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!

@Juno231 aww fantastic news💞 and also thanks for starting this group ✨

@Jazz234 hey, finally started to bleed after norethisterone at 230am. Hope yours arrives in time for Saturday. My injection is tonight I'm to take a Prostap.

What injection are you to take?

Good luck for egg collections today 🥰🤞🏾

@Frenchiepupmama 🥳🥳🥳🥳 fantastic!!! Honestly, ivf is just constant waiting for things and lots of little celebrations along the way! Who knew we would ever be so desperate for AF to arrive! 😂

@Coops0406 because they are useless LOL!! I wanted them to test for natural killer cells, I asked to take steroids, I've asked for a womb test. They don't do anything that's not their normal from the looks of things, I'm really pissed with them tbh! X

Do you think on a fresh cycle it’s better to transfer a day 3 embryo instead of day 5 because it might have more time to sync with the lining and implant? I had a fresh cycle with a 5AA in December and it failed so this time as using 2x 4BBs also day 5 on a FET. Do you think there is more chance my lining will be ready this time. Also I am taking Lubion injections from transfer day along with cyclogest this time. Do you think not having Lubion injections on my first cycle could have been the issue as my day 10 progesterone was not as high as they would have expected on that cycle, only 33. I feel a bit demoralised thinking it might have been a lining issue in the fresh cycle and we might have just wasted a really good embryo

@Dobcaty @connal
Just done my first injection lol didn't feel a thing phobias are just horrible

Hopefully I bleed sooner rather than later. Apparently an early bleed is ideal as it will move things along faster, I guess that's just because the scan is done after the bleed?

Good luck Everyone 💕🤞

@Bluehawaii29 the % live birth for 5 day is greater than 3 day. My clinic aren't even doing 3 day because of this.

I also had a good embryo first cycle and then had spotting d9p5dt and consultant has provided Lubion and increased progesterone for second cycle however her view is that even good grades embryos can have a chromosomal defect which is the main reason for the failure. Unless they specifically said it was your lining it was probably that. Lots of women have success with lower grade embryo because they can not have a chromosome defect.

All the best x

I'm in for EC today! Good luck everyone else for today x

@MollyVanDer thanks a lot :) we are hoping the other embryos give us some good news this year. I have heard too sometimes the top grade ones just don’t seem to perform. Was told lining looked great on transfer day so I think you’re right. Most likely was just an unlucky embryo. How many you planning on transferring this time? We are also using embryo glue this time to help with the implantation x

Good luck @MollyVanDer! Sending you positive vibes 🥰

Well done @NaomiNatNat it is horrible the first few times but I think it's mentally hard instead of physically so you've got this, you've done the first one it can only go up from here ☺️

Good luck for EC today @MollyVanDer !

My clinic got back to me yesterday about the progesterone. As the plan from the beginning of this round was a freeze all, they didn't have cyclogest in my pack of meds. I had some left over from last cycle, and they had asked me to take one the night of EC because we had discussed a plan B of fresh transfer if there are any left at day 5 but not good enough to freeze. So now i am taking cyclogest in the evenings until we know more on day 5 (Monday).

Now i just need to wait until tomorrow's day 3 update.

Oh, and i often forget to tag people but thanks @Janefx40 for your lovely note about your nearly 3-yr old dc. I love a good success story!

@tulipsandsnow are you EC today or tomorrow? Good luck at any rate!

Good luck @Jennie154 and @Dobcaty for EC today! And to any others who are EC and scanning today!

@frenchiepupmama great news! I also started in the night hah!
I am taking a low dose (150) of gonal F. And then add cetrotide 6 days later. So very ready for it!

Hi All,

I've been quietly lurking on the thread and keeping my fingers crossed that my stims have been doing all the right things. I have EC tomorrow first thing and the nurse said she thinks I'll possibly get 13 eggs from 30 follicles. I'm really hoping to avoid OHSS so lots of fluids and salty foods after tomorrow. I double and triple checked my trigger instructions last night and was not prepared for how nervous I'd be about it after all the other jabs!

Good luck @Jennie154 and @Dobcaty and everyone else starting stims, down regging and just generally going through it all.

1 egg successfully collected. I can definitely recommend Fentanyl! Good luck to everyone else having egg collections and scans today x

Glad to hear your egg is now collected @Jennie154

My drugs arrived today, gonal f looks like a pre filled doses thing, we don’t have the drugs teach for a while yet.

Thank you for all the well wishes. I've had 4 eggs collected today compared to 9 on my first cycle last August. The change is hard to accept. The doctors have been managing my expectations that there may not be anything to transfer as they only do day 5 transfers here.

My AMH is 6.0 and the reason I'm on fertility treatment is due to being in a same sex relationship.

I found it really overwhelming today but really do appreciate all the well wishes from people on here.

@Jennie154 I pray for your 1 egg and hope you're holding up okay.

To everyone else stay positive x

Sorry you didn't match your last round @MollyVanDer but all fingers crossed for your four little embryos and here hoping they do brilliantly. Hope you're looking after yourself for the day x

@thislittlebird saw your haul on the other chat. Exciting stuff. Is it seeming very real? Just bought mine there now to be delivered Monday week. Eek!

