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?

Cat, I've never been told to avoid unprotected sex so not sure what that's about, but Purples experience makes sense if you are having the scratch. Sorry to hear that you and choc are not filled with confidence in your clinic. It really does make a difference doesn't it. I love my IVF Dr, but during my IVF cycle, I have to deal with her nurse, who is a bit of a b*ch. I can't even finish a sentence before she cuts me off. I just try to tell myself that it doesn't matter as it's my Dr who is making the decisions and she is not affecting my IVF outcome, but still it's not nice when a bit of compassion really does go a long way when we are on edge during a cycle.

With the information you were given blue of having 6 blasts, I definitely would have followed instructions and done exactly as you did, having the best 2 transferred. I just don't understand what further steps the other 4 had to make it to in order to be accepted for freezing. There must be some logical reason but I have never looked into it as I have never had the privilege of having excess embryos after transfer. Here's hoping this cycle is my chance to find out.

I agree with you all that full flow is day one. And if it starts late, count tomorrow as day 1. My only concern is that I always wake up to my period full flow with no prior spotting, so no doubt what is day one. This time, I took progesterone last cycle, so when I woke up to this one off spotting for a day instead of full flow, I wonder if it's just because the progesterone has delayed my uterine lining from shedding until later, but my blood hormones are at day one of my cycle. So perhaps I should start injections on day two based on my bodies hormones rather than when my uterus lining sheds which I delayed with progesterone. If that makes sense!

Anyway, period started full flow last night, and I've decided to do first injection tonight. Yes purple, it does seem to mean that day 15 will be Sunday. Trying to tell myself not to worry. Will see what happens in two weeks. Doesn't sound far away but feels forever!

blue, I hope your embryos are feeling cosy in their new home. I assume you are going to be patient again and wait for blood test day.

Welcome choc and cat. Cat, useless admin staff seem to be a feature at IVF clinics worldwide so I'm not at all surprised to hear you've been incorrectly billed. How frustrating. I hope you manage to sort it out soon. Choc I'm afraid I know nothing about the sex Q....Professor Purple sounds about right to me though.

Shellster it's your first injection tonight, wahoo! I'm excited for you. Yes, I'm planning to wait until my official test date - well, actually the day before, which is Saturday 14th. I'm flying to Baku very early on Sunday 15th and I don't want to have to get to the airport a crying mess (whether it's good news or bad), so I think 14th will be better. I'll be 10dp5dt then I think I should get a definite result, right?

I'm terrified to be honest. I feel down today - I didn't sleep very well last night, weird dreams and then the anxiety took over. I don't have any symptoms as such - a few twinges here and there but that could be the progesterone. I just feel pretty normal really. Aaarggh, which I could just go to sleep and wake up on the 14th.

Blue - I'd take that as a good sign, tbh - insomnia and weird dreams were pretty much my first pregnancy symptoms, from about 7DPO onwards.

Choc and Cat - how committed are you to your respective clinics at this stage? It just strikes me that if you don't feel happy with them before you've even started, maybe they're not the right place for you to undergo treatment. You have a long journey ahead of you, and it's really important that you can put your faith in the professionals looking after you - whether that's administrative or medical - and let them do their bit, so that you can relax and let your body do what it needs to do. I don't know if you've got funding that dictates where you have treatment, or if you've already expended significant £, but if not, can you reconsider?

Particularly Choc your clinic's comment that it doesn't accept meds from Asda - it is not allowed to object to you getting your meds from another regulated pharmacy - see this guidance on the HFEA's website HFEA GUIDANCE - I would refer them to this and ask them to explain their objection. Hope this helps.

Thank you Purple, I'll take that x

So you're doing a home test on 14th blue or the clinic will take your blood? I suppose this is where your IVF has failed in the past so this is the part where you panic, and I can totally understand you feeling a bit anxious. With my last IVF, I had definite pregnancy feeling that started on CD24, or 6dp3dt. So I'll be getting very panicy if I don't start getting that uterine pregnancy cramping on the same day again this cycle. Only 6 days away - seems such a short amount of time in normal time, but forever in IVF 2ww time.

