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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

Any on looking to start ivf/icsi in the new year?

566 replies

lucieloos · 21/11/2014 15:06

Just wondering if anyone would like to keep me company and share the ivf/icsi journey. DH and I are both 35 years old and have been trying to conceive our first child for 10months. DH has lowish sperm motility and I have a low amh (7.24). We haven't had any luck so far and so the next step will be ivf with icsi in the new year. We are thinking of starting end of feb or march. Would be great to share the journey with others in similar situations and hopefully make some friends along the way Smile

OP posts:
makingdoo · 07/02/2015 10:49

Morning ladies!

Warrior & Badger I think I can help with your house on wheels dilemma. I'm in Ireland and they are quite a common choice around here . Maybe you could club together and time share!

Great news Persipan Grin It sounds like your little ones are doing what they need too. Very jealous of a night at the Theatre. Makes you sound very cultured Envy
It will be great to keep your mind off things this weekend.

MrsWW I think it's against the rules to talk about baking without at least offering a taste ..........

Good luck this weekend SS

I had a lovely evening chatting to my 2 friends last night, it was great to talk about normal stuff again. Although it did end up in an update list of who was pregnant in our hometown.
I'm off out today to meet my SILs for lunch. Strange how all my activities end up centring around food!

Any on looking to start ivf/icsi in the new year?
warriorbot · 07/02/2015 12:58

Oh, wow, makingdoo - we should club together and get an IFVwagon! Handy for camping outside the clinic when waiting for them to call!

Congratulations, Persipan! What are you going to see tonight?

warriorbot · 07/02/2015 17:16

One is in the freezer! We have a blastocyst that has Grade A ICM and Grade B+ Trophectoderm and has grown to stage 3.

We have one other stage one blastocyst that might develop further tomorrow and thus will be good for freezing [crosses everything], one uncavitated morula that might form a blastocyst [crosses harder] and the final one looks to have arrested at the eight cell stage. They're keeping an eye on it until tomorrow but that one is probably not going to become a blastocyst at all...

I'm relieved but mainly exhausted! One in the freezer. It's a good start!

makingdoo · 07/02/2015 19:53

Woo hoo Warrior that's fab news for you! They gave you so much information which is great. At least now you know what's happening and you can relax this evening.

warriorbot · 07/02/2015 20:28

Oh, I am a total terror: I pump them for every scrap of data I can get. Control freak? Me? It's my way of coping, really: you should see my little black book and my big yellow folder of all things IVF (or, if we do this again, all things ICSI!)

I think I'll be giddy tomorrow. Off to see wonderful friends and their utterly gorgeous nine month old. I'll be making lunch because there's a cold and an eye infection (and teething) running through their house. But I'm having a month off before the transfer so I can get all of them and not worry. Well, I might worry if I started teething...

BadgerFace · 07/02/2015 21:04

That all sounds great warrior! And your info extracting skills are very impressive!

And you might joke about teething but I have had a wisdom tooth coming through on and off for 2 years since DD was born so it is possible...

warriorbot · 07/02/2015 23:11

Oh hell! A teething baby is one thing, but that's just mean! [Imagines Badger playing "one for you, one for me" with the Biccypegs]

BadgerFace · 08/02/2015 06:45

I must admit I did eye up the miraculous Teetha granules on more than one occasion...

GalindawithaGa · 08/02/2015 10:53

Hi all

I'm currently 'pill priming' for first round of ICSI. Start injecting on 19th of feb. Four years of hell until now so can't wait.

I have a question - see 'Day 3' and 'Day 5' embryos, do the days start counting from the day of collection? So is Day 1 egg collection day, or is the day after Day 1? Does that make sense?

I'm trying to work out rough dates of when everything is going to be happening!

Thanks, and good luck to everyone on the thread that dreams come true Thanks

makingdoo · 08/02/2015 11:11

Welcome Galinda you must be very relieved to finally be starting your treatment.

I'm no expert but from my situation Day 1 was the day following EC. I had EC on Monday and had ET in Thursday which was Day 3.

GalindawithaGa · 08/02/2015 11:16

Thank you - yes that's what I thought because the embryos are 'one day old' rather it being like Day One of your cycle. That's helpful, thank you!

BadgerFace · 08/02/2015 14:54

Hi Galinda, it's great to finally get going on IVF after years of trying. Although the moveable dates are hard to manage sometimes!

