[dhneil]

Greetings one and all. Just a brief post to say there's a new guy on the board.

I'm a pretty poor swimmer and it seems it's not just me, so we're starting an ICSI cycle at Bourn Hall shortly. It's all a little strange and a little scary.

It's been an aggravating process getting to this point. The NHS consultants were nice, but pretty useless. It might have been possible to get something done through the NHS, but they kept delaying and it seeemed unlikely they would help. After 3 sperm tests they were saying the results were borderline, when Bourn Hall only needed one test to say that there was no chance of conceiving naturally and we should go for ICSI.

Even when it seemed likely to be male factor the NHS consultant wanted to put my wife on Clomid for 6 months, which was the last straw and we opted for referral to Bourn Hall instead.

Now we're getting ready to go and it all seems a little unreal and a bit strange.

 

[Catch22]

Hi Neal,

Sorry it's taken me so long to welcome you to ff.
I've chosen a really bad time to do it too as got an early start tomorrow so really can't be on here long.
Just wanted to let you know we're not ignoring you and I'll pop back asap and have a proper chat.

Catch

 

[Cheshire Cheese]

Deb P's other half here!!(god i'm sick of typing that now!).
How do Neil,Welcome to ff.
I'm new aswell.
We are just doing our first cycle of IVF.
My DW has stage 4 endo which see has suffered badly over the past two years.
We have been told the only way forward is IVF and that we would have two goes on the NHS,we were then told there was no funding from our local PCT so we have now had to self fund.
Thats just a little bit.
Hope to speak to you soon Jon P . 

 

[ralph]

Hi dhneil and catch 22
My first time on ff dh of Tracey j , Tracey has been on lots. She has endo as well catch22 got et on Monday and bourn hall. Keeping fingers crossed and every thing else i can think of. This is our third attempt 1st one cancelled early on second a miscarriage.   
Speak again soon and best of luck to you both.
Ralph

 

[Catch22]

Hi Ralph,


Nice to see another new guy on here, will be sending you and dw loads of and  too for your et Monday... let us know how you get on!

Catch

 

[ralph]

Hi all
Got back from bourn hall today after et,Dw had 2 grade 1 embies put back and 1 for the freezer. Some keeping everything crossed and looking after her now. Keeping positive .Now starting the
Good luck eveyone 

 

[Catch22]

Hi Ralph,

Glad all went well, like you say... now the dreaded 2ww begins! Keep that  frame of mind and look after your dw well my friend... we'll be praying for a  for you in 2 weeks time!

Catch

 

[dhneil]

Hi Catch, Ralph and Jon. It's good to hear from you.

Ralph, I hope your 2ww ends with a BFP.

Jon, good luck with your first cycle.

We're into down regulation now and it looks as though high stress at home is going to coincide with a stressful period at work 

We're getting our drugs through a local chemist at half the clinic prices, but the customer service leaves something to be desired. We're having to chase an order and if it isn't sorted quickly we'll have to pay the full clinic prices. More fun and games 

 

[Catch22]

Hi Neal,
Sounds like a great deal you've got there on the drugs. We weren't allowed to do anything like that, if you're having their treatment... your having their drugs! That was pretty much the sentiment. We were egg share donnors though so the cost was significantly lower due to that!

Not great timing with the work/home stress levels then, but you gotta work at making it as stressfree as possible, keep yourselves busy doing good stuff, and get used to it, coz it's more important when you get through to the 2ww!! Is it possible to grab a weekend away in a b&b? Pop to the coast? Anything that will take your dw's mind off it. You can't change her hormones though so don;t be surprised at a fight just for suggesting it!

How's your 2ww so far Ralph? Hope you're managing to hold it all together.... whatever you do DON'T test early!!! It is a mistake I've seen made on these boards, a neg on day 13 could be a pos on day 14 so don't be tempted. At one point I had to threaten to pee on all our test sticks if Angie didn't stop asking to test!!!!!

Jon... things good for you? You had embies transfered yet? It's gonna be good for you guys having other's going through treatment at the same time. When we were on tx there were quite a few guys regularly posting (where are you Chase?) but only a couple of us actually on tx, it can help a lot to speak to people going through it right there and then!

Well, need to get to bed, got an early start tomorrow.

