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!

Hi maple and star thanks for thinking of me! Yep AF appeared bang on time! The clinic I'm at only want you to start stims on a Thursday or Friday so the egg collection day is on a day they carry out the procedure. So I'm on the pill until Thursday and then the stabbing begins!

have been keeping up with the thread but too much chat has happened for me to respond to all the conversations but I am thinking of you all and am sad to say I share many of your experiences of insensitivity! I'm like you thistle I just laugh off the idea of having a baby and pretend people are crazy for doing it - much easier that way (for me anyway).

Good night everyone xx

ptera we had 2 SA and then they did a sperm wash to see if there would be enough left to try IUI. There wasn't. We didn't get talked through the results of the 3rd one but it was obviously similar. They pretty much told us IVF after the 2nd SA and IUI would be a long shot. Our consultant told us SA need to be 3 months apart to really see a difference as that's the life span of a sperm. So if you do them a month apart they are partly measuring the same batch.

tea glad you are getting started soon. Can't wait to begin...probably in about 2 weeks.

A good friend told me last night she had a mc at 8 week. She has a 16 month old and I assumed they'd start trying again soon. I'm really sad for her but also felt a little jealous that she's fertile and will probably be pregnant again soon and I'll probably be doing IVF rounds throughout this year. I seem to find it harder with my friends who are on their 2nd or 3rd. It feels like it's my turn and they're jumping the queue! I know that's not how it works. I also feel incredibly guilty for all these thoughts because she did have a mc and that just have been awful.

I know blue it's hard isn't it when everyone around us seems to be able to pop babies out! I've got a friend who has just announced baby no 4 with a new partner and my sister complained when it took her 8 months to conceive her second! And all the baby photos / scans on FB make me irrationally mad!! There's no more explaining all the weird emotions that go along with IVF etc and I'm sure your friend would forgive your thoughts. It's hard on everyone!

Hello all! Just stalking and wanted to say congrats on the wedding to Star and good luck with this cycle! I have everything crossed for you! Hope you're doing ok too Maple! I've been thinking of you guys!

I've had a quick catch up and just wondered if those who are self-funding have considered going abroad for treatment? A few of us from earlier threads used this option and the price differences are amazing! After 2 years ttc, DH and I discovered our issue was mf with a count of under 2 million. We went to the Czech Republic for ICSI and paid about half the price we would have in the UK and that included our flights, a week in a hotel, food, sightseeing etc. Plus, the success rates are generally a little higher I believe. Just thought I'd mention it as its something I would never have considered doing if I hadnt talked to people on here about it. :-)

MPP so lovely to hear from you! How are you getting on? I'm good thanks - just a lot of waiting!! I would definitely consider going abroad if my NHS go doesn't work.

Blue I know how you feel I really hate the person infertility has made me. Feel like I've been a crappy friend and sucks all the happiness out of you. I'm so tired of thinking about it all the time!!

Tea good luck with starting the jabs today!

Star good luck with the scratch today - let us know how it went!

Lots going on at the moment - hope I haven't missed anyone!

Hi all. Hope everyone is ok.

How are the jabs tea? I'm nervous about them!

star Hope scratch wasn't too bad?

So I'm a bit clueless as to when things start to happen in an IVF cycle. Injections to down reg from period? Then stims?

This made me giggle today....

Thank you mpp! So lovely to hear from you - how are you getting on! Hope all is fine.

Ptera, we had I think 4 SAs. First was with GP which said all totally fine (count of 76mil/ml, decent everything else) so we were then relaxed about him. Then since the referral we've never had a count of more than 20mil/ml and low motility, then low morphology so it fluctuates so much. Also, I see now re genetic testing, that makes sense. I really hope you get those results soon.

So I've had my first scan today and I'm starting gonal f tomorrow, so I'm one day behind you Tea! Feel quite excited actually! Lining was 4.1 and they were happy for me to get started. Next scans are day 8 then day 11 (next fri then Monday).

