Starting IVF/ICSI this month - anyone want to join the journey?

[Rumplestrumpet]

After over 2.5 years TTC, we're FINALLY about to start our fertility treatment this month (ICSI). My nurse and husband forbade me from chats and forums, but after following MN threads over recent years I think it would be a great help to share the experience with those going through the same thing.

Anyone else want to share the joys/terrors of belly injections, hormonal madness and a series of medical professionals poking around your nether regions?! And, of course, hopefully a BFP at the end of it all

I'm going home today and just wanted to say Thank You for all your well wishes, much appreciated!!

I had a bit of a wobble yesterday thinking that everyone would be disappointed in me but my Hubby told me that all that mattered was my health.

When I think about it if rather have a healthy BFP then a very sick health risky BFP.

We have 3 x 3 day, 4 x 5 day frozen now and finding out about the remaining four this afternoon. Couldn't ask for more really.

Shell - you've had way more experience with IVF than I do but I had two large follicles at my day 11 scan 18mm which could have been two of my 18 mature eggs.

You never know so don't disregard them just yet!!!

I wish you all the best for Friday and I hope it's a healthy EC and you get a good amount of mature eggs!!

Sorry to hear it was unsuccessful Frazoz, thinking of you and wishing you all the best for the future xxx

So glad to hear you are well enough to come home frazoz put your feet up and concentrate on getting better so you are all ready for those frosties. They will be ready when you are to take it easy

Glad you are not feeling upset Fraz, but rather you feel as though this is the right decision. And I guess the amount of frosties can help to put your mind at ease that it will surely work when the time comes.

My efforts feel a bit piddly in comparison, as I just came back from EC where I had 6 eggs collected - which is less than you have frozen fraz!

I would REALLY REALLY love a day 5 transfer instead of day 3. Would like to know the embryos have made it all the way to blast and they just have to implant. Will get a call tomorrow to say how many fertilised. If only a few, they will automatically schedule a day 3 transfer, but I can over ride it and request a day 5 if I like.

So I have to make a decision this afternoon. Any suggestions!?!?

shellster was exactly in your position 6 collected sadly only two of mine fertilised and so they advised day 3 transfer. As we only had one and didn't want to risk that going we took their advice as the best environment to grow is inside us. Having said that it's really up to you what you feel best. I felt like I wanted it back it asap if that have it the best chance, but I think you will be able to make a better decision once they let you know how many fertilised. If all 6 did you may feel happier to risk leaving them till day 5 but I would say be guided by the embryologist as they are the experts.
Like I said the the decision is def down to you and DH. I'm still in tww although one week down thank god! So don't know if it paid off for us. Keep us posted tho fx

Hi everyone.

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a looooooooong time. I have been lurking and crying and laughing along with all of you, sending silent support to those who need it and quiet celebrations when appropriate.

Just wanted to ease a couple of minds 're numbers and things and whilst I know we are all different my experience was as follows

EC collected 11 but only four of those were mature. Cue disappointment after lots of scans that seemed positive. 24 hours later I get a call. All four have fertilized. Cue slight relief and belief there may be a chance. Day two and we've lost one pro nuclei disappeared and we have three at 4 cell appointment pencilled in for day 3 transfer subject to change if all 3 looked the same as each other. Day 3 arrives and we have only 1 that looks viable so day 3 transfer it is. Again cue tears and disappointment and an awful journey to the hospital already feeling defeated. They tell me that they will watch the other two for a couple of days and freeze if they do anything. Nothing. Sadness and defeat for a few days and the longest two weeks and one day of my life. I didn't poas, I didn't want the disappointment. I waited for a whole 15 days, drove the 65 miles to the hospital to pee on their stick. Shock. BFP! We had one. No frosties, no more chances. One. And it worked. Had my early scan just over a week ago and again the drive to the hospital was awful. I was convinced I couldn't be so lucky. Something must have gone wrong. And there it was. Tiny little peanut looking monkey with a tiny little flickering heartbeat, I could barely hold my breath to see it! Had my first appointment with the midwife yesterday and now it's starting to seem real.

I just wanted to share so that the ladies worrying about numbers could see that sometimes it really does just take one, it's something we get told and tell ourselves over and over again but really we never quite believe it. Please believe it. It can happen.

I hope and pray that everyone has success. Everyone deserves it to happen for them. Love to you all and will be hoping as hard for you all as I did for myself

moomoo such a lovely and inspiring post. What a journey! The biggest hugest congratulations to you. X

What a wonderful, wonderful message Moo - I'm so glad you took the time to update us. I had feared that your silence was a bad sign, but it's so great to know it worked for you. I think our days were almost aligned, so you must be due mid-July? Great, great news.

And we should all listen to Moo - she is living proof that it really only takes one.

Shell - 6 eggs is very good (especially as you've had far fewer in the past), and with your great diet I expect they'll be better quality than you've had in the past. It's looking positive for you.

Whittle - hang in there. The second week is the hardest, so keep yourself busy.

Allchat - hope you're ok. Think you're back in the hospital today for tests? Thinking of you.

