IVF/ICSI June/July 2018

[cannonball8726]

Hey, all! We are starting ICSI hopefully in June for MFI. I'm 32. Been TTC for around 14 months. Starting treatment privately as we wait for NHS investigations/referrals. Keen to get started but nervous - especially about getting the time off work during treatment - and about how much all of this is going to cost. Trying to prime my body for fertility treatment. Generally eat pretty well and exercise regularly (cardio, strength train, Pilates, walk a lot on my commute)- but could improve my diet. Consultant advised me to increase my protein intake so I'm working on it! Luckily the weather is looking up so a bit easier to stick to healthy lifestyle :) Have cut out alcohol and coffee (still on tea - but will limit myself to one cup/ day). Supplements wise, I'm on Omega 3, CoQ10, Pregnacare. Doubt any of this will make any difference in time for first cycle though...

Would be great to hear from others due to have treatment in June/July 2018!

Mines is ovratrelle. We were told to keep that in the fridge. I had supercur as my down Regg xx

Yeah I don’t know why it’s my trigger as not at risk of ohss. I am concerned though that I will get a poor response as it won’t help them to mature a bit longer!

@Beherenow32 - what is your trigger- Ovitrelle? And how long was the fridge open?

Sorry @Beherenow32 - new page didn’t load before I posted so i missed you saying it as ovitrelle! Clinic told me that it was important it was kept cold so i guess it depends how long the fridge was open!

@CritterTamer yeah ovritrelle. It was maybe open a couple of hours. Still cold tonight, so don’t think it was wide open... ☹️ X

Beherenow32 - I was on the same and was also told it was important to keep in the fridge... I guess it depends on the temperature of the fridge while open and also how long it was open ... You might want to call the clinic for peace of mind?

Only 2 of my 8 eggs fertilised... Gutted... And I don't think they are very good quality embryos since they want to transfer tomorrow... I feel like I am out of the race... Very difficult to stay positive... Only takes one to stick but if they can't be sure mine will last the 3 day threshold what is to say they will make it inside? Sad

Just had a session of acupuncture... Was told follicles like heat embryos don't so so hot water bottle after ET...

'No' hot water bottle/baths/showers after ET

@NotLateInTheMorning sorry to hear that ☹️ Hope you get better news tomorrow. I know I was very sad when only 2 of my eggs fertilised, but you are definately still in for a chance.

I’m at the hospital tomorrow. I will mention to them about the trigger/ fridge etc then. Xx

@Notlateinthemorning - sorry to hear that. I don’t think you should worry about the quality too much though - I think it was Beherenow that said it’s standard procedure to do a 3 day transfer if there are less than 4 embryos? You’re still in with a shout 😊

That’s 3 of us with ET tomorrow now!

@NotLateInTheMorning def still in for a chance. I had a 3 day transfer when I had 2 embryos. It wasn’t because the Hospital thought they couldn’t make to day 5, but because they had a better chance inside my body. I think the reason they try to leave to 5 days is to work out the better embryos when there is more xx

9 eggs collected this week, only 3 mature, and of them only 2 fertilized (not sure about quality yet - will decide on Day 3). I am so gutted I can’t think straight. It was only cycle 1 but its taken us years to even get to this point.

Massive congratulations @ivory our first BFP let's hope it's setting the trend
For all those about to ET fingers crossed you join Ivorys club and no matter how many embies you do or don't have it only takes one.
@Behere I wouldn't worry to much about the fridge door it would take more than a couple of hours for your fridge to warm up to a temperature were food (Or medication) was compromised (unless you live in a dessert and your house is 30 degrees).
My follies are growing slowly but surely with another scan on Thurs and collection likely to be Sat.

Hi ladies, what's everyone doing for constipation??? I drink 2 ltrs a day, I eat so much fruit. I have a huge amount of nuts, flaxseed, prunes etc in my diet and STILL I am constipated after only 3 days of starting the Norethisterone. I am dreading the god awful lupron or whatever they call it here. the evil gnrh antagonist injections i have to start Sunday. Should I just take an over the counter stool softener for the entire month?

Thank you for your congratulations everyone! It's funny... I've wanted this to happen for at least the past 5 years (my DC is nearly 9 ) and I've been through the mill throughout that time, which I'm sure many of you can relate to... but now I don't feel excitement or euphoria... I feel quite flat, controlled. I think it's because I've trained myself over time to expect it not to work, to expect that crushing disappointment so that it's less crushing and more normal. But now it has worked.

