IVF/ICSI/FET - any more for any more?

[jumpingjackhash]

Hi all, we're about to start FET following an unsuccessful round of ICSI last year (well, we got the bfp, but then I miscarried shortly after ). But... time to get back on the bike and go again...

Anyone else going through this?

Zeebee good news on the AF you're onto the next part then, first part mission accomplished! X

Afternoon All... bleaurgh - what horrible weather - I just want to curl up under a duvet and hibernate! Instead I have just attempted to build up my fatty layer by eating inhaling two packs of Haribo Starmix... (mini ones though!)... I tell you - it's a survival instinct!
My news is small today but exciting for me. I have been waiting for the people who are delivering my medicine hamper to call for a week and a half now. DH and I clearly remember our clinic giving us their card and saying we should wait for THEM to call US. However, with my first sniff only a week away I was worried that I would miss delivery, so I looked at the card and printed on it it says 'CALL THIS NUMBER TO ARRANGE DELIVERY... Doh! So I called them and they were really lovely and my box of goodies is arriving on Friday - ready for my first sniff on Tuesday- not long now!

Zeebee I have read that too - may Spring be fertile for us all!

Lizzie The documentary was called 'The 9 months that made you' it was a horizon and it was really interesting about what happens in the womb versus genetics.

Josie I have an insensitive friend too - always moaning about how hard it is to conceive number 2 (she's been trying for 9 months)- I would be so happy with number 1! grrr... but I love her and I know that I am super sensitive at the moment too - hopefully this is a phase and it will pass. I hope you and your friend made it up?

Rakkers, Mrs Miggins and Ellan brilliant news - you are an inspiration for us!

Carebear love the meditation. Will definitely give it a go. I also have the Darren Marks free hypnosis app on my Iphone - its not particularly IVF centred, but very relaxing - I like to put it on if I have trouble getting to sleep.

Lumili HPTs are only 60% accurate even 4 days before the day your period would be due... loads of stories on here of people getting positives nearer the actual date after first getting a negative. It's still really early - don't give up hope yet!

Jumping sending 'thickening' vibes your way x

:) to everyone!!!

Morning all. I started bleeding over the weekend so I feel quite a bit better now thank god. Still tired but the other symptoms, bloating, headaches etc seem to be loosening off. Haven't spoken to my friend yet, I'm just gonna wait and see what happens, her negativity isn't helping me so I'm regaining my energy before I speak to her. I had a dream last night that I'd had two healthy embryos implanted into my womb and that they were settled in nicely. I woke up really happy, then realised I'm still down-regging There still seems such a long way to go, I'm bored now. If I could I'd take leave from work, time always flies when you're on leave

I'll post properly later, just a quick update (I'm at work)

Hiya all
started on the pills yesterday afternoon and they do make you feel a bit woozy - I was at home so that was OK. Having night sweats every single night tho is horrid... hope that particular symptom will pass soon ! It feels a luxuary to only be sniffing at 8am and 8pm now ... early nights here I come... got to be up at 4.45am tomorrow for a meeting in Glasgow - argh - so at least I can have an early night tonight...
Waves to all, milly glad re your meds arriving soon, lizzie good re your levels dropping josie glad you are feeling a bit better about things - the down regging drugs do give you quite vivid dreams don't they!
ZB

Lumili! You're too impatient! Try again on your proper test day.

Welcome to Progynovas Anonymous zeebee - I've found that taking them before eating helps (I take mine early evening, before dinner) - when I've had them after a meal the nausea sets in, but then I've been feeling a bit icky on random days, almost like a hangover without the fun the night before.

Am in for another scan on Friday morning, hopefully upping the dose to 4 pills a day is working and I'll be ready for transfer next week. That would mean starting on the delightful Cyclogest at the end of this week. Oh well, at least it's an excuse for DH to bring me brekkie in bed!

Carebear hope the scan on Thursday goes well - I've been told I'll need to take Cyclogest for 6 days before the transfer and then the date itself will also 'depend what we've got on' (the clinic, not me and DH) .

Lumili hopefully it's just too early, fingers crossed for you hun

Milly no we haven't made up yet. I think the break will do me good tbh. I need to concentrate on myself at the moment

Out of interest, how many people on the inejctions have injected into legs and stomach, and which do you find less painful? I'm running out of space on my stomach but I'm terrified of injecting into my legs in case it hurts, but my stomach is starting to get tender. I don't know what to do at the moment, I nearly told DH to 'put the needle away cos I'm not doing it' last night, and I'm not even halfway through yet. I knew IVF was going to be hard, but I had no idea how hard . Sorry, I'm feeling very sorry for myself today. Had a bit of a wobble last night and really cried for the first time in about 2 weeks,I've been managing to hold it together, but every stage seems to far away, and so unlikely to work that I'm findign it hard to keep the hope

Sorry you're feeling ill Zeebee, I've just started the night sweats, not nice!

