IVF HAMMERSMITH

[margaretgo]

Hi All,

AGallager - didn't want to sound negative about Hammersmith - been pretty happy there - just having a moment's wobble. They definately deal with the more difficult cases - but UCH's success rates are kind of tempting. Anyway - here's hoping HH can do it for me this time. Up the Hammers!

By the way, I also found my cycle lengthened after tmt - but did go back to normal eventually.

Carolyn - Actually cancelled my appointment with UCH - realising that it was a bit premature - after all, if this cycle works I won't need it! And now that I know there is no waiting list - and have the prices (brochure arrived the other day) I don't quite yet feel the need to talk to a consultant.

I'm actually starting down regging the day after you on the 19th! My current worry is that I've gotten a bit blase and will forget to inject (I've set the alarm on my phone). I actually forgot to have day 2 blood test - had it on day 3 instead which was still fine. Good news is my FSH was 7. I know it's not hugely important but it made me feel more optimistic as it was better than my last 2 tests of 9.2 and 8.6. Perhaps the acupuncture is doing it's thing - certainly feel more relaxed.

I'm going to carry on working part time through this cycle - better for my finances and probably better for my state of mind! I won't have as much time to google EVERYTHING!

Looking forward to having a bud on this cycle.

Love to all,

m xxxx

[bernie01]

Hi

Sorry to crash your thread, I am new to Hammersmith and my dh is about to have TESE, his chromosome results were fine, so so far so good, lets hope we can have a frozen cycle too after his op. Its good to hear that you're positive about the Hammers at the moment, I need to hear that at this stage of our treatment.

I just wanted to add that Prf Winston in all his might, advised not too look too closely at the stats, they were fiddleable, and some clinics only take patients they think have a good chance, so places like the Hammers might take the cases which are more challenging, therefore their results aren not always to good. BUT I havent gone through a cycle yet, so my opinion may change!!!

Hope you dont mind me stalking your thread.

B

[margaretgo]

Hi Bernie - welcome to the thread! Where are you with your treatment at the moment?

Did my first injection today - so much easier the second time around - but I'm preparing myself for a few headaches. Alcohol is completely off the menu now - apart from the obvious health/fertility benefits I find complete abstination avoids headaches.

Someone just came in my office with her baby - sigh.

I'm going to try some visualisation - of me coming into the office with my baby! Hopefully it will keep me positive.

Carolyn - how are you doing? Not too much stress a work I hope. Are you doing acupuncture again this time around?

m xxx

[poochie]

Hi All

Berni - Welcome to the Hammer Girls thread good luck with your treatment and keep us posted.

Marg - Glad your first jab went OK, I was told positive visualisation is a good thing to practice my acupuncturist swears by it. Good luck and keep us posted.

Carolyn - How are you? How was your first jab? Hope you not too stressed with work. Keep us posted with how things are going and how you are finding new clinic?

Lola - How are you? hope you ok and your being kind to yourself?

Vickyp - Hope HSG went well. When you starting? Good Luck.

AGallagher -Sorry about BFN good luck with your frozen cycle.

I’m ok. I have my sad days but just keep focusing on the future and keeping the faith. I healed really well which enabled me to return to yoga really quickly thank god.
I had appointment with EFC to discuss my eptopic and what to do next. EFC suggest go again with my eggs and up dose to 450 which I was not happy about, the consultant appeared uncomfortable discussing donor eggs but failed to acknowledge the fact that I only produce 5 eggs of which 4 fertilised and ended up with 2 slow dividing ones by day 3. Overall DH and I thought it was a poor follow up. Also had appointment with Mr Trew today which went well. I have a lot of trust and faith in Trew he’s very honest and just tells it as it is. He feels donor eggs are the best option considering we only have 3 tubes of sperm left, so we have decided to go donor egg with Hammersmith and IVI Madrid, its been a tough decision but DH and I feel it’s the best way forward. So Madrid here we come!

Best wishes to you all.

Vicki X

[Vickyp]

Hi all

Hope everyone's doing okay.

Poochie - Congratulations on your decision - must have been a really hard one to make particularly as you had an ectopic (really sorry to read about that) but now you can focus on the future. What happens now then? You wait for Donor egg to come up at Hammersmith and then go to Madrid. What is an IVI? Sorry not heard of that before.

