IVF at Create Fertility - process and timeline?

[ohsheglows]

Hello all, I used to post on the conception thread but I think it's time I now moved to the infertility section instead.

I've been trying for over a year now and have decided to go down the IVF route. I have low AMH and low antral follicle count (3) and I'm 32 years old. After so many days of feeling down and crying, I now feel like I need to get into gear and try to be more positive about it!

Is anyone on here currently with Create Fertility for their IVF or have been in the past? Can someone give me an idea of costs, general timeline and the process?

Thank you all 🙏

@Hopesandsunshine sorry if you've already said, what is your age and are you taking supplements? Perhaps it could be worth looking at ICSI, with low numbers I kind of think I want to give them the best shot possible

@Sunflower360 I’m 36 turning 37 in May, and taking a lot of the supplements from the book it starts with the egg. Not sure if that’s too much but I thought better to try x

Hi both, hope you're OK.

Had part of my consultation today - was a mix up with the clinic and we ended up seeing our old consultant. But awjward as wed asked to change 🤦🏻‍♀️ so just got my amh results - 9.8! So pleased. So I think we'll be able to do mild stims again. Seeing our consultant next Thursday for the plan.

@Hopesandsunshine we did standard ivf the first time, morphology was 2% and motility was 27%. 7 eggs but only 3 fertilised. Was my nhs cycle.
Last year I did an unintentional collection- 3 eggs, all fertilised but only got a morula. Was low dose stims though.
Our new consultant felt we could try icsi due to having 4 not fertilise. Then the weird half a round. Now we definitely have male factor, so no real choice.

I'm 40 now, first cycle I was 37. I've been on high dose vitamin D and 600mg ubiquinol. I'm taking vitamin E and evening primrose oil plus pregnacare.

How are you @Sunflower360 ? X

@VenusStarr thank you for sharing your story, and glad your mini consultation went well as it could have gone and your AMH is fantastic by the way! Way better than mine 😂

i take high dose vitamin D as well and ubiquinone too but not 600mg, I find if I go too high I can’t sleep, it affects me similar to caffeine. What other supplements do you take? Is evening primrose oil meant to be good for fertility?

@VenusStarr I'm ok thanks, just waiting on AF to arrive. Would like to get the transfer done and see what happens. Not feeling too optimistic though following finding out about my high thyroid antibodies and needing steroids during that cycle/transfer, just feels like another obstacle

@Sunflower360 it is hard to feel optimistic I bet after such a difficult journey to get to this point but it’s better to have found out now than post transfer I guess, and the clinic want to go ahead with transfer? I think steroids work really quickly as well so here is hoping for a sticky embryo. Have you considered embryo glue for your transfer? Research shows is meant to be helpful for implantation.

It’s such a hard journey and also hard to be optimistic but you’ve made it this far and here to chat xx

Thanks @Hopesandsunshine Yeah I've heard of embryo glue, not been mentioned by Create as yet but will see what happens with this and take it from there. Dr sounded positive about using steroids in this instance and about still going ahead with transfer, so can just hope for the best and expect the worst I think

@Sunflower360 I will have everything crossed for you and hope that your transfer is positive 💕

I have started my period so will need to contact the clinic for day 5 scan, can’t really believe this day has arrived!

Thanks @Hopesandsunshine That's good news in relation to you starting, hope it goes ok!

Eek, good luck @Hopesandsunshine have you got your day 5 scan booked? What's your stim protocol, did you say you're natural modified? Hope you're feeling OK.

@Sunflower360 embryo glue is on my list of questions for next week. I read somewhere they can't use it on hatching embryos.
You know you have a frozen day 3 embryo, will that one be defrosted this cycle, to see how it goes alongside any other embryos from the fresh cycle? Hope you're not waiting too long to get started.

Spoke to my acupuncturist this week, I'm going to see her in a couple of weeks, she breaks up before Christmas into the new year, so won't get to do it during my first cycle.
Still sleeping terribly 😔 took a nytol night before last and although I slept, I felt like I hadn't and have been fuzzy headed since.

