Long Term TTC & Assisted Conception - March 2008 #1

**lynros** · March 14th, 2008, 04:53 PM

Hi ladies,
I haven't posted for sometime but I'm still keeping up to date with all your stories and progress. You are all a wonderful support mechanism for each other and I'm grateful to have found this site of wonderful ladies.
I was hoping I could get some of your opinions or advice

When I last posted, I had just completed by 3rd round of clomid with no success. DF and I had discussed that we would next move on to IUI. When we met with our FS and told him our decision he basically talked us into IVF and before we knew it our details had been sent through to the IVF clinic ready for us to make an appointment. We had always throught that IVF would be the very last course of action for us, and it threw us when we realised it had come to thisl
Anyway, we recently had our meeting with the nurse co-ordinator at the IVF clinic so she could inform us of the procedure etc. Luckily, I was familiar with most of it due to your lovely posts, so nothing came too surprising..... except that we were told to expect to do 3 cycles of IVF - as about 80% of couples fall pregnant after 3.
I'm just wondering does anyone think that jumping from clomid straight to IVF is the right thing, or do we owe it to ourselves to try other alternatives such as IUI? I've also noticed some of you referring to OI - what is this? Can somebody please explain.
I've also noticed that a lot of you are recommending acupunture for infertility. Is there anyone you could recommend in Sydney in the western suburbs, as I'd like to give this a go if you think it might help.
I'd really appreciate any advice.

**tiggerlinda** · March 14th, 2008, 06:29 PM

Lyrnos - I never had the option for IUI without donor sperm but from what I can understand there are still the same scans and BT's involed. My friends who have been through IUI then IVF wished they went to IVF. It is a rollercoaster but not that bad as long as you approach it postivly. I am on my 5th round and will keep going to we get our little one. Ap is great and I do reccommend it even if it is just for stress

***Paula*** · March 14th, 2008, 07:01 PM

Lynros, i too was on Clomid without success. I decided to see a different FS at IVF Australia. I was worried that they would convince DH and i to go straight to IVF but they didnt. OI is ovulation induction. When you arent ovulating on your own or regularly. I think at the end of the day it is up to you.. If you feel that you want to try IUI, then you should have that option. Has your FS given you any reasons to go straight to IVF and skip IUI. My FS told DH and i that the only reason we would go straight to IVF would be if DH sperm came back with bad morphology and/or mobility. It would be in that instance that IUI would not be worth the time and money. But they came back fine so we have been told to try the IUI for now.

**belle333** · March 14th, 2008, 07:27 PM

Hi Lynros

I am the same age as you. Did 4 x clomid but didn't work although I do know that I ovulate each month. Had lap and hysto - so know everything is fine.

I was happy to move straight to IVF our FS really didn't discuss anything else but stressed the point that by age 37 fertility really starts to drop off. I decided that I didnt want to waste any more time, I'd like more than one child if lucky enough. Although I would dearly loved to have conceived naturally. I have to admit I never thought that IVF would be something I would have to consider.Whodda thunk it?

But truth is its up to you!! You do what you need to, do what is right for you.

**numa** · March 15th, 2008, 10:41 AM

Hi ladies,
I haven't posted for sometime but I'm still keeping up to date with all your stories and progress. You are all a wonderful support mechanism for each other and I'm grateful to have found this site of wonderful ladies.
I was hoping I could get some of your opinions or advice

When I last posted, I had just completed by 3rd round of clomid with no success. DF and I had discussed that we would next move on to IUI. When we met with our FS and told him our decision he basically talked us into IVF and before we knew it our details had been sent through to the IVF clinic ready for us to make an appointment. We had always throught that IVF would be the very last course of action for us, and it threw us when we realised it had come to thisl
Anyway, we recently had our meeting with the nurse co-ordinator at the IVF clinic so she could inform us of the procedure etc. Luckily, I was familiar with most of it due to your lovely posts, so nothing came too surprising..... except that we were told to expect to do 3 cycles of IVF - as about 80% of couples fall pregnant after 3.
I'm just wondering does anyone think that jumping from clomid straight to IVF is the right thing, or do we owe it to ourselves to try other alternatives such as IUI? I've also noticed some of you referring to OI - what is this? Can somebody please explain.
I've also noticed that a lot of you are recommending acupunture for infertility. Is there anyone you could recommend in Sydney in the western suburbs, as I'd like to give this a go if you think it might help.
I'd really appreciate any advice.

Hi lynros

I just read your post, and thought I would add my thoughts. I am the same age as you and hubby and I have been trying for over 18 months. We have "unexplained" infertility... We were planning to try IUI after chlomid but after a short break of herbs and natural methods we decided to start on IVF. I'm glad we did because sometimes your first IVF cycle can show what is going wrong - we had issues with our eggs and sperm "failing to bind" (sperm sticking to the egg basically). Only 1 egg fertilised and that didn't make it, the rest just languished! The "cure" for this is ICSI. When I look back I know we made the right decisions at the time, but as I get closer to 37 I do kind of wish we had found this out earlier. Also I wish I had known this was a possible cause of infertility, it isn't something that seems to get discussed.

Ultimately, you need to arm yourself with information then make the decision you feel best about. You should never feel pressured into anything!

**izzylou** · March 15th, 2008, 04:32 PM

Hi Ladies,

Hope you're all having a good weekend . I have my first BT & scan on Monday and I forgot to ask if I needed to take anything with me. Is there anything you recommend I take or need to do before hand?

Also, is it normal to be exhausted and teary at this point? I'm up to day 7 of the injections....

