IVF - egg collection June (starting down regulation in May)

[Luz192]

Hi ladies, would be great to chat to anyone who is about to start down regulation, in prep for stims later in the month and egg collection early June.

I start Norethisterone tomorrow. Will be at UCLH/CRGH, first ever IVF. We have MFI.

Mostly terrified of the needles! I have this irrational fear that I could puncture an organ - someone tell me that's not possible?! lol

@Luan82 fantastic news!! I can't believe it's 20 weeks nearly!! Time flies! Good luck with it all, really pleased for you 😍

@Fabsco rant away! Honestly this journey is hard, so I really think it makes such a difference going through treatment with consultants and a place where you feel they are doing everything possible to ensure you get your child! And to put your mind at ease along the way!

@Coops0406 no unfortunately we are going through a bit a rollacoater at mo, with my emotions all over the place. On my lining check scan a few days go my lining was measuring good but they saw fluid in my uterus cavity. My consultant had to come up from theatre and see my scans, they don't know why the fluid was there. Had another scan today. The fluid had moved out of uterus and in to the cervix which is good but my lining was measuring thinner. The consultants not sure if the fluid damaged my lining or the lining just appeared bigger before due to the fluid. Have to go back in so that he can see the what's going on, on Tuesday. He will decide then whether to cancel or not then. It's been a crazy few days. But I got to talk to my consultant properly and he has given me options of what he want to try next if this cycle is cancelled. Trying best to keeping a positive and open mind. But was happy that my consultant is really trying to manage the situation. He has booked me on Tuesday so that he can come see me to discuss further.

It good to hear that you are getting along alot better this time. 7 is a good amount. Looks like your new consultant has made good choices for you. As I've learnt this week having a good supportive consultant makes a massive difference. I guess collection will be some time next week? Hope you eggs grow well. X

@Fabsco glad you are somewhere where thry are looking in to things now. 100% agree with looking at finding out why then going in blind. It also make you feel reassured mentally, which really helps. Hope the tests go ok.

@Aim2912 it's such a difficult road. I hope it goes well tomorrow and your cycle isn't cancelled, but just remember that whatever they do is for the best and to give you the best opportunity of success.

We had the day 9 scan and a bit deflated to be honest. Although the nurse seemed positive, there are only 5 follicles at the right size, which is only 1 more than last time! There are another 5 that are a couple of mm under which she says could get there but they don't want to push them with stims for a couple more days as they good ones may get overgrown! So I feel a bit in limbo land and concerned that double the dose hasn't really done much more. But we'll just have to wait until Wednesday to see what happens. Trigger tonight at 11.30pm...hoping I'll manage to stay up!!

@Coops0406 some of the other 5 may catch up in the 48 hours they can grow up to 2/3 mm. some of mine did after the trigger shot, as i originally was told 7 were the right size and by the time collection came 12 were collected. so potentially you may have more then 5. good luck for Wednesday will pray you get some good ones. x

@Aim2912 that's good to hear. I'm still hopeful so just got to switch off and wait for Wednesday 🤞🏾

@Aim2912 how did your meeting go with the consultant? I hope all went okay 🥰

We had egg collection this morning and no idea where they got them from but they collected 17 eggs!!! Completely in shock and overwhelmed! Feeling a little bit sore and tired but over the moon. Will find out tomorrow how many were mature and fertilised and am expecting quite a drop. But still so pleased with today's outcome 😊

@Coops0406 wow that is brilliant!!! 17 will for sure give you a better chance to get more to reach day 5 this time round! so so happy for you. :) ....let the growing begin!

as for me my consultant has given me a tentative go ahead, so i start on the progesterone from tomorrow with transfer booked in Tuesday! the fluid is still in the cervix but has reduced, the lining on the other hand was looking good, they will scan me the day before the transfer, before they thaw the embryo to ensure all the fluid has gone. if it has then they will procced, if not it will be cancelled. im hopeful it will be fine as ive heard the progesterone can help with reducing the fluid. :)

@Aim2912 thank you, we are just so pleased.
Great news for you too...I'm sure your transfer will go ahead 🥰 we are being allowed to have a fresh transfer on Monday then do the genetic testing on any that are good enough to be frozen, if we have any. So we may be following a similar timeline!

@Aim2912 we found out that all 17 were mature and 8 had fertilised by this morning 😮 They were going to watch the others today but thought it would be unlikely that they would fertilise. Next update on Saturday 😊

@Coops0406 that's great news....nerve racking few days for you. As you have a good few to work with it makes the waiting a bit easier. Have you taken any time off work? After tomorrow I'm off for 2 weeks

Yay to them transferring this cycle!!! At least we can keep each other going in our 2ww. I'm positive we will both reach that stage. 😊

@Aim2912 Thank you for your reply and good luck on your transfer! @Coops0406 Good luck with your eight embabies!

