Anyone else at the ARGC?

beckym · Post by **beckym** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 10:33 am

Just wondering if anyone else is currently going up to the ARGC? I transferred there in May for my second ICSI attempt which i am just starting - had OHSS last time so dithered a round a lot in May/June as to whether I wanted to go through it again and then my hormones were up the creek for two months so Taranissi wouldn't let me start. i know they have the best results so am optimistic, though i do find admin staff a bit rushed off their feet sometimes although they are very friendly. beckym

luce · Post by **luce** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 5:53 pm

Hi Becky Am not a regular poster on this site since discovering fertility friends site, but do still pop back to visit it quite often to see how old cycle buddies are doing. I am at ARGC and will be embarking on my next attempt when af rears her head hopefully at the beginning of next week. I have 2 failed attempts there and this is my 3rd and last. They are switching me from long to short protocol this time, so we'll probably be cycling together, esp as you have your downreg scan on Monday. I too have given up my job for this attempt - I think it really helps to stay as stress free as possible. My husband is also glad to have his dinner on the table every night!! Don't worry about the admin staff at the clinic - it does improve when they start to recognise you! Good luck, and if you fancy a coffee one day (when I know for sure when I'm starting) let me know! Lucy xx

beckym · Post by **beckym** » Wed Sep 24, 2003 7:36 pm

Hi Lucy It's good to know I'll have a cycle buddy at the ARGC and delighted we are both in the same boat re giving up work - makes me feel a lot less guilty! It's been so strange - a couple of years ago I would have classed myself as a real career woman and today I made my first loaf of bread and loved it! Am getting quite into this cooking lark. Think it keeps the mind busy and it's so much nicer cooking when you're less rushed. Coffee sounds like an excellent idea. I see so many people at the clinic but have never had the temerity to ask anyone how they are progressing as it seems a bit nosy so would be good to chat to you. looks like I may be having ec on around the 13th but will know more on Monday. If you are coming up next week my email is Menzieshunt@aol.com. Hope your af turns up soon nd that this will be your turn! becky xxx

luce · Post by **luce** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 5:31 am

Hi Becky Baking bread - mmm, sounds yummy. I know what you mean about feeling guilty, but it really helps to know when you're not the only one. I quite enjoy the change in routine from going to work every day! I will email you when I know which day af will rear her head. How do you know when ec is already - ARGC don't normally tell you a date until the last minute - am just wondering if they have changed their routine or if you're just working it out for yourself! Will be in touch soon - fingers crossed that af turns up on Monday as she should Lucy

beckym · Post by **beckym** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 5:13 pm

Hi Lucy I asked them roughly how many weeks until ec and they said three so based it on that and on my last cycle. You're right they're very secretive about dates! I will ask them again on Monday - dh needs to know roughly which week he needs to take a day off in! Good luck for af! beckym

Amanda A · Post by **Amanda A** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 4:47 pm

Hi Becky & Lucy, Hope you don't mind me jumping in! I am also at the ARGC, now starting my third attempt, following a miscarriage in July. I packed in my career almost a couple of years ago to go part-time while having treatment, which has been very helpful, although not stress free. For this attempt, we have decided that I should stop work altogether and to be honest, I think my employer is quite glad, as it was still disruptive even on part-time hours. Lucy, I hope you don't mind me asking but why do you think that your third attempt will be your last? Is this something the ARGC have advised? I only ask because I saw Mr Taranissi being interviewed on TV not that long ago and he said that in his opinion, if IVF is to work, it should only take 2/3 attempts. Becky, I can really relate to what you say about being a career woman, I was very much the same. My job sort of defined who I was and when I gave it up, although I didn't miss the work, I did miss the kind of status that having a career can bring. It took a while to get over the guilt thing partly because other people made such a big deal over it (think they were jealous really!). I have also been through the bread making phase, except it was cakes in my case! Take Care, Love RachX

beckym · Post by **beckym** » Fri Sep 26, 2003 7:30 pm

Hi rachael Ofcourse you can join in. So sorry to hear about your miscarriage in July. That must have been devastating for you. I think you've done the best thing though in getting back in there as soon as possible for another go. I wish all the best for you this time. What day of down-regging are you on? I am on my 6th and go in for my baseline scan on Monday. Your comment re the status and career thing was spot on. I was exactly like you - my work defined who I was and giving it up took a lot of getting used to - I went down to part-time (3 days a week) first a couple of years ago and then gave up for this attempt. it was just too much trying to reschedule days without letting anyone at work find out about the IVF. Also, I found that about 2 months after the first attempt failed I lost a lot of self-confidence at work and found myself getting anxious about stupid little things that previously I would have flown through. I have since been told this is quite common in women who have an unsuccessful IVF attempt or who miscarry, which I guess made me feel a bit better. think it was the anxiety of trying to think about next round of IVF and about work stuff. I am much happier now but am still keeping my hand in doing 1 day a week volunteering to stop me going stir-crazy. Cake-baking sounds good too! Let me know if you are going up at all next week and I can look out for you. It would be great if we were able to all have cofee together and natter. I'm off for my hysteroscopy tomorrow with Tarannissi, so fingers crossed he doesn't find anything nasty!! beckym xxx

luce · Post by **luce** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:51 pm

