ABC IVF thread continued

[StarryHannah]

Our other thread is now full so thought I would start this one to continue the chat.

@Beaglemum91 I'm waiting for my period so I can start meds for FET so that is really helpful information about the embryo transfer process. Thank you. Did you have your partner on Facetime or anything for it?

@Icsi2021 so excited for you xxx

@Hoping4baby21 yay to meds arriving! Hope it all worked out okay around meetings in the end.

I've been feeling quite stressed about the whole dropped box of Bemfola situation but after some back and forth with the clinic they've said it's fine for me to use it and it's normal for there to be some air bubbles. I'm hoping any bubbles just get pushed out at the stage where you tap the syringe to bring bubbles to the top and then click the end bit in (and it says a small amount of medication should come out of the needle)?

I'm also just impatient to get started now. 6 days until period for me...

@kittyfantastico21 if it helps I have ovaleap and the instruction video says the same thing about releasing a few drops of meds to let air bubbles out so I'm sure you will be fine. So seems pretty standard advise. But good to get that clarity from them.

Hi everyone, mind if I join the thread? I'm in the first week of my first IVF cycle with abc - have done 4 Bemfola injections and had my first monitoring scan today! Seems to be going ok, they said it looked like my ovaries were responding quite well (~16 total follicles and 9 a good size), but may need to up the dose a bit so just waiting on blood result to confirm how the hormones are looking.

Sending everyone very best wishes!

@Jh2019 welcome!!! I enjoy being part of this thread it feels less of a lonely journey and it's great we are all at the same clinic.

Great to hear your progress is going well. A few of us are due to start this week and next 🙂

Thank you @Hoping4baby21 😊 will be great to follow other people’s journeys! When are you due to get started?

I’ve found abc great so far, they are really caring and seem to be very on top of everything

Welcome @Jh2019 ! Sounds like good progress so far. I'll be on Bemfola too, starting next week. How did you find the injections, were they easy to do?

@Jh2019 I'm due AF on Sunday but as she usually starts in the evening my CD2 for meds will probably be Tuesday 18th. So should start stimming then. At the moment really excited but ask me again on Tuesday lol.

I think most are in bemfola but randomly I'm on ovaleap 🤷🏽‍♀️

Got my first fertility acupuncture appointment tomorrow hoping I like the lady and it helps. I have had it before and it helped with my cycle, headaches which I believe are hormone related and some gut issues so I'm convinced it works at least for my body. Anyone else doing acupuncture?

@Hoping4baby21 the idea of acupuncture freaks me out a bit so I don't think I would find it relaxing, which would probably be counter-productive! I'm glad you find some benefits from it though, hopefully it will help with IVF.

Haha I'm the same, at the moment I'm like, cannot wait to get injecting, but I'm sure I'll feel differently when it comes to it!

@Hoping4baby21 how exciting! Bet you can't wait to start now!

@Jh2019 I think I'm a day or so behind you. I've been injecting since Tuesday and have my first scan tomorrow ororw 🙏🏼

@kittyfantastico21 hubby has been doing the injections. When I've sued the emla cream, you can't feel it but without it, it's a bit on a pinch. Not hard at all. I'm dreading starting cerrotide as it seems like a bit of a faff mixing in the morning x

Thanks for the welcome @kittyfantastico21 I’ve found the injections ok - panicked a bit after the first one that I’d done it wrong because the plunger didn’t seem to press in very far, but I know now that’s just how it is and I’ve got the hang of it. Not too painful, just a small sting and I’ve only bruised myself once, think I just got unlucky with the spot I picked that time!

@Hoping4baby21 fingers crossed for you that AF arrives on time, will be exciting to hopefully get going on Tuesday! I’ve never tried acupuncture but have heard it can really help some people. I did try reflexology for the first time this week and enjoyed that.

Ah that’s cool we’re at similar stages @Prayingforabubba! Best of luck for your scan today - I have my second one this morning, will keep you posted

@Prayingforabubba @Jh2019 glad to hear you've both found the injections not too bad! Good luck for your scans today!

@Prayingforabubba @kittyfantastico21 good luck with your scans today!

@Prayingforabubba literally can't wait, last few days dragging now.

@Jh2019 I'm sure AF will show on time. I can feel her getting ready to show up. I tracked ovulation just to be extra sure aswell. But you never know our bodies sometimes like to play tricks and the most inappropriate times. I've never tried reflexology but I have heard it is meant to have similar benefits.

Did anyone feel a little off before starting. I'm in a funky mood for the past few days. Either it's PMS or I'm unconsciously stressing about this whole thing?

@Hoping4baby21 I felt really sad like it felt so real and I couldn't believe that this is the path we have to take to have a bubba . I felt like that for a good few days but now I'm feeling a bit better. I'm always such a negative nelly! Once i get started, I started to feel better xx

Scan went well today. She could see 19 follicles. Back in on Monday and Wednesday next week and have been told potential egg collection Friday +

@Jh2019 hope your scan went well

@Prayingforabubba yes that's probably what it is the realisation hitting me been so focused on getting prepared this is first chance to sit with everything that is going on.

