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

And thanks for the article Teds it's really interesting

Thanks Dannygirl. Yes, I've been having acupuncture. On ET day I'll be having 2 sessions on the same day pre and post transfer then another one a few days later on implantation day. I'm still undecided about it but it helps me feel like I'm doing all I can. I asked my clinic's opinion and they said only do it if the thought of the needles doesn't worry you as it'd be counter productive if the needles make you tense. Im not a bit fan of needles to be honest but the acupuncture ones are so fine they're ok.

And I think it's grapefruit! Can't say I've had any though. I think it's meant to help with cervical mucous but I think the stims drugs help with that anyway. I think pineapple is for getting the cervix moving around your due date. So here's hoping that we'll all be talking about that in 9 months or so

Kool, well done, that's fantastic news! Am really pleased for you.

Teds and Skittoo great news about drugs arriving and getting going, you'll be off in no time.

I'm waiting for af to show up, day 34 today. tested tonight and got bfn. think it might just be having all the drugs last month has put me a bit off schedule (but obviously my mind is playing tricks on me). Am due to start FET on a medicated round starting day 2 of next af so august time.

waves all. x

So sorry I have been away before I really got started on the thread. Have moved house!
Great news Kool.
Good luck for everyone starting treatment. and hugs for those who have been having a really hard time. How you all stay so postive is amazing.
Garden am so gobsmaked re clients how unethical and to snoop.
We will be on long protocol going private. Have had no info booklet but have not been for inj teaching yet. Would like to have started in May but Cons went on hols without doing letter so long delay there. then DH was unwell with tummy bug so advised to wait a month, then he was diagnosed with giardia so to wait a month after stopping tx. Looks like will fall at a bad time for us so looks like will now be sep or later for down reg!!!
At least I will be well prepared by all your journeys.

Hey Bugsylugs wow, you've been busy! Sorry to hear that you've had lots of hurdles before starting but it sounds like it wont be long now

Care ((())) to you as you start your FET, August is just around the corner. What does a medicated cycle involve? I couldn't remember how many embies/blasts you froze? How do you feel going into it again? I do admire you.

Garden I hope you're doing ok at the moment and that your uncle's funeral was as good as it could be xxx

Kool fabulous news! Well done that woman!! I will be joining everyone in the waggle dance - we'll be waggle-tastic!!

Welcome other ladies and sorry I can't namecheck you, am on my phone at the mo. I'm also finding my memory is a bit dicky at the mo - anyone else injecting Buserelin finding that? It could just be old age... I nearly forgot to have my jab last night!

Hope you all have a fab Friday. xx

Ps bugsy congrats on your new house, are you loving it?

Hi all - another newbie wanting to join.

I have been lurking for ages and been on lots of the conception threads under various names. Garden and a few of you other lovely ladies have given me advice in the past. :)

Well, the letter has been sent to our IVF clinic and so we are now officially on the IVF journey!

I have PCOS and DH poor sperm (low-ish count and low-ish normal forms) and we've been trying (unsuccessfully, obviously!) for our first baby for 18 months. I am on month 8 of clomid, but really just going through the motions now.

It is so exciting and nerve-racking to realise this is really happening. I never thought that we'd be having to have IVF, it is so beyond the normal expectations we have of our lives. But having followed some of you on your journeys, I realise that it is something that people do manage to get through.

I believe we will have our first appointment in about 6 weeks. Seems like ages before anything properly happens, but I had to tell some people about it! We are keeping completely schtum about it all....which is fine, except I tell everyone everything!!

Have you folks told many people? Do you feel you need support and understanding or is it easiest to keep it private?

Thanks for letting me join you.

xx

Welcome lucyraggydoll . Congrats on starting your journey. What you said about just not expecting to do ivf really resonated with me, I never thought I'd be doing it either but here we are. I just keep thinking how fortunate we are that it exists, it just blows me away really. In terms of telling people I think there's a mixture on this thread. I'm not shouting it from the rooftops but I'm not keeping it secret either, I actually quite like my friends and family being interested in it as it makes me and DH feel well supported. But it's a totally personal thing I guess. at you telling everyone everything!

I'm not even at the 2ww and I'm mentalling! I'm booked for ET tomorrow but I'm hoping they'll call me to change it to Monday. I just have a feeling that if I have a day 3 transfer (i.e. tomorrow) I'll feel less hopeful...do I need to get a grip?

