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?

I am at work, obsessively checking personal email every 5 minutes to see if there's a progress update from the clinic. Nothing as yet. I just want to know numbers!

Shellster good luck with the scan. I hope all your hard work has paid off xxx

Lots going on the next few days eh? Shellster that all makes great sense - I will reread all that if I am in the 2WW one day. Best of luck for you scan today, I hope you get a pleasant surprise.

Hope you're hanging in there Blue.

Purple hope the figures are looking good and eggcam begins soon. Think zen....

Waiting my clinic prescribes antibiotics as standard for egg collection; I'm sure if you explain your history they can do this for you.

I've got my endoscratch tomorrow, bit scared about it hurting and facing all the indignity of it all again. Sure it will be ok with some painkillers.

Thanks sunrise. Still no news . If it helps, I've had 3 endo scratches now and they've all been completely different - some hurt (a bit, nothing major) some didn't. you'll be fine x

Any news Purple? I'm obsessed too! Also, I found this blog infertilesmurf.blogspot.co.uk/ which tracks someone's donor egg journey - she travelled to Czech Republic and now she's pregnant! It's a good read, maybe it will take your mind off the wait for a few hours.

Sunrise I remember you mentioning that the scratch was pretty awful last time. Hopefully some well-timed ibuprofen will help (and some yoga breathing...)

Still no news . I'm going to chase....I can't bear it! Thanks for the cheery blog though - all good news welcome! x

Any news yet or are they closed for the day now?

Hi is it ok if I join?
I am 31 and my husband and I have been trying to conceive for over 3 years. Our dr referred us to the nhs fertility dr who diagnosed me with pcos my husband was checked and everything was perfect. I was given metformin to take and come back after 6 months. After 6 months I returned and was given another scan and told to keep taking metformin for another 6 months. Anyway we became very frustrated with the nhs and last month decided to go private.

At the private hospital I had to re do all the test he told me I most certainly did not have pcos and have no signs I ever did??

He said he can find no reason it's not happening for us and suggested I have a hycosy to see if my tubes are blocked. I go on Monday 16th and I am so frightened. He says if they are blocked I have no other option to have ivf.

No news, Blue, and I can't believe there will be, now...feel very disappointed! I know I only need to wait til tomorrow, but hey - I'm itching to check out embryocam! I emailed the clinic after my last post and was told that everything had gone well and that the embryologist would get in touch soon...

Hello Wish and yes, you're very welcome to join us. I had a hycosy and my surgeon was able to unblock my tubes whilst he was doing the investigation, which should have solved my fertility problems (unfortunately I was 40 by that stage, so it was too late) - but at 31, it may just solve things for you....don't be frightened - and all the very best of luck to you. In terms of the op itself, it's really nothing to worry about...it's all keyhole and although there's a bit of mild discomfort afterwards.

One thing to prepare yourself for is that they pump you full of air so that they can see things properly, so your tummy will be quite bloated for a few days afterwards. I worked from home for the rest of the week because I thought I looked pregnant and I really didn't want people asking.

Thanks for all your well wishes. Unfortunately, despite doing all in my power in the lead up to this IVF, I only had 2 measly follicles on my right ovary and 3 on my left. I really wanted a day 2 scan like blue's dr does for her. But my nurse hardly let me finish the sentence before she dismissed the option. Now I am a bit annoyed as I will lose my deposit if I postpone now.

Going back for repeat scan next Tuesday. Of course, desperately hoping that with today being day 5/6, a few more will magically appear at my next scan. But I know that won't happen. And in fact, even these 5 might not grow at the same rate so I could end up with only 3 mature follicles. It's going to be a very long wait til Tuesday now when I find out my fate.

I think it's 3 in the morning where you guys are, so purple, I gather your clinic didn't call. You must have been on edge all day yesterday. I hope you get answers as soon as you wake up.

blue, I agree with your logic that we can't change our outcome and we just need to bloody learn to relax. No idea how to put that into practice though!

Welcome wish, you are more than welcome to join us in this very frustrating journey. I too have had that procedure and I felt fine afterwards. Some mild discomfort but nothing major. I hope it gives you some answers.

Oh Shellster I'm sorry for the disappointing news. I know you'll lose money if you cancel but is that what you would really prefer to do? Maybe it's worth losing some ££ and waiting if you're not 100% happy? I'm not sure what I would do. I've typically started out with a lousy number of follicles so I know how you feel. And I don't like waiting, so I'd probably go ahead and hope for the best. What a dilemma, hopefully you'll see some good growth over the next few days and that will set your mind at ease a little bit. Why can't IVF be easy for once?! You need a lucky break... we all do!

Purple I'll be keeping an eye on this thread today to see how you get on. Fingers crossed for you, I'm sure you had a restless night.

As for me, I have a 'heavy' feeling down below which I usually associate with AF time. I've definitely run out of PMA. I'm on a business trip to Zurich today and I'm going to completely lose it if AF turns up. What a head f*ck.

Welcome wish , as you can see we are all losing our minds on here, especially me!

Sending hugs and .

