January/ February IVF/ICSI

[Justwaitingforaline]

Starting a new thread for all of us going through IVF/ICSI in January/February!

First round of ICSI for us. I’m on the last week of my birth control pill before starting Gonal F injections on the 18th Jan, with the hope of egg collection on the 30th and transfer on the 4th Feb! I’m egg sharing so have been on the pill a while to sync my cycle with the woman recovering half of my eggs .

Is anyone else at a simile stage?

[DaisyMay25]

Hello hello! Hoping I can join! We've got our appointment tomorrow which I think is to sign papers then hopefully can start next cycle (ICSI) hoe are you feeling about it all?
Let me know how you get in with the injections I'm nervous and them

[NV42]

Good luck @Justwaitingforaline and @DaisyMay25.

I am too have started my first IVF/ICSI cycle and I am on what is called the 21 day long protocol.

I started Synarel nasal spray on the 5th of January 2019. Are you having nasal spray? I find that every day I am worried as to what symptoms/side effects will kick in..

Would it be ok to ask at which clinics you went to and where you got the medication from? From other threads I noticed that many ladies do not buy the medication/drugs from the clinic as they can source it elsewhere for far cheaper.

[NV42]

@Justwaitingforaline how do you know that you are starting Gonal-F on the 18th of January? Is that an estimate, are you taking something before the Gonal-F?

[CornishMaid1]

Hi everyone!

I am in the December/January thread as well as there wasn't a February one so will join you as well now if I can.

I am due to start Norethisterone on 15th Jan, then injections should start on 28th Jan with egg collection due around 11th Feb.

I am to be on Bemfola and Suprecur (which apparently is buserelin and I am not looking forward to it as it is suppose to really sting).

I'm at CRGW in Bristol/Llantrisant for my cycle and I am getting all my meds through the clinic (they use Stork Fertility), but when I looked at a cycle abroad, had looked at fertility2u and they were good on the price.

[NV42]

Welcome @CornishMaid1 and good luck with your upcoming cycle.

[FingersXssd83]

Cycle day 5 for me on the short protocol. First scan on Thurs, then EC Tues/Weds next week followed by (hopefully!) a 5DT the following Monday and OTD 4th Feb.

This is our second cycle. Our first in Oct ended in BFN after a 5DT. We got 10 eggs but only 5 were mature (3 fert) so our doc has upped my Menopur dose to hopefully have a few more embryos this round but it's so unpredictable, who knows what will happen.

Good luck to everyone unfortunately enough to be on this shitty journey! xx

[Justwaitingforaline]

NV I’m on the pill currently and then doing the short protocol. I stop the pill on the 14th, have a scan on the 18th and start the Gonal-F on the 18th. I know I’m doing Gonal-F because it’s sat in my fridge right now, along with the Cetrocide

[Peanut1980]

Hi everyone,

I have a planning meeting tomorrow to discuss my FET. This will be my second cycle. I had my 1st full cycle in September/October. Resulted in a pregnancy but then unfortunately a missed miscarriage which was surgically removed in November. I have no idea what my timings will be for my FET. I’ve had my first period which took 6 weeks. Hopefully this cycle will be back to the normal 4 weeks and we can then start again.

I have a 5 year old son who we conceived easily naturally. Have no idea why we’re struggling with baby no. 2. Thought maybe my husbands sperm but that’s fine. Think it might be my egg quality. I’m 39 this year.

Good luck to everyone on their cycle journey. This is a great place for support.

😘🤞😍🤞

[Peanut1980]

Hey @fingersxssd83. Good luck to you my lovely. Really hope you get that BFP this cycle 🙏🙏🙏

Are you going to try acupuncture? Think I’m going to give it a whirl this time x

[Peanut1980]

@daisymay25 I found the injections a lot easier than I thought they’d be. The needles are so tiny x

[FingersXssd83]

And wishing you a better outcome this time too @Peanut1980. Glad to hear that you're feeling positive and are back at it 💪

I've been doing acupuncture since Nov. Have a session booked before my anticipated collection day and will do another one after transfer. Not sure I like it tbh but I'm giving it my best go!

I've also been doing yoga and having massages to help with my stress levels.

DH is away tomorrow so I have to sort my injections for the first time. Hopefully I won't overdose 😬

[Peanut1980]

I’ve done acupuncture before and she seemed to cure any headaches or viruses that I had. Really used to help me. I would die for a massage! Are you getting a fertility massage? Have no idea what that is.

I collected a puppy two days after having the miscarriage removed. He’s been a great distraction but hard work. Love it though 🐶🥰🐶

I wanted to start a new cycle and keep my frozen egg on ice but because I’ve signed up to this access fertility you have to use any frozen eggs before you start a new cycle. Didn’t actually know I was signing up to that.

You’ll be fine with your injections. You got this! ✊😘

[Brambles7]

Hi everyone and wishing everyone the very best of luck. Hoping for lots of BFPs! 🤞🤞

I’m due to have my consent signing appointment next week and waiting for my amh results so will be starting drugs in Feb time, this is my first cycle.

[FingersXssd83]

A puppy? How exciting! Bet he/she's keeping you busy!! We got another rescue dog part way through our last cycle which was a great distraction too. Love my dogs, I'd have about 5 if DH would let me!

Haven't booked a fertility massage. Can't find one where I live otherwise I'd be all over it.

