Infertility investigations/IVF in Scotland - thread 3

[itsmschanandlerbong]

A thread for those of us undergoing infertility investigations or treatment in Scotland.

Thread 1 - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/3742246-infertility-investigations-ivf-in-scotland

Thread 2 - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/infertility/4138992-Infertility-investigations-IVF-in-Scotland-thread-2

*sorry 4 appeared!

@Comiston34 Maybe I'll ask them to email that as well this time.

I wish they uploaded test results for patients, they have a whole freaking portal for it. One of the things I asked about was about whether I should get my thyroid function tested, and the consutlant was like 'oh, you had bloods taken for that, didn't you know?' and of course it says absolutely no where on my portal and I've never been given that information (clinic was happy everything was fine with my thyroid).

Feeling a bit better after a good sleep. I'm trying to focus on the 'it gives me time to keep taking supplement and improve egg quality' but my egg quality doesn't seem to be much of an issue (my 2 mature eggs made a 5AA and 4AA blast) but I'm still trying to kid myself maybe it'll help since this last one ended in CP something obviously wasn't right with the embryo

@2mumlife be gentle with yourself.

CP are unfortunately all to common, I wouldn't say it was a egg quality issue unless it happens multiple times. Many women experience chemicals when trying naturally and would be totally unaware as they wouldn't have tested as early as we do when either TTC naturally or with IVF. We only catch sight of a chemical due the nature of early testing.

GCRM wouldn't have the results of your TSH as that is usually done by your own GP and shared with GCRM so that likely why they are vague about it and why you can't see any results.

Asking GP for TSH bloods would be a good plan, GCRM don't routinely check them is my understanding, I had mine down prior to seeing GCRM so they just asked that I have them monitored by GP.

@2mumlife I've never understood why they don't upload test results; there seems to be a reluctance both in the NHS and private medicine to share numbers with us. I suppose it's in case we misinterpret but I feel so much better knowing.

Certainly worth getting TSH checked and ask for the numbers, don't accept "normal". I'd echo what @Comiston34 says though, be gentle with yourself and try not to let the "what ifs" go round in your head. I know it's difficult especially when we have a gut feeling that something has been missed or not checked properly.

Thanks for the well wishes ladies. Just back from acupuncture and feeling very relaxed 😊

@ally99101best of luck! How are you feeling?

@2mumlife sorry for the delay, but it's good that you have more information and that they're repeating the blood test. That's interesting about the blood levels and quality of eggs, I'll need to keep that in mind. During our last cycle, out of 8 eggs collected only 2 fertilised. It must be so frustrating when you're paying all of this money and you're not getting the right information at the time. It's also bizarre that antagonist is freeze all automatically, I wonder why that is?

Thanks @itsmschanandlerbong. Feeling excited to get started and for what the next few weeks will bring.

For me anyway antagonist is freeze all due to increased risk of OHSS, not sure if that's always the case but certainly is for me

@ally99101 it's funny how clinic work different, mines was an antagonist protocol and I had a fresh transfer.

Daft question, did anyone have 2 injections to take at the same time? I start fyremadel on Saturday and just noticed the portal says 2 X 0.25mg to be taken in the morning (and menopur in the evening). Do I just do the 2 fyremadel at the same time one after the other in the morning?

@ally99101 I had to take the menopur one in morning one at night for first 2 days then menopur in morning, fyrmedal at night so not 2.

@ally99101 I had to take fyremadel in the morning, one, and then menopur in the evening from day 4 I think? Before that was day 1 and 2 menopur morning and evening, day 3 menopur evening.

@Comiston34 @Kamiros GCRM must have taken my TSH levels as I've never had these checked by GP. From what consultant said it was done as part of a battery of blood they took from me as part of our initial testing. She did rattle off the numbers but I didn't really catch them. I might still see if I can persude GP to test them again just to make sure, as its been well over a year since my AMH/TSH etc etc has been tested. Did you find it relatively easy to get GP to test TSH, and did you just say it was for fertility testing? We moved and I've not been to GP since we moved, so no idea what they'll be like and how accomodating to requests.

@itsmschanandlerbong I think the freeze-all as they're normal cut off is for AMH greater than 20, so your risk of OHSS is higher, and they'd expect more eggs. I don't think the freeze-all should really be automatic in my case when we might get bugger all eggs again... I think its just another one of these "this is the protocol and thats that" situations.

@ally99101 I'd maybe check that its not meant to be 1 in the morning and 1 at night

@2mumlife They didn't do mine but maybe as I was already on levothyroxine anyway. The GP can be a little difficult but whenever I say it's for the fertility clinic they usually do it. GCRM initially told me TSH under 4 and last week the endo told me they should be as close to 1 as possible. I feel so much better with them at 1, things I didn't even notice were wrong.

