Anyone else about to start IVF?

[gardenpixie]

DH and I have our first IVF consultation in a couple of weeks and I just wondered if there was anyone out there who was in the same position?

We've had loads of tests done already so the Dr says we may well be able to start the treatment cycle sometime next month or early May.

We've been TTC #1 for 3yrs now and I am on cycle 5 of clomid so will continue with that until I start the IVF drugs. There are no obvious medical reasons why we haven't conceived naturally, just a case of unexplained infertility, I guess.

I know the odds of getting pg still aren't great but I am really excited about the fact that IVF even exists (isn't amazing what they can do?) and, although I am a bit apprehensive of everything it will involve, I am thrilled to be given the chance to see if it might work for us.

I would love to hear from anyone with any advice or who is in the same boat,

thanks for reading

Happy, LOL about the simulaneously mortified and excited comment! That is such a good technique, they should all do it. I definately could have done with a distraction at that point - they started fiddling about with the laptop instead which didn't help matters.

Bondi, amazing news well done lovely! one tip i did think of, which is have something handy you can squeeze while you're waiting for them to do their business and you're lying in a compromising position dying for the loo! I ended up squeezing handfuls of my skirt but could have done with one of those squeezy stress toys or something. Best of luck, am sure you'll be fine .

Teds ace news about the funding - its a good omen! Reckon you will ace the presentation too, good luck. Is it about 'how to find cool friends whilst you're waiting for ivf treatment'?

Womanly, Kool and GP, friday will be here before you know it, we've done monday already. Have a to keep yourself going.

GP, glad you're still feeling bit better. I've been ok today, work was a good distraction. I've just been quite tired, I think I'm still 'coming down' from the excitement of last week. At the risk of tmi have been really farty too! think its the pessaries!

Welcome pumpkin, have you had any scans since you started stimming? How are you finding the stim drugs, any reactions to it?

Kool and Womanly I have to say that apart from the embryologists I think that its a weird career choice for them all! Especially the nurses who just do the scans all day! I'm sure they get imune to it but....so thankful there are people out there less squeamish than me.

team hug to you all. x x x

Hi all

Pumpkinjoy - we're almost in sync! Hope you're not finding things too tough. I've had real ups and downs over the last few days. I am on Day 11 of stims and went for a scan this morning. They've decided to do EC this Wednesday as enough follicles were ready, so I'm now trying to stay awake till midnight to do the HCG injection. Definitely past my bedtime .

Have been a bit put off by how quickly everything seems to be happening, and a bit stressed out by trying to re-arrange work & leave etc at short notice. But trying to be positive too - it's finally here and perhaps this time it will work!

Gardenpixie hope the allergic reaction is wearing off and you are feeling better.

Bondi and Care - have been amazed by all those embryos you've created. Hope you can keep calm and positive for the next stages!

Hope everyone's had a good evening

Hi everyone-what a lovely morning (brighter sunshine) Lets hope the joyful mood continues....! Thank you so much for such a lovely welcome. This thread is full of lovely people and MN is obviously fantastic at bringing us together so we can support each other through this slog.

Wow Bella30 We've found a cycle buddy in each other! Hope you are okay-I can see how you might feel about how quickly its working. I suppose we think that it might not happen (I know I'm trying to be realistic) and then if something happens i.e. we react like we're supposed to we're surprised!! I'm sure it's a good thing and I was told last week that EC date can be moved forward or back, which was not something I had realised originally.

Hi Teds77 Yes, this is our first IVF attempt. Goodness, I'm scared. We conceived through IUI last september(second time round, discovered I had short luteal phase so was on progesterone injections) but sadly MMC and had ERPC on 31/10. Was on a real downer mentally at the start of this cycle but now am much more upbeat-don't know why, just feel like a switch has been pressed-hope it doesn't come back to bite me.. Well done on finishing your presentation. Hope it goes well for you today and how you're getting on with this malarchy.

