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

I'll be taking progynova tablets, 4 a day for 6-14 days. Then I stop taking them and go for a scan, if all ok start taking daily FSH injections for 10-12 days, after 5-6 days another scan and also start Cetrotide injections for the remaining 5-6 days. Scans every couple of days during that time to check on follicle growth, then the trigger injection.

It is amazing the variety of drugs and different protocols etc... i never knew there were pills you could take too!

hobbes sorry to hear about your day and that your period is messing around. Its just typical that it does this now! Hope it comes soon so you can get going.

Xxx

Thanks Hope - period now well and truly here... so started the pill today - buserelin injections will start on 17th march, with Gonal F probably starting on the 23rd. The upside of the delay in starting is that it means that the possibility of having egg collection as a delightful way to spend my 40th bday, isn't now likely...! Phew! Hope everyone else is ok? X

hobbes glad your period is in full swing, who would of thought such things would be so welcome!!!
I start my down reg nasal spray on monday and start gonal f on the 23rd too! Then anticiated week for egg collection is 3rd April.
Glad to hear your egg collection and bday wont clash!
Xx

Hope we are exactly the same timing then - I have 'IVF WEEK' blocked out in my diary for w/c the 3rd..! Fingers crossed that's a lucky week for us all! X

hobbes its nice to have someone on exactly the same timing! Fingers crossed thats a great sign for us both and that April is our lucky month!

I do my first sniffs in the morning, feeling nervous and emotional which is silly as its only a sniff!

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend
X

Hi ladies. Please may I join? Sounds like I'll be roughly the same as a couple of you.
I'm Geeup
34 years old
Been trying 2 years without a sniff of a bfp
Male factor infertility
Start downregging (buserelin) this thurs 2nd
Expecting to start menopur 18th march
Egg collection about 31st march but obviously tbc
Thanks!!

Hi geeup, welcome.

How is everyone doing so far? I think you're all going to be a little bit further ahead than me?

No sign of AF today so expecting to start tomorrow.

x

Hi Geeup - welcome & sorry you find yourself here, but hopefully it will be worth it for you x
I remember from last time that this stage really drags - feels ridiculous, but I started to look forward to the point where injections start as things go a bit quicker then!

Welcome geeup good luck for starting down reg on thurs!

Day 1 of down regging is done for me, i had forgotten how nasty my nasal spray tastes! Let the count down begin x

I'm on my withdrawal bleed and got a scan to check downregging is working this week. Bleed is far heavier than usual periods! (Which tbf are not too bad). Feeling really drowsy at work, not sure if it's the drugs or just tiredness!

Hi blackcherries - you are a bit ahead I think - hope your scan goes well! You'll be stimming soon, which is when it all started to speed up a bit for me last time... but was also the start of the stressful bit... fingers crossed you respond well and all goes well x

I am still trying to get hold of the hospital to order the drugs! But I did tell my line manager this week, who was great. This is the first person I've told, and it was a bit of a relief to know she can help me manage pressing deadlines etc.

And hi geeup

Hi everyone & welcome geeup
So, I had my bleed & 2 scans this week, but it seems I'm not shedding my lining properly. I've been put on Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) for 7 days. Anyone else been on that? Also is anyone else doing FET rather than fresh?

I'm feeling very frustrated. Still no AF, I'm now on day 31. For reference I normally have short cycles, 26 or 27 days. I was still using ovulation tests this month and I did ovulate late, day 17 as opposed to day 10-12. Which probably explains why I'm late (I have done a pregnancy test just in case and it's negative). Typical that the one month I'm waiting for it to arrive my stupid body decides to play up!

Musha, that is just typical and happened to me quite a lot when I was waiting for it to arrive for a particular reason. otherwise 26-day cycles like clockwork!

Can anyone tell me how many days it usually takes between starting stimming and egg collection? And do you have to have scans every couple of days or just once or twice? Am trying to plan around work as I can't take the whole week off!

Hi musha - that's so frustrating - mine went a bit odd this month too - finally arrived on day 28 when I'm usually a 24-25 day cycle... 🙄 hang in there - so frustrating!
Wanda - I think it varies a little - but on my last cycle (long protocol) I had 10 days stimms, with a scan at day 6 and day 9, then trigger shot injection in the evening of day 11, egg collection 35 hours later. I think t depends on how you respond to the drugs and could be longer if none of your follicles look large enough by day 9, but if at least 3 do then they will trigger I think. Hope that helps. X

Oh, I meant to add that if you can it might be an idea to take as much time as you can off on the week on egg collection and transfer, as certainly what I found was that you just don't know which day you will be going back in for transfer, as it depends on embryo quality and how many you have, and you'll only find out the day before really, so difficult to book single days off when you could have a 2,3,4 or 5 day transfer... x

wanda i was stimming for 12 days then on day 12 did my trigger shot, 36 hours later had egg collection.
This time im down to stim for 9 days but on a higher dose so we will see!
I second the time off tho, i took the whole week off of my egg collection, had it done on a tues and went back in for transfer friday. I'm not sure i could of coped with being at work with it all going on, i welcomed the time off. I'm planning on taking time off again this time too! X

I've been wondering the same as will find it very difficult to take the whole week off particularly if it doesn't then happen in that week. I've only got 12 days worth of fsh injections so hope that's enough, presume I can get more if urgently needed! Starting mine tonight!

I get given enough for 12 days too but it says on my paperwork if i need more it can be arranged. Good luck tonight blackcherries x

Thanks Hobbes39 and Hope2409. Stimming starts today so I guess we should estimate early/middle next week for egg collection.

Hi everyone downregging going ok so far for me (buserelin injections). No symptoms at all so far and I'm Day 5.
Good luck with stimming Wanda. I'm having baseline scan 17th with menopur starting 18th all going well so should join you soon!

AF finally turned up last night, only a week late. So was able to call the hospital this morning to let them know, they said they would work out my dates and call me back within 10 working days to arrange delivery of the drugs. I think I'll be joining next months thread at this rate.