IVF&FET June/July cycle buddies

[Lemongrass1]

Hi, we are starting a FET this month after a bit of back and forth with the clinic. Start downreg on Fri with ET hopefully first week of July. Wondering if anyone else cycling around the same time? X

Ooooh won’t be long then @Lemongrass1 how exciting!!!!
Do you know a rough date for your FET?

@UncleBrynsfishingtrip hopefully ET will be sometime in the week starting 6 July x

I think yours will be about the same time as mine. I have a scan tomorrow.

Hope everyone is feeling ok today xx

@UncleBrynsfishingtrip good luck with your scan tomorrow, that's exciting you will be on to the next stage soon!

@Lemongrass1 I'm targeting EC the week of 6 July so should be just behind you!

I had a bit of a wobble today, I had two work conversations where I could tell the other person thought I was being really difficult. I wonder if the drugs (and the general stress probably) are making me more difficult to deal with. I hope my colleagues don't all end up hating me!

On the plus side I found some fertility yoga and will try to do that every day. Does anyone know if you can do yoga throughout stimulation or do you have to stop?

Thanks @RosettaR

My husband and I went for a walk today and it made me realise how excited/apprehensive he at the moment too.

I have found the drugs have made me feel really drowsy/spaced out/forgetful and I tell people that I’m on meds if they start looking at me oddly!! It’s hard at work though as I suppose you don’t want everyone knowing. Tomorrow is a new day and I’m sure you weren’t too bad.

Ooooh fertility yoga sounds good.
Has anyone tried the Izzy Judd fertility podcast? I listened to episode 1 today and her thoughts/feelings really hit home with me. Definitely worth a listen xx

I've just got my dates for my first ivf to start. It's mind boggling the amount of info and appointments, plus drug and times to take them that I've been sent!
I start the Norethisterone on day 16 then egg collection around end July.

@Kiza I also had a horrendous HSG due to scarring on my cervix and 3 more awful cervical dilation procedures. I know the scarring is probably back now so I have discussed with my clinic and am going to have a test transfer before the real one and they said if I faint (again) they will mildly sedate me for the real thing, so maybe you could ask about this?

@Msl1980s
Completely understandable to feel overwhelmed. It all gets given to you at once doesn’t it.

I’ve stated my injections and protocol. I had my egg collection just before Covid and my Embryo transfer is in July. I’m happy to answer and questions if you want to know anything.

Remember to take it an hour/day at a time as this is helping me to cope. 💗

Cool thank you! Can I ask, who is giving you your injections, are you all doing them yourself or are your partners doing them? My partner has a phobia of needles but he wants to do the injections to see if it gets him over his phobia....
And do the nurses at your clinic show you how to do them before you start?

They show you everything you need to know.
I was very nervous at the injection teach training however now I just do them myself and it becomes really really normal.

My husband did help with the trigger injection (you’ll do this the day before you have your egg collection)

They talk you through everything.
You will become an expert soon too.
It is ok to ask questions. Bless you I remember feeling like rahhhhhhhhhh at the beginning too.

My clinic has a buddy system which has really helped the the last few weeks. If you opt to do this they match you with someone going through a similar treatment and stage so that you can email/text each other. I have found it soooo useful.

@Msl1980s interesting that you had scarring on your cervix when you had that horrendous HSG. I had that as well and didn’t realise it could be linked... Have you discussed with your Dr how the scarring could interfere with IVF? I had to have mine removed otherwise my lining wouldn’t thicken up enough (well it still doesn’t but it’s a bit better at least!)

@UncleBrynsfishingtrip The buddy system is a really good idea! I wish my clinic did that!

Just had my baseline scan and bloods redone ready for FET, hope nothing weird shows up - my thyroid and vit D have always been fine before so fingers crossed.

Very weird being back at clinic in a covid world, masks are horrid! So much appreciation for medical staff wearing them all the time. Feel pretty sad DH can't come in with me this transfer, imagine getting pregnant with your other half sat in the car outside...

Going to look up fertility yoga, good shout @RosettaR. Guess there'll be no accupuncture this time round so some relaxation sounds good

I've not listened to that one @UncleBrynsfishingtrip (great name!), I read her book and she annoyed me a bit I enjoy the BFN podcast though

@Tarsettewwll after the last time I had my cervix dilated my periods have been more "normal" so it may be ok now but guess time will tell when they carry out the test transfer.
The doctors kept telling me the scarring wasn't getting in the way of me getting pregnant but I fell pregnant 2 days after having the hsg (which they didn't even complete as I fainted right after the forced the catheter in me). But miscarried at 10 weeks.
I had 2 cervical dilations after this (in which different doctors basically didn't believe me that something was blocking my periods from coming out, then it took them ages to dilate my cervix as struggled to get the dilator things through!
So I don't know if the scarring is back or if it was something else stopping me getting pregnant. Guess I will find out when they do the test transfer

@Msl1980s yes, i guess you’ll find out then! Did they ever measure how thick your lining gets around day 14 of your cycle? It is supposed to go up to 10mm (8mm minimum). In my case, the scars prevented the lining from building up (I also had very light periods as a result). I had some removed but it still didn’t resolve the issue entirely so I now get stims as well during the first 2 weeks of my cycle to thicken the lining (stims make my body produce more estrogen which in turn builds up the lining).

