Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

Original poster

IVF April 2023 - looking for buddies!

1000 replies

Triselly · 25/03/2023 17:21

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!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
16
Original poster
Triselly · 08/04/2023 12:38

Aw excellent @CR7 , hope everything goes to plan! Are there any side effects from the estrogen and patches?

I am still waiting for AF to turn up so I can begin stim injections. True to form, it likes to do the exact opposite of whatever I would like it to do, so is now a couple of days late. It can’t hold out forever though surely? I feel like I’m locked in a permanent battle of wills against my period…

Happy Easter everyone! Hope you all have a few chill days and can get out in the sun 🌞

OP posts:
CR7 · 08/04/2023 12:44

@Triselly headaches but again, the water drinking shifts that.

Everything is a waiting game isn't it? Each stage is like torture.

Why is it that during the best experiences of our lives time flies and during the tricky times it sloooooooows xx

lemons44 · 08/04/2023 19:31

All good here thanks @CR7
Day 6 of down reg today. Still getting the flu like symptoms after it (tired, chills, achey) but only about an hour after the jab. The rest of the time I actually feel really good 😊

How are you feeling? I think the end of April will come round in no time. By the way I'm sorry to hear in your previous reply you've already had a few collections. It sounds like it's been a long journey so far for you. Fingers crossed that this time is the one xx

CR7 · 08/04/2023 19:55

@lemons44 you're very kind xx hopefully almost there now!

Glad it's gone after an hour for you. Do you do the injection in the evening? I always found that easier for some reason.

Is this your first go? Sorry if you've mentioned before if it's not. You must have your down reg scan soon then. You'll only be a few days behind me ☺️

pongom · 08/04/2023 20:45

Hope you don’t mind me joining here! I’m 28 and this is my first round of ivf after TTC for 3 years with no luck, I’m a few days into injections of Meriofert and Gonal-F, started off fine but seem to be getting harder to do every day!

hope all your cycles go really well and we end up with lots of good news in this thread!

TheBirdintheCave · 08/04/2023 20:51

Still rooting for everyone from the sidelines whilst I wait for this cycle to be over. Baseline scan is next week so not too long now 😬

RunningOnHope · 08/04/2023 20:57

Good to hear things are progressing on for you @CR7, and sorry you've got a frustrating wait @Triselly!

I definitely agree about injections getting harder each day @pongom - I'm on day 4 of stims now and beginning to dread it, last nights one was more painful than before and my wife said "oh sorry, I was very casual about that and didn't really think about it" - she's promised to take more care tonight...!

CR7 · 08/04/2023 21:13

Welcome @pongom xx

CR7 · 08/04/2023 21:14

@TheBirdintheCave not long to go xx

pongom · 08/04/2023 21:15

@RunningOnHope I hope tonight’s jabs were better for you!! You’re so brave letting your wife do them, i’ve not braved letting my partner do the injections for me yet, he’s just been helping me prepare the Meriofert and I’ve been doing the actual injections. Think I’m going to have to hand over to him very soon because it’s definitely getting harder, I’m not sure if it’s psychological or if it’s genuinely more painful because of injecting in the same places every day. I have a scan and bloods on Mon to see how things are going. My doses seem extremely low compared to others so I’m not sure if my doses will be changing after Monday or not

Original poster
Triselly · 09/04/2023 08:50

Welcome @pongom 😄 It might be that you have been given lower doses because you are younger and have a higher chance of OHSS with higher doses?

Exciting that your scan is next week, @TheBirdintheCave ! Sorry to be a bit forgetful, but what is this scan for?

Sorry to hear that the injections have been a bit tricky, @RunningOnHope . Do you know how many more days you have left of them? Do you find any of the numbing methods like ice and emla help?

Very true about the waiting @CR7 , it’s so frustrating. I suppose that all the waiting does mean that we have time to process everything a bit and prepare, but it must be difficult when it’s not your first rodeo, sort of thing. What do you like to do to distract yourself?

Hope that you all get a delicious Easter dinner/some chocolate at some point today ladies xx

OP posts:
CR7 · 09/04/2023 09:27

@RunningOnHope are you moving the injection site a little bit each day or injecting the same place? I went for opposite sides each day and moved a bit also so I wasn't injecting the same place twice x

lemons44 · 09/04/2023 09:52

@RunningOnHope I had the exact same last night 😅 the injections REALLY hurt and also has bruised a tiny bit - I think my husband put it in at a very slight angle by mistake

We are doing each side and alternating although we did once try the middle under my belly button and gave up on that before the needle even went in all the way as it hurt more than the sides for me.

@CR7 yep this is our first go! I have to have downreg with burserelin for about 3 weeks and I should also have a period soon as I started on day 21. Then I start stims (gonal f) whilst the burserelin drops down to a smaller amount and that's when I start having scans every other day. So I haven't had any scans yet!

