#makeithappen TTC through Donor IUI or Donor IVF or just undecided – all welcome! Thread #6

[kwick]

This thread is for anyone trying to conceive... or thinking about doing so through donor IUI or donor IVF. Nothing TMI - feel free to join, we are a lovely group here to support and help keep the cray-cray away!

Here is the link to the previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2832207--makeithappen-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-or-just-undecided-all-welcome
Here is the link to the one before that one: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2769549-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-or-just-undecided-all-welcome-makeithappen-loadsofBFPs
Here is the link to the thread before that: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2688511-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-or-just-undecided-all-welcome-makeithappen
Here is the link to the one before that one: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2587046-TTC-through-Donor-IUI-or-Donor-IVF-or-just-undecided-all-welcome
And the one before that!: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1877198-Donor-IUI

Oops lovely not lively!

karen all the best for your Beta 🍀

I've lost track of the thread, again! I've actually locked myself out of Mumsnet on my laptop as I have just been spending too much time on here, so I can only access it on my phone now.

Kwick - nice to see you posting Are you back at work now?

Karen - I've got my fingers crossed that you get good news today. Positive thoughts coming in your direction

Munro - welcome to the thread As Kwick said, IUI is a far more manageable experience than the Hycosy! Exactly what Pez said re exercise in tww. I gave up Pilates for the tww and gave up badminton altogether during pregnancy (the impact and sudden movements mean it's listed as a sport that has to be avoided). I continued cycling during my tww, but only on roads (again bumpy off-roading might thwart implantation).

Bear - I upped eggs, avocado, fish and full fat organic milk. Also make sure you drink plenty of water (nothing excessive, just make sure you get the 2L). On Kwick's recommendation I started adding cayenne pepper to some of my cooking (aids blood flow to uterus). I also took Wild Nutrition fertility supplement. I chose not to cut out alcohol and caffeine as I figured I'd had healthy hormone test results so I didn't want to change anything drastically in case it threw things out of kilter.

On OPK vs. scan, I used only OPKs for timing. It means very diligent testing (I basically tested every 3-6 hours on CD12-16 on internet cheapies and then as the line started getting close I backed up with Clearblue digis (the pink smiley face ones, not the purple dual indicator).

Anyone in the tww, I hope you're managing to keep busy and relatively sane

This is my fertility food list Bear to support good egg quality. This is based on my copious research back in October last year but I only wrote down things I knew I liked and therefore would be eating so there might be more fruit types you could add (I'm not big on fruit but love my greens!)

I do eat other things aside from the ones of the list, I just simply try to include them as much as I can in my diet. In other words, it doesn't feel like a diet, i just eat healthy.

Hopefully you can read my handwriting (still need surgery on my hand, which I delayed to conceive 1st )

I was mostly inspired by this site: natural-fertility-info.com/increase-egg-health

On my way to work now... . Shitting myself 😬

Be strong kwick, and take it easy on the first day back - don't let people upset you!

Good luck kwick 💐💕🍩🍫🍰xx

oh yes kwick good luck and sending helpful vibes to you!

Hey kwick hope you are having a gentle start to the day x

I hope your day is going well kwick.

Hey everyone!

So excited for all on TWWs, sending positive thoughts to all!

Thanks for the tips about OPKs, I'm now equipped with a ton of Internet cheapies and a few of the more expensive ones, so have begun practicing! Approaching it like a project, there's so much admin involved in this whole process, think I'm gonna create a dedicated Google calendar to keep track of appointments, tests, etc etc!

Think it's partly just so I've got something to focus on and keep me sane while I'm waiting til I can start the IUI....

On that note, I've decided that given my propensity for stress/anxiety, I'm gonna cough up some additional quids for some kind of relaxation therapy over the next few months to help stay in the right mindset.... Considering acupuncture as there's a clinic near me that specialises in fertility support and stress! Think I remember someone 3se mentioning acupuncture but can't remember who? I'm a bit nervous of the needles!

Welcome ttc and munro!

kwick hope today goes OK, first day back is bound to be hard, be kind to yourself x

I do acupuncture, reiki, reflexology!

I sleep better, feel better, Im so calm. I fall asleep with the needles in!

Find a practitioner who has a warm, welcoming, womb like environment with dim lighting. No clinical whiteness for me - I need calm and warmth.

Im also on a course of hypnosis visualisations which I do at home - that was the link I sent out last week - its great! Im listening to the egg stimming track after I do my injections before bed.

