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!

carrie, I feel like I should be writing positive things like 'it only takes one' and all the other cliches. But another part of me knows that I have been where you are and the cliches won't help the way you are feeling. So all I can say is that we are hear for the ride with you.

I too thought when only one fertilised that it would never make it. But actually it almost did.. was even top quality at day 3. I have read that embryos will do better in the uterus (one step removed from the fallopian tube where they naturally would be) than in the best culture medium. Not sure if I made the right decision waiting til day 5 for my last IVF, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I hope you get some great news about the quality and cell count of your embryo before they transfer it back, and then its the longest two weeks of your life!

Shellster - my MIL, who always speaks the most impeccable English, would have avoided the ambiguity, by saying "I'm not sure that one avoids all that with soya" - all I meant was that because soya contains isoflavones, it can also disrupt "one's" natural hormones - it wasn't meant to be a pointed comment.

Hi Annie - glad you're finally getting going. I have found this thread so helpful at all stages - even if there's nobody doing exactly the same thing at the same time, someone on here will have some experience that you can draw on, and if nothing else, it's somewhere to vent where everybody understands. Please don't be lonely - come and join us.

x

Welcome Annie. You have obviously chatted with Purple elsewhere. As she says, this thread is a great place to have a vent as everyone understands. I second the very big welcome to come and join us!

Purple. Thanks for clarifying. As I mentioned, I have decided to give up the soya anyway. My first estrogen priming IVF worked well and the last two didn't so I am wondering desperately hoping the soy was the cause and the next cycle will produce more eggs again.

Carrie, I am thinking of you and waiting to hear about your embryo report on day 2.

Purple and Shellster, I'm fascinated by your discussion of diary milk vs soya milk. I did wonder about the oestrogren content of soya when I did my IVF cycle. I tend to drink nut milks (almond is the best), but I only ever get them when they're on sale as they are really quite expensive. Could either of you run over the apparent benefits of drinking milk and when in a cycle? I'll give it a go when I get back from holiday.

Annie, hallo! The whole thing is really lonely, isn't it? My best friend is going through her own subfertility, which at least means we can go through this all together IRL, but I spent about three years beforehand feeling like I was the only person to not have a child. This group has really made me feel much healthier about the whole process. It's so easy to get obsessive, but knowing other people are going through it too has made it much easier to bear.

Blue and Shellster, maca (sp. correction!) is amazing!! I actually wonder if it has similar effects as drinking milk... This is something to investigate. Spirulina is very good for you and definitely a case of 'less is more'.

Blue, how is the stims going?

Carrie, all fingers crossed. I hope you receive good news! x

Hello, I am new here and I have a big problem.i try for 6 years to have a baby, my husband and me brake up a couple of mints and I was pregnant with another man; me and my husband are together again and I made an absorption.my apoiment for Ifv cames by my door.what I need to do? Just to go to apoiment to don't say nothing to nobody? What are the rules???? Please help me if y know.Thank you very much

Hi all - day 9 of stims and all is going well so far. Day 5 scan looked pretty normal, 4 follies on each side (same as day 1). Going in tomorrow for a day 10 scan so hopefully I'll soon find out when my EC date will be, and hopefully my follicles will look nice and big and productive on the scan. Aside from feeling hot and bloated I really can't tell if anything is going on down there, no twinges or whatever. Please send my ovaries growth vibes!

Seems like the jury is out on the milk thing, then. I haven't been eating or drinking anything different this cycle so far - I guess we'll see what happens. I'm trying not to let myself get stressed about anything. My brother, SiL and their kids are staying at our place this weekend - it's lovely to spend time with them but I do feel a bit sad, particularly with the 11 month old. He's just lovely and makes us realise that we really do want a child of our own more than anything.

Beatrice, not sure I fully understand your post but I don't think there are 'rules' as such. You definitely need to tell the IVF clinic about your abortion, because that pregnancy indicates that you are capable of getting pregnant. They need that info to decide upon your treatment plan.

Big hugs, Blue - I know what you mean. My brother and SIL have had three sons in the time I've been ttc and each one has resulted in such a tangle of emotions: I love them all, but there's a sadness too.