Jumping best of luck for your transfer!

Hi All

Sorry for me me me post about to come. Just feel so down. Our double blastocyst transfer failed. It's test day today, but bizarrely despite progesterone support, started to bleed on Tuesday. Was really heavy by yesterday and today. Obviously know how bloods are going to come back later. Just don't understand. We make really good blastocysts, but they just won't stick

Saw counsellor at clinic today. She was really good and suggested we ask doctor to refer us for further investigation. They normally only do that after three failed rounds of IVF, but we've now lost four good blastocysts. First cycle implanted, but then lost it within days. Frozen didn't survive defrost. This time neither of two good blastocysts have continued to develop. Now beginning to think there's something wrong with the genetics of the blastocysts, or maybe I've got some sort of immunological adverse reaction. They've suggested switching from Crinone once daily to Cyclogest (?) twice daily for next cycle to try to provide better luteal phase support.

Feel at a complete loss.

Sorry for rant and me, me, me. Just devastated.

Knackered I?m so sorry to hear that. I can?t say anything to make you feel better but I?m thinking of you. I can understand you will be devastated

Sorry Knackered, so sorry for you. Rant away. I think asking for further investigation is a really good idea - if they do find something then knowing at least is half the battle in overcoming it. Plus you'll have the relative peace of mind that you're tackling it, rather than just 'hoping'.

I'm not familiar with Crinone, maybe the Cyclogest switch will help with a boost.

Sending you lots of love, and

Josie, stick with the injections, it's not for that long if you think about it. I only did them in my stomach so no experience with legs (the nurse stressed you need a bit of flesh and my legs are pretty lean... unashamed stealth boast there! They're the only bit of my body I actually like! ) although my tummy did resemble a pin cushion and I could count all of the times I'd injected by the dots. You can't give up on them now, then it would all be a waste of time. Pull yourself together and woman-up!

Sorry Knackered, of course I'm sending you - but the word for the emoticon is just wrong.

Thanks for lovely words jumping and Josie.

Have just phoned clinic. Neither embryo implanted this time. Nurse was lovely. Due to our "unusual" nature of losing four blastocysts now, they have advised further investigations before another round. She stressed they wouldn't normally do this until three failed attempts, but as the failure we're having is with blastocysts although could happen isn't entirely normal. She stressed that they most probably would find nothing wrong, but then at least as you've said jumping we'd know this going into next IVF round. Also it's cheaper to pay for the tests to find out than another cycle of IVF that might fail because there's something wrong that's easy to fix.

They've suggested doing thrombophilia screen (to see whether I've got a clotting disorder affecting implnatation but could be easily fixed by Clexane or aspirin), genetic karyotyping to see if there's something wrong with my eggs or DH's sperm, endometrium testing, an endometrium scrape to thin the lining a bit and some other stuff, but I can't remember what now.

Seeing doctor for review next Thursday when we can discuss what package of tests to have.

Feel really pants.

Josie I didn't even realise that it's possible to inject in legs. Wish I'd known that. No problem with mine. My thunder thighs are really quite frankly a bit too fleshy

Sorry for long post again - just so much going round in my head.

Oh well going to drown my sorrows with a glass of tonight. Every cloud and all that.

KnackeredCow I am so sorry to read about your bad news, I have tears in my eyes. It is so devastating when it doesn't work and any words that I say won't help.

Look after yourself, enjoy the wine.

xxx

knackered I am just so for you and your DP. What a blow - on fact more than a blow - devastating. I hope that the tests you are going to have will help you with the next round. Which clinic are you with - if you don't mind me asking... Thinking of you so much....
My news is very little - just a pill popping freak getting accustomed to night sweats and general moodiness... Poor DH is all I can say. Off for accupuncture this afternoon which I hope will help my moods and make me feel more positive.
Hard times eh....
Waves to everyone.

Knackered it sounds like there's a clear plan of action there, so that's good. I hope it's something that can be easily sorted. Plus next Thursday is quite a quick turn-around, so hopefully you'll be able to get the tests done and results back quickly too.

