IVF first timers - June 2021 Protocol

[Luan82]

Hello 👋🏼!! About to embark on the absolutely terrifying process of IVF in June (once my next cycle finishes) and though it might be nice to get chatting to some people going through the same? Meds due tomorrow and bloods booked in for Saturday - Let me know if you are in the same boat would be great to get some support from some fellow infertility warriors ❤️x

@Ofpalestsilver have scan today which is day 6. Then Monday which is day 10, then if all is good I'm provisionally booked for Wednesday 9th June.

Really quite nervous for the scan as it's the first bit of real information we'll get. My last scan was in preston when I was on my last cycle of clomid when they said the follicles weren't big enough meaning the clomid wasn't working! Keeping my fingers crossed but I know I'll be gutted if it's not doing anything

@Coops0406 all I will say is that if it’s not showing a lot of stimulation that can be ok at day 6. My day 6 was a bit disappointing but some extra meds and off I go! Good luck today. Let us know how it goes.

@Coops0406 good luck for today, I know exactly what you mean about getting info it's very nerve wracking - agree with @Ofpalestsilver everyone reacts differently to meds and if the scan isn't showing ideal growth I'm sure they'll adjust the meds accordingly xx

So I've had the scan, slightly disappointed to be honest considering my AMH level, but they seemed fine with it all. I have 2 decent size follicles (11mm and 12mm) and 4 around 7/8mm which will apparently catch up (I memorised her shouting the numbers out to her colleague...they don't really chat through anything with you much). The rest are smaller and probably won’t catch up. They need to be 16mm for egg collection apparently. I expected a lot more due to my high AMH count but I presume the medication is low to prevent hyper stimulation. So sticking with the same dose of medication and back for scan on Monday. Just off for my covid swab now. Just worried as my original consultantation they said only 30% would be genetically stable at my age which with the few follicles they have seen doesn't really give me good prospects

Hi All,

I haven't read through all the messages yet. But im also joining you on this terrifying journey in june or july? Did u get told u need a blood test before?

Argh! How are you all?

We are on long protocol icsi. Low AMH and low sperm count/motility.

@Coops0406 It's still early days. It's likely that some more will pop up between now and Monday. I remain positive and hopeful for you. Do they have a nurse consultation with you after the scan? I think you read all these things about people having 20-30 follicles and you think wow, I'm supposed to have millions but actually, it's typical to have around 8-12 or so. Wishing you lots of good things.

I had my scan today. EC is on Monday. Boo. Day 16. I'm not surprised but I really wish they had put me on more meds to start with. I know lots of meds aren't good but all the signs from my IUI were that my follies were resistant yet I got started with the same meds as my friend who has no ovulation issues. Sighs.

I'm home with another whack of meds and currently have 3 follies over 18 and 4 at 14mm and over. They reckon those ones will have gone over 18 by Monday. I have another 6 around 12-14mm but not sure whether they will respond or not. If they get five eggs or fewer, the consultant wants to do ICSI which I hadn't consented to but right now, I'll consent to anything!

Trigger on Saturday night. Shit is getting real!

Hi @PurpleUnicorn01- I did do blood tests before. What's yours for?

@Luan82 very daunting. I plucked up the courage to have a look and some of the meds yesterday so I can start getting used to the idea. You excited to start today?

@Ofpalestsilver definitely on your way now. Is this your first cycle? I'm so pleased for you that they have started to respond. That's a shame about the cottage. But more important things going on for you at the moment. That's a shame they've pushed back EC but that might mean they are waiting for those smaller ones to catch up! Not long to go now!!

@Coops0406 I am but also nervous. It's a strange feeling. Just working til Sunday atm so I can start the norethisterone. I'm sorry you feel disappointed with your scan but like ofpalestsilver hopefully they will catch up. I know you aren't increasing meds but hopefully by the scan on Monday they will have grown more. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

@PurpleUnicorn01 welcome!! Do you have a start date? Yeah, we've had a few blood tests for various things. Just had the last one to check for HIV and Hep b/c ready to start treatment. How long will you be on meds for with a long protocol?

@Coops0406. Sorry to hear about you're scan I hope it picks up for you

@Ofpalestsilver i have no idea what it is for. I forgot to ask. I have a nurses appointment on Wednesday on the phone to go through treatment plan than i should have my start date!

@Ofpalestsilver it was literally 5 mins to say that there were a couple of good sized ones and 3-4 other than will catch up and the rest probably won't make it. I asked her where they need to get to and she said they need a minimum of 3 at 16mm. That was the whole conversation. I suppose it's my fault for not asking but I always find it hard on the spot there if they're not offering up much more info. I think because the consultant originally said I will likely produce loads, my expectations were probably high. I sometimes wish the original consultations are with the nurses as the consultants I've had seem to fill you with massive hope!

