Anyone starting IVF soon? Join me.

[Shellster52]

After 3 full failed IVF's last year, I am about to embark on my second last attempt. I started an IVF thread during my last IVF, and everyone got pregnant but me. So I swore I wouldn't do that again this time. But I find myself wanting to chat with people going through what I am, so I am starting the thread again. Join me as I seem to be a BFP magnet!

I actually have spare Menopur Barcelona but am in Australia! Did you sort something out?

I am sorry to hear it hasn't been smooth sailing for you Liquorice and Walter. I have had no end of trouble and on the last IVF thread I started, everyone got pregnant but me. Made me feel like everyone else has no trouble and it's just me and IVF will probably never work for me. So it has been very reassuring that things don't go smoothly for everyone - although obviously I don't wish these bad things upon you!

Are you planning on starting again with your very next cycle Walter, or having a break. Will keep checking for posts to see how your scan went Liquorice.

My update - just waiting for my cycles to return to normal so I can start IVF the following cycle. Last cycle was only 19 days long and today is day 16 and I think I feel my period coming on again. For my IVF protocol, I need to start estrogen from day 20 the cycle before IVF which isn't happening with my short whacky cycles. No idea what my body is doing. Contemplating changing protocols just so I can start IVF (before menopause hits!), but I know research shows estrogen priming will work best for my condition. So I am at my witts end wondering what my body is doing and why it won't co-operate and give me a normal cycle.

Thanks Shellster x

22 follies, biggest 13, smallest 5! Staying on the Menopur until weds then a blood test and scan to check I'm not over stimulating. I was so worried nothing would have happened so I'm pleased!

Oh fantastic liquorice. When do you think ec will be? Exciting to get that hurdle over.

Barcelona. I hope you managed to sort something out and now have your menopur.

Yes walter, I would get straight on this cycle if they would let me, but they said this bleed would not be a proper period although it certainly feels like one so have to wait until the next one but that one might fall with needing my baseline scan in the middle of our hols in cyprus so might need to wait another month.

Fingers crossed Shellster that cd20 arrives ASAP. Could you not try short protocol?

22 is great Liquorice keep us posted how the scan goes.

Purple our clinic think I'm quite old but they won't start any treatment after 39 unless you've seen them previously.

Carrie I don't know what to do. I was told I could start the cycle after a bleed. Consultant said the bleed should be 2 weeks after EC, so next weekend. So theoretically, early June for short protocol, but, we wanted a holiday and this would be the only convenient time we could get away. I've also started taking Kelp & Royal Jelly. RJ ideally needs to be taken for 3 months to have any, if it works at all, effect, so that takes us to starting august! If we go with June, then the RJ is a waste of time and we won't get a holiday as swimming starts early with short protocol :0( but DP wants to get started again. What to do?

What would any of you do? Any advice appreciated xxx

Hi Walter,

I am very impatient but it sounds like you really want and need a holiday, so I would wait until after. It will be nice to get away and a month isn't very long to wait in the grand scheme of IVF?

22 is good but I have pcos so I think that is to be expected? I am nervous of ohss but I guess there is absolutely no point in worrying as it won't change anything.

Walter, did they say why only two eggs were collected from 7 follicles? Were the other 5 empty and if so, is the RJ researched to help with this? Or was it just that the surgeon had trouble accessing your ovaries?

If you really think the RJ will help and a holiday sounds nice too, then the logical decision seems to be to wait, but I totally get wanting to charge forward ASAP and get this infertility ride over with.

Oh, and yes I could try the short protocol, but after lots of research, I really think estrogen priming protocol will give me best chance for my circumstances. Today is day 17 and I think I am still not going to have a normal cycle meaning i can't start IVF next cycle - AGAIN! But at least I THINK I've discovered the problem. I have been taking Aspirin daily to increase my AFC for IVF and have just read research showing how it prevents ovulation so that's why my cycles are all whacky. So next cycle i am going to stop aspirin from day 10 until after ovulation which will hopefully enable me to ovulate normally without reducing my phone follicle lcount too much for the following ivf cycle. Aargh, this is going on forever!

liquorice so glad for you that you are happy with your scan. The biggest was 13 _ did the 18mm ons disappear?

Walter, did they say why only two eggs were collected from 7 follicles? Were the other 5 empty and if so, is the RJ researched to help with this? Or was it just that the surgeon had trouble accessing your ovaries?

If you really think the RJ will help and a holiday sounds nice too, then the logical decision seems to be to wait, but I totally get wanting to charge forward ASAP and get this infertility ride over with.

Oh, and yes I could try the short protocol, but after lots of research, I really think estrogen priming protocol will give me best chance for my circumstances. Today is day 17 and I think I am still not going to have a normal cycle meaning i can't start IVF next cycle - AGAIN! But at least I THINK I've discovered the problem. I have been taking Aspirin daily to increase my AFC for IVF and have just read research showing how it prevents ovulation so that's why my cycles are all whacky. So next cycle i am going to stop aspirin from day 10 until after ovulation which will hopefully enable me to ovulate normally without reducing my phone follicle lcount too much for the following ivf cycle. Aargh, this is going on forever!

liquorice so glad for you that you are happy with your scan. The biggest was 13 _ did the 18mm ons disappear?

