TTC for 18 months or more. Moving onto iui/ivf/icsi.

[lucieloos]

We have relocated from the conception board where we were previously chatting under the thread 'ttc for 10 months or more'. A lot of us are now long term ttc-ers and are going through infertility treatment or looking to take steps in this direction so we feel this might be a more suitable home for us!

Feel free to stop by and say hi and hopefully we can share the journey together and make it a little easier along the way!

Lucie sorry to hear things are not going well at the moment, i hope it picks up for you quickly xx

Long i'm so sorry to hear that, my thoughts are with you

lucie I can totally understand feeling deflated, I completely relate to feeling that way - after so many scans you get pretty good at assessing an ultrasound image, so I’ve had the awful sinking feeling so many times when I’ve looked at the monitor and thought ‘I can barely see the endometrium’, before he’s said anything or measured it. Your body has been through a lot with coming right off the back of the prev cycle: I really really hope your lining is just being shy and will surprise you with a growth spurt. But if it doesn’t, then as horribly frustrating as a freeze-all is, it does mean - exactly as you say - that you can split the focus so this cycle is entirely about the embryos, then a FET is entirely focused on the lining. Keeping everything crossed for you

Long I’m so sorry, thinking of you and DH, really hope you can be kind to yourselves

Itsme good luck with your scan

Brenna great news that the SA is done, hoping the results come back swiftly

maple CM is a great sign!! Means your follicle(s) are growing nicely and producing lots of oestrogen

lemon argh so frustrating about the rubella test! The other virology bloods are supposed to be valid for 2 years, it’s such a pointless exercise in box ticking as rubella is the one that won’t change (unlike the others that hypothetically could)

mrsren echoing the others, I’m so sorry to hear the SA results were disappointing - but really pleased about the referral

hope so sorry about the baby bomb - they’re just relentless!

My viagra pessaries arrived today, so now shoving those up the holiest of holies 4 times a day - for the amount of money they cost, I hoped they would be delivered in a velvet presentation box by the Milk Tray man himself!

Scan tomorrow morning and Dr will do a Neupogen wash - obviously bricking it that everything will have gone into hiding

Terrified I’ve jinxed myself and tempted fate by getting intralipids booked in for Tues - when we don’t know if we will even make it to transfer. As though my uterus knows what my calendar schedule looks like

Thanks banana, what you say makes sense about splitting the cycles up to focus on different elements. I'm just a bit worried because my first NHS cycle with the ectopic was like this as well and that was after 4 months off treatment with the miscarriage. I'm panicking that the hysteroscopy I had back in Feb has damaged something as I haven't had a decent lining since?! I do know that when I took estrogen tablets after my EC with the ectopic my lining did start to thicken pretty quickly though so hopefully if I did do a fet I would respond to them.

Good luck for you scan tomorrow! I really hope everything goes well for you. Keep us posted when you can!

Lucie - I've tried googling the hysteroscopy and thin lining, but can't really find anything. I hope your lining surprises you and has got nice and thick by the next scan, but if it I'm certain you'll respond again to the oestrogen in a FET.

Banana - good luck for your scan, what time is it?
Hooray for the viagra.... I bet before all this you never thought that was something you'd be buying! As DH always tells me, there's no such thing as jinx.

Long - I'm sorry it looks like bfn. How early have you tested?

Thanks Sammy I hope so although nothing would surprise me anymore!

Itsme, hope everything goes ok with your scan today. Keeping everything crossed for you.

I know what you mean!

Itsme - good luck! Xx

Thanks ladies, My IUI was two weeks ago today so only one day early and I'm assuming one day won't make any difference and I can't face the words on another test today. Plus I'm off out for lunch today so the brave face is on!

Lucie I'm not sure what a frer is?

Oh long, a frer is a first response early result test. Don't use the digi ones yet they don't pick up the hcg until later on. Frers are best in the early days they are super sensitive.

