Ttc first baby 1 year + thread 3

[orangeloo]

Started new thread as precariously close to 1000 @KatBeCool @starkid @MotherOfShihTzus

I'm also still lightly bleeding (red) on day 9 of my period (usually it's max 6 days)

Hello ladies, how is everyone getting on?

I've had a bit of news today; I sent my blood off to medichecks to test female hormones, and it turns out, I have low oestrogen. It makes sense when I look at all my symptoms over the years - which I've always said to the drs - but cannot understand why, in 3 years with all the symptoms, have the NHS never tested me for this? I'm basically pre-menopausal at 35. Has anyone else ever been tested? Is it the norm to test? Any idea whether they can treat it and possible get pregnant? I'm utterly shocked

@starkid I guess maybe it's all the medication that made your period longer maybe thicker lining etc. How are you getting on now?

@MotherOfShihTzus I'm really sorry to hear about your low oestrogen. Yes, I have had it tested and believe it's quite a normal 1st step in fertility investigations. Normally test with LH and something else day 1-3 of your cycle. May be down on an nhs test as oestradiol. It's bad if you have sought nhs help and they haven't tested this.
However I'm sure there is something they can do for you.

I've got my treatment planning appointment on the 8th March. DP is freezing his sperm on the 2nd. We are paying for this on top as with his working abroad and not knowing when my egg collection will be it will just be too difficult. It's another stress though, He's producing at home and we have to take it half hours drive to clinic. I'm thinking keeping the temperature okay by having it in between my boobs would be ball like temperature? 😂 I'll be glad when it's over and safely frozen with them.

@orangeloo - Glad you're getting close to treatment time, yeah DH was told to keep it in his trouser pocket or between legs when driving 40 mins with his a couple of times, so I think in the bra will also be good haha. Shame it's an added step but makes sense to do it in your case!

I had my catch-up call with the doctor today, who said looking through everything they did and how my treatment went the only thing she would suggest differently for if I had to do a fresh cycle again, is they would start me on the higher dosage of gonal-f right away as opposed to upping partway through. She said my lining was 15mm so was good, & so was the sperm, so would just suggest that. She said it wasn't strange about my long/heavy period and it being on Progesterone, and if it was going to happen the progesterone wouldn't be able to stop it, and perhaps it was just a genetic issue with the embryos, can't tell.

But we've agreed once I get my period (should be next week), I can start the process for a frozen cycle with my one day-7 frozen blastocyst I have, so would be starting Buserelin again around 22nd March maybe. Glad it's less injections and no surgery for frozen transfer this time! Plus she said it looked a really good quality blastocyst so that's nice to hear.

@starkid glad you've got a plan for your FET. I think it must make a big difference having plans in place. Interesting about the progesterone, I thought it should/would stop a period as those period delay tablets are just progesterone. I'm a serial spotter and have also spotted on progesterone pesseries so I think I will ask for progesterone injections too. It's a minefield and I think there is so much they still don't know.

@MotherOfShihTzus I'm honestly surprised nobody tested your oestrogen before. I'm assuming they'll just prescribe it to you. Although sounds like ivf might be your only option as it's impossible to monitor it when trying naturally. It's very absorbable so should be no problem. You can try supplements like vitamin E to help rise the levels. It definitely works. You need a pretty high dose though.

@starkid fingers crossed for you!

@orangeloo we froze my husband's sperm last year. I refused to have him do it at home and then drive in case it all dies. Let's just say the parking area was large and empty and I walked away from the car leaving my husband in it. Too bad I'm about to sign the forms to have it be disposed as the timing isn't going to work out when the year of preservation ends and I'm not going to pay for another year.

Hello ladies, how's everyone doing?

@orangeloo @KatBeCool - have you met with your new clinics?

@starkid have you started your fet?

Turns out my low oestrogen is a symptom of a PCOS diagnosis. Only took 5 ultrasounds to confirm - despite as the symptoms! 😂 I had my appointment with the reproductive immunologist dr Shehata, who confirmed this, and has put me on metformin and inofoluc alpha. Get my bloods back next week, and hoping to start treatment in the next few months :)

Hi @MotherOfShihTsus - I'm starting the down-reg injections again this Sunday actually :) I feel pretty calm about it as apart from the Progynova tablets I'll be taking in a few weeks time, everything is much like before so less unknown. We've also booked a mini Devon break from the day after the pregnancy blood test, so that'll be nice either outcome.

I'm glad you've had an official diagnosis and started drugs and path to treatment despite how long it took you to get there.

Hey @MotherOfShihTzus I'm on stims now whooo haha. Feel pain in ovaries and a bit of headaches and nausea but nothing too bad. Glad you have a diagnosis but I'm sorry it took so long. At least now they know why they are dealing with which is a big plus.

@MotherOfShihTzus I had the consultation couple weeks ago. My medications list has just about tripled compared to the last clinic. They just seem to want to address every issue whether I have it or not, inflammation, clotting, etc. I originally planned on starting in May but this cycle is so wonky that I may start sooner. I used to get a positive opk on CD 12 or 13, last cycle it was 15, now I'm on cd16 and yet to get it. The opk would get darker and then get completely light again. So now I can't even be sure on dates unlike before.
I'm glad you got a diagnosis. At least with pcos you're bound to grow a good number of follicles.

