Fertility Appointments and Beyond: Electric Boogaloo

[thislittlebird]

Hit capacity on the old thread, will tag you in!

[Beyondshit]

Three!!! @99pctpractice Here's hoping one sticks!!

My clinic of course gives me a stupid 16 days after transfer instruction to test. I might make it to 13, next Friday so I can have the weekend to have a cry (and wine) when the inevitable happens.

@thislittlebird not sure what to advise re dog other than 'things usually work themselves out'. One of us was at home 24 hours with pup in the beginning, taking him outside for a pee every 20 minutes during the day. We both WFH most of the time and arrange it so one of us is at home each day. There's only been one time we BOTH had to be out 7am-7pm and I left him at a friend's for the day.

[99pctpractice]

I know!! Over 40 and not great quality equals maximum number transferred. My husband is already fantasising about giving up work if we have triplets. Never going to happen!! Feeling relieved to not have to worry about lab updates anymore and hoping that they enjoy being in utero and get nice and settled there!

@Beyondshit that is a looong time to wait to test. Was it a day 5 blastocyst?

@thislittlebird I'd say go for it too, but I tend to overextend myself so may not be the best person to advise on this...! Maybe go and see a few puppies and see how you feel about it? I have signed up to waiting lists with a few breeders for when they have their next litters! Good luck with the application for the new role at work too - will that change the plan for moving to Cornwall?

[thislittlebird]

@99pctpractice fingers crossed for that triad!

@Beyondshit i think it’s 13 days at my clinic

Speaking of which, the consultant is calling me in a bit, but my brain is all foggy with a headache, maybe a pre-migraine, and I really want to be clear about the progesterone issues I had. Need to make some notes.

On the dog front, I’m going to meet with someone about this job later and see if I can suss out how flexible it could be. But I don’t want to ask that outright, I wish my brain wasn’t doing this painful fog thing, it is not helpful.

[thislittlebird]

@99pctpractice I forgot to reply this this not. we’ll definitely be moving to Cornwall but we had a chat about it and decided we need to wait for now. We have stable incomes, a fixed rate mortgage, a fixed rate energy deal. We’re going to spend the next six months saving as much as we can, since we have to pay for ivf in the winter and have no idea what summer will bring costs wise when our fixed rate energy deal ends. But we will get there eventually, and probably before our mortgage fixed rate ends, which is the end of 2025.

[thislittlebird]

Getting this job might help me, it might open doors to other jobs. But I need to get it first. 🫠

[thislittlebird]

Well, the appointment for the consultant is now 40 mins late and no one is picking up at the clinic to ask if they’re running late. In this regard I look forward to getting to private in a couple of months.

[thislittlebird]

Ok he called and was very apologetic, he is a nice consultant. I've agreed with him I'll take more progesterone this time, and be tested for my progesterone, he said it was 26 on the day I was tested/my period started last time. I need to email the nurses to say I'm back on the FET list and will be doing 2 embryos this time. He also said he'd refer us on to andrologist to get another assessment of DH's varicocele.

[Kay00]

@thislittlebird thanks for setting up the new thread 😊 Here are some pics of my terrible twosome... jokes, they are angles (most of the time).

Good luck going for the new job little bird. I'm going to apply for an internal role too... eek!

@99pctpractice oh wow, three on board! I have everything crossed for you! Xx

[Kay00]

Doggo 2 (ps. That's not my house 😆)

[IWillBeWaxingAnOwl]

Hello all 👋. I'm the poster formerly known as TheDaydreamBelievers ☺️. Okay if I join again?

Brief history for those who I don't know yet:
33yrs old, TTC #1 for 2.5 years.
Conceived once in Sept 2020 but fetus died at 11 weeks, MMC at 12 week scan and had ERPC surgery. No cause found (all tests apart from genetics done).
Assessments - AMH, bloods, semen analysis, hycosy, scans X3.
Results - v high AMH, not ovulating alone, tubes are clear, not quite enough cysts to get a PCOS diagnosis, DH semen is great.

