IVF cycle buddies June/July

[Hobbes39]

Hi! I'm hoping that this is 3rd time lucky for us... due to start process for my first Frozen transfer in June, with the actual transfer being in July... anyone want to join me on the journey? We have 2 unsuccessful fresh cycles behind us, and I have this one single little embryo from the last cycle sitting in the freezer waiting for me. It's a 3BB and all my hopes are pinned on it being the one!
We have unexplained secondary infertility, have a DS who will be 4 in August, and I've just turned 40, so time isn't on our side... so I'm now waiting for my period to start (due in about 10-14 days, although my cycles are mucked up since our ivf failed in April)... but once it comes i will be down regged to them do transfer early July I think! Fingers crossed we get lucky this time...!

[Pyjamas81]

Thanks! I am of course already worrying!! Hopefully acupuncture this afternoon should chill me out...

[Hobbes39]

Congratulations pyjamas! Hopefully you have lots to take your mind off it all for the next 9 days... honestly trying to forget about it is probably the best strategy... although I can't take my own advice as both times I've been ok for the first 5-6 days but then knicker-watch-tastic after that... 🙄. Good luck! X

[Pyjamas81]

I've got work to distract me Hobbes - the only issue is my job is stressful and I hate it

Quick question - should I carry on taking uniquinol after transfer? I was on 300mg for several months but have dropped it down to 100mg (was expensive!)

[geeup]

Pyjamas - I'd keep taking it. Hate to be the pessimist but if it doesn't work this time and you want to try again, you'll want the best eggs ever. As you know my first cycle failed and now three months on, I'm trying again. Hopefully yours will work though!!

[Pyjamas81]

You're totally right gee! Shall carry on 😊

[Goodluckjonathan76]

Pyjamas81, what dose of gonal F were you on? Was your AMH around 7? Trying to compare to what I am taking although everyone responds differently, of course. My dose seems pretty large (225 of fostimon and 225 of merional) (takes 10 minutes just to get all the vial etc out!) although I was assured that it was the minimum required to stimulate at my age (40). Wondering if I should expect 6-7 eggs like you. First scan and bloods after taking stims is tomorrow which is day 6. Can they tell how many eggs/follicles are cooking or too early? If this cycle doesn't work, can't see myself doing another.

[Goodluckjonathan76]

Hobbes, where are you in your cycle? What was your AMH, do you mind me asking? Like you, I am also 40 and have two DSs (9 and 7) with my ex-DH. Been TTC with DH for 19 months with no luck at all. Hard to get your head around not being able to conceive after having done it twice. I massively underestimated the impact age has.

[Pyjamas81]

Hi goodluck - my AMH is 5.4 (low for my age at 36) and I was on 300 of gonal f followed by Cetrotide a few days later to suppress ovulation. They could see 9 follicles at my first scan after starting meds (5 strong ones from right ovary and 4 playing catch up on the left), as scans progressed they predicted getting 6-7 eggs, they got 6 at egg collection, 5 fertilised, 1 made it to early blast today on day 5 and got transferred, the rest very unlikely to make it.

Hope that helps and good luck for your first scan!

[Hobbes39]

Hi GoodLuck - hope your scan goes well tomorrow! At day 6 of stims they will get an idea of how many are responding and potentially can chance level of meds in response.
My AMH is 15.4, so good for my age supposedly, so first round they or me on just 150 of bemfola, and from a baseline AFC of 14 only 6 follicles did anything , and I got 5 eggs. The 2nd time around they put me on 225 gonal F and got 7 eggs. As you say everyone responds differently and tbh I think too much emphasis is put on the AMH as I clearly show that a 'good' AMH doesn't always correlate with a 'good' response. They had predicted 10-15 eggs for me on the aid of AMH when I first started this whole process! X

[Hobbes39]

Sorry for so many typos! Arg... hope that makes sense...

[geeup]

I'm sorry I don't remember my AMH but remember I'm the very low end of normal for my age (34). I was on the highest dose of menopur (450) so 3 vials and yes still only looking like 6ish. I can't imagine having 20+ eggs!!!

