Long Term TTC & Assisted Conception May 07 #3

Hi. I'm new here, and a bloke so I really hope this doesn't put anyone off.

Babyface, really hope it works out for you this time, but there is always next time if not. Don't give up and don't freak out. Same for you runnermum. Hi to everyone else - I'm slowly getting through all the threads and replies.

Speaking of freaking out, this IVF caper (and costs) has the ability to turn a sane bloke fully mental. It's not that I can't cope with the idea, I just want to know 100% what it is going to cost. Although now my wife and I have finally got all the ducks lined up and understand how the Medicare Safety Net works, and our private cover etc.

I don't know if this is the right place for introductions so I'll keep it brief. We have been TTC for 12 months and have just recently had tests done. Still waiting on wife's results but IVF doc says all signs are good as her cycle is perfectly normal and she has no other complications. Whereas I have got a good sperm count at 260million+ but 96% of the mongrels have head defects (hope this is not too much info). Why this is the case who knows - I don't smoke, only have a couple of beers a week and am very active and healthy. Think I might start working on my beer gut instead!

W're coping really well and not going crazy or anything. I'm just so annoyed that my wife has to put up with all the IVF treatment whilst I get off scot free, and it's my fault in the first place.

hi babyface fingers crossed for today. i just had a full stimulated cycle with a BFN result. FS told me to wait till AF was over and then with next AF start FET. so by dates my last transfer was 2 may and my next will be near the end of june. about 6 weeks between transfers. and my time is flying along!!

hoping you wont need to know this as you may have a BFP result.

Just dropping in for a quick Hi girls :)
Will come back and catch up on all the news later. :)

Nic

I didn't notice the B-Worrier bit! It's sadly very, very true. Hopefully once I've ovulated and the letrozole-induced anxiety eases up a bit I'll be doing a bit better. I'm slowly digging my way out of the pile of stuff that has built up for work, but I'm refusing to let myself get stressed about deadlines... it will all happen when it happens. My HOD is fully supportive of me taking time out with the transfer coming, it's just a bit of a problem that it potentially will be the same week where we have three different year groups out on camp so losing yet another teacher isn't going to go down well at school... but it's not my problem! I have lots of EWCM today, so I don't think it will be much longer before I get a FET date. I'm hoping tomorrow will be it, but more than likely within the next few days.

Rols, a big welcome to you! It is all a little daunting when you first start out - but it's a steep learning curve and you do pick it all up very quickly. I don't think there's any such thing as TMI when you've been involved in assisted conception - I suddenly find myself talking about all manner of things, and then suddenly thinking "But normal people don't talk about this stuff!". It does change you, it changes your relationship, but I can honestly say that any relationship changes we've had through this have been for the better. I hope you and your wife have a very quick journey through this.

Another big welcome to you, runnermum. Although I do hope that your blood test is positive so you don't have to get comfortable here. As nice as it would be to have you join us, I think we all hope that you get to go join the pregnancy threads instead.

It's been a long day... I'll be back later with more.

BW

hehehe - i had to read back to find the Butterfly Worrier reference too!! cute (and oh so true sometimes!!) - glad you're starting to see signs of O hun - will be good to get an actual transfer date soon so that you can get going again (and brilliant to see that it doesn't look like last month on letrazole was a fluke - you're actually responding the way you're supposed to - WOO HOO!!!)

Babyface - hope you've had great news today hun

Rols - as BW said - it's never too much info - it's a sad reality the amount of things that become common topics for us! hoping that you're able to get started soon! would love to be able to give you some advice with costs, but everyone has different costs depending on how many meds they get, how many snow bubs & which clinic! it would be so much easier if there were a flat cost cos then budgeting would be sooooooo easy! good luck!

Shannon - good luck this week - sounding like a huge week for you!

as for me - well, was at work 7 hours, and 7 trips to the loo, with a lot of "you don't need to go, it's all psychological" comments to my body during the day!! very frustrating! oh well, i'm living in hope (and yet strong denial) that it could all be for a good reason... not much else happening - still feeling like AF is going to arrive any second - but that's been the way i've felt for the last few weeks, so it's becoming habit now - i think it's going to fel very weird when that feeling stops i think!! think i might be getting a bit of a cold (but have been thinking that for a week!) - lots of sneezing and snuffles on and off during the day - and today i felt a twinge of a sore throat - that disappeared - then came, and went - again... i don't think my body wants me to have any confidence in it at all!

Hi there,

l had my blood test today and my reading was 18 and my nurse said that it should be up around the 50's.... l have to now have another blood test this Friday to see if my result reading increases... l've had some more blood when l go to the toilet and a bit of discharge - l'm feeling that this first embryo inplant may not work.... should l keep my hopes up... has anyone had a low reading in their blood test and how did it turn out - possitive or negative..

i'm really hoping that l dont get my period !!!! l felt so empty today, lÃ*ke some how its my fault that l was unable to hold the embryo..... l just feel so empty !! l'm hoping that when l go back on friday my blood test result count increases...