Morning Gardenpixie I am so pleased you began this post. Your TTC journey sounds very similar to mine in sense you have unexplained fertility-How I used to hate that medical expression-So frustrating! What stage are you at with treatment? I am going to read through this whole thread when I get a chance, so I can get to know you all better! I am due my 2nd scan today when they find out if these blasted stims have worked-have found them (or rather think DH has, judging by my moodswings!) the worst bit so far. Bit body achy, bloated, ovulationy pain. Not too bad and trying NOT to moan too much cos can deal with all this if it works...

Hi also to Womanlytales-I feel your pain, really. Try and wait for friday-but I know exactly how you feel as I'm sure we all do re the WAIIITING! Big luck and love to you.

Hi kool Your schedule will be here very soon-think it is good then in the sense you know what date things are happening and you can (sort of!) organise yourself. Think its subject to change slightly but generally correct.

Hi to carebear too. Hope I havn't droaned on too much! Think it's obvious I am away from work on annual leave. Not going anywhere or doing anything apart from this, hospital appts all week practically, apart from tomorrow and thursday.

Will sign off now-feel exhausted-think I will go back to bed ..... lots of love to all xx

Morning all,

Care are you sure the fartiness is caused by the pessaries and it's not just babyBear fluffing his / her pillows and cushions getting ready to bed down for the next 9 months ...? Hope you are feeling OK today and that all is well with you and your embryo

Bella30 thanks, am feeling much much better today. I am very excited about your EC tomorrow - well done your ovaries! Did you manage to stay up until midnight? What time will you go in for the EC? Am sending ripening vibes to your follicles

Pumpkin yes unexplained infertility is a PITA isn't it...? but I guess IVF is used to deal with so many issues that I am keeping my fingers crossed it is the right thing for all of us unexplainables! When we went to see our consultant, she was hilarious as she said they could do more tests to find out exactly what was going on but the chances are they'd recommend IVF anyway so we might as well just get on with the treatment. I am still on the down regs and was hoping to start the stims after my first scan which is on Fri, but I've not had any sign of AF so I guess my body isn't ready yet. I am trying to be philosophical about this but patience isn't my strong point!

Waves to everyone else!

I am doing OK today - still no sign of AF but all the horrid allergy nonsense seems to have calmed down so the prospect of staying on the down regs for longer is less calamitous than it seemed while I was in the middle of itchiness and psychosis!

I am a bit that nobody from the hospt has called me back to talk about the symptoms I had. Thank the lord for my lovely Dr friend otherwise I'd still be climbing walls, scratching more than my dog with fleas and considering cancelling the cycle... Maybe I sounded too calm and together on the message; I am sure if I'd called in the midst of allergy nightmares, they would have got back to me sooner

Right, any suggestions for what can bring on AF? I am working at a client's office today but am happy to look like an idiot if it would get AF going.

For starters, I was thinking of putting on some white trousers and sitting on a white sofa. I will obviously also go and look at new shoes. Any other thoughts gratefully received

garden u know those sesame seed wafer sweet thingies...... called 'snaps' or something.. you might try having that.. my mom always tells me to stock up on that kind of stuff before and during my period... I would call the hospie repeatedly - totally hear you on ur lovely dr friend... My clinic gave me with feedback form at the very beginning saying that they had assigned me a nurse who I could email with queries etc.. and to tell them how this 'pilot' goes for me... Each time I see the form I laugh - if ever they built a process with little to no thinking behind it - this was it. I doubt poor Ms Victoria even is aware of what it means to be an appointed nurse... she never responds to her email...when I cc her supervisor (also provided) he responds and she doesn't even see those.. if that was my only route to answers, I would not have any. YET I will not fill in the feedback form because I don't think it's Victoria's fault - nobody can be this unresponsive, really... so they must have bungled up in defining the process & training her about it... Back to AF - are you still running?
pumpkin your IUI story resonates with me..am on my second cycle - insisted on a 7th day after insemination progesterone test..and it was low and was immediately put on pessaries.... am terribly sorry about your mmc - Am glad you're on annual leave during the ivf cycle.. as much as I like to do stuff -work, home etc.. I really am not in the mood these days..
I just learnt that I can take up to 10 days of paid leave for fertility treatment.. that's nice.. so am thinking of using that wisely...

