Long Term TTC & Assisted Conception ~ July 2007 #3

I will BG. I've been trying to drink more water. I have days where I do really well, and days where I barely get through one bottle. I will be trying extra hard this week...promise! ;)

"Hi Ladies and gent.... I have a question. How Long does it normally take to get your period after taking your final pill????" --
Sorry, can't help you there Chez :) Had to laugh - sounded like you were asking me.

Megan, top work. Hope your levels all stabilise and everything works out well. 24 follies is great.

Mel, I'm inclined to think the same as your DH. I've said to DW that I reckon they (IVF clinics) are pretty keen to pump the numbers through. That said, it's not like our FS pushed us down this road - she did say we could still do it naturally.

As for the medications and how DW is going, I'll let you know in 50 minutes when I terrorise her with her first Lucrin injection!

Hi Rols - it was Mumof5 who asked the question about how long after the pill until a period... but I can see how you thought it was me ;) asking you :doh:

Mumof5 - I found on my first stim cycle that my period was a little later than usual for me so I had a 28 day cycle compared with my normal 26 days. If you are worried about it at all, give the nurses a call and ask their advice as I have only had the one stim cycle.

Megan - best of luck with your EPU and I hope you don't get any OHSS issues that stop a transfer. 24 - Wow you are a follie factory! Take care of yourself hun.

Happymel - welcome back. Glad to hear that things are improving for your DH on his side of things. I understand what Rols means about very little known about male factor infertility. When I was very hormonal last cycle, I did feel a little resentful that I was undergoing all of this treatment (and quickly losing my mind on a daily basis!) while DF was just watching his alcohol free days. We knew that his morphology was a big player in the reason why we were having no luck naturally, but we couldn't rule out my part either. So now DF is taking a mens multi-vit each morning and chinese herbs (capsule form) twice a day, is watching his caffiene intake and has cut back on his red wine making sure he has 3 alcohol free days per week. I am not sure if it made any difference this time around, but here I am in the TWW, so maybe it did. Anyway, taking a mens multi-vit is something you might like to consider if you have 6 wks before your next cycle as it takes about that time to make a difference to sperm quality. We looked at that it couldn't hurt and my FS thought it was worth a try. Whatever you decide, good luck.

Hi to everyone else, hope all is on track for you.
Take care,
Cherylxxx

Chez - sorry! Not sure why I got the two of you mixed up. Oops.

Well first injection went well enough I think. I forgot to inject air back into the bottle, and also forgot to swab the top of the bottle first. but will do better next time. Ther actual injection part was fine, although there was a tiny spot of blood. Don't know if this is normal. DW cried a little, only because I think she was startled to feel it (she chose not to numb the area to see how it felt) and was just releasing a few nerves I think. But within a minute she had bounced back no worries.

you will sometimes get a little blood Rols - one way to avoid it is to keep the needle in for a few seconds (i usually leave it about 10 seconds) and then put pressure on the spot as soon as the needle comes out.

you've gotten the first one done - that's the hardest - well done!

hugs to both you and your wife - you've survived!

Hi Chez, i wish you all the best with your 2ww how exciting and scary!! DH has been on the multivit's for a while now- with some extra folate too. No alcohol, no caffeine! So maybe, just maybe the eggs and sperm might fertilise a bit better. Maybe even taking these has contributed to DH's improved sperm count. Who knows... I too dont understand why there isnt more research or options for male infertility, even just awareness. Us girls have gynae's and our FS, but for DH, he kinda gets forgotten. Anyhow, got an appt with an andrologist coming up, so thats the last step- his work will pay for that and wont have anything to do with ivf, so we are actively pursuing the options we have! Thanks for you hints with the vitamins, i think they are a great idea.
As for Rols, hahah, hope the lucrin goes well!! Are you going to be the one to do the injecting?? Heheh, i wont let DH anywhere near me with a needle!!!
Hi to everyone else :)
Mel

Thanks heaps BG. Your nice words have given me a lift.

Mel and Chez, the Fert. nurse told me to get on these multi-vits too and they taste like compressed crap. God they are disgusting. And they make me pee fluro yellow which means my body is getting rid of all the excess vitamin (can't recall which one) that I don't need so I damn well hope it does something useful. Apart from that, I don't have more than 2 beers a week (except for last Sat night where I was well and truly hammered) and I don't smoke or have much of a caffeine intake (except for a can of coke every couple of days). I'm definitely not overweight (got told I was anorexic the other day which was nice - not) so I don't know what else to do as far as my own health and morphology goes.

And yeah, I'm the needle fiend. I have been pretty relaxed about the whole thing. If it wasn't DW I was jabbing it would almost be fun!!

Anyone used this photo gallery thing? I was going to upload a photo or two of us but it seems only people with kids have been making use of it so maybe I need to wait until we get some success!

What a great night in this thread...so much happening and everyone sounding very upbeat. Great place to be.
Rols - the lovely Hollybolly has a photo gallery page - and kids are by no mean a prerequisite!
Mumof5 - had to wait ages for AF on my first cycle...i posted here and found lots of ladies also waited ages. I waited 8. 6/7 days was not uncommon. Even if you were normally really regular. Then on my second down reg, AF came before I even stopped the pill. 7 days early. Go figure. I don't think there is a standard reponse to the pill. Seems to muck most people around!

