Rumples IVF/ICSI thread continued

[lildottie]

Our thread was originally started by Rumples who now has her bfp, as have a few other ladies along the way. Here's hoping the next thread holds a few more bfps!

interesting you should mention that shell. I was doing quite well with walking last summer but don't do any exercise now. BUT we should be moving house in 4-5weeks and will then be living a 5min walk from the gym. I'm planning to get in the gym twice a week and swim twice a week after that. in the meantime I should walk or get the exercise bike out but I've been so busy with work and study. I can't wait til last exam is over on 6th may!

You sound like one busy lady lil! Working, moving, studying. What are you studying? I was considering studying nursing, but then decided against it because I didn't want to take time away from work and make less money when I need it for IVF. Perhaps trying to fit in exercise now is going to be more stress than it's worth for you! At least it's hopefully helping keep your mind busy and distracted from this IVF fiasco. How long did they say it would take for your appointment letter to arrive? And how long has it been?

I've eaten crap today. Got invited out to lunch. All those yummy options on the menu I just couldn't resist, then kinda thought 'well I've done it now', and enjoyed a lot more crap this afternoon that I've deprived myself of. Mental note - don't go out for food if I want to eat healthy!

it's been 5.5weeks shell and they said appt would be 8-10 weeks, so I should get letter in next few weeks. I called the other day but no one has called me back!

I'm doing tax exams (I'm a chartered accountant). this is the last one and I'll be a chartered tax advisor - assuming I pass!

oh and eating out, I always look at menus online to choose what I want first. some of the big chains don't print calories on their menu but you can get the nutrition info on the web. helps me decide where to go so I can still enjoy going out without feeling guilty.

You're very disciplined lil, looking up nutritional panels on the web to decide where and what to eat. My trouble with eating out is will power. I know what is the healthy thing on the menu, but when everyone else is ordering yummy things, the salad doesn't appeal to me. I've noticed this before and after caving again today, I think the easiest solution is to arrange to do things other than eat out over the next two cycles before my last IVF.

Can't believe an appointment letter takes 8-10 weeks. I mean, I can understand if they have lots of women undergoing IVF and the actual appointment is a two month wait. But how can it take two months for them to just look up in their computer when the next appointment is available and send you a letter!?!? Crazy.

I know, it's been that way the whole way through. the letter only cones through 2weeks before the appt. it would be so much easier if I knew the appt dates earlier!

Oh okay, so they've probably got an appointment already booked for you but their computer just generates letters to people two weeks prior to their appointment. Probably so people don't forget. Although as you say, it would be so much easier if you knew the date earlier. Would also help mentally as you could have a date to work towards instead of feeling lost in no mans land.

I am going to try to eat the perfect IVF diet today.

• Walk now before breakfast
• Natural protein shake for breakky with almond milk
• Apple for morning tea (not high protein but I figure I shouldn't avoid the health benefits of fruit and apples are high antioxidant)
• Tin of tuna and salad (with avocado) for lunch with healthy olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing
• Nuts for afternoon tea
• Fish and vegies for dinner.

I am always so motivated in the morning and my will power tapers as the day goes on. So lets so how I go.

I'd keep spurring you on through the day shell but I'm off to bed! its nearly midnight here and I've spent the evening working until about 20mins ago so I'm nakered! but my two pennies worth is this: remember how good you will feel when you get to the end of the day and you've achieved that. think how crap you'd feel if you didn't. and if you find yourself wanting to stray, grab a glass of water. we so often confuse hunger and thirst!

how's your day going shell?
I've just had yoghurt, fruit, nuts and seeds for breakfast

Sounds like a very healthy breakfast lil. I'm loving this healthy eating incentive. It's just after 7pm here and I've just had dinner. I went for a walk this morning and managed to stick to my mean plan today exactly as I posted above. Put it all in Calorie King and I have consumed only 24% carbs - well under the 40% maximum. Surprisingly, even after having a protein shake for breakky, tuna at lunch, nuts in the afternoon and salmon with dinner, I have only had 27% protein which just scrapes above the 25% minimum. Of course I shouldn't get too excited. That's only one day done and still 60 to go before my next IVF starts that I have to keep this up!

I'd be careful you aren't having too much fat there shell. I use my app to average everything out over the week. well done for sticking to the plan though,noe you just have to make it until bed time without getting the munchies!

Yeah, I wondered about the fat. It's all good fat and since they say avocados which contain good fat increase IVF success and a Mediterranean diet which includes lots of olive oil is associated with highest fertility, I figured the good fats are okay. My total calorie intake was still only 1446 or (6114 kj) which I was happy with as I would like to lose a bit of weight before the last IVF.

And yes, I made it through the night without munchies. Knowing this is my last IVF I can afford really means I have to be perfect so that I have the highest chance possible.

I'm looking forward to the weather getting better so I may be more inclined to stop salad dodging. I find salad so boring though, and I hate leaves! I'd love to eat avocado in it but they are so expensive and the other half goes black before I get chance to eat it. dh doesn't like them so I have to force feed them to him every now and again in meals. I'm trying to lose weight too, I'm aiming for 1200cals a day. today has gone quite well with food for me too. so glad I've finally found the will power.

Yes, it does feel better now having the will power, eating healthy and moving forward doesn't it. But I think we needed our grieving time.

I am exactly the same with salads - hate leaves. I like avocado but much prefer it on rye crackers which isn't low carb.

1200 cals sems low. I was boasting about my 1446 daily intake but now that seems piggy compared to you! I am 173cm / 5 foot 8 inches so perhaps I'm taller to require more food. Anyway, great that we are both on the same page of wanting to lose weight with the same goal to have a place to boast about our efforts and motivate ourselves to keep going.

I assume you are doing this in preparation for another IVF or are you still in two minds about what you want to do moving forward?

I figured all the things that are recommended for ivf must help with natural conception so hoping for a natural bfp, but if not then yes we will do another ivf asap.

A natural BFP would be a dream come true. You have not been given any official infertility diagnosis have you? With your AMH of 40 and the IVF eggs proving that the sperm can naturally fertilise the eggs inside you, it must leave you more puzzled as to what in the world is going on.

DH's brother announced their second pregnancy on Monday. Then DH's other brother announced the pregnancy of his 4th child the next day. The 2nd couple both have psychological issues, are flat broke and just 'permanently borrowed' money from us again, both do self harm, she just cut herself so deep they sutured inside and outside her leg and she is always in and out of mental dept of hospital. Yet this is his 4th child and her 3rd. It really stings that they can conceive and we can't. It really makes me feel the pressure that this last IVF I can afford just HAS to work, as I can't live with the resentment I feel towards them and while I can avoid them in the lead up to IVF, I can't do that forever. But of course, then I worry, this extra pressure on myself that this IVF needs to work is probably having the opposite effect! It has made me make sure I continue to eat perfect and I went for a big walk last night in prep for my last IVF. But I just wish I didn't know about this. Tell myself to forget it but it's the first thought I wake up to this morning, along with a churning in my stomach.

Sorry, just need to rant to get it off my chest.

*shellZ we were mfi diagnosis but with the changes we made dhs numbers were back in normal range at ivf. we were due to have icsi but because of improved numbers had a choice so did half icsi and half normal ivf. makes it even more frustrating that it didn't work/last.

that must be so frustrating about your family! but, and I know its easier said than done, them getting pg doesn't affect you getting pg. my dB had a testicle removed as a teen and his wife has an autoimmune disease and they had 2children with no problems, tried 6m for first and got pg first try with 2nd grrrrr! don't put pressure on yourself. take comfort that this will be your last ivf. whatever happens you will have closure and that will be a good thing. if you get that elusive bump all the better! x

Wow, amazing that your hubby was able to improve his sperm so dramatically. I have tried my husband on supplements. The count and motility improved but the morphology remained at 0% normal. The next step is for my husband to eat better and lose weight but that is out of my control. I try to make him healthy lunches for work and cook healthy dinners, but his work is surrounded by the fast food chains and he still frequents them.

I think if this was my last IVF because I feel mentally ready for closure, I would take comfort that after this I can move on. But the only reason this is the last IVF attempt is because it's the last I can physically afford, so mentally I still want another child and don't feel ready to quit. At least the extra pressure of knowing this is my last is making me eat absolutely perfect now that I am past the grieving of the last IVF.

I read a study showing that hCG levels 12 hours after the trigger injection are around 150 in an obese woman and 300 in a non obese woman. My levels after my last two injections have been 160 and 148. This is like the levels an obese person has. I was shocked. I am definitely not obese and my BMI is in the healthy range (just). But I do have lots of flab on my tummy, hips butt and thighs. So I am planning to eat perfect and exercise regularly to lose as much as I can before the last IVF. If being thinner helps improve how well the trigger injection is absorbed, surely it must also help improve how well the stim injections are absorbed. So losing weight will mean more follicles next time too - hopefully.

how's it going shell? I was stupid and poas this morning at 10dpo because I've been getting symptoms similar to last month. bfn of course so I'm clearly delusional! have succumbed to a muffin and dominos pizza this week but still on track to hit my %s this week hopefully.

Must be hard for you every month lil as you know there is a chance so it is natural to be hopeful, but then you have to come crashing down each time. I am beyond ever thinking it will happen naturally.

Good on you for being able to enjoy something naughty here and there but then geting right back on track. I had a disagreement with DH one night and that led to me eating some chocolate, but other than that, I have been perfect. Knowing the next IVF is the last I can afford really has snapped me into line.

It's actually quite an effort keeping track of all my food and entering it in Calorie King. Also trying to exercise daily. At least it feels like something productive I am doing which is helping keep me distracted instead of just waiting for this cycle and next cycle to finish so I can get started.

Hi guys! I introduced myself a while ago but haven't been on since cos DH's first 2 sperm tests were zero so thought sod all this. But 3rd time lucky they found some rubbish sperm and 1 grade B so he's had 3 samples frozen, hopefully there's some good swimmers in there for ICSI. I've not had any tests yet so god knows what might be wrong with me, got a vaginal ultrasound on weds. Great news about rumples too :) I was wondering, if I have no issues and we have IVF, is it likely to work first time?

hi Laura, unfortunately we can't give you any guarantees there. nothing wrong with me, and v high amf, ivf got us pg for a week before I miscarried. based on our embryo development I am now concerned I have egg quality issues despite high amh but still waiting for follow up appt.

Thanks lildottie, the more I read the more I realise how it isn't so simple! Like I had no idea they will freeze the embryo and defrost it then hope it bloody grows, no wonder it's such a emotional journey, freaking out now just a bit!

Can totally understand you thinking sod all this Laura after 2 tests showing 0 sperm. Do you know what has caused that? My husband has sperm but 0% with normal morphology. I hope your scan shows all is okay. When are you likely to get started with IVF?

There just seems to no rhyme or reason to say in advance who IVF will work for and who it wont. I started an IVF thread when I did a cycle in December 2013. The other 3 girls who joined in were all new to IVF and knew nothing about supplements or special IVF diets. Meanwhile, it was my 4th attempt and I was on supplements and eating heatlhy high protein low carb which studies show increase IVF success. So I really felt I was in with the best chance and wouldn't have lots of BFP's in my face on that thread. Turns out everyone got a BFP but me! So who knows.

phoned clinic today and finally got an appointment date out of then. 21st April. still 2 weeks but at least we know now!

fell off wagon with diet at the weekend. so annoyed with myself and not done much better today. why do I sabotage myself?!