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

12 have fertilised. Think this is reasonably good?

blacktreaclecat it's not reasonably good, it's fantastically good! Well done you, sorry about what a tough week you've had and I hope it's all smiles from here.

jumping huge congrats, wishing you a happy 9 months xx

blacktreaclecat don't know if this is helpful perspective - I'm 35 with no (known) fertility problems - IVF is due to DH. I had a good amh level, 18 eggs collected, 15 of which were mature, 11 fertilised, of these 6 went really well, of these I transferred 1 and froze 2. I asked about this 'conversion' rate at the clinic and they said this was a normal picture - I went to blastocyst stage which does lose a few more generally on the way. Best of luck, sounds like it's going really well so far.

Hello All, I had a good scan & BT today. So good our EC has been brought forward to Tuesday. Aaargh! I'm quite excited. And nervous in equal measures.
Just wondered... I've been told to do my Pregnyl trigger shot at 11pm, but turn up at the surgery at 8am on Tuesday. Is it 36hours between trigger and Ov? Does this mean I'll be twiddling my thumbs for 3 hours?! (Or knitting in my case. I'm spending so much time waiting for tests I've resorted to taking my knitting in and looking like an old grannie)
I know I haven't got as many follies as blacktreacle but i'm hoping the quality is as good!
(FYI, blacktreacle, Last time I had 11 eggs collected, 9 mature, 5 fertilised, 3 went on to blastocyst, 1 unfrozen transfer, 2 FET, so similar stats to Pollykitten)

Thanks ladies
Yes we are quite happy just fingers crossed for next stage. You kinda feel sorry for the other 7 though don't you? I feel protective towards them now which is strange as only last week when we did consents I was saying they are just cells.
Pink I'm glad your scan went well. I did trigger 8.30 wed and arrived for EC 8am Friday.
Good luck for EC
Xxx

Hi Dannygirl thanks for the welcome we have 4 frosties at Liverpool Womens, which I have to say is such a fantastic centre! It's extremely weird thought knowing that they are just sitting there waiting!! We haven't really chatted about it much but our thought is to transfer 2, I've been told by a colleague who has been through similar treatment that if they transfer 2 the chances of it being successful are increased by 20%! I don't know how true this is??? but we are obviously aware of the chances of twins with 2 transferred!! What are your thoughts?? :)

Well we still have 10 good ones today. One hadn't done anything overnight. One has 7 cells (should have 2-5 on day 2) so she thinks it is abnormal.
The others she is quite happy with.
They will call before embryo biopsy in the morning.

That sounds good blacktreaclecat, still plenty to choose from. Are you going to blasto?

Hi treacle that sounds all good, let us know how the biopsy goes...fingers crossed (((hugs)))

Hi sassy it is so strange isn't it! We change our mind by the day (!!) but I think we will also transfer 2. Despite having a DS already - yikes

My consultant told me that 45% of people who have 2 embryos transferred fall pregnant (of which 70% are pregnant with a singelton not twins).

If you have 1 embryo transferred, the odds of pregnancy drop to 30%.

Not sure if it depends on age / stage of embryo / whether they are frozen etc.

Pink very best of luck for Tuesday. I believe the trigger shot is 36 hours in advance (well at least it was with Ovitrelle) but I know at my clinic they get everyone to arrive at the same time on the morning of EC to be prepped, then it depends where you are on the list what time you actually go in. Good luck!!!

Hi to everyone else xxx

By the way Polly in all seriousness your quote -

Like Basil Fawltey said, 'It's not the despair: I can cope with the despair. It's the HOPE - that's what's killing me'

is soooo true. It's the hardest thing for me about all this. When I saw the consultant I made him tell me ALL the things that could go wrong at every stage so I am at least half prepared...

Dannygirl, those stats are interesting, we have basically been told we will have one transferred, sounding like we would have very little choice in the matter, but of it makes that much of a difference that doesn't seem fair, esp as this is our only funded go at ICSI :(

Just done the trigger shot. Ow!! Why does the HCG hurt so much?? But yey!, one night off til I guess we start the Clexane. I swear I should change my name to purplethighs, I'm so bruised!

If all goes well we'll join dannygirl in transferring 2 this time. But I've heard mixed things about the stats. I understand that most clinics dissuade couples from transferring more than one because of the risks associated with multiple births. It really does depend on your age and background. Over 40 and they seem to think your chances of more than one embryo settling in for the long haul are lower and therefore so are the risks of a complicated multiple-pregnancy. It's all about the stats.... I only transferred one at a time last time but now I'm willing to take the chance of twins!

Cloclo your consultant should be giving you the best treatment for you so don't fret too much. But if you feel strongly about it you ought to have the choice at ET- we did in Oz, I'll find out how the system works here next week...

Good luck all!

