Anyone starting IVF soon? Join me (3)

[purplemeggie]

Ha! I was just about to post the last message in the old thread linking to this, but I'm too late, we've already filled it up! I'll do the same as last time and send PMs to everyone who's been on the thread recently, but everyone's welcome

[lucieloos]

Thanks purple. I am drinking a litre or milk a day and maybe 1.5 litres of water. I will try upping it a bit. It's so hard to know what to do. I'm all geared up to go but then I don't want to spend all that money if we are not going to get the best out of this cycle :(

[Blackandwhitecat3]

Thanks purple for restarting the thread.

lucie that sounds frustrating. I hope your clinic can give you some good advice on this one.

I had my day 8 scan this morning and things are progressing well. They are now talking about possible EC this Friday instead of Monday. Problem is, DH is abroad coming back 8am Friday morning, so not so good if he gets any airport delays....

[lucieloos]

This is what my czech Dr has said. I'm wondering whether to ring my local clinic and see if I can get a second opinion with the sonographer I originally had on Monday who said everything looked fine and measured different sized follicles?

...yes you are right that results are different compared to day 8 but I´m reliable on those results because I cannot do scan myself.
Do you have any photos?
Definitively we have quite big folicules on left side and Cetrotide is completely indicated to use.
I don´t see reason for canceling your stimulation - we have 5 folicules of good size and we will see if smaller folicules will grow. You have already booked your flights so you will come and we will see.
We always say in Reprofit - we need 1 good embryo to implant to achieve pregnancy and it is difficult to know in advance if this 1 good embryo come out from 1 egg or 5 eggs or 10eggs. So I don´t really think that we will not collect any egg at all and that we should cancel your stimulation.

[bluemoonday]

Thanks for restarting the thread Purple. Can't believe we're now on our third thread....why am I still not pregnant!! Skulks off

[purplemeggie]

I know, I know...you, me and Shellster have been there from the start . Can it be our turn now, please? We've queued up nicely and everything xxx

[Edenviolet]

Hello everybody hope everyone is ok today

So sorry that you tested negative second

I feel a bit better today, I felt really down last night as the injection hurt so much. Have an odd achy feeling in my stomach/groin today but nothing terrible. Went for a walk again and felt heavy and a bit slow but otherwise much more positive today.
I have my first scan tomorrow so I will find out if anything has happened

[BlueKarou]

Hi, I'm Karou (to differentiate from the already existing Blue); I've been lurking on your previous thread for a while and figured, with this new thread, I'd get on with diving in.

I'm about to start my first round of IVF. I'm a single woman and getting right into the HFEA's records by both using donor sperm and donating some of my own eggs. Have PCOS and am teetering around a BMI of 30, which really needs to be worked on, but no other known fertility issues.

My medication will be arriving on Friday morning, and I should be getting my schedule in the next couple of days, but basically I start down regging on the 21st, with a look to move on to stimms around the 13th May. All being well I think EC & ET will be the last week of May.

In my lurking on any thread on MN mentioning IVF I think I've picked up a pretty good idea of the logistics of it all. It's just the emotional side I'm apprehensive about. How awful is the down regging going to be?

I hope everyone currently going through a cycle is doing ok, or at least as ok as can be expected.

[lucieloos]

I had a rescan this afternoon as I wanted to double check with the original sonographer

It showed that my follicles have grown a little more through the day so I now have

(20,19,17,14,13,13,11,11,10,9,9,8)

The big 17mm one on the left is definitely not there though. She said that it would be easy to see one that size. She said it might have popped or ovulated already. She checked in my pouch of douglas(?) for signs of ovulation and said there was a little fluid which may or may not indicate ovulation.

She has seen more follicles than I had on day 8 or this morning though albeit the smaller ones are probably going to be too small for anything but to my eyes it doesn't look too bad a haul especially if the 11s were able to catch up by sunday. She did tell me though that once the trigger is taken then that's it there will be no more growth whereas I thought people had said that they still grow after trigger?

I think if I was cycling with them they would probably recommend cancelling but I think I have potential to get around possibly 8 eggs from that lot?

[purplemeggie]

Glad it's looking a little more positive Lucie. I was under the impression that the trigger the follicles grow about another 1.5mm but I read that rather than being told by my clinic so it might not be gospel.

Welcome Karou. I felt exactly like you before my first cycle - I'd been pregnant before - once resulting in my ds and once ending in mc. With ds, I turned into a complete witch on pregnancy hormones and I was terrified that IVF would do the same thing with bells on.

Actually it's been far less of an ordeal than I ever expected and I loved down-regging because it calms down all your hormones and I felt really zen like. I don't have to down reg this time and I was a bit disappointed! Bits of IVF aren't that pleasant but none of it has been as awful as I expected.

So, I was working out today that I should be hearing back to Prague around this time next month. I think I'm ovulating at the moment, so AF should be around 29th and the clinic said they want to do my transfer on day 18 this time.

