Long Term TTC & Assisted Conception - July 2007

Hi everyone

Wow - what a lot of good news recently! Hopefully you have all started a trend!

Jo - fantastic news about the number of eggs - well done! Bummer about the post-anaesthetic probs though - what a mean parking attendant - surely they should exercise some compassion if they saw how sick you were. Still, hopefully you will be well enough for a transfer tomorrow - how very exciting!! Lots of :stickyvibesboy::stickyvibesgirl: coming your way! How many are you transferring?

Ellie - great to hear you are doing well and finally relaxing. That must make a difference and a 1 day transfer? I think the FET is going to do it for you just like BW!

Tracey - great news - good luck with the EPU on Friday! And I agree, if you can get to EPU then you will feel like something was accomplished with all of the drugs etc. I know that is how I felt, even though we didn't end up having an embie to transfer, but at least I felt we had tried.

Sonya - good luck with your transfer next week! How exciting... we might have quite a few BFPs over the coming weeks with all of the EPUs and transfers going on.

BG - the symptoms will be worth it if you are UTD! :crossfingers: Hopefully you will get your results first thing tomorrow morning!

Rols - how is everything with you & DW?

Mumof5 - I am no expert only having done one cycle, but from memory, I was on the spray pretty much the whole time from about one week after starting the pill until the morning of the trigger injection. Gonal-F injections (you might be on something different) start after you have had a period with the pill and will usually last for 10-14 days, although I think I ended up being on them for 17 days as I didn't respond that well (better than OHSS though!).

A quick update on me - saw FS this morning. Incomplete results on SA as apparently they need to kill the sperm to do a morphology test, which is clearly not something they want to do with AC! But volume & motility was all good. FS has recommended Menevit as well but apparently it is definitely not available until late '07 so have got DF on Cenovis Mens Multi Vit which contains the 4 important ingredients (apparently) - folic acid, zinc, selenium & Vit C. The plan for our next attempt is no BCP - YAY!!! On CD2 I will have a blood test, probably to confirm I am not pg and will start Synarel that day. Once the b/t results come in, I can start Gonal-F at 450IU from CD3, which will be all nice and quick compared with the down reg stim cycle we just did! So, I am waiting impatiently for AF to arrive so we can get back into it! It kinda feels weird being drug free! I don't always get PMS but this time it is pretty bad - cramps and bloating and choc cravings (not good for my weight loss!). Must be my body rebelling against all of the drugs I have put into it over the last 6 weeks :rolleyes:

Anyway, to everyone else, a big hi and hope that all is well.
Take care and chat soon.
Cheryl xx

hehehe - Tracey - the donut and hot choccie was afternoon tea this arvo - yummo - super-fresho donut (still piping hot) and perfect hot choccie... think i might have another hot choccie tonight - might help me sleep well!

Hey you guys! You are so not helping my choccie cravings at this time!!! Good thing I bought some diet hot choc drink that I might have tonight as a treat (less kj and same fat and sugar content as a diet yoghurt and so much yummier - that is my excuse anyway so I am sticking to it!!)

Cherylxx

BG - sucks about the wait. I, along with everyone else apparently, can't stand waiting for results. I know when I was waiting for me 1st and 2nd SAs I spent all day feeling edgy and wound up until it was time to call. Invariably they didn't have results yet blah blah blah.

Ellie, great news about your job, and it's good you have new info re your next step.

Sonya, good to see you are getting all the right levels.

Chez, I'd be interested to know about killing the sperm to examine the morphology thing. It was my impression that they can tell just by looking at them whilst conducting the rest of the analysis - but I'm no expert. You've got me thinking about the potential benefits of the multi-vitamins too, which is so not a Rols thing to think about.

To answer Ellie and Chez's question - nothing happening here at the moment apart from normal life. DW on the pill now and we have our first nurse's appt on Tuesday. Then it all starts more or less I guess.

Howdy Cowdies,

Long time, no post.
I have had the worst couple of weeks at work, it has just been one thing after another.
Been lurking and keeping up with the posts here, which hasn't been easy, man you guys are chatty and there is so much going on.