I have spent the morning preparing for a bfn.. i know it's negative but I feel like with all of me wanting a bfp at all the different levels possible.. at least one part of me - my head should start to prepare for a bfn. And then I decided I will probably just make it even worse and dumped that idea - LOL

Do you girls know if chocolate is bad in the 2ww.. I can't seem to stop eating the stuff. it's really stress eating..but I wonder if its a no-no for assisted fertility cycles..

Hey - found this article that gives a lot of good info - have referred to it before here..but not sure if I shared a link - www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=16321.0

Also learnt that a fellow frolicker (garden it's lankylegs) is pregnant - how fabulous is that :) Am off to buy some pineapple. Good things are to come ladies - so onwards and upwards.

womanly thanks for the link and the news about Lanky, that's great!

Bondi good luck with ET tomorrow! I hope it goes well and that the minibondis start settling in soon!

pumpkin how was your scan? Hope it went well and that you have lots of fat follies!

bella30 good luck with EC, I hope it goes smoothly.

Lots going on this week, fingers and toes crossed for everyone and I promise to do my best waggle dancing.

Xxx

garden think you're def on right tracks re White trouser/sofa combo but think Mr. Sod has to be further encouraged. Suggest podium dancing on local "nite" club. Also, under no circumstances have tampons or painkillers.

Did you know that women who had their period were not allowed to work in some kitchens (I think last century or before) as I was believed they could turn mayonnaise sour or curdle milk or something like that just because they had "the curse".

No particular relevance to your post, just remembered it and felt the need to share.

pumpkin - hello and good luck!

bella good luck tomorrow.

womanly and care I can really remember the building tension of the 2ww. Lots of distraction if possible. Lots of walking and I drank lots of chai lattes from cafe Nero to help calm the nerves.

Ps the pessaries definitely make you farty!!

Night all from a very cold and wet Scotland.

Garden how about BD'ing! That always seems to bring on my AF.

Bondi and Bella loads of luck for tomorrow, keep us posted.

waves all

CB

Hi and Good morning! WHAT am I doing bleary eyed at the computer screen?! Just wanted to check in to say scan was good, I think. Was so panicked and could feel my blood pressure boiling in the waiting rm-very stressed. She said I have 9 follicles one side and 6 the other. She said it was good but felt in such a rush from her (nice relaxed NHS department-ahem-only to be expected I guess) I left and didn't ask too much as when she said it was fine I just burst into tears still with probe in-TMI-DURRR! Feel very silly. Am just relieved another hurdle is over and getting ready for next one...Am dreading it as am still feeling quite rough from this bloomin gonal-f. Anyway positivity and all that!

Hello happygomummy love the name. Thank you-love Scotland,even if wet and cold!

Hi to alland yes, best of luck to the girls-Bondi and Bella Will think of you tomorrow and let us know how you get on.

Lots of love. Night night xx

pumpkin you poor love bursting into tears like that. Its the release of all that tention you have been carrying around. Please take a moment and think about how well you have done to have 9 follicles on one side and 6 on the other that is fanbloodytastic progress. Stay focused, imagine the little things growing healthy and happily inside you and take yourself off for a nice walk -or go down to the shops and buy a big fat cake, whichever you prefer! :)

Bella I'll be thinking of you today. I know, you will be absolutely fine. If its all getting too much take some big deep breaths in and slowly out (It worked for me last week anyway).

Womenly and Care youre on the final stretch!

Happy I agree the pessaries do give you wind, dont they

ET for us today, I am pretty excited. I had an accup session last night with a Zita West meditation CD in the back ground. It really helped and made me feel prepared. Have a post ET session tomorrow too. Made me realise that the meditation side is really helpful. Of course this is personal experience and others of you may think its a load of tosh but hey, what works for one etc....

