CARE Fertility Bulletin Board

L_ouise · 08 Jun 2011

Hiya ladies - had a couple of busy days.

Went to have a sperm sample frozen and thawed to check survivability on Monday and that was a disater. We was really disappointed with the experience. The car park was full, the waiting roms were full, the toilet doors were open and smelt, there were empty cups everywhere and we was wait over an hour just for an empty room for hubby to do the sample. By the time producing a sample came around he was stressed out of his mind and he got into the room and there was a sweaty bum print on the chair :-X

Then yesterday we went to discuss our immune blood results and had several drugs added to our protocol as a result! *sigh*

Want to see a protocol chart i did? C. R. A. Z. Y.
http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/jj626/Louiseb85/protocolpic.jpg

The good news is that i OV today so should get cd1 on the 15th and start stims on the 16th Very Happy

Melski - you're so sweet Smile

Techhead - hiya, you're more than welcome. I hope you get started on a treatment cycle asap! xx

Treacle - Congrats on getting your cycle start sorted! You'll only be a couple of week behind me anyway so that's nothing Smile

billsbabe · 01 Jun 2011

Hi Ladies

I'll be cycling with you too. I have been DR for a week now.

I haven't read all the previous posts but yours made me laugh Treacle. What a nice friend you have! I must say I wasn't bothered by EC at all. I was awake and think I was aware of some discomfort but that's it. I've had worse period pains to be honest and I quite enjoyed the feeling of the drugs lol.
x

L_ouise · 08 Jun 2011

Hiya Billsbabe Smile

Where are you upto in the whole scheme of things? Are you male or female factor? Had many cycles? How's the DR going?

It's nice to have you on board Wink

Lingey · 30 Jan 2012

Hi All

Hope you don't mind me joining all you lovely ladies, I'm very very excited its our first go at IVF and we starting the down regulation next week hopefully all the other stuff happening at the end of Feb early March at Notts.

I have my protocol and I have read it about a million times!!! Confused

DH is fed up with me going on about it!!!! My work colleagues are also sick of hearing about it hence I need to talk to someone!!! Laughing

My drugs have arrived and i'm booked in for my teaching session, which I can't wait for, I know a bit odd but i'm excited Laughing

!!!

PS don't really know what i'm doing with all these abbreviations but I can't wait to start Very Happy

L_ouise · 08 Jun 2011

Hiya Lingey Very Happy

Ahh, the excitement of your first cycle Smile

Notts is a great clinic, had my first couple of cycles there and can't complain.

It's funny opening your box of drugs and seeing all the stuff you have to take, isn't it? lol

I got hubby to do all my injections for me. I was all up for doing them myself and then at the teach i tried it and it hurt so badly that when it came to the real thing, i would just start to panic so hubby took over and he was brilliant Smile

The hard bit is holding it still while you press the plunger but i'm sure you'll be fine!

How old are you and why do you need IVF? (sorry i don't know how else to get to know people except asking personal questions Smile

)

TJ2011 · 31 Aug 2011

I'm with you Louise, asking is the only way we can find out anything - if someone doesn't want to tell us, they will soon say so!!
Welcome Lingey and Billsbabe - for newbies, I'm Tracey (call myself Treacle on here because Tracey is not the rarest name!) and I had my 1st cycle of ICSI with PGD (pre-genetic diagnosis) in November last year which unfortunately failed disastrously as all of my embryos tested positive for a multitude of abnormalities - but, sucker for punishment I am, already anxious to get started on cycle 2 in a few weeks time, hoping there is a miracle embie in there somewhere!!
Nice to see this board getting bigger by the day and be lovely to get to know everyone, thanks to Lou's interviewing techniques (!) - new ladies, please ask any questions you have, I found it invaluable for my 1st cycle and you're right, masses of terms to get used to but we'll all help you where we can!!
xx

Lingey · 30 Jan 2012

Hi all again

I don't mind you asking I'm 37 (only just) Laughing

And hubby is 40 at the end of feb we have male factor infertility (they can't swim and the ones that are alive are all severely abnormal apparently) dh a bit sensitive bless him he's been tested for cf and karyotype and all ok which was a relief they think probably due to undescenede testes as a child! So are only option is ICSI I'm excited that at last we are going to be doing something positive about it all been an emotional roller coaster all ready as had to wait on dofferents tests but can't wait to get going at last!!!! It's all exciting I'm sure it's going to be an even bigger roller coaster with lots of bumps but have the naivity of first time so all exciting this week Laughing

