October/November IVF

[Langpants]

Hi ladies!

Round 2 down regulation has just started. Embryo transfer should be 1/2 November. Going for 2 embryos this time.

Anyone else just starting a round? x

[Catren]

Thanks lilly yeah it was pretty gutting! I'm gearing up for next round now so trying ?! to think positively.

Is everyone trying for their first? I've got a 3yo dd so this would be #2 for us.

[orangefolly]

Thanks Lilly and Catren. And sorry for your chemical Catren. I hope this time is better luck. I did try acupuncture before but didn't find it particularly relaxed me. Maybe I'll give it another go though! We're trying for our first baby.

How is everyone feeling who is on their meds already? Does anyone have collection or transfer coming up soon? IF this cycle is regular as planned I think embryo transfer will be on around 19 November.

[LillyLeaf]

I'm trying for my first and it's my first ivf. I've started taking Cyclogest progesterone before short protocol injections start, which I think is making me very tired. I was really struggling to stay awake at work yesterday and feel exhausted again this morning. I think egg collection will be around 31st October. I had a bit of an emotional wobble yesterday, a girl at work told me the story of her friend telling her she was pregnant, I doubt my rubbish fake smile fooled anyone. Then on the way home I had to hold back the tears on the bus, I must have looked crazy. I'm blaming the Cyclogest.

[Sarahbeth85]

Hello lovely ladies,

First time posting here after spending many, many months reading these amazing blogs.
My husband and I are about to start our first round of IVF after 3.5 years of trying.
We fell pregnant so very quickly first time around in 2015 but we m/c at 6 weeks. 18 months later we fell pregnant again but I had a mmc at around 6-7 weeks. That was December 2017 and we haven’t fallen pregnant since.
I’m in a trial for the endometrial scratch and go in for the procedure later today. They’re giving me my schedule and prescription straight after as I’m day 21 today. I’m terrified of the whole process and sometimes wonder if I shouldn’t wait and hope nature does it’s work even though I think IVF is our best option now.
Reading all of your posts of others going through helps so much.
How did people find the initial medication? I have a full time job which is not flexible at all and haven’t told anyone at work as I was previously dismissed from a job following my mmc (they said it was because I hadn’t been available to work) which resulted in 2 weeks on the sick as it was the worst time. Excited to take a step in (🤞) the right direction xxx

[orangefolly]

I'm sorry Lilly hope it doesn't get too bumpy. If it makes you feel any better I felt great once I started on the stimming drugs - like superwoman!

Hey sarah - I really found it fine, although I felt quite bloated last couple of days before egg collection. After EC however I felt really sore for two days, be good if you can manage some time off then although everyone's different - you might feel fine.

[BlueSarah]

Hi everyone, hope you are all staying positive on this dark Tuesday evening
Today is day 2 of taking Norethisterone, tomorrow I start taking Buserelin nasal spray. Feeling ok physically and emotionally at the moment; still a while to go before I get to the big stuff so trying not to fixate on it too much.
This is my 1st cycle, trying for baby #1. No hint of a BFP in 18 months of trying and I recently turned 40 so it all feels a bit now or never. xx

[BeaCat]

Hey everyone and hi @winewinner and @guio I was also on the September/October thread but most people on there are way ahead of me now too!

Waiting to start on day 21 towards the end of this month. I think I'm feeling quite calm too, just excited really to finally get things underway.

[WineWinner]

Hey ladies, currently sat in a lodge in Loch Lomond after a few days away for our anniversary. Heading back to real life today and work tomorrow. Starting to feel a little bubbly about staring on Sunday but I agree, also surprisingly calm given how close it is. Think because it's just pills to start on actually just more excited to get going. May be different when the big stuff stuffs though haha!

[Sarahlou85]

BlueSarah; Hope you’re getting on well with your medication today? How did you find the nasal spray? I opted for injections for the first 3 weeks but was given the options of the spray.

Hope everyone’s Wednesday hasn’t been too bad and hopefully one step closer to our babies xx

[WineWinner]

Those of you taking norithisterone, it says 3x daily. Is there any specific time apart? I was thinking maybe 9am, 3pm, 9pm? Is that ok do you think?

[Rememberallball]

Evening all. As we’re using donor eggs I don’t have such a rigorous drug programme as many of you - I’m on Microgynon 30 at the moment and today was day 8 so another 13 days to go then wait for AF to put in an appearance.

I have also doubled my prednisolone (I take 5mg daily anyway for rheumatoid arthritis so the decision was to double my dose for the month before we cycle and then take an additional 15mg for the 5 days pre embryo transfer) Bloods due again on CD2 and then, if all is well, I start taking the other medication I need (aspirin, estrodiol and folic acid - again, I already take folic acid daily). I am having a scan here on CD8 and then we plan to fly out to Cyprus around CD11 or 12 ready for egg and sperm collection on CD13 and then ET on CD18.

I feel very lucky that, apart from the estrodiol, I don’t have age to take any more hormones etc that I would if we were using my eggs. I am in awe of you all with nasal sprays and injections!!

Fingers crossed to everyone this week xx

[Bubbadust]

Hi ladies
I’ve just started cycle two and had my first day 6 scan. No follicles on my left ovary and three on my right. Two are 10mm and the third is quite small. I’m due for a scan in 7 days. I’m on 450mls Gonal F and have Orangulatan in the morning.
Leading up to this cycle I had two weeks of Androderm testosterone patches to stimulate follicle development but hasn’t had any effect.
My first cycle was cancelled because I had two follicles only. One on my left and one on my right. The one on the right stopped growing and the left grew 5mm from 10mm to 15mm between scans. I’m 44 and am feeling a little despondent about it all. My fertility nurse doesn’t really give me much information. I get a lot of ...we have to wait and see ..and ...every cycle is different. This is such a tough road emotionally. Is there anyone else out there doing IVF that have low follicle counts like me?

