TTC for 18 months or more. Moving onto IUI/IVF/ICSI -part 2

[bluebird3]

We have relocated from the conception board where we were previously chatting under the thread 'ttc for 10 months or more'. A lot of us are now long term ttc-ers and are going through infertility treatment or looking to take steps in this direction so we feel this might be a more suitable home for us!

Feel free to stop by and say hi and hopefully we can share the journey together and make it a little easier along the way!

Just into your tummy fat I think. The others can confirm for us! Apparently they are tiny needles and don't hurt.

Yep...tummy fat. Some people do them in their upper thigh fat I think, but lucky me I have enough tummy fat it wasn't a problem. They don't really hurt. If you pinch the fat really hard you feel the pinch and not the needle. I didn't have to down reg so it depends on what protocol you are on as to the process. And honestly, while its not ideal, no part of IVF so far has been as bad as I was expecting. The worst bit is the waiting...I'm desperate to know how many (if any) of my embryos are still developing. I should get a call tomorrow between 8:30-9:30.

tea...when is your OTD?

Okay that doesn't sound too bad. The other thing I worry about is how much time off work I'll have to take for hospital appointments. Havr you ladies found it easy to juggle around your jobs?

Hi skipper as blue said IVF has been nowhere near as scary as I thought it would be. The waiting is definitely the worst and the injections aren't bad at all - the needles are small and really sharp and you get the hang of prepping the medications and injecting really quickly. It also hasn't felt as much of an emotional rollercoaster as I expected. I thought I was going to have to explain away lots of emotional outbursts to people at work but it's been ok.

In terms of time off, it is quite difficult to plan around egg collection as you need 2 days off and you don't have much notice for when it will be. Other than that, there have been consultations and I had to have 3 scans in total. I work 45 min from my clinic and haven't told work about IVF and I found it easy to book my scans for first or last thing and take afternoons off work at quite short notice. I knew which week my ec would be so was careful not to arrange meetings that week. I think it depends what job you do as to how flexibly you can take time off but overall it's not huge chunks of time. Obviously if you're a teacher or something it's not easy to just disappear for a couple of hours. Some of the ladies on here did tell work and all were understanding I think. When it comes to it though, I found the appointments trumped all and I didn't feel bad about saying I needed to leave work early and no one asked questions.

blue I have to wait until next Monday to test and am terrified!! I've got symptoms from the progesterone but not from being pregnant I don't want think and am desperately trying not to google things. I keep squishing my boobs willing then to hurt all over rather than just on the outside which is from progesterone Did any of you ladies who have had a bfp after IVF actually feel pregnant in the 2ww? Aaaargh I hate waiting!

That meant to say I don't think I have pregnancy symptoms and it's all progesterone related.

Oh tea it must be awful waiting. Are you keeping busy this week? I reckon next weekend will be the killer for you as Monday will take ages to arrive. When normally they arrive all too soon! I'm keeping everything crossed for you.

skipper I told my work as I work in a school and don't have flexible hours. They have been great and have given me all the time off I need without having to make up the hours or losing pay. They are counting it under the 'maternity' umbrella. I work an hour away from my clinic so that's meant I've been late in or left early a few days. It's not been a big deal. Nobody who didn't know has questioned it.

Oooh tea! I really feel for you. Reckon the tww must be the worst bit. Obviously I haven't had ivf but the only symptom I ever had of pregnancy before af was due was feeling sick. My boobs did grow a bit too but they never hurt or anything. Obviously I didnt have any progesterone giving other symptoms either though so feel free to ignore me lol
Do you have a poas test or a blood test? I have heard it differs by clinic how they test

Welcome sk1pper I think we briefly spoke on another thread! Also to Emily good luck with the clomid!

Hope you have good news today blue!

Any news blue? Thinking of you!

I just do a test at home ptera and then call the clinic with my result.

blue have you heard about your eggs?!

Ah I see tea. At least you know one way or another quickly!
Yes blue I have been thinking of you today too

Thanks everyone. I've been super busy today. I go straight from work to dog training so haven't had time to update you all!

