Day 1 of IVF treatment - follow my journey

[IVFmumtobe]

Hi,

I wanted to start a blog of my IVF experience to help other women in the same position as me, but also to keep me calm through an unknown experience.

I'm 37, and my husband and I have being trying to conceive for a long time and began investigations with the NHS in February 2016. Today, 20 months later is Day 1 of IVF treatment. Due to my polycystic ovaries I have been placed on a short cycle. This means from day 1 of IVF drugs, my egg collection is approximately 10-14 later. Polysystic ovaries produce more follicles in your ovaries, hence a shorter cycle, but there can be risks of hyper stimulation during this phase (let's hope not!).

I was nervous about self-injecting but let me reassure you that it is very easy, and just feels like a little scratch. I have been advised I may
feel tired and experience bloating from the ovaries growing in size. Baggy pants are ready! I've attached a photo of the drugs which stimulate the follicles in the ovaries and those which stop ovulation.

I'm booked for a follow up scan in 5 days, 7 days and then egg collection in 10 days.

I'm feeling excited, but nervous... sounds about right I suppose?

Follow my posts, and share your thoughts on this experience...

:-)

A question from someone who is preparing for IVF in January: are you eating organic food? I have been but it's so expensive

Hi Twinkledag,

Welcome :-)
As far as the research I’ve done, organic food is not required. That’s said, I’ve read it is good for you so certainly no harm done there. My advice would be to stop alcohol and caffeine altogether at least 3 months prior to your treatment, increase your vegetables (try 5 a day), and avoid unnatural sugars - basically a high GI and healthy diet. And, you guessed it at least 2 litres of water a day. Your doctor can advise what is best for you as an individual, but it can’t harm to eat healthy. I’d also advise a multivitamin with folic acid in the run up to yours treatment. So, a few sacrifices but all worth it in the end! Stay in touch...

Thanks for answering.

Maybe I should just take the hit of the organic food expense. It doubles my food bill though!!

There's absolutely no evidence that organic food makes any difference to fertility outcomes, so save your money!
All the clinics advise to eat healthily and drink water (partly because the drugs can make you feel a bit poop and bloated at certain stages). Take folic acid and anything else your clinic recommends.
A bit of alcohol or caffeine pre transfer isn't going to have any bad effect but understandable if you're not fussed anyway, you might as well knock it on the head.
Post transfer you can't exercise for a while so it's not the worst thing to try not to completely go off the wagon diet wise in the lead up. Not because it affects outcome, you might just feel a bit staypuft.
Lifestyle factors have a bigger effect on sperm so it's more your partner who ideally would be minding their drinking a bit with this lot of sperm. Your egg quality is what it is, you can't change it with diet etc.
Good luck! :)

Thank you Ruby!

This is round 3 for us. We already have a DS from our first FET in 2013. Our problem is male factor.

We are with Serum in Greece. They have put DH on anti biotics. I'm trying to be healthy but real life gets in the way! That said I do eat a lot of veg - a big mixed salad daily at least. Caffeine, I drink decaf and alcohol we both have given up.

This is our last round before we move on as a one-child family so really want it to work.

Ruby - I'm taking co-q 10 as that does have an effect on egg quality.

Fair enough, there's no evidence to suggest it does harm. But equally I've ever seen any research evidence to show it improves egg quality. Lots of anecdotal 'evidence' but that's circumstantial to me rather than hard evidence and could be a result of any number of confounding factors (I'm from a science/health background).
So for eg I've been through two cycles. Very similar stims, they just started me on the higher dose marginally earlier the second time. Barely anything in it. First time we had about 10 eggs and very :/ quality embryos. Second time we got 30++ eggs of which over a third were top quality blastocysts. If I'd taken coq-10, I could attribute it to that (I didn't) and my lifestyle didn't change, but if I had, I could easily attribute it to that (anecdotal) whereas it was actually something else. We just don't know enough about some stuff to be able to tell.

As an aside my IVF clinic never recommended it and they have one of the best lots of stats in the country I live in.

At the end of the day, I think you have to do what feels right for you, so if that involves organic food or certain supplements that are harmless, go for it! 😁

Hellooooooo what a lovely thread. I’m starting my first IVF cycle in a few weeks - it’ll be our 24th cycle trying to conceive. Fingers crossed there will be lots of BFPs coming up xx

RubyBoots 30 eggs, wow!
How did you feel after they were collected? Any OHSS symptoms?
Best of luck to you.

Yes I developed mild OHSS and my ovaries were still ginormous a few days after EC. Even with precautionary meds post EC. Didn't feel too bad compared to general IVF bleurgh but it's hard to tell what is what. Clinic advised against doing the fresh transfer as planned, because of risk of it becoming severe if I got pregnant. They also refused to transfer 2 embryos in that situation (which was our plan). So we froze them, and had some time off, had a big holiday, partied with friends, did all the stuff that is trickier when you're IVFing. When we felt ready we went back for the FET. Now I'm glad because we have a load of frozen embryos but at the time it wasn't ideal and obvs could've been nasty of the OHSS got worse.

Hi,

Had my second scan yesterday, and was kept on the same dose of drugs. I’ve grown 5 follicles in each ovary varying in size from 8-12mm and I’ve been advised the lining is healthy too! Exciting news, and have a follow up scan tomorrow with a possible trigger injection for EC Monday. I’ve felt a few pains today in my ovaries, and lower back pain - all good excuse for the hubby to give me a foot rub! I’m excited for tomorrow!

Hi ivfmum
Thats amazing news!!! I have my scan tomorrow with possible trigger for monday EC. Keeping everything crossed for us both! Im feeling very full and achy in there and with a lot of EWCM yuck
Hoping this is all good news for us both
Sounds promising !!!!

Hi,
Third scan today and I now have 14 follicles of size from 6-17mm so sadly no egg collection on Monday. My Menapur dozen has been increased to grow the follicles and increase my oestrogen levels. They are at 780, and I’ve been advised they are looking for 3000-4000! Here’s to some weekend growth!

Hi IVFMUM
I had my scan today and had 18 follies ranging from 7mm to 16mm so another 2 days of menopur and EC tuesday now instead eeeek.
Do you have a new ec date. Yours sound almost there with some at 17mm!

Star198- I have another scan Monday and subject to size and oestrogen levels Wednesday would be EC, but could be later. Only one was 17mm, the rest 11-14 and a few 6mm... Just took my higher evening dose so fingers crossed! Good luck to you

That sounds so similar to mine! Im sure you will be in for ec weds. So exciting that the end is finally near!
Keeping everything crossed for you for the green light monday

Hi,

Fourth and final scan today! I’ve grown 18 follicles and 6 are between 14-22mm and I’m now ready for egg collection on Wednesday. I’ve been given Gonasi as my trigger injection which I’ve taken at a specific time... Feeling excited but a little worried about my EC operation. Fingers crossed it goes well!

So exciting best of luck for weds! Im in for ec tomorrow morning eeek
Feeling so real now

Good luck Star198, let us know how it goes and how you feel!

Thank you so much! Just about to set off i will let you know :)

Best of luck to both of you

All done. Sedation is good. I remembered most of mine but im fine just achy now
Will know shortly how many eggs etc

We got 12 eggs and all looks good so far. We will know tomorrow morning how many have fertilised . Im feeling sore and like i have period pains but am ok.
All the very best for yours tomorrow x

Thank you twinkledag
All the best to you too. When do you have egg transfer

Star - I am going for IVF #3 in January hopefully.