Hi zeebee was thinking about your earlier and how you were getting on with the pills. I'm feeling quite sicky now I've upped the dose, so can only think they're really kicking-in. Am finding that nibbling at food helps with the nausea but nothing is shifting the kak mood! I feel even worse when DH keeps asking if I'm alright and all I can do is grunt back.

Am trying to listen to the Zita West meditation CD more often to help relax and kick the moods but the music sounds like it's from some kind of '80s sci-fi-porn film and I keep giggling!

Thank you lumili. It's all so hard, isn't it? I think you test early next week if I remember rightly? I really do hope you and your DW get the positive result you so desperately want and deserve. How are you both bearing up? The waiting between ET and test day is horific.

Zeebee Do you find the acupuncture helpful? I'm seriously thinking of giving it a bash.

Jumping We were lucky getting a quick appointment. We opted to take first available so got a cancellation slot with the doctor we saw last time. I just really need some answers and didn't want to wait weeks for my barrage of questions.

Lizzie How are you getting on?

Knackered Yes we do test early next week Tuesday 13 March, you probably haven't had time to read the thread but we tested on Monday and got a negative.... I know it was way to early, but the wait is so so hard!!! We have now got ourselves upset and thinking bad thoughts. Thought it would really be third time lucky..... anyway I feel bad talking about myself at the mo, as you are in a sad place right now :( I hope you get the answers you need..... xxx

lumili It's so hard not to test. I tested every day starting four days after transfer . I tested the day of embryo transfer to confirm I had a negative and all the CG from the Ovitrelle shot was out of my system (a tip a friend gave me) so if I subsequently got a positive I would know it was a "true" positive.

I knew it hadn't worked when still had a negative on Tuesday morning at 12 days past EC. On my first cycle I was positive by that point. And then I started to bleed. Had an horrific day. Was on a course about 100 miles from home. Started swigging the caffeine like a demon as I knew all was lost. Had not pregnancy symptoms either - on first cycle I'd felt pretty sick from around 5 days post transfer.

Anyway, don't feel bad about talking about yourself. I've been AWOL for about two weeks and come on and hijacked the thread . IF anybody should feel bad it's me. We're all struggling through this.

Knackered you haven't come on and hijacked the thread, we are all here to listen.... xxx

Knackered you say as much as you need to say, you haven't hijacked the thread at all. I just wish there was something we could do to help you feel better xx

knackered so sad for you for your news. What an awful let down. Do do come on here and moan groan or whatever. Glad there is a plan. for you from me. Be kind to yourselves, cry, some treats are definately called for. write your questions down. thinking of you.

Re injections I just did them in tummy mind you there is enough padding there and every where else! been doing shred a few times for the last 2 weeks to try and get some fitness in my life.

sorry not to name check

Hi all,
Knackered so sorry to hear it didn't work out - you must be feeling exhausted and shattered. Hopefully as the nurse says the tests will be ok - but rubbish to have to have more done. Sending you lots of love and hoping you'll be feeling happier soon You've been really courageous so far xxx

How are you doing JosieSmith - did you speak to your friend? hope you make up sometime.

I start on Prostap on Friday and am having acupuncture then too. I had acupuncture on sat and was really relaxing - except at the end I had tears streaming down my face thinking about when I was little and about my mum.

(re injections I alternated between four sites on stomach and 2 each outer thigh - was ok.)

It is such an emotional journey ...........wishing you all strong and brave thoughts xxx

Evening All,

Knackered What horrible, horrible news, you must be devastated. Please, you MUST just allow yourself to wallow and feel sad, and not bottle things up, and DON'T apologise for feeling sad, or for wanting to talk about it. We are all here with you - so feel free to share, to moan, to just jump up and down and scream IT'S NOT FAIR! As many of the other girls say, I'm glad that you have a plan and that you can start doing something, I know that would help me, to have that to focus on and to feel like you are moving forward, not just standing still... take care of yourself over the next few days.

Josie So sorry your friend is still being silly - I agree, distance is probably the best thing right now, as long as you have othher people who do support you around you. Hope it all works out soon.

Jumping hope the scan goes well tomorrow? Sounds like you are getting there? I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Lumili I will keep everything crossed for you for your PROPER testing day... I bet time has gone into slow motion at the moment - but you are almost there!

Zeebee happy pill popping!

Not much to report really - my drugs arrive tomorrow and I start my very first sniff on Tuesday, so it won't be that long before I can join in the leg/ tummy injection debate!

Hope you all have nice evenings...

Knackered so sorry for your sad news, and loss of your precious embies. Thinking of you and hope you can take some time out to recuperate.

Hi to everyone else. x