Starting IVF and a ball of nerves!

[Danidandan]

Hey, I'm new to all of this so I don't even know if anyone will read this! I'm 24, and start my IVF journey tomorrow with ABC IVF in Harley street. The reasoning for IVF at 24, I had Peritoneal Mesothelioma last year. (Cancer caused by asbestos) and was thrown a card of total sh*tness that year. But lucky enough to be here and in full remission. I can conceive on my own but nothing's happened in 10 months. I know it's lot a long time, but I could go into menopause in as little as 2 years from my treatments received for the cancer. I am entitled to NHS funding but it takes a lot longer and I don't really have time on my side. So my journey down the private route starts tomorrow for my first scan and going through the treatments. Does anyone have any advice for me and my partner Jack? He's immensely calm and excited and I'm a ball of nerves! Thank you for reading. :)

All the luck in the world for all of you TTC.

Dani xxx

[Kay2705]

Hiya!

Unfortunately I don't have any advise for you as I am looking to start next month also with abc ivf in Harley street.
So sorry to hear about your condition and hope you are in a much better physical state now. hope this ivf goes smoothly for you.

This will be my first ivf cycle been trying similar time as you as my husband has low morphology 1% and we thought we would just skip the IUI and go straight to ivf.

I've got my consultation with abc ivf on the 2nd of October so hoping to start on the next cycle after that so mid October.

Let me know how your scan get on and we can use this thread to keep up!

Good luck

[hoping2018]

Sorry to hear youve been through so much.

Just wanted to say the biggest factor for ivf being successful is your age - you have that in your side!!

I hope it goes well x

[Danidandan]

Thank you so much for your replies! I didn't know anyone would see it. I've spent endless hours scrolling through Mumsnet for months and months. Glad I've joined!
Thank you both for your lovely messages. I will keep posted on this thread and I'll post an update tomorrow night with how it goes. I think we are also skipping IUI and going straight for ivf. I've done a lot of research and ABC look incredible. So I can only hope!

I'll post tomorrow and let you know how it goes. :)

Babydust to us all! Xxx

[Kay2705]

Hope the first appointment goes well keep us posted. Would love to hear their process

[Penguinsnpandas]

Sorry to hear what you've been through.

I went through IVF years ago and it is very stressful but it worked first time. The private clinics have excellent success rates so hopefully you will be pregnant very soon. I worried about the silliest of things like the cat sleeping on me and a large woman sitting partly on me crushing the embryos but they are actually quite tough. Also bled 10 times in pregnancy so if you bleed don't assume its all over, a lot of successful pregnancies have bleeding. If it fails second attempts have a very high success rate too.

[Kay2705]

Hi @Danidandan how did you get on?

[Danidandan]

Hey everyone! Sorry for the late response it's been hectic. Well ABC are absolutely amazing. They are so kind and welcoming and really have the patients best interests at heart. They did a transvaginal scan, and saw plenty of follicles and my uterus and everything looks healthy so the Dr really thinks I'll respond well to treatment. So good news, and she will put me on a lower dose of hormone because of this. Had my bloods done for HIV screening and rubella immunity yesterday. All fine - we go Friday to have my partners swimmers taken and go through medication. It'll get delivered a couple days later and then I believe I start medication day 1-2 of my cycle. Which will be around 2/3rd of October. They are really lovely and I just felt like I've made the right choice. Lots of scans and they explained the procedures and everything in detail. Yes daunting, but my mind is so much more at ease now. No hidden costs. They explained all options and what's best for me, and I'm excited. I'm realistic at the fact that these things can take time, I'm not buying myself a baby here. Just maybe improving my chances. But I'll give it my best shot and see what happens. I just feel so lucky to be able to do this, and would highly recommend ABC IVF. They are about half the price as other fertility centres in the UK. But I also understand that it isn't an option for some people. And it may not be for me either. We will just wait and see :) excited to see what this all brings and i can keep you all posted!!

Hope you all had a wonderful start to the week.

Dani xxx

[Kay2705]

Aww so glad to hear it went well! I haven't read much about abc ivf from others experience so was really wondering.

It's really good they are able to progress quickly from the consultantion to starting treatment.

Did they mention why you have to return for your husband swimmers?

I think I have my initial consultant when you start yours so we should keep in touch through the process.

Wishing you lots of baby dust x x

[Danidandan]

Yes - the first consultation is to go over options. They will be after the consultant does the scan so she has a clearer image. We have to go back to get Js swimmers because they need a sperm analysis. And you can either have it done at the GP (which we were told by his doctor there's a 4 week wait!!) so we asked if they could do it, and they booked him in to collect and analyse his sperm this Friday, which you get results within 2 hours! And the. After, is our consultation to start treatment - so we felt it's right that we get it done through them at a quicker pace and it all fitted in perfectly. Plus the sperm they are taking Friday, will be the sperm they use for the egg(s). Depending on the result of Friday will confirm whether we have regular IVF or ISCI where they inject 1 sperm into the egg. It sounds all very complicated but I promise it's not. They are so lovely there and make you feel like you're friends with them in the most professional way! :)

Thank you, lots of baby dust to you too! Xxx

[Kay2705]

Oh Ok that makes sense. Was the sperm analysis at an extra cost? My hubby had one done last month and has low morphology so we will be going for icsi.

It's a bit exciting and daunting starting the whole process isn't it!

[Danidandan]

It shouldn't do for you if your hubby had had one! You'll just need to bring the results with you :)
They'll probably ask if / when you've had your rubella jabs. They might need to take blood to confirm immunity that's what they did for me.

But because J didn't have a sperm analysis and id need to book in bloods, they did them both for £100 altogether. So results are instant and ready for our appointment on Friday rather than waiting for GPs to do it :)
I'll keep you posted on what happens Friday! Xx

[Kay2705]

That's great to hear. Is it your treatment consultation on Friday? Hope it all goes well for you!

[Danidandan]

Yes Friday :) I'm rather excited now even though I know it can be a big strain physically. But the only thing that's really bothered me is the fact I'll need to commute to Harley Street a number of times and at one time 3 times a week, when I'm in Hampshire but it'll all be worth it in the end! I'll post Friday PM on how it goes. Keep me posted and all the luck in the world. :)

[Kay2705]

I know what you mean about the excitement! I am as well. Going to try to remain calm and not stress in the time period.

Yeah the travelling to central London is going to be annoying. I work in east London Canary Wharf so going to try to arrange the scan for first thing in the morning each time. I'm not telling my work place I'm going through the process so hopefully I'll have enough excuses. The commute from Hampshire must be annoying but I guess it will all be worth it on the end! :)

[Danidandan]

@Kay2705 when's your first appointment? I was remaining calm but for some reason I feel like bouncing off the walls!? I've had a runny tum (TMI sorry) all day so I don't know if it's nerves or whatever. I don't go to the loo with great ease since my treatments so hoping it's nerves / excitement rather than a bug!

I didn't want to tell many people at all, but for some reason I just can't keep it to myself! I think it's because I was so open about my whole cancer journey. (If you want a bit of a read, google Danielle Smalley) my story was all over the papers. Half of me wishes I kept it to mumsnet and with jack only but oh well.

Keep me posted on how you get on - I'll post tomorrow eve once I'm home! Very weird sense of emotions. Excitement and nerves all wrapped up into one with a sprinkle of the unknown!

[Danidandan]

@Penguinsnpandas @hoping2018

I've just figured how to '@' people on here. So thank you for your lovely responses. Fingers crossed. Trying to remain calm and not be excited! We've put money aside for a few goes if it doesn't what first time, but hoping my age as you said will be going in my way :)

[Kay2705]

I've just read your story and wow I'm so sorry this happened to you! :( wish there was a way to pm on Mumsnet. I'm really praying that this all goes smoothly for you as no one deserves to go through what you have :(

I do understand what you mean about wanting to keep it to yourself but the excitement as well. In your situation I guess it doesn't matter either way as whatever you feel comfortable with. I personally want to keep it to myself as don't want family or people feeling sorry for me treating me different during the process. Literally only by hubby and bff.

