First time for ICSI

[Ema2017]

Hi everyone,
Myself and my partner have just had funding grated to start our ICSI treatment. I went into the Hewitt fertility centre on Tuesday and had another blood test done for ruebella and was told we will receive an appointment in the post just to sign all the consent forms and then start treatment.
My partner has cystic fibrosis which means he doesn't naturally produce sperm. He has already been to Broadgreen 2 weeks ago and had his op done to take sperm direct from him which is all done and we have had notification all fine and his sperm is in the lab.
Every time I go the Hewitt centre I have loads of questions but then my mind goes blank!! I know I will start on treatment but can anyone help with what cycle day this starts? I'm due on my period any day now. Am I right in thinking I will have to go the hospital every 2 days for blood and scans? How many days after are eggs collected?
Will I need time off work?
I'm worried as I only started my current job in June and I'm in a 6 month probation period so I don't really want to tell work unless I have to? Will they give me a sick note does anyone know?
We have been going through tests etc for 10/11 months so obviously I don't want this to affect anything but of course if we are planning a family I need to keep my job.
Thank you in advance
Emma xx

I have a journal that I keep of all test date and results. I ALSO have a page for each appointment on which I write the questions I want to ask.

Have you been to the info evening? Are you going long or short protocol? When does your cycle start?

You will need time off, for scans and bloods (unless these can be arranged before work, during lunch etc...). Sometimes these are at short notice. You will also want at least your egg collection day off. Some people (but not many) get very ill with something called OHSS, and need significantly more time off work.

Haven't gone through the process myself, so this is just based off info gleaned from these boards. Have a read of the thread detailing another poster's first IVF cycle day by day....

I haven't been to an open evening no, to be honest myself and my partner are very private when it comes to this so I don't think either of us would feel comfortable in a room of people discussing it. I know that sounds odd as I'm on here but I find reading forums a lot easier.
I haven't actually been told what I'll be going on yet but when I went on Tuesday they did mention short? I'm currently on day 31 of my cycle. I'm usually every 27/28 days but I think because I'm panicking a little now that stress must be delaying me this month.
Do you know if the facility centre will do me appointment letters I can give into work but not saying what I'm having done at all?
I'm just awaiting our next appointment letter so obviously I will ask these questions then too.
When are you starting treatment?
Emma xx

Hi there. I’ve had two cycles so can let you know how it worked for me. It can be a little different depending on your protocol. I was on the antagonist protocol.

On the 1st day of my period I ring up and let the clinic know. I attend for bloods and a scan the next day. Then I do stims for 8 days and go in for another scan on day 10. Depending on how the follicles grow they say come back tomorrow, in 2 days, etc. At that scan if things look good they do bloods again to confirm oestrogen levels are good for egg colllection. They ring later in the day (day 11 or 12) and tell me when to do trigger injection that night.

Egg collection will be 36 hours after this, so usually day 14. Egg collection will require min 1 day off, but really you’ll need 2-3 for recovery. Then you go back 2,3, or 5 days after ec for transfer. This might only take an hour and you can go back to work straight away, but you are usually given a time - not flexible booking.

You will probably need to tell work something but could be vague saying you are having some medical tests/procedures done and will need time off. The hospital should be able to provide a note confirming medical appointments if needed. Good luck.

Bluebird3 - Thank you for your message that was really helpful! This may sound stupid but when you say you did stims do you mean started the treatment? Is that the needles?
I am going to miss this month then as I'm due on anytime and still waiting my appointment through the post so I guess I will be starting in December.
Was your second time successful? It's hard trying to be optimistic but not too much if you get me, it's constantly on my mind!
Is there anything I should be taking in the run up, vitamin wise? Folic acid?
Also i know I will not even be touching alcohol while on treatment but what about now, should I cut it out all together? It's my birthday this month and I'm unsure if I should cancel any plans which involves alcohol?
Emma xx

