Anyone Starting IVF? Join Me (4)

[bessie84]

The other thread reached 1000 comments, so having to start a new one.

A puff of Babydust to all

x

Thanks Miracles

I went in the scan room in such a flap, ive been having awful pains and shoulder pains and freaked myself thinking ectopic. my bladder wasnt full, but did belly first and said if she couldnt see, swap to internal, but as soon as she put it on my belly, little bean was there where it should be with a lovely heartbeat. i was so shocked! and unbelievably relieved. i have a cyst on my right ovary which explains the pain. all is well, over the moon and totally in love. another scan in 2 weeks. x

That is fantastic news Bessie I get how you felt I felt so anxious before the scan. Such a relief afterwards. How come another scan in 2 weeks. I have to wait till my 12 week scan now. How many weeks did she put you?
So pleased for you

Thanks miracles - I def found I bloated LOADS when I was stimming last time (only 6 weeks ago) Couldn’t wear any of my jeans, it was stretchy waistbands only! I was so so thirsty, I was chugging litres of water - spent half the day at the water cooler at work, and the other half going to the loo!! So far nothing with the down regging, just heard horror stories of headaches and night sweats. Prob jinx myself now having said that!

bessie huge congrats, that must have been amazing!! So excited for you ladies

My bloat has never gone away banana as the progesterone pessaries do it too. I'm 8 weeks and look 3 months. People are actually guessing that I'm pregnant. I have gone from a waist size 8 to a size 12 just because of my tummy. I'm not complaining though. Just means it hard to hide.

Spoke to my consultant again yesterday

They said they are sure my cycle failed for one of two reasons - genetically abnormal embryo which stopped developing (unlikely as it looked so 'promising') or a problem with me probably nk cells

She said as I have anti thyroid antibodies and have had failed implantation they will assume it's that, said that the bloods are very expensive so we should just treat it as that and next cycle I will have aspirin, clexane,progesterone and steroids which hopefully will help and I will do a FeT with one of my day two embryos. I did want to put both back but dh and I had long conversations about it and thought actually eset is a better option.

That all sounds like a really solid plan waiting - keeping everything crossed for you. Will you be doing another natural FET or going medicated this time?

I'm now 17 days into buserelin, baseline scan on Tues. If I'm sufficiently down regulated then will start stimming that evening. Haven't had a period and was worrying about lack of a bleed potentially holding up the cycle and pushing it into the new year. Consultant's secretary checked with him and he said it shouldn't affect the cycle and we'd discuss more on Tues. Gonal-F again, starting off max stims as before. The way things have worked out it's slightly less risky way to find out how I get on with long protocol. If I don't respond at all then we'll know for the future it's def not for me - but if we can then just get my lining up to scratch we can still try for a transfer with the 6 eggs in the freezer. Hopefully we'll get some kind of response and will be able to batch both lots of eggs together and if we're really really lucky we may have enough embryos to try to go to blast. The big question is whether we can get my lining where it needs to be. Although first hurdle is baseline on Tues so I'm getting ahead of myself!!

Natural again as despite having pcos I do seem to ovulate ok most months

Hello lovely waiting. Haven't been on here for a while - as you may recall I went through 11 IVF attempts to get my BFP and I know how gut wrenching it is to see other people's success when you are going through failure after failure, making it feel like it will never happen for you. So after my BFP I hid away in the shadows, happy that I had started this thread where others going through IVF had now joined and could support you and everyone else.

But I just saw your name as the last person to post and was wondering how you were getting on. Sounds like you've had a rough time :( If you've got the strength, you'll have to give me a summary of your treatment to date as I've been away, but sounds like you've had another failed embryo transfer - was it a day 3 embryo? Interesting that your specialist thought the embryo was unlikely to be genetically abnormal due to it looking so 'promising'. I always thought that the genetic viability had nothing to do with how it looked under the microscope. Another girl I spoke to at my clinic had 3 top notch looking day 5 embryos tested and only one was found to be genetically normal. I had two top notch day 3 embryos at 8 and 10 cells transferred my last cycle and one didn't take - obviously nothing to do with my lining or immunes as the other took so I can only assume genetically abnormal. Anyway, as long as the steroids and Aspirin will definitely not hinder the cycle if high NK cells is not the case, then no harm trying.