We have decided - on the strong recommendation of the clinic - to transfer 2 and keep the last one in the chiller for another go. Provided they all survive the thaw of course.

[Edenviolet]

In the last 2-3 hours I have started to feel really unwell/strange. The pain/burning sensation in my groin has intensified and now I have bad backache. I don't look particularly bloated but can't bend to load the dishwasher or take my shoes off??

Also, and this is the weirdest bit- I have the strangest 'buzzing' sensation on the right side of my lower abdomen its like a huge bumble bee is stuck somewhere?? Its very odd. On the way home tonight I think my ovaries felt every last little bump on the road it was horrible. I don't feel good at all

[Blackandwhitecat3]

waiting that sounds rough . My gonal f info (is that what you're one) says to speak to your doctor straight away if you get lower abdominal pain.

[Edenviolet]

Yes I'm on gonal f 112.5iu a day since Sunday. Its the most annoying burning sensation that's the worst. Backache has died down abit but the "buzzing' is still there. Going to have a warm bath and see how I feel. Scan in morning so will see what the doctor says.

[Blackandwhitecat3]

Welcome karou. Like purple I found down regging a good break from hormones, the week I should have had PMT I had dinner with a friend who's recently come off the pill and she and her SO are having to cope with the hormones for the first time. Hilarious conversation. I'm still battling the dehydration though. On my day 8 scan my bladder filled up during the scan (I emptied it right before).

second sorry to hear your news. purple and blue you should be able to get one of those numbered tickets so everyone knows your place in the queue, including the embryo fairy!

[purplemeggie]

Waiting - that doesn't sound right at all - have you considered calling NHS Direct and checking those symptoms out? Take care, and hope you feel better soon.

Cat, I love that idea. Do you have a phone number for the embryo fairy?

[bedouincheek]

Hello all, I too am new and on the same timetable as Karou (first IVF, start down reg Friday etc...) I hope it goes well for us both!

I am 40 and this is our one and only go as we are self funded. Feeling sort of distant about it, as though it will all just happen and I have a hotline to the embryo fairy! Recipe for complete devastation or self preservation, I am not sure. I have spent so long going out of my mind, I have almost gone the other way. I guess those of you who have been here a while are rolling your eyes - I wouldn't blame you.

Of course we are off on a film festival mini break the first few days after starting down reg, and am wondering how i will feel. I have never really suffered from PMS very badly, so am imagining all sorts of crazy i am not used to DH has been warned. As always I guess everyone is different so I will have to wait and see.
Good luck with your scan tomorrow waiting I hope the weird buzzing has gone, hoping all goes well with your EC lucieloos, and purple and blue good to meet you.
Looking forward to taking this journey with you guys.

[Blackandwhitecat3]

Holy crap I've just discovered we have one stim pen less than we should have. We have paid ASDA for 4 but there were only 3 in the fridge. I can't believe we've been diddled, nor how we've managed not to spot it for over a month.



Luckily I had enough for tonight's dose...just!

[Shellster52]

lucie, I am glad that you seem a bit more optimistic in your last post. Yes, the follicles do keep growing after trigger, but they need to mature at the time of the trigger ready for the trigger medication to make them divide and lose half their chromosomes. I've read so many articles and studies along my journey of 10 IVF attempts so can't recall where the info in my mind comes from, but it is my understanding that anything 14mm and above can contain a mature follicle when you are doing IVF and have larger follicles there along with the 14mm ones (different to natural ovulation when a single 14mm would contain immature egg). Not only have I read this (somewhere!), but it has also been my personal experience. It definitely seems possible for the 11mm follicles to grow just 3 more mm to 14mm in 2 / 2 & 1/2 days time when you take the trigger so I think your original guess of 8 eggs should be right on track and not too shabby at all.

purple if you are now spreading your embryos over 2 FETs, would you consider doing one medicated cycle as per the clinics protocol, and perhaps one natural since you have been able to conceive naturally?

And yes, when I started this thread and you and blue joined in, shortly after, who would have dreamed we would still be here now. Nice to have you both along side me as it's a very different feeling doing IVF with previous failures under our belt and feeling like we're running out of options.

Knowing this IVF is my last, I have been eating absolutely perfect 99.9% of the time and ensuring my diet is within the 'more than 25% protein and less than 40% carbs' for 80% success as per the study. But as you are both doing FET's, you don't have to worry about the lead up. Don't know if that means you can relax now and it's a good thing, or it just leaves you feeling there is nothing practical you can do while you wait and sending you more insane!

[lucieloos]

Thanks shell so you think I have a good chance at getting a decent number of eggs and shouldn't cancel the cycle as per the advice of the UK clinic?

[bluemoonday]

Purple and Shellster...group hug. Both of you have kept me going over the last year. We may not be pregnant (yet) but at least we've become IVF semi-experts! . Shellster, good for you for sticking with the diet.

Cat - did you call Asda? What did they say? Good job you had an extra supply. How very rubbish.

