IVF September/October 2021

[thislittlebird]

Hi all, I had a search and didn't see a thread for September/October. If there is one already please let me know and I'll join. I'll be starting stims at the end of September/early October with the Lister. I'm pretty terrified tbh, would be happy to hear from anyone else starting around the same time. I'm a first-timer and we'll be having ICSI (possibly IMSI).

@Littlemeadow26 totally understand Re the waiting. It’s like I constantly need to be doing something or working towards something. What’s the scan for?

Next NHS step is aug 31 appointment to find out what’s going to happen next. I might get some private tests done in the meantime but first my ankle needs to heal 😑.

I was just frustrated by the IMSI became more cost. But that’s on the back burner until we find out if the nhs will let us start sooner rather than later.

Yeah, going abroad is very much a cross that bridge when you come to it situ.

I am binging BFN right now and still in the early episodes!

I really want my husband there too. Don’t honestly know how I’m going to deal, they don’t know how bad a patient I am yet. 😐

@RoddyRoo Oh wow, I listened to that one on a dog walk and I was not prepared!! Crying my eyes out alone in the woods was not a good look, haha!!

I know what you mean about disappointing people, particularly family (my mum is absolutely desperate for grandchildren!!) But I'm rubbish at poker face- people would know there was something wrong so I'd rather they knew what was going on. That way you don't feel rude if you say "I just don't want to talk about it today". Do you have any TTC or IVF friends local to you?

@thislittlebird It's just my baseline scan before the treatment starts! But it's the official beginning so I'm just counting down.

I'm glad you have a date for your first appointment! Hoping all moves quickly for you once that happens. Yes I can totally appreciate the added cost but now you're NHS funded you can ask if they will go ahead with IMSI now or not?

You'll really enjoy BFN, it gives you loads of information but it's so relatable...just don't listen if you're having a fragile day! Or make sure you have tissues to hand, haha.

Oh I'm absolutely the worst patient and that's what I'm terrified about! Because the only thing that will keep me calm is having my husband with me and he won't be. So I feel like I'm going to have to apologise to people after for my amateur dramatics 😂 xxx

Oh god, that episode sounds intense, is it recent? I just got to the s1 tww episode and I have mixed feelings. It's not bad, I'm just triggered by the content.

@Littlemeadow26 not long now then! I really hope they say I can start soon when I see them at the end of the month. Not sure if NHS does IMSI? really not sure.

Seriously, I'm awful. I will have a total meltdown with or without my husband. But at least if he's there I might be slightly less distressed. I definitely will have to apologise

@thislittlebird don’t be so hard on yourself, you’ll cope as best as you can given the situation and it’s a situation which most people don’t go through, it’s really tough.

I hope that your husband is able to get nearby or support in some other way xx

@RoddyRoo I hope he is too. It’s all a bit nerve wracking right now.

11 days until I can see the Guys team, hurry up those days. Hate how much of this is wishing time away.

I’ve been feeling really bad about all this the last couple of days. Then today I listened to the episode of bfn where Gabby reveals if she’s pregnant or not and it just floored me. I knew it would be a hard listen having listened to Emma’s tww reveal but it hit me hard, I got very upset and I can’t help but think it will never be me. It hurts a lot to see and hear people getting bfps, and on their first ivf try. I can’t help but think I won’t have that sort of luck, and I don’t know how I’ll deal with the trauma if it keeps failing.

Anyway. I’m just on a downer and don’t really know how to deal with it all today. I tried texting my friend and she just doesn’t get it, her response wasn’t especially helpful because she doesn’t get it. This journey sucks and I just want to get going but it feels like constant limbo.

I have low AMH 0.4 and am looking to start a ICSI cycle in October but have been offered two different protocols and struggling to chose one and hoped for some advice or input if anyone has had a similar protocol.

Protocol 1 is at SERUM
Clomid 50mg x 3 pills per day
Menopure 225 iu ?
Folic acid 5mg per day
Melatonin 2mg per day at bed time

Protocol 2 is at REPROFIT
Menopur 300

Hi @Victoriashope. I don’t think any of us on here have done a cycle before so might not be much use. If you check out the July/August or August/September thread or a thread for second time IVFers there might be some folks around with more knowledge on these things. You’re welcome to stay here too of course since you’re on course for October.

The only thing I do know is Melatonin is supposed to be good for low AMH and for egg quality. Have you read It Starts with the Egg? There’s a chapter on it in there. I would definitely recommend reading it if you haven’t yet.

