Anyone starting IVF soon? Join me (2)

[purplemeggie]

I see we've filled up the thread and thought I'd better start another one. How's everyone doing?

Quick one from me - out of 5 eggs, 4 were 'mature' and 3 fertilised! I'm pretty pleased with that. We're booked in for ET on Thursday (day 3) but it may get pushed back to Saturday based on the progress of the embryos. Big relief. Waves at Emma!

Exciting....sounds good, Blue. Will you be putting all three back? x

Blue Glad you feel relieved and are happy with your 3 little ones. I know how anxious the wait is to find out each day if the embryos have survived one more day in the petri dish. Thinking of you.

Glad to hear you didn't lie down. My clinic doesn't do it either but since my friend did lie down and both her embryos implanted, I thought that while there is no science to support it, there is also no harm in doing it and I didn't want to be left thinking "What if...' if this doesn't work. So I spent a few minutes with my legs in stirrups asking the nurse silly questions to delay having to get up!

I wasn't told about no heavy lifting. I would like to copy your advice since you do get implantation. My son is 20kg/44lb and he likes to sleep in so I carry him from his bed to the car and then from the car to his kinder room when I go to work in the mornings. Uh oh! My husband will complain, but will make him do the drop off tomorrow.

As for the sex question, here is the study of which one line says:

"exposure to semen is reported to promote embryo development and implantation in animals. Conversely, coitus-induced uterine contractions or introduction of infection may have a detrimental effect."

So get the semen up there, but without the sex to cause contractions!?!? Perhaps I should get DH to deposit it into a cup and I can syringe it up there! Have you followed any particular rules the last two times?

Finally, I use Crinone for progesterone but was only told to insert it once nightly. Don't know if my clinic is just being cheap as other clinics seems to suggest 2 so I have been doing it twice daily with my excess supply from previous IVF's, but now I see you are using 3! Are you using the same as me - Crinone 9% - or are you using a weaker brand that means your 3 equals the same strengh as my 2?

Emma, good luck with your natural attempt this month. It seems we are in synch as today is day 5 post egg collection, so all going well I should be nearing implantation too.

Nope no lying down after ET. In fact i really needed the toilet (full bladder) and rushed straight off to go. They also dont use ultrasound guidance.
On you tube i saw the enbryo gets flicked around in uterus.
Not lifting - i have a 24lb 2 yr old so couldnt avoid it.

Blue - thats really good, hopefully you will have a frostie, assuming you put 2 back.

Thanks all - I'm planning to have 2 put back in, hopefully. My clinic won't allow 3 (and I'm not sure I'd want to go for 3 even if I could!). It would be great to get a frostie but I'm trying not to get my hopes up about that.

Anyway I'll find out first thing tomorrow morning whether we'll have the ET tomorrow or Saturday.

Shellster I'm on 3 x 400g cyclogest pessaries a day. It seems like a lot but given my history of CPs the doctor was keen to up my dose. It's quite funny how everyone self-medicates using progesterone (Emma!, Shellster!)...I can't see any harm in it, personally. The sex thing is interesting, I haven't heard that before. I just don't feel in the mood for sex at the moment and the pessaries are revoltingly messy. I might have to give that one a miss!

Planning to go straight back to work after my ET and I'll stick to my evening yoga routine. I think it's ok to continue with 'light' exercise....I'm not going to run for a couple of weeks though, until after my OTD.

Shellster what is your POAS plan?! Are you going to be a good girl and wait, or have you already started eyeing up the pee sticks?!

Naty - what do you mean about getting flicked around in the uterus? By the ultrasound?
Blue - I did yoga during my previous pregnancy. I told my yoga teacher that I was pregnant and she said it was fine if you were used to it, it was just not a good idea to start something new.

The video Uterus moves embryo for their correct implantation (or similar) on you tube
Shows the uterus moving embryos after transfer. Which is probably why my clinic dont use ultrasound for transfer.

Naty, iI am in the same boat of having DS and having to pick him up, so t's reassuring to hear from you that you picked up your DD and still got your BFP.

blue I will be checking in with keen interest as to how you get on. If you find out, you will have to tell me how many cells your embryos are at on day 3. Since mine were 11 & 14, it would be reassuring to hear that yours are higher than the normal 7-9 cells as well since yours always make it to blast. Do you remember your embryo's day 3 cell numbers from previous cycles?

As for the POAS, I plan on doing a home preg test on Fri 19.1214 if my period hasn't arrived. That will be day 29 of my cycle when it shouldn't give a false negative. I am booked in to have a blood test on Monday 22.12.14. but that is also the day I am leaving to visit family interstate and need time to recover from devastating news before I go away.

blue, any tips for the 2ww. Do you find yourself wondering what's going on inside every spare minute, or are you so busy at work that it's a good distraction?

