IVF - May

[TheSnufflet]

Couldn't see a thread for May so I thought I'd start one!

Anyone else doing their cycle in May? I just got my calendar through and all the injections look extremely Not Fun (this is my first time doing it) 😕

@DoctorBambino the next day is day 1 so day 5 is actually 5 days after the collection, hope that helps. Also sometimes they will do day 2 or 3 transfer depending on your embryo development so keep those dates in mind too x

So I had my second scan, bit gutted the number of follicles has reduced to 16. The doc said he can see 10 that might be a good size for collection and that’s a good number, esp for my age. I would have been happy with that except I only got 1 viable embryo out of 16 eggs in my last cycle. Arrgh. Let’s see what Fridays scan says.

@clolo I asked my doc about the embryoscope and he said it just prevents the embryos being disturbed and that they can use the data collected to make a decision about which embryo to transfer. There’s not enough evidence to show it makes a significant difference but they use it as standard in the clinic.

I also am trying to work this out too @DoctorBambino. I'm waiting to hear back from my clinic as I'm booked in Monday for EC

Just had my second stim scan and have 18 follicles over 10mm. Back Friday for one more scan then EC Monday.

@mowglika try and keep hope that no two cycles are the same. There's still time too for some smaller ones to grow. I only had 9 over 10mm on Monday and now have 18 so a lot can change in a couple of days

Thanks everyone, in that case I'm guessing transfer will be on the 16th May. Obviously there are lots of things that could change but that's my guess for now!

@mowglika sorry you're worried about your follicle numbers. 16 sounds like a great amount. Hopefully this time you'll get more embryos, but as we always hear, it really does only take one! Sounds like there can be a big change in the last few days of stims too.

I've got my first injection tonight! Ovaleap 225iu for me. Videos of the pen look bloody confusing! Not sure whether to ice before or just go for it.

@clolo will you be doing injections or will your partner? I got the reusable gel packs from Amazon and they've been brilliant - you only feel a slight bit of pressure and not much else! I'm sure it'd be fine without but I quite like the ritual of the icing (plus I also have a Tangfastic afterwards to try and incite some sort of Pavlovian response in myself where I associate injections with delicious sweets 😂)

@Tarsette and @2mumlife thanks for that, very reassuring (I had read a bunch of stuff on the internet about it being horrible straight out of the fridge, but so far I'm finding the injections to be not a big deal at all). I do have the pre-loaded pen so I guess it'll be even easier!

@Georgie87B I didn't know there was a Cyclogest shortage! I'll be on Crinone as well (I think it's cheaper in the gel form). It seems like it would take ages to absorb compared to a pessary 🤔

@FingersXssd83 What side effects are you getting on buserelin? I don't think I've had any (yet) but that could be because I'm taking the pill at the same time... I completely get the weird excitement but trying not to get your hopes up feeling as well!

@Crazydoglady123 if your EC is Monday wouldn't ET be Saturday (assuming you get 5-day blastocysts)? @DoctorBambino I'll update the calendar 👍

@mowglika sorry to hear your scan wasn't what you expected, although other posters are right, a lot can change in a couple of days x

I've no idea if it's the hormones or lack of coffee, but I am genuinely so knackered from about 7pm onwards, can barely keep my eyes open! Anyone else? I'm also getting up super early as well so maybe my body clock has shifted...

Thanks ladies I know I’m being silly, just feeling like I have to top my last cycle numbers to be in with a chance. I know it doesn’t work like that in reality and I need to give my head a wobble! I’m grateful for what I have so far fc

@Crazydoglady123 really pleased your follicles are coming along nicely! Fingers crossed they keep developing nicely ready for EC. We are on exactly the same schedule so far, trigger sat and EC on Monday.

I keep forgetting to look at the sizes! I got the doc to take a picture of the screen this time and he left off the left scale with the mm lol.

@DoctorBambino best of luck with the first injection, try it without icing first and see, seems the injections don’t bother everyone and you can avoid the icing faff if you’re also ok with it.

@DoctorBambino I was the same with my Ovaleap but once you've done it once it's so much easier. Hold the trigger down rather than just pull it down. My first dose I let go and it stopped halfway through the dose. I don't ice either

@TheSnufflet I'm not sure. I think so but waiting for a call from my clinic to confirm.

@mowglika i think you’re about three days behind me, and I was astonished at how much some of my follicles had grown today since they last scanned me on mon, so hopefully you’ll get a few more want to join the party.