Ellie - Congrats on the new job and I am glad the results today were ok.

BG - Good luck with tomorrows results. I will be thinking of you.

Kotare - Good luck with the transfer.

Tracey and Sonja - Good luck with your respective EPUs

:hello: - To everyone else, it has been too long since I posted last to try and keep up with personals, I will try to keep up with posting, just been really hectic here lately.

On a selfish note, does anybody here have any info on sperm antibodies in men? We got the results of our tests today and everything came back normal except one of my husbands came back showing that he has sperm anti-bodies.
My gyno, who I have to say I am not entirely happy with, seems to think that this won't be a major problem, but after googling it, I'm not so sure.
Does anybody here know any more on this subject?

Thanks for listening and I will try to post more, instead of being a lurker!
:D

Hi Rols - IKWYM about killing the sperm for the morphology part of the SA - it all sounded weird to me but then I am no expert either! I guess I could google it... whatever did we do before google and the net?? Blind trust/faith I suppose. Good luck with your nurse appointment (make sure you ask for a sharps box if they don't give you one automatically - mine forgot and you will need it once DW is on the injections).

Hi ATT - welcome back! I don't know anything about sperm anti-bodies in men, I have only ever read about it affecting women i.e. the woman's body attacks the sperm because they see it as a foreign body and the immune system kicks into overdrive (all done from memory of course!)

Well, I was strong - no hot choc for me tonight. Maybe tomorrow night if it is cold and wet? Ah, something to look forward to!

G'night all and take care,
Cherylxx

hi guys, lurking lurking. There is a lot of good news coming through. So happy to hear it all. Keeps us all hopeful and on top of the world!!!!!

We don't get the cinnamon donuts over here which are my favourite, instead we have waffles. Hmmm!

I can't write much today as i really need to get some work done but just wanted to drop in and say hi and thinking of you all.

I am only CD4 and planning for a successful month. It is wierd how at this time fo the month it is very easy to be relaxed about things....Moving house will be a saviour this month.
I truley hope all of you have success with your journeys. Well done on all the follies and i think you are all very brave and couragous women, and man.
Take care Jodie
Hippy MuM

Morning everyone,

I have been away for five days so am trying to get up to date on all the posts. Was great to go on hols - was away with DH and my parents + my sister her baby girl...was sort of a b'day treat for DH & I - free accommodation & free dinner so even better! I thought it would be difficult to be around my niece because it would remind me of what we didn't have... but overall it was fantastic to spend so much time with her. She is a beautiful little girl & one day soon I hope she will have a cousin she can play with.

Chez - sorry to hear your news - I had tears in my eyes too, i really feel for you at this time & I don't know what to say...just know that we are all thinking of you xoxo

Nic - what a long trip to the referred clinic...will definitely be worthwhile if it means you will be holding a bundle of joy in the not too distant future. Good luck!

Ellie - fantastic to hear that new job is good!

Megan - am so sorry to hear that your DH is so unwell - it must have been so scary for you - I hope he recovers quickly & is back home with you real soon. thoughts are with you guys xoxo

Mel - sorry to hear your news too - when do you talk with your FS next?

Welcome Diva...there are many people here that will be able to help you out with questions for your appointment - good luck

Sonya - fingers crossed that you get your transfer next week

Jo - great about the 13 eggs but doesn't sound like much fun - and to get a parking ticket on top of feeling crappy...that sucks! Hope all goes well with the transfer

Hi to Loula, Rols, Tracey, Holly, Hippy Mum, Em & anyone else I have missed.

DH having second SA done on Sat (which is his b'day - unfortunate timing!) - then seeing FS on Monday 16th July. I hate the waiting game - just want to get on with it so hopefully if all the tests come back similar to prev ones we will be able to start treatment. FS has suggested trying IUI first & see how we go with that. Haven't had AF naturally for 11 mths (due to PCOS) so maybe the injections with kick start this? Does anyone know? It sucks feeling all the symptoms & then have nothing happen - makes it very hard to tell what is going on inside!

