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!

Tbh there's little difference between self funded and full private, you're still paying but it's usually that full private means you see only the same doc throughout, rather than a team.

If you're doing either of these you can choose your clinic. This is important because you need to feel comfortable with them and it needs to work for you in terms of appointments etc. Our closest clinic was depressing and not actually convenient for appointments at all!

Do some research on clinics and get your doc to refer you to your preferred place. Factors which will help you decide will be success rates, location / convenience (a reality!) and cost. Don't feel you need to go where you're told or first sent!

Morning all
Welcome to photo sorry you are on this journey with us now - but once you have started it all it really doesn't feel as daunting as thinking about what it's going to be like... I felt numb when I realised we were going to have to go through it but once I began with the first sniff of the first drug I felt excited and forward thinking that finally we might reach the goal we so wanted! Mumsnet has been invaluable all through the process... This is my 2nd fresh round (I had a failed frozen transfer earlier this year too) so keeping my hopes up that it might work this time
jumping I rang the usual ACU number to get my beta levels done - I had to go into Guys on Tues and Thursady mronings this week for them to be taken - has to be 48 hours apart...
So... Jumping - are you going to test early

Well I guess it doesn't hurt to start shopping around so to speak. There are two hospital and two private clinics by my work. The train ride home might be odd but as long as they say it's fine (leaving collection and popping the little chap back in) then might be the best way to not miss much work for the little appointments. London is costly so I guess looking at home too in the next coming weeks while we get the referral can't hurt.

Hi hope you guys don't mind me joining you

I am on stimulation day 4 for my 3rd cycle of IVF. We recently found out the cause of our infertility and this has taken a huge weight of my mind that this has more chance of working compared to the 1st two cycles. I had "Chicago Blood tests" which revealed clotting issues when the embryos tried to implant. I am on a cocktail of tablets and injections and am getting excited about EC.

photographerlady - I live and work just outside London but have opted for a clinic in London (Zita West) on the basis that they have offered a more personal approach. My DH sperm was on the low side but nothing that would not have caused any concern. Having been to the clinic they have put him on a number of vitamins and supplements and his quality has improved considerably. I have also found that the cost is comparable with the clinic we were at previously. It might be worth having a look at their website or going to see them. They tend to try everything they can before recommending IVF

Just a quick post as it's an early start following a very late night! I had about 3 hours sleep but couldn't wait!

BFP! . Hope this one sticks but keeping positive because of the symptoms I'm having, this time feels different.

Anyway, have to go. DH is very < that's hungover! And he's doing his best to pretend he's not!

Back later for catch-ups!

jumping so so happy for you - you must be over the moon!
Wonderful news.... So know what u mean about it feeling 'different' this time around. Yeyeyey!

Welcome siggbo what is a Chicago blood test? Did they do that at zita west? Do u mind me asking how far you got on your previous 2 attempts?
Best of luck with this round. I hear very good things about zita west clinic- dr ndukwe is supposed to be brilliant
photo where are you based?
care how are you?
knackered how is the morning sickness ?

Congratulations "Jumping*!

Brilliant news. FX it's a sticky one and here's to an uneventful eight months for you!

I felt quite different on this attempt to my first too - stronger cramps etc so I think your symptoms are definitely a good sign!

Meant to say welcome sgiboo and photographer - sorry - didn't mean to be rude just got very excited about Jumping's BFP!

Great news Jumping! Well done you.

No news yet from me, testing Mon. Feel very tired but otherwise not a lot different, fearing the worst at the moment.

Hi to the new people

congrats jumping! Are you ladies testing on your own or is this Beta tests back? Sorry that might be the most naive question around. I would imagine it differs from clinc to clinc but what has your post implantation routine been.

photographer my clinic tells you not to do any home tests but I ignored them and did them anyway!

Routine where I was treated was a beta 14 days after egg collection. A true positive was confirmed at 75 or greater. Below that close monitoring.

My clinic then repeated the beta at 21 days past egg collection to assess likelihood of failing pregnancy or ectopic. However, on my first attempt it was repeated 16 days after egg collection as I'd had bleeding. It didn't rise and so I was monitored until it dropped back to 2 and they could confirm m/c complete.

Third IVF attempt I asked for a repeat 2 days after first beta, again because of bleeding. This time it continued to rise nicely and was 3169 21 days after egg collection

The other reason why my clinic does them is to work out whether an implantation has been attempted but failed. As beta levels are very low if this occurs you wouldn't necessarily turn a home test positive - but it's useful information for the clinic to collect.

On my second IVF attempt I had two reasonable quality embryos put back, but my first beta was 1 which means they didn't even attempt implantation. I can only assume they stopped dividing soon after they were put back and failed to hatch. Just bad luck - nothing more, nothing less.

Hey! Thanks for the congrats!

Our clinic gets you to do a test (that they give you) at home, but to be really sure I did a clear blue digi one too (wanted to see the word 'pregnant'!). I've left s message with the result for the clinic so they'll call me back to arrange a scan in for around 5 weeks time.

