Keith's BPG II

[KittyKatSmile]

@AliciaWhiskers @CornishMaid1 @Ginandtonic31 @Cauliflower82 @Welshpugmomma @Mrbay @Zest11 @RRoonilWazlib @Weenumpty

Hope this works xx

@Cauliflower82 I can at mine. She told me to go to her if it was successful! Message me if you want to chat. I get needing it and feeling like you can't be vocal about how you feel x

@KittyKatSmile is Cutie a girl??? Or are you just guessing?

Had my follow up today and I'm finding it hard. The clinic won't change anything until after 3 transfers and then they do the L1 tests which I have got my gp to do already. Also got my results of thyroid and it's improved - 3 rather than 3.5 (damn doing loads of exercise!). But the ft4 has got worse - down to 12. The antibodies test came back at something like 0.1 so that's not a problem :/ I'm not expecting anything to be up with the other results when they come back. My clinic are just recommending I just do a FET but I can't help but think it will be a waste. I'm wondering if for my own peace of mind I buy a low dose of levothyroxine off the Internet!

@Zest11 I've always just called Cutie 'she'. I'm not finding out. I believe it's called Team Yellow. I prefer Team Grey.

Hm. What have they said about your thyroid because that's outside the TTC normal number so surely they should be offering you levothyroxine? Can I also please ask for a refresher on why you think the next one won't work?

Big love xx

@KittyKatSmile Eeek even more exciting for not finding out. I think team grey sounds better too! In fact I have visions in my head of a light grey and white nursery..nothing gender specific!

I told her that my thyroid was 3.5 (even had the bit of paper) but she didn't seem to care nor look. She said it was controversial and not enough evidence. I said what if I had symptoms like being so tired all the time, can't lose weight and cba to do anything ever. She basically said to go to my gp and said something about if my bmi was high (which she knows full well isn't and I don't look fat). Bit disappointed by that tbh. Only found out it had gone down to 3 after the appt by ringing my gp but it's still not ideal.
I honestly think the next transfer will be a waste of time. I know I am no medical expert but in 2.5-3yrs I have had 1 pregnancy which said 2-3 weeks which then resulted in a 6 week long period/mc and I tested just before IVF extremely early and there was a v faint positive line (wouldn't normally test so early) which had gone the next day. Was positive on both a sains and clear blue but not a digital. Didn't have a FRER. That leads me to think that implantation is the issue and that my uterus is basically rejecting all embryos (naturally and IVF). (Again, she said medical science didn't know why). I have open tubes, low FSH, husband has decent sperm and we are "unexplained." Obviously I don't have a clue but I just think transferring the remaining embryos will be a waste. Apparently the one put in was 4AB so was pretty good.

@Zest11 I am very annoyed on your behalf about their attitude to you. This is very unhelpful.

There are things they can do for implantation. What sort of drugs did you take on the last cycle? And remind me how many embryos and cycles you've got. We are going to crack this. Tenacious Kitty is on the case.

@KittyKatSmile haha Dr Keith, thank you. To be fair I've probably portrayed it worse than it was. I think the bottom line is that because they are NHS, funding only permits certain things and unfortunately there is an insufficient amount of evidence to justify NHS spending on the add ons. She mentioned blood thinners, steroids, intrapalids, and I said I would take them all but I think she was trying to make the point there wasn't enough evidence and she said they/the NHS wouldn't do that. I only have 1 frozen transfer on the NHS left but we have 4 frozen, mostly 3/4 B grades although 1 is just a 2BB. My GP will refer me for a 2nd opinion but the CCG funding may not allow this. I just followed a standard protocol of buserelin, gonal f and the crinone gel. I even asked if I could have progesterone injections next time as the gel was horrible and I started bleeding before test day which to me indicated the progesterone may not have absorbed. She said there was no evidence for that, rather because a pregnancy did not happen this superseeded the gel/progesterone and the NHS would have to have good reason for funding injections as they were more expensive. She did say that I could have pessaries though. I also asked about NK cells testing and she said that current research was suggesting it wasn't helpful. To be honest, I've no idea what to think. Their recommendation is that I just put another frozen in whenever I'm ready without changing anything.

@Zest11 I can't help with much else but I would say try the pessaries. They aren't that bad and many of us have had success with them. I can't help with the other bits though, sorry

@Zest11 I would say the main thing is that you need to trust your clinic. If you doubt them, then it may be best to look elsewhere for another opinion anyway. Could you transfer your frosties? I had my follow up this week too. She said that it was just random failure that meant the embryo didn’t implant. I guess that may well be the same for you - it’s just one of those things that is random chance, and doesn’t mean that next time doing the same thing again wouldn’t be successful. However, you’ve got to trust and believe it’s going to work. And if you have doubts about what you are being told, maybe a second opinion would be best

@Zest11 yes, the natural killer thing is controversial and splits medical opinion. If you're going private they are likely to throw more things at a problem (along with plenty more money, of course). I can't remember where you're based, sorry, but you could go and see the guy I saw about recurrent miscarriage, google Dr Shehata. He would do all the tests and would also look at any you've already had. He may say he can't do anything and it's just random but you would at least know and maybe be happier moving on x

Ladies, I thought you'd like to share this with me: 4 days of pessaries left and one just fell out of my bum hole. @Ginandtonic31 I think this happened to you early doors because your butt got sloppy didn't it?! I'm so pleased to have joined you in that club :-)

@Ginandtonic31 @AliciaWhiskers @KittyKatSmile thank you all SO much for all your support and inputs, it really is so very very much appreciated. You ladies are just so so kind. Even though we have never met, you are so so caring.

