London TTC buddies chat thread

[starrilicious]

We are having a March wedding, on my H2B's birthday and Mothers day lol. We didn't know it was mothers day when we chose it but never mind. We saved over 3 thousand pounds though and the food is crazy good! How long have you been married, did you have a small wedding too?

They were very nice at King's, everyone we came into contact with was so friendly and understanding. I'm not sure what our next step would be as we have both male (ED due to diabetes) and female issues. Probably Clomid to start, would they give OH more sex drugs? At the moment he only gets 4 a month which would be fine if we knew for sure when I ovulate but we don't! What are you hoping is your next step?

We'll be making cupcakes, I made that one in my avatar. Plain vanilla flavour and decorated with a swirl of icing. So we'll be covering baking the basic cupcake, what to do and what not to do, mixing up a yummy frosting and how to flavour it, how to get the icing in the bags and how to pipe the perfect swirl. Should be fun, so far I have 12 people in the class so will be a full house! I also made this cupcake:

https://starrilicious.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/cupcake_by_s_t_a_r_r_y-d2zv6vh-500x381.jpg

I love baking but I'm the same if I bake alone... nom nom NOM! It's all gone hahaha. What kind of things do you like to bake? My Blueberry and Lemon Drizzle cake is legendary but my most requested cake is Victoria Sponge.

I'm on CD25 today, which may or may not be 5 DPO if it is that's my 4th cycle in a row where I've ovulated on CD20. I've been ill though so it might be a false high. That's ok though as I would prefer not to be preggers for a little while yet though if I got a BFP for my birthday I'd obviously be ecstatic xD

 

[SophieBee]

Oh, you're getting married on 18 March? Snap! We shall be anniversary buddies then, as that was our date too
We've been married a while though - it was our 5 year anniversary this year. Ours was pretty small too. 50 people, Marylebone Registry Office, party in a city pub. Very chilled out and very us - I had heaps of fun, so I'm sure you guys will too!

Your cake looks YUM! I've always been a little scared of piping, so am in awe a bit. I tend to stick to loaf cakes and muffins mainly - I make a lovely lemon madeira cake, and I've been experimenting with a banana nut loaf (too many nuts last time - made it far too fall-aparty). I did make a fab Gruffalo cake for my nephew's 3rd birthday (the other girls have already seen this pic, but I'm sure they won't mind me re-posting )

We have both male and female factor too, and Mr Bee is on viagra as well. I think they limit it as a standard - he did look at getting a private prescription, but it was £130 and he didn't get that many more for the price. I don't understand why they restrict the numbers so much, it must be to stop people selling them on the interwebs or summink. I dunno. Anyway, because of my age (36) and the combination of my slightly wonky ovaries and his slightly wonky sperm, they are recommending we bypass the other options and head directly to IVF (do not pass go, do not collect £200).

So that's our plan. Scary, but exciting too.

 

[starrilicious]

Ha! Your gruffalo is awesome! Piping isn't so hard, just need to practice.

How weird we have the same wedding date! We're hoping for good music and lots of dancing and we'll be happy. Love a good dance.

I really don't understand the Viagra thing but sometimes h2b buys a generic version via the internet (not suggesting anyone do this btw) but it's not quite so potent. Luckily you get as much Clomid as you like lol. You must be excited to be moving forward. Slightly worried about the IVF route, as I am petrified of needles. On the plus side though OH is trained as a nurse, so that will help some.

The time I have on my hands now i'm not working is not good for all this thinking and analysing lol. Hope I finds a new job soon!

 

[Leeze]

Hi London lovelies and welcome back Starrilicious!! You're in good company here with the love of cakes and baking!! Your cupcakes look so yummy, by the way! The girls on this thread have helped keep me sane on my TTC and then BFP journey - with lots of support, kind words and even some recipes! We were just about to start fertility treatment after 14 months TTC and then I had the HSG where they check for blocked tubes and got my BFP just after that.

