IVF/FET Jan/Feb 2022

[Juno231]

I know I'm a bit early but knowing that I get to start in January I think I'll go mad just twiddling my thumbs until then.

With Christmas clinic closures I think there's a fair few of us around waiting for Jan to start, so hopefully we can gather here for support in the mean time?

About me - 33 years old (although I turn 34 in Jan!), TTC#1 for two years with unexplained infertility. Am due to start my first ever round of IVF in January (NHS). I've been told I'll do short protocol and in terms of next steps I've got a trial embryo transfer in two weeks' time, and both OH and I have to get blood tests done in Dec. I can order my meds from the pharmacy in Dec as well so got that to look forward to ha.

I'm currently predicted to start my cycle on the 31st of Dec which would mean having to wait a whole cycle due to the new year bank holiday getting in the way. My cycle can vary by a few days though so I'm really hoping CD1 actually comes a day or two later!

@Frenchiepupmama I’m on the short/flare protocol too, currently on buserelin and Gonal f injections (started the buserelin on Tuesday and added the Gonal f on Wednesday) I have a scan on Wednesday to see how things are going. I am also 37 on our first round of ivf. All other tests have come back fine but I have low Amh and high fsh. Sending lots of positive vibes your way too!

@Jennie154 good luck for Wednesday. 💞✨

@Jennie154 my AMH isn't terribly low but bottom 20% for my age and together with a lower AFC definitely a concern. They have me on what looks like the highest gonal F dose of 450. In 7 medicated cycles I've only ever gotten one dominant follicle so definitely apprehensive about how I'll response too.

@Janefx40, yes, fingers crossed! I’m day one, so just a week behind you. I’d forgotten how long days can be! How was your scan today? Are you doing natural cycle or medicated?

Just catching back up through this thread, I have been impatiently waiting to get to today for the first injection so been keeping myself super busy and engrossed in work I guess!!
I'm on 450 ovaleap for 9 days, so a scan a week on Monday with provisional EC for Wednesday 19th Jan, and a freeze all.
The pen seems a bit dodgy in this one so I might have to use the one from last cycle! And bizarrely I cut my thumb putting the lid back on the needle, bent the needle somehow! 🤷🏾‍♀️

@Geep good luck for tomorrow, I hope you are managing to keep yourself occupied, the waiting is always so tough. Have you been on the same dose this time, just less days?

@BlueSilver23 I was exactly the same, my scan was quite disappointing then EC was completely the opposite! Hoping for that again! We only have one scan booked this time rather than 2 as it was such an up and down 9 days!

@Dobcaty I hope you are okay, good luck for your scan tomorrow and fingers crossed the increase in dose has pushed those follicles to where they need to be 🤞🏾

@MollyVanDer good luck for your scan tomorrow, I'm a week behind you. On my first cycle, they expected loads of follicles from me and I heard them only shout out 4 numbers (the sizes of follicles they could see) and not say much else! At EC we got 2 eggs, 1 fertilised and put back in but unfortunately didn't work. On my second cycle on the maximum dose, on the last scan she said there were 5 good sized follicles and I was shattered again, cried all the way home. But by the time of EC 2 days later they got 17 eggs!!! So, although it may be hard, just stay positive and wait to see what happens at EC. Sending you lots of positive vibes

@Frenchiepupmama not sure if you have managed to see a video yet but I'm with Care and they have all videos on YouTube for all injections. So for mine I just looked up Care ovaleap injection teach and it came up.

@ExpatLivingLondon how are you doing?

@tulipsandsnow we're on a similar timeline I think, 19th jan for EC. When is your provisionally booked for? It is such a rollercoaster of emotions!

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 so sorry to hear what you've been through. Glad you are managing to get started again and wishing you all the luck in the world for this cycle

@Bec18x I'm guessing like you say, with your pcos they have been super cautious, but maybe they're a little on the small side. I think for my day 6 scan they looked at ones at 10mm and above. So they are probably just pushing you a bit longer on the increased stims to see what happens. Is your scan this morning? Hope it goes well

Hoping everyone who has scans and ECs coming up has good results 🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾 sending out lots of positive vibes and of course baby dust to all 🥰

@Coops0406 I'm going to be on 450 overleap too. On our first cycle I was on 300 then 375 . Got 4 eggs from 6 follicles. So hoping this time we have a bit more .x

Good luck with your cycle.

@Justawannabemam when do you start? I went straight from a rubbish cycle on 225 meriofert to a much improved one on 450 ovaleap. Best thing we did. How are you feeling about the jump up in dose?

@Coops0406 I was a bit nervous but I put my trust in them . They want more follicles in the hope that some are better quality. We had 4 maturely 2 fertilised at 3BB we put both back in and neither stuck. I'll also be on double lubion as well.

