abc IVF experience sharing - 2021/2022

[Millymillymillymillymilly]

Hey everyone,

I've benefited so much from the last 2 abc ivf threads that I thought I'd start a new one and hopefully can contribute back to the community.

I'm 33 years old, AFC around 24 (based on the initial treatment scan) and the reason we are doing IVF is due to male infertility issues (morphology lower than 4%) and irregular ovulation. We are undergoing treatment at the Harley Street branch.

Here's my treatment timeline so far:

09/11 Tue - Bemfola injection 125
10/11 Wed - Bemfola injection 125
11/11 Thu - Bemfola injection 125
12/11 Fri - Bemfola injection 125 + 1st scan
13/11 Sat - Bemfola injection 125
14/11 Sun - Bemfola injection 125 + Cetrotide injection
15/11 Mon - Bemfola injection 125 + Cetrotide injection +2nd scan
16/11 Tue - Bemfola injection 125 + Cetrotide injection
17/11 Wed - Cetrotide injection + 3rd scan + Ovitrelle injection (exact timing TBC)

After my 3rd scan today, the nurse said I didn't have to do anymore injections apart from morning Cetrotide shot and the Ovitrelle which someone from the Create clinic will call and let me know when to inject as it needs to fit into their egg retrieval appointments (I still haven't received the call and my scan was at 08.30 this morning).

My follicles' growth was as below:

1st scan
11 < 6mm
10 10 mm

2nd scan
2 < 6mm
12

Hi @Babyghirl. We are very much at the start of our ivf journey. For me it was difficult to accept that we needed ivf (unexplained fertility) and I hoped to go through the NHS but where I live it seems to take years to even get on the list, which is why we've decided to go private. We attended a webinar by abc which answered a lot of questions. I had the baseline ultrasound scan this morning which was a good experience. Very professional and detailed. We have our consultation on the 5th Jan and I'm hoping to start ivf at the end of Jan. I will post on here as I go through the journey.

So happy it went well for you today @Mazzaroo2022! When's your next consultation?

@Millymillymillymillymilly sorry you're having to go through this, my sister has also just found out she's pregnant (definitely not trying too 🙄), 4 weeks after my sister in law had my niece, its difficult to process but your feelings are valid and don't feel guilty for feeling any sort of way

@Mazzaroo2022
Thank you, just received my letter at top of list just to phone tomorrow and accept the offer not even a year on the NHS waiting list so went rather quickly.

Congratulations @Sazles99! That's fantastic news 😄

Congrats @Sazles99. So happy for you! This was your first cycle as well right? And you’ll have further chances when you decided and if you want another baby down the line. Amazing! I definitely feel for women who are struggling to get pregnant because I’m on that boat myself. I know how stressful both physically and mentally it is! Hope the scan goes well and the next 8-9 months goes smoothly. Don’t forget to update us. Your experience gives us all hope :)

@Babyghirl @Mazzaroo2022 thanks! It is really tough especially when the whole family doesn’t know we are going through this. Plus we are currently on a family holiday and my 2 year old niece is the cutest little person ever and my sis in law is very pregnant looking. I’ve just had to swallow it all in. My husband doesn’t get it, he feels for me but he doesn’t get why I can feel a bit of bitterness towards my sis in law. I always thought a women had to choose, it’s either her career or her family and my sis in law has both. I’m happy for her and I do love her to bits, but when I see my in laws fawning over her and my niece, I really can’t help but to feel jealous because that’s what I’ve been dreaming of for so long. It doesn’t get any easier does it?

@LondonladyTTC, it’s finally happening! Hope it goes well for you! Even though I won’t be your abc buddy but we might actually be stimming at the same time! Good luck to the both of us x

Have a great new year’s eve tomorrow gals and hope everyone get their new year miracle. 2022 is the year xxx

Happy new year ladies!

@waitingmyturn My consultation is on the 5th so not long, do wish it would hurry up though!

@Babyghirl That’s amazing. It really does seem to depend on where you live as to how long it will take. My f/u with the nhs consultant was booked for 8 months after my hycosy and try as I might I can’t get them to bring it forward which is why we are going private. If this round doesn’t work though at least we have that to fall back on I guess.

@Millymillymillymillymilly If anything it gets harder 😩

@LondonladyTTC We’ll be at the same clinic but I’ll be a bit behind you. Fingers crossed everything goes well.

Hi everyone and happy new year!! Can't believe I've missed so many messages, I had a stomach bug and for a minute I thought I could be pregnant due to the vomiting, but hey of course AF showed her face today!

First of all @Sazles99 a huge congratulations on your little miracle! Honestly gives us all so much hope!! Wishing you a happy and healthy 9 months ahead!

@Millymillymillymillymilly Totally know how you feel, my husband never used to understand why I would find it upsetting joining baby shower zooms during the pandemic but as time has gone on and he's seeing his friends with kids I think he's starting to realise why I feel the way I do. It's just something we can't beat ourselves up for feeling that way.

