I've been contemplating acupuncture for about two years now. On Saturday I finally got my arse in to gear and attended my first session. It was fine. In fact, it was quite enjoyable.
We went through my medical history and then she stuck needles into the middle of my forehead, my hands, my legs and my feet. I lay there for about half an hour and then she removed them. My whole body felt so heavy afterwards but I came out of the session feeling so positive. I'm going to continue going once a week leading up to, during and after my IVF.
The husband was skeptical but I explained that I needed to do this. That if I didn't give it a go and the IVF didn't work I would always be wondering what if. I think he kind of got where I was coming from after that, plus I think he was pleased to see me looking so happy and positive. I'm now wishing that I had tried it ages ago, you never know, it may have assisted with us conceiving naturally.
Our next hospital appointment is a week Thursday. This appointment is to sign our consent forms, collect my prescription and hopefully have some training on injections. This appointment has felt like a life time away, I cannot tell you how slow time seems to be moving.
Showing posts with label appointment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label appointment. Show all posts
Monday, 8 March 2010
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
The best bits of the first appointment
I've been trying not to think too much about our initial appointment mainly because I'm wanting to just go with the flow, keep stress levels low and not over analyse everything.
Isn't it weird that the day I start to write this is the day that my stress levels begin to rise slightly. After being told by the doctor that there wouldn't be a problem with booking a 3d antral follicle count scan, surprise, surprise, it seems that there is a problem. The receptionist this morning said that there were no appointments for Friday but that she would have to try and squeeze me in. She's calling me back once she has sorted it out. That was 4 hours ago. Will she call before I end up calling her? I doubt it.
Anyway, I've digressed slightly, here are the best bits from our first appointment:
* Our infertility is likely to be a combination of my endometriosis and the husband's oligoasthenozoospermia.
* The husband's morphology has increased by 0.5 and has increased overall by 2.5 since his original SA.
* They will decide on the day whether to do ICSI or not.
* If our cycle is cancelled for any reason then that is the end of our funded treatment although we will have the option to appeal.
* It's all down to luck!
My views on the above:
* Hearing that our infertility is a combination of both of us really helped the husband so, for that diagnosis, I am thankful.
* I'll take any kind of increase on the morphology because I am sure that that is our main problem.
* I'd rather go with ICSI (because of the morphology issue) but she did say that it can cause damage so I am happy to go with the experts.
* I'm really hoping that we don't have a cancelled cycle but, if it happens, we will have to deal with it.
* I always knew that it was a case of luck but actually hearing the doctor say it makes you realise that they can only do so much and it really is down to luck. A little scary as we aren't really all that lucky!
Isn't it weird that the day I start to write this is the day that my stress levels begin to rise slightly. After being told by the doctor that there wouldn't be a problem with booking a 3d antral follicle count scan, surprise, surprise, it seems that there is a problem. The receptionist this morning said that there were no appointments for Friday but that she would have to try and squeeze me in. She's calling me back once she has sorted it out. That was 4 hours ago. Will she call before I end up calling her? I doubt it.
Anyway, I've digressed slightly, here are the best bits from our first appointment:
* Our infertility is likely to be a combination of my endometriosis and the husband's oligoasthenozoospermia.
* The husband's morphology has increased by 0.5 and has increased overall by 2.5 since his original SA.
* They will decide on the day whether to do ICSI or not.
* If our cycle is cancelled for any reason then that is the end of our funded treatment although we will have the option to appeal.
* It's all down to luck!
My views on the above:
* Hearing that our infertility is a combination of both of us really helped the husband so, for that diagnosis, I am thankful.
* I'll take any kind of increase on the morphology because I am sure that that is our main problem.
* I'd rather go with ICSI (because of the morphology issue) but she did say that it can cause damage so I am happy to go with the experts.
* I'm really hoping that we don't have a cancelled cycle but, if it happens, we will have to deal with it.
