LT TTC and Assisted Conception Apr-May 2011

Thats great N2L!

oh sorry N2L I wasn't ignoring you, we posted at the same time- congratulations again!!!

Thanks so much everyone :)

Needless to say we were REALLY relieved to get the news. Mind you it consisted of a one line email from my FS - "Scan extremely reassuring no sinister pathology".
Woo hoo! A little light on detail but I will take it!!

For those who weren't sure what happened, a little run down....Following the BFNs after the transfers, my FS ordered blood tests for me and DP to check for chromosomal and other disorders. She also re-did FSH, glucose, thyroid, etc, as well as my CA125 levels.

CA125 stands for Cancer Antigen 125 which is a tumour marker for ovarian cancer. It measures a protein in your blood which, when normal is below 35. A few years ago, when I first had this tested by my GP due to family history, my levels were 69. Everyone freaked out (me included) and I was referred to a gynae oncologist at the Royal Women's here in Melbourne. I had scans and tests and it was revealed I have adenomyosis (similar to endometriosis but your endometrium invades the muscle wall). That also can account for evelated CA125 levels.
Anyhoo, it is something I have to have tested periodically (six monthly or so) and the highest it has ever been is about 150 (a year ago when I started AC).
Cut to the recent test and it came back as 739 :o !!!!
The scary thing about this is that 739 is the sort of level that women with stage 3 or 4 ovarian cancer have. My FS ordered an immediate MRI and had the results cc-ed to an ovarian cancer specialist at the Women's. In the meantime, I spent the week crying, thinking at the very least I would have to have a hysterectomy :( , chemo and radiation.

Ovarian cancer is probably one of the worst cancers you can get (not that ANY cancer is good). Each year 1100 Australian women are diagnosed and 800 die from it. The odds are very poor. It is so insidious, there are usually few to no symptoms until it is too late.

Anyway, to get the news that I dont have cancer is amazing. I mean really amazing. With those CA125 levels, to not have cancer is almost the sort of thing articles in medical journals are written about. Trust me, I have spent the past few days googling it!!!!

So DP and I cracked open the champagne last night! I feel like I have been given a reprieve. I still havent spoken to my FS (I have an appointment on Wed) so I dont know what is causing the high levels. I can only assume it is the adenomyosis. Or perhaps endometriosis???? Whatever it is, I am praying it wont prevent us from continuing TTC. And doubly praying it doesnt mean a hysterectomy is on the cards.

So that's what I have been up to this week. I wouldnt wish it on anyone.

Hope everyone out there is well :)

love n2l x

PS. In a funny twist (which seemed kind of cruel at the time), my cd2 FSH level came back as 2.5 :o Not sure why I am a poor responder because those levels are great!

Hi Girls,

Sorry to have been so quiet but I have been keeping an eye on you all. I've had a mad couple of weeks with deadlines and the like.

N2L- I just wanted to drop in and say how glad I am that your scan didn't indicate anything ominous. I can't imagine how torturous this has been for you. Fingers crossed that you have had your share of drama and only good things are ahead.

Sorry for the short post- need to get back to it. I hope everyone is ok and looking forward to a long weekend.

M. xx

N2L ~ phewww, so happy it wasnt anything sinister - there is too much cancer in the world - really scary. I'm so happy all turned out ok for you. Hope its just endometriosis and they can just get rid of it. All the best :pray: for you

Have a great long weekend all - I actually have it off this time and will be drowning my sorrows up at the winery walkabout with my girl friends!!

Loops ~ Have a brilliant time! drink and be merry!!!

Meg ~ Hope all is well with you, where are you at?

N2L ~ That's brilliant!! what a horrible scary time for you. Hopefully it is just from your previous dx and nothing new. and really really hoping it doesnt get in your way. *hugs*

Saffy ~ How are you sweetie? Now that your AF is here whats going on for you? anything happening this cycle?

Melissa ~ WB, I have every crossed for this cycle. oh please please please!!!!

Hi Coral! *waves*

AFM ~ Firstly great news here =) I am a mummy =) our new baby puppy was born yesterday! we haven't met him yet, but I can't wait to. and really can't wait for the 6 or so weeks til we can take him home. =)
secondly, I called the FS today to say I was day 2 and keen to do a FET this cycle. We had a chat and apparently t/f 2 embryos is an option for us. I always thought it wasnt until we had been doing this for years and i was getting too old. apparenly no. this cycle if we want we can do 2. DH and I had a chat about i, and thought well seen as after this one we will have to take a break with me working away etc.. we are going to t/f our 2 timelocked embryos. I'm pretty excited about this. double the chance of getting pg right? I know the risk with it - multiples etc.. and I know the risks they bring with pregnancy etc.. but I'm willing to chance it. besides..i've always seen twins in my future...one of those things. but I will be just as happy as long as i get 1 baby.

