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

Very happy for you @beckycarlos. Enjoy your fries and wishing you lots of luck.

I'm at a baby shower. Felt completely fine about everything but suddenly felt a bit tearful and hiding in another room trying to calm down.

@Sofasogood1 I sent a friend's new baby a beautiful jumper and cried for 30mins because I honestly just wanted to buy it for MY baby, not theirs

Sorry, that was meant to say so I definitely understand shower tearfulness!

@thedaydreambelievers @sofasogood1 gah... baby showers are so difficult aren't they? Well done for attending/sending gifts xx you are both super brave xx

@beckycarlos omg! I can just imagine the relief and joy of having an embryo put back in, especially after the ordeal you have had!! Fingers crossed for you!

@99pctpractice @thislittlebird good luck for Monday! Xx

It was such a lovely jumper @Kay00 😭😭😭

@TheDaydreamBelievers I think the first month of letrazole is really just a bit of baseline to see how your body will respond and then they can adjust the dosage from there - I didn't get a response until 5mg. But I know how frustrating it is!

@beckyCarlos that's such amazing news!! Crossing my fingers for you for the next 10 days :) :)

@Thedaydreambelievers big hugs to you, I now actively avoid kids sections in every shop 🙈

@sofasogood1 well done for going to the shower! I hope youre feeling ok now. I cried doing the washing up this morning 🤣

@thedaydreambelievers 🥺🥺🥺

Ladies, I realise that I haven't updated you since my first IVF appointment with the nurse last Thursday. I'm pleased to say it went pretty well and our IVF round started yesterday with CD1.

Well, nothing happens for 21 days, then I start norethisterone (progesterone)for 7 days and wait for a bleed. Then a baseline scan and then:

Day 1/scan day start Metrofert (stimulate ovaries)
Day 6 add Cetrotide (prevent ovulation)
I will be getting regular bloods and scans maybe even daily.
Looking to trigger and collect towards the end of May
And if everything goes to plan a fresh transfer in the last few days of May

Theres bound to be something that changes the plan, but these are the current aims. It wasn't the protocol I was expecting, and the timescales have meant a last minute change of plan for our holiday to Norway, but I'm pleased my IVF is underway!

@Kay00 oh wow everything is moving very quickly for you. It's all exciting and nerve wracking at the same time.

I'm currently on buserelin as have a scan on Tuesday to see how things look and might then start oestrogen tablets in prep for my first FET

I've been really quiet on here as I didn't have much to report whilst I was awaiting my hysterocopy

@tillybabs that's super exciting!! I hope your scan goes well on Tuesday 😀 remind me, did you have a fresh transfer or go straight to FET?

@Kay00 I haven't had it yet but it will be an FET. The scan next week is to check my ovaries are suppressed before starting oestrogen

@beckyCarlos that's amazing news!!! Go that embryo!! Hope you don't find the 2ww too painful!!

@Kay00 great that you have a plan and exciting that you could be transferring in May! We have had to reschedule our holiday at the beginning of May as well - I was finding it too stressful not knowing if it would conflict with our next EC if we do duostim....

@Tillybabs exciting to be starting - good luck for your scan tomorrow!!

I'm on my way to egg collection now...fingers crossed everything has progressed as it should since the last scan!! found out yesterday that my mum has covid- she's in hospital with a "spectacularly" (the consultant's words) broken leg and luckily they let her be operated on yesterday despite having covid. I went to see her last Thursday so paranoid I might get it too. Luckily not testing positive at the moment but if I do, I'm not sure we'd do the duostim because I don't think my body would be in the best shape for creating good quality eggs (and my egg quality is a bit backwards at the best of times!). Aaargh - that virus is such a pain in the a**e.

@beckyCarlos I have my fingers crossed for you.

@99pctpractice same for you! I hope all goes well today. I also hope you don't get covid. It's just another stress to contend with. I had to covid test last week and they said if I tested positive this cycle would be cancelled so I'm so glad I didn't but it leaves us on tenterhooks. Your mum is lucky they still operated. I hope she recovers quickly

Oh my god @kay00 thats amazing! I love getting a timescale!

@99pctpractice figners crossed for egg collection! I truly did find it ok (once I got over my fear, probably when I was coming back round haha) so sorry to hear about your mum, hope shes doing ok!

@tillybabs thanks! You too! X

Amazing news @beckyCarlos!

@Kay00 it’s come round really fast, May isn’t long really.

@Tillybabs I’m on my first FET too!

@99pctpractice fingers crossed for a productive EC, let us know how it goes!

