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?

@IPokeBadgers i found doing ivf abroad rather easy as it sort of felt like a holiday, but less stressful the second time round. If this second round doesn’t work, I’m going to use my local create clinic and will be doing mini ivf. I really do feel the more we do ivf, the easier it does become. The pain waiting for results doesn’t get an easier but I’ve got used to what we have to go though. My results from the first cycle to second were so much better, and that was down to supplements, removing plastic and acupuncture.

Good evening all. Well by some miracle I got a BFP! Feels odd to write it down, still can’t quite believe it, just seems too good to be true. Of course now I’m absolutely terrified of miscarriage and the higher stats once you’re over 40 but will have to take each day as it comes. The next 8 weeks will last forever.

@lucieloos it’s so hard to know what to do isn’t it, Coronavirus is playing havoc. I didn’t realise Reprofit had a sister clinic, is that in Czech too?

@AngelFairy I’m so sorry, it’s absolutely gutting to go from a good number to one. You should totally be feeling sorry for yourself. All the energy and effort and money that goes into it up to that point. I know the old saying you only need one, but ideally you have a few more to start with. But you do just never know. We also had male factor issues but I thought ICSI was meant to overwrite them to a large extent and enable fertilisation. Is your clinic in the UK? Have they said anything about the low fertilisation rate?

@badgerismyname Oh my goodness!!!! CONGRATULATIONS 🥳
That’s was just what I needed to lift my mood 🙌🏻 Go girl! You pregnant!!!!

Oh thank you so much @AngelFairy, you are very sweet. There is hope, don’t give up!!

Oh wow @Badgerismyname that's amazing!! Congratulations! Hope the next 8 weeks go nice and smoothly for you. Are you getting betas done?

Yes they have another clinic in Olomouc. Czech have closed their borders for 30 days so won't be going anywhere soon. Still no results for me.

Thank you @lucieloos, surprised and delighted. I’ve never had a beta, would you do that for peace of mind?

I didn’t see they’ve closed their borders, gosh. Hope you get the results soon regardless so at least you know where you stand.

@Badgerismyname I've always done it for peace of mind since I had my ectopic. You do the first and then the next 48 hours later to check it's doubling ok. I mean it's not to say something couldn't go wrong later but for me if the numbers were good and it was doubling I knew it was all on track for the immediate future which helped calm my nerves a little and then the next step was scan at 7 weeks. It's all down to personal preference though.

Oh my word @Badgerismyname!!! That is utterly wonderful news! So pleased for you. The eight weeks will feel super long but your are now on your way!

@AngelFairy - that is so hard, I am really sorry to hear that. Just such a nightmare numbers game. The whole process just feels so exhausting and so not surprised you feel low. It’s a funny old thing - in non ivf time days whizz by and weeks pass. In ivf I swear it’s a different space/time continuum. I have everything crossed for you.

@lucieloos - I guess you are still waiting to hear? I think it’s the waiting that really gets me.

I’m plodding along - day 9 scan tomorrow and immunes treatment. Am also now umming and ahhing about whether to freeze any embryos we have and wait for the Coronavirus to pass - have a horror of having to stop treatment mid cycle if clinics close. We never have enough embryos to freeze beyond day 5 so that is totally new territory for me. Am going to ask the consultant tomorrow what they advise but the possibility of switching plan has thrown me a bit.

Hope everyone has a good news day tomorrlw!

@ACAL thank you, everything crossed it sticks.

It’s so difficult in the current climate, I presume you’re at a UK clinic? If you’re on day you should surely finish before the whole country goes into lockdown, just in time. What did your consultant say?

Hi @badgerismyname - yes I’m at ARGC. They have given out some general bumpf and the consultant said today that it is entirely my choice but let’s just take it day by day. All very sensible but very difficult to have a plan - and I like a plan! Just want to get to egg collection before everything shuts down... at the mo, looking like Tuesday for me.
How are you feeling? Any symptoms? I’ve never really had any on my pregnancies so I always found it really hard to believe anything was going on!
How’s everyone else doing today?

@ACAL I’m so sorry, I meant to reply to you. Why happened in the end?? Did you get to EC (and transfer)? I really, really hope it worked out. As if IVF isn’t stressful enough then a pandemic comes along.

@AngelFairy and you too, what happened?

@lucieloos and what’s happened with your 2 embryos?

I have everything crossed for all of you (and anyone else on this thread).

As for me, I’m now 9 weeks today so just waiting for time to pass til I’m as out of the danger zone as I can ever be. No symptoms at all other than bigger boobs, but I’m eating such a lot in lockdown it’s hard to say what’s causing it! I had no symptoms on my last pregnancy and I am grateful but I find it disconcerting as feel so normal. Had a scan last Saturday and there was a heartbeat so just have to hope for the best that there’s still something there.

Sending love and strength to all

@Badgerismyname that’s fantastic. Congrats

@BritWifeinUSA def give ivf a go and de or you will regret not trying

Prague is where 2 of my friends in 40’s went and they both got preg with de first time

Do check out which clinics will do ivf on older 40’s - think over 45 most will say use de

I wish you luck

Hi all - so things didn’t go well for me in the end. Had egg collection - they sedated me and when I came round they said they couldn’t get any mature eggs on the first two (I had six follicles) so they wanted to try again an hour later... one hour later we got two mature eggs which both fertilised.

