January/ February IVF/ICSI

[Justwaitingforaline]

Starting a new thread for all of us going through IVF/ICSI in January/February!

First round of ICSI for us. I’m on the last week of my birth control pill before starting Gonal F injections on the 18th Jan, with the hope of egg collection on the 30th and transfer on the 4th Feb! I’m egg sharing so have been on the pill a while to sync my cycle with the woman recovering half of my eggs .

Is anyone else at a simile stage?

[CornishMaid1]

@NV42 I'm okay thank you. My meds are arriving tomorrow and I start my noresthisterone on Tuesday. Feeling excited and nervous now. I just really hope we get a decent number of good embryos.

Russkispy beat me to the acronyms. If there are any more you need just say.

[Justwaitingforaline]

NV I’m well, thank you! Only 4 more pills to take and then a baseline scan next Friday 😊
It’s all come around so bloody quickly. After years of trying and waiting and referals and tests, it’ll all be over in a month which is crazy to think about!

[Boboelephant]

Hi all, hoping I can join too. I recognise a few names from other threads- hello! Also @DaisyMay25- nice to see you, it's been ages!

I'm starting my first cycle of IVF. I have a 3 year old DS who was conceived easily but have been trying for number 2 for 2.5 years and have had an ectopic and a MMC and not a sniff of a bfp for the past 13 months.

I started synarel nasal spray yesterday. The nurse said to expect period one week later but as I ovulate late I expect it to be closer to two.

@NV42 I bought the synarel at Asda pharmacy as it was £40 cheaper. However I'm on menopur next and that is cheaper at my clinic. It depends a bit on what drug you're on. I just called and got prices over the phone. Every penny helps when you have to pay privately I think!

@FingerXssd83 you poor thing. I'm so worried about having to do it myself when DH is away as I'm such a klutz. 🤦‍♀️ Hope you got it all sorted.

[Justwaitingforaline]

Gah. Two days of the pill left and I’ve started spotting apparently normal to spot a bit but this is err-ing towards more very light period. I can’t call clinic until Monday morning when I’m supposed to stop the pill anyway.

[NV42]

@Boboelephant welcome to the thread ..

Good luck with your IVF cycle. Funny enough I ovulate late too so although I am taking Synarel a week now I think I will need to take it for one week more. May I ask what is DS? I am afraid I do not know my acronyms :)

@Justwaitingforaline I am sure it will be fine. At my clinic too although I can call over the weekend, if I were to bleed over the weekend they would have done the scan on the Monday (up to Day 2-3).

[NV42]

I also started thinking whether there are private places or private nurses online that one could hire to do the injections.. I am getting really worried about it and as I live alone, I thought of at least trying to find out if there is anything out there. Have you heard anything or can think of something?

[Boboelephant]

@NV42 thank you. Yes it felt a bit weird as I started taking the synarel the day after ovulation. Doc said it was fine but unless synarel brings it forward period isn't due for at least 10 more days. DS is dear son. No worries about the acronyms, I didn't know any at the start either but have been on the TTC (trying to conceive) threads for over a year now so they become second nature.
Do you have a partner or family/friend that could come over and help you? If not I would assume you could hire someone. You can hire nurses/carers to help administer medication to people with dementia/disabilities etc so I'm sure there is something! Has the nurse shown you how to do it? It might be after the initial one it's much easier.
@Justwaitingforaline hope it's all ok. I'm not taking the pill so not really sure what this means for you. Is there an OOH number you can call?

[Justwaitingforaline]

I spoke to the clinic yesterday when the spotting started and they said to call back Monday if it was still happening/had increased. I’m off all week next week for annual leave so I’m hoping they can squeeze me in for a scan on Monday! Fingers crossed it might just mean they bring starting injections forward maybe? it’s not heavy, but every time I wipe - think first day of AF.

[FingersXssd83]

Hope everyone is doing well. We had our second scan today. Follies and endometrium are rowing nicely. They considered triggering me tonight but are letting me go an extra day as last time had 10 eggs collected but only 5 were mature. So... EC on Tuesday which works out well with work as o have lots to tie up on Mon, but disappointing as we won't get a 5 day transfer as it falls on a Sunday when the clinic is closed :/ Just focusing on the next step now and how many embryos we get 🤞🏻

[Bumblebee25]

Could I join please? I’m a longtime lurker and about to start our first IVF ICSI later this month. How is everyone feeling about their IVF cycles? On some days I feel very hopeful and others I can’t think anything else than what could go wrong... and then reminding myself what could go right! Got the medicines ready and now just waiting AF to arrive. Wishing all of us good luck in our journeys!

[Justwaitingforaline]

Hi Bumble, welcome to the club! I’m also swinging from wildly optimistic to ‘oh my god why am I even bothering? It won’t work’ - I think that’s very normal!

[NV42]

Excellent news @FingersXssd83...

What do you mean about the 5 day transfer? Is it better if embryos are transferred on 5 days? Are you doing just IVF or ICSI as well?

