# LGBT TTC a family through IUI/IVF/ICSI - Part 3



## Damelottie

New home

Happy chatting


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## Strawbs78

Morning ladies  

x


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## leoaimee

hay strawbs!

good to hear from you.  of course its going to take a while to feel more on an equilibrium after your BFN.  hope DW has some luck with the finding a new job.  

i know how you feel with the booze.  but maybe good catharsis at the time?

its cold and raining and windy here, its lovely feels like home!!

ax


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## Strawbs78

Hey Aimee

Yes possibly but Im definitely just going to keep off the booze I think, I quite enjoyed being off it all bar a day here and there adn really didnt enjoy the awful hangovers on the weekend so Im quite happy to give it a miss esp as we are going to be possibly starting again in month or two..

for now its just new job and weight loss, they are the two focuses..  

x


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## leoaimee

well skipping the booze will definately help on the weight loss.  you have done really well so far havent you?

i know what you mean about the hangovers.  i certainly dont miss them.  when you stop drinking it really hits you how horrendous they are!!!

ax


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## Strawbs78

Im now just hovvering and not losing but I think its because I have relaxed on the diet more and eaten out probably more than I should have so as of yesterday I am 100% back on and in the next few weeks I am hoping to lose more..

Yep Im with you, I never thought I would hear myself say it but I at a point where my preference is to not drink..

x


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## pem

Hey ladies!!

Can I join you, we are venturing back onto the TTc bandwagon again, went to see our GP lastnight for a referal to the clinic. We cannot use the same donor again as he is in a new relationship which is not good news but we are hoping to begin IVF early next year, really really nervous and have to lose weight, eat more spinach, start taking the multivits etc, do more exercise.....phew!

I shall read back on the old threads to get to grips with where you all are and post proper! 

Em x


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## Strawbs78

Welcome Pem

Fantastic news you are starting again!!    Shame about your donor..  Im too doing the losing weight thing and am doing the Patrick Holford Low GL diet and its working really easily..

Good luck!!

x


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## leoaimee

hay Pem

great to hear your back on the TTC for a sibling.  shame about the donor, but i guess everything happens for a reason in the end.  

good luck with the weight loss especially over christmas!

lots of luck and love aimeex


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## Twinmummy

Hi Everybody - i hope you dont mind me joining in either ?

Im currently having my burserelin injections and due to start stimulating next week ! 
EC is scheduled for 17 nov - so im getting v excited about the whole thing !!

Did anyone feel sick on buserelin ? i cant remember it last time but i suppose each time is different !! 

take care
Nina X


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## leoaimee

hay twinmummy

cant really help you with the burselin question but wanted to say good luck with this TX hope it all goes really well.  and you get a nice BFP at the end!!

ax


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## Twinmummy

Thanks aimee !! fingers crossed ay !!   

how you feeling now ? whens your due date ? you must be v excited ! r u gonna find out the sex ?


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## leoaimee

thanks!!  

i think we will find out if possible what the baby;s sex is.  gaby is quite impatient about these things!!  and its a bit more the norm here in spain/gibraltar unlike the UK where people seem to like the suprise.  i guess i would be more that way inclined but i dont mind if thats what gabs wants.

im feeling really good, mostly.  no actual sickness.  although i do get very tired, but nothing that isnt remedied by going to bed early.  and im eating an unreal amount!!  

your twinnies look lovely on your pic.  how are they getting on?

ax


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## emnjo

Hey  

Well I tested today and I got a BFN on 11dpo so quite gutted 

This is my second IUI at the homerton. They are saying that I should do at least another 4 IUI's - but from what I have read on here most people seem to get a BFP by there 4th IUI..did anyone on here get a BFP on their 5th or 6th IUI?

Aimeegaby - how are you feeling hun? Hope your emotions are back in line and your feeling ok?

Lou- how are you doing? Where have you gone and when do you test!!xx

Dom- hope your out of hospital and are doing ok??

and good luck to anyone else that is reading!


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## rosypie

@emnjo - sorry to hear about the BFN. isn't it a bit early to get a definitive result though, espesh a negative one? usually clinics make you wait at least 2 weeks, don't they?


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## ♥JJ1♥

emnjo sorry to hear about your negative, there is one lady on the single girls thread who got pregnant on her 5th medicated iui.  Wishing you luck
L x


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## leoaimee

hi emnjo - i had to wait 16 days post ovulation before i could test... maybe it is early?

have you used the same donor each time?  the LWC say to only use a donor for three and then change if you dont get a positive with that one as it maybe because of bad matching.  

im doing ok.  have had a better week this week thanks.  going to bed at around 8 and reading and not doing much else really.  

what do you guys think of the halloween inspired FF?  spooky?


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## Twinmummy

Good Morning !

Thanks for asking after the boys aimee! they are doing great thanks - will be 2 in january ! gone so quick ! where the time has gone i do not know ! they have right little charcters now! There is a photobucket on my profile with more photos of them ! for twins they are SO different !!! 

How excting for you to find out the sex ! bet you cant wait then i bet you will be shopping a certain colour!! i hope the next 10 weeks will go quick for you !

I love this halloween thing ! im getting in the spirit this year and getting childishly excited about taking the boys trick or treating tomorrow evening !!!   

hope everyone ok and sorry to hear about your BFN emnjo   but as rosypie says its still could be too early so keep your hopes up


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## leoaimee

i love the photo of them on the bench and the one with them in matching tracksuits on the sofa!!  sooo cute!  and they are v different.

because you had twins once is it more likely you will have twins again?

do your twinnies disagree much or do they get on really well with each other?

are tehy aquarians or capricorns?

we bought halloween treats for our neighbours children but we wont be at home tonight.  well have to doll them out on friday.

im going to try hard not to be tooo pink for a girl and blue for a boy but i guess you are limited by what is forsale.  i do like really bright colours for little boys ... and not too much for pink for girls.


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## emnjo

aww Twinmummy your boys are both so GORGEOUS!!! And yes they are very different!

Still got a bit of hope but not a lot. We'll get there one way or another I am sure

xx


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## rosypie

i don't want to plant false hopes for you em but with jude i got a bfn on day 14 and didn't get bfp until day 18 (and even then it was very faint).

whichever it is for you, i'm sure day 11 is too early to be sure

fingers crossed for a surprise xx


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## Twinmummy

aimee - Hi ! yes tate and harrison do get on well together but they have their moments ! its quite funny actually when the bundle each other !! one of them usually ends up screaming so we have to break it up but sometimes you just gotta let em get on with it ! they are v close thou ! in the evening before bed they sit togther on the couch, heads together, watching postman pat !!! ahhh They are capricorns ! born 17th jan ! Im SO with you on the whole pink thing for girls ! i just cant do too much of it either ! if we have a girl next she will be such a tomboy !!!! Are you talking names yet ??!

Emnjo - thanks for looking at the boys! we love them to bits ! I hope its not over for you this time but have PMA and you will for sure not be too far away from getting a  . Its just hard waiting when you want something so bad isnt it. How many cycles have you had ?


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## emnjo

Twinmummy said:


> aimee - Hi ! yes tate and harrison do get on well together but they have their moments ! its quite funny actually when the bundle each other !! one of them usually ends up screaming so we have to break it up but sometimes you just gotta let em get on with it ! they are v close thou ! in the evening before bed they sit togther on the couch, heads together, watching postman pat !!! ahhh They are capricorns ! born 17th jan ! Im SO with you on the whole pink thing for girls ! i just cant do too much of it either ! if we have a girl next she will be such a tomboy !!!! Are you talking names yet ??!
> 
> Emnjo - thanks for looking at the boys! we love them to bits ! I hope its not over for you this time but have PMA and you will for sure not be too far away from getting a . Its just hard waiting when you want something so bad isnt it. How many cycles have you had ?


Hay! Yes fingers crossed we'll get there soon!!
Tate & Harrison are gorgeous - I can't believe how different they look! One is very blonde and the other very dark - gorgeous!!

I have had 4 IUI's - but 2 of them were at LWC and have been told by the Homerton that those 2 couldn't have worked as I was triggered on cd11 with a follie of 16mm and a womb lining of 8mm - I don't naturally ovulate until cd17 when my womb in 13mm and follie 23mm so sort of thinking I have had 2. We had 2 tries with a known donor - but we then discovered his sperm count was very low!! So not much success to date! But we are going to do 4 medicated IUI's now and then IVF if we need to.

Did you do egg share?

Lou - where have you gone and are you ok?? xxx


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## leoaimee

twinmummy 

i just realised you only recently had your BFN ...   great you are getting straight into the IVF cycle though.  really hope you have good luck with this one.

we have talked names.  we think probably lucia for a girl ... gabys ma's middle name and various other female family members.  and if a boy Saul which is hebrew for paul my dad;s name (he died) and probably abraham (gabys dads name) for middle.  we also might go for Miriam for a girl gabbys grannys name.  it is quite customary in the jewish community (gaby;s jewish) here to name after grandparents.  

your boys a gorgeous arent they?  must be soo cute when they do sweet stuff together like that.  bless them.  my mum's friend had twin grandsons who when they were teeny tiny and in one cot used to suck each others thumbs.


Emnjo - i cant believe they triggered you sooo early at LWC how long ago was that?  

yes where is Lou?  how are you Lou?  and any more news from Dom?


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## emnjo

aimeegaby said:


> twinmummy
> 
> i just realised you only recently had your BFN ...  great you are getting straight into the IVF cycle though. really hope you have good luck with this one.
> 
> we have talked names. we think probably lucia for a girl ... gabys ma's middle name and various other female family members. and if a boy Saul which is hebrew for paul my dad;s name (he died) and probably abraham (gabys dads name) for middle. we also might go for Miriam for a girl gabbys grannys name. it is quite customary in the jewish community (gaby;s jewish) here to name after grandparents.
> 
> your boys a gorgeous arent they? must be soo cute when they do sweet stuff together like that. bless them. my mum's friend had twin grandsons who when they were teeny tiny and in one cot used to suck each others thumbs.
> 
> hey honey
> 
> I know its pretty crap isn't it..That was in Feb 08, and they did the same again in March 08...my womb was only 7mm then.. I have let it go for now but believe me one day I will be ringing them to tell them what I thought of that! At the time I wasn't aware that this was wrong - they said I was ready - so I said ok...
> 
> Obviously now I am much more aware of whats going on. The Homerton wait until at least CD17 for me - when my follie has been over 20mm and my womb lining 13mm - far more condusive for pregnancy. The consultant at the homerton said that the first 2 IUIs I did were both very badly done so to forget about the first 2. SO I guess I should think of this as my second go. But its hard when you feel like you have been trying much longer emotionally..
> 
> How are you getting on?
> 
> I love the name Lucia - its gorgeous...
> 
> We both really Like Ruby for a girl - and Jude for a boy, my g.f loves Jack but I am not sure...
> 
> Emnjo - i cant believe they triggered you sooo early at LWC how long ago was that?
> 
> yes where is Lou? how are you Lou? and any more news from Dom?


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## emnjo

And Lou and DOm where have you gone??


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## Twinmummy

good moning ! let me start by saying last inght i typed up a post that took me a while only too loose it all at the end when the computer crashed so here we go again !!! I was SOOO annoyed!

aimee - how sweet that the baby will be named after family members! they are lovely names. And im really sorry to hear about your dad. I can sympathise as i lost my dad too in April 2005 . He died very suddenly from heart disease. He didnt know he was ill so it was a shock to us all but at least he didnt suffer like so many people do. He would have been such a brilliant grandad thou but im sure he is watching down on us all!   When did your dad pass away if you dont mind me asking ? 

Emnjo - I feel so sorry for you guys and the poor treatment you have received. Hopefully you are in better hands now and you arnt far away from getting your   . I have always found LWC very good but recently i have been reading so bad storys from the place. Not good eh ? 

No we didnt egg share nor are we going to this time - i feel bad not doing so as without a 'donation' tate and harrison would be here but we talked about it and it just isnt something we felt we could do. We did egg share between us thou ! genetically Tate and harrison are chris's , and i carried them ! this time we are using my eggs thou so this is my first time on the dreaded puregon !!! All exciting thou ! 

Yeour both right - this thread used to be heaving !!! where did everybody go ?? strawbs is missing too !


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## leoaimee

morning twinmummy

i think its so lovely that you and your dp egg shared so to speak!  i would like to do that with gabs but i dont think she really wants to go through any or the procedures and feels it isnt that important to her for the time and energy and money it would take.  especially as we come to the uk for treatment (lwc too) and most of the time i went on my own.  gabs came once for basting and plunged the syringe. which she was a bit shy about.  

my dad died 4 years ago.  he had cancer and was disagnosed and died within 9 months.  obviously he had been ill for alot longer but hadnt gone to the drs.  my mum and dad divorced when i was 8 and my dad remarried when i was 13 and my brother and sister and i didnt have a great relationship with him from the teens onwards.  but luckily for us his wife left him 3 yrs before he was diagnosed so we had him back so to speak for three years before he died for which im v grateful.  my mum in the end took up most of the care for him while he was ill, i think really to save us from the burden of it.  even though they hadnt had much communication excpet acrimoniously for the last 15 years.  funny how things happen sometimes.  it makes me sad that he will never meet his grandchildren, my sister has a ds who is 14 months now and gorgeous.  but like you im sure he is watching from heaven or with us in some kind of spirit form ... unless he has reincarneate already ... who knows.  but i think he would be really pleased about the new additions to the family.

sorry your dad died too.  it must have been a real shock for you all.   

love aimeex


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## Twinmummy

ahh thats so sad but like you say its funny how things turn out. My mum and dad were divorced too but in the year before he died they got along greayt for the first time in years !!!! 

keep meaning to ask you - which one are you in your photo and which is gaby !! I bet traveling over to england was so expensive for all the treatment ! good thats gabs helped thou   

chris is the same as gabs - very pleased that she dosent have to have any procudure this time around ! she hated it so much at time and didnt recover very well from the EC !!


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## leoaimee

that is funny isnt it?  really must have been nice for you that your ma and pa were speaking that year.  

gabs didnt plunge on the third go lucky.  although she said she was at work, and suddenly had a feeling ... 'here comes my baby' at more or less the right time.  which she said she didnt ever have the other two times.

i am the one looking sideways and gaby is the one facing the camera.  i think i might change the photo i like it but really its more of gaby than of me, and im sure people think i must be her.

ax


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## Twinmummy

yeh thats mad i totaslly thought you were the one with brown hair looking a camera !!!


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## leoaimee

i shoudl change it shouldnt i?

ill try and find another one!


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## Twinmummy

yeh lets see more photos !! i love looking at photos !! thats cause im a nosey c*w!!!!  

so you live in gibralter then ? i was there a few years ago ! its like england isnt it! so are you spanish ? im confused !!


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## Strawbs78

hey ladies

just logged on briefly..  Im here but not on this week as the orange makes it way too obvious that Im not working at work so until we go back to pink then Im off FF.. Hopefully it will only be til Monday..

Have a great weekend, sorry no time to read as Im typing at lightening speed to get it off my screen

xxxxxxxxxx


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## WildLife

Almost good afternoon everyone who hasn't had to run away from the orange.    If I was at work I wouldn't be able to stay on either.  There aren't many excuses for a vibrant orange glow from the screen.

Just saying Hi as I am day 13 and quietly nervous.  I am spending far too much time on eBay and my friend came round with more DVD box sets so I will watch some of those later.  My house mate must think I am a lazy oaf!

Anyway, no bleeding, no cramps ... *sigh* 

Lou, if you're around I hope you're ok.  I know we're on exactly the same timing so fingers crossed we have little ones at the same time eh?


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## Twinmummy

well good luck ! its looking good !!


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## emnjo

Hey guys!

Aimeegaby & Twinmummy - I am sorry to hear about both of your father's passing away.I am sure they are both looking down at you both with pride. It was nice to read though about your mum caring for your dad though aimeegaby - my parents divorced when I was 11 and I seriously can't imagine that happening!! Lol - thats a whole other thread hay!!

Well I have had an awful night!! I stayed at a friends last night on my own as Jo is away doing gigs, anyway I obviously had my dog with me aswell - who became quite ill in the night and I woke up at 2.30am covered in dog sick and poo, poor boy wasn't well at all... I phoned the vet at 5.30am who said to bring him as soon as I could. My friend lives in Brixton (london) so I had take my poor puppy on the tube for an hour - where he was sick again - I was mortified!!! 

We have just got home now, he has some sort of infection...but I guess I should start getting used to poo and sick in the night!! 

Long winded post as I am half asleep and not really with it!

Lou- I really hope your ok sweetie - I am worried about you. xxx


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## leoaimee

*twinmummy*

gaby is gibraltarian, which is officially british but kind of with a spanish vibe.  she lived in london for 17years and that is where we met, 5 or 6 years ago. we moved here three years ago. kind of because gaby's mum was diagnosed with cancer the day of my dad's funeral (shocking timing) and she really wanted to spend time closer to her mum. her mum is well and hasnt had any reccurance since we have been here (touch wood). also we hoped that moving here would give us a more chilled out lifestyle conducive to having babies. we both had pretty full on jobs in london, im not sure i could have done my job and txed or had a child. and we spent alot of time partying when we werent working! such is london. lots of fun at the time but we felt it was time for a change. i have found it really really hard adjusting to life here. but as the years have passed it gets easier. we are really really lucky that gabys family and extended family are all v supportive and we have a couple of friends here. i really miss my big network of friends in england and my family and generally the whole homeness of england. but our jobs are really non stressful we can aford for me to not work for a year with the baby. gaby is really pleased to be having so much time with her folks we see them everyday for lunch! and its funny cos gabs really feels at home here. we both work in gibraltar and we actually live in spain ... its a distance of about 15km to get to work so not far.

sorry if that was too much info!! 

*strawbs* - im hoping this orange will be gone by tomorrow!

*wrin* - oooooooh fingers crossed its a good sign af hasnt turned up! not long to test.

*emnjo* - oh poor you and dwoggie!! does he have medicine?

thanks for the hugs for my dad. honestly though if someone had told me my mum was going to look after my dad before it happened i would have not believed you!


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## Damelottie

emnjo - Poor you and pup  . Hope all is OK now


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## WildLife




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## Twinmummy

Good morning everyone ! 

emnjo - hope you pup is better now ! poor thing ! that must have been a nightmare! baby poo and sick is one thing but your poor dogs !!! 

Wrin - posted to you on the LWC thread but good luck again for test today   

aimee - thanks for all the info - was not too much atall ! it sounds like your very happy thou and youve done a good thing leaving that london stress behind !! i work in london 3 days a week and it does my head in !!!!!!! 

sorry such a quick post but got boys hanging round my ankles demanding to be played with !! took them trick or treating last night and loved it !! looked so cute too ! will post a photo ! 

have a good weekend girls XXXX


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## WildLife

This time I really thought it was going to happen.    

Good luck everyone, I will have to wait for next time.


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## magsandemma

HI girls

Been following all your stories

Wrin  -  Sorry to hear your news,     , big hugs to you both!!

Lou  -  Hoping everything is ok with you girls as havent seen you on for a while??

Aimee  -  How you feeling now, is the sickness improving??

Twinmummy  -  Your boys look lovely in the pic, bet they can be a handful tho, lol.

Hi to everyone else, just a quick post as Lou just napping.  Well I have contacted the LWC 3 times in the last 10days regarding using the same donor to try for sibling next yr and have spoke to about 4 different people who all kep saying they will get back to me, am really ****** off with them now!!

Speak soon
MAggie
xx


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## WildLife

Hi

Thanks for the hug.  I find the level of service at LWC very very patchy.  If I had my time over I would probably not go there again.

Some staff are great and the consultants are great.  Others treat you like a cattle market and you may as well be calling about your car's MOT.  I have 1 ICSI left and, along with others on here, I will certainly be writing to them when I have finished.  

Good luck getting any sort of comprehensive reply!


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## leoaimee

wrin - im so sorry you got a bfn this time.  poor you!     

twinmummy - yay post a photo of the little trick or treaters!!

maggie - the sickness is kind of bearable, definately got much better.  still get pretty tired gaby and i were in bed at 9 last night!  

im still waiting to hear from lwc if they are going to reserve us sib sperm ... they can be a bit patchy with getting back to you regarding questions.  but on the whole i think theyre good.  i normally contact them via email which im not sure they like!


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## leoaimee

i was just trying to post a picture on here


From rufus christmas 07

i dont know if this is gonna work its supposed to be gaby and my sisters baby


From rufus christmas 07

and me with gabys brothers children


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## leoaimee

hmmm not a great attempt.  maybe twinmummy you can give me a top tip?

so anyway it shld be a bit more clear which one is me and which one is gaby from that!


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## Twinmummy

evening all .........

Wrin - am gutted for you. I totally thought it was gonna work for you. It must be soul destroying time and time again but i hope your keeping your chin up and pigging out and drinking loads !! heres a big   and heres some    for next time. are you gonna go again straight away ?


maggie - hi there ! yes boys are both v cheeky but on the whole good boys so i think thats how we cope !! i think when you have two you have NO time for funny business so right from the start its been bath, bottle BED !!!! ive found that when you have sleep you can cope !! without it youve had it !! do you feel like that ? i cant see your little one - the picture has got one of those cross things on it ! is this just my computer anyone ? 

aimee ! loving your photos ! its so nice to put a face to a name !! you both look so different from your profile pic ! your both gorg.... MWAAH   !and what lovely little kiddys ! the boys look like they should be on your side of the famo as gaby is really spanish looking isnt she . My DP chris is really spanish looking too!

what tip do ya want ! to put photos on ? well done getting them screen dumped ! i couldnt get mine there like that ! tell me how and the trick or treat ones coming ! failing that ill update my photo bucket ! 

spk soon girls and heres a spesh   for wrin tonight XX


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## leoaimee

hi twinmummy

well i think i have a new improved way to embed photos im gonna try again with a different photo. but in the mean time. yes gaby's nephews are very fair, their mummy is very fair and her dad is from the Ukraine so they have a good old genetic mix. gaby's brother is dark too, but not quite like gabs. but that might be just because he has lived in england for so long!!  although alex the younger one actually looks like some of gaby's mum's family as there is a ginger gene pool going on there. my nephew's daddy is black (one parent from west africa and one parent from west indies) so ru kinda came out pretty fair. its very interesting how the bambinos turn out isnt it? we chose a donor who kind of matched gaby with hair and skin colour but who knows how speck will look! its exciting!

really struggle to find another picture so this is a pic of my neigbours cat










right now i know how to do it.

upload photo to web album
cluck on FF insert photo 
right click on image from web album
go to properties and then location
copy and paste the htpp adress between the brackets









cool bannanas!!

going out for lunch today with our spanish lesbian friends who we havent seen since march! will be a whole afternoon of me listening and not speaking!


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## WildLife

Hi everyone

Twinmummy - I will probably go back in December.  Only problem with that is it will mean the 2WW will be over Christmas and New Year.  I paid for the 3 for 2 pack although I am too old for that in theory.  However, my ovaries and LSH are apparently fab so they felt confident enough to bend the rules.

So ... I may wait until Jan.  It also gives me 1 more pay packet to try to keep paying off this mountain of debt.  Next time will be my 3rd ICSI.  I had 3 IUI and of course 2 years before that of home insemination.

One of the really evil things is that when it fails you can have the worse period because you have such a thick womb lining from the progesterone.  Anyway, I am trying to patch myself up and get on with it.

Good luck everyone.


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## leoaimee

hay wrin, 

poor you honey with the horrendous AF.  maybe waiting for jan is better to give your body a bit of time to recover.  what do you think?  i had three ovualtions off between treatments on the recommendation of my acu dr.

its so sad getting the bfns isnt it?  and the continually not knowing is so hard.

big hugs for you.

ax


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## Twinmummy

evening all! 

oh wrin you poor thing - lets   that this next one works for you X  perhaps aimee is right- have a good old christmas and new year and the start the 2009 a fresh. i have onl had 1 BFN so far so i cant imagine what it must be like to go for that long and keep getting BFN. you poor thing - I hope your ok X

aimee - hope you had a good lunch ! i well laughed when i read your post! i could just imagine you sitting there with all the spanish chat !! do you speak spanish ? or understand it  i used to do spanish at school ! i really love the accent ........... 

been to fireworks party tonight at my bros, was gr8 and the boys loved them ! had a good old drink too as got my EC in about 2 weeks so the clock is ticking!

gonna now try your method for the photos!


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## leoaimee

hay twinmummy

glad you had a lovely time at fireworks my family where at the fireworks in Victoria Park last night.  We dont get that here being that its a Catholic Country no celebrations of the state murder of a Catholic terrorist!!  

I understand spanish pretty well now after living here for so long.  Last summer i had a job in Spain with Spanish colleagues so i was speaking (bad) spanish every day and i really improved.  Now i dont speak spanish because i dont really ever see anyone who doesnt understand english.  Everyone in Gibraltar is Bi-lingual so even if i am listening to people talk spanish here i can reply in english and they understand.  My spanish friend who we saw yesterday speaks really good english and is actually now training to be an english teacher.  and bless her cos she sat with me and spoke in english most of the lunch.  There was a whole group of us, about 9 people and i was the only english speaker.  so that was really sweet of her.

If id had a bfn i would have gone to spanish classes again, but to be honest im too tired after work to do anything except go home to bed!  

kind of wondering if this chat should be in the general chit chat thread ...

good luck to your count down to EC.  how are you going on stimms?  are you v bloated?


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## Strawbs78

Morning everyone

Not much to update here except it officially November so my appt with Kings is now _this _ month instead of _next_ month which feels so much closer!!

Wrin - so sorry to hear about your negative, this whole process can be so soul destroying, hope you have been being kind to yourself 

xxx


----------



## leoaimee

hay strabs!  nice pic!  and hooray for the countdown to your nex tx!


----------



## Strawbs78

thanks Aimee, I dug it out on the weekend, couldnt keep being the only one without a pic! x


----------



## leoaimee

i was thinking that i shld change mine to prevent more confusion with who is who .... what do you think?


----------



## Strawbs78

for ages I definitely thought you were the one facing the camera rather than side on..  Up to you really lovely but if you have another you could always trial run it..

x


----------



## leoaimee

yes see how it goes!  see if i get more friends or less!!


----------



## emnjo

Hey Hey

How are we all doing then?

Twinmummy - When are you due for your EC? How are you finding the drugs? 

Aimeegaby - how are you feeling now? I loved your photo's!! It was nice to see who was who...and how cute is your nephew!! My god he is gorgeous... are both his parents english? He looked lovely and exotic to me.

Wrin - I am really sorry to hear your BFN.. I had one last week aswell - its rather sad isn't it.. We will get there though - where there is a will there is a way. Hang in there and try and remember that you will get there in the end one way or another. 

Strawbs- your back in trhe game soon wooo hooooo! AM really pleased, and for selfish reasons also! We're in it together  

Lou -   Hope your ok gorgeous - please come back!!

Dom - not sure where you have gone either!!!

I am off for a scan this afternoon and to start the injections for my medicated IUI - fingers crossed this may work. Who knows though hay!! I think we are going to try 4 medicated IUI's before IVF. We would probably keep doing more asd they are so cheap at the homerton (£400) but we have 6 vials of sperm left and I want to save 2 for IVF. We may just get some more, but its all so bloomin expensive. Perhaps we should start doing the lottery!!

XXX


----------



## emnjo

p.s how the hell do I sort out my signature??!


----------



## Strawbs78

emnjo said:


> p.s how the hell do I sort out my signature??!


Morning gorgeous!!

If you go in to your profile, and Im sure it says 'forum profile information' click on that and it has a section for your sig..

xxx


----------



## leoaimee

hay emnjo - so there wasnt a last minute turn around on the BFN  

my nephew has a black daddy! his paternal grandma from west indies and paternal grandpa west africa. he is very fair skinned and now has a cool 'fro. ill see if i can find a pic which shows his fro better now he is older ... this is him at his first birthday party with his mummy. see the beautful sunny sky of the august day!!










im getting really good at this photo thing!!


----------



## Damelottie

Oh he's adoreable  

And fantastic pinny


----------



## Twinmummy

Yo yo yo how we all doing ? 

Emnjo - my E/C is scheduled for 17 nov . got baseline scan on wed so hopefully will start stimms then! so far so good ! how you doing ?? everything ok ?

Strawbs ! love the photo ! its great seeing everyone ! i love it !!!

aimee - check you out with all your photo posting !! i cant do it ha ha lmao ! i need a quite half hour to put my mind to it ! your nephew is just gorgeous, what a cutie ! im not stimming just yet - got scan on wed so hopefully all will be ok to start then ! fet a little bloated on the burserlin last week but that might have been cause the old A/f was due !
after a nice evening last night it was ruined as i woke up in the middle of the night bring sick. Felt proper rough ! i hated it , freezing cold laying on the bathroom floor feeling like Sh*T !!!! feel loads better today so dont know what it was all about !!

hope everyone else ok XX


----------



## leoaimee

thanks ladylottie he is pretty gorgeous - pinny from sevile!  stunningly modeled by my sis!!  

twinmummy - oh no!  that sounds horrid ... the weird sickness.  how strange.  isnt the down regging the worst bit?


----------



## WildLife

Hi aimeegaby

Yeah, I should wait but at 41 waiting is such a dangerous thing to do.  I waited too long already.  I will wait for a few weeks to see how I feel.  I had 3 months off in between the last 2 but that was because my Dad died unexpectedly mid July.  he would have been beside himself to be a granddad.

Anyway, just back from choir practice!  Anyone from Brighton looking in, do come and see us 13th November.  

  to you all. xx


----------



## leoaimee

hay Wrin - 

oh big hugs for your dad dying.    im really sorry to hear about that.  (my dad died four years ago and i think he wld be v pleased to be a grandpa too).  Well you know yourself best chick.  and if youre ready to jump back on the horse go for it!!

wow you sing in a choir.  soo cool!!!  i would love to but i cant really sing in tune.  at school people used to ask not to have to stand next to me in choir practise but i loved it!!  

axxxxx


----------



## Twinmummy

hi wrin     i know how you feel hun, my dad died unexpectedly in april 05 . Its such a ashock isnt it. Its still such early days for you isnt it. You have so much going on . poor you XXX have a chiiled next few weeks and i hope you come to a decision as to what to do. 

Hi Aimee - im not sure about the down reg being the worst bit ! when you stimm you have to drink loads of water or can get massive headache so am think this could be worse !! i find it easy drinking water when im at work but when at home with the boys i forget !! i updated my photo bucket on profile so you'll have to look at the boys in their halloween outfits !!

i really wonder where lou and dom have gone ? i know dom got OHSS didnt she so i hope shes better and all ok . Maybe lou got it too ??    i hope not but they were regular posted wernt they... now just gone.....


----------



## leoaimee

twinmummy
i know its strange they have disapeared.  hope they pop back on soon.  and hope they are ok.

ohhh i thought the DRing was worse cos it was like menopause hormones and the stimss were more like happy estrogeon hormones and that was nicer.  but yes the drinking lots of water and eating protein inst fun im sure.

im gonna check out your boys now.

axxx


----------



## emnjo

Twinmummy - AWWWWW!!!! Your boys are soooooo divine! I would love twins... I am sure its all lots of hard work though. 

Just started my medicated cycle - got another scan on Friday, so fingers crossed the drugs will work!!

Hows everyone else? There isn't many of us TX at the moment.


----------



## leoaimee

twinmummy your boys are gorgeous ... loved the costumes!!

emnjo - so scan was ok yesterday ... are they just scanning to find out when you ovulate?  thats like with me.  are they going to trigger you?  do you think friday might be the day?  or too early?


