Worried IVF will fail as I haven't made lifestyle changes

[twinkledag]

Had lots going on, moving house and have a toddler. Exercise gone out of the window. Food good 60-70% off the time.

DH exercises 3 times a week, smoothies every day. Both on supplements. We have male factor so have to have ICSI.

Having ICSI in January at Serum. Now worried it’s going to fail as I haven’t done enough.

Have a failed cycle from last year

I am the exact same, twinkle.
Had a failed cycle last year, and was determined to have a really healthy diet. Started off good, went to the gym 3 times a week.... but haven’t been recently due to things going on. I ate ice cream last night and felt so guilty. Also had a takeaway last night and tonight!! 😮

I start ICSI in January... that gives me nearly 3 months by the time of EC, so going to start again.

But... I do feel that we need to be good to ourselves. And that obsessing and stressing will be worse than anything for us.

Wishing you all the best! Xx

There is so much luck involved and so many things you can’t control. Don’t beat yourself up.

I said something similar to my nurse the other day, and she pointed out 95% of women drink during the first 4 weeks of pregnancy as they aren’t aware they are pregnant, and people all over the world get pregnant during unspeakable situations like famin and war. Don’t stress yorself it sounds like you are doing amazing!! X

Behere - it’s so hard around December/xmas time!

Thank you chatty

There’s still a bit of time and every little helps. If it’s tricky to be completely disciplined, at least try to walk places on foot and squeeze excercise once a week or however often you manage. It’s good that you’re taking supplements. On the healthy food front, get lots of nice fruit and veg that can be snacked on (carrots, peas, corn, broccoli, lettuce, radishes) - even if you don’t always have proper meals, you’ll get plenty of antioxidants this way.
Try your best given the circumstances and don’t beat yourself over not being Little Miss Perfect.

Thank you pug

Thank you jojo - tend to have a big salad for lunch most days with chicken and loads of green veg and cabbage.

I think I’m panicking cause it’s all starting to get so close and feel more real and today I read I should be eating more avocados 🙈🙈🙈

That’s how I feel twinkle... I generally eat healthy. But I tried kale the other day (was disgusting) and I just can’t eat avacados every day. I’m sure you’re doing great.

And we need to enjoy Xmas before the treatment all starts again! 😉 x

Behere - enjoying Xmas for me means drinking Bailey’s every day. Not sure that’s the IVF diet way

I don't do any formal form of exercise (although normal bmi due to good genetics and busy life working full-time with toddler!). Diet is okish although I don't really eat many vegetables and it could be more varied, I enjoy my bag of crisps and chocolate bar every day... I changed absolutely nothing in preparation for ivf (and it worked). We also have mfi and hubby is naturally very healthy (he enjoys exercise and healthy food, we're like chalk and cheese). I'm a believer that if you're in decent enough health then going crazy with brazil nuts, kale and goodness knows what else is a waste of time. If these things helped the doctors would prescribe them. If it makes someone feel better then that's great, but stressing over it is actually doing more damage than good. A stress free lead up to ivf is far more important than a forced diet that you don't enjoy. Enjoy christmassy food and good luck xx

Frankly my most successful cycle (still didn't work, but all fairly textbook and I got to transfer) was the one where I basically ate nothing but cake. The time I went on a strict low-carb, high-protein diet and took loads of supplements I completely failed to respond to stims and the whole cycle was cancelled. Unless you're actively snorting cocaine or getting all your calories from booze or whatever, I wouldn't worry, tbh.

It won’t cause your ivf to fail. If you’re moving house and have a toddler then you’re definitely exercising even if not in a formal fashion!

I agree with persipan. Unless you’re drinking 3 bottles of wine a day, injecting heroin and smoking crack on a daily basis, having deep fried mars bars and deep fried pizza for every meal and are 10 stone overweight, your lifestyle is likely to make bugger all difference. Quite frankly, plenty of people do seem to have no issues getting pregnant despite doing all the above, such is the unfairness of all of this crap.

I tend to agree with Persipan and EarlGreyT

I've only had one natural conception (ended in miscarriage) in the two years we've been trying. It was just after I'd been told I have POF. I'd given up the supplements in despair and was living on coffee and coco pops prior to my wedding!

Whilst it's good to try and be reasonably healthy for your overall wellbeing, I don't think there's any point in beating yourself up for not being a saint. Ivf is hard enough as it is!

Good luck with your cycle

persipan I also reckon the cake ivf diet is a book that's just begging to be written

My one successful ivf cycle was after a massive blow out at an old school mates wedding, where DH and I drank our weight in booze resulting in the worst two day hangover of my life. Like you, I was convinced I’d scuppered things and wracked with guilt and doubt. It was a success and resulted in my DC.

One thing I did do was acupuncture thoughout the cycle. Whether supportive acupuncture for ivf is proven is neither here nor there, it made me feel I was helping the cycle along by improving blood flow etc and it relaxed me. Maybe it’s something you can look into and as a friend said to me, you don’t have to feel positive about ivf for it to work. Allow yourself to have good and bad days. It’s hard enough without feeling guilty about feeling guilty! Good luck

Thank you everyone! I think I’m panicking as I spent yesterday eating pizza and guzzling Diet Coke as we are in the throes of moving house!