Anyone doing ivf at 40+

[lucieloos]

We're considering doing a couple more rounds of ivf at 40.5 years old. We have 2 children already but still feel someone is missing.

Is anyone else starting or already having treatment at 40+ and would like to share the journey?

@Woodcottage1 Appreciate the encouragement, thank you. I've been in a bad frame of mind all week, but you're right, statistically it should be in my favour, am just disheartened as the last FET was in my favour too. Although i do know it's a numbers game anyway. Hoping the hysteroscopy will help clear up any problems harming implantation.

I've been so grateful for my results after each round, but i think it got my hopes up too much. I started IVF very pragmatic, but now i have no idea how i'm going to carry on if it doesn't work.

Thanks for the link, i've actually read this article before and there are cases of abnormal embryo success in America. I got the impression from the article though that the woman concerned may have transferred what we would consider a mosaic embryo. I mainly did PGS to save time in possible miscarriages and as i ended up with 13 embryos before testing, it's probably been the right decision for me. Not sure i'd do it again if a did another single round though.

@Anxiousbuthopeful Good approach to see this as a bonus round, will take the pressure off knowing you have some embryos. Good luck for Wednesday!

Hey all nc. In the U.K. argc and Gorgy are in favour of immunes. It’s expensive but after multiple late first trimester mmcs, I’m in second trimester with this one.
Gorgy in particular will throw the kitchen sink and you and while I had ivf with argc , I did immunes with him in the end. Worth a consultation but you’ll need to do expensive blood tests for him to figure out what’s going on.
My nk cells were sky high at 15 weeks and I had ivig and now have to have three intralipids up to 28 weeks.
With pgs , argc said there’s approx 3% error rate with the next generation testing ( the older testing had higher error rates) in one ivf I got two blasts. One had two chromosome defects and the other was normal. For me it was worth doing as I was afraid of more mmcs. This pregnancy we were trying to get another normal but ovulated early and had to change to iui and this one is normal with harmony/Nace so very lucky.
I also took all the supplements in starts with the egg and took wheatgrass to lower my fsh as was nearly 10. I did weekly acupuncture. I also did a low carb and high protein diet for several months. Was a bit gruelling but felt I had some control over something !
Good luck to you all x

Can anyone recommend a clinic they have found especially successful for older pregnancies? I'm 38, but will likely be 39 by the time I collect.
Nice to meet you all, this board has been amazing for insights into IVF xx

Argc treated me. They are quite intense and expensive but monitor you really closely.

Thank you so much @Funk2funky for the info xx

Hi @Woodcottage1 yes, it's definitely frustrating when you want to throw everything at IVF to give yourself the best chance and the consultant wants to wait and see. I can't say I've been trying the natural route for years (I'm doing this solo) but I've never been pregnant. I've had a total of 7 blasts from two cycles and they've graded pretty well (including 3x AAs, others mainly AB or BBs lowest grade is a 3BA) but of course because of my age the assumption each time one fails is that it's not chromosomally normal. Which is probably true, but I'd like to have ruled out other factors earlier. Perhaps if you have your documentation from your treatment elsewhere your UK clinic might be happier to prescribe the same again?

@Anxiousbuthopeful Hope the stims are going well, good luck for the scan tomorrow!

@IslandStars Glad you got a holiday but sorry to hear you've been feeling low. IVF means always wanting time to speed up or slow down and that makes it so hard to just be in the now and enjoy life. I hear you on not knowing how to cope if it doesn't work out. I'm a fixer and struggle to get my head round the fact that this may just not happen for me, however badly I want it. Are there any alternative plans you can book in for the next month or two that are Covid-safe?

The clinic can't say for sure that the scratch worked but since I had implantation after my last FET for the first time in 3 transfers, I wanted to give it another try. Miraculously, although I've felt like it's about to start since last Thursday (which would've been super-early), my period held off long enough for the scratch to be done. So now of course I want it to come so I can book the next FET in!!

Hello ladies. Had my first today, at day 5 of stims. 3-4 follicles (17,14, 13, 8). Apparently ready to trigger tomorrow or Friday. E2 at 900. Consultant not too hopeful (she is always negative anyway) as she says it is going too fast? Any experiences?

