# ACU at UCH, London Part 3



## saphy75 (Mar 15, 2004)

New home Ladies, good luck 

  

pam xx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hello everyone,
If anyone fancies going to chat room, I will be ther at 8.45 pm, I get the message if no-one's there!
Love Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Veballan, I'm so sorry to hear things didn't work for you this time, it's just all so unfair. Take Care of yourself and DH, sending you a big  , if you want to talk anytime you know where I am.

Adelaide, how's things going? When do you test?

Prija, things seem to be moving along for you, hope you are feeling better and not so weepy. I start sniffing on sunday I think, must check my diary.

How do you get into chat as i don't which section to click on, it won't be tonight though as I'm shattered. A 15 minute journey home turned into an hour and a half and I didn't get home until 1.30 this morning all because of nightworks on the north circular, 3 lanes became 1 lane, so glad I was on a late shift today as I would never have got up.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Angel Wings, you just click on the chat icon and it'll take you through the steps. Once you're in there, if you want to have more personal conversations, you have to move into one of the other rooms, eg. garden. I've never yet chatted to anyone I know there, but we always have a good laugh! Feeling a bit off colour today, normally I start stims on day 2 of cycle, this time it'll be day 4, so that's probably why. Iffat said that as soon as I started injections I would feel better!
Hope you are OK. When is your FET scheduled for? My egg collection is 5th October, fingers crossed.
Take care everyone!
Love Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Firstly just want to apologise to Adelaide, so sorry I forgot you had had your cycle cancelled, I'm getting confused who's at what stage    .

Prija, sorry to hear you are feeling off colour, hope it doesn't last too long for you.

I have no idea when I may have E/T as I don't start sniffing until sunday and then the schedule they give you says to expect A/F one week after start sniffing and then I will go for my first scan on day 2,3 or 4 of my period, so i'm abit behind you.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi prija,

Just been into the chat room for afew minutes, think I am seriously going to get addicted.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
just done first injection. Hope everyone is ok today. I may pop into chat room at about 8pm, so I'll see you there if anyone's around. Take care all!
Love Prija


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## Jeps (Jan 9, 2006)

Hi
Just wanted to come on and say hello. I am a bit confused as to everyone's different stages as this looks like a new thread. Will try and go back and few posts and find the old one.  I'm sorry to hear that you had bad news Veballan, how awful for you. Sending you lots of love.
Angel Wings, good luck with the sniffing! It suddenly seems to have come so fast, even though I'm sure it doesn't feel that way to you. 
Prija, sounds like you're a way down the road too, EC on the 5th - wow not long to wait at all! Good luck for that, I'll be thinking of you.
Hello to everyone else, and catch up soon. Might go and have a look at that chat room too!
Jxxxxx


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Everyone 

Good luck Angel Wings with the sniffing.

Prija how are you doing with the stimms?

Well AF arrived on Sunday with a vengence broke down in tears once again as who was i trying to fool hoping that I was the 1% who could be pregnant but it didn't register on the pee sticks.
All I see to see on TV at the mo is ads for digital pregnancy pee sticks pampers and mother to be stuff arghhhhhh!!!

Dont know really where we go from here have a follow up with the uroandrologist and have to book one with Dr Ranieri but feel a little lost at the mo as wasn't mentally prepared for having a BPN and not going forward with hope for the next time. BPN yes no more goes no!

I have my appraisal at work tomorrow and I am all over the show the disappointment and I think the drugs withdrawal I have had the headache from hell for the last couple of days ho hum never mind.

I ll stop my wingeing now!

keeping my fingers crossed for everyone come on Dragthing how are you doing girl?
Lol  VeballanXXX


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi girls,
Really stressed today. Spoke to Trudie yesterday when I had my E2, about my last cycle. She said that it definitely sounds like I had mild OHSS, which I'd suspected all along. Mr S reduced my menopur from 5 to 3 amps. Got a call yesterday, which DH took as I was taking little one to Beavers. E2 was 362, was vague about what they like it to be and said to up the menopur to 4 amps. Had a sleepless night, I am so stressed this cycle which I know is bad. Obviously last time the OHSS and ectopic has probably affected me more deeply. Has anyone been asked to increase their menopur at this stage? I have had to decrease it before. The other issue is that we stressed to Mr S that we didn't want too many eggs. I'd be happy with 8 to 10. Also what I'd like to know is what was my E2 last time on day 4? It obviously wasn't abnormally high, but on day 10 I got call to say it was 23 000 and I was at high risk of OHSS. Tried to call clinic but they said nobody would call me back until tonight. Thought I might as well wait until I see them tomorrow. Sorry for rambling. DH didn't want me to tell anyone this time and believe me I feel like I could break down when I see people I'm close to.
How are you all going on? Hope you are all OK and I hope Dragthing is fine.
Take care everyone!
Lots of love,
Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

It's been so quiet on here lately, hope everyone is ok.

Jeps, it was really good to hear from you and I hope that horrible morning sickness has gone. How's the house hunting going?

Acugirl, how's things with you? Hope everything is ok.

Veballan, So sorry to hear you are feeling crap, what can a I say except that it does get better even if it doesn't feel like that rigjht now. Hopefully things will be alot clearer after your follow up with Mr Ranieri.
  

Prija, Things seem to be moving quite quickly for you, I'm afraid I can't really help with the Menopur, they reduced my dose on my IVF cycle but with my friends they upped her to the maximum dose.

I'm on day 3 of sniffing so nothing new to report with me, I'd forgotten how much of  a pain it it is to drink all that water and how much time I spend on the toilet. 


Love to all
Angel Wings
xxx


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Prija

Hang in there girl I don't know if it helps but my E2 was 2hundred and something on day 4 and I was bricking it as on max 6 amps of menopur they said it was on the low side but at that stage they wouldn't abandon the cycle and as you know by the first scan on day 8 I had 11/12 follicles and produced 8 good sized eggs 2 days early for EC. So anything can happen as you have room to manovere on the dosage front. I do think they could help by doing a few in between bloods and being open for scans bloods at the weekend through especially as you are so far away I know if I had pushed it my GP he would have done them and the results would have been ready via my local lab for UCH the next day.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you it is hard as I was in a hiisy fit convinced that because of my day 4 E2 and the fact that they kept changing the date of my first scan that it would be abandoned Prija keep drinking the protein and taking the vits try to keep calm I recommend going for an acupuncture to help.
Veballan XX


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
Thanks for the support Veballan. Hope you are feeling a bit better. Angel Wings I'm sure time will fly for you too! Have a good day everyone!
Prija


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi girls,
It's me again. Hope you are all OK. Angel Wings, hope the sniffing is still going OK and that you're not having any side effects. Any news about follow up appointments Veballan? Nice to hear from you Jeps and hope you're feeling well Acugirl. Still thinking of you Dragthing. Apologies once more for my emotional post yesterday. Had scan today, (DAY 6). 11 follicles with some smaller ones too. Trudie has just called with today's E2 level which is something over 1000. Apparently all they want is for it to double every 48 hours and mine has trebled. Feeling much happier now. Poured my heart out at the clinic to a lovely young Asian doctor and to the nurse Michelle. They explained that they deliberately starting me on a small dose with a view to increasing it and that they are taking it very slowly and monitoring me closely after last time. Now I know that I am feeling much happier. I'm going to go and take it easy tonight as only got back home about half an hour ago.
Take care everyone, love to all!
Prija


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Everyone

Special hello to Acugirl Angel Wings Jeps and Prija thanx for all the support latley

Would so love to hear from Dragthing and Adelaide.

Prija so glad everything is on track I read somewhere on this site that optimum follice number is 10 -15 to retrieve good eggs in the region of 8 to 10. So that old saying frequented on this site quality not quantity but that intial time between E2 and scan is so scary.
Hoping you have a good rest tonight.
DP has just arranged follow up visits Dr Ranieri next Tuesday at 9.30pm - anyone around then? and David Ralph next Friday afternoon would have like to have seen Mr Ralph first but so glad we get to see both almost straight away.
thanbk goodness for flexi time thats all I can say!

Willl keep you all posted feeling much better now after initial shock of BPN and now probably starting to get the drugs out of my system.Taking milk thistle to eliminate build of of toxins in my liver. Highly recommend for lowering high oestrogen and of course only if like me you are not pregnant of course! 

Take care everyone 

Bye for now

VeballanXX


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi All,

Prija, so glad you are feeling much happier about things. I have to hand it to you, I don't how you manage travelling all that way, it must be tiring.

Veballan, I don't think I will be at the clinic until later in the week, A/F should be anytime from sunday, fingers crossed.
Sniffing so far, so good hope i haven't said that too soon . They have prescribed me 3 bottles of suprefact, so it looks like I'm going to be sniffing for abit longer. When I did the IVF I sniffed more or less right up until E/C.

Hope everyone else is ok.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## Jeps (Jan 9, 2006)

Hi again
Glad to hear you're feeling better Prija, it's such a rollercoater ride isn't it? I remember bursting into tears in front of nurse Chantelle when I only had 6 follicles the week before EC, then it went up to 8 which even then i wasn't too happy about, but they managed to get 10 eggs out of that. You just never know how things are going to work out, it's all so unpredictable.  Good luck anyway, I'll be checking up on your progress.
Hi Angel Wings, glad the sniffing it going OK.  My friend who is having IVF at a different clinic only has to have 1 injection instead of all that sniffing! Makes you wonder why we can't all do that. Anyway lots and lots of luck and here's hoping your little frosties do the business for you this time!
Veballan,  hope you're doing OK. I know exactly what you mean about wishing and hoping you're that 1%!! I'm so sorry for you, let us know how it goes when you go back for your consultation.
Acugirl... where are you? Hope you're doing OK.
Any news from anyone else?  It seems a little quiet on here these days, even though there are plenty of us around!
I'm feeling much better these days, well, not as bad as I was so that's a blessing!
Speak soon everyone, and GOOD LUCK!              

jxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Ladies - I did my test this evening and it was POSITIVE!!!  I have had aches and twinges all week and wasn't sure if this was a good or bad sign, but a couple of people said that this can indicate a pregnancy.  I am trying not to get too excited - a close friend has just miscarried 9 weeks into a pg on her third IVF and her heartache is dreadful.  But fingers crossed this little one will hang on in there...

Dragthing xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Dragthing,
That's fantastic news. Many congratulations! Fingers crossed for you!
Lots of love to all!
Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Dragthing,

   on your wonderful news, wishing you lots of luck.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
Hope you are all ok. Quick update from me. Been to clinic again today, left ovary is fine with 6 follies, doing as it should, right ovary has way too many follies. (menopur was reduced again on Friday). Waiting for call from Mr. Ranieri and he thought he would reduce menopur again. Back to clinic on Tuesday. Still no decision about egg collection. Can't believe this is happening again, despite such careful monitoring, I have had bloods and scans every other day. Thought today would be last visit before egg collection, no such luck! I am upset as I do believe in quality and not quantity! Take care evryone!
Lots of love,
Prija


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Me again,
E2 is apparently OK, but they have reduced my menopur again and we will see what is going on on Tuesday.
Love to all!


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi all,

A quick question, on my FET schedule it says to take a one off dose of antibiotics around about this time, I am waiting for A/F to arrive anytime from now. Do I wait for my scan when A/F comes and ask the nurses exactly when to take it?

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Angelwings,
I really have no idea. Is the info not more specific on when to take it? Otherwise call the clinic tomorrow and ask to speak to one of the nurses. I needed to speak to a nurse on Friday at about 2 minutes to 5 and They put me straight through, for a change! Best of luck!
Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

All it says is when to expect your period at this stage, when to go for a scan and what to do if you are so many days late then adds you should take one off dose of antibiotics at this stage.
Looks like I will have to call the clinic.

Prija I've just been reading one of your other posts about gestone and how it feels tender 3 years on, are they really that bad even Mr Serhal said they were painful, I'm dreading them.

Angel Wings
xx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Angelwings,
I won't lie and say they are painless. To be honest they are an intramuscular injection (longer needle), which goes into your buttock. This actually hurts less at the time than the menopur injections. Afterwards you may get a bit of bruising and aching in the muscle (nothing compared to everything else!). I had them daily until 12 weeks of pregnancy, but what kept me going was the reason why I was having them done, we'd do anything! Are you going to have them? Sorry can't help further with antibiotics. Good luck!
Prija


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi It's me again,
More than 8 weeks is an awful long time to have a daily IM injection, so that's probably why! Your progesterone levels may be high enough not to warrant so many injections, let's hope so! I must not have high levels as in May, prior to ectopic, they started me on the injections again. Some people's progesterone is high enough though.
Best wishes!
Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

I spoke to Trudy today about the antibiotics and she said as long as I take them before I start the injections then it doesn't really matter so I am going to wait for a scan first to check things are ok. It is quite confusing though as I double checked with her about if my period is 4 days late (as staed on the schedule) then to ring in but she said to leave it for a week  .

Alos I have come out in loads of spots all along my jaw line  I don't know whether this is due to the medication or not but I never get spots the odd one once in a blue line but never like this.

How's things going? I'm still waiting for A/F to arrive.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi everyone,
How's it going Veballan, Jeps and ACUgirl? How are you feeling Dragthing? Angelwings, I came out in loads of spots when I downregged, but fortunately they've sorted themselves out now. Can't remember if it has happened before. Hopefully I'll have a definite date for egg collection tomorrow? I'm on really low dose of menopur, I think to stop my E2 level from going too high, but unfortunately I think it may mean a longer stimming time to let the follies grow. Eating loads of protein, visualising my follies etc. so I hope there will be some good news tomorrow! Hope you don't have too long to wait for AF!
Love to all!
Prija


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Everyone

A big congratulations Dragthing well done and fingers crossed for you.
Best news I've had in ages!!

Prija my thoughts are with you and keeping my fingers crossed.
Thanks for the kind message Jeps.

Know nothing about Gestone and antibiotics Angel Wings and Prija sounds horrible Menopur jabs were fine hardly any brusing but the heparin jabs for the two weeks following ET left me black and blue.

My thoughts are with you both.

Sorry such a short message trying to catch up on everyones news as been away in Norfolk for the weekend.

Going to UCH tomorrow for follow up with Dr Ranieri so will keep you all posted.

Lol Veballan XX


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Hello everyone

I've had my blood test which confirms the BFP so am deeply relieved (spent the weekend gettng increasingly worried that it might be a phantom...).  I ran out of cyclogest last week and felt like an idiot when I read the instructions that I should have carried them on until the preg test and beyond - but thankfully my various levels are good.

Veballan - thanks for your kind message - it's very generous of you to be happy for me after your heartbreak.

Prija - best of luck for tomorrow...

Angel Wings forgive my ignorance but what is gestone?  Re spots, I have had terrible spots on my cheek (mainly on one side) since my first IVF attempt over a year ago. Nothing seems to shift them - they persisted between that attempt and the next in March. They do seem to be clearing a bit now, but I do have tiny pimples on my forehead. Am using clearasil for the first time since I was a teenager! It's a bummer when you have both wrinkles AND acne.

Everyone - apologies for going so quiet last week - when the board moved homes I stopped getting notifications about postings and thought no-one was around.

Time for bed. Lots of love all. Dragthing.


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## Jeps (Jan 9, 2006)

CONGRATULATIONS DRAGTHING!!!!!!                
That is so brilliant  and so nice to get some positive news on here again!!  Here's hoping you have a brilliant 9 months and a healthy pregnancy.

Angel Wings, sorry don't know about gestone but all these drugs play havoc with your system, and baring in mind most of them are hormones it['s no wonder you've had a break out. I got a few too just from the  menopur. Once all the drugs are out of your system things will settle down. 

Prija is there any update on your follies? Think you were going again today? HOpe everything is in order and that you're feeling more positive.

Veballan, is there an update with the next step for you? How are you feeling now?  Just want you to know I'm thinking about you and hope the next time round is better news.

I've been off work for 2 days with a horrible tummy bug, if it's not one thing it's another, but feeling a bit better now so should be back at work tomorrow. Compared to what you are all going through I have nothing to complain about.

Anyway, lots of love and luck to you all!
jxxxxxxxxxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi everyone,
First of all, congratulations Dragthing, you can't rest until you have the blood test back can you! Great news! Secondly I met Veballan in the ACU today, I felt like I had known her for years! How's everyone doing? Everything is back on track, unfortunately I have about 20 follies, an improvement on last time, I suppose. Just had the HCG injection and all's scheduled for 9Am on Thursday. I'm now about to book a hotel, train etc, so I'd better go. I'llupdate you all as soon as I'm able. Thinking of you all!
Love
Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Everyone,

Dragthing, thats fab news, well done. Gestone (progesterone) is the lovely injections that I will eventually have just before E/T with the lovely big needles  

Prija, will be thinking of you on thursday, keep us posted.

Jeps, It's good to hear from you. Have you heard from Acugirl? Hope she is ok.

Veballan, how did you get on with your follow up appointment?

A/F arrived today   so I am going for a scan on friday morning, it will be abit strange going back there again as it has been a while.


Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
Just reread my message, and in case you don't know, I'm concerned about the number of follies as I had mild form of OHSS last time, I think my mssage sounded ungrateful and that's not how I meant it! Good luck with scan Angelwings.
Love to all!
Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

Just want to wish you lots of luck for tomorrow, will be thinking of you.

Love
Angel Wings
xxx


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Everyone 

Congratulations once again Dragthing see us 40 year olds can do it. Keeping everything crossed for you.

Prija massive heaps of good luck for Thursday -I'll be thinking of you.

Thanks for the messages Jeps and Angel Wings.

Dr Ranieri was very supportive yesterday seems to think sperm problem is to do with high levels of toxins due to DPs kidneys not genetic because he said that all tests have been done on him on that front. He feels the way forward is sperm donor so we had a long talk about it all and to hedge our bets so to speak I have a CMV test done yesterday and spoke to Suzanne the embryologist about how we are going to find a suitable donor with all the shortage in this country at the moment or to go abroad.

We have an appointment with David Ralph on Friday so I still cling to a miracle but slowly I feel the options are closing down Dp and I laugh about me surfing the web for hunky Viking donors (from the Cryos sperm bank in Denmark) but underneath it all I feel so so sad.

So on Friday we should know more.

Thanks for the conversation about spots my forehead broke out in really bad way they are starting to go now but I thought it was the new foundation I had bought (acne cosmetica) but thought it strange that the spots were just on the forehead as I never get spots.

Love to everyone 

Veballan X


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Veballan,

Who is David Ralph? I've heard his name mentioned before and is he based at UCH? Things sound abit more   for you, do you think you will look for donors abroad?
Good Luck for Friday. If you are at UCH what time are you there, I will be there at 11.00, the one with the acne chin.
Honestly everyone at work has noticed, beginning to get a complex about it as its so noticable. I went ans saw the lady who does my facials as I thought maybe it was one of the new products I had used but she thinks it is the medication and unlikely to be the products. 
I use Dermelogica and have never reacted to anything I've used before so I tend to agree with her but she has given me a facial wash and something to apply just before I go to bed and I have to say it seems to have gone down slightly.

Anyway enoug h about my spots, hope everyone else is ok.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Angel Wings

Funny you mention Dermalogica I used to work for the company at head office (4 &1/2 years in a former life) so no I agree I wouldn't think it would be your products.
If they are lumpy spots you could try using samples  (as condition is temp) of Skin Clearing Booster ( if they still do it!) otherwise a sample of their acne mask or one of their skin non abrasive exfoliants like Gentle Cream Exfoliant (again if they still do it) as they have (gentle) beta hydroxy acids in them so good for things like under the surface conjestion.

David Ralph is one of the top if not the top uroandrolgist in the country he does their PESA and TESA at UCH but has his office in Harley Street although he is attached to the UCL hospitals. So we are going to Harley Street not the UCH on Friday otherwise yes it would be really good to say hello. 

Bye for now

VeballanX


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Veballan,

My beautician gave me a anti bac skin wash and some medicated clearing gel to apply before I went to bed, it seems to  work miracles while I am asleep. I can't believe how much it has cleared up compared to what it was.

Good Luck tomorrow at your appointment.

Prija, Have been thinking about you today and hope all went well. Did you see Rita there?

I have my scan tomorrow so hopefully I will be given some schedule of when things are going to happen.

Love to all
Angel Wings
xxx


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Everyone

Thinking of you all especially Prija after EC yesterday and Angel Wings for your scan today good luck!

Veballan X


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi All,

I'd forgotten just how long you sit around at UCH, I was there for 1hr and a half just for a scan and bloodtest, don't know much at the moment apart from my womb lining is still abit thick. I have had a blood test and waiting for Trudy to call me tonight to tell me whether I start the progynova tablets but i carry on sniffing anyway.
I was abit annoyed though as after the scan they sent me back out as she needed to speak to Mr Ranerie about my scan, came back out and said yes I needed a blood test and to wait one of the receptionists would take me down. Twenty mins later I asked how long would it be until i go downstairs, she couldn't find my file   , great I thought. Anyway i go back in and see the nurse (can't remember her name) and it was quite obvious she was busy as she was floating between 2 clinics, I had lots of questions I wanted to ask and then had 2 interuptions from another nurse about a patient waiting outside, I gave up in the end and will speak to Trudy tonight, I've never experienced that before there. Moan over.

Prija, hope you are ok and resting with your feet up.

Veballan, how did your appointment go?