I am very stressed today. I have a scan in just over an hour, and my body is refusing to play ball. I’m upset tbh. I’ve had lots of transvaginal ultrasounds since we started tests in Feb 21. Every single time I’ve gone mid cycle I’ve had a dominant follicle and it’s all looked good. But this time? Noooooo, of course I can’t. Just 35 follicles doing nothing in there. I really wanted to do a natural cycle because I won’t be very well if they put me on oestrogen. Just one month of my cycle going normally, that’s all I ask. Here I am on cycle day 17 with no LH rise (a rise and fall if anything) and what I will assume is a write off of my transfer cycle. Hoping the scan shows some progress at least but I’m not optimistic.

Seeing people have fresh transfers makes me massively regret not going ahead. I’m losing so much time and I’m so old 😞

@thislittlebird I'm so sorry your body isnt playing ball. Sending lots of love and hugs x x x x

@thislittlebird I'm so sorry your body isnt playing ball. Let us know how you get on later, sending lots of love and hugs x x x x

Sorry, I'm just catching up. Not much news from me. In the TWW and still waiting to hear about first appointment from the clinic. I so want to get started with treatment now.

@beckyCarlos amazing news I'm so pleased for you. Hope the wait is going ok and you're feeling relaxed. Everything crossed for you!

@Kay00 amazing you have a timeline now. Exciting!

@99pctpractice good luck for today. Keep us posted xx

@thislittlebird good luck for the scan today. Lots of love xx

Thanks @beckyCarlos and @Tillybabs

I replied quickly this morning. When is OTD @beckyCarlos?

Did you have a scan today @Tillybabs?

I had the scan. It’s slow progress compared to normal, which is Sod’s law, but there’s a left side follicle growing at 12mm. But the issue is, if it doesn’t get to size by Wednesday they may tell me to try again next cycle. I’m sad about that, I’ll be 39 in May and I really wanted to have made more progress by now. It’s getting me down how slow my journey seems to be compared to people who started the same time (who alre

Accidentally hit send 🥴

...(who already have whole babies!). I can’t even get to a fucking transfer. I’m very tired of it all and started recently feeling like I can’t do all this for more years. I don’t know how much I’m willing to do if these embryos don’t work. I’m exhausted. Maybe I’ll feel different again after 4 potential failures, who knows.

In better news, she gave me my embryo grades. I don’t know what it all means (other than they’re decent quality for defrosting) but the nurse was pleased. We have the following:

Day 5 4AA
Day 5 3BB
Day 5 3AB
Day 6 5AC

Never seen a 5 something before, no idea what it means. Need to have a Google!

@thislittlebird I had a moment last week where I was so overwhelmed with everything and I was saying to my husband I have no idea how people do this more than three times. (Dont know why I fixed on three) but the whole thing is just so exhausting, especially when it feels like its not working. Sending even more hugs x x x and as hard as it is, remember to be kind to yourself, everything youre thinking and feeling is valid x x x

P.s. those embryos are AMAZING! Let us know what a 5 is, but I'm assuming its a super amazing embryo!

I know double A is good @thislittlebird! Im sure you must just feel bloody exhausted. I feel so ground down / exhausted by it all and I've barely started in the world of fertility intervention. It all takes so long and at the same time we are all so conscious of the clock ticking

@thislittlebird I completely understand what you mean. I'm 41 and this will literally be my last chance saloon as far as in concerned. I don't think I could go through this all again.

I'm really hoping you have good news on Wednesday. I don't know anything about the grading but it sounds positive.

I have my scan tomorrow so will update

@Tillybabs it’s so hard. I feel tired, I feel not especially physically fit and a bit overweight at present. It’s like my life is forever on hold/ in limbo. I worry we’re getting on a bit and we’ll find everything tough if we do have a baby. It’s just really difficult to imagine it at this stage.

@beckyCarlos yeah, that’s very relatable. I know what you mean about the three rounds thing, it’s like a guideline so feels like that’s how many you need to try. But I’ve only done one and I’m over it

@TheDaydreamBelievers yeah, it’s so draining. How long have you been in infertility land for now? I’ve lost the last few years of my 30s to this, I don’t know how many years of my 40s I want to still be doing this for.

Ok so I’ve googled what the grades mean. The numbers are the development/growth stage, 5 means it’s already hatching 🤨. 6 would be fully hatched. Good link for those interested here: natalist.com/blogs/learn/guide-to-ivf-embryo-grading

@thislittlebird 2 years, 2 mo trying. One loss at 11 weeks. Cycles of 70-141 days, mostly annovulatory (temp suggests 3 ovulations in the time trying).