For those who I havent mentioned specifically hugs and energy to you all. I'm about the enter the 2WW which based on Womenly and Cares comments may end up being the hard part for me. I have bought those pregancy tests you can do up to 6 days in advance. i think i may do them everyday from next Wednesday just in case the give me a +

bye all - hope the suns shines on you today

Bondi and Bella all the very best for you both today (((hugs)))

I am so out of date already with what's been going on! So, good luck everybody with everything- does that cover it??
I've got my baseline appointment booked now for 27th June, and going to consultation at leeds on 29th- day return on a plane how fun. Not! So, will have down reg injection this time next month on day 1 of next cycle. How come I get an injection and other people are sniffing?
By the way, I'm so hoping for some good news on this thread soon- I don't know any of you but my goodness I've got my fingers crossed for those much wanted beans!

ellan I was on injections too for my IUI cycle. Best of luck with your appt and the start of your cycle.
Bondi I love that you're doing the meditation - it's fab... hope you have a successful ET. Regarding the 2ww - sometimes I curse the day I learnt about the 2ww... because this kinda time limit makes the wait really hard..and the 2ww really doesn't mean much... it just tells you when to test...and once you test I think the anxiety spikes onto a whole other sphere. I prefer the symptoms and swooning - but alas, if those are most unpredictable.
bella Best of luck for you too.
garden how are you doing? Did they get back to you? Are you continuing with the anti-histamines? Agree about BDing to bring AF on...
I am doing ok -had a whole adventure this morning in trying to get my laptop from my office locker that kept me well and truly distracted. Have my writing class in the evening....

As with most my cycles I feel that the first week is always full of promise - lots of symptoms like back ache and sore breasts and bloated feeling and cramps... adn then the 2week I am like back to normal - - so much so as if my body can't wait for AF to show up.... so I feel great - though yesterday had a terrible case of wind thanks to you know what...

I read that it is possible to get AF despite the pessaries.. so there are the odd 'checks' that I feel compelled to doing....

wave to luck, happy, pumpkin and care

Hello Ladies - is there room for one more please, as I'd love some hand holding as DH and I start the IVF journey

We have our consent consultation this afternoon, not sure what to expect but hopefully some answers to all my questions and some kind of a plan for us! I have PCOS and have spent the last 14 months on clomid, which did produce a BFP but unfortunately ended with MMC at christmas. Found clomid absolutely hideous and while I don't expect that what is to come will be any easier, I'm just looking forward to something new and a different hospital - strange eh!

Oh lordy, am not impressed with the news of 'farty' pessaries. Is there not any indignity that we ladies are going to be spared from?!

Hiya skitoo always room for another one. Sorry to hear about your mmc and the lack of success on clomid but hope that your ivf journey will be more positive. I've read a few posts about clomid being more rotten that the IVF drugs but there are a few ladies on here who have done both and might be able to tell you more.

Bondi hope that the ET goes fabulously well and Bella have my fingers and toes crossed that EC is successful today. Let us know how you get on.

pumpkin very pleased to hear about your follicles. Does that me EC is still on for the 13th? Also very sorry to hear about your mmc. So many sad stories on here that I do hope those BFPs are just around the corner.

womanly I'm convinced that should I ever fall pg I will have no symptoms at all as everytime I've had symptoms I've not been pg. Stay hopeful, it's the only thing that makes the hopelessness bearable xx.

jumping do ask Guys about cancellations - I've got one and it means an appointment a fortnight earlier. Also, although I know everyone if different, at our gynae (rather than ACU) appointment, the consultant did all the remaining tests/scans etc. so that we are just ready to go at our ACU appointment.

Kool any luck chasing about the drugs?

care hope all is well. Are you working through the 2ww or will there be a chance to relax?

GP hope that you are spending your lunchtime rollerskating through your local park in tight white trousers or alternatively maybe you could head off on a yacht?

ellan I'm wondering about sniffing vs injection. Are you ivf-ing or iui-ing?