Tea what dose are you on? I'm on 150 for four days, then 112.5 for the rest of the time. Wondering if that's high or low or what?

Had the scratch too. It hurt a bit actually. It's just like a smear, but then they put the pipette in and it's just like instant period pain. It only lasts a second though. I've had some spotting this afternoon but no ongoing pain. I was advised to take paracetamol half an hour before which ended being 15 mins before cos they were early. Can't imagine it would make any difference though.

just that's so funny!!

I only have to jab between 9-10pm tonight so will keep you all updated! just on the short protocol, I've just had to start stims today and take the pill for two days (cause AF didn't start on a Thursday or Friday!). Then start suppression day 5 (a different injection) with an antibiotic cream and stim scan on day 7. Then ovulation trigger injection and egg collection approx 35 hrs later and then embryo transfer 2-5 days later and voila, the two week wait. That's it in a nutshell! Doesn't sound so bad on paper.

star hope the scratch went well and didn't hurt!

Oops cross posted!

Hey star I'm on 225iu of merinol the whole time but have a stim scan on day 7 when the dosage could be adjusted. That does seem low compared to me but it's a totally different drug so might be stronger or something? I didn't get a scan before I started, just one a few weeks ago at the nurse consultation.

Glad the scratch went well and it hasn't been painful. So exciting you are only a day behind

Almost time to jab tea!

Glad the scratch wasn't too horrible star. Did you go back to work after? I'm having mine Monday and requested the whole day off as I don't think I'll want to go in after.

Star hope you are chilling out tonight - glad the scratch wasn't too awful. Hooray for starting stims tomorrow!

I have my patient info session tomorrow. Has anyone else had to go on one of these? Presume it's with other couples - not sure what to expect!

Hello everyone
Looks like most of you have been quite busy!
I'm still in limbo land waiting for my appointment! I just want a date to focus on!
Hope all the injecting/scans/scratches are all ok!

First jabs done! Can honestly say it didn't hurt a bit. It's a teeny, v sharp needle. Had a bit of a panic beforehand as I think the reality hit home!

maple I did the patient info session online - it was lots of PowerPoint slides so I guess it will be a presentation with other couples too.

Hope you get a date soon Rosie waiting us the worst!

Well done tea one step closer!

Hello everyone, sorry i haven't been about for a while!

I've been trying to keep up to date with all your posts, it is so busy at the moment, lots of you are getting started which is great news!

Welcome to all the newbies, best of luck on your journeys xx

I'm still in limbo too, waiting for AF to come so we can get booked in again. Going to see our consultant tomorrow to discuss our failed cycle and see if anything is going to be changing for the next one. Hate all the waiting!!!

maple hope your info session goes well tomorrow.
We didnt have one but we had stuff to watch at home a bit like tea did x

All good here, thanks Maple and Star! :-)

Glad the scratch was ok, Star, and I have everything crossed for you for this cycle! Good luck with the Gonal F today. I was on a consistent 150 dose, and I'm not sure but compared to everyone else I read about, it seemed quite a low dose but I could be wrong! I shall return to stalking now but will keep an eye on how things are going for you all :-) Good luck!!

Crikey, it is busy on here!

Just, I'm on long/agonist (whatever that means) protocol and it is VERY long. Started on day 1 of my December cycle with 21 days on the pill, then from CD21 I started down reg drugs daily for up to 3 weeks - I did 16 days. From today I'll start stims for anything up to 17 days but it depends how you respond, then trigger and everything else as Tea has said from that point. I wasn't prepared for it taking so long but it's been a nice gentle introduction to ivf if I'm honest.

Blue, I went straight back to work - scratch was at 11, then we had a meeting with the nurse to discuss stims and then I was interviewing at 2. Then went out for dinner with a friend last night - so no I didn't take it easy!

Maple how was your patient info session? I didn't have anything like that or any online stuff, so I tried to work it out from what I'd read on here. Wish someone would have told me to expect a period whilst down regging for instance, or what the different protocols are and why you might be on one rather than another. Although don't know whether a patient info session will cover all that!

