Anyone else just started ICSI?

[AnnieDelores]

Hi

I'm on day 4 of my drugs in preparation for ICSI and wondered if there was anyone else out there going through the same? Would be good to have a companion!

I won't be having ICSI but I'm due to be starting my first round of IVF in a few days (when my cycle starts, which I expect to be on Sunday or thereabouts).

Drugs arrived a few days ago and the Gonal F is now taking up lots of space in my fridge!

So I can be your buddy, unless you're desperate for ICSI buddies rather than IVF buddies...

Hi there DachshundsRule! Delighted to have you as my buddy. We must be on different drugs because I only have one injection in the fridge. The rest is in the box - have to mix four ampules of powder with one water so a right pain in the bum. I'm on one week of tablets, nasal spray and due to start injections on Nov 3rd. I'm having ICSI because my partner has very low morphology...been trying to conceive for 15 months now. How about you?

Tried for 7 years, got pregnant naturally in June, miscarried at end of July. Bit gutting!

Unexplained infertility, DH's sperm are abundant and motile, decent morphology, I seem to be ovulating OK. They have no idea why it hasn't happened yet.

I'll be injecting daily and being scanned every other day to see how the follicles are developing, then I start taking some extra injections which stop me from ovulating so more follicles can develop and then I take the trigger injection 36 hours before egg collection. They'll see how the embryos develop and then see whether to leave them until blastocyst stage or implant them earlier. I'm a bit nervous about the injections. Physically and because I'm worried they'll make me into a crazed bundle of hormones who my DH will hate being around!

7 years is a long time. How old are you by the way? I'm 38. Coincidentally, I also got pregnant last October and miscarried at just over 6 weeks......so I know how you feel. We'd only been trying a few months at that stage so didn't think there was a problem. After nothing happened for a further 6 months we got tested and found out DPs sperm were below par.

Sounds like your drugs are differen to mine - but I guess they all do the same thing. My only concern is that I'n now on day 24 of my cycle and could actually.....although there's a very small chance...have conceived naturally. The clinic said the drugs wouldn't harm the pregnancy but it's still an uncomfortable feeling.

So far I haven't noticed any side effects from the drugs. I have a shocking cold at the moment so difficult to tell anyway! We'll keep each other company and discuss ways to manage mood swings!

Night night for now.

Hi How 's it going? I've just started coasting as my oestrogen levels are high and I have 26 follicles. Not idea but not a disaster either. How is your treatment going?

Hi Annie

I had my first round of ICSI in the summer, sadly it ended in a m/c (my 3rd) but at least it worked, I guess. I have 1 frozen blastocyst and am hoping to do a FET cycle next month as I didn't ov for the first time ever this month.

Ironically am having ICSI because both DH and I are (separately) v fertile, but there was no interaction when we tried normal IVF.

Daschunds - I was on Gonal F too (and your regime sounds pretty similar). I didn't mind the injections, but did find that the 'come down' towards the end of the cycle was like the worst PMT!

Good luck to us all!

Annie Sorry haven't been around much but have been a bit knackered so not doing much on the computer. I had egg collection today and it turns out we do need ICSI. We had 11 follicles, they got 9 eggs and we find out tomorrow how many have developed.

The procedure was weird! Still a bit uncomfortable but haven't had any of the possible side effects (no bleeding and no sickness)

Good luck with your blastocyst labella

Sorry you aren't having a problem free cycle annie

I'll keep you posted - when I find out tomorrow I'll let you know (unless there are NONE and I'm really depressed, but I'm hoping that won't happen!)

Hi there. Exciting and nerve wracking time for both of you. Please let me know how you get on Dachunds and La Bella. I'll be thinking of you.

I'm feeling a bit sore and bloated and sicky....but they tell me that's normal because I have so many follicles. I have to have daily scans and blood tests now to monitor the size of my follicles and my oestrogen levels which are high. They need to see if the follicles get big enough for egg collectionj without the stimulant injections which they've now told me to stop (this is why it's called coasting) and to see if my oestrogen levels come down to a safe level to do the transfer because I'm at risk of OHSS. I'm a bit cross and concerened because I always thought the stim dose they put me on seemed high, especially as they initially investigated me for possible PCOS.

There's a risk my cycle will be cancelled, but I know that's for my safety!

Keep me posted as to how you get on!

They apparently injected 6 of the eggs, all of them fertilised. Waiting until Monday now to see whether any of them are good enough to leave until blastocyst or whether they should go back in on Monday as embryos...

Thats grear news DR! How are you feeling today?

I've just found out today that I'm going in for egg collection on Monday because my oestrogen level is just..only just.....at a safe level. I am still at an increased risk of getting OHSS though which is slightly scary.

Let me know how you get on on Monday.I'm the same as you...........hoing for blastocyst but will see how we go...... Fingers crossed!

How's it all going DR? Have you had your transfer yet?

Oooh - good luck with your egg collection. Good news that they didn't have to abandon the cycle. Fingers crossed that they get lots of nice mature eggs.

Mine unfortunately didn't do so well - only two survived the weekend and they were both grade 2 rather than grade 1 and smaller than they would have liked - they expect them to be 8 cells but both were only 5 cells. But they have put them back in so now I'm just waiting until 29th to take the test to see whether it has worked!