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
Just a quickie. Glad you're all doing well. Angelwings, fingers crossed you get the go ahead. Yesterday went well. First of all Mr. Ralph did PESA on DH and found fresh sperm. I then had my egg collection. Dr. Kadoum had counted 20 large follies on Tuesday. Anyway they got 14 eggs (nobody has a clue where the othere follies went?). Phone call today, out of 14, 2 weren't mature, 2 didn't fertilise and 2 fertilised abnormally, so that leaves us with 8 fertilised. Now it's just the waiting game to see what happens next. Suzanne still has no idea whether it will be a 3 day or 5 day transfer, so we'll have to wait till tomorrow to know more. Good thing was, I was their only egg collection yesterday, so they phoned me at 9AM which was nice not hanging around waiting. I'll write more when I have more news.
Lots of love to all!
Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

Thats good news about you and DH, if i remember correctly I ended up with about 8 from 11. Are you back at home now or will you stay in London unti E/C?

Take Care
Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Angelwings,
We've just got back home. The time was too uncertain for us to hang around in London. I will go back on my own for the transfer (I'm praying we get that far!).
I must admit that I have found the unit a bit chaotic over the past few weeks. They were fine yesterday though!
Love Prija


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi it's me again,
Just had call from Alpesh. All have divided, 5 well, 3 are a little bit slower. I will travel to London tonight in case transfer will be tomorrow, although there is still possibility it could be Tuesday. I will let you know how it goes.
Love Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

Thats really good news, keep us posted. I don't suppose I could ask a favour or you may already know. As you know I have 2 frozen embies (blasts) and I want to know if in these circumstances do they freeze them together or separately. I did ask Trudy yesterday and she didn't know and I don't know if and when do you get an opportunity to speak to the embryologist as I have never done FET before or will it be like IVF and you don't see them until the day of E/T.

Take Care and have  asafe journey

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Angelwings,
If I remember, I will ask them. I will do my best but feeling a bit groggy today and not looking forward to my journey in a couple of hours. I rang one afternoon last week to speak to the embryologists about DH's sperm and they were very happy to talk, so if I forget, do give them a call! I will try to remember though.
Take care,
Love Prija


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Everyone

Catching up on the last couple of emails from Prija and Angel Wings 

Congratulations on the fresh sperm collection, egg collection and fertilisation Prija way to go girl I am keeping everything crossed for you.
Angel Wings I think they are getting way busier due to their results and I think that is what is causing the waits and confusion.
I agree it is not helpful especially when you are trying to keep hush about your tx and am trying to get back to work.

Well Dp & I went to see David Ralph on Friday and he considered what happened to us and wants us to try again as he feels confident that he will get better quality sperm from DP. I sat there stunned as I was convinced we had gone there for him to close the door on everything as far as using DP' sperm is concerned. I just sat there speechless I must have looked really unsure as he said you do want to try this dont you and I replied that I though Dr Ranieri possibly didnt think it would be a good idea if the sperm hadn't improved.
He looked at me fixed me with this look as if to say he felt very confident and we shoud be more confident. He said he didn't feel that DPs genes and bloods were a problem and that he would write to UCH and  speak to Alpesh and Dr Ranieri about the way forward. He wants to aspirate sperm from DPs seminal vesicles to see the qaulity then to get Alpesh to look at its quality and if it good to freeze it and to use fresh sperm for an ICSI on the day  by literally taking DPS testicles out and exploring both testes for sperm (sorry if too much info) its just that I am amazed at his determination to go to the nth degree to make this work for us. He also said it would be a good idea to have donor sperm as a backup on the day. So if we go ahead DP and I think we should give it everything including PGS so have a lot of thinking and saving to do.

But feeling much better than have done in the last couple of weeks it amazing how hope can lift our spirits.

Lol Veballan.
X
So we have s


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## acugirl (May 16, 2006)

Hi girls
haven't been on here for quite a while -- I've been back in the 'real world' but wanted to just pop in here and see how you're all doing. It's really lovely to be reminded of the fab companionship that goes on here. You're all very cool chicks! 
Dragthing - congrats!! Phew for you!
Angelwings, Prija and Vebellan -- best of luck    . I have everything crossed for your journeys ahead and hope they are very short and sweet! Jeps: hope the stomach bug's gone and that you're feeling nice and healthy again. Lots of love to everyone I haven't mentioned.
I'm fine and have begun to feel the little one moving around (I'm 17 weeks), which is kind of beautiful!!!!!!
I'll get on here every so often to check in on your news.
Lots of love
acugirl


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Acugirl, how spooky I was thinking of you today and was going to pm you to see if you were ok as we hadn't heard from you in ages, anyway nice to hear from you.

Veballan, thats wonderful news and I hope it has given you the lift that you needed, I know what you mean about savings though, this is my last chance and then that is it. Have to say its amazing what they can do, how does DP feel about having all of those tests?

Prija, you must be so tired with all of the travelling as you've literally just got back. Hope you get plenty of rest tonight.


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

I forgot to mention that I started the progynova tablets last night but i have no idea about when E/T will take place as the nurse couldn't tell me, not there until next friday again now so hopefully will be told the rest of my schedule then as i would like a rough idea when things are going to happen.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
Glad things are looking up for you Veballan. Nice to hear from you Acugirl and hope things are going smoothly Angelwings. Hi to everyone else! Well wasi n London yesterday morning and got the call from Alpesh. We met criteria for pushing to blastocyst. We had 1, 8 cell, 1 , 7 cell, 4, 6 cell, 1, 5 cell and 1, 4 cell. Having thought long and hard about it, we opted for a day 3 transfer. Last time, we had 12 embryos and only 2 made it to blastocyst. My youngest son was a day 3 transfer. It is a very difficult decision to make, but we hope and pray we have made the right one.The remaining embryos will be cultured and hopefully we may get some frozen blastocysts. Feeling quite cool and calm at the moment. Travelled back to the North East today. No doubt I will become more frazzled over the next 2 weeks.
Take care evryone!
Lots of love, Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

Glad everything went well, I will keep everything crossed you get some blasts. Take it easy over the next few days.
Nothing new to report, I go back on friday for another scan and I am going to acupuncture tomorrow.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Angelwings,
Did you get a chance to speak to embryologists? I didn't get much time for questions yesterday. My bladder was taking its time to be in right position as right ovary was in the way. As it was Sunday I think they all couldn't wait to go home and everyone dashed off quickly afterwards. It was weird being on my own downstairs, lying down for half and hour!
Love Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

Hope you are ok. I spoke to Alpesh today and it doesn't sound too good to me. In my case they have frozen them together as one of them isn't very good and the other is only slightly better. I asked him what he thought the chances of one of them thawing and he said 50%   so i am not feeling so chilled anymore as this is my last chance financially.
sometimes i think you can know too much information too soon.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Angelwings,
You must be positive. I suppose because you asked Alpesh a question, then he had to give you the answer, but that does not mean that your blastocysts will not thaw 100%. They are obviously already good, otherwise they would not have reached blastocyst stage. The staff at UCH are good, but they cannot know everything. I was thinking the other day, how can they possibly know that in every single pregnancy the embryo is in the fallopian tube until 5 / 6 days post fertilisation? How do they know that only top class embryos always make the grade? My son was one of three, supposedly poor quality embryos, when I look at him now, it is not surprising that I queStion science! Your embryos have every chance and even more of a chance if you think positively and keep focused. We are all here wishing positive thoughts on you!
Take care,
Love Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

Thanks, I just can't help feeling alittle deflated at the thought of not even making it to E/T, anyway its out of my hands now so there is nothing much i can do about it. Had acupuncture earlier so feeling slightly more relaxed.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
Hope you are all well. Had call to say that we have 2 early blastocycts, however they are not of required quality to freeze. Alpesh said they had come on significantly in development and despite being early blastocysts he will not freeze them. I am not happy, but know I have to calm down for the sake of my little ones on board.
Love Prija


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Everyone

Well done Prija with your embies your  results are fantastic I know you are disappointed with the blastocyst ones and I don't know what to say but yes please stay calm for the sake of your little ones on board.

Angel Wings 
Prija is right they can't predict everything and like you said it is out of your hands now we often beat ourselves up if we feel we can do something about it but you can't so you have to trust in the higher being if you believe in one.

Bye for now but keeping fingers crossed for everyone.

Veballan X


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
How is everyone? How are you doing Dragthing? Any more news on dates Angelwings?
Nothing to report here. Had loads of aches and pains last time, which was obviously not good, being ectopic. Felt on top of the world this AM, but spent the afternoon with really achy legs (which I also had last time) and occasional sharp shooting pains in abdomen. It's all probably nothing, but I'm sure this site makes me over analyse everything! I try to stay off it, but it's so easy to keep checking things. DH is back to work on Monday, so I'll have to get back into my routine and hopefully that'll keep my mind off things!
Keep in touch everyone!
Have a good week-end!
Love Prija


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Hello all

I've been lurking but not posting.  Am getting increasingly anxious about next week's scan - this is where they look for a heartbeart.  On wednesday I had to do a mini-presentation at work and it really made my heartrate and adrenaline soar.  I then had sharp pains in my lower abdomen and began to fear the worst. Came straight home and have been here ever since, doing as little as possible.  Nothing more worrying has happened so hopefully things are OK.  I know I should be positive but I really felt anything but on Wednesday and have been fretting ever since.

Prija - I had lots of cramps, achy legs and general 'feelings' in my 2ww and my result was positive so please don't worry about that...

Dragthing


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Haven't been on for  afew days as things have been quite hectic. Had another scan yesterday and everything looks fine, first time ever I didn't need a bloodtest.
I'm going back on tuesday for another scan and if everything is ok will start the gestone injections the following day. E/T is scheduled for monday 23rd October god willing, will just have to pray I get a positive phonecall about my embies.

Prija, How's things going? When do you test?

Dragthing, It's nice to hear from you, good luck for wednesday but I'm sure everything will be ok, try not too worry too much.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
Dragthing, fingers crossed for next week. It's a horrible time waiting, but I am sure everything will be fine
Glad things are going OK, Angelwings. I'm sure things are going to go fine for you too.
Nothing to report here. The past week has gone really quickly, but I know it will start to drag now. Due to test a week on Monday and hoping I get that far.
Love Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

Thanks for your pm. It looks like its just you and me at the moment. How are you feeling, hope time isn't dragging too slowly for you.

I had my scan today and everything is looking good, E/T is booked for monday afternoon. It's all down to my   babies now  .
I start the gestone injections tomorrow, I nearly died when i saw the size of the needles, they are 3 times the size of the ones used for menopur. 

I've been in bed most of the afternoon resting as I have got a really bad cold and feel really achey, great timing or what but better now than next week so i've taken tomorrow off work as I cannot afford to get run down now.

Take Care
Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Angelwings,
Hope you are feeling better. Honestly the actual injections don't hurt as much as the menopur ones! It's afterwards that the area feels bruised. I have had a lot of bad AF pains on and off since Saturday evening. I know I did with my other pregnancies, but I am really preparing myself for the worst. Remember your frosties are already strong being blastocysts, so keep focused on that!
Take care, thinking of you! Hello to everyone else and thinking of you today Dragthing!
Love Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Prija,

Don't feel too bad today, my cold has dried up abit just abit of a headache now. It's awful all of this waiting, it seems like everyone on tx wishes their life away waiting for A/F, to down reg etc.. etc...

It looks like we are both waiting for good news on monday. The consultant i saw yesterday said that i would only get a phonecall if it was not good news and they will probably thaw them on monday morning. 

Angel Wings
xxx


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## KellyWhitt (Nov 2, 2005)

Hi all,

I don't know if i have the right hospital, but my consult has referred me to UCLH in London for my next IVF.  

I had my first IVF at Hammersmith but the treatment was cancelled on day 9 due to Hyperstimulation.  My consult Mr Tayob has told me not to go back to them and wants me to go here instead.

I have my first appointment this Monday and I'm seeing Mr Paul Serhal.  Does any body know him and know what he's like?

Kelly xx


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Dear Kelly

I too started at the Hammersmith (2 failed cycles) before moving to UCLH (yes the ACU is their IVF clinic so you are in the right place).  I also overstimulated at the Hammersmith at about the same stage as you. I didn't really have too many complaints about the treatment at the Hammersmith - both places have strengths and weaknesses - but I was swayed by the better success rates for women of my age (40), and by the fact that the ACU is walking distance from my house and work!  Have just had a cycle of IVF at the ACU and am now pregnant - first scan tomorrow so rather anxious about it... 

I have seen Mr Serhal twice (the rest of the time you see nurses and doctors) and he suggested PGD - preimplantation genetic diagnosis.  We were a bit sceptical as we knew this was ACU's big research area and we weren't too sure whether it was really needed in our case or was just a way of boosting their research stats. However it turned out to be excellent advice for us as the majority of our embryos turned out to be genetically damaged and so they were able to implant just the good ones. So I have been pretty happy with the ACU - and if this pregnancy fails I would use them again.

Best of luck for your consultation on Monday.

Dragthing


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Dragthing, How have you been feeling? Good Luck with your scan tomorrow.

Kelly, welcome to the UCH link, it's abit quiet on here at the moment but there are still afew of us around to help you with anything you want to know.
I initially saw Mr Serhal for my first consultation, he is very nice but he is not what I would call a people's person but don't let that put you off as he knows his stuff and would highly recommend him. As Dragthing said apart from consultations, E/C and E/T you will see the nurses for blood tests and scans etc... who are lovely especially Trudy and Caitlin who you can ask anything.
If you get home and think I forgot to ask this or that, then give the clinic a call and one of the nurses will call you back at the end of the day, they are very knowledgable on tx issues and don't forget you can ask any of us on F/F if you want to know anything.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## KellyWhitt (Nov 2, 2005)

Dragthing,

Thank you so much for your posting, hearing about your success really makes me feel better about going though this again.  I really hope everything works out for you and you have a great pregnancy. Good Luck with your scan tomorrow.

Angel Wings,

Thanks for your post too, it's always nice to be welcomed and it's good to hear other people have had the same consult as the one I'm seeing.  Like you i don't care if he's a people person or not as long as he knows his stuff and helps us get pregnant ;O)  I hope it quite due to a lot of people getting positive results?

Kelly x



Kelly xx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Kelly,

I was recommended to go there by a friend who now has an 8 month old little boy, she was also recommended to go there by someone who also had a baby there, hoping I am next.

Keep in touch and let us know how you get on. One last tip take a book or magazine with you as the waiting time is a nightmare depending on what time your appointment is. When you start going for your scans try to get the earliest appointment they've got as what happens you have a scan and if you need to see the nurse for a bloodtest etc.. they send you back out to the waiting room and then you are taken downstairs to see one of the nurses and wait in another little waiting room, tedious I know.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## KellyWhitt (Nov 2, 2005)

Thanks Angel, i'll keep that in mind :O)


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Girls,
Nice to meet you Kelly. I know Mr. Serhal, I would say well. Initially met him in 2002, have a 2 year old son from a FET, born in 2004. I think the more you meet him, the easier it becomes, but he is a very kind man. One thing I want to mention is that during my May cycle I had mild OHSS, 28 eggs collected etc. I had not overstimulated in 2003 and I think it shocked Mr.S a bit. On my latest cycle (on 2 week wait), they watched me like a hawk, blood tests and scans on alternate days and drug dosage changed accordingly. I am sure they will monitor you carefully. I don't blame the clinic for what happened as I think it is how my body responded. 
Best of luck for your appointment.
Dragthing, good luck for tomorrow, I thought you had said your scan was today!
Love Prija


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hi,

Just to wanted to say hello and ask if you didn't mind if I join this thread. This is my first time with IVF and just started the process at UCH with Mr Serhal. I was also referred there by Mr Tayob. Kelly - do you live in Hertfordshire?

Anyway, I had the first day of the OST today. I am needlephobic so the experience was horrendous. I cried with the blood test and the stomach injection so thank god by hubby was there to give me courage. I know there is worse to come....

Best of luck to you all.

Cristina


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Cristina and welcome,
I am so glad more people are joining us as it's been sooo quiet of late. Do you have to go back to the clinic tomorrow? I had my OST in January, 2003 and cannot remember a thing about it now! Best of luck!
Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

Just want to say a big hello and welcome to our thread. Try not to worry too much about the injections they really aren't that bad once you get used to it, says me who is about to have her first gestone injection, yikes.
Is hubby going to be giving you them, i found them better in my tummy than the tops of your legs and don't look.

If you need to talk or want advice we are all here for you.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi everyone

Apologies haven't logged in for a few days.
Welcome to Kelly and Christina I agree with everything that Prija and Angel Wings have written and don't think you could be in safer hands than at ACU.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you Angel Wings and Prija.

Hope everything went well for the scan Dragthing.

Lol Veballan XX


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Veballan,

How are you feeling? Any idea when you will be starting tx again and will you stay with UCH?

Just done or rather DH did my first gestone   injection, actually it wasn't too bad receiving it, it seems to be afterwards you feel it more, feels abit achey.

Anyway I am going to finally log off, been surfing on and off all day, thats what being off work all day does for you.

Night All
Angel Wings
xxx


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

I have been bleeding quite heavily over night - think i am miscarrying. Can't believe this is happening on the day of the first scan.


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Dragthing,
There are loads of posts on here about people who have bled (even heavily) and have gone on to have viable pregnancies. I know you won't relax until you have your scan, but try to stay calm and think positively. I will be thinking of you and if it means anything to you, I will say a prayer. Take care of yourself.
Lots of love,
Prija


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Thank you prija - that means a lot.


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Dear all

Well my scan showed an embryo with a heartbeat which is just wonderful - after the bleeding we were prepared for the worst.  However there is a patch of something in my uterus which they need to look at with another scan next week. The doc mentioned the very slight possibility of a molar pregnancy - this would be bad news from what I have read.  I think (although they weren't very clear at the clinic) that it is more likely a vanishing twin - where two embryos had implanted but only one survives - the other is absorbed.  They are monitoring my beta HCG and progesterone levels which seem OK.

Doing as little as possible and trying to be positive...

Dragthing


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Dragthing,
That is good news. I think they have to be over cautious about every little thing, but as I am sure you will have read there is a lot about vanishing twins and I am sure that is a very logical explanation. In the meantime you must stay positive and take good care of yourself for your little one on board.
Love Prija


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## acugirl (May 16, 2006)

hi girls
i'm really glad i came on here for a peek - angelwings: I thought something must be happening with your cycle and am glad to see et for monday. loads and loads of  . I really will be thinking and wishing for you!! Glad the gestone's going ok... (or are you just saying that to be brave?!)
Prija - when's the 2WW up? You seem to be monitoring every twinge, which, if i remember rightly, you always advised against everyone else doing!! I know: it's impossible not to.
Welcome to Kelly and Cristina and hope it all goes well for you.
Dragthing: hope the bleeding's stopped and your little bean is embedding nicely.......... Oh, why is it all so difficult!
Hi to Jeps and Vebellan and anyone else I've missed off. 
lots of love
acugirl


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## KellyWhitt (Nov 2, 2005)

Hi All,

Just a quick pop in and to say great news to Dragthing, I was keeping my fingers crossed for you and i still will until you get the all clear and all is going well.

I'm seeing Mr Serha on Monday afternoon and I'll find out when i can start my next treatment, I have a funny feeling he'll make me wait till after Christmas now as my 3 months are up in December (after my treatment was stopped due to OHSS), but I know they don't like starting treatment to close to Christmas.  I'll pop back in on Tuesday and give you all an update.

All have a great weekend and rest up well.

Kelly xx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Everyone,

It's nice to see this thread busy again.

Dragthing, good news about your scan, it must have been wonderful to hear that heartbeat. I hope the bleeding has stopped and try to remain   and get lots of rest.

Prija, how's things? Not long to go now until testing, are you tempted to test early?

Kelly, what time are you at UCH? I have to be there at 1.30 but will be downstairs.

Acugirl, It's really nice to hear from you.

The gestone injection bloody hurt last night compared to the night before, I don't know if it was because last night I lay down to have it. Tonight I'm going to try standing up again and see if it makes a difference, I don't know how I'm going to stick it but I will as I don't have any choice.

It's a waiting game now, if my mobile rings and UCH flashes up, then I know it's bad news and the worst thing is I don't know if they are thawing them Sunday or monday as I have been told 2 different things but maybe as they are 6 day blasts it will be monday morning.

Take Care all and have a good weekend.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Angelwings,
All the very best for Monday, I will be thinking of you!
No I have no inclination to test early unless something untoward happens.
Hi to everyone else, have a good week-end!
Oh. Kelly, I was talking to Trudy about Christmas just before my embryo transfer (?) and she said that they start treatment cycles, I think they do scanning Christmas week, but don't do any egg collections or anything.
Love Prija
Love Prija


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi All,

Injection wasn't too bad last night, now that I have said that tonights is probably going to hurt like hell. 

Prija, I will be thinking of you too on monday, here's to both of us getting the news we want to hear.

Love
Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Angelwings,
Just wanted to wish you the very best of luck tomorrow and I will be thinking of you!
How are you Dragthing? Hope you are doing OK Veballan. Hi to everyone else!
Love Prija


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Dear all

Best of luck tomorrow Angel Wings and Prija!

Bleeding for me seems to have abated and am feeling more human than I have for days which is nice.  Seeing GP tomorrow and another scan on Tuesday.

Dragthing xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi All.

Thanks Prija & Dragthing for all your best wishes. I didn't sleep a wink last night for worrying if my precious frosties are going to thaw, my mobile went off first thing this morning and started to panic thinking it was the clinic but tit was a friend wishing me luck.

Prija, thinking of you today and pray it's the news you want.

Love
Angel Wings
xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Off to the clinic now, haven't recieved a phonecall yet, so I'm hoping that means at least one of my precious frosties has made it. My stomach feels like it has a thousand butterflies flying around in there, hopefully I won't wail like a baby this time, well i wasn't that bad but I find it hard to keep all that water in and last time I had to go to the toilet twice before they even started the E/C, honestly i think I have the bladder the size of a pinhead. 