I agree with makingdoo as DD was a Monday EC and she was transferred in on the Saturday which was Day 5.

makingdoo that house on wheels is amazing!

Hoping to hear more of warrior's embies made it into the freezer...

warriorbot · 08/02/2015 19:46

[hugs all round]

The stage one blastocyst made it to freeze. Not as good quality but good enough to be worth preserving. The other two didn't get any further.

Spent today playing with our poorly friends' slightly poorly baby. Many snot bubbles. Broody as I am I'm finding even this completely, heartmeltingly beautiful.

makingdoo · 09/02/2015 09:09

Morning everyone, I'm not at work until Thursday so I'm having a lazy morning in bed catching up with the Grammys fashion.

Warrior that's great news! I love stealing snuggles from friends babies Smile

Galinda how are you? I got sucked into the Cancer Treatment V Fertility Treatment thread yesterday too. Very upsetting and so difficult to read some of the views on there. I hid it in the end, hope you did the same.

Hoping everyone else had a relaxing weekend

mrswishywashy · 09/02/2015 14:06

Morning everyone,

Just not long back from scan. Two follies at 16 and two at 13 and one at 11. Next scan on Wednesday. So carry on Gonal-f, menopur and orgalutron. Possible egg collection Friday or Saturday all being well. Am quite tired and get breathless easily and the orgalutron gave me a lovely bump last night. Can't imagine what people feel like who get OHSS! I've been helping a few mums online with their bbs who don't sleep so am going to see if I can help them more, always bittersweet being around bbs but nice to help the mums as well. Also am going to attempt to make macaroons, got a kit for Xmas so will give them a whirl, how hard can it bet? Nap time now.

Makingdo, hope you've had a relaxing morning and you've got some restful things planned for rest of week.

Warriorbot, well done to the frostie!

Galinda, good luck with your treatment.

Persipan · 09/02/2015 14:40

This morning's verdict from the embryologist (at day 3) was that my fertilised eggs had developed into one grade 1, one grade 3, and one grade 5 embryo, so I've had my embryo transfer today - they put back the 1 and the 3.

I was massively, massively dreading ET (history of having a 'difficult' cervix for other things, always very uncomfortable when a speculum is involved, plus a full bladder to add to the fun!) and I was flaking out somewhat, but we got there relatively smoothly. I was desperate for the loo, and although they were all 'well, your bladder's not that full' I swear I weed for a full 30 seconds non-stop the second I got into the toilet. (Apologies if TMI!) Went afterwards and had a rather nice burger (which, since it was basically a teriyaki chicken breast in a bun, I have chosen to consider not entirely contrary to the spirit of this whole endeavour).

Oh, and for the curious, the play I saw on Saturday was The Ruling Class. Frankly it was a bit hit and miss, but it had James McAvoy in it and I haven't seen him on stage before.

MrsW, it sounds like your follicles are coming along nicely!

Jessewalt · 09/02/2015 18:08

Hello everyone,
I have been following the thread closely but not had much to add until now. I am currently day 6 of injections of first ICSI cycle (menopur and cetrotide) and doing ok. Just feeling tired and a little nauseated from time to time. First scan on Wednesday, possibly second on Friday, with a view to egg collection on Monday.
Injections have been fine - done them all myself. Just taking it one day at a time, and hopeful first scan will show promising signs.
I have had a few panicky moments when I worry that I am feeling too "normal", so worried that not much is happening. Oh well, just need to wait and see!

Persipan · 09/02/2015 18:13

Jesse, other than a little early queasiness and the odd very mild headache, I felt so 'normal' for most of the time I was stimming that I joked (as I forked over yet more cash for yet more drugs) that I might as well be injecting myself with water! Nevertheless, it turned out there was stuff happening. Don't feel bad about not feeling bad! Hope your scan goes well on Wednesday.

warriorbot · 09/02/2015 18:36

What exciting news! Well done on the ET, Persipan! Flowers And fab process on the follicles, MrsWW! Cake

Welcome, Jesse - one day at a time is the best way. Although I can't say I managed to be very patient. I've binge-watched a lot of Buffy these last few weeks to try to distract myself so I admire your fortitude.

