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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

Fertility Appointments and Beyond.... the journey continues

991 replies

Gracie2021 · 09/12/2021 07:45

New thread for us to continue our fertility clinic appointment progress...

Some of us are waiting for initial appointments, some are having tests and some are starting treatment!

@tillybabs
@thislittlebird
@kay00
@jeaniej
@PurpleUnicorn01
@paintfairy
@dogmam
@flutterby8
@Ughmaybenot
@dancingfairydreams
@beckycarlos
@jkjellyhead
@juno231
@decaffe
@bumble44
@BritinNZ
@tinkerbell098
@pinkginpls
@thedaydreambelievers
@everymumday
@wanderlust16
@lori23ttc

OP posts:
Thread gallery
23
Tinkerbell098 · 23/03/2022 14:30

@PurpleUnicorn01 hope the wait won't be too bad and the scan goes well. Will be thinking of you xx

@Gracie2021 the wait isn't too bad for now as I don't expect to hear anything until end of April. Although I run to the door whenever the post comes hoping for a letter from the clinic, at least acknowledging the referral. We've booked a holiday end of next month before the madness starts as I think treatment will take up most of summer.

Original poster
Gracie2021 · 23/03/2022 14:20

@PurpleUnicorn01 hope it goes quickly for you and you get some nice reassurance at your scan. Hate that infertility/loss robs the excitement of this time from you xx

OP posts:
Original poster
Gracie2021 · 23/03/2022 14:19

@Tinkerbell098 I'm trying so hard not to even think that as hope always feels so dangerous to me! But yeah the excitement I would feel if we got our target number of embryos especially as our doctor was cautioning against aiming for six with my numbers. Anyway we'll see how the chips fall. How are you managing during the wait? Hope you're not finding it too tough.

@beckyCarlos tbh I have mild twinges but very little else. You hear stories of people not even able to wear jeans with terrible bloat etc. I actually feel leaner on a stim cycle because of all the protein I'm eating 😂🙈 what time is your scan Friday?

OP posts:
PurpleUnicorn01 · 23/03/2022 14:19

@Gracie2021 @Tinkerbell098 2 weeks and 2 days and counting lol.

Thank you for your kind words

How are you ladies?

Tinkerbell098 · 23/03/2022 14:16

@PurpleUnicorn01 congrats and everything crossed for you this one sticks! No symptoms isn't a bad thing as it's still very early and most people don't get symptoms that early anyway. Keep us posted and wishing you all the luck xx

Original poster
Gracie2021 · 23/03/2022 14:15

@PurpleUnicorn01 congratulations on your BFP. Im so sorry you have such anxiety after your earlier loss. I know there's no words that can help and knowing factually that other people have no symptoms and have a perfectly healthy pregnancy doesn't act as a magic fix for how you're feeling. Just sending hugs and every finger crossed for a healthy scan for you. How long do you have to wait?

OP posts:
PurpleUnicorn01 · 23/03/2022 13:50

So ladies I got a BFP, I am absolutely petrified as I have like no pregnancy symptoms but they don't scan you until your 7 weeks. Scared its MMC again. Feel like u get left in limbo after a result. I didn't have any symptoms last time either and that's what it was. Not sure what I'm supposed to do.

Ladies having stimms. I strongly recommend the non fizzy lucozade sport after as it stops the uncomfortable bloat.

Good luck all x

Tinkerbell098 · 23/03/2022 10:53

@Gracie2021 oh wow at this rate you will get more than you need for banking and won't have to go through more stims. Fingers crossed! Excited for you for Friday xx

beckyCarlos · 23/03/2022 09:15

@thislittlebird aw I love Scotland, not been to Inverness but Edinburgh is lovely and the scenery generally is stunning! Hope the application went ok!

@gracie2021 wow! That sounds like its really working for you 😊 still having twinges, my husband thinks its in my head, I told him to get lost (all very lighthearted lol). Cant believe your collection is on Friday! Have everything crossed for you x

Original poster
Gracie2021 · 23/03/2022 08:57

@Kay00 I was skeptical but omg does it ever appear to be working for me! Trying so hard to manage my expectations but it's looking really good. How are you feeling? Is the exhaustion getting any better?

Thanks a mil @thislittlebird. Glad you're not feeling too many symptoms from the progesterone. It's my devil drug so I tend to dread it. Sounds like you're keeping very busy. A good way to be. Hope you get done with the application soon and get good weather for the holiday. Is fixing the decorating turning into an awful job?

