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!

@Windmill when I suffer with heartburn, I find hot milky water helps. Like I'm making a cup of tea without the teabag.

Although I appreciate you've probably tried everything...

@IvoryCloud coconut water is SUPPOSED to be good while stimming to keep you hydrated and prevent ohss. It's the same as like lucozade or Gatorade in that it's got lots of electrolytes in it but it's all natural. And tastes yummy! I'm not sure if it's true but as wine is out it's my next favourite thing! Blooming expensive though! 😂

@moleeye oooh you're about the same as me then! Do your boobs feel like their on fire every now and then too?

We are self funded too so hoping to have a successful one and if not at least a couple of Frosties! That would be great! I'm 36 though so I think our chances are 1 in 3. We were pregnant naturally in March but it was an ectopic. Saved the tube but with such an even higher change of the same thing happening we've gone ivf to try to avoid it although apparently it can happen still. Problem with damaged tubes is that toxic fluid can build up and drip into uterus making it impossible to keep any embryo alive for very long so we are praying this isn't the case. If it is, we have to do EC and freeze, more surgery and then try again with FET.
So many could be's but we are trying to focus on the fact that we actually did get preggers just over a month ago by ourselves Xxx

Hello! Wonder if I could join. I’m strictly speaking not having IVF but a medicated FET. I recognise a few names from older threads 😊. TTC (gosh I can’t remember anymore! Something like 3.5 years?) unexplained infertility. First fresh cycle earlier this year ended with mild OHSS and then ectopic pregnancy. I’m finally free to TTC again (yay!). Waiting for next AF and then I start downregging CD21. I caught my LH surge for first time ever after switching brands from one step to clear blue smiley one so AF should be due beginning of June. I’m on another forum but I think I’m the only one active on there who is about to start treatment. I’m literally climbing the wall with impatience to start! Nice to meet you all and catch up with everyone else. X

Hi @Tigerlily! Nice to meet you . Good luck for your upcoming cycle.

Well, I'm awake again for the second time tonight. Nowhere near as nauseous as last night though, wonderfully. Am very hot and sweaty, made worse by the fact DH turned my fan off. And so bloated! Farting helped.

As with @Windmill and @moleeye, I'm self-funding this IVF process. DH and I have unexplained secondary infertility so we aren't entitled to anything on the NHS. We've been actively trying to conceive for 5 years following a miscarriage, but without any success .

I had my 37th birthday last week. It felt like a watershed. We had already completed all the necessary tests again and so decided to pay for a 3 cycle package and that will be it for us. 3 cycles, then stop.

It will be a success either way; we'll either have our much desired and long awaited second child, or we'll have closure, knowing we tried everything, and can turn to concentrate solely on our DC1 who's nearly 9.

Infertility is shit. The guilt and confusion that comes with secondary unexplained infertility can be hard to cope with. How could I be here? I conceived quickly with no problem first time, why not again?

So here I am. On day 5 today of stims, 1st round of mild IVF. Looking forward to scans on the 29th and 1st. Not enjoying the process. Fingers crossed for us all xx

@IvoryCloud we are the same. Unexplained secondary infertility. I have a 3.5 year old who was conceived first cycle, we've been trying for 3 years. It's awful isn't it. Mostly I feel guilty that I can't give my child a sibling, and I'm beyond fed up of people asking when we are going to have another. I just want to stay indoors and hide.

@Windmill1828 surprisingly my boobs are fine! Just the heartburn and farting keeping me up all night long x

Feels like we are all similar ages (38 here) all with unexplained and close dates!! Fingers crossed!!

Hi @Tigerlily99 hopefully your AF comes soon and you can kick off this process

X

Hi All,

Had my injection training on Tue and my medication delivered aswell. Due to start Buserelin injections on Monday!!!!!

Anyone else starting injections on Monday?

Natz xx

Wow, it has been busy on here! Welcome to all the newcomers. I hope you ladies waking up during the night get a decent nights sleep soon 💤! I was the opposite when stimming, absolutely shattered and slept like a log.

@tigerlily - a couple of us are also having fets. Hope the time goes quickly for you! At least you caught ovulation so know af is coming.

@natz26 - how are you feeling about injections? I can all be a bit daunting at the beginning. Not sure about anyone starting injections Monday but enough people on here going through it or have been through it to offer you any support you need.

My bloods yesterday showed no LH surge yet, so back again on Monday for (hopefully final) bloods. Nurse on phone reckoned maybe Sunday for surge based on my levels. I will do some diy tracking at home with ovulation tests just to keep an eye on it myself 😀.

