IVF February/March 2021

[Alexm06]

Hi

I’m due to start IVF mid February depending on when my period in January starts.
Had a fresh cycle end of august which sadly ended in a missed miscarriage in October.
I only had that one embryo so will be starting a new fresh cycle.

Would love to chat to any ladies starting then as I found the chats really helpful during my first round.

@Blessing12 my clinic uses it. Apparently increases chance of pregnancy to 7%. Not sure about live birth rates though.

Have you been offered it?

Morning I hope everyone is doing ok. I've been waiting for my period to start and it's driving me insane. I was due on Thursday and have been having strong cramps since then but not a hint of my actual period. Have done a pregnancy test each day for my sanity and all negative. Is it possible my body is holding onto it because I'm nervous to start my first round? What is going on this feels like torture my mind is racing wondering if I could be pregnant but then telling myself how unlikely that is plus the negative tests. Just had to unload somewhere 😫

@Dbop100 I would say it’s because your nervous I was a few days late coming on last time as it was my first and I think I was stressing out about it. It’s really frustrating but if you have done tests and they are negative it will come but yeah I was exactly the same.
I had prebooked time off work as I have to self isolate but then ended up working a few extra days. Hope it comes soon!

Thanks @Alexm06 appreciate hearing this. Good to know it's not just me! Will try and spend some time today doing more yoga and meditation. Just really wanted to get going on this we've been waiting so long but yeah I am also worried the results won't be good x

@RichmondLady1981 yes im paying extra to have embryo glue, if it give a little more chance I have to have it.

@Dbop100 just realax and try not to think about it, the mind works in mysterious ways, the more you think about it the more it will hold back.

@willithappen those are my dates too! Hoping to start my bleed soon as if I haven't started by the 11th everything will push back. I'd normally have been due on yesterday or Friday but I know the buserelin can delay things

It's great that a few of us have such similar dates! Means we can compare side effects haha.

The wait for the period is going to drag on next week I think. Hopefully it comes quickly for all of us.

Hi, never used a forum before but starting my first round of IVF this week when I get my period so thought it might be nice to chat to other people in the process.

We had an ectopic nearly 2 years ago which was really hard and just had no luck getting pregnant since so starting down this road.

Any advice would be appreciated 🙂

Hi @Nix49816 welcome, do you know what protocol you are on?
Re embryo glue, Im with NHS & sadly they don't offer it. Has anyone had IVF with NHS & also privately? Im wondering if privately would have better chances as they offer extras such as embryo glue / scratch etc that NHS dont offer. NHS dont do PGS testing either & at 38 Im wondering if actually it would be a good idea.

Hi @GingerBrummie I'm apparently doing a mild version, got bemfola injections for a few days then after scans cetrotide with it until collection. What treatment are you doing?

@MrTumbleTumble hi 🙋🏼‍♀️. I can honestly say I am so excited to be taking my LAST disgusting Norethisterone pill this evening. Good riddance to it. Baseline scan on Wednesday morning to see what’s what. Sooo ready for this now. I know it’s short protocol but feel like it’s taking ages! 🐌

@GingerBrummie that's interesting, I'm NHS funded but treatment is at a private clinic. We had the choice of 2 clinics in Nottingham. Interestingly, one said they didn't offer any 'add-ons' to NHS patients as they weren't allowed to charge for anything, but the other clinic are happy to offer extras and we pay privately for it. I've indicated I'd like the Embryoscope (c£400 from memory) but they can't guarantee it as can only provide it to so many people at once, so depends where dates fall etc. They also offered embryo glue and the scratch.

@GingerBrummie I wasn't aware that NHS didn't offer those extras, thats a shame really because it can really help with the process in some cases.

Hi @Nix49816 welcome, good luck with your cycle.
@thetallgirl thats good, at least it its offered but the patient has to pay the extra, i think thats a good way of doing it, im private but iv got the ivf icsi package which includes embryoscope, and embryo glue but I paid extra for the scratch.
I definitely think nhs should offer these as an extra.

We've done self-funded NHS, plus 2 private clinics. The extras are quite controversial, and the reason the NHS clinics don't push them is that they can't be seen to be profiting from extras that aren't 100% proven to actually make a difference, unlike the private clinics which are literally there to make money. In the 7 years we've been doing this different extras have come in and out of "fashion". The ones that have been proven to work have been added to NHS cycles, but lots that were offered 7 years ago when we first started are now actively advised against. It's so hard because the one thing that we all have in common is that we're desperate for this to work, and when you're desperate you'll almost throw any amount of money at it, especially when you're a few rounds in and you have "sunken costs".

