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

Hi @ aandre26. I buy from amazon- High absorbtion CoQ10 300mg for about £35 for 6 months supply. Company is called pureclinica. For the ferility vitamins for hubby and I buy a brand called NHP (for men and women). That seems to have really helped DH.

I had an appointment with my consultant today. He was as shocked as i was with how I poorly responded to ivf meds and how nothing implanted and nothing frozen. He re-ordered my bloods for amh, tsh, diabetes, lh, fsh, prolactin etc. All have come out better then they were a year ago- still waiting for the amh as it takes 5 days.

He has told me to start dhea from today and go back in 10 days once all the blood results are out.

I don’t think he knows why it didn’t go as expected. I still don’t know the way forward for us. Have you had any progress with your concerns? How are you coping?

I have sent you a private message not sure if you got it.

How is everyone else getting along?

Thank you. @A280 thats a lot more reasonable than £30 for 30 days. Will have a look now.
I think thats the worst bit when you cant get a proper answer/explanation about it.
I rang the hospital where we had treatment at today and the nurse told me they dont recommend taking anything except folic acid and vit d.
I dont know enough about dhea. Hopefully that will help you.

I didnt receive any private message, where did you send it to? Xxx

@aandre26 on here mumsnet as an inbox

Nothings showing on my account 🤔 @A280

@aandre26 I probably haven’t done it right 🤭

@A280 i found your message. I just replied.

Qunol CoQ10 which is water and fat-soluble for better absorption.

Research has pointed to 100-600 mg CoQ10, but, as always, check with your doctor on dosage.

Hi Ladies, sorry I've been quiet have just been on boring bed rest and going in for scans for the bloody OHSS.
Starting to feel a little more human today, the clinic want me on bed rest and have signed me off for next week. I'm going in for another scan tomoz, weds and Friday. I've told work I will be off on Monday but really hope I don't need any longer as it's hard to explain!

Had our finally results in for our embryos that are now frozen. We got 4 in total, 1x4aa 1x3bb and 2x"Early" not really sure what those gradings mean.
How's everyone else doing? Xxx

@positivethinkingrainbow 4AA is pretty much a perfect embryo! That’s what I had transferred, so I bet they choose that one for you for your transfer! I haven’t heard of “early” before but I would guess that it means they are early in the development process and maybe too early to grade but strong enough to freeze? I don’t know. If I could go back to where you are, the only thing I would do is get a photo of the embryo when they show it on screen before taking it up the needle. Sounds silly but would be cool to have it for a baby book. I have a photo of the moment it was pushed out of the tube into my uterus though.

I’ve graduated from my clinic and have been passed to my GP. I had a 7 week scan on Friday and all still looking good. Actually heard the heartbeat this time and I filmed it because my husband is away. Can’t stop watching the video 😍 Still don’t feel like I can relax just yet though...

@Elaydee thank you for the embryo picture tip, will defo get the dh on that! I am going to keep everything crossed that the 4aa is as lucky for me :)
I can not believe you have graduated the clinic, that is just the most amazing and inspiring news!
How are you feeling in yourself?
What a journey we have been on to get to the point we have, seems like 2 weeks since we started this chat but it has clearly been a lot longer as you are now 7 weeks pregnant! Hopefully if all goes to plan we should be looking at out FET around the end of November, after doing short protocol it seems like such a LONG process! I so wish we could of done a fresh transfer this cycle but it was not meant to be and I would not want to waste any embryos so I know deep down it's the right thing to do.... I just can't wait to see what happens!
None of our friends or family know we are doing IVF and I said to my husband the other day once you are pregnant you go back into the normal system and does it matter how you made your baby really? Xxz

@positivethinkingrainbow I’ve really enjoyed playing back short videos that I got my husband to take. Only like 10-20 seconds but it’s more than just a print out from the machine. And you can scrub the video to a frame you like and screengrab it. Would definitely recommend videos of the screen!

I actually feel fine. I get quite tired, afternoon naps are a must. I was getting worried about a lack of ‘symptoms’ but the scan on Friday squashed that. Also had a few moments of queasy this morning... can’t imagine going to work with it...!

With your timing, you could be having your viability scan right around Christmas! How special would that be! A heartbeat would be the best Christmas present ever!

We aren’t bothered about conceiving by IVF. Close friends and family know what hell we have been through, and anyone who didn’t know our journey isn’t then close enough to be told about IVF. I actually also think it’s cool that with frozen embryos our fertility is frozen in time, instead of declining like everyone else! And you’re exactly right, once you’re pregnant, who cares how it was done. It’s not going to have two heads or a sign over it’s head. The stigma over IVF is ridiculous. Modern medicine is amazing, and if it wasn’t for some clever people out there my husband and I would be ‘barren’ in old terms and not given the privilege of being parents one day!

Well said @Elaydee
For us we had religious concerns as our church doesnt really agree with it.
The stigma that we were told is that the creation of so many eggs and not all being used could be similar to that of killing the opportunity of a baby....
My thought are thats the same for every period....
I think the stigma behind infertility is ridiculous.
My brother in law actually refuses to eat/drink at our house incase he catches what we have.......... with morons like that in the world its no wonder people dont discuss it more openly.

Im so pleased everything is going well for you. I cant imagine how happy you felt hearing the heartbeat for the first time!!!
Will you find out the sex of the baby? Xx

Hi ladies

Im just wondering what to ask for exactly from the clinic with regards to my notes

Ive not yet discharged myself, waiting for full confirmation we can go to the new clinic. But what do i ask for? Full notes? I want all tests and results and whatever else really that i can pass on. Am i allowed this information?? Tia

@aandre26 I’m sorry that you have the added pressure from your church community. And your BIL - I have no words for him. How ridiculous. I’m so sorry! I’m so glad you have the people here to talk to!