Had my acupuncture this afternoon which was really nice. She used a moxi(?!) stick on me which is like a really big incense type stick that you light and it gets warm and she held it all around my uterus area to try and increase the blood flow. It felt really nice she has given me the rest of the stick to bring home to have another go later. I've also started estrogen tablets as well. I've worked out that my lining needs to be at least 6mm on Monday to be in with a chance of transfer. They do say the lining can grow 1mm a day so technically it's possible and I'm on estrogen and viagra now as well but I would be surprised if it makes it that far. I know on my last NHS round it didn't seem to respond at all and we were only 5mm at EC but yet on this last round in Czech it was around the 8mm mark at trigger I think. It's all very strange.

Banana, have you ever heard of using a tens machine to promote blood flow to the uterus and increase lining? I've seen a couple of people mention it seems to have helped a lot for them.

lucie I can't imagine the hysteroscopy would have damaged your lining - at ARGC they insist on doing one at the start of every cycle! Your body has been through a lot this year - and if I've learned anything it's that sometimes they need a bit of time to reset.

Acupuncture sounds terrific and glad it was relaxing. I've never used a TENS machine but my acupuncturist does do electro acupuncture for supporting lining, and that basically feels like a TENS machine that's hooked up to the needles. That or a Slendertone!!

Had my scan and Neupogen wash this morning. Remembered in the nick of time not to pop a viagra pessary in, as thought he could probably do without wading through a sea of white melty goop to get the catheter in

He said it was hard to get a true measurement of the endometrium after the wash because it's distended with fluid, but he said the appearance was lovely and at 8.5mm with fluid he reckoned hopefully somewhere around 7.5mm.

Wants to scan me on Tues: ideally wants to leave trigger as late as possible to give the lining more time, but doesn't want the follicles to get overripe and risk progesterone levels starting to rise. So will do bloods and assess accordingly. I think we're looking at EC on Fri

I asked if it was worth adding in Progynova 'for shits and giggles', he said OK let's add in twice a day (not 3 times a day as before) for a bit of extra oomph. Hoping they + wash + viagra + follicles keeping growing does the trick.

Hope everyone has a lovely bank holiday weekend xx

Ok thanks banana, yes I guess it has been through a lot but I have had 4 months off treatment with the miscarriage / ectopic although half of the time was spent going through the miscarriage I guess so maybe not as long as I thought.

That's sounds fantastic about your lining. 7.5mm is amazing. Is he happy to transfer with anything 8mm+? I'm hoping my EC will be on Friday too eeekk. I think you will definitely be getting a transfer this time around. So excited for you.

That is amazing Banana. I have everything crossed for you here.

AF has arrived so we can restart trying again this month. DH has more viagra in case he still has stress attacks. Wish us luck for the week after next.

Lucie very much so - and you're just coming off the back of a stims cycle, so really your body has been through a lot. I know how unbelievably frustrating it is when your lining cooperated when you didn't need it to, and doesn't when you do. We really thought we'd cracked the lining problem when I got to 11mm in my freeze all cycle in May - we all thought that meant I'd have a decent period and a much needed clear out, and that we'd be golden to crack on with a FET straight away. How wrong we were!!

Theoretically, my Dr says minimum 7mm for transfer - but in my case I think if it was borderline we'd have to discuss further and take a call together. He said we were aiming for 8mm, though the endometrial appearance is just as important as the thickness

brenna viagra is really helping us out on this thread - the guys and the gals! Really hope the little blue pills work their magic for us all

Hey all, was on the ten month thread and missed the new link - I'm at the 15 month mark and af started today, DHs results came back and all positive :) so looks like it's just me with the problem ... I am awaiting my referral letteryhrough the post, everything takes forever on the NHS and as we've just purchased a house and are doing up an extension-going private is not an option right now, I was wondering if some of you ladies could share your experiences of what to expect and timelines etc ? I've had all my tests and they show I'm not ovulating albeit have a period almost monthly, the dr mention clomid as something that may be an option but I'm just not sure what to expect from this referral - any words of wisdom?

Hi all, I've only just stopped crying (and my scan was Saturday!) but our little miracle is perfectly on track.

