IVF / ICSI - everyone welcome for questions, hand holding, and waggle dancing

[Gardenpixie]

Ladies, we ran out of space on the old thread so here is a sparkly new one with dedicated areas for waggle dancing, hormonal outbreaks of bonkersness, sniffing, injecting and progesterone pessary related fartiness.

For anyone thinking about starting IVF / ICSI or going through it at the moment, do come and say hello. These wonderful ladies have kept me sane through the last few months and are a source of all knowledge concerning tests, down-regging, ov stimulating, DIY injections and much more so if you need any info or just some company, do join us.

So here's a welcome for everyone and an enormous waggle dance for many many more BFPs to come

Alright ladies, tell me the truth here, am I the only one totally cracking up?! You all sound far too level headed to me, it can't be natural

Ellan this is how bonkers I am: I was told to test 16 days after EC so, even though I don't know if we have any viable embies at this stage, let alone having any on board, I still feel like I'm on the 2WW

How are you doing? xx

Hey Garden, glad you're feeling better today, it's a rough old ride isn't it. Nothing can prepare you for the ups and downs, I have been all over the place in the last week - think that answers your question Ellan .

Ive got everything crossed that your little soda pops are bubbling away and will be good and ready for ET tomorrow xx

How's it going then Ellan?

Ellan - I was COMPLETELY INSANE. Walked around the house calculating days/hours/seconds until otd. It was irrelevent anyway as I was weak and tested 4 days early. Tbh since bfp I've not been much better, I'm now counting down days til 12w scan (had miscarriage before so stressed about this).

Oh guys, it's so silly but I really needed to know that everyone is finding it as hard to stay sane as I am! Google is not my friend- can't stop looking at random peoples symptoms and blogs. I want to get off the rollercoaster now, so I can stay in a place where I at least have a glimmer of hope that I might be pregnant. Really don't feel like this cycle has worked, but at the same time don't want to see a BFN or hear the blood test results because then it will be over for sure.

Oooooh, just heard from the clinic - Dandelion and Burdock have grown well and are at 7 and 8 cells respectively. Soda is a little slower so they are going to recommend transferring D&B today and keeping an eye on Soda to see how she does before deciding whether to freeze her or not.

I am now paranoid that there is something wrong with D&B which is why they are recommending transferring two but my rational side says it is because it is day three and I am 35. Sadly the rational side of me had been in hiding quite a bit recently so I will obviously be wibbling until we get there and I can grill the embryologist.

Hope you are all well lovely ladies xxxx

Garden thats great news! D&B are going to be so much better in you than in that little dish, they'll be able to get nice and snuggly . I had all those thoughts with my day 2 transfer and am sure you'll feel a lot calmer once they're on board. Hope all goes well, try and be as calm as poss, its amazing .

Ellan, sorry you're feeling so awful, how long have you got until you test? Google can be evil but there's also lots of inspirational stories and there's no reason why you can't be one of them sweetie. Have you got much planned for the weekend to try and occupy your mind? Here's a great big hug for you ((((((())))))), hang in there.

My current trauma is where am I going to do the lovely cyclogest tonight?!?! Play won't finish until 11'ish and it'll then take us over an hour to get home .

Wishing everyone a lovely BH weekend - wish the weather was better xx

garden that's great news! I had a day three transfer, and while you do feel a bit worried that it isn't day five, there are still plenty of success rates with a day 3 transfer. Hope D&B snuggle in nicely.

ellan: this is me trying to take my mind off what was going on. I decided to make some jam to keep myself busy, there's loads of fruit about, I really like jammin', what's not to love? I now have 42 pots

I test on Monday. I have no more fruit.

Hi guys,

Well a lovely BH weekend has arrived! Just about to go to MILs in the country-nice walks, food etc but 15 degrees on monday? Nooooo!

Anyway,least time enough to relax and recharge batteries a little. Saw accupuncturist yesterday who made me bit She made me describe my normal cycles and when I said I had short luteal phase,periods very light and short etc she said "well if this cycle fails, then don't do another one straight away-your eggs could be bad quality" I felt really awful where as I thought it was meant to make me feel better? Don't know if was her broken english or my paranoia making me feel bad? Anyway went for it and another appt next fri. Scan to see if I have DR and can start stims wedneday. Not long now...

