Anyone starting a new cycle at hammersmith?

[fullyloadednachoes]

Hi All...

Was wondering if anyone has started a new cycle at hammersmith?

Or waiting to have their first consultation?

wanna know if there is anyone in the same boat as me, this wait seems like it's forever...

@Lemongrass1 - Hope you're doing ok :) Really appreciated the reassurance about how the clinic is operating and staff there x

Hi @fullyloadednachoes I’m doing ok! I’m so glad to hear that appointments are coming through and others are starting treatment too 😁 I have my second Covid swab and lining scan on Thursday. Feeling v nervous, if this scan is OK then will get a transfer date for next week X

@OhPeanuts yeah completely agree with the work thing. I don’t want to tell them unless I absolutely have to! I’ve actually not told anybody that I’m doing IVF (family or friends). Sure that sounds weird to a lot of people but I can’t handle the extra pressure of being asked questions and ‘watched’ for changes/results etc.

I’m a natural stress head 😬 so just trying to do everything I can to try become a calm and relaxed person in prep!

@PositiveThinkerAlways thanks for the Zita West advice! I had read about that clinic and their diet plan seems to be well supported. Do you have any advice from your previous cycles?

@Lemongrass1 good luck with your scan tomorrow, really hope all goes well for you🤞 and you can transfer next week - exciting but scary times ahead for you.

@Violetvice My best advice would be to write things down when you get instructions at the clinic as I often thought I fully understood but when I got home or the next day I couldn’t remember the details of what I was supposed to do! That could just be me of course!
The second bit of advice is to question things that don’t sound right to you as I didn’t and ended up getting the wrong instructions which delayed my previous cycle and have not always had things explained properly to me so I now question things and re-clarify things just to ensure I am getting the correct advice at the correct point in my cycle.
Thirdly - try not to stress too much! Which is not easy I know!

Hi, have been to the clinic today and all seemed to be running smoothly. There were definitely more people so looks like more treatments are starting. But don’t worry, the waiting room is big enough to be able to comfortably socially distance.

Top tips

1. Don’t turn up too early, they won’t let you in until 5-10 mins before your appointment
2. Double check the correct timing of your Covid swabs and make sure you have a separate appointment booked for it
3. Sign up for ‘patient knows best’ and you can see your results of swabs/ blood tests online. You get a notification every time a clinic letter or result is posted. I was sent a link to sign up
4. If you are taking Lubion then there’s a separate needle pack to the one for buserelin/ stims. The clinic holds the packs so it’s easy to ask for

Good luck all x

@lemongrass1
Many many thanks for these top tips- especially as you are the ‘lady in the know’ right now so hugely grateful for sharing your experiences.
Hope all went well with your scan today x

@Lemongrass1 - Thanks for that update, hope your scan went well, when do you find out the results for today?

Good tip on the 'patient knows best', at what point did you receive that link or do you have to request it?

@OhPeanuts - have you received any info for the video consultation yet? I haven't heard anything yet.

@PositiveThinkerAlways scan went well thanks! Just waiting on a call to hear what day transfer will be next week

@fullyloadednachoes I was automatically sent the link. Hopefully they will send you one too but you could always check with PALs if not

@Lemongrass2 - Thanks for the info, I'll get in touch with them to ask. I'm just getting ahead of myself I guess, haven't even had the first consultation... just struggling with the wait :( anxious it'll get cancelled! SO glad you've had your scan, one step at a time I guess, hopefully they call you soon to arrange transfer x

Hi ladies, sorry for going a bit quiet, I got a little overwhelmed and took an internet break.

@fullyloadednachoes did you get your link? I think I only got my letter a couple of days before my consultation so maybe it’s on the way but if you’re not sure you can contact them and ask.

My consultation went ok I think, the dr was lovely and she let us ask loads of questions without rushing us. I came out of it with mixed feelings, partly glad to have taken at least a small step but at the same time it was quite depressing to have your dr tell you your chances of this working are so low (which I knew anyway but it just hits harder when it’s a dr looking at you specifically!).

