Trying IVF again for baby #2

[FingersXssd83]

Took 4 years to have my first baby, including 4 rounds of IVF. She arrived last summer and hoping to get two rounds in this year. I'm breastfeeding atm so will be stopping that next month, trying naturally for a few months to appease DH (it'll never work), and cracking on with a round in before my birthday as I'll be turning 38 this year.

I found IVF a very tortuous slog the first time around. Kind of feels different now that we are a family and trying for a sibling. Have suffered with a bit of PND over be last few months so hoping IVF doesn't set me back but I feel super excited to get going tbh!

Going to contact Access Fertility soon to find out what packages they can offer us.

Be great to hear from ladies in a similar position! x

@FingersXssd83 I honestly don’t believe you can tell if it’s worked or not, the symptoms are all over the place with the drugs anyway. Just sit tight a bit longer or test when you feel you must. I am going to try and be more disciplined next time as I just ended up getting too excited for the 4 days post bfp this time.

I’ve generally had my progesterone level checked both two days before and two days after my transfer but I’ve never done fresh so that could be why. My level has always been over 100 except for this last transfer when it was lower. I got the impression that it was just better to have lots!

I think I’ll start either tomorrow or the next day, I have the very very beginnings of my period coming today but I’m not sure it counts and I’m not sure I’ll get a response on bank holiday Monday to find out if it does or not! Feeling hopeful and yet also there is a bit of a feeling of doom as I don’t know how we can get that lucky again and the 2 failed transfers have dented my confidence. Depending on whether we get egg numbers to support it I am maybe considering getting pgs testing done to try to reduce the variables but I need to look into the downsides more. Anyway, having a lovely weekend and we had our son christened yesterday so that was super nice. Would have been even nicer if I had my little secret still of course but never mind 🙃

@whatcangowrong sorry to hear about your chemical. I PGS tested on my 2nd cycle when I was 36 and didnt get any normals. Since you aren't allowed to transfer abnormals in the U.K. they had to be destroyed which was heartbreaking (especially as in countries like USA you can transfer them and lots of women have healthy babies). I decided not to test again and had twins so I'm a bit sceptical of it now.

I would only PGS test if you were over 40 and had 5 or more embryos and only wanted one child

@FingersXssd83

I had zero symptoms - literally nothing and had twins so don't count yourself out x

Lots to think about for your future cycle @whatcangowrong but you are in a great position to go again having already had success and clearly make good embryos to have frosties too!

Awh the christening sounds lovely, and what a gorgeous sunny weekend for it too! How old is your little one again? I'd really like to get our bub christened, will check out the number of guest rule atm - would like to get it done while he's still small if we can!

That's interesting that you didn't have any symptoms @andivfmakes3 and with twins too! I assumed that would be a give away 🤷🏻‍♀️

Totally crashed and burned after my transfer but I'm starting to feel a bit more optimistic as I've usually bled by now on my past fresh cycles and had many more symptoms whereas this one feels very quiet apart from the odd minor twinge. So maybe it's going in a different direction...

I think my cycles are messed up as I've only had two bleeds since DD and those cycles were 31 days long. So, if I haven't bled by Thursday (day 31) then I reckon there's a slither of a chance and that's keeping me going!

Also feel much better having gone out and done something nice today. Hope everyone's had chance to enjoy the lovely sun we're getting ☀️

How are you doing @FingersXssd83? Thinking of you and your test but not sure exactly when it is x

Started my jabs. So far so good, mixing up the Meriofert wasn’t as bad as I expected although still can’t find much info on it and why I’ve been switched to it, but will ask at first scan on Monday. Bit hectic starting a cycle organised by email over a bank holiday weekend!

I’m feeling a bit anxious that we won’t get anything like as good an outcome as last time. I feel much older although I do think I am actually healthier than I was then. Will see soon enough though :-)

Are you going straight into a fresh from your FET @whatcangowrong ? I haven't heard of that before. It's great you can go start so soon! What protocol are you doing and when do you expect EC to be?

You might surprise yourself with your results this time around. Although I had fewer eggs, the same number of embryos got to blast and they were good quality so not much difference really. Also, ladies are getting pregnant into their 40s all the time so we can still be hopeful 🤞🏻

I'm 7dp5dt and test day is Tuesday. I just want it over with now. The clinic told me not to lift my baby so have been finding that hard because I've had to pull in help when my DH is busy. Had a few twinges here and there. Have always bled before test day on my previous fresh cycles so if I haven't before weekend then there's a smidge of a chance I reckon...

