Cycle buddies Oct/Nov 16

[Hope2409]

Hello,

Is anyone else about to start a cycle?
I start down regulating on Sunday, estimated embryo transfer week beginning 21st Nov, this will be my first round of IVF/ICSI after 3.5 years trying to concieve.

Mixture of emotions, excited to be starting after waiting so long to get here, nervous about side effects of drugs and injecting and terrified it wont work! The joys of infertility!

Xxx

[Blueroses99]

Endometrial scratch 21st October
Suppression scan 27th October (stim jabs possibly the next day)
EC w/c 7th November

[Hope2409]

Glad u had a lovely evening Kez its good to escape it for a few hours!

Will second being terrified, take my first 2 sniffs in the morning!

That's a great idea doing a run through!

Me:
Start down reg tomorrow
Scan, bloods/start jabs - 9th Nov
Scan, bloods - 18th Nov
Estimated EC - w/c 21st Nov

Xxx

[Custardandcream]

Hope steal away, Glass a 'hopeful zone' is a lovely idea.

I think it sounds worse before you get started, once you get going it gets less scary just take things one step at a time.

Started down reg - 13th October
Blood test - 26th October
Estimated egg collection - w/c 7th November

[kezmarie]

Hope thank you! Definitely good to shut off from it all for a while!

So myself, blue & custard are all EC w/c 7th November! It's so nice to be on the same time scale!!
We can all support each other now.

[kezmarie]

Just to add... I have a few hospital appointments during treatment!!
Baseline scan - 25th October
Blood test - 28th October
Scan & blood test - 31st October
Scan & blood test - 2nd November
Scan & blood test - 4th November
Then EC w/c 7th November.

Does anyone else have this many?
I feel like I'm going to need my own parking space at the hospital!

[Custardandcream]

Nice to have some company this time.

I'll have more blood tests and scans but my clinic will wait until they know the results of the first blood test to schedule the next one.

[Blueroses99]

Same as custard, I'll have plenty more blood tests and scans but my clinic don't book them until there is more certainty on how things progress. I have a rough idea of when they will be (every 2-3 days from 2nd Nov to 7th Nov) but they are not booked in.

[liberte12]

Seems like we are all on the same page which is great to see. Makes me feel less alone so thank you for that :)

Il have further dates on Monday after the nurse puts her hand up my foof for an internal scan and il also have bloods taken.

Drugs coming on Tuesday to add to the gallery.

[sunshinegirl12]

Hello ladies, can I join?

I'm due to start sometime this week, just waiting for AF to arrive and then will go in on CD2 for my baseline scan and start on a short protocol.

Got all my drugs ready to go, makes it all feel so real as i'm still a little in denial that its come to this. I'm so scared about it all and even more scared about it not working. We havent told anyone in RL so will be nice to have someone on here to chat to x

[Blueroses99]

Welcome sunshine, of course you can join.

Is this your first cycle?

[sunshinegirl12]

Thanks blueroses. Yes this is my first cycle, we've been ttc just under 2 years with absolutely nothing happening. We are having to go private though as the NHS won't fund us as my AMH result is too low x

[Hope2409]

Welcome sunshine hope yr AF arrives soon so u can get started! Your in the right company here we are all anxious and terrified too but we will help each other get through!

I will have another one maybe two scans but like u guys they just havent been booked yet, will know more when i go for my first one to see if ive down regged properly!

Well i have officially started my cycle, did my 2 sniffs this morning, was a bit of an anticlimax really i just woke up sniffed and that was that but i feel that its a big milestone for us to finally get to this point!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend

Xxx

[liberte12]

Welcome sunshine. Don't worry you certainly are not alone.
Why won't the NHS fund you? Sorry if it's an obvious question, I didn't think of getting to this stage coz I always saw it as a last resort so my knowledge into it is quite limited except for the powerpoint presentation my clinic made me watch. Xx

[Blueroses99]

I had quite an emotional day/evening yesterday (Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day 😰) so slept in a little this morning. I've decided my jabs should be at 7.30am so I can do them before I go to work but this means rising early at the weekends too. So this morning, I actually managed to prepare the injection and jab myself while half asleep. Useful skills.

Sunshine I am a little dubious about NHS rejecting on basis of low AMH (or ovarian reserve) as it is an indicator of how long you have to try rather than quality of eggs. You're in good company here though.

Hope yay for officially starting your cycle!

Has anyone else switched to organic milk? Normal milk contains higher levels of oestrogen which can confuse the body esp as the drugs are going to manipulate the normal hormones in the body. This was advice from a nutritionist specialising in fertility. Not something that the fertility doctors will tell you. I switched to organic as much as I could between my first and second cycles (where I got pregnant) but if you only change one thing, milk is what they recommend.

[liberte12]

Well done in taking your first sniffs Hope!

I hope this is the round for you. X

[liberte12]

I read that about milk Blue but I thought it was full far milk and not organic?

I just spent some time reading the whole thread - so sorry about your loss, I can't imagine getting to that stage for something so awful to happen xx

I've also read about Acupuncture while having treatment done.

What are everyone's thoughts on that?

[Custardandcream]

Blue take care of yourself & congrats on injecting half asleep!

I have heard that about organic milk, will have to work on convincing sceptic DH, anybody seen any studies?

