IVF Cycle buddies March/April

[Hobbes39]

I know we are only partway through February, but I'm down to start our 2nd round of IVF once my period starts at the end of this month, so thought I'd start a cycle buddies thread now as I gear up..!
Our history is that we have a 3.5yo DS, naturally conceived, but have been trying for a sibling for 2 years now... we had an ectopic pregnancy just over a year ago, but after that nothing... so as I'll be 40 next month, we decided there wasn't time to waste anymore and had all the tests last year but we are 'unexplained'... so we had a cycle of IVF in November/December but sadly was unsuccessful as ended in a chemical pregnancy. So here we go again - fingers crossed it's 2nd time lucky...! If anyone else is starting soon then would be great to have the support! Xx

Hi hobbes good to see u again, i was thinking of starting up a cycle buddies march/april but u beat me to it!
How are you doing?
I'm booked in for cycle 2, drugs arriving over the next week and start down reg on 27th feb.
Fingers crossed this is our time!
Xxx

Hi Hope - good to see you here too... although wish neither of us needed to be, if you see what I mean! I couldn't have coped without you all last time, so was keen to have a thread going as getting nervous/excited/fed up (the whole range of emotions!) etc as we get closer to t starting again. On one had I think knowing what to expect makes it easier, on the other, its harder as while I'm not so worried about the physical aspects this time, I'm dreading the emotional rollercoaster...
anyway, are you doing anything in the run up? I was trying to eat more protein and cut out caffeine etc, but been bad the last couple of weeks... I've had too many people around me announce their 2nd (or 3rd) pregnancies and been a bit down in
the dumps about that so comfort eating.... still doing acupuncture and started taking some Chinese herbs, but I'm not convinced by them. God I hope this is our time x

Can i join ladies?

We have a 2yo DD from ICSI and waiting to start DR for FET on next cycle, which should be early March, if AF decides to make an appearance

I need to get prepared by cutting out caffeine etc but finding it hard. Also have lots of people announcing pregnancy and am trying not to be jealous of how easy procreation is for some

Hi Silver, welcome & good luck to you! I don't know much about FET as we never got any to freeze with our first round, but I hadn't realised you had to down reg for it - how long does it all take with Frosties?
It is hard to take when others find it so easy isnt it? I am truly happy for my friends who are pregnant and I do know that them being so isn't stopping me from being too, but it's just hard. I found it particularly hard last week when a lovely friend of mine announced that she is pregnant with her 3rd... her 1st is exactly she same age as our DS and in the time we have been trying for a sibling, she's had one and has another one on the way....

Thanks Hobbes. The drug regime depends on the type of FET. You can do a natural FET with no drugs, but I'm doing medicated due to irregular cycles. So down regging from day 2 of next cycle then I wait until half way through the following cycle for a scan to check my ovaries are quiet and then start drugs for lining before FET. In total it should be 6-8 weeks but might be a lot longer if my period doesn't show.

I did short protocol IVF last time without down regging. It took less than 3 weeks from stims to ET so feeing a bit frustrated with the waiting.

I feel the same. Didn't expect to find it so hard second time around. We are so incredibly lucky to have a DD but the desire is for another just as strong this time round. In some ways more so because I'm surrounded by mum friends now who are mostly expecting again and have done things like plan age gaps between their DC. I'm pleased for them but sad and frustrated to be stuck in infertile limbo.

hobbes same here on the emotional side of things as we get closer to starting again. First time i was so hung up and worried about the drugs, side effects, injections etc... but not this time, its the emotional side of things that terrifies me and the thought of it not working again. I dont necessarily think knowing whats coming is always a good thing!
I wanted to do more for my second round but was unsure what, i had accupuncture for back trouble last year and didnt find it beneficial so it has put me off trying it for this. So i have tried to have a mostly healthy diet, i dont drink alcohol or caffine anyway, and i have been taking extra vitamins as well as pregnacare. I have no idea if it will help but feel as though i'm trying something new!
Are you doing the same type of protocol as before?
Mine is going to be the same as last one, 3 weeks down reg followed by 12 days stimms. Really hoping i might get a few more eggs this time but u never know do u!
Sorry to hear about all the pregnancy announcements it really sucks. A friend of mine gave birth to her third child on boxing day, she has had her second and third child in the time that we have been trying and we havent even managed one which is gutting. Everyday more announcements come making it hurt more and more.

Hi silver and welcome, you give me hope that my time will come since u had your DD through ICSI which is what we are doing.
Although i'm sure having to do it all again is no easier.
I work in a nursery and lots of people constantly talk about planning their next baby with the perfect age gap and it takes all my strength to not scream at them they shouldnt just presume it will happen and for some people its really hard. Then a few weeks later they come back announcing they are expecting and its all worked out perfectly for them.
I'm left feeling sick with jealousy at how easy it happens for them and how for granted they have taken it and more and more scared it might not happen for me.
Infertility sucks!