Hi Rols - nice to hear from a guy going through IVF - lts hard on both women and men... IVF is not a cheap process - but in the long run if you walk away with a baby then we would probably pay anything !!! I'm going through the Monash IVF at Epworth in richmond - Melb and all up we have paid about $4,000, but you get 80% back from medicare once you have reached the 1,000 thresh hold..!

The nurse told me that l may have to go through another stim cycle in July - if l get my period this month then on my next period cycle - l should go through another one - as we only have 1 embryo frozen and for some reason if it doesnt survive the thaw then we can do another stim cycle.

Hi Babyface
Just hang in there to Friday...I know it's hard but sometimes all it takes is a couple of days...I've been through an interesting journey of late and what I have learned is that as long as the levels double every couple of days in the beginning that's the main thing...after 5/6 weeks doubling isn't as big of a deal that's when the scans are more informative...I had a cycle that started at 18 too and kept going for 7.5 weeks but unfortunately was an ectopic (which has nothing to do with the '18' so don't worry) FS told me that all would have been good if it had landed in the right spot...so hang in there and lets hope for a big increase on Friday xxx

Hi Ellie – I hope you are ok.
Hi nic – nice to see you still popping in!
BG – I still have all fingers and toes crossed for you. How many more days do you think you will hold out until you test?
Babyface – hope things are OK with you. I can’t help on your questions – I’ve never had a + test either from blood or POAS. Good Luck :crossfingers:

Rols – hi, I hope we can help with some of your questions etc, or even if you just need to vent. It is nice to have people you can talk to who actually know what the words all mean! My DH has tried to get involved with the IVF caper (as you put it) but thankfully he is not the one having to take the drugs etc because he’d probably forget or take the wrong thing. I know he is interested and very invested in the outcome, but he is very very grateful that his involvement is limited. On EPU day last time, he drove us to the hospital, watched some ‘television’ in a nice comfy room, made his contribution, had a pie at the cafeteria, then the nurse gave him a cup of tea, and he drove me home. It was a nice day out for him really! Meanwhile I’m dressed in a hospital gown, in stirrups having follicles removed via needle under anaesthetic! His morphology was 97% abnormal, which was a surprise to us as previously he had passed all his tests with flying colours. Still, it’s good to get all the facts, even if sometimes the news is bad. I found the accounts team at my clinic very helpful in telling us how much it all costs. Also, ICSI is now covered by medicare so we got an extra unexpected $320 back which was nice! Also, apparently you can claim you medical costs on your tax and get 20% back on the bit over a certain amount (I think $1500). Not much, but it might be a few dollars extra back at tax time.
I hope your wife’s results come back good, and good luck with your journey.

Just posted in my journal last night, but will post it here too, my DH got a phone call last night from GP to tell him that his 2nd SA showed no Immautre Germ cells this time! YAY!! She said it was all good :)

Well come back later and try my best to attempt some personals..hope you are all well

Nic

Thanks Jo
All good...D&C tomorrow...still no 100% that I want it but I need some closure too...if I hadn't read about all the drama's other people have had after D&C I wouldn't have been worried...oh well...I love my FS I'm sure he wouldn't be recommending it if I didn't need it...hope all it good with you...looking forward to following lots of BFP in here!!!!

Ellie - i'm sure you are making the right decision for you. Your FS must know you pretty well by now! Wishing you all the best for what must be a tough day ahead.
Nic - that's great news - i never even knew what they were before, but i'll google them now.

Ellie, will be thinking of you tomorrow...lots of hugs..

Jo - I'm still nto entirely sure on what the immature germ cells are myself? I need it dumbed down for me LOL! I know it was suppose to be less than 10 and from memory DH's was 21. Don't know what the 2nd lot of results showed though?

Nic

Hi all

Wow - there is so much happening on this thread with the TWWers and others off for b/ts and waiting for results... and here I am all excited because I started my synarel spray this morning! It all pales in comparison with what everyone else is going through! Oh well, fingers crossed the synarel won't make me any more anxious or moody than I already am on the pill :(

Ellie - good luck for tomorrow. I will be thinking of you. I am sure your FS knows you and what is best and there is nothing wrong with moving on and looking ahead... sometimes that is what is makes the whole journey a bit easier.

Hi Rols - please don't feel like it is all your fault. My DP said that several times when were at the visit with the counsellor. It's not about blame it is about working together as a team to get the outcome you want - a happy and healthy baby! Look forward to chatting with you more.

To everyone else, hi and good luck. Talk soon.

Cheryl :hello:

Thanks Chez...starting synarel IS exciting...it's the beginning of the journey toward that BFP!!! I found it made me really mellow...bit of a spce cadet and really vague...could do with some now hehehe! Hope it goes well...looking forward to following your journey! Best wishes xxx

hehehe - i googled it nic! OMG. I think we'll leave that up to the scientists and lab people. Let's just say it's a great thing that DH is now OK. Some things are never meant to be explained to the lay person!