Lucie it seems like things have improved a bit. I'm probably with your Czech clinic - cancelling seems a bit extreme, especially as you still have quite a few viable follicles. Let us know what you decide.

Welcome Bedouin and Karou. I've found this thread enormously helpful, hopefully you will too. Personally I haven't found IVF too bad at all - no physical issues, no major hormonal issues - just the occasional hot flush and bit of bloating (no worse than usual monthly PMT). Obviously the disappointment/failure is hard to deal with but at least you're giving it your best shot with IVF (unlike regular TTC, which seemed to be year-round constant disappointment for me at least).

waiting hold on in there. You'll be ok, hopefully the doc will give you some reassurance today.

[Shellster52]

Lucie, You've paid for the flights anyway haven't you? So there's no extra expense now for you to go the the clinic for your final scan and see if the few smaller ones have grown. If it was me, I personally wouldn't cancel but I don't want to be responsible for the success or otherwise of your cycle so it's a decision only you can make at the end of the day. I personally think that's a good response and I think if you cancelled and repeated IVF months down the track, you'd have a similar response but with older eggs. We'd all love to have 12 follicles growing at exactly the same size so they are all perfectly mature in IVF. But it just never happens. There's always a few leaders and a few stragglers and a few in between. Is it rude to ask how old you are? Just curious if you have time up your sleeve? I wish you the best of luck. We are here for you.

blue, you have certainly kept me going too over the last year. You have made me feel more 'normal' with my poor follicle response, and have helped me believe it really is quality over quantity, as I watch your embryos make it to blast every time despite only having a few. Oh, I'm so glad you recommended a yoga class. Rang my local gym and turns out the government is offering 10 free classes to individuals for April. So I went Tuesday and again tonight.

[lucieloos]

Ok thanks shell, I appreciate your advice. I have decided I am still going to go ahead as there are no guarantees it would be any better next time with more stimms and we would always wonder what if. If I could get 8 mature eggs I would be pretty happy but I have a feeling it will be 5 or less but never mind.

I am 35, will be 36 later on this year so a little time but want to get moving sooner rather than later.

[Edenviolet]

Woke up feeling a bit better this morning but still had the 'buzzing' sensation on right side of abdomen.

Scan went well, 9 follicles on right side and 6 on left the biggest was 10mm rest all 6,7,8 and 9. I have to continue gonal f 112.5 and have a re scan and e2 blood test on Saturday.

[Edenviolet]

After telling me at my appt that I didn't need to start cetrotide yet I just got another gonal f pen..... Clinic just phoned and said my oestrogen is too high and I need to start cetrotide today, but I don't have any and now I'm panicking.
I have to go tomorrow to get some but I'm so worried now I've mucked everything up

[purplemeggie]

Hello Bedouin. No eye-rolling here, I promise - you have to go into this thing with some belief it's going to work otherwise what's the point? And although there are some weary IVF veterans amongst us on this thread, we've seen a fair few ladies come and go and there were some first time BFPs amongst them. Come and grab a pew, we've had some practice at looking after each other through the ups and downs and here's hoping you catch a good'un.

Waiting - you've had a pants time recently! Hope you get sorted. So does that mean a gonal-F pen going to waste? That's not cheap!

Cat - did you get sorted? I'm just spotting the irony that Waiting ended up with one too many and you got short-changed - and failing to find an appropriate emoticon. But how annoying and crap of Asda.

Lucie - I'm definitely with the "don't cancel" brigade...too much like a recipe for "what if" angst down the line if your next cycle didn't work and you'd wonder if that lucky follicle might have been in this crop. I think 8 eggs would be fabulous - we only got 2 more than that from our 20 yo donor - but 5 is fine if they're good quality and you're a spring chicken in IVF terms, so there's every chance that they will be good ones.

Shellster - well done for being super-disciplined. You so deserve this to work, lovely girl. I'm thinking three threads, but you'd already started one or two before Blue and I joined, didn't you? You're definitely due a favour from the embryo fairy. Fab news about your yoga...10 free classes is amazing! I have decided this is the first sign your luck is changing

Yes, I have been relaxing a little - allowing myself a glass of wine or a G&T from time to time, which is a treat after soooooo long off the booze, but I'm still sticking to the 5:2 diet, still eating high protein/low carb in between and planning more exercise into my life so that I'm in good shape if the miracle does happen. On holiday, I regained a bit of the weight I'd lost earlier in the year (too much good food and wine on the all-inclusive deal ). But hey ho. I swam a mile today (good grief I've lost fitness...the year before last I swam in a relay team across the channel, and during training I did a few 5k swims, but today my mile was absolutely at the limit of endurance!). And I'm looking forward to starting yoga the week after next.

Blue - back atcha with the group hug. I've decided this thread is going to be lucky 3 for us .

[Edenviolet]

No it won't go to waste I still have to use it. Just had a mad dash to clinic to get cetrotide. I'm actually petrified of doing the injection. Has anybody else used it? I read the leaflet and I'm worried about being allergic