[Guio]

Hi everyone! @Rememberallball I will be on microgynon as well.did you have any secondary effects?I will start with it the first day of my cycle but the clinic said I would need to take it for 2 weeks at least.I don't like the idea of taking the pill but as it NHS I don't have the choice. do you know the reason why you have to?it isn't the most common treatment. @WineWinner is norithisterone a pill as well? Hello @BeaCat nice to see people from the old group.I will be behind in this one as well as I am not starting for 2 weeks and it will be pill.

[orangefolly]

Exciting to hear cycles are getting going!

I had my hycosy today (ouch, despite doc saying it would be less uncomfortable than HSG). I still have a small amount of retained products from my mc unfortunately, despite having had a period since

Doc said it was too small to warrant operating so I'll start the nafarelin on cd1 but may have to discontinue after first scan if it hasn't shifted. Fingers crossed it does!!!🤞

[BlueSarah]

@WineWinner I'm taking norithisterone twice a day, no one told me what that meant so I'm doing 8am & 8pm so your 9,3 and 9 sounds sensible.
@Sarahlou85 no problems with the nasal spray so far apart from the worry that I'm not doing it right and it's not getting into my system or that I might lose track of time and be late taking it! Still preferably to a month of injections though.

One final push to the weekend! xxx

[WineWinner]

@Guio it's not a birth control but it's the tablet you get if you want to stop or delay your period but I've to take a triple dose of it for 2 weeks. It's a different way of doing down-regs and was told to basically expect menopause symptoms.

@BlueSarah Thanks for the reassurance! I was a little concerned it was unusual to just get sent a prescription and no actual instructions haha! How are you finding them? Any symptoms?

@BeaCat Nice to see you here! I set up the September/October but my cycle got pushed back a little so I'm way behind everyone too. Still nice to have a peak and see what to expect but I think we'll be much better here. How are you feeling?

[Kay2705]

Hi everyone,

My meds just arrived so it's all looking a bit real now. AF should be here by Monday and start stimming from Tuesday. I'm on very low dose of meds so let's hope it does the trick!

[LillyLeaf]

@kay2705 I'm at home waiting for my meds to arrive today, having a bit of an emotional day, must be the Cyclogest progesterone. I keep reflecting on the past 18 months ttc and feeling very sorry for myself, I need to snap out if this (I know so many of you have been going through this way longer, you're amazing). Trying to keep myself busy.

[Kay2705]

Awww @LillyLeaf I know what you mean as I get like that. I have my optimistic days and days I just wallow. My job is pretty busy and requires a fair bit from me at the moment so it keeps me busy and my mind of things.

We'll get there soon. Wishing you all the best

[WineWinner]

Tried acupuncture today. The woman made me feel awful and I've left just feeling sore and achy!

[orangefolly]

Oh no winewinner what did they do to make you feel awful?

[WineWinner]

When I went in she asked why I was there and when I explained about tarting ivf she looked at my notes and said "but you're only 26, what's wrong with you? You shouldn't be doing this at your age anyway" then went on to basically just throw needles in my back over about a minute and then said relax and disappeared for 30mins. When she came back she said I was so "tense and stressed in my shoulders" that i was blocking my own fertility and it was no wonder I hadn't had kids yet. I explained we were male factor and then she looked me up and down and said obviously I wasn't eating healthy and that's probably why. Left sore, achy and raging! Think I'll spend my money on massages instead! Cornered me heading out trying to say I could only book again if I paid £300 up front for 6 weekly sessions too!

[Catren]

So interesting to read where you're all at.

wine that sounds absolutely awful, I'm not sure how your acupuncturist could have been any worse! I'm so sorry that happened. Is the another place you can go? I was going before starting ivf but it was a bit expensive to continue although I wish I'd stayed as I found it so relaxing. Hope you find something better.

My update is that I had an endo scratch on Thursday and start the blood tests to track ovulation this coming Thursday to start a natural FET cycle. I think my transfer will be around Oct 23rd. Hoping the scratch does the trick and helps implantation. I'll be on blood thinning injections after transfer so haven't gotten away without the jabs this month!

Hope everyone's doing ok with all the drugs. Its a rollercoaster.

[LillyLeaf]

@WineWinner she sounds terrible. Does she specialise in fertility acupuncture? If you are in London I can recommend someone. Also I pay per session and never buy bulk sessions.

@catren good luck with you FET, did the scratch hurt?

I'm on day 9 of progesterone on my last ttc cycle, 9/10 dpo, not very hopeful for a BFP. All my meds were delivered on Friday, it was a little freaky seeing ALL those needles! I also have a pen injector thing so was watching YouTube videos for how to use it, seems simple. I was having crazy dreams last night where I was injecting the IVF drugs into my face!

Hope everyone is getting on ok.

[findingmywaytoday]

@WineWinner, your acupuncturist sounds incredibly unprofessional! I also never bulk buy and simply pay per session. My therapist specialises in fertility and often gives advice but in a "I think this will really help" kind of way rather than stressing me out. She also never leaves the room, I tried a few people before settling with my current person and none have ever dissapeared from the room even for two minutes let alone 30! Sorry last thing is I notied she put needles in your back - for fertility you tend to be on your back and they focus on feet / legs, pelvic area, hands and arms. Don't let her put you off, but do try someone else.