December/January 17 cycle buddies

[HelloMist]

Is anybody else about to start a cycle?

I start down regging on boxing day! I could use some company.

[wishmeluck16]

Mist i know what u mean about not feeling fully recovered. EC took its toll on me.

Spread that is excellent news! I know a couple of people who were pregnant and had periods throughout do maybe you are one of them?

ET was very painful for me. Through speculum makes my bowel hurt (?!) But I think the doctors always think it is the speculum going in that hurts. But anyways on to the important bit-


I HAVE AN EMBIE ONBOARD!!!!

And 2 to freeze too _ and then tomorrow they are gonna ring and tell me if the other 2 left have grown enough to freeze too :)

[SpreadTheLove]

HelloMist - I found it near impossible not to symptom spot. Hoping the next week flies by! Sorry your other embie didn't make it to freeze... let's hope the one nestled in you sticks like glue!

Wish - how was ET??

So... I just got a call - my HCG has doubled!!! We're definitely pregnant at the moment it seems! Bleeding getting lighter but still there so that's curbing my excitement. Will do more bloods next week and then scan in two weeks... this is all such a test of patience and strength isn't it?!

[HelloMist]

Wish did you get to transfer today?

Spread I was also thinking another beta was the way to go if you could get one. Hope you get answers soon. Sorry you are in this difficult position. Do you have 1 frostie did you say?

Pleased for your good numbers wish and Strandy.

Tiny good news, good luck for tomorrow!

AFM, I didn't feel fully recovered from EC when I had my transfer and then had what seemed like a stomach bug that night which I'm only now feeling a bit better from. It was weird timing. Maybe my body was less able to fight it off than usual. I feel bloated still and a bit tender sometimes, as well as low on energy. Still over a week of waiting to go. Trying to distract myself (and not obsess about possible symptoms) but I feel only too aware of it all because of my body! Our only spare embryo didn't make it to freeze. :(

[SpreadTheLove]

Tiny - we're on the same page! Pleaded for another blood test today and luckily they agreed. As you say, if my HCG levels aren't well on the way up, it'll be bad news. I'm kind of prepared for that anyway seeing as I spent the weekend coming to terms with it not having worked...

Wish, no idea what this bruising is about but I did read on other forums that you can bruises near injection site...hopefully nothing serious but defo tell clinic to take a look. Got everything crossed that you can transfer today BUT remember it's all about doing it at the optimum time when your body is perfectly ready so even if you do have to postpone, see it as just increasing your chances of that BFP!

Good luck x

[wishmeluck16]

Aww guys I have got myself in a complete dither.

I am recovering well now finally BUT I have a really bloated tummy. But peeing like a trooper (sorry tmi) and no other ohss symptoms.

But so stressed they won't let me do transfer tomorrow :( also I have a little bruise in my belly button that is really bad and don't know if I should worry ?? Got myself stressed out. Want this tomorrow so so so bad!!!!

[TinySalmon]

Spread what is going on with your body How weird! Could you get a blood test to test the hug levels to see if they have risen from the 65 measured last time? I couldn't live with waiting another week+ to test again!!

Wish are you off for ET tomorrow?

Strandy wowsers what a load of eggs!! I am at risk of not being able to do fresh transfer either as my oestrogen levels are sky high due to higher dosage of stims. If the oestrogen gets too high then they won't do ET this month to let my body recover.

Off to do my trigger shot. Woo hoo!

[SpreadTheLove]

Great to hear from you Strandy! Wow you've been on a journey. So so glad it's coming good though - between you and Wish, there's loads of good potential embies! Fingers crossed for you tomorrow Wish.

HelloMist - how's your 2ww going?

AFM, still bleeding but getting lighter. Trying hard to keep myself in check and not get hopes up but it's soooo hard! Did a hpt when I got in last night as I suddenly thought that maybe they muddled up my beta results with someone else's!

BFP - I just wish I knew whether it's sticking or on it's way out!

[wishmeluck16]

Strandy i am so glad to hear from you was thinking about you on the day and every day since as I knew you were in for EC same day!