Had another scan today, and they’re happy that I’m ready for harvesting! A couple have gone way over (I’ve got one that’s 28mm!), but they’ve said I’ve got 11 which look ready and another 4 which might catch up. Feeling super tender & bloated today, glad that’s stims done. We do a double trigger tonight at 9.30, so presuming I’ll be in theatre early doors on the Friday. I’ve been told to bring dressing gown, slippers and no perfumed products on Friday eg lotions

@clolo I think I may have ordered similar gel packs to you from amazon. Is yours a pack of 3- 1 frog, ladybird and a chick?😁

I stopped my norethisterone tablets on Sunday and am a bit worried AF hasn't arrived yet and if I should go ahead with stim injections on Saturday as planned if I am still waiting... Maybe a call to the clinic if still nothing tomorrow... 😔

@TeaAndCrumpets1 yay congratulations! It's horrid feeling so uncomfortable isn't it? I've had it a couple of times when I over stimmed on Clomid so used to it but still don't like it 😂

@mowglika do you have an ivf insta account?

Brilliant news! @TeaAndCrumpets1 how exciting 🥳

Sorry your second scan didn't got as you hoped @mowglika I've got everything crossed for you 🤞

Great news @Crazydoglady123 not long now.

Hope af arrives soon @Georgie87B

Great idea for the reward after injecting @TheSnufflet I'm copying that one. Good idea about the mini ice packs too, will have a look on amazon.

In terms of storing meds (not the ones in the fridge) what do you use? I've seen on Instagram layered boxes and wondering whether they're necessary?

Still no news from the delivery company on my meds... I know af is still technically a week away, but I have had a 23 say cycle before now, so could be over the Bank Holiday. Think I'll give the clinic a call tomorrow if I've not heard anything. They're coming via Fertility 2u, anyone used these?

Had my acupuncture today, was nice to go back. She's not a fertility specific one, but we talked about the ivf and what she'd like to do to help me, but we are focusing more on my mental health, I'm all out of kilter. I'm back in 2 weeks and then she said 24 hours before transfer and 24 hours after were aiming for. But she said there's something I have to tell you and I just thought 'oh god, please don't say you're pregnant' (officially a terrible person) but it wasn't that. She's going to adopt and they're really close to approval, so she wanted to prepare me for her possibly not being around.
@notyetamumbuttrying I used to go around ovulation and then in my tww. I did conceive last time I saw her and she picked up by my pulse that I was pregnant (and sadly when it started going wrong, she said my pulse was unstable but I already had a scan so knew).

I'm on Instagram but just use my normal account - I bet I'm already following some of you with ivf accounts! 😂 Happy to share on pm xx

Literally just posed the message and the pharmacy called!! Meds coming on Friday 🥳🎉 now this is getting real!

@VenusStarr ahh that's great news your meds will arrive soon. Think mine came from fertility2u as well and they were good I got a 2hour slot on the day of delivery

Ah that's good ☺️ @Georgie87B it's like a whole new world of things to learn!

Great news @TeaAndCrumpets1! Good luck for Friday!

@colo It's so hard when clinics expect lay people to do that kind of cost-benefit analysis! I'm very lucky that embryoscope is included in the cycle package at my clinic, so there's no decision there to make really. Also, your husband doesn't know he's born! Men have it so easy all they have to do is wank in a pot!

@FingersXssd83 I was a monster on buserilin when I did long protocol for my last retrieval and FET. Everything flet like the end of the world. Thank goodness I'm on short protocol this time round.

@2mumlife Hope your period shows up soon!

@JesHope345 Fingers crossed for you!

@VenusStarr Sorry you've been feeling low/anxious, glad meds are sorted and I hope you're in a more positive headspace now.

@DoctorBambino Haha is it me or are periods always late to start the one time you actually want them to arrive?

I've never bothered icing for injections and have always done them myself... it's logistically too much of a pain in the bum for my partner to do them all.

This is probably going to sound crazy, but after my 1 year old was born, I received a gift of a little elephant charm on a cord. The instructions said to tie it on and make a wish, when in falls if your wish can come true. I wished for another baby and tied it onto my ankle. It fell off yesterday, the day I started norethisterone which is the first med for this cycle. I know it's complete woo and bollocks but I choose to believe that means a baby will eventually result from this cycle. It's helped me get into a positive frame of mind.

