Anyone else doing donor IVF imminently?

[EL8888]

We are doing donor egg / own sperm imminently. Anyone else in the same boat?

@Foxy84 same! Flights and accommodation are booked. Now to sort the COVID testing. Not sure how far in advance to do it, in case the rules change again

@Apple04 good luck with it all. I see why you would feel like that, for me personally l want to do this last try then move on? How is counselling going?

@GreyGoose1980 exactly, lm bored of waiting and playing the “what if” game. I want to move forward and eventually our flat has sold so l want to make the most of it. What type of extension are you planning?

How are you getting on?

@EL8888 no I was never a baby shower fan at all, some of my family are.
I actually have most of my ultrasounds in a place that sells all kinds of tat for baby showers, it irks me every time.

Glad you've got your travel all sorted. I'm not sure where you are flying from or if you're near an airport but quite a lot of them have testing, or some airport hotels have test and rest packages. I had booked one of those previously but our travel was cancelled. Boots are doing testing in some branches too.

@GreyGoose1980 I find counselling really draining too, as you say it's not good to let negativity build up inside, and now with the donor eggs I have worries and doubts that DH doesn't.
Do you know when you'll be seen at the implantation clinic?

It's good to hear from you @RedPandaFluff that genetics don't come into it for you. I actually know a beautiful DE child whose mum is the same but she never had any doubts about the process so I appreciate the reassurance from people who did.

@greendress789 we might have 'known' each other too! Have also been here years.

@Apple04 welcome, sorry to hear of your very sad journey to this point. 💐

@Foxy84 sounds like you are good to go!
The covid testing just adds another bit of stress to the process, hope it is negative.
How long do you plan to stay in the Czech Republic? I think your clinic will help you access a covid test there for coming back to the UK.

I need to see when AF comes and when I can start up again.
Paraboid about getting spotted on the news by a colleague or family member as one of those passengers in an airport queue all going on holiday will steer clear of TV crews! Will wear big sunglasses!

As for today I'm going to try and get some exercise to clear my head. Nothing major, probably a walk. And hopefully a good lunch too!

Hello!! Yes, heading towards a second fet with double donation. First gave me the ds snoring upstairs so hoping to get lucky for a second. OP, where are you flying to? We need to get to Prague but I want to lose another stone of baby weight beforehand ( I am not light!)

@Foxy84 snap!

@PinkGold we will be staying for a week - and yes the clinic are arranging our PCR tests for the way home, they have been very helpful and organised with all the additional Covid requirements.

@Angliski that’s exciting to be trying for your second! seems like there are a few of us heading to the Czech Republic soon! :)

Which clinic? @Foxy84 we are gynem x

@Angliski we are with Reprofit x

Hope everyone is doing okay and if you're off work now for Easter enjoy your time off. Due to timing of AF I'm not sure when I can travel for my FET but as soon as I get the green light I shall book some flights. Until then I'm going to try to have a chilled weekend, the waiting has started to stress me out a lot.

Hi all hope you are all well.

@EL8888
Good to hear it sounds like you are more on track now after all the delays. Have you been to your clinic for previous cycles? Hope the house move is also going well. The extension we are planning is just knocking an old conservatory down and building a room in its place but it will hopefully look a lot better.

@PinkGold
Hope you are okay. I also find that stage while I’m waiting for AF really stressful as all other arrangements depend on it. Even though I’m only travelling within the uk it’s hard not being able to schedule in work meeting etc in case they are on clinic scan days / trying to finalise which days I’ll need annual leave at short notice. It must be much harder for those going abroad!

All is good here. I had my implantation clinic meeting and am doing some immune testing and an ERA which I’m ‘pleased’ about although it adds further delays.

If anything obvious does show up I think I will be a bit sad I didn’t do this type of testing for the ivf I had in my late 30s in case anything could have been modified to assist my OE embryos to implant. However the only thing I’ve personally learnt from going through infertility is there’s no point looking back as the past can’t be changed. I was also reassured that (after originally wondering if I’d feel as attached to it) I felt exactly the same about my first DE embryo after ET and was equally sad when it didn’t implant.

On a more positive note whilst I’m not exactly taking a break from ivf as having a mock ERA cycle shortly at least I’m having a break from the 2WW. I’m determined to enjoy the days between as much as possible meaning wine, food, walks with friends / DP and gardening. Im not naturally an overly positive person but this is more of a two fingers up attitude to ivf as it’s controlling so much at the moment!

@GreyGoose1980 I'm the same re immunes. Will be so annoyed if this was the missing link in my failed OE cycles. However it is what it is and we must look forward. Thank you for writing what I was thinking! Do keep me posted with the test results.

Hope everyone is ok and enjoying the Easter break.

Hi all
@greendress789
Thanks. Hope you are okay. Nothing to report this week just waiting for AF to start my mock cycle early the week after next. Will update on progress - let me know how you get on too.

