IVF/ICSI/FET - any more for any more... MORE!

[jumpingjackhash]

A thread for anyone going through fertility treatment, about to start or with a success story to share. Welcome one and all!

So our last IVF/ICSI/FET support, wallow, celebratory and whatever else thread got full, so let's pick up where we left off!

Carebear, great news on your EC on Sat!

I've got over my strop now and have re-rearranged my work schedule so all set once they confirm the date tomorrow!

Oh Care, sorry you're feeling down. How insensitive of a nurse in an acu to say that! People just want to put you at ease or help you to stay positive, they usually don't realise what they're saying can sometimes be the last thing you want to hear. Just ignore.

Some things just don't work out as we'd like or expect, but we just have to deal with it in our own way. You've had a big day today and your hormones will be all over the place. Try to find something frivolous to watch on telly, or go for a soak in the bath with a good book and try to get a good night's sleep. Hope you feel better in the morning.

you're right. thanks Jumping.

CareBear 'tis very normal to feel blue. It's likely to be the come down from the anaesthetic and pain relief. And it's really just all horribly stressful . Sleeping it off is probably a good strategy for today - and tomorrow if you feel the need.

Try not to think too harshly about the nurse re maternity leave. Perhaps she had treatment too?

In the ACU that treated me I had a similar incident with a nurse when I went for third beta at 21 dpo. She looked unfamiliar so I asked if she was new. No was the answer - returning from maternity leave. We got chatting and it turned out she'd applied to work there when she was struggling to conceive. She was in premature ovarian failure. And then she disclosed that a good proportion of the nurses had or were I'm treatment.

When I was scanned at 7 weeks, the nurse who did the ultrasound had twins following treatment a good few years ago.

The problem with infertility is it's such a taboo subject that it's easy to assume everyone else has got pregnant easily and had no complications, but in actual fact the sad truth is there are so many people in the same boat

That's really interesting about many of the nurses having fertility issues Knackered, i'd not really thought about that before. I never fail to be surprised at the number of couples who have fertility issues though.

How are you today Care?

We had a call from the clinic early this morning, our embies are all doing well so they want to wait until Tuesday for transfer! Was kind of psyched-up for today but delighted with the embryologist's call.

In other news, I can recommend warm prune juice !

hello ladies, I've been lurking for a little while, since it was suggested that ICSI might be my only hope of bringing any dc into our lives. It's now been confirmed that this is the journey I have to take so I've been referred and I'm waiting for the first appointment to come through from the fertility hospital.

There's so much to learn, and get my head around. I know you are all further into this than I am, but would you mind if I joined you?

Morning, well am feeling a lot better today. You're right knackered think it was a combination of bit of a come down from the drugs as well as a stressful event. You might be right about the nurses - the ones in the acu are always really nice, and get it right everytime. The EC yesterday was done as part of the normal hospital so there was a bit of a mix of staff, and I don't think they would have said things like 'so is this your first time' when i was just coming round off the drugs if they'd had problems themselves. She got a short 'no' to that question. Anyway am sure it was far more to do with me hating being meddled with than them doing anything wrong!!

Jumping that's great news about going to blastocyst - did they tell you anything else about them? So all of them are still going strong? That's really good news. Also great news about the other, erm, developments.

We got the call to say that of the 8 eggs, 6 have fertilised! Same result as last time and really pleased with that. Just have to wait for a call tomorrow to say how they're getting on.

Geeklette, sorry you have to join us but you're very welcome! What's your history so far?

Morning all.... care glad you are feeling better - I know exactly how you feel - I felt really p'ed off with everything/everyone the day of EC when I got home. Just a sort of "here we go again" type feeling.... Been trying to keep myself busy during this 2ww - hard not to dwell and worry about it not working etc. we went to watch some of the Olympic cycling yesterday afternoon and immediately bumped into friends of ours and their new baby - happy for them of course, but just felt like we couldn't go anywhere and get away from feeling why isn't it us yet?
jumping yey for some blastos! Did you do a day 5 transfer last time around? Glad the prune juice is working
geeklette good morning and welcome to our friendly thread... Do ask any questions as some of us on here are unfortunately quite experienced!

Good news Care!

Keep sane Zeebee! The Olympics are certainly a good distraction, do you have tickets for anything? We couldn't get any so it's v galling to see so many empty seats there! Grrr!