Gotta go & do some boring housework - not back at work till Monday (YAY!)

Have a good day :)

Hi Ali. I think we can all appreciate how you feel with regard to the waiting game. I hate it to. I hope DH's SA comes back OK. What were the results of his first SA?

Hippy Mum, it's funny to hear you say that moving house will be a saviour. The thing I really hate about moving is the 2 weeks or so after where I still don't feel settled. And it took me at least 6 months to get my shed just right!

I seem to be having a negative day today. I don't know why. It's a combination of things really. I'm tired (which completely turns my mental state upside down sometimes), I decided to pick today to tell two of my main managers about IVF and that I'll need a bit of flexibility next month, so I guess I was worked up about that. Then a chick I work with, who is on mat. leave, has had her baby here for the past hour or so and it is (was) howling and carrying on (lovely little girl though). The girl in the office next to mine has a piercing laugh like a demented hyena which goes off without any notice and causes damage to my ear drums, and it's cold! Whinge whinge whinge.

And just because I need to vent, one of my male colleagues decided during a birthday morning tea today, for no apparent reason, to tell the prettiest girl in the company that she was getting fat around her tummy. You could tell she was really upset but trying to act like she wasn't and I swear I wanted to smash him in the head. I can't recall what I said but I was that angry I think I told him to shut his face. I told the girl later to ignore the old tosser, and that she was just fine the way she was, but she was clearly upset.

I suppose it makes me extra angry because I used to cop crap all the time from several people in my company about how thin I was when I was training a lot (running), and the feeling of being negatively judged upon how you look is horrible and not acceptable in a workplace. DW used to get it a lot too because she is a small frame and doesn't weigh much (she should though because she eats a disgusting amount ;)).

Sorry, I'll shut up now. I realise most of this isn't relevant to anything. I think I am having my man AF.

:

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I think I am having my man AF.

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PMSL!

I'm sorry Rols I know you're not having a good day, matey. I hope things get better for you as the day goes on.

Still here reading and lurking ladies, on and off.

Ellie, I was looking for you...hope you are not like Bokkie dissapeared completely...great to hear that you got all the tests done and let us know what's the verdict...new job sounds quite cool, can we swap?

Sonya, how did the thaw go? Transfer happened yet?

BG, hope the b/t showing everything is perfect...

hi BeiBei - no transfer is next wednesday the 11 july. counting down the days though!

Rols - PMSL at the mans AF!!! vent away matey good on you for sticking up for the girl in your office. i am a featherweight of a girl that has absolutely no problems with eating, but people are nasty and one - eyed and have said all types of horrible things. its wonderful men like yourself that balances it all out. bit of yin and yang i guess.

HI Rols - I am not 100% sure of how to read DH's first lot of SA results so here is what the paperwork says...concentration - borderline low, mophology - 2% normal forms, (97% head defects & 49% neck/midpiece etc) - motility normal. Am I looking at this right? This was done through SIVF which has stricter guidelines. The next lot are getting done through IVF Australia so will be interesting to see if there is much of a difference.
DH also a smoker (i'm a non-smoker)& he is trying to quit at the moment. Hasn't smoked for 1 wk so wonder what difference that'll make. Maybe too soon to tell but at least his health will be better :D

Well well, it seems that your DH, Sparkles' DH and me are all in the same boat, or close enough anyway. All of my SAs (x3) have shown 97-99% head defects, around 80% midpiece defects, and good tails and cytoplasm. My first SA also showed poor motility and progression, but with my latter tests it improved to the point where everything was considered good and normal with the exception of the morphology. You may also want to have a look at his TZI rating, which is the average number of defects per sperm. Mine has ranged between 1.6 and 2.0 which apparently isn't too bad (they consider less than 1.6 to be OK I think).

My tests were through the local path lab and the last through SIVF. Bear in mind that SIVF seem to reckon that anything above 3% of normal forms is acceptable and "normal". Honestly, it sounds like the stupidiest thing in the world but that's what they reckon. Although the path lab here reckon it's anything above 8%. The point is, your DH might feel like a bit of a leper because I know I did, but those stats put it in perspective a bit. I sort of assumed that blokes with normal SAs would have to have above 70% of normal forms or something.

