start dr today

[tillyann2013]

After 5 years of secondary infertility we are at the start of our first IVF cycle. Nervous and a little bit excited at the same time. Will start buserlin this evening. Anyone else due to start?

[LittlePoot]

Hello. Scan was all fine. They still need to check my blood test but it looks like everything is down regulated and ready to go. Womb lining thin, ovaries quiet and a higher antral follicle count than last time so that's got to be a good thing. As long as the blood test agrees with the scan, I start stimulation tomorrow.

Counselling on the other hand was a trauma!!! Cried so hard I have a pounding headache. Didn't realise I had been so angst ridden..... I think it was useful to unload though. Her advice was essentially to not think about the future and the what ifs, or get hung up on past resentments on what's gone wrong so far. Just try and distract myself and keep positive about this round and we can worry about the rest after if needs be. I have 3 more free sessions (2 from each round) if I want them but I'm going to save them until after (hopefully) embryo transfer. And focus on the fact that this might actually work this time!

[LemonadeGirl08]

That's great news and brilliant that your antral follicle count was higher this time- it's got to be a good sign! Do you know how long you will be stimming for?

Interesting about the counselling sometimes it's great to get it all out there and start afresh. Probably wise to save the other sessions for later in the cycle, I think at this stage it's easier to be positive and not obsess about it all whereas later on I imagine it gets much harder. (I'm sure I'm going to be a crazy lady and will need all the help I can get!) .

Her advice sound really good about being positive and forgetting the past I suppose there no point in worrying now we just have to get on with it but sometimes that's easier said than done!-For me anyway!

[LittlePoot]

Same here! But I do feel strangely more positive after speaking to her so I'll take that. Last time I think I was stimulating for 10 days. Maybe 11. So it's all going to be done in a couple more weeks. Scary!! When's your downreg scan? Had a nightmare trying to pay the balance today as well. Tried about five different cards but none went through until I phoned my bank to tell them out wasnt fraud!

[LemonadeGirl08]

oh god that sounds awful I get in such a hot sweat when a card doesn't go through!

My scan's on Tuesday so fingers crossed I'll start stimulating then. I'm trying to take it one day at a time and not worry about it but I also really want to know when everything is going to happen!

Brilliant that you're feeling more positive- only a few more weeks to go! Urgh that thought makes me break into a cold sweat- terrified and a little excited!

[tillyann2013]

Great to hear all is well and that you're good to go littlepoot. Exciting times! What does the antral follicle count mean again? Is that potentially how many eggs you'll have?
Regarding the counselling, it's prob helpful to offload a bit I think for sure, I've never had any counselling, just tend to bend my husbands ear. Might be an idea! Did you both go?
Nightmare about the card payment too, hate it when that happens!
I spoke to my clinic today and advised that af hasn't arrived yet so have got to continue with the buserelin over the weekend and see what Monday brings. Today is day 11 of dr so I hoping it comes soon.

[LittlePoot]

Great that you've spoken to them Tilly and hopefully af hurries up! Then hopefully next week we'll all be growing eggs. I think the antral follicle count is how many egg places you have - ish. So higher count should be good. I got loads of eggs last time though and it didn't help so it's definitely not quantity that matters. One good one would have been better than the set of rubbish ones I got.

[LittlePoot]

Sorry - forgot to say that it was just me for the counselling this time. Might be useful to have a joint one somewhere along the line but I quite liked just being able to talk about me!

[tillyann2013]

Just watched the notebook, prob not a good idea in this hormonal weepy state!

[LemonadeGirl08]

Haha I guess I'll stick to watching thrillers for the next few weeks then!

[tillyann2013]

I've just done my 13th buserelin jab, come on af!!! Hope your weekends are going well. Been flat out all day so am in bed already. Shattered. 2 childrens parties tomorrow as well,

[tillyann2013]

So my AF has arrived, crikey it's horrendous. Is that normal? Have just had to take some paracetamol and it's the heaviest I've ever had. Will call the clinic tomorrow. Here we go !

[LemonadeGirl08]

Glad to hear it finally started! Mine was really light this time so I guess everyone is different- I just hope that doesn't delay stimming!

