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'm on short protocol too for anyone else who is!

How's everyone doing this week?

jody hope you're doing okay. It's terrifying starting fertility treatment, feels like last chance saloon doesn't it. The hormones will be affecting you as well. Try to be kind to yourself. My fresh round was 3 years ago but I remember being achey on stims too. They're helping your body grow lots of follicles so not surprising really. I remember my ovaries feeling like tennis balls by the end as I was borderline overstimulated; it might be with reading up on overstimulation symptoms so you know the signs.

I'm 6 days into down regging on burserelin injections. I've had a headache since day 2 despite drinking lots of water and the new, rather unpleasant, side effect ive enjoyed today is palpitations and sweating. Lovely. Only another 7 or 8 weeks to go.

DP and I had scans again today. She has lots of follicles, about 21 I think and at least 5 of them are 9-11mm so far (today is day 8 of stims). They did say growth is a bit slower than expected so they are expecting her to go to day 16 before triggering for EC. We had estimated 12-14 so everything is pushed back a bit.

Thanks xxx I almost passed out at work today so went home. Not sure if it was day1 cetrotide or the blood test that did it! I have a scan and blood test wed am so will know more where I am. Kinda handy but the HR director at work is also having IVF so being very helpful with all my time off questions! She suggested taking week after egg collection off rather than week of. Guess will see how I feel. What have other people done?

Good luck everyone, just confirmed my ec is this week so been up and down a bit but now just looking forward to getting it over with! Got 14 follicles and scan was quite uncomfortable, but some follicles are pretty big so might be 'overcooked'.

Good luck everyone. Af arrived today so just need a blood test to confirm I can start gonal f. Exciting but scary, kind of grateful I've got this far. Was panicking when the clinic said " if af hasn't arrived by such and such date"
Good luck blackcherries for collection

Good luck blackcherries - very exciting to be so near to collection!
Bjones - in at a similar stage as AF came yesterday and I have my baseline scan on Friday. Feels finally like we're close doesn't it! Feeling positive and excited today (will probably pass haha)

Hi geeup we are very close. Are you on long protocol too? I don't think I'm having a baseline scan, I think it's just an oestradiol blood test for me, but I may be wrong also hoping for Friday test so I don't have to take any time off work!! If I didn't have hideous tummy ache I'd be feeling pretty positive too!!!

jody sounds like the stims don't agree with you. Good thing you're on short protocol. EC is definitely more taxing physically; done under GA so that in itself can knock you about a bit. I was lucky my EC was on a Friday so I just took that day off, went back to work Monday then ET the following Wednesday and I took the rest of that week off; more due to the emotional side of things than physical as ET was quick and easy.

Good luck with EC blackcherries, hope you get a great haul of perfect eggs.

Good luck to everyone else starting soon too.

Welcome jodybug - I'm similar to you. ICSI, short protocol (though I'm on second cycle). It can be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, so give yourself some slack. Centrocide injections look more daunting than they are - lots of good youtube videos to help you figure out what's what.

Wow blackcherries that seemed to come round quick. Massive good luck for EC.

I'm starting the Gonal F injections tonight... here's hoping....

Welcome jody

All the best for EC blackcherries

lopi hope your injection went ok tonight!

Nothing to report here still down regging for another 10 days, its dragging. Been keeping a low profile, not really feeling myself at the moment, dont think i'm coping as well as i did before!

Hope everyone is doing ok x

Hi all - seems to be moving fast for lots of you now - hope you are all ok. Blackcherries - good luck this week - keep us posted on how it goes, fingers crossed you get lots of healthy eggs and few fine after EC. I think feeling bloated before EC is a good sign, means you have lots of follicles growing - so while it's uncomfortable hopefully it's all for good reason!
Hope - I'm feeling a bit like you, this stage is dragging and slightly depressing as I'm not as hopeful this time as last time as I know too well it doesn't always work... I finish taking the pill on Thursday and start my buserelin injections on Friday... so if last time is anything to go by I'll be feeling really crap this time next week - but trying not to think about it too much! Fingers crossed for everyone x

Hi all,

I hope you don't mind me jumping on... I am due to start my long protocol with downregulation (Buserlin 0.5ml) starting on Saturday.. So scared of needles.