Hi Mother Hen! Glad to hear you are now reunited with your embryos........it feels strange to know that they're being stored at the hospital when I'm at home on the couch! Fingers crossed yours will develop now they are back where they belong.

My egg collection went well. They collected 20 - but that was because my ovaries were way over-stimulated. They kept me in hospital yesterday because I was very poorly after the op but I'm back home now. I'll get a call in the morning to see how they are doing.

It must seem like an eternity to the 29th. Any ideas for making the time go faster? Are you going back to work etc? I assume you have a Dachshund to look after too? My aunt has two of them...Clover and Molly. Cute but both a bit shy!

Annie

Glad to hear you got lots of eggs! Should have lots of nice embies to choose from.

Good luck with the call this morning. Let me know how it goes! :)

I am back at work - I only had the day off. I'd love to be at home relaxing, especially after the commute I had this morning, but my boss isn't exactly the most understanding person in the world!

Re; Dachshunds - Yes, I have two. Miniature long haird dachshunds - Eric (he's 8) and Ellie (she's 5). They are the most adorable snuggly dogs ever anywhere in the history of dogs. They are a bit shy sometimes - Ellie gets very fed up with having lots of strangers in the house and just goes and curls up in her bed away from it all, but she's also a complete tart and will throw herself at ANYONE for a tummy rub.

Really hope you have lots of embryonic Annies waiting for you this morning.

:)

Hi there. I completely understand about your boss - mine is the same. Unfortunately he's a weasly little man with a control freak streak and is very good at looking up the career ladder and not so good at looking down it! Have you told your boss what's going on? I haven't but I think he has guessed because he knows i had an MC a year ago.

I had my call from the embryologist this morning and they've got 14 which is fab. Still, I'm trying not to get too excited because it could go either way if they don't end up "sticking" if you know what I mean.
They'll let me know tomorrow when I need to go in for the transfer. Still feels weird thinking about them in a lab!

I'm dog mad and would love to have dogs like yours but my job involves travel so not really possible sadly. Dachshunds are cuddly and very loyal from what I know and I think the shy thing is endearing - better than a mad labrador jumping on someone's lap! My partner and I rescued a little Puggle (Pug crossed with Beagle) in the park recently after he ran away from home (that will be the Beagle in him) and were a little bit sad when we had to reunite him with his owners. He was very cuddly and made himself at home on our couch!

Hope your day isn't too stressful and don't forget that your boss is less important than you!

Annie How did it go today? When will transfer be? FX that you have lots of nice embies waiting for you!

Hia

Transfer likely to be Saturday or Sunday - they have 9 strong ones heading towards blastocyst. I'm very excited but trying to stay level headed.

How are you feeling? Do you feel pregnant? How long before you can test?

Annie That's FAB!!!!!! I hope you get two nice little Annies put back in and that it works for you.

No, I don't feel pregnant. I test on 29th, so still a while to go yet! I don't think mine has worked though - it was only low odds and I don't feel like anything has taken.

Yours sounds rather more positive though.

Annie

How did it go?

FX everything went well...

Hi

Everything went smoothly......two blastocysts transferred on Saturday. They put three in the freezer too which is reassuring. I went back to work on Monday and have been super busy which is good for making the time go....but worried I've pushed myself too far to be honest.

Side effects from the progesterone aren't fun! Lots of bloating, constipation and wind (nice!). Difficult to tell pregnancy symptoms because the progesterone ones are similar.

How are you feeling? Are you on the progesterone pessaries too? This is going to be such a long wait. And I neeed to think about how I'm going to cope if it doesn't work. Need to start writing a list of nice things to do when you're not preggers!

Annie

Am on the prog pessaries and am fed up with the constipation! I test on Monday but I don't feel pregnant and am convinced it hasn't worked. Am finding it really hard! You are in a better position than me though - my clinic said if you get to blastocyst your chances are 80%, whereas mine were only 20%. Am feeling quite miserable. Trying to be philosophical - at least I can have a glass of wine at Christmas!

I know how you feel. It is a torturous waiting game. Don't give up just yet! The world is full of irony. Who is to say you won't be one of the 20% who succeed and I won't be one of the 20% who fail? Someone always wins the lottery.....

I don't feel pregnant either.....but then again you aren't supposed to until 6 weeks into the preganancy at least really.

I'm trying to be rational about this too and if the worst comes to the worst, I'll have a boozy Christmas and a big holiday in the new year if it hasn't worked.....maybe Australia or South Africa. Sod the cost. Put in on the credit card even though I can't afford it. I think we would just have to do all the things we couldn't do if we're pregnant and enjoy them. Then, in the spring.....have another go. Of course we'll have a good cry if it doesn't work......but that's to be expected. I often look at my single, 30something friends and do feel lucky because at least my partner is wonderful....and they are still searching. Some have given up. Okay, now I'm making myself feel sck with all this sentimental stuff. Will stop now and do my Tesco online shopping!

Annie x

DachshundsRule

Just a little note to say good luck with your test tomorrow morning. I will be thinking of you.

Annie

Good luck to all of you going through these things. We had ICSI at the Radcliffe from 1997-99 and now have two gorgeous DCs, one from frozen embryos implanted when I was 42. 8 cycles in total. Felt completely different both times that it worked, so please don't think the worst. Wish there was a better way of supporting, but hope good news stories are some help.

Unfortunately negative. Hope yours works though Annie. I have everything crossed for you :)