Hey @GreyGoose1980 AF is being a complete pain, taking her time to arrive. I've been rearranging work, flights, hotel. She always seems to come on the most inconvenient day of course!

Glad to hear you are having more investigations although completely with you on how difficult it could be to think they might have been helpful earlier.
I'm trying to look back a bit less but it's very much what I do, I'm a champion overthinker. (Eek, not saying you're overthinking, just that it would set me off on many tangents, I'm always asking 'what if' and it often makes me feel worse).
Anyway sounds like you and @greendress789 are a bit wiser than me!

@EL8888 @Foxy84 not sure if either or both of you made it to Prague, sending good luck vibes.

Hi @GreyGoose1980 I‘m so sorry to hear that it didn‘t work this time. Sending you many many positive vibes. I wanted to share my story as hopefully it can give you a bit of hope. I‘ve just had a positive outcome on our 10th IVF Transfer (4th DE cycle), I’m still in disbelief, I had almost given up hope. After my 9th cycle I went for further tests and a biopsy at the implantation clinic (London Women‘s Clinic) it came back that I wasn‘t absorbing the progesterone as much as they expected, and my receptivity window is shorter than average. They changed my treatment plan to reflect that (doubled my progesterone, added low dose of aspirin, and reduced the transfer day). I also got diagnosed with adenomyosis (but they said that there was no short term treatment availability for that). I also took the full 2 weeks off as a staycation and tried not to think about IVF (first time I’ve done that). I have no idea what was the missing trick but something worked this time and i am so grateful. Good luck!!!

That's fantastic news @Hope222! Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy. 🥰

Hi @Hope222

That’s such a positive and inspiring story after so many transfers. Wishing you a very healthy and happy pregnancy! I am also with LWC implantation clinic.

@PinkGold - sorry to hear you had to move your flights - this process is stressful! Have been thinking of you. I am also naturally an over thinker - and not that wise at all :-). I think I’ve developed a belligerent resilience but sadly lost a lot of belief it will actually work for me which is probably not great for my implantation issues!

Hope everyone else is having as good a week as we all can on the ivf DE treadmill.

Having a really sad day. DS asking for a brother as he is bored and wants someone to play with. It's heartbreaking. Started trying for #2 nearly 5 years ago 😔

@greendress789 - Sorry to hear that. 💐 Thinking of you. We’ve also been trying for approx five years - I try hard not to think about all the more enjoyable things I could have spent my time and money on!

Sending you a big hug @GreyGoose1980 💕

Yes, we made it here. The travelling was stressful especially with the PCR test arriving only 2 hours before we left for the airport and way later than guaranteed. 11 eggs were retrieved and we are already down to 6. This is day 1 and at this stage with my eggs we were still in double figures Wondering if we will even have 2 by day 5 -that’s the minimum they have guaranteed. They advised against using MACS, we ignored them and we told them to do it anyway. They did a spermiogram rather than a DNA fragmentation test -his sperm always looks good on a spermiogram so that means nothing. Most of our embryos dropped off after day 5 with cycle 1 with my eggs (which normally indicates a sperm issue) and we told them this! So lm not especially thrilled or confident right now.

Sorry for my crap response times. Getting organised to get away sucked my time especially work -last day ended up being an epic 13 hours long

@Foxy84 did you make it here ok?

@greendress789 how are you doing?

@GreyGoose1980 you ok?

@PinkGold and @Hope222 hope you’re good

Sorry meant dropped off after day 3, NOT 5

Hi @EL8888
Glad you made it out there and got 11 eggs collected. Sorry to hear some are dropping at this stage! This waiting stage and the calls telling you how many there are at each stage is one of the worst parts (sending you a hug) Not sure what a spermiogram is. Did they think DNA frag would have taken too long?

I’m currently on my mock cycle taking the usual FET meds awaiting my ERA the week after next. The meds without a transfer at the end is a bit weird and the headaches are as annoying as usual.

Hope everyone else is good.

Down to 5 at the start of today. Well, we think as the update we got this morning was confusing. It said:

1 x 4 having the quality 1 (1 is considered the best quality,3 the worst),
4 x 4 having the quality 2
2 were not fertilized and one is without the development.

Next update is Monday, as they don’t do Sunday updates which is annoying, as day 3 is when the wheels starts to fall off for us last time. They didn’t really elaborate about why no DNA fragmentation test.

Eugh, the headaches. You have my sympathy. Good luck for the ERA, hopefully it’s sheds some light on things for you

@Hope222 congrats! So exciting...

Sending good wishes to everyone!

I’m on day 2 with the meds. Fet of double donor embryo on 10th May... hoping for second baby. Trying not to overthink it, got all the paperwork now for overseas and flights and room booked. I have to leave my son for four nights for the first time ever, quite nervous about that, but also excited!