@beckyCarlos you and me are the exact same with blood. I brought my dad to the A&E for stitches before and I ended up the one getting woozy! Not able. How are you feeling on the stims? Still getting twinges? Fingers crossed for you for Friday.

Scan this morning. One 28mm sacrificed but 5 in the 16-19mm range and 5 in the 12-15 range with 4 stragglers at 7-9mm. Over the moon and just waiting for trigger instructions for collection on Friday. Can't believe how well this leg is going! 🤯🤯

OP posts:
Kay00 · 22/03/2022 22:34

@gracie2021 those are excellent numbers! I had no idea how the duostim protocol works... so interesting!!

thislittlebird · 22/03/2022 16:38

Those are great looking follicle numbers, fingers crossed for you!!! @Gracie2021

thislittlebird · 22/03/2022 16:33

@Kay00 the difficult part is now returning to this application 🙃. Will go for a walk and then give it a try!

Ngl your dad sounds very tiring just reading what you did at the end of it 😩

@beckyCarlos we are going to Scotland! Edinburgh and Inverness specifically. Between the (still ongoing) redo of the decorating and the job application I haven’t thought about what the hell I need to pack until today. I will assume it will feel colder then down here, plus it’s getting wet again next week.

@Gracie2021 feeding myself is not only an achievement but a priority 😂. I’ve had cyclogest before yeah, when we did ovulation induction. I’m ok with it, it causes no symptoms in me so far.

beckyCarlos · 22/03/2022 14:59

@gracie2021 look at those folicle counts! Amazing!

@gracie2021 and @tinkerbell098 I'm fine with blood...when I'm expecting it 😂 I am not fine with unexpected blood, mine or other peoples. I'm great in a (bloodless) crisis but one time a boyfriend cut his finger while washing up (and had no idea what to do, was adamant he needed stitches but twas just a flesh wound) and I had to advise from the cool comfort of the bathroom floor 🤣

Thanks for the advice re twinges, I'm taking them as cautiously positive, my baseline is 4 folicles so there must be at least 4 reasonable sized ones going on haha x

99pctpractice · 22/03/2022 14:36

Thank you @Gracie2021 that sounds like it has definitely been more productive than any of my single rounds so far! All fingers crossed that it turns out well for you! I'll ask my clinic about it tomorrow and hopefully they will be able to accommodate it (would seem weird if they couldn't...). Thank you so much for sharing!

Tinkerbell098 · 22/03/2022 12:02

@beckyCarlos twinges are definitely a good thing. I get twinges around the time I ovulate on a natural cycle, so must be your follicles responding. Good luck for the scan on Friday and hope you can have EC next week!

@Gracie2021 oh no that sounds awful! I can't stand the sight of blood either, I usually faint LOL! How am I still alive! Amazing scan results, hope you won't need to go through more rounds and you will have enough from this for transfer. Fingers crossed x

@thislittlebird good luck with the new job application x

Original poster
Gracie2021 · 22/03/2022 09:32

Hi @99pctpractice absolutely. Probably too early to tell you how effective it is just yet but so far it's extremely promising for me. Our first round was cancelled due to poor response and at that point we got my AMH checked. It had tanked 73% in 8 months so we decided our strategy would be to try bank 5-6 embryos now before moving on to transfers. My doctor recommended the duostim as she said the second leg of it can be very positive for low AMH/poor responses like myself.

My first cancelled round I was meant to be on 450 gonal f and 225 Luveris but because of an error I was only on 225 gonal f for the first week which probably had a part to play in yhe poor response. Ended up with 2 follicles at day 13 which we converted into o IUI.

For the first leg of this duostim round I primed with testosterone, added 100mg clomid and did 450 gonal f/225 Luveris. Had 8 follicles at baseline which is about the best I've ever gotten to that point. Got two eggs on collection which was a disappointment but got one embryo so not complaining at all.

Had my first scan of the second leg of the duostim (exact same medications) on Friday and had 15 follicles which is almost double my previous best count. My scan yesterday still had 15 and growing well. Another scan wed and probably collect Friday. Attached my two counts from Friday (right column) and yesterday (left column). So far I'm blown away by the duostim second round but also trying to not get too excited until we see how egg collection/hunger games go.

Because you have to pay for both rounds of the duostim and you're essentially banking on getting a very good second leg it's a pricy strategy. Depending how this goes and if we need to go again I might go duostim again or might ask about a luteal phase round with estrogen priming as another option.... tbh hard to know at this point til we see how the next week and a half goes but I'll keep you posted anyway. Extremely promising so far....

Fertility Appointments and Beyond.... the journey continues
OP posts:
99pctpractice · 22/03/2022 06:27

Hello!