Sadly, I've just been told my glucose levels are really high and I need to cut down on cakes and chocolate - and have to go for a glucose intolerance test on Monday. I'm trying to satisfy my sugar cravings with fruit tubes instead but it's just not the same!!

That's funny that the 2 of you will have wedding anniversaries on the same day!! What a coincidence.

Sophie - sounds like you're in quite a positive frame of mind, hon. Great to hear you're impressed so far with Kings. Will you be trying this cycle or are you going to wait till the next one...you hear a lot of stories of people who are just about to start treatment who get their BFPs - something to do with feeling a bit less stressed about it, maybe? I'm keeping everything crossed for you that your BFP is just round the corner.

Hi to MK8 and Clanger

 

[starrilicious]

Hi Leeze, not long for you now is there? If baby comes early you could share our anniversary or if you hold out 5 extra days you might make it to my birthday! Soon we'll all be sharing dates xD.

I was sposed to be going to try on dresses today but I've been ill all week and woke up to a nose bleed. Don't think it's a good idea to try on dresses with the risk of nose bleeds. It's weird cos I never get nose bleeds I haven't had one in maybe 3 years and now I've had 2 in one week.

It's too bad about the GD but at least it's only for a month and it will be good for you. One thing really helps me is grapes. I like the red/green type you get that are really large but it doesn't matter which ones. They give you some really good stuff and your body reacts to them in a bit like chocolate. When you can't have sweet things they really hit the spot. Hopefully you like grapes I'm allergic to a lot of soft fruits so I can't eat those fruit tube things, are they nice?

My temp is still up so looks like I ovulated again (touch wood) YAY!

 

[SophieBee]

Hi all!

Leeze - lovely to hear from you again
Sorry to hear about the raised glucose levels. At least you don't have too much longer to go, and it sounds as though they are on top of things. Is it gestational diabetes they are worried about? Hope it all works out for you.

Star - good news about the temps and ov'ing this month! Yay! Sorry to hear you weren't feeling well today. Hope you get well enough to go dress shopping soon! Exciting!

AFM, we got a copy of the letter sent to my GP from King's this morning, so that was really interesting as we can see the details of the protocol that I'll be following. I don't think we are going to particularly stress about trying this month - we're down in Bristol next weekend for the MIL's birthday, so we may not get a chance to bd around the right time anyway. We'll see what happens anyway.

Blimey, this has taken me ages to write - I keep getting distracted by the X Factor

Hope you're all having nice weekends xx

 

[mk8]

hey girls! i just realised my long post yesterday didnt get posted for some reason. Gr! too mad to rewrite now but will do later. hope you ladies are all well today.

x

 

[starrilicious]

Hey guys, had a nice weekend? I went to visit the in laws, was nice. Back to the job hunt tomorrow though .

Feeling much better today, just a little tired. I'm 7dpo it would seem too, so that cheers me up some!

About to curl up under my quilt and watch a film with my babycakes so flying visit.

TTFN XX

 

[mk8]

Hello ladies

A quick post before I haul my sorry butt off the sofa to get ready for work- dreading it as it is my first day back from holiday. Man my trip to China was fabulous. A real adventure with the hubby. Sadly, AF arrived on day two of our trip, which was day 25 of my cycle, so a 2 day cycle last month. Weird! My cycles are usually 26-30 days. I was OK about it, I expected it (which is bad), but hubby was really surprised. I think he thought that cycle would be it. I felt terrible. Oh, before I go on, hello Starrilicious!

