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

Thanks for the warm welcome and replies everyone! :)

Anroga, sounds like my side effects are quite normal then, that's reassuring I guess! You must be a couple of weeks ahead as I think I'll be starting stimming this week - day one of AF today so I think its about a week later?? (can anyone can confirm if there's a set time?) - just waiting to hear from the clinic :) How are you feeling with the Gonal? Are you keeping up with drinking lots of water? We are having ICSI as well and its our first IVF, no children so we are extremely fortunate to be NHS funded. Keep me updated, great to hear how everyone is doing :)

lildottie, how exciting, we started a day apart! I have no idea what this long or short protocol business is, I just know I have to stab myself with a needle - how would I know if long or short? and what's the difference? How are you getting on with the injections? You seem to be doing well with the abstnence form alcohol, I

Rumplestrumpet, you're right, I haven't gone back through the 30 odd pages so apologies if I ask something twice or am not sure of your individual stories, will try to catch up! Congratulations on your progress - that's amazing :) How did you hold off telling everyone? everyone I know seems to know everything about the dates of injections etc so will be asking straight away if worked or not - maybe not the best idea in hindsight but I'm quite open with everyone!

anroga keep us updated! Sounds very promising :)

Also, what's the IVF diet?!

My update is basically I've done 10 injections so far, got headaches, breast tenderness, one night of vivid dreams and now struggling to sleep at night but not sure if that's due to AF visit and associated back ache etc or the injections! Oh and I got engaged NYE! :) :) :) :) But back to the IVF... rang the clinic re the stimming yesterday and hope to hear back today about date to start! Very excited now! xx

angora I think I had 10 follicles in the end and they collected 6 eggs only 2 fertilised sadly and only 1 made it to transfer but that's all you need cos it got me my BFP and now I'm 8 weeks. I think as hard as it is as long as you have at least 1 you are still in the game. But sounds like you have great numbers so fingers crossed you get lots of eggs

Thanks lildottie, how are you getting on with the suprecur injections now? x

Yes Verkey your sound effects sound similar to what I felt when I started suprecur injections, they have subsided since I started my stimming injections of gonal f which the nurse told me would happen.

I started my suprecur injections on the 16/12, then I had a scan on the 29/12 and was told I was ready to start my stimming injections (gona f) so to give you an idea Verkey that is a day under the 2 weeks after I started the suprecur.

I feel ok with the gonal f, have started to get achey ovaries the last few days but the clinic confirmed yesterday that was normal. I generally just feel exhausted and very thirsty but other than that ok.

Yes am on 3 litres a day, how about you? How are you feeling now with the suprecur? We are in the same boat then Verkey first time ICSI for both of us and you must be on long protocal like me :) x

Congratulations on your engagement what a wonderful NYE! I got married in August and remember how I felt when we got engaged!

Thanks for your message Whittlefish congratulations on your BFP! Just keeping my fingers crossed that with all these follicles there are some viable eggs. You post has kept me feeling positive though! x

verkey i think short protocol you go straight into stimms but long you do a few weeks down regging first. I won't be on gonal f though for stimms, i've been given menopur. (hate that it reminds me of menopause)

anroga injections going ok, no more blood or bruises! And unlike you guys i have no side effects really. The only thing i'm wondering if the drugs are causing is i've got dryer skin and i'm itching a bit more. Nothing major though so not bothered. 3l a day - wow! Im struggling with 1.5l

whittle i can't believe you are 8 weeks already!

Hope all our other bfpers are doing well too.

I know seems very strange 12 weeks seems a long way off still tho .
I'm glad it's all going well so far for everyone fx crossed for lots of follies all round

Hello everyone, would you mind if I joined? I'm about to start IVF again and it's getting tough without talking to someone who really understands!

