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

Bondi that's fantastic news - glad you made it through the transfer. Just virtual for a bit but it'll all be worth it! How long did they wait until the transfer? (Sorry, probably on the thread earlier, but just wondering!)

Skitoo I only joined this thread a few days ago but everyone's been fantastic and very welcoming. I've never taken Clomid, but have just made it through 2nd cycle of drugs and survived it. Not always feeling brilliant, but could have been a lot worse. And if you do feel rough, then there's always people on here to share with.

Anyway, I had my EC today. All went well - and we have 9 eggs. DH told stories of people at the clinic being told they have 20, 15, 18, but we are happy with 9. Many more than last time (when we only had 3) so really hoping there's enough there that we get at least one or two embryos. Excited, but also slightly dreading tomorrow morning cos we didn't get past this stage last time. We'll hear by 11am apparently. Trying to think positive thoughts in the meantime. Lying on the sofa watching crappy films is indeed a good distraction!

Hope everyone else is doing well - halfway through the week already!

Pumpkin I should have said well done on your scan. The crying is just par for the course I think. I've been slightly insane this last week - absolutely normal one minute, and then all teary the next. This morning it was the consultant saying 'let's get you some embryos this time'. I wasn't quite crying being wheeled into the EC, but I wasn't far off! Remember not only are you drugged up with all sorts of ridiculous hormones but it's such an emotional journey that the tension can really get to you too. Hope you can stay on an evenish keel for the next few days.

Bondi and Bella fantastic news, well done both of you!! Hope you are busy relaxing, here have another virtual

Welcome Skitoo the more the merrier.

My day went a bit like this:
09.01: this is going to work
09.02: this might work
09.03: this won't work
09.04: this might work
09.05: this is going to work

ha ha, sound familiar? and yes totally agree with the irony of all those years of angst, pill taking and horrible condom using!!

waves all 'the ladies', which is what DH and I now call you lot, as in 'i'm busy i'm chatting with the ladies'. x

Virtual all round please!

Bondi that's fabulous news about the little fella and love the link!

Bella nine eggs is brill. Stay positive and enjoy the crappy tv. I'm just about the put the telly on too. Lovely

Ah yes care DH is also fascinated by the 'ladies' Glad to hear that 'this is going to work' is featuring in there with the angst.

Wonderful news Bondi :) How special to have a copy of the scan.
Bella Fantastic news about 9 -- :)
Care I totally hear you -- so much of mind space is full of this stuff... when do you test?

No news from me - still no symptoms - - some phantom symptoms... some longings ... lots of dreams and scenario playing - here's how I will tell X or Y about the bfp... moments of darkness pondering on bfn ... moments of wondering - will it be possible to pick this up and go again? Moments of - what could have gone wrong.... It's all there...

Do have a headache...some back ache - not sure if these are phantom symptoms... for eg.. it's near lunch time and I often get a headache if I don't eat.. so that's that.. anyways - let me go and eat anyhow...

Thanks to the Pessaries -- lots of wind issues... I am not eating wisely either...so not helping.. oh well...

Stay well :)

garden how are you doing hon? I am sorry to hear about the depression... are you going for those walks? Any sign of AF? We're just one day away from your appt - so hang in there you brave pixie you :)
I forget who was our triplet for tomorrow... another appt I believe.. hope you are keeping well too - sorry for not remembering your nickname.

Hi can I join you please? Have first appt at Care Notts in August. We have been ttc for 2 years and I have endometriosis. We have had a natural pg ending in mc at 7 weeks and a clomid pg that ended due to trisomy 21 and severe hydrops incompatible with life.
On clomid again but thinking of trying array cgh IVF. Anyone had this?

Hi,
I've had IVF and was really lucky that my first cycle worked and I have non-identical twin girls. They are now 13 months and fabulous! It was a long road to get there for us, clomid and 3 cycles of IUI first but nothing worked for us except the IVF. We had unexplained issues too, I think it's really common. Just want to wish you luck and say that it worked for us and I really hope it will for you too.

So my news: the clinic rang this morning and 6 eggs fertilised overnight! Really can't believe it - I was expecting 1 or 2 at most and in my darkest moments, none, and now suddenly it feels as if somehow, someday we might actually get there.

Really very excited right now, and need to calm down a little because clearly there's a long way still to go, but after the result last time so relieved that my eggs and DH's sperm don't actually hate each other

Anyway, possible transfer on Saturday, but I guess we just need to see how the little ones develop.

carebear I laughed at the description of your day. Sounds so familiar. womanly hope the symptom spotting isn't driving you too mad.

