IVF Scotland - thread 4

[2mumlife]

Hi everyone,

Started a new thread for the Scotish ladies

@LouScot
@Scirocco
@MrsTMcB
@florafoxtro
@Hopewishprayer
@ScottishRach
@Kamiros
@LT103
@itsmschanandlerbong
@connal

Please @ anyone I missed!

@HJen22 oh I'm sorry to hear your update. You never know but if it does end up being unsuccessful this round then hopefully the next one will be. Take care of yourself this weekend and take it easy, you've been through so much mentally and physically over the past weeks x

@HJen22 I was so sorry to read your update - was keeping everything crossed I'd pop onto the forum and see some good news for you. You've had such a rough cycle that I just want to send you a giant hug. I hope you're engaging in plenty of self care today. The sad truth of it all is hardly anyone has success on their first round, and those that do and just incredibly, INCREDIBLY lucky. You do learn a new level of resillence going through this, and every cycle is different. Keeping everything crossed it will be your time soon x

Thank you so much ladies and for all of your support. It means the world and has really helped me, having people who understand.

Yeah you're right, those successful on the first round are very lucky and I just hope that next time it goes better. I need to look forward to the future and give myself a bit of a break. It's hard not to want to just jump back in there as soon as possible (but with NHS I doubt that will be within a few months) but I need to mentally have a little rest I think xx

@HJen22 Oh I'm so so sorry. I was really hoping for some good news for you today. This really is such a difficult process. Be kind to yourself, we're all here if you need to vent. Sending big hugs xx

@Kamiros thank you lovely. How are you feeling? I hope you have a nice restful weekend planned?

I joined the new local gym online last night and we booked a few nights away for my
Birthday at the end of the month, so something to look forward to.

We're going to get a plant today for the garden as a little sentimental symbol to mark the end of this round. I read it in my book and thought it was a nice idea.

@HJen22 I'm ok, still a little crampy and I had lower back pain last night. Trying not to read anything into it as there's no way of knowing at this stage, just trying to keep busy.

When my last cycle failed we went on holiday and it really helped so I'd definitely recommend going away. Getting a plant is a lovely idea. 💕

Hope its ok to join in this thread!

Myself and partner have been TCC for 2 years with unexplained infertility and we are hoping to self-fund our first cycle at GRFC this year. Currently waiting for consent/first appointments in 6 weeks time before working out when we can actually start treatments!

The clinic haven't given us any indication of timing how long after consent appointments that treatments can start and wondering if anyone had any insight?

Thanks in advance!

@HJen22 I did a lot of gardening through all our unsuccessful rounds, I did find it theraputic. Its a good plan to schedule some nice things to do. This process always takes forever, and it can feel so frustrating when you just want to get going again, but the break can be good.

@Ellennn In my experience (with GCRM) consent apoointment was last thing before you get to start treatment - we started treatment with next period.

@2mumlife thanks for the reply! I was really hoping that would be the case was quite disappointed how long I had to wait to get the consent appointment but they must just be very busy!

@HJen22 really sorry to hear your update!! Hope you’re ok.

I have first scan in morning and just keep worrying things won’t go well

@LT103 Good luck for tomorrow, every stage of this process is such a worry. Do you have an idea of how many you're expecting? I'm pretty much permanently on the ceiling just and I've still got a full week of 2ww to go.

@HJen22 sorry to read your update, I hope you are doing ok. I didn’t make it to transfer on my first round, had 3 embryos that all stopped developing and were badly fragmented, I understand how you must be feeling. Be kind to yourself and please don’t give up hope. I have just completed 2nd round and this time such a different result. I added acupuncture and daily supplements this round so perhaps that made a difference, might be worth looking into if you have not already x

@Ellennn Unfortunately there is a LOT of waiting involved in fertility treatment. It took 2 years for us to complete only 7 cycles of trying, and 4 of those were IUI cycles. The process is excruitiatingly slow when you've decided you're ready to grow your family.

@LT103 Hope scan goes well today!

@Kamiros I find the second week of the TWW the hardest. Sending you lots of positive vibes and hoping you can find ways to distract yourself and make the week go faster.

I'm also feeling a bit of limbo myself - have a scan this Thursday to check my cervix as fertility clinic said it was short from previous LLETZ surgery. I'm really hoping they check fetus is alive and doing ok whilst they're at it, as there is always this constant anxiety about whether things are progressing ok 🤞🤞🤞🤞

@2mumlife Thanks, I woke up feeling so sick this morning. Trying not to read into it as its too early I think to be hcg. I'm not taking progesterone but assume it's just natural progesterone.

@LT103 good luck with your scan today. I was the same, so nervous at the first one but I hope it all goes well x

@Hopewishprayer thank you! It really is a rollercoaster of emotions isn't it. I'm so sorry your first road went badly too. Last week already feels like so long ago which is strange, although in that week I feel like I aged about a year haha! Had the main consultant call yesterday though who was so lovely and we've got our next nurse app scheduled for April to get dates for next round. Guessing it will be the end of May by the time i have another period after this one and then go onto norethisterone again cycle day 21. Is that what you did for second cycle?