@Coops0406 thanks so so much I will have a look at Care videos. I hope you are doing OK ❤️ wishing everyone so much luck and baby dust for all upcoming scans/EC. Sending positive vibes to all.✨✨✨

Been reading through everyone's messages and I had a look at what dose I will be on for ovaleap, it says 225. I am worried that seems abit low if I have low ovarian reserve. 🤔 But I actually know nothing as this is our first go. I do imagine that il prob need to get put on higher dose once scans are done on 21st and 24th Jan.

@Justawannabemam is the minion progesterone injections? If so, did you have to ask for them? I think I was on too low progesterone for my last transfer as my period came too early and whilst I was still taking progesterone.

@Frenchiepupmama from what I know on the first cycle they go off a chart to work out dose for your first one based on your age, AMH and other fertility issues (mine told me that after my first cycle but it may be different at other places). And the majority of people within the same bracket respond to that amount of meds. It's just whether your body responds like the majority of people in that bracket I guess, which mine didn't! So it can be a bit of trial and error but hopefully you respond well to it.

@Justawannabemam typo, I meant lubion

@Frenchiepupmama are you NHS or private? I had a private consultation and was recommended a dose of 450 but decided to go the NHS route and was told they are only allowed to prescribe a max of 300.

@Jennie154 we have went private. With Glasgow GCRM clinic and partnered with Access Fertility. We have got 3 cycles and 50% refund if it doesn't work out. I just have feeling that it's going to be too low a dose. 😕

@Coops0406 yes lubion is the progesterone. No I never asked they gave me it . But this time I'm going to be Injecting it twice a day.

I was still doing it last time when I started bleeding. Hopefully not this time .x

@Coops0406 yes similar! my clinic doesn't provisionally book as such, they just keep estimating based on the every other day scans and bloods- at this point if I had to guess based on my first scan and dosage, I'd say the earliest my EC will be is Friday 14th and latest Sunday 16th! So a few days ahead of you likely but close! x

@Frenchiepupmama I've seen lots of lladies have a better cycle on a lower dose, I think cycles can vary so much it ends up being hard to say if it was the lower dose that was good or just the natural variation...but anywy a lot of folks on here seem to think 'quality over quantitiy' means lowoer dose stims can actually be a good thing.

my first egg collection they started me on 225 gonal then movoed me to 300 a few days later when not much was happening. ultimate my results were pretty good- 4 blasts of 6 eggs. this time they started me ono 300 out the gate which I have mixed feelings about- sure it'd be nice to get a few more eggs but not if it will only result in the same amount of blasts or maybe even less. there might be something to 'slow and study wins the race' or 'less is more' with stimming, but probably only for some women not others. its all so trial and error and varies so much on individuals :(

@tulipsandsnow I'd agree completely from what I've read online. Seems there's an awful lot of speculation that high dose stims can really affect egg quality which I'm a bit apprehensive about given them have me to start on the max dose.... the more I learn the more it seems to me that half of it is guesswork and the female body is still one massive mystery.

Wishing all of you with scans and procedures over the next few days the best of luck.

@tulipsandsnow thank you for your message, I really appreciate it. I hadn't looked at it from that perspective. I just kept thinking more follicles the better but quality over quantity is the main thing. Wishing you all the very best ahead aswell.

What advice have people been given regarding isolating/ reducing social contact due to covid?

@Jennie154

My clinic have told me that should I get covid obviously it will all be cancelled. I'm limiting my self now whilst down regulating, when I go on stims I'm going to ask to work from home or if I can put leave in . And after trigger nd collection I won't be going anywhere. Its not guaranteed if the quality would be any good for freezing so I aint taking no risks.
Whats your thoughts? Can you work from home or isolate.

@Justawannabemam We were due to start stims in December but OH got covid a couple of days before so had to postpone until this month (work had allowed me to isolate for 2 weeks prior to this as advised by the hospital). Work then allowed me compassionate leave last week when I started stims and have told me to self certify for any other time off which you can now do for 28 days. I work in a secondary school so can’t really work from home and wouldn’t want to be around that many people during any part of the process.

We're both lucky enough to WFH so are going to isolate from one week before stims start until after collection and transfer. Had to tell the rest of my immediate family this week to explain why we'll be isolating from them. Whatever about the emotions, just can't afford the cost of a cancelled cycle if we can avoid it. Really feel for those of you who don't WFH trying to juggle it all.

We have our nurses app this week and when we have dates I plan to isolate from then til transfer. With Covid spreading so easily these days it's had me so worried so I've only really seen immediate family recently anyway. But just don't need the added worry during a cycle so I'll be hopefully WFH still (if not I'll be saying I want to) and myself and my OH isolating xx

I'm going to ask about Covid and what happens if I do get it, how long it would effect a cycle and if it would mean months delay as it doesn't seem to be a standard answer across the board from what I've read from others xx

My OH has to work but isolating other than that. We are quite open about our ivf journey with family and friends. The support we have received has been amazing.