First time trying IVF... anyone want to keep me company?!

[loulamay]

Hi all,

Few quick facts - partner and I are both just into our 40s, have been TTC for a year with no luck. He has a slightly low sperm count at just under 16 million and I have a past history of PCOS, although according to my Dr, am producing an amazing number of eggs for a woman my age (in fact interestingly he talked to me about recent studies that may show that women with PCOS may have a delayed reduction in fertility in line with age: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4447787/).

We have had one unsuccessful IUI and have decided to move onto IVF to try and take advantage of the fact that my ovarian reserve still looks good. I also froze my eggs when I was 36, before I met DP, so we will probably fertilise them at the same time as only that we collect from this cycle.

Feeling a huge mixture of nervousness and excitement, especially during these crazy COVID times, and wondered if anyone was in the same boat and starting IVF now? I am on day 2 of my cycle and had my first Gonal F 300 injection this morning - 5 more days of that and my Dr wants to see me for my first scan.

L

Welcome @Whilstwewait!

I'm a little further along than you both, in the IVF process and very much in age! I'm so happy to answer any questions you might have.

Apart from the age factor and slightly low sperm count we have also had no explanation for why timed sex hasn't been working, and I think for me, that gave me a feeling of just not being in control. Stepping up our treatments and going for IVF felt like taking some of that control back, so I am with you on just going for it - COVID has added to that lack of control too so I think you're doing the right thing!

I'm British but we actually live in South Africa and have gone private here although it's quite a lot cheaper I believe. Our Dr and clinic are fab.

Currently in my 2ww and bored of it already! Sending you lots of luck on your journey x

@Eggling really hoping it all does well for you. I definitely think i still need to get my head around potentially putting myself through so much when it may happen naturally. Already panicking that we pay out all that money and don't get any eggs. Daft i know. Just realised ABC have a liverpool clinic but its not back open yet. Friends of ours have recommended hewitt clinic in liverpool so im torn with who to go to.

@loulamay thanks for sharing. Taking back control definitely resonates with me. I hate leaving it to pretty much chance. Hope the 2WW isnt driving you too insane and you get your positive at the end xx

Not daft at all. I'm a planner by nature and have found it so hard to just take it 'step by step' as everyone recommends. I'm already thinking of the next thing that can go wrong. DP much better at being rational and keeps me sane (most of the time!).

I stupidly bought two home pregnancy tests over the weekend even though I'm supposed to wait for the clinic to do a blood test on Friday and the urine test might not even show as positive so early. Have been Googling "how early did you get a positive pregnancy test after embryo transfer" and wondering when I can try. FFS. This stuff turns me into a crazy person

@loulamay how many days post transfer are you now? I've got everything crossed for you. Im the same im sure a planner. If i knew I'd be pregnant in 6 months id be fine with that its the not knowing. I feel exhausted and drained from mulling things over all weekend and resenting having to pay when some people get it so easy. Terrible i know. I wish we were loaded so the cost didn't matter.

X

Only 4... hahahaha. I am so impatient.

@loulamay had a look on this thread as I went through the IVF process last year and was a complete newbie about it, but looks like you're well on your way!
I would say definitely definitely don't test early. I know it's soooo hard, but you really can't win with it. If you get a negative you'll feel terrible, even if you might actually be pregnant, and if you get an early positive it still may not work out as the embryo may not have implanted properly, so you'll still feel anxious. If you wait till the 2 weeks is up you can feel so much more confident about your (hopeful) positive. I'd tell your partner to take away the tests! Try to plan little things for each day leading up to testing day (I know it's hard with lockdown) to keep your mind off it, and then before you know it it will be the day!

Good luck

@Gabbbbbbby yes you are SO right! I have hidden the tests in a cupboard haha.

How did you find the IVF process? Do you mind telling us a bit about your background?

@loulamay I'm not surprised you're tempted, I already know I'll drive myself mental during the 2WW. Based on what you and @Gabbbbbbby have said I'll try not to buy a test until just before my blood test (sorry I know that's no help to you!). Sending you lots of willpower to resist the cupboard!

How are you feeling generally? Do you have any soreness or anything after transfer?

@loulamay good idea to hide the tests!
I found the IVF process pretty positive overall. I definitely appreciated things being more under control, we tried for a year with two early miscarriages, so once treatment began it was actually a bit of a relief! I was 29 during the process and all my tests were fine, but my partner had very poor morphology so we ended up having to do icsi. I've got polycystic ovaries (but not the syndrome) so they got loads of eggs, I think 33, and then we managed to get 28 embryos to blastocyst which was obviously amazing! Transferred one and now I've got an amazing 7 month old!
We actually just accidentally got pregnant and had another early miscarriage, which is why I'm lurking around on the conception boards... My feeling is that as I liked the IVF process I'd rather just do it again for number 2, seeing as we've got lots of good embryos frozen, DH feels differently...
I hope you're feeling well after your transfer! Are you doing the progesterone injections? I hated them, with the big needles!! But that's another reason I prefer IVF to naturally, you've got people managing the early stage when things can go wrong with meds and scans etc, I really appreciated the reassurance.

Good luck op, currently cuddling my 8mo old DS following two rounds of icsi

oooh I love the success stories! Thank you both.

So sorry to hear about your miscarriages @Gabbbbbbby. I have also had two but a few years ago and both very early. I hope this isn't an insensitive thing to say but how interesting that the IVF one stuck. I have been wondering about that myself, and hoping that as they were able to see the healthy blastocyst at 5 days if that might mean it was a 'better' egg than my miscarriages - but I have no idea if it works like that!