@thislittlebird I stopped listening to BFN a while ago - I like them both but since I have to pay for all my IVF (DH has adult children which means I am not eligible even though I have no kids) I couldn’t listen to them whining about their free IVF and then came an episode where Gabby had to pay £600 for something and she was in tears etc and I was like ok try paying £15000 love. So yeah, no more BFN 😂
I did like the early episodes and the bits with Tim Child debunking fertility myths are good.

@Gensola Yeah I like them too and they sound fun but I think it can be very triggering to hear that stuff when your situation is very different. I've had to fight tooth and nail for nhs care I'm entitled to, then I tune in and other people are just getting it without the fight in very similar circumstances and it's super hard to hear. And yeah, we're likely going to have to spend ££££ privately too if our first round fails. We were prepared to do that anyway, assuming nhs was not happening for us until recently.

Early eps hooked me in, but late s1 and s2 went way off kilter. A friend on here told me series 3 improved so I did listen to some s3 episodes and they've clearly received criticism on series 2 as they added in a segment with a couple struggling with ttc and considering donor and adoption options, which was definitely an improvement content wise.

In other news, my much anticipated Guys appointment is tomorrow. Got to get all our test results ready and a list of questions.

Hi everyone,

I've just read through your posts and I was hoping I could join?

I'm ahead of you all as I've already had two ivf icsi cylces 😢

A little bit about me. Dh and I have been trying for a bubba for over 2 years.

I may we had our first private ivf cycle with ABC ivf. We have male factor Infertility and have just found out that DH has a varicocele. Below for all parameters.

We unfortunately had zero eggs fertilise so it was basically a waste of £4K!

We have just had ivf round 2 but thankfully 8 eggs fertilised and now have 1 day 3 embryo frozen and another day 5 blastocyst. It was a freeze all cycle so hoping to have my frozen embryo transfer mid - end of October. It will be our first transfer 🤞

Dh does not want anyone to know and I'm feeling extremely suffocated so would be great to be able to speak to others transferring at similar times and maybe even keeping each other sane during the TWW! X

@Prayingforabubba welcome! Sorry to see you hear, sounds like you’re going through a tough time.

So pleased to hear about your fertilised eggs this time around, it must have been very hard for you during the first cycle. Is there anything you done differently during the second round?

Exciting to hear about your transfer in October too. Are you getting yourself prepared between now and then?

It’s so hard isn’t it? We have male factor too and my husband has started telling more people recently which does make it easier - at least people are trying to understand. But it does feel like a really lonely place to be, so even harder when you don’t have a chance to talk about it: I hope you find some comfort here x

@thislittlebird have you got your list all ready for today? What time is your appointment? Will be thinking of you.

We had our DNA frag back - 70% and outside all parameters for successful ICSI. Totally heartbroken. Mr Ramsay wants to re-explore potential small obstruction so off for an MRI tomorrow - don’t know whether it would be good news is there was/wasn’t a blockage. But hopefully some answers before the end of the week.

Hi everyone

We have just booked in with the Lister to start IVF at the end of September/early October. We will be doing PG testing so it’s going to be a long old process for us as they have to freeze all eggs, if they get any!

I have a DD from a previous relationship and since trying over the last year with my husband we have experienced a MC and we just had a TFMR at 23 weeks - hence the need to test embryos. My heart is broken but my husband wants us to try IVF to save the heartache of going through a TFMR again. I carry a gene which is 25% to happen again. It’s been a lot to accept in a short time but at the age of 35 I don’t feel we have time to waste but IVF fills me with fear!!!

We are not going to be telling anyone as I don’t want the additional pressure and as it’s such a long process for us I think we can get away with it. 2 weeks of injections for me, EC, then if they grow to 5 days, testing which takes two weeks, then a month later, IF we have any good ones, a FET. So I am assuming a December FET? Goodness knows!

Best of luck to us all!!!!!!!

Best of luck today @thislittlebird
And hi to everyone else on here 👋
I hope this is a very positive group for us all and equally that none of you lovely ladies mind me jumping in.

Im a week or so ahead of you guys.
This is our first ever dabble with ART and we are doing IVF/ ICSI short protocal.

A bit about me - im 38, OH 40, we have had four consecutive pregnancy losses since we started TTC in April 2019. We actually conceived really quickly each time until my last BFP in May 2020 which ended up ectopic. I then lost my Right tube and during surgery they found alot of endo and also said my left ovary is too high for it to ever be able to connect to my left (only remaining) fallopian tube. Hence we grieved and recovered for a year and now finally feel ready to start Sept IVF privately. And we are now in a good place after a pretty awful time.