My husband and I did all sorts of tests with our new clinic, including karyotyping testing, thrombophilia screening, immune testing, etc. My husband also did a DNA fragmentation test. Can't believe I am only doing those after my second cycle but the past is in the past!

The consultant at the new clinic also recommended doing the EndomeTRIO tests if I decide to transfer my frozen embryo, instead of starting a new cycle with them. Have you ladies done these tests? Thank you so much for your help and good luck with the next step of your journey!

@Aim2912 luckily next week is half term and I work with schools, so will only be doing part time hours 😊 so a bit of relaxation and catching up with friends

@Fabsco so good your new clinic are getting all of these tests done for you. I'm sure it will make a world of difference and they'll have more understanding of what they need to do to get you there.

We had our day 3 update and all 8 embryos doing well. 7 are good quality and 1 is average, so they are hoping that there will still be 8 come Monday. ET booked for 1.30pm on Monday! 😍

@Coops0406 the great all 8 are doing well...that too with good quality! So happy for you.
Hope Monday goes well. Have a lovely weekend.

@Fabsco my husband had dna fragmentation test done as his SA results showed poor mobility. But his results came out on the good range. I've only had the standard test like hsg, 3d saline etc. Some addtional blood test as im a thalasima carrier. I didnt need any more. I'm told my pcos and my husband mobility issues is why we stuggling. But ivf should over come that. If this one fails I will be considering more tests.

One embryo in 😍 2 others were good and have been biopsied and frozen. One out of the running and the others at early blastocyst stage so they will check tomorrow and if they have reached the right stage they will biopsy and freeze.

Hope it goes well tomorrow @Aim2912 ❤️

@Coops0406 well done for getting here. Hopefully the next 2 weeks go quick and easily for you. Also great that you have the other embryos for the future.

As for me my transfer was canceled my linning started reducing and the fluid reappeared in the cavity. Its hard to digest at the moment but i know its the right decision. Maybe another month will be my month.

@Aim2912 gutted for you, I know you'll know it's the right thing to do but it's still a bit hard to take. Thinking of you and like you say, next month will be your month 🤞🏾

Hi all, just had BFN today, 9dp5dt. Been bleeding and in pain since early Monday morning so I knew it was coming, although still gutting ☹️ just concerned that it may actually be AF even though I've been on the progesterone pessaries. OTD is Friday and clinic won't accept anything until then so I have to keep going on the pessaries.

@Aim2912 how are you doing? Do you think ET is going to happen next month for you?

@Fabsco @Luz192 I hope you are both okay 🥰 have you moved any further ahead with things?

@Luan82 @Ofpalestsilver hope all going well with your bumps ❤️

I didnt get any notifications to say new posts on here, sorry for being AWOL!!

@Coops0406 I am so sorry to hear about the BFN today - though if you did start bleeding from around Day 6, I wouldn't 100% rule it out (in case that's implantation bleeding). I do think likelihood is that it hasn't worked if BFN on Day 9, so don't want to get any hopes up, BUT I have seen some people don't get BFPs on Day 10 or even after.
I know it's really tough though - I was a bit of a mess the week after my BFN, so allow yourself to feel all the emotions.. but it does get better after that. How many did you end up with to freeze?

@Aim2912 that's so frustrating that transfer was cancelled :( Do they have any idea where the fluid was coming from/what causes it? Did they say you can try again next cycle, or will you wait a couple?

I have been OK - I haven't even had my review yet - it's booked in for mid-Nov. But I've been trying to decide what level of additional testing to do before another transfer. Or to just try our luck again without much else. In the last few weeks though, I have done a thrombophilia screening, and also initial immune tests. Those did show high TNF-alpha/high TH1:TH2 ratio, which is an inflammatory marker. But a bit odd as I eat healthy and am active. I was in quite a mouldy house, which I've been trying to detox from, and that also led to candida/fungus infection. So I wonder if it's related to that. I am seeing a specialist today to review the results.

Because of Christmas, I think my next transfer will likely be end Jan/early Feb, based on my cycle dates

@Coops0406 im so So sorry. I agree with what Luz said too. So do carry on with all the meds just incase. Its so hard all this. Look after your-self and let us know how friday goes. Sending you a virtual hug.x

@Luz192 so my consultant is unsure why medically all these random things are happening to me. As it was a stand alone occurrence, he thinks it maybe my body's response to the drugs. I'm going stright in to a fully natural FET cycle and will be monitored daily from day 8. If the fluid reappears I will go for more testing. But hoping it was just the medication as its some thing that's never been seen in me.
On your natural cycle did the monitor you daily?

