First cycle of IVF - buddies please!

[LS2020]

Hi everyone,

Been on the conception boards a fair bit but this is first time on the infertility section.
Bit of background - 28 and been TTC for two years for first child. Had one miscarriage about 10 months ago at 5 weeks. Had all our fertility checks and no major issues have been identified. Consultant suggested IVF for us so we are currently in that process.
Nurse consultation is 2nd July and then hoping it’s not long after then!

Looking for some buddies to keep me going through it all as hate all kinds of hospital things and to stop me over thinking about!

Thanks for taking the time to read 😊

Hi ladies! Just a little update - egg collection booked on Monday 🤯 today is the last day of gonal-f and tomorrow morning is the last shot of cetrotide. Sounds so crazy cause we just started! All looks very well, follicles growing really well but the doctor is a bit after afraid of OHSS. We might have to freeze the embryos and give my body a rest. Really don't want that but we must do what's better for my body. It went through a lot in the last few weeks.

@Novavee good thing you chased from sounds of it! Why on earth does the GP need to sign off on using a donor though?!

Yeah they can give you meds to keep you from ovulating so you won’t miss out on this cycle.

@PuffinPippin that’s exciting! When do you have to do your trigger?
That’s interesting on an extra day of rest, I’m worried about needing that after mine but will just have to book off the time I can. Can’t wait to have some guilt free rest days 😂

@Momo32 ah sounds like you’ll both be in same time, hope retrieval’s go well for you both. If it helps, I think a FET process is a lot easier on the body so won’t be a full thing to do again but get your frustration. I’d want to be able to just do one complete cycle

@LS2020 I should've explained better. It's not about using a donor. We began this process last year and then covid happened and my clinic stopped all cycles but I still managed to get a scan which revealed a polypoid endometrium.
I had to have a hycosy that confirmed I had a polyp and then a polypectomy, which happened last month.
I am at risk of more polyps which could develop with the stims, so they want confirmation that the consultant who did the procedure has signed me off for ivf. Which she has. I sent them my copy of the letter as soon as I got it, but apparently that's not enough, they need to hear it from the GP. 🤦‍♀️

Yes, microgynon apparently will prevent ovulation. At least I'm not wasting any more eggs. I wonder how long they can keep me on it, anyone knows?

@Momo32 great news, that your EC has been booked! How long have you been stimming? Good luck for Monday and enjoy an injection free weekend 😊

@momo32 good luck for Monday! Exciting times.

I have very little to update, except that we decided on the donor and placed the order (hoorah!). At least that process can start and it's something to tick off the very long list of IVF things to do.

@Novavee - good luck with chasing the GP. Don't google too much! It's a dangerous rabbit hole!!!

and @LS2020 - my trigger shot is tomorrow evening, have a final fyremadel injection tomorrow morning. No jabs at all on Sunday!! Then EC first thing on Monday

@Momo32 sounds like we are both going to be in on Monday for EC! Best of luck! I'm definitely going down the FET route, which I knew from the outset - too much of a risk of OHSS. It sounds like you weren't expecting this as a possibility, which must be harder. I think it is good to give our bodies a bit of a rest though after all this stimming. Do you mind if I ask how many follicles you've had on your most recent scan? Mine this morning was 36 on the R and 43 on the L

Interestingly the nurse I spoke to today, that in theory if my body recovers quite well, I could have a FET after my first withdrawal bleed which is likely to be 7-10 days after EC....so potentially not that long to wait at all...!

Best of luck for Monday - fingers crossed we both don't get OHSS and get some good quality embryos :) x

@PuffinPippin it was around 20 on both sized. And they're all similar size.
Your numbers sound amazing! Good luck for you too! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 hope it's going to be an easy recovery ✌🏻

@Momo32 - ah but it's quality not quantity! Your numbers are good and hopefully means you might be able to go straight for a fresh cycle? I've no idea how they decide that though to be honest!!

Have they given you any practical tips for the EC? The nurse told me to wear socks and bring snacks!!

@PuffinPippin I read online that the only thing that might prevent ohss a little bit is water so I drink 3 litres a day now!
No, no tips for ec but I got a new outfit for Monday, maybe that will help 🙈

@Momo32 A new outfit! Great idea :) I'm already planning what meal I'm going to eat straight afterwards as I think I'll be super hungry!

I'm trying to drink 3 litres of water a day too - finding it quite hard as always feeling really bloated. I've also read that protein is good too.

Hope you're feeling ok after your trigger shot!

Best of luck tomorrow
x

@Novavee ah that makes sense but annoying they’ve not sent on- deffo give them a chase as they can be slow.
I think you can be on it a while as don’t they use with long protocol?

Ah congrats @Bryterlayter1 that’s something productive done!

@PuffinPippin @Momo32 enjoy your jab free day! A new outfit sounds an amazing idea. Are you in an NHS hospital? My hospital said they feed you after if that helps but from when I was in hospital for a couple days, you can’t have too many comforts. Bring a tablet to watch some stuff and snacks etc. Anything fluffy and comfy is good too!
Good luck tomorrow both x

@LS2020 - thank you for the luck! I'll be at a private clinic (although it's an NHS cycle). They've only said hot drinks and biscuits after, but to bring snacks. Only supposed to be in for hopefully 2-3 hours, so planning on going to get something wildly unhealthy afterwards!
x

Morning ladies.
I hope you don't mind me joining your group
I'm currently day 2 of stims, standard protocol (apparently)
Norethisterone, Pergoveris, Cetrotide amd Ovitrelle trigger shot.

