Oct/Nov IVF, ICSI & FET - Let's do this!

[Marmite83]

Hi all

I recently had a mmc from my first IVF cycle and am waiting for AF to appear (probably 3-4 weeks away) so we can do FET. I think we'll probably go for a natural cycle but am waiting for some information from my clinic to make a final decision. Had follow up consultation yesterday and will be having nurse consultation in the next couple of weeks hopefully. If anyone is happy to share their FET experiences I'd love to hear them. A little worried that a natural cycle might be the wrong choice. Anyway, if anyone fancies joining me for some support then join the thread.

@sometimesalways that's good! Come on, my tww buddy whenever I take progesterone tablets I feel dopey a half an hour later

@Russkispy ha i love that! It might be a thing you know
How are you feeling otherwise? Are you taking anything else apart from progesterone? I hope you don't mind my asking. I am always interested in hearing different clinic approaches

Great news that the transfer went well @Russkispy, fingers crossed it gets nice and snug in there.

Glad af has finally appeared @Lillyleaf, hope the scan goes well today.

Exciting @sometimesalways! Good luck for Thursday, hope the progesterone is kind to you.

Nothing really to report from me, just enjoying a last few days eating some of the foods I've been denying myself. Start opks on Wednesday

@sometimesalways not at all! I'm taking Estrofem, Prednisolone, heaps of progesterone and vitamins such as pregnancy multi, omega 3, iron, zinc and baby aspirin. Vitamin D and Iron in spray form.

Thank you @Marmite83 ! Everything crossed here 

@sometimesalways doc said decaf coffee is fine but haven't drink it for a few days now

@Russkispy yes I have also been limiting coffee to just one a day. It's tough as I love my coffee! I have also found an organic decaf brand, clippers, that take out the caffeine naturally, without chemicals, so use that as a substitute... not sure if it makes a huge difference but my acupuncturist suggested no coffee too so thought worth a shot

Is prednisonol a steroid? Amount of meds sounds right for a medicated cycle in my experience! I have taken similar quantities in the past, just different brands.. also my clinic is keen on anticoagulants so I am also starting inhixa blood thinners tomorrow

Have you had Inhixa before @sometimesalways? I had it during my fresh cycle but it's not planned for my FET. Not sure if I should ask for it.

@Marmite83 yes I had ivf twice before (this is my third cycle over the years) and have always been prescribed blood thinners. Had fragmin on my first cycle, instead of inhixa, but it's essentially the same thing. Some clinics do aspirin instead I think though- like Russkispy does. I think it's like a 'lighter' version of that same approach

Thanks @sometimesalways, I think I'll ask the nurses at my scan on Friday if they think I should have it. Think I'm just a bit nervous about how un-medicated a natural cycle is because I don't trust my body to do what it needs to, to get, and stay pregnant.

Baseline scan went well, they just need me to bleed a bit more so I'll start day 1 on Wednesday with patches, then another scan next Thursday. Can't wait to slap those patches on, but still about 3 weeks until transfer. Starting to freak out about my one little normal embryo not thawing, scary.

@sometimesalways @Marmite83 I'll be on steroids and inhixa too. I seem to be on everything but I did ask my doctor to treat me as a recurrent miscarriage patient too.

Glad the scan went well @LillyLeaf, I've got everything crossed your little embryo thaws nicely.

@sometimesalways - our transfer is Friday afternoon. Hope yours goes well
I started my inhixa yesterday. There seems so many drugs to take! I'm sure it was the same last time but it seems so long ago I've forgotten what happened.

Just not feeling all that positive at the moment though

Sounds good @LillyLeaf
It's rare I think for an embryo not to thaw properly I think so fingers crossed it will be fine. I know it's hard not to worry though

And great @updownleftrightstart The more the merrier in our future 2ww group good luck on Friday! Are you on a medicated cycle? Forgive me if you've mentioned already, i lose track sometimes

@Marmite83 It would be interesting to hear their thinking behind inhixa. Each of us is different so they might have tailored the treatment to you?

There's a lot of action this week it seems for a few of us, which is so great after all the waiting. Here we go!

@LillyLeaf fab news that the scan went well and that you start so soon. Three weeks will absolutely fly by. I know what you mean about the thawing, I was also so worried but I’m sure it’ll be fine.

@sometimesalways I hope everything goes well for your transfer. I couldn’t give up coffee completely either. I have a caffeine one in the morning and a decaf in the afternoon.

@sometimesalways yes it's a medicated cycle. It's what's the clinic recommended but I'm getting a bit unnerved by their comments that there's almost a 50% chance of it working. I don't understand why it's so much lower than what they told me last time 😔
When is your official test day?

@updownleftrightstart it will be the 7th Nov.. it seems so far away! but I think they just count 14 days from transfer to be on the safe side. How about you?

