Starting IVF

[Lily999]

Anyone is about to embark on this rather stressful journey? We are awaiting for our first consultation after being referred to the clinic back in June. Have mixed feelings as I am excited and can't wait to start, but also nervous and stressed out at the same time! Would love to have cycle buddies in this madness!

Hi @iwanttohaveababy!
I have done some digging as online it says within 12weeks I should get the surgery, and if it doesn't happen within 18weeks it's a "breach". IT sounds very good and promising until you look up the exceptions and you see fertility treatment is not included in this, so basically there is absolutely no deadline, no end date. I can be here in Jan/February still just waiting for the surgery to happen one day and there is no guarantee at all. I can't keep living like this. We can't plan anything, can't go anywhere as they might call, I might receive a date any time.
I am considering paying the 2k as I don't think I can do this any longer. The uncertainty is killing me. My friend said I should look at this in a way that we get 3rounds of IVF on NHS and if I pay for the durgery I make it happen, without this I am constantly losing time. We would have started IVF this week without this surgery nonsense, I am not handling it very well.... HAve trouble slepping as I am constantly thinking about this. My hubby says we do have the money and everyone is spending their money on things they want. At the moment this is what we want so we should go for it.
I don't know, it's a very difficult decision, but the doctor at the private clinic sent me an email saying he can do the surgery in 3 weeks time.
I walk in, they do a scan, take my blood, do a pre-op, then 2days later I go back for the surgery, it is less than an hour, then I stay at the clinic for the night and go home. Stay in bed for a week, then I can go back to work and start IVF after 2cycles.
It is so tempting!!!! Somebody please help... aaargh

Hey @Lily999 I feel you! If i was you i was probably going to pay the 2K and get over with. Having to wait for NHS to do something and not knowing how long for is so cruel!
If your partner is ok with it and you really can afford it just go for it. Its not worth living in a constant stress.

Hi @iwanttohaveababy, thanks for your support, we actually decided to go for it as yesterday I called the waiting list office and they told me the SOONEST the surgery can happen is January now, but more likely Feb or March. There is also no guarantee. So decided we can't live in this limbo any longer, just get it done and move on at least after this we can start trying again, now it feels like we are wasting these months that go by.
So the date is the 11th of November whoop whoop! Not sure how long will I have to stay in bed afterwards, apparently it's a week, but we'll see. As we are going private I don't think I can get sick leave the same way it would be NHS though...

@Lily999 you should be ok with the sick leave, regardless of the type of treatment- private or NHS. Just speak to your employer and tell them you will have an operation and you will need a week off which should be considered as a sick leave. I am pretty sure the hospital will be able to provide a note. Good luck! There is a light at the end of the tunnel after all :)

Thanks @iwanttohaveababy, I will have a week off without a doctor's note, then the other 3-4 days I will either get additional sick leave in some way or I just use my holidays that I was going to bring over to next year, but to be honest don't really mind using them up. And more importantly, how are things with you?

@Lily999 i am ok, thanks for asking. I am trying to keep it quiet because i want things to work out! Basically my procedure should be starting soon. I received my injections and i need to go for my 1st scan this week. Unfortunately my period hasn't been normal in the last 2 months. It is extremely light and i am very worried. All my life i have been having heavy periods and that lightness freaks me out. Could be the iron pills i am taking or my thyroid is messed up again... or something else!!! Will see what they say...

Ah, thyroid issues are so difficult, I can relate to that as my mum has had an underactive thyroid for the last 40years and she has suffered so much, it's one of the most sneaky organs in our bodies. But I assume they are monitor your TSH levels during this process? Which day is your scan? I can't wait to be there already!

hey @Lily999, my scan is tomorrow morning! I was just saying how light my period was and surprise surprise 2 hours later it became heavy as a thunderstorm grin
I am trying to not think of it and to not have expectations. Hoping for the best but don't want to stress out at the same time... Don't know if that's gonna work out :)
Worst thing is we got one try only and 4 transfers afterwords. If the procedure is unsuccessful that's it- no transfers, no nothing.

I agree, the most important bit is not to freak out too much, however I know it's easier said than done. You just focus on producing as many eggs as you can, they set up your stimulation in order to help you get plenty of them. Do you know your AMH? That usually gives you a fairly good indication.

