Low amh / 3 lead follicles - need some hope!

[VenusStarr]

I'm doing my first round of IVF, this is my one and only nhs round. I have low amh (5) so was warned they weren't expecting much from me. I have had 4 naturally concieved miscarriages and am following an immune protocol but worried about my low numbers.

I've been on stims since Thursday and had my first scan today. I have 3 decent sized follicles: 2x12mm, 1x10mm plus 5 smaller ones all about 5mm. The nurse seemed happy but thinks that the smaller ones won't come to anything. Follow up is Wednesday and looking at egg collection sometime between Friday and Monday.

I'm on another thread and everyone has loads of follicles / eggs, so struggling not to compare. Due to my low numbers, we've already discussed a day 3 transfer, but I'm worried we won't even get that far.

Please share any positive stories. X

Oh god, I'm with you on that, squinting at non-existent lines!! 🙈 A little part of me is thinking everything went so well, better than we could've hoped up to this point, that maybe we used up all our luck, but I'm still hoping that this is our time 🌈 @39andabit xx

@39andabit I really enjoy the acupuncture but I'm very lucky because there's a fertility specialist who works about five minutes away from my house !! It's not cheap though @ £45 per week for 45 mins. xx

@VenusStarr @39andabit - well that's 12dpo for me and a BFN, thank goodness it's my last month of trying naturally 😭 even after all this time it still stings a bit seeing the evil single line!! Now just hoping that AF comes bang on time tomorrow - otherwise I'll have to take the contraceptive pill, not sure for how long but I'd rather not !! Sending muchos positive vibes your way today for both of you 🌈🌈🌈🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼❤️❤️❤️xx

I'm sorry about the bfn @Luan82 ❤️ I'm grateful that doing the blood test I won't need to see a bfn. I hope af plays ball and comes tomorrow. I felt relief when we could get started with ivf 🙂

I have acupuncture too, mine is £48 an hour but she always keeps me over. She did pre and post transfer and only charged me for one session, so very grateful. I read skneobe on another thread say their pre and post was £150! 😮

I was awake at 4.30 this morning, boiling hot. I'm really aware of my heart rate / pulse, it feels like it's racing but I don't feel anxious.

How are you @jolly86 @39andabit? Xx

@VenusStarr awwww thanks, ❤️ I knew it was coming to be honest, my pulse and BBT have been dropping now for three consecutive days so it would have been a shock to see a positive, this time it's so different because now I know I can get started so I'm quite excited!! £150!!! Jeez!!!
High BBT and pulse / heart rate are both really good signs 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼so is insomnia so I've been told!!
Did anyone opt for embryo imaging this time round? There are some lovely sites on Etsy that create watercolours of the embryo and we thought it might be a nice thing to do particularly if it's a successful cycle ! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼xx

Good morning everyone!! Sorry @Luan82 but I am sure you will be relieved to get on with IVF, that’s how I had felt! Are you on a short antagonist cycle which would mean you get scanned and start drugs on day 2? I didn’t get what you mean by contraceptive pill though.

@VenusStarr I am feeling a bit more calm and rational since yesterday. In terms of symptoms no I don’t have any, but i didn’t feel much during stims, after egg collection or transfer.. Similarly I don’t feel my period arriving each month. I guess my insides are quite numb I am still quite bloated and 2 kg more than when i started IVF. Did you keep an eye on your weight? I wonder if it is normal due to drugs or is it because I stopped exercising. I also eat a bit more - comfort eating and also given I stopped believing diet matters much.

I didn't get a picture of my embryo sadly @Luan82, I did ask but they hadn't done it - but it was my nhs round. I had thought I'd wanted a print.

I'm glad you're feeling calm @jolly86 you're doing really well. I've not weighed myself at all, I'm in denial! 😂 I'm walking each day for around 45 minutes but not putting too much pressure on myself. X

@jolly86 - tbh neither do I, I've got to call the clinic the day that my period starts but the dairy has the following guidance, no info on how long you've got to take the pill for though which is confusing, the nurse mentioned it during our phone consult too- because they only schedule EC during the middle of the week I think they need to delay my cycle ?? Doesn't really make sense to me tbh, it's a short antagonist cycle xx

@VenusStarr I distinctly get the feeling that the funded round is very much a 'no frills' approach! I wasn't sure if they only offer the printed copy if you pay for the imaging option? - rather than the embryologist viewing through a microscope the image mapping is there on the system, through the various stages of development- plus it's £600 extra for embryo imaging so if they didn't offer us an image to take away I'd be absolutely fuming !! 😂 my OH wants to do it because he thinks that it will result in some sort of super hero embryo... bless him 🤣

@VenusStarr same here I go for walks only. I used to run before and stopped close to my EC. I envy when I see people running.
@Luan82 it sounds related to controlling your cycle, although i don't get how taking the pill for 1 day can affect it. My clinic (NHS) was the same they only do EC 3 times a day, and transfers are also only 4 times a week. We paid 400 for the embryoscope, but it's not only for imaging I think it's also to minimize disruptions to the embyo and supposed to give them ability to make a better choice on which embryo to give you. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get a day 3 update though even then. However we now have a follow up discussion about what happened in the embryoscope, I guess it is beneficial to understand if we have to do another cycle.