Sorry to interrupt the chat, but I was wondering if I could ask about the duostim protocol? @Gracie2021 I think you said that you're doing it? Would you mind me asking why your clinic adopted that approach with your treatment? I'm not even sure if my clinic offer it but I might ask them as I have been reading it is sometimes used for low ovarian reserve.

For background, I'm 40, low AMH, ttc for over a year, two unsuccessful rounds of ivf down (both short protocol, the first round max gonal f, single trigger, 4 eggs, all fertilised, two made it to blastocyst, both transferred, neither stuck; the second round mix of gonal f and menopur, double trigger, 11 eggs, 9 fertilised, day 3 none looked good and we had one very ropey embryo on day 6 that we pgs tested and it wasn't normal). Was about to start my third round of ivf in March and miraculously got pregnant naturally but miscarried at 6 weeks (sob). Going for a scan tomorrow to see if everything has passed and I can start my next round in April, but just trying to figure out how to maximise the chances because i think this could be the last round.

Original poster
Gracie2021 · 21/03/2022 21:30

Wow productive days all round. If it helps you feel any better @beckyCarlos I barely managed to make it through work and feed myself. Small goals these days! The twinges are definitely a good sign. I've increasingly had more twinges in line with bigger follicle count for each of my cycles.

Well done on the job application @thislittlebird. They're such a pain to get complete. Fingers crossed it does the job for you. Have you been on progesterone before?

Mind yourself @Kay00. Have heard it takes time to get over Covid and have to be gentle with yourself.

@Tinkerbell098 had the opposite problem when they were doing my port/cannula for my last egg collection. Massive spurt 🙈 I'm fine with needles but can't stand the sight of blood 🤮

OP posts:
beckyCarlos · 21/03/2022 20:16

@thislittlebird haha, I just snorted and can't explain it to my husband. Where are you going on hol? (Sorry if youve mentioned, I'm a bit scatty atm)

You and @kay00 are putting me to shame with your productivity today! X

Kay00 · 21/03/2022 19:27

@beckycarlos I think twinges are a great sign! I could always feel mine when I was taking Clomid... certainly mesns something is happening 😁

@thislittlebird Hehe, your meme made me giggle, but in all seriousness well done!! On completing your job application and for going for a run!! You're clearly winning at life!

I finished work a little early today so I could 1) go to the recycling centre to drop off the ridiculous amounts of cardboard we had amassed 2) drive to a garden center to buy mother's day gifts 3) drive to the hospital to pick up my Metformin 5) nip to the supermarket for some essentials 6) pick up the dogs and drive them to a field so they can burn off steam.... im home now and utterly exhausted! I don't think my body is quite over Covid yet 😣

thislittlebird · 21/03/2022 19:01

I started on the progesterone, fingers crossed it does the job!

I also went for a run and finished drafting my job application today, I’m currently the attached meme.

I’m looking forward to our holiday next week too, just feels unreal now that it’s coming round so soon.

@beckyCarlos I had a few twinges but not many and I took that as a good sign!

Fertility Appointments and Beyond.... the journey continues
beckyCarlos · 21/03/2022 15:15

@tinkerbell098 haha! Yes! It's certainly not relaxing when it doesnt come out first time!

Have a scan on Friday morning to see whats happening. Then, depending on that, they'll either keep me stimming for a few more days, or give me a time for trigger and book egg collection.

I feel SO much better on buserelin and stims than I did on just buserelin for downreg. I have more energy, and apart from crying at literally anything, I feel fine. It could be in my head but Inswear I keep getting random little twinges where I think my ovaries are, which has to be a good thing right? Lol.

Tinkerbell098 · 21/03/2022 12:04

@beckyCarlos oh we are so alike! I've had so much trauma with blood tests. My prolactin levels came back high and the doctor asked if I am stressed as that can cause elevated levels. In my head I thought, I definitely was during the blood test! I too wear fluffy socks and fluffy slippers at home, I can't cope! Haha your husband's comment made me chuckle!! Hope the stims are going ok with minimal side effects. When would they scan you?

beckyCarlos · 20/03/2022 12:27

@Tinkerbell098 we sound exactly the same! I had a HCA take blood once, 9 times she put the needle in, 9! I looked like I'd been in a fight by the time I got home! My hands and feet are always cold (im currently wearing slipper socks AND slippers because warm feet = warm uterus 🤣)

So far today Ive had 1l of water. I keep thinking 'best not accidentally drown myself' but my husband keeps reminding me that in normal times I have been known to have multiple pints of beer so I should be fine 🤣