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

So sorry Bee.. Sending virtual hugs x

Thank you so much for the kind words and realistic support geeup and bjones. Sux that we all know what it feels like, but means so much to have your thoughts.

The waiting is so hard too... I can only get follow up appointment with my consultant on 25th May. So a month of not knowing what her thoughts are or what my next steps will be. Or timings. Urgh.

Thank you too ozzy x

Good luck for early testing musha. I agree doing it early and if you can in private, means you can prepare yourself for the worst, and not break down too much in front of OH or nurses, etc.
But fingers crossed it will be positive for you all the way!

Am so sorry bee It's all so unfair and the fact that there doesn't seem that be any obvious reason why some stick and some don't just makes it harder. Am really sorry as well that you can't see your consultant until the end of May - is there anyway you could see someone else earlier? Our consultant is also away till the end of May but we were able to book to see someone else. Thinking of you and your OH - take care of each other and do some nice things together to try and take your mind off it a bit (easier said than done I know) xx

Hope you had better news this morning nemo.

Sounds like a sensible plan musha - like bee said, hopefully you'll have good news, but just in case you don't, it's much preferable not to have to be in work.

Hope you're both doing ok bjones and gee.

Oh Bee - I'm so sorry to hear that. It's so so frustrating that there are so little answers... i feel your pain. Look after yourself and take what time you need. I also understand your frustration regarding the 'follow up' appointment... ours isn't until the end of May... which is 6 weeks after my negative test. Honestly, don't put too much weight on the follow up though - last time I was counting on it to give me some answers but it didnt, it was more of a 'this is what we do next' appointment rather than a review - and wasn't all that helpful for me anyway. Good luck with what you decide to do next xxx
And good luck to those of you still waiting to hear x

I agree about the follow up, ours is on the 12th may. I'm not sure what we'll get out of it. And worried it will set me back, I'm doing ok now (still very sad but more at he point of coping with it) and feel that going to the clinic will bring it all back.
We haven't solved our timing issue yet but I wanted to ask you ladies if you use the same clinic again?
My feelings are that it's failed there once so why would it work a 2nd time - or is it better as they know what meds I was on last time?

Bee I'm so sorry! I had everything crossed that things would come good for you :(! I know it must be so tough but try and stay strong, look after yourself and take some time for you! xx

After 4 years ttc things finally came good for us this morning! I'm feeling incredibly lucky/blessed, but realise it's early days so just going to take it one day at a time! Thank you so much everyone for all your support and kind wishes, it really has helped me not feel quite so isolated during this difficult time! xx

Congratulations nemo wonderful news for you xx

Congrats Nemo that's wonderful, so happy for you xx

Just you and me left now Ozzy

Congrats nemo. Hopefully you're the first of our luck changing on this thread.
Jones - I'm sticking with my clinic but probably mainly because I'm NHS and there's no other clinic nearby I'd consider! We really like the clinic im at and from what most people say, it's a luck thing rather than anything we or the clinic did. It would be a harder decision if I was private though. I sometimes fantasise about ARGC with their daily blood tests who so many people hate but have success rates of about 80% apparently but apparently that's a fix and they send hard to treat people to another satellite clinic or something.

Fantastic news nemo. So pleased for you and we are all so desperate for some happy news, and ditto geeup, may this be some luck changes ongoing for us all. Wishing you and OH all the very best after such a long struggle. You deserve the happy times now. Yay!

Thanks lulah and bjones for your thoughts. I've got 4 rounds of IVF through NHS, and have used 2 now. (How did I ever hope it would only take 1?!) And now I am getting quite precious and scared around my next and final two rounds going unsuccessfully. Thanks hobbes and bjones for heads-up around what to expect (or rather not to expect) from my follow up with consultant. Sorry you're both having to wait so long to get seen. I had hoped for more... detailed run-through of my previous 2 rounds, lots of questions around if change protocol and meds for next, and what tests might be suggested for future investigations in hope of success. But I guess that's not the angle they will take, or time.