This morning I was super stressed. The clinic was supposed to ring 8:30-9:30. By 9:45 and no call I was in absolute anxiety/panic mode convinced that all the embryos had died and they were waiting for the doctor to ring. Finally rang them and they said the embryologists were very busy this morning and one would ring me when they ca,e out of the lab. finally got a call at 10:30. But, it was good news. All are still developing but 5 are looking better than the others. Transfer will be Wednesday. Still haven't fully covered from this mornings anxiety. Don't know how I'm going to make it through the rest of the tww.

Well done blue 5 is excellent news!!!

The 2 ww is torture!!! But you lot are helping keep me sane. Not feeling sick at all ptera but my boobs hurt A LOT and are appearing to get bigger. I don't know how much is wishful thinking and how much is extra progesterone though.

Anyone else have any news? How are the injections going for those stimming at the moment?

Great news blue and sounding very positive tea!

Sounds positive tea. Not everyone feels sick, everyone has different symptoms.
Really great news about the 5 too blue, bet that was torture this morning

Fantastic news blue! Hope the anxiety has subsided for now - good luck for tomorrow! Are you planning on taking any time off after transfer?

Hang on in there tea! Are you waiting until OTD to test? No news for me - just endless waiting. Although I have my consultant appointment next week - not entirely sure what it's for, I presume to go over the results of DH semen culture, my dummy transfer and 3DSIS. I just want my protocol appointment and get started!

Congratulations Blue - awesome news they are all still going and great that some frontrunners are emerging. Good luck with transfer tomorrow.

Hang in there Tea, the days must be going sloppy slowly! But Monday isn't too far off now and those sound like promising symptoms. Good luck!

CD3 here. Period arrived 3 days after stopping progesterone which is good. It's so heavy though which I guess makes sense with 12mm lining! Next appointment in 4 weeks and hopefully, if my cycles are back to normal length, I should start in another 4 weeks after that. Ages!

blue that's brilliant!

tea keeping everything crossed for you for Monday.

My appointment with the doctor at my clinic is next Tuesday to run over test results and get prescriptions for the drugs. We get to choose our start date then and hopefully that will be March.

I'm in London, having treatment at kings college hospital. I think I read someone else is too?

Hi all. I've had it confirmed I'll be starting downregging on the 2nd march and collected my buserelin so hopefully you won't be far behind me justtheone? Excited to be starting soon! (Weird to be excited about injecting )

That is exciting gee! I think we had a lap at the same time too? I recognise your name from my thread I think.

Star did you have light periods before? I can't remember! Hope you have lots of plans to keep you busy for the next 4 weeks!

Just I think there maybe a few cycling in march? And it was star at kings! I'm London too but at UCH.

Gee it's a weird one - I'm feeling "excited" about starting too - although don't know when that will be!

So great to hear that lots of you are making progress and will be starting soon. I think it is super exciting to start as it's been a long road for all of us to get to this point!

maple I'm waiting for my OTD. I've made sure I have no tests in the house to temp me and will only buy one on the weekend. In a weird way I don't want to test as if it's negative it's a definite failure for this round whereas now I can still hope!

Thanks for the good wishes hen. This whole process definitely tests the nerves!

Ah yes just. Thought I recognised your name!

Thanks everyone. Anxiety is much better today...hoping I stay calm tomorrow.

maple the appointment might be the tipping point and then the ball will get rolling? It felt like it came quite quickly once we started. Fx. And I have taken the day off after transfer. My clinic said we could resume normal activities but I have a stressful meeting in the afternoon and just couldn't bare racing to work after transfer to be plunged into that.

star glad af arrived (how often do we say that?!) but in this case it's a step forward. So hard that you have such a wait though.

just and gee you're both starting so soon! I felt a little excited before starting after so many months that I felt were pointless trying as we'd been diagnosed with a problem but hadn't started any treatment. It's like we've finally been in with a chance this time.

tea I'm also having super sore boobs from the progesterone and really giant nipples! Honestly they stick out so much it's embarrassing! I've been feeling sick as well (think it might be acid reflux) and i know I'm not pregnant as there is nothing in yet! So the progesterone can completely conceal pregnancy symptoms I think. A few more days now.

Blast is now on board. None to freeze in the end. I'm so disappointed but trying to not get too upset as I want to stay calm for this little blast.