Continued chat of all things IVF, FET & to feel sane...cycle buddies August/September -

[Bluemeadowbaby]

Hey ladies ☺️

A new thread to continue the one we've maxed out from the FET cycle buddies May/June. Anyone wishing to join no matter what stage you're at we're here to support you along the way.

A little background around me - I have a little boy who's 16mo from my second IVF round in 2019. I'm just embarking (restarting after covid setback) on my first FET cycle with the embryos I have in storage in the hope for baby #2 🤞🏼
I have severe endometriosis, hydrosalpinx tubes which have been removed so my only hope is for IVF to work again. It's been a long old journey but if I can give any hope, faith and a tonne of support to anyone who needs it I'm happy to share my story, updates on my cycle and be there to have a general chin wag ☺️

We've got this! ✨ x

That’s really good you found time off useful. For me it was the opposite. I was struggling to get through each day even though I had 2 weeks sick leave as I work as a GP so I felt would be too stressful to carry on working. This time I’ve chatted to my practice manager and plan is I take a few days of leave around the transfer time and then work remotely for 2 weeks instead of doing nothing. I think that might help if I don’t think about things as much. It’s a difficult balance to strike though but I think if it’s going to work it will, nothing you can really do. Yeah we also did a few IuIs, one causes a polyp so that delayed our treatment quite a bit and then covid as well, 2021 was a lot of hurdles but hoping now the ground work has been laid that out remaining embryos deliver some good news! X

Update from me. I went to my NHS appointment and it seems like I will start IVF again (third time lucky???) With my period in Feb. We are looking at mid to end Feb really. There Is a chance they delay it cause they hospital is understaffed.

So given the situation I think I can make a decision about the jobs and most likely I will stay in my current role

@Francesmalin that’s great news sounds like you will be doing it exact time as me then as I’m waiting for around 12th feb for next period to start that’s if this one comes tomorrow! I’m sure everything will still go to plan for us, they can’t make us wait again like at the start of the pandemic. Can’t deal with worrying about staffing levels on top of it all

@Bluehawaii29 I think the time off was good because there were things to do / distractions around Christmas. If I was just off with nothing to distract me I think it would have been different. I would recommend not bothering with fancy diets etc etc as I did feel it just added more stress and meant EVERYTHING became about TTC. This time around I also didn't test early at all - I learnt my lesson with the CP that all early testing does is induce stress

@Francesmalin Sounds like there is a plan :) Keeping everything crossed for this cycle for you!

@2mumlife I’m not sure about you guys but I didn’t telll anyone except obviously my manager and me and my partners parents about the fact we were going through ivf. It kind of helped to reduce the stress of expectations and because a few of my friends who know me well sensed something was up because I literally seemed to go off the face of the planet they kept trying to get it out of me it felt when they would keep asking what I’m up to etc and in the end I just buckled and had to tell them too. So as I was waiting on my own all that time the more people that would find out the more freaked out I became what the result would be. Are there any tips people have for how to get through all those weeks without people becoming suspicious and having to say no to loads of invites for fear someone might think you’re pregnant (eg refusing alcohol when that’s not something you would usually when out with someone)

I’m normally like an open book so I’ve found it really hard to hide this part of my life from everyone

@2mumlife I didn’t really bother with a fancy diet but I do believe it’s good to have warm foods and maybe more nuts and have been trying to have more pomegranate juice lately as well. I try and take the prenatals everyday too. I also normally don’t have Brazil nuts but had heard they were good for implantation after transfer so might take maybe 2-3 a day for those 5 days around transfer time

@bluehawaii29 we had embryo glue for both our transfers. I don't know if it helped or not but both were successful. The first time I just had cyclogest, and this time I had both lubion and cyclogest until 12 weeks. Fingers crossed for you.

Sorry, I should say those were a 5BB and a hatched 6BB.

@SerendipitySunshine aww how amazing is that, thanks for sharing. Good to hear on a rainy Saturday morning! We are on our way to the gym now, trying to get in the best shape for round 2 xx

That's brilliant. I did that this time too, again no idea if it helped but it made me feel fitter and more in control. I had my transfer in August so 23 weeks now. I'm aware loads of it is luck, and there are no magic ways to make it work, but getting myself to a healthy BMI made me feel better.