See you later.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Just a quick one as I need to lie down and DH is telling me off already. Had one blast put back as the other one didn't make it, it was grade 3 in regards of size (she said that was really good) but between a B and a C in regards of quality which is not great.
However I am very grateful to have gotten to transfer stage and would have been very upset if i didn't get that far.

E/T itself was horrible as they couldn't insert the catheter fully as it wouldn't curve round the uterus, they changed it and then changed it again and then had to dilate me open abit more, I was   and getting really upset as I was ready to give up as I couldn't take it anymore, it didn't help I was an hour late going in as they were really busy in theatre today.

Anyway I am off to lie on the sofa and be waited on.

Love
Angel Wings
xxx


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Hi Angel Wings

You poor thing - just try to put today's pain behind you and be positive about your precious embryo... Take care and listen to DH!

Dragthing xx


----------



## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hello Everyone,

First of all, well done Angelwings, all the very best of luck to you!

Well it was   for me. I did a crazy thing and tested on Sunday, it was negative, but decided I should wait and retest today. I have actually grieved already as I was pretty sure it hadn't worked, having had AF pains on and off for about 10 days. The only glimmer of hope I had was that AF had not and still has not arrived. With my first negative cycle, AF arrived promptly on day 28.

This is the end of the line for me. It is a hard decision to make, because I still have the longing, but I have my two precious little boys to think of and it is time to move on. I will call back at some stage to say farewell to you all. I know how very, very blessed I am and I will always remember you and say prayers for you all!

I will chat later!
Lots of love,
Prija


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## KellyWhitt (Nov 2, 2005)

Hi all,

Angel Wings, sorry to hear your ET wasn't a good one, but like Dragthing said, try and put that behind you now and stay positive.  I'll keep my fingers crossed you will get a BFP after your 2ww  

Dragthing, glad to hear the Bleeding has abated and your feeling more human.  Good luck for your scan on Tuesday.

Prija, Sorry to hear about your BFN   sending you lots of    .  

I was in the ACU Yesterday at 2.30 and My DH and I both felt really good about it this time round.  Mr Serha was really good and understood me and my problems really well.

He said he's the only person I'm to speak to and he will be dealing with me direct, which made us feel loads better because in Hammersmith I saw a different doctor every time I went.  He was upset how Hammersmith treated us and said there was lots they missed out for me which they should of done knowing I have PCOS.  He's got a whole plan worked out which we start in January it's an individual treatment which he's done just for me rather then a standard treatment which Hammersmith done.  He's going to give me a nasal spray for the bersilin instead of having injections this time, which I'm to take 4 times a day, but I'm hoping this won't upset my tummy like the injections did due to me having a trapped bowel.  He said I have severe PCOS and i need to be monitored very closely, which he will do, because if I get OHSS again I have a higher chance of it being fatal :O(  He's also going to give me steroids to help with the quality of the eggs.

Feeling a lot more confident this time round and looking forward to starting in January :O)

Love to you all,

Kelly x


----------



## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Prija, I'm so sorry to hear your news and I know nothing I can say will make you feel better but I am thinking of you and if you want to talk or pm me, please don't hesitate. 
Sending you lots of love and a big  . Take Care of yourself.

Kelly, thats brilliant news, Mr Serhal really does know his stuff and thats what I like about UCH they treat you as an individual and don't put you all under the same umbrella. The nurse who was with me during E/C made me laugh as we were talking about the consultants and I hadn't said anything at this stage but she said they (staff) do tell Mr Serhal about his lack of bedside manner but that is just the way he is.
It's really good he is going to tailer everything for you personally.
Don't worry about the nasel spray, you will be fine. It's great you can just carry it around with you and whip it out when you need it, much more convenient than injections. I too had to do it 4 times aday but had no problems with it both times.

Dragthing, thanks hope you are taking it easy too, good luck with your scan today.

Cristina, How is everything going?

Love
Angel Wings
xxx


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## KellyWhitt (Nov 2, 2005)

HI Angel,

Hope you are resting well and have your feet up.  Thanks for the pep talk as i am a bit worried about the spray.  I did find the injections easy as my dh done them every morning before he went to work and it was only once a day, but I'm sure I'll get use to the spray too.

I have to say Mr Serhal bedside manner was really good yesterday.  He was very friendly and answered all our questions and also went though my timetable and plan really well.  Sounds like the nurse must of said something to him before we went in :O) 

Kelly x


----------



## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello all,

Prija, I am so sorry to hear your news. I am thinking of you and sending all my best wishes for whatever you decide to do. Take good care of yourself.

Dragthing. Congratulations on the heartbeat. It must be so exciting! Did they find out if you have a molar pregnancy? What is it exactly? Do they need to keep an extra eye on you?

AngelWings - so good that you had a good emby to transfer even if it was painful. I also have a bladder the size of a pinhead, mainly because I have endo there (as well as everywhere else that you can think of) and so I am not able to hold too much liquid in. Not sure how I am going to cope with the dummy embrio transfer next week - let alone the real one!

Anyway, put your feet up and let DH wait on you. Sending you lots of good thoughts and wishes for a BFP in 2 weeks  

Kelly - glad that you are feeling more confident about starting the treatment again. I really like Mr Serhal and I have also felt that he treats you like an individual and not a size fits all kind of approach.

Well, must sign off now and get back to work. I am getting really excited now as I start with the primolut tablets on Sunday so it feels like the treatment is finally starting.

By the way, one quick question. Did any of you bleed after the OST? I had pains in my stomach and ovaries all weekend which the nurse at UCH said was normal. But then I also started to bleed on Sunday (lighltly) every time I go for a pee. I am really paranoid now.

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

Not long to go now for you  , it's always exciting when you finally get started. I didn't have any bleeding after the OST and I don't really remember have any kind of pain either but we all react differently.

Funnily enough I had no problems at all during the dummy transfer and thats why its frustrating that I had problems both times but its all over now. I was getting really distressed this time as it was more difficult than last time and they talked about getting an anaethitist down, apparently you can be anaethitised for E/T and they fill your bladder for you but as the nurse pointed out it is more money and as with any anaesthetic there are risks.
Anyway don't you be worrying about that, these things always seem to be happening to me  .

Angel Wings
xxx


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi 
Everyone just signing in and catching up on the news.

Prija I am so so sorry for you and DP with the news of your BFN I will pm you.

Angel Wings I so do emphathise on your experiences with transfer I dread to think what mine would have been like without the dilapan ouch!!!
Again Cristina and Kelly I think you are in the best hands at UCH.
I might live to regret this comment next time but the sniffing was fine just a bit light headed but no sickness at all!

I have spent the last week doing research for a sperm donor as in catch 22 if we have to have one as back up for another go with DP sperm at ICSI they have to be ID release and with me being tested as CMV - that narrows done our options even more. Ideally I would like the best possible match for DP and criteria we would be prepared to go abroad for non ID release donor but at the mo if we get the go ahead with DPs sperm and condition UCH is the best place for us with the lovely David Ralph so we will have to see. A tx over Xmas would have been great timing wise with my cycle but if we  have another go it will probably be Jan before we can organise any back up Donor sperm.

I spoke with Elur (Donor thread shes lives in ROI) on the telephone and spoke about donor IUI and she reckons that if you are 40+ IUI or DIUI is unlikely to be successful without IVF. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take given that this will be the last year I can probably have IVF as will be 41 in December. In Denmark they won't IUI you over 40 but will do IVF whilst Suzanne the embryologist at UCH says its the opposite with UCH and most of UK  clinics with IUI patients can be older I think she said up to 45 so now I am confused. 
I asked Suzanne whether it would be a good Idea to have PGS next go because of my age as I thought it would give us the best chance of achieving a viable pregnancy after fertilisation but she doesn't think it is necessary for me so now I really don't know where I am at really. 

For the moment I am concentrating on what we will do when DP has the sample taken from his seminal vesicles and analysed by UCH to see which way we will go from here. It has taken us two weeks for DPs GP and local NHS hospital to get back his blood group to him which was bl**dy ridculous given his long medical history. 

Anyway message for Cristina and Kelly given what I know now I wouldn't consider going anywhere else in the UK apart from UCH I have to be honest.

Lol and good luck everyone

veballanXX


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Veballan,

Things seem to be moving on for you which is good news. Can I ask what is CMV? When will DH go in for his op?
Can't say i am surprised about the length of time to get his blood results back, nothing the NHS does surprises me anymore. Last November I wrote a letter of complaint to Barnet Primary Health Care Trust, I recieved aletter back from them in May of this year  , I'm not joking either.
I'm now waiting for Kings College Hospital to get back to me to tell me where I am on there waiting list, I guess I will be waiting some time, good old NHS  .

Take Care
Angel Wings
xxx


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi everyone 

Reply to Angel Wings 
CMV is a test they do to see when you considerdonor sperm if you have had this megolovirus stuff a lot of people have had it and now it is not active (otherwise they wouldn't be accepted as donors)they are carriers. 
I think its a bit like people having cold sore virus but obviously not quite the same!
Apparently 60% of US domnors are CMV+ Some people like myself who are CMV - have never had it so dont have antibodies to it so if I have sperm from adonor who is CMV+ it can cause all sorts of problems if you look it up on google you will get a much better explanation. The UCH will only consider CMV - donors for me which cuts down the choice even further than ID release does.
I did ask Suzanne the embryologist what would happen if Dp was CMV + and she said that could happen and does but in donor matching they like to take out any risk as CMV + transmission to CMV - receipient can cause problems and foetal birth and malformity problems.  

Hope that helps

VeballanX


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## veballan (Feb 1, 2006)

Angel Wings PS so so sorry.
Cant remember congratulating you on your frostie I am most ignorant my mind is up my b*m at the mo I would like to think it is the fertility drugs but I am worried it may be alzheimers at this rate.

Your news is fabulous I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you.

LOl VeballanXX


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Hello everyone

Just a qucik update from me - had a scan at UCH (NHS, not ACU) on Tuesday which showed wonderful clear pic of embryo with heartbeat - and it was wiggling its bum!  You could still see the area of bleeding on the scan but I haven't actually bled since then so am beginning to feel happier. And am very nauseous most of the time which I take to be a good sign. Another scan at ACU next week.

Best wishes to everyone...

Dragthing


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Dragthing, so glad the scan went well and you have stopped bleeding, please let us know how you get on next week. Take It easy.

Veballan, it all sounds quite complicated but I am so happy that things are moving forwards for you both. Keep us posted.

As for me there isn't much to say, the 2ww is always abit of a drag, have a very slight dull ache but apart from that I am fine. Sometimes I think I shouldn't say anything as I feel like I am tempting fate.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Good morning girls!

I know it is a bit early but I have been up for 2 hours already all excited about starting primolut-N today  

Dragthing, so good about the scan and that you have stopped bleeding. Also good sign about the nausea (every month I long for nausea to hit me but no such luck!) When are you at ACU next for the next scan? Let us know!

Angel Wings, not long to go now. Just think you are nearly half way there. Sending you lots of positive thoughts!

Veballan, I agree with angel wings that it sounds very complicated and probably frustrating if it narrows the pool of donors for you but at least you'll know that you have given it the best chance and start possible. Good luck with DP sperm anyway and hopefully they will give you the go ahead to proceed to ICSI. When will you know? Keep us posted.

Well, not much to say from me now for a couple of days. I will be going to do the donor ET and for the results of the OST on Tuesday so I will let you know how I get on (I am already dreading the full bladder aspect. How much liquid do you need to drink to fill the bladder? With me, one glass and I'm already bursting  

Cristina xx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

Welcome to the IVF rollercoaster, it's all very exciting when you finally get to start. Try not to worry about the dummy E/T you will be fine, one of the nurses I saw last monday said most women drink around 2 litres but I can not manage that and aim for 1 and a half. Saying that by the time i get there I am desperate to go but if you tell the nurse they will scan you and then give you a cup to pee in, so you can let bit out  .

Have had a really bad headache today and paracetemol does absolutely nothing, you can't even take that 4head stuff, it's only just beginning to wear off.  

Angel Wings
xx


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## Jeps (Jan 9, 2006)

Hello everyone, sorry for being away for so long, have been on holiday and before that was a bit off colour.  There is so much going on on this thread that it's very hard to keep up but first things first, I just have to say how sorry I am to Prija for the BFN, what a nightmare for you, my heart really goes out to you. I hope you still pop on here from time to time and say hi, but totally understand that you need your space right now.. lots of love!
Angel Wings ... that is such great news about the frostie! I was on tenterhooks reading the past threads wondering if they defrosted ok!  I have everything crossed for you and hope that you get the news you want this time!!!    
Dragthing - what a relief about the bleeding, that was another post that gave me a bit of a fright, but thank goodness everything is OK. It's very exciting seeing that heartbeat for the first time isn;t it?
Veballen, sounds much more promising for you too - that other doctor sounds really nice and positive, exactly the sort of thing you want to hear.  Good luck with the donor search and keep us posted.
Hello to Kelly and Cristina - good to see some new faces on here, although in some ways it's bad I suppose in that it just means there's yet another 2 people going through hell!  Any questions just shout, everyone on here are so friendly and supportive!
Acugirl .. good to see you back on here and glad everything is going well for you!  
I know I am forgetting people here, so hello to everyone else.
As for me, things are fine, don't feel sicky anymore - just have a few aches and pains in my back, leg cramps and heartburn but as I've said before, can't complain.  I'm now 23 weeks, had a terrible scare the day before we went on holiday in that they found a cyst on the baby's brain at the 20 week scan which they said was a 'soft marker' for Edwards Syndrome. I didn't look up this disease, but I know that's it is awful.  They referred us for a 'detailed scan' which I couldn't have until we were back from holiday, so had 10 days in the south of France terrified about the possible outcome. Anyway, went to UCHL for the follow up scan and they said everything was absolutely normal, and in fact, they don't think there was ever a cyst there in the first place, they think the man at Barnet hospital saw something that he 'thought' was a cyst!!!! So we had all the worry for nothing. Anyway, it's all fine in the end!

Speak soon everyone and a special GOOD LUCK to Angel Wings on the dreaded 2ww!!!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hiya  Jeps, you had me worried for a minute there, so happy everything is ok with baby. The worrying doesn't even stop when you get that BFP does it.

Cristina, just want o wish you luck for tomorrow and I hope everything goes well. What time are you there? I have to pop in at 9.00 as I have not got enough needles to see me through.

I also have abit of  a dilemma as I do not have enough gestone to see me through until test date, I am one short but only because UCH like you to test 16 days post E/T where most other clinics let you test 14 days after E/T. Anyway I do not want to buy a whole box of gestone at £50+ when I only need one so I am going to ask if i can test day 15 instead which i am sure won't be a problem unless they have a spare gestone floating around that I can have. Otherwise I was wondering if I could use cyclogest as I Have some left over from the IVF.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

I forgot to say that I rang Kings College Hospital today, where I have been on the waiting list since last year to see where I was on the waiting list for IVF.
I am 67 on the list and she said I may get offered treatment next financial year. This year they were able to fund 51 women of which they wrote to 100 people, anyway hopefully I won't need it but i thought I might as well find out.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## KellyWhitt (Nov 2, 2005)

Hi all,

Dragthing, so glad to read your scan went well and your feeling a lot better now. 

Feeling very down today  My DH sister phoned last night and told us she is pg.  It's official I'm the last one to get pg in both side of the family.  My bother is due in March and his brother already has 2 little girls aged 3 and 6 months and now her!

The funny thing is they all seem to be accidents and i can't fall even though we have done everything we have been told to do and have been trying for over 5 years.

Not looking forward to Christmas now, were spending the day round my mum's and my brother and his wife will be there then were going round to his parent's in the evening where his brother with his two kids and his sister with her new bump will all be there.  I just want to stay home and hide  

Couldn't stop crying last night, just have a horrible feeling it will never happen for us and I'm also feeling my depression coming back even though it's taken me over 2 years to feel better about my self and be around others who are pregnant and have kids I feel I can't stand to be around them again!!

Also feeling very sick every day.  I'm on metformin to help with my PCOS and I'm suffering really badly from it, so i have rung Dr Paul to see if he will let me just start the pill so i can have a period next month as i haven't had one since July and I'm feeling so abnormal it's also helping me back into depression.

HELP xxxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi All,

I thought I'd logged onto the wrong website today when I saw the halloween theme. Popped into UCH this morning and picked up some more lovely needles etc... panic over about the gestone, Caitlin said I test tuesday not weds so I do have enough gestone but I am sure I was told weds by the other consultant, I'm sure I wouldn't have forgot the date.

Kelly, I have pm you.

Cristina, how did it go today?

Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello all,

Oh Kelly, I know how you feel. I am exactly the same as my little sister got pregnat totally by accident (on my wedding night to add salt to injury!). She was not even sure she wanted to stay with her boyfriend and thought about having a termination for the first couple of months. I had to keep my tongue in check as no knew at that time that we were going through investigations and that we may need IVF. But I felt it was really unfair. I still do and every time I look at my beautfiul nephew I cannot help feeling that he shoud have been mine! I even go shopping for clothes for him although in reality I am buying them imagining that they are for my own baby.

I am dreading Xmas also because by then we will know if the IVF has worked or not. If it has, it will be wonderful but if it has not it will be too upsetting to be celebrating my nephew's first Xmas etc.

Anyway my DH thinks that the two things should not be linked and that I should be able to enjoy my nephew for the joy he brings irrespective of our fertility problems. I know he is right but my heart sometimes does not agree!

Don't worry, it will happen for all of us, I know it!

Angel Wings, the dummy ET went quite well (apart from the bladder thing). They made me wait 40 minutes and so I was on the verge of tears with the pain of a full bladder. i had to threaten them with a visit to the toilet and they quickly did the test although the nurse said my bladder was not even totally full!!

it was all painless so hopefully the same will happen when the real one takes place in a month or so. They said the access was very easy and that I have a good ovarian reserve   (it does not take much to cheer me up!)

By the way, i've seen your posts about buying cheap drugs. It is a godsend! I have phoned Ali at Fazeley and he was lovely and gave me really good prices. Does he also send the needles etc or do I have to buy those separately? How do you inject the menopur?  with a pen? where do i buy that? what hurts the least? 

One more question, when do I see mr Serhal again? So far I have only spoken to him at consultation. Will he do the egg collection and embrio transfer?

Oops..I forgot to ask you how you were? Hope you are taking it easy. Good news about the gestone and also that you are testing one day earlier than thought - is that next Tuesday? I am keeping my fingers cross for you.

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

So glad everything went well and thats good news about your OST test.

Ali is lovely, isn't he I've bought from him both times.

Don't forget to put your trigger injection (I think its the Pregnyl, anyone the one off jab you have before E/C) in the fridge as soon you recieve it. All the rest can be kept at room temperature.

UCH will give you all the needles, syringes etc... and a lesson on how to adminster them. I took DH with me as I knew I wouldn't be able to do them myself.
Menopur is injected with a needle. You can use the tops of your legs or your stomach, I have done both but prefer the tummy as there is more fat there and it is alittle less painful, just alternate sides which ever site you use.

You probably won't see Mr Serhal or one of the other consultants until egg collection now as you tend to see the nurses for all your scans and bloodtests unless there are any problems.
If you think of any more questions just ask.

As for me I'm fine just have abit of a dull  A/F ache but nothing else (.) (.) don't even hurt  . I will be testing on tuesday unless the   get me first.  

Kelly, keep on thinking    , we are all here for you.

Hi to Dragthing and Veballan and everyone lurking, you know who you are.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello all,

This is very quiet...where are you all?

Anyway, got my drugs this morning through the post...there are a lot of them!

Have a good weekend (can't wait for Sunday when i start sniffing)

Lots of positive thoughts  

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

hi everyone,

Well its day 12 now of the 2ww, not too much longer to go. I'm getting to the stage where I just want to know one way or the other.
The   won't be able to get me this time as I have booked tues and weds off work for this purpose as last time I made the   mistake of going to work and   all day, so this time I will have to do it on tuesday and not any earlier.

I have to be honest and say the gestone injections are getting harder and I have had enough of them, they are beginning to get quite painful when DH gives me them as you can feel a big lump under the skin .

Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Angel Wings,

Just a quick messages to let you know that I use a cream called EMLA before jabs, blood tests etc which numbs the skin. You don't feel I thing, honest! it might be worth a try if the gestone is getting too painful. You can buy it at the pharmacy and it is only about £3.50 or so.

Started sniffing today. It has been mixed...I feel very nauseous and light headed but hopefully that will go away after a couple of days! Did you also find that with the suprefact nasal spray?

Bye for now,

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi All,

Well not too long to go now, I think I'm going to do it tomorrow night when I get in from work, there is no point putting it off any longer. A/F pains have been increasing and the stabbing pains so I don't know what to think.

Cristina, I didn't really get any side effects with the nasel spray especially on FET, on the IVF I had afew tearful days but no headaches or anything.

Dragthing, thanks for pm.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## acugirl (May 16, 2006)

Hi girls
Angelwings: the gestone sounds horrid! you are superbrave!! I have everything crossed for you and have been thinking of you! 
Ali as usual has been totally fab. We should award him best pharmacist of the year: I've been trying to get support maternity tights (yes: yummy veins) and cdan't find them anyway. DH suggested I try Ali and he's found some for me, where my local chemist couldn't be bothered to research them.......
I also have a low-lying placenta (potentially could be not so good) which is sometimes associated with IVF -- but who cares about that, I guess you're all thinking!! 
Lots of love
acugirl


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Angel Wings,

Lots of luck for tomorrow!!!!!!

