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!

Wow I missed so much today!

@MollyVanDer sorry you didn't get fertilisation yet. Fingers crossed for good news tomorrow. You sound like you have a good perspective on it which is amazing. You're right - this is definitely a marathon not a sprint!

@Newbee33 congrats on being PUPO. Whilst it's always best to listen to your clinic, I've never heard of anyone stopping progesterone when they test unless it's a clear negative. Hopefully that won't be the case 🤞🏼

@tulipsandsnow glad you're home. Fingers crossed for tomorrow's update

@Bluebonnet3 great news about your embies. I've just been through batching and testing so know how nervy a time it can be.

@Wilsonicus welcome and good luck. My DP barely acknowledges we're doing IVF and then moans about how hard he finds it!!! So sounds like you're doing well to have a supportive hubby.

@Bec18x good luck for egg collection tomorrow. It always feels a bit nervy but it's quite a nice experience - as others have said the sedative is lovely. Just take it easy and don't eat any bloating foods after !

What's different this cycle, you ask, @MollyVanDer ? NHS First cycle: short protocol, mid-range level of meds (meriofert, fyremadel, gonasi), 5 collected, 3 fertilised, 3 embryos on day 3, transferred 2 on day 3, 3rd didn't freeze, bfn. Only qualified for 1 round with nhs due to age when starting ivf.

Second cycle: private clinic, long protocol, (buserelin, meriofert, cetrotide, gonasi) max dose FSH and triple trigger, 20+ collected, 6 fertilised, 4 embryos on day 3, transferred 3 on day 3, 4th didn't freeze, pg with 1, mmc around 8 weeks.

This time same private clinic. New plan: first of 3 embryo batching cycles. more or less the same protocol and max FSH meds but without the cetrotide and only double trigger.

I don't think I've changed anything in diet, exercise, stress, except the extra break at Christmas.

Thank you for sharing @Bluebonnet3

@Bec18x good luck today! 🤞
@MollyVanDer I hope you had some sleep last night, sorry to read your results, but I know miracles happens. I have a twin brother and he was double size/weight than me, I had a tiny little chance to survive but Im here. I have everything crossed for you and your eggs 🤞🥰
@Newbee33 good luck with your TWW, hopefully few of us will join to you soon

So I was back to work yesterday, really glad I went, best distraction 😅 and after work, me and hubby decided (ok it was me) that we gonna have a drink. I know I shouldn’t drink but just felt as I am defo not risking a tiny little life in me, not had any drinks for ages (sober xmas) I have to have a pint. But guess what? I couldn’t finish even a pint, just felt so gross 😂 I don’t know its the loads of medicine or something else but it was weird.

I have work today again, hopefully going to be a quick day and then impatiently waiting tomorrow’s results. 🤦🏻‍♀️

What is your plan ladies for this Sunday?

@tulipsandsnow thank you for replying. I've been googling it and a side effect of cyclogest is a UTI so I am going to ask about sticking it somewhere else (so to speak 😂) as you've suggested. I don't want to risk getting another UTI and not being allowed to have my transfer again.

@Appleby11 yeah you can use it as a suppository. I requested cyclogest so I could do that specifically because I am prone to thrush.

Had my egg collection today and got 36 eggs! Feeling very relieved that it's done and praying we get some fertilise.

@MollyVanDer I used access fertility and originally wanted to do the refund programme but we didn't qualify for it so we went for the 2 cycle multi cycle programme. We get a fresh transfer and unlimited frozen transfers and we have to use all embryos before starting the next round. If pregnancy is successful and ends in a live birth then any remaining cycles are void. I went for the 2 cycles purely so we had a back up incase the 1st round doesn't work.

Has anyone got experience of using Lubion injections? Are they meant to be butt injections or can you do it in your tummy if you want

We’ve had an update from the embryologist this morning. The embryo now has 3 cells which they are pleased with but there is a little bit of fragmentation.

@Bec18x rest up in front of the tv and look after yourself now that EC is done (which I've always found the hardest part). Thanks for sharing what you've done with Access Fertility, I'm planning on giving them a call tomorrow.

@Jennie154 I'm really willing your little embryo on and hope that your transfer tomorrow goes well.

@Bluehawaii29 I'm taking Lubion. It's okay in tummy or thigh, I'm doing tummy.

We had an update this morning one egg has fertilised and has 2 cells so is a little fighter. Another is showing signs of fertilisation so they've going to monitor for the next 24 hours. The other two don't have much hope. They're all in the embryoscope now so we're happy that we still have some hope for a transfer this cycle x

@MollyVanDer that’s great news! Fingers crossed your other egg fertilises.