@Jennie154 hope all went well today and you're recovering well and fingers crossed for your wee egg xx

Best of luck tomorrow @PcosSOS

Glad you got sorted for your progesterone @Bluebonnet3 and hope your day 3 report is all positive!

Well done on the first injection @NaomiNatNat and fingers crossed for an early bleed!

@MollyVanDer fingers crossed for your 4 eggs. How are you feeling after collection?

@ExhaustedPigeon1988 what a nightmare! Surely it would help with their success rates too. Could you get those tests done elsewhere? Or even transfer elsewhere totally with frozen embryos?

@NaomiNatNat well done on the first injection!! I still don't do mine myself, I make hubby do them as I can't even pull a plaster off! 🤣

@MollyVanDer @Jennie154 hope you are both feeling okay after EC. Remember it really does just take one so fingers crossed for you both 🤞🏾🤞🏾

@PcosSOS good luck for tomorrow!!!!

I went for a day 6 scan this morning after my panic of nothing happening compared to last time. Lining seems good, left ovary showing 14 follicles, 6 that look the right size and the rest under 10mm so may or may not catch up. Right ovary had 9 follicles, all under 10mm, and a cyst. These cysts seem to be a regular thing for me but they seem to come and go in each ovary. And looking back, my left ovary seems to produce more decent sized follicles!

So good news that something is actually going on so I feel reassured...but the likelihood is that not many of the follicles will make it to the right size, maybe these 6. All set for scan on Monday (day 9) then EC next Wednesday.

Also, she asked if I'd had my tubes checked, seemed very random and just wondering if anyone can shed any light on why she may have asked? Stupidly I didn't ask why she asked!

@Coops0406 for tube test it might be hysterosalpingogram (HSG)

I believe it is a standard test when you are doing fertility investigations. I had one with nhs before first round of ivf. They flush your tubes with a dye (in a catheter, no needles) and watch on ultrasound to check if either side is blocked.

Anecdotally I've seen on other ttc threads that some women get pregnant straight after because their tubes are nice and clear.

Afternoon girls, I can report that finally I'm at home on my sofa watching Netflix.

Couldn't sleep last night, woke up way early and I started sort out my kitchen while I was waiting to get on our way to the clinic. I know, I am not normal. 😅

I was so so scared, honestly I even broke in tears when I got a message from my friend who just asked how I am (she has no idea of any of our TTC) but somehow she felt she needed to ask this question this morning. Anyway

We arrived in time, got checked in and the whole situation started to be so real, he was quietly sitting next to me before I was called in to the ward. (He always talks a lot)

On the ward got checked again, signed some forms, met with the doctor, nurses and the anesthesiologist, who I can tell you was really handsome and something was in his voice which made me a little bit relaxed.

The all day-surgery was in delay so I waited an extra hour before they called me in. Well and that was the time when my nerve really hit me. I was continuously looking back if any way I can escape, but the nurse realised that and got me under her arm and showed the way to the theatre.
Inside the room approx 10 ppl were waiting for me, all chatty and they looked so excited and I felt I am very welcome on there.

They asked me to lay down on the bed, making sure I was covered with the blanket well so my little eggs won't freeze yet (nurse said that) even they made joke what I am going to do today (I said I will have a big Big Mac later) and because it was cold they started to warm up my hand to get the cannula in (which I didn't feel at all), again checked all details twice and then started to feel some smile on my face, they put the magic mask on me and the next thing was that I woke up in the ward 40 minutes later. No pain, no dizzy feeling, nothing. I though I'm going to be on the worst pain and bc I didn't have it I started to cry 😂😂

15 minutes later I went to the toilet, had some coffee and toast, they took the cannula out and I was able to leave the ward.

So numbers are currently:

11 eggs collected (looks like I've already ovulated a few in the last two days as they couldn't see the big follicles)
From the 11, we have 8 fully mature, 2 almost mature and 1 under, so that already discarded.

But wait for it!They are doing ICSI!!. I asked the embryologist why. And she said because my DH's antisperm antibodies, which they found in his sample today. She was surprised that I don't know about it, and I said we are not aware that he has problems as it never had in any reports. How is that possible? Obviously I will ask them next week, but if any of you heard anything about it please share with me.

We are rooting for those little eggs to be fertilised by tomorrow and I hope I will get some good news to share. Xx

@Bluebonnet3 I think they just very quickly said I had polycycstic ovaries so did no other checks and put me straight on clomid with the nhs. Just wondered what made her think about that when she scanned me

@Dobcaty great EC, fingers crossed they progress nicely. Had OH had normal sworn samples before? Really bizarre that this came up today!

Congrats to everyone who had their ECs today, fingers crossed for you all.

@Dobcaty your post reminded me a question I meant to ask on here; hoping no one mind me asking a question about mature/immature eggs. I had EC a couple of months ago to freeze (egg banking) and have another round coming up in which we may just go ahead with FET.

In my last round though I got 19 eggs, with 5 of those being M2(?) and so they weren’t frozen. If I went ahead with embryos instead of further egg collection this round could those M2 eggs be used for fertilisation? I seem to have heard that eggs need to be fully mature for freezing, but not for FET? Would be grateful to know if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick!