Anyone about to start IVF? Waiting for AF to start stims!

[liveinhope100]

First time doing IVF, very nervous but excited at the same time. Would love to hear from others to hopefully support each other on this journey :)

[Dot457]

Hello @liveinhope100 - I'm due to start my second round of IVF. I'm literally just waiting for my period now! I'm about 3 weeks late which is normal for me but it's been months since I've been this late. If you would like any advise or anything at all please let me know and I will help any way I can :) which clinic have you gone with? xx

[ashley010]

Hey @Dot457

Thanks for the reply! Nice to have someone to talk to about it all.
It is so annoying being late - I am too :( Do you expect to come on anyday now?

Great to have someone else to go through it with! I'm with Create fertility, how about you?

I'm going to be doing all my injections myself and am a bit nervous, especially when I have to mix them and do two a day - how did you find the injections? And how did you find your first round of IVF? Very keen to hear about it all. Thanks

[liveinhope100]

@Dot457 Sorry for the confusion that was me responding above - I just logged on at work to reply and signed in on wrong account!

[ivfbabymomma1]

I have been through ivf last year and got my son! Best of luck! Have an ice pack in the freezer to numb your tummy and you won't feel the stims at all!!! X

[Dot457]

@liveinhope100 - no worries at all! Well to be honest I have no idea, I was due on 3 weeks ago, my injections have been sat in my fridge for nearly 1 month. So frustrating. I'm with ABC, Creates sister clinic. I;m at the one in Manchester but we live in Leeds/Wakefield area Where are you based?

To be honest think I've been a bit spoilt, my partner did all my injections for me despite him being equally as nervous, and I was one of the lucky ones where my tummy didn't bruise, it felt tender a couple of times but nothing major. the IVF did actually work for me despite my chances, but we had an early MC. So a year later we've decided to give it another go. We only retrieved 4 eggs, all 4 fertilised but only 1 made it!

It's very stressful, I'm an anxious worrier/over thinker normally so this doesn't help me at all but I just keep thinking hopefully one day it will be worth it! xx

[liveinhope100]

@Dot457 I really hope you come on soon. Maybe you could try some acupuncture or get a massage? Might help encourage AF!

I literally just come on so starting first injection Thursday. I'm actually with ABC in London but when I mentioned this to my specialist he looked at me funny and said 'oh..Create!'.

How lovely that your partner helped you. Mine refuses to help so i've got to do it all myself but it's got to be done. I always close my eyes when I get injections but I can't do that this time lol

Sounds like it all went well for you. I'm so sorry to hear about MC - i've had two and they are devastating. Are you on progesterone? Do they know what caused it and what your issues are?

The only reason I ask is I finally received my diagnosis for infertility and miscarriages after 2 years - I have elevated natural killer cells. My specialist said it would be extremely unlikely i'd conceive or carry a child with this so now i'm going to be on Steroids and Intralipids as well as doing IVF. It's going to be such an emotional month!

I'm same as you btw. I have terrible anxiety and over think everything! How long have you been on your journey?

[liveinhope100]

@ivfbabymomma1 Amazing to hear!! Might be a bit late but congratulations thank you for the advice -i'll definitely try the ice pack! Lovely to hear a success story :)

[Dot457]

@liveinhope100 - Aww thank you that's really nice! Yeah I definitely need to relax, so a massage or starting with meditation might help, just need to commit and do it haha.

Yeah it's a bit confusing isn't it, they say it's the same but the prices are worlds apart! So exciting that you start your first one one Thursday! I know I can't say anything but hopefully once you've got the first one over with it won't be as bad! My sister had to inject her self everyday for 1 week after she had her baby due to blood clots and she's a big girl when it comes to that so if she cans do it so can you :)

No so my situation is a bit complicated so to speak, long story short, used to get horrendous pains and irregular periods as a teen, got diagnosed with PCOS. Didn't think it was a big deal as I was very young.When I was about 20-21 I started with bad pains on my left side, had a 16cm cyst that took over my left ovary and tube, had it removed along with some of my ovary. Me and my partner started trying when I was about 24 as we knew it wouldn't be easy due to the PCOS, nothing happened for months got referred to a fertility clinic and after the investigations and a 2nd operation, It was confirmed that my left tube was damaged and not working so had to have it removed, I only have half a womb and the half that isn't there is connected to my right side so the sperm would never had reached my ovaries due to having a damaged left and no right side attached to my womb. Also got diagnosed with endometriosis they said we could start IVF straight away which we did and well you know the rest haha. The MC is unexplained but it's most likely because I don't have much room in there to carry anything. I've been given a 30-50% chance with ABC so fingers crossed for this round!

I'm so sorry to hear about your news, it's just not fair is it? I guess the upside is that if they didn't think you had a shot they wouldn't take you on as a patient.

So yeah that sums me up, I'm 26 now, 27 in the summer so been on our journey nearly 3 years from when we got referred, it took so long due to all the investigations and having to wait for cysts to clear before I could start my injections. How long have you been TTC? xx

[ivfbabymomma1]

Ahh thank you!! And after the week of the first injection and you introduce the second one, it's a tiny bit stingy if you do it fast so inject nice & slow and you won't feel a thing! Xxx

[liveinhope100]

@Dot457 Wow, you have had such a journey I really admire your strength! Must have been an awful time with all the operations and added issues but those stats you got from ABC sound fantastic - really something to hold onto. Honestly I really hope it happens for you this time round, i can tell you really deserve it! I bet you are just itching for AF to arrive now

I have been ttc over 2 years - I'm 30 now. Over the years I paid for all the tests and investigations myself and everything came back fine but then had a few 'possible' diagnosis of PCO or PCOS but I was confident I ovulated fairly regularly due a number of reasons.Tried Clomid and trigger shot for 4 months with no BFP and ended up with a cyst too. Basically gave up trying to find out what was wrong and booked IVF. Then my mum forced me to go for these special blood tests and that's when I got my elevated natural killer cells diagnosis. It sounds weird but I was so happy to finally have an answer!

Out of interest, did you decide to get any embryo's frozen from the previous round?

[Dot457]

@liveinhope100 - aw thank you thats really nice! I do have very bad days, but I guess thats normal. Thank you, yeah I googled yesterday how to force a period haha! Literally clutching at straws.

Were you never able to have the tests etc through the NHS or was that a choice you made on your own? Does this Natural killer cell run in your family? My Nan carries a Gene which is similar where you are prone to miscarriage, my uncle carried it and him and his wife lost a few but luckily my Mum didn't get the gene so they wouldn't test me for it due to my mum not being a carrier. It's nice to have that closure though isn't it! Having a reason for something and answers makes the situation better!

Unfortunately we didn't have enough to freeze as only one of our embryos survived the process and we had a 5 day transfer, but this time ABC have advised that if we get any embryos, to freeze them first and then have the transfer. Apparently theres a higher chance of them surviving it if you have FET. Are you thinking of freezing your embryos? xx

[liveinhope100]

@Dot457 I can imagine and definitely bound to have some down days. I did the same search on google yesterday! Hopefully it will be anyday now for you and maybe in the meantime have lots of hot baths lol!

My doctors have been really useless since the start of my infertility so i paid for all the tests myself except the standard blood test. As for the NK cells I don't think it runs in the family but no one except myself has been tested so maybe?! Had to pay 1700 pounds for the NK blood tests - outrageous cost which financially crippled me along with the treatment and IVF. Apparently the NHS only do two blood tests in regards to the NK cells but not all of the tests required which is such a shame. Hopefully it's not something you have to worry about though!

So sorry you weren't able to freeze any the last cycle but it's nice to know they are trying a different approach this time. I think I've also heard that there is a better chance of survival with FET so fingers crossed for this round. Honestly though, i'm sure you have had your moments but credit to you for handling it all so well. It sounds like you have a supportive partner so that must help! Did you have to fund your IVF yourself or did you get it on the NHS?

And yep, providing there are embryo's I have paid to get them frozen. Now it's just a waiting game! xx

[Dot457]

@liveinhope100 - Yeah definitely, I'm one of these people that does something then I don't stick to it (apart from IVF of course) so I got a hot bath one night then have just had showers since! I get so impatient and stubborn! Any sign for yourself yet?

Oh no thats so frustrating, sometimes it's better to just take the reins yourself isn't it and have fate in our own hands! I'm sorry you've had to pay so much, thats a lot of money before you've even stated IVF. You also seem very head strong with it all though, your very positive which is great!

The first round was funded on the NHS, however this time we've gone private. Where we live we only get one round for free on the NHS, some places get 2-3 goes and some get none at all, so we were lucky to have that round to be honest. Just feels like such a long road! We did actually appeal and tried to get extra funding on the NHS, we so desperately wanted to stay at the same clinic but they said it would be around the 8k mark and we wanted to start the process again asap. So we appealed and after a couple of months of waiting we got declined extra funding, at first I was so disheartened but now that I'm no longer upset I can understand why it was declined so I'm happy to pay at another clinic. I'm shocked since you've paid for all your tests and that you have proof that you have never been referred to your nearest fertility clinic via the NHS? xx

[liveinhope100]

@Dot457 lol i'm actually the same! Yes AF showed up and did my first injection last night. Was shaking and working myself up but was fine in the end! Any sign of AF for you yet? It's got to be coming soon!

And yeah I suppose it's good you had one round but it's a shame you didn't get the extra funding. I guess on the plus side you are with ABC and they have some good success rates! I did get referred to a fertility clinic but they were just so slow with everything and focused more on my miscarriage than my struggles to conceive. Plus I think they were going to suggest IUI as the next option and I just really wanted to start IVF! Plus I was soooooooooooo tired of waiting! It feels like i've literally wished the past two years away, forever waiting for time to pass and to be closer to the dream!

