Long Term TTC & Assisted Conception ~ December 2006

Hi All,

Loula, thanks so much for your reply. We've had two FET cycles cancelled now, so looks like it will be HRT for me. Did you find it made you put on weight at all? I know this sounds like a very superficial and shallow question, but I put on 4 KG in my first IVF cycle and that made the BFN news much harder to deal with!

Ltl Panda - I guess the counselling probably differs from clinic to clinic (we are at Sydney IVF). DH and I spent about 1.5 hours with the counsellor on our first visit to the clinic. The counsellor was really trying to make sure we understood that IVF can take a very long time, and also that we didn't have our hopes up too much for success on our first go. We failed on both counts, I think the counsellor thought we were incredibly naive (which we were!!). Other than that I didn't hear from her again until I got my BFN, then it was great to have a chat to her and know that the counselling service is there if needed.

Good luck! And thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome here. I wish I had found this site 6 months ago!

Cheers,
RG

Holly - just wanted to pop in and congrats you with your surgery. i too have a lot of surgery and my fs did not remove it as it was not in my uterus and that i would need a bowel prep as its all stuck together, but im hoping it will be the last surgery that i will need. very exciting that one of your tubes is giving you a glimmer of hope. good luck honey.xx

RG - I didnt put on much weight at all with the HRT but like you with my first IVF stim cycle i stacked it on and i believe this was due to my PCOS but i have been on Metformin on and off since i was 13yrs old!!and at the time of our first cycle i was off it, but since ive been taking it i have managed to keep my weight down i know its naughty but its my magic diet pill!!my PCOs is only low level but i still suffer with some of the effects of it.

Ltl Panda - sorry i missed your post!!i was very nervous for the councelling that we had but it was nothing to worry about although when we changed clinics we had to go through it again and i made good use of it and proberly didnt do the right thing but went full out and told DH what i was really feeling about a few things.lol he then did the same in return. i think the counceller was a little shocked we didnt hold back but she did help us work out a few stratiges to put into place, like getting a cleaner while doing treatment but a)we cant afford it and b)im too embarrased to let someone see the mess its already in.lol

hi to all others and good luckxx

Thanks Shaz! DH and I have discussed our decision long and hard and we know its the right thing to do. We were definitely convinced over christmas as Alana has been affected by the smoke from the fires and we ended up taking her to emergency christmas eve for a bad cough. I can tell you that CF is not taking my child at 35.

RG I am also amazed at what the can test for. All I can say is thank goodness they can test for it. Good luck with your next cycle.

Good Luck to everyone else. I hope that there are many BFP's in here for 2007!!

Goodmorning

All I have to say is that you ladies really inspirational, each and every one of you is going through some tough things and you seem to stay pretty positive. The more I read on everyone’s post I get so motivated and look at things from a different perspective.
Iris – you are one tough mama.

In terms of weight gain, I have gained an approx 5kg while on the provera and Gonal f injections. I think most is due to water retentions as I can fluctuate a whole kg in one day.
What do they look for when they test you for POC’s ? I have been given the all clear, but why do I not ovulate, no one has an answer…..Im so frustrated

Thanks Ltl Panda! I have always tried to look at the positive side of things and not to dwell to long on the negatives, otherwise you can do your head in. Having a child with a serious illness can really put things into perpective.

Have they tested you for other things apart from PCO?

My sister in law (my brother's wife) has PCOS and they had been trying for a baby for about 7 years. She did the whole chlomid thing etc etc and then started IVF. It wasn't full stim cycle, but she still injected, not sure exactly. On their sixth try they got a BFP. They are now 13 weeks with twins! They had a scan today and they are doing great. Just thought you all would like to hear a positive story.

I guess im already feeling like I dont belong in here, you have all gone through so much and Im just starting out with all these tests.

Well we had our appointment and the GP was lovely. She gave us some options she could start some testing or give us a referral but there is a long waiting list for the FS. She did also tell us any tests she does will be repeated by the FS as thats their protocol. Decided on the spot to get something done now as she did point out that it could be just that small (I hope so). So yesterday she gave me an internal, found my cervix & prodded around! I had a swab & pap smear. Bloods to be done this week and an internal U/S next week. She wrote in the sheet- primary infertility, with "? polycystic ovaries" Also it got DH butt into gear and his results have all come. back fine.