Hey @Lily999, my AMH was 18.9 last year. I am hoping for the best!! When is your operation booked for?

18.9 is very good! Mine was 20.5 and I was told this range is the best you can get as not too high of a risk for OHSS, but should have great number of eggs.
I have a date for the pre-op, that's the 7th of November and the actual surgery will take place on the 11th, so not long to go!!
Also had a phone call appointment last Thursday with the IVF specialist and she said she is sending us an appointment for November when they take our bloods and we sign the forms, then we can start IVF within 3months of that appointment, likely it will be January depending on when the meds will arrive and my cycles come.
So super excited to be at this stage as I have something I have not had for the last 2months: a timeline and dates I can look forward to :)

@Lily999 I wish you all the best. Now you can relax and just wait for all events to happen :) I am glad things are moving forward!!!
If everything goes well we will be doing a FET.

Thanks! When I got home I had a letter waiting for me with our screening appointment fr IVF that will be on the 15th of November! I am very excited. As once that appointment is done we are on track to start treatment in the following cycle. How come you are having a FET and not a fresh one?

@Lily999, yeyyyyy! Just 2 weeks left!! Things are really working out, i am so glad!

Tbh i don't know why they want to do FET. I think that's what they do in this clinic. The doc said he went to a conference last month and according to the last researches the percentage of the successful FET is higher than the fresh transfers. Not sure if he is saying it to make us feel better. Also, he said its good for the body to recover after the stimulation and having a period is the first good indicator that the body is functioning well and its ready for a transfer. It makes sense... I am becoming a bit anxious...

Sorry I am an idiot, it's the 25th of November, but still only 3weeks away!
Good news is that I am having the surgery on the 11th, stitches will come out on the 19th, so the 25th is actually quite perfect as I'd like to leave a week to spend on bedrest and focus on recovery.
But yes, things indeed are looking good now and finally moving forward. Once we had the screening done within 2-3weeks the bloods should come back and I should receive the meds right after. I assume there is a quite big risk of the festive period causing a bit of a delay so will probably only be able to start treatment at the end of my January cycle, but I am still happy with that!
Yes, I heard mane places do a FET only, to be honest I did feel like that means missing out a shot during the fresh cycle, but I also heard lots of couples got pregnant via a FET after failing the fresh (including my boss) and they say the same, that it was too much poking around and meds in their system. Very excited for you! What is your schedule now?

@Lily999, i got my 3rd scan tomorrow and based on the results they will tell me what day is the egg retrieval booked for. I am very scared, I am worries that my follicles are not growing well enough but u never know till they examine you- its just my paranoia. Also i got some side effects from the injections but nothing too harsh. It is a roller coaster! I thought i was going to be chilled and relaxed buuuut i am not!

Yeah, I don't think anyone can be chilled going through this haha! Do you know how many follicles for you have and what size they are?

Lily999, i don't know how the number yet, i didn't ask. I think i will do it tomorrow. Also, i need to know if the are doing any blood tests because some girls told me they should do blood tests as well. My follicles were 11mm on day 7 of the stimulation. They said it was very good but i don't trust them, i think they are just saying it to make me feel better.

No, that is indeed a very good size on day 7, you should definitely ask tomorrow how many do you have and what sizes. That will give you comfort if you know they are developing well. What day will you be tomorrow on in your cycle?

@Lily999 during the previous scan they counted 26, one 15mm and the rest were in the 11mm range. I hope most of them will be develop although you never know- I am doubting everything now a days! Tomorrow will be day 10.

@Lily999 sorry, when you asked about the number i thought you were asking on how many they are expecting to take out. I think they will find out towards the end.

Wow, 26is a great number, have they mentioned being worried about overstimulation? That is when they do a FET instead of the fresh cycle because your ovaries respond so well that it goes overboard to produce eggs, having a really good time :)

@Lily999 tbh they never mentioned overstimulation. I asked them but they say they have them very rarely. It looks like egg collection is on Tuesday. Im super scared.i hope things work out!!

It'll be all good, you have many eggs, did they give you numbers today? Only a few days to go! Egg collection day is the day of conception actually, so your little embryos will be starting their journey on Tuesday, how exciting!

Morning @iwanttohaveababy ! how are you feeling today? Excited about tomorrow?