Anyone waiting to start IVF/FET in 2020?

[Lemongrass1]

As it says on the title really! Wondering if anyone else twiddling their thumbs and wanted to keep each other company?
Me- 40, was TTC for 4 years (unexplained infertility)- short protocol in 2018- fresh transfer resulted in an ectopic pregnancy followed by a successful FET later in the year. We have 8 frosties which we hope to use in another FET starting Feb/March 2020. First consultation next month. Feels so daunting to be starting the process again! X

[BeHereNowx32]

@Lemongrass1
Hi! We were also TTC for around 4 years. It was MFI. Had 3 fresh and 1 FET (in the first chapter cycle) It was our 3rd fresh that was successful.
We have 2 frozen embryos to use.
It’s very scary to think about going through it all again (although hopefully less pressure this time).
I found the chatting on here so helpful when we were going through IVF last time.
Will you be doing anything to prepare? I changed my diet etc last time. Just wanted some control!

[CritterTamer]

Hi, can I join you?
We had two rounds of IVF in 2018 - the second round in October was successful and resulted in my beautiful twins who are now almost 6 months old, plus two frosties. Despite a difficult pregnancy, and almost dying when I suffered a PA at 34 weeks, I just don't feel done, and desperately want another baby, so DH has agreed we can do FET next summer. I'm having to wait until then as the clinic won't transfer until at least a year after my emergency c section so I'm waiting very impatiently. I'm also so breastfeeding the twins at the moment so need to make a decision as to when to stop so my cycles return to normal.
I'm happy to have found this thread - will be nice to have some people going thru the same wait to chat to. 😊

[BanjoBanana]

Is this me too? I think it might be. Maybe not. I'm entirely new to this shenanigans so please do tell me to bugger off........

My ovaries are apparently geriatric and my Fallopian tubes are fucked (thank you, chlamydia - ex husband's parting gift). I start the sniff around 24 Nov and then we have the scan nonsense on 31 Dec.

What the ever loving fuck am I doing?

With no apologies for the swearing. I think it warrants it.

[Pinecone88]

Hi guys, I will join in as well. We have been trying for 5 years - male factor. We were told that ICSI is our only option 1 year into trying and nothing happening, but we were against it and decided to keep trying naturally, also to try Chinese Medicine. That did not work, so here we are. Waiting for 3rd SA results to come back and then we will be told our protocol and hopefully start in January. 🤞

It is hard, the constant wait, but I'm glad there is Christmas in the middle of it all as that will take our minds off of it 🙂

[Parkandride]

Hi all, I had my first round of ivf in August for genetic reasons, therefore everything was frozen and we have 2, poor quality but genetically normal, embryos.
Hoping to transfers in January, just trying to decide if I want my start my meds over Xmas? How did those of you who've transfered before find the side effects leading up to transfer?

[Lemongrass1]

Hi everyone! @CritterTamer, @BeHereNowx32 I think I recognize your names from previous threads where we were going through IVF. Have had to name change for various reasons. @BanjoBanana, that’s awful you got Chlamydia from your ex! Is this your first go with IVF?

Went a bit crazy with various vitamins, supplements, acupuncture etc last time. Not sure I’ll do that all again. Have been trying to diet and cut out alcohol to try get BMI comfortably down to normal range. It’s a hard slog and I’m so hungry!

[Lemongrass1]

@Pinecone88- yeah the waiting sucks, and there is so much waiting with IVF! It’s good to find distractions although I find it hard to keep my mind off it

@Parkandride- I had buserelin down reg followed by oestrogen patches and finally progesterone pessaries last time. Not sure if your protocol is similar? Don’t remember being too bothered by side effects. It was definitely better than the stims

[BanjoBanana]

@Lemongrass1 first time - yup. We have a 6 year old apparently conceived via miracle and after 5 years of trying went on a mission to find out what was what. Turns out He is fine but I'm as broken as a broken thing.

I've hit on iron capsules as I'm erring one anaemic and trying to calm everything down emotionally.

Frankly, the most stressful thing at the moment is working out how to respond to Mumsnet posts....

To my mind, we're going to keep doing what we're doing but cut out booze and tea.

[jcurve]

I made the call this afternoon to book in. I had a laparoscopy for endo in Sept & my consultant suggested that we try again and wait for the new year before we did ICSI. 3 cycles in nothing’s happening, and bizarrely the lap has made my cycle even shorter (now 22 days, down from 26 pre-lap) so I doubt we’ll get there before Christmas.

I have an appointment in early Dec and we’ll see how it goes from there.

[granddesigns]

Hi ladies - seems this is the right thread to join as we have had tests over the last few months, Lap in September and I have the all clear but MFI and now waiting for a referral back from the GP (we had the tests privately) for ICSI - they have suggested starting in the new year. Had a bit of a break from mn as just wasn't making any progress and it made the monthly ups and downs a bit worse but ready to start a new approach and trying to be really positive minded about it all - I'm sure there will be moments/weeks where that drops but can only start that way!

[BeHereNowx32]

@CritterTamer we were on the same thread going through treatment. Sounds like you’re doing well with your family :) I miss chatting on the thread!

