Fertility Appointments and Beyond.... the next chapter

[Tinkerbell098]

I have created a new thread as the previous one is about to fill up. I've tagged some of us here, but apologies if I have missed anyone.

The thread is for anyone who has started/ about to start fertility investigations or treatment. Come join us, we are a lovely bunch :)

@tillybabs
@thislittlebird
@kay00
@jeaniej
@PurpleUnicorn01
@paintfairy
@dogmam
@flutterby8
@Ughmaybenot
@dancingfairydreams
@beckycarlos
@jkjellyhead
@juno231
@decaffe
@bumble44
@BritinNZ
@tinkerbell098
@pinkginpls
@thedaydreambelievers
@everymumday
@wanderlust16
@lori23ttc
@Gracie2021
@Sofasogood1
@99pctpractice
@magnoliasinbloom

@beckyCarlos I'm glad you're feeling okayish right now and had support - I'm in awe of your resiliance xx. Amazing that you can have a holiday and I'm pleased you can kick off again when you are ready! Where is your holiday too?

@Kay00 wishing you lots of luck for EC tomorrow and those sound like brilliant numbers! Also hope you don't get OHSS (or would you prefer a frozen transfer really?)

@Gracie2021 yay for last round of egg collection :) I hope that it all goes well and having two embryos in the bank already is amazing x

@thislittlebird happy birthday for the other day!! That's wonderful that there's no wait for transfer 2 and you get Cyprus in too! :)

Hi everyone
@Kay00 great numbers, very excited for you 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
@Gracie2021 good luck with this cycle!
@thislittlebird good news about FET no 2.
@Tillybabs how's your down reg going?
@beckyCarlos so sorry about your MC, I know how it feels 💔

Bit of an update from me ... I got my first period post MC ... it was exactly 4 weeks later & seems normal, so fingers crossed we can try again (although my window falls when we're visiting my sister. 🫠)

DH got diagnosed with a varicocele yesterday. I'm so mad ... the NHS don't do anything unless he's in pain which I totally get, but varicoceles are linked to unexplained infertility & miscarriage ... and that's us!
He was told that his sperm count was normal, so therefore we shouldn't be worried, but there is research that says it can mess up the DNA.
The gp was pretty dismissive & didn't rate getting it looked into 🙄
We've booked into a private DNA fragmentation test this week that includes a consultation with a doc.
I'm hoping that everything is normal, but I'll be annoyed (at the system) if there is an issue that could be resolved to help us conceive without intervention.
Has anyones partners had the DNA frag test or has a varicocele?

@JeanieJ not something my partner has had personal experience but I remember listening to this podcast interview with a man who had a varicocele and his experience - sharing in case helpful podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/toby-trice-why-balls-matter/id1431698726?i=1000550498222

@JeanieJ my OH has had the DNA frag test. I do wonder though how relevant it is as people who get pregnant without any treatment never have theirs tested so it’s difficult to make a comparison. However I have heard of people who have had varicoceles removed and their results have improved & then they get pregnant. We haven’t been able to find any other answers as to why we never got pregnant so perhaps there is something in it. I now wish we had tried a bit longer however before going to IVF.

@magnoliasinbloom yeah, I listened to that a while ago ... in fact that made me prompt DH to get checked out (he's been complaining about aches for years). That podcast has made me worried about having a failed IVF cycle though 😳

@InvisibleDreamer did your partners results offer you any insight? It's hard to know what to do when you're unexplained 🫤.

I just wish there were more standardized tests for male fertility. The gp told him that 'couples like us are always looking for answers' like it was a bad thing 🙄. I mean, it took us to 20 months to conceive & then we lost the baby! Of course we want to get things checked out. 🙄
Xx

@JeanieJ Urgh! That comment by your doctor is completely unacceptable! I'd be furious too. I wonder how other men have this condition undiagnosed out there?!

@magnoliasinbloom I'm certainly much more bloated today, but hopefully not enough to be OHSS. I originally preferred the idea of a freeze all, but now I've had time to get my head around a fresh transfer, I'm looking forward to it.

@Tillybabs @beckyCarlos nope... general anaesthetic is not option at my clinic because they don't have an anaesthetist. In fact the told me the 'conscious sedation' is the lightest they can offer and won't be as strong as when I had my colonoscopy... so it's not a lot of sedation 😬 they said the gas and air was on equal footing with the sedation option... so I have a horrible feeling I'm going to feel everything 🥺 I hope it's not too traumatising 😣

@beckyCarlos I'm glad to hear your scan went well, and that you have booked yourself a holiday... you certainly deserve it xx

@beckyCarlos that's fab that you've booked a holiday. It will be much needed and deserved.

