# Another ICSI newie



## Cassidy (Jul 20, 2005)

Hiya All,

I'm new to the FF site and have spent some time reading through to see if I can decipher some of the abbreviations !!  I think i've got the hang of it now but you may need to bear with me for a bit. 

I'm 31 and my DH is 40.  We've been TCC for about 5 years and after investigations have been told that DH swimmers are not up to scratch and that we will need ICSI.  The NHS waiting list in our area is over 2 1/2 yrs so due to DH age we've decided to self fund so have spent ages saving like idiots to raise the cash.  We've filled the money pot now and are about to embark on our first try.  I'm due to go to see the nurse in a couple of weeks to get my 'drugs' so at this point don't even know what i'll be on.

Feeling quite optimistic at the moment (some may say naive) and will post back when i've got more news.  Does anyone have any hints/tips on what we can do to improve quality of swimmers in the meantime ?  

Looking forward to hearing from you special peeps - this site is fab.

Cassidy 
xx


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## mcoodle (Jun 15, 2005)

Hi Cassidy  

Welcome to FF!

There's some really amazing people on here that I'm sure you'll find of great help & support.

It's great that you are feeling optimistic, there would be no point going into this with a negative attitude.  You have to believe that it can work.

As for your dh's swimmers............my dh usually cuts out the alcohol, hot baths, wears boxers...all the usual things.  He also takes multivitamins and tries to eat lots of protein.  He's also considering acupuncture.

I wouldn't stress too much about this though, as with ICSI single sperm are 'handpicked' as opposed to IVF without ICSI.  Even though my dh's count is really low and they are naff swimmers, we've never had any trouble getting enough of the little fella's during our cycles.

Wishing you all the luck in the world with your tx and here's hoping you get a BFP!  

Take care

Love Lisa xx


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## lshack (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi Cassidy

Welcome to FF.  It is a great site and all the support is amazing.

My Dh was diagnosed with a V v.poor SA.  he had homeopathy and accupuncture and  his last results were borderline normal.  We are having our fist cycle of IVF where before we were advised that the only route was icsi.

Wishing you lots of luck    

love lshack xx


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## Cassidy (Jul 20, 2005)

Hi lshack

Thanx for the tip - what homeopathy did your dh use?  Was it stuff from the health shop or a pro?  I'm not very well up on the alternative medicines as you can probably tell!
I wish you loads of luck for your cycle - are you injecting etc?

Luv Cass
xx


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## Cassidy (Jul 20, 2005)

Hi Lisa

Thanks for your   and tips for dh.  He does all that at the moment so I think it's just a case of kick back and try to enjoy the ride !  

I so sorry that you've been through so many years of treatments - have you got any frosties from your other tries ?  I wish you all the best for your next cycle - are you injecting ?

I must admit i'm not looking forward to the jabs but it's a means to an end !!  The wait is frustrating tho - especially as we've gotto pay for it ourselves.  All being well i'll start down regs at the end of aug and am booked in for EC on 4th Oct  

Love and best wishes
Cass
xx


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## mcoodle (Jun 15, 2005)

Hi Cass,

We don't have any frosties at all, which I was really disappointed about each time, but the clinic told me that this was the norm and it was unusual to get lots of embies to freeze.  Not sure if they were just trying to make me feel better, because lots of people on here seem to have frosties.

We always had good embies put back though, grade 1's at 4 cell stage, which is about the best, but they just couldn't hang in there.  I can't help blaming myself for that with having PCOS, but I'm told there's not a great deal I can do about that.

Anyway, I'm not injecting yet.  I'm starting my next cycle from Sept's af, so a while to go yet to try and save some more brass!!  We've had one funded attempt, but that's our lot now, the rest is up to us!  Great, thanks very much NHS!!

Good luck with it all.  The injections are nothing like what you might imagine.  They are pratically pain free!  I was terrified at the thought of them, now I don't even think about it.

Hope to keep up with your progress.  Have you added yourself to the Cycle buddies board?  I'm on the Sept/Oct thread.  See you there!

Take care
Lisa
xx


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## Cassidy (Jul 20, 2005)

Hi Lisa,

I haven't added myself to the cycle buddies as yet - does this mean I post a message on the cycle buddies board or is it literally adding myself to a 'list' !  Sorry to be a bit dumb but i'm still feeling my way around   !!

