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

jumping lots of canapes, champagne music and romance for your and the little swimmers hope it is good news tomorrow.
cloclo hope the inj are ok it will become second nature very soon, well done so far.
hoho great news about embies, hope you get to feel a bit more involved with the treatment plan. I know where I am care nott ( am old) they are happy for me to have 2 but not 3. Though rules are at grand old age of 40+ you can have 3. Am happy with 2 but the T word would be GULP. But then I am so lucky to already have a DS. But 2 seems perfect with IVF esp with silly NHS rules adn payment. The embriologists will advise what will give you the best likely outcome they all have your interests at heart at the end of the day.

Had a lovely afternoon in the sunshine hope the rest of you got to enjoy it too XX

Thanks for your well wishes everyone.

Jumping, fingers crossed for your embies, glad the EC went so well and I hope you get a positive call tomorrow.

I got the impression from my clinic (Coventry CRM) that they will def only transfer one embryo unless they are really poor quality and that I wouldn't get much of a choice about it. I'm 29 and I think it is the same for anyone up to 35 at least. You are now making me wonder whether I could argue for two if I get to that stage? Having said that a work colleague had ICSI at the same clinic 15 years ago and they transferred 3. She had triplets, and a very complicated pregnancy resulting in a hysterectomy and one baby being in hospital for several months, so multiples really aren't ideal :/

jumping good result on EC. I had 10 and am now convinced it's a lucky number!

Just had a call from Guys - all of our eggs were injected and 5 fertilised! Am shaking with a combination of nerves, excitement and goodness knows what else!

Ladies - please all waggle for my little embies, they need all the encouragement they can get!

ET pencilled in for Friday, with a potential nudge to Sunday for blasts.

Hello all!

I haven't been on here for a while, just been lurking whilst I wait for appointments and whatnot....

jumping - great news!!! I have everything crossed for you!
garden - how are you doing? I hope everything turns out OK, I have my fingers and toes crossed.....

and fingers and toes and ears crossed for everyone else on here!

Even though I've just been lurking, reading everyone's experiences is preparing me for what's to come - I have my consent signing appointment on the 10th October so will be finding out all about the injections, signing forms, paying up etc. I'm hoping I can start the injections later that month as the 10th will be day 2 of my cycle....otherwise I'll be waiting until November.

DH and I are very excited about getting started - I just hope I'm not evil when I start injecting!

Yay! Nice work jumping

Lets hope our embies are cooking nicely :)

zeebee it sounds like you're responding well and growing lots of nice follicles. I definitely 'felt' them too as I've only got my right ovary (left one was removed) and I had a permanent stitch like pain on my right side.

cloco I've been looking at the stats for my clinic (I know all clinics are different) and the chance of pregnancy for someone under 35 is very similar whether they transferred 1 or 2 embryos. So I can see why they suggest just 1 if you're under 35. The stats for 35-37 (I'm 36 ) were very different though.

I'm very nervous about the phone call tomorrow. I finding this is the most stressful bit, possibly because it's all out of my control and in the hands of the clinic. I feel like going down to there to cheer the embies on just to be a bit proactive!

jumping very exciting news it is getting closer and closer another hurdle reaches. Now jumping embies have a listen you are very much wanted and need to spend all your energies getting big strong and of good quality. So lots of us are doing waggle dances. good luck

Hi everyone!

jumping thats good news re the 5 embies-will be doing lots of waggling for you and in the meantime relax and enjoy the sunshine!

Hoho How are you going? I know exactly what you mean about all this being so stressy as its out of our control-I HATE the phone calls from the clinic and feel dread when the phone rings-but calm myself with the thought they are doing all they can for a successful outcome. Small steps...

Skitoo I have 2 more sleeps before OTD!! Almost can't bear it but work is a distraction and the lovely weather we're having! Still can't get over your 'T' word news!! Is it sinking in yet?!