I know how rough it is, especially at this time of the year. I went through four Christmas's with infertility and each one felt like another year passed and another year older. Thinking of you xox.

hello everyone. i'm 8 weeks now, and started bleeding, pain n clots. :-( tomorrow we have a scan, to see if things are ok, sobbing writing this. so shit. :-(

bessie I'm so sorry you must be so worried :(
Try to rest and hopefully your scan tomorrow will be ok and the bleeding will tail off

I have read lots of things where women bleed and go in to have healthy pregnancies. Sometimes it can be a haematoma (sp?) that bleeds then stops or a false period around the time one would have been due

I'll keep everything crossed it's ok for you. Thinking of you xxx

shellster lovely to see you on here again!
I had mild IVF back in April but no transfer due to overstimulation/ohss risk
Was quite ill for a bit and waited to have a natural FET cycle in October which failed and I had a massive infection after wards. I had aspirin and progesterone with that cycle
I have two day two embryos left so will use those then if doesn't work try another mild cycle

The clinic said it failed due to genetic issue or an issue with me as I have anti thyroid antibodies so they suspect autoimmune issues hence offering steroids and cleaned as well next time
Pgd testing was mentioned but she said it was unlikely to have been that and is an additional cost so we should have the extra medications next time
My thyroid level is under control. Last test it was a v good 0.80 so happy with that
I think that's everything. It's all just dragging along now. I stupidly thought back in feb at initial appt that I'd be pregnant for sure by now

bessie just sending you hugs and . Try not to worry. I know it's hard. I had a huge bleed at around 7 weeks, bright red blood and clots and cramps and really thought it was all over. But I'm 19 weeks pregnant now and everything seems to be fine. When I had my scan they told me it was actually a pretty normal time to have an implantation bleed, so I'm crossing all my fingers for you that it's jus that xxx

Oh bessie so many hugs. Keeping everything crossed for you. A friend had a heavy bleed with massive clots at 12 weeks, but the scan showed everything was fine, and her daughter is now 4. I’m really really hoping everything is OK and know that we’re thinking of you.

waiting that sounds great. If you have great lining in a natural cycle, then going unmedicated is loads less stress on your body

I’m also now waiting very impatiently - my cycle has been put back till Jan

Went in today for my baseline scan to check I’m sufficiently down regulated before starting stims. Somehow - possibly a hangover from the prev stims - my body powered on through the down regulation and managed to ovulate.

So I’m at CD 45, and have seemingly managed to ovulate twice but not had an actual period. (Both wasted eggs in any case, as no way I could have had a miracle conception with completely non existent lining). Given I used to be PCOS and my problem was not ovulating, this is more than a little ironic (and frustrating)

Can’t stim me until my ovaries are quiet, and as we’re going to hit Xmas, this means we have to wait till the new year.

Doesn’t want me to end up over suppressed so I’m to stop the buserelin and take the pill for the next month to quiet everything down, and go back on 4th Jan to be rescanned, and hopefully then can start stims.

My body apparently has a total mind of its own....

Thanks for your kind words ladies.

Had scan yesterday, THANKFULLY baby is fine, i have "extra chrorionic haemorrhage" - a bruise on wall of womb. not allowed sex, to lift heavy stuff and to take it easy for next few weeks.

sigh.... hope everyones ok. xx

Hello
We're 1 week into stimulation. My wife got exams today and they only see 3 follicles on the right 18mm. How unusual or worrysome is this?

It really does drag out doesn't it waiting. When are you planning on trying again? You'll have to remind me of your age - I assume you're not close to 40 like me for the specialist to think genetic abnormality was unlikely, and you have time up your sleeve for another fresh cycle (which hopefully you won't need!)

How ironic indeed banana - having an initial infertility diagnosis of PCOS and not ovulating, and how managing to ovulate not once but twice while downregging!

Bessie thank god baby is ok.x
8 weeks already that has gone so quick.
We had our collection on the same day. I am doing a frozen cycle which was supposed to be 3 months wait but they have told me yesterday that there's now a waiting list and I should call during my MARCH period to start drugs again.

So shit and so long!!

I'm just waiting for period to arrive (I'm day 14 of what is usually a 35 day cycle although was 30 days last time) then I will be doing another cycle

I'm a little apprehensive about all the medication but am assuming they know what they are doing and that if I don't have nk cells it won't cause any problems with the cycle ? I'll have to read up on it

Hi
My wife and I are a few days from retrieval, only 4 eggs, biggest 18mm. She's age 33. We're undecided about going forward with these odds. Does anyone have thoughts / experience to share?

Small are you NHS or self funding? Personally I would go ahead as at the age of 33 your wife is likely to have good quality eggs, even if the quantity is low. I am 34 and was 33 when I had my first stims cycle 2 months ago, and have severely diminished ovarian reserve. My consultant said age is the biggest determinant of quality and that even if we only got a few eggs, the chances were decent that there might be a good one there. A woman on the high FSH / low AMH cycle buddies thread I'm on at Fertility Friends recently got her BFP from just two eggs. One fertilised, one embryo transferred, one BFP. It really is true that it only takes one!!

Small, I am 33 and had 13 eggs collected but even though no male factor only 2 fertilised. One was put back and the other not good enough to freeze so we had 1 and only one chance of a baby from this cycle and my DD is now 15 months old. It does really only take one.

