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?

Hey Anroga. The scratch isn't exactly comfortable, but it doesn't really hurt and you'll be fine to go to work again afterwards. Hope it all goes well x

Shellster - you made me laugh with this one. I think the only way not to go a little mad during this process is if you were already mad to start with x

Thanks Purple! That is what I thought just wanted some reassurance! Hope your ok xxx

Good luck anroga! Hopefully the scratch is one of those things that sounds worse than it actually is.

Shellster it seems like we are both cracking up! The internet is full of crazy women symptom spotting throughout the 2ww. I currently have everything - cramps, bloating, huge boobs, zits, mood swings - and I'm absolutely sure it's down to the mega-dose progesterone I'm on. I'm not going to test early, I'm definitely going to wait. I just wanted to make sure I have a decent quality test on hand. The hospital cheapie stressed me out last time...it looks really budget and I didn't trust it at all! I'm sure it's all down to clever marketing but I'm convinced that the £9.99 one must be much, much better

Your plan to test (a little bit) early sounds sensible. You really don't have long to go - that's exciting. I'm sure the last few days are going to drive me mental. Everything about IVF is a massive stress-fest.

Blue - when I had ds, I tested with a 50p hospital-type one - you can get them that test right down to about 10 mIu, which is much more sensitive than the over-the-counter jobs. And I got the faintest of faint lines the day before AF. I think the plastic-covered ones are just style over substance

(and thanks for the writing encouragement, btw - unlike ttc, writing is something you CAN practice and improve, get a different result from a different agent/publisher and there's no sell-by-date! x)

Yep, this journey definitely sends us a little insane Purple! Hesitant again this morning to get out of bed and give in to my toilet urge. But when I did, again now blood. Gives me some hope that if the cramping yesterday and the day before wasn't my period coming, then it must have been because I am pregnant. Also, (another insane alert) after I read that the cervix is low before your period but moves up high when pregnancy occurs, I have been checking my cervix through the TTC naturally cycles. Well yesterday and the day before it was low just as it is normally before my period and I dreaded it was a bad sign, but today it has moved up high as though my body has recognised the pregnancy.

I didn't have any of the symptoms you mention Blue, even though I am self medicating with extra progesterone! But we are taking different brands and I am not on the injection you are taking.

Whatever the outcome, I just want to thank you all sincerely for your support. It has really helped me having a place where I can let out my rants of the day. And I feel so guilty ranting on here when I am suffering secondary infertility and most of you guys are just dreaming to be in the position I am already in. Yet you have been more supportive than others in real life who have children and tell me that I should just be grateful I have one. Again, thank you.

Okay, think I'm going to cave and go shopping for a home preg test today...

Shell is that a typo now blood -> no blood??

Hi ladies,

I started a thread which I got no replies but I didn't know there was this one!

Oooh, Shellster - really hoping we're going to be doing a celebratory festive dance for you - assuming you did mean "no blood".

Hello Vixxen and welcome - where are you in this crazy journey?

Oops... yes I meant 'no blood' - not 'now blood' Purple!

I got myself so excited with my own little signs that I'd listed above that I went out and bought a test. Was going to wait until tomorrow morning since they say hCG is in highest concentration in first morning urine but I couldn't resist. However it was negative. I know that logically it could still be too early with today being day 26 of my cycle but it says that this test 'detected hormones levels consistent with pregnancy in 98% of women 3 days before the day of their missed period'. So not feeling at all as hopeful now. I was going to wait til Friday for a blood test, but now that I've unsettled my mind by doing this, I will get one tomorrow morning so I can get the results tomorrow night. I think that is more sensitive and should give me an accurate result on day 27 of my cycle?

Definitely recommend against testing early Blue! Look at what I've started for my already insane mind!

Welcome Vixxen. Yes, where are you at? About to start your first IVF?

Oh Shellster, you must be a bag of nerves. The IVF and progesterone messes up your cycle so I wouldn't worry too much about when AF 'usually' arrives. I don't know a lot about blood testing but at least you'll be able to get a definitive HCG number,which will give you peace of mind. Now you've started with POAS maybe you should keep testing, preferably in the morning?

