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

Oops sorry just re read your message properly - I didn't see that it was positive!! That's great!! Yeah definitely don't worry about what level they are now, they keep doubling every few days I think so im sure at your next test it will be more reassuring.

Thank you!

Just trying to take it easy today but suddenly feel exhausted! Think I will have been holding onto some level of stress during this whole process, it's such a waiting game! I said to my partner yesterday that it's in my nature to be a planner and so the not knowing just kills me!

Tentative congrats @loulamay !
Was following in the background :)
But since we the docs have asked us to try naturally until autumn i was just reading!

Hope your next hcg will be nice and high 😊

Ah congratulations @loulamay!! Hopefully you'll have higher levels tomorrow. Everything crossed for a sticky bean and a smooth nine months!

@loulamay aw lovely news congrats. Hoping your levels continue to rise. Please keep us posted x

Congrats @loulamay, everything crossed over here for you!

Thanks everyone!

@Sunbird24 so sorry not to have welcomed you properly! You snuck in here very quietly :-) - are you also about to start IVF?

@loulamay I’ve been around for a little bit but don’t get to post very often - I’m at work 0745-1800+ most days and nothing’s really happening with me worth talking about yet. Going to try IVF with donor sperm, have found a clinic and had initial tests, just waiting for them to approve me!

How exciting!! Keep us posted!

I hope it's ok if I join too and I hope @loulamay your hcg rises again tomorrow and keeps rising! Have you taken a test at all?

Hi everyone I have read all your posts and I am following all your stories now in the hope we all get positive soon 🤞🏼

So my story is I am a bit behind you guys but getting ready for help! I'm on cycle 19 TTC no 2 (2 years to have DD but we were young and just let it happen) have been to a fertility doctor and I am due to have a lap and dye done on the 20th July for possible Endometriosis (only feel normal with no pain for about 10 days in a month) if everything is ok then our plan is to try IUI as there are no boards for IUI is it ok if I join here? Have any of you tried IUI before IVF? Xx

Hi @BFP2020 and welcome! No experience of IUI I'm afraid but hopefully someone will be able to help.

@BFP2020 I love your username - going to channel some of that positivity!

I had one IUI before we started IVF just to see what the result would be, and because we had male factor of slightly low sperm count. I would definitely recommend it, mainly because it's so much less invasive and stressful compared to the IVF, and is pretty much like having a smear test except you get to watch the catheter and sperm on the ultrasound screen when it's inserted which is amazing.

Ours didn't work sadly, but had I been a bit younger I think we would have tried again - my partner's washed sperm count was double what it is normally so that really increased our chances.

Crazily I'm still pregnant over here and my HCG level has doubled, although still low. I did ovulate on day 18 of my cycle (with trigger shot, although I'm usually late at around day 19-20) so no idea if that has played a role.

Dr seems happy and wants to see me in 2 weeks for a scan... There is no way I'm going to be able to stay away from the home tests until then. Send help.

@BFP2020 welcome. I haven't had an IUI. We are currently waiting for our first appointment so not sure if its something we will try. Will let you know if we do

@loulamay hope you're still doing ok and the HCG is still rising xx

How are you doing @loulamay? Are you managing to avoid the temptation?

Not in any way. Took a test this morning and I think it's darker but I really need to step away! I'm just making myself worried. Going to wait until the official two-week mark and take one more that morning, then wait until my scan. I think. Jeez.

Argh. Sometimes I wish I didn't want this so much.

I think I’ve found my perfect donor, but I’m still waiting for the ok from the clinic so I’m really anxious he won’t be available by the time they say yes. This whole thing is full of stress isn’t it? Is there any kind of project you can set yourself to try and keep your mind occupied?

It's a rollercoaster! Great that you're progressing though.

I'm going to spend the weekend dog walking, reading, cooking and might throw in some retail therapy. It's all such a waiting game!

@loulamay How you doing? I love seeing positive tests if you want to post some pics and we can see them getting darker each day. What day is officially 14 days? Can I ask you how much the injections and stuff came to for the IUI month? They told me it can be quite expenisve?

Hi @BFP2020! I'm doing well thank you, hanging in there! I have my first scan a week tomorrow. Have had a bit of cramping/pulling which my GP says is either round ligament pain or just because of the increased blood flow to the uterus, but no other symptoms really.

Have posted my test from this morning - which is 14dp5dt and my very faint positive from a week ago. Today's isn't even that dark really but I don't think I'm going to test again until my scan! It's too stressful haha

I'm afraid I am in South Africa where the costs are probably quite different to the UK. They might be similar to Europe however. I think we ended up paying around £3000 for everything from the appointments to drugs to surgery for egg retrieval and then the transfers. The other girls on here might have a better idea of costs in the UK! Or depending on your situation would you be eligible for anything free on the NHS?

@loulamay I think that test looks really good! Good idea about not testing any more, I think agonising about line darkness is so stressful and inaccurate anyway. The test is definitely showing that you're pregnant, so that's great 😁😁😁
@BFP2020 I'm not sure about IUI sorry, we went straight for icsi as my husband's semen analysis showed v v poor morphology.

@loulamay no denying that’s a positive! Hope the next week goes quickly for you

@loulamay looks really strong. Congrats

@bfp2020 at my clinic an IUI is £800 so not bad at all. Not sure if any extra costs on top x

Good luck ladies. I'm hoping to start ivf next month but wondered if someone can explain the process to me? I was hoping for iui but recent tests have shown problems so now awaiting a call with consultant to discuss next steps.
I'm really worried about the impact it will have on work - I've only just gone back after nearly 3 months off due to Covid. Are clinics accommodating with times & days or is it really specific? Sorry for all the questions!

Welcome @Eeeekim40thisyear (I also turned 40 in February! join the club).

If IUI isn't viable then you'll go on a medicated cycle (depending on if you get periods etc) with hormone injections to stimulate egg production. Various scans along the way (and possibly blood tests) will show how your ovaries are responding to the drugs, but the goal is to produce a nice number of eggs so that you can have retrieved (they control the ovulation with more injections) and then hopefully have those eggs fertilised and transferred.

Depending on how many are collected, you may have more that you can keep in the freezer for the future. My clinic transfers what are called '5-day blastocysts' which is basically the fertilised embryo after 5 days growing in the lab.

Your consultant should be able to explain everything but hope that helps in a simple way. Feel free to ask any questions.

I'm in South Africa so not sure about waiting times etc in the UK.

Let us know how you get on x

@Eeeekim40thisyear I was worried about work too, I'm a teacher so not much wriggle room in terms of having days off in term time etc. We managed fine. There were only two days I needed a full day off for, the egg retrieval day and the transfer day which was 5 days later. The two weeks leading up to egg retrieval day were a bit tricky as I had to have daily blood tests at the clinic (normally you'll only have every other day though), but it was just a very quick test which they did before work. So you should be fine. Good luck!

@loulamay hope you're still doing well!!