But you do have to balance that against the fact that you need to feel like you've done all you can to be successful, and if you're not successful you could always wonder "what if I'd had a scratch/used embryoglue/the embryoscope".

When I conceived DS, we had embryoglue and embryoscope. The embryoglue is not recommended by my new clinic, and the embryoscope that cost £350 in the old clinic costs an eye-watering £800 at the new one.

The HFEA has a traffic light system for the add-ons which makes quite interesting reading if anyone is interested: www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/treatment-add-ons/

Hi @thetallgirl @Blessing12 @MrTumbleTumble
Thanks so much for giving me your insights, really helpful esp the link. I will double check with my nurse on Tues at Baseline scan if they do offer anything & what their view is.
Hi @Nix49816 Im on a long protocol, but fortunately nearly towards the end of the first stage of down regulation. First scan on Tues to make sure everything has “stopped”, guess Im currently in a menopausal state!
Hi @RichmondLady1981 pleased to hear your taking last pill, small victories :)
I hope everyone is having a relaxed Sunday. Im about to take a v hot bath, I love them & thought I would take advantage now before transfer!

@MrTumbleTumble Thank you for the info and the link ill have a little look now.
@GingerBrummie Good luck for Tuesday, keep me posted I hope we get to start stims as planned. 🤞 I feel positive, I dont like to sound ungrateful but I really just want to starts stims, the down reg feel like it just goes on for ever.

Hey all, lots to catch up on!

Ref protein, I found the myprotein clear shakes lush, they have nice fruit flavours. If you look in the product reviews there is normally a 40% off code.

I'm starting to worry, I'm due my period on saturday so first injection is sunday. I'm doing short protocol but low dose this time. Low amh and my consultant doesnt think it's worth stressing my ovaries as I only a produce a few eggs on high dose, so likely to get the same on a low does.

@Mrbay Hi, good luck on Sunday and with your cycle, I think ideally I prefer the short protocol as I did that on my first cycle this time its long protocol and higher meds so will be very interesting for me to see how it works differently.
Don't worry because your body senses it, just relax and just take it all in and try and be chilled, its difficult said than done I know.

Morning all, please to report that AF has arrived so hopefully all will be fine for my scan on Friday and stims can start as planned on Saturday. Fingers crossed for all those with scans this week!

@Motherofkittens28 that’s good news! Good luck with the scan and for all those that have that this week- I know it’s quite a few of you. Mine is next Thursday. I’m a bit worried I won’t have a bleed as I have no periods usually. Hoping the lining will be ok if I don’t.

@MrTumbleTumble @thetallgirl I totally agree re add ons it’s such a minefield of information, it’s hard to know what to do! We have only really been advised to use an Embyoscope but been told the same as you @thetallgirl.

@Motherofkittens28 great news. How many days after stopping the meds did your period come? Any spotting or straight into full period. Sorry for the detail. 😬 Took my last pill yesterday (Sunday)

@MrTumbleTumble thanks for the info- very interesting.

Hi Ladies I'm hoping I can join you. I'm due a FET end of Feb beginning of March and started burserelin 25th Jan (no idea on timeline) so if anyone has been through this and has any Information then please let me know 😊

I have 2 Frosties which were collected just over a year ago, I had an operation on both ovaries after that and then COVID so that's why there is such a delay.

This will be my first transfer and I've tried to do it naturally twice with no joy, hoping I'm third time lucky with the HRT cycle 🤞🏽

@RichmondLady1981 I think I may be on a different protocol to you as I dont stop my buserelin injections until EC, just halve the amount once the stims start. I am 3 days later than I would normally be as I think the buserelin delays things a bit, don't know if that's in any way helpful!

Does anyone have weird dreams whilst on the hormones? Last night I was escaping aliens on a train 😂

@Mancbear88 I’ve had the most crazy dreams with Norethisterone. Sorry tmi but many of them have been quite erotic... and not involving my husband!!!!! I know!!

One completely separate dream involved me being kidnapped by terrorists and they strapped small explosive devises to the palms of my hands.

ive also been waking in the night and not been able to get back to sleep. Super frustrating - I never usually have an issues with sleep