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!

@RunningOnHope I think if the timing had to be down to the exact minute, the drs and health profs would make that very clear :)

@RunningOnHope I can confirm timing doesn't have to be bang on the minute. 30 minutes north or south of the stated time is fine. Mine were always either 5 minutes to or after due to working up the courage to inject myself. It's not an easy thing to do for most, I do sympathise.

We are thinking of you today @pongom xx

@CR7 thank you ❤️ I’m feeling super stressed at the moment, just another hour to go now for the appointment so not too much longer. I had to pop out beforehand so I’m just killing time having breakfast in the local supermarket. Will let you know how it goes x

Update from yesterday… I managed to speak to my GP this morning at 10:00 where I had a good whinge and cry. I’ve just heard from LWC now and she’s phoned them and sorted it and we have approval to go ahead. Hoping to have out planning meeting next week. After a year of trouble, who’d have thought a good cry would have fixed it?!

@WholeZebra That's great! :)

@WholeZebra so so bloody pleased for you!!!! Please keep us posted xx

@pongom I always buy myself a chocolate croissant from my favourite bakery before every medium to big appointment. Then it was always a celebration or commiseration treat in the car park xx

@WholeZebra this is fab news! Really pleased for you.

@CR7 my appointment was a bit 'meh', not good but not catastrophic. The follicles have all grown a little bit (more activity on the right than the left) but still max 14-15mm with most below that around the 10mm mark. They are happy that they are growing and that it's doing what it needs to do, no changes to meds but likely to be on them for another week now with collection most likely to be next Friday. I was really really holding out hope for a Monday collection so I could stop the fyremadel (which I am hating!) but it's not to be. So continuing with 3 jabs a day for another week. Not the end of the world and I know that it's good news really, but it feels emotionally hard the idea of going through these injections for another whole week.

I should be getting another prescription today for new meds to be delivered Monday so I don't run out.

@pongom whilst yes, not the ideal, I know you have got this. Those numbers are still really good and sounds like your clinic are being very supportive. Everything always takes tiiiiiimmmmmeee. If you're doing a fresh transfer five days after your collection then it means we will almost be exactly the same with our transfer days so I can keep you company. I'll get my transfer date on Monday.

But I know that every day can drag horrifically and the drugs are an absolute fckr but hopefully you'll only be doing this bit once xx

@WholeZebra LWC is who I'm with, too!

Speaking of them, I had my follow-up consultation today. They're going to order two tests; one is an Anti-cardiolipin antibody test and the other is Lupus anticoagulants test which tests for Antiphospholipid syndrome. Both tests are blood tests and are £75 each, so £150 total. They want to rule out blood clotting and immune system issues.

They also want us to consider a DE transfer to speed things up a bit, and I would LOVE twins!

IVF, like naturally trying to conceive is very much trial and error. Some people get really lucky, others not so much. Just have to keep trying and do what you can, and hopefully, that one good sperm and one good egg will meet.

@SaraSS lovely words for @WholeZebra 🥰🥰

Double transfer would be so fabulous!

Blood tests sound very interesting and thank god not too pricey so defo worth having xx

@SaraSS sorry wrong tag should have been @SarahShorty xx

Lots going on today it seems!

@WholeZebra so pleased to hear you've got some progress at last, must feel a relief to have that blockage in the admin cleared away.

@pongom sorry to hear you've got to keep going for longer with the drugs, especially the one that's not nice. Encouraging that there is growth though, just keep plodding on..!

We had our second stims scan today. Originally this should have been the one where they said "all looks great, transfer on Monday!" but like you @pongom it was not to be. Having had 7 follicles growing well on Wednesday there are now only 5 that look like they might go the distance, one of which was only tiny a couple of days ago. So that's three that were bigger which o guess might catch up again in the next few days... but definitely preparing myself for it to be 5 or fewer. Biggest is now 16mm with others around 13mm.

They're keeping me on the same dose of Ovaleap and nothing else, just carrying on for longer than planned. The dr said they can't adjust the dose once we've started - that didn't sound quite right to me?!

Go back on Monday to see how things are looking.

Hello Everyone,
I'm new here...
Had my FET on the 5th of April and just got my BFP this morning.
Also did my blood test this morning and my numbers are looking good!
I'm super excited! This cycle was really different for me because I didn't feel like I was in control of myself, all I knew was that I followed my prescription! I'm currently on 8mg progynova, Lubion injection and two cyclogest daily.

My last cycle resulted in my DS who is a toddler now; I had very low progesterone numbers OTD, which was picked on early. So for this cycle my consultant has decided to put me on high doses of progesterone.

Good luck to everyone. I really hope that all of our desires come true...
We go through so much

@Mamash Uh... ok 😂 Hello, congrats and goodbye I guess! 😬

@TheBirdintheCave @CR7 @pongom @SarahShorty @RunningOnHope thanks so much guys! Feels like a huge weight has been lifted. Looking forward to (hopefully) start posting instead of lurking 👀

@WholeZebra we are ready for you 🦓 xx

So little update from me, egg collection went ahead today. They collected 14 eggs, I'm so pleased. They said they struggled to collect them so had to push about a bit to push my ovaries down from my stomach and I might be a bit bruised. I'm on codeine and paracetamol can already feel the bruising. Has anyone else had similar? How did you cope?