[Waves at Galinda! Has Wicked earworm now Grin]

So, we have two ET graduates (Makingdoo and Persian), one with suspended animation (me), Jesse and MrsWW stimming, and Galinda Second Sunrise (and Badger?) downregging, is that right? Don't we cover all the bases between us? Smile

warriorbot · 09/02/2015 18:36

PersiPan - sorry! DYAC!

mrswishywashy · 09/02/2015 19:39

Yay, Persipan for being PUPO. Hope the 2WW isn't too stressful.

Jesse - I wouldn't be too worried about lack of symptoms. I've being swimming since last Monday and asides from tiredness and some small pulling I've not got any of the side effects I thought I would have.

lucieloos · 10/02/2015 11:38

Hi there, hope you don't mind me joining you. I started this thread a while ago and haven't really written on it much since although I have been following you all Smile

DH and I are hoping to move forward and start our icsi cycle next month. I had been feeling quite excited but now it's nearly here I'm feeling quite nervous and also sad in a way that we never made it by ourselves. Is this normal?

We are going abroad for our treatment mainly due to cost but we have found a clinic with excellent reviews so we are thinking of it as a little holiday.

I need to see my gp tomorrow to get some blood tests done for the clinic and then they will set up my protocol. Looks like I will be on short protocol so only stimming for around 10 days and no down regging. It all seems to be happening quite quickly but I keep telling myself that this is good and I could be pregnant in April!

Anyway just wanted to say hi. Can't wait to check back and see the first bfp here Grin

OP posts:
makingdoo · 10/02/2015 12:15

Hi All
How are we all getting on?
Persipan how are you feeling following ET?

Welcome back Lucie and thank you for starting this thread. I completely understand when you say your a little sad at starting treatment, I felt the same.

I'm sorry to be so negative but I'm driving myself nuts and don't want to disappoint DH. I don't think it's worked. Tbh I felt it straight away and have been trying to convince myself otherwise. Today I woke up with the unmistakable pain of my pre period migraine. I just want to have it confirmed so we can move on but it's way too early to test. I feel so stupid for thinking it would work in our one chance. We can't afford to self fund so this is the end of the road for us unless a miracle happens. I'm so sorry but I can't say it in real life and need to let it out.

Ill probably leave this thread now but I wish you all the very best. I hope with everything you all get your bfps this cycle. Thank you all so much for keeping me company over the past few weeks Flowers

lucieloos · 10/02/2015 13:04

Oh making dpo im sorry you feel like that. It is hard but it could be all the hormones having a similar affect. When is your test date?

DH and I have found the same about funding which is why we are having treatment abroad. We are paying £1500 for icsi and the drugs around £600ish which is a lot cheaper than UK. Don't know if that is something you would be able to consider in future if you're not successful. Big hugs x

OP posts:
warriorbot · 10/02/2015 14:35

Welcome back, OP Lucie! Thank you so much for setting up the thread - it's been a lifeline.

"I had been feeling quite excited but now it's nearly here I'm feeling quite nervous and also sad in a way that we never made it by ourselves. Is this normal?"

Oh my word - totally this. I cried like mad after we finally committed to doing IVF. I wanted to be a parent, not a patient! However as the cycle wore on that feeling went away a bit. Not entirely: there's still part of me regrets that we have to go through this in order to do what some people manage after a random shag. I don't think it's abnormal at all to feel frustrated, resentful, sad or regretful!

Hugs for makingdoo - the waiting is the worst part, I'm sure. After weeks of having medications and scan dates and procedures to focus our energies on it must feel so unnerving to just watch and wait. I feel twitchy enough being on hiatus and I know exactly where my embies are, and at what temperature!

Do you have a good and trusted friend you'd feel happy talking to? Or does your clinic offer counselling? I've found having a counsellor to talk to really helpful. They can't give you answers but they can help you cope with abiding in this horrible uncertainty. And you can always vent here!

I know this is going to sound trite but whatever happens, you're in no way disappointing your husband (yes, I'm a total hypocrite because I feel the same way sometimes...) You've done absolutely all you can, and put your body through so much, to give you both the best shot possible of conceiving your child. I hope that, if you asked him, far from being disappointed he'd tell you that he's proud of you for being strong enough to go put body through all this for both of you. After all - he's only had to have a couple of wanks, right?

I hope you can find good and comforting distractions until you know either way. Can you find something to do that makes you feel cared for? The waiting sucks. Be kind to yourself xxx