Kool, I know this is easier to say as I'm not in the middle of a cycle, but I reckon at this stage its not about the specifics - what they put back and when doesn't matter, its just about keeping open to what happens and when you get the bfp, what's meant to be will be, you know what i mean?

waves everyone else. x

Thanks care, you're absolutely right. I've posted a couple of other threads asking how much rest people got, whether people got to day 3 or blasto etc and there are lots of positive stories but I guess I just have to accept that if it's going to happen it's going to happen. I've managed not to do too much mentalling until now (apart from when I was down regging, but that was the drugs!) but I guess it feels like the main event is about to happen and I'm not liking my lack of any control over it I guess. Hey ho! How are you doing? Xx

Hello all, super quick post I'm afraid but just wanted to say hello! Welcome to all the new ladies and I have been waggle dancing like mad for everyone's follicles and embryos!

Kool I know this is easier said than done but try not to be too worried about the 3 day transfer vs blasto. I am sure that the Drs will do whatever they think is best and that has to give you the best chance. I know we all want to get to the blasto stage but i think there's also something to be said for getting the little chaps / chappesses back in a nice cosey womb as soon as poss. I can see Guy's ACU tower from where I live and I am waggling madly at it for you!

So sorry I can't name check everyone but I have to dash. I promise I'll do a proper post tomorrow

xxxxx

Kool, you're doing all the right things, everything you possibly can so just trust in that. Have you got any time off after ET? Best of luck tomorrow whatever happens.

I'm ok, been doing a bit of planning of how to cope if I spend the next 18 months doing this. Joining a really lovely gym / spa / health club tomorrow so that's a start! x

kool Best of luck have been waggle dancing. hope the news is good. 2 of my rl friends who have had successful ivf both had ET on day 3 ( one of them twice and due now, ie 3 lo in total). other 2 friends not sure if they had day 3 or 5 transfer. So don't get disheartened either way.

Bella just wanted to say late though it is so sorry and devastated for you about your mum but so utterly delighted for you re little bean.

care hugs for the restarting. I find I cannot even contemplate and plan things with coping with this journey it feels very surreal think i need to focus more. the gym/spa sounds a fabulous idea.

Welcome lisaJayne and lucy

lucy I so know what you mean about IVF not being on the radar. We are so very very lucky to have a LO had been referred for initial consultations and been told we needed ICSI due to poor numbers, form and motility when I found out I was pregnant. Took me 18 months of trying to realise/ accept needed to be referred again and we had the clues before!!

IF you have not had hep B, hep C and HIV blood test pre consultation try and get GP to do it is now an annual requirement of hfea adn will save a little time.

New house great much unpacking to do keep triping over books etc.

wave to everyone

Hi everyone, sorry for not being active for awhile.. work has been crazy. Good luck to all of u, will join in the waggle dance.

The waggling is working, thanks everybody!

I got a call this morning saying that our embies are still top quality so they're taking them to day 5. I'm really happy (although weirdly had stopped mentalling about a day 3 transfer by last night!) and now don't know what to do with myself on this wet weekend....wishing I'd provisionally booked a spa day!!!

That's exciting kool. Fingers crossed for your top quality embies! Can they still freeze any that aren't used this cycle?
Welcome to the new joiners.

I had my second scan on friday, still 14 follicules and the largest is 15mm. EC scheduled for wed or thurs at the moment. Really stressing out about finding someone to look after dd as it's early in the morning. We've chosen not to mention the whole ivf thing to most our family and friends and now need to come up with a story as to why we need a babysitter from 7.30am onwards! Any suggestions gratefully received!
good luck to all

Thank you for the welcome. It is great to hear what happens...makes it all seem much less scary.

Good news kool that your embryos are so good. How many eggs were collected and how many are now embryos?

bugsy we did have those tests done, thanks. The doc explained they had to be done and sent with the referral. How amazing that you got pregnant naturally first time, when it was thought you needed ICSI. V encouraging.

I see that you're keeping things quiet owl. Have you told anyone? No suggestions, I'm afraid.

We're going to our local NHS centre, but the stats only show a 30% success rate. Is thia normal? Doesn't seem v high!!

Hope people have found somewhere to shelter from the rain today. My poor DH was at a stag do...outdoor archery. He came back soaked to the skin and with blue lips he was so cold!

Hi everyone sorry for the long absence, just had quite busy week!

Kool sounds like we're pretty much the same - on Tues they collected 10 eggs, and yes I agree re the anaesthetic, it felt great, I'd never had one before - I think I asked the doc if I could take some home! All went well, no after effects and out of the 10, 7 fertilised and 6 divided so they waited till today to transfer. I had one embryo transferred this morning, almost at blastocyst stage, the others hadn't got advanced enough which was a bit disappointing so fingers crossed for the one - feels very weird that this little embryo is inside now, they even gave me a photo of it to take home, very odd, trying not to coo over it too much!

