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

[quote Kay00]@thislittlebird I see. Why do they need a leading follicle in order to implant? Is it a hormone thing?

Are you looking to move far away from your current house (was it you who was looking to move to Cornwall)? Are you keen to stay within the same field of work? Or are you open to try something new?[/quote]
@Kay00 it's so that they know you've ovulated and can do the transfer/start progesterone.

Yeah we want to move to Cornwall but this whole situation makes it hard. I did a degree and changed focus/careers a few years ago now (finished the degree in 2017), but still don't feel like I've made the progress I wanted to in that time. Covid really hasn't helped tbh. Anyway, I'm open to change, but probably not right now because we'll need the money if we do move or achieve the next level up in the infertility game.

@99pctpractice thanks! It's so hard. I don't often engage in most people's returns to discuss their babies which seems rude, but it's because I can't deal with the comparison, and how slow it has been for us by contrast. The time passing element of all this is one of the hardest. Three fertilised is excellent, what's the latest?

@Tillybabs my lining is ok, it's the stupid ovaries. How are you finding oestrogen? I'm very concerned I'll end up with two weeks of severe migraines with it so I'm hoping to avoid it.

@Gracie2021 I was worried about where you were! Phew, glad you're back and have made positive decisions on your next steps after this. Fingers crossed you don't need them.

BUT good news is that my scan today was much better. It's cycle day 19, the lead follicle is now 17mm, I am getting CM, and my lining is 7.7mm (it was fine before, but it's nice to know it's growing). The next struggle is getting a positive LH test, which is....a challenge. Me and those sticks don't get on well. I'm hoping that if I don't have a positive by Saturday they'll let me come in for a scan to see if the egg has come out yet.

I did another job application (part-time secondment) a couple of days after I got rejected by the first one. I don't fancy a BFN if the transfer goes ahead, AND another job rejection, so let's hope that's not the case :/

@thislittlebird that sounds promising as you now have a dominant follicle. Fingers crossed you don't need oestrogen and your follicle plays ball

I'm only on day 2 and I'm ok so far but don't think I've taken it long enough yet. I was ok with the buserelin on the longer protocol too and was fully expecting hot flushes etc but I've just felt really tired some days

My update - Bloods today (CD21) showed no ovulation. not surprised. They will repeat bloods on CD28 but that'll be a no too. It'll need a bigger dose I think.

Hi Ladies.

I hope you're well. Quick tip Asda is the cheapest for all ivf medication as they have an agreement to offer ivf medication to all people at cost price.

Good luck all.

@thislittlebird ahh, thank you for the explanation, it makes sense now 😊 great news about your lead follicle! Me and OPKs don't get along either... you'll just have to test with every wee until you get a positive 😆

@purpleunicorn01 thank you for the tip! For those of you who were worried, I called the clinic about my prescription bill and they said it was an error - phew! They called the pharmacy to fix it and now all my drugs are being delivered free of charge on the 26th April 😁

@thedaydreambelievers are they going to keep testing every 7 days?

@Kay00 I think just twice..no idea what they do after that! It was 1hr 15 of travel all in so weekly would be a challenge!

@thedaydreambelievers hmm, that is a lot of travel!

@gracie2021 I love how your clinic have tweaked your drugs for your 2nd set of duostim... it'll be really interesting to see how you respond xx

No LH rise here, and my husband has Covid 😭. I don’t think I’ve really processed it yet. If I get that’s all this effort wasted.

Feel like the universe is telling me not to have kids. 😞

@kay00 phew! Thats good news!
@Purpleunicorn01 thanks! Ive just read up on it, what a lovely service!
@thislittlebird i just want to give you the biggest hug. X x x
@gracie2021 so good to hear from you! Congrats on the two blasts!

Im doing ok, no symptoms to speak of yet, but nothing worrying either! Saw my uni friends yesterday, first time after covid, which was amazing, and seen the in laws today for a dog walk which was really nice. Shattered now though! Seeing my mum tomorrow, so keeping busy, which is good for my brain x

I think I completely missed that @Gracie2021 has two blasts, amazing!

@beckyCarlos I would accept it, but if you hugged me it wouldn’t be fun, I’ve been throwing up half the day. Either my normal migraine sickness, an ovulation one, or I have something too 😔

Glad to hear you’re feeling ok so far x

@thislittlebird oh hun don't see it as a sign... sign's don't exist. This is just a small speed bump on your journey. If you OH has Covid then I guess your cycle will be cancelled (those are the rules at my clinic)? If so, then start looking forward to your next cycle. What can you do to improve? If you really dislike the Estrogen, is there something else you can take that will help?

@Gracie2021 thank you so much!!! that's all super helpful. And wonderful to hear that you have two great blasts from the process. it will be really interesting to see how your second round of duostim works out compared to the first, with the adjustments to the protocol that your clinic are making.

@thislittlebird. that's great that you finally have a lead follicle! now all fingers crossed for a positive lh test!!

