The 30-40 Group

[LisaB75]

Hello to all of you lovely ladies! Hope you are having a great day today.

Eminde - I think the follie fairy must have reached me because I had my first scan (after starting stimms) today and they counted 10 follicles. From what I gathered from my doctor - that is a good sign. They are going to call me today to set up my next appt (tentatively scheduled for 3/25) and let me know if I need to make any adjustments to my meds.

Angela - Thank you for the well-wishes. Your support means a lot. When I was reading what you wrote about the jealousy/self-blame I felt like you were reading my mind. It is very hard to deal with sometimes - when I first found out my tubes were blocked I cried for a week straight. I even went so far as to think that God was punishing me for something and maybe I didn't deserve to be a mom. Now I realize that isn't true and that all things happen for a reason. I know infertility can sometimes ruin a marriage but I really feel like my dh and I have grown closer b/c of all this. Also, I feel lucky that I can possibly still have children, in spite of my "blocked plumbing". 30 years ago I wouldn't have had a chance.

Danielle - I am excited that you start stimms 3/23. I started 3/18 and, since then, time has been going a lot faster and I am getting more and more excited. Hopefully it will be that way for you. Good luck and I hope everything goes smoothly for you.

Traci - don't work too hard girl. Sounds like you deserve a rest! Hang in there....

Hello to everyone else! Hope all is well.

[Niccymc]

Just a quickie as I'm in my hubbies work and they are just closing.

Thanks for all the well wishes - I am over the mood about new nephew going down on sunday to see him.

Good luck to everyone who are injecting, scanning, inserting and generally waiting and waiting and waiting.........

Speak again tomorrow night when I;m back to work..

Take care.

Lol Niccyxx

[Tracii]

LisaB - Way to go with the 10 follies Keep the belly nice and warm

[Danie454]

Thanks Lisa!

Grats on your buncho Follies!

Im pretty nervous about icky side effects from the Gonal F tomorrow.. I am hoping it all just starts moving really fast..

I have to say I think the quickest way to make life go slower is have something you are looking forward to ahead of you. Other wise life flys by so quickly.

I have a question from one of you wonderful UK ladies. I am curious about the Daily Diet differences from UK and US. We have all of these processed foods here and quick fixes.

I am a massage therapist in my spare time and One of my Massage clients is from London. She made a few comments about US and their fast food practices.

I am wondering what a typical day meal plan in the UK would be.

Hugs to everyone!

Danielle

[MLG]

Hi ladies

LisaB – Hope stress is decreasing rapidly. Great news – 10 follies! Sending some more folly-dust your way

Niccy – Hope you’re feeling better. Almost starting! Bet you’re feeling excited

Tracii – Sounds like you’re tiring yourself out! Take care.

I12b – How are you doing?

Danielle – Almost starting! You’ll see that it’s not that difficult. Best of luck. Hopefully you’ll be like me and not have much of bad side-effects

Angela – All posted for tomorrow? Best of luck

SML – How’s it with MIL? Hope your fine

Erminde – Good luck with you’re beanies

Jan – Loved your depiction of the boys getting to your girl! Bet she seduced them beautifully!

Stacy Marie – Feeling more positive? News?

Hope everyone else is fine.


Did some more bloods today. E2 level lowered slightly so trigger shot is today and Ec on Friday. Still some risk of OHSS , but doc wants to go ahead anyway.

xxxxx



Danielle - Welcome
angelamw - IUI treatment on 23/3
lisa b75 - start sims on 18/3
eminde - testing on 15/3 - Good luck -BFP
staceymarie - testing on 15/3 - Good luck BFP
niccymc - Appointment for start of IVF 15/3 - Good luck
jan33 - waiting for LH surge
traci - BFP, edd 24. November (expecting a butterball turkey!)
rachel - IVF apr 06
Jen
i12b - Jan 06 BFP (baby due Oct 30th)
MLG - EC 24 March,
sml - waiting for AF, then BC pill for 2 weeks then nasal spray
nickimark - 3 months 6 days until 4th DIUI cycle
buffalojen - new member
macca8 - 3 months 3 weeks 4 days until 4th ICSI

[sml]

Hello Ladies,

Happy Hump Day! Found myself worn out today from playing hostess to parents last week/MIL this week, etc. Also in a nasty mood regarding my job and an enraging phone meeting with the chair of my department -- long story that will just get me too worked up to go to sleep but suffice it to say that I am livid and also overwhelmed as it brings up all those career v. IVF/kids issues that we all chatted about several weeks ago on this thread. Grrrrrrrrr.

Sounds lots of great developments on this thread, however, and it cheered me up to read everyone's news!