----------



## emnjo

hey aimeegaby

Yes they just scan me to check follie growth and womb lining etc... Because I am starting a medicated cycle I have to have a scan at the beginning of my cycle.. not really sure why though..

I have got the injections and away we go... fingers bloody crossed!!!!

How are you doing lovely?


----------



## leoaimee

oh so you are like day three of cycle so you have a couple of weeks till ovulation?

and do you inject at home?  what is your drug?  is it clomid or metaformin ...?  or something else?

im doing great thanks chick.  i had a scan today and all lovely with little Speck.  he/she was wriggling alot which was cute but not good pix!!    gabys dad and mum said oh it must be a boy being wriggley.  but then people say boys are lazy too when they are late so its all a lot of nonsense!!

axxx


----------



## magsandemma

Hi all

AImee  -  Glad all went well with the scan, lovely to watch them isnt it!!

Emnjo  -  Hope all goes well with this cycle!!

Has anyone heard from Lou, not been on for ages, just keep checking in to se how she is and not here, so really hope they are ok!!

Anyone recommend any other clinics, we are in herts and am really annoyed with the LWC so now looking at other clinics, so any recommends would be great, would love to go back to the LWC but they just not getting back to us so putting us off big time!!

Hi to eveyrone else hope you are well!!

Maggie
xx


----------



## Dominique123456

Aimee - how did I miss this thread!? Lol I must have gotten threads mixed u along the line. 

Hello all


----------



## leoaimee

so cute to see your ticker Dom!!


----------



## Dominique123456

Thanks Aimee, it is amazing to see it creeping forward day by day!


----------



## leoaimee

hay dom 

what is Obstetric Cholestasis?

ax


----------



## rosypie

gosh! isn't that what pem had? it can be incredibly dangerous!


----------



## Twinmummy

hi everybody !


Maggie - cant believe the terrible service you are receiving from LWC. its terrible . All that money you pay you think you would get a far better service. i hope you find a much better clinic that treats you well.I can understand how frustrating it must be thou when you want to use the same donor. 

Emnjo - thats for commenting on the boys ! How are your jabs going ?  are you doing IUI ?? 

Aimee - hiya hun - im sorry i disnt realise your were due a scan ? how did it go  ? so exciting isnt it ! 

Dom - nice to see you back on here ! how r u feeling ? sounds like you had a nightmare. will be well worth it though wont it !! when is your scan when you find out how many you got !!! ??  

Wrin - how you doing ? 

I had my scan today and so far so good so im starting on 200 puregon tomorrow. Getting all excited now !!!


----------



## Strawbs78

Hi everyone!!

No update from me really other than its now 20 days til my appt (woop woop) and we have just booked prague for DW's bday weekend in Jan yay!!  Neither of us have ever been..  I have booked her to go to SA end Jan to see her best friend and she was a little bummed we werent going together so now we have the best of both worlds!!

Hope everyone is ok and have a great rainy Wednesday

xxx


----------



## Twinmummy

hi strawbs - thats so sweet ! youll have a lovely time ! Its your appointment for a NHS cycle of IVF ??


----------



## Strawbs78

Hi there Twinmummy

Its for an NHS appt def but apparently they offer 6 x IUI or 1 x IVF but not sure if they allow you to choose or will tell us so we are just waiting to see really.. Its so exciting!!  Its actually been nice having this month off (even though at the start I was devvoed) just to have no stress of the baby making kind and chill out.. 

Cant wait to get started again though!

Where are you up to? I see you are taking the puregon? I took puregon but only 50 cause it was IUI..  

xx


----------



## Twinmummy

hey strawbs - well we did a IUI natural cycle in september as we thought for the first time (this time around!) we didnt want to risk twins again unless we could help it so thought that would be the best way, but got a   
I must say though the clinic were really optimistic about it saying we had a really good chance so i was a bit miffed that it didnt work !! butto be honest was glad the 2ww was over as was driving myself mad analysiing every twinge !! did they make you think you had a real chance ! Cause from what ive read not may people get BFP first time on IUI 


anyways, we only have 2 lots of saibling sperm left so thought we gotta do IVF to give us the best chance , they have given us 25% chance of twins again !! ha ha all my mates think its hilarious but if it is they we will deal with it ! i just wont be around for the next 10 years !!! Start my puregon tomorrow and EC scheduled for about 17/11 !! proper excited !! 


Thanks gr8 news on your cycles . If you can pick what will you go for ??


----------



## Strawbs78

wow oh my goodness 2 sets of twins, Im not sure I would wish that on anyone!!   Fingers crossed it works and you get a little singleton yay oh my goodness how exciting!!

Both DW and I are torn to be honest, IUI so much less invasive but six months of ups and downs and a lot more having to take time of work esp as Kings is farther from my work than what Harley St is but then if the IVF doesnt work its kind of a one stop shop which would just be heartwrenching as then we would be going back to IUI at harley st anyway.. Its such a tough choice..  I know IVF has a much higher chance of working but plenty of peeps dont get preggas from IVF so there is just no way to know.. Any advice?

x


----------



## Twinmummy

I know its such a hard choice to make. 

If you asked me that question before i found this site i would say defo IVF as our first time we got twins so i naively thought it was cause we didnt have any fertitlity probs and being same sex etx, but after reading everyone stories on here it seems we were just really really lucky. Im totally sh*tting it over this IVF cycle as if it dosent work i  dont know what we will do. Its so expensive and as you say heart wrenching. i just keeping thinking how lucky we are to have 2 healthy boys.

But looking at the stats id prob myself go for the IVF as something like a 57% success rate as opposed to a 20%. 

where do you work ? your lukcy your near HS . I had to pay £36 round trip today in cab from work to there and back


----------



## Strawbs78

so hard isnt it.. Im kind of hoping in a way that its up to Kings and not us so we can never have made the wrong decision..

I work at canary wharf so it was just a straight journey up on the jubilee line to baker st and then a little walk from there whereas now I will be going to london bridge and overlanding straight to denmark hill, same time but trains run less often so it will be a pain.. On the plus side though its a short bus ride from my house so getting home will be a breeeeeeezzeee.........

Where did you have to come from? 36!  

x


----------



## leoaimee

hay twinmummy

i know a twin who has older twin brothers too.  they have alovely family and i think they are very enid blyton ... so i think two sets of twins might be lots and lots of work but not the end of the world.

the scan was great ... gabs didnt come which is actually a bit sad now.  i think she missed out on a lovely experience.

strawbs - good luck deciding on your treatment.  did they think you might have fertility issues from your blood results?

axxx


----------



## Twinmummy

Strawbs - well i was really naughty - i came into fenchurch street from leigh on sea when i live then got in a cab to Harley street then a cab back to work which is more london. In between tower & london bridge ! dont know the way by tube but think i will defo find out for next time. Cant be affording that !!

Hi aimee - what a shame gaby missed out - never mind youll have another one soon so hopefully she can make that one with you . such a great moment isnt it! aaaahhh!! I wonder what youve got !! and your right with the twin situation ! we will cope ok whatever we get ! we have too............  

got a really really bad headache so im gonna hit the sack ! 

spk tom girls X


----------



## leoaimee

twinmummy - 

you can nip round the cirlce line chick from baker street to towerhill - monument or jubilee line all the way to london bridge ... Fenchurch street where is that? is it near barbican?

i cant WAIT to get back to london at christmas!!   

Morning strawbs - 

how you doing today?

ax


----------



## Twinmummy

thanks for that aimee ! ill be doing that on wednesday ! im terrible with tubes, havent a clue where im going !!

so when are you over in england then ?? bet you cant wait , is gabs coming with you too ? 

Fenchurch street train station - it brings in people from the southend on sea way in essex, its in the city, just round the corner from tower hill !


----------



## magsandemma

Morning all

Just a quickie to say that eventually they got back to me and am so pleased to report that they have some sibling sperm for us, so forms all filled out and sent back today to save us some and then hopefully if everything goes to plan we will start trying again after xmas, bit earlier than originally planned but best to get going with it all, so I guess we had better get a consultation before xmas now to get the bloods and stuff sorted, oh how exciting to be starting again, but scarey too. 

Hope you are all well, must dash as off to babygroup, lol.

Maggie
xx


----------



## leoaimee

*maggie! *

yay for sib sperm. reminds me i need to chase LWC for some to be reserved too.

*Twinmumy *- sorry i think ive lead you astray the tube stop right by harley st is actually Regent st ... which is one change from Baker st.

i think the best thing might be towehill to embankment then one change to bakerloo line from to regent st.

we will go to my ma;s in north bucks for christmas and then from 29th to 2nd we will be in london for nye. HOORAY!!


----------



## Strawbs78

Aimee - nope my bloods came back fine so they dont think I have fertility issues - why's that hon?

Twinmummy - if you can get on at london bridge is is sooooooo easy, take the jub up to baker st (or any line that gets you to baker st so circle line as Aimee said), come out of the station, turn left and continue down that road til you see Harley St on the opposite side of the road (approx 7 min walk), turn right in to harley st and it is one block down - sooooooooooooo easy.

I never went to Regent St, I always went Baker St and it was super close.

Maggie - that is brilliant news!! Congrats

x


----------



## Skybreeze

Sorry to gatecrash!

But has anyone heard from Lou?? Bit worried about her as she is on her 2ww.... 

Hope your ok hun

Natalie xxxx


----------



## leoaimee

hay strawbs - 
oh i guess its just that i would choose IUI cos its less invasive but i suddenly realise we have had this conversation   before and you kind of think maybe higher odds less time.  i would have started to consider IVF i think if i hadnt been lucky this go ... but i was never very keen!!  but werent you partly considering ivf to egg share to bring costs down?  its tricky isnt it?


----------



## pem

Hey Ladies!

London and tube stations is beyond me I'm afraid, northern lass, no tubes...no scary city...it would take me half my time to get around!!! 

We have a consultation appointment at St Judes clinic in Stoke early in December after we get back from Lanzarote, I am a wee bit nervous about it all, have a zillion things to discuss as i think i will have to have SET  if they will let me have IVF at all, don;t really want to do IUI as was really unsuccesful with that back in 2005...lots to think about. 

Lots of     to everyone!

Emma x


----------



## leoaimee

Pem - great news about your appointment and your holiday!!

ax


----------



## Twinmummy

maggie - thats brilliant ! and after all that chasing i bet you cant believe it ! well done! 

aimee and strawbs - thanks so much for the tube advice - i will definately be going that way on wed morn- will certainly save me a few bob !

hi pem - nice one ! bet you cant wait ! hopefully when your on hols you can find some time to make those decisions, its so hard isnt it. Lucky you having a hol abroad.   I so want to do that but my 2 boys are 22 months so we thought it would prob be a bit of hassle at the mo !!
they are into EVERYTHING !! 

skybreeze - i havent seen her on her for a good couple of weeks - i hope she is ok


----------



## WildLife

Hi all

Lou was on exactly the same cycle, tx, test etc as me.  She was last on here on the 31st - a day before test day.  I am guessing (and I hope, I realllllly do, that I am wrong) that she got BFN. 

I think sometimes there is nothing you want to say to anyone, or hear from anyone.  I texted my Mum and told her BFN and NOT to call me.  She'd only put her foot in it.  I then sent her a text 3 days later saying how hard it was and she replied saying she was crying for the want of a grandchild!  See! Size 7 promptly in there.  

Anyway Lou, if you do pop on I completely understand why you've been away.  

XX


----------



## lou1736

Hi All!!

Sorry I haven't been on here for a while! It wasn't that I didn't want to chat just been so busy!  

As you've probably guessed we got another BFN! I started bleeding on day 10...even with the Gestone injections! I couldn't believe it! We were given the Gestone specifically because last time on the Cyclogest pessaries I bled on day 6! So I still didn't even make it til test day!!?   

Anyway I'm ok and we're having a follow up on 19th. See what they say then!

How are you all doing??! 

Lou xxx


----------



## Strawbs78

Hey Lou

Sorry to hear it was a negative for you this month.. Hope you are being kind to yourself and formulating a plan of where to go from here..

You and your DW are in my thoughts..

xx


----------



## Skybreeze

Lou.. I am so sorry hun     Thinking of you and your DW    

Natalie xxx


----------



## Twinmummy

oh lou - gutted for you. What a shame,  I hope your ok. Good luck on your follow up XX


----------



## Twinmummy

Wrin - poor you having to deal with that when your having such a hard time yourself. Perhaps sometimes people mean well but they dont know the impact of their comments . Hope your ok XX 

Aimee- where have you been today ! i dont think ive ever known you not to be on here !!! have a good weekend XX


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

Lou  so sorry it wasn't your lucky time
L x


----------



## morggy1824

Hi ladies...update.
Things are moving fast.
Had blood tests done, LH & FSH are ok.
Having Day 21 & rubella  on November 17th.
Saw Dr A at ST JUDE on thursday...he' found us a Sperm Donor(he's had 5 kids..all boys)...YIPPEE. 
Purchased 3 vials for 3 attempts/cycles. 
Having a HSG on November 21st.
If that is fine we can have Clomid and DIUI the next Cycle.
My partner says i may be preggers/up the duff by Christmas  lol.
My xmas present is the little swimmers ...bless.

Catch u soon...fingers & toes crossed my tests go well....


----------



## pem

Hey ladies 

Lou -  ..

Major stress day for me, trying to pack me and DP's stuff and Edies stuff and All Edies premmie milk (14kg of it in cartons!!) and Edies food into 40 kg of weight allowance....hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! It is simply NOT possible!!

morrgy - glad you got sorted with the  , we are going to St Judes in a few weeks, how were things there for you? Don't think i can have chuffin clomid....bloomin liver!!! Hope you are preggers for xmas hun!!

Love to everyone, going to try to magic edie milk into my suitcase, it's only my 80th attempt!

Emma x


----------



## leoaimee

lou terribly terribly terribly sorry honey.     

twinmummy i was in ENGLAND!!   staying at my mummys and she didnt have tinterweb.  she told me when i got there, 'just to warn you there is no internet so you cant chat to your invisible friends!'  made me chuckle.

Pem - hope you managed to get all the milk in!!  

morggy - congratulations on all your progress- got all my fingers and toes crossed for you.

had a lovely weekend with my family.  felt a bit sad to be back in spain but lovely to see gabs.  poor gabs she knows how hard it is for me missing my family and that feeling of 'home'.


----------



## Strawbs78

Morning everybody,

No update from me really, lost an extra 1.5 kgs or 3lbs over the weekend which is fantastic, DW has an interview tomorrow.  The interview with the recruiter went ok, she said she thinks she doesnt have enough experience but will put her forward anyway, I am desperately hoping she gets that one as it is in my building so it would be wicked travelling to work everyday together..

also is anyone on here getting funded on the nhs?  We obviously have our appt at kings on the 25th but no idea if they are going to give us funding or not - at what point do you find out?


----------



## leoaimee

hay strawbs - well done on the weight loss.  you look so slim in your photo im shocked you are having to loose weight!  wishing DW luck in  her job search.


----------



## Strawbs78

thanks Aimee!

I think that pic is a little too flattering if you  know what I mean ha ha ha..  I was shocked when they said I had to lose 40 pounds as has almost everyone I have told but hey them's the breaks.. I am gettiing there slowly!!


----------



## emnjo

Hey everyone  

Just wanted to pick your brains a bit... 

I am doing a medicated IUI using donor sperm.. 

I am taking 50 puregon daily since cd3. I had a scan on cd7 - I had 3 folllies of 10mm, and then at least 3 smaller ones. The consultant said to continue taking the drugs until my next scan - cd 12. I wondered why I wasn't told to reduce my drugs - but he explained that reducing the drugs would stop the follies growing - or I may just end up with one - which defeats the object of taking the drugs, and its good to know how my body responds for the next time. 

I am just wondering what others have done in this situation?

I have a feeling that this cycle will probably be cancelled as I may well have too many follies.. Boo hoo!!


----------



## leoaimee

*strawbs *

it sounds like you have done really well.

is your DW helping you out? its quite hard being on a diet when your partner isnt isnt it!

hay *emnjo* - ooh i dont know about meds. but hopefully the dr knows what he is saying. is this your first medicated IUI? hope it goes well and hope it doesnt get cancelled.

ax


----------



## Strawbs78

Aimee

23 lbs to go so I guess we will see then!

Em

You obviously know my story.. When I expressed my disappointment at the clinic that I only ended up with one even though i had taken the drugs (cause the reduced the meds to stop me overstimulating) she said it would be a better quality egg..  They all seem to say so many different things!!

All my       to you 

xx


----------



## Strawbs78

oh and sorry A forgot to say nope DW is not on the diet, if anything she is completely the opposite and tries to tempt me with yummy things!!  We went for a lunch on sat and I got so tempted by her left over hot chips (my downfall) that I had to pour diet coke all over them just to stop me eating them!

x


----------



## leoaimee

strawbs - impressive action with the diet coke!  strong will power!!


----------



## emnjo

Hey strawbs

God they so don't they!! Between us we have been so many different things! Grrrr.... Guess you got to just trust the docs really - its hard though!!

I didn't know DW had an interview! Woop woop thats really great. I will be thinking of her today xxxx


----------



## Strawbs78

hey Em

yeah she does, she had one with a recruiter on Fri but the lady said she didnt think she had enough experience but would pass on her details anyway and then she has an interview with a foreign exchange place this week and found out she up against one of her ex colleagues!  

She is really getting a little down now so I am desperately hoping for her sake she gets it, its less money but at this point I dont care I just want her back smiling again..

xx


----------



## leoaimee

it is really frustrating when the drs tell you different things  ... strawbs i hadnt really realised that happened to you with the last cycle.  it makes you feel like they just say things to get you to go away or shut up.


axxx


----------



## WildLife

Hi all

Emnjo - just to put your drugs into perspective - when doing ICSI I inject 350 Puregon twice a day!  I am much older than you and I guess that is why.  I usually get all follies drop an egg so have 13-16 wannabees each time.

Personally I think Drs should do the maximum they can first time around, but they are cautious and try to medicate just right and not too much.  The result can be that you don't get what you want and the next time they finally do as you asked and increase.

I  am lucky insofar as I respond very well to all medication.  I do exactly as I should for the drugs taken.  I just need my eggs to hang in there are keep dividing instead of failing in 2WW.

I have decided to do something a buit odd but hey - what the hell.  I have had 3 faile DIUI at LWC and 2 failed ICSI.  I will go for my 3rd ICSI in Jan 09.  However, my original donor is happy to try again in Nov and Dec so I will.  So no meds, no intervention and just go for it.  You never know - sometimes thinsg happen when you relax and I always wanted a father figure for my baby.

So, back to basics.  Good luck everyone.  I am off to Wales on Thursday for a week to walk the mountains and shout at nature.  If I don't pop back on before


----------



## leoaimee

hay wrin 

good luck with the DIY before jan ... and i definately agree that there is nothing wrong with trying.  do you have a good agreement with your donor?  would it be some shared parenting?

ax


----------



## Twinmummy

hello everybody ,

Good for you wrin   - i hope that is all works out for you this time, wouldnt that just be great ! 
have a fab time walking the mountains ! how exciting !! 

Aimee - glad you had a good time back at home - must be hard living in another country. you must miss em so much !!

Strawbs ! well done on the weight loss ! sounds like your doig v well and your naughty DW  leaving the hot chips under your nose !!!! 

Emnjo - i have heard a similar story with my friends - sounds like wrin is right they dont want to give you too much - but how frustrating when you just want it too all work out right. And not to mention the expense !!

hi everbody else hope your all good XX


----------



## emnjo

Hey

I don't want them to give me anymore!! I have overstimmed on only 50 Puregon - so god knows what would happen if I increased it!!! I wanted to know if I should be decreasing it - I have got 3 big follies and then 3 smaller ones. I know my IUI will be cancelled if I produce more than 2 follies over 13mm.


----------



## leoaimee

oooh i was confused to.  i thought you were worried you would have tx cancelled for not enough follies not too many.

oooh well i really hope you get jsut the right amount!


----------



## Dominique123456

Enjo i was on 150 puregon and i had 22 eggs, i think 50 would have been perfect and more sensible. They are scanning you regularly, try not to worry about what might happen. It sounds like you on track at the moment. Best wishes!

Strawbs it's a tough job market out there at moment but she will find what she needs it just might take a little time  fingers crossed!


----------



## Twinmummy

did anyone have pains in their sides sometimes when stimming ?? im day 5 of 200 puregon and get the odd stabbing pain ??


----------



## leoaimee

sounds a bit uncomfy... hope someone comes to give you some stimms reasurrance!


----------



## Dominique123456

I got random stabbing pains too. They didn't last very long and seemed related to how I moved. Like bending over and squashing my ovaries made them rebel! I also got them on 2ww and still get them now but now instead of being on the sides it's in the middle. Best wishes


----------



## Twinmummy

Thanks dom ! nice to know there is nothing to worry about ! 

Hi Aimee - i received the love yesterday you sent through cutelittlepumkin  !!!!! i met her and her DP at twinsclub yesterday , they are lovely and it was really nice to meet them both. I hope they come along with their boys whe nthey arrive! 

i havent been able to get on here the past few days - been so busy ! how you feeling ?

I had my first follie scan today and all is going well so far - can see about 10 of them and growing as expected so EC looking towards end of next week. Got next scan of friday at 2.30! 


Wrin & Emnjo how you doing ??


----------



## leoaimee

hooray - glad you received the love!!    isnt that cool that you have met each other in 'real' life too.

im meeting up with my 'cycle buddies' when im back in england for christmas, which im really looking forward to.

i think i may have a bug.  did i say that before?  have a bit of an upset tummy ... just for the last couple of days.  i thought i was going to get to the 'blooming' stage now ive hit 12 weeks.!!

glad those little follies are doing well.  are you hotwater bottling?  hope youre drinking lots of water and eating protein?  really exciting youre getting closer to EC.

axxx


----------



## Twinmummy

hi Aimee ! 

whats the hot water bottle thing all about then ? i heard that somewhere the other day   Defo drinking loads of water ! being a good girl !  and ive not really been concentrating on protein to be honest! i will now thou !!  

Yeh it was gr8 to meet them in 'real life' ha ha how funny ! so true thou ! how brilliant that you are meeting up with your cycle buddies ! that will be lovely to see each other and hopefully you could meet up when your babies are born !! ahhhhh !

poor you with your upset tummy ! look after yourself and spk soon XX

got another scan tom !   and its friday


----------



## leoaimee

hay twinmummy

the hotwater bottle is to help the little follies grow.  and protein v important to help with the growing too and i think it helps preven HOSS or is OHSS ??  so drink lots of yogurt drinks and eat beans and stuff!!  my cycle buddies were all madly on pineapple juice for sellenium and brazil nuts ...  

yay its friday!!  although i think actually im having delayed morning sickness ... and feeling worse this week than before.  we need to clean the house too at the weekend and i have 0 enthusiam for it.  i love cleaning when im in the mood and have energy.  and gabs has really done way more than her fair share so i need to get on with it and help her this weekend.

axxx


----------



## Strawbs78

Morning everyone!!  

Thank goodness it is Friday ey!!  The sun is shining and it wasnt too cold this morning so I cant ask for much more than that..

How are we all?

Well DW has had two interviews this week, one on tuesday and we should find out today and then another today for a job that has not been signed off yet but could be in the very near future for the right candidate so its now just a waiting game to be honest..  Her spirits are certainly lifted but Im trying to keep aware that if both of them fall through she may come down with a fairly large thud and I need to somehow keep her positive..

no real update but appt is 11 days away which is good but Im now concerned it wont be an appt to start as they havent even told us if they are going to fund us or not so Im preparing myself that we might be waiting a little while longer and given the current DW situation and ££ Im not entirely sure that will be the worst thing in the world that can happen, I will be devastated of course to have to wait but not as much so as if we were both in work and financially in a good place but I guess then we would just continue IUI a LWC..aaarrggh anyway enough of that..

Have lost some more weight so so far have lost 15lbs so only another 23 to go before we can do egg share at LWC..  Im 4lbs off half way woohooo!!!!  I was naughty last night though I got tipsy (off two glasses of wine    ) and had 5% fat chips and gravy with a quorn sausage roll followed by 6 weight watchers cookies!! ha ha ha 

Got the flu shot yest which was absolutely fine and Ive not really got any symptoms except some swollen glands but she said it should last only 24 hours adn then I will be fine, I expected to get a full blown cold but I havent, well no more than what I already have!  

Have a great day ladies
xx


----------



## emnjo

Hey hey

Sorry no personals am chocca at work...

Just had my scan - all is fine only one big follie at 20mm and the other 2 are 13mm, so IUI is 2mrw...

I was chatting to the consultant about medical IUI's and the higher success rate etc and was a bit upset in the end.. He said that people that have failed 2 natural IUI's would be classed as having unexplained infertility. I am not sure if I believe this though!!

I just feel as thought this is never going to work


----------



## Strawbs78

hey gorgeous lady

dont let that guy upset you, I highly doubt that after only 2 IUIs at 9% chance of working would class you as unexplained, that would mean about 90% of the world would be unexplained!!!  They say hetro couples should try for 6 months before getting investigations as generally that is how long it takes hence 6 IUIs hence that guy needs a firm slap in the mouth!

Im so sorry I couldnt pick up the phone before, you know what's going on here but I will definitely call you tonight..

it will be ok gorgeous one, sometimes things just take a little longer and if the IUI doesnt work then you can go on to IVF and that works for lots of people even some with severe fert probs xxxx


----------



## emnjo

Strawbs78 said:


> hey gorgeous lady
> 
> dont let that guy upset you, I highly doubt that after only 2 IUIs at 9% chance of working would class you as unexplained, that would mean about 90% of the world would be unexplained!!! They say hetro couples should try for 6 months before getting investigations as generally that is how long it takes hence 6 IUIs hence that guy needs a firm slap in the mouth!
> 
> Im so sorry I couldnt pick up the phone before, you know what's going on here but I will definitely call you tonight..
> 
> it will be ok gorgeous one, sometimes things just take a little longer and if the IUI doesnt work then you can go on to IVF and that works for lots of people even some with severe fert probs xxxx


  Your the best..

Chat tonight. XXX


----------



## mintyfaglady

Hey Em, take what he said with a LARGE pinch of salt. Remember, you are not a typical "customer" - he's probably used to dealing with hetero couples who've been trying for a year or two before even approaching a clinic. Using clinic services simply to access sperm is a totally different kettle of fish. 

When we had no luck with our known donor at home, we were told a year of trying is what they would expect before referring on for further investigation. And further to that, the NICE guidelines for fertility treatment in a clinic setting where no cause is apparent recommends 6 natural IUIs and 3 medicated IUIs before the "unexplained" word comes into play and people should start thinking about IVF (this is based purely on what is medically effective, and doesn't take things like finances and sperm availablility etc into account - of course, there are LOTS of reasons people do IVF, not all of them purely medical).

I know it totally sucks that you've been at this a while and had no luck yet, but honestly - that's probably what it is - luck. 

We ended up doing IVF in the end, mostly because we were running out of money and were fed up with trying, but I still don't fully believe that I would never have got pregnant any other way. I think IUI may have worked for me in the end. Don't let this man and his labels get you down. You'll get there.


----------



## leoaimee

emnjo

what a noggins!!

totally agree with minty and strawbs!!  If a hetro couple had sex twice at ovulation time and didnt get pregnant no one would think they had fert problems.  and sex is fun and having a bloomin needle stuck up your nooney isnt!!!  the stress of IUIs (and all other procedures) must be a big factor as why they dont work sometimes.  and really at the end of the day you cant have the wrong baby and the baby is going to come when its good and ready with the birthday it wants!

dont let that guy make you feel negative youre doing  a FABBO job and dont ever let anyone tell you different!

ax


----------



## emnjo

mintyfaglady said:


> Hey Em, take what he said with a LARGE pinch of salt. Remember, you are not a typical "customer" - he's probably used to dealing with hetero couples who've been trying for a year or two before even approaching a clinic. Using clinic services simply to access sperm is a totally different kettle of fish.
> 
> When we had no luck with our known donor at home, we were told a year of trying is what they would expect before referring on for further investigation. And further to that, the NICE guidelines for fertility treatment in a clinic setting where no cause is apparent recommends 6 natural IUIs and 3 medicated IUIs before the "unexplained" word comes into play and people should start thinking about IVF (this is based purely on what is medically effective, and doesn't take things like finances and sperm availablility etc into account - of course, there are LOTS of reasons people do IVF, not all of them purely medical).
> 
> I know it totally sucks that you've been at this a while and had no luck yet, but honestly - that's probably what it is - luck.
> 
> We ended up doing IVF in the end, mostly because we were running out of money and were fed up with trying, but I still don't fully believe that I would never have got pregnant any other way. I think IUI may have worked for me in the end. Don't let this man and his labels get you down. You'll get there.


I have just burst into tears at my desk!! Thanks so much for your post Minty.. I think I am over tired and just fed up with it all, but I do still have hope yet - and we are still in quite early days, but it hurts doesn't it.

Whe we started this I was so very happy and excited, and now I am a mess. Perhaps this time.

Thanks for your post though - it was great to read. I followed your journey myself and I know you have been here yourself and now look at you!


----------



## emnjo

aimeegaby said:


> emnjo
> 
> what a noggins!!
> 
> totally agree with minty and strawbs!! If a hetro couple had sex twice at ovulation time and didnt get pregnant no one would think they had fert problems. and sex is fun and having a bloomin needle stuck up your nooney isnt!!! the stress of IUIs (and all other procedures) must be a big factor as why they dont work sometimes. and really at the end of the day you cant have the wrong baby and the baby is going to come when its good and ready with the birthday it wants!
> 
> dont let that guy make you feel negative youre doing a FABBO job and dont ever let anyone tell you different!
> 
> ax


Thank you. Yes I am now thinking that it is a load of twoddle!
My IUI is 2mrw at 9.30am and I had the trigger shot at 11.30 today - thats 22 hours do you think thats enough time?


----------



## leoaimee

emnjo sounds absolutely fine to me!!

i didnt have a trigger shot just went in the day after i had the LH surge which is more or less the same thing isnt it?

the spermies can live for quite a long time and so you have a good window and they are gonna be about as close as they can be to meet the egg.

youre gonna be absolutely fine! im gonna be sending loads of love and positive vibes your way at 10.30!!  (were an hour later)

BIG HUGS HONEY


----------



## Twinmummy

Hi Ladies ! 

Good luck for your IUI tomorrow emnjo   ! what a loads of old balls that consultant is talking about !  

Really hope it works for you XX

Aimee - thanks for the tips ! i had a hottie last night helping to cook my eggs ! how you feeling today ? better i hope. 

Strawbs - good luck for your DW's interviews. Wouldn't it be gr8 to get something sorted before the year is out !   good luck X

hey mintyfaglady ! keep meaning to say............. i love your name !!!!

I had another scan today , got about 9 big eggs growing and lots of smaller ones underneath. They said my Womb lining is very good, is already 9.2mm and they only need 8mm . Going back for another scan on mon then EC will be either wed - fri !


----------



## Dominique123456

Twinmummy - that's brilliant!!!


----------



## leoaimee

hooray twinmummy - great news on the follies and womb lining!

not feeling so yuk today had a two hour nap yesterday afternoon and good sleep last night.

whats everyone got planned for the weekend?  anything fun?

axxx


----------



## Twinmummy

evening all ! 