No more hospital. They called yesterday to say levels were low enough to rule out ectopic. I just want to move on now. Still spotting a little which is driving me mad because after the ivf then the pregnancy I just want myself back to normal. I want to ovulate and bang like a rabbit and hope I can do it next month. Everyone says your super fertile afterwards. God, I'm setting myself up for fall already!

No you're not, Allchat , I think that it's positive that you're looking forward to the next opportunity. It is hugely reassuring to know that you can conceive naturally, so by all means make the most of it. And of course enjoy the rabbit-behaviour while you're at it!

moo such fantastic news can I ask is this your first cycle? IVF or icsi? You must be over the moon

Fantastic news moo! So pleaseed for you x Like Whittle I am interested to hear if it was your first try and if it was IVF or ICSI xxx

We were really lucky. It was our first go and we were icsi. We used the embryoscope too which meant the embryologist could watch a time lapse vid of the cell division so they knew how equally it had happened rather than just a quick look once a day to see where they were up to

Rumples yes mid July. 15th. We were practically day by day the same I think

Will keep lurking ladies so any questions feel free to ask and I'll answer as best I can

It'll happen. One way or another. Everyone will get there

hoping to be joining you in Feb after our first ivf with icsi moo. so happy for you! thanks for coming back to update us.

thought it might be good to have another update of where everyone is.

rumples bfp
tail bfp
nutty bfp
seb bfn
smidge bfn
allchat bfn, sadly followed by natural mc
moo bfp
hen bfp
leopard stimming last we heard but not seen since 17/11 - hope ur OK leopard
whittle tww
shell waiting to see how well 6eggs do and get date for et which we are all hoping and praying will happen for u this time around.
anroga down regging
lil due to start down regging 28/12
Faroz ohss prevented et so awaiting fet
Gcerron awaiting fet after bleeding before ET

hope that's right/everyone!

shell two embryos alive 1 day post EC. Schedules for day 3 transfer.

Thanks so much lil. Very helpful.

So yes, of those 6 eggs, only 2 embryos. Only 3 of the 6 eggs were mature which I am wondering what went wrong as the follicles were not little and should have been mature. Could the Pregnyl trigger not be working well for me? Then of the 3 eggs, 1 didn't fertilise so that left 2.

ET booked for 11.30am Monday.

Feeling completed pooped to day has anyone found tiredness a side effect of the progesterone?

shell. Well done!! So you've got 2! That's 2 more than you had yesterday. You going to put them both back in? This is first time for you to get to ET isn't it? How you feeling after eC? Sorry I can't help you with your question about why all 6 eggs weren't mature.

whittle I seem to remember sleeping a whole afternoon but if was a few days after EC so think it may have just been my body recovering from the sedation. I think the whole process can be a big draining even though you don't realise it, especially mentally.

That's true I forget how mentally and emotional exhausting it all is without the physical bit too x

Hello again

Sorry to have been away for ages, I've been really busy at work and not feeling too great...I hope everyone else is well?

Frazoz sorry to hear of your OHSS - poor you . YOur freezer is so well stocked though, there is practically a football team there waiting for you when you are better, that must be so lovely to think about?

Allchat You poor love, what a massive, horrible headfuck that must have been. I just want to come over and give you a hug . Is your DH easing off the work to look after you?

whittle How's the tww? I also felt really tired after ET, it is a side effect of high progesterone levels, which might be due to the pesseries or a pregnancy. Annoyingly, there isn't any way to tell which. Where are you now in the tww? Have you managed no to test?

Shell So you have 2 embies? fingers crossed for them . Can't really comment as I don't know enough about the mechanisms of trigger shots. Did they say why you were using Pregnyl rather than any other? are there advantages/disadvantages to using different ones?

Moo What a lovely post - all the best to you

Lil How's the wait? not too painful?

to everyone I have forgotten

As for me, all seems to be progressing normally, I feel quite queasy and have completely gone off tea (unheard of!). First scan booked for 23rd Dec, assuming all is well by then. Still terrified that I will miscarry to be honest, I am trying to take each day at a time and enjoy being pregnant for today, as the chances of things going wrong are still so high

Once I have had my scan, I will feel a lot better and more secure, I think. If a heartbeat is visible at 7 weeks, the odds of miscarriage are much lower, so I am hoping the little bean hangs on until then...

hi hen. good to hear from you. I swear the wait is going slower! onto last pill pack now though, 20to go!

shell I've got everything crossed for your 2 embies.

Hey hen so officially into 2nd week of tww and am struggling haven't tested yet think I'm too scared of a BFP think if I can will hold out till my blood test Friday but am starting to loose the plot a little. It's not like tww when ttc naturally as you are so much more invested. I got a bit panicked to day as so some very pay pink cm but only when I wiped when I used the applicator for the progesterone (sorry tmi) it came out completely clean so think I'm just worrying to much about it all going wrong. I'm trying to think positive but just can't believe it can happen at this point. Sorry for the downer

I meant scared of bfn

a bfp is pretty scary too whittle, sleepless nights, no social life, your boobs will never be the same again, stretch marks! just saying