I’ve got to wait until my next period before I can go in for a COVID test and naturally I am about as far away from my period as I can be so not expecting it until August and knowing my body it’ll show up a few weeks late just to mess with my sanity...

Let me know if you have any specific questions @fullyloadednachoes

I asked basic stuff during my call:

• our chances of success
• who will be our contact during the process
• blood tests we’ll be having
• counselling sessions
• anything we should avoid (aside from the obvious)

@Lemongrass1 did you get a transfer date

@PositiveThinkerAlways how are you doing on your meds?

@Violetvice how’s it going with your prep and relaxation? I’ve tried a bit of meditation today and started thinking about work. think I need more practice

@OhPeanuts great news you have had your consultation now....the first positive step on this journey with many more to come.
It is scary when you hear the likelihood of success but I believe ivf relies on a lot of luck despite the statistics so keep fingers and toes crossed that it is your lucky time now 🤞

I’ve been meaning to try some meditation myself and heard a doctor say online how important it is to do deep breathing during ivf as your eggs need the extra oxygen so may try this alongside my yoga sessions - every little helps hey?!

Hope every else is getting on ok with their preparation or cycle - hope it is a lucky time for us all 🍀

@OhPeanuts - Hi :) Woh, so much has happened already for you, that's great you've had the consultation,that you were told some news on chances of its being successful. It's hard to hear news like that, but i'm sure you the honesty and helps you manage your expectations from all of this, but remember You are still being offered IVF, so there is still hope that it could work, whatever the probability is, so stay hopeful :) Good you took time away from online things is healthy, glad you had a break from it to digest your thoughts.

Does that mean you start treatment on your next period after you have had the covid swab?
Are you on long or short protocol?

I have plenty more specific questions, but i dont want to bombard you... let me know if you prefer PM.. :)

Hope you @all doing well along your IVF journeys :) you all are at different stages, so I hope you guys are having all the support you need through it xx

@OhPeanuts that’s great you’ve had your first consultation! It’s always daunting to hear the stats, somehow you expect them to be better. But it’s great you’re past the first hurdle.

@fullyloadednachoes not long now until your first appt!

@PositiveThinkerAlways you must be on the norethisterone now, hope that’s going ok and period comes on time

I have my transfer this Fri, feeling quite nervous. Will have a call from
the embryologist beforehand which I’m waiting on.

Good luck everyone x

Thank you all for the support! Hope everyone is doing well today.

@PositiveThinkerAlways I fully recommend the Calm app for meditation. It’s a subscription one so I think I pay about £35/year but it’s really good, lots of daily guided meditations, calming music, stories to make you fall asleep etc. . Really interesting that deep breathing has been recommended for ivf. If you are doing yoga that should help too because it’s based around working with your breath which is great. I’m trying to do yoga every morning as well but I’ve been a fan of it for years so wasn’t really doing it for a purpose. Nice to know it’s maybe helping somehow though.

@fullyloadednachoes
Thank you, you’re right I have to think of it as a chance
I don’t have any further info yet because they want to do the covid test and then the bloods and scans to check if I’m still ok to go ahead and the dr didn’t want to discuss further ahead than that other than theoretically because I guess if I have this scan and they find a new problem it would all change again and they would’ve made false promises on start dates if you see what I mean.

Definitely happy to PM, feel free to send me one . I would but honestly don’t know how to on here haha

@Lemongrass1
How exciting for Friday! I have everything crossed for you.

@Lemongrass1 good luck today!! Hope it goes perfectly

@Lemongrass1 - :) hope it all goes well today xx

@OhPeanuts thank you for the heads up, i think I'm as prepared as can be, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm feeling calmer today, thankfully, been doing deep breathing exercises which has been helping :)

Hope you all doing well xx

It’s all such a stressful process isn’t it, I’m trying my best to manage it all as best as I can..... and trying not to self-medicate with wine! @OhPeanuts Thank you for the calm app recommendation, I will give that a try.