Ive had a lovely weekend thanks aimee, me and chris went out last night for a meal while a friend babysat which was v nice, and today we had a friends sons christening , so the boys played with all their mates which was nice! just chilling now and looking forward to scan tom ! hopefully will find out when the EC will be ! oooh exciting times! were taking the boys up with us which will be cool ! we can show them off he he he   ! we took them before but were only about 8 months old so alot more fun now! they are into trains etc so they will be excited to go on one tom!

did you have a nice weekend ? 

Dom - i read somewhere that you were concerned that could have twins cause of a condition you have is common in multiples ? have you had you scan yet ?


----------



## Dominique123456

Wow twinmummy you have a good memory! Yes i've had scan and defo no twins. I'm glad but also a little disappointed as i had a strong feeling i was, but i was just imagining it 

ooh good luck for your ec!


----------



## Twinmummy

oh bless ya !! did you have one embie transferred or 2 ?? 

we had 2 last time and got twins and the plan is to have 2 again this time but with a mighty thick womb lining already im wondering if we should just have one !! ideally this time we only want 1 baby !!! 

oh such a hard decision as none may take ! who can tell !


----------



## Dominique123456

We only transferred one to avoid risks around multiples


----------



## leoaimee

twinmummy - that sounds fun!  glad you and chris had a nice evening.

i am in SHOCK about stictly!  i have no life unfortunately so am slightly obsessed with the dancing programme i often dream about it too.  dont know if any of you watch?

Dom - any morning sickness yet?  are you very tired?


----------



## Twinmummy

aimee - i dont watch it but my mum does and said just the same as you did about that john sargent is it ?? being kept in !!! cant dance or something ?? !


----------



## Dominique123456

I am back to work today  (ergh!) I have about 200 emails and a bunch of stuff people have left in my intray which they could have easily dealt with themselves.  

Even though I came in early so I could get settled in, in my own time. The nosiest woman in the office was in, and was trying to pump me for information as to why I have been off sick (only my manager and close work colleagues know the truth). So it already feels like I never left! 

In other fun news I nearly threw up on the woman next to me on the train! It was awful, my commute is 1hour 20mins and the motion of the train made me feel really nauseous today - all I needed was some fresh air but I was sitting next to the window (the kind that doesn't open) trapped by this woman next to meand people standing in the aisles! I decided that I would have to puke in my handbag! Luckily it didn't come to that, as a spare jumper I had was cool and smelt fresh so I stuck my nose in that and it seemed to go away.

On the whole though I get pretty mild nausea that doesn't go as far as puking. It seems to be more when I'm hungry, or in a stuffy room, or in a stuffy car! I've been off work for 3 weeks so I've been able to sleep as much as I've wanted. This next week back at work will be when it hits me


----------



## leoaimee

oh twinmummy!!  its terrible!! john sergeant has been the comedy under dog who cant dance ... and it was kind of sweet and endearing that he was staying in week by week being saved by the public popularity vote.  but it has now got the point where the remaining contestants are all reasonably talented and have been working really hard and the public keep saving him and now a really good dancer has left because the two in the 'dance off' were both really good dancers!  its a real controversy.  i cried but surely that is hormones.  and normally at the end of the show the couple to leave has a slow dance together and the other contestants come and wish them well.  and john and his partner didnt even come outl.  i think the contestants must want to lynch him!!!

i do realise how terribly rediculous i sound.  and am well aware that its silly to be taking a tv show so seriously.  

dom - that sounds HORRID ... cant believe it.  was the woman sitting next to you sense the danger she was in?  when my sis BIL and neph flew home from seeing me they were on sleazy jet crammed next to a woman.  poor ru was poorly and he did a v explosive poo that actually managed to leek through the nappy and most of his clothes and on to the woman sitting next to them.  they were so embarrased.  well my sister was.  not sure about rufus!!  the closest i have come to puking was on the flight back home through a bit of turbulance and a rough landing.  plus i got on the plane without money and left my bank card at home so couldnt eat so that didnt help either.  hope being back at work improves.  do you mostly get on with your colleagues?


----------



## Dominique123456

Hi Aimee - yes I get on really well with my manager and my close colleagues and would consider them friends  What about you? Are you working at the moment? 

Just saw your ticker! 13 weeks - that's brilliant  I can't wait to hit the 12 week mark


----------



## leoaimee

i work completly on my own.  in a horrible little office with little natural light.  hence why i am on FF so much.    my boss tends to 'work' from home and the other electricians work on the building site.  i see one or two of them occasionally if they need to drop off contracts or to help with pay at the end of the week.  
i have been lucky with this job for several reasons, firstly they employed me knowing i was trying to get pregnant and my boss has been v supportive with that and also with having me back after maternity leave.  he is only obliged to give 18 weeks maternity but it sounds like he is going to be more helpful.  i needed a job in gibraltar so our child could get medical care here and schooling.  obviously as gaby and i have no legal status as a couple the fact that she works in gibraltar wouldnt make a difference.  
my boss also lets me get on with everything as i see fit.  i find it hard to be motivated alot of the time as he doesnt give me much help or support but i try and do my best.  but it hasnt been a great job in terms of making more friends as one of my biggest problems livign here has been being lonely.

what kind of job do you do?  do you enjoy the work?

reaching 12 weeks was great although the 7 week scan was also really reasuring!



ax


----------



## Dominique123456

Hi,

It must present alot of extra challenges having a baby somewhere you're not recognised as a couple. I would find that quite difficult. Will Gaby be able to become a legal guardian?

Your work situation is a little like mine. I work quite independently but sometimes I really lack motivation. My work (manager and colleagues) are great but sometime it can ge a bit boring and I have tendancy to procrastinate! Ahem hence why I'm on here now  

I'm starting to feel like it's time for my afternoon nap but it's only 2.15! What time is it with you? 

I'm working 8am - 4pm this week, so only a couple of hours to go...


----------



## leoaimee

hay dom

no she wont be able to become the guardian.  its v sad really.  we will just have to rely on school;s and hospitals good will to treat her as though she is, but it only takes one person doesnt it?
maybe one day we will move back to england and then we can sort that out.

what do you do?

we are an hour ahead of you so we will be leaving work at the same time.

i am a TERRIBLE procrastinator.  i like to leave things to the last minute.  unlike gaby who likes things organised in advance.  
we threw a small lunch party on sunday for gaby's mum and gaby got up at 7!!!!!!
if i cook for guests she gets so wound up that im not doing it right or on time!

axxxx


----------



## Dominique123456

lol - i'm exactly the same. Much more laid back generally while my DW will get up at the crack of dawn to make sure everything is 100% in place and perfect. I don't mind at all and after 8 years she has gotten used to my more relaxed habits! 

Sounds a bit morbid, but can't you write a will and say who you want to have your child if anything should happen? As far schools etc are concerned do you think the teachers will be understanding and supportive? I worry about my local primary school because it's so rural and they rarely even have a non-white person yet alone gay mums. I really want them to be mindful of how and when they talk about daddies and 'normal' families that there will be a child in the class who might feel left out. 

Do you have any gay friends out there?


----------



## leoaimee

i met a gay girl when i was working in spain for my friend in his cafe and we are friends with her and her girlfriend.  we only really see her once every so often.  she is v sweet.  

yes i am going to do a will for sure.  

gibraltar is a very small place and in many ways a bit 1950's in attitude but everyone we have told about us being pregnant has been really cool and supportive.  so i think school should be fine.  but im sure people will need helping with appropriate language.  a friend of mine when asking about the donor asked about the father.  so i corrected her.  i think as long as youre upfront people tend to be ok cos there isnt anything to gossip about.

do you have 'local' friends?  what are people;s attitudes like to you and you dw as a couple?  do people find it hard to talk about you having a wife?


----------



## Dominique123456

Actually people are fine, I'm usually the one who can't help feeling a little odd talking about my wife sometimes. I usually say 'my partner' and then drop the word 'she' in a bit later in the conversation. That's usually enough. We have a lot of good friends and family and are very lucky like that. We have met a lovely couple from FF as we don't know many lesbians in out position, most of our old friends are still partying every night and not ready to settle down! 

My family are italian so imagine the culture might be a little similar?


----------



## leoaimee

yes i do that with the partner thing, and then add the she in later.

we dont know many lesbians in our postion either.  even my straight friends in london arent having kids yet they are very career orientated.  we have a couple of friends in london who may start tx next year.  but here its very family orientated cos there isnt much else.

culturally gibraltarians are a bit of a mix of spanish and english.  they are very noisy!  in spain in the villages everyone sits on the street.  but that doenst happen in gibraltar.  the conversation is very gossipy ' mr smith's neice is marrying mr jone's nephew' and  'oh i saw so and so at the dr's he was having a colostomy bag fitted'  that kind of thing.  gibraltarians do queue unlike the spanish.  but sometimes they can be a bit sharp and overly direct for my english sensibilities.  
i think in gibraltar even though gibraltarians speak english they dont follow the english's protocol of politness, which i know lots of europeans find time wasting and frustrating.  
no one asks how you are as a direct question.  you are just supposed to add your two pence worth in.  it is alot about eating here.  in the winter its eating inland in local restraunts and eating meat.  and the summer is about the beach and eating in the beach restraunts, and eating fish.

how does that compare to your italian family?


----------



## Dominique123456

The gossipy thing is the same! In more rural areas - people eat fish and fruit in the summer (and veal) and the winter it's red meat inland. Italians are very gender orientated, everyone is supposed to act very feminine or masculine to be considered 'normal'. Italy is a real culture of paradoxes on the one hand, you have strict catholism on the other and lots of partying and sleeping around. Because the mainstream culture is so in your face, there is quite a strong counter-culture and in Rome there are lots of places for gay people to go as well as a punk movement and other colourful sections. If the police arrest and beat up an innocent guy, you could rally hundreds of people to demonstrate with a few hours - in England you would never get the same response, it's more apathetic here. I could never raise children in Italy though because the culture is still so sexist and unaccompanied women still get a lot of hassle from men. But my italian family are remarkable alot more supportive of my relationship and family plans than I would have expected them to be, so maybe I'm being too harsh!

xxx
Dom


----------



## leoaimee

we went to rome last year.  i thought it was great.  and it was really nice how visible the gay community were.  but i guess that is being in a town.  but also loved the kind of underground vibe you could pick up.  there isnt that here at all.  no counter culture AT ALL.  its very very conservative in that sense.  its obviously v different region to the others.  it has been very economically poor pre 1970's and tourism and where i live its changed massively in the last 5 years.  but i think with the crisis there are going to be alot more economic problems.  but reading the history of andalucia it all happened about 500 years ago and then not much .... everyone here was just poor fishing or farmer villages.  living here has made me realise how much history and politics and economics really change people and their character.  stuff that you kind of understand conceptually but not really emotionally.  spain is very machismo too.  their is a lot of domestic violence i think 4 women a week die in spain.  gibraltar is kind of similar too.  it is very much women are judged on how they look and men can tend to be a bit excpecting women to do most domestic chores.  but im not sure how different that seems to be from a lot of womens experience in the uk.


----------



## Twinmummy

Hi Guys 

Im all cooked and ready to go !! got 7 big ones on one side and 5 big ones on the other side and they mentioned medium and small ones but dont know how many !  

I did my trigger at 10pm tonight so im going in at 10am on wednesday for EC ! getting so excited i cant wait !!! do you think the will put them back in on saturday ??

To the boys to the clinic with us today which was amusing !! were very good until the end when they run amok and were playing with the water machine near the scan room !!! all the nurses thought they were cute though so they got away with it i think !!!

hope everyone else is good XX


----------



## Dominique123456

Twinmummy - your boys sound cute and like they know it lol  i bet the nurses were thrilled! Good luck for ec tomorrow, our clinic do et on sat if necessary. Xxx


----------



## Twinmummy

Did you use LWC too ? if so how did you get on with them ? ive read some bad reports on here of them but personally ive found them really good, this time and last time! 

yeh youve got the boys in one !!


----------



## leoaimee

hay twinmummy 

sooooo exciting!!  EC tomorrow.  sounds like you have done really well on the follies and you'll get a good crop!

yes i think they open on saturdays so you should be fine.  

how did you get on with the train?

we used LWC and i thought they were great.

glad the boys had fun.  did they come in with you when you were scanned?  were they interested at all?

axxx


----------



## Dominique123456

I used LWC and I'd give them mixed reviews - they are really good at giving treatment (doing the procedures, administering drugs etc) but not very responsive and giving you the right information. I had such trouble trying to get a fixed number for how much we would have to pay, getting my bloods done as an egg sharer was a nightmare, the list was out of date, nurses kept giving me contradictory tests to do. My nurse at my GP nearly had a fit and I ended up having about 35 blood tests done when I only really needed about 20, not to mention delays! But once we started actual treatment it became smoother. Of course they are lovely people, I couldn't accuse them of being unfriendly just a bit disorganised at times. I also wish that they made sure that all the sperm donors provided a certain amount of information, the info for ours is really scarce. When I went in for 7 week scan the nurses were clearly really happy for me and they gave me loads hugs


----------



## leoaimee

my only critism of them would be they werent sometimes good at replying to emails or the phone.  and sometimes we felt a bit in the dark.  and my friends are thinking about using them with a known donor and they cant seem to get anyone to call them back to arrange for sperm samples to be given.

but yes they are all very friendly and efficient when you are there.

axxx


----------



## Strawbs78

morning everyone

not much from me this week as my boss' boss is over from NY so it is manic in here..

Not much to report if Im honest, DW didnt get one of the jobs from last week and we are still waiting to hear on the other, her old boss has just gotten a job starting Jan 09 and said he would like to take her with him but obviously he couldnt do anything til he was there so you could call that Jan / Feb.. Unfortunately I think we are going to have to just ride it out until the new year.. She is getting depressed but I have done all I can do, I am now encouraging her to get out of the house during the day to get some exercise in her that will help clear her mind and get her out of the four walls..

Weighed myself this morning and I have stayed the same this week but I guess its not a gain..

Twinmummy - yay for egg collection tomorrow!!  You must be so excited.. Im a teensy bit jealous you lucky thing!

Hi Dom & Aimee  

Hey Em!!  

Im not going to be on for long but really wanted to come and say hi xxxx


----------



## Dominique123456

Hey Strawbs - hopefully something will come up soon. Do you have any friends or relatives you can go and visit for a change of scenary for both of you? 

Losing weight on the lead up to Xmas is tough. I lost lots of weight (about a stone) on the cereal diet - where you eat cereal for breakfast and lunch and fruit snacks inbetween and then eat whatever you fancy for dinner


----------



## leoaimee

hay strawbs!  its really hard not working.  i have had periods of getting almost agrophobic being here when i wasnt working.  hope your DW can find the motivation to get out and about.

dom - thats impressive weight loss ... how long did it take you?


----------



## Strawbs78

hey Dom

Yeah Ive lost just over a stone now in about 8 weeks so I am happy with that.. Gosh I dont know how you lasted on that cereal diet, I tried that and I was STARVING!! ha ha ha

I think you are right we are going to have to start looking in to doing things like that most definitely, its quite hard at the moment as we are desperately trying to not spend money but we have so many things on, its my best friend's bday this weekend so we are taking her to a fancy lunch and its our 2 year wedding anniversary in a few weeks plus then obviously christmas then its DW's 30th blah blah and the list just goes on and on!!  We are just going to keep on keeping on..

Aimee,

I agree it is very difficult to not be working and DW is a worker, it is driving her absolutely around the twist!


----------



## Dominique123456

It was pretty quick really, took about 3 months but the best thing is that unlike ANY other diet I've done the weight stayed off. It didn't send my metabolism screwy and I didn't deprive myself of the odd chocolate every now and then either - but I would just limit them to evening time rather than during the day. I've tried so many diets and this has been the only one that didn't make me really depressed while doing it. I like cereal so that helped, but I also alternated cereal types and brands so it wasn't too dull. Eat lots of snacks inbetween just make sure they are fruit and veg. I also swapped normal tea for green tea as green tea is supposed to help with weight loss. But when you are pg you're not supposed to drink caffeine which green tea still has. 

Hope that was helpful. After I did it about 6 girls in my office were so impressed with my weight loss they all did it too!


----------



## leoaimee

dom - did they (peeps in office) have good results too?  i love cereal too so maybe its a good one for post baby weight?  can you have normal lunch and cereal in the evening?
are you eating loads at the moment?  i normally have second breakfast!  one at home one in the office.     but my real ravenous stage seems to have passed.  i was eating like a horse.  i have gone off all tea and coffee including redbush since being pregnant.  i miss the idea of coffee but it has a funny after taste now.

strawbs - im well impressed with your weight loss.  what is your strategy?

gabs is a real worker too.  she had a little non working patch just before we came to spain/gibraltar of about two months and it drove her bonkers.  she got really down, we argued loads.  i was working long hours so it was a bit dull for her.  and its fun being off work if you have someone to hang out with, when all your friends are working it just makes you down.  ive had two 6month periods of not working here.  the house was very tidy!!


----------



## Dominique123456

Yes - in the office it's worked well for people too. You do need a little bit of willpower but it's not like you can't eat if you're hungry just eat good foods for two meals and you can eat naughty food for oen meal. When you're allowed to eat some junkfood it means you don't obsess over it and it's alot easier. I had really big bowls of cereal too! I ate anything from Special K, to rice crispies, and weetabix. I tried to avoid the really sugary ones like frosties! I ate loads inbetween too but just fruit and carrots etc.


----------



## leoaimee

it sounds really healthy if your snacking on fruit and vegg!


----------



## Dominique123456

lol but then at night i'd have a big dinner followed by pudding! It really helped my metabolism though. I have been stuffing my face for 3 weeks (through whole day) and when I've come back to work everyone has said that I've lost weight!??   My tummy is still really swollen from tx - my right ovary is as big as a grapefruit!


----------



## leoaimee

thats funny they said that!  everyone couldnt believe how fat i looked so quickly.  i think its calmed down now.  everyone said i looked swollen!!  my boobs went up a cup size by week 6 i think!

cant believe your ovary is that big!!  does it hurt?


----------



## Dominique123456

It doesn;t like to be squashed if I bend over and sleeping on my side is v. uncomfortable without a pillow. But all the dr's assure me ti will go down on it's own in the next few weeks. I swear I look about 6 months gone! Slim with a pot belly that I;m hiding with jumpers


----------



## leoaimee

sounds uncomfy!  its got to shrink to make room for the LO!!


----------



## Dominique123456

lol - I asked the dr's if it was ok and if there would be room for baby but apparently I will just expand to make room lol! Your workmates aren't very tactful about your weight, lol! My boobs haven't really gotten much bigger, maybe a little bit but hardly noticeabley.


----------



## leoaimee

when i was about 9 weeks pregnant my i was walking past the shop my MIL works in and so went in to say HI and she was shouting to her colleague in spanish 'belinda belinda come and see how fat she is!!'


----------



## Dominique123456

Ha ha - sorry shouldn't laugh! Years ago I was naturally slim all the time but in the lst few years it just kinda crept up. Then one day I went into my local newsagent after I hadn't been there for a while. The woman actually said 'wow, you are much fatter, aren't you?' And started making a footbal shape in front of her tummy! I wasn't pregnant or anything and I was so insulted!! I never went there again and out of spite walked an extra 5 minutes to a different newsagent. She wasn't european so maybe it was intedned as a compliment?


----------



## leoaimee

do you think she noticed you never came back??  maybe youre right and she didnt think it was insulting! lets hope so!!


----------



## Twinmummy

Hey everyone ! hope your all good - been pretty hectic past few days so been unable to post! im sorry if i have missed anything and i hope your all feel well.  

EC was yest and went really well - they got 18 eggs !! they rang this morning to say they injected 9 (ICSI) and 8 of those fertilisted !! not bad eh    !!

Will have to see what the next few days brings but they are going to put 2 back in on saturday morning !!

DP has started to get itchy feet and thinks we should only put 1 back in !!! will wait to see what the embryo quality is an then decide ! such a hard decision you make ! dont think we can cope with another set of twins but then i want to get preg !!! arghhhhh 

Strawbs - ahhh your poor thing - its must be so hard for you at the more having to read all this   im sorry and lets hope this will be you v soon. only 5 days until your appointment    . I so hope it pans out the way you want it too...... heres some    for you and your DP too on the job front.

Spk soon guys love nina XX


----------



## Strawbs78

Hey Nina

dont be silly its all good, I dont go on the chat one because there is too much talk of pregnancy and all that kind of stuff but this one for now seems ok..

I am being quite surprisingly zen about the whole appt thing next week, if we cant start then then I just keep going with my diet that is going really well and lose the weight and we do egg share next year, if Kings dont start us via nhs funding then we are just going to park it for 6 months, get back on track with Dw and a job and me lose the remaining weight I need to and bob's your uncle we are back at LWC where our sperm is..

I am so pleased for you that your eggs are doing so well YAY!!!  I   you put two back in and get a bouncing beautiful baby (not babies he he) out of it xxxx


----------



## Dominique123456

Hi Strawbs - just to say love the new photo! You look so pretty


----------



## Strawbs78

aaaw thanks Dom!  What a nice thing to read first thing in the morning.. I was more than a little tipsy when that pic was taken so maybe that is the trick!! ha ha...

How are we all this morning my lovelies?  I have worked out this week that not including today I have worked 50 hours already this week   no wonder I am so bl**dy tired!  Roll on 5.30, I am out the door dead on time today if it kills me..  

Quick questions - my AF was due on Tuesday and I am normally bang on the day and still no sign (although I have had a few spots this week which only happens with AF is due), has anyone else's cycle gone a bit funny after doing medicated?

xx


----------



## dyketastic

Hi Ladies

Am new to FF but recognise a few of you from GB  

Just wanted to say hi  

We are awaiting our first appointment at the Homerton for next month after trying with a KD for a few months.  We live in Hackney but it looks like we might not get funded.  anyone been through this recently?

Thanks D x


----------



## leoaimee

hay dyketastic!

nice to 'meet' you   

sorry no experience of funding or homerton so cant help there.  although i did used to live in hackney!!   off kingsland road, and hackney central a few years before.

good luck with your upcoming treatment.  are you switching to ivf with kd?  whats your plan?

aimeex


----------



## Twinmummy

Good evening all !

Hey dyketastic !!! how funny is your name   nice to meet you on here - im afraid i dont know anything about funding or homerton either. I wish you all the best though. Strawbs is going through the funding route at the mo i think, so she may be able to answer a few questions   

Hi aimee - nice to see you ! youve been away for a few days !!! 

i had my ET today and we decided to only put the one embryo back in to reduce the risk of twins ! bit of a gamble i know but what with 2 year old twin boys we dont think we could handle another set !! Dr Venkat was quite positive that this should work but your never know do you ! weve got the ol    though so will have to wait and see !! Got 2 frosties from it if it dosent work then we will put both of those in next month !

Hope your all well - have a good weekend


----------



## dyketastic

Hey all

We are now going down the european smperm bank route as couldnt come to an agreement about PR with our kd (a very good friend of ours and his partner)


Twin, everything crossed for you  

Aimee Congrats on your bump  

D xx


----------



## leoaimee

hay *twinmummy *- oooh you have had ET today!! how are you feeling? sore? dont blame you for your decision on the one embie. sticky vibes for you and congrats on being PUPO   

   (love these little monkeys!)

i had a bit of a wobbly week emotionally ... seem to be taking things very to heart with the preggie hormones but feeling much better the last two days. 

hay *dyketastic *

know how it can be with the known donors, we had a year of trying to get an agreement with our donor ( a really good friend) but it didnt work out.

good luck with the sperm bank.

emnjo are using homerton so maybe she will be along to help with homerton questions.

thanks for the congrats! you too soon!


----------



## morggy1824

Update...

Had my HyCosey on friday...at ST JUDES...everything is fine...phew.
We can  take the nxt step when we're ready...
We've deceided to wait til after Xmas for my IUI...
Enough stress without taking Clomid n being basted ,then fingers crossed hoping it'll take over xmas n chances of it not....

My mom is slowly coming around ..about me wanting a baby...once the little un is in her arms...she'll turn to jelly...lol

DP lost her job a few weeks ago...but she's being positive with me about  tcc bless..

love to all...(my period just started so i'm feeling mushy lol.)


----------



## leoaimee

hay morgy 

great news on the hycose!

sorry to hear about dp and her job.  there have been quite a few unsettling job news for people on here recently its tough isnt it?

im sure your ma will fall in love with your baby!  just like you say.   in the mean time for any difficult conversations with your ma.

aimee


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

All I can say about the Homerton is that the have moved into a brand new unit in sept, and have a new embryologist and their results have gone right up this year. 

Good Luck with funding, I am a single woman using a KD in Islington and there is no funding for single/gay couples.  You could take your KD to the clinic- that is what I have done.

L x


----------



## emnjo

Hey all!! How is everyone?

Twinmummy - Yay to your EC. It sounds like it went well. I don't blame you for putting one embie back - 2 sets of twins would be hard work to say the least! Loads of sticky vibes going out to you! When are you going to test?

Aimeegaby - how are you and the bean doing? 

Dyketastic - hellow lovely!! Yes as you know I am at the Homerton, lets meet up soon!! 

Well I am 9dpo and started to get the usual AF type cramps so not very hopeful at all... Every month I get these cramps a week before my period. They are not that bad - but there. NO real symptoms, so I think another BFN for me next week. Boo hoo. We will do another 3 medicated IUI's and then its IVF for us. I am quite nervous about starting IVF. I always thought of it as a last resort - and here we are, probably facing that last resort. Gutted. I am 29 healthy - no fertility problems, so whay have I failed 5 IUI's? I am wondering if there is any point in me even doing another 3 IUI's - what do you guiys think??

XX


----------



## Dominique123456

Emnjo  Nice to see you again  

The decision is completely up to you. We decided that we didn't want any more heartbreak from IUIs and that we preferred a more intensive approach that gave us more hope because statistically it's about 40% chance for us whereas unmedicated IUI is only around 12%. (At least I think so).

IVF is more involved and stressful but the methods are throughly tried and tested so it's not as dangerous as it might have been a few years ago. It is more expensive, even if you egg share, so it's worth considering that too. It's a bit like gambling isn't it? You could think that after 5 IUIs the 6th is bound to work. However, it is always down to chance and what you are comfortable with. 

In any case you still don't know!!! It might well have worked and you're just being pessimistic too soon!     

What are your thoughts about IVF? 

I was surprised that it was much easier than I expected.

Best wishes.
Dom
xxx


----------



## leoaimee

emnjo - 

i had period type pains for five days before my test day that lasted until week 8 of pregnancy it was my uterus expanding apparently.  so it could be that.   

do you think maybe you and mr sperm arent compatible?

you are using the same donor right?  cos at LWC they say not to use the same donor after three failed IUIs cos you might not be a 'match'.

deciding with the IUI and IVF you have to weigh up the cost emotionally and with your time.

i dont think there is anything unusual in it taking a few months, i know lots of hetro people without fert issues who have taken several months to concieve and then it just happens.  its just sooooooo much harder when you are worrying and thinking about it like we have to.  im sure that brings the success rate down.  just because the process is soo stresfull.

me and the bump are fine thanks for asking.  im actually feeling much less tired these days thank goodness!


----------



## Dominique123456

emjo - definitely there's nothing 'wrong' with you as to why it won't work. Hetero couples are working with fresh sperm and have a higher chance of conception - between 10 & 20% so please don;t feel bad. It's just luck of the draw and it sucks!


----------



## leoaimee

for you emnjo!


----------



## Strawbs78

Hi everyone

Hi Aimee and Dom!!

Em - it will be ok honey, I left my phone somewhere on sat (copiously drunk) but thank god my friend picked it up but I will give you a call from my blackberry after work..

Twinmummy - yay go you, that is so fantastic, Ive got it all crossed for you hon..

Dyketastic - I recognise you from GB - welcome!!  I have my kings appt tomorrow so I will let you know after that..  I know that TCB was funded at homerton, you could ask her..

AAM post coming up :

Not much from me today as to be honest Im feeling quite stressed..  I found out this morning there is a possibility our bonuses may be being deferred i.e. we will be getting paid at some point in 2009, I am completely reliant on my bonus next month to get us through til Feb (even though I now in theory I shouldnt be as its discretionary but who isnt in this credit crunch) so Im really feeling the pressure and its just a complete nightmare..  I have just gone through the diary and cancelled every single thing we have going on to try and retain as much ££ as I can for next month..

My weight fell down to 87.8 on the weekend but then weighed myself this morning and I was 89.2 so feck knows what's going on there but if Im honest its the least of my worries..

Ive got my appt at kings tomorrow which if I am honest I feel is pretty pointless because even if they said we can start on the nhs right away (super doubtful) we are not in a financial position to do so..  DW has applied for a job in her past career which she absolutely doesnt want to go back to and which I dont want her to go back to but now with the news of the potential bonus crisis things have just gone from manageable to bad..  We have the option of giving notice on our place this month and vacating in a month (if we dont do it pre 29th we are locked in for another 6 months) so now I am thinking maybe we should give notice and go and stay at DW's nan's but she isnt really open to the idea, I dont want to move either but I cant make the money grow on trees!!

And just to put the icing on the cake, I am now having a disagreement with my best friend of 4 years over something I dont even remember saying, this nasty girl (one of her other friends) has said I said something on saturday but I have no recollection of saying it mind you I was insanely drunk at the time  

anyway sorry girls I just cant let DW know how stressed I am as Im trying to shield her a bit at the moment but promise rant over..


----------



## leoaimee

hay dom

that is really pants!  pants about the bonus, and about the friend, and about dw having to consider taking up a job that she doesnt want.

 

ax


----------



## Twinmummy

hi everybody- 

just a real quicky as my laptop is up the spout and keeps shutting down cause the battery has had it so havent had time to have a catch up etc but just wanted to say ...........

Strawbs- good luck tommorow darling - hope its all works out for you XXXXXXXXxxx


----------



## Strawbs78

thanks twinmummy.. Im feeling more calm now, dw cooked me a lovely dinner and ran me a hot bath.. we then did a budget and ran the figures and whilst things are tight we can make it work so i feel much calmer.. lists and budgets calm me down!!  

I will let you know how I get on tomorrow honey, hope your bean is digging in nice and tight..

x


----------



## Twinmummy

Ahhhh bless her ! im glad that you feel better about it !! how exciting ! looking forward to hearing how your getting on !!

Hi aimee- how are you ? are you showing yet ?

emnjo - you poor thing - its such a hard decision , IUI is such a hit and miss thing . as IVF is so expensive would you do it with egg sharing to reduce the cost 

hi dom - hope your feeling well and got no sickness !!!


----------



## Mable

Good luck to Strawbs and partner for today's appointment at Kings. Hope it goes well and you get good news.


----------



## emnjo

Strawbs - Honey     I just read your message - have been trying to ring you about your consultation today - but just read that you don't have your phone!! Buzz me lady when you know whats going on. 

Everything will work out honey, just try and sit tight for a little bit. Let me know if your free over the weekend - Jo and I are taking yout out for diner so give me some dates.. 

Thanks Dom and Aimeegaby - your posts were lovely to read.. I am sure we will get there one way or another. We are going to do another 3 IUI's - Medicated, and then we have an IVF consultation in Feb - so we will start IVF then if needs be. If the first IVF fails then we will be egg sharing - so we have options.. 

Glad your feeling back to normal abit Aimmegaby - you can try and relax for Christmas! Are you coming home to London? If you are you must let us know so we can all meet up!!

Dom- How are you!!!! Hows your little bean? Good on you for sticking to your guns and putting one embie back. 

Anyway - I am working from home today so I am sure I wil be on here for the next 7 hours!!!


----------



## Dominique123456

Emjo, if we had had the cash we would have defintietly tried things your way before IVF. Best of luck  It's wonderful to have options! 