Thanks for feeling excited for me blue. I don't feel that excited to be honest. I think I'm just protecting myself from disappointment. My nurse wouldn't do a day 2 scan so I have to wait til day 6. Frustrating - if I didn't have many follicles on day 2 it would be an easy decision to postpone for one cycle. But now if I don't have many follicles on day 6 and I decide it's not the best month for my last cycle, it now means I have to pay a cancellation fee and also means I've upset my body with these hormones for nothing so it's a harder call to make. Anyway, it's Monday here and a public hol, so I shall ring her tomorrow to book it. I will be telling her my period arrived Saturday (which it officially did but not bright red proper flow blood til 9pm, so they would count the next day as day one - but I won't tell her that part) just so I can have my scan one day earlier.

Purple, you still seem so calm and relaxed, just supporting everyone on here and not letting out any mind racing thoughts on about your upcoming trip and transfer. Today is only day 2 of my injections and already I'm a rambling mess.

Hi Shellster - yes, I'll do a HPT next Saturday. If it's positive (even slightly positive) I'll go in for a blood test as soon as I can, which will be when I get back from my trip. I'm knackered today, I am having THE most bizarre dreams. Last night I dreamed I'd got a BFP though, so that was quite nice. I've been waking up every hour or so in a sweaty mess. I'm pretty sure it's the progesterone...weird dreams seem to be a common side effect, although I'm hoping they may also be a pregnancy side effect as Purple mentioned.

Good luck with your scan. How many follicles are you hoping for? Or, rather, what's the minimum you want to see to go ahead with the cycle? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Purple you do seem pretty zen. I keep imagining a strapping, healthy Czech girl whenever I think of your donor. I'm sure it's going to work out well for you - the success rates with DE are so much better than OE - that must be a bit of a weight off your mind.

This will probably make me sound very stupid but I've been worrying about something and wondered if anybody knew the answer.

My cycle is irregular but usually between 35-40 days as a rough guide. AF lasts a week and is usually heavy. I was worrying that as I will be doing mild ivf and starting stimms on day 2 and obviously as AF is always heavy how on earth will the lining be thick enough for a possible et a couple of weeks or so later when my body is used to a heavy bleed and a long cycle? I tried to ask at out appt and the consultant said "don't worry its an artificial cycle" but I don't understand and its bothering me a lot today.

Waiting - I think that starting the stims will make your bleed stop more quickly than usual. They will keep monitoring you and check your lining, so they won't go ahead if it's not where it should be. What stims are you on? It will be okay x

I am pretty relaxed, Shellster and Blue. There's a lot of exciting - and positive stuff going on in my life at the moment and it's really helping to keep my mind off the IVF - my career's been a bit of a chore for a long time and all of a sudden, the business focus has shifted in the direction of my own particular skills, so my opinion is being sought (and listened to!) And we're trying to buy a piece of land to build a house, which is a new challenge. And the fact that someone else is doing the hard work for me! And maybe the drugs suit me better this time....I certainly feel more relaxed than I have done before. It's all good .

We're just making plans for our trip at the moment and I'm really looking forward to it. There are worse places in the world to have to go....

I will be having gonal f 112.5 to start with for first five days then cetrotide and a possible dose change of gonal f.
Will be starting next month fingers crossed if tsh level down to less than 2.5
I was just wondering as (sorry if tmi) I'm used to at least seven days of very heavy flow and can't see how it will work as my cycles usually so long but next month the lining will have to seemingly thicken up quick! Not sure if that'll happen or does the progesterone after EC really speed things up in those few days between ec and et? So confusing!

Had my first reflexology today, it was lovely and relaxing and I've booked to go once a week until the cycle starts so should fit in at least six sessions which I'm hopeful with have a positive effect. I looked into acupuncture too but can't really afford both so opted for reflexology as I prefer having my feet rubbed to needles as have a tiny bit of a phobia ( really not looking forward to stimms!)

Evening troops and thanks for all the advice. I rang the clinic and sorted out the invoice and am going to get my drugs from Asda - £200 cheaper.