Hobbes, I'd love to travel alongside you. It took 7 egg collections to get my now 10 month old. I've just reluctantly stopped breastfeeding so my cycle can return. It's hard waiting when I have no idea of my cycle will be back in 5 weeks or 12! I too am 39-turning 40 in July. So I don't feel like time is on my side. You say you'd like a few more eggs this time so we are on par there too - I only ever used to get 3 or 4 eggs and would like more. But in reality I am older and know that stats about fertility taking a nose dive towards 40 so am dreading that I may actually have less follicles at my scan and IVF might not even be worthwhile. Just want my period to return so I can get on with things and see instead of all this wondering and waiting.

Hi guys - just reading this and hoping ok if I join. TTC for more years than I like to remember, 2 fresh ivf cycles last year - BFN then BFP, but we miscarried at 12 weeks. Now we've got one frozen embie and (when my period shows up) we'll be doing FET in March/April.

I know that feeling about preg announcements - you feel horrible compounded by the idea that you might actually be a horrible person for reacting like that. I was honest with one of my best friends when this happened last year - just felt like a huge relief.

Good luck to everyone!

Hi everyone!
Hope - yes, on same long protocol as last time, but this time with slightly higher stimms and gonal f instead of Bemfola. Will start pill on day 2/3ish of my next period and be on that for 2-3 weeks, then the down reg injections start. I hope the higher dose makes a difference as I could do with a better response this time...
Silver - sounds like your timescales are similar to mine - from last time I know it felt like it dragged on for ages until my stimms started, so I understand your frustration - hope time passes quickly!
Shellster- welcome! I can't begin to imagine how you managed to cope doing 7 cycles - I hope this time you get lucky first time as seems to me you are due it 😊.
And green eggs, I'm so sorry about your MC, that's so heartbreaking, fingers crossed your little Frostie is a fighter and will make it this time xx

GreenEggs, can't imagine how heartbreaking a m/c at 12 weeks would be. I had an early m/c on my 2nd last IVF and that was bad enough, let alone having my hopes up until the 12 week mark. Did you have any scans prior to 12 weeks that gave any indication? Here's hoping your frozen embryo is the golden egg. What day was it frozen at?

Yes Hobes, the emotional torment of 7 cycles was excruciating. I had no choice but to keep going because the thought of not obtaining my baby was even more painful. How many eggs did you get in your last IVF cycle? I did much research over my previous IVF journey and tried all sorts of things. I responded poorly to first IVF after which Dr suggested pill to down reg so that my follicles would grow at more even rate. I had read bad things about pill for poor responders but was hesitant to question a dr with my internet research! I got a crap response and the cycle was cancelled. I then insisted on estrogen priming protocol. I think it's an american thing and Dr had never heard of it so was sceptical but got a much better response so that proved him wrong. Still BFN. I then read studies about high protein low carb diet increasing embryo survival rate and did that diet to get 2 great embryos on my 2nd last IVF that resulted in a mc and 2 great embryos on my last IVF that resulted in my son.

Thanks Hobbes and Shellster - the MC was hands down the hardest thing I've ever been through, but I remember realising it wasn't going to stop me, and that was such a huge relief. We had an 8-week scan with a heartbeat, so I wasn't prepared for it at all (as if you can be).

Embie is 5 day blasto, so everything is crossed for the tough little thing. 90% chance of thawing successfully thanks to faster freezing (vitrification).

Shellster your determination is incredible. MC after IVF is so, so unfair. Sounds like you've done the research and know your body best - I'm a big believer in that & am going to read about EPP.

Morning all and welcome Shellster and greeneggs. So sorry we find ourselves here and but glad to have you all for support on this rollercoaster.

Shellster sounds like you've done lots of research and know more than some of the doctors. I'm old too and not sure how I'll respond if we have to do another full round. We have 3 frozen blasts so hoping it won't come to that but also trying to prepare myself in case it does. Have you had the AMH blood test to measure egg reserve? It's not an indicator of quality, just quantity, but can help inform the treatment plan. Keeping my fingers crossed for you that your cycle returns quickly so you can start.

That's great odds on the thaw Green. Having seen the research on improved thawing since the introduction of the faster freeze I've not been brave enough to aske how mine were frozen. Burying my head in the sand on that one and hoping at least one of the three will survive the thaw for my FET.

Are we all just waiting for a period to show so we can start? The waiting is one of the hardest parts for me. I feel so powerless waiting for my body to do its thing.

Morning silverlinings - yep, I'm waiting for AF. Late as per (PCOS) - was due 11th. Good thoughts to everyone else waiting!

Having a tough day, so came on here - and so pleased to see that you've set up a March/April group Hobbes. And Hope - you are here too. So nice to have familiar faces, and also new people for support.

So we have now made the decision to go for a March cycle. Will be short protocol again, so am just hanging around for the moment. Am fearing the emotional rollercoaster but wanted to get a cycle in while I'm still in the 35-37 bracket! Not doing acupuncture this time. It was relaxing but I think exercise will do the same trick for me. Good luck all. xx

GreenEggs, I would have thought that an 8 week scan showing all normal would have had you in the clear. Goodness. A day 5 blasto and a 90% success thaw sounds promising, but I know you won't feel reassured until your holding that bub in your arms.

