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]

Hi lilly no it didn't hurt, I was on day 3 of my cycle so my cervix was pretty open (still on my period) and that's what usually smarts a bit, according to the specialist. The actual scratch didn't feel like anything, so was totally fine. I think at other times of the month it can be worse, I'm not brave, just lucky!

[BeaCat]

My medication has just been delivered...that's a whole lot of drugs!!! Looking forward to getting started at the end of next week, it's starting to feel real now.

[LillyLeaf]

I think I'll be starting end of this week/beginning of next depending on when AF arrives. I wonder how that first injections will go 😬

[orangefolly]

catren are you going to be on clexane? I will be from just before the transfer too - first time for me. Have you had it before?

winewinner what an awful acupuncturist. I hope you find a better one. Or do you think you'll stop? I'm going to go to a new one on Thurs, see if it can help with my last bit of retained products so I can start the cycle on schedule.

lilly I found the first injection a bit daunting, but fine after that! It's more the thought of it imo. Good luck!

[PostiveThinkingRainbow]

Hello Ladies,

My first cycle ended in OHSS so I to freeze all which I was disappointed with, so have 4 frosties to use.

I had a good appointment on the 9th, my OHSS cysts had gone and my ovaries are now back to their normal size which meant I could move forward to a FET on my current cycle which I was thrilled with.

I started Buserelin injections last Saturday, then have an appointment on 29th Oct for scan to see if my ovaries are going to sleep apparently. Feels so long winded after short protocol.

Fingers crossed transfer should be around 19th November, anyone else similar ?

[LillyLeaf]

@PostiveThinkingRainbow sorry your last cycle didn't quite turn out how you wanted but 4 frosties is amazing! Is there still lots of drugs involved in FET?

@orangefolly I'm hoping I'll just count to 3 and jab it in. I'm fine with the thought of it and I'll be fine with any pain but it's such a strange thing to do you yourself, the brain must be thinking 'what the hell are you doing?'

[Catren]

Orangefolly I've not had it before, it's to help with my implantation problems. I hope it's not too awful!

positive I'll probably be doing my transfer at the end of October, i ovulate late and only on cd9 so probably another 10 days to ovulate and 5 days after that. I'm on a natural cycle so no drugs before transfer only after.

I'm sorry your ivf cycle ended in ohss, were you really poorly? It sounds awful. Glad you got lots of frosties though, that's the up side of hyper stimulation i guess, lots of eggs! I was at risk so had to do a freeze all. The FET cycle felt much more relaxed as i didn't have any drugs, but it sounds like they've got you on some drugs so i hope you don't feel too bad on them. It's certainly better to give your body a rest, even if it is disappointing.

[NBparis]

Hi ladies, can I join this thread please? I have just taken Duphaston to bring on a new cycle after an early mc following my 2nd ivf. Waiting for a bleed to start the pill and hoping to transfer mid-Nov before the clinic closes for Dec. Feeling weird this time around - like I'm so medicated that I can't do much diet/liestyle-wise to change the outcome. Weirdly powerless.
@sarahbeth85 that is really awful abt your work. I've really struggled with work too as I am working as a supply teacher trying to find a perm position. I put off my 2nd IVF because I was so worried about trying to get time off work, and for this round, I think I'll just not work. It's hard though as will be v broke and we're doing this privately so expensively.
@winewinner I also had a terrible acupuncture experience (altho not as bad as yours!!) but tried again and found it much, much better. It didn't help me much though in the long run so I stopped due to the expense.

[LillyLeaf]

@NBparis so sorry about your MC, that's totally shit. Are you doing a fresh cycle or FET this time?

I'm totally exhausted today, I'm 12/13dpo and doing my usual googling. I have to test on Friday to confirm BFP (as if)/BFN so I can stop the Cyclogest, then wait for AF, then start buserelin injections on cd1. I really don't want to test, I would rather get AF. In 18 months of TTC I've only tested once, I hate it.

[Guio]

Hi everyone!my time is approaching soon and I am feeling very nervous.I will start with the pill in a week and later buserelin and menopur in a long protocol.how do you manage with work?a little about me, I suffer of stress and anxiety and I can't handle my work very well.November and December are the worst months ever and I can't imagine how I am going to be with the IVF as well.has someone to manage being signed off for most of the process?I am very hardworking person but if I think about myself and having a family is a priority I want to be stress free.I am going to mention this to the GP but not sure how she will react.i already can't sleep and just want to cry.I am new in this journey so I am very scared.any tips?x

[NBparis]

@lillyleaf Thank you. We have three frozen embryos so FET this time. I'm absolutely terrified of the emotional roller-coaster ahead - the hope, the dread, the trying to be realistic, etc.
I know exactly what you mean about tests. I hate them so much. Would also wait it out rather than taking a test.
@guio I'm sorry you are feeling so nervous. If it helps at all, I found ivf much much better than I was expecting. I had no physical side effects at all and it was quick. I felt good because we were taking control and moving forwards. The emotional side was undeniably awful and I took it very hard when my first cycle failed but I got past it. Work was always difficult for me but I had no issue at all getting my gp to sign me off when I needed it. If you are feeling so anxious, maybe try to get some time off around egg collection and embryo transfer. I found work a good distraction during the tww and after though.

[Guio]

Hi @NBparis I am glad to hear that sometimes is not as scary as it seem!I am a anxious person so I can't avoid the fear but of course health is more important than anything else!

[LillyLeaf]

@NBparis I thought I was alone in not testing, on the conception boards everyone seemed to test everyday from 9dpo. I like to think I've paid for the IVF with money I've saved from not buying tests 😂. I'm feeling more nervous about testing tomorrow than starting the injections! It's going to be horrible testing after the IVF, but maybe my clinic will do a blood test.

