November IVF/FET

[BambiOnIce80]

... Too soon?! 😁😉

Been waiting on a FET since we were put on July's list and I've heard from our clinic this week that I've to call them when AF rocks up in October for a November FET. We had our fresh cycle in January, had a BFP, but found there was no heartbeat at the 11 week scan in March (MMC) - it's been a bit of a roller-coaster so far this year (as if covid craziness wasn't enough!).

Found having a thread to go through it all with a massive emotional support, so looking for some MN buddies to do it all again with. Good luck ladies and looking forward to 'meeting' you 🍀🙂

Thanks so much everyone! Still a long way to go, but relieved to get the first hurdle out of the way! We have a call to discuss our plan for the FET tomorrow. Hopefully very little medication, and it'll be mainly/only my natural hormones!

@MGee123 I'm definitely eating more and I am nowhere near PUPO stage so I have no excuse!😆

@SpyroC thanks 😊 I think it means that they use all my natural hormones but they might top up various things like progesterone if needed. Last time mine was tested naturally last year it was 35nmol and this time it's 50, so it might just vary between cycles 🤷‍♀️ Glad you're enjoying being back at work. I think it's good to have a distraction as the TWW lasts forever! Really hope your twinge are a good sign 😊🤞

@bambionice80 thank you 😊 I think it'll be this weekend or shortly after (i have pretty short cycles) so will be nice to get a move on! That sounds a nice home project! On my last FET we had our kitchen done and it was a bit hectic but a good distraction!

@theglitterfairy thank you 😊 That must be such a relief! I didn't realise you'd been waiting for so long. Really hope this works out for you 🤞

@indigocloud that's fantastic to have all 5 still going! Great news!

Thanks @PineappleC :) I obviously can't count my eggs until they hatch (pardon the pun!) but yes, relieved with the news on d+3. Now I just hope they all make it to d+5 for the transfer/freeze, which is tomorrow! One embryo was a bit ahead of the curve as they said it was already 11 cells on d+3 so we'll see.

All the very best to you at the new clinic as well!! x

Evening everyone 😊

Love a home improvement project @BambiOnIce80! My husband did lots of work in our garden over lockdown, it's so lovely having it look smarter now. Do you find your counselling sessions helpful? I have had therapy in the past and am quite open to the idea of it, perhaps if this round doesn't work out.

Good news about your lining @ChicaXS! I'm sure they will thaw fine 👍 not long til transfer!

Hello @indigocloud 👋 good luck for your transfer tomorrow! How are you feeling?

@SpyroC I quite like the masks for warmth and covering up spots too, plus much reduced need for make up with half your face covered 😂 most staff in my husbands school only wear visors too - I've offered to do an education session 😂

@PineappleC how did your call go?

I had another scan today - 1 of the little follicles has caught up quite a bit so I might have 5 getting to an acceptable size 🤞 scan again Friday (definitely had enough of these now)! Then egg collection Monday all being well. Still drinking everything in sight and starting to feel a bit like a pincushion but otherwise all good here. Picked up my progesterone suppositories today - not liking the look of those 😂

Thanks @MGee123! I'm feeling pretty ok. Was terribly bloated yesterday but an ultra high-fibre smoothie sorted me out. If you do get deeper into pincushion territory (had to LOL at your description!) give it a go: 2x celery stalks, half cucumber, ginger, 1x apple, half a fennel bulb, lemon juice, and spinach.

Great to hear that you saw some good progress on your scan today. And don't worry about the progesterone. You get used to it really fast. Right after collection, I had issues applying it as my body was just not having any of it, but in 2 days' time it was easy as. x

Hello @indigocloud hope the bloating has settled down for you!

@MGee123 oh come on follie number 5! Those bloody scans, i have no problem now walking into a room and whipping off my pants . Just need to remember not to do it when im having my blood tests .

@SpyroC i hope you are managing ok with your TWW and keeping busy.

I've had a scan today and they want me to do an extra 2 days worth of stims and then re scan on monday for collection on Wednesday. What size is considered good enough for collection? I've got lots of follicles (20 ish) but only 10 which are between 11-13mm. I'm on CD9 and 7th day of stims.

@Birdladybird thanks! Feeling much better. On follicle size, my clinic looks for anything that is 18mm and above, but you don't have to take stims until they reach that. In my case I pretty much stopped when the bulk of my follicles were around 15mm and they gave me a few more days to let nature grow them to size. In the end I was on stims for 10 days. Hope that helps! X

I should probably add that th stim needles weren't the only needles I was dealing with. Had been seeing a fertility acupuncturist for about 2 months and I think her work must've helped in some (probably significant) way in both growing the follicles and yielding good quality eggs. Had my transfer today and was told there was a Grade 5AA embryo and the rest were also excellent but we'll be freezing those, of course. Now just have to let nature do its job and see if the little embryo wants to play ball :)

Welcome @indigocloud and congrats on being pupo! 💐 Excellent that you've got some frosties for later as well ❄

Not just me that's not built for mindfulness then @SpyroC?! 😂 I'm glad work is keeping your mind off things 👍

Not long to wait for AF to show then @PineappleC 🤞 Does that mean ET might be in about 2 weeks-ish time?

