IVF May/June Cycle Buddies

[Mrbay]

Hi

Couldn't see a thread for May/June - hoping that I'm not on my own for this cycle as its our 2nd cycle and feeling worried that I won't get to transfer.

Would be great to share the ups and downs with others, I'm starting buserelin next Wednesday (27th May).

@elleceedee next scan is on Monday and think that will be the final one. Hopefully there will be some more growth by then.

@MrsLouB

Have you worked out the cost of losing an income being a stay at home parent? Although sometimes there is extra help if you are on tax credits etc?

I had to get DH to start paying all his wages into a joint account then he and I would each get an amount from the account once all the bills incl childcare were paid. I have to say though for the last 4 years that we probably only had about £100 each per month to spend just on ourselves once stuff like food was paid for and that was generally eaten up by new shoes/clothes for DD and the odd hair cut

hey @ivfgottostaypositive no i havent but i know we would not be able to survive on just the one wage thats for sure my DH wage would maybe cover oustgoings house but not his phone, car insurance etc which of course is important for his work.

i have worked out what i need to save now in order to top up mat pay in order for us not to lose out, we generally dont eat out or buy any clothes etc only now and again by last purchase was a £10 dress from amazon

@ht2101 I'm at Create. I'm going to check again when I go back on Monday for EC, maybe the guidance has changed?

@dbrook We're almost matching with our follicle sizes 😂

@MrsLouB Please don't worry about it, save the stress for another time. If those worries come back, put them in a box to think about another day. Concentrate on keeping that mind positive.

@HJF84 yep i will just dont know how people do it we dont earn bad money and the bills are just that mortgage insurances etc nothing major but got a lifetime to worry about that

@MrsLouB

I wouldn't stress about it too much at this point - you have 9 months of pregnancy and then however long on maternity leave so possibly 18 months really before it comes into play and then your financial situation might have improved?

(Although i would say you do need to make some careful plans/strategy if you say you can't afford to drop a salary to be a stay at home parent but you similarly can't afford full time childcare. My bill of £800 is actually pretty cheap - nursery is more like £1100 and we aren't in an expensive area. - I'd start sucking up to parents/in laws 🤣)

@HJF84 will have fingers crossed for you for EC. Hope you’ve got a nice relaxing weekend planned.

Thanks ivfgottostaypositive i dont think most people are in a position to live on one salary now days but i maybe wrong. I dont have any parents and our inlaws have already paid for 2fet which we are paying them back. Dont get me wrong we not bad off but i dont know anyone that has 1000 spare each month after mortgage and bills food the basics.

The cost is extreme and cutting hours like i have at the moment means i have less each month left after just my half into the house that's all.

But gotta get there first so we will see

@MrsLouB - I do worry about how our finances will be effected but like everyone says, you will find away! Not sure what area you are in but I'm in the Southwest, my friend has a total income of around £30k, 2 adults and 2 kids and they manage - you get used to what you have.

Regarding steriods, I don't think the guidance has changed but its guidance so doctors can go against it - fingers crossed for @HT2101 and @HJF84 - that you can get it prescribed - I've had 3 failed transfers so I'm ready to give anything go.

@ivfgottostaypositive 🤞 for your 2 eggs. Will be time for ET soon! I’m a little disappointed you didn’t say anything too risqué under sedation though 🤣

@UncleBrynsfishingtrip & @Mrbay thank you for the info. I managed to dig out my old paperwork and they wanted me to take it between 7-9am. So all done with injection no 1. Just a ‘few more’ left to go!

@HJF84 exciting to be close to trigger. Hope those follies produce some great mature eggs on Mon xx

@MrsLouB It’s understandable to worry about finances especially with all the uncertainty Covid has thrown in. When I start thinking about this I remember that this may be my last chance for another pregnancy and that we will make something work if we are lucky enough for that time to come. xx

@Dbrook hope Mon scan goes well!

@Westywoo great that you’re nearly at the end of your pill, are you going for a stim cycle or a FET?

@elleceedee any sign of AF yet? I forgot to answer you before but this is our second FET

@takingthistooseriouslyhope ET went well and you are comfortably PUPO

Hope everyone has some nice plans for the weekend 😁

Thanks @Mrbay @lemongrass1 yeah i know we are in the south east i just wonder how people back it work i know you but when mortgage and bills come to more than one person earns its difficult not impossible . This our final and only chance and it would be a blessing and id worry about that in 12 months time

Thanks @Mrbay like you after numerous failed attempts I’m ready to try anything... that’s why I opted for the NK Cell test, the notion of ‘unexplained’ was just to frustrating!

@Lemongrass1 - glad to be useful! I only know this as j did pm and then had to change to am. Are you a fresh or frozen transfer?

Sorry I feel like I'm missing lots of you so sorry.

@MrsLouB - I know it's stressful to think about it all but you will cope 😊

@HT2101 - frustrating is it? I managed to get 3 eggs, all 3 to apparently top grade blastos, 2 failed to stick and 1 failed to stick around longer than 2/3weeks. Consultant has said due to my age it's just a numbers game - I hope he's right otherwise I've wasted my precious eggs on a let's give it a go attitude.

