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!

@Justawannabemam is it quite painful that injection? Someone mentioned a progesterone injection that is

@tulipsandsnow are you being scanned that regularly? I think I only have one on my last day of stims this time!

@Jennie154 my clinic have said they can't really make us isolate but to be careful as if I got it the cycle will be cancelled. After sending my hopefully negative LFT result to them 3 days before EC then I need to isolate. I do LFTs twice a week as does everyone in my office so I'm working but not going anywhere else!! And if I need to see anyone I'm making them to an LFT before too!

@Coops0406 good luck with the last bit of stims and then EC!

Just wondering, are your clinic also making you do a PCR? We have to do LFT for appointments but then a PCR before EC.

I’m still only on down reg but it’s one of the bits I’m most worried about!!!

@coops0406 no more painful than another however I did get some bruising.

I've been doing LFTs since boxing day . I've had 3 close contacts. I've to do a PCR before EC so I think I'll try and distance myself a week before that and upto transfer date .x

@Coops0406 I've heard the progesterone in oil (PIO) ones are the worst. Tons of tips online for helping to make them easier to manage too. Infertility on Reddit is actually really helpful.

@Hopeful199 fingers crossed all the PCRs remain negative and clear for you.

Day 9 TSI scan here today and slightly worried. Had a massive 29mm follicle last month that they initially thought might be a cyst and they triggered me early. Having twinges on the same side this month already and just hoping it isn't actually a lingering cyst or anything. Have a funny feeling I might be triggered early again which would bring IVF start from 30th to 24thish.....

@Justawannabemam fingers crossed all clear on the PCRs for you too. Just adds a whole other thing to worry about doesn't it.

Good morning girls! Unbelievable how fast was this weekend, with my two double shifts as one of my colleague tested positive, luckily we were on different schedule this week, and I made everyone to test yesterday, all of us negative, but obviously that can change any minute, so I'm working alone today and tomorrow and then I'm off from Wednesday.

So I already had my scan this morning and I'm glad to tell that I have altogether 12 nice size follicles and another 11 just around 10mm, which might catch up in the next 4 days! OMG only 4 days left! Eeek

Nurse was really happy with today's results even said what a weekend I had 🙂, and that made me cry, haha

How is everybody this morning? Xx

Fabtastic result @Dobcaty hope they all catch up now but great numbers to be working with!

@Dobcaty amazing numbers . I bet your delighted. Please becareful. Lock your self In the house . Do you have to get tested before egg collection ?

Hi @Coops0406, I was only a higher dose this time (375 this time, 300 last time) and for 2 extra days. So far the 2 that fertilised are still hanging in there on day 3. One is an 8 cell embryo with no frag so it's looking positive. The other is only 5 cells (they like to see 6) so not sure if it'll make it to day 5. But keeping fingers crossed.
Will get another call on Wednesday to let me know if there is anything to transfer.

@Gracie2021 @Justawannabemam yes I am so delighted, but trying to be realistic in the same time.
I keep myself separate from others as much as I can but sadly I can't work from home. I do LFT every morning since last Wednesday but I have to do a PCR on Wednesday after my last scan at the clinic.

Fingers crossed for you for Wednesday @Geep hope they both pull through for you!

Update from my second scan (long protocol). I have one extra follicle that has appeared so I'm now up from 5 to 6. 2 in my RT (16mm, 11mm) and 4 in my LT (19,18,15,10). One seems to be going backwards (the 10mm in the LT).

I was hoping for more but its because my AMH is 6.0 (I'm 37) and it is on the low side of normal. The nurse emphasised how it is quality over quantity.

They have recommended I have a 3rd scan on Weds with egg collection Friday.

I was a little down today as I was hoping for more but optimistic that somewhere in these 6 is a high quality egg that will take!

Baby dust to everyone - hope this update might be helpful to others but also advice/guidance always welcome x

@Geep

Hi *@Coops0406*, I was only a higher dose this time (375 this time, 300 last time) and for 2 extra days. So far the 2 that fertilised are still hanging in there on day 3. One is an 8 cell embryo with no frag so it's looking positive. The other is only 5 cells (they like to see 6) so not sure if it'll make it to day 5. But keeping fingers crossed. Will get another call on Wednesday to let me know if there is anything to transfer.

Everything crossed for you @Geep x

@Dobcaty 23 follicles?! Wow great result...I'm cruising back here with just the 6! I think we will both be having egg collection on Friday - wish you all the best x

@Dobcaty that’s a great number. Fingers crossed for a great number of eggs.

@MollyVanDer 6 is still a great number. Hopefully some good quality eggs in there. Remember it only takes one.

I am getting extremely nervous about my scan on Wednesday. Other than a dull backache I don’t feel any other effects of the stims. Just hope they are working.

@Hopeful199 last time they just asked for my LFT as we do them twice weekly for work. So I think just the same again. But I have to log it through the nhs account and send the email I get back from them.

@Justawannabemam that's good to know! Do you do the progesterone injections once a day?
Yes definitely worth trying to keep away from people and their germs!!

@Gracie2021 I heard that too but totally confused about the progesterone injections...why would some people have them with oil in and others not? I'll definitely get on to read about it!
What is a TSI scan? What happened when they triggered you early? Was it a follicle with an over mature egg?