I know it isn't what you want but it really is excellent news that you have a frostie. It must be a sign that you are creating top quality embryos. We didn't get any to freeze unfortunately but hopefully we will this time if the we get another BFN.

Wishing everyone a positive day 💖

[ginandtonicformeplease]

Hi 👋 everyone, hope it's ok if I join.

Sorry to hear about your MMC @Peanut1980 - I recognise your username from the Sept/Oct thread.

I've had one fresh cycle previously, which was a BFP but then a MMC at 9 weeks. Last cycle was a frozen transfer, BFN. I'm having another FET in February which seems ages away.

Previously I've done acupuncture every week leading up to the transfer and during the 2WW, but I'm not sure this time. I had the most ridiculously expensive blood test before Xmas for natural killer cells, which came back positive. Controversial and unproven science, but my clinic recommends it when you've had 2 failures. They also said they'd put 2 back in this time if I want, but I'm just going for a singleton again.

Trying to be positive, but it's so difficult!

[NV42]

May I ask a possible silly question? I have asked at another forum and I want to see if most ladies who have gone through IVF before have the same experience.

Did you prefer to use the 300u or the 900u Pen for Gonal-F? I am inclined to buy the 300u Pen as I will have to fiddle less if it makes sense.

Also did you worry about the bubbles when having the injections?

[FingersXssd83]

Absolute disaster tonight doing my own injections. Completely messed up Cetrotide and pulled the plunger out with the fluid spilling all over me.

Cue me in tears on the phone to DH, him coming home to sort me out and a call to Care to see how we can get another batch.

Have to travel over 200miles tomorrow for a work presentation that I could do without and then back again for my evening injections. Gah!

Really tired and fed up of IVF right now. Really feel like giving up, it's a never ending nightmare x

[WineWinner]

Hi ladies.

I'm hoping to start again with FET in February. I have my follow up appointment in 2 weeks! I lost my BFP at 6 weeks last month after a fresh ICSI. My bmi has crept up a bit over Christmas so not sure if they will let me go in Feb but I'm currently losing weight again at least. Clinic have given no inclination to dates or protocol for FET, literally just got a letter so I'm just guessing really at the moment.

[NV42]

@FingersXssd83.. I completely understand how you feel.. I am on the nasal spray and already I am thinking of giving up. I dread the day that I will need to start the injections as I live alone.

For some reason I have chest pain/back pain/feel like I cant breath every night and I can not eat anything during the day. It could be stress..

But I try to take every day as it comes (although I don't look forward to the chest pain every night) as we all do!!

I hope the presentation goes well and you managed to sort out a new batch with Care.

[NV42]

@ginandtonicformeplease

I really hope your third time works.

You mentioned killer cells and I was wondering in what organ? As I have thyroid antibodies for which they want to give me steroids but I am not keen taking steroids as I am having panic attacks and chest pains at the moment and it will only make it worse.

PS. where can I find out what all the acronyms you use mean?? Sorry, I am going through my first IVF so some of the acronyms are completely new to me.

[CornishMaid1]

@NV42 there are all sorts of acronyms you come across and probably some I haven't come across yet! If there are any in particular that you are not sure on just say (I would list some but don't want to seem patronising if I start from the basic ones).

[Russkispy]

Evening ladies, can I join you too, please. I'm 42 and TTC#2. Already have a DD of 19 months. Conceived with IUI after getting impatient with failed natural TTC. Had another IUI last May but it ended in a MMC at 6 weeks. Had 2 more IUIs but BFNs. And last month had my first IVF, short protocol. All above was done abroad, back st home. From our first IVF we only had one surviving embryo and sadly it was BFN. No frosties. And now I can't decide what to do next. I'm your opinion, if to start IVF again, and hoping there are a couple of surviving embryos, to freeze them all to use later or transfer 1 and freeze the rest. Or if there's only 1 embryo, to freeze or use it fresh. I'll be 43 in April and just can't see myself doing this forever! And just don't know what to decide next. All I know that we want a sibling for our DD. And wanted it yesterday, as it were. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you!
Ps I put the above to my clinic and yet to hear from them.

[NV42]

@Russkispy welcome to the group. I am 42 too actually and this is my first IVF. I had a natural pregnancy when I was 36 but unfortunately I decided to end it on the 3 months (and now I regret it so much) as my current partner has sperm antibodies and we cannot conceive naturally so I need to go down the path of IVF.

Where did you go for your IVF abroad? As far as what you should do best I think your heart is set to have another baby so makes sense to go ahead and have IVF and freeze the embryos. At our clinic we were told that we should freeze any good quality embryos and that this is what they always suggest all their patients.

PS. May I also ask what is a DD, MMC, TTC, BFN and DD?

[NV42]

@Justwaitingforaline, @DaisyMay25, CornishMaid1 how are you progressing with your cycles? Finger crossed all is well!

@FingersXssd83 feeling better now?

[Russkispy]

@NV42 thank you for the welcome! I grew up in Riga but born in Russia. So we went to IVF Riga clinic. Best care in the world, from receptionist to the top doctors! And I'll go back. Just need to decide what to do next. They gave us our DD and were forever grateful.
DD- dear daughter
TTC- trying to conceive
MMC - missed miscarriage
BFN - big fat negative
BFP - big fat positive