How’s everyone doing? It’s almost June ladies!!! X

@moleeye yes, it's awful. I feel guilt, upset and a sense of loss. It's like grief at times. All bottled up inside and I keep a lid on it.

People stopped asking me when I'm going to be having another one a long time ago. I've distanced myself from others because I can't talk about this, it's uncomfortable. I can find it difficult to be around pregnant women or those with babies. It's not bloody fair.

Hi @natz! I started Buserelin injections with Gonal F last Tuesday. Good luck to you for Monday x

Hi @windy - thanks - I hope I get a good night's sleep soon too! I am shattered but just can't stay asleep. Not a good combo!

@natz26 I started my injections a week ago, I'm a first timer and self injecting was one of the things I was anxious about but after I'd done the first one I wondered what I'd worried about and other than stabbing myself in the thumb with the used needle today when I put it in the sharps bin I've been fine. I hope you have a similar experience to me (apart from the stabbing thing ) fingers crossed for you.

Day 5 injection for me today. Glad to still be on just the one injection at the moment but will have to start the other one that stops you ovulating (overtrille or something) probably after my next scan - that one I have to mix myself! 😳

Hi to all the newbies - I think we are all in roughly the same boat! Still not many symptoms for me apart from the occasional fire boobs and getting up in the night to pee but I think that's more to do with a bigger intake of water that I'm not used to! 😂

Hope everyone has a great day ☺️

Wow, I’ve been away a couple of days with lots to catch up on. I hope all you ladies who are mid-medication are doing ok, the side effects are sounding pretty unpleasant.

I’m similar to some of you where I don’t really have anyone in RL to talk to. One friend asks for updates but it’s not the same as people who’ve gone/going through it.

A reminder - we’re finally due to start our first cycle after the medication teach on 6th June (my birthday!) so keeping optimistic for it. Ours is MFI, he has CF carrier gene causing him to have a vein missing so no sperm. Results this week from TESE found lots of good quality sperm, they just can’t get out

@LoveYouTilTheEnd I am similar situation to you. DH has to have Op to retrieve sperm, and they got 13 vials! My birthday is the 5th! But I start injections on the 1st of June. But pretty close! Xx

Had to have the op, not has. He has already had it! This is our third fresh round xx

Its great to hear from you all I'm a first timer to IVF and to be honest im just so excited to finally be starting. We haven't told anyone we're going through Ivf cos i just didn't want the flood of questions from friends and family. Plus I haven't told wk either!!!!

Going away for a long weekend in a few weeks with the girls and I dont think i can hide the injections from them😯😯

beherenow oo yes, very similar then! They got 7 for us but with our funding we’re hoping they only need one. We get all embryos from 1 cycle so now the pressure’s on me!

natz it is tough actually telling people. I’ve told a couple of people but then don’t even talk about it to them! Like you, I’m really excited to just eat started, it’s been a long time!

@LoveYouTilTheEnd 7 sounds like plenty! Wishing you all the best. Xx

@Windmill1828 we've got similar journeys then - I'm Lincolnshire too and also going to London for IVF. Unfortunately Lincolnshire isn't known for its world class healthcare!

After having to have a freeze all in April, I'm just counting down the days until I start the protocol for the FET. Good luck everyone for your EC. @natz26 I only told my mother (so my dad also knows of course!) and had to spend about half an hour convincing her that I wasn't at risk of ending up with octupulets! I didn't tell work either - i really didn't know what to say so managed to get away with time off for medical tests.

@ginandtonicformeplease it maybe selfish of me but i just can't handle all the questions that are gonna head my way. And they will come to me cos there not gonna question my hubbie.

I think I'll do the same with wk they deffo dont need to know anything!

@@LoveYouTilTheEnd its my birthday in June too let's hope we get the best birthday ever@

Hi all. I'm starting a medicated FET this cycle @tigerlily I have DC (6) conceived first cycle ICSI then DC (4) natural miracle and now we have been trying for another natural miracle for about 17 cycles. My expected transfer week is 2nd July.

Hi everyone, I have a tip for you all to make the injections much more comfortable: cold coins!

Put coin/s in the freezer. When it's time to inject, hold the coin/s against the skin where you'll be injecting. When the area is cold, then pinch and inject as normal. I found this really helped me, barely felt a thing! Hope it might help some of you, too.

I also put a cold pack on top of my coins, just to be sure!

Of course, an ice cube would probably do the same thing!

Great tip thanks

Well I am very glad that I decided to do some diy LH surge detection.....I got a positive on clear blue digital ovulation tonight and am not due another blood test until Monday. A bit miffed because the clinic said on Friday they’d either have me back for bloods today or Monday and opted for Monday.