I have low ish AMH at 8 but seem to have responded well to stims. Im certain it's because I've been taking all the recommended vitamins in it starts with the egg. Coq10 Ubiquinol 600mg, alpha lipoic acid, Acetyl cysteine, vita west vital DHA, Vit C, Vit D, Multi vitamin including folate. I've had hubby on all sorts too as we're male factor, really hoping it's helped his sperm.

We were supposed to use Zymot to prepare his sperm, but unfortunately the concentration per million was too low. Now I'm nervous even though we seem to have good eggs numbers we're not going to get great fertilisation. Just hoping for good news on the maturity numbers and fertilisation rate when they call us tomorrow.!

@RunningOnHope and @pongom sorry to hear that there's been some delays. Keep smiling and stay positive. The delays are because they want you to have the best chances of success with the best quality eggs. Remember it only takes one. Whenever I've been delayed I remember that everyone wants this to succeed and that's the basis for advice and it's made it a little bit better to endure 💕

@Mamash congratulations on your BFP. Happy and healthy pregnancy. 💓

@stacelou888 welcome and hang on in there! I third the advice in using distractions, although still hard I know.

@WholeZebra so pleased for you that things are moving now. Defiant don't lurk, these threads help me get through the day and I'd like to do the same for you 🤗 ladies in here are so supportive it really helps.

@CR7 how did you get on with starting your steroids? Were you okay getting off to sleep last night?

@Triselly how are you?

@charja100 wonderful news! You must be so relieved. I also have an ovary that likes to hide. Paracetamol helped. Make sure you get some orange juice and prunes also to help things along 😉 I hope you're relaxing and feeling very proud of yourself.

It's all in the clinic's hands now. Fingers crossed for good results tomorrow for you. Is the hope to do a fresh transfer.

Didn't sleep brilliantly so took a day off work (I have never done that once during our three year journey but today I did.) watched a lot of sh3t tv and relaxed as I'm working tomorrow.

Glad all the tablets helped you. I'm also taking some of what you mentioned and also on a high dose of patches and oestrogen and the new steroids which I think are ok so far (two days in). I'll get my transfer date on Monday and then when I start the progesterone I'll also start the low weight heparin which is an injection every day.

So next week (all being well)

Pessaries
Patches
Oestrogen tablets
Steroid tablets
Heparin injections.

On transfer date onwards for the two week wait I'll do all the above and double the steroids 🙃

Jeepers it's a lot ha

The pessaries are a killer because it's an12 hour apart jobby and ideally you need to not move for quite a while afterwards. So any evening plans are tricky.

If I get pregnant i will continue the pessaries and steroids for three months 🫥🫥

@charja100 that is such good news! You must be really pleased, I know the eggs are just the beginning but what a brilliant beginning. Really praying for good news for you tomorrow, that lots are mature and fertilised.

@cr7 the little zebra on the end 🥹. You guys are the best xx

Thank you for the positivity @RunningOnHope and @CR7 🙏🏼✨

@CR7 thank you for the tips! Will send hubby out in the am for supplies!

Sorry you didn't sleep brilliantly, good on you for putting your self first and doing what you needed to do for you today though! What di you do to be working a Saturday? Luckily I'm non - Friday so have the weekend to recover.

So exciting! Not long now until you'll have the date and then it'll be transfer! .

You really are on a lot of medication. Your one strong lady 💪🏼. I don't have any more injections now, just the progesterone pessaries twice a day like you've said. Not looking forward to these tbh. Did my first this evening for my fresh on weds.

@charja100 how did you find it? One particular round of pessaries came with applicators and they were so much easier.

I have a fancy job in luxury retail so I work one Saturday a month. Can't complain as it's a lovely job.

Slept a bit better last night but still up before my alarm and already looking forward to my bed haha xx

Wow this week is getting busy for a lot of us! I am on day 6 of stims, started with Fyremadel yesterday with my first scan on Monday. So far everything is absolutely fine, just feel a bit bloated. Now I can relate to, I think it was Running on Hope, who was getting concerned about the lack of side effects?

@charja100 That’s fantastic news! Great numbers - I am sure they will be able to work with your fella’s sperm, they only need 14 of them! Please let us know when you hear about the fertilisation rates! (If you feel like it of course) I have heard a lot of women recommend wearing sanitary pads whilst using the pessaries, as otherwise you may find yourself needlessly sacrificing your favourite knickers 😅

@CR7 yes I second Charja, you sound so incredibly tough. Let us know how you’re finding all the different meds and things, you really are in inspiration in staying strong and doing what needs to be done!

@RunningOnHope Very best of luck for Monday, I’m going in for my first scan then too! I’m sure it won’t be too much longer for you if they’ve already seen that your follicles are getting there.

@pongom I am sorry to hear you’ve got to wait another few days, 3 injections a day is a lot to deal with! I am sure it won’t be too much longer for you xx Is it the injections or the after effects with Fyremadel? I started with that yesterday, I was so worried about people saying it was a nasty one that I numbed out the area with emla cream and ice beforehand and didn’t feel thing! I know it’s wimpy but no one’s handing out prizes for extra suffering. I do recommend this if you’re really hating the injection bit.

@WholeZebra Do let us know when you get news! Very happy to hear that they sorted your admin!

@Mamash That is lovely, very happy that it was a success for you xx We’re a little behind you here but hopefully can join you soon 💐