Take care guys

Catch

 

[Cheshire Cheese]

Jon P here!!!
Well we had embies put back yesterday One grade 1 embie and one grade 2.
This IVF is amazing me,i must admit.
To see this from start to finish.
I have worked in the Nhs for 11 years now and DW for 12 and it's hard to believe what happens in these clinics and what people go through,you have no idear whats going on in different departments throughout the hospital unless you experiance it yourself.
Well this has opened my eyes and can really deep down and say"i know what you are all going through".
And this site has been helping myself and DW through the whole process.
Your questions are answered and you really feel support.
Everybody deserves a pat on the back on here.
And I hope all your dreams come true.
Good luck everybody
I better shut up know i'm going on like a tramps over coat

 

[Catch22]

Hi Jon,

This is it then my friend... the dreaded .

Sending laods of  and  your way mate, just hoping this is the treatment for you.

Keep us updated mate.

Take good care of Deb now, you here?

Catch

 

[dhneil]

Hello again

Catch. Thanks for the advice on managing the stress levels. We're not really getting out this weekend, which is a bit unfortunate, but next week we're going on a long planned trip to Barcelona and the Spanish Grand Prix. Dropping that in the midle of the treatment cycle isn't ideal, but the clinic seemed OK with it. We seem to have timed everything really badly. We might have started treatment a month earlier, but we couldn't make it fit with a week in Northumbria we had booked 

Unfortunately the deal with cheap drugs from the local chemist went pear shaped, so we're buying from the clinic at full price now.

Jon. Best of luck with the 2ww.

Ralph, how's it all going?

 

[Catch22]

Hi Neal,

Sorry the cheap drugs fell through mate.

Think the break to Barcelona and the Grandprix is a fantastic idea mate, nothing better to relax with than a change of scenery and a bit of sunshine. I'm sure it'll do you the world of good!!
Have a great time, keeping fingers crossed for your news on your return! What is your testing date?

Catch

 

[ralph]

hi dhneil,catch22 and jonp
This 2 week wait in going so slow dw has had no signs yet what about your dw neil. Have fun at the spanish grand prix you lucky devil i will have to watch it on the box.
Good luck to you all.
Ralph

 

[Cheshire Cheese]

Alright Ralph,hows it going.
We are into week 2 of the waiting game,it's costing us a fortune.Trying to keep ourselves occupied.
How about you,what have you been up to.
All the best Jon P.

 

[Catch22]

Ralph,

Sorry you're finding it slow, it is a real killer isn't it. Just imagine how your dw is feeling it!!! Do try to keep her busy... Mega important time for you is days 6 to 9 after et as that is when the eggs are implanting!!! Keep stress free if at all possible.

Jon, that goes for you too my man, I know your right at that time now. Might be expensive but it will be so worth it when you get that bfp you're waiting for! Keep up the good work, your on the home run.
When are you testing my friend.

As always... laods of  and 

to you all!!

Catch

 

[Cheshire Cheese]

Jon P here!!
Cheers Catch,it's costing us a fortune because we dont want to stay in.
Pictures,days out,meals and of course a few pints with my mates.
Fairs do's i'm knackered.
Just read your reply on one of the threads,about the meet you went too.
I have said too DW we should go to Essex for the doo!!,but like you said If our treatment works then we will avoid any upset.
So is anybody going

 

[dhneil]

Baseline appointment is tomorrow, then we fly to Barcelona the day after. Should be better than the bank holiday weekend. I was painting doors and dw was really wound up, so it was a pretty dire weekend.

I'm hoping Fernando Alonso wins the Grand Prix. If he does the atmosphere is going to be unbelievable. Unfortunately there's a high risk that Schumacher will get his first win of the year, which will be a let down. Whatever happens, I plan to enjoy being in Barcelona.

 

[Catch22]

Jon,

Respect my friend, you still gotta look after your own needs too!
Not sure if it's your bag but Angie and I are really into Poker, so for the 2ww we started a school at our house, just with friends and family, you know. Had a great time and won over £150 in the process!!!
Don't take this the wrong but I REALLY hope you're not gonna be going to Essex then 

Neil... Good luck for tomorrow, have a safe journey and enjoy the Grand Prix. Soak up some sun, but keep the dw off the sangria!!!! 

Catch

 

[ralph]

Hi All
How is everyone doing, Dw did a test this morning and it came back as a  . Happy but scared as our last cycle we had a    but when we had a scan there was now heart beat and we lost it so hoping the same does not happen again. Sending for all of you on here. Hope you had a good time at the grand prix dhneil when you get to read this.
Take care all.

Ralph