IVF April 2023 - looking for buddies!

[Triselly]

Anyone out there starting/continuing IVF treatment next month (April 2023)?

I’m 36, first time everything, and due to start stims early April. Wondering if there are others who might like a thread to chat/vent?

If you’re out there and in a similar position, let me know!

How was your second jab @Triselly ?

I'm officially half way through down regulation 🎉 I've been injecting buserelin for 9 days today and have 9 more to go before I start the stims (ovaleap).

Sorry @TheBirdintheCave it really is a tough one and I'm sorry to hear about the recurrent miscarriages. Sorry if somebody has already mentioned this but the Access Fertility funding packages are good as you can get a percentage of money back if it doesn't work. See what happens tomorrow and then trust your gut. There's no pressure to rush into anything x

@lemons44 We looked into Access but they don't cover our clinic unfortunately :(

Thanks @Triselly and @CR7 I will try not to worry too much about numbers! I've actually just started getting some mild cramping and twinges tonight, so hoping that's a sign that there's something growing in those ovaries after all!

Congrats on being half way through @lemons44! I think my down reg was just one injection at the start to cover the whole month - I wonder why it's so different for different people?

@lemons44 I'm just a bit ahead of you! I had my down reg scan on Saturday and now I'm in patches and tablets. Headaches but fine apart from that. Transfer last week of April so we will be buddies I reckon x

@RunningOnHope we will likely be buddies. I have my second stims scan tomorrow and it's my CD12. l had my first stims scan on Monday. Nurse said all looked as she would have expected so taking that as a good sign! Had varying follicles sizing from 7 to 15 but most were at the 8,9,10 mark. I think there were about 12 or so. So I continued with my protocol as it was without any changes and back in on for the next scan tomorrow. Dependent on results it might be egg collection on Friday or Monday. The last few days I feel like my ovaries have been twitching away. 🤣 Good luck on the application form for the dream job! ✨

@lemons44 and @CR7 excited for you both to finish down reg.

@Triselly well done on first injections! how are you finding stims? The water recommendation from CR7 definitely made all the difference for me.

@TheBirdintheCave I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. Don't be disheartened, and wait to see how the consultation goes. When you proceed with treatment are you planning on doing IVF or will you be using ICSI? If you use ICSI there are higher chances as the rate of fertilisation is increased. It isn't always recommended unless it's needed - we have male factor so ICSI for us is essential. Will be thinking of you tomorrow.

@charja100 excited for you!! So close now. Are you doing a fresh transfer? Let us know how you get on tomorrow.

Two weeks ish for me left now; scan on Monday and then hopefully frozen transfer the following week. X

Had our nurses chat this morning. She mentioned about the cycle likely being a freeze all and I was very cross as no one had told me that. Definitely just want to cancel the whole thing now. More fucking delays for something that isn't even going to work. I'm just livid and don't even know why I'm bothering other than to be able to say years down the line that at least we tried everything.

@charja100 We were recommended ICSI in 2020 as my husband's sperm motility was 13% and we were told we'd never get pregnant naturally. Then my miracle son happened so we never had to go through with the treatment.

This time his motility is 44% (!) so they've got us down for regular IVF.

@TheBirdintheCave I’m so sorry, it sounds so incredibly difficult 💐 Is it possible to delay any further treatments for a few weeks or months to give yourself a bit of breathing space?

@charja100 stims are all good so far! I’ve been downing water and haven’t had any headaches at all, excellent advice from @CR7 .

I did find that my period pains which are normally pretty bad were worse than usual this morning, I couldn’t stand or speak until the pain killers kicked in. I was wondering what effects stim drugs might have on periods, there isn’t really any info about that online, so it’s quite interesting to find out. Has anyone else found it gave them any different period symptoms?

Ah @TheBirdintheCave I'm sorry! I wonder why they have suggested a freeze all?! Seems a bit random to me, especially if it's just come out the blue.

We had soooo many issues with our last clinic as my husband needed a surgical sperm retrieval and we were messed around so much. So I really get the anger side!! It's just not good enough when we pay all this money and the last thing needed is extra stress.

It's so exciting to read how everybody is getting on, feels a whole lot less alone!