Thanks all, spoke to the clinic there and they've confirmed 2 fyremadels in the morning... Looking forward to not 1 but 2 injections back to back to start my day

@2mumlife GCRM asked my GP to do the TSH levels through a letter, my GP did them and then I asked the receptionist for the results printed for the GCRM (a bit of a pain in the backside but we were not in a rush really).
@ally99101 I think fyremadel’s dose depends on your weight, blood levels? Not sure but whatever the clinic said should be correct!

@2mumlife GCRM only did my AMH bloods and referred me back to GP for review of TSH as they noted it was above 4 and requested GP prescribe levo 50mg. GP wasn't all that happy and only agreed when GCRM sent them a research paper about TSH and fertility. They now have it noted on my file that levels need to be below 2.5 and up my dose when it rises. They've been good overall since then.

Thanks for your experiences everyone @Comiston34 @Kamiros @GemmTryTTC I think I'll send GCRM a portal message asking to confirm what my TSH results were and then see if I can persuade GP to test them again.

Also, anyone who has done the antagonist protocol, what drugs were your on? I know it's a Buserelin trigger, but which drugs did you take for stims and were you on Frymedel or Centride or anything to stop early ovulation? Just trying to figure out which drugs I already have in stock (I've a load of Menapur left over from first cycle so hoping it's still a Menapur stim)

@2mumlife I was antagonist protocol, I took Norethisterone for 8 days from day 21 of cycle, and second day of period did menopur 150iu twice per day two days, then menopur 150iu once and the following day add 0.25 fyremadel morning and 150iu menopur in the evenings. In total i stimmed 12 days and on day 14 was my egg collection. Trigger was burserelin 600iu or 1ml (it’s the same). I hope this helps!

@GemmTryTTC Thanks Gem! What was the Norethisterone like? I've never taken that before. Glad its Menapur for the stims and not something new. I used fyremadel in my FET cycle so interesting to see that might be back again for a stim cycle as never had that on my first cycle. Sounds like more injections than stim cycle, that was just Prostap day 21, then like you I had a bigger dose of menapur first 2 days ( 2 x 200iu) and then 200iu a day (nothing else, no fyremadel)

@Comiston34 @Kamiros @GemmTryTTC GCRM got back to me and put TSH result on portal. Was definitely measured by them March last year, result was TSH 0.93 mUI/L. Didn't break it down any further than that but looks like my thyroid definitely isn't an issue.

@2mumlife Yeah that's roughly what mine is now, it's a good level. At least that's one thing you don't need to worry about.

@2mumlife I'm on antagonist protocol at the moment and sounds same as Gemma although higher level of drugs which may be realted higher weight. Also took norethisterone day 21 but for 12 days I think. Then had withdrawal bleed 4 days later and started menopur the next day. 2 X days of menopur at 225 morning and evening, 1 day 225 evening then today started fyremadel 2 X 0.25 morning and 225 menopur evening, trigger will also be buserelin.

So far I haven't had any real side effects from any of the drugs as far as I can tell!

Norethisterone was fine, maybe give me a slightly sore head but that could have been other things as well.

The menopur you're familiar with. Fyremadel started this morning and my only observation so far is that was a bigger to do!!! Menopurs been fine but jeez both fyremadels this morning were sore, really stingy, but of blood for the first time and red raised rash at the injection site but disappeared after about an hour

@ally99101 Yeah I found the Fyremadel was a bit like having a bug bite - quite itchy just after with injection site irritation, but died down pretty quick - I had that every day I took the Fyremadel. I had 7 days of Fyremadel for FET but only 1 injection once a day so 2 at once doesn't sound the most fun. The Lubion injections are the worse I've experienced so far - I was actually bruised all over my abdomen from that stuff.

Consultant I saw earlier in the week advised we try upping me to 300iu next cycle to try to bash my ovaries into giving up some more eggs this time

Are you on a freeze-all as well ally?

@Kamiros Yeah happy to be able to rule that out now from my list of worries at least!

@2mumlife yep freeze all and there was no asking or compromise etc, we were told that from the start. I was initially a bit disappointed due to it adding on an extra couple of months I assume, but now I'm actually feeling positive about giving my body a bit of a rest in between. Consultant said success rates are about as good with frozen as fresh these days so that's reassuring!

@ally99101 I still have mixed feelings about freeze all, like you say it's going to make this an even longer process than its already been, but I felt physically and emotionally awful after my egg collection last time so at least there is a chance to recover as you say. And my only positive pregnancy test ever came from my FET cycle so at least I know FET works.

Hi ladies, sorry I haven't been in touch in a while! Been reading and trying to keep up with you all as best as I can.

Small update on me - currently 15+3 weeks pregnant so all going well still :) not much to update other than that but will try stick around and give advice where I can