Eggcellent egg buddies - a thread for all those IVFing in January, February and March - Volume 2

[resipsa]

Hi all. As promised, a sparkling new thread that is going to see a lot of action in the next few weeks, I hope!

Thanks ladies. I am cheering you all on. This thread was such
a great support through the 4 cycles I put myself through in 2013 (known as Hell Year). I will try to wean myself off this thread but will still be lurking and will pop on occasionally to cheer you all on! Oodles of luck to all those cycling or about to start. x

shell I'm glad you made it over here. I hope you will find this thread as helpful as I did. You're right, btw, this pregnancy is the result of the December cycle I was doing when we "met" on the infertility board. It didn't go particularly well - 4 eggs collected, 3 fertilised, but by day three 2 were dividing abnormally and there was just one 5 celler (6 cell just before transfer) left to go back. The embryologist started talking about donor eggs (which we had long ago ruled out in favour of adoption, so it seemed my hopes of a biological child of our own were fading). I cried and had zero hope of this cycle working. Which is one of the reasons for my ongoing disbelief, which is amusing res so much.

beetle sorry for the pen confusion. I think your pens must be different to the ones I had. Mine only ever had one click once the dose was set.

Moggle - is that rising time cause of the scans? It is definitely annoying to have to get up earlier than usual to have a bit of rubber covered platic shoved up you! I used to get annoyed at having to set the alarm earlier to shove in the pessaries (which still leaked hideously so not sure why I bothered) and 6.30 is my usual time so 6.00 was just taking the .

Yeah my scans are at 7.45, which is fine really cos I'm then able to be in work by about 8.45 and no-one at work is any the wiser. I'm really glad it's half term this week as that's saving me at least 15 mins on the drive so 15 mins more in bed!

Euro - yay!!! Fab news!! So pleased for you.
Would you mind telling me a bit more about the Harmony test? Am intrigued cos have heard a lot about it.

Wish - yay!! So pleased your body is playing ball. I remember how f*ucked off I was when my lining wasn't playing ball and they warned me they may need to cancel the cycle. I was so chuffed when it could go ahead!

Cups - I get your anger at the clinic. I was fed up with mine and the ridiculous waiting lists (we are self-funding at an NHS clinic). The only reason we didn't have to wait for 9 months after being referred is because I was a total arse and phoned up every day until I got cancellation appointments. Hopefully you will have a better experience at the next clinic.

Hello to everybody else and sorry for being so rubbish at personals! I met another pregnant friend today (now that my IVF seems to be working, I feel I can face them, so am jamming them all into the next two weeks). Was good seeing her, but my God was she moaning about being 'huge' when she isn't and having morning sickness. I was quiet at first, then said 'There are thousands of women who would give their right arm to be in your position right now'. I felt a bit mean afterwards, but people don't realise how lucky they are, do they?

Hope everybody is well today. I took my DS to a City Farm today in Hackney and the smell of all the animal poo was making me feel most nauseous. Am delighted!

Of course, bad. There are a few threads on the harmony test in Ante-natel tests and Pregnancy.

In short, from about 10 weeks pg, foetal dna starts to circulate in the mother's blood, so a simple blood test can be used. The test looks for Down's, Edward's and Patau syndromes. It is most accurate for Down's; a bit less for the other 2, but they are less common anyway. Then result gives you a risk factor of either 1/2 (in which case a CVS or smnio is usually recommended) or 1/10000, which is as close to certainty as you are going to get without an invasive test.

There are a few clinics around the country now offering it, and they seem to price it at 700-900 quid. I had it at the Fetal Medical Centre in London, which does it for 400. That price covers two visits. The first one includes a short viability scan and the bloods. At the second, you get the Harmony results and a nuchal scan.

I hope this helps.

Thanks Euro - yes, massively helpful, thank you. Is this the test when you can also find out the sex? My friend had a test done at 10 weeks which sounds the same as this but she also found out she was having a girl! Is this the same test? X

Yes, they can ask for that with the screening results. We didn't want to know (well mr euro does, but I don't and I win!).

Ahhhhh. You have willpower - unlike me! I would find out at conception, if I could. Not that it matters either way, of course. That test sounds like it would give you a lot of early reassurance but I don't think we'll go for it, just because of the cost.

How are you feeling now? Are you nauseous or feeling good? With my DS I instantly felt ten time better once I go through the 12 weeks. Both mentally and physically. So pleased for you, I really am xxx

Had my last internal scan today, got my trigger tonight and egg collection on Friday. Excited but very very nervous! I'm having it done with only sedation and not a general. Anyone else got EC Friday?

Good luck for Monday moggle.
Are you having general or just sedation?

I too have a rouge follicle in the lead at 18mm, and then 2 at 12mm and about 8 at 8-9mm and some very small ones straggling behind.

I've been on 112.5 of Gonal F but got increased to 150 after 8 days. In total I've had 12 days on Gonal F. Got my trigger tonight at 10pm, then got egg collection at 9.30 on Friday, but got to be there at 7.30 ( so 2 full hours of working myself up )

Ooh, the exciting bit begins, Baby!

