IVF August/September cycle buddies

[foodiefil]

Starting this thread early!

We've just booked for our second round to start August 2nd with egg collection September 8th.

I was on the Jan/Feb thread earlier this year.

Come join me :)

Hi everyone! Hope you don't mind me joining.

I've just started my down regulation yesterday (buserelin injections). It's my first time doing IVF, we were referred to the fertility clinic as unexplained. Everything looks great but nothing is happening.

I don't have exact dates of when my actual IVF stim will start but am hoping that embryo transfer should happen by mid September!

I can see a few people have had delayed periods with Buserelin... not looking forward to that!

@Misty84 I’m sorry you got this update today but whatever you get may well be good quality. Remember AMH is only a numbers thing really, you could well get a handful of good eggs. Focus on those positive stories and I have everything firmly crossed for you x

@dreamersdown how did the scan go?

@Dizzyhedgehog welcome and good luck with all the paperwork, I found mine was quite quick once everything was signed off

@misty84 so sorry to hear about the scan but everyone is right, it only takes that one, and we all have so much hope for you! ❤ I also don't often question the bad news then sit and wonder. Maybe give the clinic a call or an email see if they can give you a little explanation.

@beachbum85 congrats on injecting yourself, that first bit of pressure to get it in is always odd isn't it? Did you use an ice pack or were you brave.

@goldilocks2528 everything crossed for you for cycle 2! If you don't mind me asking how long did you have to wait between cycles?

@itsmschanandlerbong yay for AF! Good luck for tomorrow!!

My AF arrived this morning, on buserelin, and 4 days late at 0430 with the worst cramps I've ever had, and I sat in the bathroom sulking for a long time not being able to get back to sleep! However its here now and I can hopefully just carry on with the protocol without any changes. Hope everyone has a great day, my DH is home tonight and its his birthday! Planned a dinner out tomorrow and cupcakes and candles tonight 😁

Hi @Nerdalert not at all. I miscarried at the end of May and the clinic wanted me to haver one proper period before we started again. My June period was just 3 weeks after the miscarriage and so weird, very very light, just a tiny bit when going ton the loo, that the clinic and I didn't know if it was a period or not. We waited until July, and the same happened. The clinic suggested I wait another 4 weeks to try and let my body recover properly, and my July period was normal again. So in all it took 3 months, but I could have started sooner if I'd pushed. They would have let me start in July but I didn't know if what was happening was a period or not, I didn't want to mess anything up so waited a bit longer.

Hi @Dizzyhedgehog whereabouts do you live now? It may be different where you are but ultimately the decision to transfer 1 back to me and not 2 was my decision. They were different grades, and I had read that if you transfer back 2 of different grades it can cause both to fail. It was the right decision for me, I ended up pregnant and the 2nd blasto I could have transferred back failed on day 6 and couldn't be frozen, and we lost it.

Hi @ngy21 welcome! I didn't have a delayed period, but I started norethisterone tablets the day in started the buserelin injections and that forces a bleed, so I may have been on a different protocol. I'll be doing the same when I start again next week.

@Goldilocks2528 I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage! Sending hugs! The body really does amaze me how it mends itself after something like that! Got everything crossed for you, for this next cycle. Thank you for sharing with us xx

@Nerdalert hope you get to celebrate and enjoy the dinner :)

@Goldilocks2528 We are in Germany now, so I'm not sure how this will work. I guess we'll have to wait and see. The form I had to complete mentioned putting back up to 3 but it doesn't really say when or based on what the number will be decided.

@Goldilocks2528

Hi *@ngy21* welcome! I didn't have a delayed period, but I started norethisterone tablets the day in started the buserelin injections and that forces a bleed, so I may have been on a different protocol. I'll be doing the same when I start again next week.

@Goldilocks2528 thanks :)

Ah i didn't know there were so many protocols! Just thought it was as simple as long and short.

I'm hoping there won't be much delay in the period so I can start my Ovaleap soon!

Good luck to you, and everyone else in here who are on their TTC journey!