Yep Silver, I've had the AMH test done. It was a measly 2.5 - and that was a few years ago! The thing is that I had the ovary size of a person with normal ovarian reserve but the follicle count of someone with poor ovarian reserve. I thought that it must be a blood supply issue since I've always had light periods. So I took Aspirin for two months and follicle count tripled, as well as my AMH rising to 6.7 (since AMH is produced by the follicles). But then despite all the extra follicles, they failed to grow. Turned out Aspirin hindered follicle growth. So asking the new clinic I am seeing in a few days regarding an alternate blood thinner. 3 frozen blasts is amazing. I truly hope one of them is your golden egg.

Hi LoPI - nice to meet you. Why is today tough - because of the decision? I'm at the end of that 35-37 bracket and feel you on the time pressure.

Hi LoPI - good to have you on here again - let's hope this time it will work for all of us!

Silver - yep - just waiting for period to come then we start the whole thing...
Shellster - we got 5 eggs last time, all from one side - for some reason my right ovary didn't respond, they have no idea why... 4 eggs fertilised, but only 2 did so properly, and they became day 2 embryos which were both put back as they were both grade 3 (1 being highest, 4 lowest), so not great quality (lots of fragmentation)...we thought it had been totally unsuccessful as I started to bleed heavily 2 days before my OTD, but then my blood test came back with low level HCG so it was a chemical pregnancy.

For those of you wondering about AMH - I'd take it with a pinch of salt to be honest as I don't think it tells you much - mine was 15.4 - which is actually pretty high for my age, and meant they were slightly concerned I would over stimulate...! But no, I didn't really respond all that well given my numbers... hence upping the dose this time. I have heard of lots of people with lower AMH being successful, so it seems to me it's all about quality not quantity and the one thing I can do very little about is quality 😢.
LoPI- I have been doing acupuncture every 2 weeks and started doing Chinese herbs - but think I'm going to stop them as they upset my stomach and I just don't really believe they do anything... but think I might continue the acupuncture... why did you decide to stop? X

Welcome shellster and green you sound like you have both had one hell of a journey so far in your own challenging ways, i can't begin to imagine the torture of a m/c at 12 weeks, nor enduring 7 rounds of ivf, to you both and i hope this year is the one for us all.

LoPI great to see you! Sorry you have had a tough day, but glad finding our new thread with familiar faces cheered you up! Will be good to have each others support again for this cycle x

I'm not waiting for AF to show, it has been and gone for me and i'm all booked in, waiting for my drug delivery in the next few days then will be starting down reg, less than 2 weeks to go till the fun begins again

hobbes i'm on gonal f too! Hope it does the trick for you this time x

Hi LoPI. I'm a newbie so you'll have to fill me in. When you say you're doing a short protocol again, have you had a successful IVF and now back for a 2nd, or have you recently had a failed IVF? My successful IVF cycle was just as I was turning 38 and I clearly recall the pressure of it needing to work and a birthday to remind me time wasn't on my side. So I totally get it. Yet here I am now contemplating trying IVF again at 39 & a half - eek! I'm dreading a day 2 scan showing that I am all dried up and have to let go of my hope for another.

So Hope, do you start downregging mid cycle?

Yep shellster i start down regging on day 21 of my cycle, i'm on long protocol x

Can I join please? I start down reg nasal spray next week.. first time ivf. I have another thread ongoing about feeling really low and lots of other people announcing pregnancies.. it's really tough going emotionally!! Haven't even started the physical stuff! So sorry we are all here x

Welcome annab its good to have you here even tho we all wish we didnt need to be!
It is really tough emotionally and physically and when everyone around you seems to fall pregnant at the drop of a hat it makes it harder.
What protocol are you doing? I won't be far behind you i start nasal spray on the 27th. Second round for me.
If your on Synarel nasal spray make sure you drink lots and i mean lots it will help with the headaches. I was drinking at least 3 litres a day more if i could, if i didnt drink enough an evil headache would creep up on me! Xxx

Thanks for the tip Hope! Yes that's the same nasal spray I have, have to take it for about 2 weeks then the bemfola injections for 12 days or so.. it's first time Ivf NHS and due to job issues can't go private afterwards, at least for a long while, so a lot of pressure! Fingers crossed for us all! x

Yes fingers crossed for us all!
We are NHS too, sounds very similar to you, i do the nasal spray for 3 weeks then Gonal F for 12 days.
Good luck for starting your spray next week xx

Annab hello! That's a great tip from hope I've been through 2 cycles and got hyperstimulation* on cycle 1, but drank LOADS on cycle 2 and didn't get it.

My other tip would be to read 'IVF an emotional companion' by Brigid Moss. Basically takes you through the experiences of a whole load of different people. I've found you learn every cycle, but good to learn from others' cycles too.