Thank you for setting up this thread. These ladies have been absolutely fabulous and have kept me sane. They have also provided me with heaps of info for the past 9 months (wow, has it been that long?!) So my story in a nutshell is this:
- I am 31 and hubby is 32
- We have been trying since Jan
- I have regular cycles, range from 26-30 days normally, though as mentioned above, last cycle was just 24 days long
- I had abdominal pain in May (dull or sharp twinges that last a few seconds only). I went to docs who ordered a transvaginal ultrasound. The u/s results said that everything was ok. I have a anteverted uterus (which I think is the usual one). Ovaries and uterus normal in "echotexure". No cysts (which doc was checking for). He put it down to bowel issues. Since then, I have had the odd pain now and again but it is infrequent and lasts a few secs only.
- I also had bloods done and everything was normal, though my free androgen index is slightly elevated (which could indicate pcos). But docs ruled this out because of the u/s results and the fact I have regular periods.
- I had day 21 progesterone levels checked, 26nmol/l - highly likely I ovulated but not certain (over 10 is required but over 30 is ideal).
- I use OPKs now an again and temp now and again too. They indicate O but my temps are erratic (I am not great with temping.)
- I used to take pregnacare conception and B-50 complex but I have decided to leave them both out now and just take folic acid.
- Hubby is set to get SA done this month. So fingers crossed everything is OK.
So that's me Nice to meet you!

Leeze- how are you doing hun? Not long now at all. Hope you are doing well aside from the glucose level thing. Hang in there!

Clanger- how are things with you going? Hope that you are getting prepared to go on mat leave soonish

Sophie- things are moving along heaps for you. Good luck with the IVF. So what is the next stage of it? All very promising stuff, I hope this is it for you and Mr Bee- fingers crossed that you will report a very well deserved BFP on here soon.

Star- I don't know your story that much but sounds like you have irregular cycles? Wondering if you have tried the herb dong guai? My mum gave it to me last cycle (shes into herbal meds) and I ovulated earlier (according to OPKs) and my period came sooner. It is meant to help regulate hormones, built up blood supply and bring on periods (so use in first half of cycle only). I have had light periods since starting TTC (maybe the stress?) and last month, my period was a bit heavier.

So anyway, as I said, hubby is off to get SA done this month. I kinda feel hopeless right now as I dont know what the issue could be. 10 cycles (9 months) but indicate something is up right? We have had well timed BD and have a healthy lifestyle. I really want a baby and just feel like we are stuck somewhere right now. I keep fretting that there is something wrong with my tubes or that hubby's swimmers have issues. Both of which I heard are kinda difficult to fix. So being silly and feeling sorry for myself right now. curiosity - you ladies mentioned viagra for the hubbies... is that what is prescribed? I didn't realise.

Ah, I have rambled too long- shower time for work! Spk soon. x

 

[starrilicious]

Hey girlies, welcome back MK8!

I guess I should do a little intro too since I've been gone for so long. I'll try and answer what MK8 already gave and what ever else is relevant.

- I am 28 (almost 29!) and H2B is 41.
- We have been trying July 2009 which is way before we got engaged but we couldn't get engaged till h2b got his divorce through (his ex disappeared to america without signing the papers before we met) and we need to get a wriggle on as OH's not getting any younger!
- We get married in March!
- I have PCOS and was diagnosed when I was about 15 but we got a second opinion in 2010 at Kings which confirmed PCOS.
- OH has diabetes and also suffers from depression. Both of which suppress the libido. He's been a bit slack on getting a SA but I think it should be ok, doesn't smoke, drinks in moderation, wears loose pants etc etc lol
- Up until this year I have typically had 1 cycle every 3 to 6 months or so but have gone up to a year with no period at all. That's why my recent history is so astounding.
- We think I had one missed miscarriage before the long period of no AF and one chemical (which was heart breaking) before that.
- Need to get my BMI in check before I go back but won't do that until after the wedding. I think I am doing ok but I don't weigh myself at home so hard to tell. My clothes feel looser though.
- I've started temping again as it really helps me get a hold on my cycle. I don't use OPK's as I normally have a clear spike according to fertility friend usually around the time I get ov pain.
- I take a pregnancy friendly multi vit that smells disgusting but we bought 90 tabs so in it goes lol. I have a whole heap of folic I can take after I run out and I think I'll stick to that.
- So technically we are NTNP until the wedding but as things are going we'd be thrilled to get a BFP whenever. My sister is making my dress so it can be adjusted LMAO.