Shellster - so frustrating for you. I hope that a few more magic follicles will develop over the next few days. It's so annoying when our clinics take a "we know best" attitude when it's something we've been through far too many times already. It's a balance of us knowing when to shut up and listen to them and when they should damn well listen to us - and this definitely fell into the second category. Hope things improve xxx

Blue - come on you - you know you're not out til you're out. Hoping that things turn around. I definitely felt AF-ish at the beginning of my pregnancy.

Me...Just heard from the clinic....10 mature eggs collected, 7 fertilised...I'm trying to get last things tied up for work and really struggling to concentrate. I have seen them on embryocam though .

In other news, DS described me as a "giant herbivore" today...

Purple that's great news! I'm really pleased for you. 7 is a good number - I'm sure you'll get a frosty or two.. Are you going to opt to transfer 1 or 2 embryos?

Great news Purple. How cool you have seen them on embryocam!

I'm sorry the news was diappointing shellster. Do you still want to go ahead with the cycle?

Welcome wish!

Hope you are still in the game blue and that AF stays away for oooh about 8 more months for you.

Endoscratch was fine today - bit uncomfortable but bearable.

Thanks everyone. We're pretty pleased with 7. Well transfer two, Blue - provided we still have them on Monday and yes, it would be lovely to have some frosties.

Glad to hear the scratch wasn't too awful Sunrise When does your cycle luck off?

You okay Shellster? xxx

Thank you purplemeggie. I didn't know they put air in to me had that before and was in agony after the air trapped in my shoulder! Fantastic news for u it gives me hope to know things do happen you just have to be patient (something I am finding out quickly that I am not)

Bluemonday- it's great to know I an not on my own loosing my mind. Some how I feel better knowing other people have the same feelings and that it's not just me been a freak.
Half the problem is people been so insensitive and the doctors making out it's not a big deal. It is a big deal and till you go through it no one will ever understand

Big hugs to you all and finger crossed for good news all round

Great news purple fingers crossed all continues to go well. Embryocam sounds great!

Hope you are ok shellster

Another one here hoping AF stays away for you blue I've felt as if I was about to get AF when I was pregnant, with the successful pregnancy it was actually like full blown pmt and feeling cramps etc except that rather than getting AF I just got more moody and then sick. Had the same when I had a mmc too although the symptoms were not as strong.

Hello oneday hope all goes well with your tests etc

I spoke to my clinic today,they have agreed it would be a good idea for me to have antibiotics at the time of egg collection and have put it in my notes as they don't do it routinely.
My next appt is 26 march for my tsh blood test to be repeated,I'm desperate for it to be lower than 2.5 so that I can start next month (AF due between 12-20 April roughly but I'm so irregular it could be different) so I'm thinking even if on 26/3 bloods are still a bit high I could ask to have my dose of levothyroxine upped and have the bloods repeated in another 10 days or so as I really want to start next month!

In a way I'm glad I didn't start this month as have not been well, felt very dizzy yesterday and today and I know had I Started stimms this month I'd have been panicking thinking it was a reaction to them and today I have a horrible cold and sore throat and temp so don't think I'd have been feeling too good at all. I'm trying to be positive about the delay and making sure I eat very healthily, have a long walk everyday etc so that fingers crossed I'm in the best possible position when it comes to starting ivf.

Not sure if I'll cancel, but thinking I won't. From my experience, it takes two full cycles of Aspirin for me to double my follicle count. I've been off it this cycle, so if I cancel, I'd have to wait another two full cycles. I turn 38 in July and feel like time is fast running out and if it never works again, I will always be wondering if one of these 5 follicles could have been the one. Reminding myself that last cycle I only got 3 mature eggs, yet due to my diet and vitamins, I had 2 top quality embryos transferred. Besides, I did take Aspirin for two months in the lead up to this cycle, so perhaps this is the best I can do now as my fertility continues to age.

My scan was only 4 & 1/2 days into my cycle, so I am desperately hoping a few more can pop up. I read other womens stories on the internet where this has happened to give me some hope (even if false!) just to get me through the next few days. Also have a hot water bottle glued to my abdomen to get some extra blood flow to the area. Weird look as I sit at my work desk, but it's desperate times.

Oh blue, my fellow insane friend. I too had PMS days after I got my first BFP. So much so that I went to bed in tears, convinced that I was miscarrying. But I know when you have got that gut instinct and you've been through this before and you know your body, so I can only imagine how difficult it must be getting through the day.

Second, glad to hear your endo scratch went well. You should be starting stims any day now right?

Your words are so true wish that no one could understand this unless your going through it. That's why these threads are a real lifesaver.

Sounds good waiting, that you've got some time up your sleeve between your next blood test and AF turning up so that you've got some time to adjust your meds. Hopefully all will be well with your first blood results and you won't need to worry about it.

Purple, 7 is fantastic!!!!! When will you next get an update? Must be so hard concentrating on work - I would be tempted to log into embryocam every 5 minutes instead!