You would rather go for FET than try again naturally you mean? I have to say I would be totally in agreement - especially as you don't have to go through the egg retrieval again. Leaving it to chance seems almost hilarious now that we're at this stage

I'm on estrogen and progesterone supplements so no needles post-transfer - didn't feel too bad after the retrieval in terms of pain but the bloating/indigestion/heartburn for 2 days after the transfer was just horrible. I wondered if maybe I had overstimulated slightly but thankfully it's calmed down now and I'm feeling much more normal. Have had a bit of cramping/twinges and my boobs are feeling a bit sore, but trying not to read too much into symptoms because I know that could be caused by the hormones I'm on.

@Gallacia congrats!! Do you mind if I ask what happened on the first round?

@loulamay it's hard to know for sure, cos they can't say what causes an early miscarriage, but my feeling is that yes, because you know they've chosen the best quality egg and sperm, and then checked it's developed well to blastocyst stage that the risk of early miscarriage is less. I know a big cause of early miscarriage is chromosomal abnormality with the embryo, so that makes sense. Our consultant explained that due to the high percentage of abnormal sperm, recurrent early miscarriage could potentially be explained by an abnormal sperm fertilising an egg and then the body rejecting it. Plus they've checked your uterine lining is all good, and transferred the embryo to just the right spot.
I'm glad you said that about the FET, DH is making me feel a bit mad for wanting to do that rather than try again naturally, but I feel I put in so much work to get all those embryos it's almost a waste! And as I said, so many of the risks of early pregnancy are lessened in treatment...
I'm feeling positive for you! Also don't worry about symptom spotting (if you were) - I had absolutely no symptoms at all before I got my positive pregnancy test after IVF.

So funny how it all seems so random. Some people get symptoms, others not. I think it's incredible that the world of medicine knows as much as it does about fertility and we are where we are with things like ICSI and blastocysts - but there's so much that we just don't have an explanation for yet!

In a way it helps me - I know that we are doing everything that we can with the best knowledge that we have - so I'm stressing less about things like going on a crazy organic diet, have just stopped drinking as much caffeine and stopped the wine. I've got a lunch planned at a girlfriend's house this weekend though so I am going to allow myself a glass.

@Gabbbbbbby was your test a blood test done by the clinic or did you wait and test at home?

@loulamay - yes exactly, you've done all you can! Definitely a good idea to relax, a glass of wine won't do any harm
My clinic told me to do a test at home and then come in the next day for a blood test, I think they also tested progesterone then. I remember waking up at about 5am on the test day and rushing to the loo to do the test! But I was really glad I waited the full two weeks, I felt pretty confident as soon as I saw it. My natural pregnancies, all of which have ended v early, I've always had a slight anxious feeling that they wouldn't work out. But the IVF one I felt really calm about.

It's funny - I also feel quite calm about everything, despite the ttc and the not knowing how things will work out.

My clinic want a beta blood test a week after transfer and then another one two days later if it's positive. It seems very early to me but there we go!

Lovely to hear all the positive stories

Not long till your first blood test @loulamay then. Glad to hear your feeling calm xx

Oh that's not so long to wait @loulamay 😊 glad you're feeling calm!

I just had my phone call with the consultant and I can start treatment this cycle so just need AF to make her appearance now! I think for the first time ever I'm willing it to come ASAP 😂 I'm going to start on a lower dose of FSH as I've got added risk of OHSS so I feel a bit better about that too.

Hoping for AF for you @Eggling!

Feeling slightly less calm today as I've got cramping that feels like my period - annoyingly after a bit of Dr Google it seems like early pregnancy symptoms would be identical, so there's no way of knowing what it is! No spotting though, which I would ordinarily get before cramps. Argh.

Roll on tomorrow and my beta test. Wish me luck ladies!

Good luck loulamay hope you have BFP HCG result tomorrow
I think minor cramping is a positive sign
Had 4 rounds of IVF . For the first 3 experienced no symptoms during 2WW and resulted in BFN. Fourth round had period like cramping and some bleeding and thought it was all over but I got my BFP.

Good luck @loulamay!! I've been thinking of you and sending loads of positive vibes your way! It's so hard but just try not to read too much into early symptoms. That could well be implantation pains...

Good luck @loulamay!! Sending you lots of positive thoughts for tomorrow. It's definitely true that early pregnancy symptoms and period symptoms can be the same - I've spent so much time on google over the past couple of years checking what a cramp or feeling might mean 😂 just one of nature's cruel tricks.

Keeping everything crossed you get positive news very soon 🤞🤞🤞

Ah, no luck on the first embryo attempt! We knew this was a possibility though. Feel disappointed (was hoping to just get it done!!) but relieved that we have 7 more attempts and Dr has said we can try on the next cycle, which will be in a few weeks. C'est la vie! WINE tonight!!!!!

@MD78 congratulations and thank you for sharing! Do you mind if I ask about your first three cycles? Did they know what was going wrong or do any other tests? I have queried the need for PGS testing of our embryos (although have read mixed studies and reviews) and also any kind of immunological factors on my side.

Ah sorry to hear that. Definitely positive that you have many more goes and don't have to wait to try again! Enjoy the wine tonight 🍷

Oh I'm really sorry to hear that! But it's great that you're still feeling positive and you've got lots more chances, so fingers crossed for next cycle.
Enjoy the wine 😁

I am so sorry to hear that loulamay but its positive you have embryos for your next attempt.I am keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Regarding your question following my first failed IVF I had hysteroscopy diagnosed with endometriosis , treated with antibiotics and also immunological and haematological tests which came clear.
The difference in our last and successful cycle was that they used a technique called MACS at the laboratory when producing our blastocysts so the quality was excellent AA we did not have PGS testing.