Cycle buddies Oct/Nov 16

[Hope2409]

Hello,

Is anyone else about to start a cycle?
I start down regulating on Sunday, estimated embryo transfer week beginning 21st Nov, this will be my first round of IVF/ICSI after 3.5 years trying to concieve.

Mixture of emotions, excited to be starting after waiting so long to get here, nervous about side effects of drugs and injecting and terrified it wont work! The joys of infertility!

Xxx

[Blueroses99]

Hi hope, I'm just about to start a cycle too, I start down regulating tomorrow (assuming the drugs turn up in the morning!). TTC for 4 years. This will be my third cycle of ICSI. First cycle September 2015 - unsuccessful. Second cycle February 2016 - successful but sadly our son was stillborn in July (due date was 21 November) due to an incompetent cervix. Not where we thought we would be at the moment but it's really important to try again as soon as possible...so here we are.

Absolutely with you on the mixed emotions xx

[kezmarie]

Hello ladies. Can I join?
I'm 26, been TTC for 3.5 years. On my first cycle of IVF.
I have my baseline scan on 25th October, with 12 days of menopur injections, estimated egg collection 7th November!

Would be great to share our stories and updates as we go along this journey. X

[Blueroses99]

Hi Kez! Our timelines are v similar as I have my scan on 27th and I've calculated based on the same schedule as my last cycle that EC will be around 9th November.

I'm desperately waiting for my delivery of drugs to turn up so I can start my DR injections today!

[kezmarie]

Hi blue
Its so nice to speak to someone in a similar situation! (I think my OH can only handle so much chit chat!)
That's great, I don't have TOTM so I can start as soon as I have my first scan. I received my drugs 3 weeks ago though!
They've been sat in my fridge and cupboard since then ha.. X

[Blueroses99]

I see...so you don't need to down regulate and start stimulating after the scan?

It's all happened v quickly for me this time, had initial consultation last Thursday, a saline ultrasound on Friday (to check uterus is ok after pregnancy), a coordination appointment on Wednesday where they also ordered the drugs for me. Arrived just now and I've had my first dose of Buserelin. I wasn't sure if we could get started so quickly but things seem to have fallen into place. Also the clinic know us already. I would not have been able to handle this pace if I hadn't done it before though! I'm also booked in for an endometrial scratch next Friday.

[kezmarie]

I have partial pituarity failure and haven't had AF since I was 14 years old. (Now 26). Therefore I don't ovulate. My ovary scans have always come back ok - a little on the small side but plenty of eggs.
So they said I don't need to down reg & to start my jabs as soon as I've had my baseline scan. So hopefully it all works ok!
That's great that you can get started again so quick, and that you've been through it all before (sorry for your loss by the way) so you know what to expect.

One thing I'm worried about (which I shouldn't be because I haven't even started the jabs yet). I'm due to fly to New York for a weeks holiday 3 days after embryo transfer (estimated). Is that going to be a problem do you think?

[Blueroses99]

Thanks. So it's a difficult one because you don't know how you are going to respond to the drugs and a good clinic will schedule EC on the optimal day for the patient, which might mean that you need more or less days of stimming. If you need less, EC will be earlier and you'll be fine, but if you need more by a day or two, EC will be delayed and therefore ET will be delayed by the same amount of time. Potentially you're cutting a bit too fine and adding extra stress. For the estimated embryo transfer date, is that based on 3 day or 5 day transfer?

[kezmarie]

This is what I couldn't understand when the consultant gave me my treatment dates, he knew previously about my holiday that has been booked for 18 months, so I was a bit wary that he's not given me much time before I go.
I'm going on a family holiday with my sister and auntie for my aunties 50th birthday and she's petrified now that I'm gonna bail out... I hope that's not the case!!
The estimated ET is a 5 day transfer X

[Blueroses99]

Sounds like a great trip! I would ask if the baseline scan date could be brought forward by a week to give a bit more breathing space. A lot of places won't be able to change the dates but always worth asking. Both of my last cycles happened on the expected EC date, the second one was potentially going to shift by a day but didn't after the final scan - if that provides any reassurance.