About me personally though, at the moment I am not working . My contract came up at my old place and there is just so much competition in the job market right now. I keep racking my mind for a creative business I could start but can't think of anything. I love crafting and creating things, I bake, knit, crochet, sew, quilt, paper craft... and probably much more I can't name. Just wish I could do it for a living. I have a blog (starrilicious dot com) where I try to record some of my better crafty endeavours.

Not having a job is also what brought me back here. I don't have that many close friends and starting to feel a bit isolated. My bestie is american and so I don't get to see her that often. She's coming over for my birthday though yay! My other friends just don't want to talk about the whole infertility thing and since it take up a lot of my free thinking time it's a hot topic. So hoping I can make a few new friends maybe.

H2B is a teacher for teens and adults who need help with numeracy and literacy and typically only has to work 3 days a week! Lucky thing!

Yeah, so that me/us!

 

[SophieBee]

Hello! Yay - welcome back mk8! Glad China was fab, am very jealous. One day...

I liked reading your and star's little biogs. I'd do one for me but I reckon I've filled you all in on my stuff enough lately! Plus I have just decided to start a journal on this site - I figured that once the IVF treatment starts it will be useful for me to write down how I'm feeling and any effects. Feel free to have a stalk - there isn't much there now, but I'll add to it once I get going I think.

Good luck for Mr mk8's SA - at least you will get a better picture of what is happening with you both, whatever the outcome. 10 cycles may not necessarily mean that anything is wrong at all, so don't worry too much (difficult I know). The numbers are still very much on your side and the fact that you are getting all the testing done while you are still the "right" side of 35 means that you'll be in a good position if it does come to needing a bit of help.

Starrilicious, I'm sorry to hear about your work woes. Mr Bee was made redundant and out of work for about 6 months a while back so I know how frustrating it is. Hoping something turns up for you very soon. I think this is a good site to make friends, and it's a great idea to use it in that way. I feel like I've made some great friends on this site and hoping that we'll stay in touch, no matter how the whole baby thing works out.

I had a lovely quiet weekend, which was the first one in ages. Bliss. Only another week to wait until the follow-up scan and then hopefully all systems go. I'm trying to workout possible dates/timelines for things, which is silly really as I expect I'll get all that when they go through the meds with me, but we are hoping to go to my Dad's for Christmas day and I have a feeling it will be right around the time of my egg collection. I think that procedure can make you feel really lousy, so it would be good to know if I need to factor anything in... Anyway, nothing to get too stressy about - just another thing to think about I guess.

That's probably enough from me for now. Hope all is well with everyone - Clanger, any updates from you? xx

 

[Clanger]

Hey ladies,

You've been chatty!Welcome back starrilicious.Lovely to
Have you here especially with your cake knowledge and talent.Your class sounds brilliant.I can't pipe at all....made a pretty awesome cheesecake at thenweekend though!Your wedding sounds fab too....will you be getting crafty/baking
Anything for that?

Sophiebee...can't believe how fast things are moving for you 2.Exciting but also must feel a bit of a whirlwind.What so you know about your protocol?There must be so much to take in!We will all be routing for you over the upcoming weeks.

Leeze....Sorry about the glucose thingy.I had raised levels too....midwife put it
down to my major fruit intake and warned me off fruit and cake etc.Seemed to
Work as all fine next time.So...remember to avoid all
Sugar not just naughties but fruit too before your test.Did they say how high it was? It's horrible when something shows up as put of thenordinary in
Pregnancy isn't it as it's such an
Anxious time anyway.Thinking of you and hope things settle down.How are you feeling otherwise...massive I bet!

Mk8 welcomeback.So sorry the witchface turned up on hol with you...what a cow.hope it didn't take away from the amazing adventure you
Had.Tell us more about your hol....all the details
Please lady.Sorry to hear you are feeling fed up, not suprising given the post hol
Blues and the fact that af has made an unwanted visit.Thinking of you.

