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

@loulamay it's not sorted. I'm still getting appointments for my local hospital and waiting to see if my referral goes through for the hospital I've chosen.
I rang my gp and told the receptionist I was pregnant and she gave me a midwife booking appointment. At that appointment she deemed me consultant led because of my higher bmi and some family history. I think all ivf pregnancies are at least consultant led to start with though, but I wouldn't quote me on that. Fingers crossed for a smooth transition to the UK!

@Lepatz lots of luck, hope it’s going well!

@loulamay after my viability scan at my IVF clinic they gave me the number to phone the midwife and book my appointment but I also found it online, I didn’t need to go through the GP. The midwife decided I would be initially consultant led at my booking appointment because the system said all assisted conceptions start on red path, but all being well I’ll get a call about 16 weeks from the consultant to discuss if I need to stay with them or not. There’s been no chat about birth plan yet. Hope all goes smoothly for you!

@Mseddy hope the hospital situation is sorted soon!

I’m just impatiently waiting for my scan, I had a couple of days of being very sick last week and most days I feel awful for part of the time but I’m just trying to get through it one day at a time and hoping there’s light at the end of the tunnel when I get to the second trimester.

Made it to the UK! Currently in our ten days of self isolation after which I'll register with my local GP and get the ball rolling. It's been a pretty crazy time so I've also booked a private scan for when I'll be 17 weeks just to check she's ok!

How is everyone? @Mseddy you must be getting big now?! @kikisparks did you have your scan? @Lepatz we miss you! How are you getting on??!

X

@loulamay glad you made it! Good luck for the scan. I’ve not had mine yet but not long now, getting real scanxiety.

@loulamay glad you made it. Hope your isolation period goes nice and quickly!!
Yeah I'm getting pretty big these days! Especially my bloomin boobs!! I can't cope with them! Had the 20 week scan on Friday and all was well with her :) I'm starting to think we might actually have a baby!!

@Mseddy glad the 20 week scan went well!

I had my 12 week scan today, was so nervous because after having no bleeding at all I had a small amount of brown spotting on Saturday and Sunday, but baby was in there chilling out happily measuring exactly right at 13+1 with a little heart beating away. Makes all the throwing up worth it! I had to do lots of jiggling to get them to move so they could take the NT measurement but got there in the end. Such a relief.

YAY!!! So happy to hear that @kikisparks - such a huge milestone :-) Hope your sickness eases up soon!

@loulamay thank you! Hope the isolation is going ok.

Hi ladies!! Oh, so happy to read about all of the good scan news!

@loulamay welcome back to the UK! Where about have you decided to settle?! Erk, I hope the quarantine passes quickly :)

@Mseddy You sound brilliant! Great to hear you in such a good place :D

@kikisparks ah, your description of the scan really made me smile! Yay!

Well, I have my baseline scan today! I was on the norethisterone for an extra week to fit in with the clinic schedule.... and boy did it make a difference... I could barely string a sentence together by the end, major brain fog :). I'm feeling relaxed about everything. I feel prepared, physically and emotionally.

In other news, have embarked on a career change programme, and starting painting... so keeping myself busy!

Hi all! @Lepatz @kikisparks @Mseddy

We're in the Lake District for now, but only really because we're living rent-free in my parents' holiday cottage! Trying to claw back some of the debt from house renovations and IVF... yikes.

Had my first call with a local midwife today which was really thorough. She has classed me as high risk due to age and IVF, which I was expecting, so I've got my first appointment with a consultant a week on Tuesday. Also going to the local midwives on Monday for blood tests, height and weight and that kind of thing. Feeling quite relieved to be in the system.

We had a private scan yesterday which wasn't very long but super reassuring just to see her heart still beating away and her moving around. They did find what the sonographer called a 'retroplacental haematoma' which I stupidly googled when I got home (wound not recommend) but she said it wasn't a concern and I told the midwife about it today and she also seemed non-plussed. Will get it checked out again at my next scan, but have had no bleeding or anything so just hope it resolves on its own! There's always something!

Anyway, little update from me, would love to hear anyone's news xxx

Hey. Sorry I've been a bit absent! Had to re-search the thread as it was gone from my "I'm on" section!! How's the cycle going @Lepatz?

How is everyone else getting on?

22weeks here now and it's starting to go quick!

Hi @loulamay @Mseddy lovely to hear your updates. I don’t really have any news, I have my 16 week appointment in a couple of weeks but I’m disappointed that it’s by phone, I’ll get the results of the combined screening then unless I’m high risk in which case they’ll call sooner.

I’m 14+6 and still so sick every day with so many food aversions, but I’m just hanging in there and hoping to feel better in the next few weeks. I was meant to be going to an all day in person event on Monday but I had to ask my boss to find someone else to go because I’m so scared of being sick in public. I’m told I’ll likely be working from home until my mat leave starts which suits me.

@Lepatz how is this cycle going for you? Hope the new career is going well too.

Hey folks - and thanks for the well wishes :)

So I had my retrieval yesterday. I had 27 follicles! (!) 19 eggs retrieved, 11 mature, and 5 fertilised. So still not brilliant, but not as devastating as last time. I still think they over-stimmed me - my estrogen was at 18k after 8 days of stimming. We'd hoped to extend the stims duration, but had to trigger early due to dangerous e2 level. On the plus side, I don't have any OHSS symptoms this time - last time I was crippled for a few days!!

