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

@Marvellouslymadmum I’m gonna need it 🫠

@kerrym87 good that your immunes came back ok. Fwiw, I had reduced lactobacillus too and treated it on our second cycle. Didn’t restest on our third cycle, but did take probiotics in the meantime and lead up to cycle three transfers 1 and 2.

A change of protocol might be a good idea, it’s worth trying these things to see if you can improve the results. I know the feeling though, I didn’t know how to give up without giving it my best shot before we moved on.

@thislittlebird since our failed cycle in March we've been taking a little break, trying to navigate our choices, payment plans etc which are designed to make you feel more broken especially the part refund ones. Immunology came back with no issues just reduced lactobacillus so treating that. Just decided on a clinic 1.5 hrs from us for a long protocol with gentler doses and totally different drugs. Just getting virals, afc and amh done next week then planning next ivf cycle. Probably after Xmas now. Its been 4 years and I realised in last few weeks I've been very low but powering through. It's just so shitty but can't give up yet x

@kerrym87 thanks! How are you getting on, what’s the latest?

@thislittlebird everything crossed for you!

@Marvellouslymadmum next Thursday, send me all your positive thoughts!

@Lauralozzle good luck, keep us posted!

@Marvellouslymadmum yeah I’m ok, just tentative and hoping it’s all ok. Very anxious times!

@thislittlebird Yup. Transfer in a week if everything goes ok.

@Lauralozzle sounds like the scan went well. So you're one week from transfer?

@kerrym87 yeah they really do. it's brutal.

@kerrym87 Thanks. I thought the refund packages are particularly cruel. We had our NHS round but because it didn’t work it meant we couldn’t use any of the refund packages because of our failed cycle! It’s like you’re only eligible if you go private immediately, and then only get it if it’s your first go!

I had my scan today. Everything looks good. Transfer is booked for Monday 23rd Oct. I start taking progesterone on 18th.

@Marvellouslymadmum I've finally figured out what's going on as basically we're not eligible for any refund package apart from a measly 20 or 10% from one due to having had previous ivf. Athough was only wanting to go for one more ivf, then donor all packages are at least 2 but works out not much more than one. I've come round to idea as this guy seems great and listened and was not impressed with what they'd done previously. He's a big mover in hfea and research so hopefully with new approach it may be different. I've realised I shouldn't look too far ahead as was exploding my brain and I was in a right state.
@Lauralozzle hope you feel better soon, fingers crossed.
@thislittlebird the refund package we were looking at was very reasonable with 100% refund after one uvf then one donor cycle but not eligible due to having had 3 cycles fail. They sure kick you when you're down and make you feel so useless and broken 😔

@thislittlebird Scan is tomorrow. I hope I’ll get a transfer date then and a date to start the progesterone. I’m hoping the progesterone will even these side effects out a bit!

@kerrym87 thank you! I didn’t apply for refund packages with access because we couldn’t afford it. So like @Lauralozzle we did multicycle which doesn’t do medical checks. So we used both our cycles with Lister in the package and it wasn’t terrible value if this works out, I guess. Think it was about £11-12k for two rounds and all transfers, but not meds etc.

@Lauralozzle sorry you’re feeling like that on the meds, how annoying. Have you had your baseline now?

Hi @kerrym87 I wasn’t eligible for any refund packages because I have very low AMH (hence also being denied ivf on the nhs). I could only have the multicycle package so I paid for 2.

Sorry to hear you’re feeling so unwell @Lauralozzle! ☹️

@kerrym87 I was only eligible for multicycle with no refund element at all because of previous failed round and poor fertilisation. It had no medical element, just an age element (up to 40-something. Can’t remember). X2 cycles including any FET.

so, if you’re not eligible for a refund package you might be eligible for one of those with no medical element.

Thanks, the FET estradiol meds are killing me at the moment. I’ve had a rotten stomach since day 4 of taking them. Pretty sure it’s them because when I’m not eating I feel fine, just hungry, so it can’t be a bug or anything as surely I’d just feel awful all day! The pill used to give me stomach problems, it’s why I came off it. I thought I was lactose intolerant or something! Think this is like the pill x100!

Fingers crossed for @Lauralozzle and @thislittlebird !
Different question....has anyone used packages and been eligible? Got all the way to questionnaire woth assured and despite asking if for example multiple failed cycles would mean we weren't eligible, they failed to tell me my endo (which was tiny and removed) and mfi we wouldn't be eligible for the package we've been discussing for about 2 weeks on phone and by email....🙄 any advice or recommendations appreciated as its a confusing world of packages, refund options and all the other crap x

@Lauralozzle I spotted quite quickly too. For almost every transfer I'd be bleeding before my OTD. In a way, it was a relief my levels were low on transfer day as I'd suspected they always had been, but after a fresh cycle there's high progesterone levels from all the follicles, and then they didn't test again and I suspect my levels would drop off a cliff a couple of days after transfer.

@thislittlebird I’ve got cyclogest pessaries but day before transfer I have to have a progesterone blood test and if it’s too low I’ll be on lubion injections daily so might have to start injections then, it depends on levels. I’m suspecting a progesterone issue given I started spotting a week after transfer both times. We’ll see. I’ve been on a different progesterone last 2 transfers (vaginal only ones) and the cyclogest is stronger I believe.

@Lauralozzle will you be on injections soon/post transfer? I'm on two per day still, plus cyclogest and pred :/

@CycleGirl20 anecdotally, of course, but I would guess it would be.