Eggcellent Egg Buddies - a thread for those IVFing in November, December and January

[eurochick]

New thread. Welcome back to all the regulars. Welcome to all the newbies - please come and join us if you are IVFing or thinking about. The regulars are a mine of information at this point!

Do you realise that this will take us through a year of egg buddy threads? I believe Karbea started the last one around Xmas time last year for those cycling in 2013 and I immediately jumped on it as I was about to start my first cycle in January. Blimey.

Hi all, have gotten confused by time I've caught up too many names to remember

choc I seemed to have got worse as the days went on haha I ended up relying on the other half to set the injections up for me,

euro how are you getting on?

nobeer any closer to those immune-thingie-ma-bobs?

had scan on fri but they found fluids in my stomach so my eggs have been collected Monday (20 .. 7 frozen and a few that could still work after the convo) but that's as far as we will go this year, was so distraught The poor nurse, every other app we have been too I didn't allow myself to get excited and the bloody last one had to get me didn't it, I have a 3D scan in 2 weeks to investigate (hoping its cleared) as it could be toxic fluids they have refused point blank to anything for at least 3 months, feeling rather the opposite to my nickname! Anyone else feel like this whole journey is 1 step closer 1000 steps back?? I'm beginning to think maybe it's that time to let it go!! By another dog .. Every 6 months feeling a bit insane at the mo.

maryp - hello and nice to meet you! So, yes we are about to embark on our first ICSI cycle (starting Dec 23). We have had one failed cycle of IVF, in October this year. Everything went pretty smoothly with the cycle, 11 eggs were collected, but only 1 fertilised (they warned us it wasn't a great one, but it was transferred anyway). DH's sperm test results have always been fine so there didn't seem to be a male factor (we are officially in the 'unexplained' camp) and which is why we started with IVF not ICSI.

I don't even know what to ask, since the cycle/drugs etc seem to be the same as last time, the only change being what the clinic does with the sperm and eggs. I think I just feel a bit wobbly about it all because there is greater intervention involved IYSWIM (and probably reading dodgy Daily Fail articles about ICSI has done me no good!)

Good luck for your FET, as nobeer said, everything crossed for you.

Thanks for the [tea] beetle. I think this thread is exactly the right one to share. I definitely want to know how you're getting on, and we're all here to share our experiences. I hope the dr and your gynae can make find a solution. I've never heard of an incompetent cervix! How much longer are you in Cape Town?

Hi optimistic sorry you're having a tough time too. I think it's so hard, we prepare ourselves mentally and then the unexpected comes along and knocks us for six. I remember being very disappointed when they froze our embryos and we had to have FET. Nobody tells you you need the patience of a saint for IVF! Good luck with your 3D scan. Thanks for asking about the immunology tests, I've got one set on the NHS week after next, and I'll get the results at the beginning of Jan. I imagine it will be similar with the private clinic too.

Hatteras we are having ICSI due to MFI but it works! We were extremely lucky and got pregnant on our first round just over two years ago. Keeping my fingers crossed that it works as quickly for you too!
Beetle Glad that your appointment went well. I think I would also like to know what was happening instead of just winging it. I'm not 100% sure but I think I might have taken Yasmin years ago....if only I'd known then what I know now
Optimistic Hello just in case we haven't met yet. That must be so fecking disappointing and frustrating. That toxic fluid sounds horrendous. Lets hope its bugged off by the time you have that scan.
Nobeer Hello my dear. How are you? Didn't realise that you were up for the scans so quickly. And its great that you can get them on then nhs too. Really hope that they bring you one step closer, regardless of the results (if you know what I mean).

Hi to everyone else!

Am just off to a friend's for dinner and am desperately searching for an excuse as to why I won't be drinking.... all suggestions welcome!

MaryP blood tests, not scans. Checking for things a list as long as my arm! It's all very scientific and have no idea what half of it means.
Tell your friend you're on a health kick/antibiotics/got to get up early and don't fancy a hangover!

Thanks MaryP, that is really encouraging to hear you had success first time round with ICSI - hope this time is as lucky for you!

Hope everyone else is well and has a great weekend.

3 fucking hours sleep. Maybe 4. I'm exhausted - yesterday I woke at 3am and didn't sleep again until 1a-fucking-clockish this morning and now I'm awake?

I also flew from Ayia Napa to Ibiza last night as I missed my plane home.

I've got acupuncture poppy seed things in my ear to sort the insomnia, but this isn't good. I cannot function on 3 hours and I've a hen party tonight.