All with moi....getting fairly humoungous and enjoying comments such as "you haven't put on MUCH weight" and general observations on how huge I look.But am
so chuffed to be having a healthy pregnancy not feeling too hormonal and sensitive (until I catch sight of my massiveness in a shop window that is!)!Starrilicious...I had my own journey to pregnancy...not too long but stressful
all the same and have carried on hanging out on this thread as thengirls are so fabulous.

 

[starrilicious]

I'm doing lot's of crafting for the wedding. I did our save the dates, I did our wedding website and I will be making pinwheel decorations, place settings and our invitation suites myself too.

Got no pictures as yet but you can have a look at our wedding website if you like tis "the dady dot co dot uk" the and dady being all one word.

I had some stupid job centre thing today which actually was a teeny bit helpful. Only it could have been helpful in 15 mins rather than 2 hours! So if any of you have a linked in profile please send me your links. I need all the connections I can get if I'm to master the job hunt!

 

[mk8]

ladies, i just wrote a massive post to you all. ARGH!

 

[starrilicious]

Don't worry MK8 it happens to us all. Sometimes I think my computer gets a good laugh out of me lol.

How are you all? I'm a bit bummed about my lack of cycle this month but things could be worse.

 

[mk8]

i cannot believe i lost my massive post... second time lucky... i am going to write in bullet format this time as kinda seething!

star
- your cakes look fab. you def have a talent for crafts and i think it is definitely something you can capitalise on in terms of work. sorry to hear that work isnt going well for you at the moment, but with your creativity, i have no doubt that you will do wonderfully well.
- hurrah to ovulating fingers crossed that your hormones self regulate has the doc not suggested clomid or something similar for you?
- sorry to hear youre not too well. hope those nosebleeds stay away too and you can try on wedding gowns

sophie
- checked out your blog hun. i look forward to your updates. i think this is all good, i have a good feeling about this. your turn to get that bfp GO SOPHIE!
- what type of scan are you going for? an internal ultrasound? whats the step after that?
- thanks for your encouraging words.

clanger
- hello hun. i wrote a tonne about china but sooo not in the mood to rewrite so will do so another time.
- how are you doing hun? not long until the little one appears. so exciting! have you bought much?

leeze
- how are you hun? when is your due date exactly? hope that those glucose levels are behaving!

as for me, i had a mini meltdown yest. though today, i am back in "control" mode. its the uncertainty that gets to me.
- hubbys off for sa next week. results the week after. i will take them to my doc for his advice also (he asked me to).
- question for you ladies, my gp told me to cont ttcing until dec (by then it will be a year, though gp thinks it will be 18 months). he said if nothing, he will look at fertility meds (this is assuming hubbys sa is fine). my question is, why would i be put on fertility meds if i am ovulating? or at least thats what my day 21 bloods seems to suggest. shouldnt my doc suggest an hsg first? leeze- you have experience of this, what happened with you?
- i am going to get a cbfm! going to splurge. i am not sure about these cheap opks i use. i realised when i thought i got a positive, it wasnt a real positive. one month, i used a cheaper and more expensive opk (like i am made of money!) the cheap opk said i ovulated on cd16, pricey one did not. on day 17, both said i had a positive opk. i temp but im terrible with it. so i think cbfm may be better- fmu right?
- no positive opk for me yet. weird. cd17. hmmm....

 

[mk8]

another question if i may...

- sophie, why is your dh on viagra? is that meant to help with count, motility and morphology issues? interesting!

sorry for this rather unemotional post. still seething over the fact bnb lost my long message. grrrrr

 

[Leeze]

Hi everyone

This has been a busy thread the last few days, I can hardly keep up!! Will post more soon, has been a crazy week this end with getting stuff sorted in current flat (new heating, new fridge, cot) and preparing for new flat extension and other bits (washing machine, getting architect in etc). I'm pretty pooped right now but wanted to drop by and say hello! Will post more in next few days.