Sounds very promising @FingersXssd83!

We've had a nice few days away this week. With friends and had thought we might tell them (they've also been through ivf once and one FET and have 2 boys) but decided against it in the end as scan is next week so thought better to wait until then.
Did leave a sachet of utrogestan on the toilet which the husband used once, and left our sharps bin on display in bedroom so if he was on the ball he might have guessed 🙈

That's brill that you have friends who have been through it and can support. Also, what a brill result for them!

Haha you know what men are like... bet it didn't register! Hope the injecting is going well a d what a fab idea to go away. Helps to take all the focus off IVF. Your scan will be here in no time.

Had a few sharp pains this morning, similar to when I got my BFP. Getting so close now. Really hope this is the one but trying to not get my hopes up 🤞🏻

@whatcangowrong my stims had to start on a Sunday and I was panicking that I suddenly didn't understand the various different doses we'd been given of menopur, but luckily a bit of googling sorted it!

I've not heard of Meriofert before but I'm sure there will be a reason why they've changed.

@FingersXssd83 when are you going to test? 😁

@Herewegoagain83 OTD is Tuesday and I won't test beforehand. Wasn't sure if I saw some light pink when I went to the loo this morning (a sign that I'm out!) because on second inspection I couldn't see anything. I was thinking there was a chance but I'm now not feeling it. Was coping well but I'm going more nuts as test day looms!

Well done @FingersXssd83. Try not to worry before the test as there is just no knowing these things I find.

Started spotting so it's game over 😔

I'm sorry @FingersXssd83, there's just no rhyme or reason to this is there 😪😪

Thank you. Will dust myself off and go again when we can. I've already booked in our review meeting so thankfully we don't have a long wait to put a plan in place 💙

Ah I’ve just seen this @FingersXssd83 so sorry to hear that. God this sucks doesn’t it.

Hope all going OK with the stims @whatcangowrong

Ah meds have arrived. Was chatting to my other half about how ill I was with the twins and am feeling like im completely crazy starting all this again 🤦‍♀️ Really feel like we just need one more little one to complete our family. Now waiting for AF to show up and start all the scans etc for egg collection hopefully in July...

Thank you @Herewegoagain83 ! I’m on day 11, egg collection is booked for Monday. I have 14 follicles all on one ovary and nothing on the other! 12 of them a good size so fingers crossed. Only got 8 last time so so far things look positive but obviously not home and dry yet by a long stretch, gagging for a glass of wine!!!! How’s everyone else doing?

@FingersXssd83 have you had your follow up yet? Hope you’re feeling ok and starting to make a plan x

Eggs collected. 12 proper ones plus 2 small ones. Great result so far but now just praying they are good ones 🤞

Oh wow that's a brilliant result congratulations! Hope you are feeling ok 🙂

I had my viability scan last week and all was OK, measuring 7 rather than 7+5 which I was supposed to be but they did say it was very curled up so not a very accurate measurement . Just debating on when to book another one to tie me over until 12 weeks 🙈

Ah glad to hear @Herewegoagain83 I am sure it was just the position! Were you planning to get harmony test and those scans? They are at 10 weeks or so right?

No I don't think we'll do harmony, we didn't last time, just had another reassurance scan at about 9.5wks I think.

I don't feel comfortable telling close friends until we've we've seen growth beyond the 8 week point, but want to tell a few before 12 wk scan

I do like the idea you can find out gender at harmony though! But think I'd feel odd reading it on a piece of paper !

Ah fair enough. We did harmony last time, the gynae just booked us in as if everyone does it (!). If there’s a next time 🤞 then think will do it again just to make sure the time we don’t do it isn’t the time there’s something to find! Didn’t even make use of the gender reveal functionality though and don’t think we will next time either, I do like a surprise 🥰. I would definitely book in for another scan at some point, but you might not be as mad as me (!!)

I’m hoping for a fresh transfer on Saturday, first one I’ve had. But at the moment my lining is looking too thick (was not aware this was possible) so it might be that we transfer any stragglers that haven’t quite made it to blast at 5 days rather than risk a better embryo. This assumes we have options of course which we may well not 😒