@Mazzaroo2022 So glad your scan went well! I was wanting to message on here to update but it was the day I had the bug! Mine went well too, really thorough, so so friendly! And I was in and out in 15 minutes! She showed me the ultrasound as she was calling out the measurements etc and tried to explain where my uterus/ovaries were. I also had about 15 follicles which she said was normal for my age and could see that I had ovulated, my lining measured 11mm which is good as I've always wondered if that was an issue due to periods being lightish. You're so lucky you don't have to wait long for your consultation, hope it goes well! Mines on the 20th and I can't wait for it and to just get started. If all goes well, I will start ivf 31st Jan if AF comes on time. Have you sent across your test results etc? I still need to do that.

Hope 2022 is the year for all of us! So nice to see this group growing! I will also be updating everything when I go through the process.

Happy New year ladies

Wow thank you ladies, @LondonladyTTC @Mazzaroo2022 @waitingmyturn @Millymillymillymillymilly ❤

I've been there, and I know how tough it can be hear of others' success stories, but it was something that really gave me hope and I pray that it does the same for you all!

As I mentioned previously, I'm still very anxious about it all and I'm still trying not to think of myself as 'pregnant' which is pretty tough because all I want to do is celebrate it! I have my scan next week and although I know it's still early, I think it'll make me feel more relaxed.

Can anyone who has had appointments recently let me know if their partners have been able to come to appointments with you given the COVID situation? I was lucky that my husband was able to attend all of my appointments and scans, but he unfortunately wasn't allowed in when they did the transfer. Given my worries, I really hope he can come in for the scan next week 🤞

@Sazles99 totally get it! Feels like a game in some way, you clear one level and then there’s all these other levels you have to clear. Fingers crossed for you!

Maybe it’s worth giving abc a call or drop them an email to ask whether your husband could attend too? Given the new covid situation… they might tighten the restrictions yet again. So it may be different to how it was a month ago.

Hope all goes ok with the consultation tomorrow @Mazzaroo2022!

@Sazles99 I'm hoping your husband can attend your scan with you, it's all part of the experience and although I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine if you do have to do it on your own I really hope he is able to attend with you!

I started my Bemfola injections last night and have my scan booked for Friday, I was pleasantly surprised how little it hurt/stung (I'm not very good with needles as a rule so I probably built it up in my head to be far worse than it was ever going to be), I was completely unable to do it myself though, it was like I had stage fright, i rewatched the videos about 3 times and I just couldn't do it, my husband had to do it for me, I'm hoping I can get over this as it would be much easier for me to do it myself 🙈

Hi everyone, it's lovely to see your stories. I'm considering starting IVF with ABC IVF as we meet their criteria and they're so reasonably priced. I understand that abc do mild IVF, and I'm trying to understand how to make the decision between mild and conventional IVF. I have an AMH of 12.6 and my partner has low morphology -we're both 37. I wondered what made you ladies choose abc and the mild IVF?

Hope all goes well tomorrow for you! @Mazzaroo2022

@CurlewCalls I'm yet to start the process (only had the ultrasound scan) but I'm guessing they advise what they recommend at the consultation, so we don't really get to choose. (Girls correct me if I'm wrong!)

As far as I'm aware, they need the ultrasound done and any previous tests we've had done and then they will let us know what they think we need, whether that's ivf/mild/icsi etc at the consultation.

But don't quote me on this as I'm yet to have the consultation, I just didn't want to read and run. I don't know yet what I will need but have had to begin the process by booking the scan and consultation if that helps.

@star2022 Sorry to hear you were unwell, but so glad your scan went well too! An endometrial lining of 11mm is great. My lining was only 6.7mm. She said it wasn't bad but need to be 7mm but they have drugs for that and reassured me. It's only on researching now that I'm wondering if this was our issue all along! Nervous but excited about the consultation tomorrow.

@Sazles99 Have everything crossed for you that you can bring your husband in!

@waitingmyturn Thanks for wishing me luck for tomorrow. Glad the injections weren't as bad as you thought. I'm also dreading them and pretty confident I will need my oh to do it for me. I had to do an antibody test for covid the other day which is only a finger prick and I couldn't even manage that! Hopefully it will get easier over time but at least it makes him feel involved.