SophieBee - great idea to start a journal, I did one for a while too and found it really helped. That's great you got your follow-up appointment next week, I hope it all goes well for you. I know you're not a fan of acupuncture, but the Zita West holistic therapy/fertility clinic I went to for acupuncture had a book there about how to increase your chances of IVF by also looking at diet, lifestyle, stress levels etc - might be worth looking into something like this?

Starrillicious - sorry to hear about your losses, I think even when it's early on it's so devastating. I remember someone saying to me when I had mine that it was a good sign I got pregnant, although given it took 9 months more for the BFP that stuck it didn't always help to think about that and sometimes was even more frustrating because it wasn't happening again. Great that you've joined back in with this thread, feels like you're fitting right in already!!! Re the work thing, do you have your own website and do freelance work - I wonder if that could be a way of doing all your fab creative stuff and getting paid for it?

MK8 - I really recommend getting a CBFM - I think I said before check out a Superdrug with a pharmacy as I saw them a couple of times really cheaply there (like £30 instead of £60 on amazon which is where I got mine!). And it's great you can use FMU like you say. Re the HSG, this was something that the NHS fertlity clinic I went to did on everyone before deciding on any treatment options (with a whole range of other blood tests, urine tests, SA test), but I've heard of other people being prescribed clomid or something similar to boost fertility and not having an HSG so maybe it's individual for the GP or clinic what order they do things in? I think it's worth discussing with the GP - to ask why not an HSG? Maybe it's a cost thing, perhaps it's cheaper to try the fertility meds for a few months before thinking about doing an HSG? Or maybe you need to be referred by a specialist clinic to get the HSG but the GP can prescribe you the meds? I remember my GP actually saying he was going to put on the referral form that we'd been TTC for 2 years and that's why he was referring us straight to the clinic and not doing some tests etc himself so perhaps he should have tried us on the fertility meds first? Definitely tell us more about China when you get a minute!

Clanger - I've heard all the funny comments imaginable - one of my colleagues found it hilarious to say about once a week "OMG, you're not pregnant are you" whenever someone made a comment about my pregnancy. She also kept asking me if I was having twins because of my size. But, like you say, the main thing is that we're pregnant and there's no sign of any serious complications. I'm hoping that my glucose levels are back to normal now because I haven't had a call from the GP to say otherwise. I'll find out for definite at my next midwife appointment on Monday.

I can't believe how much I've written after saying it was gonna be a quick one! I'd better go to bed now as it's nearly half 12!! Oh, MK8 you asked about my due date - it's 1st November so really bubs could come any time between now and 11th November or so (normally they induce you if you go 10 days overdue!). I'm hoping she won't come early so I've still got a couple of weeks to rest and get things sorted. One of my closest friends is in hospital at the moment and I've been going to visit him quite a lot this week too (as well as all the crazy busy flat stuff) so I haven't done a lot of the things I wanted to do - mainly getting the flat a bit more organised and feeling things are nice and clean and in order etc (I'm hoping that nesting instinct I'm meant to be getting kicks in next week!!!)

Bye for now, big hugs and baby dust

 

[SophieBee]

Oh man, I've been roped into knitting squares for a baby blanket for my sister - this would be fine except I'm quite a slow knitter, which means it's taking me the best part of an evening to knit each one. Ugh. So this means I have hardly any time for lounging around on the internet and composing messages to you lovely ladies.

Anyway, I just popped in to say hello. I'm off to Bristol for the M-I-L's birthday tomorrow so won't be online much. Will come back on Sunday and do a proper reply then.

Have a good one ladies xx

 

[starrilicious]

Oops, Hi everybody!

Forgot to check back here, sorry. Did everyone have a nice weekend?

Mine was great my baking class went well although I was really nervous and kept forgetting things everyone had a great time and made some impressive looking cupcakes.

I'm thinking of doing another one but maybe get a little more organised. It was my first go though, so can't really beat myself up too much!

Got a telephone interview this morning so wish me luck. It sounds like a really cool position working for the web conferencing company!

TTFN