April/May Buddies??

[LauraLou]

Em- 11 embyros! That's wonderful. There will be so many to choose from!

Carolyn- Sorry things aren't going so well for you. You and DH have had a very stressful time lately. I too am looking forward to having a plan. And thank you for the link to that article, it was very helpful.

Veronika- Glad to hear you are finished with your thesis. That must be a huge load off your mind. Can I ask what your thesis is about?

Jackie- Looking forward to hearing about your scan!

I am getting worried that AF hasn't arrived yet. My beta never did drop, it just didn't rise correctly. I've still got sore breasts, that is the one pregnancy symptom that didn't disappear last week.

I don't have any spotting or pelvic pain, which are classic signs of an ectopic but I'm getting a little worried. I go back on Friday to do another beta, so I guess I'll know then if there's a problem.

I'm off to see my regular doctor today to get refills on my allergy medicine, etc. Perhaps I can talk him into doing a beta for me.

Laura

[Xrayem]

Hi guys,

ET went ok today....it only took 5 mins! I thought it would be a longer drawn out procedure. My doc was so pleased for us....all of our 11 embryos were perfect! So we have out back 2 and now we have 9 frosties!!!!! Can you believe it? Thats 9!

Afterwards, I was resting in the clinic recovery room and they offered me a brandy! Apparently its tradition at my clinic and we have the second best success rates in Australia.....so who was I to question it. They theory is that it relaxes you...certainly works.

But now I am feeling crampy and I have a bad headache which is making me feel a little nausea. Is this normal? I have already drunk 2 litres of water/gatorade and have been drinking two protein drinks a day. Is this OHSS?

Laura - Definately have a follow up beta! You may still have a chance.

Carolyn - Hug for you during such a rough time.

My test date will be 1st Nov. Only 13 more days to go.....

EM

[CarolynB]

Em

Sounds like the procedure went really really well.

That is so fantastic. 11 perfect little beanies and now 9 snow babies. Guess the 'only' 4 thing that you were worrying about was utter rubbish??

I heard/read that if OHSS really kicks in then it is your tummy that really swells up and you are actually being sick.

Not that I am a dr but would think that it is just the stress of what your body has been through and all the emotions too. Plus coming off all the weird drugs. Try to take it really easy for the next few days and look after yourself.

Take good care. Sending super sticky vibes for the next 13 days hun.
Love Carolyn xxx

PS - More later - just wanted to see if Em had any news!

[DaniaBB]

Lauralou-How are you feeling ? I have been thinking of you and its so unfair but I think you have a great plan and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you will be able to do the IUI b4 Xmas.That is interesting that you don’t have any symptoms of AF- if you dr. doesn’t give you a beta can you go to a private clinic for one. I did that once- it cost me $65 and I got the results within an hour- atleast it can settle your mind as this must be weighing on your mind every time you go to the washroom.

Em- 13 eggs- yahoo! That is great! And 11 embies is wonderful too. I know what you mean about the cramping and the being uncomfortable I kept telling my DH I felt like a whale. I think your clinic is great to be so careful to make sure you don’t get OHSS, I wish mine would have been more like that. I feel really sad about your dear Auntie- I pray that she recovers well and quickly. She is great to think of you like that. She sounds really sweet.
Don’t worry about thinking about yourself right now- its a big deal to go through all this- its a rollercoaster of emotions and now you are so close to the exciting part. Isn’t it amazing to see your little embies on the monitor b4 they transfer them into your uterus. They are so beautiful! I think your headach could be from tension and excitement. If you have OHSS your belly will keep swelling up with water and you’ll have difficulty breathing. I wish you Good Luck on your 2ww!!!

Carolyn- Sorry to hear mean old AF is here for you sweetie. I have faith that you will get your chance- just as much as my neighbors daughter- nature works in mysterious ways.It must be really hard for you having to explain yourself to your friends. It weighs on your heart as you try to hide your pain. I am shocked that they would have you pay for a follow-up appt. how cruel. I’m glad you gave them a piece of your mind!

Jackie- Good luck for your scan tomorrow!!!Wow already 10 weeks.