Hi everyone, am new to this thread...just reading your stories and prepping myself for our first round of IVF...I dont even have my first appointment until 25th oct....that is our day one blood tests, hysteroscopy and drugs collection day! I am 30 and was diagnosed with PCOS 2 years ago. We started with Clomid, Metformin, injections but nothing worked and then i blew up 2 huge cysts that I had to have aspirated. We have now reached the IVF stage...very apprehensive and very much hope that this works for us.

Morning all and hello DustyDiva! Just to say I'm about to start my first set of jags on 22nd, so you'll not be far behind me! This is alovely thread and I've been following it for a wee while now, as have a horrible complicated history of gyne surgery so IVF/ICSI was always the options for me, just took a couple of months to get sorted. I'm excited and nervous about starting, but like others have so much hope that this will work. We also keep having the chat about putting one or two embies back in and have been told my man that nowadays, they recommend one going back in depending on how it all looks on the day (but could be two if embryologist thinks that would be best). That said, he also told me that it is the mother's right to demand two put back if that's what she really wants...
I've got all my fingers and toes crossed for everyone this week and I'll be back for moral support and some arnica in prep for my first jag on Sat. Yay! x

Hi Ladies,

I hope you don't mind me joining your group.

I am in a same sex realtionship and my partner has just had her second round of IVF. This time we only managed to have 5 egg collected and unfortunately they could not use 4 of them :-( Luckily for us the 1 they could use fertilised and we put the 1 embryo back. We are now in the 2 week wait....... with our fingers and toes tightly crossed.

The pregnancy test is not due until next Monday 24 October, so still another week to go.

We were very disappointed after this IVF, due to the fact that for our first round of IVF we managed to put 2 embryos back, were lucky enough to get pregnant but then sadly miscarried!! Lets hope this time the 1 embryo is a good one and will stick and grow :-)

xxx

Hi Dannygirl thanks for those stats, very interesting! It's difficult isn't it! We are aware of the risks for multiple births, but at the same time also if we could concieve naturally there is a strong chance of twins! There have been twins on both sides of my family and my grandmother is a triplet!

We too Cloclo15 were told that we would have one embryo transferred because I was 30 and there was more chance of it being successful, however we are now waiting for our second transfer and unsure what they will recommend. Both me and DH are toying with the idea of 2 embryos being transferred we have 4 frosties at the moment.

I think it does depend on the stage and quality of the embryo. Had a good chat with the embryologist this morning. If you have a grade 1 or high grade 2 blastocyst transferred the pregnancy rate is pretty much the same whether you have one or two. If you have 2 the twins rate is very high. So they strongly advise SET. If your blast isn't as good quality or you are having day 2/3 transfer they are happier to transfer 2 as pregnancy rates not as high.
We had 8 left that she was happy to biopsy. So scared that we won't get to ET.

blacktreaclecat I know it's so difficult! I often am very negative and always think the worst. We had 8 embryos that had fertilised after an EC of 20 eggs. Of those they implanted one and froze 4 which is still a good number. You must try and look on the positive side but I know as well as you that, that is difficult the majority of the time! You have come so far and EC is another milestone you have overcome! Now to the next one! Everything crossed for you, keep smiling xxx :)

I've got just two more sleeps until I test.... I feel a medal is needed for tww-ers who get through without testing early. I'm determined not to, despite pressure from DH, because I have taken the day off on Wednesday and that way I can have the space to digest the news, whichever way it goes. All my earlier mad symptoms have gone, leaving me wondering what is going on and fearing 'nothing' is the answer. Either way, going to know very very soon.... [wine} called for in any event...

Good luck everyone xxx

I mean!

oooh....twins.....my clinic recommend transferring 2 blastocysts so we are starting out with a high chance of mutiples....my DH was a bit lost when all this was explained in our first consultation, however like a true Scotsman he was enthusiastic about the possibility of getting 2 for 1!!! Mrsmigginslovespies good luck with your jags...let us know how you progress, and lumili fingers and toes are crossed for your two week wait x

Hi all, 7 days into stimms and my first scan is tomorrow morning. Nervous about what I'm going to find out.

Is it normal to feel a weird sort of pressure in my belly - not painful? What symptoms do you get from stimms?

ET for me tomorrow. I am so looking forward to having a normal tummy again. The growth hormone has been the worst- I've felt really rough each day afterwards. And after another acupuncture session I've decided I'm really over needles. Shame I have to start another evening jab after EC.... [heavy sigh emoticon]
I'm now nervous about quality & quantity and just hope we get at least 2 to transfer.
Well done [pollykitten] for holding off the Big Pee. I reckon it's for the best as I know I'd end up disbelieving the result and re-peeing on the official day anyway. I hope you can stay sane til then though!
Good luck all x

Cloclo good luck for your scan. It is only the first one so don't worry too much. My first scan I had 4 follicles. I ended up with 21 eggs!
Pink - good luck for EC. Not heard of growth hormone in ivf
Polly- fingers crossed for you
I'm not feeling 100%. tummy tender, bloated and uncomfy. Not pain though. Really bad heartburn. Tired all the time. This doesn't sound like ohss does it?