@Lemongrass1 I was thinking this morning, actually how soon February is! The hospital had suggested that I started to take Folic acid when we had our consultation a couple of weeks ago. I always forget though. Need to get into the habit

[seven201]

Can I join please? I have a 3 1/2 year old Dd who was conceived naturally. Been trying for 2 years now. I had a lap to unblock a Fallopian tube, ovarian drilling. I have polycystic ovaries- tried clomid and other stuff but the side effects meant I had to stop. Had my ivf initial consultation last week so will start a short protocol cycle in jan or Feb. It's quite scary and so so expensive!

I read it starts with the egg a couple of months ago and have gone supplements mad, trying to reduce chemicals and plastic, trying to eat whole foods (this is very hard as I love sugar and carbs!) and am trying fertility yoga to help with the emotional stress.

[CritterTamer]

@seven201 fertility yoga is great - I did it every day leading up to my last IVF cycle and I'm sure it helped 😊
@BeHereNowx32 - yes I remember! How is your little one doing now? I think she's a few months older than my twins?

I think you'll all be well ahead of me as I'm going to have to wait until at least May before transfer. I'm already starting to dress the TWW and worry though - although the two embryos we have are good quality they took longer to grow than the two which were transferred and resulted in the twins so I can't help feeling that this is a bad sign. It's mad the stuff that goes through your head when your going through IVF!

[CritterTamer]

That should have said dread the TWW!

[Lemongrass1]

We have our first consultation next month but probably won’t be able to have transfer until March/April. Also very much dreading the 2WW and all the other waiting around that IVF involves. We have already used our 4 good embryos so not sure how good our chances are with the rest. Will also be 2 years older which doesn’t help! Have slipped with the diet in the last week or so. Need to get dieting again as not much time left to lose 5kg!

[CritterTamer]

@lemongrass1 well we will have a free months to keep each other company then! Do you know what grades your remaining embryos are? Ours are 4AA and 4AB but the two which have us a successful cycle were both 5AA. I don't think she makes much difference once you are using frozen embryos so try not to worry too much about that!

[BeHereNowx32]

@CritterTamer yeah, my DD is 8 months old. She is doing great. She is so amazing and I’m completely in love with her! I hope she will make the process easier. But it would be nice to give her a sibling. What will be, will be I guess! My DD was a 3AB, so your embryos are great quality! We haven’t been told what our frozen ones are.
How old are your twins now?

@seven201 I had read that eating lots of protein before egg collection can help for egg quality. I don’t know if it helped but it was my successful cycle. Fertility yoga sounds like a great idea. Even just to help you relax during that time. It can take over all of your thoughts!

[CritterTamer]

@BeHereNowx32 that's lovely that's she's doing so well! The twins were 6 months old this week and are doing so fantastically well - despite being 6 weeks premature they've caught up really well and we are also completely in love 🥰

[BeHereNowx32]

@CritterTamer fab news! That’s so lovely.

[Lemongrass1]

@CritterTamer your embies sound fab! I’d be super happy with that as none of our embryos have been as good. Ours are a mixed bag of B&C quality. I thought we had 8 left but looking back at the paperwork it might be 6. Am concerned about the quality but suspect that I’d be better off trying with these little guys rather than having a fresh cycle age 41. Was surprised that they froze them all (heard that other clinics won’t freeze anything lower than a B) but was assured the embryologists wouldn’t freeze any embryos unless they had a good chance of becoming a baby. The consultant advised us that the gradings are very crude with variability between embryology units and not to put much emphasis on it. I guess we won’t know until we try but can’t help but be worried this may be a lost cause ☹️

[Lemongrass1]

@jcurve we also have an appointment early Dec. Will be good to have a plan in place and possible dates to work towards

@granddesigns good luck with your GP referral. Hope it’s sorted soon

@seven201 I also went supplements mad with my FET but I’m not sure if I have the energy to pop so many pills this time!

@BeHereNowx32 Thanks for reminding me, also need to restart the folic acid!

[CritterTamer]

@lemongrass1 - you're right I think - the grading system is very subjective and unreliable. I also am 41 now so think these embryos are our best chance. The clinic did tell me that the chance of success is greater not that we've had a successful cycle so I'm finding on to that hope!
@seven201 - I was also mad with the supplements last time - maca powder and spirulina drinks every morning - yuck! Not sure I can face that again lol. I did have acupuncture last time which I'm sure helped with my living so might have a few sessions of that again for the transfer.

[CritterTamer]

Lining not living! Silly phone

[thefishthatcouldwish]

Can I join please? Just joined the list for ivf. We have 2 rounds available to us. Money is low so I’m expecting after April to start.

We are IVF with sperm doner

[TheArtfulScreamer1]

Nice to see a few familiar names (wave to @behere and @crittertamer) my DD is 8 months old after our first fresh cycle last year and we have a frostie that we'd like to use for a sibling next year possibly about May / June as I have to wait until a year after my EMCS and we have a holiday at the start of May so need to avoid that interfering. We're really keeping our fingers crossed that lightning strikes twice as we only have the one frostie and I couldn't face another fresh cycle.