[waves at everyone else]

Great news bella - excited for your ET on Sat :)
Maxo Thank you for sharing your story - :)
Welcome black - sorry I am not sure what that particular type of ivf is about.

Great news bells that is fab they are busily dividing. Get gp to do do some more dancing for them! Max I choked a tear reading your post, really needed to hear that thanks for sharing. How did u cope with the 2wk wait?

Black welcome to the thread we're all friendly and in similar dingheys!

So I said to dh last night, listen, all the lovely mm ladies all have other halves who are going through this very difficult time too. Why don't we set u up with a dh group, You could talk about your feelings and share your experiences, find a shoulder to cry on. He said nah. This is why men are from mars and women are from Venus!

Afternoon All - thanks for all the welcomes, am so glad I've found a thread where I feel I can belong. Garden, thanks for starting

Bella, that is fantastic news, 6! Fingers crossed they're busy doing their thing and will be good and ready for you Saturday

Bondi - funny you should say that about the clomid as the nurse at the clinic yesterday said that I'd probably find the ivf drugs easier going, let's hope so, as clomid really did send me mad . Great news on your ET, hope your little bean is nestling down, how cute you have a scan.

Welcome Black - sorry to hear you've had such a tough time. I haven't heard of array cgh, whats involved there?

Our consultation yesterday has had me up and down again! Thought the clinic was really good, really impressed with the team there. However, the lengthy time spent on clomid has resulted in a cyst on my right ovary and the nurse and doctor I saw were somewhat puzzled with my bodies behaviour, as I'm not looking particularly PCOS at the moment but do have a really thin lining and don't have a cycle on my own - they spent over an hour scanning me and I had to change rooms to a 3D scanner! Anway, overnight another doctor has reviewed my notes and we have a plan, hoorah! Unfortunately I have to go back on the pill for 3 weeks, which should thicken up my lining and sort out the cyst, I'll then have a cycle and can get going next month.

I'm trying to see this as a positive, that they're not just going to leave me and hope that I have some kind of a cycle on my own (could be waitinf forever) and that I can have a month off any kind of drugs to chill out a bit

Waves to everyone else

Hi thanks for the welcome.
Array cgh is normal ICSI plus a type of aneuploidy screening. After ec they take the polar body of each egg and test it's chromosomes. The eggs are icsied and grow in the same way but the result is that only eggs with normal chromosomes are transferred. Minimises the risk of mc as most mc are chromosomal. We have had a previous t21 pg. I feel if we have to have IVF I want to use the technology to minimise the risk of a repeat of last time.
I've had a couple of big cysts- had a 5cm one after my clomid pg and it went with 3 weeks on the pill - magic! Fingers crossed for you

womanly, garden and bella good luck tomorrow! Hope you're various milestones go well, will be thinking of you all.

womanly, re the chocolate cravings i get these really badly too, have you tried upping your protein intake x3 per day, this seems to help me a bit sometimes.

Hi all, sorry for such a short post, had a manic day and have only just stopped running around like a mad woman! But I had to log on to see how bella30 's tiddlers are doing and woo hoo, amazing news! Well done you and mr bella!

womanly very very best of luck for the test tomorrow. I am so hoping for good news for you!

blacktreaclecat welcome! lovely to have you with us, will write a proper post to you tomorrow when I have a bit more time

care and Bondi I hope your little people are settling in well!

teds I hope your big pres went well and that you can have an easy run into the weekend

skitoo sorry to hear about your cyst, grrrr to clomid. But great that you have a plan. I am sure the pill will have your ovaries all smooth and shiny in no time

maxo thank you for sharing your story, it really helps to hear positive stories. Glad you and your DDs are doing well

Hello to everyone else, and so sorry not to have time to say hi to everyone properly, but here, have a lovely or depending on how your day has been

I am very much looking forward to my appt tomorrow morning to get a few answers about what is going on. AF seems to be just around the corner though so I do feel like things are moving. I tried everything today - thirty mins on a cross trainer, long walk with the hound, chocolate and BDing! Although I suspect what will ultimately lure AF out will be the fact that some poor nurse will be prodding my bits tomorrow with dildocam ... thanks AF, obviously pick the most mortifying time to show up! Frankly though, I'm beyond caring, just as long as it shows up soon.

Right, off to do a quick dance for womanly 's bfp tomorrow and for everyone's respective embryos, eggs and ovaries!