Bernie - Hi - Good Luck - I have had very good experience at Hammers so fingers crossed you will too.

Maragetgo - Good Luck and well done for thinking positive about the baby showing off thing - really annoying I always used to think. When I did my last IVF, one of the girls I worked with who knew I had tried 4 times before and was feeling REALLY emotional decided to announce that she was pregnant at work lunch - with the whole office there - without giving me any prior warning - then when I left hastily, not in the mood for the whole baby talk thing she came after me to say she hadn't been able to find the right time to tell me!! Oh well - takes all sorts eh!
Anyway - I hope your feeling okay in yourself and keep up those positive vibes.

I am still waiting for the results of my HSG (had to wait a month for the results - even as a private patient - they must be really busy! but am booked in to get them next Friday - so we'll see what they say. If it's all okay I should be able to start trying again next month I hope.

Okay that's it for now - back to work. Love Vicky

[AGallagher]

Hello Vicki, Carolyn, Marg, Berni and Vicky.

I haven't posted for a while since I got back to work. Keeping busy and was doing really well until last Thursday when work and everything started to get on top of me. I picked myself up and thought that if I had little time on my hands that it would stop me feeling negative about everything. On Saturday I got a copy of the letter just confirming what had been said at my last appointment and it turned me into an emotional wreck. I have been quite bad this week and am ashamed to say that on three occasions have been partial to the alcohol which I so gladly gave up prior to my last treatment. On two occasions I even smoked which I gave up over 2 years ago. I now feel so guilty and this is adding to my depressive state. I have a nurses appointment on Monday and this is making me worse. Last night I was out at a leaving do and could feel myself crying on the train. I got off and went to visit a friend as I find it hard to cry in front of my partner. By the time I got home I felt like I needed to talk to him but as soon as I mentioned IVF, he clammed up. I cried myself to sleep and was still crying this morning. I told him that I need to speak to him about the IVF. He said ok but that he had to get to work so we would speak later. I am not sure what the problem is as until last week I was doing so well and now have gone into complete meltdown. Sorry for the rambling message, but I there are suddenly so many irrational thoughts going through my head at the moment. I felt like packing my bags and forgetting about everything. I think work is a big problem as I am not enjoying the job and have only stayed because of going for treatment as they have been so good with time off. I guess I feel frustrated about having to put things on hold, job etc. Before starting IVF I did consider adoption but my partner was keen to try this route first. I know campared to some of you I am new at this but just wonder if any of you have gone through the same. I am sure by next week when I get my medicine I will be fine and looking forward to tryin again.

[margaretgo]

Hi AGallagher,

I do sympathise - it's funny how one minute everything is OK and the next just feels terrible. I also found it difficult to talk to my partner when I got my negative result. And juggling work and IVF is a something of a nack (to put it mildly). Ranting has got to be one of the benefits of this board - so rant away! I know you got one emb - only got 2 embs myself - but it does only take one - I like to think of it as rolling a dice. I may have to roll more than a few times - or it might come up next time. I think it's normal though, that we get our hopes up each time - and when it fails there is naturally a grieving period.

Anyways - hope you start feeling better soon.

Lots of Love,

Mags

[poochie]

Hi All

Vickiyp - IVI is the name of the clinic in Madrid. I am awaiting for the Madrid clinic to contact me to arrange consultation, my treatment will be handled between Madrid and Hammersmith waiting list 3 to 6 months.

Agallagher - You rant away that’s what this site and we are here for. This IVF game is so so difficult emotionally and physically. I have my up and down days and I don’t have the pressure of work you do. I burst out crying in a cafe a couple of weeks ago for no apparent reason no alcohol just could not stop the tears flowing. We are all just on this big huge emotional rollercoaster, we want a baby so badly the pain of that wanting is sometimes unbearable. My partner is not the best talker when it comes to IVF, I think most men find it hard, and they just don’t feel the need to talk about it the way we do. I think everything you are feeling is normal don’t be too hard on yourself good luck for Monday.