Sending you lots of       and   

Keeping my fingers crossed for you



Cristina xx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

I cannot believe how nervous how I am, I so want to test tonight but then wonder if I should wait until the morning, actually I am scared of knowing OMG what shall I do?

I've bought a first response kit and it says you can test anytime of the day but morning is best, do you think i will still get an acurate reading if I test tonight?  

Angel Wings
xxx


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## Meg06 (Dec 5, 2005)

Hello Everyone at ACU!

Even though I haven't posted for ages I've often checked back to see how you're all getting on and I just wanted to write to you all to say NEVER GIVE UP HOPE! 

I was trying for a baby for 3 years and had fertility treatment at acu for over a year. 
As I have very poor egg quality I was only given a 10% chance of becoming pregnant with fertility treatment and using my own eggs. After meeting with the consultant he suggested we give it one last go and I had my final cycle of Gift in July this year. This turned out to be negative. We both took this very badly as as dream of having a child seemed to have slipped away from us.

As you will all know coping with it all is not only exhausting but such a huge roller coaster of emotions, which is difficult to understand if you haven't been through anything like this. I was lucky to receive a lot of support from friends and family and of course everyone at FF, but somedays I was unconsolable.

In August of this year (the month after our last ever cycle) I fell pregnant naturally and am now 14 weeks pregnant!! I still can't believe how lucky we are and to this day I have to keep pinching myself as it is such a miracle.

Anyone who goes through fertility treatment deserves a medal. I never in a million years thought I would become pregnant naturally as my chances were so low.

This is just to say, however hard it is try to keep going. Everyone who wants a child deserves to have one and whatever route you have to go down you will somehow get there in the end. 

Love to old friends and new

Meg
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## Jeps (Jan 9, 2006)

Hi everyone

Just a quick one to say GOOD LUCK ANGEL WINGS. I tested in the evening on day 12 and got a BFP so I'm not sure it really matters if you do it day or night. It's sooooo bloody nervewracking isn't it!  Lots of love and I'm thinking about you.        

Meg - WOW, what a great story.  Congratulations!!  Hope you have a happy and healthy pregnancy.


Hello to everyone else, sorry it's brief, just wanted to say good luck!
xxxxxxxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Meg,

Thats fantastic news, I'm so happy for you, it just goes to show doesn't it. Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy.

Lots of Love
Angel Wings
xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

It was     for me, I feel absolutely gutted and feel quite numb inside as this is it for me for financial reasons though Meg's story has given me some hope.

I just want to thank you all for all your kind words and support.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Angel Wings, so, so sorry to hear this. Thinking of you... Dragthing xxx


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## Jeps (Jan 9, 2006)

I am so sorry to hear that Angel Wings, I'm absolutley gutted for you.  Never give up hope, and maybe you'll be able to save up and try again at a later date. Sending you lots of love!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## acugirl (May 16, 2006)

oh angelwings
what can i say? it's just not your time yet. but don't worry - it will come, I'm sure of it. You'll have a break and assess things and have another try....... afterall, it was just your second attempt (third time lucky maybe?) maybe if not this year then next, when you've saved up a bit....
Nothing anyone can say can make things better -- but when the numbness goes, at least you'll realise it was only one cycle and they'll be others. It's just such a hard game we're playing.  
Lots of love and nice thoughts
acugirl


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Oh Angel Wings!

I'm so sorry! 

I cannot even begin to think how you must feel. Take comfort from Meg's story as I do know of others who have got pregnant naturally after trying fertility treatment.

You must no give up hope! You can save up for another go or try on the NHS (you are on the waiting, aren't you?).

I know this is no consolation but this is not the end. It will happen!

Take care, look after yourself and you need to talk, scream or cry we are here to listen

Lots of love and ,

Cristina xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Just want to thank you all again for all your messages and support. I probably won't be frequenting the boards so much now but more lurking but just want to say to Cristina and Kelly lots of luck in your tx and as I said I will be lurking so if questions come up on the way then just ask.

DH has said that if he gets a new job which is well paid ( he has resigned from present one) then we will save for another cycle of IVF but that is not going to happen overnight.

Take Care
Angel Wings
xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Just a quick message for Cristina, how are you getting on? Are you still sniffing or have you moved on to the injections?

I know it's really quiet on here now but I don't want to think you we have all deserted you, i keep on lurking.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi EVERYONE,
I, like Angelwings, was feeling sad that nobody had updated for a while. This is a great way of supporting each other. I am lurking too and if anyone needs any advice or just to let off steam, please feel free! How is everyone? Angelwings, hope you are feeling a bit better!
Love to all!
Prija


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello Angel Wings and Prija,

Thanks so much!

Angel Wings - how are you feeling? I'm thinking about you and praying that you get some funding together soon to start again

Well, I went this morning to ACU to do the scan and they told me i can continue to the next stage so I will be stabbing tomorrow evening for the first time.

Very scared of needles so a bit emotional about it  

My DH was with me this morning and he learnt how to do the injections as I am bound to faint if I do it myself but he did not look very competent to me!

My EC has been scheduled for 29th November if it all goes to plan so I will let you know how I get on.

By the way, some of the girls i am cycling with are only stimming for 7 days but Iam doing it for 11. Did you both have to stim for 11 days as well? I'm now worried that they think I will have a slow response  

Love to you all 

Cristina x


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Cristina,
Yes I stimmed for 11 days all 3 times! I think it's perfectly normal. Best of luck!
Take care,
Prija


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## acugirl (May 16, 2006)

hi girls
hope you're all good. just wondering if anyone caught Mr Serhal and Arpesh (I think that's his name) on robert Winston's (not v good) programme on IVF yesterday. It was really weird watching someone go through ET on TV..... ooooh that warm water and scraping sensation eeek - not that it was too bad - but it brought it all back.
I wonder where the new girls are. when I joined this thread it was so busy on here. it was my lifeline, actually.
love to you all
acugirl


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi everyone,
Just wanted to say that I didn't find the embryo transfer bad at all and I am an expert having been through it 4 times plus the dumy run!
Best wishes!
Prija


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Hello all

Yes, Cristina, I stimmed for 11 days (or was it 12?) - the injections are fine once you get used to them. I actually feel very proud of myself that I am able to do an injection as I would never have thought I would!  At the Hammersmith I had to inject the buserelin (suprefact) as well and I was a real pin-cushion by the end.

The baby (I think I can call it this rather than embryo now) is still hanging in there - had the 12 week scan on Monday and all is OK. I still bleed occasionally which is always worrying but so far it's clinging on.  Just want the weeks to pass!

Dragthing


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Thanks for all your messages, I am not feeling too bad, some days are better than others. Abit of news from me though is that my DH has been offered a job in Dubai and if the package is right he is going to accept it.
I have mixed feelings about this as I have never done anything like this before and half of me is   of leaving my job, flat, family and friends behind but I know DH has been wanting to go abroad for ages. If he accepts he will go January or Febuary and I will go 3 to 4 months later once he knows if he really likes it.

Cristina, I too had to stimm for 11 days but had no problems, good luck tonight. let us know how you get on.

Acugirl, I too watched the Robert Winston programme but I am so glad I was out of it for E/C, there is no way I could be awake for it. I'm afraid I didn't have much sympathy for the woman with 4 boys especially as the male embryo's would have been discarded, why couldn't they have gone to a woman needing donar eggs?

Angel Wings
xxx

Prija, Hope you are ok.


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Dragthing, so glad the scan went well. i think we were both writing posts at the same time so I have just seen your message.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello,

This is getting lively again  

Dragthing - so glad the scan went well. Let us know how you get on. You must be so excited!

Angel Wings - congrats on your DH's new job. It sounds very exciting. I have done it twice (once from Madrid to Liverpool and last year from Liverpool to St Albans) and I can thoroughly recommend the experience of meeting new people and living new experiences. 

Well, injecting tonight so I'll let you know how I get on (I have covered myself on emla cream so hopefully I will not feel it too much). Qucik question: I have been told to inject on the leg but where about exactly? My DH says i have put the emla cream on the muscle at the top of my leg but I think this is where the nurse told me to jab. Do you remember? Help please!

Cristina x


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Cristina,
I assume you are having subcutaneous injections? If so, grip the skin away from the bone, I used the middle outer third of thigh (hope this makes sense!). If you are doing intra muscular then I would ring the clinic for more advice. Good news about the job Angelwings and you know they have fantastic hospitals over there! Great news Dragthing!
Love to all!
Prija


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## Spanners (Apr 2, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Am a bit rusty as I haven't posted since about June - its nice to see the UCH thread is still going strong but I'm sorry to see there are some familiar names still hanging on in there with me! Since my ectopic BFP in June I had a BFN last month and as that was my third IVF cycle with UCH Mr Ranieri is suggesting going down the PGS route (pre-implantation screening to see if they can screen out embies with genetic defects that might be preventing them from implanting).

I just wondered if any of you have discussed or followed that route at UCH? If so how did you find it and how much information do they give you when they do the screening. Any advice / suggestions for questions I should ask (we always ask loads, I think they dread seeing us)? I'm going to speak to the programme coordinator next week so am trying to do some research and find out more about it generally. 

I watched the Robert Winston programme about PGD (nice and timely) but it wasn't hugely informative (I loved the way it looked like you just turn up for EC on your first day of IVF - like the weeks of drugs, scans, blood tests and injections beforehand are just a minor detail!)

Hi and Good Luck to those of you I've not 'met' before.  Love to Angel Wings and Prija - I think we were probably all bumping into each other at UCH in October again without even knowing, sorry things didn't work out for you guys either this time.

Take care and let me know about the PGS stuff if you can help as we're not 100% decided whether to do it or try another 'normal' IVF so I'd be grateful for any info.

Spanners xx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Spanners,
Sorry to hear about your BFN, but glad you are well again! One of the girls on here who is currently pregnant had PGS. I hope you don't mind me naming you Dragthing? but I am sure if you pm her she may be able to help! You are probably right, we probably did bump into one another last month. On the whole I had my 2 year old with me (He's half Indian). Maybe you saw us?
Love to all!
Prija


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## Puglet (Jul 6, 2005)

Hello Ladies, may I join you?

I'm not new to FF or to IVFs, but have been lurking for some time now   .  I've so far had 2 IVFs and 1 FET, all of which ended with BFNs  .  

Spanners, I'm sorry to hear it didn't work for you last month - I'm at very similar stage to you are.  It's so hard, isn't it?  DH and I decided to see Mr Serhal this time, and he also suggested going down the PGS route, which we decided to follow.  If you to decide to go down that route, I think there's a waiting list for it (not so long), so you have to let the clinic know.  I'm aware that we may end up with no embies to put back, but as we can't find any obvious reason why IVF hasn't worked for us so far, hopefully PGS will give us some clue to repeated failure to implant.

Good luck and love to you all

Puglet x

I also watched Robert Winston's programme with interest, especially involving UCH.


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Everyone,

Puglet, welcome to the UCH's, we've spoken before. Can I just ask is PGS the same as PGD    , I know but I have to ask.

Spanner's, I'm so sorry to hear about your eptopic, i wondered if things hadn't worked out as we never heard from you, hopefully we will all have happier news in the future.
Mr Serhal wants me to have the PGS if I go for another IVF but i haven't looked into it as I won't be having IVF for a while. Do you know how much extra it costs ontop of the IFV?

I agree with you about "A Child against all odds", it does not portray the emotional and financial roller coaster you go through. I was trying to explain this to friends as it makes it look like IVF is so easy. I have one close friend who has been through IVF so she knows where I am coming from and I think that unless you have been through it you cannot fully understand what it is like and thats why I am so glad I came across FF.

Cristina, how are the injections going? Is DH managing them ok?

Take Care
Angel Wings
xxx


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## Puglet (Jul 6, 2005)

Hi

Angel Wings, now you mention the difference between PGD/PGS, I'm not sure myself either!  Sorry   .  But, did Mr Serhal show you his Powerpoint presentation how they perform PGS?  From what he showed us, it was same as what they were doing in Robert Winston's programme, which I thought was for PGD.  As for the cost, we were quoted 2K   .

Hope everyone's having a great weekend - the weather's gorgeous.

Puglet x


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello everyone,

Prija - thanks for the advice regarding the injections. I will be on my 4th one tonight so i think DH is more or less managing. i think he is more nervous than me which is not surprising given the show I put on every night: emla cream smeared over my leg and an eye mask not to have the temptation to look at him while he injects. I am such a coward  

Hello Puglet and Spanners - sorry to hear it has not worked out for you yet. Personally, I would definetely try the PGD/PGS route. I even asked if I could have it but was told there was no need (I'm on my first  - and hopefully last - IVF cycle and no history of genetic disorders in our family).

Angel Wings  - are you excited about Dubai yet?

Acugirl and Dragthing - how is your pregnancy going?

Went to ACU this morning to have a blood test - 9:30 on a sunday   - and Mr Serhal phoned to tell me to reduce dose from 4 to 3 ampoules. Does that mean I am over responding? He said not to worry but I cannot help wondering. Did any of you have to reduce the dose?

Well, must go now to prepare for the next batch of injections - only 8 more to go before the trigger one!

I'll keep you posted

Love to all

Cristina x


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Dear Spanners

Sorry to be slow to reply - I have been away.  As Prija said I have had PGS/PGD - (they are the same - S means screening and D means diagnosis but as I understand it they are 2 names for the same process).  I had 2 failed cycles (one IVF, 1 ICSI) at another clinic and moved to the ACU because of its success rates for women of my age (40). My ICSI resulted in a very short-lived pregnancy (a 'weak positive' result which actually means that implantation happened but almst immediately failed).    

Mr Serhal was the ACU consultant we saw and after a very brief initial consultation said his hunch was that we should try PGD because of my age - my eggs were likely to be the cause of our problems because of my age and this would help select the best ones.  I had 7 embryos tested and 5 had abnormalities, so they only transfered the two good ones.  I got a BFP and, apart from occasional bleeding, seem to be having a normal pregnancy.  

I was initially a bit sceptical about PGD, but was shocked at, and convinced by, discovering we had 5 abnormal embryos (one of which was the second best morphologically and so would otherwise have been transferred).  PGD involves going to blastocyst stage (the embryos were transferred 5 days after egg collection) which isn't possible for all patients. It cost us £2000 on top of the regular IVF.  It also involves a couple of months extra wait as they can only do a set number of PGD patients each month.  I would say that if Mr Serhal suggests it for you, and you can raise the money, then do it.

If you want to do some in-depth research then Peter Braude is a name to look up.  We didn't look into it in too much depth and weren't given a lot of info - perhaps we could have asked for more. 

I feel that the consultants are the best placed to advise you and you are lucky that you have been with the ACU before so they will be familiar with your history.

Best wishes - happy to answer questions if you have any...

Dragthing.


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Just popping in to see how Cristina is? Don't worry about the number of ampoules you have to have, I had to drop down to 2 ampoules towards the end of stimming, they know what they are doing.

Dragthing, I didn't realise for PGD your eggs have to go to blast, I don't know if I could take that risk and be left with nothing as on my IVF they wouldn't let them go to blast as they didn't think they would make it and would only let the rest go to blast and freeze if they made it.

Don't forget Robert Winston's programme is on tonight for anyone watching it.

No news about Dubai yet, DH is trying to sort out more details about his package before he agrees to anything so we are still waiting to hear yet.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello angel wings,

Hope things are going ok for you.

I went for a scan and blood test this morning and they said I have 10 follicles on one ovary and 9 in the other, all growing nicely. My lining is 8.1mm which I think is good. So, so far so good (text book as the nurse said to me this morning).

They have reduced my dose to 2 menopur though so I am going to end up with loads over - do you think Mr Ali at Fazeley will buy them back?

I am really getting excited now. I have another scan on Friday and so far EC is scheduled for next Wednesday. I'll keep you posted.

Take care

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

Thats brilliant news, they must have reduced your dose so you don't over stimulate, hopefully you will have lots to freeze too.
I too had lots of menopur left over but I don't think they can be bought back .
Keep us posted.

Love
Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello,

Hope all of you are well (if a bit quiet!)

Anyway, sorry for the "me" post but i thought I would update you on progress.

I went for my last scan and blood test yesterday and got some mixed news. Out of the 20 follicles I had on Friday, only 12 have made it to the required size and 2 may make it between now and tomorrow morning. However, some of the 12 were very big (29mm one which is probably why I was panicking over the weekend that I may be ovulating early - the egg may have gone already!) So not really sure how many eggs i will end up with.

To top it all, I went down with a fever yesterday afternoon and I was told by the nurse that they may have to cancelled this cycle if I am not well by tomorrow morning. It will be up to the anesthetist to decide whether to go ahead or not (or i could be given local as a last resort - is this painful?). So I've been feeling very low and   a lot. 

Good news is that I'm feeling a bit better today and trying to keep positive for a good egg collection tomorrow although i do worry that all the drugs I'm pumping into my body to keep the temperature down may damage the eggs  

Anyway, need to go back to bed and keep the fever down. I will let you know how I get on tomorrow (   it is going to happen). All going well, I should have ET on Saturday or maybe later if the embryos make it to the blastocyst stage. Did any of you go to day 5 before transfer?

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

Soory to hear you are not feeling well, it's sod's law you feel crap when you are doing something as important as this. Try not to worry too much, 12 follies is very good and you still might add to that, I had less than that and still had 2 to put back and 2 to freeze.

I did not have 5 day transfer it was only the embryo's that I had left that they decided to see if they would go to blast for freezing.

It's a good sign that ayou are feeling better so hopefully it will be full steam ahead for E/C tomorrow, sending you lots of love.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## prija (Apr 24, 2003)

Hi Cristina,
Just wanted to let you know I have been thinking of you and I hope all went well. Take it easy and get plenty of rest!
Love to all!
Prija


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello girls,

Thanks for your lovely words. Hope you are all well.

EC went well yesterday and they managed to collect 9 eggs. To be honest i was a tad disappointed after having 21 follicles to begin with, but Dr Serhal told me that was a good number and that the average was 7 or 8 eggs. I know I should not be greedy!

Anyway, I've just got a call from the embryologist and out of the 9 eggs, 7 have fertilised which they are very pleased with. An 8th egg also fertilised but at the last minute an extra rogue sperm penetrated it and so they cannot go with that one (I knew my DH couldn't keep away even in sperm form   ). They are going to let me know tomorrow how they are dividing and depending on the result, they will do ET on Saturday or go to blastocyst stage and do ET on Monday. Fingers crossed for a lot of lovely divisions 

Angel Wings - have you made a decision on Dubai yet?

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

How did things go? Have you had E/T yet?

Angel Wings
xxx


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## gbnut (Aug 4, 2006)

Hi there

Sorry to but in on your thread but i was looking for some advice about ACU.  I am at ARGC at the moment and think they are very good but they are very expensive and we are not sure if we would be able to afford another cycle at them.  Roughly how much is it at ACU for icsi  This clinic was the choice of my gyne so i thought i would look into it.  Also do they do immune testing  As i have raised NKCells and have to take clexane and steroids ect.....  Is it a friendly clinic??

Best of luck with your treatment.

Susan x


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Hi Susan

ACU are very good but they are not cheap.  Call them and they will send you a price list.  Remember to factor in the costs of drugs, scans, blood tests.  If you need more drugs, scans etc it's going to cost more.  

I had a successful ICSI with them (combined with Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis) and the total cost was well over £7000 (£2000 of this was the PGD).  I was not pleased to be billed pver £300 for a pregnancy scan which I would have had free of charge a couple of weeks later through the NHS.  

They have good results with older women and specialise in PGD, but I'm not sure whether they have much experience with the NK cells - I had thought the ARGC was the best place for this.  They are friendly and fairly responsive.  I gather the waiting lists are bad at the ARGC and that waiting times to be seen are long - ACU certainly scores well in that respect.  I woudl call them and ask specifically what their expertise in immune/NK treatment is.

All the best

Dragthing


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## gbnut (Aug 4, 2006)

Thank you dragthing.  That is still cheaper than ARGC as for my last fresh cycle it cost me nearly 12000. with all the blood tests, and drugs.  We only had to pay for a scan once and then all scans were included.  That is a bit extreme to be billed £300 for a preg scan!!!!! 

Susan x


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hi Angel Wings,

Hope things are well with you

The last week has been a bit of a rollercoaster to say the least!

I developed mild OHSS so I have been in bed since Thursday in quite a lot of pain although things are a bit better now.

We decided to go to blastocsyt stage with 6 embryos and 3 made it - all of the best quality. To be honest it was up in the air abuot whether it woiuld go ahead at all because of the OHSS and had to wait til the doctor saw my ovaries to see whether we could proceed or had to feeeze them.

Luckily the ET went ahead yesterday although it was touch and go o the day as well. When I arrived and they scanned me, he doctor was really worried about the size of my ovaries - they were like melons. Anyway, it took 45 minutes to try to find the way in as the pesky ovaries were pushing everything out of the normal place and the catheter would not go in at all. I was in quite a lot of pain from all the prodding and all I could see were very worried faces concentrated on the screen. My poor DH thought that it was not going to happen.

Anyway, in the end the doc changed the catheter and bent it a bit and with a bit of nifty handywork it went in. My DH cheered like it had been his football team scoring a goal    

The embryologist went quickly into the room and brought my precious embies which were placed very smoothly which I was pleased as I understand half the battle is a smooth transfer. I am testing on the 19th December and cannot wait! I already had some nausea and metallic taste in my mouth last night but i think it was totally psychosomatic. Today the clinic told me a third embryo made it to blast and so they froze it for another go.