Thanks for dosage info Tea and MPP, interesting. I think it's due to my AMH (31) and the fact I over responded on 50g Clomid so the low dose may be for that reason. Oh, I had some clear advice from the nurse to drink MINIMUM 2L water per day so I'm glugging away!

Had a beer last night too. No-one has said not to drink so I've totally been eating (crap) as normal and having the odd drink. I'm going out for my sister's birthday tomorrow which will be awkward. I'm doing stims in the evening between 10 and 11 so will have to take it out with me tomorrow too. Hmm. Wish me luck with starting gonal f tonight!

Hi all, hope all is well.

maple hope your info session went well!

star good luck starting your injections tonight! I'm sure you will be fine x

We met with our consultant today to discuss our last cycle, as expected there was no obvious for it failing, just one of those things. He said everything went well, response, fertilisation etc... but the one thing that stood out was my dose of Gonal F, i was on 300 and he said for my age it seemed like a lot, normally be between 125/150. He said if i was 42 it would be a normal dose but at 32 it seemed a lot but because i responded well it was fine. I asked why it would be that dose he said could be my fsh levels were high which could mean poor ovarian response but he didnt have my fsh levels on him so he didnt know! So now i'm left worrying if there is a problem with me too, i cant get it out my head.
What is a normal FSH? I think im going to ring the clinic next week and ask what my fsh levels are!
What does it mean if i do have poor ovarian reserve? I am only 32, i never considered my age a problem but now i'm worried!

Rosie good to be keeping busy whilst in limbo! Nothing worse than sitting around just waiting..

Info session went well thanks - it wasn't anything i didn't really know but actually I think DH found it really useful and interesting. Went through what a normal cycle was in a woman, what IVF was, drugs, timings, risks etc. Apparently you start off with norethisterone then stims then after collection it will be oestrogen tablets, progesterone suppositories, aspirin and an injection called heparin - all for the first trimester if pregnant! I didn't know you had to inject until then!

Star I'm really bad at drinking water but will obviously for IVF - I am trying to more now but do struggle!
Good luck with your first injection! I had to inject at weddings and hen dos when I was doing IUI! No one noticed though.

Hope glad you had your review meeting. I'm not sure about FSH, isn't it meant to be similar to your LH levels? I guess if you have low reserve they have to stimulate you more? This is all a guess though! Do you know what your AMH and AFC is?

maple glad info session went well. I've only been told that i would have the progesterone suppositories the first trimester...they didn't mention injections!

hope sorry I don't know anything about FSH levels. Definitely get in touch for some clarification from your clinic. Hopefully they can give you some peace of mind.

star good luck with injection tonight! That does seem a long time but I guess it's good to feel like you're doing something.

maple glad your info session went well, its amazing how everywhere is different with drugs etc... i was on nafarelin for 3 weeks, 12 days of stimms which was gonal f, ovitrelle to trigger then progesterone pessaries 3 times a day, my stimms were my only injections.

I don't know what my AMH and AFC are, i'm not sure ive had those tests done, my cycle was NHS funded and i read in my Zita West book that not all clinics do an AMH test. I will find out when i ring up next week, going to get them to send me a copy of all my blood results.

star how was injecting? Did you find it ok? I was out for a leaving do last night but set myself a curfew to be home by 9.30 for stims. Didn't fancy the idea of inhecting in a pub toilet! The second jabs were soooo much easier than the first though - mixed everything really quick and no hesitation!

Patient evening sounds great maple. It sounds like it was a bit more informative than just wat hong the slides online.

Hope I did have my FSH levels checked and I remember the dr was surprised how high they were. I've still been put on 225 though - it would be nice for the thought process behind different treatments to be explained a bit more but then again I was so overwhelmed anyway I'm not sure I would've taken it in!

I think I'm also only on suppositories if all goes well - hope I don't have to inject for three months! I must ask when I next go in.

Have a lovely relaxed weekend everyone!