IVF Dec 2020-Jan 2021-anyone joining me?

[Kiza]

Hi,
After 2 years TTC #1 we are now eventually on the IVF bus! Should have started in June but Covid put a stop to that and after lots of back/forth with our NHS clinic we've got our treatment planning appointment on Friday and will be on the long protocol so probably starting mid- end of December!
Would love to have some ladies join me!
I've been creeping on other IVF threads but haven't been able to fully take part.

@Bells3032 i think mine will be in January

@GingerBrummie that's good advice to take, just one day at a time.
@Ellsiedodah welcome to the group, seems like there's definitely a few of us here with reported low AMH. Although as someone else said it's no market for egg quality and that's what counts. Will only know the quality once they're in the lab!

@winnie3838 good to hear no side effects so far, are you managing to do anything for the anxiety? I highly recommend breathing exercises, meditation and mindfulness. There's a great free app called 'Insight Timer', personally I prefer it over Calm/Headpscae etc

Hi all :) I just wanted to say good luck @winnie3838
I will be there over Xmas. Will be hard starting at Xmas as I normally love a drink (or two) over the holidays, oh well!

Good luck @winnie3838! Glad to hear you have no side effects so far, let us know how the scan goes tomorrow

In case it interests you, I find Bettina Rae's fertility yoga on YouTube really good to relax. She has some IVF yoga and specifically for the stim stage too.

Hugs x

Hello everyone, first post on this subject. Had our consultation with the consultant on Monday and we’ve been approved for NHS treatment which should begin in 6-8 weeks. Before then, I’m having hycosy and possibly another investigation depending on what’s found as I’ve had emergency open abdominal surgery previously.

I’m so pleased we’ve been approved for treatment and feel so so lucky even though really I wish it could have happened naturally. Just can’t wait to receive my appointment date now.

I wondered if people generally take annual leave for these appointments or whether people have it covered as Drs appointments or sick leave? Probably different at every work place. I know it was annual leave where I worked before but difficult to find out without letting HR know.

@Kiza thanks for the welcome. @Gingerbrummie, I know...timing sucks! Have you given up booze entirely? I've probably had 1-3 units a week with food. But I eat little sugar so im hopeful the 2 cancel each other out! Im curious to know if everyone has been 100% well behaved for the last 3-6 months? Am I alone in not having done so?! :s

Hi all,

Has anyone had experience of moving hospitals after being referred to IVF by the consultant?

I’ve basically moved from the Midlands to the South, and have had all my tests etc at the hospital in the Midlands.

Would it mean going through the whole process again, with GP referral and tests (yikes)?

@Ellsiedodah I definitely haven't been. I do try to eat healthily (lots of veg, no fried food, etc.) and reduce sugar and alcohol but I would say 75% successful? I enjoy a few glasses of wine a week and chocolate/biscuits... and it was my birthday last week and I really went overboard with cake!

@VanillaSpiceCandle I'm planning to take the days as sick leave (which is what I did when I had my hycosy appointment for example) unless I manage to start late/finish early and make up the hours sometimes - luckily I have some flexibility that way and I'm not planning to let HR know unless my manager suggests it would be better to do so.

@beachbum85 thanks that sounds like it makes sense. I’m hoping not to have to tell HR as they’re nosey and gossipy. But I’ll let my manager know - she’s very flexible thankfully so hoping I can use lunch times and make up the hours later on etc. Suppose I’ll have to see how many appointments I have though!

I will also be taking sick days, I hate doing that but certainly dont want to use all my holiday allowance!
Im still having the glass of wine or 2 at weekends with dinner but nothing during week. I haven't radically changed my diet either but I take a whole host of supplements. As Im not convinced how much difference it would make.

