IVF Buddies: the next chapter

[RunningOnHope]

Hi everyone, thought I'd try making us a second thread now the old one is done -

Tagging @Triselly @lemons44 @CR7 @Flowerlover010 @pongom @WholeZebra @TheBirdintheCave @SarahShorty - will go back to the thread and see if there's anyone else to add in, but do tag those I've missed!

@TheBirdintheCave how come you need a trigger shot for the transfer? xx

@CR7 No idea 😂 It's a natural modified cycle so they're monitoring me and will then trigger ovulation according to what they've told me. Maybe it's to control the timings a little?

Normally it's the opposite. Last thing they want is for you to ovulate.

I'm sure they know what they're doing xx every case is different.

@TheBirdintheCave Good news! 7 have made it! 1 looks a little slow - 3 good, 2 really good and 1 excellent (probably the one we’ll use) and the others might improve! Super happy with how they’re doing. Booking transfer in for Wednesday with the clinic tomorrow!

We will be sending all our vibes your way xx

@WholeZebra Hoorah! Glad you got more good news :D

@WholeZebra That's such good news - really glad it's going well for you!

We only got average grades blasts - all BBs I think, although the one we used last time was a BC at transfer, and the others were left a day longer and improved.

I go for a scan on Wednesday to check how my lining is coming along and hoping for FET next week sometime.

@TheBirdintheCave I'm CD15 on Friday too :)

@RunningOnHope Oh cool we match! Any idea when they will do your transfer?

@TheBirdintheCave She just said week beginning the 10th - I think they will plan it at my scan on Wednesday. Exciting!

@RunningOnHope So close now! :D

So excited for you ladies! So much to look forward to over the week or so xx

@TheBirdintheCave & @RunningOnHope please to have some company on the transfer and TWW. I drove myself crazy last time being on my own timing schedule! Please to have you ladies a little ahead of me.

@WholeZebra that's great news. Congratulations!

Fingers crossed for us all doing transfers over the next couple of weeks!

Thanks all! Starting to get very excited.

Is it transfer day today @WholeZebra ? Thinking of you and wishing you all the best!

Day 13 scan for me went well - quiet ovaries and thick lining, so all set for transfer which will be next Thursday. Anyone else got a transfer date in?

@RunningOnHope Not yet, hoping I get one on Friday! :D

@WholeZebra Good luck for today! Let us know how it goes :)

Final medicated IUI done today - I had 2 follicles. They said one ovulated probably yesterday, and the other is ready to go.

It was the second IUI that I’ve had that was painful (like fire when the catheter went in) which made me cry. The nurse wasn’t very happy with me and kept saying she hadn’t done anything wrong. I always thought they were meant to be pretty pain-free!

I don’t think for a second the IUI will work, so, next up: IVF. I’ve been putting off reading up on it too much, but now it seems time to dive in.

If anyone has a good starting point for a beginner, I’d appreciate your thoughts.

@Copenhagener I always get a burning sensation when catheters or smear brushes are inserted into my cervix, it's totally normal. Mind you, some nurses are more gentle than others, but I feel your pain.

I have no pointers for IVF as everyone's experience is different. I will say when I first saw the needles on the first nurse consultation, I was so close to backing out, but I pushed through and I'm so glad I did. The injections for follicular stimulation are daunting at first, but you'll ease into it after the first few goes. Whatever you do, do not inject into an area of skin that is bruised - it freaking hurts! It's very regimented and there are a lot of appointments to attend, so be sure to either clear your schedule or rearrange things. Once eggs have been collected, it becomes a bit less regimented and your life will return to normal.

I wish you all the best xx

@TheBirdintheCave @RunningOnHope thank you guys! It went so well. It turns out that all 8 eggs actually fertilised - 2 are still a little slow but they’re going to give them an extra day and potentially freeze them tomorrow. For now I have 1 AA perfect embryo on board and 5 happily in the freezer. The whole experience was really lovely!

@WholeZebra it is so lovely to hear a great story! Five in the freezer definitely takes the pressure off - everything crossed that this one works, and plenty of other chances if it doesn't xx

Thanks for the very detailed and kind response!

The cramping and bleeding from the insemination is starting to wear off now, but I’m feeling quite dizzy and sore. Some of it may be ovulation cramping though. I’m glad I don’t need to do anymore IUIs though, it always felt a bit pointless with the low success rates.

One good thing about doing the medicated IUIs however, is that I’ve already had to inject for 3 IUI cycles (Gonal-F, Ovitrelle). Agree it was very daunting at first, but now it barely bothers me. I’m hoping it’s provided a more gentle slope into treatment than jumping straight into IVF.

I think my IVF cycles will begin either December or January (there’s a long public wait list) but luckily the hospital is only 10 minutes drive away.

One thing I’m concerned about is that I always assumed it was my egg quality that could be the cause of our failure to conceive, as my partner’s sperm came back as very good in tests. But then my partner recently told me he’d TTC with his ex wife for a year - but hadn’t been timing sex, so he didn’t realise that it counted… So considering he was unable to get two women who were around 30 pregnant in a year, I’m worried there’s something up with his sperm that doesn’t show up in a standard test. (His ex-wife got pregnant first time trying with her new husband). We’ll raise that at our IVF consultation of course.

I’m so happy for you! Those are incredible numbers!!!

@WholeZebra Wow that's amazing! Fingers crossed for your AA! 😬

@WholeZebra so so delighted and hopeful for you xx

Do your best to be strong and not test if you can. I know it's hard. If you're feeling wobbly we are here for you. Hope you've got something nice planned for the 2WW xx

Thank you all 🥹

@CR7 my plan is to not buy any tests until the day - if they’re not here I can’t use them! Haha