Chez - starting Synarel is great. You feel one step closer to realising the dream. I am hopefully going to be one week behind you on the Synarel (or Lucrin? - still undecided!). Hope you don't get any side effects. My only side effect was my poor poor nose. It didn't like the stuff!

Hi girls, I am new to the IVF journey and it was suggested that I post in here.
I am on my 1st IVF cycle and am feeling a little overwelmed by it all am on day 2 of microgynan. I feel very stressed and dont know how to change that. Anyone else feel this way?.
TIA

Hi Blayz
I posted in your other thread, but i just wanted to say that we all have feelings of major stress and being overwhelmed. I find that arming myself with lots and lots of information helps. And don't be too hard on yourself either. Sometimes the drugs make an already hard and emotional time, seem even worse.
Good luck with your nurses appt. I hope thay can put your mind at ease and make you feel a little calmer.

Thanks Jo & Ellie

I hope that the synarel doesn't make me too vague - I have a uni exam on Friday morning and I have taken today off work to do some study. I think I have managed to do everything else but what i should be doing, but that is me at the moment not the synarel. I just find I am so impatient to move onto the next stage (EPU etc) that I don't feel any motivation to do anything else that i should be doing.... very frustrating and of course that just increases my stress levels! AAAAHHHHHH - venting here always helps of course ;)

Blayz - I found that my stress levels were more easily dealt with by increasing my exercise levels. I am even getting a new program at the gym to try and keep myself distracted. The things we do - better than eating too much chocolate I guess, although I did some of that yesterday as well. :D

Take care all.

Cheryl xx

Hey Girls
I don't know that there's a solution..the whole IVF thing absorbs you totally...we invest so much into it...both emotionally and financially...chatting here has helped me heaps...at times I'm more worried for others than myself which is a great distraction and then I suddenly remember I'm on the same rollercoaster. Just be nice to yourself...acknowledge how hard it is...and vent!!! And I always think what a great mum I'll be...if you can juggle all these medications, appointments, jobs, husbands....organising life whith a bub is going to be great...we're just in training!!!!

I am completely freaking out here... My transfer will be on Monday. Thawing on Sunday.

EEEEEK!

BW

Yay, yay, yay! :dance::dance::dance:
Finally you have a date. Very cool. What a week this will be for you!

freaking out in a good way i hope hun!!! this is great news! you've been working towards this step for MONTHS - i get that the unknown is scary, but hun, i've so got my fingers crossed for you!!

ok - restful weekend in order for BW - and Monday off work to take it easy!

good luck hun

Hi i am new here and have been following everyone on here since feb. Wow, what a journey has been for some of you, lots of up and downs. My DH and i have been trying to conceive since Dec 05, and we went through our first round ov IVF in Feb/Mar. DH was away with work os so all on my own. To cut story short, everything went great, made to my first scan at 7.5 weeks and the embryo had died :( had d & c the next week. Now waiting for next period to come... Have appt with FS next Thurs. Has anyone been through same, kinda think maybe after this period then all go ahead to have FET??? Does this sound right.
Good luck BW and how exciting!!! Wow, and also good luck to everyone on here and especially for the 2ww.
Mel

Yippee BW...great new!

Happymel...hi...you and I have just been through the exact same thing...I'm having my D&C tomorrow...we're looking at FET next too...look forward to following your journey :)

Hi Ellie, hope everything goes ok tomorrow. I waited a week inbetween finding out and having the d & c. I am glad that i had one because it can take weeks sometimes months for the bleeding to start. Now am starting to be ok again, even though i am sad lots. But things slowly get better and we are looking forward to trying again. Oooo and we just found out DH has a varicocele so operation for that next week!! Feels like things are starting to happen again!!

Sorry about such a short message. I raced out of one class to answer the phone, then the class finished, then jumped onto the computer in the next class... and then had hoards of kids coming up to my desk wanting help, so I had to get rid of the BB screen real fast!

They'll thaw an embryo on Sunday, and I go for transfer on Monday. In a way I'm glad it's a Monday as I've then got two days to get over the stress factor from work. I guess I'm freaking out because it's happened so suddenly and there's a real chance that it may work. I know how to be the woman with arthritis and CFS and PCOS who can't get pregnant... I don't know how to do anything differently yet... and as much as that's where I want to go, I don't know how to do it... really freaked out and excited, terrified... and just generally incoherent! I still can't get a hold of DH to let him know.

Imagine me running around the room in circles waving my hands in the air and screaming... and you get somewhere close to how I'm feeling right now.

Welcome to Blayz and happymel... glad to have you join us!

BW

Happymel, we're dealing with a varicocele as well. Are you going with ligation (surgery), or embolisation? We had an embolisation attempt last week but the radiologist couldn't get into the right vein. Would be great to talk more about your experience with things too.

BW

Got to close this thread now, ladies. Continue chatting here