I had the appointment at the fertility clinic on Friday and I asked the nurse about side effects and diet etc - I was told there's no need to do anything... it felt very rushed and I didn't feel particularly 'happy' at the end of this visit.

xx

Hi CrazyB - welcome to the thread & sorry you were left feeling a bit on the lurch after your appointment. While the nurses at my clinic have been good generally, they sometimes seem to forget that while it's all v obvious and clear to them as they do this every day, to someone actually going through IVF, particularly for the first time, the unknown is so stressful! Sounds like you are doing a similar protocol to me - I've started down reg by being on the pill, but will start buserelin on Friday. I'm on my 2nd round, so been through this before - my experience wasn't too bad physically, just felt a bit low and tired after a few days on the buserelin. The injections really aren't as bad as you think, the needles are tiny, and I can genuinely say that while a couple had a slight stinging sensation, they didn't hurt. I was a bit overwhelmed by it all first time around....but found this forum really helpful as when I panicked about anything, someone had been through it before so could help!
In terms of diet, the hospital haven't said anything at all to me, but researching around a reasonably high protein diet won't hurt, and I've cut out alcohol and lowered caffeine... other than that, I think it's probably best to try to eat healthily but not to stress too much about it. Good luck x

Welcome crazyb sorry you find yourself here!

Like hobbes i have found my clinic to be generally good but as its something they do everyday as a job they dont always appreciate how hard it is to be the one actually going through it!
The needles really arent as bad as you think, i was terrified first time round but really wasnt as bad as i imagined! I hope it all goes well for you!

hobbes i'm not as hopeful this time either, my first time i was weirdly excited by each stage as we were finally getting somewhere but having been touched by it failing i dont feel that way now, i feel sad and down as i know it will be so hard if it doesnt work again! Think that is making me stressy too!
My mum did anger me the other day, (not that it takes much at the moment) we dont talk about it much she finds it all too clinical she says but she txted the other day asking how i was getting on, i was honest and said i wasnt coping great and she never bloody replied! Then i saw her two days later and she never said a word or asked how i was! Think she would rather pretend its not happening which is great for her but doesnt work when your the one doing it!

thanks for good wishes everyone!

While the nurses at my clinic have been good generally, they sometimes seem to forget that while it's all v obvious and clear to them as they do this every day, to someone actually going through IVF, particularly for the first time, the unknown is so stressful!

yeah I have found similar. Been told contradictory information several times (only about small things) and not been told things that would have really helped with planning.

Hobbes - thanks for your advice.

Wish all you ladies luck xxx

How's everyone doing today?
I'm just over a week into burserelin and have woken up this morning in an angry/pmt type mood. Seriously hope this doesn't remain for the rest of the treatment...poor DP will suffer if it does

Hi Silver - I'm ok - last pill today, buserelin start tomorrow...
I didn't feel too bad on it last time, but while I didn't hugely notice being a mardy bum at the time, when I started the stims I definitely realised I had been! So hang in there, hopefully you'll bounce back pretty quickly! X

Hey silver. I was the same. I normally get down or irritable 5 days before AF so that kind of fitted with a week into downregging for me. It has passed though (I think!). I start menopur on Saturday.

Hi silver , poor you. I think I've been quite lucky been on buserlin over a week now and generally feel fine. Going for blood test tomorrow to see if I can start on the fridge drugs as I call them, gonal F. Feeling really apprehensive that they might say I'm not ready for them. Time is of the essence as have a set amount of time off work, and don't want anything to set us back. (I don't want work to know as haven't been in this job very long) could be a long wait tomorrow between blood test in the morning and the results in the afternoon
Hope everyone is doing ok

Jones do they do a scan to check your lining too or just a blood test?

No, just a blood test

Thanks everyone. So glad to have people who get it. DP tries but since he's not stuffing himself with artificial hormones he can't really understand!

My dark mood has lifted somewhat over the course of today so perhaps just a blip. I'm on Burserelin for the next 5-7 weeks depending on how long my period decides to stay awol for so hopefully it will pass entirely.

Good luck for bloods tomorrow jones. It's strange how all the clinics operate slightly differently isn't it. Mine only do scan to check lining.

I'm bricking it now am so excited! Had a scan yesterday and they said my lining nice and thick now and a good number of follicles! Just a matter of getting them to the right size and over the 18 mark..... got another scan and blood test tomorrow so fingers crossed we are good to go! If so it's egg collection next week!