LisaB75 -- Well done with the follies -- ten is fantastic!
All that balloon-imitating will be worth in the end!!! And yes, it is bizarre but drinking tons of water really does help even if it seems counterintuitive. And yes, ditto to what Traci advised -- keep that belly and those follies nice and warm. Sending lots more follie dust your way too!

Tracii -- Yay, you've got sore BB's! Remember, you don't need to "feel" preggers to BE preggers, though friends have told me that feeling rundown like one is hungover is not uncommon. Plus, it sounds like you are already NESTING with that spring clean! Enjoy the clean house (send some of that spring cleaning energy my way....) Keeping fingers crossed for all to go smoothly with Friday's scan -- SO exciting!

MLG -- BEST OF LUCK for EC Friday!!! It's almost here!!! Just one more shot -- how fantastic. Then the poking and prodding will soon be over and you can sit back and we'll do our VERY best to keep you well entertained on the 2ww.


And speaking of shots, Danielle, how are you doing with the Gonal F? That's the same injection I took last time and will take in a few weeks when I start my second cycle. I found that it was somehow less painful to have the injections in my belly. Personally, I was too much of a wimp to do them myself so DH bravely injected me every time (seemed to start to enjoy playing "doctor" towards the end...!). How wonderful to hear that you are a massage therapist -- what type of massage do you practice? I just had a lymphatic drainage massage on Monday to begin to prepare my body for IVF. Not the deep tissue work that I usually enjoy but it was very relaxing.

Danielle, your nutrition question is such an important one! I've completely changed my eating habits since starting fertility treatments. I had eaten mostly organic foods prior, but drank quite a bit of coffee and tea and also indulged in wheat and sugar fairly frequently. I've seen a nutritionist here in London at the Zita West clinic (you may have heard a lot of ladies on this site rave about her books -- Fertility and Conception is really fabulous and I highly recommend it). She recommends doing a liver detox before starting IVF (fairly simple -- mostly fruits and vegetables -- and no dairy/wheat/caffeine/sugar/alchohol/fried foods/red meat...okay, not so simple!) It's tough, but when I did it I felt so much better. DH and I have tried to cut out as much processed and prepared foods as possible and also eating out has been cut down to a minimum so that we have some control over what we are eating.

Angela -- how did it go today? Sending you lots of positive thoughts!

Jan -- guessing you are busy busy preparing for you holiday? Hope you are doing okay!

Eminde -- how was your scan? Fingers crossed that all went BEAUTIFULLY!

Niccy -- Thanks for being so candid about important feelings that so many of us on this thread have had to deal with at one time or another. It is so hard sometimes to negotiate completely incompatible and simultaneous feelings of joy and happiness for one's friends and utter depression at one's own situation. One of my closest colleages who is also a dear friend called to tell me wonderful news -- that she would be put up for promotion a year early (I am struggling right now with the question of whether/how to make it through my promotion) AND that she was expecting -- her second child in September (when I had hoped to be due if last IVF had worked out). Of course I was really happy for her but it just made me utterly depressed about BOTH my career and my fertility issues. I'm so impressed that you had the wherewithall to decide to take a few days to decompress on your own and of course, I just know you will be elated to meet your little nephew on Sunday. Enjoy.


I12b -- Tx for the dirt on Demi. Yes, a shame we may not get to see a Demi-Ashton offspring, though I have a feeling we will have the two of them as "eye candy" for a long, long time? (Okay, so what really is the 411 on Demi? Total plastic surgery? How come she doesn't look all pinched and anorexic like say, Terri Hatcher - who I love as an actress but pray that she stops doing whatever it is she is doing her body!).

Okay ladies -- hello and big hugs to everyone I missed -- sending lots and lots of PMA your way. No update on divulging to MIL yet -- DH and almost did last night but it was her b-day and there was one opening in the conversation and it passed and I just couldn't do it....yes, I'm totally pathetic I know! She is away for two days in Paris, but perhaps this weekend when she is back....

Chat again soon! xx

[sml]

Ladies,

Just updating the list a bit -- please edit/add as necessary! xx

Danielle - start Gonal-F injections 23/3
angelamw - IUI treatment on 23/3
lisa b75 - start sims on 18/3 -- 10 Follies so far!!!
eminde - BFP
staceymarie - BFP
niccymc - Appointment for start of IVF 15/3 - Good luck
jan33 - waiting for LH surge
traci - BFP, edd 24. November (expecting a butterball turkey!)
rachel - IVF apr 06
Jen
i12b - Jan 06 BFP (baby due Oct 30th)
MLG - EC 24 March,
sml - on BC pill for 2 weeks, scan on 4/4, then nasal spray
nickimark - 3 months 6 days until 4th DIUI cycle
buffalojen - new member
macca8 - 3 months 3 weeks 4 days until 4th ICSI

