The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Conceive when its just not happening (12m+)

bigzippy

tea_lover wrote: »

This year I will be having a baby. Somehow. That is all x.

I don't even have the balls to say I'll conceive this year
I'm 100% behind you though! I'll let you lead the way :D

TeamLowe wrote: »

bigZ you are as always an inspiration. I'm going to aim to lose 5 bmi points by my appointment in March to hopefully help the Clomid do it's work x

*blush*
Good luck! :j

I've put a couple of lbs on in the last couple of weeks not too concerned, but assuming my appointment in is in March, I've got more than enough time to lose at least the 12lbs, and hopefully a bit more. I think if I've lost 1.5st or more, by my appointment, I'll be happy.:D Course, if I got pg and started putting it on by then, I'd be even happier

TeamLowe wrote: »

DH managed to eat a box of Thorntons in about ten minutes so that i wouldn't chuck them lol x

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


T2D: I haven't been through IVF (yet?) but it seems most women do work through their treatments. As I'm assuming you'll have to tell work (if you haven't already) they'll just give you the time as medical/fertility time off? But if it's private treatment then I'm assuming there will be some leeway about appointment times.

AFAIK you tend to do the last egg-releasing trigger shot 36hrs before going in for collection, which is (from what I've read) almost always done in at night for the collection to happen 2 mornings later. The rest of the protocol, for drugs/injections seems to depend on the protocol you're put on and how your ovaries react. I'm assuming the most appointments you'll have would be for scans? (I'm sure someone will correct me soon enough )

As for the ovaries and getting the eggs out... usually a probe (the TV scanner) is inserted with a needle on the end. This is angled to one side of your vaginal wall, pierces through, reaches the follicles and sucks out the eggs. Then withdrawn and the same is done for the other ovary. They don't utilise the tubes at all (this was my misconception when I was freaking about my tubes being blocked) as they're too delicate and as narrow as a fine needle tip, apparently. If your ovaries are in a harder to access position then they can go in through the belly to get them. I get the impression that it's usually done via general anaesthetic but not always. In theory, either of these procedures could be attempted, post cancer treatment, to collect eggs.

Hope that helps, it's what I've read along my journey and didn't know how long it would be til someone more experienced would be along...

jujugaboo

time2deal wrote: »

Evening ladies,

I am back in Sunny (!) London, and have my first IVF appointment tomorrow for the egg collection cycle. I have to try tonight and track down all the paperwork from recent tests, but they do say they want to do another scan. Kind of a pain as I have to pay for everything again, but such is life I suppose.

For those that have done stimulated IVF, can you tell me what the protocol is? ie - how many injections, how often, how many scans etc, and how you felt. Also how the eggs are actually retrieved. I had heard it was under a general, but I'm not sure if that is the case...

How did you co-ordinate the scans and appointments with work? Is it feasible to still go to work full time while it's going on?

Also, any ideas what I should ask? I may end up with working ovaries at the end of the cancer treatment, and if so does anyone know if they could do another egg collection cycle (bearing in mind there may not be fallopian tubes etc attached to them!)

Lots of questions - but it would be good to get advice from those who have been through it. Thanks!

Hi, for my ICSIs I had to do a down reg injections for about 3 weeks (sometimes longer) then I did 12 days of stim injections drugs (2 injections sometimes 3 a day as I was on the highest dose), it maybe a little shorter for you as my body responds poorly to the drugs and they may put you on a short protcol. I had about 4-5 scans to make sure I was down regging and that the stim drugs where doing what they are suppose to. I was still working full-time and tried to make all appointments early morning so I wasn't missing too much work. I generally felt fine on the drugs but I know others have had some symptons.

I have had my eggs retrived under general and under sedation, I prefer the sedation because the come round is easier and I didn't feel anything either time and had just had some mild discomfort after, its an idea to take few days off after the collection. After your cancer treatment I can't see why they still couldn't do egg collection if you had another stimulated cycle.

Hope this helps, if you need to know anything else feel free to ask.

Primmer

T2D - on my ivf cycle I did about 3 weeks of down regulation by sniffing and then a scan to make all was ok. I then had nightly injections to stimulate the ovaries to make the eggs. Think I injected for about 10 days an I had 2 scans during that time. I worked through all of that with just time off for scans and back to work straight after. The stimulation injections were fine but caused bloating and discomfort in ovary regions but nothing too bad. I had the eggs extracted under sedation they give you a precise time for it and there is an injection you have to take a set time before. I had the day of egg collection and day after off as it was a requirement to allow the sedation out of your system and for me I needed to rest during that time due to discomfort and some pain. Hope that helps but the clinic should be able to go through a timetable with you.

lilymay1

Loving the PMA on this thread.I too am going to start a healthy pregnancy this year.

an9i77

Runnerduck wrote: »

hi carly, i was in a similar situation although not the army, but i have 2 grown up kids and my hubby had none, we did not qualify for any nhs treatment although our doctors did have a meeting and Agreed to do all our immune and blood tests which saved us hundreds, i would think as you have a daughter you will have to go private too if you need ivf, i don't know about chlomid etc though, can you change doctors, or look for a private clinic who would do tests for you.

I got clomid from my GP and already have a child - so you should be able to get it on the NHS.

lisawood78

Just a quick note to say, I have no tubes and have endured 9 rounds of IVF, makes no odds to egg collection.
Happy new year ladies x

sarahs999

Epsil - fab news. So pleased for you. Fingers crossed that this is your forever baby.

And all others, keep up that PMA. May this year be your year. You all deserve it.

lilymay1

an9i77 wrote: »

I got clomid from my GP and already have a child - so you should be able to get it on the NHS.

So did I, but clomid is a prescription that you have to pay for and doesn't require any monitoring.
Having said that, My OH has had 2 SA's and I've had a whole laod of bloods and an HSG all on the NHS. I think it's mainly anything further on from ovulation induction that isn't NHS funded. IUI and the suchlike.

bigzippy

Lily, I am a smidge concerned that they're not monitoring your clomid cycles...mainly because the info leaflet with mine specifically mentions it...? I can understand them being less concerned about whether it makes you ovulate, but surely they must consider OHSS a risk? :huh:

How you graduate guys doing?

plumpmouse

lilymay1 wrote: »

So did I, but clomid is a prescription that you have to pay for and doesn't require any monitoring.
Having said that, My OH has had 2 SA's and I've had a whole laod of bloods and an HSG all on the NHS. I think it's mainly anything further on from ovulation induction that isn't NHS funded. IUI and the suchlike.

Just delurking (I still read even though I graduated 3 years ago!)

My GP refused to prescribed Clomid as it should be given under consultant care with monitoring. (Edited to say think this is due to risk of OHSS and multiple births - I had PCOS too which may have had something to do with it)

My PCT (was Blackburn with Darwen) at the time gave me 6 months of Clomid and then 3 goes at injections all on NHS despite having a child already.

My 3rd cycle of the injection wasn't producing very good results and the nurse told me she would request an extra cycle if I wanted as she knew I would have to pay if went on for IVF. We decided we had reached the end of our TTC journey and would stop after the 3rd go whatever its outcome. Luckily for me it worked even though nobody thought it would. This was however all done 3 years ago so I'm sure even at that PCT it will have changed particularly as I believe the PCT are all being rejigged (now live overseas so not too sure what is happening.)

Congratulations to all the recent graduate. So so pleased for you all and hoping you have happy and healthy pregnancies