October IVF

[Dinky06]

Hi ladies, I’ve been through all of my fertility screening tests etc and am due to start my first and hopefully only round of IVF (positive vibes ) soon. I’m looking to share my hopes, experiences and tips and provide support to anyone else expecting to start a cycle soon. The more the merrier!

Fab news @Dinky06! Do you mind if I ask your age? As they’ve floated the idea of transferring 2 for me too - if I get that far!

Congratulations to all who have had good results so far and hugs to those who have not perhaps had the news they hoped for.

I have been on pins all week waiting for the phone call today! Was called at lunch, so I’ve got 10 embryos biopsied and frozen (9 were done yesterday on day 5 and 1 was done today day 6). I assume these are all blasts as I don’t think they will PGD anything other than a blastocyst, which I was so surprised with the number! I exclaimed ‘what all of them?!’ And she said well no, not quite all of them and started going through her notes, i was like but I was told 10 fertilised, don’t do this to me, and could just hear the papers rustling 😂 then she explained that 11 had actually fertilised but when they called me they were not sure on the 1 iffy one, but evidently it didn’t make it anyway.

So now I wait 56-112 days for the genetic results, cycle wise this is where I end for the time being while I wait to see if I’ve any healthy to start preparing for FET

I’m on day 6 post EC and I don’t really have any pain at all any more I feel generally normal, but I’m still quite swollen, my stomach is usually quite flat and it’s still quite bowed out... is this normal I was never told how long to expect swelling for! No nausea since Monday which is good though

Thanks @MF1981. I'm 38 but turn 39 on 6 Nov! They were very clear with me up until today that it would be a single ET so I was v surprised when the recommendation was two and it was up to me if I only wanted to transfer one.

I read a quote today which I wanted to share with everyone about the TWW: "Be forgiving of yourself to get through it. Two weeks is temporary. This is not going to be rest of your life. Even if you decide to stop treatment, use donor eggs, adopt, this is not going to be the rest of your life. You will have a resolution. It might not be the resolution you expected, but you'll have a resolution." Hope this provides some comfort over the coming days and weeks xxx

Hey @ThePurpleFairy I didn't realise the wait was so long on PGD. Good luck to you over the coming period. Is there a chance FET could be before the 56 days? Xx

@Dinky06 the test can be as quick as 2-3 weeks, but because this is my first round they haven’t built my specific genetic test yet which is what takes the time. They are quite expensive to make so they wait first to make sure you have suitable embryos. This form of PGD is different from PGS testing in that they are looking for a single specific gene, and we need the embryo to have taken my husband’s one of that gene . Once the test is built, if I were to have subsequent rounds it would be about 3 weeks wait.

No definitely not, it will take at the very least 56 days to find out if any are healthy and if they are, I then have to go on a waiting list for FET which I believe is a few months, lots of waiting but I’m used to it by now!

Sending sticky vibes to your 2 little embabies!

@ThePurpleFairy Wow fingers crossed for you. Do you mind if I ask, are you doing testing via NHS or privately? We’ve had to opt for private due to my other half having a 16 year old daughter.

We might be opting for testing just because we’ve had so many MCs naturally, although the recent twin loss cytogenetics came back normal so bit of a conundrum for us as to whether or not we should. Going to try get 5 mins with the dr tomorrow to ask more questions but any experience/thoughts from anyone here would be much appreciated.

So I’m on day 8 of stims. I have an upped dose of Merifert every other day, so 150 and then 225 because I wasn’t responding as much as they’d have liked from my first scan yet worried about OHSS due to PCO/high AMH 41. Started Fyremadel yesterday. Another scan tomorrow to check progress. Hoping EC can happen before the end of next week so I have the weekend to recover before I’m back to work. So far injections have been fine. I’ve taken clexane in pregnancies before which I’ve found to sting more than stims but still, bearable. Not looking forward to the trigger one in the fridge mind 🥴

Hope everyone is doing ok. Xx

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing. I’ve tried to switch off to IVF for the last few days and I’m more or less back to normal now after the failed egg collection (just feel slightly bloated). I’m wondering whether AF will be early this month as I’m starting to have the usual PMS symptoms 8 days post-collection.

It sounds like there have been some really good results - hopefully these will translate into positive tests in the next couple of weeks.

I’m starting to feel apprehensive about my follow up call on Monday. I’m really hoping there is something they can suggest which might work next time. I’m not ready to give up yet and I’m really not sure whether I could go down the donor egg route. I’ve been contemplating what I’d do if they recommended it and all I can think about is the possibility I won’t feel like the child is mine and being upset every time someone mentioned the likeness (or not) of the baby to me or DP. Hopefully it won’t come to that but I’m trying to mentally prepare for every eventuality.

Positive vibes to everyone that’s still going this cycle

Hi @Lindyloolou, I’m with NHS for it. They’ll give me 3 full rounds or until I have a live birth, which I know is super lucky - though the reason for it not so much. I have no children, and if I had an unaffected child I wouldn’t be eligible.

I’ve known since I was 21 I would likely take this route and have never tried to TTC naturally, infact have had to sign a paper to say I will not do so. I have an inherited genetic fault which causes cancer at an early age and I have to be screened every 12-24m since the age of 25, a similar but not the same example that people might know is Angelina Jolie with the BRCA genetic fault that causes breast cancer specifically. People do this for various genetic conditions like Cystic Fibrosis, to ensure a healthy child. Some people I know also do it for Balanced Translocation, which causes MC if the embryo is unbalanced, but I don’t know anything about this really.

With your stims I was told a lower dose for longer yields the best results for people in your position (I was the same high AMH and PCO but not PCOS). Good luck, hoping your little follies grow on your new dose

Hi everyone just had my EC. They got 9 eggs. I now have to wait until Monday to hear anymore news.

