JUNE/JULY CYCLE

[lumi]

Thanks Little P - i have got loads of PMA today. Perhaps i could freeze that as well as my embies?!!

Here's something to make you smile....I was scanning the posts I missed when one caught my eye about names. I was thinking what a strange name for a baby....Duepod ......JuJu. .....but each to her own! Then I read more....all was explained .....! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really am off to aqua....

Lumi xx

[LittleP]

I like it - have fun at the aqua aerobics.

LP

[Almaduke]

How are you all doing Ju Ju Jelly Belly Buddies! (hehehe....am I saying it right? .....I love that name!)

I'm new, as you can probably tell. I enjoy reading all of your posts...gives me lots of hope and encouragment. I was actually dreading my 1st IVF treatment but now I'm actually excited about it, thanks to you gals! I am a bit nervous right now because I am still waiting to get the blood test results back (the ones that we took at the IVF consultation to make sure that our bodies are in check). I have to go for a blood test on the 3rd day of my AF (which is day after tomorrow) and I forget what the test is for. During the initial consultation we were given such a blurb of information that I've forgotten most of the stuff. I feel really stupid not knowing what I'm taking the blood test for and not being more in tune with what's going to be happening during this process. Is this normal for a first-timer?

I see that most of the members here are from the UK or Europe (please correct me if I'm wrong)....how cool....I love being surrounded by friends from all over the world!!! Haven't noticed any from my hood yet, though! My DH and I were planning on going to Italy this summer to visit his family but now with the up-coming treatment I don't know if it will be possible....it may interfere with my schedule

Oh well....I'm rambling....can you tell I'm a little shy and nervous? Take care everyone and talk to you soon!!! Rock on!!!

[jamato253]

Hey Gals!!

I turned 30 today (May 9th) and although I really wish that May 5th had brought happy news for my DH and I...I am so happy for all of you that have gotten BFP!!!!!!! I still feel young and going through this dreaded AF (a little more intense then usual) will hopefully turn out to all be worth it in June...Sorry my moods are a little all over the place right now.....

Just trying to stay positive as I sit and wait for wednesday when I get to here from the dr. about what he thinks went awry and then waiting for June....The little stuff goes by so quick doesn't it feel like we hurry up through just to wait!!! and sit in a holding pattern???

[Tracii]

Good Morning
Almaduke - don't worry about not knowing everything...it all comes with time..before you know it you are talking about hormone levels with DH and he is totally bewildered You will find that clinics use different protocols - and always varies woman to woman. Your blood test is probably to check your hormone levels - and then the doctor can make the right protocol. You will have lots of blood tests throughout...I have become a pro In fact, if you are scared of needles..well somehow you get past this during IVF Someone may have already mentioned it - but the Zita West book really comes in handy (you can buy on Amazon)..and describes what to expect, dietary needs and somethings you should give up (i.e. caffiene, alcohol...). I didn't buy the book until about halfway through my 1. cycle and I wish I would have had the time to prepare my body a bit better (I am extremely healthy but love my coffe, wine and cakes )...so I am really trying now to stay away from my evils. Also started taking yoga and going to my first acupunture treatment on Friday...I need to learn how to relax which helps during ET. Don't be afraid to ask any questions - why we are here!

Jamato - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Let us know how your doctor appointment goes tomorrow. I was given the thumbs up right away but decided to wait a couple of months to ensure I am mentally and physically ready - again. I know how you feel about the BFN..if my treatment would have been a BFP it would have been a Christmas baby...oh well. Now we need to concentrate on the next round - PMA, PMA, PMA.

Have a great Tuesday!

[LittleP]

Almaduke - it is perfectly normal to be anxious about starting this treatment and there is so much to take in. As Traci has said Zita West has written a book that a lot of the girls here have found to be a real bible of support for them.

Jamato - Happy Birthday and congratulations on your positivity. It's not easy to move forward, but it's good to hear you being so optimistic.

PMA to you both

LP

[hlloyd]

Happy Birthday Jamato. Glad to hear you are feeling ok and that you have maintained your positive attitude. I think it really helps.

I had my follow-up appointment today and am now officially a June/July buddy. I start BCP at the end of the month and begin sniffing about 18 June. EC is expected on 13 July. Seems like a lifetime away but after my initial enthusiasm, I am glad to have a bit of a break.

Traci, my doctor has increased the amount of Puregon only. Still the same amount of Synarel. I will be monitored more closely though. They just want to increase the number of eggs collected to give us some embies to play with. Hopefully it will work. Do you have your acupuncture appointment tomorrow? Let me know how it goes.

Hope everyone is happy and healthy.