Sounds like you totally reacted similar to me! I had to stay for the afternoon with anti sickness etc cause I reacted so badly to it all.

I must confess I have been naughty. I have not told the clinic about my slow recovery. However I am pleased to say that when I woke up this morning I finally felt better. But ovaries are definitely still sore. I figured I would let them know when I am in on Wednesday about how I feel and they can decide is ET is viable.

One worrying thing though that I must mention on Wednesday is that I have a random black and yellow bruise in my belly button. Now where near my injections etc and not painfull. Anyone had this?

I still have 8 going. 5 good embie and 3 less good. I take it that I have none that are "excellent"

[Strandy]

Oh and one last thing to say. Honestly wish, we are like IVF twins! Both with a massive amount of eggs, awful reaction from the EG (I was whacked out for almost 48 hours), and now keeping the embryologist very busy checking up on a very large family. AHHAHA!

Wishing you so much luck - are you transferring in a few days? I hope your swelling goes down and ovaries are okay. I was so much pain last Wed/Thurs but it has really gone down now - just a big reaction to the meds.

[Strandy]

Hi Everyone

I've been notably silent on here - just racing around with so much to do and when I had free time I was sleeping zzzzzz

Firstly I just want to acknowledge you all and say well done for getting so far. Spread you have had a real rollercoaster as you call it. What an ordeal and a mix of emotions. Poor you - keep squeezing your DD for good feels and let your DH spoil you a bit. Ten days seems looonnnngg.... For those of you with bad luck this cycle, I'm so sorry. I really 'get it' now.. this is my first IVF and I have learnt so much. I don't think people can possibly understand the whole thing unless they have done it themselves.

Well I was overstimulated last Wednesday and so the fresh transfer was absolutely cancelled. I had such sore ovaries and constipation (ugh)....like most of you. Then the Egg Retrieval was on Friday... totally trippy experience and I barely remember even being in the clinic at all. When I was waking up I could see orange and red teddy bears in my dreams and hear voices. HAAHAH! Morphine overdose!

Well despite a swollen tummy and cancelled ET, we got 23 eggs (eh, confirms that I definitely have PCO), 8 of which fertilised. Today I got a call to say:

6 doing very well
2 slowing down

1 in particular has divided into 9 cells already and is charging ahead; one is a low grade and not doing well; then there are 4 others looking still very good; the last slow two are well, slow.

RESULT! I'm pleased and my DH and are in great form. My swelling is going down and we're nearly back to normal. On Wednesday they call me for an update on the embies and then on Thursday we meet our specialist to make a plan.

I guess now my thoughts are transferring to frozen egg transfers. When will they do it? What can we do to make them stick? WTF is going on inside my body that I haven't used contraception since 2010 and have great eggs and embryos, yet cannot get pregnant! Who knows....

[wishmeluck16]

Aww guys you are all so amazing. Yes the EC pain is subsiding thank God. I can walk now lol!

I am so nervous of being hopeful but I am truly starting to think this might work! Just cannot actually picture being pregnant r having a baby if you know what I mean. Like it would be a dream and not reality.

Wow spread how bizarre about your result? Maybe you are one of them that has a normal pregnancy with period? Or maybe like tiny said it is a sign that things are working for you just that this particular embie was never gonna a make it to the end?

I cannot wait for Wed for ET never mind 10 days like you have to wait!!

[TinySalmon]

Wow spread what a crazy few days for you! Even though it's still really shit that the pregnancy probably isn't a viable one (although there's always hope!) this is a light of positivity in an otherwise dark part of this process, like you said - it just means the embryo wasn't viable rather than something being fundamentally wrong with your eggs or your body.

Congratulations wish! Fab news!

[SpreadTheLove]

Wish, that's amazing!! Really really pleased for you - hoping the post EC pain is subsiding now too.

Tiny - so so delighted your body has started to respond - that's brilliant news!