I'm ok thanks I have a dr. app. next thursday and I'm hoping that while I'm there I might get a sneaky 9 1/2 week scan, before the official 12 week scan on the 16th of December! I'm glad I did SET too, if I'd had twins my OHSS might have been even worse.

Hugs to all!


----------



## emnjo

Hey Dom

I know IUI at LWC is megga bucks - but we are self funding through an NHS hospital (Homerton) so its only £550 for a medicated cucle - half the price at LWC. If we had stayed at LWC we would have gone straight to IVF aswell by now. We have 5 vials of sperm left at the Homerton so we may aswell do 3 more IUI's and the we have enough for 2 IVF's. Fingers crossed that should do it! Uf it hasn't I will have lost the plot entirely by then!!

Wow it would be great to get an early scan!! How is your liver condition going? Are they monitoring you closely? xx


----------



## Dominique123456

Hi,

Yes my appointment is with an obstetrician who has been monitoring my liver, I think this will be my last appointment with him, as my itching has stopped completly. Last time I saw him he sent me for an unltrasound so I'm hoping he'll do the same again if I ask him very nicely, if he says no I might have to resort to crying and stomping my feet!

I'm feeling a bit under weather (toothache) and normally I'd go home but I stupidly booked a meeting for late this afternoon!

Dom
x


----------



## pem

Hiyah Girls,

Back from holidays, had a lovely time, bloomin tiring though!! have our first appointment next week, really nervous about it all but hopefully it will provide some answers!

Dom - Hope the OBChol buggers off for you for good, the itching is terrible isn;t it, livers, who'd have em!

Hello to everyone and Strawbs hope today has gone well!!

Hopefully will be able to get to know you all a bit better and post properly!

Em


----------



## emnjo

Aww Dom I hope the tooth ache gets better soon - its a killer isn't it. 

Fingers crossed you get the scan!

pem - good luck for your scan! What are you being scanned for? Are you starting TTC for number 2? if so good luck

xxx

Strawbs - buzz me when you can!!!!!


----------



## Dominique123456

Wow Pem - not met many people that have had obchol! There's a good chance i'll get again at the end of this pg and have to be induced early too. For now though it seems to have been caused by OHSS and is going away.

What kind of 1st appointment are you having? Which clinic are you using? Edie is a great name BTW


----------



## Strawbs78

Em - hey hon, sorry its been a nightmare, I will give you a buzz tonight if I can..

apologies negative post coming up:

well had my kings appt today and in a word it was awful!  We wont be getting funding, no one who needs donor sperm gets funding i.e. no gay people, they were late, rude, disorganised, contradicted each other in information we were given (we initially saw the Dr's assistant as he was 'too busy' but we could see him just sitting in his office) and to be honest it was a complete waste of time..  The 'dr' looked in my file and even though my results were in there plain as day said i had to get all my bloods done etc, when I pointed out to him that they were in my file it was only then he opened my file and actually looked and just went 'oh right yes ok then'..

dw and i left very upset and in shock really, even though we were expecting to possibly not be funded we just didnt expect how much of a polava it would be in there..  we went to our gp and are having them apply to a committee that will look at our case on an individual basis as to whether they will grant us funding but that can take up to 3 months..

If we self fund there, which to be honest neither of us want to, we could start in about April..  They have booked us a counselling appt for December which we are in two minds to keep as we think maybe we are best going back to lwc...  It will be interesting to see if the committee will approve our request for funding but Kings couldnt let us know either way...

sorry to be so negative but I am just reeling from today, good luck to everyone and I hope you all get bfps very soon!!

xxx


----------



## emnjo

Strawbs78 said:


> Em - hey hon, sorry its been a nightmare, I will give you a buzz tonight if I can..
> 
> apologies negative post coming up:
> 
> well had my kings appt today and in a word it was awful! We wont be getting funding, no one who needs donor sperm gets funding i.e. no gay people, they were late, rude, disorganised, contradicted each other in information we were given (we initially saw the Dr's assistant as he was 'too busy' but we could see him just sitting in his office) and to be honest it was a complete waste of time.. The 'dr' looked in my file and even though my results were in there plain as day said i had to get all my bloods done etc, when I pointed out to him that they were in my file it was only then he opened my file and actually looked and just went 'oh right yes ok then'..
> 
> dw and i left very upset and in shock really, even though we were expecting to possibly not be funded we just didnt expect how much of a polava it would be in there.. we went to our gp and are having them apply to a committee that will look at our case on an individual basis as to whether they will grant us funding but that can take up to 3 months..
> 
> If we self fund there, which to be honest neither of us want to, we could start in about April.. They have booked us a counselling appt for December which we are in two minds to keep as we think maybe we are best going back to lwc... It will be interesting to see if the committee will approve our request for funding but Kings couldnt let us know either way...
> 
> sorry to be so negative but I am just reeling from today, good luck to everyone and I hope you all get bfps very soon!!
> 
> xxx


Oh **** honey. What a day you have had.  
So if you if you self fund do you know how much it is?
Perhaps just keep Kings going at the moment, go to the appointments etc - but if you have lost enough weight for the egg share by april then just go with that? You do have sperm there anyway...

Ring me whenever you can honey, I really hope you and DW are ok. xxxxxxxxx


----------



## Strawbs78

hey em

they didnt even tell us that, we had to go to the counselling first which isnt til december but im pretty sure i can find that on the internet, def cheaper than lwc from a treatment perspective but as you say our sperm is at lwc so then we have to re buy that.. We just need to mull things over but to be honest there isnt much rush because i have 11 more kgs to lose to get to lwc or 5 months to wait til kings could start us self funded so we have time on our side as looks like we are off the baby road for a while..

just helping N with her dinner but will give you a call 

xx


----------



## Twinmummy

oh no strawbs, what a shame. Im really sorry to hear it didnt work out atal. Who the bloody hell do these people think they are talking to you like that.   Do they not realise that people wait for months and months hanging on to the appointment that could change their life. It makes you sick dosent it. 

Poor you  ,i really hope that you do well in your weight loss and make it back to the LWC for the egg share. 

I suppose when you see it like that you realise why the LWC is so expensive cause you get a good personal service and not just treated like a number XX


----------



## leoaimee

hay strawbs

gosh im so sorry for a horrible appointment yesterday.  sounds awfull.  when you have an experience like that its sooo depressing and down heartening.

it really puts you off the medicall profesion.

i think thats why we went with LWC even tho its expensive, because on the whole the service is very good.  i hope those extra £ we spend goes to well paid staff who make it such a good process and not just the directors.

hi pem - glad you had  a good holiday

dom - sorry about the tooth ache ... hope its nothing too serious.

twinmummy - how is the 2ww going so far?  are you managing to rest at all with your boys?

hi emnjo - glad youre feeling a bit better and like you have options.  its gonna happen for you guys ... you just gotta have faith!  

im gonna be in london from 29th to 1st over the new year period.  really struggling to make all the arrangments and fit everything in.  its NEVER long enough when we come back.  but we are gonna be in london at the end of jan for mini holiday, so we could poss meet up then if anyone is up for it?


----------



## emnjo

Hey Aimmegaby - Yes let us know in Jan and we can sort something out!!! What were your cramps like before you got your BFP? Mine do feel a little more intense than usual - they have been quite strong at times. Not sure if this is a good thing or not though? Its not unusual for me to get a few cramps before my P so its probably just that.. 

Strawbs honey how are you feeling this morning?

Twinmummy - how are you!!! Its only a couple of days past your transfer so I am sure its hard to tell yet!! Plus I am sure you are very busy with your 2 little boys to be dwelling on things too much!!

Lou - not sure if you look on here anymore - but if you do then HEY!!!

Dom - Did you get your scan?

xX


----------



## leoaimee

when gabs tells me the dates for her work trip i will book flights for london!  YAY!

my cramps were JUST like period type pains and i was CONVINCED i was getting my af.  i took tampons to work, and was constantly checking my pants cos i thought i was coming on.  i normally start spotting a couple of days early, and i just thought it was that.

   for you.  honey!


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

strawbs so sorry to hear that your appt was awful at Kings- don't the DRs realise how much we vest into these!! Have you thought of egg sharing at the Bridge/Lister not sure about the costs or how they do it- the Lister also take older women on egg share up to 37 (I know your not that old) but they might be more leniant with the weight thing.  What about the Homerton for IUI if you move your sperm, or they import from Denmark.

Take care L x


----------



## Twinmummy

hi girls ! how are we all doing ? 

Emnjo - im not to bad thank you darling - on day 6 now and starting to think about it more !! until now ive been too busy but now its got me !   ! feel completely fine apart from being quite bloated and having a major sore backside from the cyclogest !! GREAT !!! not sure than i will last til next sat before i do a test ! did one on day 12 with the boys so might just do that this time ! ARGGGGH How r U  

Aimee - hello my dear - how you feeling ? are you showing yet ?? i rested for the first couple of days as my bro had the boys for us but now things have gone back to normal but i have been watchnig that i dont pick them up too much ! mind you it all went out of the window this morning ! they have just hit the terrible twos and trying to get myself and them ready this morning and out the house before 7am didnt go very well ha !! bless em eh ! i think im kidding myself about going back to work when i have another one ! oh well well see !! 

Would be great if we could all meet up end of jan !! keep us posted ! i work up in london wed-fri so those days could be good for me ! 

hello JJ1, Strawbs, Dom & Pem, hope all is good and your looking forward to the weekend !!


----------



## emnjo

Hey all

Well its another BFN for me today.. boo hoo... 

How we all doing?


----------



## leoaimee

ohhh honey that is really sh!t im sooo sorry!        how are you feeling?  how is dp?


----------



## Dominique123456

sorry emjo! But you know it aint over till AF makes a show. So hang in there


----------



## emnjo

We're ok thanks - just got to keep going with it all. I just hope there isn't anything wrong and its just bad luck


----------



## leoaimee

oh hon its really tough isnt it?  

im sure there is nothing wrong ... its normal to think that.  im sure i did.


----------



## emnjo

aimeegaby said:


> oh hon its really tough isnt it?
> 
> im sure there is nothing wrong ... its normal to think that. im sure i did.


Thank you!!! Tempted to just go out and get hammered tonight! But not sure if I will feel guilty as shouldn't be drinking - not that thats done me much good so far hay!! x


----------



## leoaimee

you know honey after my bfn in may i then came to england in june for another go ... was feeling really down.  and i couldnt detect a surge with my OPK and i was just so peed off i went to see my sister and we got really hammered!  and i smoked loads and i didnt really feel better after but it maked a turning point in away.  i thought why is my freakin body not showing ovulation, whats wrong with me after that in june (when i actually ovulated when i got back to spain) i just thought fck it ive been so 'good' and not drank or smoked and ive stressed myself out trying sooo hard to be 'good' and i just had a really fun summer.  i drank and smoked, not much cos i dont really drink alot anyway.  but i kind of stopped trying to be so 'good' and by the time end of august came round i was in such a different place in my head.  so go with the flow.  its not wrong.  you have had a monthly thrashing going through the high and low of basting two week wait all that hope and disapointment.  if you fancy just not 'trying' for one night of fun just do it.  and take tomorrow as it comes.  we can get so obsessed .. i did.  luckily my dp didnt.  phew.  its hard work.  all that emotional strength.


----------



## Twinmummy

emnjo really sorry to hear you got a BFN, life is **** sometimes. hope you an DP are ok XXXX if its any help some friends of mine (hetros!) were trying to conceive naturally for a year before they fell so as IUI is simililar they same could be happening with you. No reason why you shouldnt be but just taking its time. It must be so gutting month after month hun


----------



## Twinmummy

Hello girls - just checking in to say hello ! this thread has been a bit on the quiet side lately !

hope your all well and not skinting yourselves too much on    shopping ! i know i am !!!

Take care XX


----------



## leoaimee

hi twinmummy

how are you chick?
how are the nerves holding up?

we got my family done and dusted a while back, but we still have quite alot to buy.  gaby's family have decided (controversially) that we will go shopping with them when we are in england.  im not sure i approve but what can i say.  they have hannukah ... so we do christmakuah.  but gabys brother and sister in law can be a bit bah humbug when it comes to the festivities.

i am really really excited about christmas.  we are spending 24th - 28th with my mummy and sister and nephew and BIL and then we go to gaby's brother's from 29th to 2nd.  

my brother and his gf are doing another ski season so we wont see them.  infact i wont see my bro till im about to pop!  which is weird thought.  hopefully he and his gf will drive to spain from france when the season is finished.

emjo - how are you doing chick?  did you get drunk?   

dom - how things going for you?  any MS?  

strawbs - how is dw job hunt going?  how are you doing post kings appointment?

hi everyone else!


----------



## Dominique123456

Sounds like you have the holidays all planned out and sorted  

My mum and MIL want to go shopping for baby things with us too, but we have a cunning plan! We're going to visit the shops first and choose between us what we like so that when we go with them, we'll be able to steer 'grannies' in the right direction!

What does MS mean by the way? 

Twinmummy - any signs yet?


----------



## Strawbs78

morning everyone,

not much to report here, dw job hunting still the same, babies are put on the back burner for us until some time in 2009, my work told us that we werent getting paid our bonuses this month (annual bonus) until possibly March so ££ is super tight and we are just doing the best we can right now..  DW has applied for a few temp jobs doing customer service or admin and keeps getting turned down for being overqualified   so we just have to keep on keeping on...

Hope everyone is ok and you are all looking forward to fantastic xmas with families..

emnjo - I am still recovering from all the wine you made me drink on  Friday!! ha ha..

xx


----------



## Dominique123456

Strawbs!

Bless you, sounds like you are coping even if your circumstances aren't ideal  I've just made a little banner for my cycle buddies thread for the ladies who are trying again in 2009, you should pop in over there and say hi


----------



## leoaimee

dom - ahhh so cute the little frog boy!  

ms - morning sickness ... maybe its not a standard abreviation.  soz!!

good plan about the recon mission pre shopping with the grannies.

my ma is getting the pram, and the pils are doing the cot and bed stuff.
gabys handing out a list to other family members!!  

strawbs - poor dw getting turned down for jobs she is over qualified for.  thats rubbish!

and what a bugger about your bonuns!  

we have to be pretty planned for our trips cos there are soo many people to see.

just got a foot rest so hoping my back ache is gonna get better.


----------



## Dominique123456

Oh dear - you're back is sooo important, have you a professional about it? My back plays up sometimes too and I'm always been told because I sit on my bum all day and need to do more exercise. 

I had nausea for about 4 or 5 weeks but it seems to have gone now, which is great. DW didn't appreciate driving everywhere with the windows wide open when it was only 2 degrees outside! In fact I don't really have any symptoms at the moment, or maybe I've got used to it now. Are you starting to show yet? 

Dom
x


----------



## leoaimee

dom, i was showing weeks ago!!     thank god ive stopped expanding.  i got big really really quick.  but its slowed down.  i dont look pregnant (except naked) just fat.  with no clothes you can tell its a mini bump!  

i went to the osteopath yesterday, she said its just muscular, and im going back on monday.  she was trying to work out what is causing it, but it has been since being pregnant.

it is better if i walk during the day.  if not it gets very painfull.

my symptoms have gone now too.  except for the occasional fit of crying.  but not sooo hungry and not so tired now.  phew!

ill take a pic of my tummy so you can see if you think its a good bump!

going for leg waxing now... wish me luck.

ax


----------



## Dominique123456

yes - show me a pic!!

I still have a huge cyst on my ovary (about 9cm) that I can actually cup with the palm of my hand when I lie down - caused by the OHSS. So my tummy defo looks like it has a baby bump  But it's so cold and with big jumpers noone can tell.


----------



## Twinmummy

Hi everyone - 

Dom - poor you - didnt realise you would still be affected by your OHSS. Hope you get better real soon ! No real signs as yet. Been MASSIVELY flying off the handle for no reason for the past week and been really bloated but that about it !! 

Hey aimee- not doing too bad - havent thought about it as much as i did last time - probably cause ive been so busy and really tired so the time has passed quiet quickly !! 

hope everyone else is doing ok ?

spk soon Xx hopefully i will have some news for you all soon


----------



## leoaimee

really cute pic twinmummy!!  when is your test day?

dom - my camera batteries need charging.... so delay in the picture posting.  i cant believe your cyst is so big ... poor you.  i hope it calms down.  i was telling dp about it this morning.

axxxx


----------



## Twinmummy

OTD is on sat 06 dec !!


----------



## emnjo

oooh twinmummy I keep popping back to see how you are!!! I REALLY hope you get a BFP! Good Luck honey xxx

Hola to everyone! I hope your all well xxx

I have started a medicated cycle now, so lets see how this one works out! Aimeegaby I just got hole od the fertility hypnotherapy CD - its very good - but I ten to fall asleep before it gets to the end! I did go out and get HAMMERED beyond belief with Strawbs - we had a great time, but never again!! But I am def clamer about it all - sod it - we'll get there in the end! My parents have just said that they will pay for IVF so that is big weight off my mind xxxx


----------



## emnjo

Twinmummy said:


> OTD is on sat 06 dec !!


WOW are you waiting till then!! IS your period late yet?


----------



## Twinmummy

hey emnjo - dont think i cant wait that long !! on day 33 today and still   but with all those drugs you never know when to expect it .

we tested on day 12 with boys ! so gonna have to do it soon me thinks !!  

glad you have a good one on friday with strawbs ! its good to get whalloped once in a while    !!! Bless your folks offering to pay for the IVF ! That is so sweet of them. Are you doing medicated IUI this time ?


----------



## emnjo

Yes medicated this time round, and the 2 more, and then IVF for us. I am actually quite looking forward to the IVF now - but we will carry on with the IUI's in the meantime!

Wow you are doing really well! What day are you since ovulation? You LP never changes - what is it usually? TEST TEST!!! ha ha! 

Got it all crossed for you x


----------



## Twinmummy

ha ha ha your so like me ! !! i always tell people to test early ha ha naughty us !!     

normally 28 days but last month after being on burserelin was 31 days !!! 

gonna do one later with DP watch this space !!!!XXXXXXXX


----------



## emnjo

Twinmummy said:


> ha ha ha your so like me ! !! i always tell people to test early ha ha naughty us !!
> 
> normally 28 days but last month after being on burserelin was 31 days !!!
> 
> gonna do one later with DP watch this space !!!!XXXXXXXX


OHHHH GOOD LUCK!!!!!


----------



## leoaimee

ooooh CRICKEY i cant believe i missed you naughty* emnjo *... NO TESTING EARLY!!!     i guess its too late now. hope it was good news .....   *twinmummy *come and tell us!!

emnjo - oh yes hypnotherapy cd is great. i really enjoyed mine, and i slept through, the more i listened the sooner in the cd i would drop off, its a good sign youre relaxing. nice visualisations too arent they? i have the whole pregnancy birth and post birth set although i was to tired in the first trimester to listen to them, cos if i wasnt 'doing' something like going to work, i was sleeping!! but am gonna get into it now, for prep for the birth. great you are looking forward to the ivf, and so lovely that your folks are gonna pay. brill! glad you and strawbs had a lovely time getting trashed! well done. big hugs!


----------



## Twinmummy

Good morning everybody ! thought you should all be the first to know we got a           

So happy and so pleased that DP is far more sensible than me by suggesting we put back one embie !!!


----------



## leoaimee

yayeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

                                                                

thats so great twinmummy!!!  congratulations!!  and well done dp on one embie!


----------



## Twinmummy

thanks you so much Aimee ! im really excited !! looks like ill have my summer baby after all XX


----------



## leoaimee

end of august?


----------



## Twinmummy

according to the calculator on here 12 august ! im sure it will be changed a few times though !! i cant stop smiling !!


----------



## leoaimee

yipeeeeeeee!!!

he or she might be a leo!!  my birthday is 19th august and im a leo.  my nephew was due on 10th adn arrived 27th making him a virgo!  

what are you and mrs twinmummy and the boys?

so fabULOUS!!


----------



## Strawbs78

Morning everyone

not much to update but read about TM's BFP and just wanted to say a big huge congrats to you!!  Gosh you must be over the moon that it has worked, yay another rainbow baby!!!

xx


----------



## Dominique123456

Wow congratulations! Twinmummy  bet you're glad you had set now, lol  great news for my thurs morning


----------



## mintyfaglady

Woo! Congratulations Twinmummy!


----------



## Twinmummy

mintyfag - Thanks for you message !  

Dom - yes really pleased that we went for SET in the end !! knowing our luck it has split ha ha !!! only kidding   in the 2ww when i was having a negative moment i was thinking of you as you are proof it only takes one !!!!!  

Strawbs ! cheers hun, yay another rainbow bub !! 

Aimee - my due date not far for your b-day then !!   Well me and chris are both saggitarians and the boys are capricorns !!! Thank they wernt born a few weeks before or we would have been a house full of saggis who eaither really really get on or really really dont ha ha !!


----------



## leoaimee

the star sign thingy is ringing bells i must have asked you before.  sorry if im repeating myself!

love ax


----------



## Twinmummy

ha ha no probs ! im just as bad !!  

Just been arranging the boys 2nd b-day party !! I cant wait   ! just been ordering loads of postman pat stuff off ebay !! They are gonna love it !!   i think im worse than the kids !!


----------



## leoaimee

oooh how cute!  are you going to have the party at home?

a woman that gabs works with who is a bit spooky wookie says she keeps dreaming we are going to have twins.  she says this one is a girl.  i wonder if we might have twins next go ....


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

TWinmummy congratulations on the 
L x


----------



## Damelottie

Many many congrats Twinmummy


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

and also congratulations in order for you Miss LL!!!  another mummy to be!!

L x


----------



## Damelottie

You next JJ1


----------



## leoaimee

congratulations LADY LOTTIE


----------



## Dominique123456

Congrats LadyLottie - this is a nice run of good news! Well done


----------



## Twinmummy

Hey Lady Lottie and JJ1 - thanks so much for your messages! 

CONGRATULATIONS LADIE LOTTIE !      Thats fantastic news   when do you make your due date ?? i make mine 12 august according to the calculator on here !!

did you have IUI or IVF ? sorry for all the questions!!

Aimee - ooh how spooky ! will be intresting to see what you get ! twins for you next time aswell !!! ha ha, wouldnt that be great........ youll really have your hands ful !   ! Re the party ! not having at home, got a childrens entertainer etc so hiring the community centre down the road !!

happy friday everyone !! what a great way to end the week with 2 BFP !!!!


----------



## leoaimee

i would love three children ( i think cos i am one of three) gabs thinks two is enough ... so twins on the next one is probs the only way we get three!  

community hall sounds lessy messy than party at home.
what kind of entertainer are you having?  like a clown type thing?
wish i was coming! will there be jelly and ice cream?


----------



## Twinmummy

yeh thats the same as us !! we would only prob of had 2 although i liked the idea of 3 as were are both 1 of 3 !!! I so hope you do get twins next time ! its great having twins !

DEFO jelly and ice cream ! and the entertainer is sort or like a clown, dressed is bright colours but not scary ! she brings bubble machines, tricks, balloon blowing ,all kiddy music and loads of fun stuff etc but the best bit when it comes to food time she gets out a massive 'magic mat 'that they all it on and eat then she gets them all running round after throwing all the rubbish in black sacks !!! not bad eh    oh and how funny she makes everyone do the conga to get the food ha ha cant wait to see how that works out with 30 2-5 year olds !!!!!

got my confirmation scan at LWC on 29 dec , i    we have one and that all is ok XX


----------



## mintyfaglady

LL - how did you sneak that one past me? HUGE congratulations!! xxx


----------



## emnjo

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO LADY LOTTIE & TWINMUMMY!!!!!! Woop woop!

Really pleased for you both - thats great news!!! 

When are your due dates? 

xx


----------



## Twinmummy

cheers emnjo !

according to the calc on this its 12 aug !! you and strawbs out on the town again tonight


----------



## leoaimee

twinmummy - that sounds soo cool!!  im loving the tidying up the rubbish bit!  wicked!!   

youll have to post pix.

hay there emnjo - how you doing today?


----------



## emnjo

Hey!!

No way me and strawbs are never going back on the town again!!

i am good thanks - back on the gsh injections so lets see! Fingers crossed!


Having a little panic about OPK's (always has to be something hay!) I always have a VERY faint line when I start to test - is this normal do you think? From what I have read we always have a bit of LH in our system - but wondering if anyone else often has a very faint line instead of a blank one?

xx


----------



## cazinge

Congratulations to Twinmummy & Lady Lottie!!! Lots more lovely Rainbow babies!

Lots of love Caz x


----------



## Twinmummy

sorry hun i dont really know much about them 

When i was doing mine it didnt even detect a surge! it was only by chance that i thought i should have ov'd so i called the clinic and they told me to come in for scan that day and when i did they said i had ov'd already and ready for IUI there and then !

Its all so confusing isnt it mate ! nothings bloody easy ! have you spk to the clinic , see what they say X


----------



## Strawbs78

emnjo said:


> Hey!!
> 
> No way me and strawbs are never going back on the town again!!
> 
> i am good thanks - back on the gsh injections so lets see! Fingers crossed!
> 
> Having a little panic about OPK's (always has to be something hay!) I always have a VERY faint line when I start to test - is this normal do you think? From what I have read we always have a bit of LH in our system - but wondering if anyone else often has a very faint line instead of a blank one?
> 
> xx


hey never say never!!  Just not EVER as large and messy as we did that time.. 

sorry honey dont know anything re OPKs..

x


----------



## mintyfaglady

Em, if you're doing injections, aren't they giving you a trigger shot too? If so, I wouldn't worry too much about the OPKs, though I think I always had some kind of second line - like you said, we always have some LH in our system. Maybe it depends on the brand of test?


----------



## leoaimee

hay emnjo

opk are a real pain ... i used the digital fertility monitor cos i didnt want to have to try and work out whether the line was dark enough.

i think it has to be dark*er* than the test line for a surge. thats my understanding.

in the end i paid to be scanned to stop me stressing about whether i was going to detect a bloomin surge!

are you being scanned?

axxx


----------



## jo36

Huge congratulations to both Twinmummy and LadyLottie - well done to you both!!! Such good news. Hope you both have straightforward pregnancies.

Emnjo - I always have the same problem with OPK's. Start testing only to find a faint line already there! I'm never sure if I'm using them correctly or whether they even work!! As they're so expensive I try to buy the cheapest ones available in the shops, usually home brands so not sure if they're much cop. Maybe Aimeegaby is right in using the digital ones, I've never tried them.

Wishing all you pregnant mums out there all the very best. 

xx


----------



## Damelottie

Thanks everybody    . I'm still in total shock  

Twinmummy. I had FET on 20th Nov with a 5 day blast - had SET like you  . So according to the calculator that makes due date 8th August. Its all a bit confusing to me tho.   

I paid for a blood test today and have booked a scan on 23rd Dec - all private - rubbish NHS   

Such lovely good wishes from you all


----------



## rosypie

huge congratulations LL and twinmummy!

fabulous news!!


----------



## Strawbs78

hi my lovelies,

congrats to the LL and TM for your BFPs!!!

thought i would pop on and see what was doing.. anyone else just watched the x factor? Im glad [ ] went but god it made me cry to see [ ] so upset (put [ ] in case anyone reading is saving themselves for the sunday re run.).

dw is out with her friends tonight whilst i am indoors with yet another cold, have almost completely lost my voice but hey ho it could be worse.. I have wrapped all of her xmas presents which is fantastic, had to disguise some in containers and boxes as they would have been quite obvious.. It is our 2 year wedding anniversary on Tuesday but as I cant get the time off as I am going to have a super busy week we are celebrating tomorrow instead so yay a lovely day together!

dw has secured two weeks temp work (well up until xmas) just doing some admin so thank goodness for that, she wont earn much but it really takes the pressure off for december thank goodness.. I am going to have to sell our holiday to prague in january as we cant really afford it now, well not to do it properly, and also the home office still has both of our passports, total bummer.. If anyone wants to buy a weekend away then let me know!

my work is unfortunately announcing some redundancies so there is a chance for all of us that we could lose our jobs but Im not feeling too worried as I dont think that I or my boss will be on the hitlist but its just 1 more stress to add to the list, I tell you i think the amount of gray hair I have has tripled!! ha ha In all seriousness i do think its why I seem to get ill quite a bit lately...

How are well all ladies? all getting ready for xmas? I cant believe how quickly it is coming around, less than 3 weeks, getting our tree next week and to be honest I just cant wait, it will be such a nice treat to be decorating our tree together, got a wicked xmas cd today so that will be definitely playing whilst sipping on wine and decorating the tree.. yay!!

emnjo - thanks for the call tonight hon 

Hope all of you are doing really well ladies and baby beans..

love
me x


----------



## Damelottie

Thank you  

(still think its a joke)


----------



## leoaimee

oh strawbs ... sounds like things are pretty stresfull at the moment for you guys.  hope you feel better soon.  the unsettling news of redundancies must be really hard.  good dw got some temp work.  why do the home office have your passports?  i am also really excited about christmas!  cant wait.  big hugs   and hope you really enjoy your wedding anniversary today.


----------



## emnjo

Hey hey!

How is everyone?

How great to read of 2 BFP's in one weekend   Gives me faith!!

This is going to be our 4th IUI at the Homerton - I thinnk this will be our last one now, and then we will just do IVF in Feb. Well we have our first appointment in Feb.. How long does IVF take? Is it 2 or 3 months? 

I am finding the medication quite hard work! I am rather emotional, but perhaps thats just because this is all hard work in general!! xx


----------



## Dominique123456

Emnjo - are you thinking of doing egg share or not? Egg share takes an extra month as you have to have all the tests (the chromosome one alone can between 3 and 8 weeks) and you have to fall in synch with your recipient. If you're doing that, i;d recommend (if you can afford it it) to get the chromosome test done now so it doesn't hold you up later. It's nice to know anyway. I think I paid about £100 for it but prices will vary.


----------



## leoaimee

hay emnjo -    bonus hugs for emotional time, its probably a combination of drugs and how stressfull this ttc lark is.

i have got a tummy upset ....  and not at work.  

love aimeex


----------



## emnjo

Aww sorry you have a sore tummy....rest up and drink lots of water. Ginger is good for an upset tummy, not sure if you fancy any of that though?


Dom - I am not sure about egg share - I just don't know how I feel about it. Part of me thinks 'great - I would love to help out another women', and the other part of is scared stiff that it will work for them, and not for me. Knowing I have a child out there, and not my own may break me!! How did you get your head around it? Did you find IVF hard to do? xx


----------



## Dominique123456

Well, there were lots of factors to consider - especially financial! 

However, I also felt very strongly how important starting a family was for me and I knew that donating eggs is probably the most precious gift I could ever give. I was lucky - I got a BFP first time and so did my recipient. If I hadn't got a BFP I would definitely have felt a bit upset/jealous as it's only natural to feel like that. In my situation I have to recognise that if it wasn't for the recipient I wouldn't have even had a chance at at IVF in the first place and each cycle of IVF brings you closer to that BFP. When I had OHSS and I was in hospital it made me feel much better that I wasn't suffering just for my sake but that someone else was benefiting too.

The whole egg share thing is something you'll talk about alot I imagine and each time you'll consider a different angle. That's what I did and eventually I settled on feeling right about it. I once considered egg share many years ago when I saw an advert but I was put off by the procedure rather than the donating part. I also felt that in some ways it would be hypocritical of me to object to donating my eggs to someone else when I was receiving sperm from one else. Ultimately, there's no wrong choice you must do what you're comfortable with. We talked it over with a counselor to make sure we understood what repercussions might mean.

Hopefully your next IUI will work anyway and you won't have to worry about any of this!!!


