February / March 2019 IVF / ICSI

[Thund4rcat]

Hi all, starting a new thread for those of us who are starting IVF treatment in February.

This will be my second round of ICSI, I start buserelin injections on 17th February. We have MFI (low sperm count) and after our first cycle ended in a chemical pregnancy, I demanded a laparoscopy because I have always had painful periods. The lap discovered I have mild endometriosis and mild adenomyosis but the surgeon said it was mild enough to not affect my fertility.

I am continuing with the NHS, doing a second fresh cycle. We have 3 frozen embryos from the first round as backup if this one doesn't work...

Would be good to have some cycle buddies to share support over the next couple of months...

@intrigued2018

We're under NHS but self-funded, so kind of in between funded and private. We've been considering going private somewhere else if it doesn't work out this time, but I'm worried about starting from scratch and the higher cost.

There are big posters up in our waiting room about the lack of evidence of natural killer cell tests, endo scrapes, elected freezing, you name it 🙄 I think it's in an effort to put people off asking! I get that desperation makes people want to try anything, but surely it's worth it even if it rules it out. Like you say I'd rather throw everything at it!

Were your extra meds because your tests showed high natural killer cells? Sorry, I don't really know much about it yet but intend to research!

I guess we'll push harder at the next debrief (if it comes to it) and see what the consultant says. It's usually a different one each time, so that might help.

Thanks, it's really helpful getting different perspectives on here.

@MrsC18 I've got a note about implantation testing as a few people have mentioned that. Do they do the blood test near implantation time, or is it just a general one?

I agree that a lot of the time it is down to luck, unfortunately. I just want to feel like we're covering all bases I guess.

It's anytime, I just had it after the last apt. Not sure what they test for but it was 9 bottles of blood! The person that took my blood called them the miscarriage bloods unfortunately.

Have a look at the HFEA website, it gives each procedure or test a rating and gives info about what trials have been done to prove its efficacy. My clinic offer the embroglue and timelapsing as normal and will do an embryo scratch if you ask and have had a failed cycle. Just see what you think?

@Meownow9 - every clinic is completely different in their approach that it is hard plus everyone's scenario is different so the treatment plan will be altered. I'm under the fertility partnership which have clinics all around the UK, so far I couldn't complain at all! They've been brilliant, I see the same consultant every time and the nurses are so friendly. The implantation test is called Thrombophilla screening, it isn't cheap as they take a tonne of blood and it has to go to the US apparently. Looking back it cost us about £600.

Fingers and toes crossed this isn't needed for you though, you have the embryos inside you and hopefully all works out this time! Xxx

@Meownow9 oh no poor you that's rubbish it's hard to keep your spirits up I think you're amazing on fifth cycle I'm emotionally exhausted after not even one! I just think there is a lot they don't know tbh...
@GinTonic I don't remember getting itching but it probably affects people in different ways ! Nothing is normal with all this stuff!
@MrsC18 'miscarriage bloods' :-0

Well all my positivity has plummeted after getting a call from the clinic this morning asking if I want to go ahead as its a 6 cell embryo and they don't think it's the best quality. They gave me a choice of leaving it til day 5 or going ahead. I decided to just go ahead with the transfer and see what happens it's just gutting as we have nothing else to freeze or anything. I hope my eggs aren't awful quality now :-( it was initially issues with my hubby's sperm that brought us to IVF but even with ICSI only one fertilised. Our clinic is only down the road so am going to walk down in the sun and think positive thoughts! Hope everyone has a nice day.

Thanks @MrsC18, I'll definitely ask about that. (I might not use that person's terminology!) I'll have a more detailed look at the HFEA site too.

Thanks @intrigued2018, good to know the fertility partnership are good as been wondering about them. And the cost of the test if we go ahead, eek.

This gives me a good excuse to make more spreadsheets 🤓

@intrigued2018 sorry meant to say it is Day 3 today!

@Evie8010 I'm sorry it's not good news, but for what it's worth id do the same in your shoes. My embryologist said to me a few months ago that the grading is for them, in reality they don't know why some implant and others don't and they think they get better outcomes inside the uterus than out. The only reason they keep embryos out for 5 days is if there are a few to chose from so they have a better chance of selecting the 'best' if there's only one, then get it back in asap to give it the best chances. Hope you get the result we all want, and enjoy your lovely walk there

And thanks @ Evie8010 too (I really need to hit refresh before I reply!)

Sorry you've not had great news. I definitely think it's worth giving your embie a shot though and will be crossing my fingers for you. Hopefully they can give you some feedback on possible reasons why only one fertilised x

Hi everyone,

@meownow9 From what I recall the only real evidence based add on is embryoglue. My clinic does it as standard and nothing else, as there isn't an evidence base.

@MrsC18 "My clinic has always told me to be careful and listen to my body, the embryologist cautioned me that a lot of studies are now showing that women with high stress markers in their blood do not have the same chances of pregnancy as those with lower levels." This is a concern for me, I have complex-PTSD, so my cortisol blood levels are probably awful. Hmm. Nothing I can do but keep on looking after myself though. I've learnt to calm myself down, hard though.

@Evie8010 Good choice - although kind of weird how they give a choice, how are we as patients meant to know!
Best of luck.

@Russkispy I recognise your name, were you on the TTC#1 thread a few years ago?

@Twiglet I'm going to have 2-3 days off after EC and the day off for ET. Apart from that I'm hoping to work though. I wonder how I'll feel in the days leading up to EC though. The scans alone will keep me out of work!