Hi
I didn't have short protocol so can't help you there.
But yes def start folic acid as soon as poss. I think advice is to ideally start it three months before you conceive (but it'll be fine if you start it now).
The injections honestly aren't bad at all. It's a head fudge the first time sticking a needle in your belly. You might want to get your partner to do some if he can as it overcomes that block plus he'll feel more involved. And see what youre going through first hand!! And you might worry about other stuff like air bubbles, is there a tiny bit of solution left in the container, etc etc. By the end you're in a skanky pub toilet mixing up and jabbing yourself without a second thought ;)
If you have injections post embryo transfer as well (you may well not as lots of people have pessaries or tablets if they need progesterone), then if they also give you a blood thinner, that can be a slight pita as you bruise a lot more. But it's still not a big deal.
I also had intra muscular injections (in lower back area) which my partner had to do and they were fine too. Again I think that's unusual for NHS funded because of cost.
An ice pack is good if you get sore just to numb the area before you jab it.
If the instructions say massage, make sure you do after you injections to distribute the meds and prevent bumps (not dangerous, just a pita again).
And alternate the sites.
It's weird that you can inject one place and it sting a little, but move 5mm and you can't feel it at all. You'll get to know the best spots on your abdomen for it.
We did two cycles (second one successful) and the thought of injections doesn't bother me in the slightest. I actually find the pessaries more agg.

I took the day off for egg collection.
On my protocol during stimming I was being scanned every other day and blood and sometimes bloods on the off day. I juggled it around work but it was hard as it wasn't local and work don't know. When I could, I took a block of leave for the two weeks or so of stims, just to take the pressure off. The schlepping back and forwards to the clinic was tiring and one of the hardest bits for me (4hr round trip).
Good luck!!

Oh also I totally drank beforehand and even a bit up to ET, but everyone is different. Same with diet. No evidence for organic diet etc but people do it and that's cool. Do what feels right for you. Don't allow yourself to feel judged whatever choices you make and follow the advice of your clinic :)

Aww thank you for your message! It really does help reading other people's stories especially when they have happy endings 🤗 I just can't wait to get started now. We have 3 goes on the NHS which is really good considering Iv read some areas only get 1. I know everyone is hopeful of it working first time, so am I but I suppose you have to be realistic too. I'm not sure of my statistics but I'm a healthy 28 year old so I'm hoping that goes in my favour. I will get the folic acid straight away thanks for that! Xx

Hi Ema. Yes stims are injections. So I did one injection (to stimulate lots of eggs to grow) from day 2-5 on its own, then added in a 2nd one (to prevent ovulating all those lovely eggs) for the rest of days until the trigger. No more injections after trigger!

My first round was a negative. My 2nd was positive but then ended in an early miscarriage unfortunately. I’m gearing up for round 3 next month. They will give you loads of info before you start, so don’t worry too much about the ins and outs, but this gives you a general idea. As the previous poster said the physical side isn’t too bad. I think the hardest part is after the egg collection when you are waiting to hear from the clinic how the embryos are doing. It’s normal for there to be some attrition at each stage but it’s really anxiety provoking to lose embryos and hope you have enough to transfer/freeze.

I choose not to drink or have caffeine during my cycles and try to cut back the month or so before. I don’t think you have to but it’s generally thought neither are great for eggs so I feel happy to cut those out for a few weeks.

Definitely get on folic acid and vitamin d every day. Other than that just try to have a generally healthy diet and try to remain as low stress as possible with running, yoga, watching Netflix...whatever floats your boat!

We did a private cycle so it probably was a little different. Before we started, we got an injection lesson with the nurse and had all the protocol explained step by step. Start time was negotiable to fit in with the clinic and our life. I went in for bloods and scans every 2 days and then every day at the end but the NHS often do only 2-3 scans.

Time of work is good as it can be quite an emotional time and you could be really sore around egg collection and embryo transfer times. A lot of ladies do acupuncture in the run up too + before and after embryo transfer on the day.

Supplement-wise, folic acid is a must but it’s also worth considering a multivitamin and omega 3. It’s also important to eat a relatively high protein diet and keep your blood sugar levels steady.

Thank you both for all your information and advice. I have been this morning and bought myself folic acid, multi vitamins and vitamin D with calcium too 🤗
I'm not sure why I haven't been told yet to start taking these but atleast I'm one step ahead I guess.
I'm starting to panic slightly as I think I'll be on my 2 week break and the egg is planted over the Christmas period which I think will either mak this one the best yet or one I won't forget for negative reasons 👎🏼
Also it's really odd but I'm now on day 32 of my cycle and still haven't started my period! Maybe at this rate I'll end up starting treatment on this next cycle?

Hi do you have any updates? My partner of 8 years is a Male with cf and we have our first appointment at the Hewitt centre coming up, what are the timescales like? I have so many questions i feel like my head is going to fall off. Of course with anyone with cf it’s such a fear of what will happen when he gets poorly he is only 24 at the moment but cf is so terrifying I just want everything to happen quickly and smoothly! Hope you are doing well x