First time IVF - anyone getting ready to start?

[VenusStarr]

I've transferred my NHS funding (1 fresh round) to Create and the contract starts in August, so it'll be a while before we get started. I'm going to use this time to prepare - emotionally, mentally and physically.

I'm interested to hear what others did to prepare for their first round?

If you're getting ready to start IVF in a couple of months, come and join me :)

I join you hopefully I hear some news soon as waiting on hospital to decide when they starting up. This is our first time been trying for 3 years doing ivf icsi as partner has low sprem. I cant wait to get a date hopefully hear something soon xxx

Hi!

I’ll join you! I should be starting August time frame as I’m waiting for one last push with ovulation induction!

Hi @Hoping1 and @ChicaXS 👋 I feel quite excited that we'll be trying something new. We've been ttc for 2.5 years but had 3 miscarriages in the last year.

Good luck with your ovulation @ChicaXS 🤞

Are either of you going to do anything to prepare? I already take ubiquinol, folic acid & vitamin D. I'd like to lose about half a stone too - hoping knowing IVF is on the horizon will help me focus xx

Hi can I join? I'm just waiting on the hospital to let us know we can start. I'm already taking coq10 vitamin d and folic acid... trying to eat healthy but the snacks get me ....

Hi all!

@VenusStarr I’m taking the exact same as you (though I’m using coq10) aswell as inofolic due to PCOS. I’m also starting my keto diet next week and will join an insta fit club. I need to lose around 9-10 pounds which I haven’t shifted since Feb but thankfully not overweight. I would try a counselling session too before ivf with an ivf counsellor which I will register with. I guess it’s just staying healthy and happy and I am looking forward to it though dreading the injections. I really didn’t think I would be that woman doing ivf but hey ho when lightening strikes!
I wish my period would just arrive so I can start my cycle for OI.

What’s your reasons for IVF ladies?
Mine is infertility due to PCOS, blocked left tube and low morphology. Also age! (I am 37)

X

Welcome @MrsV2018 :) hope you hear from your hospital soon 🤞

@ChicaXS officially we have an unexplained diagnosis, but have concieved on our own 3 times, but recurrent tests have shown nothing. I'm hoping that IVF might help us control things a bit more.
I have lost a stone over the last 6 months, lockdown stalled me a bit - my bmi is slight over, so that last half a stone will bring me back to the healthy zone.
I've been so stressed ttc naturally these last couple of months, so we've decided on a proper break before IVF.

I'm 36, but will be 37 when we get started x

@venusStarr I wish you the best for your weight lose. I hope it won’t be too hard! The same with me - lockdown has stalled my usual exercise and honestly I’m not the type to Get gymed up and run in a park 3 times a week (though I should but my lazy ass says now 🤣)

Instagram fitness means I can do workouts in my living room and keto is excellent - I always lose weight and helps with my PCOS too.how easy was it to get your nhs transfer to create? That’s excellent news? I’m with create privately but was with the nhs and they granted us 3 cycles free of charge. However my clinic still shut so I didn’t want to wait.

hi mine is due to my partner low sprem count so he is on powders. We have never had a bfp. I was taking loads knock it on head as was sick. When I had last scan I had over 50 folices that was without meds. I am just taking folic acid at min i probs take more once I get date dxx

Ours is unexplained as well. Had a laparoscopy in October and they found some scaring and a cyst. The consultant said we should be able to get pregnant soon after that but it's not happened. Never had BFP either. Am 35 now and feels like time is ticking away

I'm hoping to start when AF arrives. Cycle day 26 today so not long - all depends on our consultant giving us the green light though as he needs to review my MRI report - I have a large cyst on my ovary x

It was fairly straightforward to request the funding move @ChicaXS, we got our funding approved in February and had been to a group session at the hospital but not got to consent signing etc (so that might have made it easier). My hospital still hasn't been approved by the hefa, so I called and asked for clarity. Luckily my ccg has identified Create as an alternative contract provider, so we could request a transfer of care. I think it depends on your ccg. If we hadn't been able to move we'd agreed to go private at the end of the Summer.
I'm working from home so trying to get out each day, but could do with motivating myself to do something more energetic!

Wow, 50 follicles @Hoping1. Will you be having icsi?

Did they remove the scaring and cyst during your lap @MrsV2018?