[Tracii]

Hi Girlies

Danielle - I have to pop in and give my 2cents on the nutrition question. I totally agree with sml regarding eating organic and healthy..I too also did the liver detox diets...not easy but boy you feel incredible. I try to eat only organic and stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Now this is MUCH easier for me as I live in Germany (but I am American) where we don't have genetically modified food and processed food is difficult to come by. To be honest when I go back to the US to see my family I get horribly sick from the food..my stomache feels terrible and goes into a total revolt. I have concluded it is due to all the chemicals, perservatives, and hormones and is very difficult to get away from it in the US. I really have to get on my soapbox about the American diet because (and I hope I don't offend anyone)...it is truly horrible...and people complain about their kids having ADD or whatever they call it these days...and instead of changing their diet (which probably consists of some sugar and chemical loaded cereal, junk at the school cafeteria and mcDonalds for dinner)...so they give them prescription dugs instead!

When I moved to Europe I was always shocked how many people would bring fresh fruit to the office or see kids eating apples on the metro. It is not perfect and people are getting fatter and unhealthier here too...we do get the horribly sweetned drinks and of course McDonalds...but I think we have more choice in eating healthy. OK I am off my soapbox now.


sml- I hope you get work straightened out...it is never an easy situation. Hang in there with MIL....I have mine coming this weekend where I need to play hostess until I leave for Dubai on Sunday (they take care of the dogs while we are gone). I am done cleaning so sending my cleaning fairy your way!

MLG - I will be thinking of you tomorrow!!! Let us know how you do

I12b - I just read the same about Demi - I guess she has been out shopping for nursery things and wants them delivered immediately. How are you feeling?

Hi to the rest! I am off to Munich for my scan tomorrow...will let you know after

[Eminde]

Hi girls, just an update after my scan yesterday. We have TWO little beanies in there!!! Couldn't stop crying 1 is very small though and I know it's early days yet - I will just have to be patient until the next scan in 2 weeks. Am off to the UK (again ) this weekend (Mother's Day) and am so looking forward to seeing my family again, altough it wasn't long since the last visit

Tracii - good luck for your scan tomorrow!! Will be thinking of you. Then have a fab time in Dubai. How long are you away?

sml - under 2 weeks for you now until tmt!! Bet you are getting so excited. Try to concentrate on that when work is getting you down.. I hope that will have been sorted out come tmt time? You might find, when the time's right to tell MIL, that this is a big weight off your mind.

MLG - am so glad your doc will go ahead with EC; it's so disappointing when a cycle is cancelled. All the best for tomorrow - at least you will have the weekend to take it easy.

Danielle - I'm trying, as we all I think, to eat heathily: organic fruit and veg where possible (rather from markets and not supermarkets). Am finding it difficult to cut down on tea though. I've been drinking it since I was a child so I must be addicted as I get terrible headaches when I don't drink it. I'm down to 1 cup a day so that's not bad. Is there something you need to cut down on?

Niccy - enjoy meeting your little nephew. I think you will get a lot of +ve vibes from it. Good luck with starting your meds!

LisaB75 - congratulations: 10 follies is great!! Any idea of your EC date?

I12b - glad to know I'm not the only one spotting. My doc seemed to be more worried than yours but there's nothing I can do except wait till the next scan and try not to think the worst.

angela - how is it inot the 2ww? Hope the time flies by. I'm sure you're keeping busy at work - at least the time then goes quickly. Do take some time to put your feet up though - just passing on advice DH gives me daily

Jan - hope you're OK and resting well.

Hi to all

Eminde xx

[Eminde]

Thanks LisaB75 and sml for the good wishes on the other thread!!

Eminde xx

[LisaB75]

Hello everyone. Interesting reading all of the nutrition info. As someone who lives in the states I am completely put off by the way parents feed their kids here. I have a friend who is raising her 7 yr old son on McDonalds and it really bothers me. And I agree with Traci on the ADD thing - it's just sad how many people want to find a pill to solve all of their problems. I try to eat healthy but it is VERY difficult to avoid processed foods, preservatives, etc here.

Anyway - I could go on forever and I am at work so I better shut up.

Sml, traci, mlg, danielle, eminde and everyone else who congratulated me on my 10 follies - thank you!! I am very excited that things are going so well so far. Eminde - i am not sure of my EC date yet - they are predicting the end of next week (Mar 30, or 31). I have another scan on 3/25 and I expect to get more info then.

And CONGRATS to you Eminde on your 2 beanies! That is wonderful!

Mlg - good luck with your EC on Friday. Take it easy over the weekend and get ready for the big ET!!

Angela - looking forward to hearing how the IUI went. Hope you are somewhere warm and comfortable with your feet propped up relaxing!