@jolly86 yes that's it, did they offer you an image of the embryo to take away?

@Luan82 they offer you to have one not on the spot but post it to you. But they say you can also decide after preg test as you may not want it if it's negative. Given they had some statistics which showed more success with this add on we had to have it.. not sure how much it helped though.

@jolly86 I've been struggling with my weight - likely hormone related (perimenopause) because it's all round my waist have been jogging 4K four days a week to try and stabilise it - did you find that during the stims stage before EC you could carry on running? I'm keen to keep going until I absolutely have to stop x

@jolly86 re: imaging - useful to know - thankyou

@Luan82 the nurses said if your body is used to it continue as far as you can. I started to feel uncomfortable a few days before EC so then I stopped. I haven't started since as not adviced after EC or ET.

@VenusStarr do you use progesterone pessaries? Do you feel like a lot comes out when you go to toilet? I wonder if it isn't being absorbed.

Morning all. Lots to catch up on already! I had an 8.30 meeting so busy start.

@Luan82 BFNs really suck even if you’re 99% sure you still want to weep. Sounds like the pill is just so they can predict your next period. I do hope you start stimming straight away and don’t have to wait!!
I don’t have any periods so I had to take Provera to start a bleed, adds 10days to every cycle and have to do the dreaded POAS. Frustrating!

@jolly86 and @VenusStarr** acupuncture does sound good, even if it just makes you feel better. If this doesn’t work out I’ll definitely try it next time but as you say the costa on top of the £7.5k are another worry.

We paid an extra £600 for an embryo scope too. It is supposed to be better as @jolly86 says it’s supposed to be better as they don’t disturb the embryos. Who knows! Hard to say no to that.

@VenusStarr those symptoms sound really promising! I definitely felt like I had a higher heart rate and a few nights of night sweats too.

As for running and exercise I’m really struggling without it too! @Luan82 I carried on some exercise in down regulation (long protocol) but none from starting stims until now but that’s because I have hormonal issues and over exercising was a possible cause, I think lots of people manage to do some for the first few days of stims just take it really easy and listen to your body. Walking for 30-60mins is encouraged though! @luan82 I have definitely put on weight around my stomach, hoping it’s progesterone and just a few pounds from not exercising! I already had to put on 10lbs before my clomid so I’m at least a stone heavier than last year.

My update is I did another First Response test this morning. The good news is it still has two lines, the bad is the second line is still quite light for 4week 4 days according to my extensive research, definitely broke my 40min Max rule 🤦‍♀️
I wish I could relax but I can’t at all. I’m so paranoid. I also wish we hadn’t told family and close friends as I’ve felt like I had to tell them so they don’t worry and they’re so excited, which just adds to my worry about jinxing it! I think it’s like you said @VenusStarr it feels too good to be true and the blood result was so borderline.

I'm on utrogestan pessaries @jolly86 it's been mixed. The first couple of days they were quite gunky (😖) but they're not too bad now. Tmi, but I'm feeling quite wet but it's not the pessary as it's clear. I did say when I had transfer that I was finding them a bit messy and they said not to worry as I would be absorbing it. My progesterone levels were good on Monday. I think we should be producing our own levels anyway 🤞 I'm actually finding the utrogestan better than cyclogest x

Here it is...

@jolly86 yes to the pessaries! The nurse said it was normal for the waxy residue, so grim!!! Ruining the sex life even more!

@VenusStarr yes re ‘wet’ thing! I keep running to the loo in case it’s blood. So weird.

Do you have a pic @39andabit? I totally get the fear, it's like you can't relax. But in my last pregnancy (not ivf) even though it didn't end well, I tried to focus on the fact that I was pregnant until proven otherwise. So if testing is making you anxious then I'd stop ❤️ your hcg level was good. Sending you a big hug. Xx

Cross Post!! @39andabit it's definitely darker ☺️

Interesting re the wet thing 🤔 I did think this morning that I could be bleeding, but nothing. I'm still feeling quite hopeful for Monday 🤞 xx

It’s definitely a bit darker but that’s Mon-Fri so it should be. I know what you mean about not testing. I’ll obsess either way I think, I definitely won’t do it until Monday but I had more cramps and less other symptoms so was getting paranoid. I know I’m definitely a bit behind but my other half says I was slow to respond on the stims and that worked out so hopefully this will too.

I’m feeling really optimistic for you @VenusStarr all the signs are looking good! ❤️

@39andabit I assume the right is today's? - it's most definitely darker but I completely understand the worry can be all consuming. The running issue has always been a tricky one for me cause though I've been doing it for years and I don't really do long distance now i do push myself quite hard and arrive back home a sweaty mess!! My weight is most definitely hormonal but as I've got older it's getting harder to keep it off without starving myself, I often do wonder if it affects my hormonal balance negatively too - tricky to know what the right thing is 🤷‍♀️ I'll wait to see how I respond to the Injections - might call the clinic and ask them about the contraceptive pill issue too x

@39andabit if you are focusing purely on the progression don't forget that the 'fresh' test probably hasn't dried yet so will appear darker as it does 😉xx

@39andabit the one on the right is definitely darker!! I think you are fine and no need to worry, but I understand once you start you keep on going. Do they repeat the blood test at all? You get an ultrasound on week 7?