If this one is canceled or doesn't work it will be jan/feb for me to.

I was considering immune testing. But my contant never mentioned I needed it. So do your result mean your immune system is somehow regecting the embryo?

The etrogen tabs I was on caused a trush flare up for me. So if you do go for a medicated cycle do mention the Candida to the consultant and they can give you antibiotics at the same time.

All the best. X

@Luz192 thank you so much. I'm pretty certain it's my period so just taking a few days off work to deal with the emotions then dust myself off and get back on it. Luckily this time we have 5 Frosties...just waiting for the PGT-A results in a couple of weeks.
Have you done these tests through your own research? Not long until your review now...I'm always so impatient and stupidly wish the days away to get to the next stage!
Am I right in thinking that the progesterone should be stopping AF from coming (even if it doesn't work) so we maybe need a higher dose in the next round? I think we will be heading for similar timelines maybe?

@Aim2912 thank you 🥰 it is so hard and I don't think anyone around really understands! I had to sit across from someone who works with me knowing she is newly pregnant as I was just losing blood and watching our hopes fade away. But we pick ourselves up and carry on!
So are you currently waiting for AF then how does it work in a fully natural cycle?

@Coops0406 oh no..i know the feeling. :( it defo feels like everyone around us is having babies just like that! and it hurts that little bit more when you see a pregnant person. TBH i think only the people who have experienced fertility issues them self's can fully understand.

yes so my AF started today afternoon. i will have a base line scan then daily scan from day 8 to track ovulation. this way i didn't have to a pre month of meds to shut down my hormones. they will let my lining grow naturally, but may give low dose progesterone to help support the transfer and maintain my lining after ovulation. how much they need to give will depend on how much my body is naturally producing. the only issue with going natural is the risk of not ovulating. so we shall see.

@Coops0406 i would definitely ask them to measure your progesterone after transfer next time, just to see the levels. My period still came before my official testing day, but I was only on low-dose progesterone as I was doing natural (so would have had my own natural progesterone). But my clinic checks at transfer to see if the progesterone numbers are high enough. What form of progesterone were you using - was it the suppositories, or injection?

And great you are doing PGS testing - will definitely give some reassurance for the future transfers!

@Aim2912 it's great that you don't have to wait to try again - hopefully this cycle works and honestly, the lack of meds is soo refreshing! I had to go in from Day 9 until they saw that I had ovulated. I ovulated on day 13 or 14 (I can't remember exactly), so it was about 5 days. Bit time consuming, but I usually treated myself to a coffee or something afterwards.

I am convinced the whole original IVF egg collection cycle is what gave me candida in the first place.I did a gut stool test a few months before and there was absolutely no sign of candida or a fungal infection. And then I got a UTI, and signs of thrush, and then confirmed fungal infection all after the IVF cycle. I don't know if the meds, procedure, or the antibiotics during retrieval. I am usually quite against antibiotics - they can really mess up the balance of the gut (I say this having taken them a lot in the past). I do have an anti-fungal medication I'm taking at the moment, along with a whole host of supplements to try clear up the mould/fungus. So hopefully will be clear by end of the year.

And yes I've done all the tests on my own accord (I haven't even had my review call with the CRGH consultant - everything is so slow on the NHS!). But the immune results don't necessarily mean that my body is rejecting - I think it's hard to correlate for sure. I think it could mean that, but not necessarily that it does. I reviewed the results with a specialist today and he didn't seem concerned about the results at all. I saw someone who focuses on natural women's health, and has experience with immune type issues, so that was reassuring. He suggested a mushroom supplement to help bring the TNF-alpha back into balance, but doesn't think immune issues would cause me any infertility issues. He suggested ERA or the Alice/Emma tests if I wanted to do something else before transfer. however I'm swaying towards transferring again (maybe 2 embryos) and seeing how that goes. As most often, it fails due to the embryo. And if that fails, then I will do further testing.

@Coops0406 - all good here thanks lovely we've had the 20 week scan and all looks good, I'm so so sorry about your last transfer - must be reassuring to know those little embies are waiting in the freezer for you !! We still cant believe how amazingly lucky we are when the odds were so low, particularly with diminished reserve and only one egg - I'm keeping everything crossed for you for the next transfer ♥️♥️♥️xxx

@Luz192 i agree with trying not to take to much antibiotics, my gut doesn't tolerate them well as well. But i think i have come to a point where i don't want anything to interfere with the transfer. :S

that's good that your immune are ok, and treatable with supplements. if you dont mind can you tell me who you saw? as im based in London too so may look into other testing if this ones fails.

i too treat my self to a turmeric latte on the clinic appointment days :) i tell my self its helping reduce any inflammation in my body lol.

@Luan82 glad to know all is well with you. x