@MGee123 I started the counselling with the clinic after the MMC, just for an outlet really to try and help get over the constant crying! It worked, which was a relief. I'd had counselling in the past (divorce), so had my eyes open to all the good it can do (if you get the right counsellor 😏). I'm sure when we're eventually through this whole IVF process I'll stop again, but it's nice to have an IRL person to talk to once a month about all this stuff. Excellent news that you've got a 5th follicle in the running! 🥚 Good luck for your scan tomorrow 🍀

Over 18mm rings a bell with me too @Birdladybird 🤔 I think I ended up stimming for 10 or 11 days in the end, so don't worry if it's a couple of days longer than they originally said 👍

@ivfjourney5 - scan day for you tomorrow! How are you feeling about it? Keeping everything crossed for a good lining for you 🤞🤞🤞

Glad work's keeping you busy too @TheGlitterFairy ✨🧚‍♂️ Progesterone is a bugger for mimicking pregnancy symptoms 😏 Only 5 more sleeps to go!!

That's funny @MGee123 😂 you might have to come to my school next too! To be fair hiding your mouth when teaching is not ideal but it's better than spreading covid about!

That's good news on the scan @MGee123 🤞🏻 for you tomorrow. I am currently having my post cyclogest lie down. They are very annoying, I recommend using panty liners as they are super messy!

@Birdladybird for my first 2 rounds my follicles did a lot of growing between days 9 & 11 and lots more became viable so 🤞🏻 for you tomorrow

Congratulation on being pupo @indigocloud x

@BambiOnIce80 I have seen the counsellor at my clinic a few times too but haven't bothered for this round so far. Like you, I just used it to off load. I felt bad last time as I did just that for the whole hour and then forgot to thank her! 🙈 I must've become selfish for the hour 😂

@TheGlitterFairy how's the tww going? X

I have had a crappy day today, I didn't sleep very well and I think the progesterone has turned my brain to mush. These two things combined = 🤯😳🤤! I've never noticed this brain mush during the tww so hopefully the daily lubion has got my progesterone levels up nice and high! Mind you this is the first time I've worked through a tww so it could be thus way every round, I just haven't noticed 🤷🏻‍♀️ does anyone else experienced this? Or am I just super lucky?!

Morning everyone 👋 happy Friday! I'm off for my next scan today - hoping they will confirm egg collection for Monday all being well. Odd mixture of excitement and anxiety - looking forward to knowing what we're doing and keeping 🤞 my follicles have done some good growing in the last 48 hours. I'm CD 10 today and started stims on CD 2.

Still drinking everything in sight but otherwise feel fine. I've been for a run this morning and am going to do a bit of gentle yoga to zen my ovaries before setting off 😂

It must be very hard teaching in a mask @SpyroC - my husband doesn't, he just has to stand in a box and keep away from everyone I think? I was getting narky about him wearing a mask in communal spaces!

Congrats @indigocloud ! How are you feeling? That smoothie sounds delish - thank you!

@Birdladybird that's good they are persevering to get as many as possible to a good size? I'm not sure what size they have to be to be honest, my clinic seem to just say 'x number looking good' 🤷‍♀️

Sorry you're feeling rubbish @SpyroC 😢 hope you had a good sleep last night? I get a bit brain foggy every month around AF so suspect it might be the progesterone. My job is very fast paced with a lot of decision making/logistics/multi-tasking and I notice I struggle for a few days before my period to keep up! (Doesn't bode well for pregnancy 😂). I also become much less tolerant 😬 Be gentle on yourself - you're going through a lot and I'm sure work can cope with a slightly below par you for a few weeks 🙏😊

Good luck this morning @MGee123 🙏

@SpyroC hopefully the brain mush is a good sign but not ideal for working I guess! I worked through the tww and don’t remember feeling too bad, but all those hormones can’t make you feel great... hopefully you can take it easy.

@TheGlitterFairy how are you getting on? One week in now right? That’s fine fast... probably not for you though I guess. Hope you’re holding up!

@BambiOnIce80 not long at all now until your scan. Hopefully the lining is nice and thick 🤞🏻🤞🏻

@Birdladybird, as others have said, I found that my follicles grew steadily and then had a spurt at the end.