Night night xxxx

Very quickly to let womanly know that I've got fingers and toes crossed for you today and hope all goes well for GP and Kool too.

Cups of for the rest of you lovely ladies.

P.S. IT'S FRIDAY! WHOOP!

Just a quickie to second everything Teds just said!!

Back later when on pc for a proper post xx

bfn. onwards and upwards.
care I did not know about the protein - will try that. Strangely past two days I did not have the cravings.
garden best of luck for your appt today.
Wave to everyone else.

Oh womanly ((((hugs)))) to you lovely. I am so sorry. At least you can now start taking prog as soon as you ov though rather than half way through the 2ww so I am sure that will make a difference. I hope you are ok and have nice things planned for the weekend. Sending lots of love xxxx

Oh arse, womanly am so sorry too

Agree with GP - hope that you have nice plans for the next few days or that DH spoils/plies you with whilst you have a wallow.

Sending you some MN (((hugs))) too x.

Hi all,

Right, back from my appt and, as suspected, my uterine lining is still too thick for me to start the stims and, because AF has sort of started, I can't take anything to hurry things up. So I have to stay on the sodding sniffers until tuesday when I have another scan.

On the up side, my ovaries are properly down regged and I have twenty three antral follicles ... Not sure what that means but the dr seemed happy.

I am a bit grumpy about it but can def hold on until tues and I did know I wasnt ready although, oddly, when I asked the nurse if I should have called to say I had only bled a bit, she said no because I might have had a full period and just not noticed ...

On the upside, I dont have to work this afternoon so plan to watch rubbish tv and then get my hair cut!

Love to everyone xxx

Oh Womanly, so sorry to hear that. As the others say, take lots of you time this weekend xx

Garden, sorry you're not progressing as expected - it's so annoying isn't it, that our bl*ody bodies let us down and won't do what they're supposed to! I keep beating myself up over it , I went 12 weeks after mmc with no AF, took Provera to induce it which didn't work either?!. Hope Tuesday comes round quickly after a lovely weekend

Black that treatment sounds good, is it new, how amazing medicine can be for us troubled folk! Thanks for the reassuring advice on the cyst, made me feel really positive that the backwards step of having to take the pill will actually do some good.

Any updates Bella?

Am so looking forward to the weekend, am feeling rather perky with my new action plan and have just had my home phone and braodband reconnected after nearly 3 weeks - felt like I'd had my arms and legs cut off being out of communicardo!!

and to everyone

Thinking of you, womanly

Onwards and upwards, as you say.

xx

Womanly that news really is a kick in the teeth for you and i am sure I speak for all the ladies on here when I say we all feel for you. Please dont give up hope. Stay strong and spoil yourself rotten this weekend

Garden sounds like you have the right mind set. hope you enjoyed your lazy afternoon (jealous)

Have a great weekend all wish i could have one of those myself!!!

Womanly sending you loads and loads of love and hugs, am thinking of you. This is so shit isn't it, really hope you are doing ok and you are surely now that step closer. Remember that statistically it is still most likely that this will eventually happen for us than not.

Hello all,

I hope you don't mind me popping in and asking for some advice.

We've just had our first cycle of ICSI (I have mild endometriosis and DH has a 70% anti-body level) and are due to test on Thursday. So sorry to hear things haven't worked out for you womanly - I really hope you get your happy ending next time round.

I wondered how you all felt at this stage? I had 17 follicles, 13 eggs injected and 8 fertilised. I have had both a HyCoSy and a Laparoscopy and can say the discomfort after EC was on a par - but lasted sooo much longer. I swelled up so much I looked like I was 6 months pregnant (no exaggeration) and though this seemed to slowly reduce since our 2 wonderful little embies were put back 9 days ago, yesterday I swelled back up again! Not to quite the same extent as post-EC but I'd say someone would easily think I was 4 or 5 months pregnant and the ovarian discomfort seems to be back with avengence. I've also not been feeling too great with queasiness and exhaustion.

Has anyone else experienced a flare up a few days after being better? They were concerned about OHSS but surely that wouldn't happen this long after EC?

I really appreciate any advice or to hear of your experiences post-EC.

(also, everyone expects me to be itching to test but I'm so afraid of getting a BFN I'm not looking forward to it at all. Ignorance is definitely bliss! Is this normal as I'm beginning to feel maybe I'm a freak for feeling this way!)

Fingers crossed for everyone xx