ACU Ninewells

[RRk1469]

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone has been for a first appointment at the ACU in Dundee. My husband and I have our first appointment together at the end of January and just wondering what to expect.

Evening all 🥰 things are progressing nicely overall, 🫘 now 21+1, had a few nights in hospital due to a fourth bleed🩸but got home this afternoon Back on house rest until follow up appointment with midwife on Tues.

@CuriousAries no not finding out 🫘 sex, we're having a surprise 💜

My one takeaway from transitioning from ACU to mainstream maternity would be ask for support from the perinatal mental health team as I've struggled with the intensity of our IVF cycle to then the waiting waiting waiting of mainstream maternity. The support from perinatal mental health have been incredible 💖

Thanks all for the welcome. Reading back on this thread has been so helpful, I'm really grateful for you all sharing! I agree, our timelines do all seem quite different but it has been great to get an idea of what stages are up next. I've learned more here than from any of the paperwork😄We're due to start in the next month or two, just waiting on the confirmation.

@TTC86 Everything is crossed for your TWW!

Welcome to @BNA23 and @ivfgotachance!

It's good to hear as many people's stories and experiences as possible as they do all seem to be different. Although I wish that none of us have to go through this, it is a comfort to have others who share the same emotions, feelings and experiences; it certainly helps me to feel less alone. As some other have said, I feel I've learned more from this thread than from the information issued by the clinic at times!

@CuriousAries great to hear you've started! Wishing you all the luck in the world! also glad to hear the injections aren't too bad, I'm not a fan of needles!

@mrsmacmc great to hear about your progress, hope all is going well!

@TTC86 crossing everything for you! 🙏

I finally caved last week and emailed the clinic as we hadn't heard anything and got the response below:

"I can see that we have you on the waiting list for a provisional start month of May, we are in the process of preparing packs for patients starting treatment, and will be in touch soon with your new online consents and letter. If you have not received any information or consent forms in the next 2-3 weeks, please pop us an email, and we will look into this for you.

I hope this helps, all the best with your forthcoming treatment."

This made me feel much more hopeful that we should be starting in May going by your timelines @CuriousAries we should hopefully receive our info pack/consents and letter in the next few weeks 🙌

@RRk1469 @Ducky4 it's quite daunting to hear about the 4 month wait for a FET. Although our first attempt will be a fresh transfer, subsequent transfers will be FET. Did they explain why there is such a delay? Sending love to you both 💛

UPDATE
So 1st scan since STIMS
A couple of follicles at 17/18mm but nurse said they will probably be too mature by the time the others catch up.
A couple at 11/12mm and about 8 on each side around 10mm or under.
Continue the same dosage and back in Wed morning with the hope of collection on Friday.
So please send me your egg collection experiences and recovery! Hearing so many mixed stories about how sedated you are and recovery etc but not from Ninewells.

My experience with jags so far- fine but unpredictable. Sometimes the needle hasn't went in and has been really sore trying to pierce skin. I've moved between tummy and thighs - had no issues with pain in thighs. Also moved between 90 and 45 degree angle inserting needle as that helps.

Was abit bloated and bubbly tummy the first few days - also couldn't eat my usual amount of food- but then it's settled down since injecting into thighs. Day 8 of STIMS today and I feel full and tired although not bloated and there's been a few niggles here and there with some movements.

