IVF/FET October/November 21

[2021babyhope]

I think I'm a bit early on some of the other threads so starting one for October/November 😊

1st fresh cycle in august ended in CP.

Booked for follow up consultation 30th September so hopefully I'll be able to transfer late October early November 🤞🏼

5 frozen blasts. Hoping to transfer 2 this time round but I'm not sure they'll let me 😬

So I have a bit of a headfuck update. Thanks all for thinking of me and being so kind ❤️ we went straight to the epu after my ivf scan, report in hand. They kindly said they'd get me in for a scan. They did see a 5mm foetal pole and cardiac activity. They didn't easily see the yolk sac though, so are very cautious. At one point they thought they did and we had 4 nurses in there at one point all looking. I'm measuring 6+0 and I should be 6+2. Definitely not out of the woods yet and I'm back on 22 November for a rescan. We're both just completely shell-shocked. I do have a retroverted uterus, so perhaps they were just hiding. Sorry not to tag everyone ❤️ x

Oh wow @VenusStarr! Cautiously it sounds like good news. Wishing you all the best

@VenusStarr sounds like you might have a little fighter there - really hope you do and sending strength for your next scan ♥️

@MrsC2018 I'm on day 2 and getting more tired each day! Oh gosh there might be weeks of it

@VenusStarr I’m so sorry to hear about your gruelling day but it does sound like there is hope now. ❤️ You must be absolutely exhausted.

I’m finding the progesterone hard going, I am so drained and naturally it’s the busiest three weeks for me at work. Looking forward to transfer on Tues and hoping both my little Frosties survive the thaw!

The progesterone is killing me. I'm so constipated. I got some fybogel today. I always think it takes around a week on it to get full symptoms. My boobs hurt too. I hate it.

@VenusStarr 🤞🤞🤞🤞

@paintfairy I feel you. Ironically I’m so bloated I look pregnant 💀

@Gensola 6 months over here. 🤣🤣🤣

@VenusStarr I've always found the wait from BFP to scan harder than the 2WW. Fingers crossed you've got a little fighter there.

I can't believe some clinics do EC with just paracetamol - I was completely out of it and thankful for that!

@CycleGirl20 I'm exhausted all the time, which I think is the progesterone, and then starving all the time thanks to the prednisolone.

I got a FRER for OTD on Monday - I'm so tempted to use it tomorrow though. Going to try and resist!

Hi ladies, hope you don’t mind me hopping on the thread. I’ve found you after doing a google search for bourn hall, and a few of you mentioned you were having treatment there.

I’m also at BH Norwich but have been given the choice to have EC at Norwich under sedation, or a GA at Cambridge. The kicker is that I’d have to have all my scans at Cambridge too which makes our journey three times as long. They’ve given me the GA option as I have endo and may find EC more painful than usual. I did find the ultrasound scan uncomfortable, and the sonographer needed to press on my tummy to see the right ovary so wondering if it may be a bit tricky to reach.

Is EC at Norwich really awful or bearable? I need to decide and let them know on Monday.

We also did the initial consent forms on their portal, but at the first consultation were told we’d be receiving some more. Are the second lot normally done nearer the treatment time or has something gone amiss if we haven’t had them yet?

Will have a read through the thread and catch up on all your stories. I hope everyone who is cycling now is holding up ok, and that the waiting isn’t too tough for those who’ve had their transfers.

@VenusStarr although I appreciate the next week is going to be a bitch for you, it's a lot more positive than it was first scan. Stay strong, easy for me to say, but you really do seem to have a little fighter there, your gonna need a warrior name for that one ;-)

@GodspeedJune EC wasn't great, but I honestly would do that over GA any time. I had to wait ages to been seen as I was high risk OHSS, but if not I would have been changed and out the door within minutes, the recovery was way easier than GA. Pain management wise, it did make me groan for like 2 or 3 seconds, but once you get the hang of it was over with so quickly. It's definitely bearable though, and my left ovary was hard for them to access too. Maybe worth asking them if they think access will be difficult as they should be checking that at early scans. If in doubt with any consents please do call them, their admin is majorly lacking. I really cannot remember when we got ours, I believe you get some initially, then some when the treatment plan is agreed, but don't quote me on that, defo best to call. I'm norwich too, and they are always great when you are there, just lacking communication when you're not- be prepared to be the one doing all the chasing. Any ideas on when you are due to start? X

@GodspeedJune what do they use? GA does seem overkill. But if it was that or paracetamol alone, then I'd opt for the GA!

My clinic gave IV paracetamol prior. Then fentanyl when I went in and I had concious sedation (midazolam) too. Before leaving theatre they gave my voltarol by injection in the bum.
I can honestly say the whole thing was fine. I felt 2 pains where I reacted but it was really fast and not that bad, and I am sure you drift out of consciousness. It felt like I was in there 2 minutes, but i felt like I was awake the whole time. Yet I couldn't have been.
When I came out after I asked about my voltarol, as I assumed you have it after coming out, and she was like- you had it. I have no recollection of it at all. 🤣 I would happily do it again tomorrow if it went like that.