I'm self funded (no free IVF for over 35s in Oxfordshire, while my friends in London get 3 freebies) but im going to stick where I am for the first cycle as it's our closest clinic. If it works, then hurray, but if it doesn't, I'm planning to go to Northampton Care for a full £2k fertility MOT and get everything checked. A friend of mine did 5 rounds of IVF (yeeps!) and didn't find out what was wrong until cycle 5.... Basically a clotting disorder and a hostile environment meant that Even IVF was unlikely to succeed, had they known that from the start, they probably wouldn't have gone 5 cycles.

Theirs is a happy story though - they have adopted the most gorgeous little girl. Not necessarily the right route for everyone but it worked out just perfect for them in the end. I'm 39 so wont be coughing up for 5 cycles, would like to find out as much as possible if this one doesn't work, but fingers crossed it does.

Feeling much more positive this evening for some reason. Hope it lasts.

choc I'm sorry your clinic are being so awkward. They must be getting some kind of commission! Mine practically told me to save myself some money at ASDA.

Waiting I dont know but it clearly has you worried. Purple's answer sounds very believable! Hope it all goes ok.

Waking up every hour must leave you exhausted blue. I got hot flushes towards then end of my last cycle and it's the only cycle of all 9 attempts that I am sure I actually had implantation before and early miscarriage. So here's hoping the sweating is a good sign. Is this also a known progesterone side effect? I've never had those sweats any other time with progesterone.

How many follicles am I hoping for? Mmm, I haven't even dared put a number on it yet. But I think I'll be disappointed if there is less than 7 that are growing. I'm even hesitant to call the nurse today and book my scan. Just so over the disappointment.

impatient, funny that we have opposite problems yet we both find a negative spin on them and worry. My periods are super light and I worry that means my lining doesn't thicken enough for implantation. Even if you bleed for one week, I still think another week is plenty of time for your lining to thicken. It thickens in response to estrogen from your follicles so it is designed to be at the right thickness when your follicles are mature and producing the right amount of estrogen.

Glad things are sorted with your clinic and you're feeling more positive cat. Do you know when it's all starting?

Going to brave it and call the nurse now. Then I need to follow purple and find some lovely welcome distraction to keep myself sane this month.

Good luck Shellster x

Thanks purple. My scan is booked for Thu 10am. You guys are 11 hours behind so I will have posted an update for when you wake up Thu morn.

Good morning ladies - me, me, me alert....

I woke up this morning (6dp5dt) and feel completely normal. My boobs, which have been bigger than their usual 32dd selves over the last week or so, have returned to normal size. The bloating has gone. The insomnia has gone. Even the weird dreams have gone.

I've convinced myself that this cycle is a bust. I stupidly 'did the maths' last night and the statistical likelihood of this working is pretty much slim to none. I would love to go back to bed for the rest of the day but I'm at the office, putting a brave face on it. I am so completely OVER this - it's been a whole year. Shellster god knows how you have put up with it even longer because the mental torture is completely wiping me out. I feel like screaming.

Sorry everyone for the moan fest.

Hello blue I'm sorry this process is such a headfuck isn't it? With so many hormones whizzing about it's impossible to interpret all the small symptoms. If you aren't bleeding full red flow then you are still in the game, but I'm sure logically you know that. Sometimes it's easier to prepare yourself for the worst sometimes. Would testing help you or make things worse? Please hang in there, you are not out yet

Hi blue sorry you are having a hard time. I'm not looking forward to the emotional torture when I start next month! Why do you say you have calculated only a slim to none chance? You had good embryos out back? A lack of symptoms doesn't mean anything.

I think I am going to test out my trigger shot like some others have done on here and then start testing a few days after that as even if I get a chemical I want to know in order to feed back as much as possible for next time.

Hi - thanks both. Testing early isn't really my thing - I'd prefer to wait until the OTD so I get a trustworthy result. I'm basing my maths on the number of unsuccessful cycles (3), plus my age (37), plus my history of chemical pregnancies and poor response. I'm generally quite a pragmatic person so I'm constantly having a mental battle of statistical reality vs hopefulness. Today is a day where the stats are winning and I am feeling a complete lack of hope.

Anyway, thanks for the support. Sorry for being a complete Debbie Downer - Purple I need to learn a few lessons from you in positive thinking today.

