Fertility Clinic Appointments and Beyond..

[dogmam]

New thread for us to continue our fertility clinic appointment progress...

Some of us are waiting for initial appointments, some are having tests and some are starting treatment!

Morning ladies.

@Aliceinivfland hopefully your low viable eggs was just a one off/these things happen from time to time thing, and your decision to start again will be the right one. Its so good that this one doesn't count as one of your 3 rounds

@Tillybabs I'm so excited things are happening quickly for you.

I started my Metformin today:

1 x 500mg pill once a day for 14 days
Then up to 2 x pills for another 14 days
Then 3 x pills a day for 60 days
before moving up to 4 x pills a day

Does anyone else on this thread take Metformin? I am moving to a low carb/low sugar diet from today (had my last blow out meal at a pub last night... pie and chips with sticky toffee pudding for afters lol).

My next appointment with my fertility consultant is on Tuesday 3rd August, where I hope she will offer me Clomid.

@Kay00 thanks. I have a lot to learn so am going to take some time out to read this thread and previous ones before our appointment next week.

OH gives his sample this week and nervous about that.

It's good that you've started the Metformin now.

@kay00 sounds like a lot of pills! My best friend is on metformin - she thinks it's made her feel loads better. She's been on a low GI diet for a decade or so alongside it, so when we meet up we always cater for that at dinners etc but it's just normal for her and she doesn't feel like she's missing out on anything anymore. Hopefully your transition will be seamless too!

Thanks @Juno231 that's really helpful. I was going to go with a low GI diet too, as that will be easier to work out (I might download an app). I need my OH to eat through all the shortcake/biscuits/flapjacks/muffins we have in the house though or it will be super difficult for me (a lot of that was left over from my epic walk this weekend where sugar and carbs were king)!

Hi all,

I'm waiting to see the fertility specialist.
Recently had my 'day 21' result, which came back as less than 1 😞

Struggling to see any positives. Dr doesn't seem overly concerned, feels like I have to wait to see the specialist. My friend has been waiting to see one for over a year now...

Has anyone gone private for a fertility MOT so to speak? X

Hi Beth, Welcome! I have read your other threads, and commented on one of them. I think the next thing for you to do is to see a fertility specialist, as it sounds like you might not be ovulating. Luckily there is a lot they can do to help if that is your problem .

I have been diagnosed with PCOS, I'm lean and don't have any other symptoms, but my AMH levels were really high and the consultant thinks I have not been ovulating this past year. I have just started Metformin (to help make my cycles regular) and I'm hoping to be prescribed Clomid (which induces ovulation) when I speak with the consultant next week.

I have gone privately to the fertility clinic, and found the service was prompt and reasonably priced.

@Kay00 thanks, I'm w bit desperate for advice and help if you can't tell lol

I've seen lots about LH/AMH levels but haven't had chance to Google what they're referring to. I'm supposed to be working at home but I'm so distracted!

I'm waiting for my GP to ring me back today, and I think I'll make an appt to go private and see what's going on. Maybe it'll put my mind at ease x

@beth1311 I'm working from home too... and its easy to be distracted!

LH is the hormone that builds just before ovulation (it doesn't always make ovulation happen, but it will rise before any ovulation attempt). We use the OPKs strips to test for this. Its advisable to test once a day with your 2nd morning urine from about day 10. If you start to see the line get darker then you should test a few times a day. If the test line is equal to, or darker than, the control line then it is positive, and you might ovulate in the next 12-36 hours. I have PCOS so these strips don't always work for me.

A lot of us temp daily too (I think you mentioned that you have a thermometer but forget to take your temp sometimes). I set an alarm that wakes me the same time every day (6am). I would advise they you temp and OPK for a whole cycle if possible to help build a picture of whether or not your ovulating

AMH is a hormone that is tested by the fertility clinic. It is an indication of your egg reserves. If it is low (less than 4 pmol/L) then it can indicate low ovarian reserve, mine was 64 pmol/L which is far too high (and I think quite unusual). It is these high reserves that makes my consultant think that I have not been releasing eggs. Also a scan of my ovaries confirmed I had PCOS.

@Kay00 I have now been told I have PCO (no S) by the latest consultant we say today lol. I’ve had three different answers at this point, crazy. Anyway, I have a plan and I’m going to be on meriofert like @Aliceinivfland was. Obviously I’m worried about that now, because I will always find something to worry about.