Oh, and I got a call from the clinic yesterday that 3rd embryo didn't grow beyond 5 cells. Felt despair all evening - of course it didn't keep growing - just like every embryo in all previous IVF's - why would these embryos be any different - the ones inside me are just the same - can't afford any more IVF - how will I cope.

Oh shellster, sending you a big hug. I'm sorry the blast didn't grow.

Don't lose hope yet. There is still every chance that the ones inside you are ok. Or at least one of them. The embryologist will have chosen the best 2. Right now you are in a good place with 2 embryos and just need to hang in there to find out.

I hope so much that one of them sticks for you and you have happy news. I don't think there is anything more you could have done to influence things.

If it doesn't work what are the options for you? You know that you can get pregnant, you can make embryos.
I'm sorry I can't remember your journey to IVF. Can you try naturally at all? I think your body needs a really good break to rebalance.

I'm sending you some sticky lining vibes. Burrow in there mini-shellsters pleeeease burrow in xxxxx

Hi all, I just got back from ET. They put 2 embryos back in - one 7 cell, one 5 cell. The 5 cell is unlikely to make it but they said there's 'no harm' in letting it try (I agree). The 3rd little embryo isn't doing very well at all - fragmented and only at 3 cells - so no frostie for me. Adios to that one.

This is the first time I've had a 3 day transfer. Apparently the embryos look very similar to the ones I had in previous cycles at day 3, so I'm hopeful that they'll continue to grow in there. My lining looks good and I've started prednisolone and clexane injections to help with implantation.

Not much else I can do now except hope for the best! My test date is 24th December, yikes. Shellster sending you a hug - it's hard not to get obsessed with what's happening inside you during the 2ww, but it's time to let nature take over. I'm feeling weirdly zen about it all. I think I'm mentally prepared for this not to work - so a BFP would be a bonus. Back at work now and planning to just get on with my life as much as possible until the 24th....I'm pretty sick of thinking about IVF.

Hi Annie, Purple, Emma, Naty and everyone else - I will live vicariously through your IVF trials until the 24th! :)

Also....the cyclogest is making me soooo bloated and gross. I already look about 5 months preggers! I may have to resort to senokot or some other natural remedy, yuck . Anyone else had this problem?

Not 100% sure but think avoid senekot in 2ww and pg.
I think fybogel and maybe lactulose (though that even tiny babys size amount was too much for me)

Oh Shellster, please don't despair....firstly, they chose the best two to put back and secondly, you are a better incubator than the best incubator that they can build, so they will do better inside you, where they belong. Sending lots of hugs and positive vibes. The wait is so hard, especially when you've experienced so much disappointment. We're all rooting for you xxx

and you, Blue - how are you doing? xxx

Oh blue Christmas Eve. What a day to test! Sending you sticky lining vibes too for the mini-blues to burrow burrow xxx

So you join me in the 2ww blue! nutty on the other IVF thread is pregnant with twins from day 3 transfer of a 4 and 8 cell embryo. So anything could happen with your 5 cell.

Never had Cyclogest or Prenisolone, so can't comment on the side effects. Are you also taking the Aspirin?

Thanks annie and purple for your words of reassurance. Just felt despair when for the evening when I heard the news about my 3rd embryo. But have since moved on and hoping like anything that this will work out and I won't need a frosty.

I had EC last Friday and it's Friday again here. I've read the embryos normally start implantation at day 6, so I guess my fate is decided now. In one way I just want test day to hurry up. In another, I have been vego since 14 but took up fish and chicken to up my protein for IVF. But it was disgusting. So very much enjoying my vego routine again, and not having to harass hubby every day to swallow pills for his sperm issue. So very much enjoying this aspect of the 2ww where none of that matters.

Shellster it sounds like you're feeling a bit more positive, which is great. You deserve success and there's every chance this can work out for you.... you've been successfully pregnant before. We are all rooting for you, I'll be on tenterhooks when you test!!

Thanks for the tip Naty, I have some lactulose in the cupboard. Progesterone fanny bullets are nasty, just another highlight of the 2ww! Shellster prednisone is a steroid, I'm taking it to surpress my immune system,and I'm also injecting a blood thinner. Great to hear about Nutty's success on the other forum... twins! How amazing.

Anyway doing 2ww wait around Christmas isn't too bad, there are lots of distracting festive things going on. How is everyone else getting on? Who's next in 2ww hell?

So the injections continue for you blue! But there was never actually any test that showed your immune system was at fault, right? This is more of a 'lets give it one last shot and try everything' drug regime from memory?

The first few days of the 2ww haven't been too bad. Have been busy working which has really helped. Have 4 days off now. Will have to find something to do to keep busy. Oh, and my positivity changes from minute to minute blue! I find myself daydreaming about finding out I am pregnant with twins, then I think about how disappointed I might be and try to put myself in reality mode and think about ways to cope on my family holiday with bad news.