Had a day 2 transfer and was actually feeling pretty positive. Had the usual stabby pains around implantation time but then got a BFN on test day.

This is round 5 and we’ve always had a BFP before now so it felt pretty bleak. Was feeling a bit rubbish for the first week after that but a bit more positive now and had a really excellent debrief with my clinic.

Am going to think about one more go when the clinics re open and possibly taking DHEA. Blood tests had all shown everything was looking good - lining had been great and progesterone at good levels. So - perhaps unsurprisingly they think it is now my age and quality of embryos. Who knows how I will feel when clinics reopen but today I feel like I would like one last go. Just don’t want to end up in an endless cycle of “just one more try...” - hard to know when to really call it a day.

@Badgerismyname - so pleased for you!! 9 weeks - you are getting there! With both of my pregnancies with my little girl and boy I had absolutely zip symptoms bar the boobs - and the heartbeat is obviously hugely reassuring. Brilliant news!!

Hope everyone else is doing well - these are such weird weird times - it’s hard to think too far ahead anyway so just trying to enjoy the small things day to day here.

Good luck everyone!

@ACAL sorry if I misread your post - but you said always had a bfp with the other 4 cycles

Assumed that ended in Mc

It may be your age - that the embryos aren’t good enough hence get preg but don’t stay preg :(

I know it’s hard. You say one more go. Then stop. Then that fails and you have another go etx :(

Would you consider de due to your age - apologies if offends. Don’t mean to

Just had friends and clients use de and get preg I’m their 40’s

Hi @blondeshavemorefun - not offended at all! Sorry my fault for not being clearer - first two IVFs were successful with DD and DS when I was 39 and 41, then three unsuccessful. This is the only one that we haven’t got a BFP though - the other two ended in miscarriage at about 7 weeks.

We are incredibly lucky to have our two small people but I had always thought we would have a big family hence trying again.

I don’t think DE is for us - I suppose my conundrum is whether to try one more time. I think we’ll probably just see how we feel about everything when clinics finally reopen.

Oh @ACAL I’m so sorry. The BFNs are just so bleak, it’s the only word for it when so much physical, emotional and mental effort has gone into it up until that point. If you still feel you have more rounds in you then you should go for it. So hard to know when to call it a day but think you just have to rely on your gut and to be satisfied that you did all you could before it started having (too much of) a negative impact in your life.

Good that your clinic are supportive, when I had two negative FETs at a clinic in London they couldn’t have been less interested!

Thank you for the good wishes, yes the heartbeat is def reassuring and it’s only 3 weeks til the proper scan.

It’s such weird times, isn’t it. Can’t imagine going back to normality but we must do eventually. Surely??!

And @Blondeshavemorefun thank you so much!

Hello! I am 41 (42 in July) with very poor AMH (0,4) and reasonable FSH. Was supposed to try IVF for the first time in March but Corona put a stop to it until June or July. In the meanwhile we are trying the old-fashioned way. Am not very hopeful either way but trying to keep a positive attitude...

@ACAL 5/6 Implantations is a very good record

Fab uou have 2 dc and guess see how things go

Hearing heartbeat is the best @Badgerismyname. I still have the recording on my phone

Following this thread, love the success stories! There's a hopeful story about embryo donation at 40 here - www.myeggdonation.com/marys-journey-to-parenthood/

Wishing you all the best!

Hello ladies, I am 39 but my Amh is very low 0.6 and have been told ivf is not advisable. We were delighted to hear about egg donation and potential success rate which was such a comforting gift to hear after my shock at my initial news. I am waiting impatiently now till July as have been told that’s when more news may come. I really hope I can try it this year.

Hi there, can't seem to set up my own thread but wanted some advice so sorry for gatecrashing this one. My AMH results came back as 0.4, do I have any chance of conceiving? Husband has no issues and I'm 35. Doctor said natural conception is highly unlikely. We were about to finish as IUI cycle where I responded well when it was cancelled due to coronavirus. Very worried. Does anyone have any experiences? Thank you

The odds are against you That is very low as doc said

Personally I wouldn’t bother with iui and go straight to ivf

Tho unless paying due to corona I don’t think nhs will be doing ivf for a good year or so as not essential and cancer patients are having treatment delayed

But that’s my opinion. Not a fact about when the clinics will reopen

Hi @Goonbear I can only tell after what I researched when I got my results and was really shocked to hear it but you’re 4 years younger and this means you have better quality eggs than me with the same results. I still continue to believe it’s possible just much harder. It only takes a good one egg they say with good timing. As all is closed now continue naturally, focus on improving egg quality and research clinics to compare options. Create was positive in trying iou and not ivf in my case the others against Ivf but perhaps yours will be different due to younger age and that’s on your side so yes, the results are on the lower end but keep positive!

Dear @Goonbear - I have the same AMH as you. DP has no issues. My doctor suggested we try naturally for a little longer because AMH apparently reflects how many follicles you could get going with IVF (not many in my case) but doesn’t say anything about your ordinary cycle, which may be totally fine. Hope that helps!