HI to all - hope everyone is well.....

Lt Panda - Good luck as you start on this crazy journey. Hope its a short stay.

Loula - Happy to hear from you again. Glad to hear youve taken a break and plan more. DH & I are big travellers and have managed to still take 6 OS trips whilst we have been on IVF (3ish yrs). Every time we plan a trip I think to myself "if I fall prganant and cant go - who cares! AT least I will have achieved my other dream of falling pregnant." (Just make sure your travel insurance covers it so you dont lost your money.)

Holly - Great to hear you got such positive outcome from your sugery. I hope that you have great success. I am also using herbs & acupuncture. Are you taking that relaly foul smelling medicine. It smells like someone mixed cigarette butts with fertiliser!! But I know its doing me good, in fact I always feel a bit heady (like I am tipsy) just after I take it.:lol: Also no worries on the Safety net - please to hear you were already under control.

Summer - Please dont feel out of place, you are most welcome here - and clearly you have a reason to be here in the first place, although I wish this wasnt the case - for all of us:rolleyes:

On the weight gain thing - I am normally quite slim around 58 kg/172 cm, but I gain up to 5 kg every cycle, & its really obvious. In fact I am sure most people think I am already preg and just not saying. It usually falls off again when AF arrives, but perhaps not all of it. Of course like said from others its mostly fluid.

I am only day 2 of Lucrin (I cant use Synarel) and cant wait to get to the FSH injections, bringing me one step closer to my dream. Bring it on....

:hello: I guess I finally need to join in here.

We've been TTC for just over a year, but only three months in we discovered that I have PCOS, and then a few months after that we discovered that my DH has his own share of problems with his SA showing a triple defect, which all stems from a varicocele. We saw a FS for the first time in December, and just had our second appointment today, and the news was not good. I had spectacularly bad results from the glucose tolerance test, and the hormone tests that were done are much worse than what showed originally in March. We'll be commencing IVF with ICSI shortly. Meanwhile, I have to go back on the pill (it was that or provera, which did not agree with me last time), and I just can't get my head to adjust to going back on the pill as the first step here - it seems really, really strange to be taking the pill when you want nothing more than to fall pregnant at last.

I hope to get to know you all better soon.

BW

Morning

Iris, to answer your question, they did test me for PCO's. I had to do a blood test and ultrasound.

I have the same symptoms as someone with PCO but it has not been confirmed, can they miss this on tests.

butterfly_warrior - I too had a glucose test and my sugar level dropped really low, I also do not ovulate, are these the reasons that you were told you have PCO.

I also find that when I do the gonalF injections, I am able to control my weight better. I guess the hormones help.

Anyways, we all seem to be on the same road, I just hope it will be ashort one.

Take care.

Ltl Panda, I do have polycystic ovaries which was seen only on an internal ultrasound. That alone wasn't enough, though. My testosterone levels are elevated, my FSH/LH ratio is all whacked out, and then there's the insulin resistance that showed up with the GTT, it's really only when all that is put together that they can confirm PCOS. You don't need to have PCO to have PCOS, it's the insulin resistance that causes it. How did your insulin levels go during your GTT? That was the key to figuring out that I'm insulin resistant.

I too hope that it is a short path... but my DH is really quite confused by the whole process and is somewhat reluctant to get started on it all. I gave him the swimming upstream book today, hopefully that will help him cope a little better.

BW

Hi butterfly_warrior
All i know that it dropped pretty low. The thing is, I have had many ultrasounds but only one tested me for Insulin resistance, but he did not requast an ultrasound. I might have to go back to my gyno and get him to test me again.
They checked out my hormones and they are all supper low, like you can realistically say nothing. They made no mention of elevated testosterone levels. I guess that is a pretty strong indicator if I was to have PCOS.

Thanks heaps chick

To all others, hope everyone is doing ok.