Damn, GP, here's that's link

Pumpkin that is GREAT news, hurrah! What awesome ovaries you have (never thought that would be something I'd say, ever). Totally understandable about crying though, the tension on this journey is too much sometimes and does need to be released. Hope you are feeling deservedly proud of your follicle growing power!

Bondi I am sure your wonderfully zen approach will be well worth it. Sending lots of positive sticky bean vibes your way

Ellan I'm not sure why some people sniff and some inject; I guess it depends on the type of drugs and the dose they prescribe? Great that you have your appt dates though!

Happy I howled at the idea of going dancing in white trousers (possibly pole dancing?) and ensuring I leave all sanitary protection and painkillers at home. It MUST work!

Womanly no, nobody's got back to me but I have my appt on Friday so when I show up screaming "nothings effing happened!!! Apart from hives and depression and that's not going to help anyone!!!" they might get the message then? Seriously though, I think I have to reconcile myself to staying on these drugs for another week or so ... Hope the 2WW isn't driving you too nutty. Not long until Fri now!

Skitoo welcome ! Sorry to hear about your MMC. I think if you can do 14 months on clomid, the IVF drugs should be a breeze! Well, maybe not a breeze but certainly shorter than 14 months ... I hope your consultation went well - let us know what the plan is

Waves to everyone else! xxx

X-posts Teds but that is hilarious! I'd forgotten that particular gem of brilliance! Will get skating immediately ... xxx

skitoo welcome - I did NOT like being on Clomid - did three rounds - failed to ovulate even!! Am on IUI now and as weird as it sounds love the injections!

I just read a post where a person asked if it is possible to get pregnant with the withdrawal method.. I found it really really funny -- Just goes to show the many months I've been on this fertility journey... and the very little reserve on sanity I have.... at least it's laughter and not tears, right?
btw - I mean no ill will to those who do fall pregnant despite the withdrawal method... the laughter was more about my journey..ie, dh and I did use the withdrawal method and we did NOT fall pregnant... but then we now know why that was the case :) The irony of it all is just amazing - make me realize how truly miraculous this whole ttc thing is really...

Not quite the same womanly but the irony of four years of 'super plus plus' tampons because my coil meant very heavy periods is sometimes lost on me.. Needless to say that I did not wear tight white clothes and take my dog for a walk whilst rollerskating when AF was in town

GP sorry to hear no one has got back to you but Wednesday is nearly done so Friday will soon be here. Honest. Although the hives and depression sound grim and you did seem really down a couple of days ago, am pleased that you are sticking with it. Hope that sounds okay x.

I have to say that I have pretty much managed no useful work today. And it's been fabulous! And it's now less than four weeks till our Guys appointment. Am full of wonderful positivity today. It's amazing what a relaxing day and a piece of cake can do

I know what you mean womanly , I just thought DH and I were experts at getting the withdrawal method just right before we were married! Now I know we needn't had bothered ...!
xxx

Teds cake is the best!

I am feeling a lot better so I guess that by the time anyone gets back to me, I'll be fine! And you are right, Friday isn't very far away at all now so at least I'll get some answers then, even if they're not the ones I'm hoping for x

skitoo welcome! i thought clomid was worse than the IVF injections. much more bloated on clomid. are you on short or long protocol?

teds very amusing link. theres also this one which made me lol

Bella Hope today went well and you are kicking back on the sofa watching crappy telly, with DH waiting on you.

News with little me is that I had one egg standing out from the crowd so they popped the little fella in my oven today. Looks like there will be 3 good enough to stick in the deep freeze tomorrow (I went from 8-6) the others wont make the grade it seems. Have to say the speculum thing they put inside first (like the smear) was more uncomfortable this time than IUI but maybe because i was more angsty. anyway the bean is hopefully settling into his new home as I type. they gave me a scan so i can see him (amazing - cant stop looking at it). Now the waiting game begins. would love a to reward myself but thats out the window for now.