Remember too that the next lot of results can vary a lot from the first. My first SA had a good count at over 250million, but was crap on all other counts. The latter tests had slightly lower counts but much better overall results.

Giving up smoking will naturally be good for your DH and they seem to think it can improve sperm quality. But I gather it can take a few months for the results to be seen.

hey Rols
i feel ya pain i too had a horrible day, feeling very emotional today felt like quitting work had a parent abuse me yesterday as she wanted to move her son into my room pre-prep and i explained i think a few more months would benifit him more, and she told me i dont know because i am not a mother, like that doesnt hurt enough then she says i think i know everything ( cause i responded calmy i may add that i have 8 years experience and three years Qualification and i have seen how it can affect children when they are moved on when they are not ready) so i gave her an example of a child i suggested to repeat preschool and the mum sent him to school anyway and within three months the school said he is not ready and he came back- she told me i was lieing, that schools dont do that!!! SO that was lovely and today i got kicked and punched by a child. I font have the same amount of patience as i used to as i have a stressful homelife with ttc etc and i need to be i a stress free environment when we go through ivf so.... i dont know what to do... i am thinking a career change but i am good money...blah blah blah
I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad i am finished for the day and i go on hols soon, i felt like crying all day ( and i am emotional and was last night as was hanging with friends -all have bubs and all they talked about was when i was pregnant...oh did your baby do this etc, of course i understand as thats life, but they know what we are going through a little more consideration...anyway i am being mean now as they are usually very supportive, i guess no one will understand unless they are in our positions ( and they ALL fell first go )
Anyway that was my winge....sorry i kept going on i needed to rant

Ali- Yes as Rols said my hubbys second SA came back only 2%normal morphology and low volume and slightly low motility, we both had to get blood tests today -ivf doc sent us then hubbys next SA is on 6th AUG
When do you see about IVF? Hubby will prob feel down, mine did, he told me to divorce him so i could have kids... as if!!! anyway we are back to TRYING to stay positive and pray IVF works first time for us

Good luck hun xoxoxoxo

sorry about my spelling, i am hopeless when i type

hi all - just a quick update - BT came back negative (which i'd pretty much known in my head for the past week or so) - am feeling a little flat at the moment, but i have to admit, no matter how much my head said "it's not happening this time" my heart held out a thread of hope which has now been broken.

we were given the green light to go ahead with IUI straight away again, but due to work commitments for DH, we have (after a lot of conversation over the phone with each other and the clinic nurse) decided to take a short break. DH is a truckie who will be going away tomorrow for maybe a week, maybe a month - and we don't want to go through all of the stress of injections and U/S's etc to find that he isn't here when he's needed for his part - or for him to potentially be put under too much additional pressure to get home at a certain time - it's not the most controllable job in the world (he carts livestock - and some of them can be very stubborn and uncooperative) - i'd rather he be a little longer getting home than to put any pressure on him. so we enter a new waiting game - feels like that's all i've been doing for the past 18 months (well, waiting - and renovating!)

Sparkles, what that woman said really sucks and I bloody loath that holier than thou attitude of some mothers. As soon as they have a baby they think they invented the fricken world. I imagine you get a few of those types in your job - which I seem to recall is childcare / early education?

Try not to let one horror day cloud your judgement about your job too much, unless you regularly have thoughts of moving on etc. If you generally like your job, and are on good dollars you might as well stick with it.

What are DH's blood tests for? Our FS said something about me needing to have the standard infectious diseases testing, but she seems to have forgotten about it.

BG, it's funny how you know it probably hasn't happened, but when the time comes you still feel crap. I know when we were TTC naturally, even though most months DW had no signs of pregnancy (a few times she did) when AF came or the one line showed up on the HPT I felt pretty flat for a few hours.

Hopefully your DH can pull some big bucks in to compensate for the delay!