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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.

Starting ICSI in the New Year. Join me?

107 replies

Craftycakey15 · 11/12/2015 16:32

Hi all. I am currently ten days in to taking Microgynon to suppress my ovaries before we start the ICSI process right after my clinic opens in the New Year. I am 40 and my husband is 41. I have mild PCOS but was told that my greater egg count meant that we had about a 50% chance of conceiving in an ICSI cycle. Trying not to be scared and look forward to hopefully a positive outcome from this process. Anyone else starting ICSI soon? Good luck to us all and to all already on the journey. Let's share our positivity and all we are doing to take care of ourselves.

OP posts:
bananafish81 · 05/01/2016 20:57

Hope you're all well ladies. I start stims tomorrow, so pleased to be getting this show on the road finally!!

MehMehM3h · 06/01/2016 11:13

0I hope you're all well! I start sniffing next week and am glad it's happening this time.

Those of you that are in the middle of a cycle or have done it before - were you able to exercise during it? I saw on MN that some people avoided exercising or at least specific exercises (running/swimming/weight training) but when I spoke to my nurse she said it was all fine (not sure about the swimming but that's not really a problem for me). I'm going with her opinion for now as exercise calms the crazy for me and I'm not sure I'd cope without it.

bananafish81 · 06/01/2016 21:15

Mehmeh from what I can remember from last time, I think gentle exercise is fine - just no swimming after transfer, and avoid anything too strenuous or high impact whilst stimming so as not to risk ovarian torsion.

MehMehM3h · 08/01/2016 12:00

Thanks Bananafish, that is really helpful! Tbh, I'm not fussed about the swimming really as I rarely go. It's the running I'm concerned about as I stupidly signed up for a 10k run in May! I think it will be ok because I'm right at the start of my training so am really running/walking and it's all a bit pathetic heh.

I'll just play it by ear i think.

BipBippadotta · 08/01/2016 12:24

Aaaargh... was all ready to start stimmng this month (short protocol). Clinic said I could start the cycle after my miscarriage, and just to call them when I get my period. I asked if I could I make an appointment in advance? No need, they said, just call when period starts and they'll fit me in.

Bollocks they will! Ovulated this week and thought I'd call just to double check in my control freaky way that they'll be ready for me, and they casually lay it on me that I'll have to wait a cycle as they're all booked up this month! I'm so ragey! I don't have cycles to waste sitting around like this! I'm seriously old! AAARGH! So frustrated.

bananafish81 · 08/01/2016 18:46

Mehmeh I'm hoping you end up not needing the training cos you're too up the duff for a 10k!

Bipbip what the actual fuck??! Am completely livid for you. That's so fucking out of order. And I'm so so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. At the very least they should book you in for next time if they can't fucking make room this time. Cretins!!

Xx

BipBippadotta · 08/01/2016 19:16

Thanks, bananafish. Not only are they clearly a bit dozey at my clinic, the consultant looks worryingly like an ex boyfriend. The idea of him technically impregnating me is horrifying. Maybe I will take my ovaries elsewhere.

I will watch the rest of you with my nose pressed against the glass as you go through this cycle, cheering you on from the sidelines!

Happy stimming!

bananafish81 · 16/01/2016 17:33

Bloody hell, to add insult to injury. The man clearly shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the business end. Hopefully his schedule will be remarkably busy and you'll get another Dr when they do get their shit together and let you cycle!!

I trigger this evening, EC on Mon! Fresh transfer is looking iffy due to my crappy lining, so I'm on the HRT tablets and hoping they give it a kick up the arse to thicken up.

Hope you're all well ladies xx

BipBippadotta · 17/01/2016 06:57

Good luck for EC tomorrow, Bananafish! Here's hoping your lining's thickened up nicely! Got everything crossed for you.

MehMehM3h · 17/01/2016 09:33

Haha thanks bananafish, tbh I'm more concerned about the fact that if all goes according to plan...testing date will probably fall around my birthday. Good luck with the EC tomorrow! I started sniffing on Thursday and it's a bit grim.

Bip that sucks, sorry to hear your clinic are shoite.

Craftycakey15 · 19/01/2016 19:13

Hi everyone, back to update. I had my scratch yesterday which I was not looking forward to. I know it goes quickly but I did end up crying as expected! I had a total of 20 follicles (have mild PCOS) and all looked fine.

