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!

Been away for a little while and I am so, so sorry to read your post today Purple, thinking of you and your husband.

Xxxx

Sorry for quick and self-centred post... Just need some support!
Am away with work at a conference far from home. I did FET and am due to test on Monday. Today I've had a v small amount of brown discharge and am now so worried...
On my fresh IVF (successful) I did have some spotting (implantation bleeding?) but can't remember when it happened. Got to go for dinner now with colleagues and try to keep it together.

Discharge also smells a bit fishy? sorry if TMI

Oh inconceivableme I'm sorry I don't know. You are best not to try and analyse it because it is both a sign of implantation AND a sign of your lining coming away so it's impossible to tell without testing. Sorry that is no help at all. I know how you are feeling. I hope it's implantation and the weekend goes quickly for you ((Hugs)) xx

Annie's right, Inconceivable - not a reliable symptom because it could be good or bad, so try to stay positive - I know it's easier said than done.

The fishy smell is usually due to a slight bacterial infection, caused/exacerbated by a pH imbalance. these are really good - they sort out the pH and the bacteria can't survive.

It must be really hard going through the last couple of days before test day away from home. Thinking of you and wishing you the best of luck x

I am so sorry to hear that your cycles didn't work purple and Annie, the disappointment of getting a BFN is just crushing after all that effort and being messed about with. It sounds like you've both got lovely supportive DH's though, and some promising plans for the future. So not all bad news. I wish you both every success.

How rotten to be away from the comforts of home and having to put a brave face on when you're so worried inconceivable. As the others have said though, bleeding can be a sign of both success or failure on the 2ww. All the best for Monday.

How did your Ultrasound go today Smidge? Hope you're doing okay.

As for me, I'm booked in for a cervical stitch on Monday prior to my transfer on Tuesday, as I have a wonky cervix and its apparently rather tricky to get a catheter in without the stitch to help pull my cervix straight. Not looking forward to this, as last time they put the stitch in during egg retrieval. This time I'm going to be conscious when they clamp my cervix and do stuff to it Hopefully it will all be worth it this time...

Yow! Don't envy you that, Orange - hope it goes well, and keeping everything crossed for your FET x

Purple I'm so sorry that the cycle hasn't worked out for you, how awful. You must feel gutted. Don't be hard on yourself though - the statistical probability of success is slim for all of us. It feels like it has been bad news for far too long on this thread - I thought you'd be lucky this time.

It's good to hear you might have an egg donor within the family, that would be amazing. The doctor thinks we should try donor eggs if the next cycle doesn't work so I will definitely follow your next move with interest.

Go Big poor you, that does not sound nice at all!! Good luck.

Inconceivable. I know there is absolutely nothing I can say to help. It's such an anxious time. But just want to say I am thinking of you. The fact that you had implantation spotting with your successful IVF is at least a glimmer of hope. Let us know how you are getting on.

smidge, how did your scan go?

Inconceivable, I know your FET was on the 16th but can't remember what day transfer it was - was it day 5?

BigO that sounds horrible, you are very brave! It annoys me so much when they keep telling me that poking something through my cervix is just like a smear test - it so IS NOT!

inconceivable my fingers are crossed. I hope the weekend doesn't drag too much.

My second scan & bloods seemed to go quite well thanks. The nurse was more chatty and told me she was only measuring the follicles that were over 10mm. I had 7 on one side and 4 on the other, ranging from 10mm to 15mm. I hope they stay roughly together.
The good news is they want me to continue stabbing til Monday and have another scan then. That will be at least 2 days longer for ripening than my last cycle, so I think the change of protocol has suited my body. (This time last round my LH had already started to rise and I had to trigger).

I'm also feeling a lot less bloated and much more comfortable in general. However I am still bleeding. Day 10 of AF now and still going. When should my lining be starting to thicken? Getting a bit worried in still shedding at this stage!

11 follicles over 10mm sounds fantastic Smidge. I am a poor responder so I could only dream of having that many. Could you give me a summary of your last IVF - how many eggs, how many embryos, did you make it to day 5 transfer? It just amazes me as I am a poor responder and could only dream of having 11 follicles - yet you do and I assume you responded the same last time - yet still no BFP! What hope do I have when I only make half as many eggs!

Quick hello everyone! Thanks for the replies which were so nice to read after a busy evening. I spotted a bit more yesterday evening, less than earlier in the day though. Really wish I could have been at home the last few days but heading there today. Shell that's right, transfer was the 16th and was a 5 day blastocyst. Been Googling to no avail about what this could be. Will just have to wait until Monday and stay strong in between.