Hi Ladies!

Just wanted to pop in & say Hi!
Welcome, again to everyone new, I hope you are starting to feel at home here! (Don't get too comfy though, we don't want any of us here for too long!;) )

I just wanted to send out some thoughts and hugs to Butterfly Warrior:hugs:
I've just been catching up on some of the posts, and you just sound so stressed and down... to reach IVF after such a long time of trying other things is so hard to deal with initially.
I remember feeling like you do now, and with all of your problems with work on top of everything I just want to say that you're doing great keeping it together!
I am a teacher, too but in a different situation to you - I teach piano privately, so I'm only dealing one on one with students, but I do have my fair share of 'trying' parents!!!!!
I don't know how your clinic works, but definately look into how early you can make appointments once you start IVF - we did all of ours first thing in the mornings, because DH wanted to be at every appointment, and has changed jobs so much during the last 4 yrs (real estate, gotta love it) he wasn't in a position to ask for large amounts of time off work.
I'm not sure whats best for you, but I did tell most of the parents of my students... not so much specifically about the IVF, but just that I was having a lot of medical treatment done, and that seemed to allow everyone to be understanding, but at the same time to back off a little because they weren't sure of exactly what we were having done. (It also stopped the way too constant question of 'When are you going to give Luke a baby brother or sister?')
I realise teaching in a school full of gossipy teachers is a lot different to my situation, but I definately had my share of those parents like that as well!
The only time I really had to take off was the day for EPU and transfer... I just left it till the day and got DH to call my students that morning to say I wasn't feeling well.
I know this is such a long post, but I was also reading through everything else you are dealing with involving your body being all over the place... just wondering if you have had any alternative treatment to help? (Acupuncture, chinese herbs, etc?)
I only ask because I was all over the place, too and after having the natural therapies on top, it fixed all of this.
The acupuncture worked miracles for my mood swings, and my ability to deal with children, which is one of your major concerns.
If you tell the acupuncturist this is a concern for you, they will work on specific points for calmness and control. I don't think I would have got through it without it!!!!!!
Anyway, I'd better stop writing before I end up with a short novel here!!!
Hope any of that helps you xxxx
Holly xxx

Hi girls -

Quick Hi to all and just wanted to say to Butterfly warrior not to be concerned about needing to take the pill, Ive been on IVF for some time now and have been asked to take the pill for periods of 8 weeks in between IVF cycles. In fact i am taking it now. You will probably find they will give you a low dose one. It generally just gives your reprodcutive organs a rest - particuarly from the things that cause the PCOS to get slowly worse each month. Apparenlty the old wives tale of the pill staying in your system for months meaning its hard to fall pregnant is a load of rubbish. So dont worrry about it - its a common part of IVF protocol.

Hi girls,

Hope you all had a great xmas and New Year - Darwin was great, had a great time except on the way back into Adelaide our plane got hit by lightening which was pretty scary! I've had some kind of virus thing since i've been back but i'm feeling alot better today and am now back at work. Not much happening here, waiting for our next FS appointment (3 weeks) to find out when our first IVF cycle will be, in the mean time continuing with acupuncture etc and just going with the flow!

Looks like there a few newbies joining us (and a few familiar faces) - welcome guys hope your stay here is a short one.

Must get back and do some work, will be back later for personals.

Thanks so much for the warm welcome and the support! I really do appreciate it! It makes this whole transition a *lot* less scary.

I've been having acupuncture for a while now - I've just returned from an appointment now, in fact, and I feel immensely better for it. She didn't even need to hit the spots she normally uses to calm me down (which always seem to hurt like hell!), but we did spend half an hour just talking over everything that was said yesterday. The fact that the acupuncturist I've grown to know and love and rely on heavily in all this agrees with the FS on all things except for the varicocele repair is comforting and makes getting my head around the whole thing much easier. We're taking a slightly longer term view with the varicocele repair... use the IVF+ICSI to get somewhere now, but long term the aim is for me to continue to work on the PCOS and insulin issues so that I will continue to become healthier not only through the IVF process and pregnancy, but we've got to look at this as a lifestyle change for the rest of my life... the hope is that with the varicocele fixed and me getting everything sorted out, that in the future we'll be in a better state to attempt natural conception once again.