I went to the clinic for the first time today, AMH, FSH and Dildo-cam. Dildocam showed a cyst on my ovary, she also said she could see 2 follicles...thats not many is it?
No idea if the cyst will be a problem.
We see the consultant next Tuesday, then will book in for our 3 hour appoint 1-2 weeks after that, then if it long protocol bloody get going!

I'm absolutely chomping at the bit now, but DH is away so much for work in April, he has never been away in his life for work and wont be away again until 2020...the timing could not be worse. Arghhhh. Logically I know another month makes no difference but there is some primal urge inside me thats just...mental

@AliceAbsolum I'm sorry to have worried you there, though to be honest that entire conversation with the embryologist annoyed me. It's not fair to say that to someone facing IVF, of course they're going to be stressed. It's extremely stressful, you have no idea how it's going to work, go from day to day on a prayer whilst trying desperately to keep the rest of your life going so that if this fails you're not left with nothing and he bloody tells me that stress will lower my chances??? I was literally open mouthed at him!

Ultimately women get pregnant in all manner of circumstances and they don't know why some embryos fail and others don't. Just do what you need to do in order to get through this with your life and your relationship as intact as possible

@MeowNow9 try not to get too upset just yet as you might not need anymore!

I’m booked in for EC Friday morning. So now I need aclast minute train and looking st £60 each return! Ah well got to be done.

Good that you're all booked in @Ginandtonic31! Hope it goes well x

@Evie8010 - glad you had ET today, sounds like the clinic did the right thing doing a day 3 transfer as they do say they are likely to do better between days 3-5 in their natural environment! Best of luck.

@Ginandtonic31 - glad you have EC booked for Friday, I was mine was a Friday as lease you have the weekend to recover!

@AliceAbsolum - best of luck with your journey! Fingers crossed you can crack on soon.

@Meownow9 - I have my toes and fingers crossed this is your cycle. When do you test? You have to love a good spreadsheet 😀 xxx

Thanks @intrigued2018! Test on 6 March.

Just realised you were due to have your transfer today, right? How did it go?

@Meownow9 - fingers crossed for the 6th, hopefully the next week and a bit go well.

Yep had my transfer this afternoon, had one embryo transferred which was a grade C. We had two blastocyst both grade C, I'm fairly relaxed about this as explained they just couldn't tell at the moment as the cells hadn't expanded and could easily be a grade A or B by tomorrow. At least this way we have the option to do a FET if this cycle doesn't work! Id drink too much before so it literally felt like torture not being able to pee 🤣 was lovely watching it on the ultrasound then we got a usb with the video of the embryo growing over the last 5days, was amazing watching at home after! Going in the keep-sake box. Test next Friday - hoping the time passed quickly and will have to resist testing early. X

@intrigued2018

Oh yay, that's good and absolutely - it could progress into a higher quality one in the next day or so like you say :) and brilliant that you've got a frostie as always nice to know there's a backup.

I drink slightly too much every time I go in for mine - they love it as they can see more easily but I have to concentrate so hard not to pee! All the while they're chatting away, haha.

That's so lovely that you get a video - must be fascinating to watch!

Yes definitely try and resist the urge to test early - it's better to be more accurate. Weirdly I never have that problem as I'm always too scared to look!

Hoping for good news for you xx

@intrigued2018 oh that's great about your ET! Nice to have a video too! Definitely visualise your embies upgrading. Im hoping that for my little pipsqueak. We got a little photo of the embryo being squirted in. I was ok until they delayed by 20-mins and was bursting...Then we were both hangry and had to deal with the dotty receptionist on the way out lol!

Fingers crossed for you @Evie8010 and @intrigued2018

Had my mock ET and appointment with the consultant nurse this morning. Everything went okay. My uterus is anteverted and to the right but she got the catheter in with ease - what a pro .
She did confirm the clinic like to sign their patients at risk of OHSS off for two weeks following EC, but advised me to obviously keep mobile and not just lay in bed.

Treatment plan is to finish my norethisterone on Saturday, then commence Bemfola on CD2, and then Fyremadel on the sixth day of stims.

@Twiglet2353 does that mean it tilts backwards? I’m the same too. Hope it doesn’t cause any issues with any transfers.

@Twiglet2353 Ahhhh it's moved so quickly! How exciting. Glad the mock transfer went well :) Are you on a short protocol because of high AMH?

Glad the mock went well @Twiglet2353!

Spent some time today looking into "stress" and IVF/ICSI.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19176541

CONCLUSIONS:
Inductees in IVF treatment can be reassured that anxiety and depression levels before and during treatment have no significant influence on the cancellation and pregnancy rates.

n=783 so pretty decent.

I'll just carry on with headspace and hope for the best.

In other news I'm still getting my head around the clinic. In my head it was all big white walls and modern machinery. But it actually looks like a community center! Quite cluttered and small. Obviously the environment doesn't make a difference to the pregnancy rates! Just not what I expected. Is everyone else's in a hospital?

Thanks @Meownow9 @Ginandtonic31

And I know @AliceAbsolum, so pleased to be finally getting going with everything, and now that we're actually in the unit it's going surprisingly quickly.

My unit is also a small one, but within a hospital. Definitely still resembles an nhs ward but it's quite chaotic as there isn't really space for anything. They're planning on moving to a bigger space as they've clearly outgrown their surroundings I'd say.

Interesting research post re stress x

I’m feeling so down today. EC has been scheduled for Friday and all of a sudden I’m convinced there will be hardly any eggs, nothing to put back in etc. And I feel like we’ve left this all too late. It takes people years to conceive with IVF and my husband is already 45. We will have to give up in a year or so as he will end up being an old dad and it just doesn’t seem right! Feeling like it won’t happen now and like we’ve got a year max. 😞