[NBparis]

@lillyleaf nope. In three years of ttc, I've always tortured myself waiting for af and then getting incredibly excited if it's late only to fall from a height when it eventually comes. Testing would at least be a short sharp pain rather than giving myself a chance to get my hopes up but my rationale is that I might not believe a preg test anyway (cause I'm forever optimistic).
Can I ask why you are on progesterone before you've started? How are you feeling about it all? It must be rough with progesterone in the mix. I found that stuff to be not nice...

[LillyLeaf]

@NBparis I'm doing short protocol, i asked why i've been given progesterone and they said it's to prevent cysts, but not 100% sure though, because I'm still ttc this month they have given me Cyclogest which is safe in pregnancy. The progesterone has been ok, it's made me pretty exhausted some nights and I've had a few emotional breakdowns but not too bad. Some days I'm totally ready for IVF but others I just feel this all not fair. How you feeling?

[PostiveThinkingRainbow]

@LillyLeaf still drugs everyday but is all to put your ovaries to sleep, I am doing 26 days of Buserilin injections, on day 20 of that I start taking Progynova tablets which continues till the pregnancy test. When I finish the Buserlin I start on the dreaded Cyclogest Pessaries am and pm.

@Catren I know I said that to my husband, I wonder if the doctor just looks at your first cycle if you are prone to OHSS like me as the egg producing cycle!!
I was so disappointed to have to freeze all because you feel so close to doing your first transfer, but I have heard a lot now about the benefits of a FET and letting your body recover so fingers crossed it will pay off.

[PostiveThinkingRainbow]

I know the struggles with getting time off work etc!!!

What is everyone doing or have done in the past about time of after transfer??

Is it best to book 3 days off to relax etc???

Some say bed rest and no sleeping on your sides as it increases the chances of ectopic?
Some say keep moving as it helps blood flow???

Does anyone take aspirin to help?

Ahhhhh what to do???

Would love to hear what others think or have done?

[Catren]

positive I was between contracts (I freelance) after my FET but i didn't rest as such, just took it slightly easy and didn't do any running or strenuous exercise. I wanted to keep busy just as a distraction so was organizing house stuff and looking after 3yo dd. I felt completely normal after the transfer so didn't need rest, per se, not like after egg collection. This time round I'll be working (from home) so will just keep on going and try to stay as calm as I can, reduce stresses, eat well, sleep as much as i can etc. I have no idea about sleeping positions or anything else! I'll be on clexane blood thinning so no aspirin for me.

[NBparis]

@postive first time, I relaxed very determinedly and stayed in bed. It was an unsuccessful cycle. The second time, which did work albeit briefly, I didn't relax at all as much. I tried to keep busy and did normal things immediately after transfer. Didn't even lie down for an hour afterwards. I doubt it makes any difference tbh so try to do whatever will make you not regret.
I didn't do anything special re eating, drinking, sleeping, anything else.

[NBparis]

@lillyleaf it's hard to escape the feeling of unfairness. Someone very close to me got pregnant with their second child at the same time as I did (much more easily and naturally than I did, obviously!) and her pregnancy has continued healthily while mine did not. I've really struggled with it, Sometimes I feel OK and other times I feel so depressed about it. I think (hope!) it's normal. The situation we're in is awful.

have you tried other interventions before IVF? I only did Clomid which didn't work at all. after that, we decided to go for IVF and have had two cycles. We're not quite sure what the problem is. I guess it's unexplained. I do have crazy cycles but not PCO. I do ovulate but it still isn't working out. We have three frozen embryos after the second IVF so that's where we're headed now. I don't know how I feel. Having passed the preg test hurdle last time, I kind of feel like that should be a given this time, but of course it's not. I'm trying not to think about it and just accept that it might not work and we still have options if it doesn't. Like you, sometimes it's OK. Other times I am so tired of it all and just want to cry for days.

[LillyLeaf]

We haven't tried anything else before this IVF. No clomid or anything. I ovulate fine and have regular cycles so it's unexplained. My partner has just got his DNA fragmentation results back which were good so that's something, but now I'm thinking I have crappy eggs. I'm sure we'll find out after the first round.

[Flutterby7]

Hi everyone, I’ve been taking Buserelin and have my down regulation scan booked for next Tuesday. Nervous about the whole process and what to expect so thought I’d join.
First cycle and been ttc for 3 years

[Rememberallball]

Hi @Guio, my reason for being on microgynon is because we need to try and coordinate my cycle with that of the egg donor and it gives the clinic a better idea of when we are likely to be flying out and when the donor needs to be stimmed etc.

Our wobble at the moment is it looks like we will be going through the house move in 2 weeks time and are due to fly out to Cyprus about 3 days later. I have been so stressed thanks to our buyer not signing the contract and not exchanging this week - which almost lost us our new home but, thankfully, I’ve managed to pull it back from the brink of disaster!! I think we’re going to have to postpone the IVF until after Christmas or I worry it won’t work if I’m as stressed as I feel right now!!

[LillyLeaf]

I faced my fear and took a pg test, BPN obviously, it wasn't too bad. So I just need to wait for AF then start with the buserelin injections. I'm ready for this now.

[NBparis]

@rememberallball timing is such a pain, isn't it?
@lillyleaf well done for getting through the test. Sorry to hear it was bfn but glad you are feeling ready for it. I am waiting for a bleed after duphaston and wondering whether I am maybe the only person in the world for whom it doesn't work. It's stressful cause the clinic closes for most of Dec so if nothing happens soon, we'll have to put everything off til Jan, which is annoying because I am off work now until Jan.