Shellster I think it's good that you've made a decision and you're going to stand by it. I completely understand why you want to get started straight away - I don't think I would want to wait 2 months either. Grow, follicles, grow! Maybe you can do a few yoga poses tonight. Butterfly, pigeon and garland poses are all good to get the blood flowing to the uterus.

Waiting good news about the antibiotics, makes sense given your past history. And thanks for the positive thoughts wish!.

Purple have you been glued to the embryocam all day? I would be. I'm glad uteruscam doesn't exist....

Well, tomorrow is HPT day for me. I'll do it first thing in the morning. I'm so convinced that this cycle hasn't worked that I almost don't want to do it. I know, I know, it's very nice of you all to cheer me on. I'm just not 'feeling it' inside, call it female intuition. Anyway, SIGH. Wish I could fast forward to about 5am tomorrow morning (when I'm bound to be awake, i'm sure) and get it over with.

Hello ladies. I'm glad you've decided to press ahead Shellster - you worked so hard on improving egg quality and it really paid off in the last cycle - 5 really good quality embryos would be just fine. Hoping for a few more follicles for the next scan, but if not, just pump all your positive thinking into those 5 and know that we're doing the same thing too x

Blue sending a big hug for you....I do know how it feels when you're sure you know - I did all my tests at 4 am after a restless night. You know we're here for you if you need us (but still hoping for a happy result xx)

Waiting - glad to hear your clinic is listening. Hope it all goes well.

Wish - you're in good company. All of us here have paid more than one visit to the crazy place . It's a tough thing we're doing.

So we're in Prague. It turns out that embryocam is not in real time, they just post one still photograph per day. It's day 2, and they should be in the 2-6 range. All 7 of ours are at the 4-cell stage, which is good - all statistically average (hoping there will be time enough for extraordinary later!). We found ourselves looking at them and deciding which was the most aesthetically pleasing. There's one bobbly messy one, the others all look very uniform.

Prague itself is utterly beautiful - this is the first time I've been, aside from our fleeting visit in January. We spent all day wandering around behaving like tourists. In the old town square, there was someone blowing giant bubbles. I took lots of pictures...they seemed to be the perfect metaphor for dividing embryos...

See what I mean?

Hello everyone. Gosh a few days away from the thread and a lot has happened. Welcome to the craziness, wish.

Blue I have everything crossed for you. Hope you manage to get some sleep.

purple I can't believe it's finally embryo time. I'm sure it didn't seem as quick for you.

Well DH picked up my drugs yesterday and I start on the down drugs on Sunday. I keep panicking that I've forgotten to take them and then I remember I haven't started yet. This is my first cycle and I feel really nervous. Lots of stress in my life at the moment so trying to stay calm and remember that this is more important than work. I think I realised how uptight I was yesterday when a colleague told me I was lucky to be able to buy nice clothes because all her money gets spent on her kids. Not something that would normally upset me!

waiting that sounds positive from your clinic, glad they're listening.

shellster I hope those follicles have a "growing" weekend. Maybe Mother's Day will subliminally spark them into action

blue, it's nearly 11am Sat here and you are 11 hours behind so you should be sleeping soundly (hopefully). So nervous for you that the next thing you know when you wake up you will be testing. I'll check in again tonight before I go to bed. Thanks for the names of those yoga poses. I'll look them up next. Keeps me sane thinking of what practical things I can do instead of just waiting and wondering.

You are right Purple. While initially I was hoping for more, I have now become 'okay' with 5 eggs. Still nervous as there's still no guarantee that even these 5 will grow at the same rate and be mature at the same time. I got a shock when I first saw that pic. I thought it was one of your embryos dividing in a very unusual fashion. Felt better once I read your post and learned it was a bubble! I thought a holiday would be a nice distraction while undergoing IVF, but it seems the reminders are everywhere!

black, I think we've all been there where people make well meaning but hurtful comments. We will be so much more grateful for our children - we can only dream of going to the shops and picking out clothes for them. Glad things are getting started for you. I too panic about forgetting injections (and have forgotten in the past!). I know set reminders on my phone so I don't forget.

BFN for me this morning... not even a hint of a second pink line. I was expecting this, I just haven't felt 'right' this cycle. I felt strangely ok about it at the moment. Had a little cry and a long chat with DH at 6am. Something is clearly wrong with the quality of my eggs and I think we've accepted that.

Anyway, feeling disappointed but I think we need to move on to plan B. I'd like to transfer the frostie as soon as possible although I have no/low expectations. Then I'd like to find a donor clinic. Purple, I'm watching anxiously to see how you get on.

Blue - so sad for you. It's miserable even when you're expecting it . I'm pleased that there's a plan , but don't forget to do your grieving first, it is important. Hope your trip to Zurich goes well xxx

Cat - people are crap, aren't they? They don't mean to be, but they really are xxx

Shellster. Right. Pep talk time. Visualisation can make a difference. Believing the worst can bring it about. Your homework for this weekend is to go out for a walk and notice all the beautiful growing things out there and imagine your lovely follicles growing beautifully and uniformly.

No new pics on embryocam as yet...