Good luck with your scan @ivfjourney5 ... I’ve added sunflower seeds to my breakfast every morning off the back of your recommendation 😂🤞🏻

Sorry for anyone I’ve missed, haven’t been on for a while and if I go back a page, I’ll lose my message 😂 hope everyone else is doing well!

I started my period early so have my baseline scan tomorrow now. Back on the cetrotide injections every morning which are so horribly itchy afterwards!

Xxx

@BambiOnIce80 @SpyroC @MGee123 Thanks ladies!

Mgee123 - Feeling really good today. Definitely feeling steadier on my feet today than yesterday, right after transfer. And the bloatedness has gone away, which I'm so thankful for. Just going to plow on with work until the blood test now. Good luck for your scan today xx

@SpyroC @indigocloud @BonTon @MGee123 thanks for all the reassurance. She told me to inject lower in my leg, above and to the left of my knee, in the muscle there and i could feel much more 'activity' after i did that. So hopefully my ovaries are working overtime to catch up (but not too much!!) .

@mgee good luck with your scan today.

Happy Friday - lots to catch up on!!

Good Luck today @MGee123 hope you're good to go for Monday!

hi @indigocloud congrats on being pupo and in the 2ww!

Thanks @BambiOnIce80 @SpyroC and @BonTon! I'm also finding it hard to concentrate and have had a few sleepless nights this week, combined with a few nights where I've had some REALLY odd dreams. I've been making a note of anything "unusual", mainly to get it out of my head and so I don't drive my poor DH completely mad while we wait til the 17th!! Just a note on my phone for me - and to see if there are any patterns!! I'm a nightmare - doing my own head in!! LOL!

Def think that the progesterone is the cause of the brain fog. I've def been coasting a little this week work wise and doing the minimum possible. No-one at work knows any of this (or previous rounds) but seem to be getting through. @SpryoC full of admiration for you in front of a class all day during this time though guess it means you have to put it all to one side and concentrate on something else?

Have had sore boobs the last couple of days which could be a good sign or could be the progesterone (or both I guess). Scared and relieved to get to Tuesday I think and see whats going on. We've agreed not to test early to make sure that we get a definitive answer one way or the other.....iron will power!!!

How is everyone else today as we get to the end of another week?

@BonTon - I ate a handful of sunflower seeds a day too and lining looked good when it came to transfer. No idea if it helped but it certainly didn't harm! Exciting to have your baseline scan tomorrow!

@BambiOnIce80 we have 4 more sleeps to go!!

Thanks for all the well wishes, the lump on the nip is slowly decreasing. I had my scan today and my lining is around 6mm, which is the best it's ever been but obviously still not enough for a transfer. They are really reluctant to give me any oestrogen patches despite me asking for them numerous times and it being really obvious from this cycle and two previous cycles that I don't absorb tablets properly. I know other clinic use patches for poor responders so I don't know why mine are being so off about me trying them. Urgh anybody have any spare patches to send me hahah 🤣 I've actually just googled online pharmacies and there's a national shortage 😭

I'll catch up properly on the thread updates later on x

What day are you @ivfjourney5?

Personal q but do you use the tablets vaginally? I was told to take 3 orally a day and 2 vaginally - could be worth asking if not?

Happy Friday ladies!! 🙌🏻

Thanks @MGee123 I hope the scan went well. I used to teach in the visor but following on from the surge in cases I switched to the mask. Me and the kids have got used to it pretty quickly. Since coming back and (seeing a well sourced animation about the spread in classrooms) I've asked my classes to wear a mask if they don't mind and the vast majority have with no fuss at all bless them! I think it's become normal now 😔

@BonTon I hope your scan goes well tomorrow. X

@TheGlitterFairy I'm glad it's not just me then! My weird dreams came just before transfer so I think it was a reaction to the progesterone. Touch wood they seem to have stopped. Plus I managed to sleep through the night last night 🙌🏻🙌🏻. Just think-this time next week you will know! 🤞🏻🙏🏻

@ivfjourney5 that's annoying! I think something is going on with the meds. I noticed on the October thread that nobody else was on menopur or gonal f yet on previous threads I've been on they were the most common. I wander if it's brexit related? 🤔 what's the next step for you now?