Hi everyone!

hi again @Goldilocks2528 how have you been? how are you feeling about next week?
I have to say that, after injecting myself twice, I almost prefer it to my partner doing it - seems to hurt less! Although I won't be telling him that as I like him being part of the process and looking after that part :)
@Nerdalert no ice pack but yes, having to put that pressure is very weird indeed!
Sorry to hear about the cramps but glad you can go ahead as planned :) enjoy the cupcakes and candles tonight and dinner tomorrow - sounds lovely xx

@itsmschanandlerbong yeahhh glad you scan start! I hope the cramps have eased and very best of luck for tomorrow. Always a bit nerve-wrecking till it gets going but hopefully the excitement will take over soon xx

@Dizzyhedgehog great to hear you have 3 rounds 100% covered - we do too and it's such a relief! Here, on the NHS at least, they seem to be quite strict about deciding between 1 or 2 embryos based on age, previous transfers, etc. On our first try we were told that it'd be 1 on Day 5 or 2 on Day 3 depending on how they were progressing, and I expect the same again this time.

@ngy21 welcome! Unexplained and on Buserelin here as well. Best of luck for the next few weeks! When do you have your first scan?

@dreamersdown I hope all went well with your scan xx

Lots of love to all!

Hi @beachbum85!

Where abouts are you in your process? I only started my buserelin injections on the 10th, so a while yet until I go in for a scan. The clinic had asked me to call them on day 1 of my bleed to book in for the scan, so all dependant on when my AF decides to show!

They told me all in all, with long protocol, the whole process will be around 7-8 weeks counting from my previous bleed, so should take us until mid Sept for collection and transfer.

It's exciting but also seems so long to have to do the down reg before stims!!!

I was told they can't do a scan on me until my period has finished, is this the same case for you? I am with the NHS @ a CareFertility Clinic.

Hi @ngy21!

I started down regging with Buserelin on 28 July, so I'm a couple of weeks ahead, and I'm in for my baseline scan next Tues 17 August. My period started last Saturday, around 4-5 days late, but the scan was set before that and they didn't mentioned it shifting around my period.

This is my second round, and the first go in March-April took 5 weeks from the start of down regging to embryo transfer. I did have 1 week less of down regs last time though... but yes, it does feel like a long time! Last time, it really ramped up once I started stims and it felt like I was constantly in and out of the clinic for a few weeks.... I missed them once the 2ww started

I'm with the NHS too, at Barts in London. Last time we had quite a drop off in numbers and quality of embryos between Days 3 and 5, so I'm hoping we can get to transfer a more developed blast this time 🤞🏼🤞🏼 Best of luck for this cycle and glad to have you on the thread :)

Hi @beachbum85
Thanks for asking, I feel a bit conflicted if I am honest. One minute I am excited, the next I'm not and I want it to all be over one way or another. I don't know. Kind of just want to fast forward a few weeks so know the outcome. Going to try and stay positive this time, I was so utterly convinced that it wouldn't work last time, and it did despite that. I'm worried about being positive though in case I fall into the trap of 'well it worked last time so it will work this time' way of thinking! Utter minefield x
I have read people saying that they prefer to do it themselves once they start, but like you I am trying to make my partner feel as involved as possible because when he went through it 5 times with his ex (they ended up with a son on the 5th round) he said he was just a taxi driver and felt utterly useless. I was determined that he wouldn't feel that way with our experiences, so I involve him as much as possible. Fingers crossed for your scan next week xx

Hi thank you for the supportive messages @Goldilocks2528 @beachbum85 @thislittlebird @Nerdalert. Yesterday was a bad day!! Think I underestimated what a rollercoaster IVF can be! Also the injections are really hurting- especially the Fyremadel in the thigh, it’s a thicker needle and geeeez I can tell! At least today no dreaded scan, and I’ve stayed off all the Diminished ovarian reserve Facebook groups that I’m on (all 4!) otherwise it’s so hard to think of anything else!! Wanted to say thank you though for reading and taking the time to reassure me that 3 follicles might not be the end of things. Hope people are doing ok and coping a bit better than me!! x

Hi @Misty84 I am sorry to hear you are struggling, I think it gets everybody now and again. I am not on FB, but DOR is a head, I know how you feel. It can be very emotional and overwhelming at times.
Please send me a message if you just want to chat privately, sometimes it helps get things off your chest x

Thanks @Goldilocks2528, really kind of you, DOR is really hard. And self funding has added such a huge amount of extra pressure.