Vero- Thinking of you and hope you are getting some rest now that your thesis revision is completed. Good for you! When you said how you panicked and changed everything- it sounds like me when I had to hand in one of my final websites –I panicked at one point and I started everyhting over from scratch- my DH thought I was nuts- but its just wasn’t to my liking and I couldn’t put my name on it like that. But I know myself I have been like that in the past-at work and when I was doing my Bachelors. I think we are very proud of what we do.


We found out that… it’s a BOY! We are really happy. I had felt all along that it was a boy and I had a dream in May about my Great Aunt (who passed away 2 yrs ago) and I at a supermarket and when I asked her how heaven was someone infront of my tripped and I caught a baby boy in my arms and when I turned around to show my Great Aunt and said look I finally have a baby- she had dissapeared. On Sunday when I had lunch with my aunts I told them the story- yesterday when I called them they were amazed.

I want to say thank you to all of you for being so sweet to me while you are going some tough times yourselves.

BIG hugs!
Dania

[CarolynB]

Dear Dania



A little boy. How wonderful is that. Now you & dh can start finding names & painting the nursery blue. And what a lovely dream to have and then for this to happen. It was so just meant to be.

I am so pleased that the scan went well and now you can focus on the rest of your pregnancy. May be finally you'll worry a little less??!!

Lots of Love
Carolyn xxx

[jackoa21]

Laura did you end up talking your regular doc into doing a beta for you? I can tell you that with my loss (that they assumed was ectopic) I had severe pain. My beta kept going up just it was all over the place..
I think the idea of requiring the test (all of them) is a great idea. You have such a good plan? Its crazy to me that some places do all these types of test and some dont.. Hey I saw on the news some flooding did you guys get any?

Vero
Its so good to have you back.. You poor thing you must have been going crazy trying to make all those changes.. Its good that is over now. When is your AF due to arrive.. How are you feeling?

Em
2 little ones back with mom and 9 frosties.. That is so wonderful. Brandy sounds really nice and makes sense.My doc gave me a valium (happy pill) right before the procedure I think its the same idea.. For the cramping and headaches and nausea I think it is quite normal. Just dont push yourself too much. Just put your feet up and let DH pamper you....Those sleeps will go by quickly and you will soon be posting a BFP

Carolyn
That is so scary about your neice.. It must be so hard to just not know what is wrong.. we will keep her in our prayers...That is so stressing about your DH and his partner. How are you two holding up? I am sure your DH (and you) are worried.. I hope this is all wrong and that it is all ok with his partner and work. I am with you that with the tradition it must be hard to make a step to moving on with this in the back of your mind..Is it every year or just the first year? When is your follow up Tuesday right.. I hope you can get some info on the holidays and schedules...

Dania
Whoooo that is so great a little boy...Your dream was so amazing and it must have sent shivers when you found out it was true.. So do you have names picked out yet.. It must be so exciting seeing him moving around and knowing that he is a little boy (playing Hockey in mommys belly)

For me I had my first nurse appointment yesterday which was nice.. Tomorrow (late in the day) is the scan.. I really hope that once I see the little one that I will start to ease up with nerves.. It seems like over the last few weeks I have been fine but knowing the scan has approaced the last few days the nerves have kicked in high gear.. I guess its good that I have not been a ball of nerves the whole time.. I will post more tomorrow.

Love and hugs
Jackie

[CarolynB]

Jackie

Just a quick swing by to say that I really hope that your scan tomorrow will be all you hope for. I am sure that after that may be the nerves will subside a little. I am sure that it is going to be wonderful and so emotional for you and for your dh as think that this will be the first scan that he will see if I recall correctly. Will be thinking of you but not expect to see any news until Friday due to the time difference. Fingers and toes crossed for you sweetie.

The stone thing is just the first year so will be better after we get through this. His business partner is away for 10 days so he is just getting on with running the business. It is when he comes back that I'll be super concerned. Anyway, we are just trying to get through a day at a time!

Lots od luck for tomorrow.
Carolyn xxx

[Xrayem]

OH Dania, a little boy! Well done you! And well done DH. Must say, thats a freaky dream to have....can you please have a few for me? One that says I have twins and they are one of each (boy and girl) so I never have to go through this again?

