Bus 9 - Donkey Cart departing soon, all aboard with ivf, pcos, endo, sub/unexplained fertility jump on

Hi all 😀A bit of a long one here, please bare with me. Currently on cycle 1 of TTC with PCOS. I am hoping someone may be able to shed some light please.I had bloods done on 23rd December due to my PCOS, they measured my PCOS and progesterone levels, however I'm slightly confused.When they took my progesterone levels on 23rd Dec they stated I was borderline ovulating and advised to get some further tests done (1 week before my next period) I'm due these bloods next Friday. My period in December was 6-8th December and Flo app states my ovulation phase was 10th - 19th Dec (ovulation day the 17th). Is it possible I ovulated late?My Jan period was 1st - 4th with ovulating phase of 8th - 14th (ovulating day being today the 13th). I've been taking OPK's since the 9th and these are all coming back low and yet to reach peak.Again is it possible I am ovulating later or is this just my PCOS playing up?Thanks!

So had a weird appointment at ivf clinic with nurses just prior to hopefully my next (fingers crossed) ivf cycle. Its been 7 months since I started last cycle so I feel a reasonable time gap. I can't keep on with life on hold working with babies all the time to drag this out indefinitely. The nurse was trying to ensure we were not rushing and we were OK, and described having 3 ivf cycles in a year 'hardcore'. Seemed to be trying to counsel me to leave it longer whilst trying to ensure I was actually OK . Consultant accepted covid buggered it all up and as he took me a little earlier for collection eggs weren't mature. Nurse was suggesting it can happen with too little time between cycles (was 5 months between 1st and 2nd). Got a bit annoyed but then made me wonder what is best but equally I know my body and myself. They're looking out that we're not running ourselves into the ground and breaking our body but they don't live with it. It was well meaning judgement but hindsight is brilliant and I don't think I'll wish I'd waited any longer. Anyone else ever had this?

@kerrym87 oh that is even more frustrating for you then. Maybe have a chat with them and see if there could be another way.

@Narwhal88 I also work in a hospital and the beaurocracy of arranging bloods at a different trust is stupid! Ironically I can do venepuncture but it's where it could be processed.....don't think any care clinics are any closer when we looked previously.

@kerrym87 my clinic is 50 miles away. We have no local ones. When I've needed some bloods they have sent me a test kit (like medichecks). However when it's an urgent blood test (day before transfer) I've still had to travel to the clinic. Despite working in a hospital next to pathology where bloods are taken! Very frustrating!
Do your local clinics do any payment plans etc? We are with Care and they now do their own packages like access.

Access fertility have just stopped partnering with our only local clinic - so if this last nhs round doesn't work then not only will we have to navigate researching local centres without a payment/refund plan which is gona be big bucks again but if we want to use access having to travel 50 miles each way. I know people travel alot but with ME on top it's just ridiculous if it's a 100 mile round trip just for bloods 3 times a week. Anyone been able to take blood forms and get local blood clinic to do?

Hey everyone hope you’re all good and finding ways to enjoy the Christmas time!

I am currently 1 week into the 2ww following a trigger shot last Wednesday (they said to trigger but the follicle wasn’t looking great but they didn’t want to keep growing and overstim so the already crap odds are even more not on our side for success this time) and have been on cyclogest 3 times a day for if we have had some success, have any of you used it before? Had many side effects? I keep getting twinges on the right hand side when I sit down, jump, go for a wee so panicking it is going to be a cyst that means they won’t let us do another cycle in January!! Have had all sorts of cramps and twinges since being on cyclogest.

@thislittlebird i hope you have a lovely time with your in laws and can just enjoy the day, this time of year is rubbish but I hope you can find moments of joy in it

hope you all have a great Christmas x

@Narwhal88 congratulations! hopefully all is ok.

I've just skimmed so haven't caught up with everyone properly. Generally depressing days continue over here, not sure whether to try to wean myself off MN for a while really. It's increasingly hard to watch everyone else succeed when you can't, I've been hanging here around since the end of 2019/start of 2020 and it's hard, I dunno what to do. We can't even try again until the summer when I'll be 40 probably, my husband has to be 3-6 months clear of a fever/virus/infection which will likely take us to May/June and the chance of success feels like it's diminishing by the month. The clinic told us the sperm were atrocious for our second cycle, basically, and we're seeing NHS Andrology in February but I'm not optimistic it'll be useful, might have to go private for that and pay again.

Hope everyone is ok, thinking of @Misty84 @Lauralozzle @Marvellouslymadmum @kerrym87 @MIW01 @Alexis7890 and sorry to anyone else I've missed. This is a really shitty time of year for the long time ttcers.

We're entertaining the in-laws and I'm hoping it'll be a nice distraction, just sad we can't give them any nice news, and neither will we be able to next year since IVF is basically a mid 2023/2024 event for us now. I probably need to stop expecting we'll ever have the good news to share.