A little about us:

Me: 28 DP: 31
Unexplained infertility
IVF 1 - BFN - Healthy eggs & sperm = healthy embryos
FET 1 - BFN
FET 2 - BFN
Hysteroscopy & Laparoscopy 100% normal

The last FET was feb 2014 so have been blissfully ignorant to it all until now. I have been on the pill for 3 weeks and will stop Friday ready for the down reg

There's a lot to read through so hopefully I'll get to know you all over time xxx

hi phoenix. sorry to hear about your bfns. you'll find lots of support here. I have to confess your story scares me a little. I keep telling myself the fact I'm fine means surely it will work - but stories like yours remind me how tough this really is. I'm on first ivf cycle with icsi, mfi issues.

Glad to hear you are feeling ok on your down-regging lildottie, yeah my skin in dry I can feel it probably is a side effect of the drugs and the dehydration. I know its alot of water! But I feel better for it, not the constant toilet trips though!

Sorry to read your post phoenix like lildottie it has scared me a bit aswell as I have been keeping positive throughout my treatment that it will work as we have unexplained infertility perhaps as alot of the girls have said it really is down to luck.

I know some of you have mentioned that you have had acupuncture, a little late I know but after reading someones post about how they had it before transfer and after transfer and ended up with a BFP I have contacted someone through my fertility clinic to enquire - any of your thoughts on this would be appreciated, success stories, a load of nonsense anything! xxx

Quick phone update from me, back at work and crazy busy, taking advantage of obe of my many loo breaks now that I'm drinking more water to reply!

anroga I got one of those bobble bottles in the sales following your advice, it's making the water in the office much tastier!

verkey congratulations in getting engaged! I think my side effects are similar to yours too, had a very vivid dream last night... About walking the dog! Don't know if some of mine are due to impending AF, she's due any day now.

Welcome phoenix good luck starting on Friday. One of my friends was exactly the same as you , first fresh cycle and 2 FETs were bfn, but she got pregnant on her first FET of cycle 2, and is not pregnant with a sibling from the same batch of frosties! Obviously I know everyone is different but it just reminded me of her.

Does anyone know how long you stimm for or is it completely depended on the scans? I go for my first scan next Thursday and hopefully will start stunning then, but how long from then to EC? Thanks x

Sorry for all the typos, on my phone obviously!

The friend is "now pregnant", not "not pregnant". I should really read through my post before clicking send. Sorry everyone.

toes I stunned for about 2 weeks and they had to up my dosage towards the end to beef up my follies a bit

Hi Toes

I assume you and Whittle mean stimmed not stunned! (Mind you I think we all feel a bit stunned at times during this journey!)

I started my stimm injections on the 29th, got a scan on Friday and hopefully EC on Monday so if it is Monday I will have been stimming for exactly 2 weeks, think it is normally about 2 weeks of stimms on long protoacal.

Glad the water bottle is working for you, is it filtering the water? Because I have only been drinking mineral water as I am sure my clinic said do not drink tap water.

Might be handy for you girls to know but I have just got off the phone to the acupuncturist (she is listed as a reputable one by my clinic) and she has explained how beneficial it is, especially before or after transfer so I think I am going to go for it. I have nothing to loose (except more money!) and anything that will help.

Yes I did angora stupid auto correct

Thanks ladies, that really helps. It's also really annoying because by that timetable I'll have EC on the 29th but I've been told at work I can't have Thursday or Friday of that week off as I'm hosting a seminar. Unfortunately I work in the sort of place where if I were to tell them that I'm having IVF it would affect the outcome of my pay review next month (even though legally it can't but they just won't give me the larger raise that I'm due since doubling the size of my department...!) so I can't book it off and I can't tell them so I'm going to have to screw my team over by calling in sick. It makes me feel so rotten. If only I'd started just a few days earlier or later!!