Still feeling crappy. Will write more when I am better.

Em

[veronika]

Dania,
oh it's lovely that you are having a boy. You must be so happy! It must be wonderful to know "who" to expect

Em,
it sounds like you are having a great IVF success, well except for the feeling crappy, of course. But that is because of the overstimulation, isn't it? You're not worried, are you? 11 embies is wonderful. It must give you piece of mind to know that they are such healthy beanies and that you have all these little frosties. If you keep up the gatorade and water, I am sure you will be feeling better soon. Way to go!

Jackie,
thinking of you tomorrow for the scan! Everything will be in perfect order. It's so exciting. DH will be coming with you this time, won't he? I'll be looking out for your news.

Carolyn,
I hope you are feeling better! It is incredible that they send you a £175 bill
for the BFN follow up. It's all nice and good that these clinics are making a hell lot of money with women like us - but they could try to be decent about it! I am very sorry that you have so much on your mind these days. I truly hope that your DH's business partner will not get away with whatever his evil plan may be. Oh, I don't know, work and life and all these responsibilities we have just can be so harsh sometimes. And it is these times I feel most how much I miss to have a family of my own. Carolyn, it was a wise decision to to another IVF right away. It gives you something to look forward to and to hope for. I so hope that this will be your time.

As I had written before - and I keep on changing my mind in any possible direction - I would be ready to do another IVF too. I promised DH that we wait a while, and it is ok. But I think if it wasn't for the money, which, right now, we just don't have, I would try and start the next cycle as soon as possible too. By the way, AF came today. A punctual post-stress AF-arrival. Well, hello.

Laura,
any news from AF or about the beta? I so hope you will have clearness on Friday.

My PhD is in Neuroscience, it's about how early stress, trauma and parental care influence on the brain dopamine system and potential psychopathology (especially abuse disorder and attentional problems). It's interesting, but sometimes I just want to do something - real. It's so nice of you to ask:-)

I am off to bed now. I hope you ladies are all well!

Lots of love, Vero

[LauraLou]

Em- 9 frosties! That is great! I hope you are feeling better. The cramping is normal but hopefully the nausea is gone. Now you just have to get through the dreaded 2WW.

Dania- A boy! I'm so happy for you! Now you can run out and buy all the fun stuff like bedding and clothes.

Veronika- Thanks for telling me about your thesis. Do we have to start calling you Dr. Veronika soon?

Jackie- Looking forward to hearing how your scan goes today.

Carolyn- I can't believe they sent you that bill. Did you tear it into to tiny pieces and put it down the disposal?

Well, it looks like I was right. It appears I do have an ectopic pregnancy. I went in to the doctor's office yesterday and asked to have my follow up beta early. I told them my breast were still sore and I haven't started bleeding yet.

They called me this morning and my beta is 850. They want me to come in on Monday morning. They will do more bloodwork and an ultrasound. I looked up the doubling time from my beta last Friday to the beta yesterday and it was a little less than 3 days. A slow rising beta is a classic symptom of an ectopic.

I don't have any pain or bleeding, so I guess a part of me hopes that maybe the doctor is wrong and this is a viable pregnancy. The rest of me knows better, my doubling time is just too slow, but when you want something so badly, you will cling to any hope no matter how faint.

It also makes me feel better that this wasn't another miscarriage. It makes me more hopeful that nothing is wrong with me and future treatments will work.

Laura

[CarolynB]

Laura - Oh honey. This must be so hard on you. But I guess as you say, the silver lining is that the little one stayed but just may be not in exactly the right place. What a miracle it would be if it was ok and it was just a slow riser. Not sure how possible that is?? I will be thinking of you. I guess the being in limbo is really rough on you. I am thinking of you every day and sending more hugs for you

Em - It will be worth it in the end. Think that I felt a little rough the first week of the 2ww. My tummy was sore after all the drugs etc At least the days are counting down for you hun. Hope that you have a nice weekend with your dh - that will be another 2 days gone

Vero - Wow Wow Wow You are so brainy. Do you know what you'll do after your thesis has been accepted?