Welcome Geeklette . Sorry you're in the same position but once you start, you'll see a light at the end of the tunnel! Fire away with any questions. Do you have a date for your first appointment yet? Whereabouts are you having treatment?

Oh, we had a 3-day transfer last time, then our FET was using a 5-day blasto. Feeling optimistic

Thank you for the warm welcome :)

care I am 35, DP is 58. We have been TTC for 11.5 years now, most of which was done the relaxed, don't think about it way. We moved house last year and decided it was a good time to up the ante so have been keeping a very careful eye on cycles etc since January. In April, given how long in total we had been trying, we thought it best to get checked out at the docs and found that DP's diabetes had given his swimmers a bit of a bashing. After a couple of appointments with the consultant, and a second SA to confirm the findings of the first, ICSI is what he is recommending.

zeebee thank you, I'm still a little overwhelmed by it all but I am sure as my appointment gets closer I will have loads to ask of you all! At the moment, my main question is 'what should I be asking now, right at the outset?'

jumping No date as yet, I've seen the consultant twice and have now been formally referred to the Priory in Birmingham. I should get a date through the post in the next couple of weeks.

It'll take me a little while to catch up with where you are all at in the scheme of things, but good luck with all of the forthcoming appointments and transfers :)

Hi Geeklette, wow, 11.5 years, you guys have stamina and patience! . Once the process starts it's pretty quick, depending on your drug protocol it's around 9 weeks from when you start de-regging (sniffing nafarelin to shut down your natural hormones).

We're also doing icsi due to DH's dodgy swimmers (there's not many of them and those that are there are pretty lazy and oddly formed). It's kind of reassuring, as male infertility is a bit easier to work with!

Morning all
geeklette Jumping is right - your stamina and courage is amazing! We too have done ICSI this time round as DH's motility (speed they swim) was only 40% so the hospital wanted us to do that process. we still managed to get 3 good day 5 blastos from that so we are really pleased... I wish you good luck
and positive energy... The thing i was most worried about was the self injecting of gonal F, but TBH that is easy as pie once you get into the swing of it!
jumping so glad re your ET tomorrow - sounds great. Nope, we got NO tickets in the first round, but I've managed to get £20 tickets for the paralympics athletics final, and suddenly DH was offered 2 tickets from someone who cant go for the 200 metres final normal olympics, so we are v lucky re that!
AFM - nothing much to report - boobs were swollen and sore Fri and Sat then yesterday went back to normal - so I worried all day yesterday it hadn't worked, and as a result stayed in the house all day and moped about... was V difficult to get up and come to work today (surrounded by 2 PG women at the mo) but i'm here....
care any news on your embies overnight?? When is your ET likely to be?

Hey there.

Don't let your boobs get you down Zeebee! You could obsess about every little thing and always find something to worry about. I'm really jealous of your Olympic tickets! DH has bagged plum tickets to the triathlon (right next to the finish line!) but I've had to turn one down as I just can't get more time off work with all these clinic appointments.

Hope you're doing OK Care, when is your 9wk scan Knackered?

Hi there, all fine with my 6 this am. 4 at 4 cell and 2 at 2.

Out and about so cant post very easily, but big waves. Jumping best of luck for tomorrow.

Jumping are you having 1 put back or 2? I keep changing my mind!

Hi Care, we're probably going for 2, plus whrn she called on Sunday the embryologist said 'I guess you're having 2 transferred?' which kind of reassured and helped us decide. It will take a stong argument to persuade us to do just 1 now I think. Kind of clinging to the fact 2 doesn't always mean twins! Eek!

When are you going for yours?

Jumping best of luck for tomorrow. We're expecting a call tomorrow to say whether tomorrow or thurs.

Jumping good luck for today
Care go embies go waggle dancing and all

Jumping Best of luck for today! Hope all goes smoothly

Care fingers crossed for you too!

AFM - had 9 week scan yesterday at 8+5. Still two little beans in there measuring as they should and two clear heartbeats. I heard those magic words "Congratulations! You are now discharged"

Booked in with midwife and waiting for date for 12 week scan. Feels very surreal.

Meant to say a big welcome to Geeklette!

knackered SO HAPPY FOR YOU!! WOW! are you feeling massive relief? Have you got something special planned to celebrate in a shhhh quiet way??
CONGRATS!