I'm so sorry lildottoie and anroga, I really didn't mean to scare you. It is just one of those things. Through our journey I've met and spoken to people that have fallen pregnant the first time or had 1 failed then fell pregnant and people that have 6 failed. Also people that have gotten pregnant every time but have miscarried. One girl I personally knew lost 2 babies at 6 months but has just given birth to her beautiful son. I don't mean to be coming out with more horror stories, it's just that it really doesn't matter what you have wrong with you, every story is different. It sucks but i will keep fighting until I'm a success story!

anroga I've had acupuncture throughout my cycles and still believe in it. If anything it has relaxed me, helped me sleep (my sleep pattern is pretty pants) and I've had a fantastic lining every time! Have to admit I never had it post transfer though so it's worth a thought.

toes' your friends story is horrible but lovely at the same time! I feel for them with everything they've been through but so chuffed that it worked out for them! They didn't give up!
As for the work thing.... How long do you plan on taking off? My DP insists I have 2 weeks off every time so my 'sickness' sheet at work is terrible. My boss is aware of my treatment and is kind but I'm pretty sure she curses me under her breath! Personal life is more important to me though so she can do one
It may help to tell work? Would they honestly not give you a pay rise? It's a bit cold not to

No need to apologise phoenix! As you say you hear all different stories on these threads and people you speak to, it really is down to the individual couple. It does suck for us all as you say but I like your fighting spirit and I want to be a success story too!

Your advise about the acupuncture is helpful thank you, I have decided I am definately going to go for it before of after transfer

Evening Ladies. Please may I join? I will read back on the thread now...

I am on my first ivf journey.

Me 32, dh 32
Unexplained, but I do have Factor v Leiden thrombophilia.
Trigger shot in 10mins (!) for egg collection Friday am. 15 follicles on scan yesterday but endometrium only 5.7mm. Am wondering if they'll continue Friday as I believe this is very very thin?

Oh and 3 early miscarriages under my belt. Now I think a thin lining may have been to blame.

Anroga I started stims on 29th the same as you but am doing my trigger tonight with collection Friday. Have you had a scan yet?

Hi funkymonk

Welcome to the thread, exciting you are doing your trigger shot tonight! 15 follicles sounds good, I had my scan in Monday and had 13 which they were pealed with got another scan this Friday then hopefully trigger sat and egg collection Monday.

They did measure my lining on Monday which was 8.2mm and said they ideally like a minimum of 7mm, maybe you can find out more on Friday, fingers crossed for you x

I am 38 my dh is 44 this is our first icsi unexplained infertility but dh does has moderate motility been ttc for 4 years x

Hi funkymonk

I'm sorry to hear about your tough journey. Have your clinic said anything about your lining? Have you expressed your concern? They are probably counting on it getting thicker over the next few days.

I know there isn't anything you can do yourself that can solve it but I would keep active to keep your circulation going and try Ceyenne Pepper in soup? I read everywhere about there being no scientific proof of these things working but I'm a firm believer in the physiological value. I do things that I feel will help and it makes me feel more positive. There's nothing worse than feeling powerless.

Sorry, I meant psychological value. The IPad decided to change it for me

Thanks Anroga and Phoenix.
That's a good lining Anroga. I wish they'd kept me stimming for longer to try and get lining better!
Clinic said that when I go Friday if it's not much better then they may delay and give me something to try and thicken it. They said a lot can change in a few days. Fingers crossed!

When do you start Phoenix? Are you short protocol? Wishing you every success with this cycle.

hi guys.

anroga studies show optimal impact of acupuncture is 9 sessions, including 5 before ec, 1 immediately before transfer and 1 immediately after. I know ur only about to start now but that's better than nothing. I read it in the Zita west book. I also read they should put needles in the abdomen after et so make sure they don't!
and funky acupuncture is supposed to improve uterine blood supply, maybe see if you can get an appt tomorrow and Friday before tfr? can't hurt anything other than your pocket!

starting with a new acupuncturist tomorrow as I got fed up of my other one taking forever about everything. it wasn't relaxing to wait 25mins for her to wash her hands before starting my treatment!