Definitely makes me feel good so can’t go wrong! Hope you all are having a good weekend x

Hey guys, think I need a bit of a pick me up this morning. So we tried naturally this cycle and I didn’t expect it to be positive or anything but it still hurt seeing that negative this morning especially so early in the new year. Feeling a bit demoralised now and can’t imagine ever seeing a test saying I’m pregnant need some hopeful stories to make me start believing again x

@Bluehawaii29 It was when I'd given up hope I finally got the BFP. Hang on in there, your time is coming

Thanks for your kind message. Trying to hang in there ❤️

@bluehawaii29 I know how you feel - I had four years of negative tests, never even a hint of a line, before IVF. We tried naturally for another four years between cycles, and again, never saw even a hint of a line. I started hating the tests, but still buying them anyway, and hating that I got my hopes up each time.

Yeah It never gets easier seeing the negative result. I guess we just have to trust in the Grand plan. Hopefully some day this will be a distant memory and all worth it

Thanks for your kind messages, feeling better and got myself out of the house with my partner and our lil dog to a nice coffee shop. Was nice walking out in the fresh air. Guess I just have to wait for the nurse appt this weds for the new cycle 🙏🏽

@Bluehawaii29 Glad to hear you got out and felt better. Fingers crossed everything goes well on Wednesday :)

Thanks @2mumlife AF started today which was bang on time so feeling a big release of pressure. Normally get quite anxious the days leading up so that may explain why I was more emotional this weekend. At least now I have a day in mind for when transfer cycle will begin which is exciting hope you had a great start to the week xx

@Bluehawaii29 hope you're feeling a little better now, I don't think it helps natural or assisted the blow is still there and I'm sending a big hug I know how it feels ♥️ the only tips I have is just the same as others - live your life! No matter what you do, that embryo will find its way if it's supposed to. I tried everything I could before ivf when we tried naturally but my endo and blocked tubes were the issue. I then tried everything I could on my first and last cycle to make myself feel as though I'd done all I could, both those cycles didn't work. The cycle with my little boy I thought F this! And did me...I did everything which made me happy, to make me feel sane. I'm a very open book too but when it comes to fertility and going through cycles I become closed off. I find I cope better that way, I let one friend know, my mum and sister in law. They're my safe people. They don't judge, they don't give unwanted advice, they're just present and that's what I need. When it comes to events, I'm not a drinker anyway so everyone knows it's not because I'm pregnant but maybe you could just use the old excuse of "I'm on antibiotics" or that you're doing "dry January". People aren't as suspecting as you think but if you drop hints then of course they'll wonder. Just be yourself 🥰 x

@2mumlife how are you feeling? Sorry for such a delay on replying we've had such a busy one getting back into the swing of work and routine I'm bloomin knackered by the end of the day and have sadly gotten myself into a TikTok scroll of doom 😂🤦🏻‍♀️ I don't even know what TikTok is or how to use it but I find it quite amusing. I'm in that stage of not wanting to use social media for a bit so that's my go to...also while I find something good to watch on Netflix! X

Ladies! I feel like my heart keeps going into my stomach and then into my butt!!! 😳😳😳
I've had my dates through for my FET cycle and it's next bloomin Tuesday!!! I was expecting them to say feb/March but nope! Norethisterone on Thursday, Zoladex next Tuesday, period and then start up patches! 🤢 I feel so sick with excitement and uncertainty! X

@Bluemeadowbaby thanks so much for the advice, that’s great to know that you didn’t do anything special for your successful cycle. I’m planning on being as normal as possible next time. just gonna live my life and got a nice book on kindle to help me with my positivity. Wow that’s exciting your transfer is so soon! wishing you lots of baby dust xxx

Hey Guys! Hope you are all good. Just had my appt for our FET and collected the meds. Just have to take the femadryl injections for 7 days and oestrogen tabs 3times a day from day 1 of next period (12th feb) which could prove a challenge to remember! Then all being well baseline scan 10 days later where we will also talk to the embryologist and transfer date could be as early as end of feb! Eek! can’t believe it’s all lined up again, just booked some leave around that time as need to get in there as quick as I can! xx