Cheers
Heather

[LittleP]

Heather

Welcome to the JuJu Jelly Babies - it's great to have a date to focus on isn't it?

I wish you loads and loads of luck and PMA

Little P

[Sand]

Great Heather ... A date to work towards is just what we all need, and 13 July will really be here before we know it. Can you believe that we're already into May ..? It doesn't seem 2 mins since Xmas !

Sandra x

[Almaduke]

jamato,

Happy belated birthday!!!

Feel free to be moody at anytime. You should see my mood swings...I actually turn into the wicked witch from The Wizard of Oz....I even have a broom and everything that I sweep people with when they irritate me!! hehe

Seriously though....good luck at your next doctor appointment. I hope that you can make some sense of what happened and stay focused on your next cycle!!!! PMA PMA PMA!!!

[Almaduke]

Hi Tracii,

Well, thank goodness that needles don't bother me.....even the last time they took blood, when the nurse mistook my arm for a quilt I didn't say a peep. I wish I was as brave with other things....I am a big chicken when it comes to anything else hospital-related!

I will look into the Zita West book as a few people have already mentioned. I don't drink any caffeine because of my anxiety but I do like my glasses of wine with dinner and my sweets....trying to eliminate those too!

I'm actually going to call an acupuncturist today, as I've been hearing good things about it. Hope yours goes great!!!!!!

[dancola]

Hi Alma, thought I’d reply re the travel question as I have had similar issues during treatment (we have a house in Italy where husband’s family are so we travel every other weekend there). The IVF process takes about 6 weeks (if you are on long protocol) from start of the shut-down injections (which you start on Day 21) to finish. Eg I started my injections on 8th March and finished with a HPT on 20th April (sadly –ve). I actually started injecting on Day 22 because we were travelling back from New York on Day 21 (a pre-treatment treat for us) and the clinic said a day less wouldn’t matter. In terms of travelling long-distance, you’ll need to wait until you know your start date and plan from there. If you start injecting on Day 21, your first scan is normally after Day 4/5 of your next period. So you have a 10 day period where you could technically travel before you start scanning. I certainly flew back and forth during this period, but then my trips only lasted 2 days. I made sure I took the correct supply of needles and drugs (make sure you get a letter from the clinic as otherwise you won’t be able to take this stuff on as carry-on luggage, which you need to do). Once you start scanning it gets more difficult as you may have up to 4 scans within a week/two week period. Again I flew at weekends, but had to come back early once to make a Monday scan. One word of advice though – once you start the Gonal F or stimulation drugs, you will get very tired. You may feel bloated, and will also need from the start to drink a lot of water. On a plane it’s therefore important to have a good supply of water and access to the loos!

Obviously this all assumes you want to travel during treatment. If you’re waiting until after the cycle, you may want to build in a gap of a few weeks after your pg test in case of a +ve result. If I’d been lucky I would have canned any flights to Italy until ideally after the 6 week scan (so 4 weeks after your test).

It IS difficult plan stuff. We have a christening in Greece in July. I don’t know yet when I’m due to start my next cycle – am being tested tomorrow for killer cells and other stuff relating to poor bloodflow and hopefully will know more after results. We also want to spend a week in Italy at home in August – again that’s all up in the air. Luckily for me I fly for peanuts with Ryanair, so I tend to book flights and then just cancel or switch dates. I too plan to start acupuncture. Have an appointment next week with Daniel Elliott of the London Acupuncture centre – he seems to get rave reviews on other sites. Any one had experience of him?

[LittleP]

Dancola

Good luck with the blood tests - let us know how you get on won't you. Are you having the same tests I had, the ones that go to Chicago?

Little P

[dancola]

I guess so – he said they’d be sent off, but didn’t say where or tell me the price! I’m having one test for NKC and the other two tests are for more or less the same thing – anticoagulants to check whether the blood is flowing to the womb area. He told me that NKC would be treated with steroids (which sounds a bit better than the transfusions of the male’s white cells that I read about in Zita), and that the other two could be treated with a mix of Heparin and aspirin. I’m sort of hoping that I come up positive for one of these. It would mean that we could explain the previous cycles, and I also get to share the blame a bit with DH (we’re doing ICSI because of male factor and his sperm last cycle was incredibly poor – 95% abnormal and a count of only 0.2). It would do him some good to feel it’s not just him!

[LittleP]

Dancola

Oh I know that feeling - when we had our NKC tests done and they phoned with the results, I was so relieved when she said they had come back showing that I had high levels.

Finally I had an answer to our supposed "unexplained infertility" which now means a way forward. I know that I can't guarantee success, but at least this time we are going into the treatment with our eyes fully open and an awareness that they really know what they are doing

I will keep my fingers crossed that you finally get some answers.

Little P