Journey with letrozole (since Feb 2022):
2.5mg didn't work
5mg worked for a single cycle (ovulated) then didn't work
Now waiting out one natural cycle (CD36 and nothing happening, get to take norethisterone from CD40 to start over) then will start 7.5mg

Also trying to lose a little weight to support fertility, stay in range for IVF

[IWillBeWaxingAnOwl]

@thislittlebird our consultant review was recently cancelled and pushed back 2.5 months... On only 5 days notice 🙄. Which is a shame as we were hoping they would add us to the 9month long IVF waitlist. All the nurses at the NHS assisted conception we have seen are super nice but the overall system is broken and vastly under-resourced

[beckyCarlos]

@kay00 they are so beautiful!!!

@iwillbewaxinganowl that is an epic name change!

No idea if my provera is affecting me but I'm on pill 3 (one am, one pm) and I'm shattered and bloated, feel like a whale🐋 more than likel in my head but its gonna be a long 12 days!

[thislittlebird]

@IWillBeWaxingAnOwl welcome to the new thread! 2.5 months?! That’s crazy. Can you challenge that with PALS or contact the secretary and ask for a cancellation slot?

I have to say I can’t fault my clinic in this regard really. He was late for my phone appointment by about 45 mins but it didn’t take long so it was ok, and for my previous follow up he was early by two days. Guys have always given me an appointment three weeks after I log my negative test with them, then you can start on your next cycle or another one you choose.

@Kay00 love those doggos! I wish i wasn't allergic to them. I feel like you moved roles in the last year or two, or did I make that up? I'm long overdue a move but covid mucked everything up + the two I was interviewed for I didn't get.🫠

@beckyCarlos what does provera do?

[99pctpractice]

@Kay00 those doggies!!! So cute. Definitely have pup envy, must get more on the case to find a dog.

@thislittlebird glad you finally managed to speak with the consultant - sounds like you ended up having a productive chat. When are you expecting to do the fet? that happened to me before as well. winds me up so much that they don't let you know they're running late and you have no way of calling them but they expect you to keep hanging about at the end of the phone for hours in the hope that they will eventually call. Hope the job stuff is going well as well!!

Hello @IWillBeWaxingAnOwl ! 2.5 months is crazy. How is there not another apt before then? Hope the next round of letrozole works for you so you don't need it!!!

I am feeling lots of progesterone symptoms already so in a way relieved that I won't be second guessing pregnancy symptoms (because the sore boobs etc are clearly down to the progesterone...!). My oh keeps asking how I'm feeling - sweet but he's obviously really hopeful so adds a bit of pressure...just trying to stay positive!!

[beckyCarlos]

@99pctpractice how are you feeling (progesterone aside)?

@thislittlebird that is such a long wait! Provera is an oral progesterone to time my bleed. Some people get headaches and other side effects, dont have those (yet!) Which is nice.

I've applied for an internal job, basically what I do now but focusing on one area so theoretically less stress, but... interviews likely to be the weel I'm hopefully having EC. And interviews for another one I could apply for (but I feel is more stress) are on the same day as my driving test 🙈 which coincidentally is likely the same week as an embryo transfer would be.

[Kay00]

@beckyCarlos eek! That's a lot happening all at once! But you'll ace it I'm sure 😊 good luck with the test and the job xx

[thislittlebird]

@99pctpractice how are you feeling now? How's your DH?

I'm expecting AF on Tuesday/Wednesday, so I'll email them to schedule me in for a scan. We were just sat there all ????? are they going to call? have we been forgotten? We tried asking reception but they were useless.

Job stuff is scaring me tbh. It involves public speaking and I'm so scared of it, even though I can do it when I have to. It's more a fear of failure than the speaking itself I think, but hard to convinced myself I should apply for it because it'll be fine.

@beckyCarlos I didn't know they did those, interesting. Cyclogest is having a shortage, I'm wondering what they might prescribe instead if they can't get it.

Oh no, that is a stressful week! When is this, September some time? I have no idea how you juggle a driving test with an ET lmao. Hopefully not the same day!