When do you have to pay for the 3 cycles? I'm going to add on the blood tests too, have you both done that? I'm getting the meds via them too, I can't be bothered to faff getting the prescription and ordering via somewhere else. X

@VenusStarr we went for 3 package and paid upfront before the nurse consultation, so basically just before starting. I would recommend getting the blood tests package as it does it save costs overall I think, especially if you end up stimulating longer which I've done on both occasions so far.

The Dr advised they would see what I produced this cycle and look to defrost the day 3 to see how it progresses, rather than transfer as a day 3. Once it's defrosted though if it gets to day 5 it would need to be transferred.

I've not asked about embryo glue, think its worty asking, I don't know much about that add on

Thank you@Sunflower360 that's helpful, just trying to work out finances. How much were your meds? Do you know what meds you're doing for your mild cycle? Do you buy your meds via the clinic / fertility 2u? Sorry, lots of questions!

Would you need to do a double transfer if the day 3 made it to blast? I'm guessing they don't want to refreeze it? Or would you transfer the day 3 (if good on day 5) and freeze any others? Just thinking about transferring the best embryo?

I'll let you know next week about the embryo glue when I see my consultant.

@VenusStarr no problem it's a minefield! Meds for the 3 cycles was £2692. Tbh with mild, it's the same meds, I'm just stimulating a few days earlier and at a higher dose, but still on Gonal-F. Luckily I didn't end up using as many meds in the first cycle so had enough for the extra doses in this upcoming cycle, but if it went on for a day or so longer I will need another Gonal-F pen, but will just see what happens.

Yep got meds with Fertility 2 U and with Stork, think Create use both of them. Have to say they were very efficient, arrived on time and did Saturday deliveries. Had no issues. In all honesty, I couldn't be bothered with sourcing it myself as it was just something else, but those pharmacies have been good.

In relation to the thaw, I think they will see if I get anything in this next cycle up to day 3. The day 3 in the freezer would only get thawed if my numbers were low then they would see if it got to day 5. If it didn't they would then thaw one of the day 5's frozen. I did ask about a double transfer, but the Dr said no in case there was an issue with lining etc I could end up losing 2 embryos in one go. Tbh I don't think they like doing double transfers, especially under 40 (I'm 38) and especially if its the first transfer. It is a gamble but if this transfer does not work and we had 2 embryos for any FET I would push for that next time round (mainly as it'll start costing then), but I do have to agree I don't feel entirely comfortable doing a double transfer either for the first transfer, just in case, so I agree with the Dr for this cycle on that

That's interesting about the gonal f, I used bemfola in my first cycle, not tried gonal f before but have heard its really expensive! Thank you for the costs, feel a bit sick about how much it all is, especially as we need icsi now, wouldn't be as bad if we didn't need that.

I'm the same, can't be bothered to ring around pharmacies, it's just easier to get it all delivered and then at least I know I'll have everything in.

That makes sense about your day 3 frostie and transfer. Hopefully you'll have good numbers from this mild cycle so you can have that banked 🙏

Morning @VenusStarr @Sunflower360 thank you so much feeling very nervous this morning and hope it goes well.

yes doing natural modified and seeing if we get any good quality eggs / embryos.

that’s interesting about the glue didn’t know it couldn’t be used on hatching but it makes sense.

did either of you find acupuncture helpful during your previous cycles? I don’t mind it but it’s a lot of money and with my previous cycles being the way they were I don’t want to waste money. Are there any other holistic therapies anyone has tried and found beneficial?

i think we paid the same or a similar amount definitely £12k around that

how are you both getting on?

@VenusStarr @Sunflower360 well it turns out I have a large cyst on my right ovary and things will have to be delayed, feeling quite dismayed but trying to stay optimistic.

@Hopesandsunshine so sorry to hear that, it's so hard when you're geared up to start and that happens. I had to postpone last month due to residual follicles/cysts, just hopeing their cleared for this next cycle, just waiting for AF at the moment.

I have acupuncture and reflexology. Acupuncture I'm doing and do find it relaxing on occasions, but tbh I've perservered with it moreso so I'm chucking everything at the IVF, hopefully it's helping. Reflexology on the other hand I find really realxing every time and in all honesty will likely keep that up regardless of IVF. Whether any of it helps with fertility is up for debate, but I think a lot is in the head, so if you're relaxed it will help overall.

@Hopesandsunshine I'm so sorry to hear you've hit a setback. Will they drain the cyst or just wait to see if it goes away for next cycle?

