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!

@TheBirdintheCave the differences in cut off times between clinics is just bizarre!

Thanks @everyone.

So last night bleed turned into full flow. I've been through two pads today so this transfer is over definitely.

I spoke with the clinic again today and they didn't even have an answer for me on the phone they had to call me back after discussing my case. They've asked me to go in for a blood test tomorrow morning to see what may have been the cause. I was on cyclogest 400 x2 a day so I can't believe I'm bleeding like this.

I told them I have a short literal phase and I insisted on progesterone test before transfer. My progesterone level on transfer day was 221. Seem unlikely it would have dropped so much as to cause a bleed.

Only thing I can think of is that it was a chemical. I tested with HPT on day 6 because of spotting I wanted to know and I had a faint line, and yet today 7dp5dt it was a full bleed. I can't see what else it could have been but I guess the blood tests will tell us more.

Im even more gutted and feel to guilty because its hubbys birthday today and I feel like I've ruined everything because I'm just so upset and confused as to what's happened.

@charja100 I'm so sorry :( It sounds daft to say, but don't lose all hope just yet. I have a friend on another thread who had a heavy bleed and thought she was having her period or a chemical but it turns out the bleeding was from a subchronic haematoma and she's now twenty weeks pregnant.

@lemons44 that's an amazing number! Fingers crossed you get as many of those lovely eggs in the perfect size bracket for collection! ✨

@TheBirdintheCave sorry you missed cut off, but it's only tomorrow. It will be here before you know it. And maybe it will turn off for the best. It could be better for your hormones and cycle that you do it at the right time, which may be a day later, but hopefully it will be a better time for you body and hormone balance.

@charja100 I'm so sorry sweetheart. Progesterone is supposed to hold the lining in place, so I'm very confused as to why you bled that heavily. Hopefully the clinic will know very soon what happened. I'm so so so sorry xx

Ah @charja100 that's so rubbish. And so frustrating. So sorry.

I feel I'll be in the same boat - really short luteal phase, and definitely not expecting to make it to OTD if it hasn't worked. But not sure anyone has really taken that seriously.

A short luteal phase doesn't affect things too much, I've been on threads where someone's LP was 8-10 days instead of 14 days. She still fell pregnant. The length of the luteal phase won't matter in this case anyway as you're doing IVF. It's one of the things that is eliminated in IVF.

I'm sorry @charja100 it is just so stressful and unfair. I really hope your clinic give you some answers soon. I know you feel bad about your OHs birthday but I am sure they understand 💗 xx

@charja100 I'm sure your husband will understand I'm so sorry I'm not well versed in luteal stages etc but I'm guessing the whole point of the progesterone is to keep the lining in tact?

Do you think this is your period? Did they sound worried on the phone? I have heard of so many people having bleeds as the pessaries can be irritating but in fairness it doesn't sound like that xx

@TheBirdintheCave echoing @charja100 's point below regarding starting at the right time xx

But it's mad that all clinics are different

Thank you so much ladies.

@SarahShorty I know, that's why I'm so confused. So I don't think this is happening because I have a short luteal phase, but I was advised a short luteal phase can indicate a greater need for progesterone to sustain, maybe my progesterone level has dropped.

@CR7 they sounded confused and like they had no idea. Yesterday they just fobbed me off when I called and said I'd been having spotting but it was feeling like something had changed and it was getting redder and heavier. I feel like they let me down yesterday they should have checked sooner. They said they'd find out what's happened day after tomorrow with the blood results come in.

I definitely think it's my period. It's exactly the same as a period, I've been through two pads already today. It's just one of those things. I didn't ever expect to be the person who got lucky first time tbh, I think it's just the way it's all happened that's affected me. I feel a bit shell shocked.

@lemons44 thank you, I think I just feel guilty. Was hoping to give him a baby for a bday present not have to deal with a hormonal wreck instead.

@TheBirdintheCave that's sounds scary! I'm glad she's okay though and hope she's having a healthy pregnancy. I guess I'll find out in due course

@charja100 you need to stop feeling guilty xx the hardest thing about all of this is it's totally out of your control unless you've been raving on a loads of drugs and cured meats and alcohol and coffee for the last week. I shared a video here last week that showed a very eminent dr saying there's FA we can do during the two week wait apart from wait and it's nothing to do with anything we do or don't do if it works or doesn't work. Please try not to be so hard on yourself xx

Thanks @CR7. I'm always hard on myself. I need to realise this wasn't anything to do with me I'm doing all the things I should and should t and the rest is science and nature. I think the hormone crash didn't help.

Thank you so much ladies. Every single one of your comments has really helped me get through the last 24 hours. 🤗

Seconding @CR7 , I’m so so sorry @charja100 - please don’t be too hard on yourself, you have done everything humanly possible to make this work xx

@charja100 if it turns out that this is indeed the worst outcome, make sure that you ask the clinic what they plan to do differently x

Thinking of your day @charja100, I hope it feels supportive and helpful when you go for bloods.

How's everyone else this morning? Are we mostly playing a waiting game? @Triselly are you at transfer day, can't remember if it was now?

I finally get to stab myself tonight! 😂

Was anyone else told they were at risk of OHSS by the way? If so, how soon were you scanned after you started stims? I was told they wanted to see me asap so CD5 ideally but when my husband called yesterday to book the scan he was told because of the weekend and bank holiday the earliest they could see me was Tuesday (CD7)... So much for needing to see me urgently. I'm really scared now that I'm going to die because of a weekend and bank holiday.

Hooray @TheBirdintheCave! Hope all goes really well for you tonight.

Good morning everyone ❤️

Hope that you’re doing alright @charja100 , been thinking of you 💐

@RunningOnHope yes I’m booked in for ET today at 2pm - quite nervous but been doing lots of ‘day before transfer’ YouTube Pilates videos to try and relax! How are you finding the wait?

Yes I was wondering how we’re all doing, it’s getting a bit tricky to keep track, please feel free to recap where you are (if you feel like it)

@TheBirdintheCave Try not to panic - I think it’s very very unlikely that you can get into too much trouble with OHSS in the first few days. If it really was a terrible risk, they would get you in immediately and not delay until after a long weekend. They probably just want to monitor you - which sounds like you have a great clinic. Good luck with the first jab tonight - it’s so exciting to get started with it all!

@Triselly Happy transfer day, Triselly! :D

Thinking of you @charja100

@Triselly remember what we said about the water. Don't start drinking until half an hour before incase there is a delay. It's very uncomfortable otherwise

Make sure you video when they out it in so you can watch afterwards. We got a little photo also.

I won't put mine up because I know for others it's very hard to see things like that but I like to have the photo as a keepsake

@TheBirdintheCave 👏🏼

@CR7 I don't think anyone in this group would mind if you wanted to share a photo :)

@TheBirdintheCave im am at high OHSS risk and had first scan 5 days after starting injections which is standard I think. Lots and lots of women going through ivf will be at high risk of OHSS, try not to panic about it being ‘urgent’, it is risky but it’s very common and generally seems well managed by clinics. If you get any symptoms I’d give them a call but, as I understood it from my clinic, the real OHSS risk is much further down the line (post egg collection) but that’s obviously just my experience and what my clinic told me xx

a quick update on me as I went AWOL from here for a while, I’ve just had my embryo transferred yesterday so I’m now keeping everything crossed. 3 made it to day 5 but only 1 was any good, so I had an AB transferred but nothing leftover to freeze sadly.

I hope all is going well and will try to catch up on this thread in my break a bit later! Xx

@pongom Ok, thanks, that's made me feel a bit better :)

Congrats on the transfer! But I'm sorry the others didn't make it to freezing stage :(