@kerrym87 my clinic tests on the day of transfer and they had already increased what I was having from just cyclogest to cyclogest and the injectable one.

@kerrym87 when I went to the early pregnancy unit RE my miscarriage at end of August this year they said they would support me to get progesterone testing and be prescribed high dose progesterone when I'm pregnant again. NHS clinic wouldn't even give me value for my lining at transfer. Just said, "it's fine, we wouldn't do it otherwise," still waiting for my medical records to be posted to me. I think I'll need to have another day 21 progesterone test before we can go private

Honestly never felt so low about all this as I do right now. Floods of tears this evening and can't sleep even after sleeping pills. In a pit of utter despair.

Has anyone else's nhs clinic tested progesterone after transfer? Mine just does transfer and then say right off you test on this date. Unfortunately as I had nothing to transfer 2nd cycle they don't class it as repeated implantation failure yet. If we end up private think I'll go to town with everything as it was hard enough 3 years down the line ti badger them enough to scan and for them to figure out hubby's low count and volume was caused by a cyst partially obstructing his epididymis....

@MrsBiddy first off well done, it's so hard isn't it! I ovulated but they tried letrozole first, didn't help me but I also have endo on one ovary hubby has sperm issues so tried 3 rounds letrozole before moving to ivf. We are quite complicated though! For me it's an egg quality issue too when they've retrieved so I'm on all sorts of supplements which can help, will see in January if it's worked or not...

@MrsBiddy did they tell you what the treatment options are likely to be? I found out quite early what the various outcomes would be but I did ask a lot of questions as I always like to know the plans! Yeah if tubes are blocked ivf would be the option(that’s what they said to me when I asked about hsg outcomes). As you have cycles I assume you do ovulate? If you are ovulating naturally I don’t know the path, I didn’t have natural cycles so started with ovulation induction. Things get moved along quite fast here so hopefully you have the same where you are x

@kerrym87
Thanks for replying.

I am currently on Metformin and levothyroxine, the 1:1 diet is working for me, I have lost 1.5st and my cycles have gone from 40-44 to 29-31days.

☺️

@Alexis7890 thank you

I'm in Berkshire, so not sure but I will ask when the nurse calls in Jan.

I think I just read some horror stories saying a year 😱 I think they want to do HSG before medication and I'm guessing if they are blocked then it would be ivf? Not sure if I'm honest, as far as I got was internal scans (pcos) and SA (which was normal). Then told to reduce my bmi and that's it 😕.

Thank you for your reply ☺️

@MrsBiddy I'm so sorry if that seems like unsolicited advice! I just know I had to do my own research for ways of helping my pcos and most clinics have bmi limit of 30, occasionally 35 depends where you are. They may be willing to try letrozole or clomid before anything more drastic x

@MrsBiddy usual weight loss stuff doesn't work well with pcos generally, I was recommended infolic alpha as a start, try looking at kym Campbell for dietary changes which are quite helpful and you can do as much or as little as you want. Its a hard journey and I still struggle but I lost 4 stone by portion control initially but thing that helped most was cutting down slowly on sugar and processed food as well as alcohol (put weight on me straight away). By having a balanced meal with plenty veg, slow release complex carbs (which I reduced my portion size a bit), lean meat and more protein it's helped loads. If I want a treat I have it but I get for example darker choc and individual wrapped ones which are easier to control. Or I go for a healthier option like nuts, fruit etc. If your thyroid is underactive and not treated properly that will make it harder for you with weight and conceiving, might be worth a gp or consultant visit, you could as to try metformin x

@MrsBiddy hiya I’m with the nhs in Bristol so different areas might be different. I was referred by my gp in January and had the first appointment with general fertility in early February, lots of ultrasound scans and tests all finished mid may with the HSG (tube check) as the last test and was able to move straight to ovulation induction using letrozole now moved on to injectables. Plus husband had to do 2 SAs 3 months apart so one in feb and one in may. So once all tests and results sorted then treatment was able to start immediately. I don’t know about ivf referral, do you know if they want you to go straight to ivf or start with ovulation induction? I have pcos so don’t ovulate naturally so started with ovulation induction

Hi all 👋🏻

So June or July I was told by the nhs fertility nurse that if I didn't lose a stone by January I'd have to start the whole process again. This because I hadn't lost enough 😑 which resulted in me comfort eating and becoming very low.

I have PCOS & Under active thyroid 🙄

At my highest weight of 18st (bmi 40.4) I lost a little bit of weight trying to eat well and going for walks. My weight kept fluctuating up and down and in October I started the 1:1 Cambridge weight loss plan and for the first time in yearsssss have lost 1st and half. I'm now 16st and my bmi is 35.9. To be honest I've had a few naughty meals hence why my loss is not a much as others. I'm hoping not to cause much damage over Christmas and can fully refocus Jan and onwards.

