Infertility investigations/IVF in Scotland - thread 2

[Kitekat81]

A thread for those who are undergoing infertility investigations / IVF in Scotland 🙂

Having such a weird time with this. It's so stressful.

I'm on day 4 of stims, had my dose increased after day 2 bloods because I wasn't responding how they'd hoped. At my baseline scan they said there were "loads" of follicles but today's scan only showed 4 starting to respond.

Not feeling too hopeful about this...

Thanks! :)
@Scirocco fingers crossed for you! Everybody responds different to stimulations, maybe your body will catch up after this increased dose?

It won't be from when you conceived - some people never conceive and need referred. You just tell them when you started trying :)

Thanks @GemmTryTTC. It's my first time with this process and it's hard going. Already feeling bloated and sore, and yet hardly any actual progress, it feels like.

@Scirocco It will be my first time too. I'll cross everything for you!

@Scirocco hopefully things start to pick up now you've had your stims increased. I've also though heard of someone with one follicle, one egg and she was pregnant with that one. It's heavy going this IVF stuff ❤️

Really weird appointment today too.

They're talking about triggering on Saturday and aiming to collect one, maybe two eggs. That'll only be a week of stims which seems really short and they're planning on doing it when the lead follicle reaches 17mm, so not giving the others much chance.

The nurse today was saying "just because you have a good AMH doesn't mean you'll respond", and "next cycle they might just start on a higher dose".

This is with an AMH of 23 and AFC of 18 btw.

Do you think I should be pushing for longer on stims? Higher doses? Just go elsewhere as this cycle looks like a failure?

Correction: 9 or 10 days of stims

@Scirocco Sorry I don't know much about stims yet as I've not started, but I would ask what's their reasoning behind this instead of increasing medication and giving a few more days to see how it responds.
They may have a reason behind doing things this way but you may be able to push for tryng more with this cycle if you ask it!
I guess you're going through NHS so I am not sure about the possibilities/etc (I'm through GCRM) but ask and tell them what you think!
Also, remember you only need one good one to succeed.
Lots of hugs, this is a hard process!

@Scirocco I was triggered early but because I had around 20 follicles showing the right size and so it was to avoid any more discomfort. If you have dominant ones that are the right size and the others a lot smaller and potentially not going to make it then that might be why? They are maybe doing it early so you don't lose the dominant ones by continuing?

I would definitely ask them the reasoning though and push for solid answers

Thanks! I kind of feel like I'm being written off by them and like there's little point in proceeding to egg collection and using up a funded cycle when there's only one follicle that looks like it might be just about ready... It's been a really poor response to the stims given where we were at the start... I tried to ask about these things when I was in, but it felt like I was being fobbed off with some slightly patronising talking-down and then she said to think about next cycle.

Sorry for not much helpful advice @Scirocco but I would definitely ask for a better explanation as to why they think this is the best course of action rather than to keep you on stims for a few more days?

Perhaps even explain to them how you are feeling and see if they can give you a lot more context.

Hope you get somewhere

Thanks, it helps to have people to tell how I'm feeling. It's been such a long journey and I'm feeling really quite hopeless today. I'd taken annual leave to focus on the cycle but I really wish I hadn't as it means I don't have work to distract me.

@Scirocco I'm with everyone else, I would ask for an explanation. There might be a good reason for it, but until you ask you won't know. It's your treatment, you have a right to know.

Stims day 1, so far so good. Have felt quite tired tonight, brain fog and have a headache but I think that's more to do with the pent up stress of finally getting to this stage!

Good luck @itsmschanandlerbong! What stims are you on?

@Scirocco thanks! I'm on 150 menopur twice per day for the first 2days then 150 menopur AM and Fyremedal 0.25 PM how about you?

I'm now on 300 menopur and fyremedal, feeling a bit bloated but not much else so far.

Hi all. Just catching up, had a few days away this week after my failed cycle and it was lovely.

@scirocco hope you get some answers. I went to egg collection with 2 follicles, one egg but I have am amh of 0.3 so very different situation. Turns out I got a 4aa blast from that but sadly not to be. I'm going again soon but seem to be having trouble ovulating, I'm putting it down to all the meds.

@itsmschanandlerbong we are exactly on the same protocol! I have just started norethisterone, if everything goes to plan I should start stimming on the 2nd, unless my period doesn't come by then.

How is everybody doing?

Morning folks. AF arrived early this morning - likely a side effect from Moderna vaccine so just on hold to the clinic to discuss starting nothisterone on CD21. Had a bit of a cry this morning with it all.

Sending you virtual hugs @florafoxtrot. 💙💐💜

I had a bit of good news today, a couple of other follicles have caught up so we might be able to proceed to EC as hoped! Waiting for a final decision from the team later

@florafoxtrot I'm sorry, I've heard that can be a side effect. Like we need anything else to add to the mix.

@Scirocco That's good news.

That’s great news @Scirocco! Hope you are feeling a bit more confident now too.

Thanks for the kind words ladies. Such a shit situation but nice to be able to talk it all through. Dates all set now with the clinic. Just need to pay the giant invoice now!

@Scirocco that's great! Hopefully you've heard by now and it's good news 🤞🤞

@GemmTryTTC aw that's interesting, I never got norethistrone, what's that for? I just started stimming on the first day of my period. whereabouts are you again?

@florafoxtrot sorry to hear that 😔 hope you got things sorted.

I'm on day 3 of stims. I've been feeling quite emotional today. Still quite tired and have had a headache off and on. In on Sunday morning for a blood test.