My only worry is that I still have mild OHSS so I have to lie down all day and drink loads. I am still in a bit of pain on the right hand side but nothing like at the weekend (which was a nightmare). I am also panicking because in the middle of the night I had what i think was a uterine contraction and I'm fearful that my body has expelled the embies - did you have this after ET? Have you heard of it?

Anyway, I'm now on the 2ww and trying to take things very easy although it is boring (i've been in bed since last Thursday). I've heard that pregnancy also increases the symptons of OHSS so I am panicking about that as well.

Take care,

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi cristina,

Bad luck getting OHSS but great news about the blasts, thats brilliant.

DH got the job in Dubai so will go 1st Feb and I will follow 3 to 6 months later, his boss said that he will be doing lots of travelling for the first few months so I would rather be here as hard as it may be, obviously will have to put babies on hold unless a bloody miracle happens in the next 2 months, we better get at it  like     .

I am going to take a career break which I am allowed to take for upto 2 years so that is quite good, then it will be lots of sun, sea and shopping for a couple of months and then I am going to look for a job part time if I can, I will need to work for my own sanity.

Take Care
Angel Wings
xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

How are things? When do you test?

Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hi Angel Wings,

Good news on DH getting the job in Dubai. Yours sound like a fabulous plan. I could do with some sea, sun and shopping!

Well, slowly driving myself mad on this 2ww. The wait is awful plus I have had to go to a couple oif Christams dos and people kept asking me why I was not drinking. I even had to say I was not pregnant when all I want is to shout to the world that I am pregnant. 

Well, the wait is nearly over as I've decided to test on Sunday which would have been my official test date, had i had 3 day old embies put back in rather than Tuesday. My reckoning is that they were 5 days old by the time they were put back in so surely the test date should not be 16 days as well! (of course ACU have popooed my idea).


So Sunday it is for me is the evil AF does not get earlier.

At the moment, I have bloated tummy, crampiness and tender and somewhat big (.)(.). I am hoping they are all good signs. Plus from time to time I get nauseous feelings but i think it might all be pyshosomatic. I'll let you know as soon as i test

Take care and practice a lot   over the next 2 months - it is the season of miracles after all!

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

Sending you lots of love  and      and for tomorrow.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Angel Wings,

we tested this morning and...........

                

Can't believe it. We were so terrified this morning that we left the test in another room and after 3 minutes we crept back in and then we were jumping for joy. OMG, it is so good to see the words PREGNANT

I have even taken a photograph because i can't beleive it has worked first time (plus the digital test goes blank after 24 hours). We are so lucky!

We phoned the clinic and Mr Serhal was over the moon and we have to go in tomorrow at 11 for a blood test to confirm the Beta levels. I'll let you know how I get on


This is going to be the best Christmas ever!!!

Lots of love 

Cristina x


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Cristina - that's fabulous news! I had a feeling the signs were good when I saw your last message (twinges, boobs etc).  Now you must take it *very* easy and keep up the cyclogest let everyone else take the strain this christmas.  I am so happy for you.

love Dragthing xxx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

   Congratulations  Cristina thats brilliant news, well done.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## Puglet (Jul 6, 2005)

Hope everyone's well  

Sorry I haven't been lurking much of late, and just found out Christina's wonderful news      . 

Christina, Massive  !!!   It's so good to hear your +ve result.  Wishing you a very happy and healthy pregnancy.

Puglet x


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Thank you all for your lovely messages.

Went to ACU on Monday for my blood test and the beta levels were 1505 which I think are pretty high - my DH is convinced it will be twins (plus there is history of twins in both sides of the family).

Hope you are well and that you have a lovely Christmas. Enjoy and may 2007 bring all the happiness that you deserve

Cristina x


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hello,

I just thought I would update you on my scan yesterday.

It was great and as my DH predicted it is TWINS!

They are both doing very well and their hearts were beating away really nicely

We are totally delighted if a bit in shock!

Hope you are all well

Cristina x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Cristina,

That's wonderful news. Hope you have a happy and healthy pregnancy, enjoy.

Love
Angel Wings
xxx


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## Jeps (Jan 9, 2006)

Hello everyone

Been a while since I came on here - not had chance to read back over all the messages but just seen Christina's news, that's fantastic, congratulations!

Hello especially to Angel Wings, how are you doing?  

Hi to anyone else who remembers me, will check a bit more regularly now that I'm about to go on maternity leave.

Good luck to all of you and happy new year.

xxxxx


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## dragthing (Jul 28, 2005)

Hello all

Just thinking of all the poor ladies at the ARGC after tonight's Panorama... Looking at their message board there is a huge amount of loyalty to Mr Taranissi.

Just thought I'd let you know that I had my 20 week scan today and all looks normal - expecting a girl in early June.  

Good news Cristina - amazing to have two on the way!  Do take care won't you.

Love to all - Dragthing xx


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## cristina1 (Oct 16, 2006)

Hi,

Dragthing - thank you! And congratulations on your 20 week scan. And a girl - how lovely! I would love for one of the twins to be a girl although i just want them to be healthy. I have been posting in the twin bumps thread and it is scary the extra problems people get with twin pregnancies. So far, I have not been too bad. Just nausea but no vomiting and feeling tired through lack of sleep at night.

Angel Wings - how are things? Has DP gone to Dubai yet? I bet you can't wait, especially given this horrid weather outside. Take care  

Jeps - enjoy the maternity leave. When is the baby due?

Helllo to everyone else on this thread (it is a verty quiet one though)

Cristina x


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi there
I've been lurking in the wings, but never posted before.
Hello to all of you.
I have been at ACU on and off since May last year, but am now heading for full on IVF, started sniffing today.
Just wanted to say "Hi!" and wondering if there is anyone else out there who is at a similar stage?
Abdab


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## Puglet (Jul 6, 2005)

Hi Abdab  

Welcome to the ACU thread!  I won't be having tx for a while, but I just wanted to wish you best of luck with your tx.  We're all here for you and got everything crossed for you.

Take care!
Puglet x


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Abdab,

Just want to wish you lots of luck with your IVF, you are in good hands at UCH. Unfortunately I won't be having anymore tx at UCH as I will be moving to Dubai later this year and will  be continuing it there.

Angel Wings
xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Abdab,

I don't come to this forum very often as I'm a regular on another one but I'm having IVF at UCH right now. All is going well and I'm due for EC on Thursday this week. Excited and nervous! Good to hear from people that UCH have been good to you. 

Cristina - I'm hoping for twins like you! We have them in the family and I always wanted twins so when we found out we'd need IVF it was like fate! Did you go to blastocyst stage?


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## acugirl (May 16, 2006)

Hello girls
Gosh, it's been quiet on here. I've been checking in on and off and thinking of you, but just haven't posted. Congrats to Cristina and Dragthing. You both sound happy and well. Jeps, how're you doing? When are you due??
I'm 32 weeks: just had a scan today and babe is head down and placenta is out the way so I might be able to avoid another c-section... you never know in this business.

Like Dragthing, my heart really goes out to the girls at ARGC. Who needs that while they're going through tx?
Love to you all
acugirlxx


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## ginny (Nov 21, 2006)

Hi ladies,

i am about to commence ivf at the acu and wondered about success stories there.  whole thing v scary and daunting

Ginny

Also does anyone see miss davies??


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Ginny,

I have my egg collection tomorrow so I'm quite far along the process at ACU. So far so good - the nurses are amazing, really lovely. The doctors I've seen have been really nice too. They monitor you so closely - I literally had scans and blood tests every other day while stimming and they adjusted my drugs accordingly. I see Dr Ranieri and haven't heard of Ms Davies but they are all really nice and very experienced.

I'll let you know how my cycle turns out on here. It's all looking v positive so far with lots of follicles so fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Emilia


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## ginny (Nov 21, 2006)

hi emilia,

thanks for replying.  good luck for tomorrow.  hope those follies produce the goods.
Dr ranieri seems lovely..have met him once as miss davies only works on a weds...think i would perhaps be better off being under someone who was there more than one day a week!!! 

   for tomorrow

Ginny xxx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Yes I think you're right. Dr Ranieri is really lovely and when I've had questions or concerns I've dropped a quick email to acu and every time he's called me back personally within a couple of hours! I'm hoping he'll be doing my EC tomorrow but all the Cons are really good so if not I still feel in safe hands.

I would definitely recommend ACU. It's my first time so I can't compare it to my own experience but I use another forum and am in a thread where about 8 of us are going through IVf right now. The others are paying pretty much the same and some of them get one scan and one blood test during stimming where I had 5. If I hadn't had the scans and had my drugs adjusted I would have over stimulated as I started to and they pulled my dose back. If I hadn't had the scan and bloods til day 9 like some of my other forum buddies they wouldn't have known what was going on.

Thanks for your goodluck wishes and lots of luck to you for your cycle. Feel free to ask me any questions about acu or treatment as you go through yours. I know I ahda ton of questions and couldn't have done without the forums.


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Ladies,

Like Ginny, I too am new to IVF. I have had two unsucessful IUIs at UCH and DH and I have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility.
All the staff there are just fab and I have been under Mr Ranieri and Dr Ozkan Ozturk.
I go for my OST on this Saturday, day 3 of my cycle and we'll take it from there so I'll be checking in with you all.

Wishing us all lots of luck ! 

Catherine


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi girls - just got back from the hopsital. Going to ahve a nice sleep now but wanted to let you know I have 15 eggs. Apparently they all look high quality.

Very, very happy.


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## ginny (Nov 21, 2006)

Hi girls

Emelia, that is absolutely amazing...so chuffed for you.  you have done your part fantastically.

Katherine, hi.  So new to this.  what is OST??  is day three of your cycle the first thing you have to do for ivf??  sorry to be dim.

Ginny xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

I can answer that one Ginny - OST is the Ovarian Stimulation Test. They check your follicles - how many you usually have pre-treatment, your FSH level and then they take a sort of baseline bloodtest - give you a shot of the drug to stimulate your ovaries and then blood test the next day to see how you respond.

It's an indicator of how your eggs are and how many you have left etc and helps them determine more acurately how you will respond to the drugs and how much you need each day. Other clinics decide how many ampoules of the drugs based on your age but using the OSt you get a much better indication.

I was on quite a high dose of 4 ampoules (originally the OST indicated I would need 5 but they recalculated before i started stimming). At ACU they monitor you very closely. I had scans and bloods every other day and when they thought it was hapenning too quickly and I might overstim they brought my drugs down to 3 a day then 1 1/2 a day and finally 1. they got it just right because my folicles grew really well and I got my lovely 15 eggs today!

By the way the EC was a breeze - i thought it'd be really bad but the sedation is so much better than a general - no pipe down the airways or anywhere else, no feeling rubbish for days. I had a bit of a lie down when I got home and now I feel fab - just like any other day!


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

PS Ginny - BTW I had a lady doctor do my EC today and I assume it was Ms Davies. She didn't say her name but she was lovely - really nice.


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi Emilia
It is SOOOO fantastic to hear someone so positive!  Glad things went so well today  .  I'm 2 weeks behind you, I was in today sorting out how to do my injections and feeling like a bit of a wusss.  However, I came home tonight feeling a lot better now I have all my dates sorted out and EC is planned for Friday 9th, I start stimming on Saturday.  Anyway, do let us know how you are getting on.

And Hi Ginny and Catherine - great to see there are others out there.

Ginny, re: your concerns about consultants not being there the whole time, I have been at ACU on and off for a few months now, and see different doctors dependent on who is there - it hasn't been that much of a problem.

And Julia who I met today in the waiting room downstairs, if you are reading this ..... hope things went OK today and fingers crossed for you over the next week or so.  

Looking forward to checking in with you all over the next few weeks.
Abdab
xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Abdab,

I was a complete wuss about the injections when we had our lesson but within a few days i was happily mixing up and injecting in a couple of minutes with no pain or fuss. DH did it to start with but I felt more in control and happier doing it myself. Here's my best tips though. 

1) They told us to jab the needle in but I found if I put it in really slowly i didn't feel it at all.

2) The first injection in the lcinic was on my left side and really hurt. The second on my right was ok and the third on my left hurt like mad. So, my accupuncturist said that one side of the body is usally stronger than the other so stick to the right side that didn't hurt. I did all my jabs on the right and just moved them about  an inch apart and then back to where the first one was when I ran out of room. They were all pain free from that point on.


You will find the stimming flies by and before you know it you'll be having your scans and then your EC. I can't believe how quickly it went! Maybe I've been really lucky or maybe it's the accupuncture which gets rid of so many of the side affects but I've been reasonably side affect free through DRing and stimming and EC was pretty painless so the whole thing hasn't been half as bad as i thought it would be.

Now the waiting, that's another matter!

Really goodluck for your cycle and if you have any questions I'm happy to answer them. It's useful talking to people from the same clinic and I wish I'd found this thread earlier when I had a ton of questions coz every clinic is so different!


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Yikes - the clinic just called - how cool is that calling so early! So here goes:

All the eggs and the sperm were top quality and all 15 fertilised but 4 fertilised abnormally. 1 half fertilised and with 3 of them two sperms got into one egg. So final count is: *11 *


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Girls,  

Thank you all for your warm welcome to this site. 
It's wonderful to read all your posts as I'm a newbie to the IVF experience despite having two previous BFN IUIs.
Emilia thanks for informing Ginny what the OST is. I'm in tomorrow and Sunday  for the test and meet with my consultant on Tuesday - Dr Ozkan Ozturk to discuss the results and see where I go from there.

I have one question in the meantime do you get your drugs from ACU as I've seen another threads where others get their drugs from other pharmacies or companies...just wondering if ACU costs are normal or too high.

Ginny what stage are you at now as we are both newbies ?

Will keep you posted !    

Catherine


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Catherine,

If this is your first cycle of IVf then there is a strong possibility you could get your drugs on the NHS like I did. It is up to your GP and all boroughs differ but basically you aren't using the NHS resources for your IVf sbut you are owed one free cycle so technically you should get your drugs. I went to see my GP when we decided to go with ACU and explained we wouldn't be using our free cycle but could we get our drugs and he said yes immediately with no questions. When I got the private prescription I took it to the GP and they transferred it to an NHS one. It cost about £56 in presecription charges for £1500 worth of drugs. It is definitely worth a try before paying privately for the drugs.


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Emilia,

Thanks for your prompt reply, I'll contact my GP now and see what he says !

When are you due to have your ET ? Best o' luck for it !

Catherine


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Well we're hoping to get to blastocyst stage because it raise our chances from 40% to 70% but we'll know more on Sunday. If it's 3 day transfer it'll be sunday and if we make it to blastocyst it'll be Tuesday.


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hello,

Emilia, that's fantastic news, 11 eggs fertilised. Good luck for the ET on either Sunday / Tuesday.

Just spoke to my local PCT and unfortunately as I am doing down the private route they will not fund the drugs but advised that I should still avail of the NHS IVF ( but there is a 2 year wait ! yikes)   Will still go ahead with ACU at present.

So would love to hear others view on whether I should get my drugs from ACU or should I look to other pharmacies  before I start any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance, 

Catherine


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

that sounds  a bit unfair Catherine. I was already on the NHS waiting list (18 months) when I decided to go to ACU and asked my GP for the drugs. Maybe they only do it if you are already on the waiting list? Or it may just be your GPs policy. I'm sure some of the others can help out re where to get drugs though.


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi A,

How wierd is this - visiting the site for the first time and found a hallo from you! So of course I had to register and reply. Yes thanks all went well yesterday. EC now on Monday but have a feeling that they might pull it forward to Sunday as feel like I am ovulating all on my own without the aid of any drugs.

How was your first injection?

JuliaM



Abdab said:


> Hi Emilia
> It is SOOOO fantastic to hear someone so positive! Glad things went so well today . I'm 2 weeks behind you, I was in today sorting out how to do my injections and feeling like a bit of a wusss. However, I came home tonight feeling a lot better now I have all my dates sorted out and EC is planned for Friday 9th, I start stimming on Saturday. Anyway, do let us know how you are getting on.
> 
> And Hi Ginny and Catherine - great to see there are others out there.
> ...


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi all

Catherine - I get my drugs from both ACU and other pharmacies.  The main thing is to get it organised in advance, as you need to get a prescription and post it to whoever you are getting them from.  You have to ask - ACU will not volunteer the info!  I asked the nurse when I had an appointment mid way through d/regging.  She then arranged a prescription, I phoned around and then eventually ordered my Menopur from Pharmasure in Watford.  The difference in price is £21 per amp from ACU and £12.21 from Pharmasure.  There is actually a whole thread on here which has other people's experiences, and the main companies that come out as cheaper are Ali in Shadwell, Fazeley in Tamworth and Pharmasure in Watford.  All the phone numbers are on that thread which is at the top in IVF General Chit Chat.
I decided to only get the Menopur and Cyclogest from them and I will get all the others from ACU.  Either the money saving was not enough or for some drugs you have to refrigerate them so it would be a nightmare for me getting to and from the clinic with them on the tube.
The risk you do run is that if your dose is lowered then you are left with drugs you cannot use, and of course you have paid for them.
Pharmasure got my prescription the day after I posted it, phoned me for card payment and then they dispatch them for delivery the following day.  I paid an extra £7 for a Saturday delivery which turned out to be a bit of a nightmare as they didn't arrive until 9am on Monday so I was worrying what had happened and then of course on the Monday I wasn't there.  SO you do have all the logistical messing around which you don't get if you get them from the clinic.
Re: GP funding. I am Ealing Borough and it was a big fat NO from them to paying for anything, even though I am on their 2 year waiting list for IVF at Hammersmith Hospital.  So it depends on your area.  Postcode lottery I'm afraid which is pants.

Emilia - you've done really well with the FAB 11 !!!   Keep us posted....

Julia - yes indeed, what a spookey coincidence, glad you have joined us!  Again, keep us posted .....

Any others out there who are watching but not typing?

Until later,
Abdab

                       to everyone


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Oh I forgot to say Julia, injections not starting until Saturday so I will let you know on Sunday whether I survived it !!!


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi ladies,

I haven't written on this thread for quite some time, but I've been lurking around...

I saw Catherine's question and thought I could let her know my experience. I am on the NHS waiting list for ICSI at King's College (financial year 08/09) so quite some time away...We decided to go to ACU in the meantime and are now in the middle of our second treatment - I'm down regging at the moment, and AF just arrived this afternoon so we'll start stimming early next week hoping to reach EC around 12th Feb.

Anyway, back to my point... For our first round, we asked our GP to write a subscription, which she very happily did as part of our free NHS treatment. This time, we bought all our drugs from Ali at Fazeley. He is a lovely man, and really arranging. I ordered on a Wednesday and had everything delivered the next day. He is also notably cheaper that ACU. To give you an idea, we paid £12.21 for each 75iu of Menopur (compared to circa £20 at ACU). We bought 66 iu so it's really worth it! The rest of the drugs are fairly inexpensive so it doesn't matter as much, but I would really recommend buying Menopur from him. His number is 01827 262488.

Sorry for the long rant - just wanted to say it's lovely to meet you all and to see the ACU is back in action. I'll try and write regularly from now on. 

Have a fantastic evening all, with a particular  for Emilia. Well done and fingers crossed for the next few days!

Adelaidex


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi all,

Firstly Abdab and Adelaide thank you so much aswell for sharing your experiences of obtaining your drugs.

Everyone is great at answering my questions as I set out on this long IVF journey.

Will keep you post after I get my OST results next Tuesday.

Have a lovely weekend ! 

Catherine


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Girls,

Well I am one very   lady!

After a stressful wait all morning the clinic just called and...

all 11 of our embies have divided. 1 has 2 cells and all the rest have 4 or 5 cells and they have all been graded in the top two grades! She said she'll call at 9am in the morning but she is almost certain we'll get to blastocyst and have ET Tuesday which is what we wanted.

We both burst out crying after the call because we were just so relieved. I'm so, so happy.


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Emilia - FANTASTIC ! Got everything crossed for you
Abdab


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

That's fantastic news Emilia.

Keep us posted !

Catherine


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## ginny (Nov 21, 2006)

Hi girls,

Emilia, that is absolutely amazing.  you must be so happy.  goodluck for et.  at least you can go in feeling really positive.

Catherine, i am going to be starting my first ivf in March.  We are having a month off to recover from our last iui disappointment.  we're also having a holiday...cannot wait.

not sure how it works but will have one normal cylce when af arrives.  then, when my af comes at end of feb, guess that's when it all begins...is it day three that you start with all the tests etc

Adelaide, All the info about the drugs is really useful, thanks.  

Good luck all,   

Ginny xxx


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Ginny,

It's good that you have a date to start your IVF and most importantly a holiday before that to relax and get prepared.

Went to the clinic this morning which is Day 3, had an scan to check that my ovaries were fine then had a blood test to check my FSH and oestrogen levels. I was then given a subcutaneous injection of Puregon which is to stimulate my ovaries and which is supposed to increase my level of oestrogen.

So I have to go back tomorrow morning for another blood test to see how I responded to the injection.

Will get my results from Dr Ozturk on Tuesday and then he will let me know the plan of action.

I'll keep you posted as we are newbies but it's great to learn from the other girls who are ahead of us as they are a wealth of information.

Catherine


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi everyone - thanks for your kind words. DH and I are floating on air today - all 11 are doing well and 10 have reached 7-8 cells so we are booked in for blastocyst transfer on Tuesday morning! Apparently the 10 are so good the embryologist said she wouldn't be able to choose between them if we had 3 day transfer today! We have toe xpect to lose about half between now and Tuesday as only 50% make it to blastocyst but that should still give us enough to put back and maybe a few to freeze too.

