Care Fertility Chester - just been referred

[ChristmasJumpers]

Me and Dh have been referred to Care Fertility in Chester for IVF. I'm 30, DH 27 and we're diagnosed with unexplained infertility after completing all of our tests at RPH.

We don't have an appointment date yet but apparently should get an appointment within 6-8 weeks.

Has anyone else been referred for treatment recently or is at roughly the same stage of diagnosis/waiting to see a clinic? It would be really nice to start the journey with others who are in a similar situation.

I've been reading IVF boards but it is blowing my mind reading about down regs/stims/egg collection etc. while we're still waiting for our first appointment!

Thank you @Spurds 💐 it's very hard and yes I agree some staff can be a bit blasé about it because it's their job, whereas for us it can be an incredibly intense mix of all our hopes and fears.

Oh yes the limbo. Unfortunately I remember it well. If you had Mr Wood for your consult he will likely have written the protocol (that seems to be how it works). He's absolutely lovely IRL. Just the nicest man. I felt horribly vulnerable and emotional through the whole thing, but I found him incredibly respectful in the treatment room. His bedside manner is really impeccable.

They tend to do swabs and scans at the Wellness Centre, but that would usually be made clear to you. Definitely ring to check. Sometimes the nurses do not communicate things clearly enough.

They had changed their policy for progesterone during our time with them (I remember seeing a post about progesterone). They told us in January they had someone doing a PhD in progesterone and IVF with them and the findings showed the optimum is 1 x Lubion injection and 1 x cyclogest 400mg per day. That might have changed, but that's what they were working on in January.

I'm glad it was ok for me to pop in. I saw the thread in my Watching list (christ I'm struggling with the new format) and just wanted to share certain things from my experience x

Hi I have just started my journey,
partner is having his analysis tomorrow and we will be speaking to consultant next week.

Hi all, I just took my last lot of Norethisterone yesterday so providing I start a bleed by Sunday, I'll be starting injections on Monday.

@curbsideprophet congratulations!! I am so so happy for you!! I know you've had such a long journey, I remember following your journey through other threads.

I think I may need to call up the clinic and find out who put my protocol together. Our online consultation was with Mr Haddad but my last blood forms were signed by Mr Wood so I've really no idea. I have found exactly the same with the nurses, so hit and miss and all give very different answers to the same question.

I really would feel much better with a baseline scan and still don't understand why I'm not having one other than "it won't tell us anything". I've only had two scans in the process of diagnosing infertility and neither time has anything been explained to me. My diagnosis was unexplained infertility but Mr Haddad said almost certainly PCOS due to an AMH of 61.8. He said I'm likely to get OHSS and need a freeze all however I've been given a hCG trigger injection which I've since read can be bad for OHSS...

Such a minefield and most times I call the clinic I feel like I've bothered them asking silly questions and come away not feeling like I got any real answers

Sorry to unload all of this! I've never felt anxiety like this, we will not be able to afford a second round for a long time if this doesn't work 😞

@ChristmasJumpers it sounds like because you have a high AMH the baseline probably won't tell them anything they don't already know, as in you have lots of follicles so should get a lot of eggs. I think they always put the hcg trigger on protocol then on your last scan they decide whether they need to change it to buselerin...they would hope the meds dose they've worked out for you means OHSS shouldn't happen but in case you body is super responsive then they will change it. I know it seems so cold and like nobody there is really interested in explaining things to you fully (that's definitely how I felt on my first cycle) but hard as it is you just have to put your trust in them.
What meds and dosage are you on? I think mr haddad does the protocols.

@Spurds oh my gosh, it sounds like we are at a very similar part of the journey. I has swabs and bloods done on the 20th April. We have been watching the patient education videos and just need to sign consent forms now (doing this tonight). Let me know how you get on, I’m getting quite nervous now as it’s all beginning to feel very real.

@Ind1e04 so we've already done our education stuff on the portal... unless there's more to to after this swabs and scan appointment 🥴

Have they not given you a month to call with your first day of period? 😭 Simon wood told us (and put it in the letter) that we have to start treatment in the 3 months following swabs and scans so that's some sort of timeline I guess.

@CurbsideProphet I called them today, they confirmed the wellness centre at 8.30am for the scan so at least I know that now ha! Surprised they didn't issue a letter or instructions on the portal like!

@Ind1e04 I've just looked back at our messages and we really are in a similar spot 🥰🥰 I think we both said we had been trying for the same amount of time too ❤

Help!! Can anyone tell me where DH should be going tomorrow to provide a sample? He only has to do a sample because its been over a year since his last one, no other procedures/rests being done. I can't remember if he's going to the clinic or hospital and the portal doesn't say

I don't know the answer, but my partner only ever went to the hospital (twice).

@Holskey thank you 😊

I had my baseline scan/swabs and virals appointment last week, they've given us June as our month and I'm due on on the 1st so just 3 weeks before I get to make that call and have the meds delivered. 🥰

How's everyone else getting on?

@Spurds great news! Lots has been happening over here. I have just had my final stims scan and will trigger at midnight tonight ready for egg collection on Friday.

