Anyone doing IVF at 40+ pt 2

[lucymills1234]

Setting up a new thread as the old one was nearly at the limit.

@Anxiousbuthopeful
@Islandstars
@Woodcottage1
@Unicorn9
@SerenditySunshine

Hi @lucymills1234 - so lovely to hear from you and fingers crossed for this round! Which clinic are you with?

Hi @lucymills1234

Welcome back. Sorry you have had such a difficult journey, with the clinic making errors along the way.

Really hope this cycle works out for you.

It is looking like I will be booked for EC next week so we will be similar timings?!

Hi all, keeping everything crossed for you @lucymills1234.

I just had my FET yesterday. This was our last embryo and the last time we will try at all. It was much more crampy than the previous two and the consultant had to use a different catheter because the top of my cervix was hard to pass through. I don’t know if my bladder was too full. And I could see blood on the catheter that she couldn’t get through I had cramps for a while afterwards. And now not feeling much, I don’t think, but trying not to symptom spot.

I was feeling so positive until all of this happened, now I’m in tears tucked under a duvet in the dark. It will be such a long TWW, I don’t know how I will get through it.

@Hopeful199 good luck for tomorrow

@lucymills1234 welcome back. I have been following your journey on this thread. I really hope you are successful this time round.

@BegoniaGal7 how are you feeling today? I'm sorry you're feeling so upset. It's understandable. It's so hard isn't it? I hope today is an easier day for you.

There was another pregnancy announcement at work on Friday. I was happy for them but just adds a little bit more to the feeling of personal sorrow. Also it was another, ' we only did it the once and it worked!' I was thinking....7 years and doing it every other day....we must be doing it wrong haha!! I should ask her for tips lol.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone xx

Hi all, if anyone wants to private message me and then talk on the phone for support I'd be happy with that. I live in the London area so I could even meet at some point going forward once I have got to know someone if anyone wanted to. Just don't want anyone to feel alone. Xx

Anyone got any experience of covid impacting treatment?

Feeling so sad and frustrated today as my husband and son have tested positive on LFT this morning. I have been having aches and sore throat this week and also been testing…. So far I’m negative but looks like that may change quite shortly! Am so so gutted.

Does anyone know what happens If he is positive but I manage to stay negative? I was due my final scan before trigger tomorrow but now obviously that may well be screwed.

All the options are flying round my head but I have no idea if they are actually options??

• could I take a sample in for him to use?
• would they even let me progress knowing someone in the household has it
• would they collect and freeze the eggs only? If so can they defrost to fertilise and then refreeze or does that mess things up??
• how long have people had to wait before trying again?

Can’t believe we got this far along the process after so long long of trying to not even then have a chance of an actual pregnancy sad

Any advice gratefully received

Hi @Hopeful199 I'm unsure of answers but:

I think you could take your husband sample in if you live close by. How far from the clinic do you live?

May I ask whether you are vaccinated? I work in a hospital and potentially this could change the outcome as to whether they retrieve your eggs. Are you able to isolate away from your family? Use a different bathroom etc? I know that's hard but if you are double vaccinated and say you are isolating away from the family (you would have to do this though for at least 3 days) and have a negative PCR that might be ok. Which clinic are you at?

I think potentially you can freeze your eggs and then freeze the embryos once created (I'm not certain though so someone else night know) but at our age I don't think egg freezing is highly recommended. Embryo freezing is alot better but if that's the only option at this point then why not.

Aren't there options of back to back cycles. Once you have egg collection they start you on down regulation straight away? I'm sure my doctor mentioned this as I asked this question as I want to do back to back cycles. Are you private or NHS? NHS might not allow this though.

Sorry I can't help anymore and I don't have definae answers. Just trying to share a little info that I have xx

Thanks @Prayingforamiracle21 i appreciate the reply

Yes I am treble vaccinated and it is a privately funded cycle at kings

I can get to the clinic within 45 minutes so not miles away

Just feel so frustrated that this could end before it has started. Every month feels like time ticking and I already had to have extended down reg.

Im trying to remain calm but al the moment just want to scream/ cry/ rant........

@Hopeful199 Hope you made it today 🤞🏻

@Prayingforamiracle21@LuckyNovember thank you for the replies

It has been an emotional day today!

