October ICSI/IVF

[NS05]

Hi all,

I have never written a post on here but thought it may be nice to get a thread going for anyone about to start ICSI/IVF. I am 28 and have been ttc for almost a year and have recently found out my husband has a very low sperm count (2 million) and ICSI is our only option. I was sure for so long something must be wrong with me so to find out it was him was a complete shock and I think we are both still adjusting. Fortunately we are able to go private and have my appointment to get the ball rolling on Wednesday. I have had a (all clear) and all of the bloods already so hoping we can get cracking next month so I am eager to get started. Everything is apparently fine with me apart from very mild pcos which I have been told shouldn’t effect my chances! I am still very anxious about the whole situation and just praying that the process will be successful.

If anyone has any tips or is in the same boat feel free to join!

I have a lot of EWCM today as well 😳 x

I wouldn’t say I’m excited, more nervous / apprehensive about the scan. I’m trying to treat symptoms as evidence the drugs are doing something, I’m just worried I won’t have enough follicles / eggs as from memory my numbers weren’t great pre treatment (Antral follicle count was 9 i think).

Hope the sickness and headaches subside soon as your body gets used to the change in treatment.

@Youngatheart00 thank you I hope they put your mind at ease on Monday c

Good luck on your journeys @impatientlyinfertile and @Youngatheart00 hope your symptoms are okay.

I just got home from my ET, had one good quality blast transferred. Got one other that should be good for freezing and 2-3 others that are nearly there so we'll find out tomorrow if they are freezable.
Now got the wait until OTD on 6th Nov 😱

@LucyLucyT oh well done on your transfer, everything crossed, and great news on the freezies too. How are you going to keep occupied during the 2WW?

@Youngatheart00 I have friends that I've arranged to meet up with. I also have an allotment that needs some attention, although I won't be able to do much down there, will just potter about depending on the weather!
I teach at a university on a particular subject once a year and that is coming up soon so need to work on updating that, that's not so fun though haha!
Any other ideas?

Your plans sound spot on....unfortunately I have no further ideas as I’m yet to go through my first 2WW!

All being well it will be in about 10 days time though, considering going away for a few days

It's so lovely and exciting to be reading about everyones journeys. I have my fingers crossed for everyone, especially those of you on the TWW!

I'm on day 3 of my meriofert just now. Had a wobbly morning yesterday but so far no other side effects .... I guess it is still early days and im sure it will get a whole lot worse when i double up with cetrotide on Wednesday.

How was everyone found the timings of their EC? Have the predicted dates been when you have ended up having the procedure?

Also wondering what time off everyone has required around it all? I'm currently only planning on taking the EC day off work, but not sure if that a bit naive?

xxx

@PotatoJam my EC was about when they said it would be each time.
I have decided to stay off work more this time. I work for the NHS and luckily there is a policy where I could take two paid days off for EC, so I did that and then I've signed myself off for a week. As I had sedation I was told to avoid driving for 48 hours, though I think some places say 24 so I'd factor that in to your plans. I'm speaking to the GP tomorrow about getting signed off until after my test date. My job (like many others !) is quite stressful and last time I was finding it hard to manage my emotions in the TWW as well as managing my work. We'll see what the doctor says tomorrow hopefully he is amenable to it.

Hope you are feeling okay today :-)

Just had my first scan, I have 10 follicles at or above 10mm, I’m pleased with that given my AMH and Antral follicle count wasn’t great.

Another scan Friday and egg collection should be a week today. Can’t imagine these things getting bigger for another week 😱 when do you stop the stims? Do you continue after you’ve triggered?

@Youngatheart00 that sounds good! Are you feeling quite swollen? Is that you one week in to your treatment?

@LucyLucyT thank you. How did you go about 2 days off around your EC date? I also work for the NHS but i dont want my line manager to know i am going through this process just now... not sure if i would be able to do that without her knowing? ...and yes, I am a much more pleasant and stable human being today !!

@PotatoJam my manager is aware, so I had special leave. Have a look at your trusts policy for leave, they're is a section in ours for fertility treatment so I imagine it would be the same in most trusts. I think it would require you telling your manager though. You could ask for AL and see if they retrospectively make it special leave when you tell your manager, not sure if that would be accepted though.
Glad you are feeling better :-)

@Youngatheart00 pleased to hear things are progressing well for you. I think I had a few a similar size about a week before EC so don't worry you'll be fine :-)

How is everyone! I started my period yesterday and started oestrogen tablets today! Transfer should be on the 11th Nov! Hopefully some of us will be transferring at similar times!

Yes, feeling quite swollen / bloated, day 8 complete.

Question for those who have been through this stage before - when do I stop stims? If I am EC Mon, triggering Sat? I have an appt Friday so I’m sure they’ll tell me then but just curious.

@NS05 aww lucky You! I have a scan on Wednesday to see if my ovaries have settled back down, fingers crossed they have, should be due period around 5th November so ET about 2/3 weeks later?
Are you doing short cycle or natural?
@youngatheart00 i think your trigger is your last injection? I ended up having EC 2 days later than planned as I had so many follicles they had to slow the process and lowering doses so I didn't get too ill.

@NS05 my EC date is currently 8th Nov so ET may be around the 11th too

@Youngatheart00 I had my EC on a Monday, so my injections carried on until the Saturday morning and then trigger sat night and that was it. So last stim injection was the Friday night in my case :-)

@Youngatheart00 I did stims up until before the trigger as well then nothing after that which was 36 hours before! @Naughtyboob I'm doing a short medicated cycle so just oestrogen then adding in progesterone injections/pessaries from next weds! I quite like that it's just tablets and a few injections much easier and I only have to have two scans/appointments before the transfer which is so much better! @PotatoJam hopefully we will be testing at similar times!!!

Loving reading all your updates ladies. I've stayed away for a few days as was feeling really rubbish with ohss and didn't want to pass on my negativity. I'm feeling a bit better now, either that or I've just got used to how it feels!
My early scan is on Monday, so looking forward to that and hoping everything will be OK ☺️

@potatjam my EC last year was the 8th nov and ET was 11th nov on Remembrance Day will always remember as it’s was 11am and we had to have a minute silence before I went in the room for transfer.. and my baby is 13 week today... good luck 🍀

Anyone for egg collection Friday? Might be nice to find a tww buddy. Hope everyone's doing ok x

As always thanks for the helpful guidance it’s so helpful for a first-timer.

Good to see people progressing and those with freeze-all’s getting ready for their transfers.

@impatientlyinfertile my (hopefully) final scan is Friday for EC Monday so I won’t be far off you.

@siananigans glad your feeling a bit better! Bet you can't wait till Monday! X

@shazzz1xx aww lovely, that would be lovely to follow on a year after your success! That must have been an odd experience having the minute silence just before you went in!! xxx

@potatojam yes felt a little mad.. it was my 2nd cycle 1st cycle ended in MC
really hope the best for you, been there done it and don’t wish it on anyone
Good luck :) here’s my ikkle pumpkin 🎃 13 week today.. if your cycle is successful you will be due when I was due :) which was 28th July but got induced on 30th xx