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?

Still only 2 follicles for me, back for another scan this PM and may trigger tonight, I am trying to stay positive but not succeeding! I know it only takes one but still! I am taking fostimon, merional, cetrocide, took clomid for 5 days and Viagra!! I am also on clexane and aspirin.

purple that is so sweet!

Hey, well I am back in the land of the living!

Managed to collect 9 mature eggs of which 6 have 'fertilised normally' (I'm assuming that's a good thing)

Provisionally scheduled for ET on Thurs, but embryologist quite confident we will make it to sat for Blast transfer.

I've been up since 5am waiting for 'the call' this morning so completely exhausted. Will catch up properly on the rest of the thread a bit later...

purple What a lovely person you must be irl to have people who think so highly of you

p.s. I win the saddest of all the saddos award - the morning after I did the HCG trigger, I POAS'd, just to get a positive even though I know it to be a false one.

I am a post grad educated professional, and this is what I have been reduced to

That's fantastic Battery! Yes, the wait for the fertilisation call is awful, isn't it? I'm sure you'll get to blastocyst with those numbers.

Farfalla, that's quite a drug cocktail! Are they all part of your protocol for this cycle or have I misread your post?

farfallarocks, you sound like you had quite a few follicles, but it's just that only 2 matured. Now I notice you are on Aspirin. I have done 8 cycles so lots to compare. One cycle while I took Aspirin in the lead up and during the stim phase of the IVF cycle, I started with 16 follicles on day 3, yet only 3 matured. Turns out Aspirin reduces follicle growth. sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/how-to-boost-fertility]].

Purple then did her 2nd IVF and was on Aspirin in the lead up to and during the IVF cycle. She started with more follicles but got less eggs. And now you only have two follicles mature also. So there definitely seems to be a trend on here to back up what the article shows. Obviously you want one of these two to produce a BFP, but just want to give you hope for a back up plan that perhaps things will work better next cycle without the Aspirin?

Did the Dr recommend Aspirin for any reason or are you just self prescribing? Is that because of the miscarriages and an alternative to Clexane?

How many follicles did you actually start with that have only produced 2 mature?

Hi girls

As you know I starting down regging around the 28th of this month (even though today I feel like I am going to start my period so that will mess up all the dates scheduled if I do start early!) and doing the worse thing whenever I have a spate minute and googling IVF/ICSI, long protocal, tips etc and my mind is spinning with all the tips and advice given. What to eat what not to eat, drink, exercise etc.

The latest one I keep reading about is acupuncture - has anyone tried this before starting or during as just read that a recent study has shown that women who had acupuncture before and after embryo transfer had a 42% success rate per cycle compared to 26% who had not had acupuncture!

When we went for our TIA the nurse backed up what the consultant said about maintaining a healthy diet plenty of fruit/veg, plenty of water (obvs the 2-3 litres when you start), gentle exercise, no alcohol and only 2 cups of tea/coffee a day max. Do you all think that is enough of should I be trying the high protein low carb diet etc or any of the other tips I keep reading about!

Thanks confused x

Hi all, that is really interesting about aspirin! The clinic started me on it about 4 days ago and it seems standard for them but really interesting what it says about follicle growth! Hmmm lots to think about.

Yes all those drugs are for this cycle - they put me on clomid to boost the ovaries but that thins the lining hence the Viagra. Fostimon and Merional are for stimming and cetrocide is to stop early ovulation I believe. They put everyone on aspirin and clexane as standard and due to some immunes issues and clotting issues that I have. Hmmm.

Triggered last night and collection tomorrow, I think its going to take a miracle!

battery no judgement here I am planning on doing the same just to see some nice pink lines! Any update on how they are getting on?

angora I have done acupuncture and found it very relaxing and I have also followed the guidelines around healthy diet, high protein during stimming (lots of eggs and milk!). I did not give up alchohol totally pre cycle, I would have a glass of wine at the weekends but nothing during the cycle!
I think its a balance between getting yourself into a good healthy place and not making life so dull that it becomes unbearable, you need to have some fun and relaxationtoo which is good for your serotonin and mental health!

Thank you for your message Farfallarocks with regard to the acupuncture and the high protein diet.

I am interested in trying the acupuncture as I have a fairly stressful job and would like to try something else to help with de-stressing after a day at work rather than being sat on the sofa watching The Apprentice!

I have a pretty healthy diet anyway due to keeping my weight down for my PCOS so just plan to introduce even more fruit and vegetables, water and perhaps the high protein.

I have been the same as you with regard to alcohol none in the week but have still enjoyed a glass or two at the weekends. As soon as I starts the down regging I will of course cut it out completely along with the caffeine.#

Out of your interest did your partner follow the same diet/exclusions etc? xxx

There seems to be so much conflicting advice out there about aspirin. My doctor told me I'll need to start taking it right before egg transfer to help with implantation. He said it's unnecessary beforehand (which I guess backs up Shellster'sarticle). Farfalla I wish you the very best of luc - as everyone in the world keeps saying 'it only takes one', and there's every possibility you'll have at least one!

