July/August IVF/ICSI/FET

[TinyPaws]

Hi everyone,

Thought I'd start a thread for those of us undergoing fertility treatment in July/August.

I'm (hopefully) having a FET late July/early August, anyone else want to hop on this thread for the ride?

@Thund4rcat I’m so sorry to hear what a rubbish time you have had. I guess protocol all depends on clinic and you. For my FET I started taking progynova from day 1 of cycle 3 times a day. I had a scan on day 14 of cycle but lining was thick enough but ovaries were turned off. So started hormone patches to increase lining thickness. Went back 4 days later and was thick enough. Today I have started pessaries 2 twice a day which are progesterone as well as continuing progynova and patches. I have my transfer booked for 18th if the embryo survives the thaw (90%) of them do.

@TinyPaws , @Brambles7 so regarding the thyroid... my numbers were normal with my first pregnancy but as it was ivf too they gave me levothyroxine to lower TsH it as apparently it's better on the lower end of the scale for fertility. I stopped it after birth.

However now I did a test a couple of months ago and my TsH is raised so I have hypothyroidism, so am on 75mcg at the moment. It sounds like this will continue for rest of life now, not just the pregnancy.

We now also tested for antithyroid antibodies and have a pretty high number so they concluded I have an autoimmune thyroid issue, which makes it trickier for pregnancies. Problem is my first and successful round of IvF 3 years back never tested for antibodies as it's not a standard test they do (it is not an official guideline test with the NHS - who funded my first IVF round. Now I am private) so I don't know if I had it back then or not. If I did it would be almost good news because it would mean that it was there but didn't affect the pregnancy.

If it's something that only just appeared (and we just happened to find it due to the FET investigations) then who knows what this means for my odds. We shall find out I guess

In other news, first day of progy today.
@Whatelsecouldibecalled no side effects so far but it's prob too soon. Or I might be lucky (ha!)
How is it for you?

HOpe everyone is ok today!

@sometimesalways I haven’t had any side effects. Just bloody alarms going off all the time to remind me 😂Hope it’s he same for you! 🤞

Hi guys, hope you are all doing well. I am getting through the horrible downregging (still find nafarelin is depressing me, but only a few more days to stims). I got my bleed today so I think I am pretty much on track.

@sometimesalways I came back with a raised TSH level too - I was already on 50mcg so my consultant has upped it to 75mcg.

@TinyPaws sorry you are feeling better and that you get your bleed soon. I have had it delayed before by downregging - my nurse said it was quite common but hopefully should show up soon.

Hi @Thund4rcat so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I wish you every success for this cycle.

@Brambles7 it sucks to go back to a fresh cycle, doesn't it! I feel you, but lets hope we're both lucky this time.

Still seems like ages until I start downreg. on the 23rd. Just out of interest, can you tell me when you bled - would it have been when your period was due, or earlier?

@Anaesthetist83 mine came 3 days ‘late’ from when it was due

Hmmmm I have long cycles anyhow, so feel like I may be in for a long downreg with a day 21 start

@Thund4rcat Welcome and sorry to hear of your losses. Hoping for a better result this time.

@Brambles7 Thanks. Fingers crossed the higher dose works for you!

@orangefolly Glad your bleed came, were you on norethiesterone? If so how many days did it take to start?

I took my last norethisterone last Tuesday and still haven't bled. Got my down reg scan on Tuesday, I don't think the down reg has worked properly but we shall see.

How's everyone doing? Hope you all had a great weekend?

Anyone felt worse mood wise when they started the stims? I've just sent my
DH an epically long what's app listing all the things he has done this weekend to upset me. He has apologised, and I've had a cup of tea, and despite the fact he has been a bit inconsiderate I think I have probably overreacted. Am I going mad or is it the meds 🤷‍♀️ or perhaps he is an annoying fc*er....

Gosh this is tough isn't it!

@confused107 The weekend was good (went to Silverstone!), I however was not. Alternated between anger and deep despair/self loathing. My partner drove me nuts and I had a rather undignified meltdown. My experience was that I felt better on the stims (still a bit moody but the debilitating despair lifted almost immediately).

On the plus side, my period FINALLY showed up having taken my last norethisterone last Tuesday. Baseline scan is tomorrow, fingers crossed all goes well and I can start some oestrogen.

Hello all!

Don't worry @confused107this ordeal makes you a monster at times. I've finished with my DH three times this cycle. I call it the IVF rage. It's the immense pressure, something has to give!

I've had a tough few weeks at work this cycle. Problem after problem after problem. Staff all driving me crazy too. It really has come at the worst time.

It's my transfer tomorrow, 2 of my 4 x 3 day embabies will be coming back to mama (if they survive the thaw!), then onto another horrendous TWW.

Anxiety is at an all time high with this being our third and last NHS funded cycle.