----------



## rosypie

hi emnjo - the length of time IVF can take varies depending on the protocol. i did short protocol and it was surprisingly quick. about 4 weeks from 1st injection to embryo transfer. some protocols have you on the pill for a month before that so that lengthens the time. it can also take longer or shorter for you to complete the downregging stage.

anyway, lots of luck for your next IUI. hopefully you won't need to think any more about the IVF after this cycle


----------



## Twinmummy

good morning all ! 

Dom - how cute is your pic ! ahhhhh........ exciting    when is your due date ??

emnjo - good luck for this IUI cycle ! what day is the deed being done ?   My IVF protocol was quite short, is was exactly 1 month from first jab to ET , but as aimee suggests its best to have all the tests etc done in advance so nothing holds you up ! At our clinic they can cost upto £300 for them all so i went to my GP and asked for them to be done there as clinic quite far away and they agreed ! although they kept telling me they didnt have to do it and it was a favour !! oh thanks for that ha ha ha   
So if you can do it that way will save you lots !

did anyone on here have to use cyclogest ?? did it make you bloated ?? seriously i look like im about 5 months pregnant ! its ridicolous ! i cant remember being like this last time ??

hope all ok with everyone x


----------



## Dominique123456

Morning twinmummy!

Thanks, someone said it looks like the baby on the ticker! I was laughing because 'his' leg kinda looks like something else lol  My edd is the 29th of June. I was bloated like that but it was OHSS - which can be triggered by a BFP so you might want to tell your clinic about it. I had to stop cyclogest at 4 weeks but I still felt bloated for a while because it was the OHSS. Don't panic though, OHSS can occur on a big spectrum from really mild to more severe.


----------



## Twinmummy

cheers dom i think i might just do that ! how embarrasing though, my boss keeps looking as me as if ! shes bloody pregnant again ha ha !!!


----------



## Twinmummy

hey i rang the clinic and they said i must go up there today just to check that i havent got OHSS as said possible due to swelling of tummy and the amount of eggs retrived.

if i have got it what happens ??

was getting excitied of a sneaky peep of the little pumping blob but then realised its prob way to early    !


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Hi hun,

Was just lurking around the boards killing some time b4 my scan, and who do I find? My friend Twinmummy!  

Hope you haven't got OHSS, let us know how it goes! 

Perhaps you just feel different because you had collection this time! Where as last time you used DP eggies!??

CLP


----------



## Dominique123456

Hi  

Actually there's not much they do with OHSS. They might give you clexane which is a blood thinner, this helps to prevent blood clots which is the biggest risk with OHSS. Your bubba will be fine though don't worry about that. They will measure you and ask you lots of questions about how you feel. They will scan you too but, you're right it will be too early to see anything 

Um... other than they might recommend that you rest. I know I found that too much movement made me feel more bloated, but you need to do some to keep your blood moving round. They are obliged to report every case of OHSS so they also need to check for that reason too. 

Good luck and let us know how it goes!


----------



## leoaimee

*cuttielittlepumpkin* - how are YOU?

how was the consultant?

*twinmummy* - hope you dont have ohss.  

*dom* - how is your ovary?

dont you have to eat protien and drink loads more with OHSS?


----------



## emnjo

hey  

Aww Twinmummy I hope your ok... let us know how it goes.

Dom - I really laughed at your comment about 'him' very funny! What a cute pic! Gorgeous, and 'he' does look like your ticker!! Lol. Will you find out if your having a girl or a boy?

Well I had a cd10 scan yesterday - and I now have a cyst!! Grrr! Well its that or a 21mm follie that has gown LOADS in 5 days. The consulatant thinks its probably a cyst - he didn't seem too worried about it though. Anyone know much about this? I am taking FSH injections - only low dose though 37.5iu as I produced 3 follies last time. I have got one follie that is 10mm so hope that one grows! 
We are def doing IVF after christmas - and getting quite wxcited about that now. xx


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Hi Aimeegaby,

I see consultant at 14:15 today after my scan so will let you know!!

Yep,       and protein is good to prevent or treat OHSS!!

CLP


----------



## Dominique123456

I think they recommend protein for the 2ww and for pregnancy but not specifically for OHSS - at least not that I've heard of. 

You should drink as much water as you feel like but don't force yourself. It's gross but my undertstanding is that fluid from your blood stream and elsewhere is leaking into your abdominal cavities - so if you drink more than you feel like you can make that worse. With OHSS you tend to be naturally more thirsty anyway as your blood is thicker and more dehydrated (because it's leaking all over the place lol) hence why you might be more prone to a blood clot. So you should drink but not loads and loads. I had to measure everything I drank and everything I peed to check that I wasn't holding more fluid than I should be. I got measured around the waist everyday. The worst bit is being so bloated you really feel extremely immobile and uncomfortable. Hard to sleep etc. 

The GOOD news is that it does pass on it's own and it doesn't hurt bubba.

Lol, my cysts are ok thanks for asking aimee!! Biggest one measured 9cm across a couple of weeks ago but that was 3cm less than two weeks before that. Hopefully at my scan next week it will have gone down even more.


----------



## Dominique123456

emnjo - I don't know much about cysts but even though mine were huge they still don't seem as worried as you might think. It's going away gradually. I think that if a cyst gets bigger than about 6cm AND is causing you pain then they might consider taking out, but if it's not bothering you then they usually prefer to monitor. (This is what I've been told)


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Hi,

The protein and   advice was from LWC to a friend of ours when she had OHSS!

Also some other things we were told after our first ICSI, OHSS is more likely if you drink alcohol (as if you would  ), get a BFP, conceive multiples, are overweight, have PCOS or have a good crop of eggs!!

Well, I was almost 13 stone before treatment, got 20 eggs, have PCOS and am pg with twins, but still no OHSS, so     for Twinmummy!!

CLP


----------



## Dominique123456

The LWC, Drs, consultants etc no one told me to eat more protein. If it would have helped, I wish they had. There is some research that says drinking electrolytes (the kind that athelets do to combat dehydration) can help a bit as it might draw some fluid, but I think the effect is pretty minor. 

I had mild PCOS, but I didn't drink, am not overweight or have multiples... they did take out 22 eggs which probably had something to do with it lol!


----------



## leoaimee

on my cycle buddies thread two got ohss and they were both adviced drinking and protien. one who was having twins, had to drink yoghurt drinks, and she wasnt allowed to eat proper meals, just protien snacks every couple of hours. they were both hospitalised for their ohss. poor things.

so hope its ok *twinmummy*. 

*clp* pls let us know how consultant goes.


----------



## berry55

dom, ur mail box is full!!!


----------



## Dominique123456

I was in hospital too and I had to put up with 'orrible hospital food rather than tasty yoghurt drinks! When I had OHSS I found that I couldn't finish a whole meal and would have to eat some and then the rest later. Come to think of it, i naturally craved a lot of protein - milk, cheese and meat! Still do, in fact


----------



## leoaimee

yes me too dom loving cheese!

id forgotten you went to hospital too ....


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Its weird isn't it, that LWC seem to give different advice to different people!

Like when they told us that they only froze grade 1 embies (of which we froze 8 ) but froze grade 2 for Twinmummy!!  

I think it depends which consultant, nurse, etc you see!!  

Anyway, it's kinda irrelevant in the long run as along as you end up with a healthy baby or babies!

Which LWC seem to very good at lately!!  

Aimeegaby- Will certainly let you know how cons goes, am so looking forward to seeing how big the boys are, MW measured me on Tues last week (27+6) and I was measuring 37 weeks  , this is apparently big even for twins!! So DP is saying she thinks the boys are gonna be two little fatties at growth scan today!! lol

Will try and put on scan pic later if PC will let me! (PC a bit dodgy)

OMG! I've just had a thought (and Twinmummy will probably kill me for saying this, sorry Hun  ) what if Twimmummy's embie has divided into idents and thats why she (fingers crossed she hasn't) got OHSS! That would be so mad after they decided on SET to avoid another set of twins!

CLP


----------



## Twinmummy

ha ha ha LMAO !!! that is so funny , ive just been reading the catch up as was getting ready to go and about 10 mins ago i just said to chris, OH MY GOD - its more common with twins , what if the little bu&gar has split !!! ha ha we must think alike !!! or are you lot just pure evil like my friends and are secretley hoping that we have another set     !


----------



## leoaimee

to be honest it did cross my mind too!    

you are called TWINmummy!


----------



## Twinmummy

ha ha ha !!!

anyway im going know so ill let you know how we'll get on !!

CLP - good luck seeing your boys XX


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin




----------



## Twinmummy

hi everyone 

went to the clinic for my scan and i have overstimulated ! not really bad but would explain the massive tummy ! They just told me to eat lots of protein and drink lots of energy drinks and peppermint drinks !

also was a bit of a palarver at first as she was looking around in there for ages, so we asked her what she was looking ! she said for the baby/fetus but cant find anything, but in the end she found it which was such a relief as they were starting to think could be eptopic pregnancy .

but i couldnt belive it could be seen this early on . Wa only about 4mm on scan but it was there !!! 

OH AND YOULL ALL BE PLEASED IT WAS ONLY ONE !!!!


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Boys are getting big!! Twin 1 - 3lbs (and head down, good boy!) and Twin 2- 3lbs 1oz! So both measuring on the 70th centile!! 

Saw registar instead of consultant and frankly not impressed!!  Kept going on about elective c-sections, so I told him what was already agreed with his boss and pointed out where it said this in my notes!!  ie- vaginal birth if Twin 1 head down! He tried to tell me my blood pressure wasn't that high, I politely (only just) informed him that I'm a nurse and was well aware what my blood pressure should be!!! He then stopped talking to me like I was five  and tried to discuss my birth plan! Anyway eventually he managed to give me the % of c-section for twins at my hospital, only 3.5% by c-section! I think he contradicted himself, what an 

Anyway he didn't seem to know much about anything so will see MW again next week to check BP and Urine! But babies ok, so thats good, cervix still very long!!

CLP


----------



## Dominique123456

Wow twinmummy! How exciting you got to see your bean so tiny!!! Did they give you a little pic? Maybe you have another bean hiding behind the first (heh heh). Glad that you're not ohss too bad  

cutelittlepumpkin - congratulations on your cute bubbas! Glad you can hold your own against these docs who act like they know everything but really...


----------



## leoaimee

twinmummy - glad all went well with teh scan and they found the LO ... soo teeny tiny!  isnt it a miracle? beautiful    
hope the drinking protein eating and pepper mint tea drinking brings down your swelling asap.

CLP - ooh im impressed with your dealings with the registrar.  wish i was a bit more in the know sometimes.  glad twin 1 has his head down.  well done!   does the second twin have to wait to get his head down, or can they both be in position at the same time?

im going back to osteopath today and also gonna book a sexing scan for before christmas!   i kind of wish we werent finding out, but seeing as gabs is so adament i am trying to get into the spirit of it.  it seems weird to want to know what sex he or she is before she is born..... but as buying stuff is a bit limited where we are, we hope to buy things in london while we are back and in january and that is our chance before may.


----------



## Damelottie

Hello all  

aimeegaby - I've seen an osteopath often in the past due to a back problem. I'm quite anxious about it with regards to the pg and birth as I can't see anyway it will be OK really  . Are you going as like a preventative thing?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


----------



## leoaimee

hay lady lottie - i have had a weird right handed back pain in my middle back since becoming pregnant.  i dont know why.  the osteopath thought poss bigger boobs, or my desk at work, or handbag and because of pregnancy i was just more sensitive.  it was very sore last night, and seems to be worse with a day at the desk.  she said its fine to treat preggie ladies after 12 weeks.  she also had her first baby last year so we had nice chats about labour.  she was very inspiring.  your osteopath should be able to treat you through your pregnancy if you need it.  i think sciatica can be a real prob in later stages.

how are you feeling?  any 1st tri symptoms?  morning sickness?


----------



## Dominique123456

Pregnancy yogo is good too. I have a friend who is a yogo teacher who has offered a space in her expecting mums classes, she says it's wonderful. I've never done yogo so I'll let you know!

p.s. I'm still a bit miffed about the protein etc advice you were given by LWC. They didn't tell me anything like that. At first they booked me in for a scan the next day, but I got worse in the evening so they just told me to go to a&e. I could have done with some advice   Twinmummy at first I thought the OHSS was just indigestion so I drank fennel tea which helped me a bit, I also took some rennie which helped!


----------



## leoaimee

dom - its terrible they didnt give you that advice isnt it?  
is yogo different from yoga?


----------



## Dominique123456

lol don't know why I wrote yogo?? I meant yoga, ha ha. Well that made me laugh!!


----------



## leoaimee

i wasnt sure cos you had written it yogo THREE times!   

i do preggie yogo! and im sure it helps a bit with the back.

ax


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Consultant said as long as Twin 1 was head down I'd be OK for vaginal birth, they hope Twin 2 will come down once Twin 1 is out, but would prefer I have an epidural in case he goes for a swim in all that extra space once his brother is out and doesn't make an appearance! So they can pull him out, turn him or assist if needed! Ouch!! 

I have two cots arriving today!!     Is starting to feel very real, very exciting   and a some what !!

Dom   naughty LWC, at least you and beanie OK now!!

Twinmummy, how goes the new eatting regime? Is so special the first time you see your LO on that screen!!    

CLP


----------



## Dominique123456

Wow - buying cots feels a lifetime away for me right now. But it must be so cute to have miniature things of everything in pairs!!


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Yes, we have been given two moses baskets and they are in our bedroom (We wanted to see how they would fit) and I keep laying in bed staring at them when I can't sleep! It is lovely and very sweet, but so surreal!! 

Feel like I'm in some sort of dream, but the babies are very good at giving me well timed kicks to remind me, it's all real!!      

CLP


----------



## Dominique123456

My friend, who has a 6 month old, told me to get lots of moses baskets if possible so that you can pick baby up and put them down whatever room you're in. I thought that was quite handy. There must be loads of tips on the 2nd and tri boards. I can't wait to feel it kick, stop this crazy paranoia!


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Then you start worrying that bubs isn't kicking enough!   I don't think the worry stops until they are safe in your arms!!  

Then you have a whole new set of worries! lol

CLP


----------



## leoaimee

we keep looking at cots!  so cute!

how do you feel about the epidural CLP?  its kind of weird to think how much its gonna hurt isnt it?


----------



## Dominique123456

la la la la







la la la

don't want to hear about anything to do with pain and birth please! Still want to live in a bubble! Use the pm feature !


----------



## leoaimee

soz honey!


----------



## Twinmummy

hey everyone !! 

totally defo for the moses baskets ! If one of us wanted a good sleep in the early days the other one would sleep downstairs with the moses baskets ! plus i used to stay at my mums with them if chris was away working ! they are gr8 and it keeps them all stuggled up and cosy !! OOh so exciting !

Anyway how are we all ? ive got to go back for another scan tomorrow so see how things are but on the whole i feel ok and eating prtein and drinknig peppermint tea etc !! 

hey CLP - wicked news re the boys at your scan. OOOOH your are so near to seeing the little fellas !! im so excited for you !! yeh these doc dont know what they are talking about sometimes !! they told me that i would DEFIANTELY not carry my twins past 33 weeks    i had gr8 pleased telling them when i was induced at 38+ 3 !!! you will do what is bet for you at the time !!


----------



## leoaimee

hay twinmummy

im feeling a bit poo today ... this morning my tummy still felt a bit weird ... but im thinking maybe its just being pregnant.

my boss is driving me nuts.  he has a bit of a substance problem and i spent an hour on the phone with him ranting and raving about how he is gonna build the company up, and what car do i want to drive, and his gonna pay me £100k a year, and blah blah blah.  and its just all nonsense. 

gabs is in a bad mood today too.  she is tired i guess.

her dad had a bit of a shout at lunch time too.  no one listens to him.

and i just want to go to bed.

i am feeling tired and emotional.

really glad youre feeling better twin mummy.    keep up the good work with the fluids and protien.

aimee


----------



## Dominique123456

Hi,

This is probably a legal question but thought you ladies might know. We have conceived using anonymous sperm from LWC, does my DW need to complete any paper work with a solicitor in order to be 'legally' a parent (in case I die) or is it enough that we are civil partnered? 

Thanks,
Dom

Hope you're all well


----------



## leoaimee

i think on top of the civil parnership you both need to do wills.
and when the bambino is born i think you apply to the court for 'parental responsibility' which i think is a bit of just a rubber stamping exercise as you are married but i think adds additional weight.

did you have a good weekend?

its sooo cold here.  im FREEZING.  and hungry.  egg sandwhich may be calling!


----------



## Dominique123456

Hi,

Great weekend thanks - bought my first mat clothes and did lots of xmas shopping. I'm freezing too, just had to dig out an old heater to stop my fingers from falling off. 

Dom
x


----------



## leoaimee

thats fun!  first maternity clothes.  i have just gone up a size in my tops so far.  although mil bought me a proper maternity cardigan with a gap for the bump.  i have also bought my first non wired bras.

ax


----------



## Dominique123456

That's sweet of your MIL. My boobs have hardly grown at all, DW says they feel 'fake' though lol (how does she know!??)


----------



## leoaimee

yes it was sweet of her.  bless her!
 at the fake boobs! 
how is the ovary?  gone done much?


----------



## Dominique123456

I can't tell - I can still feel it though when I lie down. I'm really hoping that they'll tell me it has gone down at my 12 week scan tomorrow. I'm getting a small baby bump now, but part of thinks maybe it's just the cysts getting bigger - so hoping scan tomorrow will make me feel better!


----------



## leoaimee

yes im sure the scan will be lovely.
im having a worrying day today too.
ax


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Dom- Enjoy your scan tomorrow!! Hope that naughty cyst has gone down!

Aimee- DP thinks I should have the Epidural in case of emergency, but I'm not to sure as I don't want to spend the entire birth flat on my back!!   Dom, I skimmed past the gory details hun!  

CLP


----------



## emnjo

Hey guys

I think I am the only one actually TTC on this thread!! HA ha!

Good luck for your scan tomorrow DOm - how exciting for you!! I am not sure what fake boobs would feel like either! lol

Aimeegaby - stop your worrying!! All will be ok x

Cutelittlepumpkin - are you having a c-section? I see you have had failed IUI's aswell - it has given me hope that IVF may work for us aswell!

I had my last IUI on friday - so another 2WW for us. If this IUI doesn't work we are going to start IVF in either feb or march. I have an IVF consulatation in Feb and then fingers crossed we can start ASAP.  Just hope that works or I think I will be in emotional trouble if you understand me!!

Hope your all ready for xmas! Exciting hay. I really wanted to be pregnant for this Christmas, and I thought I would be, so I am a little upset about that - just trying to stay positive and enjoy life in the meantime xx


----------



## Dominique123456

Aw... good luck to you emjo!! How many days do you have left before you can do a test? Are you feeling calmer this time round than last time? I reallly really really want it to work for you - it would make a wonderful xmas present


----------



## emnjo

Dominique123456 said:


> Aw... good luck to you emjo!! How many days do you have left before you can do a test? Are you feeling calmer this time round than last time? I reallly really really want it to work for you - it would make a wonderful xmas present


Thank you lovely. There are lots people around us who want this baby aswell! 
I am much calmer now, I think because I am just ready to start IVF now. I am the same age as you so fingers crossed!!!

How are you doing? I can't believe you are 12 weeks already!! x


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

Hi Emnjo,

I am trying really hard to avoid a c-section, I had a appendectomy two years ago and had a horrid wound infection so really don't want more surgery, my consultant has said he will support a vaginal delivery as long as Twin 1 stays head down! 

I actually had my first BFP from my 5th IUI so fingers crossed it will work for you! I had actually made plans, to start a midwifery course in Sept as I was convinced this ISCI wouldn't work, we were going to start TTC with DP instead! I had a place on the course and everything, strange how things work out!!  

When is OTD??    

CLP


----------



## leoaimee

emnjo - i really really hope this one is gonna work too!!     i hope you dont mind that everyone chats on the ttc thread.  it just seemed silly to decamp over to another thread when we wouldnt be able to hear yours and strawbs news or lou if and when she comes back.

cuttie - i have my fingers crossed for your vaginal birth.  i have heard such mixed reviews on epidurals .... but does it make a diff for twins?  is labour any more painful?  i cant imagine so, except you have to deliver two babies, but i heard the actually delivery isnt as bad as the contractions building up to it, cos you are so 'in the zone' and almost at the end, and your endorphines are going mental.  

do you know i wish i could see a woman in labour before i do mine.  i wish i had been with either of my sisters ... especially my step sis who had her home birth, even her first birth which was in a hospital she made sound relatively easy.  

maybe i need to try and become someones birth partner before may!!    

i think i have felt fake boobs before .... vague recollection that i have.  but not on a girlfriend.  so must have been a friend ...


----------



## Dominique123456

Aimmee - do you have sky tv? We have the baby channel and they often show women giving birth - I;m sure you'd could see it on you tube. I;m in two minds, if the labour went smoothly then it would give me more confidence but if it went badly then it might give me more fears than confidence if you know what I mean. I still have my head in the sand about the whole giving birth bit of this process lol!


----------



## leoaimee

we just get free view dom ... so only the freebie channels.  

im not so sure its the watching what happens, but kind of being there for the vibe and the atmosphere .... if you know what i mean.  cos we arent gonna see what happens at the action end.  if you know what i mean.

might have a wee look at you tube tho'


----------



## mintyfaglady

Heh - that's what I've been doing today. At the moment it feels a bit like desensitisation - you know when they expose arachnaphobics to spiders and they get a little less scared each time they see one? It seems to be working though. I'm still scared, but I know I can do it. Let's face it, it's not something I can get out of now, or even put off to another time - it'll happen when it happens and that's that!

Was reading something today too about "orgasmic birth" (though probably should be called esctatic or euphoric birth). Article is here:http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/orgasms-during-childbirth/ with a link to the programme - trailer is worth a watch. Also there is a discussion thread about it at this excellent site: http://www.feministing.com/archives/012710.html

I've not posted for a while, though still reading regularly. Can't believe I'm almost 28 weeks already! I still have moments where I forget I'm actually pregnant AT ALL!

Minty xxx

 This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.uk 
or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites


----------



## leoaimee

me too minty!!  its so easy to let it slip your mind isnt it!!

very interesting article on orgasms during birth ... kind of believable really isnt it.

axxxx


----------



## candygirl

Hello everyone!

Can I resurrect this thread, as we've just started on the road to hopefully having number 2.  I started stimming yesterday, and the plan is to have a medicated IUI cycle, with the proviso that if I get too many follicles I'll have to convert to IVF.  

It feels weird to be starting all over again, but I am quite excited about it now I can see the end of this cycle in sight.  I didn't seem to be as moody with the down-regging this time, although dp would probably think differently!


candy x


----------



## Dominique123456

Aw candy that's lovely  your 11 month old is totally gorgeous no wonder you want another! Good luck with your stimming x


----------



## leoaimee

hay candy - 

good luck with the cycle!     

glad the DRing hasnt gone too badly.  and really hoping the stimming goes really well too!  

Dom your pic is really cute!!  congrats on your bumplette!  im gonna try and change my profile pic to my one and only bump pic my FIL took.  it has a good inch of visible pant   not a great look     but seeing as our camera is kaput i dont have many options!!


----------



## starrysky

Hi everyone



Well, we are off on the rollercoaster again as my DP is about to start treatment. After ages of planning for IUIS we have decided to go straight for IVF as she has endometriosis.  I cant believe that this is finally becoming real as it has been in our minds for so long but always in the future. Apppointment for scan, blood tests, and weigh-in   in about three weeks. I am v. excited (I think!). 

Good luck to the ttc ers and the people with bumps on this thread!

Skylight


----------



## starrysky

Should have said its Crazycat doing the IVF this time!

Starrysky


----------



## Dominique123456

Aw... congratulations on starting the journey again  Best of luck!


----------



## leoaimee

great news!  loads of luck with starting tx!


----------



## cutelittlepumpkin

!!!

CLP


----------



## starrysky

Thanks for your good luck wishes!!

I am still in a state of disbelief, its something we have spoke about since before Adam was born but it never seemed real. 

Oh well it will be soon enough when the Gonal F pens and the needles arrive. Going to be very odd not doiing it this time. I was having tx for about four years in total with a few delays on the way. i find myself thinking maybe we'll be really lucky and it will just work. But I should know treatment better than that! If only fortune favoured the brave.....we'd all be pregnant!

Good luck everyone.

Starrysky


----------



## Pinktink

Hello everyone...

Haven't posted for a while... hope everyone is doing well  

We are getting very excited as we are going to the LWC information day next saturday about egg sharing and it feels like the first step... after deciding to have a baby I guess!!  

Can't wait to see my beautiful lady pregnant with our baby 

love to all

Lynn xx


----------



## leoaimee

hay lynn - all very exciting!! lots of   and   for you both!! 

axxx


----------



## Dominique123456

pinktink - ooh very exciting! Well, if you have any questions about egg share feel free to ask them on here too, I did and I'm sure lots of others have done it too! My tip would be to start getting all your blood tests underway with your GP as you can't start until they are done. LWC will tell you which ones you need


----------



## candygirl

I had full IVF in the end, as had too many follicles for IUI.  After lots of ups and downs I had 2 embryos put back this morning, so fingers crossed...

Candy x


----------



## Damelottie

Good luck Candy


----------



## jo36

Haven't been on FF for quite some time now but have been enjoying catching up on all the messages posted.

Went back to our clinic at the beginning of the month to talk about trying for baby #2. I went in very level headed and it felt so different this time as opposed to the first where we would have jumped through hoops to get pregnant! Told our consultant quite matter of factly that I would only consider IUI, even though I am almost 37. He said that because I've already had a successful pregnancy with the donor sperm the chances were quite high that it would work again. He wanted me to go through another HSG but because I was left so traumatised after the first one, I declined saying I would rather leave it to fate! He was quite happy with this decision. So I'm just having some bloods taken, already had FHS, just progesterone to go in a few days, then I will go back in to get results. Hopefully all will come back good and we can proceed with IUI's. Did get a bit of a shock as I found out our frozen sperm has to be used by Nov this year before it gets destroyed!! So glad I eventually got my skates on! Thinking we don't have much time to use our sperm before Nov as we have our CP in April then we're off to Australia for all of May. Now I'm in a dilemma about whether to try before our big day and honeymoon or wait til we get back. We have 5 vials of sperm so probably will get 3 attempts only! Oh, more decisions. Still trying to remain level headed until I know we're good to try again, depending on my hormone levels.

It's so great to hear such lovely stories about progressing pregnancies - wish you ladies all the best until your EDD.

And of course all of you who are waiting on your 2WW, and those who are waiting to start altogether.

Jo x


----------



## leoaimee

for you candy.

Jo - yes i can imagine it must feel very different for no 2.  thank goodness you found about your spermies sell by date.  tricky about the decision on the CP and Oz trip ... but two months arent too many to miss are they?  you would still have 9 more this year?

axxx


----------



## jo36

Aimee - second time around certainly does feel very different as I will do nothing to jeopadise my little family. We're not prepared to break the bank in order to have another child as we feel so very lucky as things are, but we'd like to give it all we can afford. I don't want Milly to witness me in floods of tears after failed attempts but I want to her to know we have tried with all our might to give her a sibling. I'm not allowing myself to get too broody (she says!!) and trying to stay a little more detached this time. But I know if we're lucky enough to start IUI's again then my emotions will take over and I will be a wreck, just as I was before!! I'm delaying the inevitable rollercoaster!

My issues about the number of months we have left to use up our sperm before its 'best before date' is do we try before our CP and trip to Oz, knowing I could potentially be pregnant whilst going on a long haul flight to a hot country where I could get bad morning sickness??! Plus the dreaded jet lag. Don't relish that. Or do we wait til we get back, reducing the months of tx. Last time we missed quite a few consecutive months as I didn't ovulate, or didn't appear to. Advice? Please!!

Hope you are all enjoying the bucket loads of snow!! We' were out at 6.50 this morning taking Milly toboganning!!! And again this PM   

Jo x


----------



## Dominique123456

Hi Jo 

My personal opinion is to avoid long haul flights in first trimester as they say it can cause genetic issues with the baby. But I also know how hard it must be to let time slip by when you know there is a deadline! If the worst came to worst and you couldn't get the same donor, would it really be the end of the road? Maybe you would find the whole process easier if you didn't feel this big ticking clock whilst you were trying? There are some benefits to your kids having different donors, they would each have a unique link to that person and if one wanted to find the donor but the other didn't, it wouldn't matter. Plus ultimately the bonds are all about your precious family not dna links. Feel free to ignore of course - just my not-very-well thought out devils' advocate!

xxx


----------



## rosypie

it's a tricky one Jo. i'm not sure what i'd do in that situation - you're talking about potentially having to throw away your sperm. and, I'm guessing from the dates in your sig that he's not id release so if you did continue with another donor you have the possibility of one child having a traceable donor and the other not.

is there no way the clinic can obtain fresh donation from the original donor? i know of one occasion where a clinic went back to a donor who had since given up donating. that was a non id release donor after the law change too... i'd want to establish there was no chance at all before i made any decision about what to do.

then i guess it will all depend on what's important to you. if you're dead set on a 100% sibling or nothing at all then i'd use what you've got as soon as possible and deal with what happens when it happens. that's always been my philosophy throughout. as far as we saw it, there's never a perfect time to get pregnant (although i appreciate yours is a little less perfect than others  ) so we just got on with it both times and dealt with whatever came our way knowing that at least we weren't wasting any time in getting to where we ultimately wanted to be.


----------



## jo36

Thanks Dom and Rosypie for your well thought out replies. Using the same donor is important to us because as Rosypie sussed out, our daughters donor is a non ID release sperm donor and we both feel quite strongly about our DD and her potential sibling having the same rights. The clinic did suggest I contact the HFEA and ask if he is still donating, or is willing to, if he hears of our plight. We have always said we would only use the frozen sperm we have stored so we have some sort of control on how long TTC would last, and not for it to spiral out of control and take over our lives. We would love another child as it would really complete our little family, but it is by no means the most important thing in our lives. Our daughter is that. And we both feel we have to give ourselves a deadline so as not to put so much more pressure on ourselves emotionally and financially. Saying that (!!), if at the end of tx we have no BFP we MIGHT consider seeking the donor out. I won't know for definite, I suppose, until that point comes which I'm hoping it won't. But the price of sperm these days has rocketed since we stored ours back in 2004! We only paid 50 quid a vial!

When I return to the clinic for my test resuts I will ask them what the risks are for long haul flights in the first trimester. We will then have to seriously consider the options. I'm a big believer of fate and that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes I don't always know what that reason is immediately, but it soon makes itself known!

Good luck to all the ladies who are TTC this month.


----------



## leoaimee

hi Jo

i guess once you have assesed the risk of flying in the first tri then you can work out when you want to start using up your exisiting sperm.  

really i guess you would be really lucky to have Msickness anywhere .... (says the pregnant woman who didnt get it!) wouldnt the feeling so lucky to be pregnant over shadow any inconvience?

i would just go for it this year ... and then see where that gets you.

it sounds like youre in a great place emotionally, not 'desperate' and so just see what happens.  if you dont have a bfp by the end of the sperm then think again, but its not necessary to decide now.  

take each month as it comes.

(i am rubbish at taking this kind of advice as i tend to try and plan stuff!!)

love ax


----------



## candygirl

An update - I tested a day early (on Valentine's Day) and it was a BFP!  So I'm very excited, but anxious about the next 8 weeks as very aware that it could all still go wrong.