Hope the OST went ok Ginny? After mine they said I didn't respond well and needed a high dose of drugs - i was absolutely gutted because it suggested bad egg quality and look at me now! So whatever the results are, you can expect ACU to deal with it really well and adjust the drugs to your needs. 

I have just discovered that for me the progesterone pessaries are the worst bit of the whole IVf experience so far! They are giving me terrible stomach cramps but unless I choose to switch to injections in the bum I'm stuck with these up to 12 weeks of pregnancy! Oh well - I guess it's a small price to pay.


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi all
Thought I'd let you know I did my first injection last night.
No idea what I was so worried about!!!  I managed to do all the mixing OK and get the thing in, and then had a mild panic when I couldn't get the syringe pushed down but eventually sorted that out.
We'd been out to a dinner party and DH had had a few so there was no way I was letting him anywhere near me with a needle in his hand, so it actually forced me to do it which was good.
We had a good laugh afterwards about how easy it was  .  So one down, ten to go.  Hopefully the others will be a doddle too!
Emilia - I am keeping everything crossed for your super-embies.
Abdab


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## ginny (Nov 21, 2006)

hi girls,

emilia, al sounds so good.  so pleased for you.   i have used the cyclogest on my iuis and they are not pleasant, but they are so much better than the gestone injections which really hurt about 12 hours after the injection.  i know some girls prefer them but i'd take the pessaries any day.

abdab, pleased the injection went well...

Catherine, hope the results go well on tues.   

Ginny xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Well done Abdab - it's really not so bad once you get used to it. I think doing it yourself gives you a sense of control too. Although I wanted DH to feel a part of things, I felt better when I did it myself.

Let us know how things go. I've got ET tomorrow - nervous, excited, happy - you name it! then i start the dreaded 2ww!


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi Ladies,

Great to read all your positive news - whatever treatment stage you're at! Emilia, can't believe how amazingly good quality your embies are! As a slow responder myself, it's definitely given me lots of hope re: my own eggs/embies. Good luck for the transfer tomorrow.

Abdab, your first injection story reminded me of mine. DH was in charge and was so worried of doing things wrong that he did everything really slowly - including sticking the needle in my stomach and waiting at least 5 seconds before injecting whilst I was wondering why it was so painful for so long...   Luckily, he's improved a lot since. Can't believe I'm about to say this, but I'm really excited to start injecting tomorrow again! 

Catherine, let us know once you've got your OST results. 

Hi to everybody else I haven't name here.

Adelaidex


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Adelaide - I know what you mean about feeling excited to start stimming! I was really excited to just get going. I can't believe how quickly it's passed too! The clinic called after my last post and our little embies aren't quite 'morulas' yet so our ET has been moved to the afternoon with a possibility it'll be moved to Wednesday which is day 6! 8 of them are doing brilliantly at 12-16 cells and the other 3 are between 8-10 cells but they like to see them compacting into a morula before becoming a blastocyst so they seem to have just slowed down a little. She said it's nothing to worry about thoguh so I'm just willing them to be ready for tomorrow!

And definitely don't worry about being a slow responder - ACU have that covered with all the tests and monitoring the drugs. I was slow at the OST and look at me now!

Very best of luck for your stimming and the rest of your treatment. 

xx


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi Emilia,

That's really positive news! It's so great to have the possibility to go to blastocyst - what are your chances of implementation now, something like 70%? 

How are you planning to spend your 2ww - at work or are you taking some time off? 

I am keeping my fingers crossed for you. 
Ax


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Dr Ranieri said it would be 70% if we made it to blastocyst which is amazing. I work from home luckily so I'm going to have total bed rest for 3 days and then just stay home working a few hours a day but taking things as easy as possible for the rest of the 2ww.


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

I also work from home and intend to the exact same thing - I think we're really lucky to be able to do this without justifying anything to bosses or work colleagues, or trying to find excuses for all the hospital appointments. 

I don't think I'll be able to focus on work stuff very much during the 2ww - my mind is already starting to wonder far more than it should, considering how much work I've got on at the moment!  Luckily, DH who works at home with me too, is taking as much as he can on his shoulders so I can focus my mind on    for this round of treatment. Aren't I lucky?


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Adelaide you are SO lucky to have DH at home with you! I could do with him at the moment to look after me a bit! We are blessed to be able to work from home and I really feel for everyone who has to sneak out of the office for appointments and deal with unsympathetic bosses. We've got it easy! It definitely relieves the stress too because we can just take a break or have a lie down when we want.

I did a manic period of working my butt off in the 6 weeks before IVf so I could take some time if I needed it. I have to say I haven't done anything this last week or so workwise - just spent time on the forums and watching movies! I've also had accupuncture twice a week which has really helped de-stress me. All good for the soul.
xx


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi,


Emilia and Adelaide I also work from home - lucky as there is no way I could have worked last  week.  Went into the ACU 4 times for scans and blood. Good luck with the et and the 2ww both of you.

Abdah - well done on the first injection.  My DH has very good at the injections but I still squealed each time.

I had ec this am at ACH and am waiting for that phone call tomorrow to see how many are viable.  

Having read your posts now nervous of the cylogest of however it is spelt.

Sorry to be dumb but how/why do eggs go to blastocyst and how do they get there?

Julia  x


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Julia,

Hope your EC went well today and my fingers are crossed for a good result tomorrow for you. Basically the embryo goes through various stages over 5 days until it reaches blastocyst. This is a really good link that explains it all: http://www.miracleswaiting.org/factsembryos.html but the basics are...

a blastocyst is 5-6 days old and there are so many cells you can't count them anymore. It's one day off hatching so is nearly ready to implant. You need to have at least 4 high quality embryos on Day 3 for ACU to consider Blastocyst transfer as you usually lose about 50% in the process. that's why most people opt to have them put back on day 3. Here's a bit more on it.

"There is some difference of opinion about whether it is better to transfer embryos on Day 3 (cleavage stage), or Day 5 (blastocysts) The answer may be that it depends upon the protocols of your clinic. Some clinics have not observed a significant difference in pregnancy rates between the two procedures, or speculate that embryos which do not survive to the blastocyst stage in the laboratory might have survived inside the body. However, the argument for incubating embryos longer in the laboratory is twofold. One, it delivers embryos to the uterus at the time they would normally arrive, avoiding exposure to potentially harmful amino acids and carbohydrates. Improvements in culture mediums may provide a more hospitable environment in vitro. Two, it allows for the identification of the strongest, most resilient embryos in the batch, avoiding the possibility that the most viable embryo(s) might be lost during the freezing/thawing process rather than selected for the fresh transfer. Transferring fewer, more robust embryos results in a lower risk of high-order multiple pregnancies (triplets, quadruplets, etc). In many clinics, the transfer of blastocysts results in higher pregnancy rates per transfer, but it also increases the number of couples who do not have any viable embryos at the time of transfer. On average, about 30% of embryos make it to the blastocyst stage, while about 70% stop growing. It is unknown whether these embryos would have survived if transferred earlier, and therein lies the debate. (Actual rates vary between clinics and individual patients. In general, fewer embryos made from the eggs of older patients, and more embryos made from the eggs of donors and younger patients, go on to develop into blastocysts.) Often, clinics will choose extended incubation only when there are sufficient quantities of good quality embryos on Day 3 (8-10 or more) to assure the probability of an adequate number of Day 5 blastocysts for transfer."

/links


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi Julia, sending you lots of luck for the phone call in the morning.

Catherine, hope you are OK, let us all know how your results are tomorrow.

All OK here.  I will be at the clinic first thing tomorrow for my stimming 4 day blood test.  When I had my OST the results were bonkers (usually you double, mine went up five times - or something like that) so should be interesting to see how I am responding to these jabs.

Abdab
(also a work-from-home-r, there seems to be a lot of it about!!)


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Goodluck Abdab for your tests today & Julia for your phone call.

My transfer has been moved to tomorrow at 12.00 as my embies are not quite ready. I have 9 morulas and 2 pre-morulas so they should all be blastocysts by tomorrow. Amazingly, so far none have stopped growing! they expect 50% to fail and not make it to morula but so far so good. Slight anti-climax at the delay but I want the best two put back and apparently at the morula stage they can't judge them at all.

The screen isn't working so you can't watch the transfer but they said if we bring a blank CD we can have a photo of the two embies that are going back. That's page 1 of their baby book sorted then!


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the very detailed description of blastocyst - homeworkers are obviously very thorough!

Good news from ACU today. They took out 20 eggs yesterday, am consequently very bloated (did anyone else get this?), and heard this am that 15 have been fertilised.  Dr was very impressed and I am completely shocked - especially as they predicted only 10.  They aren't the best quality but the embryologist say that can improve in the next day so waiting for call tomorrow.  I just want 1 to go back in!

Anyway if (fingers etc crossed) all goes well back in the hosp on Saturday for the transfer.

Good luck for tomorrow Emilia - it is very frustrating this whole IVF thing but hopefully worth it in the end.

Hope the stimming is as it should be Abdab.

Julia


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Fantastic news Julia! 20 eggs - wow and what a great fertilisation rate too with your 15. I'm sure from that many you'll get a few good embryos. Wishing you lots of luck and let us know how you get on.


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi Emilia,

15 fertilised eggs is great BUT don't forget I am 45 in a couple of weeks time so probably all duds! Here's hoping that one of them isn't.

Good luck for tomorrow.

J


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Well I'll be rooting for them Julia. I know age is an issue but anything's possible. You just need that one good embie. Wishing you lot of luck.
xx


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi everybody,

Julia, great news and well done! Here is lots of    for your eggs. 

Emilia, hope all goes well for ET tomorrow - let us know when it's done. 

Abdab, how were your E2 results this evening? 

Catherine, how did your OST results go? 

Myself, I'm back from a whole day spent at the ACU, for my baseline scan and a dilapan. Scan showed all is good so I'm definitely stimming from this evening. Dilapan was...interesting (read: 'extremely painful!'). I guess being in pain over a long period of time is a good way to prepare for childbirth... Anyway, I'm glad it's over and I can now focus on developing loads of follies. 

Axx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

So glad you're ready to start stimming Adelaide and that all is well. What's a diapan? Never heard of it. You must fill us in!


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

hmm, dilapan is a lovely mechanical procedure that dilates your cervix when it's too tight (which is a problem for EC and ET as the catheter can't go through). As the ACU explained it to me, it's a sort of small sponge that's installed in the cervix for 3 hours, which takes moisture from the body to expand and therefore dilate the area. Unfortunately, the whole experience is really painful (although they kept on telling me that not everybody feels the pain...apparently). 

Last time, the dilation had been done under general anesthetics, which they didn't want to do again because the GA puts quite a bit of strain on the body. 

Anyway, I'm glad to see you ladies don't seem to have the same cervix issue and can to the EC/ET stage without the procedure!


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Girls,

Wow, there is fantastic news on this site as I haven't logged in for a few days.

Emilia, wishing you lots of    for your ET tomorrow.Keep us posted
Adab, hope your stimming is going well.
Adelaide glad your scan and dilapan went ok eventhough the dilapan does not sound nice !
Julia, wow that's an amazing number of eggs collected and fertilised, keep us posted.

Well I'm a long way behind you all, got my OST test results today and all is great, FSH was 6.1 (<10 is normal) ans my oestrogen level after the Purefon injection was 360 so they are pleased plus I had 7 follicles on my day 3 USS.  
Will have a Hycosy on Friday and dummy ET and then the I begin this long IVF process. 

I'm learning so much from you all and I wish us all lots of    

Catherine x


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Oooooh Adelaide, I can think of more fun ways to spend the day.  Poor you.  Fortunately I don't have the same problems, although I do have two cervixes so they have to prod around to find the right one - well the left one actually which is the 'correct' one  

Julia, I can't believe all those eggs.  Not surprised you are feeling bloated.  I have got everything crossed for the embies  

Emilia, I'll be rooting for a smooth ET for you tomorrow  

I had my 4 day stimming bloods today, and I have already started over-reacting   so they have cut down my dose of Menopur from 3 to 2 for tonight and 1.5 tomorrow night.  So I have to mess about with the mixing and get rid of half of it, visions of spraying the stuff all over the bathroom.  So let's hope it settles down and I don't go down the over-stimm'd route.  I know some girls have mentioned that they under-responded - is there anyone out there who has experienced over-stimming so early and did it settle in time for EC?  I'm not getting in too much of a panic about it.  I have an extra scan/bloods planned for Thursday (day 6) so they can keep an eye and keep adjusting if necessary.

Well, all for now,
Abdab
xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Abdab don't worry too much - I started over stimming too and once they reduced the dose I got back on track. That's the great thing about acu - they really monitor you closely. I had something like 5 scans and bloods every other day so don't panic. I'm sure they'll watch you as closely as they did me and make sure you get the best possible results from stimming.

Right - we're off now for our ET! Very excited! I'll check back and let you know how it went when I can but DH has me on 3 days of total bed rest and I may not manage to sneak to the PC! Maybe he'll let me have the lap top in bed if I promise to rest up! I'm such a bad patient hence his strictness!


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi Abdah,

My story is similar to yours.  I was also overstimming on day 3 so was cut down from 5 Menopur to 4.  Also had an extra blood and scan put into my schedule.  I was OK for a couple of days on 4 and then following the extra blood test they put me down to 3 one night and then 2.  I did go into a tailspin about being overstimmed but DH pointed out that if they were really worries they would have cut me down from 5 to 3 - and for you 3 to 1.  So can't be that bad. 

Reckon Emilia must be being done as I write this - hope it is all going well.

And hi Adelaide - your day out at the ACU sounds awful - pleased it is over.  The Drs are quite gun ho about pain I have found - I had a cyst at the start of this cycle and was told they could aspirate it without any sedation.  It was incredibly painful so had to return the next day for it to be done and I was asleep for the whole thing.  Maybe they think that pain is simply part of the process and we should just buckle down to it!  It was a male Dr who said it wouldn't hurt.

Catherine - good luck for when you start, encouraging news from the OST.

Just got a call from the lovely embryologist - Sarah - who said of the the 15 eggs 14 are now grade 1 and doing well.  1 is expanding too rapidly.  And of the other 5 non-fertilised eggs 3 have picked up the pace and are growing as well.  

Next step is the PDS when they do a biopsy on each cluster to find out if they are OK to go. Will do that tomorrow and let me know results; and then again Friday. On Saturday they will then call me in the morning around 8.30am to let me know if there is anything to put back in and if there is will have to appear at the ACU a few hours later.  Quite nail biting really.

Also had a rant at DH this morning cos considering all the injections, blood tests, cysts, egg collections and also having to look after our 5 year old at the moment who has chicken pox (can you believe it) that have only got one bunch of flowers that I had to prod him to produce.  Am I just being too demanding/spoilt/horrible/in any small way justified?!

JuliaM


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi Julia,

Good luck with with your embies and the PDS in the next few days - I can't wait to be at the post-EC stage, but I can feel how harrowing the wait must be. 

I agree with you that Drs are always very conservative with their explanation of the pain involved with the various procedures we need to go through! I guess they do it to avoid making us feel even worse than we should, but some sort of real chat about it would help be prepared...

You made me   with your flowers comment. Completely agree that we all deserve a lot of TLC during the treatment, which makes me wonder where on earth MY flowers are? Must prod DH (and complain that I had to prod him about them)! 

Emilia, let us know how it went when you're back online.

Abdab, hope the stimming is still going well. I know from chat with other ACU ladies that they are really good at keeping a close eye on your Menopur doses. I'm sure they know exactly what they're doing and won't let you overstimulate. Let us know how things go at your next scan. 

Catherine, great news on your OST. I guess you must feel so ready to get started once and for all?

Axx


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Here's some flowers to all of us, seeing as the DH's don't appear to know where the florists are.

Emilia - hope you are putting your feet up. 

I'm OK, feeling a bit podged tonight but that's probably because I had a big supper  
Will be at the clinic at lunchtime tomorrow for my extra scan/blood to see if my stimming is going OK.

Abdab xx


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## Fishwonder (Apr 6, 2006)

Hello Everyone!

First of all, good luck to you all at your various stages!!

I have some questions which I hoped someone might be able to answer on Frozen Embryo transfers. We have a few frozen embryos. The questions I have is how does a frozen embryo transfer differ from normal IVF? How does medication differ, number of visits to the ACU, what is the approx cost? Do you have to have injections/scans? Sorry lots of questions.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thank you!!


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

everyone,

Thanks for the flowers Abdab, my DH was looking over my shoulder reading last nights posts so eventhough I'm at the early stages I've advised him that regular supplies of  flowers are part of all of this !!!  

Hope all goes well with your blood tests.

Emilia, hope all went well yesterday and that you are getting lots of rest and TLC, we hope to hear from you soon.  

Fishwonder, unfortuantely not able to help  but I'm sure the clinic will be able to guide you.

I'm in for my Hycosy and dummy ET tomorrow, I can't believe all the poking around that one has to go through and I haven't started down regulating yet ...oh well ! 

Bye for now !

xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi girls,

I'm in bed on my rubbish lap top and DH won't let me do anything! Honestly I get told off for going to the loo! Anyway I'll do my best to keep up with thread but this thing is slow! Julia - hope your embies are doing well and all is good? Adelaide - yikes - that sounds horrible! Catherine - good luck with hycosy and dummy transfer  - is that today or yesterday, I'm not quite with it! Abdab - how are you doing?

Well - our football team is down to 6. We had 2 good quality blastocysts put back yesterday and 4 not quite as good ones to freeze. 5 didn't make it but 6 out of 11 is good apparently. Because our embies didn't become blasts until day 6 rather than day 5 it has reduced our success rate from 70% to 50%. It freaked us out a bit as we found out right before transfer and it wasn't the embryologist we've been communicating with all along (Suzanne who is just lovely). I didn't ask the questions I'd like to ask like why did that happen with all of ours? Does that make it a genetic factor or environmental factor? Because ours were doing so well and were top grade all the way til day 5 it's been a bit of a shock. We just started to expect they'd be  perfect blasts too.

Anyway - just trying to stay positive. 50% is good odds so got to keep that in mind. And I am glad we opted for blastocyst transfer because on day 3 all of ours were so good they couldn't choose between them and yet 5 didn't make it. What if 2 of those 5 had been put back? But then you start asking if they would have made it in the womb rather than a dish. You can drive yourself mad with these questions!

So I am being a good girl and staying in bed being waited on by DH who made a gorgeous roast dinner last night! No roast potatoes or yorkshires though - just the healthy bits! But it was lovely. 

There needs to be a few words had with these non flower buying DHs - flowers are mandatory during IVF at least once a week - as is breakfast in bed and all the housework doing! My DH is wearing an orange jumper today (I hate it) because Zita West says the colour orange around transfer is good for you!

Hope you are all doing ok today and looking forward to your news. Bed is very boring!


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi all and nice to see some flowers!

Have since had to back track with DH as heard he is planning to take me to Venice, regardless of outcome of the treatment, as a 'well done'.  Very nice but still happy to have the odd tulip!

Emilia it all sounds very good.  You have two good eggs in and with the 50% odds a very good chance for at least one success!  Fingers, toes etc crossed.  And did you go to Zita West?  I have an acupuncturist who is very good, convinced she helped me get pregnant with 5 year old, but also tells me slightly crazy things to do.  Haven't heard the orange one yet.

Abhad - let me know how your blood/scan goes.
Adelaide - hope hycosy etc goes well.  Lots of antibiotics after that and don't drink as it can react badly with the drugs (sadly!).
Fishwonder - not sure about the drugs but don't think there are any injections - they will probably just scan you following your natural ovulation and when it occurs put them back in.  Might give you something to improve womb lining.

I now have 12 eggs doing well yet 15 have still gone off for the PDG tests.  The annoying this is that as the clinic are so busy at the moment they aren't going to have any results until just before the transfer UNLESS they only have bad news and call tomorrow to say game over.  So at the moment am due to go into the clinic on Saturday lunchtime ready to go for transfer BUT might find out that there is nothing to put in then and there.  Even more nailbiting than I was anticipating.

Off to have a massage now to help promote 'let will be will be' feelings!

JuliaM


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Julia,

It's mayhem there at the moment isn't it? Shame it'll delay your results until right before transfer though. Really glad to hear so many of yours are doing well. So are they taking yours to blastocyst too then if ET is Saturday? It does give such a good chance. Anyway - everything crossed for you.

I didn't go to Zita West - just read her book. It might be a bit pre-emptive but I just bought her book on how to look after the baby inside the womb too! I swear by acupuncture for everything and I'm certain it helped me get through this cycle with few side affects and good quality embies.


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi girls, more flowers incase last night's have wilted .....    

Blimey it was mad in the clinic today, so busy there are now more chairs in reception!  Still, I managed to get in and out in half an hour which was probably the best yet.  They were also having a series of fire alarm tests and having to evacuate, so the nurses and receptionists were a bit frazzled I think  .  Don't quite know how that would work if you were in the middle of a treatment that would make it a bit inconvenient.

Anyway, the scores on the doors here on day 6 of stimming, is that I have 9 follies @ size 11 each on the left side and 6 follies @ size 10 on the right.  Apparently that is pretty good, but I don't really know as I have nothing to compare it with.  My blood tests came back as 598, vast improvement from day 4 when it was 1025 (off the scale  apparently should be less than 750).  I'm still on 1.5 Menopurs and have to go back again tomorrow and Monday.  So I will be in again at lunchtime, will be interested to see if they have managed to fit in even more chairs tomorrow  

Julia, Venice sounds a grand plan.  I will make a note to let DH know that he is required to take me to some fancy European city once we get out the other side of this!