It's really interesting seeing all the different treatment plans everyone has on here! I didn't know there were so many different ways. I suppose it's trial and error on the first go

charja100 · 09/04/2023 09:59

Welcome @pongom wishing you baby dust on your journey.

Almost there @TheBirdintheCave! It's so hard just waiting all the time isn't it! I've been pottering around the garden, and shopping to try and keep my mind of things. Ive found having a project helps to distract myself.

@CR7 congratulations on scan milestone. Another step forward. I'm looking forward to a new milestone tomorrow.

@Triselly if it hasn't arrived I hope AF starts for you soon and you can move forward next steps. Hang on in there.

@RunningOnHope and @pomgom I also feel like the injections have gotten worse. CD9 for me today and I have my first stims scan tomorrow. I've been rotating the sites and that has definitely worked. I think I'm just starting to get more hormonal and my bodies getting more sensitive and that's contributing to it stinging a bit more. I also nicked something yesterday as I bled a bit after. I find doing it on my own and having a bit of a mindful moment e hand helps me calm down and deal with it.

Those of you on stims (or have been there before) How is everyone feeling emotions wise? I've been a bit emotional the last couple of days. Highs and lows and cried at a couple of the littlest things. Is / has anyone else had the same?

CR7 · 09/04/2023 10:04

Down regulators - Because the body is essentially going through a menopause-like process, many women do experience side effects as a result of down regulation in conventional IVF. Potential side effects can be both physical and emotional, and include headaches, migraines, hot flushes, or feeling down and irritable. (I quote from google. I just can't sleep. None of the other symptoms)

TheBirdintheCave · 09/04/2023 10:46

@Triselly It's a baseline scan to check to see whether I'm ready to start stims at the beginning of the next cycle :)

TheBirdintheCave · 09/04/2023 10:47

@charja100 Yeah the waiting sucks 🤦🏻‍♀️ I have lots of projects on the go (including potty training the two year old! 😂) as well, which does help 😁

lemons44 · 09/04/2023 12:04

Has anybody else on here had or is having buserelin? Really starting to feel a little strange in my own body now.

Trying to ride it out but 6 days in I think it's starting to do it's thing! My cheeks feel really hot so wondering if the hot flushes are beginning to try and break through. Also my eyes keep springing tears for no reason.

CR7 · 09/04/2023 13:48

@lemons44 I did cry twice which I never do. Once when I saw a funeral happening (no idea who they were) and once when I was meant to be dog sitting and my friend cancelled.

I think it's normal. Don't be too hard on yourself. Didn't have a hot flush . Xx

RunningOnHope · 09/04/2023 16:25

Last night, DW was doing my jab and I'm waiting for her to take it out again when I hear "Oh... SHIT"

So for a horrifying I think she's like, stabbed an artery or broken a needle inside me or something awful. 😂 Turns out she forgot to set the dose, so there was no drug coming coming out. Had to do it again, just got a bonus jab that night! 😅 And naturally the first one was painless, the second one was worse!

CR7 · 09/04/2023 16:27

@RunningOnHope 🤪

RunningOnHope · 09/04/2023 16:30

@lemons44 @pongom I also found that right under the belly button hurt most! There's one side that doesn't hurt at all - maybe fattier?! And one side that stings a little.

Original poster
Triselly · 10/04/2023 08:04

@RunningOnHope oof sorry to hear about your injections on saturday! Hopefully everything went a bit more smoothly last night and your wife got the dose the first time round!

What has everyone got going on this week? Any next steps etc?

My AF finally showed up several days late so can start stims tonight! I’m gonna try the ice trick and see how it goes 😄

OP posts:
RunningOnHope · 10/04/2023 08:08

Glad to hear that @Triselly, how are you feeling about getting started?

I have scans on Wednesday and Friday this week to see how those little follicles are doing. I'm a bit worried there is nothing happening - I have zero side effects so far and I'm on 150iu of ovaleap which I think is a low dose, so potentially it's not growing anything?! Will have to wait til Wednesday to find out.

I've also got a couple of informal conversations about that dream job this week, while i plug away at the application form. So lots to keep busy with!

How's everything else's week looking?

CR7 · 10/04/2023 08:20

@RunningOnHope I didn't have any side effects so try not to worry. This job sounds exciting and the perfect distraction.

Today so day three of patches and oestrogen in preparation for embryo transfer. This cycle I'm starting steroids for the first time. Luckily not anabolic haha. And then a further scan next Monday when I will get my transfer date.

Great news @triselly. I never iced. I reckon you'll be pleasantly surprised after all the worry that it's not as bad as you think xx

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In
This thread is not accepting new messages.