ICSI

[VIOLETzA]

Hello! My story so far: age 41, AMH 0.6, Antral Follicle count: 6, FSH varies from 9 - 12. Six months ago I had my first IVF treatment using donor sperm where 5 eggs were retreived at egg collection, 4 were mature but sadly only one partly fertilized properly and didn't divide so this resulted in there being no transfer. I waited a couple of months to build myself up and started 3 rounds of natural iui which sadly didn't take. I have just undergone ISCI where there were only 3 eggs,
one of which fertilized and divided into 4 cells and was given a grade 3/4 on day 2 when it was transferred. On days 15/16 of my cycle I usually experience twiching pains in my breast and sometimes in my ovary area this started the morning before the transfer which would have been day 16 of my cycle it also continued after the embryo transfer and continued the next day and very slightly the next day as well. My question is it would still be possible if I was pregnant, does the bodies symtoms take time to realise it is pregnant? I am still only on day 2 of a day 2 embryo transfer so really day and blastcyst would not have taken place yet. Does anyone have any success stories with similar results to me?

I'm not an expert and I was hoping someone would have replied but it seems you will have to make do with me :) for now
So it sounds like you probably ovulate at around day 15/16. There's no reason why pregnancy isn't a possibility the embryo needs time to implant before changes are made to your hormone levels.
The waiting after transfer is so hard and most of us google every little ache and pain :) The drugs have a lasting affect that can feel like pregnancy not too mention the tricks your own mind play on you. Its a tough 2 weeks.

Sadly I'm not a success story but I am moving on and using a donor egg later this year.

Good luck and up date us all with your progress x

Thanks so much Suzy for your feedback. I am sorry ISCI hasn't worked for you but am wishing you masses of luck with the egg donor. Please also keep us updated with that. All the best to you.

I want to wish you the world of luck because I know how tough those 2 weeks can be. I am currently in the midst of my 6th IVF attempt so I know the anxiousness it brings.

I have read and re-read your post but I just don't quite understand. You say you are two days past a day 2 transfer, so obviously a bit too early for the embryo to implant and you to be pregnant, yet you are asking if the body takes time to realise it is pregnant, as though you think you have been pregnant for a while and your body is just producing symptoms now????

I guess in reality, no one on here can give you a definite answer as to whether you are pregnant or not and it's just a horrible waiting game. So I totally get you wanting to chat on here and get advice from others. Am happy to chat if it helps. Would love to hear how you get on so please keep in touch.

The one thing that I have found really helps during all my treatment is to have a plan B ready. Despite the emotions and tears, I have been practical and researched lots of things that have been shown to improve things relevant to my situation. I have seen definite results. First IVF embryo disintegrated before transfer. Next EC, two embryos that were 2 cells at day 2. Last EC, one embryo that is perfect at day 2 but still doesn't implant which I now have theories on and am working around for this IVF.

Of course you are hoping for this to work but I would be more than happy to share if it is any help to you, depending on what you decide is right for your next step.

Dear Shelster, Thank you for your reply and I am sorry your previous attemps have not worked. I wish you so much luck for your next IVF cycle. I know my post sounds a little crazy as you are right it would be way to early to tell if a pregnacy has taken. I was just worried because I always have these tingleing breast/ovary pains on day 16 of my normal cycle which last a few days and are usually a sign my perion will arrive in about 10 days I have these same symptoms on day 16 of this cycle (the day of egg transfer) and after on that day and for a few more days so was just thinking everything is starting up for a new cycle. Now on day 5 blastcyst day so lets see.... I agree to have a next plan but for me I have exhausted the funds and really don't know what to do as I don't want to give up but maybe I should just wait through these next two weeks and see. Would be interested to hear your theories on implantation.
All the best to you.

Yeah, its horrible that our dream to have a baby has to be limited by the size of our wallets. In your first post when you were mentioning your day 16 symptoms, I thought they must be occurring due to ovulation but obviously not if you are having them this cycle on day 16 when you know that you already had egg retrieval two days ago.

Most of what I have researched is for the lead up to ICSI. Things such as

• The best protocol for us poor responders
• Aspirin prior to IVF to increase follicle count (mine was 5 at day two of March IVF cancelled cycle and was 13 at day two of this cycle after taking Aspirin)
• High protein / low carb diet for three months prior to IVF to improve embryo quality
• Blood test on day of HCG trigger to see if progesterone has risen prematurely, in which case day 2 and 3 results in poor pregnancy rate and best to wait til day 5. (My last clinic only did day 2 transfer and my progesterone had risen on day of HCG trigger so day 2 was no good for embryo. I am now at a clinic that offers day 5 transfer).

These are just a few of the things to give you an idea of what sort of things I am referring to, but you are obviously past all these stages now and in the horrible two week waiting game. I guess the hardest thing is that there is just no guarantee. Last IVF I am sure I got so close. I had definite cramping when I woke up one night at around day 6 or 7 of embryo's life right when it should be implanting. I then had sex with my hubby and orgasm (sorry TMI) and felt all tingly in my uterus so something was definitely going on in there. When my period later arrived, I wondered what could have gone wrong seeing as I knew it was definitely trying to implant. Definitely not having orgasm in two week wait this time just in case!

Take care of yourself and keep us posted.

Thanks Shelster for your theories. Wishing you masses of luck. All the best.