* I always knew that it was a case of luck but actually hearing the doctor say it makes you realise that they can only do so much and it really is down to luck. A little scary as we aren't really all that lucky!
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
First appointment
Our first appointment went really well. We both came away feeling happy to be moving forward, relaxed and sure that we had chosen the right clinic.
I can't believe how nervous I felt before the appointment. It didn't help matters that, on the Sunday, I had decided to join the clinic’s forum. It was great to read positive posts and it prepared me to expect a wait (as others who had had appointments in January were not scheduled to start treatment until the March) but, it also made me feel slightly apprehensive as there were a few posts commenting on administration errors.
One woman had phoned the clinic to ask a question and whilst on the phone she checked her appointment only to find out that she wasn't booked in. Living an hour and a half away from the clinic I thought that it would make sense to phone on Monday morning to check that there hadn't been a change to the appointment. When I phoned the receptionist was a bit funny with me, she asked why I was phoning to check (so I told her about the forum comment and that before embarking on the long journey I wanted to double check), she proceeded to tell me that the clinic’s administration is top quality and that there are never any mistakes! I suppose we will be able to judge this for ourselves over the next few months, I did wonder though whether we would have a black mark against our names.
Anyway, we got there in time (just). The clinic is within an NHS hospital which is huge, a complete maze. We finally located it and, no sooner had we walked in, a doctor was there to greet us. The doctor was lovely, really down to earth and a female which helped when talking about things. She asked us a few questions, nothing too taxing and then proceeded to tell us about the whole IVF process although she stressed that they would always only give us two steps to remember.
The plan is as follows –
1. Obtain FSH blood test results from doctor because, although she said that she would send them with the referral, they didn't. No real surprise there. (UPDATE - it's taken me so long to post this that I have already managed to obtain these).
2. Phone the clinic when I get my next period to arrange a 3d scan and STI blood tests (again) for both the husband and myself. Our results from the G.UM clinic cannot be obtained due to confidentiality.
3. Following the scan the clinic will send in the post my protocol, consent documentation and prescription for drugs.
4. Complete and return the necessary paperwork and return
5. Call the clinic when I get my next period to start our treatment (booked in for 17 March).
So, things are moving forward at last.
I can't believe how nervous I felt before the appointment. It didn't help matters that, on the Sunday, I had decided to join the clinic’s forum. It was great to read positive posts and it prepared me to expect a wait (as others who had had appointments in January were not scheduled to start treatment until the March) but, it also made me feel slightly apprehensive as there were a few posts commenting on administration errors.
One woman had phoned the clinic to ask a question and whilst on the phone she checked her appointment only to find out that she wasn't booked in. Living an hour and a half away from the clinic I thought that it would make sense to phone on Monday morning to check that there hadn't been a change to the appointment. When I phoned the receptionist was a bit funny with me, she asked why I was phoning to check (so I told her about the forum comment and that before embarking on the long journey I wanted to double check), she proceeded to tell me that the clinic’s administration is top quality and that there are never any mistakes! I suppose we will be able to judge this for ourselves over the next few months, I did wonder though whether we would have a black mark against our names.
Anyway, we got there in time (just). The clinic is within an NHS hospital which is huge, a complete maze. We finally located it and, no sooner had we walked in, a doctor was there to greet us. The doctor was lovely, really down to earth and a female which helped when talking about things. She asked us a few questions, nothing too taxing and then proceeded to tell us about the whole IVF process although she stressed that they would always only give us two steps to remember.
The plan is as follows –
1. Obtain FSH blood test results from doctor because, although she said that she would send them with the referral, they didn't. No real surprise there. (UPDATE - it's taken me so long to post this that I have already managed to obtain these).
2. Phone the clinic when I get my next period to arrange a 3d scan and STI blood tests (again) for both the husband and myself. Our results from the G.UM clinic cannot be obtained due to confidentiality.