UPDATE 2
I'm now in the 2WW! Where has the time gone???? Long update below.
2nd STIMS scan didn't go to plan and alot of the small follicles hadn't grown (were still at 10mm or under) and was told they now wouldn't grow. Silently crying my eyes out whilst watching the ultrasound as the same numbers were being called out......
Anyway - 10 mins later, after a wee meltdown thinking EC would be postponed or cancelled and speaking with the consultant (first time actually seeing them/ meeting them apart from phone call) we went ahead with the original EC date of the Friday as there were 5/6 follicles looking good at that time. Big come down from my expecting to have around 20 follicles available.
Anyway - managed to get 11 eggs at retrieval (so way more than expected), 8 mature and 6 fertilized. So I was back with my good expectations.
Retrieval was totally fine - seditionists Nick and Jen were lovely and so chatty. The 'forgetful drug' doesn't work on me it seems (like I expected) as remembered most of our conversations during procedure. The only sore thing was the 'clean out' where it was like a tampon being shoved up me and the beginning but must have got lots of painkillers from then as didn't feel anything and I suppose although I remember conversations I wasn't really aware of what was going on. Oh and the cannula - which has left my hand extremally bruised a week later and had to be reinserted into my arm. They said not many patients go to sleep ....but that they just don't remember any of it.
Recovery has been fine and better than anticipated! Meant to go get peppermint oil and lactulose etc beforehand to be prepared but I just had a little trapped wind 36 hours later in the middle of the night and I was on the verge of calling an ambulance (they said I was still very low OHSS risk so didn't think it was that) - Rennie's Deflatine was literally a lifesaver. Stock up! Safe for in pregnancy. Stopped it nearly immediately. Although my bowels had moved I got lactulose a few days later as I felt maybe a bit heavy - never again!!! My tummy cramped and bubbled for hours after. Just doesn't agree with me but I know others are fine.
All 6 made it to Day 3 - one had slightly less cells.
Transfer day - felt it was just very rushed and you don't get a chance to sit down with anyone before/after like you do when you are getting the scans. Get taken straight to tiny changing room and embryologist stand and talks to you, get changed, wait for nurse who comes into the wee room to give you pregnancy test, then go into procedure room, then leave and in the corridor got told that's you get dressed and go. I had questions - in the middle of the corridor or in a tiny wee stuffy changing room wasn't the place to do it. It was an hour all in but it's just the sitting down to go through things was the issue. Got a 4BA in. The rest still had to catch up. Slept all the way home - don't know why I was suddenly tired?
Day 6 - call to say only 1 4AB was frozen. 4 were still like day 4 and 1 wasn't suitable for freezing according to their grading criteria cut off (which is a whole other post in itself as Glasgow would have frozen it) So que me taking this further!!!
That's me 2 days in - was really exhausted yesterday, better today. Progesterone cream been fine but that's a week in now and starting to have a build up and I feel my tummy's bigger than it was on STIMS.
Although it is a 2WW I didn't actually think that meant 14 days. As thought that was from egg retrieval/fertilization? But I've been given 14 from transfer!?
I hope the above helps those of you that are yet to experience it. Oh and of course I had my McDonald's fries after it :)

@CuriousAries Best of luck for your TWW!! I've seen McDonald's fries mentioned a couple times now so had to Google it, hadn't heard of that one before but I'll sure give it a try😆

@CuriousAries exciting that your now in the 2ww and good to hear your experience, gives a good insight of what to expect if and when we go down the IVF route.

Hope your 2ww goes quickly for you and fingers crossed for your BFP

Anyone else any further forward?

Bad news here our 2nd IUI was unsuccessful so hopefully going to try again next week. Im struggling a bit to stay positive but trying my best and need to remember we have only had 2 IUIs.
We've also been added to the IVF waiting list, but are going to continue with one more IUI while we wait as we always said we would try 3 IUIs before moving on.
Hopefully its not too long a wait for IVF, I had assumed because we had already started treatment we could just switch to IVF didn't realise we would be added to the wait list again.

How is everyone?

@RRk1469 sorry I've been meaning to update since Monday 🤦‍♀️ I'm blaming the hormones!

Trucking on here with the rollercoaster 🎢 31 weeks now 😯. Our growth scans have kicked in, they are hovering around the 50th centile line which is good and on twice weekly monitoring as baby has settled in the breech position curled up like a wee 🥐

Starting to feel brave enough to get things ready for baby too 💖

@FSF85 sorry just scrolled back the thread and noticed you had asked me a question ages ago 🫣 we aren't finding out the sex, decided to have a surprise, my inner feel is 🫘 is a girl but we'll see what flavour they are when the land safely earthside with us 💖

Hi folks, not much to report here.

I’ve not spoken to clinic since I called them to let them know our first FET didn’t work out. That was at the end of March. We are currently waiting to have a try with our second frozen embryo. At the time, I was told there was around a four month wait for 2nd FET, but I’m not entirely sure from when that starts (from the time I started my first cycle leading up to 1st FET, or from the date we called to say it hadn’t worked?). I felt frustrated being on a waiting list again and so I asked if going private would quicken things up and was told no, and that it would cost me thousands. So nothing to do but wait. I plan to give them a wee call in the next week or two just to check in.