Care good luck with the call today

jumping good luck with ET today

bugsy! how are you? What is the latest from you?

AFM - nothing to report - we test tomorrow (arghghghghghgh) very nervous.

jumping and zeebee I'm not so sure about the stamina, courage and patience - if I'd been told at the outset how long things would take I'd probably have thrown in the towel long ago! Sometimes it's best that we can't see the future.

zeebee Good luck for your test tomorrow! I'm also a bit concered about injecting myself, I've been told both of the drugs I will need to take will be injections. What form do the injections take? Are they in pre-loaded pens or are we talking proper full-blown syringes?

care Good luck with your call, and with deciding between 1 or 2!

jumping Is it today you are due your transfer? Best of luck!

knackered congratulations! That is fab news, you must be so pleased.

I'm sorry to read that so many of you also have male factor. When it was diagnosed, did they stop considering anything else, or did they continue to investigate potential alternative issues? I'm a bit concerned that my consultant has leapt on the 'low morph low motility explains everything' wagon, but DP has two (now adult) dcs, and w had a good three or four years before the diabetes set in.

More noobie questions I'm afraid: how did they decide whether to down-reg via inhalation or injection? I've already been told (without even being seen by the Priory) that it will be injection.

Also, do you honestly get a choice of 1 or 2 embryos to transfer on your first go? My consultant has told me it will categorically be one, no arguments, in a bid to reduce multiple births. Looking at the stats for the Priory for 2010 though, the majority of transfers for my age bracket were DET. With only getting two shots on the NHS I'm desperate to make them both count.

Sorry for the long post and lots of questions!

Hi geeklette
The Gonal F pens are preloaded and really easy - small needles - you literally don't feel it going in (well almost)

I've heard that some clinics make their pateints inject the bulserin too - i've had a nasal spray for that so i've been quite lucky (altho the taste is YUCK in the back of your mouth so you won't get that at least)

We were allowed to do DET becasue of my age (almost 40) and we don't have any other kids. I think each clinic has its own policy - if you really wanted a DET rather than SET then argue with them - it's your life after all - your decision ultimately!

Hey all,

CONGRATS to Knackered! Must be wonderful to hear that discharge statement!! Si, so glad the beans are doing well!

Hope your test tomorrow is that bfp Zeebee! You never know, you might be joining Knackered with a double-act!

How are you doing Care? Any update on the ET?

Geeklette, hey there, don't worry about the injections, they're really not as bad as they sound. I was terrified of that part at first (swiftly followed by the thought of EC under a general anaesthetic), but it's nowhere near as bad as I thought (either part!). I'm not sure about injecting to down-reg, I've only ever sniffed (nafarelin for the ICSIs and buserelin for the FET).

It's an interesting point you raise about doctors investigating / not investigating beyond male factor. After we were diagnosed with this problem I had various blood tests and an internal scan to rule out anything major, then after a mc following the first ICSI and then a neg from the FET I had a hysteroscopy to investigate further, but I think that was more to double-check and rule anything out rather than 'find a cause'. IME it requires more things to 'go wrong' or 'not go right' for them to investigate other problems with the woman beyond hormone tests at key stages of your cycle. Having said that, my cycle has always been the kind you could set your watch by, so I've not really presented with any issues... so far.

AFM, we had the transfer earlier - they only put one back, so he's flying solo. They said there were 2 blastos which were of really good quality (4BB - got them to explain it all this time!) and ready for transfer, so 'on paper' they had no reason to believe both wouldn't implant and they felt more comfortable with just 1 going back. Not quite what we were expecting. I think DH feels quite cheated !

The other is being frozen, with the other 4 'just a step behind' being blasto enough to freeze, so we're hoping they'll be OK to be frozen tomorrow.

Now the 2WW begins again and I'm trying to stay relaxed and positive, willing 'little-un' to settle in and stick around! Will be plugging myself into the Zita CD later!

Great news jumping so glad it went smoothly - sounds like you have a very good quality one there! Take it easy tonight - hope you are at home with feet up enjoying some sh*t daytime TV. Am just home from work and about to psyc up for a show tonight - we have 3 more this week then thats the end of the run. Phew. Feeling molto apprehensivo re tomoz test - keeping thinking I can feel something on my right hand side - little possibly the embies sticking- just hope to god I'm right.....