Hello @Anxiousbuthopeful how are your bloods? Xx

Hi @Woodcottage1 - apparently estrogen at 900? I don’t know about progesterone but she reckoned it was normal…

Not sure what she’s going on about being negative. I would have thought you've got a few more days of stims at least, bit surprising saying trigger tomorrow, hopefully Friday. Have you got another scan booked in to monitor and do your bloods again? X

The Tuesday before last I had two follicles, similar size to yours, my bloods were showing 700 and they suggested egg collection on the Saturday with a scan on Thursday. They rescanned on Thursday then decided my egg collection should be Monday, but after my bloods they asked me to come in on Friday for another scan and I had egg collection on Sunday. I’m thinking what you’ve written sounds positive x

Dear @Woodcottage1 - thanks for the reply! Scanning again tomorrow morning at 8am. Let’s see what they say. It is a bit quick (day 5 of stims today, so trigger possibly on day 7)… does that matter?

I don’t know 🙈🙈 but they are looking for the right sized follicles and suitable surge for them, and what you’ve said sounds good. Perhaps ask her tomorrow what her concerns are, I’ve heard lots of times of short and long protocols, but don’t understand how it can affect egg quality x

@lucymills1234 Glad you got your scratch done in time. Hope next FET comes round quickly. Think you’ve summed up how I’m feeling - it’s the lack of planning and control which is making me feel down. I guess there’s no point in trying to work out how I’ll deal with things if I’m not successful yet, I should keep hoping until I finally stop, otherwise it’s just mental torture!

@Anxiousbuthopeful Good luck tomorrow. You mentioned you normally only get 1 per round, so maybe the clinic don’t want to let the follicles grow too big and miss them. If you trigger on day 7, it’s early, but if they’re ready, no point over stimming and risk losing them.

Scanned again. Crap! One of my follicles has apparently gone backwards so now I have 2 good ones at 18 and 16 and I think they will trigger me tonight depending on bloods. Oh well.

Hi all,

@Anxiousbuthopeful sorry to hear the stims phase is proving so stressful. As others have said, if your follicles are growing fast they no doubt don't want to let them go too long in case they go past their best - remember that they will keep getting larger in the 36 hours between trigger and collection as well. It's a real balancing act to find the best timing for the majority of follicles.

@IslandStars thanks, my period actually arrived with a vengeance on Wednesday. It's early, but the same thing happened after my previous FET (which was a BFN rather than chemical). I had the scratch on day 21 and got my period the next day. Both times I'd ovulated early so may have always been set for a short cycle, or perhaps the scratch triggered the bleed. Either way, this bleed is really heavy which is no surprise given I barely had anything after this recent chemical. Trying to see it as a positive thing, my body doing a reset for the next FET.

So, another FET in a couple of weeks... I know it's silly, as a chemical was a horrible result too, but I am already worried that a BFN is going to feel like a step backwards again.

… estradiol dropped slightly (coherently with my follicle disappearing). I had to decide whether to go ahead anyway with pick up and I said yes, hoping for 1-2 and 1 to transfer. Sadness but don’t think I will get much better chances…

Fingers crossed @Anxiousbuthopeful - does that mean you trigger tomorrow?

Triggering today. 18 and 16. Fingers super crossed.

@Anxiousbuthopeful Good luck for collection, let’s hope you get 2 great quality eggs.

@lucymills1234 It’s hard not worry about all outcomes. Lots of people seem to get a mixture of BFN and chemicals before success, so hopefully you’re on your way. It worries me than my euploid transfer wasn’t even a chemical, but maybe they’re more likely to either work or not. It’s so hard to stop deliberating over it all!

Thank you ladies. The physical side of things doesn’t bother me at all but the sense of failure is staggering….

Hi @Anxiousbuthopeful how did your egg collection go? Have you had any updates since on fertilisation etc? Hope you are feeling physically ok after retrieval.

I am 100% with you. I can cope with the physical side, it's not exactly nice but manageable and temporary. I would go through the physical side 10 times over if I knew the 10th time would work. It's the not knowing and likelihood of failure that is hardest.

Fingers crossed you got some good eggs this time though. That's all you can do - keep taking a step at a time.

Hi @lucymills1234. My egg collection was a bit disappointing with just one egg retrieved and fertilized. Waiting to see what it looks like today on day 3, and if it makes blast I will transfer fresh on Thursday.

Really sorry to hear this. It’s the most horrendous process. I’m praying for you that all goes well today and for blast x

@Anxiousbuthopeful I'm so sorry it didn't go as you hoped. I won't give you the cliched 'it only takes one' - I know the sentiment is meant to be helpful, but this whole process is so focused on numbers that of course it's natural to be disappointed.

I really hope you get some good day 3 news. It's so stressful waiting and hoping during this stage. Keep us posted.