Hope all going well Bananafish and Meh?
I have my first scan and start injections on Thursday. I am on short ICSI protocol so will be just two weeks of injections. I am not worried about egg collection as I will be sedated; its just the retrieval now; as I said, I find anything like that painful. Have booked reflexology to have something to look forward to.

Was anyone told to drink milk a lot? I haven't but have seen it on other threads?

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MehMehM3h · 19/01/2016 21:12

Hope you're feeling better Craftycakey! 20 follicles is great! I'm ok thanks, the sniffing is irritating me, it's the after taste that is really disgusting.

Thankfully (or not) work is rather busy so I'm too busy/tired to over think things!

I've not been told by the nurses/doctors to drink milk but have seen it on here too.

Craftycakey15 · 20/01/2016 16:14

Meh, keeping busy is a good idea. Sniffing after taste sounds odd but at least you are feeling ok. I have bought Zita West's visulation cd to listen to on Itunes today. I also read about another poster saying she ate a protein ball everyday while stimming to increase her protein so I bought 7 Bounce balls today from the health food shop. They were £2 each but I only have to stim for two weeks so if I like them this week, I might take one every day. I had a peanut one earlier and it was nice but very chewy and dense. I might have it for breakfast with a glass of milk!

OP posts:
bananafish81 · 21/01/2016 18:37

Crafty How did your baseline go? Good luck for starting stims today - I did short protocol, and it really does whiz by sooooo quickly!

BTW I have now had two egg collections and can confirm that the sedation is absolutely awesome and I wasn't in any pain for either procedure. My ovaries were quite sore for the rest of the day this time (because we got more eggs, so there were more follicles to aspirate than last time) but a heat pack and some paracetamol helped, and I felt absolutely fine the following day

I have found listening to guided meditation / hypno MP3s totally brilliant. I bought Zita, although I haven’t started listening to her yet as it seemed all focused on the transfer, and I didn’t want to jinx it as I don’t know if I will make it to transfer! I loved ones called ‘Be Fertile’ from some Aussie website, they have different tracks for stims/ retrieval / transfer etc. Helps me get off to sleep instead of staying awake with washing machine brain

Yes, protein protein protein. My Dr said to eat loads of protein - the milk seems to be an ARGC thing, but I did it because, well, when you’re throwing ££££ and all your hopes and dreams at a cycle, you’ll do anything! My bloody supplements bill in the 3 months run up to this cycle was in the hundreds a month, FFS. Protein wise, I ate so many bloody eggs for my eggs! Protein powder and greek yogurt, a pint of milk a day, meat, fish, eggs - I even had a protein-ice cream called (I shit you not) ‘Whey-hey!’. Which was actually surprisingly OK. Not Ben and Jerry’s, but I think my follies liked it!!

meh hope you’re hanging in there with the sniffing - how are you feeling about everthing

AFM, It’s been quite a week!

On Monday I got a whopping 17 eggs - all mature. Not bad for someone with undetectable AMH who the NHS would have written off and many clinics would have said own eggs were a lost cause and to go straight to donor egg…!! All 6 frozen eggs from the last cycle survived the thaw too, so we batched both lots together to get jiggy in the love lab with DH’s sperm.

Tuesday morning call from the clinic was the scariest phone call of my life! We got a ‘textbook’ fert rate with 16 out of the 23 eggs fertilising normally.

Day 3 update from the lab this morning (after watching the phone like it’s a bomb detonator, waiting for them to call!) and things are all looking great - we’re going to blast! We have 11 good quality embryos, 2 OK ones, and 3 laggards that I imagine will conk out fairly soon.

Obv we expect there to be a massive drop off between day 3 and 5, but given I was only supposed to produce a couple of eggs with undetectable AMH, the idea that we would even be able to go to blast was inconceivable!

Big big question mark is whether we’ll get a fresh transfer or not, because my lining has been borderline - so Dr put me on oestrogen tablets to try and give it a boost

Lining scan tomorrow - desperately hoping the meds will have worked their magic, and I’ll be on for ET Sat morning

If we don’t get the green light, then anything that makes it to blast will go straight into the freezer, and we’ll start work on building my lining up for a FET as soon as I get my period in 2 weeks time

Thinking thick!!!!!!