Thanks greatly..

**plc1805** · March 15th, 2008, 05:15 PM

Izzylou - can't help u with ur quations but thinking of u love and wishing u all the courage and best in the world!

numa, belle333, paula (name buddy

), TL, lynros - found ur posts interesting as I may or may not be facing that type of treatment in future - GL lynros!!

Have been a little lo today. Friend of mine came to visit with her newborn - great for a cuddle but the bub is similar age to what my #2 would have been (2nd m/c). our #1s are the same age. she also spoke of getting on the go soon for #3. Have been really down ever since she said that - she is same age as me - I feel like her life is the one I wanted for myself. I scream so hard on the inside in times like these - it hurts.

**tiggerlinda** · March 15th, 2008, 06:09 PM

PCL

Hun I know how you feel if you look at my blog you will see a post about my nephew and visiting him at Christmas. My sis confirmed her preg the day after we got an BFN on IVF and he was born a week after my early MC. Hang in there it will be your turn soon

**~BecD~** · March 15th, 2008, 06:14 PM

I feel so horribly sick right now. I have been feeling nauseus and bloated all week but it has reached a new level today. Also have chest pain and a headache. The clinic says it's all from the drugs and after EPU it will calm down.

Have started my progynova tablets this morning, trigger injection is 8pm tonight, really not looking forward to that. Then into the clinic tomorrow morning for a blood sample to use in the embryo culture. EPU monday morning at 8m.

Sorry for no personals - really need to lie back down

Oh and in other news, I became an aunt again on Thursday night. Tried to be happy for them but failed miserably. Trying not to think too much about it.

**belle333** · March 15th, 2008, 06:59 PM

Hey BecD

You are nearly there, not long to go now. (I too felt like crap, symptoms were a little different). Good Luck hope you get lots of good eggies!!

**tiggerlinda** · March 16th, 2008, 09:15 AM

Bec

Oh sweet nieces and nephews make it hard but don't bash yourself up

So sorry drugs are making you sick GL with EPU hoping this is the cycle for you

Linda

**~BecD~** · March 16th, 2008, 09:24 AM

Thanks for the support guys

Trigger injection ended up being a piece of cake, off to the clinic now for my bloods.

The aunt situation is complicated. This is my brother & his gfs third child, and they are still 19 years old. A whole barrel of laughs there.

**tiggerlinda** · March 16th, 2008, 09:26 AM

Good luck with BT glad trigger was not so bad

**izzylou** · March 16th, 2008, 05:14 PM

Hi Bec,

Hope all goes well tomorrow! So glad to hear the trigger went well. I understand the Aunt thing. My sister told everyone when she named my neice that I was too old to have kids so she had to take on the responsibility of passing the family name on.She was 20 & I was 23. I'm now 32!

**lynros** · March 16th, 2008, 07:12 PM

Thank you TL, Paula, Belle and Numa for your thoughts and advice

. All of you are right, it is a decision that we will need to make together about what's best for us. Numa I read with interest your previous posts, and we too have unexplained infertility. I have often layed in bed at night self diagnosing myself, and have often thought my DF's little guys, mustn' t like my little eggies (because I do ovulate) - I always use to joke about it and never really thought this could actually be a problem, but after reading your posts, I realise it actually can happen. I don't mean to sound horrible but I'm actually relieved because I always thought I wasn't normal or something - as DF has two children already from previous marriage. I sometimes get in that mindset of 'why is this happening to me?' But I realise that it's not just happening to me. Wishing you all kind journeys and lots of

**tiggerlinda** · March 16th, 2008, 07:20 PM

Lou - if that was my sis I would have killed her! My family always had me as the first one to have a baby but my sis had got in with 2 so far and they are the custest boys

Lyrnos - sweet please don't stress (I know that is easy to say

) IVF just maybe the answer and help and who knows you still may fall pg naturally as well

**izzylou** · March 16th, 2008, 08:12 PM

Lynos - I've gone straight from Clomid to IVF(which we said we'd never do!). My 1st FS told me at our 1st visit that I wouldn't have any probs falling & when I wasn't for my 30th birthday (2 months later)I was a mess. Over the next 2 months they discovered PCOS, then I wasn't ovulating. 6 months later I demanded he test my DH, only to discover my DH has a low SC . We never had any chance of falling pregnant without IVF. I got so sick on the clomid & it really did my head in. We're back with my old FS, who answered all of our questions & it made our decisions easier.

TL - Yes, I wanted to do exactly that. I'm the eldest of 3 and have 2 beautiful neices, from both of my siblings. Mum threatened to send me on a cruise to get pregnant if I hadn't found my DH before 30 & now my friends won't talk about their own baby dreams for fear of upsetting me. no-one believes I can cope....

BTW, had 2 nights of no pain with the injections! YAY!!! Wishing you all a week of positive news!

**tiggerlinda** · March 17th, 2008, 07:31 AM

Lou - That is great news on the injections. Friends are funny what they don't understand is that it is no thier child you want but your own. I have been really open and honest with my friends re IVF and we all talk babies together now but it too awhile. Good luck with the cycle.

Me - Well lap tommorrow at 12 just taking it easy on the couch today I have a wedding sampler for me and DH which I plan to do, a jumper for DH to knit (my first) and a blankie to crochet for a friends baby. DH thinks I am made I went post anathesic craving shopping on Saturday and bought all the things I love for next week. There has been some pain on my right ovarie since the last cycle so I would not be surprised if they find a cyst or endo there. Just praying all goes well and this brings our baby our way