Thank you @Kiza i will check out those apps! I need to do something to help keep me calm. Thank you @beachbum85 the scan is next Thursday :)

I am really in a flap this morning though as even though i have started down regulating (6 days ago) i thought i would do an early response pregnancy test this morning ( i think i am around 13 dpo). I looked at it 3 mins later - negative, i think i looked it around 10/15 mins after that and still didn't notice anything and didn't look again after that. Then maybe 50 mins after i'd first done the test i was tidying up and picked up the test to throw away and i noticed a faint pink line. I looked online and read about the evaporation lines, it they said that are normally grey in colour.

I phoned the IVF clinic and she said there is not much they can do other than try another test tomorrow morning, but now i don't know whether i should take the down regulation drug this evening (i am taking the nasal spray you take in the morning and the evening).

My boyf has just gone out to get some more tests!

Oh wow @winnie3838 that must have really thrown you off! That seems like a really strong line to me... but 50 mins later is a pretty long time. Definitely a good idea to try another test! Keep us posted

Sorry, no idea about the down regulation drugs though

@winnie3838 i am afraid if it was negative during the time slot then it's probably negative. they say within the time frame as false positives can appear after that time.

Try another test tomorrow morning and read within the time slots

@beachbum85 @Bells3032 i just did another early detection one as saw a faint blue line after 3 mins 🙈I'm in shock. I think i should maybe not take my down regulation drugs tonight - i have an app at my fertility clinic first thing tomo morning where they will do another test.

oh wow. fingers crossed for you!

wow! what a surprise!!
great that you have the appointment tomorrow where they will know all the answers. good luck

@winnie3838 ooh that looks very promising! I'm not familiar with the terminology... does that mean it might have happened pre-treatment?!

@gingerbrummie and @beachbum85 thanks for sharing your lifestyle... quite glad I'm not the only one 'living' a bit!! It's so bloody hard isn't it. I think my nutritionist said she'd rather I managed my mood rather than prioritise total abstinence so I'm okay with it.

@SimplySabz I'm going to be moving around like you because we're moving. Just taking an age to get all our forms back to the clinic as my husband had prostatitis which had to be looked into with a urologist... turns out since his sperm test in Jan, his numbers are now looking good thank god. I'm hoping that we won't have to do icsi now... but yep, will be doing scans in both london and cheltenham and treatment in oxford! It will be with the Fertility Partnership. Need to understand exactly how it will work though. Also need to apply for Access Fertility... so many forms :s

Thank you @Bells3032 @beachbum85
@Ellsiedodah yes it must have happened just before i started the IVF drugs as on long protocol you start taking the medication on day 21 of your cycle - I think i ovulated around day 13. Crazy!

@GingerBrummie that makes sense. I have managed to save some annual leave from this year. We have to give the specifics of why we’re off and have a back to work interview too. For every absence. I’ll just say gynaecology.

@winnie3838 I think that looks like a strong line! Everything crossed for you.

Oh wow @winnie3838 congratulations! Must have been a shock but they do say a lot get pregnant right before starting IVF

Quickly, is there a reason you wouldn't want ICSI?

@Ellsiedodah sorry part of my last comment was for you :)

Wanted to know why IVF would be preferred over ICSI

@willithappen oh... only because it quite significantly adds to the cost... I think at least £2k but can't remember. No other reason..I think it's a great thing otherwise!

@VanillaSpiceCandle I had a conversation with management at my work as the clinic I'm with is two hours each way from us!
They've agreed to let me use sick leave for 50% and I take annual leave for 50% which suits me- we're getting married next year so I want annual leave left for that, and I'm also due hand surgery so need some sick leave for that!

Oh wow, fingers crossed for you @winnie3838 !

@onlyhereforthefood, my clinic is an hour and a half each way but I've said I'll work flexibly foe appointments and use holiday for full days when I need them. Working from home makes it much easier as I dont want to use sick leave as I also have to do return to work interviews... fortunately I will have 10 days carried over to next year that I can use.

Wow, I'm amazed how open you all can be with your work!

I've realised today that I can't jump around clinics as much as hoped. Going to be using cotswold fertility with Oxford fertility for the egg collection and insemination. Has everyone felt pleased with their consultants to date?