Hi Rachael and Becky Well, af arrived on Sat so off I went to have blood taken on Sat am. All OK, apart from high prolactin level, so went back today for repeat prolactin plus scan. Prolactin still high but that's treatable in the cycle, so they started me today on Suprefact and I do my first injection tonight - it's a short protocol. I can't believe it's all come round so fast! Becky - ARGC will tailor your treatment completely to you so will not be able to pinpoint EC day yet. They do say that you will have 10-12 days of stims - I had 11 the first time and 12 the second. Then you have the Profasi the last evening and EC 36 hours later. So maybe that helps you to work it out! How was the hysteroscopy? Rachael - the fact that this is our last attempt is purely a personal decision, not something Mr T has advised. We have been trying for 5 years and have just decided that we can't just continue hoping forever, so we decided at the beginning that it would be 3 attempts (unless we get any frosties which we haven't so far). Sorry to hear about your miscarriage, but you're certainly back on track for your 3rd attempt. What stage are you at? Ladies - I will be having blood taken on Tuesday and popping to the clinic for more drugs, so if you want a coffee, then yell. Would be good to meet up! Take care Luce

beckym · Post by **beckym** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 5:42 pm

Hi Luce and Rachael Wow, luce you're off the mark with a bang! That's great news. Good luck. How does the short protocol go. I have heard you down-reg and stim at the same time, is that right? which week do you hope to have ec? My hysteroscopy was fine on Sat but had bad news at the baseline scan this morning - seems haven't responded well to the buserlin sniffing - lining is too thick plus I had 3 follies growing on my ovaries so am going to be delayed 2/3 weeks whilst they induce af and get rid of follies. It's such a rollercoaster isn't it? Was all set there to start injecting tonight but now have to have one profasi injection tonight instead to release the follies. wasn't expecting this. last time I down-regged on Synarel ok but got OHSS (at another clinic, mind you). Aaargh!!!So, unfortunately won't be going back to the ARGC now for two weeks at the earliest (or until my buserlin runs out). rachael - have you started stimming yet? beckym xxx

Amanda A · Post by **Amanda A** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 5:45 pm

Hi Becky & Luce, Becky, I am sorry to hear about your scan,I am sure you will be back on track soon and this will just be a minor hiccup. It seems to me that people often have troublesome cycles & they turn out to be the ones that work! It's no wonder we lose our confidence, IVF/ICSI is such an endurance test on the nerves!! Luce, hope the injections are going o.k., I guess you are getting through them now? how many days has it been? I def share your mindset about not going on & on, I so look forward to the day that we are free of all this, even if that means that I don't have the child that I so want (does that make sense?!) I started sniffing last night and from what I can work out, I expect to be back at the ARGC at the end of next week 17th/18th ish, from when it is likely that I will start injecting, so our paths may well cross and a coffee (well I am a no caffeine girl these days, so maybe a herbal tea would be v. nice!!). Hope you are both on an "up" day, take care, Rach X [Edited by Rachael on 07-Oct-03 10:48]

beckym · Post by **beckym** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 9:41 pm

Hi Rachael and Luce Well more rollercoaster news - we decided to go for a long wkend to Cornwall - on the way back on Mon night/Tues morning dh was rushed into hospital. have put all the details on the OCB3 thread - to cut a long story short he has an inflammed pancreas plus gallstones. He was admitted to hospital in Epsom (luckily not too far from Sevenoaks, where we live) and is likely to be in until the end of the week. Not sure whether we are going to be able to continue this cycle or not as obviously he needs to be fit and well (not to mention present) for ec!!! Feel a little dazed at the moment. Phoned the clinic yesterday as they managed to give me two different bottles of medicine for my sniffing (one suprecor, other suprefact). lucky I did, as the latter requires more frequent sniffing, which i hadn't obviously been told about. Got quite short with them actually as they tried to make out it was deliberate. i said I couldn't possibly come up to London at the moment with dh in hospital and they are sending me a revised prescription. what a rollercoaster ride. maybe you are right though, it's the rough cycles that have positives in the end. Remember one girl in march whose dh ended up in hospital day before ec after a motorbike accident - least it wasn't as bad as that!! good luck with your down-regging/stimming. will let you know soon whether I will be continuing! beckym

Amanda A · Post by **Amanda A** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 7:35 am

Hi there, Sorry to hear your news, poor you, both of you! Hope DH gets better soon, it's really horrible that things are so up in the air for you both at the moment. Although the ARGC is really good, they do slip up sometimes, I think it is because they are so busy. I have had incidents where I have found out things that I should be doing but only because I asked the question, not because I was told. I take Suprecur which they say to sniff 3 times a day at 8 hr intervals, is that what you have been told? What do you have to do with suprefact? Hope things become clearer soon. Take Care RachX P.S. I remember the motorbike accident too!

luce · Post by **luce** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 3:22 pm

Hi there Becky - really sorry to hear the news about your poor dh. Hope he gets better soon and that it's all OK for your cycle! Rachael - how's the sniffing going? BTW, Suprefact you sniff 5 times a day at 4 hour intervals (luckily missing out the 2am one!) - I've been on this this time, which was hard after being on Suprecur the other 2 times. I had 10 days of stims and my levels have gone berserk, so I didn't inject last night, but went for 2 blood tests and a scan today...am waiting to hear if it's trigger night tonight or not!! I have been feeling really rough until today, but luckily feel a bit brighter now - not sure if that's psychological cos the end is in sight! Good luck both of you - and think positive! Love Lucy xx

Amanda A · Post by **Amanda A** » Fri Oct 10, 2003 9:49 am

Good luck Lucy, Will be thinking of you! Love Rach X

beckym · Post by **beckym** » Sun Oct 12, 2003 8:29 pm

Good luck Lucy! Hope you're feeling better. I'm still sniffing and waiting for af. started on suprecur, then suprefact and next week it'll be back to suprecur again. thye have sent me my prescription down here so don't have to go and collect it. rachael - good luck with remainder of your down-regging, here's hoping we can meet up soon on one of our scan days. if af arives tomorrow/tuesday looks like I'll be up for a baseline scan on fri/sat/sun.beckym xxx

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