Emma - not sure I've got anything to add on the milk debate: just that my clinic advised me to drink it, I did, and my egg quality was good, so it's something I'd do again. Not very scientific!

How are you doing, Carrie?

Emma, I usually do estrogen priming from day 20 for my IVF. First time it worked great and since then not so great. I switched to soy milk at some point and am wondering if this was after my first IVF and this is the reason my attempts since haven't worked as well -because the soy estrogens are binding to my receptors and preventing the estrogen tablets from doing their full job could be the reason. So I have not read anything particular on the benefits of drinking cows milk (except for Purple's clinic advice). I am just stopping soy and hence, have switched back to cows milk-organic.

Beatrice, sorry but I really don't fully understand your post either.

Blue. All of a sudden it feels like things have happened quickly and you are nearly at EC! Sounds like a good sign that all 8 were still there on day 5. Will be waiting for you day 10 scan results.

Has anyone heard from Carrie on any other threads. I worry the fact that she hasn't posted since her scheduled transfer on 15th August for her sole embryo means it was bad news.

Hi guys - day 10 scan today and I've lost a couple of follicles - I now have three on each side. Biggest is currently 13mm. I've got another scan on Tues morning by which time I'm hoping they will (all?!) have grown to at least 18mm. Looks like EC might happen next Thurs or Fri. I'm a little disappointed there aren't more follicles but I'm not particularly surprised. I didn't have many last time either. Anyway, nothing I can do about it so I've mentally moved on.

Carrie - wherever you are - I hope everything is ok.

Purple - what's your next move? I can't remember where you are in the process now. Shellster, it sounds as though you are in planning mode for your next go. And Emma, welcome to the world of pain free periods and (hopefully) straight forward pregnancy! :)

This forum has been a great source of info for me - so many things on here that I'd never thought of before. Shellster you are basically my IVF guru.

Ha ha! Blue - I described Shellster as my IVF mentor....similar sentiment!

So, where I am in the process is that I'm going off to France for a week and I'm going to allow myself to drink red wine and forget all about this turmoil for a bit. Then, in September, I'm going to have another scratch, and do a short protocol cycle in September/October. Not quite sure what my timings are - my cycles are usually 28 days like clockwork, but my last bleed was a bit weird following the failed FET, so I'm not sure when it'll turn up, so planning for the one after that is way off...

....so, it's off to drink red wine, I go. Thinking of all of you - and especially Carrie - yes, I've been worrying too....

Ha, if only I could be a guru or mentor on how to actually get up the duff! I started another IVF thread for my Dec 13 IVF. I felt like a pro having read about supplements, high protein diet etc and the other 3 girls who joined were IVF newbies. So I felt like for sure I was in with the best chance. Turns out everyone got pregnant but me! So my new theory is to ban myself from research and TRY not to stress.

Blue, I started with 19 follicles last IVF and only had 5 mature eggs, so 6 of 8 follicles growing is an amazing outcome. What size was the smallest? Is it too far behind the 13mm?

Purple, that sounds fantastic! France is my dream holiday (when I can afford it after IVF!)

Thanks EmmaGH and Shellster for your lovely welcoming messages.

I spoke to Purple before when I put a desperate thread out after mc in May asking if I should jump to IVF and I recognise a few names on here who kindly replied with advice and support.

I joined this group very quietly back in May and have been gathering test results before starting Yasmin at the end of this week for a long protocol with bucerelin.

In July I had my AMH tested and the result was 14.5. I had a Cycle Day 3 scan which showed 14 follicles. 10 on one side and 4 on the other. When the clinic phoned to tell me this they seemed delighted so it gave me a real boost but now I'm thinking I've got to protect myself from getting my hopes up.

I had a scan last week for my catheter test on Cycle Day 18 and it showed 'polycystic both sides' and 11.5 for lining. The consultant's notes said 'easy' for the catheter insertion so that was a little bit of positivity. He felt my tummy and ask me to lose some weight as I am overweight.

Shellster I love your methodology. It is so clinical and exactly the quality improvement methods we use working in the NHS. Cycles of improvement making small changes to refine the process along the way.