[kezmarie]

Well I phoned the fertility clinic, and they won't let me bring forward my baseline scan as all my other scans and blood tests have been booked for the 28th, 31st, 2nd & 4th and they can't change anything now.
Well that's given me a little bit of hope.... Hopefully they're able to collect the eggs on the 7th & I don't have to be pushed back a day or two, then I'll be back on track then X

[Hope2409]

Hi ladies!

Blue i'm sorry to hear about your journey so far and about your loss. Its good that things are moving quickly for you this time, did your drugs turn up in the end?

Kez your trip to New York sounds lovely, hopefully your timings all work out so you get to go away and try and relax a bit, well as much as you can!

Both of u ladies are a bit ahead of me im on long protocol, start sniffing Synarel on sunday for 5 weeks, injecting Gonal F after 3 weeks for approx 10 days and i got it wrong its my egg collection week beginning 21st Nov not embryo transfer! Have scans and bloods booked for 9th and 18th Nov. Ours is a male factor problem so we are doing ICSI.

Blue since u have been through cycles before do u mind me asking how u got on with your drugs etc.? Did u get many side effects with them? How did u manage it all alongside work?

Xxx

[Blueroses99]

Hi hope! Yes the drug delivery man (I was so tempted to call him my dealer!) turned up at around 11am.

I'm on a long protocol too but DR for a slightly shorter time than you! I'm not familiar with Synarel, I've always been on Buserelin. My first cycle (NHS) I had the nasal spray. The second time and current cycle (private), I had injections. The main side effect from sniffing is that I felt very dehydrated, so I was thirsty all the time and that gave me headaches. I had to sniff 3 times a day so it would be morning and evening at home, and middle of the day at work - I used to put a reminder in my calendar so I wouldn't forget, and sneak off to the ladies. The injection was first thing in the morning so I'd just get up a bit earlier for work.

I was on Menopur (3 vials) in my first cycle (same time every evening) and a mix of both Gonaf F and Menopur in the second and current cycles (same time every morning). The main side effect was bloating!

We are male factor too so had ICSI the first time, and a magnified version of ICSI called IMSI the second time and we'll be doing this again. Due to the low number of mature eggs collected, and therefore number of fertilised embryos, there is concern about poor egg quality too 😞 And I will have to have a cervical stitch in any future pregnancy to avoid another second trimester loss.

Kez it was worth a try! But I think you'll be ok.

Really happy to have some company on this cycle xx

[Hope2409]

Glad your drugs arrived ok Blue thats funny i guess he kind of is your dealer!!!

The nurse and my information pack has warned me of the nasal spray causing dehydration and i am rubbish at drinking so i have tried to make a concious effort to drink much more this week in preparation and to get used to it! Dreading the injections but they are in pre-filled pens so i guess i'm lucky there i have heard lots of people have to mix their own up! I have to then do the pessaries after embryo transfer, 3 times a day, not looking forward to doing that at work!

Did u find your egg collection procedures painful, were u very uncomfortable afterwards?

Our cycle is an NHS one, in our area we get three on the NHS, we have had to wait over 2 years to be eligible which has felt like forever but its good that they let us have more than one.

Really hoping that this cycle will be the one that works out for you!

It is lovely to have some company and have people to talk to going through a cycle at thr same time, it can be a lonely road!

Xxx

[kezmarie]

Blue - I'm glad your drugs arrived! Yay! It's a good day!
Ill be on menopur for 12 days, 3 doses once a day at the same time then 2 doses a day.
I have to mix them myself too wish I had a pen like Hope, it sounds much easier!

Hope - yay you have company on this thread!
I also have to take pessaries after embryo transfer - 3 times a day - as I said before, I'm due to fly to New York shortly after.... Taking a pessary in the airport and on a 7 hour flight is going to be interesting!
I'm also on NHS cycle, my first one, although we get 2 cycles if needed.
Been on the waiting list since July 2015 but been having investigations since 2012!