Hey ladies...

I started taking Estradiol tablets yesterday and I’m still on buserelin. I have my Day 10 scan next week (long protocol) I think this is to check my lining.

Hope everyone is ok today. Weather was really bad here so I got my wellies on a went for a nice walk with my nieces. Spending time with them is good for my soul. They make me feel so happy and I forget about all this IVF stuff when I’m with them!

@Parkandride have you had your results? Hope all was ok!

@UncleBrynsfishingtrip great news you started on oestrogen! Enjoy the walk

Had my scan and lining is not thin enough yet 😬 Back on 23rd again for another scan after down reg for a bit longer. I think same day as you @RosettaR ? I hope it’s ok for Tues, kinda knew already it was too early for the scan today

Hope everyone else doing ok x

Sorry to hear you're a bit delayed @Lemongrass1. I'm worried I won't have down regulated, every time I take the medication I feel unsure I'll have absorbed enough, because my nose runs so much. But yes we will be scan twins on Tuesday!

Congrats on moving to the next stage @UncleBrynsfishingtrip!

@Msl1980s @Tarsette sorry you've both had to go through so much with the scarring, it sounds like you are both in a good position now though, with a plan!

Hi all, I’m 38 and starting my first long protocol IVF cycle on Monday (22nd) - my meds just arrived today and (please excuse my language) holy mother of f* it’s a terrifying sight! Exciting but terrifying!

@Kiza I had similar problems with my HyCoSy as they struggled to get a catheter through my narrow (and apparently “twisted”) cervix and I found it excruciating even before they put the dye in. I was told by the nurse who did the HyCoSy (NHS) to ask the clinic (Private) to do a trial embryo transfer, basically just inserting the catheter, before starting so that they could work out a plan of action.

Just had the trial embryo transfer this week (after my period ended and before starting the down reg drugs) and it went absolutely fine - they had to try a couple of different shaped speculums to get the right angle which was a bit uncomfortable but once they did the catheter passed with absolutely no pain. They’ve now made notes on what to use and how my cervix sits ready for the real deal.

If you had problems with the HyCoSy definitely ask them to do a trial run as, if nothing else, it’ll set your mind at ease and one less thing to worry about for the real thing!

@Rovera12 we’re cycle buddies! I start down reg on Monday and have down reg scan on 14th July too. How are you feeling about it all?

@LongtermTTC
Welcome to this lovely group

Exciting to have your meds!
I started long protocol and my meds have their own cupboard in the kitchen as there was soooo much 🤣 I found it a bit 😬😬😬 to begin with but you’ll get used to sharps boxes and syringes!
What do you have to take first? Xx

Hi everyone, a very special welcome to all d new ladies. 👋👋👋
@LongtermTTC wow our dates are in sync lol. I start down reg on Monday and scan is the 14th July to see if I can start stimulating.
I have a feeling we are using the same clinic lol...... wishing you and all the ladies d best of luck.
Also did you take any supplements for this cycle?

I’m at a clinic in Oxford. First up is Synarel before stims using Gonal F.

Re supplements I was told back in February to start taking DHEA and COQ10 but that’s because I have low AMH. Apparently nothing conclusive to say that they do anything but the consultant said there was some anecdotal evidence and it wouldn’t do any harm. That and the folic acid / vitamin D supplement - I use Pregnacare Conception which has a load of other things too but the folic acid and vitamin D are the key ones I think. I feel like I rattle already!! x

I take no supplements other than folic acid.

I walk LOTS to get vitamin D and I drink lots of water as this really helps follicles apparently. Worked for me anyway. I had 5 eggs collected. 4 made it to blastocysts xx

@LongtermTTC thanks so much for sharing, that's good to hear. The idea of a mock transfer sounds scary when I've had such bad experiences with internal examinations before but maybe as you suggested I ask them to try different speculums and just take their time as think I've now developed vaginismus so May ask for some Valium to help me through it also.
Glad to hear your mock transfer went so well though and you're geared up for the real deal!

@unclebrynsfishingtrip wow dat is so good. I hardly get natural vitamin as I get to work as early as 6.30 sometimes and travel by train☹️. You are very lucky 👋.

@LongtermTTC oh I see, I am with NHS In east London. I am taking Co q10, royal jelly, folic acid .
I have never checked my AMH as my clinic is not keen about it,
What I need to do more is drink more water . I don’t think I drink a lot of water.

I wish I could ask for a mock transfer but I guess it’s too late now, I remember my first cycle I noticed transferring the embryo was not easy.