Hollybolly, thanks so much for all that information - it does make me feel a whole lot better about my ability to cope with it all while working.

Dreambub, as much as the logical, sensible side of my brain could see the reasoning behind going back on the pill for a bit, the more emotive side of things was just screaming about it! This is the same one that I was taking before (I took a slightly higher dose for most of my 13 years on the pill, but the last few were on this lower dose one), and I did notice that once I went off it, my weight was so much harder to control, so I can certainly see the advantages of being on it during this time when we're trying to get everything sorted out to start. It's also a bit of a relief to give up the temping for a bit - it's second nature to me now to reach for the thermometer as soon as I wake up, so I will have to put it somewhere else so I actually stop... but I'm looking forward to just ignoring it for a while.

Boo... :hug: matey. I'm glad there's some familiarity here at least!

BW

Looks like there are quite a few new girls in here which is good, we can all start out together.

Just thought I'd pop in to tell you i just did my first injection :D Was so easy and didn't hurt at all. I'm feeling a bit proud right now!

I've realised this week that having so many friends who've done IVF definately has it's down side. The things I've done this week to keep my big secret include:

* Wearing a cardigan in 40 degree Sydney heat to cover a massive bruise on my arm from my last bt so the girls wouldn't see it

* Lying to my friends (and MIL) about why I had to catch an earlier train to work

* Lying to my friends about missing the train because I had to smuggle home my big blue cooler bag containing my injections

* Trying to come up with a viable excuse to miss a dear friend's kitchen tea because I think that's the day of our transfer

So all in all, feeling like a bit of a scoundrel :rolleyes: I know I am doing the right thing for me though. I don't need the whole world sitting around waiting for the outcome.

Holly - I'm glad your surgery went well. I had a very similar surgery in November - same problem (stoopid adhesions). My right side is all clear (FS reckons 5% chance per cycle of natural conception) but left side is NOT good. Damaged tube and ovary (had a large cyst removed from my left side in May 06 which is what has caused all the damage).

BW and I are old friends, we've been hanging out together in the clomid/met thread for a while (for too long really!) but now we're here and giving ourselves the best possible chance BW. Glad to have you along for the ride!

I'm sorry for not doing more personals, I think I need a bit more time to get to know everyone first.

I'd better go before I melt. Our PC is in the hottest room of the house and it's a scorcher here tonight.

Take care everyone.

:) More friendly faces! Willow, I'm glad the injections aren't as painful as I was imagining! I think it's still going to be a while before we start for real, though... I'm so sick of feeling hot, and feeling sick, I'm just glad there's a bit of a change expected through tonight. I think I want to go back to the strangely cool summer weather we were having.

BW

BW, I promise you, the needles are nothing to be anxious about. I was nervous, but not about it hurting, i was worried about stuffing up my dose etc. It really is fine once you know how.

The weather has been horrid! I hope that cool changes comes through soon. Today is looking a bit better but hard to tell this early.

HI guys......long time no talk......I have kinda been hibernating away from the belly threads having a mental break before we start IVF. I hope everyone is doing well and heading that bit closer towards those elusive BFPs. As for me it is cycle day 3 today (oops cycle day four - it's after midnight ). I start the BCP on Wednesday and then we are into the down reg cycle full swing.
How's this for luck though.....As you can read from my sig we are getting married on February 24th. Well, count 42 days from Saturday just gone and what do you get - February 24th......we are timed to have an egg pick up on our wedding day - OMG!!! I reckon that is just a classic!
Because we are having PGD, thay can only do one patient a day through the specialised microscopes and testing machinery so they will have to manipulate the cycle to fit the EPU in with the timetable so I said can we kinda try to avoid that weekend. They are now going to leave me on the pill for an extra week so now EPU will be around 2nd March, which is when Hubby is supposed to be in Sydney at the annual trade fair!!! You can't win I tell ya. I told him he will have to make his deposit and then catch a fast plane up there later....hehehe.