Traci - good luck with your scan! I'm keeping my eggies nice and warm!

sml - hope your mood gets better. I know all too well how work can get you down. And don't worry - you will tell your MIL when it feels right. I stressed over telling a certain friend of mine (the one who I mentioned that is raising her son on McDonalds). She has commented before that she thinks I am lucky that I had trouble getting pg (i know... GASP!) b/c she thinks parenthood is overrated. You can all probably understand why I hesitated in telling her I was doing IVF. Anyway - I just told her yesterday and she was very excited and supportive and actually apologized for her insensitive comments in the past. I know this is not the same situation as it is with your MIL - but once I told her, I was glad.

Danielle - how's it going with the stimms?

Hello to Niccy, I12b, and everyone else - hope you are all having a great day!

[Danie454]

Hey Everyone!

Thanks for all the Nutrition information. Coffee and Tea are my downfalls at this point.

I am a therapeutic Massage therapist for injuries and accidents. I trained in Kinesiology and postural assessment. My massage is designed to work along with a chiropractor. But I injured my hand a few months ago and I have really cut down a lot and I am practicing Real estate more now.

The reason I was asking nutritional questions is because I wondered if Europe has more natural foods and less processed foods. I have tried to look up diet plans for England/Europe on websites and I haven't been able to find any that aren't American.

One website that I really liked was babyfit.com it seems that they have a daily meal plan and it looks like good food.

I was a young mom the first time around had my daughter at 21 and I feed her fish sticks and corn dogs. Mostly from a financial reason but I regret doing that now.

If I get pregnant this time we have already decided that we are going to make food from scratch and freeze it. No more food from cans and boxes. And the new kids are going to eat the same food we are eating. No more picky eaters allowed!

My Gonal F shots are going okay. It didn't hurt at all.. I have the auto Injector for it and my poor DH dropped the shot after he stuck it in the first time this morning because he didn't realize how big it was to inject it from the button. But he felt so bad having to stick me again. And just after he got some early morning loving too... Hrmp!

If any of you know some UK websites that have meal plans or diets please send them my way. I am really interested in the shopping list and different ingredients.

Hugs to everyone!

Danielle

[sml]

Danielle,

I don't know of good websites but can recommend some books that have been really helpful to me (and have really changed my eating habits). There are two health-food-gurus in London who have written some easy to follow books with great eating plans/recipes.

1) You Are What You Eat by Gillian McKeith
Really fun to read -- excellent explanation of nutrition, detailed detox plan and 7 day sample menus

2) You Are What You Eat Cookbook by Gillian McKeith
I use this often for great healthy recipes -- they are tasty enough to serve guests as well.

She does have a website: http://www.drgillianmckeith.com/ Please don't be put off by her exuberance -- the recipes really are good!

3) The Food Doctor - Fully Revised and Updated : Healing Foods for Mind and Body by Vicki Edgson and Ian Marber
Also good for basic healthy-eating guidelines

4) The Food Doctor Everyday Diet by Ian Marger
Not really a weight-loss diet, more a healthy eating plan. Really good recipe ideas.

He also has a website: http://www.thefooddoctor.com/homebody.php

5) Fertility and Conception by Zita West
I think I mentioned this to you before -- she's got tons of information on IVF and fertility in general (sort of walks you through the process step by step, week by week which I found really helpful). Also, there is a section on all the nutrients and foods that help boost fertility, including lists of fruits/veg and vitamins one needs during this time. She also includes at detox programme for you and DH to both do if you are interested.

Of course while I try my best to eat according to all of these guidelines, I still do indulge in the occasional black tea or latte or glass or two (or three!) of wine. It is amazing to me, however, how much more aware people are in the UK and in Europe about genetically modified foods, pesticides, organics, etc. Back in NYC, we'd shop at Whole Foods from time to time, but our weekly diet regularly relied on Chinese takeout! DH often jokes that we have become "food activists" since moving to London and perhaps we have. It is also easier to be more conscious here, at least where I live, as there are lots of small farmer's markets and really good organic groceries nearby.

Hope this is of some help to you! Enjoy the recipes.

xx sml

[sml]

Tracii -- Hoping all goes well with the scan today!!! Thinking of you!

Eminde -- Tx so much for the pep talk re: work/tmt. You are so right -- thinking about tmt (well, not tmt, but the potential results!) really does help me put all the work stuff into perspective. MIL returns from paris tonight -- fingers crossed that all goes smoothly when (if?) DH and I tell her this weekend!

Hugs to everyone else -- wishing everyone a very happy weekend.

[MLG]

Just got back from EC. They got 12 eggs!
Just got to wait for information on the fertilization, and ET will be on Sunday.

Going to rest now.
Till later.

xxxxx