IVF newby! Don’t know what to expect help!!

[Sunshine19]

Hi everyone...

Just asking as it is really! We’re now officially on the waiting list!!!

Can anyone help as I’m interested to know your stories about IVF. The good bad and the ugly! Does anyone have any advice about preparing? Or can anyone recommend a good website / thread on here please!

Really scared but excited it’s all happening now. Thanks for reading in advance!
Xox

@sunshine19 welcome to the family, although not a great position to be in, there is a lot of insight on here and lots of help. Cycle buddies threads have good discussions between ladies at the same stages.

So you are at the start of your journey, have you had all your blood tests: hormone levels, day 21 test etc? Has hubby had two sperm samples set 3 months apart?

Each CCG varies on process but essentially you will need to have the hormone tests, sexual healtj tests, HSG or similar to check there are no fibroids polyups etc. Hubby will need SA 3 months apart and hormone tests too.

Thats where my NHS journey stopped. But in the 3 months leading up to our IVF start thats when you need to really start preparing your body, eggs develop most in the last 90 days and sperm has a life cycle of 70 days ish too. Its what you do in the time frame that will really affect your quality of eggs and sperm.

Thanks for your reply @AniSl really informative!
We’ve had all the blood tests & urine tests through investigations but nothing in the past year when it all kicked off. I had to go to docs last week as my periods have went all over the place since MC but it was only this week’s fertility appt that we were told were on the list now.
So am guessing we’ll have to do all the blood work again then? I’ve already had a HSG (and I’m pretty sure we got pregnant in the back of that) so will I need another one? I’ve had ultrasound too for polyps & fibroids and all clear!
Sorry to be nosey but what do you mean that’s when ur NHS journey stopped? And what prep did you do the 90 days beforehand? Yeah I think I’ll follow the threads. Makes sense!
Sorry to ask so many q’s But it’s a lot to take in xox

@sunshine19 ask as many questions as you need, everyone on here is so helpful and the differences in knowledge and what everyones clinics advise them really helps to make sense of it and also confuses at the same time, as they say - knowledge is power.
My CCG criteria is that the female partners age cannot exceed 34 at referral. I was 35. That's why my journey ended.

In terms of the blood works, some will need to be within 3 months of starting treatment and others will need to be in the month you start your IVF cycle. They will also do regular scans to check there is nothing like a fibroid or polyup and this will be recent and as you start your IVF, they will also monitor your endometrium and follicle growth so they know which meds to put you on and how well you are responding.

The 90 days before the start of the cycle, now this is where advice will really differ, the only thing they seem to agree on is that its these last 90 days that your eggs will develop most and what you eat and do in these 90 days will impact your eggs the most.
I decided not to take a multivitamin because I read a study that consumption of multis by women within 3 months of conception can increase risk of miscarriage, others will swear by it.
I took Ubiquinol and Folic acid. I had acupuncture and fertility massages frequently. My next cycle will start in September so I will be doing other things this time round. I will take folic, ubiquinol, DHEA, Inositol, royal jelly, melatonin and Maca powder. I will also eat a low carb high vegetable protein (non soy) diet with daily full fat greek yoghurt, kefir, avocado and as many green veges as I can.