Shame about the frosties - like you said alot of the girls here seem to have some frozen for backup.  My nurse made it all sound very simple .. yeah, take lots of drugs, we get lots of eggs, we'll do the fertilitising for you and pop them back - hey presto - preggers.  Lets just hope eh  
Do you have to take any drugs for your PCOS?  A friend of mine who also suffers (aswell as being diabetic) took metformin I think and within the month was up the duff !  She's managed it twice now lucky thing.  I'll keep everything crossed for you (except on EC day  !!).  We'll get there in the end - positive thinking is my game.

Back to the cycle buddies .. as i've not really started yet - EC booked on 4th Oct - does that mean i'm in the sept/oct cycle or oct/nov??  Apparently i'll be injecting throughout sept and hopefully all responds as needed. 

Take care
Cass
xx


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## mcoodle (Jun 15, 2005)

Hi Cassie,

You can post a message on the cycle buddies board and Emily will add your name to the list.

I'd add yourself to Sept/Oct as you should have your results before the end of Oct and hopefully that's a BFP for you!!

There's quite a few of us on there now, so we'll keep each other going during the up's and down's of this crazy ride!

I've never taken any drugs for the PCOS as I didn't even know I had them until we began tx.  I asked if there was anything I could take or any surgery I could have, but because our main IF problem is mf then there isn't a lot of point as we only have approx 1% chance of conceiving naturally so ICSI is our only option anyway.  I think (not certain) that the metaform/clomid etc just help with ovulation which I do ok anyway and I've been told that surgery could do my ovaries more damage than good.  So we just have to carry on down this route and hope the little beggars stick next time!! 

Take care & catch up soon

Lisa xx


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## Cassidy (Jul 20, 2005)

Hi Lisa, 

Thanks for the advice again - i've posted on the sept/oct board which has been great so far - are you on there?

I'm sending you lots and lots of    for your next cycle.  I really hope you guys get a 
   !!!!

I'm not seeing the nurse for another week yet but will keep you posted with how I get on.
Do you have any questions that would be good for me to ask her?  She said if I thought of anything to wrote it down (I think she knows I'm a bit of a numpy in the memory dept!!)  

Take care
Love Cass
xxx


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## mcoodle (Jun 15, 2005)

Hi Cass  

Good to see you on the cycle buddies board.  I'm on the same thread.

Thanks for all the luck you've sent me!!

Sending you the same right back!!    and lots of   for a BFP first time round for you!

I'm trying to think back to all the questions I asked and it seems such a long time ago.  I think the year I had off, I've blanked it from my mind.  That was the point though I suppose.

Have you already checked the clinics success rates etc?  If I think of anything I will pm you.  I'm sure there'll be lots of things on the way that you'll want to ask and there is always someone on here that can help.

What's the story with the transport thing between two hospitals?  How does that work?

Do you have lots of support from family and friends or have you chosen to keep it to yourselves?

Have you checked out the Meeting Places board?  You could meet lots of people from your area and even the same clinics on there.

Anyway, must go do some work!  

Have a great weekend and catch up soon.

Lisa
xx


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## Cassidy (Jul 20, 2005)

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for all the babydust - fingers crossed for a bfp 1st time  

I'm not sure about the success rate of LWH but feel like we don't have much of a choice cos of our location.  The transport thing!!  Well, basically i'll have the drugs/EC (and hopefully future scans etc) at Leighton which is only a few mins away and on the day of the EC my DH has to speed off in the car with my egg in a container plugged into the ciggie lighter    - oh yes he found that highly amuzing !
Then a couple of days later i'd be having the ET done at LWH and fingers crossed from there! It's the best option for us as LWH is over an hour off and with all the appt nec. time off work could become a problem.

We have the support of family and a few chosen friends - we've not told everyone for obvious reasons and I haven't told work cos they're very clicky and 2 faced .  I've talked to my GP about having some time off on sick once the ET is done and he's happy to sign me off for whatever nec.  Did you have any time off work ?  How long do you think I'll need?

I'll check out the meeting places - thanks for the tip.

I'd better get back to work - it's like BB in here !!

Have a lovely weekend (i'm off to the next sale!  

Take care
Cass
xx


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## rachy (May 9, 2005)

Hi i'm new to the site too, its nice to know we aren't alone out t here. I'm 32 have been trying for two years and we have done one round of unsuccessful ICSI but to be honest the place we went to filled us with little confidence and we weren't entirely comfortable there so we have had a good look around and done our homework and found somewhere we feel really comfortable with and are starting our second go on Tuesday! Have heard that Zinc suppliments are fantastic for improving swimmers as are Brazil nuts! And the obvious ones of very little alcohol and nothing thats even slightly bad for you!  Am still struggling with the abreviations and understanding them all! Good luck with the first round!