Jo - what a difficult decision you've got.  Just to add - we insisted on only using 1 vial each time, and both times with this donor that has resulted in a BFP.  The clinic weren't happy and wanted to use 2 for the IUI, but we insisted and it worked out ok in the end.  

Candy x


----------



## leoaimee

congratulations CANDY GIRL AND DP


----------



## magsandemma

Candygirl  -  What wonderful news, congrats to you, must be so excited!!

TAke it easy

MAggie
x


----------



## rosypie

jo36 said:


> And we both feel we have to give ourselves a deadline so as not to put so much more pressure on ourselves emotionally and financially. Saying that (!!), if at the end of tx we have no BFP we MIGHT consider seeking the donor out.


if he _would_ be willing to donate again then you could agree with yourself that you'd only replace the sperm that's about to expire. that way you could still have your end point but you'd be able to make your decision about whether to rush to beat the expiry date or wait, have your holiday, and start with no pressure.


----------



## mintyfaglady

Candy! Congratulations love! Bet you're both thrilled. Hope you can get through these early weeks without stressing too much - it's a worrying time, for sure. What a lovely Valentine's day present!

Minty
xxx


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

Candy congratulations on your BFP


----------



## rosypie

candygirl said:


> An update - I tested a day early (on Valentine's Day) and it was a BFP!


totally missed this on first read. yay! congratulations. fingers crossed for an uneventful 8 weeks for you. take it easy and put your feet up


----------



## nismat

candygirl said:


> An update - I tested a day early (on Valentine's Day) and it was a BFP! So I'm very excited, but anxious about the next 8 weeks as very aware that it could all still go wrong.


I missed this too - congratulations! Hope that the rest of the first trimester goes as smoothly as possible for you x


----------



## jo36

Congratulations Candy!! You must be absolutely thrilled! What great news.    

Got my results back today from my blood tests. My FSH is rising and is 9.1, which sounds quite high but was told by the nurse at the fertility cliinc that it was what they would expect from someone my age (37 next month) and that IUI is still OK to do as I'm definitely not menopausal. Does anyone know whether this sounds right? I had expected my FSH to be around the 7 mark. 9.1 sounds quite high. My progesterone shocked me too as it was 48, last time I was tested it was at 16 (5 yrs ago!) so I was put on clomid. I had expected the same to happen but the clinic have told me we can start treatment straight away on a natural cycle. Good news not to be on clomid as i did have side effects but I was sure that was what got me pregnant the first time around so was happy to go back on it this time. Asked about longhaul flights and she said it was fine just more tiring, so we've decided to go for it! All action next week when I ovulate! My god, I can't believe how quickly its gone this time round. One minute in the consultation room, the next waiting for insemination. I think I'm in shock!!!! I've got butterflies...   

Rosypie - thanks for your good advice. We're going to see how the first few treatments go before we think about enquiring about old donors new sperm, if you get me.

Candy - asked today about how many vials they use now as I know they used to prefer to do 2, over 2 days. But she said one vial is usually what they do now, so hopefully that wil give us 5 complete possible goes, if they all thaw out well.

Aimee - you're right. Morning sickness is a good thing (!) and if we're lucky enough to be pregnant by the time we go away then I will embrace the sickness


----------



## rosypie

my FSH was 6.9 when it was very very first tested, then a month later it was 9.1. they said it can vary. anyway, i went ahead with IUI (natural) and conceived second time.

second time ttc'ing it was high again. can't remember the exact figure but it precluded me from their egg sharing program when we moved to IVF, pretty sure it was more than 9. anyway, before we moved to IVF (which by the way we only did through impatience) they said IUI was fine and we did 2 clomid cycles. they didn't work obviously but it was only the 2. hopefully you'll have better luck/patience   

i don't know what my progesterone levels were

ETA: I think my FSH was 11 initially when I was ttc'ing for the second time. I hadn't long stopped breastfeeding. Does that affect it? It was lower again when i was tested later


----------



## leoaimee

jo -

soz i cant help with FSH levels or progesterone levels ... i never really found out much about that.

anyway really glad you guys are going for it!!  

good luck for this month!!

ax


----------



## PootleFlump

Hi Jo,

I'd check again with your clinic what their 'normal' range for FSH is, as I think there can be slight variances in how the range is set.  9.1 sounds OK though - I have a vague recollection of 10 being the top end of the normal range, but wouldn't swear to that. 

My clinic were very concerned when my level had got to 13.1 (at age 37) but eventually (and possibly with a good deal of luck) our son was conceived through DIUI.  I had conceived our first child very easily (2nd attempt IUI) at age 32 when my FSH was around 5, and in the few years before we started again my fertility crashed.  The raised FSH was discovered after 3 failed IUI's.  The clinic recommended we moved to IVF, but in our two IVF cycles I didn't respond to the stim medications to produce enough follicles for IVF - due to the FSH.  We eventually reverted to IUI for a final treatment cycle, and DS appeared.  To be a little more succinct, I was able to conceive with a much higher FSH than you have, although it perhaps wasn't straightforward.

There's quite a lot of contradictory information out there about raised FSH, and I think my starting point would be to go back to your clinic to discuss further if you really are concerned.

Nicky


----------



## PootleFlump

Jo - me again.

Just reread my last post .... not sure it reads as reassuring, which is what it was meant to be  .  Was wanting to say your level sounds fine and it doesn't sound like you should be too worried.  

Nicky


----------



## pem

Jo - my FSH was measured at 9.7 a few months before we started DIY insemination (I was 32)..i had no problems falling pregnant with these levels with fresh sperm/home insems, I never had any luck with DIUI over many times trying but now believe this was more down to the clinics timing and knowledge. 

I have just had my FSH/LH tested again as we are going for IVF in May, I think they like it to be below 12? We are only skipping DIUI as i cannot have clomid or anything similar because of the risk of twins..

I am rambling now ...anyway what I am trying to say is I don't think you have anything to be concerned about...

Just got this off the web...you are fine!! I am worried now!!!


Day 3 FSH level Interpretation for DPC Immulite assay - 2007 
Less than 10 Reassuring level. Expect a good response to ovarian stimulation. 

10 - 12 Fair.  Response is between completely normal and somewhat reduced (response varies widely). Overall, a somewhat reduced live birth rate. 

12- 15 Reduced ovarian reserve. Usually show a reduced response to stimulation and some reduction in egg and embryo quality with IVF. Reduced live birth rates on the average. 

15 - 20 Generally show a more marked reduction in response to stimulation and usually a further reduction in egg and embryo quality with IVF. Low live birth rates. Antral follicle count a very important consideration. 

Over 20 Perhaps a "No go" level in our center. Very poor (or no)  response to stimulation. "No go" levels must be individualized for the particular lab assay and IVF center. Antral follicle count a very important consideration. 


Emma x


----------



## jo36

*PootleFlump* - I also fell pregnant on our second attempt (IUI) on our first TTC round. I was of a similar age too (31)! Reassuring to hear your treatment worked, eventually, on your second round too. Amazing that it worked on your final attempt. How did you feel about knowing it was your last attempt? Did you have any other options up your sleeve? Nice to know 9.1 isn't too over the hill to have a possible BFP!

*Pem* - Thanks for looking up thoses FSH levels. Sometimes I wish though we could go into all this TTC completely in the unknown. Would be less stressful, I'm sure. I'm always analysing everything. Good luck when you find out what your levels are. And good luck too with your IVF treatment in MAy.

*Rosypie* - Nurse did tell me that the results can change quite dramatically , I wonder why this is!? And I'm not sure whether breastfeeding affects the FSH results, quite possibly, its all hormonal.


----------



## PootleFlump

To be honest, we had got to the point where we were relieved it was to be our last attempt and we could get off the ttc rollercoaster.  The 12 months running up to it had been really tough, and we just needed it to end.  So we had made a decision that we would stop treatment at the point of using our last vial of sibling sperm - so we didn't have any other options.  We had considered adoption, but think we felt so battered by some of the ttc stuff that we had made the decision to enjoy what we had.

Our last treatment felt more like 'closure' of that chapter in our lives than actually trying for another child, so we were absolutely shocked when it was a BFP - in many ways we had moved on and expected to be a family of 3 (which we were seeing lots of positives in).  Took us a long time to accept it was real, and that the pregnancy would be OK, and then, because of the raised FSH, we worried about the potential for health problems with the baby (for all of the pregnancy I think).  But he's safely here now, and we are enjoying our new family of 4!!  

9.1 sounds like you're a way off being over the hill!!  Good luck with treatment this time around.


----------



## nismat

Hi all, we should be starting TTC again v soon! Went to the clinic today to get things moving, and were told that I could start down-regging this cycle, i.e. in 20 days time! 
However, timing might not be great, as it would mean EC/ET v close to April 6th  - might well have to down-reg longer in order to ensure it was after April 6th, for the legal changes, and then of course we're into Easter week which could make matters tricky with the Bank Holidays (don't know what the clinic does about BHs). Plus I was thinking I'd ask my mother to come and stay post-transfer to help with Toby so that I could at least try and rest, and she'll be in Oz visiting my sister in April. Also...... if it did work, I think that it would mean that the baby would be due around Christmas/New Year - which I really would like to avoid if at all possible, and obviously we do have some degree of choice in this (although one can never legislate against early arrivals of course!). So all in all, I think it would be better to wait just one more month - did anyone else hear me talking myself into it just then??!   Now I just need to persuade Karen of my logic


----------



## leoaimee

oh nismat!    arent we funny bannanas!  

seems like some good reasons to wait a month though chick.  especially the law change post april 6th ... closing for b holidays will just be stress you dont need.

hope karen is persuaded ... or youre persuaded it doesnt matter.


----------



## SANFRAN06

Hi Jo
My FSH level was 13 and i was very nervous!!
I infact overstimulated with chlomid and had to stop first cycle as had too many eggs and the 2nd cylce of DIUI I had loads again on half dose chlomid and nearly had egg reduction. Fell first time with our gorgeous boys on IVF.
As you can see numbers are important but it did not ring true for me and my level was really high.
Yours sounds great.
Good luck on this emotional journey,
beleive me it IS so worth it!!!!!
kerry


----------



## leoaimee

SAN FRAN - how are your twinnies?


----------



## Misspie

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh twins, I'm not sure if that would be my worst nightmare or not!!!  

You would feel so blessed for being allowed 2!

I'll get back to you on my thoughts on that   

Especially as DW would like to carry a sibling child in 2-3yrs after the 1st!!!

Be lovely to see some pics SanFran!

reading up on all the IVF and hormone levels etc is really intersting, i'm looking at having non medicated IUI, though the more I read the more you all reccommend just going for medicated!

L
xx


----------



## lesbo_mum

Misspie thats what they've all said to me about going medicated .Aimee did Natural didnt you though hun but i think we are gonna go for medicated... although im a little worried how the drugs might make me feel!

Hi to everyone else!! thought i'd invade this thread too


----------



## Misspie

Not sure if the Denmark clinic does medicated................................if they do they would need to be ministered from the UK. Well will wait to see how Friday at the GP goes!

x


----------



## leoaimee

yes thats right i was un medicated.

i did see a study which looked at couples with 'unexplained fertility issues' , group one was given clomid, group two was given iui, and group three was told to keep trying BMS 

and there was v similar results between all three groups.
i think the IUI was slightly higher to the clomid or the nothing group.  probably because better pin pointing of ovulation.

i guess i was just v lucky to get preg so quickly but i wanted to do less meds as poss cos im not really into that kind of thing.

did have acu and hypno therapy cds ... but that;s just more my bag!


----------



## Misspie

Ohhh Aimee what's he hypno cd's....?

I'm willing to try anything that doesn't require medication!!!

I have got a contact for someone in oxfordshire for acu, though not called yet! 

Can anyone else recommend anyone local to oxfordshire/berkshire or hampshire etc for acu?

x


----------



## jo36

Aimee - didn't realise you got your BFP on a natural cycle. I've been feeling a bit concerned about going for a natural cycle as I was convinced the clomid got me my BFP last time. I need to have faith in my body!! I was dead against having a medicated cycle when we started in 2004 until the clinic imformed me I probably wouldn't sustain a pregnancy due to my low progesterone level, so I soon changed my mind and was happy to take clomid. Now its the other way round.

Sanfran - sounds as if you really never needed to take clomid if you overstimulated so much. Were you advised to by your clinic?? Congrats re. your twins! How old are they?

Nismat - like you I've been thinking about the new law change in April and wondered whether to hold off tx. But due to the clinic planning on destroying our saved sperm in Nov we felt we just really needed to get on with it and stop wasting time. We've done plenty of that with just coming to the decision to TTC with #2. Our DD is already 4 and a half, so quite a time lapse!

Pootle flump - Thank you for your story. I'm so glad you got the closure you were looking for!!! A family of 3 is great, you're right. Sometimes its hard to imagine anything other... Enjoy your family of 4!

x


----------



## leoaimee

http://www.natalhypnotherapy.co.uk/

these are the CD's i used... I didnt use them for cycle one and two but in the couple of months run up to the third sucseful one.

im using the CD's for pregnancy relaxation and also for birth prep. we also attended the birth prep 2 day course and i would recommend all of them.

and i would say they DEFINATELY gave me confidence in my body!!

i remember having a moment of clarity before my third insem where i chose not to have 'extra acu' or when talking to the consultant regarding progesterone to help the preg to stick just thought no, its ok i really trust that my body can do this!

it was great.

and also i didnt go into that insem 'thinking' about it too much. i guess partly because it was the third one and it was a bit more old hat at that stage but i think the relaxation and guided imagery from the cd's really helped.

in yoga we are taught that all thoughts have power and vibrations and helping our minds to be more intune with the positive flow of life is very healing! but am i being a bit hippy here?  

/links


----------



## rosypie

nismat - we had friends to stay the weekend we had our ET on the friday. we clued them in and they were fantastic. i think i pretty much got 2 full days proper resting on a sofa, doing nothing. if you do have someone who can come and help with toby that's a great idea. i didn't take it particularly easy the rest of my 2ww what with jude toddling around but maybe those initial couple of days contributed to my bfp. who knows...


----------



## SANFRAN06

Aimeegaby,
Our boys are lovely, we would love to put some pics on but dont know how to, please let us know and we will proudly show them off!!
not long now for you, good luck with it all. I bet you cant wait to meet your baby, I remember it so, so well!
p.s enjoy your last few weeks and read as many books as you can because you may never have the chance to again!!! xx


----------



## jo36

Rant time...Grrrrr!   All week I've been doing my OPK's, the last two days morning *and* evening to detect my wretched surge, and nothing, zilch, completely negative! I was hoping to be basted today then when I didn't surge yesterday I was still clinging on to the hope of this morning. But again nothing. No point in carrying on with this peeing on sticks lark this week as the clinic isn't going to open on Sundays is it!? I invested in Clearblue Digital so I wouldn't be mistaken on the two blue lines, so I can only assume its me. I've had lots of other fertile symptoms though so even on Wed I was thinking about following my own bodies fertile symptoms but I don't know if I'm confident enough to risk not using OPK's. The same thing happened 2 months ago when I was waiting for my surge, when I was getting my bloods done. Even though I've been assured I ovulate every month with my one ovary, I'm now wondering if that is the case. Would it be possible my body does take a month off every other cycle?? I'll have to call the clinic this morning and tell them its all off this month and whether this could be the case.

Sorry rant over! 

Have a good day girls... Xx


----------



## TwoBumps

Hi Jo,
I think you should carry on with the OPK's over the weekend, if you can bear it. On a natural cycle I usually ovulate around day 12 but one month it was day 17! You never know & at least it will stop you wondering? It probably happens more than we realise but its only when we're monitoring it that we notice. Fingers crossed for you hun x


----------



## leoaimee

*jo *def carry on using them just to see what happens.

i had a month where i flew to england for insem and surged the day after i got back to spain! it was a late surge that month.

also PLEASE remember that there were occasions where the OPK *didnt* show a surge but i *DID* ovulate i know that because one of them was my BFP one and also another month where i had a BFN. I had a scan at the clinic and they both showed i did ovulate those months.

TRUST your body!! if you felt the fertile symptoms it might be that the test has failed. or you still might detect a surge.


----------



## Misspie

Dont you just hate the OPK tests, and I've only been doing them this month!! For god knows how many days from about the 8th until 20th and still showed a negative.

Went for blood tests on the 20th for progsterone and got results today, which showed were low and I hadn't ovulated. Though doc took them again this morning as she advise that becuase I had no period today (32nd day of cycle) I may have ovulated this week, but even if I did so, owulnd't be good due to being so late in cycle etc etc

So now need to wait for the reults again!!!

Might be worth keep trying over the weekend Jo and see what comes up! Its an expensive ride though! use chemist direct the packs are £7 cheaper than highstreet supermarket or chemist!

L
xx


----------



## lesbo_mum

has anyone read this on yahoo about a lesbian couple getting IVF on the NHS....

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090227/tuk-victory-for-lesbians-in-baby-battle-6323e80.html

/links


----------



## rosypie

> The women, of Maryhill, Glasgow, claimed the decision amounted to discrimination and *are suing the board for a large cash sum*, according to reports.


we're talking about the nhs... the board reversing their decision wasn't enough ?


----------



## Twinmummy

hi jo 

in september when i was doing a natural IUI cycle i was using those ovulation tests - after i got to about day 15 (when they said i should ov) i still didnt have a positive so i went for a scan at the clinic and they said to me ooh you ovulated yesterday ! luckily it was the right time to have the IUI there and then but it was so confusing as i was doing the ov tests just as it said on the box ! obviously just didnt detect it ! 

hope it all works out for you ! 

Sanfran ! would love to see your twin boys ! i love twin boys ! i have a set of my own ! they have just turned 2 and such good fun ! We love them to bits and if money and washing wernt an option id have another set !!  oh and a nanny to do the night shifts ha ha ha !! mine are like chalk and cheese, one blond one dark, i have some photos of them on my profile under photobucket link

are yours different ! 

hi everyone else ! hope you all have a lovely weekend XXX


----------



## leoaimee

san fran - i meant to say do you use ******** or have a gmail account?

if you have either of them and any pix of your boys on there.

right click on the photo go to properties
then copy and paste 'location' code into FF
you click in FF on the pic icon underneath the U
that should make it come out the right size ish.

hope you can do it!!! yay!

twinmummy .... same as me with the OPK! very easy to get stressed about them hey!
how is your bump coming? 
you gonna find out flavour?


----------



## jo36

Thanks for the replies ladies. You're right in saying I should carry on doing the OPK's, it's just normally I surge on cd 10 or 11, and its already cd 12 but that doesn't sound too far off the mark now that I've typed that down!!  I suppose I'm upset by it being the weekend now and not getting my IUI. Did another OPK this pm and still neg but since then my left ovary feels like its about to burst so perhaps it is imminent! But my other fertile signs are diminishing...no fertile mucus at all now, sorry way tmi!!   I can't believe how quickly I've managed to jump on the emotional rollercoaster when I so thought I wasn't going to this time!! Yeah right! It all so confuses me so!

XX


----------



## magsandemma

LOttie - Very sorry to hear your news hun after all you girls have been thro, take iteasy and look after yourselves!!

Aimee - Just trying out your photo advice

Pem - wow what fantastic wedding pics

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2075/24/45/636420686/n636420686_1428884

Here goes

Maggie

/links


----------



## magsandemma

Sorry posted that in worng place and it didnt work??

Any advice aimee??


----------



## leoaimee

i think there is a bit of code missing on the end ....


----------



## leoaimee




----------



## leoaimee

hope you dont mind me doing that?  you split the parts of the code over two threads!

she is a cutiepie!!


----------



## emnjo

aimeegaby said:


>


My god how cute is she!!!!! Gorgeous and I love the hair!!


----------



## jo36

Image131


----------



## jo36

Gonna have to get back to this nonsense some other time as I need to take DD to ballet!!! Any advice greatly appreciated, I'm a total novice!!!!!


----------



## Misspie

Sorry Jo, have no idea - hopefully someone else can help you out here!!!

:O)


----------



## Misspie

Am curious to see this pic now though!!

xxx


----------



## rosypie

have pm'd you jo x


----------



## jo36




----------



## jo36

Ha did it!!!!!!!!!!! Only took me two days!!!!    Dom, you asked to see a few pages of Millys book, I've been trying to show you! I will now try the other 2 pages. Thanks Rosypie! Your a star.


----------



## jo36




----------



## jo36




----------



## jo36

Sorry the print is so small guys, I reduced the original size yesterday as I was thinking maybe that was why I couldn't upload the photos. No just me being ditzy! Can't seem to make them bigger now though. Ah well, hope you get the jist of the book anyhow...


----------



## leoaimee

Jo its great!!  hoorah!  well done on getting them up!  really sweet and no wonder milly loves it so much!


----------



## Dominique123456

Thanks for signposting aimee. Lol I had no idea what you were trying o post Jo!!!

Jo - it's so wonderful!!!! I want one!!! I love how you have changed the colours and the story is so cute. OMG i'm so excited to make my own!

Well done Jo - I know Milly is going to just adore it when she's grown up even. It's so special 

xxxx


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

jo it is fantastic thanks for sharing with us, you have given me inspiration as my baby ( one day) will have one mummy but 2 daddies again the conventional books don't cover that scenarios either!

L x


----------



## jo36

Thanks guys, so glad you like it! And it was really good fun to do aswell. I thought it would be a bit of a chore but once I started I couldn't stop. Hope its given you inspiration to get your thinking caps on. Lol. Have fun...x


----------



## rosypie

well done jo!


----------



## lesbo_mum

Jo im loving your book im so steeling your idea


----------



## rosypie

someone asked on another thread about nhs funding for fertility treatment (think it was you, lesbo_mum). anyway, not sure how up-to-date this _funding map_ is (I'm pretty sure it's wrong for north lincs where we are) but it might be a useful starting point for any looking to see if they can get funding


----------



## lesbo_mum

yeah Rosypie it was me i commented on the fact one of the other had got funding as i had heard LGBT cant get any nhs funding... i'll have a read on your link cheers


----------



## cazinge

In Wales, atm they have different funding requirements for IUI/IVF but this might change as the central Health Board (which covers the whole fo Wales) is being replaced by PCT-equivelents
 Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI)

IUI treatment is purchased by individual Local Health Boards who implement the eligibility criteria.

Routine Requirements:-

There is an upper age limit for the female partner of 38 years 
Stable relationship of more than 3 years 
No natural children to the current relationship 
Neither partner should have undergone sterilisation 
Patients should not have undergone previous courses of the same treatment for assisted reproduction

There is an approximate wait of 8-12 months for IUI treatment

This doesn't appear to exclude lesbians/single women, but doesn't say anything about them either!! Although my (sinlge) friend was accepted for NHS IUI treatment so you never know

Then for IVF treatment:
 •	The cycle of treatment should start before the female patient's 40th birthday.

•	The upper age limit of the female patient, at time of referral to the tertiary service, should be no more than 38 years 6 months.

•	Three or more IVF cycles by the female patient will exclude any further NHS IVF treatment.

•	Any previous completed cycles of NHS IVF treatment by the female patient will exclude further NHS IVF treatment.

•	Sub fertility must be demonstrated before there can be access to NHS funded IVF treatment. Sub fertility for heterosexual couples is defined as inability to conceive after 2 years unprotected intercourse or fertility problem demonstrated at investigation Subfertility for same sex couples/single women is defined as no live birth following insemination at or just prior to the known time of ovulation on at least ten non-stimulated cycles or fertility problem demonstrated at investigation.

•	For couples - there are no children (biological or adopted) living with the couple and one of the partners has never had a biological or adopted child. For single women - that the woman has never had a biological or adopted child.

•	Subfertility is not the result of a sterilisation procedure in either partner/single women (this does not include conditions where sterilisation occurs as a result of another medical problem)

•	The couple/single women must have a body mass index of between at least 19 and up to and including 30. Couples/single women outside this range will be added to the waiting list but must have achieved this range at time of treatment

•	Where either of the couple/single women smokes - Only couples/single women who agree to take part in a supported programme of smoking cessation will be accepted on the IVF treatment waiting list and must be non-smoking at time of treatment.

•	Patients not conforming to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) Code of Practice will be excluded from having access to NHS funded assisted fertility treatment.


----------



## Sheshylou

Hi ladies,

Not posted for ages, things have been a bit crazy with us. We had our ES IVF cycle in feb, which was tough, as some of you will know, i didn't think it would be half as bad as it was, emotionally most of all. Everything went well up until Egg collection, they collected 33 eggs, which was a huge shock to both us and them, as our clinic has postponed the collection date twice saying there wasn't enough?! Even though i was telling them my belly is huge, it was so uncomfortable.    

Anyway, 33 eggs we had, 17 for me and 16 for my recipient. I felt quite rough after the sedation and developed OHSS, ive only just returned back to work having 7 weeks off sick! So i was gutted , still am to be honest. Trying to get through each day at a time, and keep positive . Fingers crossed for the 5 little ice babies to survive and we plan to have them put back in April sometime.  

I'm finding it hard now to think of the recipient and i was positive i would want to know of her outcome, but now i'm not so sure if i do or not?! I'm not sure how it would make me feel now 

Have been trying to catch up with everyone's news, but loads has happened!  Also we seem to have lots more new people, which is great.

Looking forward to chatting to you all


----------



## leoaimee

hi mishboz - really sorry to hear your news about the OHSS .... must have been really bad for 7 weeks off work!  poor poor you.

really glad youve got some good fosties for april!!  


  

axx


----------



## Sheshylou

Thanks amiee, 

Just trying to keep positive  , and have a nice period of calm, no stress, no injections. I'm just gona let my body get back to normal and have FET in a few months time.

Got no excuses now not to go to the gym! lol x


----------



## the2mummies

That is really bad luck but happy you got your frosties - should have at least 2 to put back in April so fingers crossed for you.


----------



## nismat

Sorry to hear you had such a bad time with OHSS *Mishboz*; hope that you're feeling better now and that your body is finally getting to recover form the whole process, hopefully ready to successfully carry one 9or two?!) of those embies come April. 
It must be very hard wondering how things turned out for your recipient, especially when you don't have an actual outcome yourselves yet, with having to postpone ET.


----------



## MandMtb

Mishboz   x x


----------



## Dominique123456

mishboz. I had ohss and was off work for a 4 weeks after having 22 eggs. Can't imagine how you felt with 33!??

Don't worry youself yet about the recipient's outcome because you have plenty of time to find out once you know your own outcome (which will be a BFP of course!). If it puts your mind at reat a quick call could let you know either way.

It's very commendable going to the gym! Well done


----------



## nismat

I'm now on the proper countdown to starting IVF- cd1 is today, starting down-regging on cd21, which is April 16th! Woohoo!! I dread to think how much the drugs are going to cost, as ISIS are putting me on 450iu Puregon per day   Better that than the measly amount I was on last time with LWC, even though they knew I was a poor responder. Should get my prescription early next week, and then I can start ringing around to get the best price. 
My body is not quite the temple that it was before starting IVF last time   esp after my alcohol intake last night (well, it was my birthday!).  I'm just excited about it all this time, rather than stressed + excited. It will be interesting to see if I find it easier this time around because there's much less self-imposed pressure for it to work.


----------



## emnjo

Woop Woop Nismat thats great news!! I wouldn't worry about your body being a temple and all that - i still think its all down to luck!

I am just waiting for my P to arrive and then off we go, so I will be on a similar time scale to you!

My antral follicle count was 12 last week. I was a bit worried that it was low, however, I have been reassured that its not. I am still worrying about it though - I think I am probably just focusing on something that isn't 'perfect' at the moment. Got quite a few more hurdles to get through yet so I should try and toughen up a bit I think  

Anyway - I hope it goes well for you xx


----------



## leoaimee

nismat and emnjo thinking of you both!!  hope it all goes really well


----------



## MandMtb

Nismat & emnjo, thinking of you and sending you lots of good luck vibes  

S x x x


----------



## emnjo

Hey everyone   

I am about to start down reg next week!! EAK!

I am just wondering what amount of FSH injections others were on? I have been told that I will be starting on 150 iu per day, and that doesn't seem very mcuh! Especially considering I only produced 1 follie on 50iu for IUI's. I am 29, my fsh is 4.8 so low I know, but I want loads of eggs!!!

XXX


----------



## mintyfaglady

Hi Emma, good luck with the ivf cycle. The amount they give you for ivf doesn't seem related to iui amount, or it didn't in my case. I was on 75iu and 150iu for iuis but upped to 450iu for ivf. (I had high fsh). Because they have shut down your natural cycle, the injections will stimulate as many eggs as have put themselves forward, while preventing any single one from taking the lead and suppressing the others. It's understandable to want lots of eggs, but you don't want ohss and it's better that they're good quality and fertilise well. Annoying, but true - it really does only take one!

All the best.

xxx


----------



## emnjo

Thanks Minty!! 

I had 12 dormant follies, (AFC) which I didn't think was that great to be honnest, but that changes from month to month anyway apparently. Gosh its all stressful and I haven't even started yet!!!

How are you getting on with that bonus ball?! I saw the pic you posted of him a while ago - scrummy!!


----------



## candygirl

Hi Emnjo - just to add to minty's comments that number of eggs doesn't seem to correlate with the menopur either.  I had quite a lot of menopur this time (up to 450 for the last 3 days ) and had 10 follicles, but then only got 4 eggs.  I was very upset that I only had 4 eggs, but they all fertilised, they put 2 embryos back in, and now I'm 11 and a bit weeks pregnant with 1 baby!

Good luck with the cycle!

Candy x


----------



## nismat

Hi Emnjo, what day do you start down-regging? I start on Thursday! I'm on a nasal spray (Synarel), rather than injections - not looking forward to that horrid bitter taste afterwards - I remember it so well. A bit of chocolate afterwards helps!
Things nearly went a bit wrong this last week or so, as the clinic rang me up about 10 days ago saying that my screening tests (HIV, Hep B/C and chlamydia) would be running out just before I was due to have EC, so I needed to get them repeated. But what I didn't understand was that they wouldn't send out my treatment schedule or prescription until they had the new test results, so I didn't organise it straightaway! Anyway, I managed to get it done and took the results to the clinic on Wednesday, onlly to discover yesterday that I couldn't get my prescription as it hasn't been signed by any of the doctors, and there won't be one in until Tuesday. Which leaves almost no time to get the drugs! Anyway, I'm now going to buy the first bottle of Synarel from the clinic so that I can get started - not ideal but better than having to delay another cycle!

Re: the drugs dosage, clinics seem to follow a "one-size fits all" policy for IVF, certainly the first time you do an IVF cycle with them. When I was with LWC, I was on a 150iu starting level, even though like you I hadn't responded well to FSH injections for IUI. Also like you, I was pretty concerned about it, but didn't raise too much of a fuss because I thought that they must know what they were doing, and after all, I would be on daily injections rather than every other day. But I didn't have my first scan until (I think) 5 days on stimms, and I also chose to have extra oestradiol level tests (which LWC didn't do as standard). They bumped up my drugs level after each scan to try and get more eggs (I think that I was on 225iu by the end), but I think that it was too little, too late. I got 5 eggs (they thought I only had 4 follicles, even though I was pretty sure I'd seen more than the sonographer!!) which I was not altogether thrilled about. On the one hand I was extremely pleased that I had more than one, as I thought that there was a real risk that I wouldn't. But I did feel that if I'd been on a higher drugs level initially, as I'd wanted, that I could have had more, so I felt that, once again, they hadn't listened to my instincts (and I hadn't been sufficiently forceful in getting my feelings across either). 

