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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

Question on ivf- down regulation

15 replies

user1471471849 · 23/04/2017 19:23

Hi there,

I'm considering getting ivf done but just reading about it. The article I read said on day 21 of your cycle you take drugs to start down regulation which stops ovulation for the next cycle. My question is, does that mean you can't ttc on the cycle before that, as in from day 1-21 of that cycle? How many months of trying naturally would you forfeiT by doing ivf? Given that I'm 41, 42 in December and there are no guarantees ivf will work I'm wondering is it worth trying it at all or would I be better just seeing what happens naturally. This whole thing is so stressful.

Thanks for your help!

OP posts:

Original poster

user1471471849 · 23/04/2017 20:02

Anyone got any idea?

I'm feeling so down at the moment..just got my period again and the whole thing has just hit me. I definitely can't go on last this for much longer. I think I'm depressed, just can't stop crying the last few days and want out.

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WelshMammy123 · 23/04/2017 20:12

Hi,

I'm so sorry you're feeling so down and that your period has now arrived. TTC is just heartbreaking at times. I have been through one cycle of ivf and from what I remember you're right in that you can't ttc the month before your ivf cycle. I know we started the ivf cycle in early January and our pregnancy test date was 20th February so it's about 6 weeks in total.

It might be worth asking this question on the infertility board though as well as you might get more answers there as lots of people there are going through or considering going through jvf xx

Original poster

user1471471849 · 23/04/2017 20:15

Thanks so much welshmammy. Yes, it's heartbreaking. I think I'll go for counselling as I'm feeling so bereft and hopeless. Did ivf work for you? I hope it all worked out on the end. X

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sparechange · 23/04/2017 20:18

I know 2 people who got pregnant naturally while down-regging for IVF - both phoned their clinic in a panic and both were told the baby would be fine, and it's quite common

Depending on your clinic, they might not use long protocol with down regging. You could do short protocol which starts on day 1 of your cycle

Lamaitresse · 23/04/2017 21:07

I was coming on to say exactly the same as sparechange - if by any chance you have a low(ish) AMH level your clinic may well do a short protocol which means there would be no down regging necessary. I did both and yes the long protocol did seem so much longer! But, it's only a couple of months really, and if you're ttc but not getting anywhere you may feel you don't have anything to lose. I would recommend requesting ICSI too, as at our age (I'm 42 in Nov) we need all the help we can get
Just a little success story for you - my SIL didn't use precautions for years and thought she was infertile. She's 43 and now 19 weeks pregnant after ICSI. There is hope, so try to stay as positive as you can...

Original poster

user1471471849 · 23/04/2017 21:29

Thanks chintaria and spare change. You have no idea ho w much it means to me to get some responses as I haven't got anyone i can talk to about this.
Chintaria- that's the thing, I was trying for nearly a year, then god a laparoscopy and had a cyst and polyp removed and got pregnant straight after that. That was just 2 months ago. Unfortunately I had an early miscarriage but it gave me hope that maybe I could get pregnant naturally. Before the op I decided ivf was my only hope. Now I don't know if I should leave it to chance and try naturally or attempt ivf. The clinic I go to won't do ivf after 42 and say it the same chances as trying naturally at that stage.
I was thinking even if it doesn't work I might be able to get a few eggs to freeze. I might be naive thinking that of course.
Doc said my Amh level was average for a 37 year old ( am 41) so maybe it's higher than normal? She didn't tell me whether I'd be short or long protocol. From what spare change says, seems I can try naturally the month just before down reg? Did either cycle work for you chintaria?
Thanks for listening xx

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WelshMammy123 · 23/04/2017 22:27

Hi,

The IVF didn't work for us but I am proof that you are fertile straight away after an ivf cycle as I conceived naturally the month after the ivf failed. I didn't find out until I was 8 weeks pregnant as I thought that I couldn't get pregnant at that point in time and assumed the ivf had messed up my cycle. So my story did have a happy ending.

For what it's worth I think it's really positive that you have fallen pregnant previously -I'm so sorry you experienced that loss - I know how heartbreaking it is. Do you qualify for treatment on the NHS? X

Original poster

user1471471849 · 24/04/2017 09:55

I just rang my clinic and they said I will be doing an antagonistic cycle so no down reg required. I think I'm just coming to terms with all this now. I'll have to look into what exactly that means now.