BIG WAGGLES please ladies for me for friday-happy wednesdays to all.

xxx

Waggling for you Pumpkin!

jumping - so happy for you and your minijacks! Waggling very hard indeed for you - i was so excited to read your post! may I ask - was it IVF or ICSI that the embriologist did? ATM they think they will ICSI all of our eggs (fingers crossed I get some for that to happen of course!)...

pumpkin good luck for Friday - will be thinking of you loads!

fishfinger how exciting to be starting so soon - it will fly by once you start those down regs... you will be fine on the stims i'm sure - at least you know what to expect - prepare your DH! some people don't get any side effects at all... i'm much much better since they reduced my dose to half! Feel great actually

No massive news form me - another blood test at Guys this morning - very routine now. We are having a BBQ tonight with my 2 sisters-in-law and my DH - should be lovely... this weather seems to make all the difference doesn't it!

have a great afternoon everyone...
ZB

Feel really really tired, and am too lazy to go and enjoy the sun how bad is that? have been looking at other threads to keep me away from the work I should be doing.

Have finally phoned care to tell them the miserable news will get some info from cons tomorrow. first step made slap on back for me.

Sorry for me me post

Happy evening and enjoy the sunshine all

Zeebee we're having ICSI (straight IVF not an option for us due to DH's sperm) - they injected all of our eggs, so a 50% success rate in terms of fertilisation.

Have fun this evening!

Hello all, ClaireBear54 here, namechanged for the hell of it! Amazing news all round it seems, and just wanted to waggle away for you all and for some great news in this great weather. Can I ask, I assume that they plan to do normal IVF UNLESS at the time, the sperm don't swim that well, in the which case, they decide there and then to do ICSI? Or is that something they'd know already and we would have been told about? DH's swimmers were ok (not amazing because of an antibody attached to them probably caused by an old sports trauma...who knew?!) but I wondered about when they decide the ICSI instead of normal....Sorry if TMI! I forgot to ask this at the clinic.

Hope everyone's enjoying the sun...I do have to smile as just yesterday, I vacuum-packed away all my summer clothes....! Waves,

Hi MrsM, it was always the case for us that we would have ICSI as DH's sperm had 0% morphology (now up to 1%) and was a bit lazy! I think it's a decision that is made at the beginning of the process, but I'm sure there's nothing to say it can't be changed once they have the semen sample they're going to use (they will check it's OK for the process and advise you on the day of collection). I have also heard of some couples having IVF then switching to ICSI if the straight IVF doesn't work (providing the reason for it not working might be overcome by the ICSI process).

(Sorry, self indulgent post...)

Must also say I'm feeling so bloated and uncomfortable today - hope it's normal and just a temporary reaction to EC and the Cytogest! Feel as though my bladder is constantly full and have cramps.

[feeling sorry for myself and stuffing my face with chocolate and sweets emoticon]

jumping you deserve lots of treats today! here are some to go with them!! saw that new emoticon yesterday and been desparate to use it .

Miggins Our doctor at the clinic said they would do half IVF and half ICSI if there are enough eggs - due to the fact we have unexplained infertility - DH sprem are fine - almost boarderline but fine, so that's why they told us that at the start. Like Jumping says i am sure they can change theire mind in the lab on the actual day if they need to.

bugsy you deserve some R&R - watch a movie - don't do any work!

Guys called me today to say I need to increase my Gonal F now form 75mg to 112.5mg - so clearly folicles are now being lazy and need to be acting faster - hope it keeps me in this good mood!! Another scan and blood test scheduled for Friday...

DH SPERM even!

Thanks for the flowers Zeebee! Sounds like our paths may cross again on Friday as I'm pencilled in for ET (day 3)! How long have you been stimming for now?

I've been feeling bloated too jumping and also veeeeeeeeeerrry tired. I'm hoping this is all normal though....You definitely deserve some sweets and chocolate after all the hard work your ovaries have been doing. Poor things must be exhausted!

claire FWIW we had to have ICSI too due to DHs sperm "issues" (low count, motility and morphology). It was decided right at the start, and it costs quite a bit more than IVF. We had similar fertilisation to jumping. It's probably worth discussing it with your clinic and see what they recommend based on your DHs results.

pumpkin sorry to be thick, whats OTD?

bugsy don't you dare feel guilty for saying in and chilling on mumsnet! You need to rest and do whatever you need to recover.