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## Cassidy (Jul 20, 2005)

Hi Rachy  

I'm still catching up with the abbreviations aswell so your not on your own!  Glad i'm not the only one that feeling a bit of an   !  There is a link on the main page which will list all the common abbs but some arn't on there yet.

I'm sorry that your 1st ICSI failed - it's such a rollercoaster that we're on.  Where did you have your tx done?  We're having transport ICSI between Leighton Hosp in Crewe and Liverpool Womans hosp.  I've read load of good things about LWH but not so much about Leighton.  We're going private though cos the waiting list is just too long.

Great news about your next cycle   are you down regging now?  I've got an appt for my drugs on the 1st Aug   and can't wait to get started.  (sorry if i'm repeating myself girls - can't quite keep up yet!)

I'm gonna get my DH on, zinc, flaxseed, selenium, VitC and ginseng and see how that goes !!  

I'm sending you lots and lots of babydust for a   this time round

  

Any other tips your picked up on so far would be much appreciated - i've read that pure pineapple juice is good and possibly asprin ??  Prob best to check with nurse 1st though!! 

Take care and keep in touch

Cass
xxxxx


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## lshack (Jun 22, 2005)

Hi Cass 

My Dh went to a  pro homeopath for his treatment, It worked well and i did get a natural pg but unfortunately miscarried at 12 weeks.  We have been trying since and now doing IVF.

I have a scan on Wed to see if EC can be done on Friday. very exciting and scarry.
I have bboked off work the day before EC and two weeks after but i can be a bit flexible if need be.

Good luck with your tx and wishing you lots of  
Love lshack xx


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## mcoodle (Jun 15, 2005)

Hi girls..

Hope you're well....and had good weekends!

Hi Cass....Gosh the transport thingy all sounds very dramatic.......dashing across with the eggs plugged into the ciggie lighter! I too, use two clinics but the ec & et are done at the one........the scans etc are done at the other.

I did have some time off work. Obviously I was off for the ec then I'd go back to work the day after the et. The day of the pg test I'd take off sick and with my first two bfn's I had a week off. My last bfn I was signed off for a few weeks. I always use sick and not holiday, but I have a very good relationship with my immediate boss and closest colleagues and they help me out a lot and are very understanding. I'm lucky in that sense.

I hope you get lots of support. Be really selfish and take all the time you feel you need at each stage. I think this time I'm going to take time off for my 2ww. I'm just going to chill out and pamper myself! 

Hi Ishack  - Just wanted to wish you lots of luck and you get the longed for BFP!!!  You deserve it!

Hi Rachy  - You're certainly not alone! So sorry about your bfn and the lack of support you seem to have received. I'm glad you've changed clinics, you really need to feel as comfortable as possible when having tx. Wishing you lots of luck this time round, really hope you get the BFP!!!  

Take care
Love, Lisa xx


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## Cassidy (Jul 20, 2005)

Hi All,

Hope you are all well.  I had a great weekend - spent lots of money in the next sale.   Kept thinking to myself - should I really buy a sz10 when I could be pg within a couple of months!  I had to calm myself down and stop myself. Oh, and all the baby stuff was tempting aswell but think that's pushing it a bit too far! 

Hi Lisa - yes the transport thing is a bit confusing at 1st but I won't have to do much to be honest - it's my DH who will have the dash across county.  We've got a good friend who is a scouser and knows his way round L'pool by car (we usually go by train) so he's going along for the ride.  I think they think they're Starski and Hutch !!  I've been to my GP (may have said this before so sorry if I have  ) he has said that he'll sign me off sick for as long as I want and he doesn't have to put anything very explanitory on the sicknote!!  I think i'll have day before EC and then 2 weeks after and see how things go.  I hope I don't have any bad side affects from the drugs cos I may feel sick then aswell??  I'll see how I get on.  

Hi Lshack - I'm waiting to get my hands on the book by Zita West - apparently it has all good ideas about prep for treatment.  I soooooo hope all goes well for your EC. I'm sending you lots of    
and plenty of

   

for a  .  I'll have my fingers crossed for you - do let us know how you get on.

Talk soon
Love
Cass
xx


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