Out of interest has anybody been giving antibiotics around the time of ec to prevent infection? I've had a few nasty infections in the past and one after my caesarean and iam a strep b carrier so was thinking of asking about this at my next appt before starting the cycle.
Wondered if they were given routinely anyway?

Sending you a big, warm, positive hug, Blue (and I seem to remember being just as down in the dumps as I approached my test days with no symptoms, so I'm not always so perky...) xxx

Waiting - no antibiotics with EC, but I did have it for my scratch. Is it necessarily the case that once you're a strep b carrier you're always a strep b carrier? I was a carrier when I had ds (along with 40% of the population, but most people never know...I wished I hadn't been tested when I found that out!), but I thought it could come and go, like mrsa...

So, our donor has her EC tomorrow....and I take my last dose of the synarel (down reg drug) tonight....so this might be the end of zen-like purple!

I'm not sure about strep b, I had a couple of swabs for it as when I was 28 weeks with dd they thought my waters had broken and I was inhospital for ages, then they said they hadn't then scanned and said yes they had and back and forth for days! By the time I was given antibiotics and sorry if this is tmi I was in agony with bright green stuff literally pouring out.
I was sent home inthe end and continued to be unwell until at 38 weeks I had emcs, the amniotic sac was in tatters and dd had to have Iv anti b for five days.

I then had a massive infection afterwards and then when I had a mmc and erpc I had a similar infection. Had loads of swabs done and was treated with cefalexin but the same thing returned a few times. I'm just worried I'm carrying some sort of bug/strep b and don't want any problems during/after egg collection. I'm sure the clinic won't mind prescribing something just in case or at least I hope not.

Ooh, Waiting - sounds horrific....no wonder you want to be cautious.

I've never been given antibiotics as routine during EC Waiting. But I certainly don't have your history. I hope your clinic agrees to prescribe you something to put your mind at ease.

Oh blue. I honestly don't think those symptoms mean anything. I've done so much research on breastfeeding after it went pear shaped with DS and I desperately want it to succeed next time, and it's the hormones come from the placenta that make your boobs grow in pregnancy. You would only have the tiniest little specs implanting now and not a placenta in sight yet, so your boobs going down is more than likely just the meds wearing off, and definitely does not mean that you are not pregnant.

I did my research after my hot flushes last IVF cycle, and read that this is the drop in estrogen, after such a high surge from producing more than one egg. So again, it makes perfect sense to me that it is normal for the sweats to subside as your estrogen drops after EC.

I know it's all very easy for me to say now. Watch me as I turn into a hypocrite and I myself stress about every little thing in the upcoming days. But I am just saying what I honestly think about the logic of your symptoms.

It's Tuesday night there so by the time you read this it will be Wednesday, and one day closer to your OTD when this agony hopefully comes to a positive outcome. I want this so bad for you and we are here for you. Please feel free to rant away if you need. That's what this is for.

I am enjoying my last day of ignorance. Tomorrow is my first scan when I get a dose of reality about how poorly I am responding this cycle. So I shall be back to rant away then.

Purple, donor EC tomorrow! And we will finally find out how many eggs! And then you can join us as you turn from zen Purple to insane woman as you follow blues footsteps in the 2ww!

You are talking to an insane woman-in-waiting.

Thank you Shellster, you've made me feel a bit better. It makes sense that the 'disappearing symptoms' are really just the stim/trigger drugs leaving my system. I need to stop fixating on every twinge. I can't change the outcome so I'm just going to have to try and bloody relax about it - I didn't sleep very well at all last night). My doctor said about 80% of his patients correctly 'guess' if their cycle has worked or not. I don't have a great feeling about this one, but let's wait and see. In the meantime I will try to keep a grip on my mental faculties.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your scan. You've done the best you can to prepare yourself for this cycle so hopefully your follicle count will reflect this. It's out of your hands now so it's time to focus on the 'serenity to accept the things you cannot change' (says me - the exhausted lunatic).

Yikes Purple it's all systems go for you, how exciting. You are very welcome to take my place in crazy 2ww land. It's a shame you don't get a fast track version of 2ww with a donor cycle, that would be REALLY great.