@KatRee I forgot to thank you too 😘

I hear you @Misty84, we paid for the drugs a week ago and the ICSI invoice this week. It's an expensive thing, which adds extra pressure to an already very stressful time. Sending hugs.

I have to say it shocked me when I found out they don’t fund ivf for DOR. It seems really harsh to me.

@beachbum85

Hi *@ngy21*!

I started down regging with Buserelin on 28 July, so I'm a couple of weeks ahead, and I'm in for my baseline scan next Tues 17 August. My period started last Saturday, around 4-5 days late, but the scan was set before that and they didn't mentioned it shifting around my period.

This is my second round, and the first go in March-April took 5 weeks from the start of down regging to embryo transfer. I did have 1 week less of down regs last time though... but yes, it does feel like a long time! Last time, it really ramped up once I started stims and it felt like I was constantly in and out of the clinic for a few weeks.... I missed them once the 2ww started

I'm with the NHS too, at Barts in London. Last time we had quite a drop off in numbers and quality of embryos between Days 3 and 5, so I'm hoping we can get to transfer a more developed blast this time 🤞🏼🤞🏼 Best of luck for this cycle and glad to have you on the thread :)

@beachbum85 ah second round! Very best of luck for you too!

Hoping I will have my DR scan end of the month. I'm just so impatient right now!!!! it's nice to speak to people who are in similar situation, by sounds of things when I start my stims you would have be at the stage of transfer?!! How exciting!

@Nerdalert thanks and it sounds like we're mirroring each other - late period, killer cramps but happy to be getting started 🤣

Thanks @beachbum85 another day of stims down for you 😁

@Misty84 it is such a rollercoaster, don't feel bad for feeling bad ❤️ the fyrmedal is a bugger!

Had an acupuncture session tonight in preparation for starting stims tomorrow, feeling very chilled out and ready for round 2!

Hi guys just checking the boards to see how you are all doing it’s so exciting! I started my down reg injections today it was less scarier then I thought! @ngy21 I am only 1 day behind you! I have a provisional egg collection date of 15th September xx

@Lotusflower1990000

Hi guys just checking the boards to see how you are all doing it’s so exciting! I started my down reg injections today it was less scarier then I thought! *@ngy21* I am only 1 day behind you! I have a provisional egg collection date of 15th September xx

Hey @Lotusflower1990000 ! It's great to have someone so close in the cycle!

Is this your first time too? I guess my egg collection would fall on the same week as you - so very excited!

are you on buserelin and then ovaleap too?

@ngy21it is my first time I am so nervous I am on the long protocol and on down regulations starting with buserelin for 3 weeks and then depending on the scans starting gonal instead of the ovaleap and then egg collection/transfer just looking at my plan how about you? Are you injecting at night time? I have just set my time for 8pm xx

@Lotusflower1990000 I don't have a detailed plan as such! More like a see how it goes kinda thing, so when period comes, they said book a scan for around CD7-10, and then decide if I can start stims. So all dependant on AF.

But when I start stims, it'll be scan on day 8, 10 and 12 and hopefully trigger.

I am also doing my injections at 8pm! I wanted to do first thing in morning or super late at night, but nurse recommended not to incase we needed to adjust doses? So would rather I have my appointment in day time then adjust the dose for that same night.

How did you find your first injection? My husband thought I took it like a champ but I swear I almost wanted to cry

@Goldilocks2528 I understand completely! I don't want to get to optimistic coz I'm worried about the disappointment, at the same time I feel guilty about self-sabotaging it all if I go into it thinking it'll fail again... ugh impossible to find the right balance I think but so far I'm pretty calm so I guess that's good enough for the moment.
Wow your partner has been through so many rounds - but it sounds like a much better approach than being the taxi driver xx

@Misty84 I'm sorry it's been difficult! Total rollercoaster and the physical discomfort and hormones and financial strain on top of everything... it think it's very normal to have some bad days, unfortunately! I hope tomorrow will be better xx

@ngy21 I can't imagine being at the transfer stage right now... feels so far away still! But I know it'll speed up soon, and I hope it does for you too :)

@itsmschanandlerbong good luck with the stims tomorrow! glad to hear you're in a good headspace... acupuncture is great for that, isn't it?! I just had a session today today and feeling much better for it :)

@Lotusflower1990000 glad to hear you started, and that the first injection went well!