I agree with your thoughts... you are growing more eggs at once, but if it is an abnormal egg and doesn’t fertalise then it would have had the same outcome naturally. Also, what about all the ‘unused’ eggs when a woman is done having children... surely they aren’t seen as wasted potential babies? It’s really the same thing!

Yes I will find out the sex. I plan to do the early blood test at 10 weeks if we make it that far.

Yes I think it is your right to all of your notes and information. It is your body after all! They will probably just print out the dose and medicine and your follicle count during the process and outcomes. I doubt that they would have notes as to why they think it didn’t work... but you never know? Are you still trying to go to Care?

@Elaydee people like my bil are to be ignored. They dont bother me.
As for the church, my theory is it doesnt say anywhere in the bible.....

Im so pleased for you! And stay positive. Your 2 weeks away! I know until you have your little one in your hands you wont believe it!!

Even though the gyno said that Care dont accept patients from my area, my gp did the referral anyway and they have sent a letter asking for my husbands sample..so i guess that means they will accept us?? Im not sure

I just want my notes to read my results as i realised we never got give them and im not sure if they play a big part in something we could change in round two. If that makes sense. X x

Hey Ladies, Sorry i am new to this.

I am awaiting my first Gynae appointment with NHS on Monday . I am so nervous as i dont know what to expect?

We have had all the fertility tests done private as it was cheaper to the initial consultation.

Has any of you gone with NHS and can yo tell me what to expect from the initial consultation?

Hi @AEL25

My husband and I have had one cycle on nhs, and currently waiting for the second.

Your initial consultation if its anything like mine they will go through the details of what IVF actually is, what your results are, what protocol you will be out in (short or long) they will discuss the medication you will be on and what dosage etc.
And sign consent forms and explain what youre consenting too.

Im not 100% sure but think only @Elaydee and myself were the only ones nhs funded. Not sure if @Elaydee initial consultation was different??
Ive learnt that each clinic/hospital is different.

We are here if you need advice/tips or anything

Good luck with everything x x

Hi,

i'm in Wales so it may be different. There was a debate last night between myself and partner about what would be first consultation. he doesn't think he will have his anaylisis and tests like that. my cousin did i think before she was referred to clinic.

What was the worst experience for you going through the cycle? which IVF did you have? we have to have ICSI

thank you xxx

Hi all, I’ve just got back from a week away and it was a great mental and physical break, I ate and drank whatever I wanted to!

So sorry to see you join the failed list @A280. I am feeling similar to you @aandre, still haven’t had our follow up appointment and I am increasingly angry that we didn’t get the ICSI we were told we’d need. I feel in complete limbo again!

Great to hear your news @Elaydee and congrats on the embryos @Positivethinkingrainbow. Hope the OHSS subsides soon and they get you back in for FET!

@35counting im glad you had some time away! taking a break sometimes is a definite must! I have sent you a pm hun! xx

Hi @AEL25, are you South Wales? I am and I’m afraid my experience was nothing like @aandre, we haven’t really had anything explained to us properly (despite having been through one failed cycle) and the waits have been horrendous. It was 18 months between first referral and starting treatment and I fear we’re in for another long wait for our follow up appointment now (it’s been 6 weeks since it failed). Unfortunately we were also told we needed ICSI but when it came to it they only did IVF and, perhaps as a result, we didn’t get any embryos.

Initial appointments will be more tests I think as they will not accept the private ones and you will need to redo them fairly regularly so they are up to date. There is a thread about people’s experiences in Wales and, whilst it’s an old one, there are some recent posts which may assist.

@35counting, i am in south west wales. My cousin has just gone through ICSI with NHS and had referral to clinic within 6 weeks or so. she was quite shocked as they said it cold be a long wait. she didn't catch first time, but she has another frozen so fingers crossed for her. i am still on the first step of the ladder with a long way to climb!! xx

Hope you have a better experience than me @AEL25, I’m sure it’s not always this bad. The staff are always really nice, it’s just the lack of information and the waiting that has been so hard! Apologies for being so nagative, I am rather bitter and twisted at the moment!

Wishing you all the best!

Hello all

It's been a while since my last post.

Glad that things are progressing well for you @Elaydee. Well done on getting a 4AA @Positivethinkingrainbow. I'm sure that November will be here in no time.

That's not so good that you haven't had a follow up appointment @35Counting. The waiting is just so awful when you just want to get on and try again.

I was having an okay 2WW till I started spotting five days after transfer. Thankfully it had stopped by the next day and despite trying to feel positive and think of it as implantation bleeding, all I could do was think the worst. I didn't get implantation bleeding the last time and I had way more symptoms. I had headaches, twinges, sore boobs, extreme tiredness, nausea. This time all I've had is a few twinges and slight tiredness in addition to the one day of spotting.

OTD is Saturday, but I caved this morning with a cheap supermarket test that I had sitting around from cycle 1 to set my mind at ease once and for all. I ended up with a very clear BFP! I'm over the moon, but still really nervous since cycle 1 ended in MC.

Hello Ladies,

How is everyone???

@35Counting just catching up CONGRATULATIONS on your BFP!!! How are you feeling?

@aandre26 Have you sorted out your new clinic?

@Elaydee Hows things progressing with you?

I have an appointment on the 9th October to check that the cysts from the OHSS have gone down so I can move forward with our FET cycle.

xxxx