That's right Shellster, my immunity tests were negative. I do have Crohn's disease though (an autoimmune disease) so the doc thought the steroids worth a try.

All the meds are giving me problems in the (ahem) number 2 department though. I tried lactulose but isn't hasn't worked, so I might get some fibrogel. I'm drinking loads of water. I made the mistake of googling this problem and there are some horrible 2ww stories, seems to be a very common issue! It's gross. Anyway apologies for the moan, I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end!

There's nothing wrong with visualising a baby. My last 2 cycles I had vivid baby dreams around implantation time. Maybe it's the brain's way of processing ivf...the dreams were so real, I could feel the warm, chubby little baby in my arms. Let's see if I get similar dreams early next week when the embryos will hopefully be attaching themselves to me.

Purple, Annie, Emma, Anroga, Naty....what's happening? Where are you guys up to? waves

Hey there! . Nothing doing, here. I feeling like I'm waiting for things to happen (do you know that Dr Seuss story, "Oh, the Places you'll go?" - I feel like the verse about the waiting place - "Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow.")
So we are waiting for the Czech clinic to come back to us with dates that we might start treatment. Waiting for our clinic in the UK to tell us that they've copied our notes and we can go and collect them...otherwise, nothing much doing. Distracting ourselves with DIY, plans for an extension and ultimately to move house.

Thinking good thoughts for you and Shellster - I'm a big proponent of visualisation, too.

How's everyone else doing? x

When I first read your post blue, my first thought was 'oh oh, I didn't had any dreams at implantation time. If blue did at the time hers were implanting and I didn't... ' but of course that is no medical sign of implantation. I was really hoping to have some definite un-mistakable sign of implantation such as a day of cramping just to put my wondering mind at ease, but nothing. Today is day 24 of my cycle so my fate is all sealed up now and I just have to wait. My cycles are usually short and between 24-26 days long, so my period could arrive any day from tomorrow onwards. I usually wake up to it so every morning that I wake up without it from tomorrow onwards will feel like a relief and then a long wait til the next morning. Of course, the progesterone could just delay things to cruelly get my hopes up!

I don't know that book Purple, but I certainly understand that feeling. That reminds me, what ever happened with that book idea you sent away to the publisher? Any word back? Sounds like you've got big house plans to keep you busy.

Sending hugs, Shellster - the last few days of waiting are SO hard.

I got a rejection from the agent I sent the book to. But I'm keeping hopeful. All my spare time is spent doing DIY at the moment - we had a conservatory built a while back and didn't have the money to finish it. We're just putting the finishing touches in time for Christmas and it's going to be a playroom for DS and a craftroom for all of us me. Once it's done, I'm going to spend time in it illustrating stories and contacting agents. Hoping 2015 is my year, in so many ways...

Don't give up with the book Purple....my friend had to contact many publishers before she got lucky. Her book was in the final for the Guardian's 'not the Booker prize' this year, a pretty amazing result for a first book!

I have no idea why it takes so long for clinics to provide copies of notes but it's frustrating and should be banned! We had to wait weeks when we started on the ivf bandwagon. Hopefully you'll get those soon so you can get on with the next step.

Shellster do not worry about dreams (or lack thereof). The dreams aren't caused by implantation... they're caused by my overactive imagination! I always dream about things that are on my mind. I know that implantation is supposed to happen next week so I'm sure the baby dreams will be back. I hope next week speeds by for you... time goes glacially slow at the end. I'm planning Christmas shopping, mince pie making and box set watching to take my mind off it.

And... I've already bought my expensive 'first response' pregnancy test. I don't trust the cheap one the hospital gave me and I'm really going to try not to test early!!

You made me laugh blue. I always think I am the insane one on here and am amazed at you serenity you seem to maintain throughout it all. So it's funny to see you write your dreams are caused by your over-active imagination and that you've already bought a first response test and will TRY not to test early!

Well talk about me being glass half empty. Yesterday I wrote on here that I wanted a sign of implantation. Then straight after posting went for a walk and felt period cramping but instead of being happy I got the sign I wanted, I went into panic mode that my period was arriving. I usually wake up to my period, so this morning I was too scared to get out of bed despite needing to go to the toilet! But no sign of blood yet. Now I'm wondering if I was just imagining it!

It's day 25 for me here and I have decided I will do a blood test on day 29 if no period in sight. That way I can get the blood test in the morning, go to work without balling my eyes out if it's -ive, then see a Dr after work and have time to process the news before my holiday on Monday.

Hi girls

Got my SIS and Pipelle tomorrow morning. I do not think I am but are you sedated for this (cannot find it anywhere in my paperwork) and does the 'scratch' hurt? Were you all ok to go into work afterwards?

Any information would be greatly received!