N2L glad to hear that it is good news!

Have a nice long weekend girls x

Hi blossom, we must have posted at the same time. how you going?

Hi girls. Yes your eyes do not deceive you, i am up at six am on sat of long weekend. Cant sleep, i am wired, and here's why - picked up all my meds from FS about two weeks ago all good! Waiting for AF, although we thought we would give the natural cycle a go...DH has lost 15 kgs inthe last 4 months - he got off the grog and coffee and i put him on menevit, so i thought maybe his swimmers would improve. Well, anyway, last tues, i went out to lunch andwhen i got back to work, i went to the loo and when i wiped, two spots of bright red blood - thought that was the end. Nothing further that day, but the next morning, a bit more, probably about five or six spots of bright red blood. I was sad, but at the same time, thought that at least i could start the meds the next day! Anyway, since then, nothing. So.......i was wondering what the hell?? With DS i had implantation bleeding, at the same time (9 dpo) but it was brown. So i wasnt sure??? Anyway, fast forward to 4am this morning, couldnt sleep anymore, i thought - this is it (even though i made a deal with myself to wait until sunday-heck, i figure those deals are made to be broken) and POAS. Sat there in the freezing cold, and yep, its :bfp:.!!! Freakin heck, who would've thought!!!! The thing is, it is also DH's birthday today, so i cant wait to tell him, he will be so happy - he struggled with guilt of male infertility. Also, because i turned 40 three weeks ago, i am proud my old eggs can still cut it!!!! YAY!!!!

So excited,sorry for the me post, but its all i can think about. Bless to you all, and i will let you know in the next couple of days how we get on.

N2l - congrats on your test results - i cant imagine how stressful that was.
Love to all youwonderful strong women!!

:leap: Jaye jaye that is freaking awesome news!!!!! Well done you guys - wishing you a h&h 9 months, chick!!! Awesome b'day pressie for hubby too - YAY!!!

N2L - so soooo glad that your scan was all ok. God, this whole ivf game makes for enough stress without following it up with a cancer scare. Hoping you can have a relaxing stress-free weekend to recover from it all.

Teirae - ooooohhh, so jealous about your little puppy. Want a puppy so so much. However, we have an old fat cat who wouldn't be able to handle an exuberant lil pup but I WILL have one one day! Great that your FS will transfer 2 embies. I'm with you on that one - yeah higher risk of multiple pregnancy, but quite frankly, if it gives you a higher chance of pg, I don't care!! We will be the same this cycle - I didn't think my FS would even entertain the idea of transferring 2 but she will. Funny you say that you have always seen twins in your future. A friend and I went to a performance by a medium last year and a friend of my friend joined us. This woman sees things and is very spiritual - I don't know her from a bar of soap but at the end, she leaned across and said to me that I have had twins with me the entire performance. And she has said this again to my friend about my twins. I don't know if it was my molar twins or a sign of things to come. I hope its a sign of what is to come.

Nothing happening here, just hanging out until the 27th to bring on the needles :)

Okay guys, I have found what I think is a really good Canadian site on fertility. If you would like the link, PM me. In the meantime, I have taken some of their information on diet (which is well researched using various studies) and provided it here for those who are interested. I think I am going to give it a go.

Hope you are all well x

FERTILITY DIET
The most comprehensive study to date looking at diet and fertility is the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study that followed over 18,000 women in a long-term research project looking at the effects of diet and other factors on the development of chronic disease. Chavarro and Willett looked at the fertility data from this study in The Fertility Diet (2008). During the study, each woman was trying to have a baby. Over eight years of follow-up, the study found that most did get pregnant. However, one in six women encountered some problems getting pregnant. The results were incredible – even to the researchers – who found a six fold increase in fertility in people who ate a certain diet and maintained a certain lifestyle. Specifically, the study found that women who had the lowest risk of ovulation problem-related infertility (or the highest fertility) ate a plant based, low GI, whole foods diet focusing more on vegetable protein and monounsaturated fats. Women with the highest fertility exercised more, took a multivitamin mineral supplement and ate at least one serving of high fat dairy each day.

DAILY RECOMMENDATIONS

Food Group: Whole Grains
Serves per Day: 6 – 11
Serving Size: ½ cup cooked grains, ¾ cup cold cereal,,1 slice bread or ½ tortilla, 3 cups popcorn
Best Fertility Choices:- Whole oats, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, whole rye, quinoa, brown rice, millet, wild rice, amaranth, triticale, corn, millet, rice tortillas, popcorn, wheat/spelt/kamut berries, farro, sprouted wheat, corn tortillas, high fibre cereals.