I can imagine one of the hardest things to change is the RaLG.

Sorry for long blabbering 'me me me' message!

Annie, I honestly love blabbering me me me messages. Makes me feel not so alone when I hear details of other people struggling with issues too. So please vent away!

14.5 sounds like a good AMH... mine was 2.5 at age 34 and I am 35 now. So what does a day 18 scan show that means you are poly cystic? Is it the fact that none of the follicles ovulated? So you are on Yasmin for a month and then start IVF with the start of your next period? Do you have to lose a lot of weight? I am JUST in the healthy BMI at last check but I haven't hopped on the scales in a while! I tend to be an emotional eater and with all this infertility stress lately...

Okay, so as for me, tomorrow is day 20 and I start estrogen in prep for IVF next cycle. Here I go again.

Shellster Yes I do have to lose 2 stone to be under BMI 30 again. It's shifting though, slowly. My eating is all wrapped up in emotion too.

The AMH thing is good in terms of number but as you know there is no measure of quality and I've had 2 mc's due to blighted ovums in the last year and a half so it's very possible that if I did get pregnant through IVF I'd mc again.

I'm still not convinced I need IVF and should just keep going through mc after mc until good egg comes along but time is running out fast so the idea of 2 fertilised embryos being put back has lured me here. That sounds very naive, Im acutely aware that there is a long long way to go before we know if that can happen.

I start Yasmin as soon as period comes this week and then 2 or 3 weeks later (hopefully 2). I live on an island off the Scottish mainland and need to travel down to Edinburgh for treatment so the clinic put me on the pill to have more control of my cycle.

I'm me me me-ing again.

How are you feeling about starting to cycle again?

I wonder if there are any other IVF first-timers out there...?

Anniehoo you don't sound naive - you sound hopeful! Nothing wrong with that. Seems as though you have a pretty good AMH. Your fertility specialist should be able to help you work out some strategies to deal with possible MC issues. I'm only on my second cycle of IVF and I also had a MC last time (I was told a 'chemical pregnancy'). Fingers crossed it won't happen again for either of us. Good luck with the diet - it's for an important cause, so hopefully that will give you the motivation you need.

Shellster good to hear you are ready to get started again.

I had a scan this morning and things are looking quite good - 3 follicles on the right, 2 on the left. The biggest is 18mm and the smallest is 13mm, so definitely a bit better than my last cycle. I'm doing the Ovitrelle trigger shot tonight, EC happening on Thursday. Nervous!

Hi, Im so sorry for the lack of update and worrying you all, I had family staying last week so couldn't get on the laptop and having issues with my phone. Transfer went ahead last Sunday, it was very easy and straight forward although I think I took the full bladder thing too literally and was dying all through it, there was no lie back and relaxing afterwards for me! It was only a 2 cell embryo that they put back so I was disappointed and not very optimistic. I've had loads of severe cramping since 2 days past transfer, they feel exactly like my af cramps and I am starting to get hot flushes just as I always do so I am losing hope, still have another 6 days until test day, how do people cope? I've definitely found this week harder than when having the treatment, the up one minute and down the next and the not knowing whats going on is driving me mad.

A new cycle starting for you again shellster it must be so draining for you. How do you keep going with hardly no breaks inbetween? I don't think I would have the strength, this cycle has really taken it out of me emotionally, I think it will be a few months before I am able to try again.

Sounds like a lovely crop of follies blue all nice sizes, Good luck for egg collection on Thursday.

Hi Annie The AMH testing really confuses me as my AMH came back as 21.6 but I still never get more than 6 follies and I was on the highest dose of stims. It doesn't make sense to me, I must be an oddity! Good luck with your first cycle, this is my first full cycle after my last one was cancelled but as you can see I am coming to the end now.