Gardenthats great news-7 and 8 cells is brill from what I've read about cell development. Was trying to look into it for Newroad and it looks good. Good lucki for today-will be thinking of you. Defo they have said to go for 2 because of what you've said. They said the same to me (if we get there) as am 35 too and I suppose they have to sort of count our last first failed cycles. My hair by the way is short to just below the ear from just below the boob so bit of a change! Going for highlights when on stims-is that allowed?

Boddecia thinking good thoughts and waggles for monday. Have a relaxing (ish!) weekend x

Ellan am sure it's so hard not to POAS-agree its the thought of looking at a BFN that might not even be accurate that puts you off-be strong-waggles x

Love to all-will catch up monday hopefully xxxxx

Ha, jam making it is then bodeccia! I have actually already done some plum jam, but my apples are nearly ready so maybe I'll do some chutney instead
I had a little bit of brown spotting/discharge this morning (7 days past 5 day transfer). Really scared now. Thank you so much for helping me to be a bit more positive by the way. Am just trying to take deep breaths and get on with things.
garden good luck with the transfer- enjoy being PUPO!
skitoo enjoy the play. Take it cyclogest is an injection? Try not leave needles lying about in the toilets- does rather lower the tone of an establishment I should think
pumpkin don't let the acupuncturist scare you- fingers crossed for all systems go on Wed! Enjoy your long walks in the cold countryside.

Waves to everyone else from a slightly deranged ellan...

Hello ladies,

Well, we're back from the clinic and transferring two was definitely recommended because of my advanced years rather than anything to do with D&B. They are both snuggly on board and, apart from a moment of horror when I realised I had run for the train on the way home and convinced myself that they had fallen out, I am managing to be in no way at all calm.

skitoo fwiw, the consultant today said you don't have to worry about the timing of the cyclogest in the same way as you do with the stims and down regs, so I reckon just sometime before you go to bed will be fine. Enjoy the play!

Bodeccia I am sending apples, plums and greengages to distract you! Seriously though, not long to go now, stay strong!

pumpkin erm, not sure what to say about the accu lady other than . Surely the problem with the last cycle was that they collected your eggs too early? I can't remember whether you did icsi or but if you only did straight ivf, they wouldnt be able to tell you about the maturity... Apparently you can only tell once youve washed them for the icsi process. Don't worry about it anyway as I'm sure that this time will work now you are in the hands of experts! And if th e clinicians haven't raised any concerns then I'd trust them over the acupuncturist... Not sure about highlights - I remember someone telling me that highlights were ok even in pregnancy because you can get them to do it so the dye doesn't touch your scalp until rinse it off whereas when you get an all over, they rub it everywhere. Can't remember who told me that though so can't vouch that it wasn't someone repeating a google nugget!

Ellan hang on in there lovely. I know people who have spotted all through their pregnancy and had totally healthy babies so don't take it as a sign anything is wrong.

Hello everyone else - big waggles all round for a great bank holiday weekend for everyone

Xxxx

Good luck with D&B gp

pumpkin the accupuncturist sounds like a nut, if she was an expert in ivf she would be a doctor not doing accupuncture. I personally would not go back to someone who offered their opinion on something they don't fully understand. Grrrr on your behalf

Hold on bodeccia and ellan, not long to wait

Morning ladies. Sorry to be bearer of bad news, but i am properly bleedingand cramping now , so i didn't even make it to the end of the 2ww! Gutted isn't the word, and my poor dh doesn't know what to say. So, now will get planning how on earth we pay for another go. I will keep looking in, because i want you all to get bfps so much! xx

Oh Ellan am so sorry to hear that. Be gentle on yourself, big ((((hugs))) for you and MrEllan. xx

Firstly I'm sorry for not checking in before now. We moved last week which was very stressful (really wouldn't recommend it at the same time as IVF!) but at least it has taken my mind off things a little. I haven't had a chance to read back over all the news, so will do personals later but I just wanted to say

Oh Ellan, I am so sorry my lovely. I wish with all my heart there was something I could sayto ease the pain for you and DH at the moment. Llook after yourselves and do whatever brings you comfort at the moment.