I'm feeling good :) Crossing my fingers for the 5 to be strong little fighters, and pull through as best they can. Will gen test whatever makes it along with the three in the freezer. Am happy that was my last retrieval - regardless of the outcome of the testing.

I even made it out for a walk yesterday, and we stopped for an Italian deli platter... and a cheeky glass of wine in the sun! I know I shouldn't drink the day of a sedation, but I was feeling good, and it was a v good wine place ;)

Today I'm busy looking at little breaks out the city for us. We've decided we will take summer off before the transfer (if there is a transfer). Recover from covid and ivf and the relentlessness of the last year!

Happy to hear all the baby news - although @kikisparks you do sound like you're suffering a bit!!

Ahhh, lovely time to be in the Lakes @loulamay !! Gosh - 'retroplacental haematoma' is a scary old phrase though! Glad nobody is freaking out about it though :)

And it's great to hear your progress @Mseddy You sound so positive :)

@Lepatz With 27 follicles you must have been so uncomfortable hope you’re having a chance to put your feet up! Crossing everything for your 5 embryos! A summer break sounds good, hope you find nice places to go.

@Lepatz got everything crossed for your 5 little embryos!! Hopefully you'll have a nice amount to get tested along with your 3 frosties. A summer off to focus on you sounds like a really good idea. I had reached that point before I had this embryo back, I just hadn't recognised it!! I found it so so hard in the early days and part of me wished I'd waited until I was feeling more me before I went ahead.

Hi guys - had my consultant appointment this morning. Bit of a change of scene coming from my private medical care in Cape Town - feel very spoilt to have had that! - but everyone was lovely, especially the nurse who took my blood pressure and urine sample.

All ok - I think because of my age and a little heart condition I have (v mild) that I will stay consultant-led, which is fine by me - they are obviously busy because they couldn't fit me in for my anomaly scan until I'm 22 weeks, so three weeks today. Then, also because of age, I have to have a glucose test and then growth scans at 28, 32 and 36 weeks.

So, looks like they'll be keeping a close eye on me but at the moment there doesn't seem like much to be concerned about. I mentioned the hematoma they found at my private scan and again, no one batted an eyelid so I will just forget about that until the 22 week scan and see if it's still there.

Hope everyone is doing well! Where is summer btw???

@loulamay sounds like they are taking good care of you, shame your 20 week scan is late but I'm sure it'll fly round!!

All good here, currently camping in Cornwall which I always thought was a bit risky being so far from home at 24/25 weeks!! But so far so good. But like you say I'm distinctly missing the summer weather!! I had naively thought this would be like a summer holiday for us!!

Enjoy Cornwall @Mseddy, that’s so exciting you’re 24 weeks now, not long til the third trimester! Do you feel any movements yet?

@loulamay that’s a pain waiting longer for the 20 week scan, I had to wait longer for the 12 week one, hope it flies in for you!

I’m just waiting for the 20 week scan too, symptoms wise I still feel like I’m in the first trimester with sickness/ nausea and tiredness but I’m used to it now and have lots of coping mechanisms so I’m mostly happy enough day to day. I am still holding onto some hope I might feel better at 20 weeks, but mainly resigned that I might feel like this the whole way through.

@kikisparks yeah I feel her all the time now. She has a pattern. Mornings and evenings are her favourite when I'm laying down. As soon as I put anything in my mouth she's off!! She loves when I'm at work and we have the sirens on in the ambulance. Strange how I feel she has a little personality already!!
I don't feel poorly anymore if that helps! I have the odd day here and there. I'm just tired and pretty big these days!

Thanks @Mseddy and @kikisparks - so sorry you're still feeling rough! I love the story about the sirens. She'll be one of those kids who stop in the street to listen to them!

Having a bit of a meh day - my bump (which is tiny anyway) seemed smaller this morning and because of my anterior placenta I'm not feeling any movement yet. Feeling a bit anxious today despite knowing the chances are that everything is fine. Ugh. I thought it would get easier!

@Mseddy that’s so cute! How lovely.

@loulamay sorry for your meh day. My bump changes size too, I think it’s something to do with the stomach muscles? I get the anxiety, mine always goes up as a scan approaches, I just get so worried they will find something wrong and my happy little bubble will be burst. The odds are hugely in our favour at this stage though, and I think once we feel movements that’s going to help a lot.

Do you think we should report the thread to mnhq and ask them to add 2020 to the title? Just flicked through the infertility board and there are June/July threads so I think people will start looking for an August one soon. I wouldn't want to loose you guys if the thread gets taken over by August 2021 cycles! Does that sound awful?

• [Message from MNHQ: we've edited the title now]

I think that would be a good idea @Mseddy

Well done! I hadn't even thought of that @Mseddy!

Hope everyone is well. Exciting news in that we have been feeling her move in the last few days! Not tons yet but especially when I lie down before bed and she has a little dance party. SO reassuring.

22 week scan on Tuesday. When is your 20 week one @kikisparks? are you feeling any more human?!