August 2020 IVF - continued

[Lepatz]

Morning ladies!

We hit our 1000 limit on the original thread! That’s 1000 messages of support and advice, celebrating every happy milestone, and being there for uncertainty and bad news too. Thanks @Mseddy for setting up our little cohort :)

Will try to tag the regulars, apologies if I miss anyone. @Custardandcream @nextweek @kikisparks @StayingPositive8 @Bruce2 @CardboardCat @MrsT36 @loulamay @MsNoons17 Argh, my phone is refusing to autocomplete properly - I hope that works.

Wishing everyone heath and happiness - whatever stage of the journey you're on xx

Hey everyone! Wow, wasn't that quite the first week back. Madness of every front. Hope everyone's keeping well, safe, and sane.

So glad to hear everything going smoothly, and you're even feeling chill @Mseddy. When is your scan? That's such fab news :)

Nurgh @loulamay I'm doing dry Jan as well. Despite being off the booze for a fair chunk of last year I'm still missing it. Esp right now... on a gloomy dark Friday. In lockdown. After 'one of those weeks' at work!! I am feeling like a bit of a powerhorse with it though. Yay, so exciting your transfer will be so soon!!

I've decided to wait for a cycle to start my next one. I have been quite inspired by all the research on the supplements - but they take 10-12 weeks to make a difference, so figured it was worth it. When I was agonising over the choice, someone gave me some sage advice - 'do whatever lets you move on without regrets'. Which really resonated with me. And I realised that if I went for it this month, and it didn't work, I'd always wonder if those extra four weeks would have made a difference.

We're going into a fresh cycle, and will PGS the one remaining frosty along with the new ones. Hopefully I'll get enough! My consultant seemed convinced it's my egg quality - but that doesn't quite satisfy me.... wouldn't it be annoying to find out that it was something else after all that. I'd rather try everything so I'm not left wondering.

I just got some private blood tests done. My AMH has dropped quite a bit since last year, but is still ok I think. 11.3 pmol/L.

I've been such a numpty though. I thought I had my period a few days ago. I bled for a day or so. So when I got my bloods done I said I was on day 2. But then it just disappeared.... and then a couple of days later I suddenly got really tired, and andd semi convinced myself it was implantation bleeding. Anyway, just got a wipe of pink now, so I guess it was just a blip. Our bodies are so messed around by this. So anyway, not only is it unlikely I'm going to be one of those snowflake 'accident' stories... but I'm also not sure how to interpret the blood tests now!!

Nurgh - I really fancy a glass of wine!!

@Lepatz - Dry January... in the midst of a pandemic... whilst doing IVF... ARE WE MAD?!

Haha, definitely @loulamay most definitely!! I'm considering postponing it and doing dry February instead. Would only be a few glasses of a difference... but oh what a difference it would be 😂

@Lepatz & @loulamay given that 2021 started with a lockdown I think I heard dry Jan was cancelled? I would almost certainly postpone until Feb

I think that advice of do whatever let's you move forward without regrets fits ivf prep perfectly!

@loulamay the only symptoms I have is on and off tender boobs and tiredness!

I had a bit of a wobble yesterday. I'm on thyroxine since June last year to keep my TSH level below 2. On OTD my clinic told me to get my TSH checked ASAP as you often need more thyroxine in pregnancy. My gp couldn't fit me in so I had it done in the main hospital the clinic is based at. I rang them yesterday to check the result as I hadnt heard and they have lost my blood sample. The clinic never got notified of the lost bloods so they didn't know to call me in for more. They told me to up my dose as a precaution and got me in today for bloods. I totally freaked out becuase a high tsh in early pregnancy can lead to higher miscarriage rates. Because I freaked out so much on the phone the nurse brought my scan forward by a week. So I have my first scan on Wednesday now which will be bang on 6 weeks.

@Mseddy sorry to hear, that sounds so stressful hoping so much you get amazing news at the 6 week scan! You deserve it!

My clinic just cancelled all new treatment cycles due to covid. I’m very lucky that I just started treatment a few hours before the decision to cancel new treatment, but I feel so sorry for those who have been waiting so long and have now been cancelled, it happened to me in March. I hope they’ll be fully up and running again soon (and obviously am anxious in case they cancel ongoing cycles as happened in March). The mental health of people suffering infertility has taken an extra battering over the last year.

@kikisparks the added layer of stress is sooo hard isn't it. I managed by the skin of my teeth to get my FET cycle in in time before they started cancelling FETs to prioritise fresh cycles. I really hope it all goes smoothly and you don't get cancelled!!