Vicki X

[AGallagher]

Thank you Mags and Viky for the words of support. I hate feeling so low and it does get hard putting up a happy front to other people. Am still weepy and am going out to get rid of some of the stress on a long walk. This website is a real blessing and as you say you can rant and get things out of the system.

[margaretgo]

Hi all,

Wow - headaches here we go again. I'm a week into down-regging on my buserilin injections - and it seems slightly worse than last time. Looking forward to AF any minute - I remember my head got a bit better as soon as it arrived.

Work keeping my fairly busy which is great - but still find my mind wondering - will it work this time - or ever!

How's everyone else - Carolyn - how are you doing?

m

[bernie01]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the welcome messages to the Hammers thread.

Absolutely, AGallagher if you need to rant, we are here to listen and hopefully help. I have been amazed at the support I have received from my new friends on this site over the past month or so.

vickyp, how were your hsg results? I fainted after my hsg very embarassing, they had to put me on a monitor for 6 hours, which I think was a gross over reaction!!

My dh has his retrieval last week, it all went well, and the little buggers are hopefully being safely stored somewhere in the Hammers. He recons they retrieved enough for 7 attempts - the first bit of good news we have had since this whole palava started. Our next apt is next week so hopefully I will get to know more about the actual cycle bit - which I have to say I am very baffled about so far, I never understand what people are talking about. Any advise would be gratefull appreciated so I dont sound like an innocent sweetie!

Mags, when in my cycle would the shut down bit actually start? you are going through that at the moment arent you?

Have a super wet weekend everyone, enjoy the Diana tribute concert on Sunday - Cant wait to watch Duran Duran, I so wish I could see it live I was just their biggest fan!

Bernie

[margaretgo]

Hi Bernie - good news about the retrieval - it's great when something positive happens isn't it!

I'm on the 21 day long protocol - which I understand is the most usual. Had a blood test on day 3 of my cycle (although it was supposed to be day 2 - oops - no harm done though). Down-regging (injecting Buserilin) starts on day 21 of your cycle. Day one of cycle being when AF arrives before 12 midday. It continues for 14 - 21 days. They scan you on day 14 - if suppressed you can start on the FSH (in my case Puregon) injections - if not suppressed (and don't worry - it's fine if you're not) you continue down-regging for another week. When you start the FSH you actually continue injecting the Buserilin - so you're doing two injections at the same time. Seems counterintuitive to inject something that stops your cycle together with something that stimulates those eggs - but that's how it's done!

Let me know if there's anything else I can tell you about my experience - really happy to.

Best,

Mags x

[margaretgo]

Just dropping in with my news - had suppressed scan today and I'm on track and ready to start Puregon on Thursday which is great.

But even better - my hydrosalpynx has actually gone - there's a slight shadow where it used to be - but basically it has disappeared! I'm so pleased as it was dragging my chances down - and it wasn't possible to remove it with key-hole surgery because of my history of pelvic adhesions. Wondering whether acupuncture, looking after myself or luck are responsible!!!

Bernie - have you had your appointment? How did it go?

Carolyn - how are you? How's the down-regging going?

AGallagher - hope you're ok?


Mags x

[bernie01]

Hi ladies

Well I may be a month later than I hoped, I came on on Sunday (2nd) and my next apt is Friday for what I hope will be my program of events. From what Mags said, if they have to take a blood sample on day 3, then I have missed out for this month. I might have to wait until next month.

Anyway, bring on Fridays appointment.........

Good luck with the Puregon tommorrow Mags, I am pleased to hear your hydrosalpynx has gone, (thank god for Cut & Paste Sp, not quite sure what that is, but it doesnt sound very nice).

How are the rest of you?

Bernie

[margaretgo]

Hi Bernie - just a quick note - I was supposed to have the blood test day 2 - missed it and had it day 3 - and they said it would have been ok to test FSH any time between day 2 and 5 I think - so give them a call - they may just be able to give you a blood test on or before your appointment to avoid delaying the cycle a whole month - worth a try?? (I know the waiting kills me.)

Vicky - do you have your HSG results back yet?

First Puregon injection for me this morning - finding that if I don't pinch the skin I don't get a droplet coming back out. All good. Here we go!

Mags xx