Hi mrsmiggins, liking the new name! Don't worry, I know some people have said that it was decided at the beginning but there's certainly flexibility whether they use ivf or ICSI. We thought we were having ivf as the sample was really good, but on defrosting, the mobility had decreased and obviously they only knew this at the point of egg collection so that's when they decided to do ICSI.

pumpkin i've been thinking about you, sounds like you're doing really well. I have a good feeling about Friday (my test day was a Friday!), all the best.

Hello girls!
Wow lots of action on here this afternoon-can feel a really positive vibe!

Hoho think its a cert you will feel shattered-all the drugs, all the pressure-have lots of relaxing in the sunshine! OTD is official testing day-preggie test day-sorry to abbreviate-I remember coming on here at the start and thinking all the terms were so twee and now I've succumbed!

Hi Kool Thank you for your thoughts-you're very sweet and have provided much support to me in my hour of need- ((( ))) Let's hope friday is as lucky for me as it is for you-I was born on a friday-mmmmm don't think that helps! Hope you're feeling well-have you had many symptoms in your pregnancy so far? Have you started the 'announcements'? Can't begin to think how exciting it all is (obv mixed with our well learned feelings of paranoia and anxiety!)

Jumping Thanks for your lovely waggles-bloating and weeing constantly was a side effect for me too-think its combination of drugs and EC. Have all the sweets going!

Zeebee sounds like your having a yo-yo ride with those stims-pesky things-it's good your mood is still happy-lucky DH (must be the weather!) Waggles for the follies for friday-they've probably been resting after their activity packed days of late-they'll behave am sure of it.

Mrsmiggins love the new name! Alot of us on here are/have had ICSI. I think its normally done in the first cycle if there are issues with male factor-antibodies low sperm count. Having half IVF half ICSI is really good I think as it allows them to really examine matters and counteracts any issues not already discovered.

Hi also to bugsy hope you're feeling a bit better, if only slightly-I went through a similar experience to you this time last year-at my 6 week scan no heartbeat MMC and had ERCP-utterly devestating. I'm just taking comfort now in the fact that thankfully these specialists are able to do such great things. Anyway, just wanted you to know am thinking of you.

Fishfingersarnie Good luck with those consent forms-bring a strong pen-there's quite a stack of them! I hope you get started soon-it is quite exciting when you think of the possibilities but the best advice I think I've seen on here is just take it in stages, small steps with big milestones en route-otherwise the whole process seems very intimidating.

Anyway think have waffled on long enough-Love to you and big BBQs all round!
xxx

Thanks all as ever, v helpful info. Will definitely remember to ask about ICSI options next time I'm in (11th Oct, yay). Because DH can't come to nurse, Mum and sister are coming instead which is good news. I don't remember there being an especially hideous mobility isssue, as because I've been pumping encouraging him to take lots of zinc and generally be healthy etc, hope that there might be an improvement next time they test.

Waves to all, hope your evenings are going well and enjoying this amazing weather. x

Well day 2 of dregging out of the way and no side effects yet - when did yours started?

pumpkin good luck for OTD, you must be having to sit on your hands to avoid testing early!

jumping, fingers crossed for you, hope you get good news on Friday/Sunday

bugsy glad you have started the process of seeing the consultant again, now you will have something to look forward to. In the meantime look after yourself well.

mrsmiggins, we only had ICSI as a choice because of DH very poor count/motility/morphology, but I think they can change their mind from IVF to ICSI on the day depending on the sample.

Great clo that you are having no dodgy side effects - I found I was very tired by about 9pm each evening - good excuse to have some early nights! Also got a bit hot sometimes and woke quite early int eh mornings occasionally - all very manageable...

jumping how are you feeling today? I've now been stimming for 7 days - tonights will be the 8th stim. Today I havent felt any of that pulling sensation on my left or right side - I hope the folicles are still growing and not decided to give up now they are on a lower dosage! anyway my 9.30 check up tomorrow will surely answer that question for me !
Fingers crossed the ET goes really well for you tomorrow jumping...

pumpkin thinking of you for tomrrow as well and keeping my fingers crossed for a positive result!

Waves to everyone else
ZB

Thanks Zeebee, don't worry about the stimming - it will still be working! Sounds like your follies have been doing well if they've lowered your dose. Hope your scan goes well tomorrow.

I'm not sure if I want the ET tomorrow - in that would it be better to get to day 5?

Good luck tomorrow Pumpkin!