As for my daily pm cyclogest lying down update...I feel much better thanks everyone 😊. Today is the first day in ages I've felt like my normal self, tired but that's standard by Friday! Of course the feeling better quickly turned into a "what if it's a bad sign" feeling. My boobs are less tender today too (which happened in my bfp cycle as well as my bfn so I'm not too worried) I actually think it might be the trigger shot wearing off. I've not noticed any side effects from that before but of course I did a double dose dose this time. Who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thanks everyone

@BonTon I'm on day 12 today. I've been taking one vaginally from day 1 (completely against my clinics recommendation but I know other clinics recommend it so it's not dangerous!) but I might change to two a day vaginally

@SpyroC next step is to just continue with what I'm on for another 6 days, but previous cycles have proved this doesn't work as it normally only grows an extra 0.1mm so it's pointless. I phoned the nurses last thing today before they closed and they are going to speak to the consultant in the morning and phone me back

I hope everyone else is doing okay 🤞🏼 xx

You're not selfish @SpyroC! My counsellor said on our first session that she thinks the reason it can help is that you can be completely honest about how you're feeling without having to worry about how what you're saying is making the other person feel ❤️ I had completely crap nights sleep after I started the progesterone last time too, but glad you managed a good sleep last night 😴 I was wide awake at 3am without fail before, which is another factor for taking annual leave this time 😄 My boobs stopped being tender when I got my BFP too, which was another reason why I thought I was out - definitely not a bad sign 🤞

Excellent news that AF rocked up early @BonTon! 😃 Good luck for your scan today 🍀

Glad to hear that the bloatedness has left you alone @indigocloud 👍 Is work being an effective distraction?

OMG I am with you on the bizarre dreams @TheGlitterFairy and I'm only on progynova! I had horrific night terrors the night before last twice (because once wasn't enough!). I dreamt I could feel a ghost grabbing my throat and my boobs and my sides and it was soooo real - I woke up shouting for help and could still feel the pressure from the grabbing!! 😱 It was only the duvet on my neck and my night clothes across the rest of me, but bloody hell it was terrifying 😰 It'll be interesting to see if they get better or worse once the progesterone is added in 🤔 I hope your dreams are more enjoyable than mine! 😂 3 more sleeps to go 😘

I hope everything went OK with your scan @MGee123? 🤞

So tentative good news that your lining is the best it's been yet @ivfjourney5 🤞🤞🤞 That is odd that they haven't offered you patches, given what they know about how you respond. I know that my clinic said they'd be an option if they were needed, so not to worry if I don't respond brilliantly to the progynova. I hope you get a good plan put in place from your call today 🍀🍀🍀

Thanks for the well wishes ... all good to start the progynova tomorrow so back in on 26 November to check lining progression - transfer tentatively scheduled on 2 December all being well 🙏

@ivfjourney5 hope the consultant has some
ideas to build the lining up.

@BambiOnIce80 my husband said something about lots of people having very vivid dreams atm ... a symptom of staying at home a lot apparently .:. Too much lockdown! 🤷🏼‍♀️ Night terrors don’t sound much fun though! When is your lining appt? 🤞🏻 You’re good to start the progesterone next week.

@SpyroC glad you’re feeling better.

xxx

Hope the scan was okay @BonTon ? I found being scanned with AF in full flow so awkward but guess they're used to it!

@indigocloud glad you're feeling okay post transfer and hope the TWW speeds along for you 🤞

@Birdladybird my tummy is feeling quite sore as I'm running out of places I haven't previously injected, but I really can't psych myself up to inject into my thigh - feels like it would be so painful!

@TheGlitterFairy if we get that far I think I will try not to test too. I think early testing just causes so much angst and doesn't really answer any questions! Everything crossed for you and @BambiOnIce80 🤞🤞🤞

@SpyroC glad you're feeling better and 🤞🤞🤞 for you too!

@ivfjourney5 did they suggest an alternative to the patches if they don't want you doing those? Must be so frustrating for you!

My scan went well yesterday - a few more smaller follicles have started growing so they want me to keep going with stims over the weekend then egg collection Wed. Scan Mon am to confirm. I'm happy the process is being individualised and they are paying attention to what is happening, and happy with the plan! Trigger Mon evening so long as am scan okay 🤞

Might be TMI but we were told to only have protected sex since starting this cycle - anyone else find it weird using condoms again?! We've been having quite a laugh over it - it's like being naughty teenagers again 😂

@MGee123 i've not injected in my stomach but in my thigh i don't feel it at all! Even the ones i was told would sting are ok. I have started to put an ice pack on my leg for a minute before injecting so it numbs it slightly.

You are perfectly synced with me on this cycle im sure. I've been put back until wednesday collection too, with a scan on monday morning . I'm starting to feel a bit bloated now, hopefully thats a good sign of lots of lovely perfectly sized follicles.

Haha great news @Birdladybird! Love that we're in sync! Hope you're scan on Monday goes well and we can stick to the plan! 😊

Maybe I'll give the thighs a go this evening 😬 think it's the thought that puts me off, I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad!

Ps I'm starting to feel a little bloated too, even with my small number of follicles! Assume that's normal for some people though and hopefully a good sign. It's not extreme, just aware of it.