That's exciting @BewilderedBee 🤞 that your consultant says yes.

@venusstarr

Good luck with your move to Create - I've just got my BFP with Create Birmingham this week and can't fault the treatment and care I've had

Supplements wise I was taking Proceive Max for women, ubquinol and royal jelly, I also lost 1/2 stone in preparation for transfer, eating healthy and more exercise. I also swapped on to natural modified IVF after 5 miscarriages and 2 ruptured ectopics and it hugely increased my egg quality x

@VenusStarr that’s so interesting and congrats for switching over. I’m not holding my breath my CCG will do so but I will check. We signed all the consent and was undergoing treatment including a lap and due before ivf and I got a letter recently saying we’re on top of the list but insist they still want the lap and dye. The clinic is still open.

Have you done your treatment consultation yet with create? Your doing natural modified or mild ivf? X

@VenusStarr yeah they removed the scars and cyst. Are you doing trying to eat anything in particular to help prepare yourself for August? There's just so much information out there it's a bit overwhelming

@VenusStarr we are having icsi this is our first try at it. We signed all the paper work at the last appointment and got the needles. So hope we get a date soon the longer it going on the harder it getting xxx

That's brilliant news @ivfgottostaypositive, congratulations. It's really good to hear that you've had a good experience at Create (and the one I'm going to!) what's the royal jelly for - egg quality is something I'm concerned about after my 3 losses, hoping that we'll get more insight by doing IVF x

@ChicaXS it's definitely worth asking - I think each area must be different as I had an hsg, scans and hysteroscopy with the fertility clinic at the hospital and then we were referred for our ivf funding. Not met the clinic yet, I don't think we will get a consultation until August, but I'm going to call next week to double check we're in their system.

It's really overwhelming @MrsV2018, I was at slimming world and lost over a stone but have put about 5lbs back on. Loosely following that again as it means I eat lots of veg. I don't think artificial sweetener so it also means I'm not eating loads of sweet things.

That's really exciting @Hoping1, hopefully you'll get a date soon. I'm a bit scared of the injections but I also know I cope better when I have a plan and I'm doing things, so hoping once I get the hang of it, it'll be fine.

I've ordered a journal that's ivf focused, so hoping that will help me with my mindset - endless ttc has really taken its toll xx

@VenusStarr

The royal jelly is because I read somewhere about it boosting egg quality - it's extracted from honey bees 🐝 and something to do with the Queen Bee and the fact shes able to lay hundreds of eggs (of course could be a load of bollocks!)

I'm starting soon. Ttc #2. 1st was easy #2 is very much not. 15 months trying and found out I have two blocked tubes this morning..

Sounds good @ivfgottostaypositive, anything to give my eggs a boost! Do you take it all cycle? I was taking evening primrose oil in the first past of my cycle as I know its not recommended after ovulation.

@VenusStarr

Yeah all cycle - I got mine from Holland and Barratt - think they were 400mg ones

Fab, thank you @ivfgottostaypositive :)

Welcome @fadedout, I'm sorry to hear you had bad news today. Have you looked at any clinics? X

I'll be starting my first round soon too (Create St Paul's), will be starting injections next week. Had laparoscopy earlier this year for endometriomas on each ovary, the surgery caused my AMH to go from 17.5 at the end of last year to 11 now so I'm glad to be finally getting on with IVF before it had the chance to get much lower!

Re supplements, I am taking everything suggested in ' It starts with the Egg'.....

Pregnancy multivit (Inc folic acid)
Vitamin. D (4000iu)
Ubiquinol (600mg, from Pharma Nord, v expensive but meant to be the best)
Vitamin C (1000mg)
Vitamin E (200iu)
Alpha Lipoic Acid (300mg)
N-Acetyl Cysteine (600mg)
Melatonin (3mg)

It's quite a lot, but only short term as I'll stop after egg collection and I just wanted to do feel like I was doing everything I can, since I suspect due to endometriosis egg quality won't be great.

@ivfgottostaypositive - congrats on your BFP - I've found your posts really helpful over the last few weeks when I've tried to read up as much as I can, so thank you

@NewSew00

Wishing you all the luck in the world. I had a few scans at Create St Paul's and even an egg collection once as I work in London a lot (during normal times anyway)

Fertility treatment is such a lonely journey and having done it 5 times already I hope that my experience can help others in some way x