The injections have been fine so far, tiny sting on exit but that's it, TBF my husband is doing them like a pro for me. I start Certrotide this Thursday not looking forward to this one and have my tracking appointment Friday. Predicted EC 8th July fingers crossed!
Hope all goes well for you who have EC today

@Bryterlayter1 Yay! Well done on making the decision. One step closer!

@PuffinPippin I decided to have a google free weekend. It is definitely not my friend. 2 pills down, and indefinite number to go…

I hope you enjoyed your injection free day yesterday. I read that coconut water helps with ohss and anything with electrolytes like lucozade.

@PuffinPippin @Momo32
Good luck for today. Hope all goes well and 🤞 for a speedy recovery

@LS2020 i checked the box and there are 2x strips of 21 pills... it could be a while. More chasing again today as no one was answering the phone on Friday.

@Girlwholifts Hi! 👋 Great to hear that your finding the stims ok

@PuffinPippin @Momo32 hope all goest well this week. Fingers crossed for both of you.

Feeling pretty good myself. Have all fertility test results back AMH 22.6 and AFC 19. At 40, I feel like this is a good starting place. I know it doesn't indicate the quality of the eggs (as the consultant always explains) but at least I know there are likely to be a number of eggs on EC day.

Donor gametes ordered and nurses appointment booked in for the 9th! So as long as there isn't a hold up with the sperm bank (requiring more than 3.5 weeks) we should be good to go for the end of July! I still have to book virology blood tests but I've been told those are quick and best to wait for confirmed sperm delivery.

Thank you all for kind wishes ♥️ just came back home. All went really well, they got 18 eggs out, I recovered very fast and now back home on the coach watching TV.

Thank you all for all the kind wishes for my EC today! I would have replied earlier but I had a super long nap as soon as I got back home 😂

Feeling quite sore so taking things easy...OH was really pleased to hear that I’m not allowed to do any cooking or cleaning for the next 48 hours!!

Apparently there wasn’t quite as much sperm so they are going to use half for icsi and half for not. It’s weird because his previous 2 samples have been fine. Maybe it was the stress of the occasion!

They also asked me if I’d like to pay £500 extra for embryoscope...I was so doped up though, I wish they’d mentioned about it before so I could have thought it through. We said no but I’ve no idea if that’s the right decision or not! I guess time will tell

@Bryterlayter1 that’s great news about your results and having a date for the nurse planning appt!

@Momo32 I'm so pleased for you! That's an excellent result!

@PuffinPippin Hope the soreness goes away soon, and fingers crossed for you as well.

Hi ladies, late to the party. Read your original post @LS2020 and we are in a very similar position. Consultation is on 2nd. Not sure what to expect or when that means we will start!

32 and TTC 2+ years.

Wishing you all the best of luck xx

@momo32 aw so pleased for you! How are you feeling now? When Will you next hear from the clinic?

@puffinpippin how are you feeling? Ah why would the clinic ask you something like that after EC?! Don't worry though. Wonder why the sperm was like that today? Were you always planning on ICSI or just IVF? At least you have a mix of both

Well AF started so I rang the clinic this morning and I get my baseline scan tomorrow and pick up the injections etc can't believe it's happening! Not looking forward to having a scan whilst being on AF.. How does that work?!

Welcome @questions2 have you had all of your investigations done by your clinic yet or is it a consultation following referral from your GP? To give you an idea, I had my first appointment with the Fertility clinic in January and had all the investigations done over the last 6 month and am starting treatment now, I feel like it's went quick!

@dogmam we will hear from them tomorrow with the news on how many of the embryos survived the first night. If all goes well, another checkup with the doctor on Thursday/Friday and if all goes well-implantation on Saturday. I'm ok, just spent the whole day sofa-wc-sofa but rest is 100% needed. The lower belly is painful and the breasts are getting tender but apparently that's all normal 🤞🏻

@Questions2 is this your first general fertility clinic appt or have you been referred to the IVF clinic after already having had lots of investigations/tried other things?

My first fertility clinic appt was back in March 2020 but we tried letrozole for PCOS for about 9 cycles, and then was referred onwards to the IVF clinic. The time from having my first appt at the IVF clinic to starting treatment could potentially not have taken very long at all. We just had bloods, a scan, then a nurse planning appt and then had to wait for AF to appear or if not start with norethisterone. As it happens my OH wanted a bit of time before starting.

@dogmam I'm feeling pretty sore - codeine is my friend! We weren't planning ICSI, but hey whatever might increase our chances. we will get a call this morning to find out how many embryos have been fertilised, with more updates later in the week - eek!

@Momo32 🤞🏻 we get some good news on the phone today. That's so exciting that you will hopefully have implantation on Saturday!! :D

@PuffinPippin @dogmam

Hi both,

We were referred to the fertility clinic at the end of 2020. I have hypothyroidism and PCOS and have been treated with metformin but now referred for IVF.

Once you've been referred for IVF it seems to move quickly doesn't it. I can understand wanting some time. It feels overwhelming and we were not expecting this appointment to take place so quickly - more like September or October so we're hoping to try naturally for a little longer as at our last appointment we were told we have good chances of conceiving naturally. Once we have our appointment on Friday I am hoping for some more clarity on timings etc.

@PuffinPippin just read about your EC. Hope you're feeling ok and all goes well!! X

Soooo just got a call from the clinic! 14 out of 18 eggs survived the night 👌🏻 so so happy!