Fertility Appointments and Beyond: Electric Boogaloo

Update from my appointment,
All is fine with me. I had about 8 follicles on each side.
However, we were shown DH's results from his recent sample & everything has gone down 🙄. For example, he was 4% morph in 2021 and now he's at 2%. He's had a varicocele embolisation in Sept for high dna frag & we thought it would at least make a difference on a standard semen analysis. I'm actually in shock that his results are down 😵‍💫
We're still going ahead with ICSI, but I'm feeling less optimistic now.

@beckyCarlos thank you for the positive vibes. I'm just worried because I had a D&C, but I hope it'll be fine 🤞🏻 I'm sorry you're having such a shitty time with all this nonsense 🫤

@thislittlebird I'm really sorry you're having such a crap time, it sounds like a nightmare. I've also considered anti depression over the past years. I think sertraline is the safest (I was on it in the past), but when I said it to my fertility doc before, he wasn't so keen, but not against it. It's a benefit/risk weigh up & ultimately your choice.

@Kay00 when's your follow up appt?

If anyone has any tips leading up to a cycle, that'd be great. I've limited caffeine, given up alcohol & tried to eat generally healthy (although I'm not too restrictive). I've been on all the supplements for years.
Maybe there's more I can do? I dunno

xx

@thislittlebird aw love I'm sorry its so shit for you x x x so frustrating they won't do hormone tests for your partner noones ever considered much for mine, but has like 3 chest hairs (but I assume normal balls?! 🤣) maybe I should suggest it...

Yeah so we selected a donor and the eggs are in the clinic waiting for a potential defrost friday, but not if my pissing large follicle is giving off too much progesterone already indicating ovulation tomorrow, instead of just medicating it with progesterone on Friday :( i literally struggle to grow follicles on stims and then this one is just wanging out there on oestrogen only. Wtaf. No chance for an IVF conversion, or IUI, as we're in for the equivalent of an FET with donor eggs :(

I feel a bit like you @thislithislittlebird ... just why is there always something, I'm getting pretty done with being 'strong' and 'just getting through the next hurdle' eugh.

@beckyCarlos wow... That's so interesting. Do you think they will want to cancel your cycle? Or upgrade to IVF? I guess there are too many follicles for IUI... Or natural conception? You might end up as octo-mum?! 😁

@JeanieJ how exciting that you are starting your round soon!! Fingers crossed your scan goes well xx you'll be fine with the injections I'm sure x

I'm just waiting for my post IVF WTF appointment to discuss my abysmal round. I am also lining up a second clinic to discuss potential options with them.

@JeanieJ waiting for a phone call tomorrow to confirm what we do! Theres just always 'something' else. Eugh. I'm in a right funk, even though there might be nothing to be in one over. This. Sucks. I'm oestrogen tablets, didnt do a downreg...maybe that'd have been a good idea 🙈

That sounds positive for you! Totally understand the nerves though, hopefully you're all good to go, if you havent had any issues I'm sure you will be :) if it helps, my first post-miscarriage scan was absolutely fine (no pain, nothing that shouldn't have been there, 8 antral follicles)...if anything it lulled me into a false sense of security with my follicle count lol. X

@beckyCarlos that sounds so random and just like really bad luck, I'm sorry.
What happens now? Are you on meds right now?

I'm getting my baseline scan tomorrow & some bloods (CD3) and then I think the next few weeks are about getting my meds & learning how to inject myself.
AF is due 20th Feb & then I'll start my injections .... hopefully. It's the short protocol.

I'm a little nervous about my scan. It's been more than a year since I've had a fertility scan & I've had a miscarriage, so I'm praying nothing is weird tomorrow 🙏🏻🤞🏻
Xx

Hey everyone, how are we all getting on?

Another wtf update from me, had a 12 day oestrogen scan today for the equivalent of an FET next week... my lining if fine but my left ovary is in crack, its got between a 13m and 16m folicle on. I dont get that good ON stims!! Wtaf. Had bloods done and if my progesterone is too high fridays thaw/fertilisation is off, as is transfer next week.

Apparently this is very unusual. There's always one, and its always me 🙈

@thislittlebird oh, I'm sorry about that.I thought poodles were supposed to be good for allergies?

Pets are a small comfort during this whole fertility journey (although not a replacement for what we really want).
We have a cat and adore her.
I'd love a dog too, but I'm not quite ready yet.

xx

Happy New Year everyone 💕
I hope 2023 is kind to us.
I start my baseline scans & blood end of this month for my first IVF/ ICSI cycle in Feb.
Feeling like it's Groundhog Day, as I was in this exact place this time last year & then the rollercoaster got a bit more tricky💔👼.
Really hoping that this year, I can actually bring a baby home 🙌🏻

Xx

@thislittlebird sending an email to the consultant in advance of our meeting is a very good idea. I have quite a few questions which I will write down, to ensure they get covered in our call. Thanks for idea!

I certainly need to find a clinic that has a less brutal egg collection technique. I cried to myself whilst walking my dogs this afternoon, just thinking about having to go through that again.

@thislittlebird it's a predicament isn't it. I'm 38 in July, and I'm thinking I'll have the to do one more cycle before then... But how many can I realistically do? It's so expensive and emotionally draining! To get one chance per cycle (if I'm lucky), it's a really big commitment to do another.

Definitely I'll be encouraging OH to do a DNA frag, although I suspect he may need to hear it from the consultant in our following up conversation. In the meantime I'm going to try and encourage a health kick; we could both do with shifting a few pounds and being generally more fit and healthy.

I want to see what another clinic can offer me. Perhaps a whole new protocol? I like the idea of doing a FET if we get any to freeze, but it too comes with its risks.

Sorry @thislittlebird, I think you were being a bit too optimistic. I just tested and it was negative.

I read an interesting study that said the pregnancy rate in women who bled during the IVF TWW (which I did for pretty much every single day to some greater or smaller extent) was very low.

I need to tackle both my appalling egg quality and rubbish Luteal Phase before I can have a realistic chance of success with IVF.

So I need to start thinking about my next cycle. And whether it will be at a new clinic or not.

I clearly typed too soon. Cramps and spotting again this morning 😑. I'm will test today/tomorrow when my FRER delivery arrives to put myself out of my misery.

Hi ladies x my bleeding has pretty much stopped. Since the bright red flush of blood of 4dp5dt it returned to spotting and has got lighter and lighter. There is still a hint of it... But it's barely noticeable, watery pink.

It's odd... But, it may be in part due to me upping my progesterone suppositories to 3x per day (self medicating)? Or maybe the bleeding wasn't anything to do with progesterone and was the result of the fairly traumatic egg collection I had (where my body was jumping around all over the bed whilst the needle was in my ovary)? Or, maybe it will just start up again.

In my 1st IVF cycle I started my period bleeding on 8dp5dt, which for me is tomorrow, so it will be interesting to see if I start bleeding again.

I guess I'll need to test soon. My official test day is 11dp5dt which is Friday 30th Dec. But I travel on holiday with my mum on the 2nd Jan and I'd like time with my OH to process the news, whichever way it goes. Plus, if (in the remote chance) it's positive, I'll need time to get extra drugs from the clinic before I travel in the New Year.

Merry Christmas loves. Hope you've all had good points in the day 😊 x

Happy Christmas ladies xx