I was told by the nhs my bmi needs to be under 35 for the tube check (sorry can't remember the official name 😆) and they'd start me on medication and bmi of under 30 for IVF etc.
Private said under 35 for everything.

How long are people waiting on the nhs for treatment for medication or ivf? I will have a phone call in January but wanted peoples experience?

I'm 36 and while my private tests for amh came back slightly higher for my age, I'm worried about waiting ages 😥 feels like time is ticking away and with all the issues with nhs waiting times.

Hope everyone is doing well xxx

Hi ladies sorry I have been absent lately, persevering with gonal f injections. So I have had a third monitoring scan, on day 6 I had a 13mm follicle and then day 9 it hadn’t grown at all but some other smaller ones had started developing around 8-9mm then today on day 12 the 13mm is now 11mm and multiple others still around 8-9mm. Has anyone had follicles shrink? Any ideas why? Increasing the dose for a few days and see if they grow again with hope to trigger by the end of the week/early next week. Losing faith in this cycle and think it will cancelled and told to start again in the new year

Lololol I love the fertility salad. Munch munch! Bet he’s happy he can give that up.
I think our diet is all good then.. apart from the no alcohol … 🙈

@Lauralozzle thank you. Fingers crossed for your levels, the levothyroxine is pretty good at controlling it so hopefully it is ok for you.

@anotherscroller thank you. Well it depends what your issues are and obviously I have no way of knowing what specifically helped or if it was a combo of everything. Our main aim was reducing DNA fragmentation. Biggest thing is we went organic, stopped heating plastics, so only using glass etc. my husband eats oats every morning with lots of walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, seeds and blueberries with blueberry powder. Lots of antioxidants and veg. No caffeine or alcohol and no fizzy drinks. He also eats a fertility salad which has watercress, avocado, red onion, etc in. He hates it all lol.

@Narwhal88 congratulations!!! That’s amazing. Very happy for you, don’t worry about posting.
If you were to recommend three main nutritional changes, what would they be?

@MIW01 I’ll have a look at glucommanan. My BMI at weigh in was 29.5, so I’m top end already. To be honest though, diet hasn’t been great this week so far. AF is due this week and it just makes me crave crap lol!

I bet you’re cross with GP. I can’t believe they lost your records! That’s unacceptable. The clinic I’m at asked for copies of bloods is had taken ages ago and all the details were provided in the IVF referral. Don’t know why they didn’t take the hospitals word for it lol.

I’ve read it starts with the egg a couple of times now. Tried to implement bits but gave up at the no plastic and no tinned tomatoes. My diet literally consists of tinned tomatoes for pasta sauces, chilli, curry’s lol. No way am I giving up canned toms! I don’t buy ready made sauces because they’re too sweet for me, no they’re not an option!

@Narwhal88 Congratulations! Your very first BFP gives me hope that I’ll see one too! Chuffed for you.

No results yet, usually takes about 3 days so they should have them Wednesday I hope. I’m subclinical hypothyroid anyway, and my high prolactin was a result of untreated underactive thyroid according to endocrinologist. I’m just paranoid my levels fluctuate so much! Before I was on Levothyroxine it went from 9.8 to 4.5 to 6.45. My last test it was 2.78 on levothyroxine but I just think it could have been a bit of a fluke lol given previous fluctuations I’ve had when untreated.

Hi all
Wasn't sure whether to post this or not and I'm sorry if this upsets anyone as I've been there but I also know it can bring hope to other long time IVFers.
Today is my OTD and I have seen my first ever BFP. We tested on Saturday but I still can't believe it. My husband was actually the first to know as I find testing so traumatic now that I made him do it (and not tell me when he was doing it).
I'm so so nervous as I know there is a long long way to go and so much can go wrong. Also worried that my severe endo means I have a higher chance of miscarriage.

This is our first transfer with a new batch of embryos after lots of supplement and diet changes at the start of the year. Definitely recommend seeing a nutritionist who put our supplement plan together to improve egg and sperm quality.

I did read it starts with the egg years ago but it can get very obsessive!

@MIW01 my AMH halved in a year and yet the first cycle I got 12 eggs and the second I got 28 even though it had halved! Really depends on the protocol as well. I am also on probiotics. Have you had your microbiome tested?

@Lauralozzle did you get your results yet? I am on levothyroxine though I don't apparently have a thyroid issue. Hope downreg is going ok.

@thislittlebird I hope you are feeling better and so sorry if my news hurts you. On the finances side, have you looked at Gaia fertility? It's basically a payment plan for ivf. Not sure if I'm just being a bit dim but why do you want to know your blood group, is it important for fertility or just in case you need a transfusion at any point? Me and my husband have given blood and they give you a card with it on after.