[Hope2409]

Everything takes so long doesn't it and there's so much waiting, we got refused by our CCG twice as we didn't fit the critera for how long to be trying so had to wait till we had been trying over 3 years and apply again then we got accepted this year!

Gosh yes doing pessaries in the airport and on a plane could be tricky! They will have a field day with u going through secruity, will u have to have a note from yr consultant explaining what they are for?

Sorry to hear u have to mix up your injections, u would think they would do them all in the pen form! I have to twist it to select the dose then click it in, looks like one pen does about 3 injections.

Xxx

[glasshalfsomething]

May I also join in ( hi Kez)?

I'm about two weeks in...down reg (10 days buserlin) done and 6 days in to gonal-f + buserlin injections!

First scan and bloods on Wednesday to see how the eggs are coming on....

I never realised until I started reading all these threads that there were so many variations! Thought IVF was the same for everyone!

[Hope2409]

Welcome Glass

Same here with the variations, everyones cycles and experiences are so different!

Is this your first round of IVF? How are u getting on? Have you been feeling and managing ok?

Xxx

[glasshalfsomething]

First round, yes!

First few days of each new injection has caused some emotional ups and down, but it's settling fairly easily.

Struggling with no gym or booze, but guessing giving both cancels each one out!

Still spending far too much time thinking about it, but guess that's the same for everyone when it's such a big life changer!

Btw - how do you tag someone?

[Hope2409]

I feel like i spend all of my time thinking about it too, doesn't help that i work with children!!

I'm not a gym bunny so i won't have that problem but your right giving both up surely cancels it out!!!

That's good that it settles down fairly easily once you've started doing them!

Sorry i'm not sure how u tag someone!!!

[glasshalfsomething]

No worries, I'll work it out!

Looks like we've got the Gonal-F I in common. My 10 days is up on Wed, but not sure how much longer I'll stay on it. Will keep you up to date. Good luck xx

[Blueroses99]

Hello Glass. Glad it's going well so far. Use the * key before and after a word to make a name bold (is that what you mean by tag someone?)

It does vary so much! I started investigations mid 2014 after 1 year TTC, which took about 6 months before getting our referral for IVF. I had a relatively short wait of about 3 months on the NHS but only had funding for 1 fresh cycle. They would have paid for two frozen cycles too but we had no frosties.

The first time I had to mix Menopur, it took an hour to figure it all out There are YouTube videos though, and you get used to it surprisingly easily. My Gonal F is in a pen. For some reason my clinic wants me to take both. It worked last time though so I'll go with it.

Egg collection was not painful but I was very bloated afterwards for about 3/4 days. It was good that I had 5 day transfers so I got over the bloat before ET.

[Hope2409]

Yes let us know how u get on Glass i hope your scan goes well on Weds xx

The NHS will fund us to have three frozen cycles if we get any frosties.

Blue you must be a pro at mixing them up now and at doing the injections if u have to do both but whatever works is worth it!

Xxx

[Custardandcream]

Hi ladies, can I join in?

This is my second cycle of icsi, we also have male factor. I did a short protocol cycle last time but my overies didn't respond very well so we're trying long protocol this time. We got 5 eggs and ended up with one good blastocyst so not all bad but unfortunatly it didn't take.

I started my down reg injections (buserlin) yesterday and have my first blood test on 26th. The clinic will then let me know when I can start the sims. If I can start at that point will probably be w/c 7/11 for egg collection.

[Blueroses99]

Hi custard! You're a day ahead of me in a very similar schedule. Are you doing your second cycle at the same place as your first?

[Custardandcream]

Hi Blue, sounds like we are, I'm only using Gonal F for stim stage but a slightly higher dose than the first time. Yes I've stayed at the same clinic, I'm hoping that as they've seen how I react this cycle will get a few more eggs. Are you at the same place as last time? Sorry for your loss.