Fertility Friend

After all this time, I still track my cycles. Nowadays everyone has apps on their phone, but pre-iPhone (gosh, we really have been trying for a long time!), I used to hope on my PC first thing in the morning, log on to Fertility Friend and type in my temperature and any signs that I had that day.

Now I don't bother with temperature tracking - I am much more in tune to my body's signals around ovulation and my period, but it was definitely helpful in the first few years. It's also a lot easier because FF has an app on my phone, so I don't even have to go to the computer anymore.

Why is any of this important? Well, FF also gives me statistics. And who doesn't love a good stat?

This cycle is number 100 of trying to conceive. 28 June 2006 was the first day of our first cycle which means we are coming to 10 years of, well, all of this. Not exactly something to celebrate, but certainly a reminder of the journey that has taken place.

Professional photos from our 10 year vow renewal

Back in November I wrote about our 10th wedding anniversary and how we chose to renew our wedding vows. I realised tonight that I never posted our proper photos, only a couple of blurry mobile phone shots. Rectifying that now!

We had picnic blankets, parasols and fans

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All of my work friends

We hired a face painter to entertain all of the kids - it was a hit!

Us with some of our nieces and nephews

Things to speak with the FS about

I am putting together a list of things to talk to our specialist about when we meet with her on February 15.

• During our last embryo transfer, she mentioned something about some herbs that have shown some promising results, but as my legs were in stirrups I wasn't exactly retaining that knowledge! Hopefully I can find out more about that.
• If DHEA is worthwhile for PCOS patients. Even though I seem to get lots of eggs, the quality is poor, and I am interested to know if DHEA would help in this
• Any other herbs or supplements that she recommends
• Whether regular ejaculation is a yay or nay before giving the sample. Murray's great results were after infrequent ejaculation, but we were told in the standard IVF literature we received to ejaculate every second day prior to giving a sample, which of course was our worst result, so I am hesitant to follow that advice again
• Is it worth trying the endo scratch again? Man it hurt like crazy, but the results do suggest that it improves the odds significantly. 
• Would a different style of cycle work? I've been doing FFSH with Orgalutran, but perhaps a down reg cycle with Lucrin instead of Syneral would work better (I wont agree to a Syneral cycle as the nose spray gives me horrific migraines, I would have to be on bed rest for the whole cycle).

Preparing ourselves for the VERY last cycle

It feels a bit dejavu going through this all over again, but this really will be our last treatment cycle. We have an appointment booked with our doctor on February 15th, and then it will be a case of working out the best timing to proceed with IVF.

There are a couple of things we have started doing in preparation for this cycle. A few people on my lost post had some recommendations which I have definitely taken on board - thank you everyone.

• Started eating healthy, including no Red Bull (a serious weakness of mine)
• During the cycle, I will also be cutting out caffeine (I currently have Coke Zero a couple of times a week but no coffee)
• Getting back into my exercise routine. We have been going to the gym and walking the dogs five times a week, trying to get into a good groove
• I am now taking my usual Folate and B12 supplement, but have added fish oil tablets and COQ10 which is an antioxidant. I am also looking into Inositol which looks to have good results
• Murray is back on the Conceive Well tablets, and has also started taking fish oil tablets.
• I will be having acupuncture done during the next cycle, if only before and after embryo transfer

I am headed to Sydney for the ANZAC Day long weekend in April so I want to get this over and done with by then if possible, which would mean a March/early April cycle.

We went and saw the clinics fertility counsellor yesterday, but to be honest it was a waste of time. We mainly did it because Murray was so disappointed after the last result, but we have both recovered well now, and having some time off over Christmas and the New Year has helped both of us to move on.