[Nigeltufnellover]

Just had call from embryologist, it's day 3 post egg collection and 14 embryos are still going (15 fertilised) so we're going for blastocyst transfer on saturday.
Really pleased with the result so far, but embryologist said between today and day 5 will tell them the most info. And that we can expect to lose at least 2/3rds.

God it's fraught. And I thought the drugs would be the worst bit!

Hope everyone's ok. Is anyone on the crinone gel? I'm sure most of it is falling out

[Pyjamas81]

That's great news Nigel! Yes, those days are particularly difficult

First day back at work and I'm baby bombed as soon as I've sat down 🙁 I mean I know I'm PUPO, but still...

[Goodluckjonathan76]

Thanks all. Very helpful. V curious to see how many are in there. Tummy feels swollen and very sore from the injections plus I feel bloated and think I have a tummy bug, plus head aches literally all day. Does anyone else have these symptoms?

Nigel, 14 is amazing! Do they really expect to lose 2/3 though? Seems a bit drop off rate.

Psyching myself up for the next 7 days - does anyone know if the cetrotide injection is also a small needle? At least it comes ready made. Also, what drugs are you on after egg collection, if any? I think I have to take oestrogen tablets and possibly start progesterone but think that's it.

[Goodluckjonathan76]

Geeup, did you have any side effects from 450 of menopur?

[Fox23]

Just read an interesting article about high vs low carb diet research just done. Apparently they did a study on women on ivf. Those on low carb diet had 58% success rate. Those on high only 11% !!!! No more sandwiches for me

[Fox23]

What do you think? I just nearly bought a sandwich for lunch... remembered and put it back. I think I'm getting too paranoid

[Pyjamas81]

Absolute cruelty from clinic just now - they called saying they wanted to update me on embryos, then phone cut out, then there's me thinking it must be good because they called (they said they would only call with good news but to assume they wouldn't call), then they called back saying none reached blastocyst stage so they're not freezing any 🙁. So this little McBlob is our one chance on this go. I know I shouldn't worry as it's out of my hands, but so hard not to when the one on board was just at early blasto stage by day 5 rather than full blasto 😰

[Fox23]

Oh Pyjamas! Let's keep fingers crossed for McBlob jr!!

[geeup]

Good luck - no major side effects except 2 nights where I was a crazy crying psycho bitch bit moody and emotional.
Pyjamas - hopefully that's the one though and you don't need anything to freeze

[79Karen]

Really interesting about meds, age and Amh etc. I'm 38 with an amh of 16.4 so long protocol. Started 300 gonal f but scan on monday was a bit disappointing and they upped me to 375, going back tomorrow, will be day 12 then, really hope the extra has done the trick I've really upped my protein, kept everything warm, been going for walks to keep blood flowing, loads of water. fingers crossed

[79Karen]

And 14 Nigel is great, good luck

[Goodluckjonathan76]

Pyjamas, that is disappointing but remember it only takes 1! Fingers crossed for you.

So, I just had my first scan and bloods (CD6). There are 12 follicles in there, all of varying sizes, a couple at 11mm, another at 8, 10, and one at 15! Lining is 8mm, I think. They said it's a good number of follicles so far but they can't tell anything more as it will depend on which keep growing. They did bloods and will call later to let me know whether to start cetrotide and if dose of meds is ok or needs changing. So, ok overall but finding it hard to be positive. We''ve done 6 IUIs and on pretty much every occasion everything looked good, mature follicles, lining and hormones perfect and semen sample fantastic but it never happened. Maybe at least this time we will find out why.

[Fox23]

Goodluck- it sounds very positive! 12 sounds like a good number! Fingers crossed!

[Goodluckjonathan76]

So, very disappointing news for us this evening. DH did a repeat semen culture test which showed high levels of enterococcus faecalis and so we cannot do IVF unless we do ICSI. Both DH and I do not want to do ICSI so it looks like we will cancel this cycle. In floods of tears as it feels like it's the end of the road and such a waste of eggs! We made it clear to the nurse that we did not want to do ICSI. I wish they had suggested doing the semen culture before we start!!!! My cycle is going to be completely screwed up and I have stimulated for no reason, not to mention the costs. Very upset.