I'm having acupuncture, due to my holiday I was only able to get one session in last time before my trigger shot (my accupucturist recommends 3) will hopefully get more in this time.

[Blueroses99]

There is something about full fat too as the theory is that removing fat from products removes female fat binding hormones that leaves an imbalance of male hormones. But the organic thing is different - there are fewer hormones in the milk to begin with. Some of these are not scientifically proven so difficult to know what to believe and what to ignore. My mindset is that every little helps...!

Which is why I also do acupuncture. I have been going every 2-3 weeks but will be going weekly for the next 6 weeks or so. Found it particularly beneficial straight after ET last time, I felt so chilled out afterwards. Supposedly sends good blood to the uterus to help implantation. I will definitely be doing that again.

Thank you Liberte. I am trying to separate my grief, loss and thinking about my son from preparing from this cycle as I don't have headspace to think about both at the same time. But it's hard to not talk about my loss because I'm just trying to do all the same things again that got me pregnant before - but I will have to have a cervical stitch put in next time to keep baby safe inside.

[sunshinegirl12]

Unfortunately the NHS said AMH needed to be atleast 5.4 and mine is only 4.6, but as I keep reading, it only takes one good egg. I have also been trying to drink plenty of organic, full fat milk and increase protein intake.

I've been having acupuncture for the past few months and will continue throughout my IVF cycle. I really don't know if it will help or not, but if nothing else its lovely to have an hour out of my day to just relax and I've also found it helps to have someone to chat to about it all it almost doubles as a counselling session.

Blueroses, that sounds like quite a skill to have. Sorry to hear you had a tough day yesterday.

Hope, wishing you lots of luck with your cycle.

[kezmarie]

Hello ladies.
Welcome Sunshine
I actually feel so lucky that there's a few of us going through this at the same time, I feel like it's fresh ears to talk to as I know my OH can only take so much before he comes out with 'What will be will be'. Which he's right.

I haven't heard anything about the milk swap? I shall definitely do that though if it's going to help. Also I never knew anything about acupuncture either. - something else I will look into.
Those that have had it, do you think it benefits and makes a difference?

[Hope2409]

Thank you x

Blue sorry to hear u had an emotional day, it is perfectly understandable after all u have been through, try and be kind to yourself xx

I didn't know that about milk but then i don't eat much dairy at all as it upsets my tummy, i use coconut milk instead!

Sunshine that seems unfair of the NHS to not fund based on yr AMH, but its good that your on the right track now.

Xxx

[Blueroses99]

My acupuncture lady is like my counsellor too Sunshine! She is so knowledgable about IVF, fertility and conception, I have learnt a lot from her. Kez look up fertility acupuncturists in your area. There is good evidence that it helps.

Custard re evidence for organics, my DH was in the same sessions as me where we learnt the benefits so that helped convince him, but also he agrees you can taste the difference. We are not hippies or particularly well off but IVF is so expensive, we think it's worthwhile paying a bit more for a nutritional diet at the moment.

[liberte12]

Well I have spent my day googling and reading other threads on MN. Gosh talk about information overload.

I was naive in thinking IVF was the same for everyone but its totally not. As a result I am feeling even more anxious about tomorrow's appointment. I just want to know what my dates are. If its soon then it could be that the 2ww would finish before my birthday at the end of November so it could be the best or the worst birthday ever.

kezmarie you should look into acupuncture. I have heard good things about it. I had it when I was on Clomid and although it didn't give me the miracle child I was looking for, it did relax me a lot so I guess it can't hurt to carry on with it.

Blue yesterday must have been hard. Sending hugs your way.

So I have a list of what I am planning on doing during treatment, might be handy to show you guys so we can pick up if we are doing something wrong or get some tips from each other.

• Pregnacare pre conception for me
  
• Wellman conception for him
  
• Iron tablets for me (due to anaemia)
  
• Folic acid
  
• Vitamin C
  
• Zinc
  
• 2 litres of water a day
  
• Keeping feet warm to improve circulation
  
• Keeping stomach warm to improve blood flow
  
• Relatively healthy diet without saying no to treat
  
• Reduced caffeine intake
  
• Acupuncture (twice a week during treatment)
  
• Lost weight and now continuing to maintain
  
• Pineapple core after transfer? Heard conflicting things over this.
  
  Sorry for the long message - feel like my head is about to explode!!!!

[Hope2409]

Liberte do you take the folic acid, vitamin c and zinc in addition to the pregnacare conception?

Also sorry if i'm being dumb but what is Pineapple core after transfer all about? I've not heard of that!

I take Pregnacare conception too, my husband takes Fertilisan M, i aim to drink between 3 to 4 litres of water a day, i don't drink, smoke or have any caffeine and try to maintain a healthy weight, not doing anything like acupuncture but might look in to it as you ladies all speak of it highly!

Xxx

[liberte12]

Yes I take an additional folic acid prescribed by the doctor because she said my folic level is too low.

Well I don't know too much about it but I read a lot of things whilst doing my research. Supposedly it aids implantation. There are mixed opinions on it all. Some swear by it and some say its hocus. I guess thats with a lot of stuff though!!

Acupuncture on the other hand is something which has come up again and again and although it can get expensive it can't hurt so look into a good acupuncturist near you, specialising in fertility treatment and give it a go!