I'm going to speak to my pharmacist about natural remedies - this cannot be good for me at all. Most days I am awake by 5 am.

beetle I'm glad you've got potential plans for the frosties, this means you'll be busy during the 2ww? What a nightmare to find more obstacles after IVF but I am so glad that you are getting answers.
How is the atmosphere in SA with the death of Mandela? What an amazing man/life.

euro how are you doing and feeling? How are the embies doing?

nobeer those tests sound involved, but I do think it is great when the consultants get very interested in you as they must be with you due to the barrage of treatment. I was proud to have a nurse say hello and use my name in street (well, until I remembered she'd seen my fanny at some point).
Hows the gastro doing?

maryp good luck for the FET on Monday and I agree with nobeer they wouldn't freeze an embie or replace it if they thought it had no chance. I'm also not convinced that grading correlates fully with success - I've seen lots of cases where women have had very low grade embies returned and it has been successful. I miscarried a top quality blast, whereas my lower graded embies may have had a better chance of success. Its the IVF headfuck.

optimistic fluid . I hope you are not feeling too poorly with it? It isn't time to let it go, it is the wrong time to go further forward. What a disappointment, but new year, fresh start - once the disappointment passes it might not be such a bad thing.

for everyone, seems there is a lot of sadness and difficulty at present.

Fuck it

Fish.x (who is running away like crazy before anyone hurts her for the group hug, while sprinkling.....)

optimistic I'm not surprised you are not feeling optimistic! More waiting is horrible.

fish when I had the insomnia, bizarrely, I didn't feel tired although I was only sleeping a few hours a night. It is horrible though.

beetle so many people are ignorant about what IVF involves, and don't realise that it isn't a guaranteed way to get a baby.

I thought they had diagnosed an infection as the reason for what went wrong? Are they suggesting that the cervix opened a bit and let the infection climb? I think I'd want more answers in your shoes. I have no idea what would happen with mc if the cervix is effectively sewn shut! You are being amazingly stoic through all this.

AFM, I got the call from the clinic yesterday and 3 out 4 fertilised, so a good rate (last time we had 4, 2 fertilised). ET will be Sunday. I hope my bits recover by then. I am still feeling rather bruised at the moment.

euro brilliant fertilisation news! Three out of four is great. How many will you put back? Sorry to hear about the soreness.

fish Poor you with the insomnia, is your scan on the 12th? Have you managed to resist doing any more tests?

tame how are you doing now? I hope the painful bleeding has stopped.

cups glad to hear you can get going again soon. What will your protocol be this time?

pip that's great news about how supportive work are being. It will help make things less stressful, which can only be a good thing.

hat welcome to the madhouse. . I have just done my fourth round of ICSI, was there anything in particular you wanted to know? I stopped drinking quite a long time ago but for me it was just easier to not drink at all and although I still miss it sometimes ,it's not too bad most of the time.

bunny Great that you've got the go-ahead, hopefully it'll fly by.

brooks hopefully your Mr Brooks can enjoy some time to yourselves, that doesn't involve obsessing over IVF every waking moment. Hope you're doing okay , it's a really tough time I know.

bugger that's great that you're going to be able to take time off from work too.

badhair Not long until you start now then! . The cost of the drugs is a bit of a shock isn't it?! This time we got ours from Asda and they're cost price.

nobeer sorry to hear about the gastro. Hope you're feeling better now. It's good that you will be getting some tests done soon and then hopefully get going again very soon.

maryp Great news that your FET is on Monday, as someone else said they wouldn't go for it with this embryo if they didn't think it was worth it and they have to be happy with them to freeze them. Excited for you!

optimistic really sorry to hear that things didn't go to plan and hope you're feeling okay after what sounds like quite a traumatic procedure and series of events.

beetle well done on being so brave at your appointment. That sounds frustrating that the consultants can't agree on what might have happened. I think you're doing brilliantly and I'm just sorry that I can't give you a hug in real life. You absolutely should still come on here and keep talking to us.

AFM, not a lot going on really ... Am debating when to start testing. Lots of things I have read have said that people have got positives at this point, 5dp5dt, but my OTD isn't until next Saturday 14th, which will be 17 days after egg collection and 12 days after transfer. Hmmm, it's a tough one. We have nice relaxing weekend at home for once, with no clinic visits, so I'm going to try to get a big chunk of Christmas shopping done today wander around aimlessly and have a take away tonight. Bliss. I really am getting old

euro that's great! Did the embryoscope show up anything or is it too early? I hope your bits heal by then and I'm excited for you ET

I wasn't feeling tired until Thursday then yesterday I was exhausted as I am today. I've acupuncture poppy seeds in my ears since Thur and I've been shattered since then. Should have left well enough alone.

Hey choco!