I'm so glad your second has went better, I already take a shit tonne of supplements for egg health and eat salmon, cut out caffeine and alcohol completely for almost 7 months prior. I'm continuing with supplements and I've allowed myself a few wines but I won't be going wild, just wanted to have a little bit of a more normal life in between. So allowing myself one real coffee a day too for now. I did do acupuncture up until the end of last year but it was so expensive!

@Kamiros I can't imagine the struggle of trying not to symptom spot during the TWW. I hope you've some nice things planned to take your mind off it? How's the progesterone going?

@2mumlife oh I hope you're ok, there's just constant worry every step of the way in this journey isn't it. I really do hope they check everything all still good when you're in for your scan. I would hope they'd check to reassure you! I've booked in for my smear next week so I hope to god it comes back normal (the one in 2020 led to me having to wait 3 months for a colposcopy, which then came back ok) I should really have had it done before this last cycle but they let me start without it seeing as it was literally just running out. If I don't get it done now and I get asked later it will cause me upset and stress so best I just bite the bullet. Ultimately I suppose my health is important right now too!

Thanks. No idea how many to expect. My AFC was 28 a few months back but on a low protocol to hopefully not get that many!! Really hoping they say good to go but with first scan it’s unlikely!!

@LT103 Really hope it goes well for you. Just remember things can change from the first scan to the second too so don't panic if it's not what quite where you thought/ hoped.

@HJen22 Glad to hear they're progressing things for you for the next round. Both times I've been about 4-5 months between my cycles, my body just needed the rest so May won't be long in coming round. So I don't get progesterone on the flare cycle, they give me essentially another trigger shot but a much smaller dose on the day of transfer - then apparently the body makes it's own. I don't know how long it takes for that HCG to leave the system - I bled 8dp5dt last time so just hoping to get past that this time.

@Kamiros I'm sorry I misread that! And your already told me you weren't on progesterone, so sorry! I'm still learning about all the different protocols and meds!

Yeah I was actually a bit shocked to have had the call today with the date but I feel good knowing they are being so proactive for us. I just hope I can shift some of these extra lbs I've put on before next round. As well as all the hormones I just feel uncomfortable and squishy!

@HJen22 That's OK, there's a lot going on and so many different ways of doing this its easy to forget.

Had my first scan today. Around 33 follicles of various sizes but around 16 at the 8-16mm size. Couple already bigger that will probably be lost. I have to trigger tomorrow for collection on Thursday. Just hoping we get enough to the right size for some little eggs 🤞🤞

@LT103 that's great news I'm so chuffed for you that lots are growing and EC booked in. How are you feeling about it all? I hope a little relaxed after your scan.

The ladies who have done multiple rounds, did you tell more people as you went? Since it's "life" now my OH and I have decided to be a little more open. It's just easier for going to things, I'm always so scared someone is going to say something and upset me. I've got a henny in May and wedding June so I've told her we have been/are going through IVF. We intend to go into zero detail with anyone next cycle with dates or scans or anything (I'd told my family and two friends and boss first round) but next time it will just be between my OH and I. I know some people don't tell anyone at all. I just hope I'm doing the right thing, for us? Xx

@HJen22 we told a select few. 4 of my close friends know and my boss knows and david has told 2 of his friends. Everyone has been nothing but supportive and not asking too much. It’s made it easier for us but I appreciate everyone is different. Just need to do what’s right for you.

No not necessarily feeling better. Had a meltdown with the lovely nurse on the phone asking the silliest questions. I started to worry I would ovulate before Thursday or the follicles would get too big or not grow. But she was lovely and explained it all to me.
Estradiol was 7600 so hopefully some mature eggs there. I just want this part over with so I can relax for a couple of months

@LT103 oh I'm sorry, honestly I was the same and couldn't relax at all really. I'd worry about one scan, get it out the way then worry about the next. But try and stay positive, I know too well the fear about ovulation after our trigger trauma but your follicles will keep growing and I really hope you get lots of nice mature eggs x

Yeah along the way I've told a few more people, quite a lot of friends know now but there were some I hadn't told. I'm in a group chat and never talk anymore in it so I was feeling bad some of them would just think I was being a bitch! I go between thinking it's a good thing to be more open to worrying I'm being too open. But I've learnt from the last round I felt too much pressure to update my family and two friends (even though they didn't push) and it was awful having to tell them it was the end for this cycle xx

@HJen22 I told them as it made it easier at the time for explaining why we couldn’t have a night out for my 40th etc but if we are fortunate enough to get embryos then I’m not planning on telling anyone when we are doing transfer so there’s no pressure to tell everyone the yes or no

@LT103 yes that's a good idea, that takes a lot of the pressure off. No one made me feel pressured I just put it on myself and they just cared. The last week of drama I was just so vague with my family because there was no point giving daily updates when it was changing so quickly and so hard to even get my own head around. It's just kinda finding a middle ground you're comfortable isn't it and everyone is different.