Oh stork, I must have missed that link! Could you resend it if possible?

so this is the IVF prep kit £28, but I would say its good for egg stimulation and implantation for IUI too. www.catchingrainbowsfertility.co.uk/ivf-preparation-kit-2/

cheat sheet for IVF basic to dos and not to dos good for IUI too I think: www.catchingrainbowsfertility.co.uk/lp/free-ivf-resources/ivf-cheat-sheet-squeeze.html

this is the calm meditation kit which I'm also using £15:www.catchingrainbowsfertility.co.uk/fertility-calm-kit/

so somethings you pay for, some are freebies, take a look at the site!

I think Im in major need of the stress relieving therapies.
Looks like I'll be taking a few days off work due to mental health. Really struggling with my own issues and then have a colleague that I'm working closely with who is pregnant. Can't get through a day without crying atm.
My stress relief is exercise and soon I won't even be allowed to do that.
I'd love to see that list of relaxation things x

Oh munro I empathise! I struggle with my mental health, and have had to take time off on a few occasions (and have lost count of the times I've cried in work loos!) It must be extra tough with your colleague. Hope some space from work helps, try and do a balance of chilling out/relaxation and nice activities x

Thank you stork, will have a look tonight!

Pickle, sorry to say that I won't have my AMH results until tomorrow afternoon at which point the doctor will call me to run through the protocol.

Thanks stork
It's good to have found this safe space to chat. Dr signed me off for a week for now. Not been signed off before, even when we got our diagnosis. Just feels too much at the moment.
I'm going to spend some time running and biking, maybe climb a few hills and get some perspective before my iui starts next cycle.

snork that is very sensible. I have heard great things about acupuncture. I used fertility specific relaxation tracks.

munro really sorry to hear this.

My first day back: lots and lots of crying. Lots of understanding. Maybe I did not read situation well whilst I was off... but anyway a day at a time.
Got told I do not have right profile for job I applied for but that my boss was thinking of creating an interim role which would speak better to my experience. I said that I was happy to consider but that I clearly would not want my tenure to be impacted (15 yrs) and go on to a fixed term contract and not be eligible for redundancy. I did say that if something did not come up I would have to look elsewhere, as regardless of current situation I need a new job. Hope I did not just dig my own grave.

Have first session of CBT tomorrow.
I feel exhausted and just need to get home and crash.

Ah kwick that all sounds a bit bollock :( hopefully the other job will work out ok and you'll be able to change with it affected any of ur accrued stuff.
Good luck with ur cbt x

munro just take some time out for yourself,this journey is a complete head fxxk, maybe explore other things that may help relieve ur stress when u can't exercise as much. A lot of us have had MH problems in the past but we mustn't let the nasty thoughts come in and take over again

I had a really good chat with my manager and she said we'll deal with future cycles if and when we need to and she knows when roughly all starting so can keep a check on how I'm doing just by being there in the background monitoring if the meds start to make me loopy again. I am very lucky to have such lovely people in my life

Thanks kwick pez and shoes doesn't look like it will be too difficult to add these into my diet.

Hope things improve at work for both of you soon (kwick munro), the journey is difficult enough without added stress

Thanks stork for acupuncture advice and the links you shared! I like calm and warmth too :) just got back from my pilates class which is calm and warm, I think I'll have to stop that at some point though as it's not advised in early pregnancy.

Well done kwick for getting through the day! It does sound like an uncertain time, but also that you are clear in your own mind and with your boss about what it is that you need, which I think is a positive. Fingers crossed it will all come good. Hope the cbt goes well too.

munro those sound like good plans, I find getting out in nature does wonders for my mental health and perspective. Things like that are exactly what this time is for, just doing whatever it is that helps you feel better and stronger.

pickle, that's great your manager is so supportive! One less thing to worry about :)

karen did u have ur blood test today?

Hi munro. Sorry to hear you are feeling so down. I've been there too. It's fine walking helps. I also do guided meditations sometimes at night. Those help me relax and sleep better. Reading a good book helps too.

kwick you need to do what is best for you. I hope the job thing works out. I hate the stress that we get from work. Makes life so much more difficult. X

Blood today, results tomorrow. Cramps come and go. Trying to stay positive and believe that this won't end in miscarriage.

Keeping everything crossed karen sending lots of positiveness across the pond x

Just got the result of my amh: 11.9. I haven't googled yet to see if this is good or not but the doctor said that anything over 20 would probably mean pcos and that my result was really good (I'm 34 1/2)
He says I would be put on bemfola 150 injections for about 10-12 days which should hopefully lead to 12-16 eggs retrieved and 6 blastocysts. So I'm quite happy with that.
It's good to have a plan lined up if IUI #3 fails...

Now, I'm just hoping I won't surge until tomorrow morning as I'd rather not surge again in early evening as then the timing for IUI isn't great (it's either 20h or 40h post surge...)