In my last 2 cycles I got a faint BFP on my OTD and a stronger one the day after. So please don't give up hope, it's still early! Thinking about you and sending you some positive vibes across the ocean.

Purple I'm sure you're right about the tests... it's silly marketing. Anyway I'm even more determined to wait now that I've read Shellster's post. I can't handle the 'am i/aren't I' misery!

Hi,

I have had my the tests and I am waiting for dps final sperm test in February before having the last consultation when they tell us if we can have it in March. .

So not that far into the process but its been 20 months from initial drs appointment to now.

I have pcos and he has a low sperm count. One pregnancy three years ago resulting in a miscarriage at ten weeks.

Where is everyone else at? There are so many posts!

Vixxen- have they put you on metformin? As you have got pg naturally previously despite the pcos and low count.
That seems like quite a long time. I thought my 9m or so between referal and ivf was a long time. We were still hoping the sperm count might improve.
When we had letter saying next appt wasnt for months we saw the same consultant at different hospital sooner as all we needed to do was sign some paperwork.

Naty no they offered ivf despite previous pregnancy and my tubes being fine etc. I thought they would try clomid or metformin but the dr said that those six months of being on tablets could prolong it even further if unsuccessful.

How did you manage to change hospitals and is yours a male fertility issue only?

The receptionist said he also worked privately there it was about £200. But worth it.
I guess its 100% make infertility because its so severe 0.5mil sperm it would be pretty impossible naturally.
So although i have pcos and tests showed no ovulation i coukd actually be very fertile, no way to know.
Ivf clinic put me on metformin for ivf. As its meant to help with hyperstimulation and reduce chances of MC.

I was on it 11m this last time.
Not sure how much it helps but it does gelp with EWCM in non medicated cycles.
It seems strange to go straight for ivf when theres a chance of natural conception , with metformin, iui or clomid.
It seems about 1/4 people with pcos also have hypothyroidism so it may be worth testing thyroid (tsh) levels.
I can cause irregular periods, larger ovaries and cysts, weight gain, feeling cold, constipation, infertility and MC. And it can occur after MC or pregnancy (which is when mine got worse)
My clinic wanted tsh under 2.5 for ivf. So even if you have been tested gp may say 'youre fine' but its high for ivf. So its worth getting a copy of blood results.

It's 3am here and I woke up to go to the toilet. No blood on the toilet paper thankfully! I usually wake up to my period so that fact that it isn't here today/day 27, makes me feel like I am still in with a chance again for today... although if it is my sleeping hormones that kickstart my period, this lack of sleep could be helping keep it at bay! I though a quick post here might get this of my mind so I can get to sleep and not be a zombie at work in 5 hours time.

blue, I've decided against the blood test today. Now with no blood today, I am back in the land of feeling remote hope instead of feeling despair at yesterdays home test. I have decided I would rather have this feeling for one more day and not risk a blood test taking it away from me.

Vixen, I am in Aust so not familiar with your system. But I read other ladies stories on here of the NHS dragging things out for a couple of years before IVF starts. Must be torture. Especially when age is often not on the side of women undergoing IVF - and lots of women want more than one child to complete their family! Anyway, sounds like you are finally at the tail end of investigations and I hope Feb comes around quick for you.

As for where I am at, I am at the tail end of my 9th IVF cycle. I usually have IVF cancelled due to poor response, or if I go ahead with the egg collection process of IVF, I only get 1-2 embryos that die before they get put back in me. This time I had two embryos available and being sick of this all (and unable to afford any more treatment!), I had them both put back. So you will have to excuse my ranting over the next few days until I find out if this has finally workked!

Shellster - yet again I say - you must be a nervous wreck! No wonder you can't sleep. I don't blame you for not testing tomorrow (today your time). You've made it this far so why not wait until Friday? You'll get an official result and you won't scare yourself with another early (untrustworthy) negative.