Re testing I've got both my positives at 5dp5dt. I just needed to know. I also carefully timed my testing so if it wasn't good news I had a few days at home. Be warned even if you get a positive it'll be so faint you will spend hours staring at it crossed eyed. And I used very cheap tests.

Tests and moi - I nearly caved and bought a clear blue digi yesterday as I really want to see if its gone to 2-3 weeks. But the fear of that not showing and the end result made me put it down. Last time I tested was last Sunday.

I got a test strip for a quid instead, pissed on it (only 2 hrs after last piddle) and the pregnancy line came up first. I've never seen that before.
It will have to do until Thursday.

It's terror that keeps me away. I'm still fairly zen. Cannot react to shit anyhow as I'm too fucking tired.

Hey euro will be thinking of you when you get to ET tomorrow. Fingers crossed it goes well.

choco I got an incredibly faint line at 10dpo, a slightly more obvious one at 12dpo, but it wasn't obviously there until 14dpo. I will be lurking and waiting to hear your result.

fish sorry to hear about the insomnia. How fair alone will you be on your scan?

AFM - after the euphoria of a good scan at 6+2, I started with a bit of brown spotting last night and this morning. Pregnancy symptoms seem to be less obvious too. So I am thinking the worst while hoping for the best, my next scan is a week on Monday at 8+2.

I'll be 6 weeks exactly.

Tal - the time I was on the IVF pregnancy thread I think most people were having brown sludge. One of the posters pram (who you may know) always used to say - embrace the sludge as its not going anywhere. There were about 5 people who got in including beetle if I remember correctly. Ironically, I didn't.

Anyhow easy for me to say but try not to panic. Re pregnancy symptoms I've noticed that bar the insomnia it seems to come in waves, so not permanent at all and my theory is that it is hormone surges.

Can you call your local EPU? You usually have to get referred through a GP or A and E but every area is different. Just to put your mind at rest. I think general advice is no need to worry unless it is bright red.

fish I have no idea. The clinic was supposed to call me today to say how they were going, but they didn't. I'm still somewhat disinterested and so didn't bother to chase. We'll find out tomorrow when we go for transfer.

Sorry to hear the insomnia is still affecting you. :(

tal the worrying never stops, does it.

choc I've got a very faint positive on an internet cheapy at 12dpo each time. A more visible one at 14dpo. I'm not normally a big tester, but on IVF cycles I can't resist - even if it doesn't work out I want to know if the embryo has tried to interract with the uterus in some way (which is what happened on cycles 2 and 3). I know some people are not interested in testing for what could be a chem preg though. How are you feeling?

life I've got the ear seeds too, aren't they meant to be to reduce stress?

tal I had brown sludge on several occassions when I was pregnant with DS. There was never a problem and it was never really explained. I would get it checked out though just to put your mind at rest if nothing else. And I never had any pregnancy symptoms either so I know exactly how you feel. I actually felt a bit miffed that I never got morning sickness just call me weird
euro good luck for ET tomorrow
choc hold on in there. Keeping everything crossed
fish hope you get some sleep tonight
bugs [slap] any more back chat from you about staying off work and we'll be having serious words

Aaargh! I think I've got a faint, faint line on a first response test ... I meant to get frer, but picked up the wrong ones and they're the normal ones. There's definitely a pale pink line, I've stared at enough stark white lines!

OMG choco that is soooooo exciting!!!!!!

at choco woohoo! That's brill. Hold it up near a window and I find the line gets darker after a few hours (yes, yes I know).

euro wishing you huge bundles of good luck today. I've been finding disinterest makes it all easier - I think nobeer mentioned it as self preservation. I have my fingers crossed for you.

bugs pram is crackers but she was right, her personification of the sludge would have been fully hilarious if it wasn't so scary. Bugs, you need a boxset to get into. Once that starts you'll no longer feel so guilty. My guilt evaporated on my return to work I might add.

tal i hope all is ok. I also would like to point out that when I MC'd there was no brown whatsoever. Not even spotting and the pain was horrendous even if I hadn't known it was coming I would have known when it started.

choco the ear has about 200 different things, I'm wondering if they hit the wrong spot to be honest. Mine is for insomnia, yours probably is for stress. I wish I opted for stress because I reckon they have hit both insomnia and exhaustion remedies which isn't helping.

Speaking of which... I decided to turn things around and got in at 3am from the hen party , it was great lots of fun etc. mrfish said I was snoring like a tank which I never do and I woke him up but hell, he was welcomed to my daily world.
So, let's see if I'm up at 3 am tonight...

Flying visit to say woohoo choco omfg! Grinning like a Cheshire Cat here you for lovely
Hope you have a lovely & smooth transfer today euro