That's really good @lolly2020. It will probably feel like a long wait until Monday, hope you have something/someone nice to distract you! 😊

@Lightningrain so sorry our posts crossed before so I didn’t see until now. I’m doing ok I’m just still very swollen and I’m getting a bit worried about it now, the only way I can describe it is there doesn’t feel like enough room inside me for everything, when I eat my stomach feels awful like it’s squished . Definitely take breaks away when you need it, it’s exactly what I’ve done as well, and for your follow up appointment keep a list of questions in your phone so you don’t blank and forget on Monday. See what the Doc says before you worry about egg donation, like you said you’re not ready to give up yet and you just never know your next round could be totally different.

@Lolly2020 that’s wonderful news! How are you feeling? Rest up now!

I hope you recover quickly @Lolly2020!

@ThePurpleFairy I'm sorry you have to wait so long for the next stage, I know it can be really draining.

I'm feeling way better physically today (TMI, but I think finally having a poo helped! ) but I've been really weepy and emotional about our chances, and having to wait again for FET etc. I guess these things can catch up with you.

@ThePurpleFairy no problem, it’s hard to keep track when there are so many of us.

It sounds like you’re still suffering but fingers crossed it will have all been worth it. Have you been keeping up with your water intake? I found peppermint tea quite good for the bloating and a heat pad. If it’s not easing up and you think it’s more than just bloating it might be worth a call to your clinic to see what they suggest.

@Lolly2020 awww great news! Hope you are recovering well. I think as others have said recovery can be quite hit and miss post EC. I was really really tired for a few days and definitely had to rely on lots of paracetamol. Also do watch your water intake as @Lightningrain said. It makes such a difference to flush everything out. I was also pretty constipated too for a few days after (@mayihavesomecakeplease glad I wasn't the only one!) but it has all got more comfortable. I'm still bloated but they said at my ET scan yesterday they could see that my ovaries were still large so no surprise.

@ThePurpleFairy thanks for sharing with us. It sounds like you're on a great treatment path and I really hope everything goes your way.

@Lindyloolou how are you getting on with stims?

@Lightningrain I hope you're feeling OK ahead of Monday. I'm sure they will have learned more about you through the cycle that can hopefully direct next steps. Don't lose faith even though I know that's easier said than done.

How are people feeling post ET? I'm not sure how I'll make it to the 29th without losing my mind. DP and I have also agreed that I should limit how much I go out and about now so no supermarket trips etc. We live in central London and the lockdown vibe is growing by the day. I got a call from the clinic today to confirm my progesterone level is high which is good news and that there are four frozen embryos as well now from the cycle which was a real surprise. I'm struggling a bit mood wise as I feel like everything has gone well that now hoping for a positive result at the end feels a bit jinxed as my luck has to run out at some point. IVF demons really are the worst.

Sending love and hugs to all. Happy weekend xxx

Dinky06 I’m ok thank you. 21 of the larger follicles counted up today - 8 in one ovary, 13 in the other and they think EC will be on Wednesday next week. Bit niggly but otherwise nothing major pain wise. My other half will have sperm retrieval the same day - results of a new test (part of research so not widely available) showed he should have 60% that are good quality that way vs doing the “normal” way which he predicts would be around 14% good quality sperm, so I expect we will both be a little sore but feeling a bit optimistic about that result.

Do feel like I’m due bad news after all the hurdles these past couple of years - I hate feeling like that but can’t help it too.

@ThePurpleFairy sounds like you have a good plan in place - really hope it works out for you.

@Lightningrain Don’t give up just yet. You’ve totally got this - it only takes one! See what they say on Monday. You can always get second opinions too - so many different clinics, consultants with different views and specialisms. I know it’s easier than said mind!

Hope everyone else is doing well x

Keen to get first hand experience on this one... I am an hour and a half drive away from the hospital. Do I stay in a hotel the night before EC (Partners having his retrieval @6.30am) and get a taxi home after or would you recommend I stay another night in a hotel to recover? Will I likely be more sore the day?

@Lindyloolou I felt really sick in the taxi home, which was just twenty minutes, so I'm not sure I'd want to drive that far immediately. I also appreciate it would be nice to be back in your own bed though!

I was more sore later that day and the day after, so I’m glad I had someone to drive me straight home. It’s likely we’ll all have slightly different experiences though which doesn’t really help you!

I didnt feel too bad on the way home and we live an hour away from the hospital. It was more last night and this morning that I feel a bit tender.

Thanks everyone. I think I’ll risk the ride home. Nothing like the comfort of your own surroundings when feeling tired, tender and no doubt emotional.

@Lolly2020 hope you recover nice and quick. Fingers crossed for you. X

@Lindyloolou I was a sore the same day but didn’t feel sick so would have managed a longer journey home. The following day or two were actually worse for me in terms of pain/discomfort.

@Lindyloolou Depends how far you'd need to travel?
I was sick about 1.5hours after leaving the clinic so I'd say stay at the hotel if you'd be travelling any length of time! X

Thanks all. X

I gave in to temptation and tested, even though logically I know 6dpt is too early to see anything. Of course it was negative! Can I just write it off as a practice run? I’m not upset at the result, just cross with myself for being an idiot!

Ah @sunbird24 when is your official test date? Mine is Wednesday. I'm now 8dpt on a 3 day embryo so I suppose if I did a test now it should be accurate as technically I'm 11 days past ovulation? I still havent bought any as, like you, I would then be tempted! Defo put yours down to practice and try again in a few days! How have you been feeling? I'm starting to get my usual premenstrual headaches and acne so I'm expecting my period any day now!