thread 2... TTC bubba #1

[xoJellybean]

Thread #2... TTC our first!

@taytay2020 I feel the same with being in 'limbo-land' at the moment too! But it will be ready for transfer before I know it I'm sure.

That's annoying about AF coming late but like you said, a couple of days is nothing in the grand scheme, but once you've made the decision to start, I know that you just want to get on with it. I was the same.

Are you doing a long protocol? Sounds like you might be. I did short protocol - so as soon as AF arrived I went for a baseline scan the following day and then started Bemfola (stims) that night. After the baseline scan I had scans on day 5, day 7, day 10, day 12. Then had my egg collection on day 14. I injected Bemfola in the evening from day 1-4 and then from day 5 injected both Fyremadel (morning) and Bemfola (evening). then I did the trigger shot day 12 late evening. If you're doing the long protocol then the down reg is probably different? I'm not sure how many appointments you'd need in that period. But when you start stims, expect to have lots of scans 😂😂 especially if you're at risk of OHSS!! I'm not high risk as I have low follicle count. However I've heard FETs can be good as it allows stims to exit your body before the transfer!! X

@lebe14 AF arrived on Saturday so we've got our personal planning appointment today. I should know whether I'm doing long or short protocol by this evening! Eeek. We watched the injections instructional video last night, I'm definitely getting my husband to do them for me 😂

Your last message with all the drug names makes more sense to me now too - I recognise the names of most of those now! I'm assuming my baseline scan and stims will start around 19th September ish? But I guess I'll find out this afternoon.

I've tried to keep big work commitments to a minimum in late September but there are a couple of evening things in the diary that I might need to cancel, if only because they're far enough away that I won't be able to keep my meds in the fridge before the evening injection 😬

Have you got an idea of when you'll do embryo transfer yet?

@lebe14 Sorry just saw you said November/December! So do you have your protocol discussion appt coming up this week too?

@taytay2020 so exciting to get going!!! I was on short protocol so as soon as AF arrived I booked in a baseline scan for cycle day 2 and started stims that night. I was on them for about 12 days and had my EC on day 14. Honestly, the injections are nothing to worry about. I didn't know if I would physically be able to do them, but they were absolutely fine!!! Are you going to start yours on your next cycle in September? It's defo worth limiting any evening things at the start - I think on a second EC I'd be fine injecting out and about, but first cycle it was really hard to know how I'd feel. Also you're right in terms of the fridge situation!!

And yes I've got my FET protocol meeting tomorrow woooo. Got my meds prescription too so have got a quote for that. Way more meds for FET than the EC 😂😂😂

How are you feeling about it all? More excited to get started rather than apprehensive? X

@lebe14 yeah I'm just impatient! I'd like to get these injections out of the way.... Unfortunately they think it's quite likely I'll have too many follicles and might have to do a FET to be safe, so I'm a bit gutted about that - I think I'd have to wait to do the transfer in January or February if it came to that and that's sooooo far away! But on the other hand if that means we get lots of eggs I'll be pleased, so at least there's a flip side.
I'm on short protocol. Baseline scan booked for 18th September. We had loads of questions about the time of day for scans and jabs, to see how it fits into my work schedule (which includes a lot of really awkward timings), but the nurse was really helpful and managed to get all my scans booked in at the time of day I wanted.

@taytay2020 that's amazing they've been so accommodating to fit around you - bet that's a relief. They seem really good! I feel exactly the same about the FET being sooo far away from my EC. However, I do think there can be benefits to it, in that your body is fully recovered after EC. I also found it a lot less pressure - knowing that after the EC I had a break. I think a fresh transfer would be hard as as soon as stims are over, you're then straight onto progesterone. Albeit you get to do everything in one go. You never know, once they see how you react to stims they may think a fresh will be okay. So hard to tell until you get going but at least they've given you the heads up and set the expectation now. And yes, if you get lots of embryos then hopefully you won't have to do another EC. That would be the ideal!! Feel free to ask any Qs and would be great to hear how you get on. Bet it feels so good to have everything in place ready to go! X

@lebe14 after some faff about my medication prescription, it all finally arrived today! I start taking some small tablets twice a day on Wednesday, then stop for a withdrawal bleed late next week (sounds like you didn't have to do this part?), then my baseline scan and start of stims is booked for the 18th. It's mad to think it'll all be over in a month, one way or other! How are you doing?

So exciting to get going @taytay2020 and yes you're right, it will all be over before you know it! My EC flew by! I didn't do the down reg before stims - I'm not sure what determines that protocol.

We've ordered the meds for our FET - got them at Asda for £200 less than a quote elsewhere - so feeling smug about that haha.