In other news, my period is here! Hopefully get to start stimms on Wednesday if my scan is ok. 🤞🤞

@HT2101 After my three failed attempts with no BFP, and never having a BFP when we were we're trying naturally, Create asked for extra bloods to be done, what they called 'recurrent miscarriage' and includes NK cell test. I'm still waiting for the results for the protein c, protein s and lupus, but all other tests came back fine, except that I have a gene mutation which causes blood clotting and stops my body from turning folic acid into methylfolate. It's not an answer by any means, but both my Mum and her Mum has fertility issues and miscarriages (but went on to have 4 and 5 children respectively) so it's a partial answer for sure. So I do know now that I need Inhixia blood thinners, as that could be an issue.

@MrsLouB I'm also based in the South East, I'm on the Surrey/London borders and it's expensive round here. But take comfort in the fact that so many people manage it. My neighbour has four teenage children and she's a single mother!

Pressed send to soon!

@mrbay Yay for your period being here!

@Mrbay

Glad you can finally start!

@HJF84

I thought NK cell testing required a biopsy done of a sample of cells from uterus wall rather than blood test? at my Recurrent miscarriage clinic I was given the information on it but it cost about £500 at the time

I'm trying to pass the morning waiting for my day 1 call. Yesterday after egg collection they said they got 2 but the smaller follicle was only 12mm so they said not to expect much - yet when the embryologist rang later in the day she said they were both mature eggs? Not sure what to think on that one but not getting hopes up that both will fertilise normally

I'm booked in for a scan Monday morning to see if some fluid in my uterus has gone - because I don't have tubes anymore apparently it can cause the build up to be greater as it doesn't really have as many places to go - but starting cyclogest last night should help it dry up. If it's ok at the scan I'll be going in for transfer afterwards if I get to a day 3 from yesterday's egg x

@Mrbay ah the old ‘it’s your age’ line....🙄 I’m with you on that one too. Fingers crossed you get to start on Wednesday 🤞🏻

Surprised to get an early phone call this morning with an update - both eggs fertilised normally which was surprising. One is doing better than the other which not surprising given I wasn't really expecting the 2nd one.

Next step is scan on Monday and hopefully double transfer the same day.

My initial thoughts are that the weaker one won't be very good quality on day 3 so I've asked anything less than a grade 1-2 they culture to day 5 and they defrost my grade 1 day 3 that's already frozen to do a double transfer x

@HJF84 sounds like your clinic are being really thorough which is great. Haven’t heard of the protein c, protein s and lupus tests, but will be keeping fingers crossed results come back fine. Also really positive to hear how despite your family history both your mum & her mum managed to have children. I cling on to positive stories like that!!

@ivfgottostaypositive My NK Test cell was just a standard blood test although they take quite a lot of it!

@ivfgottostaypositive
Ooooooh!!!! Yesssss! That is wonderful news!!
My clinic have been clear mine will be a single embryo transfer only however I know in a few cases they do a double. If you don’t mind me asking why have they suggested a double?
Such brilliant news about your phonecall. I know it’s early days but you can enjoy feeling really happy knowing you’ve done everything you can so far to get to this crucial stage! Wohooooooooooo! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 xx

@Mrbay hurrah on AF arriving!!! We are doing a frozen transfer, are you starting a fresh cycle? Hopefully start stims next week if that’s the case 🤞🤞

@ivfgottostaypositive that’s great news on the fertilization rate!!

That’s amazing @ivfgottostaypositive! Great news.

@Mrbay Hope you get the go ahead on Wednesday

@ivfgottostaypositive excellent news! Fingers crossed for Monday.

@Mrbay I really feel they say things like that when they don't know. My previous clinic said similar when I had a chemical but never tested my progesterone and lo and behold when I came to next FET it turns out I don't absorb the pessaries well and need the injections. Wasted what could have been my only ever top grade embryo. Yay for AF arriving - hope you can get started soon.

@Lemongrass1 this will be a stim cycle although natural modified as my AMH is about to completely walk out the door

@unclebrynsfishingtrip

My clinic agreed based on a few factors

• 2 out of 3 previous transfers have been a BFN

• my 1 previous double transfer ended in a ruptured ectopic last year (that was my second ectopic) so I don't have any tubes left (IVF increases chance of ectopics)

• I'm now 37 which is the cut off for a lot of clinics

• I previously had PGS testing done on 2nr 5BB embryos - one came back abnormal and the other a mosaic. So the chance of both implanting is very low.

• we've spent £35k so far and I categorically stated we just couldn't afford (or emotionally deal with) what could be up to 6 individual transfers

• we said this would be our final pregnancy if it worked (I have a DD already) and I didn't want to go through all this (multiple miscarriages and ectopics) only to leave some in the freezer so we are starting with Lower grade and leaving best grade for last.

• we can just about financially afford to raise twins 😬

• clinic will transfer 2 if only one is an AA grade.

• chances of both implanting in my specific case is actually really low.

My friends who have either had success on their first transfer or haven't had failed transfers before and have AA grade have been told they can't have double transfers so it is very case specific x

@ivfgottostaypositive fantastic news! You must be really pleased with the fertilisation rate. Fingers crossed they both continue to develop well and you get another good update on Monday.

@Mrbay yay that your period is here! I've started cramping this morning so hopefully mine will be along soon as well! Fingers crossed you get the green light for Wednesday!

@HJF84 that's so good that your clinic are on the ball with regards to testing etc. I was only ever prescribed prednisolone as it "might" help rather than based on anything concrete. I spoke to my clinic yesterday about it and they said it is just guidance and I can take it if I want to do I'm now quite confused!

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend