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?

Couldn't sleep all night. I kept thinking that any day now I will have to start the injections and that I won't be able to do it especially as I live alone and don't have any family to help...
… woke up... and I was spotting.. right now I wish I had a few more days or magically I had conceived naturally which is impossible as my partner has antisperm antibodies...
I need to call the clinic now to book the scan, buy the Gonal-F injections and pay at least £5000 upfront.. I have estimated that for just one round it will probably cost me £10.000 :-( with no guarantees.
Right now all I feel is fear about the injections and that I will mess it up.. No excitement.. nothing.. I am struggling to feel any positive feeling...

I hope you all are doing well..

Hi @NV42 my clinic said to call when it was proper full flow, and if that happened only after about 3pm, then not to worry and call the next day.. so maybe you've got an extra day to go yet? The handout I got too also said there were videos online to watch (from the manufacturer)... I can't bring myself to watch them yet, but intend to, on the day I make that call... I'm sure it won't be so bad for you (or me!) when we try. Can you ask to go into the clinic for the first one? Or if not, make sure you have lots of time and a nice dinner/slice of cake to look forward to afterwards? I intend to be sitting down soft and cosy and just taking it one step at a time. Also I saw some advice on here that using an icecube on your skin first can help numb the area... Good Luck!!

@SpringLake thank you for the tip with the icecube. No there is no chance I can go to the clinic for the first IVF. Lister is very impersonal having dealt with them for a couple of months..

I think overall the fact that I am 42, my partner having antisperm antibodies which prevents conceiving naturally, the fact that we are not rich to keep on trying IVF/ICSI, let alone that because of his conditions we can not even do IVF so if the eggs are immature ICSI will not work..

….and on top of that Lister Hospital being so impersonal by having to speak each time to a different person who does not know your medical history and you need to keep reminding them things, questioning.. I honestly feel that I am going to waste these £10000. It really shocks me how impersonal the whole process is.

.. and I understand that some people may have good experience but it could be that they happened to get the best throughout the process as with any job, clinic it really depends the people you will deal with..

There is no real human connection and that impacts me a lot.. It only increases my fears that it will not work as someone will do a mistake in the process as they will not know the whole picture, medical history, miss something etc etc.

Yes I am not well at all.. and this is just my first IVF cycle but the clinic has not made it any better...

Even worse I know I can conceive naturally as I conceived when I was 36 but had an abortion as it was not with the right partner.. I am banging my head on the wall everyday now that I have to go through IVF/ICSI because of my partner and I can not tell him this.. nor do I think he realises that I might stay childless {he already has two kids conceived prior getting the antisperm antibodies)..

I really feel the next months especially if I don't manage to have a successful pregnancy it is going to be a nightmare..

That is terrible @NV42. My clinicare so lovely that I feel really lucky. I know what you mean about the cost, so I am just hoping there are enough embryos to have some to freeze so I don't have to find the money for a full fresh cycle again.

One tip I heard for the injections is to do them in the evening. You need to do them the same time every day, but if you work during the day then that way you can relax after and not have to try and rush for work (especially if you get side effects). Also, as the scans will be during the day, if they need to change the dose they can do it from the day of the scan rather than have to wait for the next day.

I have now started my noresthisterone, so all being well will have AF around the end of next week and then can have my baseline scan and start the injections as I'm on the short protocol.

Hi, I was in a thread last summer but should be starting again 15th Feb so thought I would join!

I just spoke with Lister Hospital to book the baseline scan and the nurse was so cold and impersonal.

She booked the scan for Day 4 (is that normal, she said that if it is long protocol they book them between Day 1-Day 5).

Hovewer when I asked if they can show me again how to do the injections, she said "we covered this in the pre-assessment you had in December".. I asked her again if it is possible to show me again and she said "that is why we do it in December"..

At this point I almost wanted to start crying and asked her if she knows how cold and impersonal she sounds. I told her that I live alone and I am scared and she just said sorry and continued in the same voice pattern and finally said, when you come you can ask them to show you again.

I just want to start crying.. I think I just threw £10000 out of the window.. I have no money for more IVFs.

I will mention this to my consultant and clinic and I hope they will realise that this is not the way to treat patients.

@FingersXssd83 sorry you are so worried. Hope it's all ok. What time is your scan today?
@NV42 I'm so sorry you're struggling so much. I'm so surprised as I am with the Lister fertility clinic and have found them absolutely amazing. It seems you have had some really bad luck. I saw a nurse called Donna who was lovely. Perhaps see if you can see her? I'm sure they'll go through the injections with you again on day 4. And yes, day 4 is the perfect time. Hope things improve for you soon.

Had my scan first thing. Hadn't ovulated but they saw a high number of follicles. However, they've only managed to retrieve 6 eggs from them and considering our 50% maturity rate and 60% fertilisation rate from last time, we're probably looking at 1-2 embryos tomorrow. Gutted that the revised protocol hasn't produced more than the 10 eggs collected last time. We were aiming for about 5 embryos this time. Already discounted this cycle. Wishing everyone else a more positive day xx

Baseline scan has been moved from Friday to tomorrow! I took my last pill yesterday as planned, you’re meant to start bleeding 2-3 days after but lo and behold, it’s started this afternoon. I think this probably means we’re going to be bumped along and starting injections tomorrow

@FingersXssd83 I'm sorry and will keep my fingers crossed for you that all 6 are mature and fertilise.

@Justwaitingforaline That's really exciting. If you are day 2 tomorrow and get your scan then they should hopefully start you off tomorrow.

I'm on the pills until next Thursday, but hoping that AF arrives really quickly after as I just want to get on and get to EC now.

@fingersxssd83 other than feeling a little down how are you feeling physically? Hope you’re not too uncomfortable. Sorry to hear you didn’t get the numbers you were hoping for but you know there are no rules to this whole process. Are you having ICSI? I have my fingers and toes crossed that those little eggies are making some magic tonight. Think positive thoughts for them. Big hugs 😘😘😘

@nv42 wow I can feel your anxiety. The injections will be OK. I’ve already done one round. I fell pregnant first time but then miscarried. There are a lot of hurdles but you have to take each day as it comes. Come on you’re a strong person and maybe you don’t realise that. You’re strong enough to get this far and sometimes the hardest bit it’s starting the process. Be kind to yourself and don’t be defeated. I always used to look on Pinterest for some positive fertility affirmations just to help ease the mind.

How are you feeling now? Sometimes you just need to air these things and this group is a great place for doing that xxx

I had my planning meeting at the clinic for my FET last week. Plan is to start on my next period as long as I bleed enough. I had the worst pains but microscopic bleed for my first period after my D&C. I’m hoping I’ll be back to normal this month as if it’s like last we won’t be able to do it. Who knows. I plan on having a non medicated cycle but if I don’t ovulate when I need to they can switch me into medicated. Just hope my little emby thaws OK 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I should start my period on Monday of next week but don’t know whether I’m back to regular periods yet. If I do they’ll then start scanning me from day 8 of my cycle. So as with anything there are a lot of unknowns. There always are on any cycle. Just have to wait and see what happens next week 👀

I know you've had unbelievable heartbreak @Peanut1980 but it really is fantastic news that you have a FET to try. I've also read that if you have achieved pregnancy then you have higher chance of it working again 🤞🏻

We had an early call from the embryologist today. From our 6 eggs, 4 were mature, all 4 fertilised and 1 fertilised abnormally so we have 3 little embabies today, which is the same as last time from 10 eggs.

Hoping that all three develop as well as last time and we get to transfer on Sat.

I'm sure we'll get bad news along the way but I'm feeling much more relaxed second time around so grateful for that.

Wishing everyone a good day today 💖 x x x

ALL SYSTEMS GO!

Baseline scan went well. Instructed to start injecting today with 250iu of Gonal-F adding in the centrocide on Sunday!

@fingersxssd83 eek that’s so exciting. That gave me goosebumps! Come on embabies!!!

@juatwaitingforaline amazing news. Good luck to you on your cycle x

Feeling a bit better today. Waiting for the baseline scan on Friday and starting the Gonal - F injections in the evening if baseline scan goes well. I need to watch the videos of the manufacturer someone mentioned. I checked the Gonal-F instruction sheet that the clinic gave me and it quotes actually that Merck has videos.

@Boboelephant I have mixed feelings. There are quite a few things that I like about Lister but I think overall the clinics may have more patients than other places as I keep reading that clinics especially outside London tend not to be so impersonal. How are you getting along? Do you have any more side effects from the Synarel nasal spray? I am thinking if this makes me a bit more irritable and gloomy.. It could be that I just got my period.. Who knows there are so many things going on with IVF let alone the innate stress we have already (or at least me) that I am not sure what is causing what. I haven't got the hot flushes though and I am having the baseline scan on Friday..

@Peanut1980 you are such an empathetic and positive person... it is lovely to have you in our little group... :-) your little messages to all lifts up the whole thread... fingers crossed for next week.. I bet you can't wait to start..

@CornishMaid1 How are you doing? Have you started Norethisterone? Any side effects? Then again it is only two days.. :-)

@fingersxssd83 so glad to hear about the embabies.. I cross my fingers for you and I am sending warm and positive thoughts for the embabies .. :-)

@justwaitingforaline Good luck with the injection today.... well says one who is frightened. you may be braver than me :-)

@Ginandtonic31 welcome to the group! :-)

All what is FET? I think by the end of this thread I will drive you mad with my constant questions on acronyms.

Have a lovely evening all and wishing positive news for the days to come for all....

@FingersXssd83 that is such wonderful news!! I have all my fingers and toes crossed that your three embabies hold on until Sat and keep growing well.
@Justwaitingforaline brilliant news. Good luck!
@Peanut1980 brilliant that you have a frostie! I hope it thaws well and your bleed starts on Monday so you can crack on🤞
@NV42 I'm glad you're feeling more positive. It's a hard road! We've generally already experienced so much that makes us have to do IVF in the first place and then all the drugs and hormones and waiting and wondering.... it's not easy! I'm ok thanks. Day 7 of synarel, apart from a headache it hasn't been bad. I went to my acupuncturist last night and she focused on my neck and my headache is not here today so fx that lasts!
Oh and by the way- FET is a frozen embryo transfer.

@NV42 I'm good thank you. I started the noresthisterone so only on my third day of it. I had a bit of a headache and tiredness, but I think that was just me getting used to the extra drug (settled down for the minute thankfully). The only side effect I seem to be having is hunger (not sure if it is the cold or the pills though) and I have just been really hungry for the last couple of days!

Just have to make it to next Thursday and then if AF arrives quickly enough I have my baseline scan on 28th and then start the injections.

Good luck with your baseline scan tomorrow.

Just had our day 2 update. All three are still growing and we have:

1 x 2 cell grade 2
1 x 4 cell grade 2-3
1 x 6 cell grade 2-3

Glad they're all holding on. Pretty disappointed as we had grade 1-2s last time. They have provisionally booked us in for a 3-day transfer tomorrow but have said that the grade can change overnight so we'll see.

DH and I have said that we'll potentially have a double embryo transfer tomorrow, depending on what happens.

Looks like our chances are less than last time but I guess you never know 🤞🏻

Wishing everyone a good day x x x

I have a quick question to all, just to see if it was the same with you..

I am on the long protocol and I am taking Neferelin nasal spray for 12 days now.. I got my period 2 days ago but it has been very light, I almost had no bleeding today (Day 3). Is that because of the nasal spray? Did you have similar experiences?

I called the clinic to see what they will say as I have my baseline scan tomorrow.

Sorry NV, I’m on the short protocol with the pill instead of spray so I have no idea.
I have a question! I started stimms (gonal-f) yesterday on CD2, is it okay that I’m still bleeding? The consultant didn’t say anything about whether the bleeding would stop or not...

Good luck tomorrow @FingersXssd83 - I hope all embryos last the night and they can transfer tomorrow.

@NV42 - I hope everything is okay and the clinic got back to you. When do you start injections. Fingers crossed they go well for you!

Has anyone has the endometrial scratch? I have it next week and starting to worry. All my meds arrived today, little overwhelming. X

@justwaitingforaline yes that’s fine your period will be as normal! Mine didn’t actually come on the right day and didn’t come until I had started injections!