[Beyondshit]

@tthislittlebird Will this be your second or third embryo transfer? I remember you had a fair few on ice?

@99pctpractice How are you doing with your triple transfer? How many days now? Have you managed not to test?

One week since my FET - the last one. Incredibly I haven't tested yet. I'm going to wait until Friday which will be 12/13dp5dt. Hopefully that'll give me an accurate result. If it hasn't worked I want to get off these drugs asap.

[thislittlebird]

@Beyondshit I had 4 on ice, this will be my 3rd FET with my 3rd and 4th embryos. Then we're off to private

I forgot you were in your TWW. How are you feeling? You're about 7dpt?

[Beyondshit]

@ththislittlebird Yes day 7! Was last Saturday. Was just racing between trains and felt faint and dizzy but that could well be because it's warm and I haven't eaten well today... Other than that fine physically but pretty emotional - not sure if the drugs or just everything you know?

I hope your next fet works. Fingers crossed for you. Sounds like they're going to jack you up on more drugs?

[thislittlebird]

@Beyondshit for the FET? No, I do natural modified so it’s only progesterone and they want me to take three Cyclogest a day instead of two. When I think about it, I have no idea why I wasn’t on three to begin with, since they should know my progesterone levels are low at times.

Well, fingers crossed it’s worked for you but I know it’s hard. Could be everything and also the drugs. I went to the Gp the other day and was crying as soon as I started speaking. I feel so stupid but as soon as I mentioned the failed ivf it set me off.

[99pctpractice]

Hello!

@Beyondshit wow, that seems like a long wait to test! I transferred a 3 day embryo and am 5 dpt but my test date is next Saturday (15 days post-ec) so a shorter waiting period. I will test on Friday morning because I don't want to find out from a phone call from the clinic based on my blood test (I have found them really hard to deal with in the past). I don't want to test before then so won't buy any tests until thurs to make sure I don't cave!!

@beckyCarlos sounds like you have a lot going on!! a driving test the same week as transfer - just as well it's not a retrieval because that would be a lot harder to manage!!

@thislittlebird Felt a hint of nausea this morning but I could just have been hungry 🤣 also feeling tired but that could well be the progesterone and the early mornings for blood tests (luckily every other day now not every day but it's still a mission to get up to the clinic for 7.30...).

I have already booked acupuncture for Saturday pm - my husband couldn't understand why but either I'll be excited but incredibly anxious or I'll be heartbroken and either way acupuncture will make me feel better. Plus my acupuncturist went through infertility and ivf so she will totally get it. His brilliant idea was to invite my in laws over for lunch on Saturday. I have had to tell him to cancel because I'm not going to want to entertain them either way....

[Beyondshit]

@ththislittlebird it's not stupid, it can be really tough. I'm on Lubion and cyclogest morning and night, with arovi blood thinner at night too. Plus three progynova tablets. Plus my thyroid tablets. And the multivitamins. I'm pricked and bruised and I rattle!
Have they said you could take Lubion?

[thislittlebird]

@Beyondshit they said I could have lubion but they tested my progesterone and said an extra Cyclogest per day will be enough. There’s this Cyclogest shortage though, so I might end up on it anyway.

I’m interested in the blood thinners. I worry that’s an issue for me but no one has checked.

[thislittlebird]

@99pctpractice sorry I completely missed your message on my phone earlier. 15 days is ages, I'm sure my place gets me to tests much earlier, something like 11 days past. How's the nausea that might have been hunger or exhaustion?! What blood tests do they do on you? My NHS clinic hates doing blood tests lol

An acupuncturist that's been through ivf sounds great tbh, and yep, I wouldn't want to entertain either.

I've been having twinges in my womb? stomach? it's unclear. Maybe both? Anyway, it's been going on for days now. I'm annoyed by it because I don't get cramps, and obviously when anything is different I think that's a good sign.😐I hate this nonsense. Inevitably my period will start on Tuesday and I'll be upset because these thoughts even crossed my mind.