Good luck with your scan today @Mseddy!

@kikisparks thank god you got in before the cut off! What protocol are you doing this time round?

X

@Mseddy thank you- yes so tough!

@loulamay thanks! It’s a fully medicated FET so I started down reg on day 21, go in next week for a scan, if lining is thin enough start meds (estrogen pills and a nasal spray) then more scans every week or so until lining is thick enough, and then start progesterone pessaries and a week or so later have the transfer.

Thanks @loulamay I'm petrified!! I've had nightmares all night. It's not until 2 so I'm trying to keep myself busy!

I totally understand. I am rooting for you! Let us know how you get on, if and when you're ready

@kikisparks the rollercoaster starts again!!

I am cycle day 15 today but negative ovulation test, went for a scan on Monday and lining is looking good but I normally ovulate late on day 17-18 so going back to him tomorrow for another check. Then based on what he can see, we'll schedule a trigger shot and I'll start Clexane injections and my estrogen and progesterone after I ovulate and before transfer.

I'm feeling a strange combination of quite relaxed with a sense of having done all this before, like an IVF veteran, mixed with a bit of impatience, and also a small voice (which I am trying to silence) that is telling me that even though we have a healthy embryo to transfer, something will still go wrong.

love and luck to everyone x

Fertility yoga back on if it helps anyone fertilitynetworkuk.org/events/join-fertility-yoga-jan-feb-21/?fbclid=IwAR3eRhU9P4g03vQAtuxp30ofXXZcc1reXiQwCa5TLnQ9ytb2mV1YxOeFbQc

My scan went really well. I was measuring 5+6 and I'm 6+0 today so they where happy with that. I saw the little heartbeat flickering away and I just sobbed! It feels like it's taken forever to get here! I just hope for a nice smooth pregnancy!

So so happy for you!!

Hi all!

Hope everyone is good. Glad the lockdown isn’t affecting anyone’s treatment and everything seems to be moving forward for you all.

Well done on the dry January @Lepatz & @loulamay! Especially with lockdown & IVF! 😂

Congratulations @Mseddy that’s amazing news! So happy for you!

Sorry I haven’t been here to update in a bit.
So I got a BFP!
Was a bit worried as had a scan last week & they asked me to come in again as the embryo was a bit smaller than it should be so went in today for another scan. It will be 8 weeks tomorrow & embryo has caught up a bit and has a strong heartbeat! It’s mad to see the heartbeat at this stage & makes it feel a bit more real.

@Mseddy congrats, that’s fantastic news!

@MsNoons17 congrats too, that’s amazing!

Ahhhhhh congrats @MsNoons17 & @Mseddy
What wonderful news!!! So delighted for you.

@MsNoons17 congratulations!!!

Random question for a Sunday...! Will ask my Dr in the morning too.

So I triggered today meaning I'll ovulate in the next 36 hours. Normally OH and I would do the baby dance to maximise our chances alongside transfer, but would we be better off NOT doing, and transferring what we know is a healthy embryo rather than risking an unleashed egg?

*unhealthy egg

Hahahahahha

UNLEASH THE EGGS.

Giggling at unleash the eggs.

I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure they time the trigger so that you don't ovulate before they collect your eggs. So they will be maturing ready to release but then the Dr's will suck them out just in time! Also I think you aren't supposed to dtd for now because the risk of multiple births and infection risk is higher

Wait I've just realised this is for a frozen not a collection right? In that case I'd be dtd!!!

@loulamay I’m really not sure sorry! Interested what your doctor says.

@kikisparks @mseddy I totally forgot to ask him and we DTD anyway haha.

Starting Clexane injections again tomorrow plus progesterone and estrogen. Slightly scared of the bruising but might try icing my stomach this time.

Embryo transfer set for this Sunday! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek

Please please let it be our time.

Got everything crossed for you @loulamay this is the one!!

So much good news here!!

Congrats @MsNoons17 on the BFP and scan result!
Glad to hear your wobble was unfounded, and that everything is progressing nicely @Mseddy.
Wishing you both healthy and boring pregnancies!!

@loulamay Oooh, wow - transfer on Sunday, how exciting! That somehow seems to have come round quickly. Though I bet it doesn't seem like it for you. I would DTD! Apparently having semen fluid 'up there' helps implantation :D

I have my call with the nurse on Monday to plan the protocol for my upcoming fresh cycle. I consulted with an independent hormone specialist in the meantime who prescribed me DHEA and HGH. If the protocol runs like my last one, I'll be looking at collection in mid March. Seems like a long time away, but at least plenty of time for all the things to kick in!