Emilia, sorry to hear you are bored in bed.  I think DH thinks I am joking when I tell him that I am going to sit in bed reading rubbish magazines for 3 days !!!

Catherine, good luck with the HyCoSy and DET tomorrow.  I didn't have to have a HyCoSy but the DET was fine, although I did have about 5 Drs/Nurses in the room who all shouted at once when they finally got to see the catheter on the screen after a fair bit of prodding around.  Mildly amusing ....

Adelaide, hope your stimming is going OK.  Is it day 4 tests tomorrow?

And Fishwonder,   and welcome.  Sorry I can't answer your questions, but I'm sure soon someone reading this will be able to shed some light on it all.

All from me, will check back in later.
Abdab xx


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## angel wings (Mar 25, 2006)

Hi Everyone,

It is nice to see the ACU link busy again, I'm a fellow UCHer but lurk from time to time. I just want to wish you all lots of luck wherever you are in your treatment and I hope there are lots of happy results.

Message for Fishwander, I think we used to be on this thread together when I first started at UCH. I had FET last year, it is similiar to IVF.

Mr Serhal prefers to do Medicated FET rather than Natural IVF as they have more control what happens then, the main difference is you inject Gestone instead of Menopur but you will still take the following -

- Primulot Tablets
- Suprefact Nasel Spray followed by A/F
- Either more sniffing or start Progynova Tablets
- Gestone injections to prepare for implantation (about 11 days or so)
- E/T
- Carry on with gestone injections up until test date

I can't lie Gestone injections are not nice, you have them in your bum and they hurt and if you get a BFP you have to carry on taking them up until about 12 weeks of pregnancy if not longer....

If you want to know anything else, you can pm me.

Angel Wings
xxx


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi all,

Angel wings - There I was thinking that IF I were lucky enough to have anything left to freeze and unlucky enough to need it then I would do the FET thing but after reading that list of drugs/infections I am really put off. 

The ACU sounds very busy at the moment - even to get through on the phone takes about 5 minutes.  IF (which I have to keep on saying to cover myself) I get to this ET appointment tomorrow with a huge full bladder I really hope they don't keep me waiting for the usual 30 mins.  You did very well the other day Abdah.

DH is in the doghouse again - we have a wedding tomorrow of his first cousin and always knew it would be unlikely we could make it but he has suddenly decided that it is really important to his family that he goes for the ceremony.  

We already have very complicated arrangements for different people to look after our 5 year old away from the house during the day and now have had to add a friend of mine to the mix to come and look after me!  He wont be gone for long and it will be after the appointment and I really do want him to go and fulfil his duty and see his parents who live out of town (it is in London) but the very childish part of me which is often at the surface these days got very sulky and pointed out Emilia's husband (!) who wont even let her go to the loo.  When am I going to grow up?!

Catherine and Adelaide - hope it is all going well.

Emilia hope you have a stash of good mags. My acupuncturist had me belly dancing yesterday! And yes going to blastocyst - which is a good thing I think. IF they make it that far.

Abdah well done on those nice follicles.  And don't forget they can often hold more than one egg - they predicted 10 eggs for me and got more.

Julia


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi Angel Wings, and a big   . I noticed your name when looking at the thread last year, you and Dragthing and some of the others.  I have you to thank for getting me hooked on this site.  I am pleased you are still around.  Is the move to Dubai still on the cards?

Hi Julia.  Yes, the logistics around all of this are a nightmare, what with all the uncertainty, waiting and not wanting to make public what is going on.  AND having a 5 year old to manage too.  Try not to get too stressed about it all and keep up the belly dancing 

We are all over the place too at the moment as I told you.  When I had my appointment yesterday I asked Pip to specifically try and avoid Saturday for next appointment (we are viewing about 10 houses in Yorkshire!) and then Trudy called me back about two hours later and said "OK, we'd like you to come in on Saturday".  Gutted    So I eventually managed to get them to agree to me doing Friday and Monday - which was the plan all along - so I am a lot happier with that.
The rest of you will probably think I am bonkers trying to move house to 200 miles away in the middle of this, but all our families are up there, and my lovely nieces (aged 5 and 7) and my DH has been looking for over a year for a suitable job.  He got the long awaited job offer this week so it is all systems go.  No way I am putting this on hold, but I do want to get as much done before EC/ET as I will then be going no-where fast, particularly not moving boxes up and down the M1    It is all terribly exciting, and I tell you what it does take your mind off the stresses and strains of the evil IVF.
So, on top of that, my DBiL (dear brother in law) last night had to have an emergency out of the blue op and was in intensive care.  He's on the mend though so will be OK.  I just cannot believe the timing of everything happening all at once.
Thank the lord my (work) contract finishes next Thursday - I am freelance - well planned, h'uh, for EC on Friday.  Planning to be a lady of leisure for a bit before looking for more work.
Well, I am off to the clinic again now.  I think I'll take a big thick book just in case.
Will check in later.
Abdab
xx


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hey hey, just got back and I, incredibly, was in and out in ten minutes today !!!!  I was running a bit late as I had a   of a journey on the tube.  Scans were good, lining in both wombs is good and I now have 7-8 follies on each side, all growing now at size 11-12.  And did not need blood today, give my veins a rest!    They have kept me on 1.5 amps - quite a difference from the 4 they intended to give me initially (it went from 2 to 4 to 3, started on 3, then 2 then 1.5) so I think the moral of the story is they don't really know and wait to see how you respond once you are 'in progress'.
So that is it from me until Monday, have a good weekend everybody.
Abdab
xx

PS.  Emilia and Julia (and anyone else post ET-stage - hope you are both well - can you share your experiences of what you felt like after EC and ET.  On EC day how long did it take for the sedation to wear off?  What time did you go home?  Did you just go straight to bed or did you feel OK?  Could you eat?  Were you up and about the next day?  At what point did you feel 'normal' (ha! what is 'normal' when all this is going on, euh??  )  I'm trying to figure out how much, or not much I can do between EC and ET.  I know everyone is different but it would be great to hear from you.  And then after ET I know ideally it is 3 days in bed and take it easy for 2 weeks, but are you feeling OK during this time?  Do you have to keep going in to the clinic for tests during the 2ww?
Blimey, so many questions. Sorry


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Abdab your follies sound great. Well done you. I don't think you're crazy trying to move in the middle of this. We're trying to move to Sussex to be near my familiy and three lovely nephews but it is hard house hunting and going through all this. And Sussex is under 100 miles away. Yorkshire is so lovely though. My best friend lives in Harrogate and it is the most beautiful town. We take her little boy to the famous Betty's Tearooms for tea and cake sometimes and there's a lovely park and great shops. She was in Leeds for three years too and Leed has some very cool shopping - the best bits of London all in one place!

The EC was very easy for me. The sedation was like a general but without the bad bits! No feeling rubbish afterwards. I woke up, didn't recall a thing about it and had what felt to me like a bad period pain - but I don't really get period pain so to a normal person it might be like mild period pain! That lasted about 30 minutes and then I felt fine, sat up, ate a sandwich and went home about half an hour later. I felt absolutely fine for 2 days but then I had some soreness and discomfort which was a combination of my ovaries being swollen and the progesterone pessaries. Not everyone has an issue with them but they gave me a very sore tummy but as soon as I used them vaginally post et it subsided and now is fine.

ET was like a bad smear! I always find smears painful due to my retroverted uterus so it was bit sore but over very quickly. they were very matter of fact so it didn't have the emotional/romantic edge dh and I might have liked! But and here is the big but... acu was so busy that we had et an hour and 15 minutes later than our appointment and yes, I had to wait with my full bladder! By the time I could go to the loo I couldn't if you know what I mean! You have to lie down for 20 mins post et and then you can go to loo and go home.

Julia, I'm sorry dh is being a pain. I don't think men fully get what we go through with all this and I think it's ok to be a bit childish and a bit fed up. It's the drugs as much as anything. Keep yourchin up sweetie and we're all here for you.


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

PS. I would try and do as little as poss between ec and et, in case you are sore and also you need to repair yourself for et. I took arnica from a day before ec and then for 2-3 days for fast repair. You don't go back to acu after et unless you get a positive and go for a blood test at the end of the 2ww. With blasto transfer it's more like a 8 day wait thank goodness. I'm due to test on the 9th.

Julia - I hope your embies make it to blast. We were disappointed about the whole 6 days to get there thing but are just hoping this is working! Let us know how they are doing won't you?


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi girls,

Abdah - I felt fine after EC - no pain at all (apart from the jab of the IV needle but was happy to have that as knew it was my last injection for IVF).  Afterward slowly came to it plus Rita, the nice but gruff nurse, helped with a lovely cup of tea.  Op was at 10.30 and left at 1 so not bad.  Did feel very bloated next few days though, only just back in my jeans now.  And have been feeling very tired but that could be my son not really letting me get over it all and demanding calamine lotion all the time!  And after ET you don't have to go in again unless you have a positive result and need a blood test - so you are kinda hoping to see them all again!

And not a bad idea to move at all - something other and nice to think about.

If they are so delayed tomorrow for the ET DH isn't going to make it to that wedding!  Can't believe they made you wait all that time and then didn't let you go to the loo immediately Emilia.  Not looking forward to that.  And going to be in the same boat with news of whats happened to the embys moments before it actually happens.  I know that the embryologist that we have been talking to is on tomorrow so that helps.  I also have a retroverted uterus by the way!

Emilia are you in north London (it says by your cat that you are) Am I allowed to ask that?  We are in N6 by the way.

Julia


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Yes I'm in N8 - Crouch End! Just round the corner from you in N6. Are you Highgate bit of N6?

I found the bit where we spoke to the embryologist very difficult. The news is rarely going to be wonderful at this point if you're going to blast because you lose so many and also because the simple grade 1, grade 2 suddenly becomes this complex number letter letter grade and you wonder what it means. It really put us in a negative frame of mind so maybe try and be prepared for that bit. It's just horrid because you wait ages, you sit there with a full bladder and get a whole lot of info thrown at you that you don't quite understand and you know the most important bit of the whole IVF is minutes away.

I found it very difficult to be honest and it's taken a day or so to get my head round what was said and not be down about it. Right up to that point I was very positive about the treatment. I think it's the only bit at acu that could have been handled better.


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi ladies
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences, it really helps me to get my head around what's about to come.
I'm just about to leave so it has to be a quick one.  Emilia, we are going to Ilkley which is like a mini Harrogate and even has a 'mini-Betty's' YUMMY CAKES!
Will check in again on Sunday.
Abdab
xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Ooooh Ilkley's lovely Abdab - what a great place to live. We're up there about once every two months in Harrogate and I could very easily live there myself!


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Girls, 

Great to hear that you are keeping well and your posts are so helpful as i'm just starting out.

Emilia, great to hear that you are well and are getting lots of rest and TLC and hoping for a     for you when you test on the 9th.  

Julia, hope all goes plain sailing for your ET tomorrow, sorry to hear about the wedding hassle tomorrow, just concentrate on the ET  which is the most imprttant thing in your life at present. I think you are doing so well holding it all together and with a 5 year old aswell ! 

Emilia and Julia thanks for you post on how you felt post EC and ET, I'm preparing myself for it all ahead.

Abdad, that great with news about your follies, DH and I are moving house also but not as far as you just from North London out to Herts so as you said it keeps our minds occupied with other things beside the dramas of IVF  

Just got back from ACU, hady my dummy ET and Hycosy, done by the lovely older Egyptian doctor, she is such a sweetie. Both procedures went well and all is clear with the Hycosy and the dummy ET went well also , there were no kinks or bending eventhough I too have  a retroverted uterus. So I'm here looking at my lovely Suprefact Nasal Spray and Primolut N to begin my downregging. I got these from ACU but will get my stimming drugs from outside......need to save what I can for this new house !!

Off to the GP now as DH and I need to get re-tested for Hep B, C and HIV again as my records are out of date ! Had a year off from my last IUI last February as I had to have an emergency hip replacement at 33yrs old !!! Too much running ! SO feel strong now to have my IVF.

No vino for me tonight as I have to take my antibiotics post HYcosy so will just ask DH to take me for a nice dinner instead !

Take care, xxxx


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi again,

Emilia, I am really near the N8 bit - near Stanhope Road (but not!) - do you know it? Ta for warning about the blast bit - they haven't said a word to us about that actually so good to be pre-warned.  Now even more nervous but all we want it one good one.  

Catherine - the older Egyptian doctor is my favourite - very good at her job and just like her.  Hope you don't mind me being honest but must say of all the IVF experience I found the nasal spray affected my mood the most - made me very ratty at the end but then I was on it for a bit longer than usual as had my period on a Saturday and you have to sniff for another 2 days if it comes then.  But everyone is different.  Maybe as I am older it made a difference.  Made me think about going on HRT though when the menopause arrives!

Abdah - you are probably on your way but hope you have fun this weekend.  Don't know Ikley at all but it sounds lovely.

Right off to have fish for supper as sure it must be good for you pre-et.

Julia


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Wow we do live close by Julia. If you ever fancy a starbucks - de-caf of course! and a chat when all this is over give me a shout.

Catherine are you excited to be starting downregging? I didn't find the spray too bad but I know a lot of people really hate it. The Egyptian doc scanned me right through and she is excellent - very sweet too. Though I never quite got her name! Dr Kartoomb or Karmoom? Something similar I think. AAre you a North Londoner too then Catherine?


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi,

Emilia - Starbucks sounds lovely when all over.  Or that new place when there old electronic shop used to be and the titles to Peep Show played over - know it?.

Catherine just re-read my message and didn't mean to sound negative.  It's great that you are poised ready to go and I am sure it will all be fine.

Night,

J


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Julia,

No probs luv about telling me about your -ve side effects from the spray. 

I like to be prepared for every eventuality plus DH is looking over my shoulder as I write this so at least he is forewarned !! I think he's more scared of the whole process more than me. 

Signing off now as I've just come home after an Indian !

Wishing you lots of      for tomorrow.

Catherine xxxxx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Julia,

I just wanted to send you lots of love and positive vibes for today. I know it'll be a difficult day even if everything goes well. It's hard not to get stressed about it but I am thinking of you and really hope it all goes brilliantly. Make sure you get total bed rest afterwards and try and stay in bed for a few days if you can. I'm sure with your 5 yearold that could be tricky but I hope you get the support you need from DH.

Is it Coffee Cake that's in the old electrical shop? It's lovely there and far nicer than starbucks! I do think I have a slight addiction to starbucks decaf coffee - they must put something in it! I haven't had a single cup since starting the IVF as I've been super healthy and green tea is a treat for me now!

Anyway, when you've had your few days of rest, if you feel up to it, or when we both come out of the other side of this it would be lovely to meet up for a cuppa. And Abdab and Catherine you are more than welcome to join us of course if Crouch End isn't too much of a trek.

Right - sending you lots of positive thoughts so we can endure the 2ww together!

Emilia
xxxx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Julia - I've realised you mean the lovely big Italian place that used to be Powerhouse! Oh yes - much nicer than starbucks.


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi Emilia,

Thanks for the lovely message.  It's a nice day for it!  Do you like me drive the nurses mad when they give out drugs and ask what the side effects are?.  I say that having just had the latest pessary! 

DH is doing very well at keeping me calm and 5 year old is playing very nicely. 

And like the sound of ACU get-together in N8!  I used to be addicted to the same tipple from Starbucks.  Am now only a tea drinker though.  Had no booze since 1st Jan, been taking various vitamins and minerals, and downing omega oils too. Oh well can't hurt.

And hope we get to do 2ww together starting from this afternoon!  Have a decent lap-top so can keep in contact from bed.

Julia


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

What time are you going in Julia? I'll check in this afternoon hoping to hear fabulous news.

The pessaries really messed with my tummy - I bloated up and was in agony the whole time between ec and et! Once I started to use them vaginally after et it went down very quickly and pain disappeared. I think the main side affects are bad wind and bloating!

Let me know how it goes when you have time. Thinking of you.

xxx


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi Emilia,

Very sorry to say but no fabulous news.  

Got a phone call at 11.10 when almost on our way to the ACU to say that none of our eggs were viable and there would be nothing to put back in.  

Went in anyway to see the Dr and Sarah the embryologist to get a better idea and some closure.  Most of the eggs came back with an abnormal result (would have resulted in a downs baby) and a few they couldn't get any results from but had stopped growing.  The Dr said that with this kind of result he wouldn't recommend that we try again.  

So while that is tough to hear at least it is an answer to why I haven't been getting pregnant and gives us a legitimate reason to stop.  Feel sad but we are very lucky to have our energetic and unusual son already with us.  Feel sorry/guilty that I can't provide a sibling for him but at least with this IVF attempt we can truthfully say we did our best.

I hope this bad luck doesn't have any rub on effect on you or Abdah, Catherine, Adelaide etc

Shame we can't do the 2ww together.  Really hope you have a BFP.  Will still check in to see what everyone is up to.

Going for a big walk on the heath now and am going to eat sushi and drink sake tonight to celebrate having a say over my body again!

Julia

PS Shame they couldn't have told us this yesterday as I would have dusted myself off, put my glad rags on and gone to this wedding!  Not really up for it mentally though immediately after being told.

PPS We really should have started trying for number 2 sooner but number 1 was such a handful couldn't get our heads around it until he was 3!  Hope he forgives us.


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Julia - I'm so sorry to hear what's hapenned. I think it is incredible that you are being so strong and you seriously deserve that sushi and sake. The offer of coffee still stands and I'm sending you a big hug.
Take good care of yourself.
Emilia
xxxxxxxx


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi Emilia,

Thanks for that. 'I will survive' and all that!

Would love to meet for coffee - you think about a time when you feel it is good for you (pre-result, post-result etc).  It is easier when you already have one I think.  There were a poor couple in the waiting room who had similar news but not as lucky as us with our son.  

DH started off say no way adoption but already a couple of hours later is softening on this.  Let's see - early days and all that.

Off for that walk.

Take it easy.

Julia


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Enjoy your walk Julia. Let's meet up when DH goes back to work and I'm off bedrest!

xx


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Julia,

I'm so sorry to hear your news, you were in my thoughts all day  ! 

It was good that you met with the Dr and Sarah to discuss the outcome and you and DH have been so strong throughtout and unfortunately it was not meant to be.

Take some time out for you and your family and you are so lucky to have your son who is healthy .

You have been an inspiration to me throughout and I hope you will keep checking with us. 

Sending you a big hug   

Catherine xxxxxx


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi Julia,

I am really really sorry to hear about your news. It must be hard to have gone so far in the process, then hearing this. All my thoughts are with you and your DH. I am amazed at how positive you stay - you're a very brave lady. 

I wish you lots of future happiness - be it through adoption or not - and I hope you enjoyed the sake last night!

To all the others, I am thinking about you too, and sending you lots of  

For myself, my hormones levels are doing fine so far - we'll know how many follicles are developing at the scan tomorrow morning. Started to feel bloated yesterday - oh dear, I can't imagine how I am going to feel by the time we reach EC in one week!

Adelaidexx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Good luck for your scan tomorrow Adelaide. I didn't find the bloating too bad until after EC but everyone's different and I have heard it can get quite bad. I guess EC may relieve it for you but yes with a week to go, it could go crazy. I can't think of any suggestions for beating the bloat either! I hope it doesn't get too unbearable.

Hope you had a good night out last night Julia and feel better for it.

How are you Abdab & Catherine?


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Girls, 

Hope you are all well today.

Julia, hope you enjoyed your sake and your night out last night and with time I hope your pain will heal. You have been a great inspiration to me as I start out on this long IVF journey.

Emilia how are you feeling ? Are yu getting excited about having to test in the next few days, keeping fingers and toes crossed for you!     Yes, I do live in North London but more in the N.E - Oakwood / Cockfosters area.

Adelaide best of luck for your scan tomorrow. 

I had a good day today went to see a house that we are interested in buying out in Herts saw it for the 4th time today and agreed a price with the vendor. It's keeping  me pretty occupied but a bit of a nightmare on the other hand going through this IVF and moving house oh well.  

Then this afternoon, I started bleeding like an AF had arrived   I'm day 11 of my cycle, and as you know I had my Hycosy and dummy ET last Friday which was day 9 .  Just rang the on-call mobile as I wasn't sure if this was going to affect my down regging on Wednesday apparently it is normal. Already my body feels alien to me before  I even start down regging ! 

Will catch up soon !

xxxx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Catherine,

It is weird how your own body suddenly feels alien isn't it? Is it the Hycosy that brought on the bleed? The one time I had one I concieved 2 days later though the baby was unfortunately ectopic. Apparently its very common as they can clear out minor blockages in the tubes. sadly for me I had a bigger blockage and it only cleared enough space for a sperm to get through!

I used to be up your way a lot as I used to lecture at Middlesex Uni but I finished last year. It's very pretty round there though. It's great you've found a house - that must take the stress off a bit - or add it on Moving is SO stressful! If I get a positive we are going to start house hunting right away and get moving to Sussex.

I feel pretty good about the test actually. Either I have some kind of bug which is very unlike me or something is going on with my body. I've got nausea, upset tummy and metallic taste in my mouth, all since yesterday afternoon. I guess it could be affects of the progesterone but it feels like pregnancy to me though as I've never had a healthy one I'm certainly no expert!

Adelaide - hope your scan goes well and keep us posted.

Emilia
xx


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Emilia,

Thanks for you reply. I know it's strange re: bleed but the Dr on-call says it's normal and to continue with my down regging plan. My AF cycle is always 30 days but I suppose I must accept that my body will not be mine over the next few weeks.