Ginandtonic yes I think I will try the pessaries next time as it's something different at least.
Alicia, yes, that's what it comes down to...trust. It's so so hard though as I have never got my head around "unexplained" infertility and things being "random."
Kittykat - I hope your bum isn't too slimey...you're really selling this! Yes that's what my clinic was saying about throwing different things at the problem, along with money and she said...where do you stop? Thankfully my husband is slowly coming round to the idea that if it's worth paying for a good clinic, then he will. I think he's (quite rightly) worried about chucking £12k+ at a clinic for it to make no difference! I will google your guy as we will probably end up in London but...well...tbh I don't know if my miscarriage(s) actually count because it/they have been so early, at implantation stage.

@KittyKatSmile yes it did! Really early on. I never got it because normally even if it starts to come back down as I pull my finger out my bum sucks it back up! I can only think it was melty and maybe I trumped...

Sorry ladies I've been AWOL for a few days, @zest11 must be hard to put it down to the fact it may not have worked just for random sake but it is deffo an option with the fickle IVF :( I'm not sure how it works with NHS cycles but surely it's worth using your frostie see what happens and then can always plan another cycle elsewhere if required. Hopefully the counseling will make you feel more at ease with your decisions. Sounds like your clinic are not being the most open with you about testing but it's the nhs and of course they will always go down the more cost effective route first... Not always what you want to hear :(

But I agree a second opinion seems a good shout and least you'll know you will have explored options... The pessaries worth a go, they might give you front ones even ;) I can't wait to stop with them..... The day where no more pantiliners and gunk will be a day for celebration!

@KittyKatSmile also gonna have a little suprise team grey I reckon! I also got a wave yest (sorry of ha Ha also convinced Baba got hubs huge eyebrows ;) lol !

@Cauliflower82 hope your doing ok and managed to get booked in For a chat!
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@Ginandtonic31 had your sickness subsided?

Hope your all okay ladies I've missed :)

@Welshpugmomma good to hear from you!

Yes I have very little feeling of sickness at all now! DH keeps telling me to just think myself lucky. My mum tells me with me she didn't start being sick until week 12 so who knows. Probably a boy.

I'm a bit scared to stop medication as I keep thinking what if it's the only thing stopping a big bleed or something.

@KittyKatSmile laughed at your little mishap! Oops!

Period started yesterday, so need to decide what we are doing!

Is anyone else doing a FET this month?

@Ginandtonic31 @Welshpugmomma I can't bloody wait to stop with the drugs. Need to get my clinic to confirm the weaning off programme for my beloved steroids. Have just been out for not a huge lunch; there is literally no room in me. I feel full under my ribs and my back hurts. WTAF?!

@AliciaWhiskers that's exciting! So strange to sometimes be willing period to arrive, sometimes to stay away!

@KittyKatSmile oh yes I can't wait. I'm sick of them. I'm only doing pessaries at night now and it was great this morning not thinking must get up for pessarie. Although I did think must get up for wee!!

Hey girls,

Exciting times ahead! I think team grey is the way forward, given the technology today it's nice to have a surprise.

@zest11 - are you in a position to pay for a consultant elsewhere if you're not happy with your current consultant's view? I believe the reason they wait until after the 3rd transfer has failed is over 90% of woman will go on to have a pregnancy by then, which I get is very upsetting when the carrot dangled is only for 2 goes.

@AliciaWhiskers - what cycle day are they popping little frostie back in? I don't think I'll be having mine popped back in for this cycle but on the next.

@Welshpugmomma aww thank you for your reply, yes the nhs does only do things which are cost effective. I wish I could just pay the difference for other bits but we can't do that.

@AliciaWhiskers your period seemed to come around in good time. I waited flipping ages for mine. Have you thought about what protocol you will do?

@mrbay 90% success after 3 transfers?! I thought that was the success after 3 full cycles using all frozen embryos. (I had visions in my head of having to do this 15 odd times!!) I didn't know the success rates were that good!! I should have asked my clinic what the cumulative success rates were after 2 and then 3 transfers! It's not as bad as it could be for me as I was so lucky to have some frozen so even though I only have 1 nhs FET the cost is much more manageable to transfer my FETs. Yes we can pay for a consultant. My husband has finally come round to the idea of paying as apparently I have worn him down! Are you still waiting around to ovulate or do you think that's happened now?

@Zest11 I thought it was transfers as well, as opposed to full cycles. From a statistical point of view I doubt they'd be allowed to quote statistics based on cycles because that could be anywhere between 3 embryos and 57 and HFEA tries to stop places gaming their statistics....

For what it's worth I think you should stick frosty in, see how you go and then make a plan you're happy with from there. Maybe change clinic to one you feel you trust more.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend.

@KittyKatSmile Oh! I feel like a bit of a tit now...what the f have I been getting so worked up about? Especially as we have a few frozen and that I know I respond well if we have to pay for a whole new fresh elsewhere. I'm actually really embarrassed at how much of a psycho I have sounded to everyone on here, my consultant and GP. So sorry!!

Hope you are all having a good weekend! Xx

@Zest11 I don't think you sound like a psycho! And also I'm with @KittyKatSmile - I think you should just go for a final transfer on the nhs and then asses if that doesn't work. For all you know it could be the one and you won't need to pay for tests etc.

I may also be the only person finding out if boy or girl. I need to for sanity.

@Zest11 you don't sound like a psycho at all! But if we've helped you to come to a clearer decision in any way then that's great!

@Ginandtonic31 I completely understand why some people find out. I just don't really mind either way and it's just me so I'd like to have the surprise! Will you share with us?? Then I can knit you something gender specific. I'm currently doing a lot in grey! And one lemon, which frankly is quite feminine. Although I'll totally dress a boy in it anyway.