Food Group: Vegetables
Serves per Day: 4 or more
Serving Size: ½ cup raw or cooked, 1 cup raw greens (salad)
Best Fertility Choices: Local, seasonal, fresh, frozen, coloured. Include at least 1 serving of leafy greens (kale, chard, rapini, dandelion, spinach, romaine lettuce).

Food Group: Fruit
Serves per Day: 3 or more
Serving Size: ½ cup raw or 1 small fruit
Best Fertility Choices: Local, seasonal, fresh, frozen berries, Tree: apples, pears, peaches, Citrus: oranges, grapefruits, kiwi

Food Group: Protein foods
Serves per Day: 3-4
Serving Size: 1 cup beans (legumes), 2 Tbsp. nut or seed butter, ¼ cup nuts or seeds, 2 eggs, 60 – 90 grams meat, poultry, fish
Best Fertility Choices: Dried beans and peas, lentils, Mackerel, sardines, wild salmon, halibut, Almond/hazelnut butter, sunflower seed butter, Almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, Free range organic poultry and eggs, Grass fed organic meat.


Food Group: Calcium rich foods
Serves per Day: 6 – 8 (maximum of one serving of dairy)
Serving Size: 1 cup greens, 75 g canned sardines or pacific salmon, ¼ cup almonds or sesame seeds, 1 Tbsp. blackstrap molasses, 1 cup legumes, ½ cup milk or fortified grain beverage, ½ cup yogurt or 1 oz. cheese
Best Fertility Choices: Raw almonds, almond butter, sesame seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts, Broccoli, Chinese greens, nettles Notes: Cabbage family (cabbage, broccoli, Unsulphured blackstrap molasses, Sea vegetables (nori, wakame, kombu), Navy beans, white beans, Organic whole fat milk, yogurt, cheese.

Food Group: Fats
Serves per Day: 3-6
Serving Size: ¼ cup nuts or seeds,1 Tbsp. oil or2 Tbsp ground flax/hemp/Salba, ½ avocado, 3 oz fish
Best Fertility Choices: Walnuts, butternuts, avocado, Olives, extra virgin olive oil, Ground flax/flax oil, Ground hemp/hemp oil, Salba, Mackerel, sardines, wild salmon

Food Group: Herbs, spices, condiments
Serves per Day: Unlimited except for salt
Serving Size: Small amounts of unrefined sea salt
Best Fertility Choices: Cayenne, cinnamon, lemon juice, miso paste. pepper, nutrirional yeast, tumeric, organic vinegar.

*For weight loss and PCOS, have a maximum of 6 servings of whole grains and 3 small servings of fruit/day. Avoid all flour, sugar.
**For endometriosis, choose wheat free dairy free choices.

FERTILITY SHOPPING LIST

BEANS AND LEGUMES, canned and/or dried
•Black
•Cannellini
•Garbanzo (Chickpeas)
•Brown and Red Lentils

GRAINS
•Brown Basmati,
•Brown Short or Long grain Rice,
•Quinoa, Specialty Rice (Lundberg’s)

PASTA and NOODLES
•Assorted Whole Grain, Brown Rice, Soy Flour, Corn Pasta
•Soba (buckwheat)

CEREAL, hot and cold
•Terra Breads or Granola King Granolas
•Nature’s Path and Kashi cold cereals
•Bob’s Red Mill extra tasty hot cereal/steel cut oats (OBVIOUSLY CANADIAN PRODUCTS BUT STEEL CUT OATS ARE WHOLE ROLLED OATS)

UNREFINED OILS
•Extra virgin olive oil (one for cooking and one for drizzling)
•High heat oil like Sunflower or Grapeseed or Coconut
•Toasted Sesame oil for flavouring
•Organic coconut oil for frying

VINEGARS
•Balsamic
•Red Wine
•Brown Rice

HERBS, SPICES AND SEASONING
•Unrefined Sea Salt and Kosher (coarse) Salt
•Whole Pepper Corn
•A selection of herbs and spices you use the most
•Nutritional yeast (Red Star flaked yeast) Note: this is a great source of B12 for people who don’t eat meat
•No Wheat Tamari Soy Sauce
•Bragg’s Liquid Amines All Purpose Seasoning
•Curry Paste (refrigerate after opening)
•Gomashio

NUT BUTTERS AND DRIED FRUIT
•Almond, Hazelnut
•Pumpkin Seed, Sunflower Seed, Hemp Seed
•Selection of your favourite naturally dried fruit (without added sulphites)

TOMATO PRODUCTS
•Diced, Crushed and Paste

CONDIMENTS, BROTH and SAUCES (refrigerate after opening)
•Pasta Sauces
•Pizza Sauce
•Chicken and Vegetable Broth
•Salad Dressings (make your own whenever possible)
•Salsa
•Roasted Peppers
•Sun-dried Tomatoes
•Capers
•Chutney