My initial consultation is On 2nd of October. Hopefully after that I'll have the treatment consultation and start the process my next cycle which is October 16/17.

[Chelsejade]

Hi, I hope you don’t mind me jumping on. Just reading your story and it’s amazing that you’re doing this, after all you’ve been through.
I’m also 24, me and my husband haven’t started IVF yet but have been going through tests for 2ish years.. abit slow on NHS. But yesterday we got the go ahead.
It’s so nice to read and that you’re so open.
We go back in a week to have our referral and to find out which clinic we are being transferred to. I’m so excited.
I have all my fingers crossed for you!

[Danidandan]

@Chelsejade hey hey!
That's amazing news you've got the go ahead! All the luck in the world for you :) I'm so glad I came on mumsnet I thought I'd be talking to myself on this thread! How long were you waiting on the NHS if you don't mind me asking?
I'm just getting up having a tea before getting ready to go today. Nervous and excited!

Happy Friday and baby dust to everyone xxx

[Chelsejade]

@danidandan
Thank you very excited, we’ve been trying almost 3 years now so hopefully some good news soon!
We’ve waited 2 years on the nhs just to get my husbands tests back, he’s had 4 and they’ve finally give us a solid answer. It does take awhile on NHS but after just getting married it’s not in our budget to do private.
All the best for you to, keep us updated if you don’t mind! Love to hear how it goes for you! Xx

[Danidandan]

Happy weekend!!

@Kay2705 So yesterday went absolutely amazingly. I had my medication consultation with Polya my Dr, everything was made crystal clear and I'm so ready to get on with it now. Because everything is fine I'm on a low dose of hormones. Injections start on day 2 of my cycle so around 2nd October. Went through all the stages and it's all very quick. Showed me how to do each injection which is fine for me. I injected after my surgery with blood thinners for ages so nothing new there. But I just feel very positive about it all. Discussed freezing embryos (if we have enough) after and everything.
When meds start no alcohol or caffeine. It's a lovely centre and I'm happy we've started this with ABC.

@Chelsejade I know what you mean! We've had to put so much money aside for this. The only way we could afford it is because ABC is cheaper than average! All in all with everything we have paid £2600. The package was £2500 but we paid £100 for us to have my other halves sperm analysis through them, and to check my thyroid function and rubella immunity. If it cost us anymore we'd have no choice but to go through NHS. It's such a tricky situation!

When do things get started for you? Glad you've got some answers finally!

Have a good weekend everyone xx

[Kay2705]

Hiya @Danidandan glad Friday went well 😊

It's amazing to see how quickly things have progressed from when you started this thread. How many times have you been to the clinic now? My first consultation my husband won't be able to come as he's a teacher(so no time off) but he has to come to the next one which I am guessing is the treatment consultant.

Glad to hear things looked good and you were on a low dose. Have you previously tested your amh?

My appt is on the 2nd but it's two days after I ovulate so I won't if they will be able to see any follicle and get good information on where I stand.

[Danidandan]

It's been so straight forward but I'm just so overwhelmed and stressed today I just cried. I have no idea what's wrong with me at all
:( we are having to have ICSI which is costing an additional £1,100. I just hope this is worth it. Having a down day which is rare for me, fingers crossed I perk up tomorrow.

Hope you had a good start to the week xxx

[Guio]

Hi @Kay2705 my hubby is a primary teacher and he gets time off, actually he has more rights that me as he works for the council.he came with me for the initial consultation and he will come as well when they show me how to inject,egg collection and transfer.for the egg collection one he has the full day as apparently you have to be with someone at home.x

[Kay2705]

Hi @Guio thanks for the reply,

My husband has said his head teacher is quite strict and we don't really want to tell people we are going through the process. For hospital appointments they actually tell them to try and schedule it outside of school time(ridiculous) if worse comes to worse he can always take emergency leave or call in sick but it's a major headache