@Tillybabs glad you're feeling ok. i have started my second round of stims today and am already feeling tired before we even started :) i am hoping that a very lazy easter weekend will mean that i manage to catch up on myself!

i found out that of my 3 embryos, 2 had divided into 8 cells, and 1 had divided into 4 cells. so i am very relieved: in my last round at this stage none of the embryos had divided into 8 cells, so it felt like we already knew then that we weren't going to get any viable blastocysts and in the end we only had a very late developer that limped to day 6 (3BC), but was genetically abnormal. so i feel more cautiously optimistic about this round at this stage, though there's still a long way to go before any of them makes it to blastocyst....

i also started my second phase of stims today, so on 450 gonal f (up from 300 for the first phase). maybe i should up my ubiquinol as well for this last go.....my baseline scan will be on day 5 (Tuesday), so we'll see then how the follicles are developing. i'm very interested to see how it will go compared to the first phase!!

hope you all have lovely Easter weekends :)

Oh no @thislittlebird I just saw that your husband has covid! Really hope you don't get it too and that you get to transfer. It definitely isn't a sign from the universe, but it is hella awful. As is the throwing up. Really hope you're feeling better soon and that lh rise could still be on its way...

Guess who just got her LH rise 😔. I’m so sad. I don’t know what to do, I’m not aware of that being a rule @Kay00, they’ve never said it but I’ll see what’s online.

I want to cry a lot. I’ve had such a difficult and stressful cycle to get here, I’ll be 39 next month and I desperately wanted to start using my embryos before then. I’m so fed up.

@99pctpractice that's really interesting about the embryos and it's promising that you have 3 at the moment. This is such a nerve wracking part. I remember trying not to think about it but it's hard. I have my fingers crossed for you.

There's no harm in joining your ubiquinol

@thislittlebird I'm so sorry to hear about your hubby! Covid is such a pain in the arse. I can totally understand your frustration but please don't see it as a sign. I'm a firm believer that things happen when they should so it's not a sign that you shouldn't have kids at all. There are women that have children into their 40s so don't worry that time is running out, you still have time x

Thanks @Tillybabs and @99pctpractice

This has ruined our Easter plans to get the house finished, it’s likely ruined the FET. I might need a all things ttc break, I’m not dealing well with the thought of cancelling right now.

@thislittlebird my DP has just tested positive too :( Transfer booked for Tuesday. I'm showing negative, and if I continue to do so and feel well I'm going to keep going. I had Covid and the booster within the last six months so maybe I'll stay clear?! Ughghgguyuuughghaaargh

Also just cancelled a load of lovely weekend plans.

@Sofasogood1 omg that’s weird that they’re both positive. I’m so fucked off. I cannot deal with the never making progress aspect of it all, I’m so angry that he’s positive NOW???? Why now??? He hasn’t had Covid in two years. I feel ok and haven’t tested yet, but if I do test positive I have to notify the NHS and they’re giving me antivirals because I’m somewhat vulnerable. They told me this a few weeks ago and I only remembered yesterday.

I’m ok so far, just feeling crap post migraine as normal. I’ve been to Sainsbury’s and got stuff in in case I do get sick, and but I also got compost from B&Q so I can do some gardening if nothing else. Our plan was to finish the decorating in this house which was started by the crap decorator right after EC in February 😑

If my DP - who never leaves the house - has it, it must be rife out there. No masks, no tests...

In happier news, my friend who was TTC for ten years had her baby yesterday after 4 rounds of IVF. They were told by the NHS it was impossible with her endomitriosis and very low amh.

Just wanted to share some good news, hope that's ok.

@Sofasogood1 mine has literally only been out to work (he can’t wfh) and the hospital with me on monday. That’s it. Probably caught it at the bloody hospital. friends of mine have it (again) right now so I’m sure it’s rife.

That’s great news! I’m so pleased for people who have gone through a slog like that, it must be amazing for them to finally have their baby.

@thislittlebird oh gosh, it is so typical that you do get the lh rise but have the doubt re covid. At my clinic, it would be fine for me to have a FET as long as I wasn't testing positive for covid, so I think rules may vary from clinic to clinic and it may be worth checking. It would be different if it were a fresh cycle because your partner would need to do his part but I think even then sometimes they let you bring a sample from home.

Totally understand the need to have a break from ttc. It is so overwhelming. I was awake at 4am googling 3-5 day embryo development and being annoyed that I didn't ask about the level of fragmentation of the embryos on day 3.....I know in my head that there's nothing I can do and I should "just relax" but my brain is still going at 100 miles an hour worrying about it. I hope you manage to get some time to switch off this weekend, and your oh isn't feeling too poorly.

Oof. Had the 5 day update call from the clinic today. None of the embryos made it to blastocyst, there's a possibility that one might but it isn't looking great quality if it does. Just so disappointing....feeling like we might be coming to the end of the road of trying. Going to do a lot of self care this weekend!

@99pctpractice yes, you should absolutely do lots and lots of self care. I’m so sorry you got this news, it sucks, and is such a horrible process. My fingers are still crossed for that one. Maybe you can take some time out and plan what you want to want to do next, this whole process is really draining.

@Sofasogood1 that's lovely news about your friend.

@99pctpractice I'm so sorry! The whole process is just so draining so definitely take some time out for yourself and regroup.

Did anyone who has take oestrogen find they got AF type feelings?

@99pctpractice I'm so so sorry you got this call. Sending so much love your way and hope you and your partner are able to support each other through this xxx