Hope your baseline scan goes well on 18th!! Fingers crossed for you X

@Lebe14 well I'm now on day 5 of stims and quite keen to get it over with! Scan this morning went well, slow but steady progress which I think is exactly what they were aiming for. Next scan on Monday, at which point it sounds like they might find some more follicles to measure on my weaker side, but in the meantime I have about 16 growing at approx the same rate. So as long as there aren't suddenly LOADS more on Monday I'm more optimistic about our chances of a fresh transfer 🤞 but I know there's so many other steps to go through before that point, eeeeek

@taytay2020 ahhh I was literally just coming on here to see how you were doing. 16 is amazing. How are you feeling on stims? Imagine you'll be having your collection at some point next week?

It's such a strange experience isn't - seeing the follicles grow and develop. That would be amazing if you could have the fresh transfer. When will they confirm that? After EC? Fingers tightly crossed for you! Xx

@Lebe14 They said it was early days and floated the idea of ordering more medication so I guess that means potentially going into the week after. 😫 The growing follicles were all 9-11mm today, and the nurse suggested she might expect 13-14mm on Monday, and larger again on Wednesday, etc. I've only got enough stims to go until Wednesday at the moment. And I'm hating it! The fyremadol jab this morning was nasty, then this evening's meriofert was so horrible I was almost crying. I swear it wasn't this bad yesterday! I'm just counting down the days and trying not to dread the next dose too much.

@taytay2020 oh no, sorry to hear about the meds ☹️ for the Fyremadel - are you using an ice pack before and after? I did find Fyremadel stung without that, and it does require more commitment to get the needle in. I also found my other one stung the first time when I used the alcohol wipe - so I stopped using the wipes and it was so much better. It's also impossible to rotate sides when you get onto 2, and I did have a couple bleed or hurt more where I must've injected into the same place. It's not easy as you start to run out of space! But hopefully you won't be on them too much longer and fingers crossed your follicles do some nice growing over the weekend and you can get the collection in at the end of next week. If they were worried I'm sure they would have increased your meds. And it's great they're all growing at the same rate.

I hope your meds go okay today - just remember why you're doing it and that it will hopefully only be for a few more days xx

@Lebe14 thanks so much for your kind words of reassurance! I think last night's was just in a particularly sore spot - and not helped by the fact that when I first yelped in pain my DH took the needle out to find out what was wrong. I nearly cried when I realised he'd have to try again!
This morning's fyremadel was actually fine, just some stinging then it was over. I was so relieved I immediately burst into tears anyway 😂 Poor DH is going to be so traumatised after this week!

@taytay2020 so glad to hear todays fyremadel was okay. It really is hit and miss, isn't it! It's not easy - we are troopers to go through it. Fingers crossed for your Monday scan xx

@Lebe14 today's scan showed good growth - the biggest follicle was 17mm! So they're doing egg collection on Thursday or Friday this week, depending on my blood test results from this morning. I'm so relieved it's this week! They're also optimistic about doing a fresh transfer so fingers crossed we get through the next few steps ok and reach that point next week🤞

@taytay2020 yay that's brilliant news!!! So pleased it's happening this week. Really great progression over the weekend. If you're able to do a fresh transfer does that mean it could be next week? X

@Lebe14 Yes I assume so! Trying not to get my hopes up though, it's not a guarantee. Eeeeeek!

@taytay2020 fingers tightly crossed for you!! x

@Lebe14 I had EC this morning, and they got 11 eggs! So we're another step closer. No idea about quality etc yet but we'll get an update on Sunday morning then hopefully we can do a transfer next Wednesday. 🤞

@taytay2020 that's amazing news - 11 is great! How was it and how are you feeling? How was the sedation? I absolutely loved it haha. Woke up feeling amazing.

The wait for the call is the worst! Best thing is to keep nice and busy until then 😂 That's so exciting that your transfer has been provisionally booked for Weds too. Eeek. Let me know how the call goes on Sunday. Fingers crossed for you xx

@Lebe14 I was nervous about EC but I fell asleep almost immediately and woke up back in recovery, then I was completely wide awake from that point on! So that was alright 😀 I seem to have got away very lightly, no extra pain meds needed since I left the clinic and I even managed to do some work last night. The nurse made the antibiotics she gave me sound like puking pastilles but they were fine too. We're having a relaxing weekend now, no point worrying about tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!

@Lebe14 crap news today, 9 mature eggs but only 2 fertilised. They're going to call again tomorrow with another update but it's looking less likely we'll have anything to transfer on Wednesday 😥

Sorry to hear that @taytay2020.... IVF really is full of ups and downs isn't it. However - both could make it, so try to keep positive. We only had 2 mature and fertilise and both made it to blast on day 6.... So you really just don't know. Don't count yourself out just yet! My fingers are tightly crossed for the next call tomorrow xxx

@taytay2020 be thinking of you today. Hope your update call went okay x

@Lebe14 thank you! Oh my word I had no idea IVF would be this stressful!

We're not out yet. The normal embryo (day 4) has lost about half its cells but the rest are showing signs of early blastocyst. We'll get another update tomorrow morning. The second embryo (day 3) is still cellular and a bit slow at that, no idea what will happen there.

So there's a chance we can do a transfer tomorrow afternoon but I'm really trying not to get my hopes up.