@VenusStarr oh I'm so sorry to hear it didn't go to plan. There is still hope and I've for everyone crossed for you. Try and look after yourself and keep talking to us on here. We are rooting for you xx

Sounds like you've had a really tough day @VenusStarr - will be keeping everything crossed for you on the 22nd.

Thank you @Ivfnewbie1 - I've felt surprisingly calm today, don't know if it's because I've accepted it's not happened or something but just want to know either way now. I'm pleased you haven't had any more spotting - when are you testing?

Keeping everything crossed for your two little embryos too @TheSnufflet - you're totally right, we all go through so much just for the chance at getting a baby. Would be a darn sight easier if there was a guarantee wouldn't it! Xxx

Thanks for the reply ExhaustedPigeon1988 (love the name). Really helpful to hear how you found EC at Norwich. I hope I’d get through it too. They don’t seem to ever answer the nurse line, or at least not when I try. Not great if someone had an urgent issue or question. Thanks for the heads up about their admin, I’ll chase up the forms. We had our treatment plan at the beginning of November and she mentioned the forms then so I’ll get on to it on Monday.

I’m expecting CD1 next week but the treatment plan mentions using the pill so not sure how all the timings will work out. Then onto buserelin on CD19. Bit hesitant they’re going too hard on my ovaries as I have low AMH but what do I know 🤷‍♀️ Sorry to read up thread you’ve felt so rubbish on the buserelin. That must be so distracting and hard to manage, especially at work.

Paintfairy Thanks for your reply also. The nurse said on the phone that they use the same combo - midazolam and fentanyl. Gas & air available too apparently. My biggest fear would be being aware and feeling them poking around but too drugged up to react. Really glad you didn’t find it too bad. It’s crazy how time lapses while you’re under sedation/ GA isn’t it?

@GodspeedJune that was my exact concern too. But it makes you feel drunk and out of it, so you would never feel pain but can't react. You'd either feel pain and can react or you'd be oblivious. There wouldn't be an in-between. They gave me 1 hit without saying and it suddenly thought god I feel funny and couldn't focus on what they were saying to me. Like when you are drunk but not hammered. He then asked after a minute if I felt it and I said yeah I feel a bit odd. He then whacked me with more and I was well away after that. 🤣

At both my egg collections I had IV sedation and I don’t remember a thing, I was also pleasantly out of it for the whole day … I think I could easily get addicted to the stuff I then had IV sedation for fairly major leg surgery and similarly didn’t wake up or feel anything. If we go again after this round I would make sure our new clinic does IV.

I feel like I missed out having a general anaesthetic!

@Gensola same! Good job you can't buy it..... 🤣

@SunshineAndScience I’m glad you’re ok, let me know how today goes, i have everything crossed for you 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 No more spotting for me, few twinges and sharp short pains every now and then. Other than that all symptoms seem to have gone now 😞 test day is Tuesday for me xxx

Good luck @SunshineAndScience 🤞

I've woken up really early (because I had to go to bed early from progesterone tiredness and not drinking) to find DH has finished the last of the nice gin from holiday! 😭 It seems really unfair that at a time we could all use a wine, wine and gin aren't recommended. I think it's worse because I feel I ought to avoid crowded bars and pubs even for a lemonade in case I catch covid and my transfer gets cancelled.

Hey, tested again this morning using a digital test and a normal and both were negative. Don't know why I ever expected anything different - but I just thought after 8 years of it all we'd get a break. Eugh. It's so shitty isn't it! Thank you to those that checked in 😘 xxx

@SunshineAndScience awww hun I’m so sorry 😢 it is so shitty! Nothing is easy for us!! Big hugs to you today xxxxx

@GodspeedJune no probs at all, we are all here to help each other, it's scary but so exciting too, IVF is our only hope and know natural is out of the question, so even the smallest percentage of success is better than natural lol. The drugs have really done me in this time, I think mainly because it's such a long protocol for us this time. As for the EC, your fear was exactly the same as mine. I am not great at being out of control, and the thought of feeling everything but being unable to move scared the living hell out of me. I think next time I would ask about the IV being in my hand or anywhere that wasn't in my elbow, as I had that on my right and the blood pressure monitor on my left, because of this I found it difficult to move either arms. With the sedation, as they administered it I had about 5-10 seconds of blurred vision, then after that everything felt completely normal, as soon as they finished I sat up and hopped off the couch, much to the nurses horror lol. I wanted to walk out but they told me they had to put me in a wheel chair, which I wasn't keen on but surprisingly I done as I was told- maybe the drugs were working after all ;-) it really is very quick, and you can always ask them to give you a break for a couple of mins. The pain is only when they drain each follicle, for me anyway, so if you need a breather in between just tell them, you are 100% awake enough to voice any concerns x

Aw I'm so sorry about your test ! 😢 it really is a shame, such a long time you definitely deserved a better outcome !