However, having said all that, even though at the time I was petrified that it wasn't going to work as we had just a few eggs to play with (esp as only 3 of the 5 fertilised, and only 2 made it to transfer), it worked, I got pregnant, and we have our fabulous son Toby as a result. Realistically, could there be much more of a success than that? It was stressful at the time, and of course it would have been reassuring to have the fallback of some embryos to freeze, but the bottom line is that I got pregnant. 

This time, I'm at a different clinic and their standard procedure is to blast you with 450iu from day one (they also start monitoring through scans and oestradiol dests much earlier, and much more frequently than LWC did), and then adjust the dosage downwards. I feel happier with it being this way round, as it does seem to make sense to me that you need to give the ovaries a real wake up blast of FSH. But of course this way I could run the risk of over-stimulating, and also, because I'm getting a private prescription for all the drugs up front, I could well be buying way more than I need if they then drop my dosage down to a lower level (which is probably likely). 

I don't think that there is a "right" answer, but if you do feel uncomfortable with the starting dose being 150iu, do have a conversation with them in advance of starting stimms, and get them to fully explain why they feel that this is the right dose for you, or to explain why you've been put on that dose (as the two things may not be the same!). If nothing else, you need to put your mind at rest, rather than stress over what might have been done differently. Ultimately though, quality not quantity really is the right mantra to go by. 

That's turned into an essay, but hope that it helps!


----------



## leoaimee

good luck nismat and emnjo!


----------



## TwoBumps

Have I missed something.... where has the 'ask a lawyer' section gone!?

We need some advice ASAP if anyone can help...

Some of you already know that we're considering switching our treatment to my DP. We have a friend who offered to be a sperm donor for us some time ago but due to the legal implications surrounding parental rights we decided to go down the clinic route. However, now the law has changed to allow same sex couples to both be named on the birth certificate. We're in a CP & would be doing home insems if we went ahead with sperm from our friend. What we want to know is:
If both me & DP are named as parents on the birth certificate, would our friend still have any legal rights? We're happy for him to have contact but we don't want him to have any legal rights (nor do we expect him to have any responsibilities, financial or otherwise). We're just trying to protect our future family from any potential disruption if he suddenly decided he wanted more than just contact!

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Lottie x


----------



## lesbo_mum

Hi Lottie,

I noticed the ask a lawyer section was missing the other day also... i had put some posts on in the past and not got replys so think it kind of just died of so they removed it!

I dont know the answer to your question but just wanted to say good luck in whatever you decide to do you really do desearve a happy ending  

Em xx


----------



## TwoBumps

Hi Em!
Thanks for your kind message!
I've been doing a bit of net searching and came across this http://www.bionews.org.uk/commentary.lasso?storyid=4106
It would seem that even in the case of home insems, as long as you're in a CP then the donor has no legal rights as both parents (ie me & DW) will be automatically recognised as legal parents. & named as such on the birth certificate.
Woo Hoo!!!! I suddenly feel hopeful again!!

Right, now I've got to phone him to see if his offer still stands........!!

I'll let you know his answer!

Lottie x

/links


----------



## lesbo_mum

Wow thats really good to know as the whole legal biz puts DP off using a known donor!! 

Have you heard anything from the LWC re your complaint


----------



## leoaimee

that is a bit weird isnt it?

i have PMed Lady lottie our mod to see if she knows!

could you PM nat gamble?

hope it works for you lottiemaz!

love ax


----------



## Damelottie

Well this'll make you smile..............

I put a 'sticky' on the Ask the Lawyer thread so its the very first thread on the board. And I did that so..............erm.............. it would be easier for you all to find   .

Another successful mod moment from LL


----------



## lesbo_mum

is this the LBG Legal thread ya on about or the main ask a lawyer board


----------



## rosypie

hey emnjo - AFC of 12 is pretty average i'd have thought. mine was 2 not long ago.

i was started on 300 of menopur and went into EC with 2 leading follicles. came out with 4 eggs which turned into 4 grade 1 embryos. we got bruno out of that cycle. not sure why i'm saying any of this. just hoping to put your mind at ease. you don't need a lot of eggs. it's nice to have spares, it's lovely to have some to freeze but actually, you only NEED the one to make a baby.

got my fingers crossed for you and nismat and anyone else i've missed (haven't read back at all)


----------



## Damelottie

lesbo_mum said:


> is this the LBG Legal thread ya on about or the main ask a lawyer board


Oh flip - I meant the one on here  . Has the main one gone then? Am I making things more confusing??


----------



## lesbo_mum

Lottiemaz ment the main one i think... i noticed the main one disappeared a week or so ago.


----------



## Damelottie

Ooooh yes - I'll try and find out


----------



## TwoBumps

Well, I phoned him - our potential donor - & the ringing sounded really odd. It turns out he's in Germany until tomorrow (he's always jetting off for a few days here & there!) so he's gonna phone us back tomorrow night. I'd got myself all psyched-up to ask him & now I'll be on a knife edge waiting for his call!! 
If he still agrees, we're also considering going back to AI for me. Just wondering what you all think, are we mad?? It's just that we've always been told we've just been unlucky with our lack of success so far as all my tests show everything in tip-top order. Although insems might seem a backwards step after IVF, we find the prospect of doing home insems a much more relaxed way of doing things. We're getting quite excited by the thoughts of being able to be more in control of things & not having to rely on a clinic to decide what they're going to do & when! When we started TTC 2yrs ago the law was very different re known donors but now things have changed we think it might be the way for us. After all, I've seen in a few signatures that some women conceive naturally after failed IVF's so why not us?  

I'd PM-ed Natalie before I found out the legal info but hopefully she'll reply anyway & confirm we've got it right.

Ladylottie - I still cant find the 'ask a lawyer' bit? Which section is it in? You're right, it made me laugh though!!

Re our LWC complaint, we were told we'd have an answer before 14th April. Hmmm, well, today is the day before the 14th & surprise surprise we haven't heard a thing so I'll be ringing them tomorrow!! If we're not offered some reasonable form of compensation we'll be reporting the incident to the HFEA as we don't feel they've taken it seriously enough & are just fobbing us off with standard apologies. I can't wait to move away from them now after all that's happened. I really rated them originally too, it makes me sad to think how that's changed now. It's a shame because most of the staff are really lovely, it's their 'business ethics' that lets them down as a clinic.

Oohh, I'm all giddy!! It's like when we started TTC all over again. I hope he says yes or I'll be on here crying tomorrow!!  

Lottie x


----------



## lesbo_mum

I say go for it with the AI for yourself hun its worth a try i reckon!!

I really   he says he'll still do it hun!!! My fingers and toes are crossed for you!!

We were going to use the LWC originally but i have heard so many horror stories that there is now no way i'd use them i dont think!!! Hopefully you will get somewhere sometimes you have to take things really high like the HFEA to get anywhere... its the same with most things in life unfortunitly  

Do you know what he's said yet? im excited for you!!! I'd love to use a known donor but we dont know anyone who could do that for us and finding some random off the net scares the hell out of me  

Em x


----------



## leoaimee

lottie 

i soo dont think your mad for going back to IUI at home.  did you use one donor while going through the clinic route?  im all for changing sperm donors some might suit better than others.  and if you dont have specific fet issues there isnt any reason why you wouldnt get preg doing it this way.

oooh do fill us in on what your sperm donor says when you speak to him!

ax


----------



## Damelottie

Hello all

Yes the Ask a Lawyer section has gone. I don't have anymore information I'm afraid but I think FF admin will be trying to get it reinstated if possible.

LL xxx


----------



## TwoBumps

Hiya!
We wont get to ask him until tonight, it's driving us nuts!! He doesn't know we've been having treatment since he first offered & I'm really glad we didn't share it with our friends now... otherwise he might feel like he's second best. That's not the case at all, he's a lovely guy, really thoughtful, intelligent & pretty attractive (as far as men go, lol!) so an ideal donor really & someone we'd be pleased to have in our child's life. It was literally the legal issues that prevented us from accepting his offer originally. Ooohhh, we _so _ hope he still feels the same about donating!!!!   

I've just phoned LWC re our complaint, apparently a meeting took place on the 9th April and there is a letter to us on the dictaphone waiting to be typed up. The secretary didn't know the outcome but is going to type it out & email it to me today. I wonder how long we'd have waited if I hadn't phoned!?

I'm glad you can understand our reasoning behind going back to AI. We've never actually done home insems before... they were always through the clinic. My partner is a medic so we were wondering if it's possible (and safe) to get a catheter & speculum & actually insem into the uterus with fresh, unwashed sperm (obviously once he's been tested!)? Does anyone know?

Thanks for looking into the legal section *LL*

I'll keep you updated as soon as we get an answer from our  donor  and LWC...

Lottie


----------



## leoaimee

lottie - im thinking the volumes concerned in the unwashed sperm might hinder a straight to the womb approach with the insem.  to be honest if your donor has a good sperm count ... i would just go for two insems around each ovulation ... as your not paying you might as well, fresh sperm lives longer too!  so i think youre more likely to get preg with fresh sperm than with frozen.  you will def be more relaxed too.


----------



## leoaimee

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=128905.75

the LGB legal issues is actually there in our section have you seen it?

and what about this?

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=169326.0


----------



## TwoBumps

Thanks Aimee, I'd not thought of that! And... I didn't know fresh sperm lives longer than frozen either, you learn something new every day hey?! We're hoping a more relaxed approach might be just what we need. After all, we've had a pretty rough ride with all 3 IVF's so doing home insems should be much less stressful (this is all assuming he agrees of course!!).
Thanks for the links too, I had a look at those last night & found out the great news! We knew that both of us could be on the birth certificate for a child conceived after 6th April 2009, but weren't sure if that applied to home insems or just clinic treatment. Anyway, as long as you're in a CP it applies to both home & clinic treatment. If you're not in a CP I _think _ it applies to clinic treatment only but I could be wrong.

Ok - TMI warning - I never have much fertile CM around ovulation, does anyone know any tips to increase it??
Thanks,
Lottie


----------



## mintyfaglady

Hey Lottie, good luck asking your KD - I hope he's still agreable.

Cough medicine with robutussin in it and green tea both increased my FM.

Minty
xxx


----------



## Jode

Hi Lottie

Have a look at this website about home insemination. It's American I think but the principles are still the same. It advises against doing IUI at home due to the risk of infection but does back up what Aimee said about fresh sperm living longer. We're still interested in doing insem at home so checking out all our options, if you have any tips let me know.

http://www.choicemoms.org/index.cfm/athome_insemination/55/ATHOME_INSEMINATION.htm

Jody

/links


----------



## leoaimee

minty did you stumble across that correlation by accident or were you seeking a remedy?

 

lottie - when is he back from germany?


----------



## wishing4miracle

Jodylala said:


> Hi Lottie
> 
> Have a look at this website about home insemination. It's American I think but the principles are still the same. It advises against doing IUI at home due to the risk of infection but does back up what Aimee said about fresh sperm living longer. We're still interested in doing insem at home so checking out all our options, if you have any tips let me know.
> 
> http://www.choicemoms.org/index.cfm/athome_insemination/55/ATHOME_INSEMINATION.htm
> 
> Jody
> 
> [red]This post contains an unconfirmed link/information and readers are reminded that FertilityFriends.co.uk or its owners are not responsible for the content of external internet sites[/red]


 sorry i know im not a part of your thread but i just had a brief read of that site.it says that they dont recomend unwashed sperm because of big risk of infection.erm well normal sperm isnt washed with a nat conception   i dont get it


----------



## pem

Hiyah guys,

just buttin in, I think unwashed sperm is only not recommended for insems straight into the cervix, i.e using a speculum like they do at clinics, just using a syringe as would happen with a nat conception is fine i think!

Good luck ya all!

Em


----------



## lesbo_mum

Pem your correct my love with a Nat conception the sperm is unwashed (obviously  ) and inserted or shot whatever you want to call it lol into the Vagina... however with a IUI its inserted direct up through the cervix... its this thats causes the supposed infections etc


----------



## TwoBumps

Thanks Jody, Lesbo_mum, Wishing & Pem for all your comments & advice, everyone's so kind on here!!

I had a look at the link left by Jody & found it quite interesting. When I told my DW the comment about unwashed sperm inducing nausea & vomitting she said, "They're right... the thought of it _does _ make me wanna vomit"  How absurd that they put that though? How do they think man/ woman couples get pg??! Unless the site is assuming we're not getting our donors tested first... in which case the induced illnesses could be far worse than an upset tummy!! 

*minty* thanks for the FM tips. How odd that the cough mixture increases it! What is robutussin? Is it present in anything else?

*Aimee* He got back from Germany last night. DW was nattering me all night to phone but I didn't wanna pester him if he was tired from the journey (or maybe I was procrastinating a little now I've lost my nerve, lol). I tried him earlier today but got his voicemail so I assume he was working. I've a feeling he'll call us tonight, he's usually quite quick to reply. We're both like cats on hot bricks!!

Still no news on the LWC complaint but apparently a letter is being sent out to us tomorrow. We'll see!

Lottie x


----------



## lesbo_mum

any news yet Lottie 

i havent had a look at that link yet about to now...

i've found another post on another site about Robutussin...

Hi Ladies
Ive just been reading the others thread "found a pretty interesting site"
Youre all talking about EPO and robitussin cough syrup

With the EPO you take it from AF to Ov.....dont take it after you get positive OPK
Dosage 1500-3000mg a day...you can buy them in different size capsules-poundland sell them 500mg which means you take 6 a day-but it would be easier to take 2 capsules each meal time but depending where you get them from you can buy them in 1000mg+1500mg capsules from boots etc

With The robitussin you have to be careful which one you take-if you take the wrong one it will DRY up CM...and you dont want that!! 
The one you need is

http://www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10052&productId=11467&callingViewName=&langId=-1&catalogId=11051

Its VERY important that you buy the red bottle as its the only one that will do the job right, its the only one ive found with 100% Guaiphenesin...ive copied the link from Boots as everyone has a boots store!!! AND the bonus is...at the moment they have 20% off...so get ya butts down there and stock up, you will prob need 2-3 bottles per cycle
You follow the recommended dose on the bottle...you can take it for a week before ovulation, until the day of ovulation and then stop!!

I was taking Clomid for a while and that really dried up CM and i noticed a different within two days of taking Robi....I found it hard swallowing the EPO casules so i just stuck to the cough mixture...you wont need both but if you want to maximise youre CM then go for it

/links


----------



## lesbo_mum

ooo just relised EPO stands for evening primrose oil 

take a butchers at this link

http://www.thelaboroflove.com/articles/evening-primrose-and-cervical-mucus/

/links


----------



## leoaimee

this is very interesting good reasearchng les mum!  EPO also helps ripen your cervix for labour!!  oh and now im reading start contractions!  i have bought mine in prep in case i go over 40 weeks so i dont get induced by the hospital!


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

Some of you like me were searching for the lawyer thread but it has gone...

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=191120.msg2959839#new


----------



## nismat

Hey LottieMaz, I hope that your friend comes up trumps and is still happy to be a donor for you. It's not a backward step at all after IVF, because using fresh sperm, especially when you can have 2-3 goes each cycle, is a completely different scenario to one try with a teeny tiny amount of frozen sperm. I was always convinced that I would have got pregnant way quicker if we'd been using a known donor instead of frozen sperm at the clinic, because we could have tried more than once each cycle, and also timed the insems in tune with my body instead of blooming clinic insem appointment timings. Apparently fresh sperm can still be alive inside your body up to 5 days after you insem  

You definitely don't want to put unwashed sperm through the cervix and directly in to the uterus - it can cause really bad uterine cramps as well as possible infection. The cervical mucus is a natural "washing" mechanism for semen - it filters out the duff sperm and also all the other uncessary stuff that's in there. You can use a catheter to extend the reach of a syringe so that you get as close to the cervix as possible, but don't try and get through it for at home insems. 

White tea also works for increasing fertile mucus - I only drank about 1 cup a day (I prefer the flavour to green tea), and it made a big difference (not that I needed it to, but I tried pretty much everything on my initial ttc quest!)


----------



## leoaimee

JJ1 - thanks for that link honey!  i wonder whats happened ....

nismat - v interesting about the white tea!


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

lottie I hope that the donor helps out- interestingly I found home insems so much more anxiety provoking than the clinic each setting with my known donor, as I felt so responsible for co-ordinating and getting it right, but I do see the months when we are not IVF ing as 'wasted oppportunities' and would be like any couple having sex- although I would recommend that he has a sperm analysis as we were doing home insems that were pointless as his sperm count is low and we need ICSI, so all the stress for nothing!

Aimee can't believe how quickly your ticker is flying along!!

L x


----------



## leoaimee

jj1 - i know it does seem to be wizzing ... although it feels like it has ground to a halt this week, as im feeling very restless and not knowing what to do with myself.


----------



## TwoBumps

Hi everyone!
Sorry to keep you all waiting, I've only just spoken to him tonight as he ended up staying in Germany until yesterday. 
Well, he's asked to have a think about it (which he's perfectly entitled to) but it's left us on an excited knife edge! He said he'd compartmentalised his thoughts as we'd not mentioned it again since his initial offer so just needs to have a think.
We're cautiously optimistic as he said some quite positive comments (including asking if we're sure we want sperm from a ginger man   ) but we daren't count our chickens (or sperm) just yet. 

Thanks for the additional tips on FM & fresh inseminations, it's making us more & more hopeful that it may work  We definitely wont be putting it directly in the uterus after all the warnings!! 

JJ1 -How long does it take to get a sperm analysis done & can it be done thru his GP?

I wonder what's happened to Natalie Gamble? That was a bit out of the blue. I hope she's ok & that it's not something out of her control.

Finally, Aimee   hope you pick up soon

Lottie x


----------



## leoaimee

oooh that is exciting lottie!  fingers crossed.

i dont know about sperm analysis ... when we looked into it, we looked at the clinic taking care of all those tests but to do insems at the clinic not at home.

an sexual health clinic should be able to the STD ones.

axx


----------



## lesbo_mum

Lottie fingers crossed for you hun!! Cant you buy home sperm motile tests im sure i've seen them


----------



## Misspie

Wow ladies, loads going on here...

Congrats on the preganancies and good luck on you who are on your meds and not far away.

Maybe you could help me - White tea is ?

And i currently take EPO every day just added to one of the usual daily takblets, should I only take it for a week Also take daily Cod Liver and Folic Acid, run out of Vit's. And take Echinachia when am feeling low and feel like a cold is starting.

But Robittussin, now whats that all about i've been reading below, and it helps your CM....but how?? 

L
xxx


----------



## nismat

Misspie; I bought white tea in teabag form, along with all the herbal teas in the supermarket I think, or possibly from a health food shop. White tea is similar to green tea, when the fresh tea leaves have been dried without being blackened first (I think they bake them for regular tea - not sure!). It's caffeine free. I find green tea tastes a bit strong, but white tea has a very mild flavour (not that far off hot water )

With robitussin, I think that the chemical in it just works on any mucus that might be present in your body, including cervical mucus. It basically means that your production of (thin) cervical mucus will increase. Irrelevant if you're doing IUIs, but v helpful for at home insems.

Evening primrose oil should only be taken in the pre-ovulatory phase of your cycle - stop taking it after ovulation when you are actually TTC. I can't remember why it is, but it is definitely recommended that you do so.

*Lottie* - fingers crossed that your potential donor comes back and says yes!!


----------



## leoaimee

nismat said:


> Evening primrose oil should only be taken in the pre-ovulatory phase of your cycle - stop taking it after ovulation when you are actually TTC. I can't remember why it is, but it is definitely recommended that you do so.


nismat and misspie

its because EPO can cause uterine contractions .. hence why it can be good to start labour!

ax


----------



## dyketastic

Hi Ladies

Hoping for some advice?

Just got back from our 2nd scan on our first cycle of IUI (natural).  Had first scan on CD 10 and had 3 follies with the biggest at 10mm and womb lining was 4.8mm went back today at CD 14 and was told i had "multiple" follicles with none of them above 10 mm and womb lining was 5.8mm.  I was told previously that i have PCO not not PCOS, was told my FSH and LH were "ok".  He wanted me to go back on Wednesday for a scan but has agreed for me to go back on Monday.  I have been charting for about 9 months and have had cycles before where i havent ovulated until day 25/26 but other months ovulate on about day 17/18.  

I came out in tears as i really thought i'd have a 17/18 mm follie and could have the trigger shot and iui tomorrow.  I'm feeling clamer now but would appreciate your opinions

Thanks D


----------



## Misspie

Hi D, 

I can't really be much help with the IUI bits and pieces yet.  But didn't want to read and not post lots and lots of  hugs to you though.

xxx


----------



## leoaimee

honey im not an expert but it sounds like its just way toooooo early for you.  are they going to keep scanning?  what have they said?

if you dont ovulate till day 17/18 it seems silly to have started you off so early.

what is your feeling?

it is soo stressful i know.     

i dont think i had a stress free iui .... my last one when i got my bfp, i had a really confusing start to the period, so wasnt totally sure when my day one occured, changed my flights to come to the uk early ... so had a scan really early and they were a bit pessamistic, but as i didnt really feel it was my ovulation time, i just waited and it wasnt for another 7 days that i actually ovulated.

think its probs best you go back monday which would be day 17 which is more hopeful isnt it?  but keep going for the scans if monday doesnt look like its closer.

axxxxx


----------



## dyketastic

Thanks Aimee.  I'm feeling more positive today and am just going to see what happens on Monday.  Fingers crossed one of my many follies has decided to get a bit bigger


----------



## the2mummies

I am sure things will have got better by Monday DT.  

Chin up hon xxxxxxx


----------



## dyketastic

Right!  now i'm freaking out....

Me and DP got a little drunk last night, i had a cry and we decided to just try and chill and see how things go and go with the theory that i'm a late bloomer in the follicle department and this month probably won't happen

Got up this morning, pee'd on the pee stick for the fertility monitor plugged it in and left it. A couple of hours later i pulled the pee stick out to put the monitor away and its gone to PEAK. So pee'd on a digital OPK and got a smiley face!!! Pee's on two more OPK's and both positive!!! Spent an hour trying to get through to the fertility clinic but they are only open for scheduled treatment on saturday mornings so no receptionist. DP is at her mums.

Luckily our clinic is pretty much at the end of the road so i ran up there, fertility monitor in one hand and smiley face pee stick in the other and tried to get scanned. They couldnt scan me as no one available to do it but booked me in for an IUI on monday!!!!!

Yesterday i was told there were no decent size follies so am worried that i'm getting false positives on the OPK's! Is that possible


----------



## lesbo_mum

a peak and 3 postive OPK's i doubt there all wrong can they be 

Im not much help but i cant see how they could all be wrong


----------



## MandMtb

Hi Dyketastic, sorry I haven't got any advise, as yet. I am sure I will be posting myself for a LOT of advise when we start our first IUI treatment. Like Lesbo_mum though I can't see how the monitor and 3 sticks can all be wrong, so *fingers crossed* your follicles have grown rapidly, and you can IUI on Monday. This must be such an emotional rollercoaster for you   Let us know how you get on, Love S x


----------



## leoaimee

have you still got your scan appointment for monday?  just have the scan to see what has happened ... 

i had the experience of on thursday having a scan ... the follie looked quite good, but not ready, i didnt detect the surge on the friday but went for scan sat and the egg had burst through and so had iui that day.  as the put the sperms so close to the spot i didnt feel it was too late.

very exciting dyktastic!  its so exciting and nerve wracking isnt it? lots and lots of    for you!


----------



## TwoBumps

Well, I've spoken to our donor... yes, you read right... our donor.....

[fly]    HE SAID YES!!!!!   [/fly]

Dyketastic - good luck for Monday!

A very excited, happy, giddy, over the moon Lottie xx


----------



## leoaimee

lottie - hoooray!!!       hope all goes well with his tests, and all the necessary agreements etc!  wonderful news!


----------



## lesbo_mum

oh lottie im so so happy for you hun  

when do you start with him


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

lottie so pleased when is he starting??


----------



## TwoBumps

Thank you everyone!

We're going round to his house for tea this week to discuss it all in detail. We're so excited!! I asked him how he felt about it & he said he was 'excited for the opportunity'. I thought that was sweet, it must be really hard for gay men who want children... at least women can TTC via clinics if they dont have/ want a KD. Men don't really have that option, do they?

Does anyone have any knowledge of what to cover in a donor agreement? Since the law changed this month we know legally we're protected as parents if the child is conceived via insemination. I read somewhere else that it's still a good idea to draw up an agreement just in case it needs to be proven at a later date that the child was conceived in that way. We don't have any worries that things will turn out like that but would rather protect us (& him) right from the start. He has said he'd like to have an uncle type role, which we're happy with.

I'm now going to do some research about the tests he'll need (STD's, sperm analysis etc) but any tips will be gratefully received!!

Lottie


----------



## Battenberry

Hi all,

Thought it was about time I got on board and said Hi to you all!

Lottie - Huge congrats on your donor! I've been wondering how you've been getting on, and it looks like things have worked out fantastically. I think this will be just what you need, a relaxed approach that you're all happy with, and no clinical aspects to worry about. I'm made up for you! Sorry I can't help that much on advice re: the donor agreement having not been in that position myself, but I guess if it was me I'd want to put something in there about how much contact he has, frequency etc.. Just so it's set out in the beginning, eg. will it be weekly, fortnightly, or  monthly;  planned only or is he welcome to just pop round etc.. I'm sure there is plenty more but that's just my initial thoughts. Good luck with it!   

Dyketastic - Good luck for tomorrow, hope the scan shows a great big follie and you can have IUI. Fingers crossed for you. 

MandMtb - hope all goes well tomorrow!


----------



## leoaimee

lottie - 

i would say that battenburg is right with the amount of contact.  and it could go either way, so if you agree on once a month for example, it might be that in the future you and dp want more or less and or he does... would you have room for discussion about this?

is he going to have any say in decisons regarding how your LO gets brought up?  what school?  what kind of discipline?  when gabs and i were discussing this with our potential donor he wanted to be involved in major decisions, but i had a problem defining what that might mean.  so i wanted no involvment ... forexample i guess i would talk to my sister about any decisions she makes with her son, but i dont feel i have any right to tell her what to do, or be their in more than a sisterly role.

how far away does your donor live from you?  that will possibly make a differnce in terms of whether he can geographically pop round.  etc.

does he have a partner? 

do you want him to be known as 'daddy' or 'dad' or will he be called by his name?

what would happen if he moved abroad, or you and dp and Lo moved?

is he going to be celebate throughout the tx period?
is he going to lay off the ****, booze and other unhealthy sperm producing ways?  and for how long does he think he can keep that going?

i would say for as much talking you do its very easy to think you are agreeing ... it was 12 months of talking with our donor, all which went seemly well, until i wrote down what i thought we had said, and we couldnt get an agreement.  so i would say write down everything in black and white from the beginning.  have an agreed consultation period, of a month six weeks for adjusting as things change before starting tx.

i really hope it goes well.  i think there are loads of benifits for the child to know the person to have helped create him or her.  and i think it can be really a positive experience for a child to have lots of loving adults in their lives.  

gina (snagglepat) and her dp used a known donor maybe you could pm her to ask her advice.

aimeex


----------



## TwoBumps

There's so much to think about, isn't there!?

He lives in the same city as us, about 5 miles away. I think we'd be happy for him to pop in to visit on an informal basis, with a phone call 1st to check it's convenient. That's kind of how things are now anyway, but I'm sure having a child will change the dynamics of the relationship. It's hard to know what to agree on isn't it? What feels right now may change in months/ years to come. I suppose we could suggest a review period so the agreement remains flexible to meet the child's/ our/ his needs.

From what we've discussed so far, I don't think he anticipates being involved in any of the major desicion making (perfect for us) although I think you're right in that we should have it all down in black & white to be safe. We'd definately like the child(ren) to know he is their father, although we have no preference as to whether they call him dad/ daddy or by his real name.

We were thinking of including a phrase something like ...
"I, xxx, agree to provide sperm for home insemination by Lxx & Mxx. Any resulting child(ren) will live permanently with Lxx & Mxx and I will not be responsible, financially or otherwise, for any resulting child(ren)." 
Obviously there will be lots of other things to include but we're really keen to get in the insemination & responsibilty bits!

What do you think? Is that too formal or should we ensure it _is _ all formal? It just seems weird being so formal wih a friend, but I know we need to protect ourselves in case things change in the future.

(All of the above is assuming home insemination works for us!!  )

Lottie


----------



## rosypie

i don't think it's too formal at all lottie. i don't think you can be too formal in this situation, even with friends. it's a big thing for him too, and becoming a parent does change you in all kinds of ways. certainly his thoughts on how involved he wants to be could change when baby finally arrives, especially if he knows it could be his only one... i think you're doing exactly the right thing getting it all formalised from the start so that everyone has the right expectations.


----------



## leoaimee

i dont think its too formal either.

i would have a period defined to make your initiall agreememnt. if you want a degree of flexibility you could say that you would put an annual or 6 monthly review of your situation from once the child is born onwards.

the thing is that you and M have had years to work out how your relationship works, how you negociate the daily tasks of living together and having a life together and that has slowly evolved, and you have stuck it through thick and thin with your commitment to each other.

now you are going to introduce a third person into your relationship, but you are going to have to fast forward lots of the getting to know you things that you do with a partner, into a really intense and amazing situation.

having a baby with just the two of you would certainly through up some major tranistionary issues for you, as it does for all couples im sure. (soon to find out with personal experience!  )

but you are going to be doing this with the involvment of a third person who although you know well, you arent going to be able to totally prepare for how having a baby alltogether will effect your relationships.

it *IS* a bit like starting a business with a friend ... which can be emotionally fraught and challenging, and really really needs clear boundaries to be set up to protect everyone and to have everyones emotional expectations and roles clearly defined. except its *MORE* imporatant cos you arent talking about making or loosing money its a real person whose life you are going to share.

i am really really positive that this can be a wonderful arrangment with loads or great benifits for everyone involved.

and i also think its a wonderful oportunity for your friend and for you both.

but i dont think you can be too formal about it.

i would even suggest possibly seeking the profesional help or a lawyer who has dealt with this before or some kind of therapist/counsellor to help support you in making your agreement.

what do you think?

love aimeex

ps - i am super excited for you!


----------



## sallylouise

Gosh, I haven't been able to look on here for a couple of days and it's all been happening! 

Lottie- good luck with your donor, it all sounds very exciting! 

Dyketastic- I'm sorry I don't have any experience of IUI's but good luck for Monday. Let us know how you get on. 

Sally.xx


----------



## MandMtb

Battenberry and Dyketastic, good luck with both your appointments tomorrow.

LottieMaz, I agree with Aimee's and Rosypie, that your agreement doesnt appear to formal and Aimee, has given you some wonderful advise so I wont repeat it! But I also agree it's a very exciting time for you, so I hope everything goes well. Let us know!

S x


----------



## Twinkie

Hi,
Just wanted to say good luck to everyone with an appointment tomorrow!!! Hope everything goes brilliantly for you. We had our appointment at the Esperance on Thursday which went really well. A few more blood tests to be done and we should be ready to start by June or July. Just realised that's really quite soon!!!
Take those pads of questions in with you, I went completely blank but Mr Chui was so thorough I'm pretty sure he covered everything I could have thought of.
Good luck tomorrow


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

Lottie- there are sample donor agreements on the net- I had some from D'Arcy Laine Foundation and Pink Parents, I was trying to find them on my pc but I think it was on my old hardrive! they were uk ones(they also do workshops etc) Also in the back of some of the books there are sample agreements-

there are some USA ones http://www.knowndonor.com/contract.php 
the things to spell out is how you expect him to be available at your fertile times each month for 2-3 insems, testing

I have my friend as a known donor but I have a close relationship with him and his partner, and they didn't want us to draw up papers. They also are in a monogomous relationship of many years so I don't have to ask about changes to his sex life and practices/partners etc.
L x

/links


----------



## leoaimee

wowsers!  that is a good list!