I think we need to ask for beta tests at Guys (is that right Zeebee?), unless they have other reason to check.

Yup jumping- you need to ask guys to do beta tests- and they will only do so if you have a genuine worry... IMO I think they should do them for everyone worries or no worries....

Thanks so much for all the info. We received our final letter from the fertility NHS appointments. We go in October 4th as we asked for another test for my husband. I mentioned our first test he was fine, then the second said he had under 2 million and they were sorry but the first test was most likely mixed up results with someone else... it was shocking but the second test was at Hammersmith at a sperm clinc testing place and they said that test was most likely true as the first was at St albans at the hospital. So the third and final one is at Hammersmith again but they already have our IVF referral. Little nightmare but we wanted to test one more time on the NHS before we had to start self-funding and it was all a bit of a blow to the system.

Emotionally I can not describe how hard its been. I am a stepmom of two lovely kids 8 and 10. For my husband to have problems now with low sperm was the last thing we expect especially after all the tests I have had and really we were starting to come to terms with it being me.

Anyway, we are going to go to open days at Guys Hospital near London Bridge, The Bridge Centre, Barts and The London Centre for Reproductive Medicine. This thread has helped me so much with getting to grips with the process and taking it all in.

Both Zeebee and I are at Guys, personally I've had a very good experience and we do usually end up seeing the same people as it's quite a small team. It feels welcoming and like they really 'get' what we're going through.

You'll probably be surprised when you see just how many couples pack into the lecture theatre for the info evening though! I remember thinking there would maybe be around a dozen of us, but it's shocking how many couples struggle to conceive naturally!

hey jump so what made you choose Guys and were you at another clinc before? Thanks for the heads up on the info evening, I think that would be a bit of a shock.

Photographer we were originally referred to St Helier but after the first consultation, where we waited over 90 mins beyond our appointment time (we even had the first apt of the day!) in a really minging and depressing room, then frlt the consultation wasn't helping to answer pur questions or even moving things along (they were talking about starting in Oct/Nov '11 when we saw them in April '11!) we decided it wasn't the place for us. Plus, as we were paying ourselves we wanted to choose the best place for us.

Guys leads research into male factor infertility, which is our main issue, plus their results were good and a friend had experienced good (successful!) treatment there. After the patient info evening and a consultation we felt it was what we were after (people, reputation, approach). Then of course there's the convenience factor. Even though St H was geographically closer to home, Guys is only a few mins from my office so it's so easy to pop out for appointments (scans in the mornings, bloods at lunchtime...).

I guess it all just fell into place and made sense for our situation (plus the costs seemed comparable to other places).

Have you thought about any priority factors that will swing it for you?

Morning all.....BFN for me I'm afraid.
We're both gutted so are going away for a couple of days to get our heads together. Got a follow-up appointment at the fertility centre at the end of the month to discuss next steps etc.
We're definitely going to use the frozen blasts and take it from there.
I think DH is more upset than me - he was sure I'd be pregnant whereas I knew that there was always a chance that it might not work.

jumping congratulations!!! Best wishes for a happy healthy pregnancy!

Hello to everyone else!

I might not be back for a few days but will pop in from time to time and see how everyone is doing xxx

Fishfinger I am so so sorry to hear it didn't work this time

If it's any consolation I had a grade Ab blast put back on my first cycle which the embryologist gave about a 50/50 chance of it sticking too. Mine didn't either and it took (initial BFP followed by very early m/c two days later) me another two fresh cycles to get my BFP. Sometimes it's just bad luck and there's no rhyme or reason - it just takes a few attempts.

Interestingly I mildly hyper stimulated on my second cycle too and even though I had two good (Bb) embryos transferred neither took at all. Although clinic didn't think it would make a difference DH and I have always wondered whether the mild OHSS made conditions less favourable for implantation.

If I can give you a positive it's simply to keep going. It took me three fresh cycles and one frozen to get to the point of viable pregnancy. I was successful on my third fresh cycle.

I'm so sorry you're going through this. The failure is soul destroying. Make sure you take any time out you need to come to terms with what's happened but do remember you still have every chance of success.

fish I am so so sorry about your news. I've been thinking about you a lot. I really hope you get back on the ivf train soon and get those FETs going... It's a crappy time when you have to come to terms with a round failing... I know exactly how you feel... Sending you strength and courage
All the best zb

Fish so gutted for you for the BFN. It really hurts, I know, but do take the positive that you made great blasts so every reason it could work next time.

So sorry for you Fish (and your DH of course). Take the time you need to recover and then go for the FET with fresh energy. You have some goodies in the freezer, just waiting for you.

Take care of yourself. X

Care. Been thinking of you - how did it go today?

BFN. I've flitted between not too bad and very gutted today. DH has been his usual amazing self and said he's looking forward to the au naturel version next month. Feels slightly more end of the road than before due to quality of embryos.