IVF in Feb/March 2020?

[waitingforarainbow]

Hello! I'm just wondering whether there are others starting their IVF journey in Feb/March 2020.

I am dealing with secondary infertility (male factor) and we have been TTC#2 for 16 months. We conceived naturally by some miracle back in July, but sadly had an early miscarriage (my third in total). We're now waiting to start ICSI IVF in early February.

Would love to hear from others doing the same. x

Hi all coming over to join your thread from the Jan/Feb one....

My history - 1 DD and then 5 miscarriages after her and 2 ruptured ectopics.....no tubes left
Did two cycles of short protocol IVF with Create last year and 3 transfers (2 BFN and 1 ectopic).

I'm 36 with AMH 12.9 but rubbish egg quality (PGS testing on second round came back with rubbish results!)

So we have changed things up and doing a 3 cycle package of natural modified IVF to focus on quality not quantity (both cycles last year got 14 eggs but only 4 fertilised with ICSI and got 2 average blastocysts from each). This time only stimming every OTHER day which is a nice break and taking tamoxifen tablets.

I had my second egg collection yesterday - 1st cycle I got 2 eggs both fertilised and both good quality blast frozen. Yesterday got 7 eggs so just waiting for day 1 call today.
As am on low dose drugs I can do back to back egg collections so will do another egg collection in 4 weeks time and do a fresh transfer on that cycle

After that I'm 100% giving up!

Hello 👋 @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted

Wow! You are amazing! You’ve gone through lots already and I’m sending good vibes to you for the phonecall today. Xx

Good luck @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted sounds like you have been through quite the ordeal. I am also tube-less (but also child-less) so IVF my only option. Our first cycle failed last autumn. I am the same age as you but with AMH of 8. They obtained 15 eggs from me and 12 fertilised but only 1 made it to blast (and 1 ‘almost’ 🤔) which is a concern. Going again with a freeze all with treatment starting with day 2 of my cycle in around a weeks time. Wishing you all the best.

Hello and welcome @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted

It sounds like lots of people have been through very hard journeys to get to this point. Its nice to hear of the first ones in the group getting started and managing ok!

I've really struggled this week with an awful nurse consent appointment (sounds similar to yours @UncleBrynsfishingtrip?) and then career planning meetings at work where i feel i can't commit to much but also cant tell them why. The uncertainty of it all is impossible, isn't it?

I was hoping you ladies might be able to advise on two questions I was asked by the nurse: firstly whether to pay extra for an incubator with time lapse imaging (embryoscope) and secondly what your protocols are for after transfer? For me it looks like they will only give progesterone up until the pregnancy test. If i want injections, or to continue for longer i will have to pay extra. I've had a read of the research about these but just wondered what you guys thought?

@carbsandcheese re the timelapse incubator, we have opted to pay for that this time. Reason being is for our first cycle we had very poor progression of our 12 embryos such that we only had 1 reach blastocyst. I would like things to be monitored more closely this time and the time lapse appeals as they do not have to ‘disturb’ the embryos to monitor them (I should state - we are also at a different clinic this time). I feel it’s worthwhile to pay for it.

Re progesterone have you had previous problems with levels not being high enough? I wasn’t even tested last time 🙄 but the fact I started bleeding after 6 days suggests my levels were not high enough. I’m not sure of the efficiency of injections vs tablets though I’m afraid. I would hope your clinic would monitor your levels and give you the option of switching if that was a concern.

Also to say that I don’t think progesterone (in oral form) is a particularly expensive drug, in case that’s a factor.

Thanks everyone - yeah my history is one of the horror stories they don't tell you about during sex Ed. Lessons at school - those lessons made you'd feel like you only had to look at a guy and you'd get pregnant - I feel bloody cheated that my journey has been one long car crash!

Just had our call - 7 collected 7 mature - 5 fertilised normally - 1 is a bit slower and they'll re-check tomorrow. Pleased with the fertilisation rate as last year we had less than 40% fertilise each cycle

We paid for the embryoscope but It was part of a support package price. A friend of mine at the same clinic who had egg collection the same day didnt bother with it and still got 3 aa grade embryos.

I did the progesterone suppositories and would continue them to at least week 12 if I get that far - they are actually pretty cheap at my clinic - a box is £15 and lasts a week or two depending on how many times a day. My friend whose cycle was successful at her first midwife appointment at 9 weeks was then given a prescription for it to get it on the NHS

Congrats itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted. Great results you're getting :-) Hopefully not too sore after yesterday's egg collection.

Hi CarbsAndCheese sorry your appointment didn't go well. My two cents is that I wouldn't pay extra for time lapse but my clinic does do it as part of the price I think. Your clinic probably don't do progesterone past week 4 (pregnancy test day about "4 weeks gestation") cause of the inconclusive evidence to back it up. However if it were me I'd feel better taking it longer til at least 10 weeks. Could you ask your GP to prescribe? Unlikely but couldn't hurt to ask....

Welcome @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted

We are paying extra for the time lapse. For no other reason than we did last time so and I'd kick myself if I changed something which had a negative affect. Same logic for the glue as well

I have been given enough progesterone until the pregnancy test. On transfer day they gave me prescription for more should we get a BFP. Will also be taking steroids this time

Been talking a lot about how we will deal with another BFN and we have decided to look into some counselling which I am pleased about. It's pretty tough on both of us and I don't want this to have a negative impact on our marriage if I can help it

Just a quick question....