AFM, well.... what a rollercoaster this stuff is. Went in (very begrudgingly) for my beta today telling them I was on a heavy period now so I know it hasn't worked. Have just had a call saying my beta is 65 which apparently means I am in fact pregnant??? I was like - what?! Anyway, obviously bleeding is a bad sign as probably miscarrying. They said keep taking progesterone and do an hpt in 10 days. If it's positive, come in for scan. This makes no sense at all!

Funny though - even though I know deep down I've probably lost it, feels great to know it worked!!! I was struggling to accept that this embie didn't stick without any explanation (even though I know the odds at my age are rubbish). Now I kind of feel it did work, but maybe the embie wouldn't have been viable...

Anyway - another loooong ten day wait ahead. Xx

[wishmeluck16]

oh tiny that is EXCELLENT news!!!!

good news here too :) my 10 eggies that fertilised, 8 of them have survived to day 3 so today the clinic rang and said that we are going to wait for a day 5 transfer!

woohoo!!

[TinySalmon]

Wish I was crying (god I seem to cry a lot don't I?!) In the few days after EC because I was in so much pain. You'll feel bloated and sore for a few weeks but it does go away I promise!

Had some good news at the clinic this morning: my body is responding well to the higher dosage so two more days of Gonal F (and more money on the 4th Gonal f pen I'm buying!) and all booked in for EC on Thursday. Eeep!

[wishmeluck16]

It's good you have your family for support as well.

I'm not good in the sense that I am not healing form EC. I am still so sore :( but no other worrying symptoms. I know tmi but I think it is related to the fact I went in for the procedure constipated and still haven't been. Now I wander if this is adding to my pain ?..

[SpreadTheLove]

Thanks all. Really makes a difference feeling all of your support. It's full on AF today. Clinic said I should still come in for blood test tomorrow which feels like rubbing salt in a wound but I'll go... just to close it and get the green light to stop these bloody progesterone pessaries!

Have spent so much time kissing and holding my DD so tight. They're so in tune and I know she's feeling my sadness as she keeps stroking me and telling me she loves me. Makes it all better.

DH been really good too - so I'm spoilt for support thankfully.

How are you all doing?

[HelloMist]

I'm so sorry Spread.

[wishmeluck16]

spread so sorry to hear about AF 😔 we are all here for you so like tiny said do whatever you need to! HUGS

[TinySalmon]

Shit Spread I'm so sorry. I've been there. I know exactly how it feels. Cry if you need to. Live in the moment and feel the grief. Be bitter, angry, sad... anything you want to be. I cried for a good few hours when I saw the most negative blankest whitest pregnancy test after my FET round last year.

Hug your DD tight tonight and make sure you're getting support from your OH too. We are all thinking of you xx

[SpreadTheLove]

Wish, that's amazing!!! Well done you!

Strandy, you ok?

Sadly AF arrived today - well pinkish on my tissue (sorry TMI). It's definitely starting now so it's game over for us this time round. Feel sad but trying not to get too down about it. I know I'm very blessed to have a DD so focusing my energies on that now.

Going to hang around to find out how you all do - fingers and toes crossed ladies xx

[wishmeluck16]

Guys they rang. So I had 20.

4 were too small to fertilise. 2 were degenerate (whatever that means!), 2 didn't fertilise, 1 fertilised abnormally and 1 was "just rubbish" according to the embryologist lol.

The other TEN fertilised !!!

So waiting till Monday to see how many survived ! Fingers crossed most of them will 😥

[wishmeluck16]

Thanks tiny I am feeling better but so sore :( didn't realise it was going to hurt so much to be honest! Feels like I have been through proper surgery !

[TinySalmon]

Congratulations on being PUPO mist!

Eish wish I know how that feels! I was told that usually women who collect more than 15 eggs tend to get up-chucky after EC just because it's such a huge shock to the body. Hope you're feeling better by now x

[HelloMist]

Yes, Spread I'm PUPO now! Feel excited and relieved that we've made it this far. Right up until this morning it felt like things could still go wrong! It is going to be an incredibly long 2w though.

Sorry Wish that you had a bad reaction! EC is unpleasant enough without that. That is a great number though. Hope you are back home recovering now? I didn't feel too bad that night of it but the next day pain had set in and I felt shivery and bloated.