@RRk1469 I hope you are doing well and that you hear really soon. Thanks for your advice about the period, it was helpful to know you experienced it too xxx

@DDucky4 we called ACU on the 15th March to say our transfer was unsuccessful and we have just had a txt yesterday to say we've got new econsult forms added to our online form to start our next round in July so that'll be 4 months since we called.

I am doing a natural FET this time so no medication!! Its my first FET so not sure if they'll have to track my cycle for a month first or if its just a call on the first day of my period again? Any idea?

@RRk1469 that’s great that you’ve heard from them and that you are moving forward again 😊 Did you get a letter at all? When I called to say it hadn’t worked they said they would have a meeting to discuss our cycle and that they would send us a letter. But we haven’t had one as yet. I really must give them a call on Monday.

From memory I had to call them on January Period, and we transferred mid-March. It was a much longer process than I had initially thought. But that was with meds, so it might be less time in between if going natural.

I feel like I’m in a constant state of limbo with all the waiting…it’s hard going.

Sending you best wishes with your FET ❤️ It’s really nice to know someone is at a similar stage to us!

Sorry for the delayed reply. Hope eveyone is getting on ok.
@RRk1469 Everything crossed for you in July.

Update here is our final IUI worked. Still can't believe it. We had our early scan last week and everything looks good so we've told our parents but holding off with anyone else till after the 12 week scan.
Still so paranoid something will happen between now and then but I wonder if that feeling ever goes away. I still can't believe we are on this position, just feeling so so grateful.

@mrsmacmc glad to hear you're doing well. Not too long for you to go now till you meet Bubba.

@Ducky4 fingers crossed its not too much longer a wait for you

@TTC86 keeping everything crossed for you and sending ✨ and sticky bean 🫘 vibes 🥰 one of the MW (Sharon) at ACU told me a very good mantra to help with my anxiety which was 'today I am more pregnant than I was yesterday' which has really helped me out 💜 for me my anxiety dropped slightly once we got to 24wks but it does still rumble in the background and is more amplified some days than others. Get yourself referred to the local PNMHT asap so you can lean on them for support too. I've also found the fertility network UK support group which is monthly zoom calls & the WhatsApp group along with PANDAS very useful too ❤️

You got this 💪🏻

@RRk1469 I emailed ACU today, explaining I hadn’t had any communication from them since calling to say 1st FET was unsuccessful. Got a quick response to say I have a ‘team meeting’ letter ready to be sent to me, but it’s waiting to be signed first. And I have a start month of August for FET number 2. So I reckon that means it will be September for the actual transfer. Gosh this is a long process… so much waiting.

Hope everyone is getting on well! On our end we have had a few unexpected hurdles, but are finally getting there, and we are due to pick up medication this week on my partners day 3 period. Hoping we are all smooth sailing from here, though disheartening as we have another 3 month wait after egg collection as due to legislation a couple is only defined as a man and a woman, so my partner has to technically be my “egg donor”. So that’s another battle but at least we are on the road. ❤️

This thread has gone silent! How is everyone? Are we making progress? I have my FET in 2 ish weeks! Can't believe it. @DDucky4 any further forward? I think I remember we were at similar stages? @CCuriousAries how are you my OG buddy?

Still growing our human 🤞🏻 35wks and according to my app baby is now the size and of a pineapple 🍍 💖

Hi everyone,

Yes I noticed the thread went quiet after my last update so I didn’t want to come straight on and post as I know everyone’s processing their own journey.

UPDATE (might be triggering but a good read about OHSS- sorry long read again)

I’m 15 weeks pregnant!