Anroga most medical professionals sneer at acupuncture but personally I think it's a good thing if it helps you relax and puts you in a positive frame of mind. I'd take the success stats with a large pinch of salt though. Where do you live? It's worth going to an acupuncturist who specialises in IVF/fertility. If you're near South London I can recommend someone.

Thanks Blue for your message, I am thinking along the lines of relaxation more than anything else. Yeah I thought those stats my bit a bit OTT.

I am in Essex but thank you for the offer of someone you have used I will try and search locally if not I could always try your one as my sister lives in Brixton so I could combine it with a trip to hers! x

Thanks all! I am also now paranoid that I have ovulated already, I have had loads of EWCM today, gah! Is it possible that the trigger makes you ovulate before EC?

Anroga DH has been taking vitamins and he has a really healthy diet anyway. He does however drink too much and smokes about 5 a day and nothing I have said or done has helped in that regard. Very frustrating as I feel I have given up so much in this process but I canlt force him to stop smoking despite all my pleas! His sperm is very good anyway so he has little motivation sadly!

Interesting Farfallarocks same situation with me, has all his vitamins and eats well because of what I cook and the packed lunches I do! (Mug I know!) , he gave up smoking nearly 2 years ago but does have the occasional few if he goes to the pub which is possibly once/twice a month plus he does drink. I have kept on about the booze when we start treatment but as it is Xmas time while we are having treatment I know it is going to be impossible to get him to stop completely!

It is annoying as I am giving up so much like you and don't mind that at all if the result is a BFP just hope that any drinking he does do/bad eating over Xmas will not hinder our chances :(

All the results of his sperm are above average apart from motility which is low hence why we are doing ICSI x

....farfalla and anroga.....sounds very familiar to me! My DH did stop smoking (miracle) but he still goes to the pub every Friday and I've basically stopped nagging about it. His sperm is fine and I just can't be bothered discussing it anymore. Weird how men gets all huffy and annoyed about quitting booze/fags, whereas women have to quit basically everything, be constantly poked and prodded, be pumped full of hormones and lose all dignity AND still don't complain!!

I agree my DH does have very low count but couldnt get him to lose weight (bmi30)
Hes never smoked though and did give up drinking pretty much this year.
He does take wellman conception.
Interestingly he doesnt like a lot of the foods good for sperm.
Its a bit frustrating when we have to go through so much

blue, yes, lots of conflicting Aspirin advice. Hence I have kept my mouth shut about my personal experience up to this point as I am no expert and am only going to stress others out if their Dr has advised otherwise (eg Purple and then you). But I must say I feel relief now that I know you are only taking it after EC!

farfall, perhaps there is another reason for the smaller folllicles not growing if you only started the Aspirin 4 days ago when the follicles should have already been established. Out of curiosity, how many other follicles were there? Any that might have grown a bit more and possibly be mature. I wouldn't worry about lots of EWCM. High estrogen causes this and estrogen is sky high before ovulation. The drugs are doing their job. I really do wish you all the best. I read an article a few days ago that higher stimming to produce more eggs does not increase pregnancy rate. The body is naturally selecting the best couple of eggs to ovulate each cycle and the rest are not the same quality that the drugs are forcing to grow. So you have the best eggs of the bunch this cycle even though it's only two.

anroga, yep I'm doing the acupuncture. Wasn't really a believer but will try anything. As for what else to try, I must say I started an IVF thread when I started my Dec 13 IVF cycle. I had learned from my failures, found the best protocol for my body, read everything, done the high protein low carb diet, and was taking all the right supplements. Three other girls joined the thread who were IVF newbies and new none of this. I thought I was in with the best chance and wouldn't have BFP's thrown in my face on the thread at the end of the cycle. Turns out, all three got a BFP and not me! So while I am still eating healthy and drinking water, for my upcoming cycle I am not getting myself stressed about this (or trying not to!) but for the first time I am doing relaxing techniques and listening to an IVF hypnosis CD.

Hi Bluemonday

Agree with you totally with them getting huffy about the booze and diet (not the fags as thankfully he has given up!) I am sneaky about the way I introduce good stuff into his diet without him realising! Thats men for you!

Naty1 he has been taking wellman conception for months so hoping all those vitamins will counteract any bad foods/booze that he does give into!