So, last night I started my stimming injections. And honestly, let me put everyones mind at ease - they were totally fine, not even a small bit sore or achy or anything! I did them sitting down so I reckon this helped (plenty belly rolls 😁😁) So hope fully this helps someone else on here. While pain is subjective to everyone, please know I am a wimp and I found these absolutely fine!

I am also taking prednisolone and aspirin also. I have never taken so many drugs in my life but 🤞 it will be worth it. I have cut coffee out and am trying my best to be as healthy as I can for these few weeks - iv even read and now stocked up on pomegranate juice!! (Apparently it helps according to Dr Google!)

Best of luck and every best wish to you all on here. Fingers crossed this will be our month. Babydust to all ✨👶💕🌈

Good luck @thislittlebird
I am getting ready for my egg collection tomorrow morning. I have a lot of eggs so worried it will be a freeze all, plus last time I also had a lot of eggs and they were shit quality so the cycle was a failure, so lots of eggs for me doesn’t mean more chance of success.
Trying to distract myself, I find this part the hardest waiting for EC then for fertilisation news then the TWW. Argh.

@Gensola good luck!! X

Hey @Prayingforabubba! Welcome aboard. We have male factor too, it seems very unpredictable. So sorry about none of your eggs fertilising, it really is a horrible outcome. Eight is much better though, and blasts to boot!

Shame your husband doesn't want to be more open. I think it helps me being able to talk about it to people who aren't mu husband. Definitely speak to us!

@Halftime23 I wrote my list and then I left it at home because I'm a wazzock. Oh well, I remembered some of it, it was all a bit of a blur. When you say 70% frag, which of the three was that, the average? Hope the MRI went ok.

@Alwaysworried247 welcome aboard! I'm sort of with the Lister for anything private. We were going to start our first round with them in Sept/Oct but then our NHS funding got approved so we are now going to do that first. How much longer does PGS add? I'll still be here for the Oct-Dec spell, we'll likely need a freeze all. So sorry to hear about your TFMR and miscarriage, I can't imagine how hard that must be.

@ChasingRainbow hi! We're the same ages, my DH will be 40 in November. That's a lot to go through, this ttc lark really sucks. Glad to hear the stimming is going well! Speaking of prednisolone, I realised today I still have moon face from six weeks of it in March/April. Not pleased, I want my face back, I look like a cartoon version of me.

Thanks @Gensola! Good luck for EC tomorrow. What was your first protocol and egg count? I'll update you on my appointment below in another post so you can see why I'm asking. Think Im might get a puppy so I have a friend and a distraction for the next few months. I've been really lonely and down and we've wanted one for a while, but now we know timings it feels like a good time to lose some sleep to training etc.

SO today's appointment update. They said the wait is 2-3 months, which is annoying but fine, I’ve waited two years so I can wait until November (my cycles are the end of the month right now, I'm cd1 today). 2 months takes me to late October, 3 months to late November, so I could be looking at November or December EC and December or January for a transfer which is kinda depressing but here we are. Hopefully the former, rather than the latter, but seems unlikely.

The doctor was nice but it was a weird because I’ve seen three private consultants now, two at the lister and one at Care and all have said they don’t want to overstimulate me and need to get the balance of quality over quantity for me because high AMH and egg reserve.

Anyway, we go in, she does the scan and I have 23 follicles on one side, 15 on the other, I’ve never had 38 before, they’re bloody multiplying 🥴. Then we chat about protocol and she wants to put me on the highest dosage of 300 of something for 9 days because of my age???? I was a bit miffed by that tbh and it panicked me. None of the other docs I saw wanted to do that, they wanted a low-medium dosage, because I had a lot of follicles, and that was at 25 and 28 follicles on scans. Now I have ten more than when they said that and if they all get huge I am going to be unwell.

I raised my OHSS concerns though and she’s going to alter the dose to something lower, I just hope she doesn’t go for rock bottom minimum because there’s clearly an age vs egg reserve balance to be struck here, I don’t want the bare minimum and then I don’t respond, and I don’t want the max and I over respond. Came away a little stressed and will wait to see what they say the plan is in the letter.

Thinking I might ask the Lister for a monitored cycle of Letrozole next month in case that works while we wait. Day 1 of my cycle today so I can’t start this month, missed the boat.

