Confused - Starting journey re IVF

[CrazyButterfly1]

Hi,

I had my pre treatment scan about a week ago. My AMH level seems to have gone down a little so slightly worried.

However the main reason is due to male infertility that I am having to go down the route of IVF/ICSI.

Everything appears to have been rushed and I have no idea what to expect next. I rang the clinic today they advised that they have sent me the protocol out in the post and that I should ring on the first day of my period. Perhaps I caught them at the wrong time as they were about to close for the day.

Can someone explain what is to happen just to give me a general idea please?!

Thanks in advance

Xx

Hi crazybutterfly sorry to hear that you are having to go through this and feel you dont know whats going on.

Every clinic is different and i dont know if things differ depending on if your NHS or private but i have written what happened for my first cycle so you have some idea how things might go! It was an NHS cycle for me.

When i did my first cycle of ICSI it all felt very surreal, once all our tests were done we got our protocol through the post with information on drugs, dosages, upcoming scans and bloods etc... i had to ring up the clinic when my period arrived so day 1 and they booked me.
10 days later the drugs company called me to arrange delivery of all my stuff, then it all arrived a few days later.
I started using my down regging nasal spray from day 21 and was on this for 3 weeks sniffing twice a day.
I then went to the clinic for a scan to check everything had 'shut down' properly, had bloods and they taught me how to do my injections.
I started my stimming injections that evening, once a day, every evening for 12 days, i had 3 scans with bloods in that time to check my follicles were growing nicely.
At my final scan they confirmed i was ready for egg collection and i did my trigger injection that evening.
Had egg collection approx 36 hours later. After that it depends how your embryos do as to if you go back in for embryo transfer 3 or 5 days later. I went back in on day 3 and had 2 embryos put back.
Its then the dreaded 2 week wait till you find out if its all worked!
During our treatment we had no contact from the clinic except for our appointments and check ups, and we were left to it for the 2 week wait, we did a pregnancy test at home and had to ring them with the result.

I always felt like they should of called or kept in touch more just to check i was ok as the treatment went on but i guess they have too many patients to do that. They were always great when we saw them and im sure if i had any problems i could of called and they would of helped.

Sadly it didnt work out for us and our test was negative. We are about to start our second cycle in a week.

Sorry for the essay, i hope it helps even a little! If you have anymore questions feel free to ask and i will try my best!!!

Xxx

hope just explained it wonderfully but don't worry - most clinics do a class or teach where they talk you through all of this. I felt up to that point I was in the wilderness, but after that had so much more info. Good luck!

It all depends on what protocol you are on. I am on the antagonist protocol. It's been like this...

About a week before my period was due I had a nurse appointment to be taught how to do injections.

I rang the clinic when my period arrived. I went in the next day and they did an internal scan to make sure I was ready to start. They gave me the prescription and I went to the hospital pharmacy to collect the drugs.

I began 1 injection (gonal-f) the next day which stimulates the ovaries. On the 5th day of injections I began injecting the 2nd drug, cetrozide. I continued both for 4 days. I went in for another internal scan and they told me how many follicles were growing. I went back the next day for another scan and blood test. Was told to give the trigger injection that night and 36 hours later is egg collection. That is for me tomorrow.

Then I will have the transfer 2,3 or 5 days later depending on how the eggs fertilise.

I will be booked in for a blood pregnancy test 2 weeks after egg collection rather than doing one at home. I think this is so they can see numbers to confirm pregnancy rather than poas which could end up being a chemical.

If it is successful I will be booked in for an early scan around 7weeks. If not then I will be booked in for a meeting to discuss why it didn't work and make a plan going forward.

Good luck with everything. For me, IVF so far hasn't been as big and scary as I imagined it and I don't doubt I could do another round if need be.