@JeanieJ I think these GPs and Drs become so desensitised but it's out of order. Of course you want answers and there's nothing wrong with that. You deserve to get answers too!

I haven't started downreg yet I will start on my next cycle which should be early next week. I'm just hoping it comes before the long bank holiday weekend because I need to go to the hospital to have the shot, I can't administer it myself and I'm not sure why.

@Kay00 I can understand why you would be worried but I'm sure they wouldn't do it that way if there was a risk of extreme pain. You don't have long to go now! Wishing you all the luck in the world for tomorrow x

@beckyCarlos I'm glad you've got a bit of a plan in place, hopefully you'll be able to start again and feel positive about it. Where are you going on holiday? Tell me more! We have about 10 days until our holiday, can't wait.

Yes, great news I can go straight into it! I'm slightly frustrated I have to wait until July, because I'm on holiday. But I'm trying to focus on the good weight loss progress I'm making and how I'll have another few weeks to build upon that before the transfer. I'll have lost 2 inches off my waist by next week and would like to lose another 2 at least so those weeks will give me a good opportunity to do it.

I don't know if I had 'conscious sedation' but I was out out of it for the half hour I was there. I told them I didn't want to be aware of the needle or anything, and not feel any pain. I don't need that in my life :/

@Gracie2021 I'm coming up to 3 years in October which is just misery inducing ugh. When do you think you'll be transferring? I think I'm looking at early/mid July, my cycle will begin the last week of June. Fingers crossed it's not another 22 day wait until ovulation like last time 🙄

I can totally understand that about the EC comfort zone. I found the transfer and then waiting very odd, but you have as much chance as anyone.

@magnoliasinbloom thanks, I can't wait now!

@JeanieJ that's frustrating. We did the DNA frag and were "cleared" for ICSI, as such. There was no varicocele and his fragmentation was ok for his age.

@Kay00 hmm, I don't love that line about on same level as sedation. Take the sedation and ask for painkillers too, can they do those intravenously? I had paracetamol and the anaesthetic going into my arm. You have a lot of follicles so it won't be as quick as some people either, so ask what they can do for you.

@thislittlebird Yes, I'd opt for the sedation... but. My OH doesn't drive so I would need to rely on a taxi to arrive on time, and the Taxis are completely useless here and Uber's aren't a thing. So I might have to have gas and air 😪

@JeanieJ We had our results looked at by a urologist (Dr. Ramsey) & he said that there were good sperm but we were unlikely to get pregnant naturally but there should be no problem with IVF. Just feel like it’s all a bit of an unknown though personally. GPs are so annoying. Actually had a GP say to me when I said we wanted to start trying ‘come back when you are pregnant’ Not super helpful

@jeaniej that sounds so ridiculous! Our clinic sent my husband for an internal ultrasound (which I did not revel in....), they didnt find anything but if they had I was under the impression they'd have 'fixed' it!

@kay00 that would make me nervous! I definitely had conscious sedation, but it was a combination of sedation drug (medalezam?) Which is a hypnotic so chills you out and you dont remmeber, and an opiod based painkiller that I dont remember the name of, all IV, and when I told the anaesthatist I was terrified, he said he'd give me enough to knock me out properly and he wasnt lying!

The holiday is a 14 night european cities cruise, 7 ports, 7 sea days, from southampton so no flights, lovely balance of r&r and doing stuff, can . Not . Wait

Hmmm that’s annoying. Your oh is sorting the taxi I assume? Would you normally get the train? I was more out than you and I was ok. I went for a five guys after and wandered around London Bridge. 😂

@beckyCarlos yeah mine did the same on request, knocked me right out. I don’t want to know or remember anything about it. I woke up quickly though and was fine.

Oh wow that holiday sounds very exciting! I would like to do something like that, just not sure i should be on boats for long because I get sick, so I’d probably be too worried to try it.

@InvisibleDreamer - yeah it is frustrating ... 🫤 it does feel like an unknown & I'm not sure if we're gonna be wasting our money either, but I just want to get a bit more information.

@beckyCarlos that sounds like a nice trip 🙂

@Tillybabs yeah I agree ... they are quite matter of fact & it doesn't help that they're so busy that they don't have time to look into it. I hope everything goes well when you start next week

xx

@JeanieJ glad you're able to get sorted privately but so frustrating that the NHS brush off anything to do with the male side of things. my OH got the DNA frag test done. It was very pricy and took a few weeks for results to come back. We had no further action there as it all came back within parameters. There definitely isn't the same focus on men though at all!