@Jennie154 @MollyVanDer glad to hear of your positive updates today! x

@MollyVanDer used Access this time because calculated the full costs for a single cycle out of pocket no package from first round, and the savings were astronomical so did a 2 cycle package with Access for peace of mind

Also one thing 'm not sure people think of as much is that Access allows you one cancelled cycle with no clinical charge at all, including if cancelled from Covid. You'd be out the meds cost, but that'd happen no matter what. So extra security there too as without that you'd still have to pay the clinic their cancelled cycle costs which is often very high/all of the individual scans and blood tests costs

@MollyVanDer thanks for the info, that’s good to know and glad your egg is fertilised and wishing it keeps growing xx

@Janefx40 Yeah I have been googling alot and everything seems to say to stay on progesterone till about at least 9weeks. Maybe I got it wrong am sure they said either result to stop thought but I will clarify if we are lucky enough to get a BFP, thanks.

@Coops0406 Good luck for your final scan hope all goes well.

@Dobcaty Yep sounds like a few of you should be joining me on the wait next week.

@Bec18x 36 eggs wow, good luck with the update tomorrow.

@Bluehawaii29 I am injecting Lubion at moment just carried on with Timmy as clinic never specified anything different. What makes you ask about bum?

@MollyVanDer & @Jennie154 Great updates best of luck to you both and everyone else for egg collections next week x

Xx

@Newbee33 hey I was just following this person called Laura Beverlin on Instagram and she is post transfer on the injections and was talking about how they are all in the thigh so got confused why she can’t do tummy? Was wondering if there is some kind of better absorption that way

@Bluehawaii29 Hopefully tummy (not Timmy haha) is ok! I am finding them painful now tho didn’t really find the stimulation injections as bad x

@Bluehawaii29 oh no sounds painful. I’m hoping that because they said I just have to do femadryl injections for first 7 days of cycle and then just the Lubion post transfer that I’ll have enough sites to do it on my tummy and not have to resort to thigh x

I’m having FET btw in case you’re wondering why so few meds I also have to take oestrogen tabs three times a day from day 1 of cycle too. Anyone know how they are, any side effects etc?

@Newbee33 I had egg collection yesterday and the info sheet my clinic gave me says something like 'take progesterone up until your pregnancy test'. Then in later paragraphs on the same sheet it says 'if your pregnancy test is positive continue to take the progesterone pessaries'. So it could be a case of them drip feeding the information, I've found my clinic have done this a lot as there's so much info to take on they just give you what you need to know at each stage.

@Bluehawaii29 some clinics prescribe progesterone in oil usually called prontogest (although there are other brands) and these have to be intramuscular injections so either in the bum or thigh. It's horrendous because not only is is agonising at the time but you bruise really badly. I was limping around and couldn't sit down without wincing. I refused to take it on the following cycle but it is the best way to take progesterone really because it absorbs really well and gradually so you only have to take it once a day.

Lubion is a good alternative but has to be taken more regularly as it absorbs more quickly. X

@MollyVanDer amazing news

@Jennie154 sounds promising for you too. When is your next update?

I have my transfer tomorrow. So nervous that the embryo doesn't defrost and we're left with nothing 😬

Oh I see, that’s interesting to know, so does that mean Lubion is twice a day normally?. I just a brief chat about it from the nurse but she just told me they give it to me after transfer along with cyclogest twice a day so she was like we can talk about it later. My progesterone was a bit on the low side in first cycle so I just want to do whatever it takes to get it up this time

@Bec18x wow! Fab egg collection, hope you are feeling okay and not too much pain! Have they given you info to look out for OHSS? I hope you get good news tomorrow morning.

@Jennie154 @MollyVanDer good news, keeping everything crossed for your embryos to go all the way 🤞🏾

@Newbee33 thank you! Having lost weight earlier this week on stims, it's now coming back on so I do hope that it's the follicles growing and not my overeating!! With regard to the progesterone, in my last 2 cycles I had to take it until I got BFN on their official testing day, even after testing early due to my period coming and having BFN I still had to wait until the OTD. But if it was positive then I think it was to be continued for 9-10 weeks.

@PcosSOS how are you feeling after egg collection? Have you had an update today? Hope all is okay

@PcosSOS Thank you for info, yeah it could just be on a positive test they would prescribe more maybe I will make sure I clarify. I didn’t know whether short or long protocol impacted it too. Have you had a fertilisation update today or will it be tomorrow? X