All your symptons sound really good towards getting a positive result. Let's hope for you and DH that it is and will give the rest of us some hope.  

I notice you posted on the 'IVF and aspirin' site and you mentioned that you started taking 75mg aspirin from the time you started down-regging but my plan from ACU says to start following EC, should I start now as 75mg is a small amount ?

Nite nite xx


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi girls, just back from Yorkshire and eager to catch up with everyone. 

Julia - SO sorry to hear about your news.  Thinking back to that original waiting room conversation we had, I guess you always thought this may be the outcome, and as we said at the time it is all a massive learn about our bodies and at least you can now understand and start to accept the situation.  I'm sure it is still really difficult and I'm sending lots of love to you and your DH and Jack too.  I'm sure the closure is also a bit of a relief, no more wondering, no more crazy drugs, no more clinic visits, and you can look forward.  Make sure DH gets that Venice weekend booked and have something really lovely to look forward to.

Emilia - count me in for the ACU N8 get together.  It will be an adventure for me to venture to the 'big Italian place'.  Guess we will have to look at the timings carefully, but it would be great to meet everyone, regardless of any outcomes....  And I am absolutely keeping everything crossed for you this week - you are leading the charge for all of us, lots of        to you.

Catherine - I found the sniffing OK, but did have 3 or 4 times when I lost it a bit.  Once I burst into tears   because DH had put the wrong stuff in the washing machine, and another couple of times I snapped and got aggravated which is really out of character for me.  So just warn your DH that it is the drugs, not you!!  I found it fine on the whole though.  Hey, great news about the house you've found   .  Fingers crossed that you get it and it goes smoothly.

Adelaide - I got really bloated on day 3/4/5 of stimming.  The nurse said it was probably the nasal spray, but also the jabs.  Fortunately it has now subsided a bit, so don't assume that you'll just get more and more and more bloaty right up untill EC.  I have to say, I am really hungry all the time, I could graze constantly.

Today is Day 9 of my stimming, I am feeling like a pin cushion and have a rash of nice red dots all across my tummy.  I cannot believe that after tonight I will have done 9 and only 2 to go.  The time has really flown.  I'm in the clinic tomorrow lunchtime for another scan and bloods.  Still on 1.5 amps for now.

And we had a lovely time in Ilkley!  I woke up this morning to my 5 year old neice who had got into the bed, prodding my ear and sticking flower stickers all over me!!  We viewed 9 houses in total including second viewing the one we want with a builder. And after all that we still want that one, so are hoping for a speedy sale on the London house, which went on the market on Friday.  We got back tonight and the post had been moved off the door mat, so an estate agent has been in the house!!!  Very exciting ....

All for now,
Abdab
xx


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi Catherine - I started baby asprin from the first day of my stimming jabs, not from down regging.  It's probably different for everyone.  I'd give the clinic a call in the morning.
Abdab
xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Catherine - Dr Ranieri told me to start with down regging but I actually forgot and started at stimming with baby aspirin. But I also stopped sniffing as soon as I started stimming so I think there are slightly different regimes for different patients dependent on other factors - not sure what they are! So I would do whatever the consultant you saw told you to do and if you have any doubts just call a nurse and check.

Abdabs you are racing a long now! 2 days left of jabbing OMG!

As my test date edges closer I am getting more and more nervous and when I wake up in the morning I feel really normal. My odd symptoms seem to get worse as the day progresses.

Fingers very firmly crossed!


----------



## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi ladies,

Just back from ACU, where I've been told my follies are growing nicely - I've got 6 on the right ovary and 3 (plus a 1-2 very small ones) on the left one. I would have like to have more but the team seemed happy enough so I guess I should be happy too! Let's see what they say at the next scan on Wednesday. 

Catherine, I started baby aspirin with stimming - Looking at the various posts below, looks like we're being told different things depending on our treatments. Like Emilia said, I would call ACU to double check. 

Hi to everyone else - hope all is good on this very grey day. Let us know your news. 

Ax


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

That's great Adelaide! Well done you and your clever follicles! 9 plus a couple of smaller ones is excellent. You must be getting very excited now.

Can I have a quick rant girls? I used another forum before I found this one and has been visiting it quite frequently. I was enjoying being a part of the 2ww thread and also was on a thread of about 6 of us all having ivf pretty much the same week. But I've just started to find most of the girls on there really negative. One lady in particular - every time I post something positive to raise everyone's spirits she comes back with a negative response!
And if I ever dare to mention healthy eating, acuouncture or even bed rest after transfer she's straight int here with her I know best attitude dismissing whatever I do or have been told by my consultant! She has had many failed attempts but sees herself as something of an authority on ivf. It riled me so much today that I've posted on the 2ww and just said I'm away for a fews days and I hope they are all well and I'll let them know how things turn out. I just don't need Miss Negative Knickers in my life right now!

The usual me would hit back at her negativity with some witty response or proof she's wrong but I just don't want to waste the energy. I can see that it's her own insecurities and fears making her so negative but she has really irritated me! Should I PM her and say how I feel or am I doing the right thing in staying away from the forum?

Oooooh I feel better now - thanks girls!


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Girls,

Great to catch up with all your posts today and thanks for the advice re: baby aspirin so not feeling so confused now  

Abdab, delighted you had a nice time in Ilkey, it's so nice to get out of London sometimes and enjoy life at a slower pace. Hope all goes well with the house sale and purchase of your other one.

Adelaide, sounds  like you are doing well with your no: follicles. The team are very reassuring there and they monitor you so well so looks like all is on track.

Emilia, I can't believe the negative vibes you are getting on your 2ww thread forum.  There is one thing thing that we all have in common is that we are all having some difficulty falling pregnant and our goal and wish for our forum friends is universal in that we hope to all fall pregnant. We are there to offer comfort in times of failure and joy in times of positive results while in between sharing our experiences and guiding each other as we go through our long and difficult journeys.
Don't stress yourself out over this as you are now so near to testing and things are looking good . It's not nice to find just that one person giving negative vibes, she obviously has issues and it probably reflects on her past IVF outcomes.
I did find a thread last night when checking out other forums where you can post if you want to make a complaint re:harassment from other site members but I couldn't find it today. Otherwise you could contact the moderator but maybe register under another name. But it's probably better just to read the thread over the next few days but don't post as you need to keep youself calm and create    energy from within! It's at times like this that  it's good that these are anonymous !

Sending you all some rainbows to brighten up this dreary Monday afternoon !    

Julia, if you are looking in on us, we miss you are you're in our thoughts !

Talk later !
xx


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi Emilia,

I agree with Catherine - these forums are here so we can support each other, not to bring us down! If it were me, I would consider contacting the moderator to see if they can provide some sort of advice. It's such a shame that you feel you have to get away from the thread at a time when you need it.

I particularly like our thread because everybody is so nice and supportive. Thank you Catherine and Emilia for your nice comments on my follicles this afternoon. To be honest, that's exactly what I needed following my slight disappointment during the scan. 

In the spirit of positivity, here are a few     

Have a good evening everybody.

Axx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Well thank you girls, I feel much better now! I have joined the 2ww thread here which is brimming with positivity and I have decided to just give the other forum a miss. You're right - I need to stay calm right now and it was making me feel really down. So I will stick with the 2ww thread and our acu thread - much friendlier!

*Julia* if you check in at all, just wanted to send you a big hug and say I hope you & DH are ok.


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hello girls, just back from the nightly entertainment that is the Piccadilly line  

Emilia - you just stick with us, no point getting wound up by Miss NK (great title by the way) but what a shame that one person can ruin it for others.  I am naturally quite positive, but I have to say, all the positive posts from this gang are really helping.  I'm sure some people, particularly if they have been through the mill quite a lot, just find it really tricky and as a result convey their negativity in all sorts of ways.

Adelaide - pleased to hear about your follies, and you never know, more could come through yet.  And 9 is a good number anyway. 

I got mixed messages today at the clinic - some saying "I am doing really well" and others saying "I hope you're not doing a bit too well".  My last scan (Friday) showed 8 on each side, and today I have (horror of horrors) 15 on one side and still 8-ish on the other.  Well at least that explains the discomfort down my right side, as the follies are now between 12mm and 18mm so they are probably really jossling for position and getting squashed.  I have to do 0.5 amps tonight and zero tomorrow, and then go in again on Wednesday for scans/E2 bloods again.  So hopefully they will settle again.  We are still on track for EC on Friday....

Will check in again later
Abdab
xx 

Lots of  to Julia too


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Girls,

Just back from the gym after doing a spinning class....I suppose this will have to stop when I have my EC ~ 13th March ....oh well !

Good to see we are all being positive no matter what stage we are at !

I'm going to blow each of your bubbles for good luck  !

xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

*Abdab*,

Don't worry - I know exactly what you mean. I had the same at this point - 23 follicles, lots of one side and did the cut down to half amp etc. The reduced dose steadied things out and in the end only 15 of the follicles were ready and I got 15 eggs. I did get a bit freaked out because I was convinced I was over stimming and had far too many follies but they really do keep such a close eye on things and I am sure you will be fine honey.

It's hard not to get a bit stressed by it all, especially when you don't know what's good, what isn't good, what's too good etc. Just focus on those eggs maturing for Friday. It's so exciting once they get the eggs out because it's like a new beginning in the whole process. Mind you - then the worrying starts waiting for those daily phone calls to see how the little embies are doing! Luckily acu usually call nice and early before you've had time to stress about it!

You're doing brilliantly so Friday should be a breeze.

*Catherine* yes the spinning might have to stop for a while! It takes up so much energy. But you might sneak a few classes in between EC and ET if you aren't too sore or too windy from the cyclogest!

E
xx


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Catherine - fab idea, I'm going to have a bubble blowing frenzy too for good luck.


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Thanks for that Emilia.  I'm not getting too stressed, I figured if I was in the danger zone then they'sd have put me down to zero tonight, and would have me in tomorrow to take more of the red stuff out of my arm!
Thanks for the reassurance anyway, useful to hear your experience.  
Abdab
xx


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi all,

ACU girls really are the best!  

Thank you all for the lovely messages.  I was really not well on Sunday - all that cyclogest didn't agree with me so had bed rest while Jack played very nicely in all day long refusing offers to go to the park, for a bike ride etc from DH.  And yesterday went for a 4 hour walk with DH in the Chilterns.  Not the best day for it, very foggy and freezing cold, but nice to get out of London and do some exercise and spend some time together.  

Have been in contact with the lovely aussie who was in the bed next to me at ec with a very similar profile to mine.  She ended up having one emby to put back in but is already thinking if she should give it another go or two.  So actually quite nice to have a final answer really than that little glimmer of hope. Have started to think about egg doners but might be too complicated; or adoption; or just stick with us 3 which already works very well.

Anyway on to all the other business!

Emilia - agree with the others and ignore ms negative as you need to stay nice and calm and serene BUT give me the forum address and I will sort her out!  Also re pregnant feelings - its very early days to actually feel anything but if you do it doesn't always come in the morning.  I felt fine in the am but got sicker and sicker as the day went on when I was pregnant with Jack.  And still up for meeting in Crouch End - I actually have to go there tomorrow to get some fish.... Would be great if others could come too.  Not long now until testing day!  Very exciting.

Adelaide - bet those follicles are still growing nicely - is the next scan still tomorrow?  And remember what you see in the scan isn't always what you get.  You could end up with more eggs than Abdah with her 25 million! I got very bloated towards the end of my stimming and then huge after the ec!

Catherine - very impressed that you can spin - far to energetic for me. While you ec is on 13th March have you started down-regging and if so how is it going?

Abdah - you have a VERY good memory regarding our conversation at the ACU!  The house stuff sounds really exciting.  What will your new house have that you don't have at the moment?  And today must be your last blood test where they see if you are LHing on your own (unlikely) and when they decide what time you should have your LH injection tomorrow night - is that right?  You sound like you are really going great guns and looking forward to hearing how it goes on Friday.

I think that is everything covered!

Off to see the Hogarth at the Tate now and tomorrow I am going to have to sort out a final piece of work before I start looking for something to get my teeth into - after half term.  So anyone need a web producer out there?!

Julia


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

PS sorry about the above essay!


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Great to hear from you Julia and I'm so glad you're feeling ok and being so positive. I would love to meet up for a cuppa tomorrow when you come to get your fish if you fancy it? Anyone else around tomorrow for a Crouch End meet up at Spiazzo? I can do any time at all as I work from home and live 5 mins from the Broadway. Be very lovely to meet you and have a natter.

Emilia
xx


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Julia, 

Great to hear from you and thanks for checking in on us !
Glad you have taken the time out to reflect and you are sounding quite positive and upbeat !You have been so helpful to me Julia as I start by down regging tomorrow with my Primolut tablets.

Enjoy Hogarth at the Tate and it's good that you are keeping yourself busy.

Sorry girls can't join you for coffee due to work commitments but will be there in spirit so have one on me !

Cxxx


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Emilia,

Hope you are well today, is it tomorrow you test ? If so all fingers and toes are crossed for you! 

Cxxx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Catherine,

Well it's Friday (Feb 9th) at the earliest. There is a bit of confusion about dates because on our schedule from acu it says test Feb 9th but on transfer day they said test Feb 14th. I wonder if the nurse that said the 14th didn't realise we had blastocyst transfer. Feb 9th is 15 days from EC which is technically like ovulation I suppose. AF would be due on the 9th so I'm planning to test then and if its negative, give it a few more days.

Feb 9th has resonance for us because it's DH's Dad's birthday and we lost our ectopic baby and DH's dad within 24 hours of eachother. So when the nurse said Feb 9th it was a nice connection for us. I might be naughtly and sneak a Clearblue 'test 4 days before your period's due' in on Thursday the 8th though!

That said, in both my pregnancies I only got a very faint positive 5 1/2 weeks in so I'm going to try not to take a negative to heart if af hasn't arrived. OMG it's so stressfull!!!! Actually my acupuncture this morning has calmed me down a lot. She said my pulses were very low and my energy was very weak - I'm hoping that could be down to a baby or babies taking everything they need and leaving me with nothing!


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Emilia,

You are so positive  and calm it's great !

I'm being selfish in that I thought and hoped that you would be testing tomorrow as I'm going home to Ireland on Thursday until Sunday to see my family. Believe it or not but my family live in rural Ireland and there are awful problems getting a broadband internet connection !So I'll have to wait in anticipation !

That sounds promising what the accupuncturist said lets just hope the low energy levels will lead to a   I used to do it when having IUI, would you recommend I re-start ? They lady I saw was fantastic but with work commitments then I wasn't able to finish the course.

Try and wait until test day otherwise you'll drive yourself mad testing and running out to gets lots of tests !But saying that I'd probably do the opposite to the advise I just gave.

Sending you a flower  .

Will check in later with you all.

xxxx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Catherine,

I would definitely recommend acupuncture right through stimming and up to ET. Before I started my IVf I was ridiculously stressed but within 2 treatments I was calm and really chilled out through the whole process. Everyone I spoke to on the other forum was suffering really badly with side affects and I had none at all really and those I had were so mild it wasn't worth mentioning. In fact until I reached this point I kept thinking, what's all the fuss about - IVF isn't stressful! I'm sure it was the acupuncture because I had my last treatment on transfer day - Jan 31st and by yesterday I was stressed and low again. Today's treatment has sorted me right out.

Make sure whoever you see has experience of treating IVF patients because the points they use and the timing etc is very specific. I'm sure it helped both egg quality and my uterus lining. The embryologist was very impressed with my egg quality and asked my age because she was so suprised at how good they were! I'm 35 so while they wouldn't hopefully be too bad - I got the impression they thought I had the eggs of a 20 year old!

I has 2 treatments a week in the 4 weeks leading up to transfer and then one the day before transfer and one the day of transfer. I cannot express how much it helped me and really would say go for it if you can find the time - it is such a huge time committment - but very much worth it.


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi girls,

I would also really recommend acupuncture.  With my first pregnancy I am convinced it helped me conceive first try and stay healthy throughout.  She was also great after the birth.  Also just good for general well being.  But best to get someone as Emilia says who is experienced with IVF.

And Emilia - that would be great for tomorrow.  Am going to go early, after school drop off, could you bear to meet at 10?  And which one is Spiazzo?

Julia


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

10.00 is perfect for me Julia. Spaizzo is the big Italian cafe that used to be Powerhouse. I'll PM you my mobile number and a description so you can find me!

xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

I emailed you instead Julia.
xx


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Duh - how will I get email?


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Is your email a work address? I just clicked on the little email symbol by your profile? I'll pm the email to you too.
xx


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## Abdab (Nov 2, 2006)

Hi girls
Just a quick one tonight, I am really tired.  Got loads to do before Friday.
I will be thinking of you tomorrow in Spaizzo - have one for me!  I can't make it as I will be at the clinic having my final pre-EC checks and getting more evil drugs.
Other than being tired, I am not too bloated tonight, feeling OK and it is nice to not have to do any jabs!
Will check in again tomorrow and will be more chatty then    
Night night
Abdab
xx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Hi Abdab - no worries and good luck today honey and huge good luck for EC on Friday - how exciting! Make sure you take it easy when you get back after EC to give your body time to recover before ET. Lots of vitamin c for cell repair and if you're into homeopathy at all, arnica 6c three times a day from the day before and stop day before ET. It will really help those ovaries heal up quickly.
Enjoy being jab free!
x


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Girls,

Hope you are well.

Abdab, you are nearly there on the home -run stretch now ! Gets lots of rest.

Emilia and Julia, enjoy your coffee today it'll be nice for you two to meet and regards to Julia from me please.

Adelaide how are you doing ?

Well I started today, took my first Primolut tablet   so now I feel offically part of the group just a bit behind you all!

Have a good day and here is some more sunshine on this frosty morning !


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi all,

Today's not a great day for me   The scan this morning only showed 8 follicles in total, some of which are progressing nicely but others are still quite small. Even if it's certainly not the end of the road just yet, the nice little lady dr. has said it's on the low side and she wishes there were more. Unfortunately, I'm already on the max dose of Menopur, so we can't boost my ovaries more than that. 

I was so positive about this treatment, and yet again I am facing the prospect of not even reaching ET stage. I am so worried that these 8 follicles won't produce enough eggs / good quality eggs. So many things can happen before we reach ET that I was hoping we'd be able to play with a bigger egg quantity to start with. 

Anyway, just wanted to let you know. Trying not to feel too negative until we have our next scan on Friday - the human body is so mysterious, we never know what might happen!

Emilia and Julia, hope you had a nice catch up today.
Catherine, welcome to the official 'treatment ladies' group  
Abdab, hope the final check today went well - let us know. You must be so excited about tomorrow!

Axx


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Hi Adelaide,

Really sorry to hear that you are feeling bad about the scan today.  It's not the worse result - promise.  The follicles might hold more than one egg each; they might all be tip-top eggs; you only need one good one to make a baby!

You say you might not reach the ET stage but you are still on for the EC stage - yes?  And who knows what will happen by Friday so please don't be too downcast until all the results are in!

And yes thanks it was really nice to meet up with Emilia today - maybe we will do it again and see if you, Catherine and Abdah can join us.


Better go as Jack is shouting about some toy he DESPARETELY needs NOW!

Julia


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## Adelaide (Aug 15, 2006)

Hi Julia,

Thanks for your quick answer. I know it's not the end of the world so I'm trying to stay positive until things are clearly laid out. We'll know on Friday what's definitely happening or not.  I suppose I'm just having one of these negative days, and the hormones are definitely not helping!

Thanks for your support though. It's nice to be able to blurb it out!

Good luck with Jack - I hope you've found that toy!

Ax


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## JuliaM (Jan 26, 2007)

Yup found it (it was right next to him but he was too lazy to look).

I hope you have a nice cosy evening in, make something nice to eat, snuggle up in your pjs and get the duvet on the sofa and watch something that makes you smile.

And just think about all that snow tomorrow.!

x


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

Adelaide please don't be too downhearted honey. Through my trawls on these forums over the past few months I've heard lots of women talk about having just 4 or 5 follicles and still ending up with 2 great embryos on board. I know it's tough to be positive when you get a blow like this but honestly - Julia is right, there could be more than one egg in each one and you could end up with a nice clutch (is that the term?) of eggs. Even if you only ended up with 4 or even 2 they might be fab and it just takes that one special egg to make that one special baby.

I know it sounds kooky but if you can, take 15 minutes out and lie in a quiet room, focussing on your follicles, visualising those eggs growing and maturing. Try and really see it and sense it and say to yourself, 'I am attracting high quality eggs' over and over. Positive thought can work wonders - it's been proved.

But I am thinking of you and sending you lots of positive vibes to help you along.


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## CATHERINE1 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Girls,

Oh Adelaide, sorry to hear that you're not happy, I know I'm not as far advanced as you but the other girls will be able to shed some light on the situation. As Julia said it's the quality that counts and not the quantity. The lovely egyptian doctor is great and I'm glad she reassured you..... here's sending you some hugs . Hope all is on track for EC. Just let the anxiety out and you'll feel better !

Julia, glad you found Jack's toy and happy to hear that your rendevous with Emilia went well. How have you been ?

No news here just checking in on you all and learning loads as I started down regging today !


xxxx


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## Emilia (Oct 31, 2006)

PS - and I meant to say, as Julia said, it would be lovely to meet up with you all at some point too. Got to sign off now - no toy to look for other than my cat Skag's manky old catnip sodden mouse but much to do!


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## Rachel (Mar 10, 2004)

This way to a new home 

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=84004.new#new


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