Shell it's hard if you're a poor responder. I have PCOS so produced lots of eggs on a low dose of stims on my fresh cycle and mild OHSS. But egg quality is soooo important too. And Gavin enough eggs fertilise and develop to be able to continue to 5 day culture really helps too. It does only take one ultimately though. Sounds trite but maybe useful to focus on. x

Whose Gavin??!! I meant 'having', obviously!

How are you feeling today inconceivableme? Are you home yet? It's horrible being away in the tww but at the same time it stops you from ruminating as much. I hope it's good news for you tomorrow, will be thinking of you xxx

Hi Annie

It's good to be home. Not feeling v hopeful though. Brown spotting has continued, though v v light. I have the heavy feeling I get before a period now though. Held off testing early today. Will test in the morning but am almost certain it'll be negative.

Having DS eases the sadness a lot but we do so want to complete our family.

Inconceivable, my thoughts are with you. Thanks your your kind words and reminders of quality over quantity - amidst your own struggle right now. I have indeed been working on quality. One study says that a high protein/low carb diet increases number of embryos that make it to blast from 30% to 50%. So I figure if I can't change the quantity, I can at least do this diet to ensure 50% of the few I do make get to blast this time. I am yet to have an embryo make it to day 5 and I always thought I would feel like once I get that far, I am on a home run. It has made it all that distance and it just has to implant at day 6. Yet now there are so many stories on here of women having day 5 transfers and still getting BFN's. What's going on that they make it all the way to blast and just don't implant????

Hi inconceivable, wishing you good luck for your test. I hate the dreaded spotting. I get spotting before my periods every month so I always assume the worst for me, but I have heard stories of ladies spotting and still having a successful pregnancy so my hopes are always still there. Fx for you.

Shellster yes I made it to a 5 day blast last time round. Just one out of the 10 eggs that they retrieved though - all the others fragmented or stopped growing or something. The blast we had was 'lovely' according to my doctor and she had high hopes - but got a BFN. To be fair, I think the chances of a good quality blast making it to baby are still only 30 something % so I wasn't hugely surprised (though still extremely disappointed) that it didn't work. I was more upset about only getting 1 blast out of 10 eggs. Thing is I know I will just assume it will work if we have 4 attempts with blasts, as I will simply add up the %s to make it over 100%, even though I know quite clearly that each attempt still only has the 30ish % chance of succeeding!

AFM Just had my third US/blood test and currently awaiting the nurses phone call. Had a different nurse on the US and she made me write down the sizes of follicles this time. As ever, I'm certain she measured some of the same ones twice! Anyway I now have 5 on the right (I'm dismissing a couple of small ones) and maybe 8 on the left (again dismissing a couple). They seem to be growing fairly slowly vs last time, so they might not want me to trigger tonight. Hope that doesn't mean any more blood tests though, my arms are not happy with needles any more!

Yes, I can totally understand you having high hopes with 10 eggs Smidge and it must have been a real blow to watch them dwindle away and have one left at day 5. Did they give you any rhyme or reason for this, or have they changed this IVF protocol in any way from last time thinking that will help?

I don't make many eggs to begin with, so I have to try to maximize the quality of the ones I do get. So I am very curious about your thoughts and what you are changing this time and watch how you go before I commence another IVF next cycle. You are like my prototype!

13 this time (and being conservative dismissing the smaller ones) at least sounds like a positive start to end up with more blasts.

AFM, I am now on day 2 of my cycle and have been able to calculate my IVF dates:
22 Nov - Start of IVF cycle
5th Dec - CD14 Egg collection
20th Dec - CD29. First day of missed period (I hope!). Preg test day.

Hi Shellster good to hear you are almost ready to get started again. Depending on tomorrow (I have my hysterectomy) we might be on a similar timetable. All the immunological and thyroid tests came back normal so I think I'm pretty much ready to have another go, providing the inside of my womb looks OK!

Inconceivable I have my fingers crossed for you. How stressful. And smidge I know what you mean about staying rational about success probability. My last 2 cycles have ended in chemicals after 5 day transfers. I may have to face the fact that my eggs are not as good as they appear, which, according to the doctor, is common. You're off to a great start though with all your follicles though, sounds likea great result so far !

And duh..... I meant 'hysteroscopy'!

And... Purple and Annie don't know if you are out there but sending you both a big hug. Hope you are doing OK xx