MehMehM3h · 21/01/2016 22:01

Hello ladies! I'm ok, was feeling really fed up today...can't tell if it's the meds or work hehe! I definitely need to up the protein, I'm veggie so the obvious choices are out. Although I do eat eggs. I'm trying to eat some nuts too

Bananafish that's sounds like great news, I shall think thick for you too!

Craftycakey15 · 22/01/2016 10:10

Bananafish - Hi there. My scan went well thanks. I didnt start stims in the end yesterday as they said I have to start on Day 4 of my period which is Saturday. So injections start tomorrow. I was happy to be told that I wont have such strong symptoms as it is the short protocol. We shall see. I do hope it goes quickly!
Glad your egg collection went well and you got lots of good mature ones :). Fingers crossed for you!
Meh - hope you feel better. I think I am subconsciously anxious as I havent slept properly the past two weeks and feel very tired. Maybe you can try some protein balls? The coconut one from Bounce is lovely.

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Gottahavefaith14 · 23/01/2016 21:14

Hi everyone. Can i join in?

I've been reading your thread I think I may be a few weeks behind you girls.

I'm currently on day 5 of down regging, This will be my third and final Ivf with icsi, I'n my previous cycles have been on the short protocol due to pcos, this time I am on the long protocol. As to try somthing different all previous cycles were bfn.

Egg collection is going to be around Feb 15th. Anyone Any similar dates ? Xx

MehMehM3h · 23/01/2016 21:57

Hi gottahavefaith14 I have a similar egg collection date as you - ours should be that week too.

How are you finding the downregging so far? Sorry to hear about the bfns.

Gottahavefaith14 · 25/01/2016 13:22

Hi! Mehmehm3h

I'm finding it ok up to now. No side effects apart from the mood swings 😳 Other than that I'm fine.

How are you doing with it? Are you on long protocol too X

MehMehM3h · 25/01/2016 18:08

Hey gotta same here, although I am very grumpy today...I was on the train this morning and really just wanted to stay on it...didn't want to talk to anyone or see anyone!

Yup am on long protocol too. Which clinic are you with? You don't have to say if you don't want to :)

Gottahavefaith14 · 25/01/2016 19:03

Aww sounds like we are at similar stages ! Will be good to talk to some like minded people! Hehe , yes! I'm the same I just Carnt be botherd to socialise with any one how strange.

I'm at James cook hospital in Middlesbrough. were are you? X

MehMehM3h · 25/01/2016 20:21

Oh that's good! Yeh I really just want to be left alone.

Ahh I'm going to the Oxford Fertility unit

Craftycakey15 · 26/01/2016 15:25

Hi everyone. Just updating. I am on my fourth day of injections (short protocol ICSI). I have been for a scan today and was told my womb lining was thickening fine and I have 18 follicles. I was given Cetrotide to start to take every morning from tomorrow and have my Gonul F to continue taking at night. Feeling fine so far, no effects but I suppose this is just the beginning?

Hope all feeling well. x

OP posts:
bananafish81 · 27/01/2016 14:12

crafty sounds like things are going great guns! The only side effect I had from stims was ENORMOUS bloating, but that was from the sledgehammer dose of Gonal-F I was on - it abated once the dose was dropped. The Cetrotide itched like a bastard for me, that is normal, if it happens to you!

gottahavefaith hope you’re surviving down regging - for me that was way worse than stims

mehmeh hope it’s going OK - thinking of you

I had my transfer on Sat, so I’m now 4 days post 5 day transfer. One top quality blast on board, and four good quality blasts in the freezer. Cannot believe someone with such low AMH and high FSH that the NHS would have written off as a lost cause has got 5 blasts! (we got 7, but two weren’t good enough quality to freeze) Smile

My Dr told me to wait a ridiculous 12 days post 5 day transfer to POAS. That’s 17 dpo!!!!!

Now, obv that will hopefully avoid any doubt about a false positive (chemical) or a false negative (late implanter), but obv I will be climbing the walls, and will be working on DH by 9dp5dt to test early. 2ww is going at glacial pace…

Bunnygirlie · 27/01/2016 14:13

Hi ladies can I join you please?

Having ICSI again to try for second child, start my jabs tonight Confused