Wishing everyone a calm mind and positive day x x x

@confused107 I definitely felt worse during stimms. One notable moment was after egg collection I was so poorly with ohss and felt awful. ‘D’h said flippantly it was ‘doing his head in’ how ill I was. I told him to fuck off and all he had done was jizz in a pot. Rather crude but made my point! He realised he was being completely unreasonably pretty quickly when I offer to repeated puncture his balls so we could compare notes! It’s awful.

@FingersXssd83 wishing you lots of luck for tomorrow x

@TinyPaws sorry about your weekend. I was at a concert pretending making lame excuses for turning down drinks. My hatred for my husband began when he had the nerve to enjoy my birthday night out, with my friends, more than me. Honestly felt like putting a pillow over his head. We have been together 7 years and never argued before so it has shocked him I think! Best of look for the baseline scan tomorrow. Hopefully onwards and upwards from here!

@FingersXssd83 good luck for tomorrow. Sorry to hear you have been having a tough time of it, it always seems to come at the wrong time. I know what you mean about the pressure, this is our one and only nhs funded cycle.

@Whatelsecouldibecalled glad it's not just me. We will get through this!

Well tomorrow is my birthday, 38 and I've never been pregnant which is depressing really after all the lengths I've gone to in my 30s after spending the whole of my 20s petrified of getting pregnant as I actually thought it would be easy..Who bloody knew!!!

@confused107 I have thought about this often! The amount of energy I spent trying not to get pregnant in my 20s seem pretty ironic now

@TinyPaws good luck with the scan tomorrow! Let us know how it goes

@Whatelsecouldibecalled I know - the reminders!! My goodness. I have eight on my phone right now just for all the medication... Progy is not as mood affecting for me as buserelin it seems, but makes me feel tired all the time...

I just started my new cycle so here goes. Gonal F on Thursday.

We officially have two embabies on board 🙌🏻

We had 4 x 3 day frosties: 1 x 6, 2 x 8, 1 x 10 cell, all good grades.

Our clinic's embryoscope chose the 6 and an 8 cell to transfer. We were a little surprised as we thought they'd go for an 8 and 10, but there we go. Technology must know better!

Had a lovely time after the transfer, pottering around in Mcr City Centre, went for tea al fresco. I'm determined not to go crazy this TWW, it will either work or I won't and me worrying isn't going to help the outcome or my mental health.

Thank you for all of the positive thoughts, wishing everyone a happy day ❤️

@TinyPaws sorry to hear your weekend wasn’t good, hope the last couple of days are a bit better. Good luck with the scan!

@confused107 happy birthday. I hope that the day is okay for you. Milestone events like birthdays can feel rubbish when you haven’t got the one thing you desperately want but I hope that at least people are making you feel loved and special today.

@FingersXssd83 hurrah for the embryos on board!! I hope they spend the next few days getting all nice and snug. Fingers crossed for you. Sounds like you had a lovely day after, so keep looking after yourself.

As for me, I’m waiting to start the down regging - next week. Feels like eternity, am just looking forward to starting. My anxiety about it and balancing work has been really high the last week or so. I’m not sure I have very high expectations for this round as I haven’t been eating very healthily nor am I calm and serene. Hopefully will be a bit better when I actually get going.

Amazing news @FingersXssd83. So glad today has been a lovely day. You deserve it

@TinyPaws how did the scan go?

@FingerxXssd83 Haha at IVF rage and congrats on having your embabies on board the mothership! Your afternoon sounds lovely. I hope the 2WW flies by for you. When is your test date?

@confused107 Thanks for the good wishes. I hope you managed to enjoy your birthday! I hate how infertility can make getting older feel like such a negative thing when we should be celebrating the years we've lived.

@sometimesalways Thanks for the good wishes.

@Dlpdep Welcome and good luck!

My scan went well today. Tomorrow I'll be driving a total of more than 8 hours to transport my embryo to the new clinic and I'll also add oestrogen and prednisolone in to my medication regime. I'll feel much better when our embryo is safely at the new clinic.

We call our embryo "Bubble" - we originally had Hubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble but Bubble is the only one left.

Great news @FingersXssd83.

@Brambles7 - we start downreg next Tuesday. Drugs arrived today. It’s been a long 2 weeks so far!

Amazing @FingersXssd83 fingers crossed!!! Yay

Happy birthday @confused107. I hope you've been made a fuss of, even if you don't feel like celebrating.

Sounds like a good day @FingersXssd83, hope the 2ww goes quickly for you.

Safe travels tomorrow @TinyPaws

Good luck @Dlpdep

As for me, I'm just waiting for AF to show up so I can start stims. Should hopefully arrive tomorrow or Thurs. Just want to get started now.

@TinyPaws good luck for tomorrow with Bubble!

@Anaesthetist83 hurrah for starting on Tuesday! I’ll be just 2 days behind you, will go get my drugs at the end of this week.
I know the 2ww is long but this has been almost equal to it!

@TinyPaws good luck with bubbles tomorrow 🤞

@FingersXssd83 awesome news. Wishing you a speedy ttw

🙄 tww