[Dot457]

@liveinhope100 Sorry I never replied, have a busy few days, the other half has been in hospital so I've been a bit of a nurse for him, how have you been with the injections? Still no sign of my period yet! I rang ABC on Friday and they said I could have another cyst, but would have to wait another two weeks and if still no sign then I need to go in for another scan. It's nice that they can help me still at this point but it's just so frustrating. My partner is rugby union obsessed and also plays, as an xmas present I got him two tickets to watch England play in the 6 nations in Rome on the 14th March, I have a bad feeling it's all going to over lap with when I need him to do his thing if you know what I mean!

Sorry I always go off on a rampage, I guess it's just nice to speak to people that actually understand. Yeah I get what you mean completely, we started this whole process so long ago, I meet my friends for coffees, afternoon tea, we go shopping etc, but thats once every few weeks for a couple of hours, and we don't ever have a proper girly night like we used to because I've been to strung up on the whole IVF thing. And during this time two of my best friends have had their babies, we just live in a crazy world!

How you holding up? xx

[liveinhope100]

@Dot457 Hey! Good to hear from you and no worries about being quiet it sounds like you have a lot going on! I hope your OH is okay?

Arghhh i'm feeling your frustrations with the no AF. It is just so infuriating. Really hope you don't have a cyst and that AF is just late, has it ever been this late before? And I really hope it does not overlap with the rugby tickets - it's just one thing after the other sometimes isn't it. I feel like our strength is really tested at times during this process.

And feel free to go off on a rant whenever you like! I really do get it and wouldn't mind a rant myself if you don't mind lol

Injections are coming along well thanks. I am doing two injections a day now and even went for IV Intralipids yesterday so i'm a pro at these needles now. I think the most upsetting thing is i've fallen out with my boyfriend and haven't spoken to him in days. I've literally been going through the IVF all by myself. I'm fuming at him but I need him next week as EC due for Monday so am going to have to put my feelings aside and be civil. It is just awful timing as it would have been nice to have a supportive partner whilst i'm going through all of this!

Trying to stay positive and not get too stressed but definitely feeling anxious! I'm also aware I have a chance of getting OHSS...my first scan showed 18 follicles growing and she mentioned possibly doing FET but said let's see how we get on.

[Dot457]

@liveinhope100 - Thank you! He'll be fine, he was helping my sister out by cutting a tree down in her garden and a twig twanged him in the eye! He couldn't see but long story short he has cut his actual pupil, he still can't see out of his right eye, it's all just been a bit of a mess haha but I'm sure he'll be on the mend soon! Thank you!

Yeah me too! With having PCOS and Endo, it's quite normal for me to have irregular periods, theres been times when I've gone months, just so frustrating when the time I was actually due on was the most crucial time of my life haha! We were planning on going abroad for a few days after the new year, even just a little city break but everytime I go on a plane I come on my period, so didnt want to chance it!

Aww I'm so sorry to hear you and your BF have fallen out, nothing too serious I hope! Me and my BF argue and bicker, so it's normal! Tensions can get very high in these types of situations too. Does he try to block everything out as like a defence mechanism? It might be the way he's dealing with it perhaps? Or he could just be being an idiot, lol. If you ever want to private message me feel free! I know it's hard but if he really wants this as much as you, then yes you deffo need to let whatever it is go and deal with it another time. It's easier said than done, I'm the most stubborn person on this planet and he is too, so we can not speak a word for days sometimes just because we're both that stubborn!

Do you have a good support network, family and friends or anything? Colleagues at work or anything like that?

It's good to hear you've dealt with these injections well though! Wow 18 follicles is crazy, did she say what stage they were at? As in were the maturing well and did she say how many you might be likely to get on the day? Fingers crossed OHSS stays at bay and that this is just a really good amount of eggs! xx

[liveinhope100]

Oh wow! I'm glad he will be okay after all of that :) Hope he makes a speedy recovery lol

Isn't it typical...AF shows when we don't want it to and doesn't come when we do! And we try not to put our lives on hold but then sometimes we have to change plans to fit in with the schedule - very annoying. Hopefully you will get an idea of what is going on soon so you guys can have a break and hopefully go to the Rugby match!

In regards to the bf, something came up at the weekend which I found completely unacceptable (I will message you privately). It even made me question whether to continue with IVF so it's not just the typical bicker or fight due to tension :( Just awful timing tbh but just need to not stress and hope that everything will work out.

I have a great support network. My mum is incredible (she was told she couldn't have children and thankfully never gave up and 5 years later she had my brother!) so she really understands my journey. SOME friends have been great but never say the right thing. I've found my biggest support from lovely strangers like yourself! I've also created an IVF account on Instagram and have some lovely people offering advice. How about you? I bet your partner is nice and supportive unlike mine lol

So the 18 follicles was on my day 6 scan so i'm going back tomorrow to see the progess. Apparently some might not grow and apparently I need to aim for 15 or less. I'm not sure why but I guess it's all to do with OHSS.

Have a lovely evening