Good luck for the next stage and hope all goes well with the triggering.

[NV42]

@Bumblebee25 you just described how I feel but with me it changes during the day.. One moment I am positive and the next super worried and thinking that I will either suffer from the drug side effects or it will simply not work..

But we keep on going.. one moment at a time..

[FingersXssd83]

I feel the same! Had been doing so well but yesterday had a wobble about our cycle going wrong...

@NV42 we're doing standard IVF and yes it's best to have a 5DT as the longer the embryos develop the more likely they are to implant. 5 days is in sync with the body and when embryos would usually reach the uterus. It's also a diagnostic tool as the embryologist can see more when they're further along and select the best one.

Although saying all that, many ladies get a BFP on a 2-3 DT and out clinic says that there's no statistical difference between a 4&5 DT. I think a lot of it is down to luck tbh!

I'm going to ask more at EC on Tues to help clear my mind.

Wishing everyone a positive day today xxx

[Russkispy]

AF arrived today, 2 days earlier making this cycle 26 days. Decided not to start another IVF this time around. My dad is coming to visit me on Sunday for 2 weeks. Can't be dealing with him being here and injections, flying out etc etc I'll start next cycle instead. And this time we will just DTD every other day after AF gone and see what happens. I won't OPK, cheaply or digitally as run out of both and won't buying any either. Will continue with supplements, reflexology and acupuncture.
Good luck to you all and hope you get your BFP this cycle! Fingers crossed!!

[intrigued2018]

Hi all, I hope you don't mind me joining this thread. Me and DH have been ttc for 18months for baby #1, due to pcos I ovulate every 3-4months. Had two rounds of Clomid and one round of ovulation induction with Gonal-f.
Currently on my 20days of the pill and eager to get started. Also swaying from being very positive thinking about if it's a bfp then telling myself don't be stupid it'll be a bfn.
How is everyone getting on? It seems like everyone around me is falling pregnant or giving birth at the moment! X

[Justwaitingforaline]

It’s official, I’ve taken my last birth control pill! Baseline scan on Friday, ready to start injections that evening. It’s all suddenly very real now

[Justwaitingforaline]

not a wink!

[Boboelephant]

@FingersXssd83 glad to hear all are growing well! Shame about the 5DT but that's reassuring that there is no statistical difference between 4 and 5. Good luck for your EC tomorrow!!
@Bumblebee25 welcome! I also swing between wild positivity and then massive cynicism. I think it's natural.
@Russkispy sorry AF came. Perhaps a month off intervention is what you need. Hope it happens naturally and if not, good luck for next month!
@intrigued2018 welcome. Yep I know the constant baby bomb feeling. Seems to have been a weekly experience for the last 2 years. 😫 We will get there!!!
@Justwaitingforaline woohoo go time! How exciting!

Day 4 of synarel over here. Not much to report. Thankfully the headache on day 1 was fleeting and I've been ok since. Worst thing is very dry mouth which coupled with always needing to pee as I'm guzzling water down is a strange sensation!

[intrigued2018]

Good luck everyone!

@Boboelephant - thanks. what is the nasal spray for? I haven't got this as part of my treatment. Interesting to know other people's treatment and journey.

@Justwaitingforaline - good luck for Friday, fingers crossed for the scan.

Xx

[Boboelephant]

@intrigued2018 the nasal spray is part of down regulation which is on the long protocol. My understanding is that it shuts down your bodies natural functions- ovaries etc. Makes your body think it's in menopause so you start on a clean slate after your period for your stims.

[intrigued2018]

@Boboelephant - ah okay, sounds like this is the same as the buserelin injections I start at the end of taking the contraceptive pill for 20days. How you feeling on these? I start buserelin on the 26th October - just want to crack on now. X

[Boboelephant]

@intrigued2018 yep, synarel and buserelin do the same thing. Docs just prescribe injections for some and nasal spray for some. No idea why! I'm just waiting for period to start now. I didn't have to do the pill, just started the spray on day 21 of my cycle. It's pretty good, I was expecting alot more difficult symptoms but all ok for now.

[FingersXssd83]

Really worried as after my trigger shot last night, I haven't had any pains in my ovaries. It's completely stopped. Called Care Mcr as I'm worried I've ovulated early and they've said to come into clinic half an hour before my egg collection for a scan. I was in quite a lot pain right up to EC last time and this time it's totally different. Like last time, I've had no bloods at the clinic, just scans on day 8 and day 10. Have seen that other ladies have bloods. Will be fuming if they've not monitored me effectively and I've ovulated. They also upped my meds and let me go an extra day this time so wondering if that's had an impact ☹️

[intrigued2018]

Try not to worry @FingersXssd83 - after my trigger shot for ovulation induction with gonal-f I felt no pain and they confirmed I ovulated so don't threat. With the ovulation induction they made me do daily ovulation stick testing for the last 5days, not sure if it's the same for ivf as I'm not that far yet. Just remember every cycle is different and your body will respond differently. Good luck tomorrow xx