So sorry that AF is here for you. Hope that she is not too rough on you. She is just leaving me now. I had more pain before she arrived and then not a bad one for me.

You are so right about us wanting to have a family of her own. I just worry too about the fact that I am already an old Mum. I am so worried about being a really old Mum. I am just not sure that I am prepared to put that on a child of mine. That is why I worry about adoption too. I know that it takes around 3 years for the process (either in the UK or overseas) unless of course you are Madonna when you just go and get a baby!!!

Jackie - will look in tomorrow and hope that there is wonderful news from your scan. It must be so exciting for you & dh

Dania - You must tell us how many blue things that you have bought already???

On the bill, I have just left it with my consultants assistant. Gave her all the details of paying for our fresh cycle. Told her when we paid etc etc Just said that protocol said that if you got a -ve it was covered in a fresh cycle. I think that they were trying to sting insurance co and when they realised I was paying personally that it will just go away. I hope! It is just added stress when you don't need it. The other bill for my dh's tests I have just left with the insurance company to deal with. If they send them to me again I'll hit the roof.

Will try to check in tomorrow or Sat am but then we are going to see friends with a new baby boy out in Oxford and then on Sunday are seeing other friends who have a slightly older little baby girl. Could not face during tmt so we need to do it now. I hope that I am going to be ok.

Half term next week so will take my 12 year old niece shopping. Then only a week until my appointment. Trying not to wish my life away.

Love to you all.
Carolyn xxx

[Xrayem]

Hi guys,

Laura - I'm praying for you that your little embie is where it should be just a little slower than most. How devastating that you first faced a m/c and now this! But I prayed that your little embie would implant (and it did, against the odds), then I prayed that your beta would rise again (which it has) so I will pull out all the stops and pray that he/she is sitting snuggly in your uterus, just taking its time. Hug...

Carolyn - Don't worry about being an "old mum"! I know how well you look after all of us on this thread and know that you will be a fantastic mum! You are one of the most compasionate people I know, so banish those fears straight away......you will bond with your baby so strongly, regardless of the age gap.

How awful of your clinic to send that bill! Well done you for stamping your foot. I hope that its sorted out to your favour soon.

Dr V - Well we have got a smart cookie in our midst haven't we? Congratulations on completing it, you must be so proud of yourself and relieved its finished. Did you use yourself as a test case.....seeing as the stress that you have been through with IVF? Hope you like your new nickname.....

Jackie - Good luck for your scan tomorrow....I'm sure your little beanie is going to look just perfect!

As for me, I feel better today. Very tired, but the headaches have eased and the cramps only appear when I go to the loo. I went out to the shops with DH and called into work to check the roster for next week. My workmates were so happy to see me and very excited when I told them how we had done....their excitement has boosted my PMA no end!

I read in Zita's book that by now my embies are blastocysts and will start to implant over the next 48 hours. I'm willing them to get comfy.

Just a question: When do you guys count your 2ww from? When I spoke to my doc he said 14 days from ET. But in theory AF should be due 14 days from EC, shouldn't she? I know its only 2 days, but I'll shave any time off this 2ww I can!!!! Would it then be ok to do a HPT in 10 days time?

Love to all
Em

[CarolynB]

Em

Glad that you are feeling a bit better. Thanks for your kind words about being an older Mum. It just concerns me. I don't care what anyone thinks of me but I do care what people would say to a little one........

On 2ww, I was told to count from EC rather than ET as the little ones have been growing if in a dish rather than there real home. I was called to test at the clinic exactly 14 days after EC and 12 days after ET as I had a 2 day transfer. Think that you are the same.

Please know that if you do test early on a pee stick that it can give a false -ve. I am sure that you know that already anyway but thought that it was just worth saying.

Think that we should all call her Dr V from now on.

Have a lovely weekend - 2 more days will be passed for you hun.

Lots of Love
Carolyn

Jackie - what news on the scan? I so hope that all is well

Laura - thinking of you and hoping that things may turn out well for you after all - if at all possible

Dr V and Dania - Have lovely weekends

Only 11 days to my appointment - I so hope that I will be able to try again before Xmas!!!!