Congrats B4by - exciting!! And to you, Moggle for Monday (apologies for missing your post!)

It's great once you do the trigger (the most blissful painless injection, I thought) and then having an injection free day the next day.

The sedation drugs they give you are GREAT btw. I was well happy as they wheeled me into theatre and cracking bad jokes. The two hours until you go in will pass quickly as well. I sat watching 'Wanted Down Under' with 9 other IVFers waiting for my turn. The procedure only takes about 15 mins. Good luck!

Good luck b4by!! My clinic do them under general. Just have a tiny smidge of worry as I've never had an general anaesthetic before but sure it'll all be fine. DH is a bit worried too about having to do his thing while I'm knocked out but is hiding it manfully. He is in general a bit worried about his part I think- in that I have had to go through so much, and he's worried that the one small thing he has to do will go wrong somehow!

Good luck Baby sure you'll be fine. I have to have general anaesthetic due to my ovary being high up. Getting exciting for you now!

Hi to everyone else. I'm still on boring down regging so can't wait til Tues for my baseline scan for things to get more exciting.

I had GA for both of my tube removals and also for my DS's birth. GA is fine too! You'll be a bit more sleepy afterwards is all. My DP was worried about doing his bit too, but managed okay, as your man will. X

And Turquoise - DRing is the hardest bit (well, it def was for me) so hang in there. Won't be long now xxx

Woah hold on. Did I read that right? There's a blood test that can detect downs etc and tell the sex of the baby? I being dumb? Is this general knowledge?

Thanks so much for the update of your IVF Euro. I am a poor IVF responder so your story really helps me believe that it really is quality over quantity. I have been so healthy and taking so many supplements and have seen embryo quality improvement each time so I feel hopeful I will have a few good eggs even though the numbers won't be there.

B4by, I'm new to this thread so forgive my ignorance. Is this your first IVF? I will be thinking of you :)

Aww, thanks for all your feedback girls. Got a nice day ahead today to try and take my mind off worrying. It seems like it's taken ages to get to this stage.

shell this is my first IVF cycle and it seems to be going really well so far, no glitches yet! I'm just praying that it's going to work first time, it's been a breeze regarding symptoms, not had any apart from last 3 days of being bloated. The emotions have been ok, just had one night of crying when on DReg. DH has been very supportive and tried his best to be my slave throughout.

I've not been checking this post everyday, but when I have checked it out, you ladies have all inspired me to keep going. So whether it's your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th.... Keep strong! Your all brilliant! And you all should be very proud of yourselves for getting as far as you have!

Good luck baby and moggle, so exciting! B4by I had sedation and it was absolutely fine, in fact quite lovely. I went to sleep in the theater and when I came round it was like having the deepest nicest sleep that I didn't want to wake up from. I knew nothing at all about the procedure. I did feel sleepy and woozy for the rest of the day so don't plan anything other than setting up camp on the sofa for the rest of the day.

Just read back a bit ... Hooray wish I'm really pleased for you!

Euro likewise, I'm so glad all was well with your scan. Amazing news it must have been such a wonderful moment! X

Sorry, I'm being very slow on here. Brooker, our weekend away was lovely - even though it poured and we had gales. Lots of nice food and sightseeing from car!
Beetle Weather has been quite wet and windy here, although yesterday was amazing! 20ºC at lunchtime! Foggy now, so basically a mixture of everything. Are you back in UK or still in SA? I remember you said you were moving soonish.
Cups Yes, I'm raring to go but trying to only think about one stage at a time. It's the best way for me to cope mentally. I can't believe how crap your clinic have been! Good luck with the hysteroscopy, I had one about this time last year and they removed a septum! I was most nervous about the GA but it was all fine.
Euro I'm absolutely chuffed to bits for you!
Wish choo choo! Good luck in March! And to you too Turq

wish yes, that's right. Foetal dna starts circulating in the mother's blood from 10 weeks, so from then on they can test the mother's blood for Down's, Edward's and Patau's, and can also tell the gender from the DNA. It mostly available privately but I know a couple of the big London hospitals are doing trials on it at the moment.

Thanks for all the cheering on ladies. It means a lot. I am cheering you all on right back! Good luck for EC B4by!

I'm just checking in to say good luck to everyone and goodbye for the time being.

It's a five year wait for donor embryos so it looks like we either go abroad or give up. At the moment I feel like I'm a different person to who I was before the ivf, I feel like the world has tipped on its axis. I don't like it and so for now I'm just trying to take it one day at a time. I've spoken to my clinic and explained that I feel that ivf offers us no chance and so I would only consider trying again with donor embryos.

Dh wants a second go but at the moment I don't feel in a place to go there.

So thank you to everyone who has offered support and advice and good luck to those cycling / pregnant at the moment x x

Dear One - I will miss you. Am so, so sorry that this round did not work out for you and that you are feeling so down. I totally understand you wanting to leave the thread though and focus on your emotions for a bit. If you don't feel ready for another cycle then you are definitely not ready, whatever your DH says. Thank you for all your support on here for us and lots of love and good luck. Sarah xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx.