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!

Thank you @Triselly thats helpful. I unfortunately cant rely on my husband as he works away a lot, i asked my mum and she said she may faint! Cheers mum! So it is down to me unfortunately and since i am on blood thinners, which if i am lucky enough to get pregnant will need to have every day throughout pregnancy then i think i just have to get over it!!

I really hope my husband might be around to do my first ones at least so i can get a feel for it. If not then i think i might try the ice pack too and see how that goes. I think the biggest problem will be me actually pushing a needle into myself not the actual pain but i guess theres only 1 way to find out. And to think this is just the start, there is so much other things to worry about!!

Hi @Flowerlover010 - definitely feel the nerves like you, but I'm reassured by how many thousands of people have been through this and been absolutely fine, even those who have also had to conquer needle fears! We can be so proud of ourselves once we've done it 😁

I start tomorrow I think - at least my scan and the month-long injection is tomorrow, I guess they'll tell me then when to start stims. @Triselly I've bought my Emla cream for egg collection! So feeling prepared.

Hi all - is it OK if I join? I'm not starting IVF in April but hopefully very soon. We have our blood tests and semen sample tomorrow at the clinic then a consultation in a few weeks - hoping no further delays!
I'm just looking to watch people's progress as it's all new to me :-)

It will be our first round of IVF after 2 years TTC with unexplained infertility. Had all the usual checks including Hycosy.

Good luck to everyone starting IVF this month!

@Flowerlover010 I didn't use a numbing cream personally. It honestly is not very painful just a bit stingy. I tried to do mine being conscious of where the waistline of my trousers was so it wouldn't rub. I've had three egg collections and done three cycles for FET and I promise once you've got over the first one it is much easier. It's just that first time.

I had my husband do them for quite a while but then one night he was away with work and I didn't it myself. It's much better to do it yourself I find once you've done it the first time. I remember the nerves. What you're feeling is totally normal. Feel free to message us on her for moral support when you're about to do it xx

I'm also using a blood thinner for this transfer for the first time to encourage blood flow. I quote from my protocol

"There is other evidence to say that clotting or blood flow problems within the uterus itself can be a cause and therefore giving some inhixa in order to thin the blood and improve blood flow, may improve implantation. There is good evidence for this in the literature."

I've never taken this before. Was hoping it was a tablet, but no. An injection again.

Thank you @Bims2019 @RunningOnHope and @CR7 for your messages. I am sure after the first one or 2 i will be ok, i hope! I think its probably the thought more than anything. Sure i will get used to it. Appreciate the advise. I have to have blood thinners because after my miscarriages they found out i have factor 5 leiden which i knew nothing about previously so thats why but it is unlikely to have been the cause of my miscarriages but taken as a precaution. So im starting with 2 injections a day then day 6 i think it is i will have 3 a day.

@Flowerlover010 it's a lot on top of everything for you but hopefully will make all the difference. Is it inhixia like me? X

@CR7 yes that is what mine is! I cant actually believe how expensive it is. Im hoping if i get pregnant they may let me have it on the nhs a bit cheaper maybe!

Welcome @Flowerlover010

You're not alone in the fears, I think it's completely natural. I felt the exact same (you can scroll back on this group and see!)

I was so scared of my first injection ( which I did last night!) I asked my hubby if he'd do it and he physically recoiled. He said he'd help set them up but that he wasn't sadistic and I'm not a pin cushion! He made me chuckle at least and as I didn't have anyone else to support I used the messages the wonderful ladies on here had written to spur me on!

It wasn't painful at all! I can't quite believe it still today. It was definitely more a mental block for me. I just took it really slowly and took my time and it was absolutely fine! I didn't numb or anything in the end as it was another thing to complicate it and I won't always have the luxury of that if I'm away with work.

Do you have a little bit of time to mentally prepare?

Welcome @SaraSS

I'm new to IVF and the process, just started my forest round and had my first injection last night.

I won't have all the answers but happy to help with info if I can!

@Flowerlover010 I just checked my paperwork. I have 20 injections at around £4.40 each so £88 total xx

@charja100 proud of you!!! I knew you could do it. It was just the first one. Once you've done it the once you know what to expect, how it will feel etc xx

@SaraSS welcome aboard

@CR7 thank you for you support! Definite helped to spur me on and get me through.