I will do acupuncture, I do find it quite relaxing, am booked in for 6 December but wont get to do it in my first cycle due to it starting between Christmas and new year. It's just very expensive. I did try reflexology once but wasn't keen. But think it was the practitioner. She was adamant my uterus felt cold and that I wasn't pregnant. Left feeling really deflated. Tested positive the next day. But my anxiety was awful (this was before I'd ever done ivf or fertility treatment). I ended up miscarrying but felt so on edge the whole time it really put me off.

Any sign of af @Sunflower360 hope you can get started soon.

I'm a bit worried im ovulating already, only cd 8 (I have ovulated once before this early) but it'll throw everything off so praying it holds off 🙏

@VenusStarr thanks, I'm hoping yo start mid-late next week, fingers crossed its on time.

If you started early would you not be able to start?

Fingers crossed for next week 🤞 @Sunflower360 no, I'd be due on 2 December so would still miss the cut off, but my cycles are usually 24 days, so if I have a couple of shorter cycles I might miss December too. Hoping not though. I'm tracking my bbt so hope my temps stay low, I just had a massive drop today which sometimes indicates I'm gearing up to ovulate, hopefully not this early.

Thanks so much ladies @VenusStarr @Sunflower360 i feel better after speaking to you and having time to think. It’s hard but to be expected when I have already done a few cycles this year.

I’m waiting to hear back from my acupuncturist and hope she can help resolve this. My next period is due 8th or 9th December if it comes in time but that will be past the cut off so I’m guessing I’m not starting until January which in all honesty wasn’t what I wanted but it is what it is.

the nurse wants me to check in for a scan on day 1 or 2 of the next cycle to see if the cyst has gone. I’m concerned That my afc last month was 6 and due to the cyst there was nothing she could see because it’s affecting everything else.

hope you get to start soon @Sunflower360

@VenusStarr I’m really sorry maybe it’s the tiredness from today but is ovulating early bad when doing ivf? - sorry if it’s a silly question x

@Hopesandsunshine I had a similar situation, had lower AFC, I understand it can affect recruitment of follicles and response to stimulation so hopefully it'll be fine. I monitored my cycle this month and peaked LH surge wise when I should have so hopefully will be the same for you too, I had more days than usual of the Smiley face on the Clearblue ovulation stick so that showed my estrogen was still high I think this month which would probably be due to the previous months stims perhaps.

I hope acupuncture can help @Hopesandsunshine will the clinic scan you next cycle, even if it's December? I hope it clears and you can start early January.

I was worried ovulating early would throw me off starting as I thought it was closed through Christmas but I think as long as I start my period on or after 23 December I can stim. So think I was worrying for nothing 🙂

That’s really reassuring to hear thank you 😊 @Sunflower360 and I’m not sure I’ve said this but I feel the same about acupuncture (it said to help so I should try) but I also really enjoy reflexology because it is so relaxing.
I’ll look out for my stage this month and next and see if it happens at my regular time.

@VenusStarr ahhh yes okay I understand now when does your clinic reopen? Glad that it won’t affect things!

this whole process is frustrating and a complete emotional rollercoaster and constant waiting but alas ready to start the process again when I do finally get the go ahead. I think I also feel like what if this is a sign that my body doesn’t want to co-operate and that I need to just stop trying and give up on this dream. Sorry for this long ramble 😂 xx

How are you getting on @Hopesandsunshine will you be hoping to start again after the Christmas close down?

Do you think your period is on the way @Sunflower360 hope you can get started soon.

Had my protocol review today. I'll be doing mild stims with 225 bemfola. We've decided not to pgta test so will be doing a fresh transfer, eek. We're on to start in late December, she said we'd likely be one of the first egg collections of the year.

She did suggest we look at PICSI but I've been looking into it and think we'll just stick with ICSI.

I asked about freezing a day 3 and she said she was confident on our results that we can make some good blasts 🙏 I do think I want peace of mind of having a frostie though so we'll see how things go and make a decision on the day.

Just got to have our nurse consult and order meds, so hoping can do that in the next couple of weeks. Feeling a mix of excitement and terror!

Got a party on Saturday so going to allow myself a couple of drinks then that's it for me.

Hope you're both OK xx