IVF July/August 2018

[Sunny1984]

Hey,

So like the title says really is anyone about to start an IVF cycle in July or August?

This is my first cycle and I’m excited/petrified!!! I would love to have some cycle buddies to chat to and for support. It’s all self funded as due to the postcode lottery we get no NHS cycles.

Just a little background. I’m 34, have been TTC for 2 and a bit years now, initial diagnosis PCOS and I had 7 cycles of Clomid which resulted in me falling pregnant in December but sadly I had a MMC at 11 weeks. I have since been diagnosed with endometriosis following an unexpectedly low AMH result. My right ovary is has a significant cyst.

I have an endometrial scratch on Monday and will begin down reg on Monday night. I’m a nurse so have no fear of needles but not sure how I’ll manage with injecting myself.

Really hope to have some company on this journey xxx

@positivethinkingrainbow @elaydee @cupcake vampire thank you all xxx its so lovely to have this amazing support group where I can be open

@aandre26 my cycle is self funded. I truly understand how you feel let down. Im going to take up everyone’s advice and have a list of questions ready for my follow up. I may also change clinics/country.

Its a lot to proccess mentally and emotionally. I was in such a positive mindset this month but don’t know how I can do it all again!

I want to take a break in September from all the hormones etc but don’t know when is appropriate to start a fresh cycle again. Any thoughts?

@Elaydee i will definitely request my notes. And i guess in hindsight its taught me what to ask/expect etc.
I think my naivety i let them control thinking they knew what to do. Te a learning curb.

@A280 we considered going abroad too, researched it a little bit.
If you wanted to discuss it i can send you a private message.
As for when, i think you need to give your body time to heal, and recover.
But importantly you need to be in a good mental state to go through it again! Sending you lots of hugs. Drink some wine! Xxxx

@PostiveThinkingRainbow. As I'm doing a FET, I've been told that I have to wait around for the clinic to call tomorrow to let us know if the embryo survives the thaw. Once we have one ready then we will go through for the transfer.

I never had a chart or anything like that with my egg collection cycle. I had a rough idea of how many follicles and their sizes during scans because I could see the measurements on the scanner screen while the nurse was measuring them. Got a really sore neck from craning it . I'm NHS too so maybe it's a private clinic thing? I did have a follow up appointment and was offered counselling so not all bad.

I had an empty follicle during my egg collection so I was one egg down on what I thought I had. I think it might be common though I had no idea at the time that it was a thing. I just stumbled along, learning new details as I went.

@cupcakevampire all the best! Hope the embryo makes the thaw

@positivethinkingrainbow i dont have a chart either so sorry cant shed more light on that. I just made DH remember everything and write much down as soon as we left! I am going to ask for a copy of all my notes.

@aandre26 yes that would be lovely do send a private message (i dont know how to!) ive had coffee after lord knows how many months! Def going to have wine this weekend! Xxx

@A280 if you have instagram add me on there hun, (i dont have fb) my username is
Mrsandreou
I will message you on there x x

I think I have started a riot.... we all want copies of our follicle charts!!!

Did anyone have an endo scratch (i cant remember exactly what it was called)

I second that @PostiveThinking Rainbow .

I'm also clueless as to the grading of my embryos. All I know is that they're really good quality ones . I was therefore a bit baffled to read other folks discussing 4BB and 5AB and whatnot.

@CupcakeVampire we didnt get told quality.
He told us it was 5.2.2.....and thats all we know. Its really annoying how everywhere is so different on information they share.

@aandre26 I had the scratch. I think a big study came out recently though that said it wasn’t proven to make a difference! For me the clinic suggested it and I decided for an extra £150 I might as well!! How low was your AMH? What dose did they have you on?

I didn’t get a copy of my chart but the nurse showed it to me.

I think our clinic is really good but I ask a million questions and I think sometimes you have to. On the day of transfer my lining was just over 7mm so I really pushed if there was anything I could do/take. The consultant said no but then I asked just once more, 5 minutes later he came back with an oestrogen prescription! I think you have to be a little bit pushy!! I think being a nurse I’m used to questioning the Drs!!!

I made a point of asking about my fertalised eggs grading because I had read about others talking about it online. I actually have the info in a booklet at home too if anyone wants to know more. My understanding is it’s based on its progression and composition, so how it looks essentially. At first they were telling me ‘good’ ‘ok’ and ‘poor’ but I specifically asked for grades and wrote them down.