I'm also starting to crack up a little bit over here in London...apologies if it's TMI but I still have horrendous constipation and it is NOT good. I emailed the doc for advice on what to do and said loads of fruit, veg and water, and lactulose only if absolutely necessary. So obviously I am now scared to take lactulose. I've been chugging prune juice all day. Progesterone x 3 a day is the devil, if I do get a BFP apparently I'll be on this dose for at least the first trimester. Poo gods, please take pity on me!!

Welcome Vixen, as you can see IVF will drive you slowly mad. Shellster and I are both due for some news in the next week or so. I'm not feeling too hopeful unfortunately.

Nothing is TMI blue when it comes to all this. After the internal scans, the being knocked out to pry your legs apart and retrieve eggs, constipation doesn't seem off topic at all. So is it known that progesterone is what is causing this? I haven't noticed that side effect.

OTD is not actually Friday - it's Monday. But I just set my own test date as Friday because I didn't want to get a phone call with bad news 2 hours before I leave for holidays on Monday. But now that I am feeling quite positive again today after waking up to period type cramps that were slightly different and I can only describe as a 'pregnant feeling' and I am feeling quite confident.

So now I am going to get a blood test tomorrow - Thursday. I had a bad experience with the hospital where I had DS that resulted in me not producing much breast milk. I was so devastated having to formula feed and had post-natal depression for the first year. Aside from wanting a sibling for DS, this is the reason I want a baby for me - to be able to enjoy what was taken from me first time. I researched hospitals and picked my favourite - only to discover I couldn't actually get pregnant again. But now that I am feeling positive, I want to get a blood test tomorrow so I can see a Dr with the result on Friday and make sure I can get a referral to my favourite hospital before I leave for holidays in case it gets booked up on my due while I am away.

I really am going to come crashing down the hardest ever if this is all in my head and this feeling is just because this is an IVF cycle and causes more cramping after transfer than a regular cycle.

Blue i had exactly the same. But alternating constip and diarrhoea. Which was the operation which causes constipation as you get rid of the sedation. But my thyroid/metformin didnt seem to agree with the constipation from the progesterone.

I cannot imagine what being on 3 a day would be like !
But as i already had piles from DC1- agony.
Lots of water, i did actual prunes, orange juice (though i didnt do that due to high sugar) and fybogel, after i found lactulose too effective.
I think the key is to assume you will get constipation after the op so start that day if not before with preventative measures. I think for me with like 20 follicles drained and so very bloated that doesnt help.
Shell its important to remember each baby is so individual that whilst the plan may be to bf, some just wont and that is not the mums fault and then expressing can be the only choice, but very exhausting for them. This has happened to 3 people i know, incl DSis, and DH mum with his sister - who kept raising tongue this was after being successful bf him. Hormonal issues are almost out of your hands.

Fingers crossed for you both

Hello! Jumping in from the IUI thread. Best of luck to those waiting in the 2WW, the ups and downs are a particular torture in those days and I feel for you.

We are hoping to start IVF in March after a failed IUI with no response. I have a previous DD after our third IUI that time around and am a poor responder and a history of M/C. Good luk all.

Thanks Naty, glad to hear I'm not the only one. I'm going to get some real prunes today, maybe that will help. I've been eating lots of oranges.

I'm not feeling too optimistic today. Up until now my boobs have been really painful and swollen, and today they are back to normal. In fact they feel kind of 'deflated'. I seem to remember this happening in my last 2 cycles and I'm worried that implantation may have failed. I know it's crazy to symptom spot but I'm now 6dp3dt, crucial time for implantation. I'm also really thirsty which is ridiculous as I'm drinking about 4 litres of water a day at the moment.

Anyway somewhat down in the dumps. I think I've got the progesterone blues.

Welcome Sunset

Oh and Shellster I've got EVERYTHING crossed for you tomorrow. I can't wait to find out how it goes....good luck!!!

Just popping on to wish Shellster and Blue good luck. I had a really good feeling about Hen and she got a BFP and I have exactly the same good feeling for both of you. X

Thank you hoho - how sweet. Let's hope you are right x

Sending all the good luck I can muster your way, Shellster - really hope this is your moment xxx

Sending all the good luck I can muster your way, Shellster - really hope this is your moment xxx