I coped well with the 2 week wait. Wasn’t interested in testing early with all the false positives and was busy with work.
My tummy was big and solid and I was really uncomfortable - put it down to the progesterone pessaries (later discovered it was secondary OHSS) but 2 days before test day I woke up and it felt flabby (back to normal!!) so I was convinced I was going to get a negative test so I thought ‘F**k It’ I’m away for a hot bath which I had been avoiding and was going to stuff myself with cheese your not suppose to eat (but didn’t have any in fridge!)
So when we took the test, it was utter shock! I stared at it in silence for 2 mins! We had filmed everything until then and didn’t film the reaction because we were so sure it was negative due to my tummy and DH didn’t want the disappointment recorded - oh how I regret it now!
Again, stayed pretty calm and collected up until scan day at 7.4 weeks and was ready to accept any news (eg- empty sac, quadruplets etc). DH was a nervous wreck.
By this point by tummy was massive, bloated, hard to hide it and I wasn’t eating my usual amounts- was convinced there was more than one baby in there!
Scan showed just one- got to see heartbeat.
But also showed the OHSS- my ovaries were touching each other and the screen was filled with massive black holes and some free fluid. I was not anything like this during treatment so they classified it as secondary and said it will slowly go down but it will have pushed my stomach upwards and that’s why I can’t eat as much. Should get better around 10 weeks after hormones have peaked.
Well I only feel like I’m back to eating and drinking my usual on the past week - so it took until 14 weeks!
I can’t complain as I haven’t been sick and didn’t need hospitalised for the OHSS but it’s been abit rough. Craving normal meals but physically can only nibble. Could only sip juice as well during the hottest of weather. So I got quite weak around 10/11 weeks and was off work for a couple of weeks (hadn’t taken time off other than 2 days after transfer just to rest). Lost weight and tummy flattened out abit.
ACU sign you off after that scan and just advised if I was in pain to go to A and E.
Got a reassurance scan at local hospital at 9 weeks due to pain and cramping ( just stretching and overdone it at work) - showed my ovaries had decreased but some follicles still at 5cm (never got the measurements of their initial size but must have been way more). Mentally was good to hear of the reduction but physically didn’t feel any different.
Had a private scan for Fathers Day at 11 weeks and again showed a reduction to 3.5cm.
Our NHS scan wasn’t until 13 weeks and it didn’t show any further reduction in size but did in quantity.
So I’m probably going to have a cyst or 2 maybe this whole pregnancy!
FYI - no one knows how to deal with OHSS after your discharged from clinic. Midwife, GP and Ultrasound people were all like what did your clinic say about it! If I hadn’t seen a reduction at 9 weeks I would have got back in touch with Ninewells!
But it’s been crazy and lovely to see the difference every 2ish weeks from like a tadpole to a proper human with arms and legs moving about.
FYI - with a positive scan result you can get your embryo creation video for £10 donation.
Finding out gender next week, NHS scan not until 22 nearly 23 weeks!

@TTC86 - congrats. We must be due similar times.
@RRk1469 - my OG. What a journey it’s been since we started chatting over a year ago. Fingers crossed for you. Had dreamed once that we met up with our little ones. @mrsmacmc - wow I can’t believe your nearly there!

Thinking of you all on this thread and if I can help with answering questions in any way I’m here!

@mrsmacmc thanks that's really helpful.
Oh congratulations @CuriousAries that's great news.
We just had our 12 weeks scan this week and feeling slightly better now to be past this point and know everything is progressing well.
Due mid January how about you?

Hope eveyone else is progressing well on their journeys.

Congratulations to you guys!!!

I wasn't sure whether to update or not as I certainly still remember that feeling where it seems everyone else is pregnant, however we were lucky too and am now 10 weeks. I've had the 7 week at Ninewells and also a private scan and all looking good.

@CuriousAries we requested the embryo development video too. Fascinating to see and have to keep!

Ahhh what amazing news yo you all @BBNA23 @TTTC86 and my OG @CCuriousAries we have so many sticky wee beans happening. I also have been super lucky with my second round and got a wee sticky bean. our OTD was Sunday! I'm still in major shock and very nervous but hopefully all good going forward. I have my 7 week scan on the 22nd of Aug so hopefully it's keeps growing.

Where's everyone else at? Hoping for more positive tests for everyone.

A wee update from our world. Delighted to share our daughter arrived safely earthside on the 10 August 39+2 via CS weighing in at 6lb 15oz 💜 forever grateful for the support on the ACU threads 💖

@mmrsmacmc CONGRATULATIONS 🎊 You must feel so happy to finally have her ❤️ good luck 🥰