I transferred a 4AA, froze 3x 4AB and one snuck through the day of freezing to a 4BB and it was previously flagged to not make it. I was told anything with a C in it does not get selected for freezing. An AB is better than a BA or a BB... still a little confused of what letter is what.

@Sunny1984 would you recommend the scratch??
Ive read good things but then thats on clinics website, so they will focus on the positives.
My ahm was 4.5, i was on 300 bemfola and i cant remember off the top of my head the cetrotide dose.
Then my trigger was 5000 iu gonasi and 2 ml of bursereline. We triggered on day 9 of injections.

I have my scan in 90 minutes. Absolutely freaking out because I’ve been having stabbing right side pains all week, getting worse in the last day. This is awful 😢

Hello Ladies,
Had my third scan today I felt there was good and bad news.
My follicles have grown a little further, so they have decided I will do the trigger on Saturday and go for egg collection on Monday.
The nurse who did the scan who was lovely said that I had fluid in my uterus which is caused by having so many follicles due to my PCOS, she also said to prepare myself that it is likely I might have to freeze any eggs this cycle as she thinks I am at a really high risk of OHSS from what she can see.
They have taken my blood again to test my oestrogen levels and will call me this afternoon with the results which will give us a better idea.
She did say that is worst case and things might change, it just all depends on my oestrogen levels.
She also said I should take sometime off after EC as OHSS develops worse in people who are not resting, oh the joy!!!
Also I have started to feel abit sicky and light headed which could be a sign of OHSS, but I am not sure if its my mind playing tricks on me as lets face it the whole thing is blimin emotional roller coaster.
So thats where I am at.

@Elaydee stay calm! I know its easier said than done! Try and relax before hand.
When you go in ask the nurse and tell them in detail what you feel and express your concerns. They should offer help and advice! Im keeping fingers crossed that everything is okay!! Xxx

@PostiveThinkingRainbow fingers crossed it doesnt get to that! However that would only be a small step back providing you had good eggs etc.
If you do reach that scenario, heres a thought - your body has time to recover from everything. Ohss, ec, hormones etc. When et happens you can be in a better physical place!
Stay positive. Xxx

@Elaydee just read your update, deep breaths, thinking of you and keeping everything crossed for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xxxx

Here’s hoping things work out for you both @PositiveThinkingRainbow and @Elaydee

I’m on my way home from ET now with an embryo on board so now I’m officially onto the 2WW .

@CupcakeVampire thank you, how was your ET? Special cargo on board for you xxx

@Elaydee sorry but after the picture you sent was just wondering if you are with Kingston hospital?

FET was straightforward. Pretty much the same as the fresh transfer apart from the nervous wait in the morning to see if any embryos would survive to get transferred. I was lucky and the first one out did.

@Elaydee how was the appointment? Hope alls well

@postivethinkingrainbow i know you dont want to delay the transfer but research shows FET has a higher success rate and OHSS sounds horrible so maybe beneficial to delay. Listen to their decision they wont want to put you at risk.

@cupcakevampire well done at getting through the transfer. Hope next two weeks go by quickly!

Ive developed a red itchy inflammed rash on my bum and thighs where i was doing the progesterone shots. It started on Wednesday and is getting worse. I stopped the prednisolone (as well as all the other medicines) which i think was suppressing the reaction when i got the BFN.

Im a but worried about @Elaydee shes been on my mind all day.
I really hope the scan went well.

We are in the right place with a tiny little heartbeat 😍 thank god! And thanks for all your support ladies xx seems I have two huge ovaries with collapsing cysts causing my pain.

@cupcakevampire congrats on being PUPO!!!! Now the waiting game!

@positivethinkingrainbow I was told to eat lots of protein, drink lots of water and I’ve read some women drink Gatorade or anything with electrolytes to minimize OHSS. A friend of mine was told to drink a litre of milk a day - protein powder milk shakes maybe if you can be bothered?! Perhaps do some googling? Hopefully you won’t need to freeze all but if you have to, it’s for all the right reasons.

@maximoo06 yes I am, are you?

@Elaydee yayyyyy that's great news!!!

Yes I am, so you mind if I ask how long the wait was for ivf?

@maximoo06 very fast once you’re referred. We had our first appointment two weeks later with the specialist who decided our protocol and started the next cycle, which was four days later. Don’t think there is a wait at Kingston.

Ps. I’m sure you’re aware but kingston is a transport IVF