The nurses at my clinic are so lovely, and besides often long waiting times to get appointments, and waiting to be seen on appointment day, and a tricky initial ET (consultant struggled getting catheter in), I think I will stick to my clinic. Also, I have no idea if I could change to another, as I'm NHS, for my final two?!

Yes, I've heard the same about ARGC geeup, it's so tempting but confusing if it's fiddled stats.

Nemo- congratulations! Lovely news and wishing you a healthy 9 months! I can well imagine that you are not wanting to get too excited yet after waiting so long, but try to relax and enjoy it

Bee - try not to worry, having 2 more goes is brilliant (and hopefully you will only need one). I know we all know how shit this is to go through, but at least you have more chances ahead and each time they learn something. Your clinic might be more thorough than mine - it may be that they will suggest further investigations, it's just that mine were of the opinion that the time for investigations is over now, (despite being unexplained) which annoys me...
jones - I have thought of changing clinic to be honest as I'm annoyed that my clinic don't appear to think monitoring my progesterone in the tww is worthwhile, whereas I know some clinics will if you are an early bleeder like me... so we will see what they say at my review and if they are prepared to consider it, I may change. The only problem is that we are out in the countryside and it's far enough away as it is to our clinic at the moment, the other option is even further... but we will see. I too have had fantasies about ARCG but the money involved is eye watering plus I'm not sure how we could do t logistically with our DS, our DDog and with work, as we would have to stay in London for a couple of weeks at least I'd have thought.... so even if we had the money I can't see how we can do it... 😢. Are their stats dodgy then? I didn't realise!

Very sorry to hear that bee. I hope you are feeling positive about your next steps. Sending you good wishes

Congratulations nemo! Wonderful news

Thank you laurel. How are you? Got a date for FET this month?

Thank you everyone for all the lovely messages! xx

At the moment I'm waiting for AF and will then start medication to prepare for the FET, probably 12-14 days later. It's our first time so I don't know what to expect. The consultant's protocol is progesterone by intra-muscular needles in the buttocks rather than tablets or into the tummy. He said the needles are big and I must admit I'm a bit nervous. Hoping it's not too different from needles into the tummy? I know it's a silly thing to worry about given everything we're doing.

Any experiences gladly received!
Thank you bee for asking, I appreciate it X

Congratulations nemo thats wonderful news!

bee so sorry it didnt work for you this time, take care of yourself xx

Thank you hope.

Trust things are well with you? Your first scan is next week

Hoping AF arrives for you soon laurel & then you can start meds & kick off your cycle. I'm afraid I have no experience to share with butt injections but I can imagine numbing the area with ice cube might be helpful?! Best of luck x

Congratulations Nemo!!! Great news! Hopefully you've started a lucky streak 😊 x

My advice on injections is:
Pinch an inch (quite firmly) when you're inserting the needle - I always did tummy, and swapped sides but found the right hand side the easiest, maybe as I'm right handed
Go below the tummy button - not above
Make sure the needle goes in at 90degrees to your skin - if it's at an angle it hurts a lot more!
When the needle is in, let go of the inch before you depress the plunger - don't keep the skin taut
Pull out gently keeping the 90 degree angle
The stimming needles are finer than the downregging ones so you're getting the worst bit out the way early.
You get the hang of it honestly! I did my injections in the car (both in the move and in a jam!), in my work loos, at a friend's house in the loo, even at BAFTA in the loo! I kept my needles in a firm zipped wash bag and put them in my sharps bin when I got home.
Always make sure you have the days medication on you just incase the car broke down/missed or cancelled train etc. Good luck!

Thank you geeup! Much appreciated. Needles at BAFTA - very glam X

Morning ladies.. Can anybody else see two lines??? It's a bit faint for my liking and to be honest I feel no better than I did with not knowing yesterday 😩
I've read a lot about chemical pregnancies and this is how they start isn't it??
Sorry if I'm being a negative Nancy 🙈 OH always tells me off for it, I'm just so used to bad news all the time