@Dobcaty that's fantastic news!! Not long to I go now!!! 🥳🥳🥳

@Geep keeping everything crossed for your little embryos! Such a hard waiting game! Really good they give you so much info, I just got yeah they're looking good 🤷🏾‍♀️ I didn't even get proper gradings at day 5! Good luck for Wednesday, will be thinking of you 🥰

@MollyVanDer try not to be disheartened, a lot can change even from last day of stims to egg collection. They spotted 5 follicles of a good size on my cycle in October and I was absolutely mortified having been put on double the meds...but on EC they retrieved 17 eggs! So stay positive and like everyone says, quality over quantity!!! There may be a few hiding away! 🤞🏾

@Jennie154 good luck for your scan on Wednesday. What day of stims are you on now? Some people don't have too many side effects though so I wouldn't read to much into it, mine is usually bloating and severe, painful trapped wind bizarrely! No idea how the digestive system links 🤷🏾‍♀️

[quote MollyVanDer]@Dobcaty 23 follicles?! Wow great result...I'm cruising back here with just the 6! I think we will both be having egg collection on Friday - wish you all the best x[/quote]
Don't forget these are only follicles not actual eggs, so its still have the chance that my final number will be more less, and quality over quantity. My left ovary works hard, the right not really so might end up just 5-6 collected, who knows.
Also my injection increased with 20%! So Im on the maximum dose now, which is scares me really.

I read somewhere on Friday the following advise which I followed during the weekend:
-drunk daily 3L of water

• increased CoQ10 to 400mg (I usually take 200mg)
• increased my protein intake to 80g per day, and not eating potato/rice/bread (my favourites)

-increased my C Vitamin to 1000mg (usually 500mg) And started to take Omega3,6,9 capsule

Maybe nothing to do with these, but I will continue these until EC.

Let me know how is your Wednesday scan went.
Finger cross for you xx

@Dobcaty I suspect if this second cycle isn't successful they will push my stims up on the next. I'm only on 300 ovaleap this cycle. I'll push up my CoQ10 - good advice. Water I'm up to 2.5L - spend all my day back and forth to the toilet :).

Yes, will do. You too. All the best. Everything crossed for you this week x

@Coops0406 I am on day 6 of stims.

Hi all, I had a scan this morning and everything is on track for EC Wed morning. I do my trigger tonight (2x gonasi). Not sure if they counted all the likely follicles but there were definitely a few obvious ones on screen (teens and 20s mm sizes). Last time they collected 21 mature and 6 fertilised. This is a freeze all cycle and will pgs test any blasts so hoping to get some blasts! Definitely aware of bloating and tender ovaries, more noticeable since yesterday.

Great news on your follicle count @Bluebonnet3 all the best to you for Wednesday.

Thanks for your kind words @Coops0406
And @Jennie154. @Jennie154 apart from an on/off headache I've not had any side effects from my stims.

Does anyone know the typical drop off between no. Follicles and the number of mature eggs?

Hypothesising is driving us nuts tonight 🙈

@MollyVanDer I had 30 total follicles on final scan, and this dropped to 19 eggs, 14 of which were mature. All the mature eggs were from follicles over 13mm. And I had to up stims midway due to follicles being small so probably would have got more if been on right dose from start!

Don’t worry too much about it, it is what is and even if you get a handful that’s enough to be hopeful for success, and sounds like you will get more than that! My consultant was very happy with 14 mature eggs from one cycle and said they don’t really like too many more as it may affect egg quality for fertilization and/or risk OHSS. A friend who was an egg donor at uni in America said they aim for about 15 eggs collected per cycle as optimum. So sounds like you are on a good track! Best of luck!

@Coops0406 yes they scan and bloods every other day, so that they can be sure to adjust medication if necessary! I know different clinics monitoring protocols can vary a lot, but I feel safer with a lot of monitoring, even if its a massive hassle (I have to be sedated and have a big complicated process every time they do blood draws due to very bad veins and a severe phobia)

Today was cd9, 3rd scan (2nd monitoring scan), they're not sure what day most likely egg collection yet as need to see how the clusters of follicles progress, but it still seems likely Friday EC earliest and Sunday latest! I'm a bit more numb this time (this is my 2nd egg collection), bracing for things to not go well as though had decent results last cycle in terms of blasts, I'm well aware it can vary hugely cycle to cycle. Emotionally trying to prepare for bad news but it is hard!

Remind me who else on thread is doing PGT-A?

@BlueSilver23 that’s my fear precisely and it’s keeping me awake at night tbh. I had 38 follicles on my last scan where they counted them back in august, I’m convinced none will be mature when I start or maybe even empty. If I could get ten mature I’d be over the moon tbh. It’s a couple of weeks until we start still and nothing to be done, but my anxiety is ramped right up.

Sounds like a good result @Bluebonnet3

@Dobcaty when you talk about your left or right ovary, is this observations from previous ivf? I noticed when I was doing OI in autumn that my right never really responded in the same way as the left. It responded to the Letrozole in that they grew but its was always the left growing the dominant follicle/s.

@thislittlebird I really wouldn’t worry from what you’re saying. You definitely don’t want 38 eggs in one cycle! As you say 10 is an excellent result and if you have that amount of follicles before you’ll hopefully hit that in the cycle. Lots of people here having success with 5-6 eggs!