----------



## TwoBumps

What can I say You guys are the best!! I've never experienced such fantastic support, especially from people I don't 'know'.

JJ1 - the link you supplied has many interesting points, definitely given us some food for thought. Thank you! x

Thanks to Aimee too for the time you took to type such an encouraging  post, and to everyone else for their lovely comments. x

We're getting more & more excited. I was initially going to type up some ideas for the agreement & take them along when we go for tea but I think we'll just do the chatting stuff 1st & then use the discussion as a basis for the typed up stuff. I don't want him to think we've already decided everything without consulting him. (Although I think we probably have, lol!)

Good luck to everyone who has appointments tomorrow... I'm back on the excited train with you & loving it!

Lottie x


----------



## TwoBumps

Hi all!
How is everyone? I caught up on MandMtb's consultation on the other thread, but wondered how Dyketastic got on? Did you have your IUI on Monday?
We met with our donor this week & everything seems like its going ok. We've spent a fortune in Boots on two months supply of vitamins for all three of us (over £50, and that was on their '3 for 2' offer!!) and ovulation kits, but we want to give it our best shot & it's significantly cheaper than our previous attempts!!  
Our donor is going for his STI tests next week (and SA as soon as his GP arranges it - although we'll start insems in the meantime) so hopefully we might be good to go from mid-May.
Cant believe how fast it's all happening!

Good luck Twinkie - not long until you start either!

Lottie


----------



## leoaimee

lottie 

dont want to be a complete downer ... but with HIV tests it takes 6 months for the test to show results ... has your donor had an HIV test 6 months ago and can he vouch for his sexual health behaviour in the mean time ?

sorry dont know why i didnt think about that before.....


really glad chats about the practicalities of your knew donor recipients relationship must have gone really well though!  

love aimeexxx


----------



## TwoBumps

Hi Aimee,
Your questions weren't a downer at all, we're right to be _very _ cautious about these things!
We discussed the HIV test in particular length for exactly the reasons you stated. He gets himself tested every six months anyway (for everything) & has never had anything show up other than once when he had thrush. He was due to be tested within a few weeks again in any case so he's just going to go along earlier. We have a drop-in clinic in our city (maybe everywhere has one?) so he can just call in after work next week without an appointment. When I asked about safe sex practices since his last test, he was horrified that some men (especially gay men!) would even contemplate anything other than safe sex & I believe he genuinely does practice very safe sex.
The problem is that with fresh sperm donations, even if a man has had 2 clear HIV tests six months apart, he could still have subsequently become infected & this wouldn't show up until a future test. That's why clinics quarantine the frozen sperm at the point of the 1st test & then release it if the 2nd test comes back clear. 
I suppose that's where the trust issue comes in... once we see the clear test results then we have to trust that he will do all that is humanely possible to remain free from infection. Using a KD has massive trust issues in all areas, but we're happy that he offered all those years ago as he is just the sort of man we would have chosen ourselves. 

For those of you who were interested in the discussion we had a few days ago about Robutissin cough mixture helping with fertile CM, I went to Boots & found they make their own which again, has only Guaifenesin in as the active ingredient. This is important as other active ingredients (such as decongestants) can actually dry up CM. It's called 'Boots Nirolex Chesty Cough Relief Linctus' & was £3.61 for 240ml bottle, so quite a saving on the smaller Robutissin bottle. The only difference is that it's not sugar-free like the Robutissin. Just thought on I'd pass on my findings...!

Lottie


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

Best of Luck Lottie   - I agree with the Trust element you have to be totally confident, I am with my known donor as he is in a comitted relationship with his partner of 16 yrs and have only been with the same man in their life  (the women came long that and put them off   ). His partner is also very much part of this journey coming to scans, appts, giving injections, being there (with him) when home insems were being done etc.  We both all still had the full sexual health tests and screen before we started. He went to a private hospital for them and i went to the GUM clinic, as he knew staff who worked at the GUM clinic proefesionnally, but when he turned up at the private clinic there was a colleague doing a bank shift as well!!

It then sort of made a mockery for us when we went to the clinic (as we were honest about our situation being known donor etc) then having to freeze sperm and test/retest etc as we had already crossed that line and shared body fluids, but HFEA has no way round!

If you are happy with him and would want to use him if you needed IVF it might be worthwhile freezing him at the clinic as soon as you start as they you could use it in 6 months with them- I was able to take bloods that we had taken else where to the clinic but then after 4-5 months hom insems we had to wait for 6 months in quarantine before we could have IVF there.

What did you do about the agreements/signing etc?
L x


----------



## leoaimee

sorry lottie ... i guess i was stating the obvious.  and to be honest most gay men i know are FAR more responsible with sexual health than the hetros.

its all brill glad its moving forward cant wait to hear how it goes!

lots of love aimeex

hi JJ1


----------



## MandMtb

Hi Lottie,

I am so pleased things are moving forward for you   how exciting! Your donor sounds a lovely man, I hope you can come up with an agreement you are all happy with. Keep us updated. 

Love S x


----------



## TwoBumps

Hiya,

Aimee -you've nothing to apologise for hun. Your question was only out of concern & that's what's so lovely about this site. 

We finally finished typing up the agreement last night, it's 4 sides of A4!! We got some of it from a link JJ1 left (thank you!) and adapted parts of other samples agreements that we found by Googling 'donor sperm agreements'. Pretty much all of them were American sites but between them we think (_hope_!) we've covered everything & adjusted the wording to fit our circumstances.

Well, I think tomorrow is going to be CD1 for me, so we might be only a fortnight away from our 1st KD insem!!

Lottie x


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

Lottie There was a girl on the single girls thread that I remember who was going to use a KD and this was her list
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=123942.msg1802547#msg1802547

L x


----------



## Battenberry

Lottie - sounds like you've been busy, glad you've managed to get an agreement together, which sounds very comprehensive. It must be an exciting time for you, especially as the first insem could be only a fortnight away! Wishing you all the best   
B x


----------



## lesbo_mum

Lottie im so so excited for you dont forget to keep us updated on your insems!! we want a day by day account lol

Im not sure what is happening with my cycle this month im normally regular as clockwork 33 day cycle and ovulate on day 20.. however this month got my postive OPK on day 14 and my bbt says i ovulated on day 16... im now on day 27 and got AF type pains already when i normally dont get them until day 31


----------



## nismat

*Lottie*, I'm so pleased that things are going so well with regards to at home insems with your now-confirmed KD! I saw from your signature that both your and your DP will be trying - is that going to be simultaneously? Could prove interesting!! Actually, I do know of a couple who are co-parenting with their "donor" (although obviously he's more than just a donor in their situation), and they were trying simultaneously. They started TTC with just the older partner initially, then when she got pregnant, started TTC with the younger partner (who conceived first time), as they always hoped to have 2 babies close together. As it turned out, the first pregnancy sadly ended in miscarriage, to be followed by a further pregnancy just a few months later, and the two babies were born about 5 months apart - just in a different order to what they had initially intended.
Wishing you lots of luck with it all  

*Lesbomum * - if you ovulated 4 days earlier than normal, then it sounds like the AF type pains are right on time! For most women, the length of their luteal phase (i.e. post-ovulatory) doesn't vary (or at least not by more than a day or so), so you're likely to get your period 4 days "early" too. Nothing to worry about; most women have an unusual menstrual cycle crop up every now and then, even when they are regular as clockwork.


----------



## lesbo_mum

thanks nismat thats put my mind at rest a bit... i didnt think that i would probably come on early as i ovulated early


----------



## TwoBumps

Hi,
*****-mum, don't worry about the unusual cycle. It's really funny (not 'ha ha' funny) how often this happens when you're monitoring your cycle!
nismat - yep, we've decided to try simultaneously! I was quite hesitant about the idea initially but given my track record, it could take a while  My DW had her 39th birthday this month so she's equally anxious about waiting any longer. When we initially started TTC, we (foolishly!) assumed we'd be trying for our 2nd child by now & that DW would carry so we hadn't anticipated we might still be childless when she was 39. In the end, we just decided that we'd been prepared for twins when doing IVF so if we did both end up conceiving together we could manage practically/ financially/ emotionally. Given our ages & previous TTC history it's probably unlikely that we'd be lucky enough to _both_ conceive together so doing simultaneous insems might increase our chance of at least one baby joining our family sometime.
I cant believe how our journey has changed. Wouldn't it be amazing if, after all the treatment I've had, I actually conceived with a home insem! I really hope my DW doesn't suffer all the failures I've had, she's so full of hope & excitement!
JJ1 - thanks for the link. We're going round to our KD's house again on Friday to go through the agreement & hopefully sign it!

Hope everyone else is doing ok?

Lottie xx


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

lottie best of luck- there was a couple on this thread and they were TTC with a known donor/co parent and had been trying but were heading to the clinic they  had booked the clinic appt and low and behold conveived with home insems whilst waiting  ........

Unfortunately for me didn't happen and I end up with my KD and his partner trawling round clinic after clinic hoping someone will give me hope!!


----------



## TwoBumps

Aw, hun... it's lovely for everyone else when they get pregnant but I also know how hard it is for those of us who aren't so lucky. Repeated failure is so demoralising isn't it? Still, we've got to have hope or what's the point? Let me tell you a story about an ex-colleague of mine... I nearly fell off my chair when I found out....
This particular person & I went to college together years ago, when she had a daughter who was about 3 at the time. Skip forwards a few years & we ended up working in the same establishment. Carry on for several more years & her daughter is now 20 and my now ex-colleague is 47. She suddenly announced last week that she is pregnant... without any treatment!!! She thought she was going through the change!! Her baby is due in September, by which time she'll be 48! She must be one of the oldest women to get pregnant naturally ever!
I know the story doesn't apply to either of us in any way as we're in completely different circumstances to her, but it just shows that miracles _do _ happen. Sometimes I think that's what I need, a miracle! Hope I've given you a little more hope that one day it will be our turn hun xxx


----------



## ♥JJ1♥

Lottie - Yes I know of a similar older lady getting pregnant after a lifetime of infertility gave up in her late 40's, she thought she was menopausal and low and behold she has her miracle baby.  Another lady I worked with (we worked in oncology) was told to go away and enjoy her life with DH after failures, so she bought herself a tiny sports car, holidays round the world and she started to feel ill she thought she had cancer and it was a baby, shortly followed by another sister a year later!

I don't give up hope it is 'when' my baby comes not 'if' ....

L x


----------



## Battenberry

Hi, how is everyone? Lottie, how are things going for you? JJ1 the stories about the miracle babies are lovely and inspirational, I think the "if not when" attitude is a great one to have.
I've just started jabs for a cycle of IUI  this month, so will see how I get on, might be here asking questions again soon! Feel excited today that we are at last having another go.
Hope everyone is well,
LOve B xx


----------



## MandMtb

Just echo-ing B, how is everyone? 

B, I'm so excited you are starting treatment  

Love S x


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## TwoBumps

Hiya!
Things are going ok thanks, we got the donor agreement printed & signed, our donor was in full agreement with all (17!) points on it so that was nice & easy as we didn't need to negotiate anything.
I'm due to ovulate any day now but unfortunately his test results wont be back until Monday as the clinic have a bit of a back-log so it looks like I wont be able to start this month. However, we may get them just in time for my DW's ovulation so fingers crossed we can at least start with one of us this month!
We're all three dosed up on a variety of vitamin supplements, with the correct cough mixture, brazil nuts & pineapple juice stocked up on too ready for next week. Then the real fun begins!!

B - good luck for your next IUI too, we might end up on the 2WW together!
Lottie x


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## lesbo_mum

good luck Battenberry and Lottie lots of


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## nismat

Yes, good luck Battenberry and Lottie (plus DP too of course!) 

I'm in the middle-ish of IVF, and it's looking a bit disappointing sadly. I down-regged for 3 weeks, then started stimms last Friday evening. On Monday I had my first scan I just had 1 follie on each side, and no sign of any smaller possibles, which the nurse didn't especially comment on, but I certainly got the feeling from her that it was not nearly as good a response as they would hope to see. 
Anyway, at today's scan, once the nurse (my favourite one at the clinic) managed to find my ovaries at all (apparently they are "quite deep") there was still just 1 follie on the RHS (11.1mm). On the LHS, 2 smaller ones have joined in, so I've got 3 on that side at 9mm, 6.9mm and 6.2mm. Lining doing fine at 6.7mm. My oestradiol level was <150 on Monday, which basically means it was too low to register and that my ovaries were still essentially down-regulated. 
We had quite a chat and the nurse said that while I shouldn't feel that it's hopeless, it's definitely not the response they would have hoped for, and depending on how the next couple of scans go, it could make more sense to convert to IUI for this cycle (apparently it costs pretty much the same to convert the cycle to IUI as it does for a cancelled IVF cycle, so may as well at least have a go at conceiving!). We talked about doing an AMH test, and she says that in retrospect it would have been good to have done both AMH and FSH prior to starting the IVF, but that there was no real reason to think we needed to (my last FSH test was last May, at 8.5). 
So I'm trying to remain positive (I feel fairly fatalistic about it; I was pretty much expecting this kind of news after Monday's scan result). All we can do is wait and see. It could be that by Friday there are some more follies in evidence, in which case it could be worth stimming a bit longer, even if the current front-runners are lost as a result. It's disappointing news though, especially as the implication is that my fertility has definitely declined. I'm on the highest possible drugs dose already (450iu Puregon), so the only thing that could be changed for a future IVF cycle would be to do short protocol instead, probably going on the Pill beforehand. 
Boo hoo   Even though I knew that anything could happen, I honestly wasn't really expecting this - I was worried my drugs dosage might turn out to be too high! Not a lot that can be done now except sit back and wait (and continue going for acupuncture/sitting with a warm hot water bottle on my abdomen to encourage blood flow to the uterus/ovaries, etc. etc.). 

(apologies to any Gingerbeer readers who may have already seen this post there!)


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## sallylouise

Hi Nismat,

Sorry to hear things haven't gone as you hoped.   There really are so many unknowns that we have no control over. 
My partner and I start down regging tomorrow. Hope there is better news for you as the week goes on. xx


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## Steph29

Hi SallyLouise,

Me and my Dp are hoping to start the same Tx as you my Dp is carrying my eggs can you give us an insight to the process as we are not sure what to expect.

Hope every thing goes well with your TX.


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## pem

good luck with the DR Sally Louise and DP, r u jabbing or sniffing?

more hugs nismat    

day 11 of DR for us, AF arrived 6 days late...what a painin the proverbial!!  bloomin jabs are givin me thighs like a bruise factory!


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## sallylouise

Hi Steph, 

We both had to go on the pill to regulate our cycles. Today Anne-Mari has started sniffing and I have had one injection that will close me down for up to 6 weeks. In two weeks time we will both have a baseline scan. I will then take some tablets to build up my womb lining whilst she stims. Then the rest is as a normal IVF. They will collect eggs from her, they will all be perfect a grade embryos(!!) and then one or two will go back in me. 

Hope that helps. xx

Pem- I've had one big injection in my bum and DP is sniffing! How are you feeling about it all? You are very brave with all that injecting. We've tried to go for as little needle work as possible. Both myself and DP hate them. What a pair! Isn't there so much waiting and wondering...xx


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## Steph29

SallyLouise,

Thank you for your reply.

Luckily for us our cycles fall on exactly the same day which is weird but helpfull. Sorry i don't know a lot about the process as we only have our first consultation tommarrow but what is sniffing  .

StephX


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## nismat

"sniffing" is usually with a drug called Synarel, which is a down-regulating drug. It's a nasal spray that you sniff twice a day (once in each nostril, morning and evening) in order to put you into an artificial menopause. It's just one of the down-regging drugs that you could use as part of a long protocol IVF, but I think all the other types are ones that you take via injection. 
Good luck for the consult tomorrow Steph  

Interesting to hear a bit more about the synchronising aspect of egg sharing Sallylouise


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## Battenberry

Hi there,

Nismat - it sounds like converting to IUI and doing 2 insems is a really positive thing to do. It's a shame your response wasn't as good as hoped, but it only takes one follie to do the trick, so to speak, so I'll keep everything crossed for you.. 

Lottie - great news your DP may be able to start this month, and you next month too.. Let me know when your 2WW is!!

I had a scan yesterday, got one folllie at 10mm which looks like it's the leading lady in the show, and quite a few smaller ones they're not bothered about unless they carry on growing. Last time I had IUI I started off with quite a few follies, they thought I may have to cancel, but in the end I just had the one, so this may be happening again which is fine. They won't do the IUI if there's more than 2 follies, so hoping that just the one will continue to grow. Back again on Tuesday to see what they're up to!

I had a mini-crisis yesterday about using donor sperm, when I thought I was fine with it! I think maybe I'm hormonal, but suddenly it seemed like such a big thing to be using a donor we know nothing about! I started stressing that if my baby didn't look much like me we wouldn't know who he/she looked like, and that suddenly felt odd, even though it's never really crossed my mind before. Also what if our child traces the donor to find out he's homophobic? Is this normal?! Please tell me it is! I'm feeling a bit better about it today, I'm sure it's just a last minute wobble and stress about everything.. 

Love to everyone, B x


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## whisks

hi all hope everyone is okay

yeah the thought of using a homophobic donor has crossed my mind but then i would think that the donors would know that there sperm may go to a lesbian? (thats what i tell myself anyway)


my af came yesterday so started the pill today. have received my treatment plan and have all my dates, will be starting down regging (suprefact) at end of june and have first scan 10 days later then should start stimming (gonal f).

had some bad news last week the clinic phoned me to say they had a donor for me (second donor as first they offered turned out couln't use him after all) i accepted him as seemed a really good match etc but then they phoned next day to say he had reached his 1o families limit so couldn't use him either  but wont be a prob getting another donor and wont affect or delay my treatment so not really worried.

battenberry - hope your scan goes well on tuesday

whisks x


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## Battenberry

Hi there,
Sorry to hear about your donor whisks, but great news you have your treatment plan, and that finding a replacement donor won't hold things up for you.
It was back for another scan today for me, not too much happening, my leading lady has grown a little but quite slow, a couple of others that are smaller (hoping they stay that way as they won't do the insem if there's more than 2 follies). Back again on Friday to see if there's any further activity. Slow progres.. Got the donor sorted out today though, which feels a bit strange, and well, a bit lottery like really, if you know what I mean! But really pleased that we're (hopefully!) on with our second attempt.
hope everyone is ok, how are you nismat? Steph hope your consultation went well?
Love B x


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## whisks

Hi B

i hope your scan goes well on friday    
so good you have got your donor sorted  

my clinic should be phoning me this week with a new donor so i'm hoping it will be third time lucky! but don't want to get my hopes up too much.

hope everyone else is ok 

whisks xx


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## Battenberry

I'm a firm believer in third time lucky, that and things happen for a reason  x


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## Steph29

Hi Battenberry

Good news with the donor, Hope evrything goes well with the scan on friday 

Our consulation went really well just have to wait for blood test to come back hopefully they will be fine then we can hopefully get started, cant wait.

Hope everyone else is well.

Stephx


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## kelz2009

hi steph im so glad cons went well, good luck with tx x


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## Battenberry

Great news Steph, hopefully won't be long for you then x


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## Battenberry

Today's the day for you Kelz, yipee!! Sending you lots of   for today, I'm sure it will all go well for you, let us know how you're feeling later. 
Love B x


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## kelz2009

Thanx B, ive been up really early cant sleep dp is still sleeping, dont want to wake her think she needs to sleep as shes been doing lots of overtime in work to get us the money for tx.


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## kelz2009

Hi everyone been for my first iui today, the nurse was great who done it, glad it was her as she has been there from start, scans etc....
my cervix was not the best today real dfficult to get it where she needed it, had to change speculum then all went smoothly from there slight sting when catherter went in    . nurse really made me feel at ease and kept saying sorry but it wasnt her fault my cervix was doing what it did. Prob cause I was quite tense!!!!!!! Hope I get   .
Got pain in my tummy now like af type pains


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## lesbo_mum

woo hoo Kelz your on your first 2WW how exciting!! lots of    for you hope you get a BFP!!


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## MandMtb

Oh Kelz, I'm so pleased for you  

I am glad the iui went well and will be sending lots of   for a  

How are all your other lovely ladies doing who are having treatment?

Love S x


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## Steph29

Hi kelz

Glad everything went well with your iui kelz and DP lots of luck and   for a .

StephX


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## whisks

hi kelz 

got everything crossed for a   for you both    

steph when do you reckon your treatment will start, you never know we might be cycle buddies?

hope everyone is okay 

whisks xx


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## Steph29

Hi whisks,

Not sure have to wait for blood tests to come back, needs couple more which doc isnt sure will do so will prop have to get them done privitaly when everything is back we will have another appointment which will hopefully tell us more about when we can start.

Do you know when yours is going to start. That would be cool if we were cycle buddies 

Stephx


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## whisks

Hi Steph

i start down regging on 27th june and will have my ec and et week beg 20th july.

whisks x


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## Steph29

Hi Whisks,

We would love to start ASAP really bad at waiting   But all lies on bloods which are a pain in the butt they take to long to come back for my liking. We will hope to get starting in June but it is cutting it fine.

Stephx


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## Battenberry

Morning all,

Kelz, really glad the insem went well, wishing you lots of   for your 2WW. Hope you get  to relax and take it easy a bit, with all the jabs you've been doing I bet you're glad for the rest  
Steph, I hope the blood results come back soon and you can get the others done asap. All the preparation can take ages can't it, when all you want to do is crack on!
I'm back to the clinic tomorrow, feeling a little nervous as I hope there has been some growing of the follies, but not too many!! 
Love B x x


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## nismat

Hi Kelz, glad to hear that you're now on the 2ww - along with me! 
We decided to go for a double insem, as we've got more sibling sperm available than we'll ever be able to afford treatment cycles! So, I had the first IUI on Tuesday, 24hrs post trigger, and the second yesterday morning, about 44hrs post trigger. Karen was able to come to the second one, but not the first as she was at a job interviews! Hopefully big changes afoot for us on all fronts  
Both IUIs went really smoothly, the nurse said I had a "co-operative cervix" - one for the tombstone eh?   I also had the AF type cramps after yesterday's insem.
I'm feeling really positive about it, despite it all feeling a bit unreal (as it wasn't our expected treatment path), and despite having had 6 BFNs from IUIs before. Somehow, I've just got a good feeling about this one, after all, there's no reason why it shouldn't work is there?   

Battenberry - hope that the scan tomorrow brings the right results - growth of that lead follie but not too much for any more than one other! 

Good luck to everyone else on the waiting game (whatever stage that might be at) - the waiting is the worst part I think!


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## Battenberry

Nismat, great news that you've had 2 insems that have gone smoothly (your co-operative cervix made me laugh!), now the 2WW begins. Sending you lots of luck   and hoping it's a BFP for you.. Great that you are really positive, I'm sure that helps too.. You're right it is all the waiting that's the hardest part!
Love B x x


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## kelz2009

Hi Nismat, glad iuis went ok for you hope we both get bfp, still having af type pains, and for some reason my (.) (.) are feeling sore prob all drugs etc..... x


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## whisks

hi all

steph - i agree waiting for all the test results to come back is such a pain in the bum. the longest blood test result took about 4 weeks to come back and that was the cystic fibrosis test (i think)? 4 weeks ain't really that long looking back but it certainly seems it!!

nismat - fingers and toes crossed for a   for you.

battenberry - hope all went well at the clinic for you today  

can anyone tell me who has has done/is doing egg share - the form about family and personal med history which has to be signed by your gp as well as signed by yourself and consultant - did anyone have to pay for it to be signed by gp, i took it down to my docs today and left a copy with the receptionist who didn't really seem to know what to do with it, however she did say there would probably be a charge of approx 10 to 15 quid, which ain't gonna break the bank but does seem a bit cheeky as i'm sure it wont take long to do seems how everythings done on computer these days and i bet if i was having nhs treatment it wouldn't cost a thing, sorry ranting now!!

hope everyone is well 

whisks xx


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## Steph29

Hi Whisks

I just took mine in to the GP and he just signed the form for me i thought we would have to pay and was surprised when we didn't. It is a bit cheeky of them to ask for payment after all its only a signature. 

Steph


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## Pinktink

We're doing egg-sharing and our GP hasn't charged us for anything, form signing and doing bloods for us, which is very kind! As I understand that a lot of people on here have trouble getting anything for free from their GP!


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## kelz2009

Hi everyone hows you all doing. I have finally got photo on my profile taking me long enough lol....
Well cramping has started to ease thank godness, hope now my body concentrates on what it has to do to give us bfp


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## lesbo_mum

Hi kelz im loving your pic is very nice... nice to put a face to the name and Pinktink your picture is very cool also! 

Kelz i hope you get you BFP


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## Battenberry

Hi there,

Kelz, glad your cramping has started to ease, keeping my fingers crossed for you..

Good news for me today, the scan showed one large follie (DW has nicknamed me James and the giant peach, lol) so the big day is on Weds. I'm keeping myself awake at the mo for trigger at midnight. Very inconvenient as I was up at 5.30am this morning and will be again tomorrow for work! I'm excited and dreading the 2WW all at the same time!

Nismat, I hope your wait is going ok and you're feeling well.. 

Love and luck to everyone,
B x x


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## kelz2009

B,      thats great news about ur follie, hope u were ok with trigger shot, all the best for insem wednesday, This was  me last week trigger monday, insem wednesday. i will   u get a bfp. we will be here for u on ur 2ww as it drags.

lebo_mum: Thanx for compliment about photo, this was taken last year on holidays x 

well a bit about me: I had really bad cramps last night the worse so far, lasyed about 1- 1hr hours, I thought it was af.


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## lesbo_mum

Kelz sorry about the cramps hopefully its a good sign!   

Battenberry great news about your follie hope all goes well for your insem tomorrow and your not too sleepy today from your late night! 


Em x


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## Misspie

Hi all, 

Kelz, sounds like your having fun on your 2 ww. Fingers crossed that all goes as planned and you get your BFP!!! 

there seems to be so much involved with scans and injections, do I dare ask how many times you need to go back to the hospital around all this time of IVF/IUI?

L
xx


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## nismat

Glad you've finally reached the trigger/IUI stage *Battenberry*! It must have felt like forever.

*Kelz*, sorry to hear about all the cramping, hope that it's not a bad omen. Could well be good! I remember getting cramps v soon after my BFP, as the uterus starts to make changes, getting ready to stretch, even though you only have the weeniest little foetus in there at that stage  I'm doing fine, managing not to think about it all too much (I found it all so much harder dealing with the 2ww when we were trying to conceive Toby though, and the first ever 2ww is one of the hardest)

Misspie, the number of clinic appts during a treatment cycle varies hugely depending on just what kind of treatment plan you are following. If you are doing a natural cycle, you may not need any appointments at all, you just do ovulation tests and arrange your IUI date for (usually) the day after you get a positive. If you are being monitored though (which you will if you take any form of "fertility drug", whether that's a pill like Clomid, or (self-administered) FSH injections like Puregon/Gonal-F, then you would generally need to go in for a minimum of 3 scans, starting about day 8-9 of your cycle, and having one roughly every other day until the primary follie/follies have reached 18-20mm. At that point you will be told when to do your trigger injection (again, self-administered), and have your IUI scheduled for somewhere betweeen 24-36hrs later. Oh, and you usually have to also have a scan on about day 2 of each cycle just to make sure that your ovaries are looking good, no cysts etc. left from previous cycle. 
Hope that helps x


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## Misspie

Oh my gos nismat, how many scans!!!!!!

I'm trying to hide this all from work..................how the hell will I get away with that?!

How about IVF - is that any easier on time spent etc?

Maybe I will need to take some holiday, as I work in Henley on thames, and the hospital is Oxford, thats a good journey to and from hospital!

A few half days coming up me thinks!!! Ugh!

Did anyone else have problems with this and work? 

i really don't want to tell my boss yet, as I'm one of the managers, and I set up this side of the business, I think he will be  a bit concerned if he knew. I was hoping I could just deal with the, I'm 3 months pregnant malarcy and ohhh don't panic as i'm not gonna be off a year, i want to work together and come back after a limited time off!

I'm scared now!


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## Dominique123456

Misspie - how far is the clinic from where you work? I could just about make it to the clinic and back in my lunch break. For egg collection and egg transefer (if you do IVF) you might just have to bite the bullet and take sick leave as you can't plan those days far enough in advance. In the end I decided to tell my boss I was doing IVF because trying to keep it a secret was causing me more worry. I was really glad that I did because it meant that I got the support I needed from work to do it and then when I had hyperstimulated ovaries and had to to take first few weeks of pregnancy off it wasn't such a shock to them. It IS doable to do it without telling them but you might need to resign yourself to pulling a few sickies (I considered inventing something medical that was non-life threatning as a cover for lots of medical appointments like maybe treatment needed for a back problem? But then I guess they'll kno when you tell them that you lied before. The other good thing if you tell them, is that if you're successful they can give you support for the 1st 3 months too - i.e not ask you to lift things you shouldn't, understand why you're rushing to the loo to puke etc!! I hope I;ve helped and not just confused you even more!!

One last thing - like you my job has a lot of responsibilities and I thought I;d be letting people down/or that they wouldn't be sympathetic but you would be amazed at how people are pleased for you and not resentful of you.


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## Misspie

Ahhh thanks Dom. Yeah I think I'm going to go see how the initial consulation goes and take it from there.

From work, it would be a bit of a pain 40min journey and then to park and get in there and back again. I can probabaly pull a few sickies and I also have 7.5 days up my sleeve even after our holiday in Dec, so that will help. Might even be able to pull a few hospital appointments here and there and maybe just maybe a few sneaky business meetings.

I just think in this economic climate i don't want the boss to worry, and we have had a bit of an issue with another work employee off for nearly a month with pneumonia and even though they were generally ill, there were comments made about not being paid sick pay but that was under the generosity of his heart. Hmmmmmm !!!

So don't want to cause any concern...plus DW would more than likely be the one movin gher work hours to child care! I would then look at an odd day or afternoon/morning nothing major!

We are a very small company and very family orientated, plus my role is verysales/income/money orientated and my assistant really can't cover this area. And I want to make sure we earn money not loose it! ;o)

How are things going with the pregnancy Dom? Noticed you need to update you diary 

L
xx


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## nickidee

Hello All - I should probably reintroduce myself. I'm Nicki and was a regular poster on here when TTC my son who has just turned one. Since his birth, I have found it difficult finding the time to get on this site and when I did some time ago, it was exceptionally quiet, but it seems to have become very lively again while my back was turned  
I am currently TTC #2, and am on day 9 of stimming with EC likely to be Monday or Tuesday next week. I have noticed today, that my ovaries are feeling quite tender as if they are bruised and I wondered if anyone else had a similar experience during their IVF treatment as I don't recall feeling like this last time.
Thanks
Nicki


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## TwoBumps

Hi Nicki!
Welcome back to FF!
Yes, I certainly know the feeling you described hun! It's normal & is just your ovaries getting busy & swelling a little. Towards the end of stims mine would ache & throb, but it's a sign the meds are working. Do you know how many follies you're developing? I'm sure your clinic will have their eye on things if there's a risk you could overstimulate.
I wish you the best of luck with your treatment & congratulations on your little boy, what a lovely name he has too!
Lottie x


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## Damelottie

New home this way

http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=197879.0


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