OTHER
•Canned Salmon, Sardines, Mackerel

PANTRY VEGETABLES
•Garlic, onion and shallots
•New potatoes (white or red)
•Yams

REFRIGERATED STAPLES
•Butter
•Non-hydrogenated butter spread like Earth Balance
•Organic Cheese
•Parmesan Cheese (can also be kept in the freezer)
•Eggs
•Ketchup (once opened)
•Lemons and Limes
•Mayonnaise
•Organic full-fat Milk
•Dijon Mustard
•Tempeh
•Miso Paste
•Organic plain yogurt
•Fresh Fruit and Vegetables in Season
•Kalamata Olives
•Fresh Ginger

FREEZER STAPLES
•Veggie Burgers
•Brown Rice Bread, Corn Bread, Buckwheat Bread
•Sprouted Grain Wraps/Tortillas
•Shelled Nuts, pecans, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds

FROZEN VEGETABLES
•Corn kernels
•Green Beans
•Green Peas
•Chopped Spinach
•Edamame
•Cauliflower

FROZEN FRUIT AND BERRIES
•Berries
•Freeze your own bananas

WHEAT FREE PRODUCTS

Freezer foods:
•Brown Rice and Corn Tortillas
•Brown Rice bread/bagels/English muffins (taste much better toasted)
•Wheat free pizza shells
•Wheat free panini bun

Refrigerated foods:
•Wheat free Tamari sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Pantry foods:
•Brown rice crackers
•Corn, rye or rice crackers
•Trail mix
•Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal (Bob’s Red Mill)
•Nature’s Path Millet/Amaranth Cold Cereal Flakes
•Whole brown rice, quinoa, millet
•Buckwheat, quinoa or brown rice pastas

what is everyone up to this long weekend?

Hello there
Well I'm back for another cycle. I picked up the meds this morning and I start an Antag cycle tonight.

N2L I'm glad you're scan was clear. What a relief.

Teirae and MelissaI I decided to transfer 2 after 4 single transfers and with only one pg. The odds of me getting a mutilple pg weren't huge. With the fifth transfer only one implanted so I will transfer 2 again this time if I get 2.

JayeJaye - What a great surprise. Best wishes for a h & h pg. Keep us posted.

Hi Saffy & Loops Looking forward to seeing what you're both up to.

Hi to everyone else, hears to a great June/July of TTC!

xx HB

i'm just sening some good vibes to all my old friends in LTTC.:bluedust::pink-babydust:
hope we get some more BFP's in here soon .

x x

Hey girls, hope you all had awesome long weekend!

Happybaby - best of luck for this cycle, hope it all goes well!
Where is everyone else at? Seems a bit quiet in here at the moment.

Afm, told dh the news on sat morning, he was so emotional, cried lots, couldnt believe it. I am so happy for us, but also for him! He is bursting at the seams to tell everyone, but i have sworn him to secrecy until the first scan. Booked in for blood tomorrow. Nurse was excited, andtold me that dh losing weight would have helped, and getting off the grog. So our stim cycle is on hold, pending all good (touch wood).

So, a few weeks of nervousness still to go, i pray everything is good!

Will let you know how we get on. Good luck to you all. Bless. J

Hey Ladies,

I hope you don't mind me joining in :hello:!

DH and I have decided to try for #2 and had our FS appointment this morning to start a natural FET cycle... I have already had a Day 2 BT and go back for a Day 10 BT on Tuesday, 21 June.

We were really, really lucky and had 5 snowbubs left from out last stim in which we were blessed with our DS :loveshower: from a fresh transfer.

Bit nervous about starting AC again but am a little excited as well....

Jayejae - O.M.G. :o Wow - how wonderful!!! I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when you told your DH :). Such a wonderful surprise to be able to give!!!

I will have to read back to catch up where everyone is at so will attempt some personals next time :)

Hi coral.
Good luck with TTC #2. good job you have some in the freezer so you dont have to stim!!

AFM blood test today all good HCG a whooping 1354, progesterone 104. On exactly same day (17 dpo) with DS it was 534 and progesterone 64, so this one is a sticky one!! She thinks i am 5 weeks plus, but i told her that cant be possible, so having a scan end next week to confirm. I am sure i am only 4 1/2, so will see. Glad to have good HCG numbers to get past the next hurdle, iykwim!

Have a great weekend girls,babydust to you all...

Morning everyone

I had my first ultrasound and blood test this morning and I start the Orgalutran injections tomorrow. I'm glad it's all starting again. Waiting to get over my last mc was torture.

JayeJaye Congrats on great hcg and prog numbers!!

Coral All going well we should be in the TWW together. Best of luck with the natural FET.

JBM Thanks for the babydust. I read the pg thread to keep up with everyone and hoping oneday I'll be in there too.

Hope everyone has a great weekend Teirai, Loops, Saffy, N2L

x HB