I had a shitty day at work today and my 1 year old had his immunisations today so I need a bit of positivity!

What a great omen for this cycle @tinypaws!

Glad your meds are sorted @venusstarr!

Think I'm going to try without ice 🧊 love the idea of a tangfastic. Can't have things like that in the house though or I'd scoff the whole pack 😋

@Georgie87B I keep asking my partner is she sure she doesn't fancy doing it instead No offers to take on this baton yet. I think crinone is the gel. Cylogest really seems to be the thing everyone gets given, so not heard how it is with the gel. Maybe better than inserting solidified vegetable fat?? (honestly, the look on my face when I had to insert that stuff when I was still sore after EC was murderous). Be interested how messy the gel is though, and you too @TheSnufflet. There is really nothing pretty about IVF is there?

@FingersXssd83 Glad you're starting to feel a bit more back to normal

@DoctorBambino Egg collection day is like day 0, day 1 would be the day after EC

@Crazydoglady123 Great follicule development!

@TeaAndCrumpets1 Good luck with EC!

@Georgie87B I know on Prostap I had to wait for bleed before starting stims. My bleed was slow and I almost ended up for a scan to see what was what, but it came just in time.

@VenusStarr Glad you got meds sorted.

@TinyPaws awww I love that with the charm!

I have no updates other than clinic reissued presecription (I think they might have messed up / not sent the one they said they did before) but I knwo they dont send prescriptions to drugs company until 2, so it'll be tomorrow before I hear from drugs company probably, and we're busy over weekend visiting family, so I'll probably get drugs delivered next week, and it'll FINALLY be May and I feel the count down can begin properly. Trying to stay positive, but just wish we'd had a better EC last time, as I feel like there is a lot of hope on this little embryo as we only had 1 to freeze, so its back to square 1 if this doesn't work, and we've only paid for 1 more cycle (Access Fertility) as we only have 1 more vial of donor sperm, so I feel a bit like we're running out of attempts now.

Hi everyone,

I hope you don’t mind me join him in!

We are hoping to start IVF on my next cycle mid May, this would be our first cycle. We have on more consultation tomorrow and then will decide and move forward, really hoping tomorrow goes as I hope as I’m really keen to get this show on the road.

My husband and I have unexplained fertility and have been trying for a while. We didn’t want to do IUI because success rates are so low and the consultant didn’t really recommend it.

I don’t know anyone who has been through IVF and this is the first group current group I have found with people going through the same thing. At the moment I feel mostly excited to be moving forward and oddly matter of fact about it. Perhaps once it’s closer and booked and paid for it will feel real and the emotions will kick in. Anyone else felt like that or is it just me ?

If my period arrives comes on time and consultation goes all good we should be starting around 17th May 🤞🏽

If you have any tips or advice for a first timer I’d love to hear them

All the best for those waiting for good news and also for those in the middle of their cycle.

Injection done, didn't ice and it was absolutely fine. Barely felt it so glad I didn't bother! Thanks for the advice everyone.

Hi @Hoping4baby21 welcome! I'm a first timer too so no tips yet. I hope your consultation goes well tomorrow. Do you know your protocol yet?

@2mumlife fingers crossed for your little frostie! I find it helpful to just think about the present, going over the past just makes me feel upset and thinking too much about the future fuels anxiety.

@Hoping4baby21 welcome! 😊 I am a first timer too so can't offer too much advice but I know it all started feeling real for me when I got my schedule and medication through.
I'm due to start injections on Saturday and up to this point it feels like 1 waiting game after another so patience is key 😜.

@2mumlife Hahaha the vegetable fat comment made me laugh out load! 😂Yea heard that cyclogest is usually twice a day? But with crinone I think I only take it once a day so hopefully that makes things easier and less messy🙏

@DoctorBambino ahh soo pleased your first injection went well!! Well done for trying without ice too think I will try the same for my first one.
Did you inject yourself and did you find it straightforward? I'm putting off watching the video again until the day before 😂

Hi hope everyone is good today. My big box of meds arrived today and then the reality of IVF cycle 4 hit and its been downhill from there. Not sure how to be strong through yet another round, when I know the odds are against us.

Finding it really hard to focus on anything too. It bloody sucks all of this sometimes, starting to feel like the whole IVF process has chewed me up and spat me out.

Sorry for negativity, I have nowhere else I can share xx