@starkid when is your beta? Fingers crossed for you! How and embryos do you have again?

@orangeloo are you doing fresh or frozen? I definitely want fresh this time. I'm tired of constant waiting.

@KatBeCool so I'm rubbish with lingo, the beta = baseline scan? That's April 21st :) so Buserelin starting April 4th, baseline 21st and then the Progynova oestrogen tablets from April 22nd. Then frozen transfer should be May 11th! Which seems miles away currently but given how fast this first quarter of the year has gone so far, I'm sure it'll creep up.

It sounds like this clinic is doing everything they can for you! :)
My period was 2 weeks late which was annoying and obviously delayed everything for the FET and got my hopes up, but got there in the end...

Oh and I only have 1 frozen embryo, a blastocyst frozen on day 7(!), so it's my last chance both with this fresh cycle of embryos and on the NHS, before paying for a fresh cycle next time if this one fails.

@starkid beta is beta hcg, which is the pregnancy test. Baseline is baseline :) Sounds like you're still before the baseline.
What's odd is that even having gone through ivf before I'm still nervous for this cycle. I'm going to have so many shots! I opted out of using any vaginal progesterone so I'm going to have only the injections. No mess and no worry that it fell out before being absorbed.

@KatBeCool ah right yeah I haven't started anything just yet, and the preg test is May 24th!
Ah you know I'd prefer to also have injections rather than the vaginal gel as it was very irritating last time! I don't think that's an option on NHS though. You'll have to feedback with how injections go for that :)

@KatBeCool I will be having fresh transfer hopefully- providing I have something to transfer and don't get OHSS. Glad your clinic seem to be trying for you and covering all bases sounds good.

@orangeloo that's exciting! Do you know when egg collection is for? :)

Hello all, just a quick update. My baby boy is here. IVF is a wonderful thing.

Forceps and episiotomy. A brief stay in SCBU with hypoglycaemia. But we're home and so in love with the little fella.

This community is so, so appreciated.

@ValidUser - aww that's wonderful to hear, well done and I hope you have a lovely time with your new little boy as a family :) :) xxx

@ValidUser congratulations! Can't believe how fast time has gone.

Fantastic news @ValidUser !! So glad you're both doing well :)

When is egg collection @orangeloo @starkid ?@KatBeCool have you looked at the clear blue digital ovu tests? I always find checking the depth of colour on the paper sticks really tough!

I had my immunology results this week, turns out I have highly active natural killer cells too. I've been prescribed Hydroxychloroquine and fragmin, coupled with immunotherapy intra-lipids should I become pregnant. Has anyone else had any of these? I already feel like I'm rattling with around 15 pills/ doses a day with supplements!!
I was a little floored at the idea of a 6hr round trip (plus a day off work) every 2 weeks for the immunotherapy/ scan at a significant expense! But also now I have this info, feel I should do it - I couldn't live with the guilt should I get pregnant but miscarry having not done it. It's just tough as we took this step early having never tried ivf before, so I have no idea if the ivf would work anyway, and it would be a huge expense / effort and we wouldn't know if it was worth it

@MotherOfShihTzus - hi, I've not heard of it before, but good luck especially with the trips! Fingers crossed it's worth it :)
Mine's a frozen cycle with my 7-day blastocyst, with transfer on 11th May :)

@MotherOfShihTzus I used digital ones way back, the strip ones always coincided with what the digital one said. So I stop spending money on them. Last cycle I got a clear positive so I don't know what happened this time.
I also have intralipids prescribed to do at least once just before the transfer. It's more of a precautionary measure. You surely have a nice array of medications. Hydroxycloroquine is what they thought could treat covid at first, but it's actually prescribed for lupus. So it's pretty powerful. If you aren't taking NAC, please do. All these medications will be hard on your liver. Do you need to take it all for a while before you proceed?

@starkid of course! I bet may 11th can't come quick enough ☺️ how are you feeling about it?

@KatBeCool fair enough :) I always struggle to ID if the line is stronger than the base line 😂 but knowing now I have PCOS - my hormones probs weren't right anyway!
Yes I am taking NAC - started in nov so should be in my system properly. Hydrox they say 6 weeks before a cycle so that should be bang on - if they ever call to book nurse appt! Started it yesterday and been rather sickly/ upset stomach (as with metformin) so it does feel strong. Metformin - the dr said to try and get on it for life if I can! And it's meant to have anti-ageing qualities so we shall see. So still pushing ahead with ivf as I'm with nhs, so everything takes forever anyway. Are you private or nhs? I'm wondering whether it's possible to get the intralipids on the nhs - to avoid the travel if nothing else!

@MotherOfShihTzus I mentioned a while back, I'm not in UK so nhs doesn't quite apply. I just couldn't stand other forums I found, where you can't mention symptoms, or you can't mention bfp, or you can't ask about meds. But regardless of that, I'm paying myself.

On an unexpected note AF is here making it a 24-day cycle. Not happy.