Shellster interesting to read about the acupuncture will have a serious think about it - I agree with you on the diet front you read all different success stories with girls either following everything that they read about or others taking a more relaxed approch. I am going to stick with the healthy diet, lots of fruit and veg, lots of water and obvs no caffeine, booze, processed foods, sweetners etc and peas!?! Keep reading about how they are a natural contraceptive! xxx

Peas?! That's a new one....haven't heard that before! I love peas. Maybe that's where I've been going wrong :)

Shellster glad we're on the same page about aspirin. I'm trying my best to do everything 'right' for this next cycle but I'm also trying to stay realistic about the likelihood of it working. The waiting game is stressful, wish I could just get on with it.

Battery....if you're there....how did you get on?

Well theres another one to add to the list Blue! I love them too!

Yes, I've read that too anroga about the peas.

Blue, it's a bit of a mental mind screw isn't it. On the one hand you try to do everything right as try to prepare your body for it to work. In one minute, I try to tell myself to only think positive thoughts (seems to be the basis for Zita West and IVF meditations that statistically do increase success rates), but in the next minute, I tell myself I am not allowed to think positive as I will only have further to come crashing down when it doesn't work.
Today is FINALLY day one for me so I can stop all this thinking and just get on with things - so I know exactly what you mean about the wait being stressful. It seems to take forever. At least when you start stimming, you have a scan or blood test every couple of days so there is some progress and it's not long to wait until the next update.

Waiting to hear how you get on farfall

And Battery... hope you are okay?

Hi
This is the first time I am posting. Over two weeks, I was diagnosed with high FSH. We have been trying to conceive for over two years, we went through several bumps along the road because my husband was given some testosterone treatment and this caused him to have azoospermia. As soon as we realised his medication was causing that, he stopped taking it, so we kept trying. Now, another low blow on my side.
I am trying to keep positive and I have already started with acupuncture, I have also lost some weight and keeping a smile on my face. We will start the visits to the fertility clinics next week and see what they recommend. I try to keep positive but my husband tries to be "realistic" and every time he mentions anything, he just brings me down. I understand it is hard to be going through this, but I believe we need to be strong and keep positive for this to happen.
I really hope that things improve and I find comfort in seeing other people going through the same situation and being able to share and talk about it.
I live in the UK, so any tips will also be appreciated.
Thanks

A very warm welcome to you hope.

As for any tips.. well I am about to embark on my 9th IVF attempt so I think I would feel like a hypocrite for offering fertility advice when obviously nothing I have tried has worked on myself!

I totally agree with you that it is comforting sharing with others going through the same situation. Is it rude to ask how old you are? Just curious as I was diagnosed with a very low AMH at age 34. My FSH wasn't high at that time but a Dr said it follows not too long after. Hence I have been going aggressive with the IVF treatment before time runs out.

Shellster great news that you can start!

Hope welcome, I have a similar problem but the clinic does not seem to think its hopeless just yet!

We had 3 eggs in the end, Dh sample was excellent so they did ivf not icsi and two fertilised normally. They want to do a 2 day transfer of both tomorrow as apparently if only 2 left they are better off in than out but I know the odds on day 2 are much lower than a blasto!

Hey gang! It all seems so positive around here today! I've been lurking but with little to add for the last couple of weeks, but I wanted to say good luck to Battery! How are you feeling? You made me laugh, though: I wish I had thought to do that!! (Also PG-educated, professional, etc.)

Purple, that's such amazing news! I'm so delighted for you!

Blue and Shellster, I'm thinking of you both!

Farfalla, you're in with Battery! I hope it all went well! (I was also surprised at the cocktail of drugs your taking, but I'm sure it will all be worth it!)

Anroga, I completely agree with Blue about acupuncture. If it makes you feel better, then go for it. (Also, I second the 'Peas?!' I had no idea!)

Fully in support of the men vs. women debate! Haha! Ever since MrGH was confirmed as bearing supersperm, he's seen this as justification for a nightly tipple!

As for the aspirin debate, I did start taking it but between bruising like a peach and my consultant saying he didn't think it was necessary, I stopped. Still wonder if I should just let myself in for a month of being purple to see if it works. Do we know anyone who used aspirin and was rewarded with a BFP?

I've just started my period so I'm off to the ACU for a follow-up scan to make sure my lining is as thick as it should be and that there aren't any fibroids sneaking back into place. Wish me luck!

It was the peas all along! Thank you ladies for sorting that one out! !!

I've had acupuncture on and of for years. I tried it again to see if it would with my fertility issues and I do think it helped - when we conceived the baby that I later miscarried I was having acupuncture. For me though, the biggest benefit had been in my mental state. I am inclined to depression and I have described the effects of acupuncture as the feeling that I've been stuck in a tunnel and I've driven out into the sunshine. I'm sure it has helped me to come to terms with my infertility.

Interesting stuff about the aspirin too. Won't make any difference now we've decided to go with DE, but starting it after EC sounds like the way to go.

Welcome Hope and good luck with your first appointment.