Hi purple sorry for worrying you, hope you are enjoying your time in France, I went to the south of France a couple of years ago and it is a beautiful place. Look forward to following you in your cycle next month.

carrie, so glad to hear from you!!!! I really assumed that the embryo arrested before transfer and you couldn't face typing that news here and you had fallen in an emotional heap. So I feel relieved to hear that the transfer went ahead and you are coming to the end of your 2ww. My second IVF, I had 2 x two cell embryos transferred. They told me that they like to see them at four cells on day two which I assume you were told the same to write 'it was only a 2 cell embryo'. I went home and read lots of success stories online from a day 2, two cell embryo, but it didn't work for me. So in summary, who knows, it's just a killer two week wait.

My new clinic does day 5 transfer and I am hoping (when and if I ever make it to that point), it will make the 2ww a little shorter and more bearable.

Blue you must be happy that you have more follicles than last time. It's a great effort to start with a small number of follicles and have 5 grow at a similar rate. I need to know how you convince your body to do that?! I started with 19 last IVF cycle and still only 5 mature eggs. Started the estrogen today/day 20 in prep for IVF next cycle. Not excited yet as my day 2 follicle count varies so much. Once it was 5 and last cycle it was 19. If I have 5, the odds of success seem to low to make the cost worthwhile so it might all be cancelled yet.

Annie, excuse my ignorance but what exactly is a blighted ovum. I agree, it doesn't sound ignorant, your logic sounds perfectly reasonable - having two put back to increase the odds of one being normal after repeated miscarriage. Also, if you are worried about time being a factor and continuing to age your eggs, it would be good with your high AMH if they grew a few embryos and they would get frozen in time with your current age stamp, for you to try over the next year without worrying about them aging.

Shellster I wish I knew why my follicles have performed a bit better this time around - the only thing that is different is my downregging drug. I'm on triptorelin (decapeptyl) this time and I was on buserelin last time. Aside from that, same everything - no booze, lots of water, lots of yoga etc. I did have one round of acupuncture before I decided I didn't like it!

Carrie it's good to hear from you, glad everything is ok. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you - the 2 week wait is horrendous. I had to use every ounce of willpower to stop myself from testing early last time, it's hell. Good luck!

Shellster yes that was another deciding factor IVF. Any frozen embryos will be aged 41.

It's probably better to find a definition of Blighted Ovum on google than me explaining it.

I believe the cause in my case to have been poor quality eggs due to age. It's a grim lottery!

Blue, yoga is the one thing I haven't done which perhaps I could start trying. And you seem to do well (pregnancy first time, respond well this time) so I would like to do what you do! Do you do specific fertility yoga poses at home or do you go to a class? Is it just a regular yoga class or a fertility yoga class?

Carrie, I've lost track of time. When is your OTD? Do you have to go for a blood test at the clinic on a certain date, or do you test at home?

Okay Annie, going to read about blighted ovum now. Then going to do my study to try and 'forget about IVF' as part of my new IVF plan. Eat healthy, no alcohol, lots of water, fast before estrogen tablet twice daily... yet somehow forget about it and relax!

No special yoga required - just normal, everyday yoga! Give it a try. It's a bit like marmite - you'll either love it or hate it. I love it because it's relaxing and energising at the same time. Apparently it can help increase blood flow to the uterus, which has to be a good thing. I usually do a fair bit of running but I've cut back on that on doctors orders (he said it's best to avoid strenuous exercise).

Good news for me this morning - I had 4 eggs collected yesterday, and all 4 have fertilised over night. I'm provisionally booked in for transfer on Sunday (ie day 3), but they may push back to Tuesday depending on how things progress. Grow cells, grow!! Fingers crossed....I'm so pleased with 4 eggs. Double the number I had last time.

PS Carrie - good luck with your test...

You're off to a flying start Blue.

You really are proof to the saying quality over quantity.
But this time you have double the quantity too.
You just do normal IVF hey *Blue"; not ICSI?
I think that enables nature to allow the best sperm to penetrate, where as I had ICSI which caused two eggs to fragment from the injection.
So things are looking great.
Can't wait for an update.
Okay, as simple as a few yoga poses at home.
Going to youtube some fertility yoga now...

Test day is monday and I do it at home and just call them. Still cramping majorly so I'm not actually tempted to test one bit, I know its the progesterone holding af off.
Great news Blue! Not long til the dreaded 2ww now.