[jackoa21]

Hello ladies..
I am sorry I have been gone..Work has been crazy and than I left early yesterday.. The scan was amazing.. the little one was all over the place and the doctor was very pleased.. I am still crampy but I guess maybe thats my version of morning sickenss....I have uploaded pics onto the photo bucket..

Laura
Oh honey I pray like Em does that your scan (Monday right) shows that the little one was just a slow starter.. You said you dont have any pain and at least with my experience I was in really bad pain.. I am praying for you and DH honey and please know that I am here for you for whatever I can do to help...

Em
I am glad you are feeling better too.. Rub your belly for all of us and just keep up the PMA.. For the evil Pee test I steered clear.. I had heard so much about false negatives and that scared me.. I have heard of ladies doing them very early and than getting a negative and than postiives to show its out of their system. From my research on line (I will attach the link) it says you should at minimum wait 14 days after the last HCG shot? What day does that put you too.. Keeping up the pma for you and your little ones...

Carolyn
I am with EM.. You have been a rock to us and you are always there with a kind word or a on line hug.. You will be the most amazing mom and your baby(s) will be so blessed to have you and DH as thier mommy and daddy.. That bill situation is so horrible. I am glad you got it straightened out but how horrible you had the extra stress...

DR V
Ooh Em is right that is agreat name. You must have had so much strain with all you have been going through.. You need some time just for you..

Dania
Thinking of you and your bump

I will catch up properly over the weekend.
Love and hugs

[veronika]

Hello my dear ladies,

Jackie,
I haven't yet been on photobucket but I am so looking forward to seing your little one. This is just so amazing! What did DH do? I am sure you were both touched beyond words. What a lovely situation

Em,
I am glad you could boost your PMA. This is really all it needs in the dreaded 2ww. I remember that on my day 2 after day 3 transfer the clinic called me to say that there were no fosties left... I was so gutted and cried all day. When I think about it now it feels as if this was the moment from which on I couldn't believe in the whole cycle working anymore. And you have to believe in it working and shoo all the negative thoughts away. I am convinced that it changes so much whether you believe in your little embies or not!
My doctor had counted the 2ww from EC. If you set your mind on doing a HPT, I would guess that if you start early you can convince yourself that the Hcg shot is out of your system...and then follow the changes...

Carolyn,
I can only second and third what Jackie and Em have said! How would it ever change anything between your child and you that you aren't 25?? You will be a wonderful mom. And people always say stupid things, if you're a very young mom they will, and if you're an old mom they will. Who cares! I think this is really something we have to laugh off. The other day I heard somebody talk about how unnecessary he found the whole fertility industry, and that women who wouldn't have children by their own, shouldn't have children. Wonderful, really, I was ready to punch him in the balls. But then again I thought that people who actually have these kind of thoughts, no argument in the world will make them change their arrogance and self-righteousness, except maybe being affected themselves. So, what I wanted to say: whoever thinks s/he has a vote on what is a good mom and what is not, old or young or whatever - let them just suffocate in their limited little state of mind!

Laura,
I keep thinking about you and the beta. Just as you have written, I had thought that, should this be an ectopic pregnancy, it might be not as sad and deperate as another miscarriage, because you will know that it is possible that they stick and stop worrying about something being wrong generally that prevents you from keeping an embryo. I just didn't want to write this before because I had feared that it might sound cold-hearted. Which it truly isn't. I hope you will get through this long weekend without being too upset about this next wait, which is forced upon you. Thinking of you and sending you a big hug, Vero.

Dania, hope you an little boy are happy and confortable in our rainy Montreal October weather!


I am ok. AF is quite peaceful. I am starting to become truly happy that I am done with my work. I will start my new job in January, but not much will change, I'll just keep on doing my research. Well, except that I will finally be earning a bit more money...which is about time, I can say. Also, I won't be so stressed out anymore.
It's funny that you're calling me Dr. V, although I do prefer Vero Actually, I look like I am 20 years old and usually strangers don't even believe me that I am married...

I am not at work today so I can use the day to do housework, and, really, that sounds quite appealing.

Hoping that everybody is having a good Friday, much love, Vero