I personally would go with what you've got. Otherwise you might find you try again and don't get any more on a subsequent cycle. What does the clinic advise?

waiting, the only reason I am mentioning 'could the drugs interfere with your delicately balanced uterine hormones if NK cells is not the case' is because I know a lady at my old IVF clinic in the same boat. IVF 1 a success but m/c at 10 weeks due to genetic abnormality. She then started the prednisolone for high NK cells and not a BFP since despite several day 5 embryos transferred - including one that was PGD'd and known to be genetically normal. So it made me wonder if the prednisolone could be the culprit. Then you may recall blue came along on here. She had a day 5 embryo transferred first IVF and was briefly pregnant but m/c'd. She then started all this anti steriod stuff and did not have a hint of a BFP since, despite always getting top quality day 5 embryos transferred. I don't know if I am just adding stress to your already stressful situation, but I just know how awful IVF failure is, and can't bear the thought of you going through another FET failure, so just thought there was no harm to mention it so you could at least ask the question. Although I wonder if the specialists really have the answer?!?! There seems to be so much that is still unknown in the world of IVF.

It's so difficult to know what to do

Half of me wonders if I should just try progesterone as last cycle I was anxious about taking aspirin and took it and cycle failed. I'm almost thinking is 'back to basics' better ? My tsh level is perfect and I know I can do a natural cycle as I've been ovulating (had a scan privately just to see and had a huge dominant follicle) and I've kept my weight up and cycles are a bit shorter and more regular so I feel like things are a bit more positive
Adding so much medication seems a bit overkill but then again I'm not the fertility specialist
I have two embryos frozen and I want to give them the best chance but I was wondering the other day did my trigger shot (ovitrelle) change something and prevent implantation.
This time I'm going to request more scans for monitoring rather than opk and hopefully won't need the trigger shot and maybe that will help.

I've given up acupuncture as at £43 a week it did t work as is money that can go towards the next FET. Continuing with reflexology though as it helps with relaxation. Also have had a couple of massages to try and de stress which I feel has put me in a better place than the acupuncture did

As a counterpoint to shellster, I know of countless women who had unsuccessfully TTC for years, and had multiple failed IVF cycles and / or miscarriages, who after having immune treatment, successfully conceived and delivered healthy babies.

My consultant said he generally treated empirically with selected immune therapy after a failed implantation of an otherwise good quality embryo - generally with intralipids, aspirin, steroids and clexane. He said in some cases he would recommend these from the outset, if indicated - such as in cases of existing autoimmune conditions (of which thyroid issues are most definitely one)

There is really compelling evidence for use of immune treatments, and the clinics who take these seriously have such good success rates. My friend who just got her BFP was having her cycle at a clinic that didn’t offer immune treatment, so she went to Dr Gorgy for immunes treatment to run alongside her cycle - there are loads and loads of women who go to Dr G for similar treatment if their clinics don’t take immune issues seriously, who credit him with getting them pregnant.

As a counterpoint to shellster, I know of countless women who had unsuccessfully TTC for years, and had multiple failed IVF cycles and / or miscarriages, who after having immune treatment, successfully conceived and delivered healthy babies.

My consultant said he generally treated empirically with selected immune therapy after a failed implantation of an otherwise good quality embryo - generally with intralipids, aspirin, steroids and clexane. He said in some cases he would recommend these from the outset, if indicated - such as in cases of existing autoimmune conditions (of which thyroid issues are most definitely one)

There is really compelling evidence for use of immune treatments, and the clinics who take these seriously have such good success rates. My friend who just got her BFP was having her cycle at a clinic that didn’t offer immune treatment, so she went to Dr Gorgy for immunes treatment to run alongside her cycle - there are loads and loads of women who go to Dr G for similar treatment if their clinics don’t take immune issues seriously, who credit him with getting them pregnant.

As a counterpoint to shellster, I know of countless women who had unsuccessfully TTC for years, and had multiple failed IVF cycles and / or miscarriages, who after having immune treatment, successfully conceived and delivered healthy babies.

My consultant said he generally treated empirically with selected immune therapy after a failed implantation of an otherwise good quality embryo - generally with intralipids, aspirin, steroids and clexane. He said in some cases he would recommend these from the outset, if indicated - such as in cases of existing autoimmune conditions (of which thyroid issues are most definitely one)

There is really compelling evidence for use of immune treatments, and the clinics who take these seriously have such good success rates. My friend who just got her BFP was having her cycle at a clinic that didn’t offer immune treatment, so she went to Dr Gorgy for immunes treatment to run alongside her cycle - there are loads and loads of women who go to Dr G for similar treatment if their clinics don’t take immune issues seriously, who credit him with getting them pregnant.