Lingey · 30 Jan 2012

Oh forgot to say Louise, yes I about crapped my pants when I opened the drugs box lol I'm a specialist nurse so used to giving injections to other people (althoughnot had to do any injections since 2007) not sure how I will be when I have to do it to myself !!! I'm a bit rusty on injections so still going for the training lol which could be embarrassing lol

TJ2011 · 31 Aug 2011

I was petrified Lingey, and for me, really didn't find it that bad at all - 1st night was a bit tense! But after that, it just became the norm every night, especially with down-regging drugs - you'll be fine.
When was your birhtday? I was 37 on Monday!
x

L_ouise · 08 Jun 2011

Oh Tracey (now we're on a real name basis Wink

) you are seeming very bubbly and postive tonight Very Happy

Someone's certainly getting excited that we're nearly there Wink

I forgot how awful your first cycle was. Not much different to mine really, in that you came out with nothing but a headache for all your effort.

Lingley, your background isn't too different from mine really in that hubby has a lot of very duff spermies Sad

My hubby has <1% normal forms and normally 8% progressive and very low count etc. Normal Karyotype. Mine is a bit sensitive but he's getting used to it now because i'm not sensitive at all Wink

Just don't mention donor sperm because then all hell breaks loose :/

Maybe don't tell them that you're a nurse? Wink

We was at Notts and then transferred to Manchester this time after our disasterous cycles as they have IMSI which we're hoping will help... fingers crossed!

Like Tracey said, i'm happy to answer any questions about the treatment Smile

pattym · 14 Jan 2012

Tracey - Thanks for putting my mind at rest about EC - I was worried but sounds like not too much to stress about after all. Just over a month to go for you then.
Lousie - Poor DH, tough conditions to perform in Smile

I think we are very in sync I'm expecting 15/ 16 Feb too.
Lingey - I'm a first timer too, the drugs do seem a bit daunting, stabbing your self is one thing, but It's the mixing etc that I'm worried I'll cock up.
Billsbabe - Hi - I'm hoping he drugs are as good as you say Smile

Hope everyone else is doing well.
Just wondering how much time people are planning to take off work? I still haven't decided whether to tell my boss, or whether to just have a week of with â€˜fluâ€™. After seeing the nurse about time needed for scans it sounded like I would be able to just say I have a couple of doctorâ€™s appointments to cover any time for scans. I'm not sure how supportive my boss will be and worry if I say that we are planning a family then it's career suicide. I know that it's supposed to be equal rights etc, but in my previous job most women who went on maternity leave tended to get overlooked for promotion etc once they came back. I'm thinking if things don't work out with IVF then I'd probably want to focus more on work. Possibly just paranoia I know.

TJ2011 · 31 Aug 2011

You're funny Lou! - yes, I am making the most of being in better spirits this week, had my birthday Monday so lovely weekend and then was completely spoilt by my hubby on Monday and set me up for good week - and have my companys annual conference tomorrow and I'm doing some presentations so for 1st time in long time, despite it being my ov week this week, I have other things to worry about and concentrate on!

Re. time off, I was pleasantly surprised last time at how little the cycle actually interrupted work - I work Tuesdays to Thursdays and am a management trainer so spent half my time traveling round UK to our clients and staying over in hotels, so was petrified about how it would all work - I chose to tell my boss - I work in a male dominated company but am lucky that my boss, the MD, has children of his own and is pretty reasonable. If my job was in an office, dont think I'd had told anyone but because my training days are scheduled months in advance and I can be hours away from home, and the clinic, I had to say something. My boss was great and allowed me to have 4 weeks of not training at all, but working from home and going to meetings and appts when I could. My stiming scans actually weren't as regular as I'd expected, they were only every 3-4 days, after about day 5/6 of doing it - and luckily, they all landed on either a Monday, Friday or Saturday! I'd agreed to work extra in anything fell on a work day but it didn't - even EC was a Monday! I'd already told boss that Id prob need 1-2 days off after EC, which turned into the whole week sick because I got OHSS and felt pretty horrid.
This time, I've told our training co-ordinator to leave my training in for down-regging time and then to just cover me for stimming and EC. If I am lucky enough to get to ET this time, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, but am aware that we've just won an 80k training contract with a massive company that has to start mid April and i have to be the head trainer so will get interesting!
Think we all in the boat of while having a family in the upmost priority and what we want more than anything, we also have to be realisitc enough to accept we still need a good career to fall back on if things don't work out.
I know of some ladies who've got away with saying absolutely nothing - including my 'friend' who filled me with all the horror stories! - and after her cycle failed, she went abroad for a week with her hubby to get trollied for a week and forget it - and they got pg! - so maybe she was just not made for IVF!! Lets hope we all are ladies!!
Must go now, presentations to rehearse - arghhH!!!!!!
xxx

billsbabe · 01 Jun 2011

Morning ladies this is my story

TTC for 5 years I'm 33 DH is 31 have the awful tag of unexplained inferility!