Garden - I'm glad D&B are onboard where they belong. It must be such a relief to get to this stage after everything you've been through. JUst concentrate on though lovely embryos now and you can sort the clinic out later

Bodeccia, Teds, Skitoo and New Road - hope you are all hanging in there. Am thinking of you all. Am going slightly mad myself now. I have absolutely no symptoms and am swinging from being desperate to test to desperate not to. I really really dont think it has worked, but of course am hoping deep down that I am proved wrong. Anyway, have decided to test tomorrow which is 2 days before OTD as I then have a couple of days off before I have to go to go back to work if its bad news, so will let you know.

Hello to everyone alse and wil catch up properly later xx

So sorry to hear your news Ellan, thinking of you and your DH

Just checking in quickly from rainy france. So sorry to hear your news Ellan -how frustrating for you and DH. You must be so upset.

Garden glad your embies seem to be doing their thing. Big waggles to everyone...

Going in for my How to inject yourself session next Tuesday - looking forward to starting it all... finally!

zb

Ellan the hugest of hugs to you both. Right now, look after each other and take each hour as it comes. Be kind to yourselves. And you will find the strength and the means to try again, when you're ready xxx

(((((( ellan ))))))) So sorry to hear your news. Gutted for you both. Am thinking of you

Oh ellan I am so sorry to hear that, big hugs to you both, I am thinking of you too xxx

Ellan I am so so sorry, do make sure you look after each other, I know exactly how you are feeling xxx
If you dont mind me asking, how old are you? An IVF clinic in London does offer cycles of IVF for £104.00 instead of £4500 when you opt for egg sharing. There is a list of criteria but it seemed straight forward, Im going to look in to it.

Am also the bearer of bad news, I have kept a low profile for last few days as after having quite bad cramps for the best part of a week Our local EPU confirmed that it was a mc at 5 weeks 4 days as I was only measuring 4 weeks and it hadnt started to come away. After a friend suffered the same before the summer holidays and opted for a natural mc I decided that emotionally after the IVF this would have been too much for me and rather than waiting opted for a form of d&c. I have been feeling very low for the past couple of days and guilty that we didnt get very far. We are going to start again, may try IUI first or go straight for IVF again depending. We will all get there in the end ladies- I love the quote about making the bouquet using flowers within our reach- cant remember who said that but its so so right.

Love to everyone, I have decided to check back in regularly with this forum as you guys keep me so positive.

Lou xxxx

Oh louise I am so sorry. Please don't feel guilty- you didn't do anything to deserve this happening to you. Huge hugs xx Re. egg sharing, I was actually going to (I'm only 27) but there was a question about my suitability for a medical issue. There are plenty of clinics that do egg sharing schemes, the CARE fertility group do for example. You might find one closer to home if it's easier for you.

Thank you all for your messages. I'm holding it together really, I never thought it would work this time, so I think I had already prepared myself. Still got to go for blood test to rule out any ectopic etc but I know I'm not pregnant. Think we'll try again in the new year, at a different clinic.

Best of luck tomorrow bodeccia, and you too teds whenever you're testing xx

Louise, my heart goes out to you, I'm so sorry. It is an absolutely awful thing to have to go through, been there myself. Please take care of yourself and take the time you and DH need. Lots of love xx.

Will check in with everyone else tomorrow but just wanted to wish Bodeccia good luck for tomorrow.

Louise I'm so so sorry, that's incredibly sad. I know that emotionally, the pain will take time to heal but I have to say you did the right think with your d&c. I went 'natural' with my mmc last year, it took a couple of weeks to happen and was painful physically so I'm glad you didn't have to go through this too, on top of the pain you were already going through. Take time and you too will find the strength to do it again, with a much happier outcome xxx

Oh Louise, I am so sorry. How absolutely heartbreaking for you. WHat an absolute rollercoaster you've been on. Big hugs my love, take care of yourself and I hope the next couple of weeks are as bearable as possible xx