Dublin and the girl group Husslers. Go girls!

Hope all are well.

I am OK. I am still taking the Agnus Castus and kind of hoping for a miracle, yet also hoping the treatment works and also wondering if this how it should be, one child, and just get on with the rest of my life. It is all so uncertain. I must just get on with getting fit.

Just a real quickie to say hello and thanks, Italian, for the enquiry a few posts back - you've been so lovely keeping an eye out for me over the all these months - I'm really touched.

For everyone else - quick recap - had first cycle of IVF in April/May and it worked, five embies, two blastocysts (which they put in) and one stayed around - now at 19 weeks with my first baby at 38, and delighted. They didn't keep any embryos (I never did produce very many eggs (I think it was 8 follicles and can't remember how many eggs but fewer than that) and most didn't respond) but even if this is to be my only child, I know how incredibly lucky I've been. Want to send so much luck to all of you going through this, and best wishes if you take other paths like adoption too.

Haven't read this thread for a while, but just popped back on to see how everyone was doing (great news from Cerubina and poppy! Sorry to anyone whose news I've missed). Was amazed to see my name here after all this time (thanks again, Italian)! Thinking of you all. x