Doctors like to give numbers as ivf is a very unpredictable business... What stats did they give you before? Has anything changed since then?

I think doctors would see a 50% chance as a pretty good number (I read somewhere that it's what people who conceive naturally also have, every time they try). But age and reason for infertility do play a role I think

Hello everyone, may I join? I'm starting my first cycle of ivf (short protocol) this weekend, after 2 mmc's and 2 chemicals. Trying to get myself into the right frame of mind (whatever that is) for this process. Feeling pretty anxious about it all tbh.

Hi Ladies, been reading this thread for a while but never posted - hope you are all doing ok & don't mind me joining :)

I'm just about to start my first IVF cycle, TTC for nearly 3 years, have blocked fallopian tubes (1 removed in June this year, 2nd tube partially blocked still) now finally starting our NHS funded cycle (1 cycle funded by them down here in Devon)

Had all my meds delivered today & I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, tablets, injections, pessaries & suppositories. I knew it was all coming but when it's all laid out in front of you it's pretty scary isn't it!

Anyway I start Buserelin injections next Wednesday, my timeline from the clinic says I should be having Egg Collection around 25th Nov, so will be testing a few days before Christmas I think. I know some of you are further along in the cycle than me but it will be nice to chat on here and see your updates for moral support x

@sometimesalways ours is the day, after. I know some clinics have a much shorter test window but like yours, ours is a full 2 weeks.
They told me last time there was a more than 75% chance of it working. So for that to drop to about 50% seems a massive negative for me.
I guess because we are paying a lot for this cycle there seems a lot more pressure for it to work. And in terms of work and timing, having another cycle in a couple of months would make things so difficult for us and I didn't have any of these worries before!

Hi Betty and Lucy. Hope it all goes well. The amount of drugs is overwhelming! And I think it's normal to be anxious. I found my first cycle nowhere near as bad as I expected though.

My only problem is the utrogestan make me so out of it. I am trying to work and am convinced I'm just talking bollocks to everyone and they surely can't understand what I'm talking about 😂

@sometimesalways I don't even know what prednisolone for! I don't ask questions anymore! Haha just do what been told
Never heard of inhixa. And funny enough, was told by my clinic today, that I don't need to take baby aspirin anymore. They took blood after transfer and got results today, saying everything is fine and no need for aspirin anymore.
Again, I do as been told haha
hurry, and get your transfer so we can buddy together. It's kind of lonely here haha
Welcome to newbies and hope stims are kind to you

Hi all - can I join?

Start my down-reg on Thursday... first ivf cycle. Like you said @lucyinthe having the meds arrive on Saturday was overwhelming, particularly when my Buserelin had "for use in men only" written all over it. Cue massive stress and panicked calls to the clinic this week!!

No funded cycles for me, and I'm a massive stress fish at the best of times!

Our infertility is most likely male-factor so likely to be ICSI but they'll make decision on the day!

@updownleftrightstart I totally get it re: first time and nhs funded, Vs subsequent tries with own money. It makes a huge difference in how you feel about it.

Interestingly, my very first round, four years ago, was fully medicated, lots of meds etc but it was funded and also I was sort of Blissfully unaware of the process somehow. I just did what was told and didn't stress as much etc. Result was my gorgeous DS.

Second time, this summer: Pretty expensive self funded and also felt the pressure of getting it right again right away and it just didn't work. I was too aware of everything, researched, worried etc. I have wondered whether this made a difference...

So now, third time round, I am trying for a more zen approach. Easier said than done of course!

I think just going with what the doctors say and not questioning too much is a good approach @Russkispy gives you peace of mind. I can't wait for Thursday to get started on my 2ww!
Any urges to test yet?

And welcome to the new ladies that just joined!

@sometimesalways I've never been an early tester and never had any temptations. And I only got 1 FRER left so OTD on Monday it is!
Hope you won't be tempted testing early either!

@BettySwoll0cks welcome, I've had MCs too and I'm not sure what frame of mind to be in going onto transfer. I'm just thinking one step at a time. For now it's just the next scan (although I keep getting flashbacks of taking pg tests and pg scans and it freaks me out).

@lucyinthe & @JoJoTheresNoLimit welcome. Getting the meds is always strange. I got some different ones this time so that was new.

@updownleftrightstart I've stopped looking at stats, we always seem to be on the wrong side of them. 50% for IVF is good, but it doesn't really mean much, everything crossed for you.

@Russkispy how are you feeling? I'm not an early tester either but I've learnt from these threads that my usual 9dp5dt is early compared to others.

I've done my first patch today, very exciting. It's gets a bit boring for me for a while, not much happening, just a scan next week, which is good.

Hi all I started stims yesterday hope you don't mind me joining 😆 x