Willow congrats on the needles, I know for a lot of people it is a big deal so a huge woohoo. For me it is not quite so daunting, having type one diabetes means many needles a day so one more here or there is nothing but I can understand other people not being so enamoured of them. My biggest issue is the synarel spray. I have a really dodgy stomach and anything that tastes bad will set me off so I am the nutta who has asked to take lucrin injections instead!! Oh and welcome BW, nice to see you have moved over from the clomid thread - well not nice to see you, you should be on the ark by now as we all should, but you know what I mean.

Glad to hear you surgery went well Holly, I can't scroll back any further so I hope everyone is doing well, Shaz, Megan, Boo, Zap, 2Mums, Jo, Pauline, Macca and anyone else I missed. Welcome Ltl Panda, RainbowGirl, Holly and especialyy to Lara - glad to see you have taken the plunge and joined us in here. That's a bumma about Alana not coping well with the smoke, I was wondering how she was getting along, we must have another meetup soon to catch up. Baby dust and sticky vibes to everyone - I have a feeling in my waters that 2007 is going to be OUR YEAR!!

P.S. any ideas on what to do with mothers who say they want to do the bridal dresses and then want to do them their way not the way I want them - friggin riggin aaargh!!!!

Hi all,

I just wanted to let you all know that tiggy has recently joined the LT forums as a moderator. Tiff used to to inhabit the LTTTC forums when I was there and is the most wonderful, sympathetic ear if you ever need one!

I've been a little MIA lately, for which I need to apologise. But I'm back and hoping to catch up!

love
sushee

Hey Mel!Thanks for the welcome. We definitely need to catch up soon.

Just a question for anyone. When you did your first cycle did you have to wait long to get a place? We have our 2nd app with the FS on the 29th. In fact I think I would like to start in April after we come back from Tassie. Do they allow you to choose? It gives me some more time to loose abit more weight.

hi guys,
i am about to embark on IVF on 29 Jan. well our first appointment with Dr Mazzucchelli of Concept fertility clinic. I am getting so nervous! we already have two gorgeous boys but i have had a tubal ligation and we REALLY want to have another! Its great to have found this forum and you guys all seem so supportive of one another and i guess for people who want to keep it to themselves they can find some relief here. I am so nervous of the injections and procedures and hope we will be accepted into the clinic as i am only 41kgs and have always been a featherweight( which really sux!)anyway enough about me i hope you are all healthy, happy and relaxed

Cheers.:lol:

Hi and welcome sonya. I went to Concept too after trying for 4 years after a (failed) tubal ligation reversal. I saw Dr Nichols there. I personally think you're in great hands with that particular clinic!

It's been a day of very mixed news here... DH interviewed for a new job, and got offered it on the spot! :eek: It pays more than the current company, which is fantastic news when we are about to embark on IVF! Add that to the new teaching award I'm under which also gives us more money, plus DH being paid all the holiday pay that is owing to him as he leaves the current company... I'm feeling a whole lot more comfortable about this! We had enough in savings to get us through the first stim cycle and a transfer or two, but with this news, I at least know we're not going to be wiping out *all* of our reserves.

But... I've also found out that DH is going to be away for a couple of days in March... it's probably not going to be a problem, but I just don't know what the timetable is to know when I can expect EPU.

I'm currently on the pill, and have been told to stay on the active tablets up until the 8th of February when our next appointment is. I'm not entirely sure whether I'll start straight away, or need to have AF, then start, I just can't get my head around all the different protocols and time frames which all assume that I'll know when I'm going to get AF... I guess I will know, as it will be coming off the pill now, but I'm thoroughly confused!

Can anyone help an IVF newbie out with what I can expect from here?

BW

BW,

I am thinking that you're probably going to start cycling in early to mid Feb? If so, you're DH will have to be there only on the day of EPU, and that's usually only about 14 days from the first day of AF. And if it looks like he may not be (Murphy's Law), then you can get his sample frozen ahead of time if need be.

Ok... with the days DH will need to be away being the 17th and 18th of March, we should be fine, unless they want to stretch me out to suit their timetable, or something. It's all the tiny little details which are worrying me now. I've been told that my doctor only does EPU on Fridays, if it needs to be done on another day, then one of the other doctors does it... I'm not sure I like the idea of some random doctor I've never met before doing my EPU - but I'm not sure how easy it is to manipulate things to happen specifically on a particular day.

I can see myself generating an enormous list of questions before the next appointment!

BW

Hello ladies!:hello:
I'm new to bb and this thread but having just read back a page or 2, I feel like I will be comfy with you all in no time!! A little about myself: I'm in country SA and go to repromed in Adelaide. We tried IVF and ICSI about 6 years ago, a few times and have had a break (for mental health reasons!!! as I'm sure many of you understand) and have done the naturopath stuff etc. We are just embarking on the IVF journey again and have found Repromed has undergone many changes since we were last there. Also, goody goody for us, the testing they can do now has improved a lot. Hubby has low and mostly imotile:sperm: but I seem to be pretty ok:egg:wise. We are in the process of having Y deletion tests and carrier type test: that came back today as "Normal" so hopefully YDeletion will come back ok too and we can continue to use DH sperm. We have been told we will be going to start cycle at end-of-febAF so should be :fertilise: some time near my birthday!! what a nice pressie a BFP would be in time for DH b'day.
Is there anyone in this group that has been TTC for as long as me? Am I the world record holder? I feel a little alone and am having a tough time this last year with friends and rellies with babes and preggers, so am hoping to get to know you all well soon.
thanks for listening,

Hello ladies a quick one from me as i have to get going to work!!(first week back)

Well i was right about all my posts b4 im gonna have a hard time this year, for those of you that dont know, i work in a babys room and have been placed in there for the second year, but this year there are NO walkers and i have found the lifting a struggle already. The girl i work with is wonderful and caring and wants to help me and do everything but thats not fare on her. I spoke to my boss several times at the end of the year and she just said you'll be right!!!!

I spoke to my old boss and she said that she couldnt understand y she was doing that knowing that i have been on light duties so much over the last few years, i dont know what to do im feeling very stressed about it all, and i have just been permoted so i dont want to be whinging. What do you girls thing?

Also wanted to say i called my nurse and im doing a natural cycle which i have never done b4 - so im looking forward to the differences.

have a great day and talk later xx

Eeep! I'm afraid that I don't have any real suggestions, loula. Although, I am wondering if a medical certificate from a doctor would allow you to switch permanently to another room where there is less lifting? It's not as though this is a minor problem we are dealing with here... but I can imagine how you don't want to make waves after the promotion. I'm a high school teacher, and I spent term 4 of last year battling to be able to keep my job, and now I'm going to walk in this year and tell them I'm about to start IVF - just the principal and my head of department, but it's still a daunting prospect! Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

A natural cycle is where you take no medications and just wait for ovulation to occur, then put an embryo back? I don't suppose that would ever be an option for me, as I simply don't ovulate at all. Although, my FS did mention that he only uses injections for full cycles with EPU (I've got so much to learn here!), but for transfers, he likes to allow the body to produce it's own hormones, but doesn't use clomid... so I'm really wondering how he's going to deal with someone like me - he does know about the complete lack of ovulation! I can only guess that there's another drug that works in a similar way, that I haven't heard of yet.

BW

Hi sazzafrazz,

I'm afraid you're probably not the record holder for how long you're been on the rollercoaster. There is another thread Long Term Assisted Conception here, for those who have been undergoing IVF for a long time, and there are many there who have tried for while now. I was one myself.

Feel free to post in either thread, as I'm sure you'll find support from those going through the same things as you are. Good luck for the results of your upcoming tests and roll on you Feb cycle!