@beth1311 hi! I would definitely get a private fertility MOT. I’ve learned I have lots of follicles and high AMH as a result of these tests and it explains why I’m not ovulating regularly/optimally. My last progesterone score was 10 so not quite as low but still too low. The good thing is they will be able to help you with that. It’s a bit of a minefield unfortunately but you’ll get used to all the terminology fast.

@Kay00 thanks for explaining, it's very confusing! 🙈

@thislittlebird I've just booked to go and see someone private, having all the tests throughout august and then the results/consultation on 31st august so hopefully I'll have some answers.
The GP rang me back and basically said he won't do anymore tests, just wait and see. I'm waiting to see the specialist on nhs but that could be well over a year. He did suggest I may be ovulating later, but he didn't seem bothered at all. Pretty annoying! Xx

Had a second scan today ladies. Panic over. They said the follies are growing now. Woohoo.

Possible egg collection Monday

How are you all?

@PurpleUnicorn01 amazing! Any idea how many you've got brewing? So you could have the transfer Saturday next week already? Madness!

@thislittlebird great news that it's finally starting! You'll be fine with injections and the whole OH move will work itself out - it will all be worth in the end. We're here for you whenever you want to rant or have a wobble!

@Juno231 thanks, I am not calm and expect many a wobble lol. Clinic consultant recommended IMSI, not sure about that but maybe we'll give it a go on attempt number 1.

@PurpleUnicorn01 glad to hear the follies are growing!

@PurpleUnicorn01 that's great news, so exciting!

@juno231 they think maybe 10. Plus some small ones. Il know more Friday. Omg i never even thought about egg transfer day. Been so consumed in thinking about these follies growing lol.

@thislittlebird @Tillybabs thanks ladies. I hope you are okay

@PurpleUnicorn01 I'm good. We have our appointment next week where they will run through the treatment and then I guess we start after that.

When I ovulate which is any day now, I have to call to book in for another scan or test. Not sure if it's the day 21 test?

@PurpleUnicorn01 Great news! So exciting xx

@beth1311 sounds like a private MOT was just what you needed then. My uninterested GP was the reason I went private; I knew something was wrong when I had two long cycles back to back with zero ovulation.

@thislittlebird interesting! I wonder why PCO but without the S, how was it diagnosed? I guess you don't have the enlarged ovaries that I have (or you wouldn't be prescribed the Meriofert)? Will you be injecting it? Also, what were your AMH levels? Sorry for all the questions!

@Tillybabs it sounds like it could be. You could be starting soon. @kay00 yes it is!

Think im so consumed in the process. Ive not thought about the outcome lol

hello! can i join this thread? i'm going to start a round of ivf in august (privately because i already have a little boy and am 40, so would not be eligible on the nhs). i have just started taking norethisterone, which i think is supposed to reduce the chances of ovarian cysts and have a pre-ivf scan booked in for next friday. all going well, i'll be starting the stimulation medication on around 10 Aug. a bit nervous because i don't know what to expect in terms of what all the medications will do to my body, not to mention the emotional side of things. i also wondered how people manage the process around work? it seems we won't know until close to the date when the collection would happen (assuming that there is anything to collect....) and i really don't want to tell my work that i'm going through IVF. it's a bit easier in August, because it'll be quieter at work, but still a bit tricky to ask for a day off just one day in advance....

@Kay00 I might be being dumb here, is is not advised with PCOS? They didn’t say why really, just came straight out with it because of the high follicle count. Every doctor so far has said kinda maybe or borderline and my best guess is that I have too many follicles for my age but no other classic symptoms.

On my list of drugs they gave me it suggests meriofert (or the drug it is) rarely causes overstimulation so I’m assuming that’s why they chose it.

I’ll be injecting it, yeah, it’s the stimulation drug. My AMH was 36.

Welcome to the thread @99pctpractice! Your round is coming round soon, it’s all very nerve wracking!

@thislittlebird maybe it varies from clinic to clinic as I was only offered Matformin + Clomid to stimulate my ovulation. But she said if that didn't work they would try other things.

Welcome @99pctpractice!

@Kay00 oh ok, yeah I think Meriofert is a specific ivf drug. If I was doing ovulation induction I would be on Letrozole with this clinic.

Same with this, if I don’t respond to Meriofert then they’ll try something else. Will definitely be getting the two rounds through Access.

@99pctpractice welcome! Good question about juggling it around work - I've always wondered that too.

@99pctpractice welcome. Everyone reacts differently to stims. Im a bit achy on them. When you start them after you're first and second scan you will get a better idea when your ec will be so you can take it off. Ive not had it yet but i would say take a few days off before and after to just relax and also incase you feel a bit sore.