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Lamaitresse · 25/04/2017 20:07

Hi user, I had four rounds at one clinic, and although each fresh transfer worked I lost them within a few days each time. Then we changed clinics, did the antagonistic cycle/short protocol and the result of that cycle is my now 3 year old dd. If you're going to be doing short protocol then I would try naturally on any months off, but do the IVF as soon as you can.
Did you ask about ICSI by the way? My successful round was ICSI, and one of the reasons we changed clinics was because the first one wouldn't do it.
Is there another clinic you can go to where the cut off isn't 42? Are you willing to travel? I'm in Belgium & would highly recommend my clinic, but I know that probably isn't an option!
Feel free to pm me if you want to talk - I know how lonely it can be not having anyone who knows anything about IVF to talk to... Having done so many rounds I now consider myself a bit of an expert 😉

Original poster

user1471471849 · 26/04/2017 13:41

Thanks so much for your message chintaria. I've just phoned the clinic to see if I can change the dates to the end may instead of end July. I feel mentally geared up for it now and really just want to get it out if the way. I'm getting so stressed as the months go by. I did get pregnant 2 months ago but had a miscarriage hence thought it might work to try naturally for a few months. I'm going to see what the clinic says on availability and what they think...
That would mean I'd be doing most of it in June when the kids are still in school v July /Aug when they're out. Do you think based o your experience that it'd be better to do when they're in school? Husband could be around in Aug to mind them but he'd have to fit in work too. He's self employed. We have a gentle summer hol booked in wales for 2 weeks In July so it would either be a holiday gearing up to ivf or recovering from it. Not sure which is best!

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Lamaitresse · 26/04/2017 18:45

I would definitely say it'd be better to do it during term time if you can. Logistically it'll be much easier than if you have to arrange childcare for them... Personally I didn't find IVF too bad at all, especially on the short protocol. What is tough though is the emotional rollercoaster, so don't underestimate it! Try to find a way of relaxing during the cycle, and give yourself a bit of breathing space. If I can help with any other questions you might have please don't hesitate to ask...and good luck!!

Lamaitresse · 26/04/2017 18:46

PS so sorry about your miscarriage. I had one at the beginning of March too, it's so sad and just rubbish to go through. Fingers crossed for your happy ending 😊

Original poster

user1471471849 · 26/04/2017 20:01

Thanks chintaria. I rang up today and rearranged it for end may and feel better about it. I think having it looming over me was stressing me out and I was seeing it as a last chance but if I do it soon and it doesn't work I won't feel that it's the end of my chances. I'll be 41.5 when I try it. Yeah, I was talking to a friend who's done it and it sounds v hard emotionally but so is the mental torture of trying month after month. Did you do acupuncture or anything to help with the emotional side? Sorry to hear about your miscarriage too. Was it an ivf pregnancy? Best of luck to you too!

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Lamaitresse · 26/04/2017 22:43

I didn't do acupuncture only because I couldn't find one near me, but I would've done if I had. I started listening to classical music in the car to calm me down a bit, and would try to have a bit of time to myself, but it was difficult!
It took us six years to have our dd, so I know what you mean about the mental torture. However IVF is so intense & there's no escaping from it. Every day there is a different instruction or something else to do, and it's hard trying to think of anything else to be honest. It can be so worth it though 😊
Our most recent mc was a surprise pregnancy, I was 8 weeks when it happened and was pretty devastated. How are you feeling after yours?

Original poster

user1471471849 · 27/04/2017 15:14

Hi chintaria,
I'm feeling a bit strange about it. Ate first I was ok about it because it showed I could actually get pregnant, after nearly a year of trying. I was also grateful that it was a relatively early miscarriage so I only built up my hopes for a couple of weeks. But I think I might have downplayed it to myself a bit and pretended I was more ok than I was. I know if I'm lucky enough to get pregnant again I'll be a nervous wreck for the first 12 weeks!

Hope you're feeling ok. It's so hard to deal with. Maybe it'll happen again for you though. I've heard you are more fertile after a miscarriage, though nothings happened for me yet!

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