Loula, I would still talk to your boss again. Just keep reminding her that you need to be on light duties. I think it's in our nature as women not to want to rock the boat, but you know you'd forever be wondering if you could have been more assertive if you don't talk to her and get it resolved. Good luck, matey!

hi all

i've kinda been stalking you all (in the bestest way possible) for a couple of weeks, and it's now official that i join your ranks as someone undergoing assisted conception, so i guess i should introduce myself - have had an astronomical number of tests recently when clomid wasn't working, and after the latest BT this morning, was given the news that i have to start synarel for IUI prep. i've known for a while that this was a possibility (probability!), but after getting the news today, i'm in two minds as to how i feel - on one hand, i'm happy that we have a plan of attack, and time frame of where we're going, but on the other hand, i'm feeling - i don't know - almost depressed! i have known for a long time that there was something up the creek with my cycle, but i guess even through the treatment on clomid and stuff i hoped that nature might step in again and we'd not have to go through this...:confused: i think a lot of my stress at the moment is work related, but DH and i have decided that, if work gives me too much grief, he'll go back to his old job, and then we can afford for me to either cut extra days or (if things get too bad) quit altogether (hehehe - stress dealt with!)

anyway, enough moping - i pick up the script for synarel tonight and we're off! i've decided this is going to be a positive experience - we're working toward a :bfp: - and that's GOT to be something to look forward to!

i have met a few of the girls in this thread in the metformin/clomid thread - looking forward to getting to (briefly) know the rest of you - let's hope that none of us is in here too long!:lol:

Ooooh another one of my clomid friends - welcome BG!

About the synarel, the thing I meant (in the other thread) was it tastes horrid, that's all. It's not too bad and apart from feeling a bit irritable in the first week or so, I haven't had any side effects.

Not much happening here. Have another bt in the morning to see where we're at. I'm guessing my epu will be sometime next week?? Freaking about a bit about it now, I must admit. This will be the 3rd time in 9 months I've gone under a general and I'm a bit over it to be honest! I don't get sick or anything so that's a bonus I guess. I'm terrified of waking up and seeing that number on my hand. The closer my epu gets the more I am thinking about the possiblity of going through all of this and being lucky enough to fall prg and then having another m/c. I don't think I would survive that. Guess I just need to try and stay positive, there's really not much else I can do.

Loula - I think BW had a good idea with that medical certificate - if you got one from your FS or GP wouldn't they have to accept it and change your working conditions accordingly? It's a hard thing to stand up for yourself, I hate confrontation.

Lara - we didn't have to wait at all to start our cycle. Just happened that our follow up appt with our FS (after my latest lap) happened at the right time in my cycle (albeit a bit rushed thru due to xmas/new year) and we started straight away.

I just wanted to post a quick welcome to all the new girls that have taken the big move to this thread recently! Welcome! :D
I do want to get to personals, but there's so much to catch up on I have to go and read all the posts properly!! ;)
But, popping in to say I'm still around, I survived christmas and have an FET coming up soon. Start OPK's on Saturday and will have FET 3 days after O. Here we go again!!

BW- Congratulations on your husbands new job. Having that extra money will certainly make things less stressful. Also, my list of questions seem to be getting longer and longer. I was overwhelmed on the first app and didn't really ask much.

Loula- I agree with BW, maybe a medical certificate from your doctor. You don't want to be hurting yourself in the middle of an IVF cycle, its stressful enough.

Willow- Thanks. I guess if you were able to start so quickly then they wouldn't mind us starting in April. All round it would be better for Frank and me to start then. Honestly I know this sounds weird, but I think I need a little more time to get my head around having to do IVF.

Anyway hi to all the other new girls! Talk to you all soon.

I feel rather bad as I siad im here, and then havnt come back again since. Well have had my hormonal and routine bloods taken. So far all I know there are some things the dr wants to discuss with me. Thats all the receptionsist would say. So then self diagnoised with about a million things that could be wrong. Managed to work through not making another appointment. Ive had an external ultra sounds and a transvaginal one done too. I cant change anything but will find out tomorrow what is actually going on. DH is being supportive.
I guess off all the things the DR said Ive had to do, ive done so far, so all will be revealed tomorrow. Less than 24 hours to go!