@Lemongrass1 Really hope everything goes well for you today, all fingers and toes crossed for you. Do let us know how your experience of transfer was and what differences from previous time, when you are up for it if course.

I’m in the clinic tomorrow for a covid test but it’s been cancelled once and rearranged a second time so I’m not holding up much hope until I’ve actually been seen!

Happy Friday everyone- let’s hope for a sunny weekend 😎 x

Thanks for well wishes everyone! Transfer went really well, it was better than before as there’s no waiting around. The checks at the door for temp/ symptoms and mask were the only thing that was different. Embryo thawed really well and started to expand again. I got to take a picture like last time and they showed me the flash on the ultrasound where the embryo went in. So all good. Onto the 2WW now 🤞🤞🤞

@PositiveThinkerAlways hope your Covid swab goes ahead. Results will be on the patient knows best portal by next day. They won’t call you unless it’s positive. xx

Great news about your transfer @Lemongrass1 Do be ultra kind to yourself through the 2WW as it’s often the hardest part!
Thanks for the heads up about the swab and test results too.
Now go and put your feet up and relax as much as possible!!! x

@Lemongrass1- how are you doing? Hows the 2WW going? Hope you are keeping busy :) but relaxing at the same time

@OhPeanuts - So I had my first consultation last week, doc said i need a scan on my next period and a covid swab just before, then i see the consultant again for results, review my chances and an IVFplan if all is well.. so nothing going on for yet either. I've decided to detach myself from it all in the meantime, i don't like how sad i was becoming waiting for it all to start. I'm gonna fill this time with starting up my workouts again and starting back at work now lockdown has eased :) feels good to try and get back to some normality.

@PositiveThinkerAlways @Violetvice how you both getting on? Where are you now in the whole process? :) hope you guys all ok

@fullyloadednachoes that’s great that you’ve had the first consultation now 😊. And lovely that you’re able to detach a bit and not worry. It does get to be too much just thinking about it all the time.

I need your advice please everyone - I have pco so sometimes have long cycles. That last few have been perfectly regular and at my consultation I was told the same as you, swab and tests when my next period arrives. Of course my body has now decided to screw me over and I am on CD21 and showing zero signs of ovulating any time soon so my period is nowhere in sight. I chart and have done for years and I know my ovulation indicators so I am certain I’ve not ovulated yet. I don’t know what to do, wait indefinitely and hope my body plays ball and go insane waiting or is this something I can contact the clinic about? I don’t want to bother them but I can’t wait out a 50 + something day cycle after waiting so many years to get to this point. 😕 why is my body so frustrating! It’s been perfectly regular for months and now this 😫

@OhPeanuts hii how you getting on? Any signs of your MC??

Sorry I haven't replied, i had to take some time away from it all..

@Lemongrass1 how are you doing? Hows the 2ww going?

Hi ladies,
Hope everyone is doing ok. Sorry I’ve been a bit quiet on here but I had a bit of a set back in my treatment as I discovered my thyroid levels had shot up unexpectedly so thought I may not be able to proceed. However my consultant recommended that I continue to egg collection and do a freeze all cycle, which I was very disappointed with as previously my frozen embryos have not survived the thawing process so it’s a risk but probably have no choice but to proceed anyway.
Just wanted to let you know I’ve had my covid swab test and my first scan at the clinic and everything seems to be running smoothly there and I felt very safe so all seems well when you get to that stage.

I hope things are going well for you all 👍

@PositiveThinkerAlways sorry to hear about the set back with your cycle. I hope you get lots to freeze for future FETs! X

@fullyloadednachoes unfortunately the cycle was unsuccessful so am awaiting my follow up appointment to decide when we can try with another FET

@Lemongrass1 I’m very sorry to hear that need, I can only imagine how bitterly disappointed you must be. It’s such a rollercoaster ride and can be a very unfair and cruel process so I really hope you are being kind to yourself to aid your recovery and you get some closure once you have had your follow up review appointment. Wishing you a more positive outcome in the future x