Thank you all for your kind words throughout this whole journey. I've been on this thread for over a year and I wish you all the best and can't wait for you all to graduate x

That's amazing news itsme!!! So pleased for you. What a stressful couple of weeks that must have been. I'm just waiting to go into my scan to see if my follicles and lining have grown...sooo nervous!

TMI, I think the timelines for nhs referrals depend on what health board you are with. I know some ladies have been seen in a matter of months but I had to wait around a year. Hopefully you are in one of the better ones but maybe give the hospital a ring and ask what their waiting lists are like. You will probably be seen for an initial consultation first to discuss options and they may want to do some more tests.

Itsme!! That's amazing news - congratulations :).

Lucie - good luck for your scan, I'm thinking thick lining thoughts for you!

We have booked a private scan for tomorrow morning (10+4) so I'm also having scanxiety!

Fantastice news Itsme.

Best of luck Lucie and Sammy.

No news here. Just waiting for AF to finish and the next round to restart. Still no results from DH's SA or my smear test (smear test should have been here by now).

Sammy, wow 10+4 already time seems to fly when you actually do get pregnant. Hope it all goes ok. Keep us posted!

Afm, well my viagra trials seems to have been a success! I had pretty much written off the lining this time around and was concentrating on the follicles and hoping to get some good eggs to freeze as at only 2.9mm on day 7 its the worst it's ever been but I had the scan this morning and in the space of less than 3 days it's grown to a whopping 7.9mm!!!! I really couldnt believe it when she said so that's a massive 5mm in 2.5 days. Dr Sher the one who originally came up with the viagra recommends to combine it with estrogen and that seems to work best so I'm very pleased and provided we can make some embryos it looks like transfer is back on! In terms of the follicles an extra 3 have popped up and we now have 12 altogether which is more than I've ever had on full IVF. The growth is a little more spread out now though and a few of the smaller ones haven't grown a lot and I have one massive one that they will probably have to let go but I still have a good few decent ones. This is what I had 22,19,16,15,15,15,15,13,12,12,10,9 They want me back in for another scan on Wednesday morning and will hopefully trigger that night for collection on Friday. Phew, glad that's all over for now and going to enjoy a nice sunny afternoon with dh now!

Lucie! That's amazing
Such good news. Actually it's bloody amazing! I can't believe that growth!! Collection on Friday, hooray!

Tbh it doesn't feel like it's gone quick to me, but I remember thinking that about everyone else's pregnancy!

Thanks Sammy it is amazing isn't it! I've still got another couple of days now as well so hopefully it will be nice and fluffy by Wednesday and one less thing to worry about.

Yes I can imagine time doesn't go quite as quickly for you. Will be lovely to get to the 12 week mark though.

Amazing news itsme!

lucie holy shit!! I never got anything like that result with the viagra tampons - makes me wonder if I'll see anything at all with the pessaries. That is bloody amazing, can't believe that!!

sammy good luck with the scan tomorrow!

Thanks banana, I know I was really shocked! I was hoping we could get to 6mm at best which would give us a few more days to get to 8mm but I'm very pleased. Hopefully it won't shrink back or anything now and may even grow another mm or so in the next couple of days. Good luck for your scan tomorrow. I have a feeling you will do well too.

Itsme so pleased for you! What great news!

Sammy hope all goes well tomorrow!

Blimey Lucie that's fab about the eggs and lining!! Hope all is well for Wednesday and then Friday collection!

Brenna can you chase up smear and SA results?

Hope scan is alright tomorrow Banana and the wash and viagra are working nicely!

Gosh lots of scans tomorrow - expecting a busy thread with lots of updates! I have my scan too - last day of stabbing Merional tonight - last nights hurt a bit and don't know if I'm being paranoid about tummy pains! Hoping there are no more than 3 follicles as otherwise they will cancel the IUI - so all the cm is a good sign but hopefully not too many!!

Waves to everyone I've missed!

Wow, yes definitely lots happening on here at the moment! Good luck for tomorrow maple.

Lots of good news! Excellent x