Hope all you girls are going well all considering everything.

summer - good luck with your appointment tomorrow - will be so much better to have an actual diagnosis rather than all the things we all tend to self-diagnose!

willow - thanks for the info re the nasal spray - started it this morning, and by the time i drove half hour to work i was feeling pretty ordinary - but i'm not sure if it was the spray or being at work that did it! i'll have to see how things progress the next few days. as you said, the taste is pretty ordinary, but i figure if i clean my teeth around the same time, it shouldn't linger too long!

to everyone else - would love to do more personals, but have a heap to do and DH is almost finished cooking dinner - might pop back later tonight!

Hope your appt goes well tomorrow Summer :)

Good luck tomorrow Summer.

Hi Girls,

I know i'm really a clomid/IUI girl now but i think it may only be temporarily. I took the 50mg from day 3 to 7 and i had the day 11 ultrasound yesterday. Results were 1 x 18mm and 2 x 14mm follies. Triggered last night and IUI tommorow morning.

Doctor says that it was a pretty good result considering i am a poor responder to stimulants (First cycle got 2 follies on 150iu and 8 follies on 300iu of Gonal F). Along with the fact that my estogen on my natural cycle in november was only 520 and this time it is 1600!!!

Even tho it appears that i have 3 good follies, my doctor said that next time i should really have another go at IVF with ICSI due to my poor egg quality....(only 2 out of the 8 eggs fertilised, and they grew slowly, only 4 and 5 cells on day 3).

So at the moment Kim and I are thinking of taking a break, losing some weight, and saving up for another IVF/ICSI cycle. Not really sure about the ICSI tho. Maybe it will help with my eggs being slow, maybe my eggs use up all their enegy fertilising which could be energy saved with ICSI. Or maybe all my eggs will be toast by getting ICSI...really hard to decide.

Kind of thought that after having the HSG and flushing my tubes that i would be able to conceive without IVF eventually....when my doc mentioned the donor sperm he said he had two vials left, one for this insemination and that i should think about doing IVF with the last vial, or just throwing the towel in. Then he said the fact that we were back in his office that we sort of didnt want to do that.

I felt a little upset at that comment, i mean i have really only had 3 tries at conceiving with him. Maybe he thinks that i really dont have much of a chance at all of ever conceiving or maybe they dont want to waste anymore sperm on me...I just feel really confused at the moment.

Sorry about the down post ...

Hi Ladies!!!

Just thought I would pop in and say a quick hello to you all.

Megan - Can I just say that I can't believe what your doctor has said to you!!!!
You really haven't had that many attempts enough for him to tell you to think about calling it quits.... God, there are women you hear stories about (and books and tv shows for that matter) that have that many goes you wonder how they still have a functioning reproductive system... and then they end up with a baby at the end........ Whatever you guys do, don't let you doctor allow you to feel negative enough to give up hope.
If and when you guys decide to give up, let it be because thats what you guys have decided - and for your own reasons - not because one doctor out of thousands made you feel like you should doubt yourselves.....
Some doctors make me so mad... they are clever enough to do the job, but bedside manner and personality they just don't have a clue!!
Don't give up.... and change doctors;)

Hi to everyone else - Also I just wanted to say how wonderful everyone on this site is.... I had a look at another site someone had recommended to me, and thought I would post a question or two.... In one of my posts I ended up trying to answer a ladies question, and afterwards I finished the post by saying

"you think after 4 yrs & 4 cycles of IVF I would know more, but I don't, I'm sorry"

Anyway.... a lady posted a reply last night telling me not to complain about 4 yrs and 4 cycles... she told me my experience is nothing, that she'd been doing it longer and that I didn't know what heartache was yet...and to try for another 4 yrs before I did any more complaining or venting....... CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?????!!!!!

I wasn't complaining anyway... just merely pointing out that although I've been doing this for a while now, I still really don't know that much to give this other woman better advice!!!

Oh well, what can you do???!!!!

Thanks so much to all of you ladies for always being so wonderful!!!!
I think I'll just stay here in the safety and comfort of BB from this point on!!!

Hope you guys are all doing ok - Much hugs and best wishes to all of you cycling at the moment xxxx

Holly xxx