@thislittlebird My first protocol I was on 150 menopur and fyremadel. Triggered on 375 Ovitrelle. I had 30 + follicles and got 25 eggs, 22 mature and was forced to have a freeze all cycle due to covid rules. Only 11 fertilised, 7 made it to day 3 and only 2 made it to day 5. One was very good quality and one was fine, I had 2 FETs both failed.

This time I am on 112.5 Menopur and fyremadel. Trigger was 250 Ovitrelle. She could see 25 follicles on Monday so I assume there are more/more will have grown. I really wanted a fresh transfer so hoping not all follicles have eggs in.

They didn't really have an explanation for why we had such a terrible drop off - they said that the shells on my eggs were really hard so even with ICSI it was hard to fertilise them. DH has had a vasectomy and is 55 so there is probably a quality issue with the sperm - it had to be surgically removed and frozen.

If this cycle doesn't work for us we will have to go abroad for financial reasons.

Hi all,

I am also in the same boat as everyone else here. I am 38, TTC for almost 3 years, unexplained infertility. I did one round of IVF last year and I ended up with one blast and a chemical pregnancy just before Christmas.

This august I did a second round, changed a bit the meds so now we have 2 little dots in the freezer (1×day 3 and 1×day 5). We couldn't transfer due to risk of OHSS. We should do a transfer on natural cycle in the coming weeks if the lining is good (I do have issues with thin lining). Also, this transfer I will be doing intralipids, clexane and prednisone. My doc is not a fan of nk cells theory, but she will do eveything to get me pregnant

I wish you girls good luck and all the best! May all our dreams come true!

Thank you all for such a warm welcome x

@Halftime23 so sorry to hear about your dna fragmentation results. We never had ours done but I suspect it would have been pretty awful as no eggs fertilised our first round. Our urologist suggested proxeed plus- we didn't end up buying it as he was taking a lot of the vitamins which were included. We just added the lcarnitine and acetyl lcarnitine and lycopene . We did end up getting some eggs fertilise the following round so maybe something to look into if your partner isn't already taking it?

@Alwaysworried247 so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. I cannot imagine how hard that must have been. IVF can be so isolating so I'm glad you have been able to join this chat. I've had two retrieval's and I too was terrified, it's honestly not too bad. A rollercoaster of emotions but the physical part of it was fine xx for me anyway x

@ChasingRainbow did your doctor prescribe prednisolone? If so , can I ask why? I've take it before but only when I've had an awful asthma flare up.

@Gensola goodluck for your egg retrieval. I found the wait for the fertilisation report and blastocyst updates awful . IVF has taught me patience and I'm the most impatient person.

12 eggs collected - I had 25 follicles so it was a surprise so many were empty. Hope they are better quality than last time, also hope we actually get something to transfer, worried as last time they got 22 mature eggs and I only ended up with 2 embryos. Argh!

@Gensola 12 is good though, you’re in with a shot. Some women with high AFC/AMH do go for mild stims and get good results, fingers crossed! Remind me of your age? With your DH’s vasectomy did you have ICSI both times?

I’m worried some of mine will be empty since they’re so numerous, it’s such a pot luck thing sometimes.

@Prayingforabubba yeah my DH has had an improvement on impryl, it definitely can help.

I’m going to ring the Lister shortly and ask if I can start a monitored Letrozole cycle. Let’s hope it’s not too late, today is day 2 and I’ve read to can start on cd3.

@thislittlebird I’m 35 and DH 55, we had ICSI last time too. We did get two good quality embryos but neither stuck. Worried if we get the same drop off this time we won’t have anything to work with!
My AMH was 39 I think. I have a high egg reserve but last time they weren’t good quality - maybe this time fewer eggs will be better quality.

@thislittlebird I think the PG-S testing takes two weeks from day 5, then we have to meet the consultant discuss the results and plan the FET, assuming the following month? I am hoping for a natural FET but will do whatever they suggest so probably late Nov or Dec transfer. Currently still waiting for my period following the TFMR and then we can start the following month. I was told yesterday I only have a 5% chance of reoccurrence so we will keep trying naturally too. Pleased you have NHS funding now! Seems we will be in time :)

@Prayingforabubba thank you, hardest year of my life but hoping we can end on a good note 🤞

@Gensola wow, that was quick this morning! How are you feeling? 12 sounds like a good number! So have everything crossed for you over the next 5 days. Are EC usually that early in the day? Trying to get my head around the timings for IVF as our clinic is in London and we live at least an hour outside…going to be fun driving up there so much!