Sounds great, so at least 7 looking likely to be mature 🤞🏾 and fingers crossed for a few extra ones catching up.

I also realise that when people have the eggs collected, they tell you the whole number collected which could be high, but not all are large enough so as long as you know you've got a good amount at the right size then I guess that's really all you need to know 😊

Why would they want to do ICSI if less than 5? Is ICSI more to do with the male factor? The thing is, you just have to go with what the experts are saying at this point.

@PurpleUnicorn01 welcome! 😊 I hope your journey so far has been okay. It's great to have the support and experience from others going through the same thing at the same time

@Cat028 hopefully the time flies and you can get started. Once you start it seems like it will take ages but it just goes so fast! Excited for you 😊 how long on the norithisterone for you?

Yes fingers crossed they grow a little...I feel a bit better now having thought about it a bit more with my rational head!

I went for a covid swab after and the woman nearly made me cry for no reason! 🤦🏾‍♀️ must be the hormones!

@Coops0406 I'm really looking forward to getting going. I'll be on the norethisterone for about a week and a half. How long did you take it for? It's so hard to think in the moment when they are bombarding you with information. I'm glad you are feeling a bit more positive after going away and thinking about it. I think it's only natural you're more hormonal with all the meds you are on at the moment. Did she say something upsetting or one of those moments?

@PurpleUnicorn01 -welcome !! Fellow low AMH-er here 🙋🏻‍♀️ so we've got something in common!!
@Cat028 I really am, not nervous at all - very keen to see how my ovaries react to the stims, and to get a better picture of the unexplained infertility- we had always assumed after the ectopic that the reason was blocked tubes / endo but since then I've had my low amh diagnosis so I really don't know, it would be lovely to get some answers ! Xx

@Cat028 sorry meant to tag you in to that last post !! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️
@Coops0406 hope you're feeling better now about the scan, I keep hearing lots of stories about follicles catching up and things can change very quickly from
One scan to the next so try not to get too despondent xx

@Cat028 I was on them for 3 weeks so you'll be on your stims in no time! It will fly by! 😊

No she was just a bit rude, did a swab on OH which I thought was weird, I asked about mine and she said I didn't need one...wires had got crossed and she thought it was for maternity...my fault as she she asked if we were there for maternity and I just said yes as she offered nothing else and I presumed she had notes of the appointment. Then she said I hadn't told her the right information and had a little go at me! She was fine afterwards as I think she realised she'd wound me up!

@Luan82 thank you...definitely much better...just an initial gutted reaction but the positive is that I'm responding 😊
Are you starting tonight? 😃 exciting!!!

@Luan82 thank you. Im just awaiting a start date. If the bloods come back then i can start this month hopefully. Exciting!

@Ofpalestsilver looks like we are scheduled for EC on the same day! Originally I was meant to be in Saturday but my scan yesterday showed the dominant follicle (from the previous scan) was actually a cyst and has prevented the others from growing as they expected. So I’m continuing with Gonal F (but dropped from 150-125) and now taking cetrotide (0.25) every morning too. I’m so proud of myself for doing the injections! And I actually find the mixing of the cetrotide and injection process more logical than the gonal-f pen.

Due for more bloods, scan and COVID test on Saturday.

Anyone else getting a weird metallic taste a few minutes after taking the injections?

Forgot to mention I currently have 9 follicles but some are only just the 10mm to count. Hopefully they’ll catch up over the weekend!

@Coops0406 first injection done ☑️🤗🤗🤗

@Luan82 yay!! And how was it? Did you do it yourself? A great feeling to get the first one done!! 😁

@Coops0406 I did in the end OH was faffing and fretting making me nervous and he kept telling me I had the angle wrong 😑 feel like I can take on the world now !! 😂

@Luan82 🤣 you'll be wanting tomorrow to hurry up to get it done again! Ahh, this is the start! Hopefully you manage to sleep with all the excitement of doing the injection!

@Luan82 so pleased it went well. Well done you!! You going to give it a try tomorrow? I hope you'll get a few answers so you know where you stand.

@Coops0406 aw bless you! That's a long time to be on them. I would have been for 2 and a half weeks but they brought my ec date forward a week. Oh for goodness sake! Silly woman!! It takes nothing to be nice! Hope you're feeling okay now.

@Tealismycolour hopefully they will catch up for you.

@Cat028 definitely- I think I had a small cyst last month as has some twinges so interested to see if I get any cramping - ovulation for me is very painful I can even feel the moment it happens (which could be the endo) so I'm really excited for the first scan on the 11 th!