6 rounds of clomid BFN
ICSI May 2011 BFN
FER Oct 2011 BFN
ICSI FEB 2012 please let it be a BFP this time!

Im on day 9 of DR now and am waiting for AF to show before I can have my DR scan then start Stimming.

I am fortunate enough to be financially secure enough so have not been working since since the FER and hopefully wont go back to work if I get a BFP this time round.

LOL Tracey I've even tried getting trollied, hasn't worked for me yet!

billsbabe · 01 Jun 2011

Any of you ladies on baby centre? they have a fab IVF board there too x

TJ2011 · 31 Aug 2011

Louise - just read your post properly about the horrid experience you had with hubby - which clinic was that? Bless you both, you must have been gutted xx

L_ouise · 08 Jun 2011

I was about to say morning ladies, and it's 13:15!

I'm having a lazy day today, trying to seduce hubby without much success. He'll want it later when i can't be bothered Razz

I'm probably ovulating today which is why it's an issue. No alcohol involved though unfortunately... Live in hope Smile

Happy birthday for Monday Tracy Smile

A great start to the week!

It was a really awful and disappointed experience. I don't know if it was THAT bad or if it was just really bad compared to CARE Notts... I loved that clinic.

We've phoned up to book another sperm freeze on Tuesday and they said that the earliest time would be 1pm, so i checked if that was the earliest time possible and they said yes and i made a point about it being disgusting last time and we expect better next time lol We'll see. My complaint seems to have fizzled out already.

TJ2011 · 31 Aug 2011

Ha ha, this forced seduction game is blooming hard work isn't it?!! I usually get quite bad ov pains but not had them yet this month and its day 14 for me so I would usually be getting them by now - therefore should be in seduction mode myself but not feeling it, I'm exhausted, have to deliver 2 really scary presentaitons to my whole company, including the worldwide CEO and founding chairman at a conference tomorrow and have to get up at 5am in the morning! So like you, if we're going to do it, will mean pouncing on hubby soon as he gets home this afternoon - by which time, my Mum In Law will prrobably turn up - timing always impeccable! - and then before we know it, the light-weight that Iam, I'll be going to bed at 10 and then hubby will creep (umm!) in at gone 11 and think a quickie is now a good idea - argh!!! Anyone would think we'd been doing this for a while!!
Ooh, feel much better now - roll on Saturday!!!
Why are you not at Notts anymore Lou, have you moved house? Is it Manchester now? Really hope this was a one-off and next week is much nicer for you both.
How you feeling about this cycle Billsbabe?
x

L_ouise · 08 Jun 2011

lol! How did it become so difficult to fit sex into our lives when we want a baby Wink

Eeek, your presentations sound like my worst nightmare. I can't do public exhibitions of any type. I don't like everyone looking at me and listening to my voice - not that i think there is anything wrong with me, it just amke me uncomfortable lol

I'm sure you'll be fab Smile

We're not at Notts anymore because they don't offer IMSI. They only have the equipment at Manchester and they also can do PICSI and EmbryoScope so we're just following the technology to try everything out.

ICSI isn't really very effective when it comes to finding the few good sperm among lots of dud ones as they all look the same under the microscope. With IMSI they can look more closely at the different components of the sperm that can hint at how genetically viable they are. I read a study yesterday where they used IMSI to compare the viability of sperm with different shaped midpieces. The sperm with straight midpieces had 80% viability and the sperm with tapered midpieces had 30% viability - you can see the midpieces with ICSI :/

Maybe grasping at straws, but we don't really have many options.

Billsbabe - what do you occupy yourself with being at home? I'm at home too. It'd be ideal if we had kids but a bit boring without so i'm going back to uni.

I looked at Baby Centre but i just can't navigate it very well with all that group subscription stuff...