Of course I'm happy. Maybe it'll take time to soak in.

I'm thinking about getting to the 6/7 week scan milestone now. Not able to relax and enjoy yet. No one except my DH knows.

For those of you concerned about number of follicles and amount of eggs retrieved/fertilised, it might interest you to know I had 7 antral follicles, 3 eggs collected and 3 fertilised normally. 2 made it to blastocyst on day 5. 1 was transferred and the other frozen. So not big numbers. It goes to show it's quality rather than quantity that matters. I wanted 1 embryo to implant. It did. All the others were surplus to requirement! Assuming this pregnancy continues.

I started mild stimulation days after my 37th birthday. Less than a month later, got my BFP. Feels good to write that!

Maybe I should find another thread now. I completely understand how bittersweet it can be to hear about other people's pregnancies when you're struggling privately yourself. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE xxxxx

My only thing @IvoryCloud with numbers is that once mine make it to the freezer they arebthen tested for our ‘bad gene’ so will lose some then too. So the numbers bit scares me!

@Ivorycloud- congratulations!!!
@HJ82- I used glycerol suppositories...
@Notlateintgemorning & Duchyduke- sorry to hear you are both feeling down over embryo numbers, you are still in with a good chance and we all all rooting for you!
@Physicskate I hope you are feeling a bit better today
@Cannonball- How did your first injection go? You must be excited to finally get going! I’m still gnashing my teeth waiting for the last 4 days to go by to start. X

I swear I posted this earlier:

@HJ82 - I've always had issues with constipation. That is, until I started adding two tablespoons of brown linseeds to my morning cereal. It helps...

Thanks @Tigerlily99. Feeling a bit less sore, but more nauseous (though that could be all the sweets I've eaten today). The blood thinning injections they make me take now HURT!!!

My acupuncturist recommended some really good things for constipation today. If you like porridge have it with Goji berries, chia seeds or flax seeds, berries or nuts or a combo. 😊 other one is all bran. Xx

@IvoryCloud congratulations!! Gives us all hope so please stay:)) I started injections and getting ready for my first ever icsi attempt. Will do FET as I’ve researched that it gives slightly better chances. I have male factor .. good luck everyone!

Good luck @crittertamer and @notlateinthemorning and anyone else having their ET today!
I’m nervous and tentatively excited. DH is being very reserved about it all, I think he’s just too afraid to even hope.

I have listened to the “mindful IVF” app and it’s been really helpful so I thought I’d share this short video which helped rebalance me a little :
m.youtube.com/watch?v=iTm-84_IxuA

Fingered crossed for us all xx

@charmers1 @physicskate thank you! yes, i do all of those things daily :) I also make a dry blend of flax (linseed), chia, pepita & sunflower seeds to sprinkle on my puffed buckwheat and fruit/nut cereal. I am a fibre angel... but I have endo and ibs so I fear the added hormones are going to really mess with me! You never know what the day will bring with that combo! I will have glycerol on standby @tigerlily99 xx wishing you all the best!

@Dia12 - good luck to you! what a wonderful little reminder that video is. Thank you for sharing. x

Curious to know what supplements you're all taking? Anyone on Melatonin? The more I read about the studies done around this hormone the more I want to keep with it right through the stims. I am also on ubiquinol, Dha (not dhea) and a pre-natal multi, which I might change to just folic and B12 during stims. I don't want to boost my immune system too much.... I am also having acupuncture. :)

Best of luck for today, @Dia12, @crittertamer and @notlateinthemorning!

@Tigerlily99, sorry I meant to say I started norethisterone yesterday! Start busrelin spray next Tuesday. I think you, @HJ82 will be cycling roughly at the same time. I'm way too impatient for this!

@physicskate how are you feeling? Sorry about the painful heparin injections :(. Any news on whether they can do ET this cycle?

Hope the stimmers are bearing up okay.

@HJ82 - I'm on Pregnacare preconception multivitamin, ubiquinol (what dose are you taking?), Omega 3, Vitamin D (high dose as I'm deficient), a little bit of ferrous sulphate (always find it horrendously difficult to take though!). These are just as per my consultant's recommendations! Have you tried peppermint tea for the constipation?