Wow I feel like that has come around quick! 19 follicles is great! Good luck on your future scans.

@Prayingforabubba 19 follicles sounds good! Fingers crossed they keep growing nicely over the weekend.

@Hoping4baby21 sorry you've not been feeling great. I hope you can do some nice things over the weekend to chill and enjoy your last couple of days before it all starts.

@Prayingforabubba that's great news! Hope they carry on growing well. I got a printout of my cycle so far today and looks like it's actually 19 for me too, about half of them on the larger side. All going to plan and doing my first certrotide in the morning, which I'm a bit scared about! Looks a lot more fiddly than the Bemfola...

@Hoping4baby21 glad you can feel AF on the way, yep know what you mean about bodies playing tricks but hopefully not this time around! Yeah I've been up and down with my mood too, it feels great to be actually doing something active rather than just expecting AF over and over, but also have ended up a bit overwhelmed at the whole process when I've stopped to think for too long. It does help getting started though, I'm in a routine now with the injections and scans, just taking one day at a time. Hope you start to feel better and enjoy the weekend.

Take care everyone xx

I think my period is going to show up a day early. I'm spotting a little now! So CD1 might be tomorrow. Anyone know if acupuncture can bring in on a period 🤦🏽‍♀️!

@Jh2019 thanks yes I think I've kept myself so busy with little time to think that the first chance it all came flooding in. All came to a head today but I feel better for getting it out. I knew something was brewing. I'm sure it will settle down now and I agree I think I will feel better doing something.

Thanks everyone!

@Jh2019 sounds like great progress! How was your cetrotide this morning? Hope it wasn’t too difficult.

@Hoping4baby21 oh wow, how exciting to be getting started a day sooner! Hope you’re feeling okay about things today

@Jh2019 19 is great! Have they mentioned when a possible egg collection could be? Do you have another scan booked? I'm not feeling many symptoms. Are you?

@Hoping4baby21 that's great! Not long left x

@kittyfantastico21 are you due to start soon too?

@kittyfantastico21 thanks yes still spotting today so I'm thinking will just start early tomorrow or maybe this evening. So might only move injections forward by one day. I WAS feeling better today but it's a fried a birthday turned up and her sister is pregnant and there's a little kid - so natural burst into tears and made a bit of a scene! Honestly I'm ready for this TTC journey to be over! 🤦🏽‍♀️

Thanks @kittyfantastico21 - hate to say it but the cetrotide was a complete 'mare! I ended up wasting a vial . I found the video pretty useless, and somehow failed to screw the mixing needle on properly so all the liquid spurted out over the table instead of into the vial. Second time was ok, but found the whole thing a bit fiddly! Main tip would be to really double check everything is screwed on, and I found that putting the needle into the vial diagonally and tipping it up a bit was the best way to draw it all up. Hopefully will get the hang of it, it's probably just me!

@Prayingforabubba they are thinking possibly Friday for the egg collection . Two more scans booked in for Mon and Wed, so we'll see how that goes and whether it might be any earlier. I also don't feel that different, a bit bloated but nothing major. Also quite drained and a bit teary this morning, but that can be par for the course for me with all the TTC heartache so not sure if it's the drugs or not!

@Hoping4baby21 that's good you can hopefully get started by Monday! So sorry to hear about the upset today though, it can be so hard can't it, and even moreso when you're taken by surprise. All we can do is keep focused on the next steps ahead and keep the hope that we will get there too xx

@Prayingforabubba my period is due on Tuesday so not too long to wait for me now!

@Hoping4baby21 that sounds like a difficult situation, I’m sorry you were taken by surprise like that. I hope that getting started with injections will help you feel better, as you’ll be taking a positive step forwards.

@Jh2019 oh no, that does sound tricky! Glad the second attempt was easier and thanks for the tip. Annoying that the video wasn’t much help.

@Hoping4baby21 it's so hard when it's unexpected. I've become
So numb to the heartache now 🥺 I hope you feel better when injections start. I felt better knowing that this will be one step closer to having a baby ❤️

@Jh2019 I've also got two scans on Monday and Wednesday! In some ways, it's flying by so quickly isn't it. Thank you for the tip about the cetrotide. So annoying that's the one that's done in the morning 🤣 I'm normally running around like a headless chicken as it is.

@kittyfantastico21 not long now! 🙏🏼 how are you feeling about starting?

@kittyfantastico21 @Prayingforabubba no problem - hope it goes more smoothly for you girls than it did for me! It was ok today though, I think I've just about got the hang of it now. Agree it's annoying that the cetrotide is the morning one, must admit I was pleased my first one fell on a Saturday because I would have found it a bit stressful before work!

Good luck for your scan tomorrow @prayingforabubba, let me know how it goes! Yeah I agree it's flying by, can't believe it's already going to be egg collection this week (hopefully...)