They agreed to scan me (but only because I was treble jabbed) and confirmed all looked good to go. There were options put forward (cancel altogether / eggs only/ trigger and try naturally / use a sample). They case conferenced it this afternoon and have agreed that I can go ahead with the cycle using a sample from my husband, but only if I continue to test negatively. So I am currently living in one room in my house and hoping the LFT stays negative!

Not the ideal circumstance (haven't quite worked out the logistics yet!) but very grateful not to have it completely cancelled at this stage and at least have a chance of using the eggs iv grown since Christmas!!

They said they are constantly reviewing the covid guidelines based on the relaxation of rules generally and are reviewing cases on an individual basis. I’m so grateful and relieved 🙏 Fingers crossed there is a golden one in there somewhere!?

I had my EC today. After the covid drama earlier in the week, they thankfully let me take a sample in from my husband and use that (super grateful to my consultant for making that happen!) They got 7 eggs. Not amazing numbers but the upper end of what they expected based on my follicles so I can’t really ask for more than that. Now I wait!

Just did my first progesterone pessary and seemed to lose it somehow?! Fingers crossed it has gone in far enough to do its thing!!!

Now milking it for today with Netflix in bed and waiting for my fish finger dinner 😄

Hope everyone else is doing well this week!

Ah that's a great outcome @Hopeful199 🙌🏻 and a super number!

We got 6 last week and this morning had 3 early blasts; one on board, one still under watch until day 6, and one that went a bit wrong sometime between our call this morning and arriving at the clinic 😂

(I think the pessaries are my LeASt favourite bit of all this, which is really saying something! Invest in pantie liners 🤦🏻‍♀️)

@BegoniaGal7 Hope things are looking bit brighter now... as long as there's Hope, there's hope y

Ahh great news @LuckyNovember fingers crossed that embie is growing nicely in there!!!

I’m thinking of asking for a progesterone blood test at transfer. I’m sure my hormones are not right on a normal cycle as get spotting etc. Just in case I need to top up?!

Yes @BegoniaGal7, hope you are feeling more positive today and everything is growing as
It should. Everything crossed for you!

@Hopeful199, I’m so happy your clinic could accommodate your situation! Not at all a bad number, now just to wait for Fertilisation report!

@LuckyNovember: brilliant news, congrats on being PUPO. How are you feeling?

Thanks for the kinds words and support. Honestly it’s such a rollercoaster. Had awful cramping on Sunday (2dp5dt), a bit of blood stained discharged Monday. Tuesday was functional enough to go to work but yesterday I was back in bed in tears but no symptoms, besides a bit of cramping when I popped to the shop. The cramps Sunday felt like my miscarriages so I can’t imagine we’ve been successful. And had a negative test yesterday (5dp5dt) so not feeling too optimistic. Dreamt all night about getting BFPs so even my subconscious is grasping at straws here!

Keeping my fingers crossed for everyone else here!

Hi @Anxiousbuthopeful how are you? Congratulations on your amazing news! Hope all is well x

Thanks everyone for the welcome backs. Another go on the merry-go-round!

@BegoniaGal7 the blood-stained discharge 3dp5dt need not be a bad thing. Likewise the cramps on Sunday, because the embryo would have only just implanted so it's probably too early to get miscarriage pain, if that makes sense? I'm not trying to give you false hope (I've had 5 transfers, one chemical, so I know nothing other people can tell you will put your mind at rest) but I would say give it a few more days to test again, then you'll know for sure. I get how hard it is to wait it out but if you test on day 8 or 9 you'll have a clearer picture.

@LuckyNovember congrats on your transfer and fingers crossed for one to freeze as well!

I had a scan yesterday, stims day 8 (that's the first stims scan my clinic does). Things are looking positive, they measured 12 follicles all above 9mm, largest was 14.5 and there's 8 around the 11/12 mark and I think they like to see them growing at an equal pace like that. There's a few others below 9mm but unlikely they'll catch up. Another scan tomorrow and hopefully they'll say EC on Monday.

At my age (42) I know I'm really lucky to have 12 follicles - especially as that's all from one ovary! But I find it so hard that despite responding well I can never get over that final hurdle.... trying to stay positive but self-preservation mode kicks in to say don't get too excited, you've been here before and it's not worked :( I need to perk myself up!