@Triselly you were right about doses being low because of my age/first cycle etc to see how I react to the meds. They ended up tripling the dose of Gonal F because my first scan showed not much activity on my ovaries at all (biggest follicles were 3 at around 10mm and the rest were all much smaller). I had a second scan today and it showed some progress with 4 follicles at 11/12mm and the rest coming up around the 8/9/10 mark, I'm due to be staying on this high dose now and seeing if things have progressed more with a scan on Friday.

@TheBirdintheCave sorry to read about the delays in your treatment! Have they told you anything about the reason(s) you'd need a freeze all cycle? This is something I'm also worried about after waiting for so many years for this treatment, totally get your frustration!

I had my scan this morning and feel a bit deflated. There were 6 follicles on one side from 7-11mm and 1 on the other side at 7mm. And a few tiny ones. Seven follicles growing doesn't feel like much and they've said that I need to come off the IVF Lite package to regular IVF. They'll make a plan after another scan on Friday but it's likely to mean new drugs, higher dosages, and longer for stims.

I know all is not lost and if they can get seven eggs in the end then there's still a good change of having an embryo or two, but it feels like it's going to be a harder slog to get there than a signed up for.

And a lot more money! The IVF Lite deal was £3000 all in.

@RunningOnHope that cost sounds familiar. I'm on KindIVF. It's about the same cost, although, now my first cycle has failed, I have to pay for all the next ones.

They've said its a likely outcome as I have PCO so the risk of OHSS is higher 🙄 I just want to get on with things. I'm so bored of waiting.

@RunningOnHope understandably annoying for you with the added cost. Have they said what the newer package entails? It's good at least they are recognising that what they are doing isn't quite right but annoying that's it's more expensive.

@TheBirdintheCave did they explain why? I haven't done a fresh transfer in the past because of my endometrial lining and also because opted for pgta which is always a freeze all.

@charja100 glad the water is helping. I've not drunk enough over the last 24 hours due to a few long car journeys and boy can I tell.

@TheBirdintheCave i know exactly how you feel. My treatment has been delayed twice now due to lack of communication with my clinic. Its ao frustrating and stressful. It has made me want to pull out althogether several times. I feel exactly like you do that it isnt going to work and i just need to get it over with to be able to just say i had a go. Its a horrible feeling.

@TheBirdintheCave @Flowerlover010 we are already under enough pressure without them making it worse x

@Flowerlover010 Glad to know someone feels the same way as me! It's all so frustrating :( Sorry you're going through it as well.

So update from me. I had my second stims scan today and follicles have progressed. Had 20 follicles from 9 to 25 with most around 11 - 16. I did my trigger shot at 9:45 tonight and have my egg collection on Friday. I'm equally excited and nervous! We will be using ICSI and Zymot and and going for a 5 day fresh transfer which will most likely be next Wednesday. It's all getting very real!

@TheBirdintheCave I'm sorry that you had news you didn't want and might have a freeze all. I know it's another delay which is so disheartening but if it's because of risk at OHSS then it's definitely better to be safe than sorry and risk serious health complications.

So amazing you had your miracle. I hope one day we'll have our own. We don't have any children at all so all our hopes are on this journey we're on. It's brilliant your husbands motility is so high now too! It's just all such a. Rollercoaster ride isn't it. I hope it all works out for you for the best. Try not to be negative. I really believe in the power of positivity. You've got this, and it so worth it ✨🙏🏼💕

@Triselly stims didn't really impact my period. It's now I'm feeling the effects. Im so bloated and quite hormonal.

@pongom I'm so pleased you've had your protocol reviewed and it's working for you now. Your measurements sound like mine were on Monday so fingers crossed for you Friday scan results for you!

@RunningOnHope remind me what CD you are on now? How many days of stims have you done so far? I know it's disappointing but it's better to pay a little more now and get the most from this round than have the expense of having to do a whole new round because you didn't get enough eggs this time. It's so disheartening how the goal posts move though isn't it. Try not to be too disheartened, have hope it will all be worth it.

@cr7 forgot to tag you!

@charja100 yaaay! I’m so thrilled for you. 20 follicles of those sorts of sizes sounds great! i have everything crossed for you for your egg collection on Friday. Let us know how it goes!

interesting that my measurements are similar to your previous scan, hopefully that will mean good things for me at my Friday scan. I’m finding the fyremadel injection really hard (the others have been weirdly fine!) so the sooner I can get the trigger done and stop the fyremadel the better!

@charja100 20! That's amazing :D You'll be in the two week wait before you know it.