3. Following the scan the clinic will send in the post my protocol, consent documentation and prescription for drugs.
4. Complete and return the necessary paperwork and return
5. Call the clinic when I get my next period to start our treatment (booked in for 17 March).
So, things are moving forward at last.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
High hopes
OK, for some bizarre reason I had high hopes for this cycle.
You hear these stories, women who have been battling to conceive for years who, when on the verge of treatment, have a surprise pregnancy. It has to happen to somebody, right?
Add to this the fact that this is our golden cycle which, surely means something. Right?
Wrong!
The usual signs are here. We are heading in to our 51st cycle, does this mean that it is downhill from here?
We are just over a week away from the appointment. I am 2lbs down on the weight loss and I finally had the chat with my mum. There were tears from both parties but I think she understands. She did seem OK about it. She said that she was still feeling under the weather which was making her teary. I cried because I felt like I had upset her and so, there we sat in T.esco's car park, crying.
I'm glad it's over with.
Now all I need to do is try and lose as much weight as possible between now and Feb. Oh, and get through the first appointment, a round of IVF, need I go on?
You hear these stories, women who have been battling to conceive for years who, when on the verge of treatment, have a surprise pregnancy. It has to happen to somebody, right?
Add to this the fact that this is our golden cycle which, surely means something. Right?
Wrong!
The usual signs are here. We are heading in to our 51st cycle, does this mean that it is downhill from here?
We are just over a week away from the appointment. I am 2lbs down on the weight loss and I finally had the chat with my mum. There were tears from both parties but I think she understands. She did seem OK about it. She said that she was still feeling under the weather which was making her teary. I cried because I felt like I had upset her and so, there we sat in T.esco's car park, crying.
I'm glad it's over with.
Now all I need to do is try and lose as much weight as possible between now and Feb. Oh, and get through the first appointment, a round of IVF, need I go on?
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Deep breath...and relax
The damage - 10lbs which, although expected, was still a bit hard to swallow.
The good news, I'm feeling positive and I'm determined to lose as much of it as possible before our first appointment. That gives me two weeks and 5 days. Crikey, where did that time go? I have been so stressed about the weight situation as I had got it into my head that I needed to be ready by 1 February. I'm concerned that the doctors and nurses will be judging me because I am slightly overweight and, on top of that, I am so annoyed with myself for doing so well and then, when it comes to the crunch, losing sight of the importance of it and putting a good percentage of it back on. Anyway, I've stopped stressing about it and realised that I am not running out of time because, not only do I have two and a half weeks, I also have the time between the appointment and the start of treatment. A weight loss of 10lbs is not impossible.
Today seemed to mark the start of something completely different to what I have been experiencing for the past few weeks. I actually felt excited. It dawned on me just how excited I was when I read this post by One who understands. It made 1 February so much more real.
The mum situation hasn't been resolved yet as she has been ill so, definitely not the right time to hit her with a heart to heart. Thank you for the comments about sharing or not sharing information with family and friends, it really helped. Whatever happens, I am not going to stress about it.
The good news, I'm feeling positive and I'm determined to lose as much of it as possible before our first appointment. That gives me two weeks and 5 days. Crikey, where did that time go? I have been so stressed about the weight situation as I had got it into my head that I needed to be ready by 1 February. I'm concerned that the doctors and nurses will be judging me because I am slightly overweight and, on top of that, I am so annoyed with myself for doing so well and then, when it comes to the crunch, losing sight of the importance of it and putting a good percentage of it back on. Anyway, I've stopped stressing about it and realised that I am not running out of time because, not only do I have two and a half weeks, I also have the time between the appointment and the start of treatment. A weight loss of 10lbs is not impossible.
Today seemed to mark the start of something completely different to what I have been experiencing for the past few weeks. I actually felt excited. It dawned on me just how excited I was when I read this post by One who understands. It made 1 February so much more real.
The mum situation hasn't been resolved yet as she has been ill so, definitely not the right time to hit her with a heart to heart. Thank you for the comments about sharing or not sharing information with family and friends, it really helped. Whatever happens, I am not going to stress about it.
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