Thanks for the info.
Kotare....I have been waiting 5day tomorrow and on my sheet the clinic gave me it say if i dont have them by the 6th of Aug then i have to call the nurse.So im guessing thats so they can delay everything
Rols your a crack you make me laugh everyday. I dont know much about the gallary, it was hard enough doing a home page the other day.Just put on up.

Ooh Megan, EPU tomorrow, how exciting :) Hope all goes well, will be thinking of you.

BIG Hello to everyone else, sorry for my lack of personals, my DD has been ill and I now have it as well. Feeling rather crappy, but wanted to jump on quickly to say 'hi' to everyone :)

Nic

Oh Megan - wow i hope all goes well for you tomorrow, bloody monash why are they putting so much OHSS on their hands

who is your fs - he sound great to try and come in for your EPU, mine couldnt really give a hoot

best wishes to all

xx

Hi everyone

Rols - you are very funny! I think it is excess Vit B that makes your pee go yellow... don't worry your skin won't turn yellow! Re what else you can do... my acupuncturist said that she could do some treatments on my DF for morphology issues - she even wanted full SA results with his first appointment. So far we haven't headed down that track and hopefully we won't need to, but you never know. And well done for your DW's first injection - I am not sure who is the braver - you or her. Personally I think it is easier to inject myself - done at my own pace in the spot I want etc. etc. IYKWIM.

Compare my DF's vits with the number I down on a daily basis - calcium fortified with Vit D, 5mg folic acid, and a pregnancy supplement plus 2 doses per day of garlic, horseradish & Vit C in winter... wow, I positively rattle at the moment! And I am sure I am not alone in this. Holly is probably on heaps more with her herbs from Antonia. But I am confident that every little bit helps - the herbs, the acupuncture, positive affirmations and relaxation. We are all working towards the same goal. Tonight, my DF even dragged out the pregnancy books I have been hiding away for the last 12 months because it was so depressing to look at them. He is feeling very positive that this it - we have our little bundle on board and now she/he just needs to grow lots! :pray:

Megan - good luck with EPU tomorrow.
BW - good luck with your FS appointment tomorrow. Hopefully you get some answers and armed with more information can make a new plan. One step closer...

Oh and had my first pregnyl shot tonight - :( ouch!!! Worse than the trigger injection - lots of stinging - not happy at all afterwards and needed lots of cuddles from DF (any excuse ;) ) for reassurance afterwards. Thank goodness there is only one more of those on Saturday!

Hi to everyone else. Hope you are all doing well.

Take care all and talk soon.
Cherylxxx

Megan - Good luck tomorrow! Will be thinking of you!
BW - Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow.
Chez - You are so brave! I've never had pregnyl other than trigger...don't you hate those glass bottle things you have to break the tops off...drama!
Lou - How are things with you hun? Hope you're doing ok.
Rols - What a man...giving shots and all! My DH is very impressed...he can't even watch! That could be a good pic for the photo gallery!@?!
Kotare - I agree...a really great vibe in here :)
Hi to everyone else...Mel, BG, Nic...how's things with you guys?

Me - BT tomorrow...already feeling bloated...will be interesting to see what my levels are doing? Already worrying that my blasties won't survive thaw. Does anyone know what the sucess rates are for thawing of blasties????

DW was much happier with tonight's injection as it didn't hurt at all. I suggested she used an ice cube to numb the spot, she wanted to go with the coin-in-the-freezer trick. I gave her the big scientific speech about how the metal wouldn't be cooled enough by a domestic freezer and would absorb heat too quickly outside the freezer. She tried both and I won. I realise that others have used the coin trick, but I still demonstrated my worldy manliness so that's all that matters ;).

Personally, I don't have any problems administering the injection. I just head off at 8.30, get it all prepared, swab everything, then in and out. As it doesn't bother me I might as well be the one doing it, and it means that in some little way I can help take the pressure off her as she doesn't need to think about it at all or take any responsibility. It's the least I can do seeing as it's my bloody swimmers that got us here in the first place.

PS. Ellie, it would make a good photo I reckon! Which reminds me I might try and sort a couple of photos and figure this gallery thing out. I've enjoyed looking at other people's photos, and particularly those from here who have uploaded or added a webpage link to their profile or whatever. Maybe I'm just a creepy voyuer or something ;)

Hi Ellie, good luck with your blood test today, hope everything went well. Hmmm, i remember asking the FS about survival rate of blast thaw, i think (not definite) that it was something like 75%. I hope all your blasts survive :) are you just going to have the one transferred???
Rols!! You are doing a great job. My DH hates needles, squeals when he sees them take my blood, so dont know how he will go watching me tom night!! Haha, first injection tonight but he will miss it. How long does DW have to be on the Lucrin for, and what happens after that, im just guessing really cos i think Lucrin is similar to Synarel???
Chez67- hope today is going well and your injection site isnt still stinging. Ouch.
Hi to everyone else, hope all is well.
mel

hi everyone!!!!!!!!!! i have been reading all your post but i havent had much to say as i have been on the pill waiting to go again with our 4th ivf(FET) Well done Rols for giving your wife the needles,my DH gave them to me to i couldn't do it to myself, chez67 i was reading that you have acupuncture done don't really know what it dose for you,dose it help with stress???? cause thats one of my biggest things i have to control before it all starts to happen again.........

Bugger. Ellie, I meant to say much the same as Mel - I think the thaw survival rates are quite good.

Hi Vanessa. Hi everyone else.