@CurlewCalls I think more complicated cases sometimes mean mild IVF isn't suited, and you have to go down the conventional route. For me I didn't want to take drugs to suppress my cycle and have menopause symptoms if I could help it. The less drugs the better. ABC are also very reasonably priced and we signed up to a free webinar where they answered questions which helped. There's one every few weeks usually listed on their website. Also these forums are great for info so you're in the right place! Good luck x

@Mazzaroo2022 I just wanted to highlight the lining does depend on where you are in your cycle, so for me I was at cycle day 25 (nearing AF) so understandably it would be thick. You may have been a different time in your cycle during yours so don't worry too much about that! I'm pretty sure when I had my first ultrasound with nhs during ovulation it was around 7mm so don't forget it changes as you go further in your cycle. Good luck tomorrow x

Thank you for your thoughts everyone, that's so helpful. It just feels such a minefield all the options and uncertainties... Good luck on all of your journeys xxx

Hey everyone, I hope you're all getting on okay! @Mazzaroo2022 hope your consultation went ok!

Could someone please tell me which medication is used at abc? More so after the trigger shot, what do they give during 2ww?

Hubby is potentially having to going away for a few days at the end of the month I start the process and I'm worried if there are any injections involved after the transfer is done and if he's going to be needed for anything. It's literally the last week of the month he may be away :/

Hey @star2022 ,

I'm currently stimming at the moment I'm using Bemfola (FSH) and Cetrotide (suppress LH) and for the trigger shot I've got Ovitrelle. After that I don't have any more injections (that I'm aware of- second scan tomorrow), I have Utrogestan capsules for after transfer and until pregnancy test.

They may differ from person to person and cycle to cycle (this is my first cycle), but I hope this helps!

@star2022 from my experience, you only need to take the antibiotics for a certain period after the egg collection and then it’s the pessaries that you need to insert 3 times a day.

Thank you so much @waitingmyturn and @Millymillymillymillymilly That's super helpful! I think he's trying to get out of going so hopefully all should be ok! I know my friend had injections and pessaries during her 2ww so I was worried ours would be the same. Glad its not!

How are you finding the process so far @waitingmyturn ? Fingers crossed for your second scan today!!

Thank you @star2022, everything went well with the scan today, follicles frowning nicely, they were going to do egg retrieval on Wednesday but after my blood test results came back my estrogen levels weren't quite high enough so going to carry on with the injections, re scan Wednesday and go from there 😊

In all honesty, my experience has been positive, everyone I've spoken to (scans, consultations etc) have been wonderfully kind and able to answer any questions or concerns I've had, I am anxious about each next bit (if that makes sense), I was anxious about the injections but they were absolutely fine (OH has to do them for me but that's because of my needle phobia), then the scans which were completely fine and now currently anxious about the egg retrieval but I know like everything else this will probably be just fine too, it's all the unknown so I think it's to be expected. I still feel like I'm early in the process but I'm happy with everything that I've been through 😊

Hi..I am also trying the ABC ivf in Manchester..I have done the initial scan and it came back all ok..I just did my screening bloods and am awaiting the results..fingers crossed all comes back good..Hubby's sperm has been collected as well...we are waiting results before we can proceed..I am anxious really...I hope it all comes back ohk..we have been trying for over 4 years now...I hope I get support from TTC women as well...good luck to everyone

Hi all, sorry not been on here in a while.

Had my consultation on the 5th. The nurse was really thorough and covered all of our questions. She also reassured me about the endometrial lining (thanks @star2022, you were right!). However, part of her job is to set realistic expectations. Obvs I know there is a risk with IVF that it might not work, but I guess I hadn't entertained that thought until now. So at the end of the call I felt quite done about it. My husband however, felt really excited post call so maybe it was just me.

I'm away for a few days in February and as af came late this month (just for fun 😩) it clashes with the IVF cycle. So I'm going to start at the end of Feb now instead. So @star2022 we won't be the same time anymore 😔

@waitingmyturn hope everything has gone ok with egg retrieval. Have been thinking of you!

@cutedolly welcome to the group! I found the last few weeks between initial consultation and waiting on test results the most nerve racking so far. I had myself convinced there would be a problem and we wouldn't be able to proceed. Silly really, but know the wait will be over soon x

Welcome @Cutedolly 😊

Thank you @Mazzaroo2022, it must be frustrating having to push it back, I agree the waiting is quite difficult - probably the worst bit for me!

I went ahead with egg collection Friday and 3 day embryo transfer yesterday, feeling ok in myself but back to the waiting again now

Welcome @Cutedolly !

Got my fingers crossed for you @waitingmyturn glad you're feeling ok! I can imagine the waiting being a nightmare!! I have read resting and taking it easy in 2ww but also still being active (going for a walk) to help blood flow to be helpful.

Glad your consultation went well @Mazzaroo2022 did they ask you for your test results or did they need you to do any other tests after? I know what you mean about being realistic, i've kind of told myself to be prepared for it to not work first time but at the same time feeling excited and hopeful too.

My consultation is on Thursday this week! Just wondering whether i'll be able to start on my next cycle which is 31st Jan or if i'd need to do anything between. I had my thyroid blood test results printed from my GP but didn't realise it was over 12 months ago - would this need to be done again from anyones experience?

Hope you're all getting on okay!