Question though... how on earth do you deal with the side effects of the stims? I'm only one injection in and I already feel sick and have a banging headache!

@CR7 i have 10 in this pack and it cost me £55! Its going to add up if i get pregnant and need it for 9 months!
Thank you @charja100

@charja100 YES! Well done you 🙌 so pleased you've got number 1 done, and really encouraging that it didn't hurt - almost excited to get going with mine tomorrow now.

@charja100 I did have headaches at first and called the clinic who said it was vital to up my drinking so I bought a fancy bottle and drank up to three litres a day and the headaches went. It wasn't ideal if I was out and about so I tended to drink loads before or after work or in the middle of the day so I was near a loo! As a result my skin got loads better as did my digestion so I have tried to keep it up xx needed two wees a night though but I'm hoping that's good practice!

@Flowerlover010 it will. But will be so worth it xx

How is everyone finding their clinics? I now absolutely hate mine. The communication is chronic. After waiting another month to start because we wanted to ask about PGTA testing and they told us we have to have a consultation first (which by the way didnt tell me anything i didnt already know) at no point did they ever mention to us you cant get an appointment for the actual pgta until june!! So as i said before i was due to start meds this week and i now do not know what to do!! Im so angry. Either delay another 2 months and do the pgta or jusr go ahead as planned this month and risk it without pgta. This has honestly been the worst experience and i havent even started yet! We had our first consultation in january. I just find it mad how long everything takes! Rant over!

@SaraSS Welcome - very happy to have you!

@charja100 ahh congratulations with starting everything! That is awesome - and thank you @CR7 for the water tip, that is very handy to know.

I heard on a podcast that I listen to that stim meds can increase your chance of benign breast lumps - so just spreading that info in case anyone hasn't heard it.

@RunningOnHope very best of luck for tomorrow! So exciting to get started.

Ugh where I live (brit living in scandinavia) we don't get any financial aid towards fertility treatment, so I just forked out 900 flipping quid for 12 single injections...with possibly more required 😧

@Flowerlover010 It is so so frustrating, all the waiting. We've been waiting 6 months now for my thyroid meds to kick my thyroid into gear (that it wasn't working properly was news to me after my first blood test), I think we can all sympathise with you. It feels like every month that goes past is a wasted opportunity.

@Flowerlover010 personally, Having gone through what we have, if you can afford it you should do the pgta. Across the duo stim, we had seven day-five embryos and three came back perfect. Without that knowledge we might have tried four unsuccessful transfers which didn't stand a chance. I realise this is a delicate topic and very controversial. I am 42 now. Was 41 at the time and therefore this was an added pressure for me. Time is very much of the essence, as it the £30k we have already spent x

@CR7 thank you for your opinion. My mind was so set on pgta after having 3 miscarriages but the thought of waiting yet another 2 months is blowing my mind. I got all psyched up to do the injections in a few days. And now ive lost so much conifdence in how my clinic is handling everything it wouldnt surprise me if i waited to June and there was another delay of some sort! God i just want to get it over with.

@Triselly it doesnt surprise me about the breast lumps. I had one checked out last year and was told it was likely hormones that caused it.

Thank you @RunningOnHope @Flowerlover010 @Triselly

@CR7 I'm downing water like anything! It's helped a little thank you!🙏🏼

Good luck tomorrow @RunningOnHope

I had no idea about the breast lumps! Thank you for sharing @Triselly

@Flowerlover010 it's really tough. I was also keen to get started. I just decided that for me, I wouldn't want to put myself through a transfer that didn't have a chance. The wait til June is sh1tty but the thought process for me was that I would rather wait and give the best embryo the best possible chance rather than try, get a negative test / potentially miscarry and need some time for my body to get back to normal. For me it was also the cost incurred with the drugs and transfer of what could be a wasted cycle as well as the stress on my body / marriage / life haha.

Very very aware that this is just my opinion having been on this road for a long time. I wouldn't want anyone to judge me / or compare journeys too closely as we are all on our own path. This is just me being honest xx

@charja100 you go girl xx

Hiya @Triselly good luck!
Im slightly behind you, we’ve just been referred to a specialist after taking clomid for 6 cycles with no success.
Have our consultation soon- so nervous.
How was your initial consultation- what was discussed?
any help would be appreciated.
Thank you