Do you have to take take folic acid during the down reg and stim weeks? I forgot to ask yesterday but better to take it I suppose to prepare body incase pregnancy does happen?

My clinic recommended 3 months before. I suppose it builds up in the body. I’d start ASAP if I were you.

Thanks. I have been taking it for 3 years already (during TTC) so I’ll just continue to take it.

I’m actually thinking if I might just have a HUGE ball of folic acid building up inside me!!!!!! 3 years worth 😬😬😬 a folic acid monster! 😭😭

Just wasn’t sure whether I needed to stop taking if whilst having injections but I’ll def continue now.
Thank you xx

Welcome @itwasalovelydreamwhileitlasted

@CarbsAndCheese we have opted to pay for the embryoscope. Our clinic said this was more for if it failed but we figured as this is our only nhs funded cycle that we would pay the extra and hope it helps avoid the cost of a full self-funded cycle. Plus if it does fail I feel we could learn some more. I am suspicious about my egg quality due to endo. Our clinic recommended progesterone until 10 weeks but the nhs does not fund this.

@UncleBrynsfishingtrip I think it's best to keep taking it from what I've read.

Gah I wish it was more straightforward!

Just a quick question for anyone who has been (or currently is) down-regging: Has you noticed that your period goes on for a lot longer than usual!? Mine was the normal 3-4 day, but then for an additional 4 days (so far) I've had very light bleeding each day. I'm hoping it's just my lining completely thinking itself out, but just wondering if it's normal or just me!?

Scan on Monday which will hopefully be the start of stimming for me 🤞🤞

@PineappleC yes I’m sure this is completely normal as your cycle/body has been ‘shut off’ so your normal is confused.

Have you had any side effects from down reg medication at all?

@unclebrynsfishingtrip Thank you, that's good to know! 😊

I've been lucky so far in no huge side effects from down-reg. Definitely feeling more tired than usual and (TMI) bowels a bit looser, and a slight feeling of just "not quite myself" which I can't really describe. (My nose is a bit bunged up from the damn spray too 😅). But all totally manageable so far. How are you getting on?

I start my meds on 20th Feb so got a little while yet. Great to know you haven’t had too many side effects xxx

Hello @PineappleC. Nice to see you around these parts too!

Wishing you many juicy eggs.

On Friday, I had my last few glasses of wine (I'm either 3 or seven weeks off stims). It's all yoga and coenzyme q10 from here.

I'm only on day two of the down reg and so far so good. Towards the end last time I felt a bit 'blurgh' and the nurse at the clinic told me to up my water as much as possible. I did and noticed an improvement. I don't know if that will help anyone

@confused107 thanks for the tip! I'm trying to drink 2-3ltrs per day but coukd probably do with more giving all the central heating at this time of year 😊

@ValidUser good to see you here too! Exciting that things are moving forward for us! Wishing you lots of good eggs too 🤞🤞 I had a glass yesterday too, figured a couple of units can't hurt too much at this stage!😊

@UncleBrynsfishingtrip Not long to go for you now then and hope you're is as easy as mines been so far xxx

Sorry for all the typos above, hope it kinda makes sense 😁

Hi all, can I join please?

We've been TTC #1 for 2+ years no. No hint of a BFP and 'unexplained' infertility. Was given the news that we don't qualify for NHS funding for another year just before christmas in a car crash of an appointment, just after being told we need it .

We're now at the Lister Clinic in Battersea, and down reg will start on 26th Feb, so FX we will have a transfer by end of March (long protocol). Feeling a bit anxious about side effects from the drugs and doing the injections, but impatient to get started.

I'm taking CoQ10 and cutting out caffine, alcohol and limiting sugar, whilst upping the healthy fats to try and be as healthy as poss for when the time comes.

@MorgenMuffel welcome! I'm a recent addition too. I had a huge hydrosalpinx from childhood peritonitis, 3 chemical pregnancies and subsequent diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome.

Sounds so hard to be told you need IVF and then not helped. I'm in Ireland so I knew I'd be going private straight away. How old are you? I'm 30 with an AMH of 12.

@PineappleC with you! I was a tiny bit overweight and just got to a healthy weight. Alcohol makes me so hungry, so my early avoidance is far more weight related.

Last night was usually pizza or Chinese or Indian night. Ordered teriyaki salmon with loads of veg instead.

Welcome @MorgenMuffel As if they told you you needed it and then dropped the funding bomb afterwards. It seems harsh as I think most ccgs say 2 years but then I guess some ccgs give no funding at all. It's all so unfair!

I'm a first timer on 2yrs ttc too. Although I have mild endo and juries out as to whether or not that is the cause of our problems. I will start down reg on the 14th. I am also trying to be good with my diet and as some others have, I had my last few glasses of wine yesterday.

🤞🏻for a lucky first time for us.

@ValidUser ah yes that makes sense. Well done for your discipline! 😊

I had my first scan this morning. Down-reg has worked and uterine lining nice and thin. So, I am now on my injections!! 🎉 Finally! It doesn't hurt very much, a bit like an achy muscle. I'm opting to do mine in my thigh. Although the nurse did it for me today, I might feel differently when I have to do it myself tomorrow 🤔