Lingey · 30 Jan 2012

Hi all

Your posts have made me laugh when had the day from hell at work!
Treacle my bday was just over three weeks ago although I'm still in denial that I'm 37 and as my Gp put it knocking on a bit lol good job I have a really good relationship with him!!! Hope ur presentations go well!!!!
Louise I think I must be about to ovulate as well as any keep my hands off hubby I think he would rather I leave him alone all this trying to conceive has made him look like he's been working night shifts lol
Patty I'm also wondering how much time to have off I have had to save a/l for my scans then planning on having two week wait off as sick so much for working in the caring profession HR have been very unhelpful although my line manager has been really supportive and I have found talking to colleagues about what I'm about to start has meant my tearful moments have been more bearable for everyone not sure how I will handle it when got all this hormones rushing around!
Billsbabe I've tried getting trollied as well many a time lol and no it's not worked if it did I swear I would have to go on 15 kids and counting lol

Lingey xxx

billsbabe · 01 Jun 2011

Feeling upbeat about this cycle Tracey, this will be our last ICSI and hoping to have embies for FER later too.
Have decided to try for 1 more year and thats it. If we're unsuccessful than we we look at fostering/adoption.
Sounds like you have really supportive employers, at least thats one less thing to worry about.

Louise I keep myself busy during the day I make handmade jewellery and usually walk my dog for hours on end. I'm lucky to live near some beautiful countryside.
I'm also planning for moving home, we're moving from one side of the country to to the other. Because of DH job we have to move every 18 months.
I've given up woking now, because I move so often I can only get really crap jobs and there's no hope of promotion when they find out I'm an army wife and wont be around long.
I have my own Jewellery business but only work to order and do the odd party. I don't see it as proper work though, it's more of a hobby that I make a bit of cash from.
I've not heard of the other treatments you're having, sounds interesting and i'ts got to be woth having a go.

I know what you mean about the ov horn I could proper do with a little baby dancing this weekend, just rubbish that DH is away, ah well I've got dildo cam at the clinic to look forward to next week!

Lingey I have never felt any different on all the drugs, some women say they do and feel hormonal. I never have side effects either, maybe I'm lucky apart from the whole BFN part!
I've given up telling people about our treatments now. The first ICSI peope were asking when they could start buying baby bits and I was like, er lets see if it works first. Then I didn't hear from those people! Guess they didn't know what to say, so I just don't bother anymore. Other peoples expectaions are too high and I'm well fed up with everones pearls of wisdom! Oh I know a friend of a friend who had IVF so that makes me an expert grr.

Right got to go and stab myself now yipee, night ladies x

Lingey · 30 Jan 2012

Hi ladies

It's great ur feeling positive about your cycle Billsbabe I'm sure I will get fed up of the well meaning advice when the excitement wears off and the reality kicks in!!! But I'm staying positive at the mo my best friend had her first baby a few months ago and it's bed like hell on earth listening to how smug she has been about falling pregnant easily being sensitive hasn't been her strong point bless her but I can just about get through a conversation without bursting into tears now!!! I sound like an emotional reck lol honest I'm not lol I can't wait to start roll on Monday for the start of mine down regulation wo wo exciting times ahead with good advice from all you lovely ladies!!!!

Lingey xxx

L_ouise · 08 Jun 2011

LOL! Dildo cam! Very Happy

I live in the countryside too BB Smile

I like getting out and about with the dogs too, must be a pain having to move so often though :/

That's the thing about IVF. Everyone thinks it's a case of popping into a clinic one afternoon and coming out pregnant.

Aw Lingey - sorry you're feeling a bit hormonal :hug: I remember during my first cycle i kept up the excitement until about a couple of weeks into DR and then i was bored of injections. I did get a few nasty rashes when i was on buserelin but nothing serious xx

Happy-Ever-After · 30 Jan 2012

Hi ladies (& maybe gents too) ???

Hope you won't mind me 'gate crashing' the thread? Smile

Me & my hubby are new to IVF & so I've already picked up lots of info & top tips from your earlier posts - really helpfull so a big thanks Very Happy

I'm due to start my injections any day now, just waiting for AF to arrive (which is a strange feeling as I'm usually hoping it won't)... I've been put on the short protocol, and was wondering if anybody else was starting around now too? Any more tips or advice from our experts on here would be really welcome also - it's a little bit daunting (& exciting too)... Laughing

Good luck & hugs to all

xxx

L_ouise · 08 Jun 2011

Hiya and welcome HEA Smile

I'm on a short protocol too but not expecting AF until the 15th but that's only a couple of weeks behind Wink

Have you been on any drugs before stims or are you clean atm?

I was on a short protocol last time apparently but put on norethisterone and that wasn't pleasant :/

I'm pretty sure that we are a gent free zone. I'd be surprised if there are any lingering anyway Smile

Lingey · 30 Jan 2012

Morning Louise and welcome HEA!!!

I'm on a short protocol as well start norethistone on Monday and expecting AF around 16th of feb so just a bit behind you HEA it's my first time too and this site has been great to find out info from lovely ladies who have been really helpful!!!

Louise did the northisestone not suit you?

Lingey xxx