Glad you figured it out shellster! Fingers crossed for next month although you still have a chance this cycle?

The 18mm one disappeared, she said it was probably a cyst. They are still growing very unevenly and I can probably only continue with Menopur until tomorrow as I have a blood test for ohss but at least something is happening in there!

Thanks Ladies.

I've started the RJ after reading it helps egg quality. The consultant hasn't recommended it.

There were more follicles but they all grew at different rates. I was under the impression that they only accessed the larger ones. I'm not sure if this was partly down to a dose increase mid cycle or just the way it was. He mentioned an aspirin type of medicine for me to take with the short cycle, but I think it was after EC.

I really don't know if I'm conning myself with the RJ but I know it takes 3 months to recruit the eggs so it needs to be taken three months prior.

Shellster what does the aspirin actually do? I know it thins the blood but why is it beneficial?

Liquorice make sure you drink lots of water, it'll help flush out the excess meds and helps with OHSS xxx

Interesting about RJ, shame it takes 3 months. So it doesn't help with the amount just the quality?

I'm interested to know how aspirin helps. I've heard any painkillers can mess about with/prevent ovulation so it makes sense to stop it after ov Shellster.

I am trying to drink lots, I did 5 litres yesterday, I then realised there is such a thing as too much water!

Also I have read a lot about sodium being good for preventing ohss, has anyone heard of this?

I took royal jelly with my third iui and I don't think it takes three months. In previous iuis I had just one follie, the month I took royal jelly I had 8! It could be coincidence but I really think it worked. I am taking it for this cycle of ivf and my dh husband takes it too.

Glad everything is going well for everyone :)

Walter and Liquorice, because the Aspirin is a blood thinner, I suppose it basically helps more blood and more nutrients get to the ovaries. I know that I always have light periods and only 2-3 follicles on each ovary on my day 2 IVF scans. I then took Aspirin for 3 months and my next IVF, my day 2 scanned showed 15 follicles. Still a BFN unfortunately. However, since then my cycles have gone haywire and I have just been researching and discovered as Liquorice says, that it messes with ovulation. So it's not always a good thing! Oh, and never heard about the sodium Liquorice.

Wow Happilymarried, I ran out of royal jelly and didn't bother buying more. But you are really making me think I should get back on it before my next IVF.

It wouldn't do any harm I don't think! X

That makes sense now shellster. I think I've escaped the dreaded ohss for now, is there still a chance of getting it post ec?

I have no idea about OHSS Liquorice so hopefully someone else can answer. I am a poor responder and all my research has been based on how to get more eggs rather that having to worry about hyper stimulation!

Okay Happilymarried, I am off to buy more Royal Jelly today! I can't believe that two months you had one follicle and then the third month with RJ, you had 8! Were they all with the same dose of medication?

Yes all with same dose, taking royal jelly was the only thing I did differently. Could have been coincidence but I think it must have had something to do with it. I took one 500mg tablet each day, also have a sachet of spa tone, this was recommended to me by my Accupuncture lady.

Off for baseline scan today so hoping they say I can start stimming, should hopefully go quite quickly from here!

Good luck happily!!

All went fine! :) so ready to start stims! So relieved, get so nervous I'm going to get bad news before all these scans! X

Excellent!! x

That's exciting, Happily - hope all goes well.

How are you getting on purple?

Helloo. I'm okay, thanks - pouring lots of busy in my life to bridge the gap until next time!

We decided to bring our implications discussion forward until this cycle, so it will be a good three weeks before we start the drugs and we'll have time to have all the "what if we tried this" discussions - last time, we wanted endo stim, but it was too late to do that before the buserelin kicked in, so I want to fit that in this time. So that's happening next week and all things being equal, I'll be starting down-reg about this time next month.

I'm confused about what's happening with you Liquorice - sorry - I dipped out for a few days last week and my small brain is struggling to catch up! Have you had EC? How's it all going?

Good idea to give you enough time to explore all options. I hope this period of time moves quickly for you and you can get on with it.

I made it to ec and am due to go in tomorrow for et.

Everyone seems to be moving along nicely here! Good luck starting stims Happily, and for et for you tomorrow Liquorice!

Been reading about the royal jelly some of you are taking and thinking about getting some, i absolutely hate taking pills though and always gag on them but one more shouldn't really make a difference as i already take a multi vit, 2 vitamin E's and an iron so if it helps, its worth it.

Know what you mean about pouring in lots of busy, purple, i've been cutting down all the trees and bushes in the garden, will have no garden left at this rate but i just want to keep busy.

Hows things going Shellster?