I only had the one day off for EC and am having tomorrow and Tues off post ET. Had acupuncture before and after ET and some weird little 'ear seeds' which are still in and supposed to help with the hormones and flow blood to the womb. Docs told me to not take it too easy - not just lie on the bed or sofa not moving for 3 days as you're supposed to make sure the blood flows to the womb. Not going to be going to the gym though, just some easy walks.

Owl exciting news about your follicles and EC for next week, fingers crossed for you. You could just say that you have an early breakfast meeting at work...?

Welcome to the newbies. and Kool good luck with ET tomorrow let us know how it goes.

Speak soon xxxx

Hi Owl, they'll hopefully be able to freeze some tomorrow but it depends on how they're looking. It sounds like your follicles are progressing nicely and steadily. I'm useless at thinking up excuses, sorry, can you just ask one of the few people you have told (I'm sure you've thought of that tho) or if it becomes a real stress could you just let one trustworthy person know?

Hi Lucy, glad you're feeling ok about the whole thing. I had 10 eggs collected, 8 injected and 6 fertilised. 30% for your clinic could mean anything really, it depends how it's broken down. You might find that it's much higher for if you're under 35 for example but 30% is how it averages out, IYKWIM. I think the HFEA website might have clinic stats or your actual clinic's website should probably have more details stats too.

Hey Caramel, so good to hear from you , wow we were similar! I'm glad your ET went well, you sound really calm! Remember the thread mantra...It only takes one...so I'm sure they picked a good one for you. I love that you got a photo, I hope I do too. I think it's good to look at it and visualise it snuggling in all comfy . I got myself into a tizzy last night as I'm one of the "lucky" 10% of women with a tilted uterus so I convinced myself it'd make ET really tricky and I was doomed!! I had to have my pre ET acupuncture today as my ET tomorrow is too early to have it before, and I too am the owner of ear seeds!! I think I feel much calmer now. I'm really confused about how easy to take it - I posted on the pregnancy thread to ask people there what they did and it was a mixed response. I was at Zita West for my acupuncture and they gave me a handout which recommended bed rest for the first 2 days! I think I'll take it easy but maybe not that easy, gentle walks sound like a good idea. Ooh one more thing, feel free not to answer if it's too personal but presuming like me that you're doing morning and evening progesterone pessaries, did you do this morning's one before or after your ET? I'm a bit worried that if I do it before it might be a bit, erm, messy !

Hi to everyone else on this soggy weekend

Wow those in the middle of the cycle it sounds like you're all doing well. Well done and good luck over the rest of it all.

I notice, Caramel and Kool that you both had acupuncture - was that part of your cycle or did you have to arrange it separately?

I have everything crossed for you all anyway and look forward to some good news rolling in xxx

Hi Kool wow freaky that we're even the same with the ear seeds! Yes Im on the pessaries and took one this morning before ET but not in the same area they're doing the ET if you get my drift!!! Try not to stress about your tilted uterus the more relaxed you feel when they're performing the ET the easier it will be. The first time I had IUI, which is very similar to the ET, I was really stressed and it made it more difficult but just keep breathing deeply and slowly, relax and it will be absolutely fine. Is DH going with you? If so, just hold his hand and squeeze if you need to! Also, you see everything on screen as they perform an ultrasound at the same time so its really interesting to watch it go in and kind of takes your mind of whats going on down below!. They show you the embryos magnified before they insert them and then you can see them (or it) as a tiny white dot once they've transferred. Weird about the total bed rest - my acupuncturist said the same as the doc though so I'm inclined to go with the light exercise option. Best of luck anyway let me know how it goes.

Biscuitsandtea unfortunately the acupuncture what something I've arranged separately. I's read in several different sources, including at my hospital, that it increased changes of IVF by up to 15% particularly if one before and after ET.

Speak later xxxx

Have to just wish you both the very best of luck again for the next few weeks - don't know what the post ET equivalent of a waggle dance is but I'll be doing it for you xx

Thanks for the progesterone info Caramel, I catch your drift

Thanks biscuits . I too arrange my acupuncture separately. I think some clinics might have people there though - the Bridge clinic does I think, although I'm not sure where you're having treatment (not sure you've been on this thread with a different name or you're a newbie? Either way, loving the and name!)

Ah yes have changed name, used to be LisajayneS. Not having treatment quite yet - have 3 mths Clomid now then poss IUI then IVF maybe, so sort of lurking with intent