[LittlePoot]

Mine are always fairly light - although this one is still dragging on a bit a week later so I think these drugs mess everything about. For the scan, they're just checking that everything is quiet - thin womb lining and nothing happening in the ovaries. So any period will do! Busy week all round then.

[tillyann2013]

Are we all about to start stimming this week then? Exciting times!

[LittlePoot]

So I'm on day 3 of stimulation and all I have to show for it is a big headache. I'm getting a bit bored of injections too.... The Buserelin isn't too bad but the simulation one is a much bigger volume and a faff to mix. Fingers crossed its doing its job.

Did you manage to speak to the clinic Tilly and sort out when your scan will be? Hope it's soon. And yours tomorrow lemonade? Hope all is well.

[tillyann2013]

Evening. Yes I have spoken to the clinic and scan is on wed at 8.45. Hopefully I'll be labor to start.

What stimulation drug are you on litlepoot? Sorry to hear about the headaches, hope they ease off. I'll be on 250 gonalf which is easy in the pen form. I am used to that as I've had umpteen iui's but was only taking 75. Will be interesting to see how the higher dose goes.

Best of luck for tomorrow lemonade.

Sorry for tmi but my gosh my af is a nightmare, heaviest ever I think. Horrible cramps too that nearly took my breath away. Boohoo :(

[LittlePoot]

Great! An exciting week indeed. I started on fostimon then today I switch to a combination of fostimon and merional. Sadly not in pen form - actually a pellet of powder you have to reconstitute with a syringe and some sterile water, mix together then inject. And its a 1ml injection so quite big. A bit of a pain. Sorry about hideous af Tilly - hope it's nearly over at least. And let us know how you get on this morning lemonade.

[tillyann2013]

Best of luck today lemonade. Catch up later girls x

[LemonadeGirl08]

So had the scan this morning and everything looks suppressed thin lining etc. so I'm starting on Gonal-f on Thursday-no idea why I have to wait I just want to get on with it!

I've had an awful headache for the last few days and feel like I'm getting a cold so I'm desperately stuffing vitamin c supplements down my throat!

Little that sounds like such a faff! Hope you are feeling better whens your next scan, or do you have a blood test first?

Tilly hope your af finishes soon and good luck with the scan tomorrow!

[LittlePoot]

Glad the scan went well. I think they decide on the day to start based on a best guess of when you'll be ready for egg collection, trying to avoid doing that at the weekend. They have for mine because the chromosomal tests can't be done on a Sunday. So they counted back to make sure I started on a day that would give a midweek test. Last time it meant I did Buserelin for nearly an extra week but this time it meant going to stimulation straight away.

My next blood test and scan are on Thursday so I can see what's growing!

[LemonadeGirl08]

I see that makes sense if they want to do egg collection on a weekday.

Thursdays scan should be interesting- fingers crossed everything is growing well for you! Can you feel your ovaries? I've only done ovulation induction but I was on merional and I could really feel them swelling- maybe that was in my head though!

[LittlePoot]

I can! Only lightly for now but I remember last time I really feel it with stimulation. Its like a bunch of grapes growing each side by the end (assuming it works). I got lots of (rubbish) eggs last time so it all got a bit uncomfortable. For now though it just feels like a tiny bruise each side just under my belly button.

[tillyann2013]

Hello, pleased to here the scan went well lemonade and you're all ready to go, I'm hoping I might start on thurs too. Scan in the morning, just had a lovely long soak in the tub so all nice and relaxed.

Little poot hope the drugs are doing what they're supposed to and you're growing lots of little eggs.

If I do get the go ahead to start thurs, when do you reckon ec would be? Is it usually 2 weeks? I really wanna get booking my flights and accommodation. I'm so impatient!

[LittlePoot]

I started stimulation last Saturday and I reckon ec will be next Thursday, based on last time. I think 10/11 days is a good guess plus two days for triggering. So if you start Thursday, it'd be likely to be Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday two weeks later. You never know until the scans start though - the uncertainty is so hard! In our case, we obviously don't have to worry about flights but arranging short notice childcare is stressful. Time off work last time was tricky too, but that's a bit easier this time because half the office is away for easter (so my absence will just blend in).

[LittlePoot]

And good luck for the scan!