Unfortunately I have over responded so it will be a freeze all for me and triggering with a none HCG trigger. they counted 72 follicles between 10-26mm in size so I just have to hope now that there are some good quality eggs in there.

Wow 72, you must be feeling it ALL! How are you? Everything crossed that you get some top notch eggs, you'd expect to have at least a few with those number 🥰

How did you find stims? ❤️

Massive good luck for collection!!!

@Spurds thank you! I've felt a bit of discomfort but it's really not been so bad 😊

Hi gang, a quick update from me post egg collection.
From 72 follicles they collected 25 eggs. I went out like a light for the procedure but came back around in so much pain! I probably scared the other women to death as I woke up shouting out!
The nurses, doctors and anesthetist were all so so lovely, I got a bit teary before the procedure as my fear of needles has stuck around and I was scared of feeling the procedure too. They looked after me so well 🥰
Codeine, Bourbons and hot choc went down very well too

Oh 25 is such a good number!!! How are you feeling today?

Did you pay for care maps to keep an eye on them or are you just waiting it out?

@Spurds we didn't pay for care maps so just have to wait

Unfortunately we've had some bad news from the clinic already. Out of 25 eggs, 7 have fertilised but the lab dont think they look like they're going to make it and be freezable and said to prepare for bad news on Wednesday 😞
I am just absolutely shattered, still very sore and can't even cry because it hurts to take a deep breath.

As per Care's policy, they won't check them again now until Wednesday so its going to be a long wait

Ow bub, I'm so sorry to hear this.

I know there's nothing I can say to make you feel better just now, you're in my thoughts ❤️ sending you lots of healing vibes and holding on to tightly crossed fingers for a strong little embaby to possibly make its appearance on Wednesday, we all know little miracles can happen.

Xxx

Somebody please put my mind at rest. Although we don't have any news yet (and won't until Wednesday) about our embryos, I've just had a call from the clinic to arrange a "follow up" phone appointment with a consultant. It's been arranged for 3rd June.

Is this normal? I thought follow up apts we're only for after failed IVF to discuss what went wrong? Or could it be for the next steps as we're having a freeze all cycle?

I'm in this Friday for a scan to check that everything has settled following EC so it's not that. I'm worried they've written off my cycle as they don't think we'll get any blasts in the freezer 🙁

@ChristmasJumpers this thread is still in my "Watching" list and I noticed your post. Yes when it comes to frozen embryo cycles a conversation is needed with a Consultant to discuss when to go ahead with the cycle and what medication and monitoring is planned. I'm genuinely thinking of you today 💐 I found the 5 days after my egg collections just awful.

@CurbsideProphet thank you so much, I've been really panicking that they've set up a next steps apt because they are sure these embryos won't make it. It's a relief to know they'd have put the apt in either way 😊

I am slowly losing my mind this week, tomorrow will be a relief to know either way so we can at least get out of this limbo!!

Hi all, quick update from me. Yesterday we found out that one of our embryos had made it to blast and good enough to freeze 🥰 one was behind but might have made it today. We've had the update today and unfortunately it is just the one blastocyst for us but one is all we need 🤞 it's been graded 1.2 which I'm so happy with, up from 2.2 when we spoke to the lab yesterday

@ChristmasJumpers what a rollercoaster! As I was catching up with the weeks posts I was hoping for some good news for you, i am thinking of you. keeping my fingers crossed you and hope you had some good news today. I also hope you’re feeling better and recovering well after your collection.

@Spurds ooo good luck. I made the call last week and they phoned today to say about delivery of meds. I have a call next week to go through protocol and then I guess this is it. All this waiting and it seems like everything now is go, go, go! Crazy. Very nervous but can’t believe it’s actually here. Keep me updated, it’s not long now for you.

@Ind1e04 thanks so much for your messages of support in the last few days 🥰 we only got the one blast in the freezer in the end but it did manage to go from a 2.2 grade up to a 1.2!

Care have their own grading system - each number is out of 3 with the first number relating the the inner cells which become the baby and the second number relating to the outer cells which become the placenta.

@Spurs & @Ind1e04 so exciting that you'll be starting soon!!! Have you had your nurse planning call yet to go through your protocol?

@ChristmasJumpers I'm so chuffed you've got that strong little one, I have such a good feeling about it for you! 🥰🥰

So I'm going to be calling them on the 1st June as that's my next day 1. All I know at the minute is that I'll be starting what I assume is norethisterone on day 16 (so the 16th June) and that Im on a short protocol. I did hope that I'd have more details on the protocol available to me much before this but it doesn't seem like they do that?

I'm just going to kinda let this first round happen as they advise then if it goes horribly wrong I'll be much louder about the second go. 🤣 I'm just happy to be here ha!

I almost bought some little baby booties yesterday as a positive affirmation type situation but the hubby said it might be an omen 🤣 sods law is the rule in our house so I agreed and didn't buy them 🤣

@Ind1e04 do you know if you're on long or short protocol? there's going to be just a couple of weeks between us all being well 🥲❤️