Hello @lucymills1234 - 12 follicles above 9mm at day 8 sounds amazing! When is your next scan?

I had a hectic week. Got scanned (in a terrible place) on Monday and told no heartbeat. Went for a check up at the local hospital on Tuesday where they found a heartbeat but embryo was only measuring 3.2CRL which would put me about a week behind. Not IVF this time so dates could be a bit out but I tend to ovulate early rather than late so….

Trying not to think ahead and get too stressed but this is starting to get to me!

Aaaand two of my dearest and oldest friends who just started trying this month just texted me a photo of their positive test. I wouldn’t wish the torture of IF on anyone, but bloody hell, universe! Does it have to be whilst I’m in the midst of an agonising and not especially hopeful TWW

Sorry to clog up the thread but can’t really say this anywhere else…

@BegoniaGal7 That's rough, it's so hard to manage those mixed feelings when you want to be happy for them but of course it's just so unfair that it always seems to be the turn of someone else.
I really hope that you will have a good outcome. I like to remind myself that between the stress of the whole process and all the hormones, my emotions are not very reliable these days and I won't always feel like this...
I'm not a medical professional, but for what it's worth I do think you pick something up if you TTC for long enough; pretty sure those early cramps couldn't have been a miscarriage that soon, seems more likely it was just your poor cervix feeling a bit sorry for herself after that ordeal... look after yourself for the next few days x

@Anxiousbuthopeful Your name says it all!! Really hoping that everything will go in the right direction for you!!

@lucymills1234 a dozen follicles! Wow! That's must bode well 😊

All good here; taking it pretty easy and trying very hard not to think about it... I'm looking for that elusive balance between remaining positive and not rising expectations and ending up too disappointed.... this was our first cycle, so I'm trying to think of it as a treatment series of three cycles, and we've only just started. It helps me... for now... might backfire massively by the time we get to round 3 🤦🏻‍♀️ the day 6 blast wasn't good enough to freeze, so the one on board is our only shot from this round, blood test scheduled for 11.02 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

@LuckyNovember: thank you for your optimism! Yes, I reckon that would have been too early for miscarriage, but it was so painful I can’t imagine anything went well! But you’re right, it’s such a flood of emotions we must try to just carry on. I have found a fertility meditation on your tube that is helping me stay calm!

I am in awe of your calm and it seems completely reasonable to consider yourself at the beginning of a three cycle plan. It really is a marathon and any wins sooner are ideal but not necessarily expected. I imagine that will help you keep a cool head as you progress each day! Have everything crossed for you 🤞🤞🤞

Hi @Anxiousbuthopeful so sorry to hear that things are not smoother for you. That must be awful to be told no heartbeat but so glad you got a second opinion! What happens next? Do you go back for another scan/check soon?

@BegoniaGal7 getting news of other people's positives is really tough and I don't think there's any magic solution to deal with that, unfortunately. All you can do is keep remembering that everyone's life story is different in many many ways and fertility is one of them. Life doesn't dollop out exactly the same experience for everyone, for better or worse! As LuckyNovember said, I think your cramps were too early for miscarriage so hang in there.

@LuckyNovember that's a good way to think of this being your first round. I am on round 4 and I hope you have success before this but I have learnt that it's a marathon... If I'd not had a chemical along the way I may have given up by now but to come so close and yet so far...

I am in the same battle with my emotions of wanting to be positive but not too positive - it's a nightmare. For now, all I know is that 12 follicles is good and it's a day at a time...

Hi all, hope you don't mind me joining the thread. I'm 41 and 1/2 (funny how we've gone back to telling our ages in fractions like we did as children, isn't it? ) and my DH is 48. We did 3 unsuccessful ICSI/PGS rounds in Ireland. Late last year, we found out my hubby's DNA fragmentation is really high, so went to see Dr Ramsay in UK and a local Irish Urologist and he's undergoing treatment for it. Now, we are thinking of going abroad, likely Spain for our next 2-3 cycles. I've just started acupuncture (first try - not so sure about it) and will be flying to Spain for requires pre-tests and first visit to clinic to check it out before we sign on the dotted line.
Wishing those of you on your 2ww luck - we never got that far in 3 rounds, so remember you at least get that chance, even if it's a miserable wait.