@Kay00 I've had conscious sedation three times now and only remember vague memories from two of them. Definitely no pain. But everyone reacts differently in terms of the aftereffects. I wouldn't trust myself to get home whether driving, taxi or public transport without someone to steer me along but my friend was out shopping half an hour after leaving the clinic so hard to tell....

@beckyCarlos that cruise sounds absolutely amazing! So so glad you have it to look forward to. So much to do.

@thislittlebird did you say where you're off to on your holiers? Ours seems so far away right now. Ten days will fly by. Timing wise I think I'll be about a week ahead of you possibly. Would expect my period by week three June.... will be good having the company.

@Tillybabs strange that you can't administer yourself. Fingers crossed timing works out for your long weekend. Think one of the most frustrating things about all this is not being able to make 100% definite plans for anything 🙈

Thanks a mil @magnoliasinbloom. Hope you're doing well x

Day 6 here today of my last cycle and of our four collected one more thankfully to add to the freezer. We have a 4AA and 4BA from our first duostim round and a 3CB now from this round. And today is stims day 2 of the new round so onwards and upwards.

@Kay00 good luck today! I hope all goes well Xx

@Gracie2021 that's fantastic news I bet you are chuffed to have another banked.

@Gracie2021 ah great news you’ve got another banked! So three now? That’s the same as us, are you able to transfer them all (not at once, obviously) before you have to do any more EC?

We’re off to Cyprus, not too far from Paphos, on June 4th! Where and when is yours?

The ten days will totally fly by, I’m working out most days, have another ten days to potentially get the exercise in and hope my swimsuits still fit by June 3rd. 🙃 I was a bit keen to buy swim wear because I was conscious it would sell out, and lots of it did. Most of what I bought it fine but one swimming costume feels a bit looser in the boobs, I think I’ve probably lost some back fat. It’s been good though, Covid and IVF had got me down and I was weighing more than ever and I’m quite short, hated it.

Forgot to wish @Kay00 good luck! Hope it all goes quickly!

Forgot the day. How did it come so quickly. Best of luck @Kay00

Thanks a mil @tillybabs, absolutely thrilled, my biggest fear is always coming out of a round with none. So far I've managed to get one each time except our cancelled round obviously.

Cyprus is on my list @thislittlebird, would love to go. I have free cancellation hotels booked in august and September and which we go on will depend on treatments etc. if the transfer in June/July worked I'd be 11/12 weeks for the September holiday and think the benefits of 10 days relaxation outweigh any fear of flying etc.... what are your thoughts on flying if a transfer was successful? Yes we have 3 frozen now, 2 good quality and this new one would be middling quality. We'd been aiming to bank 6 embryos on advice of our doctor due to my falling numbers (2-3 per child) but if we even came out of this last collection with one to make four in total I'd be so happy. How did ye decided which embryo to transfer ie just best quality first?

Hi ladies! Thanks for your well wishes 😊 I'm home now with my feet up.

I decided to drive in and opted for gas and air, and im glad I did as my recovery has been very quick. The gas and air was plenty to avoid too much pain, but I was fully conscious throughout and very aware of the needle and what it was doing. I was worried I would find it traumatising but I actually found it really interesting 😅

They extracted 18 eggs which is fantastic... its plenty to play around with but less than 20 which would put me at high risk of OHSS.

Everything went well the only issue was my OHs motility has reduced since his last sample so they are giving us ICSI.

I'll find out tomorrow how many are mature and how many fertilised.

@Kay00 that's awesome! Really pleased for you. That's strange regarding OH's motility, but it's great they can do ICSI. Fingers crossed for tomorrow. Hope you get to relax the rest of the day xx

@beckyCarlos I'm so sorry to hear what happened lovely. Glad you had a lot of support from your friend. Really good to hear that you're going on a amazing holiday, just what you need. Have a lovely time xx

A little bit of progress for me, as I've had a letter for a first appointment on 8th June. I have so much paperwork to fill in for funding. Not sure how long it takes for the funding to go through, but hoping to start in July maybe. I have also been told that I'd need to pay for the prescriptions as it's not covered through the hospital.

@Kay00 well done that's such fantastic news. Fingers crossed you get good results the next few days and can go straight to a fresh transfer.

@Tinkerbell098 great news your side too. Hope your funding comes through quickly and you can get started. Won't be long now.

@Tinkerbell098 my funding only took about 3 weeks, and the ball started rolling soon afterwards, exciting news!

@Gracie2021 I'm super pleased for you to have another banked xx such good news!!

@Kay00 3 weeks is good. Did you have to apply for it or did the clinic do it for you? I can't really see a specific funding application in the pack I've been sent, so a bit confused. All I've got is consent forms (all sorts!), patient detail forms and ID forms. So wasn't sure if the funding part is done by the clinic rather than me.