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!

@LouScot sorry to hear your having difficulties with ESB! We spoke about choosing donors quote a while ago. We were the same, they go out of stock quick! We managed to get our 1st choice in the end but I was checkinh daily. I also got in touch with them and they were really good for giving me info like when they were expecting more stock. We bought ours over a year ago now but from memory I think they had some going through checks etc so were able to say we expect stocm in the next 2-3 weeks (or something along those lines). We were also able to pay a deposit for when they did come in stock so basically we had first dibs which we went with as we really wanted that donor and didn't want to keep waiting and waiting. If I can help with anything donor/ESB related please let me know. Good luck!

@LouScot Sorry you're having a hard time with finding a donor, fingers crossed for you.

@HJen22 Hope today's scan goes well. I'm just back from mine. I have 8 follicles in total which I think is the most I've ever had. 4 are very unlikely to grow but there are 2-3 decent looking ones so I'm hopeful.

@Kamiros thank you ☺️ it went ok, nurse was lovely. 6/7 follicles on one ovary, she couldn't find the other. She said not to worry and that sometimes happens and sure we'll see it next time. I'm not holding out much hope for lefty though given my AFC last time was 6 in total! Off home with my meds and we did a test run there with the nurse so I'm confident my OH will be a great meds administer! Just have to wait for AF to arrive, fingers crossed for tomorrow so on schedule!

That's great it's the most you've ever had, and hopefully the few smaller do catch up 🤞🏻 When is your next scan? Xx

@HJen22 My left ovary is a nightmare to find, they usually manage to but it doesn't ever do much - had 3 tiny ones today 2-3mm so I usually just forget about it. I'm back in on Wed and we'll have a better idea how many are going to do something then.

@Kamiros damn left ovaries not behaving! On the upside she said my right was nice and low down for egg collection. Which is a relief, I freaked myself out the other day watching a video! I'd be very surprised if my left turns out to have any given the last scan. I mean maybe all the fish and supplements have helped 😂 would be great if they had. Will they then be able to tell you egg collection day at next scan? Xx

@HJen22 I was terrified for egg collection and it was fine in the end, suppose only having 2 follicles helped. I don't think so, I think it'll be Friday before we know.

@Kamiros I've read such varying things about sedation and people having a great sleep and others not so much! I'd love for it to be pain free and like a nap! One hurdle done, onto the next. I know I'll be a nervous wreck next scan. I was bad enough today, I was so scared they just weren't going to see any follicles x

@HJen22 one of my ovaries was the same too, I have endometriosis and had a cyst on that side which had to be removed so I put it down to that. I never felt anything during sedation, was totally out of it! I remember having the cannula inserted then next thing I know I'm coming around in recovery.
@Kamiros that's fab things are looking better for you too, best of luck to you both!

@Kamiros oh, that sounds promising regarding your follicles. Fingers crossed.

@LouScot Hey I'm doing well, just nervously waiting for first NHS scan tomorrow. Yeah we used the ESB and used the same donor through all our treatment. I think we got quite lucky, as we were looking for donors just as lockdown started, so there was a) still supply and b) not too many others were looking when the clinics were closed. We did find though that donors suddenly became out of stock - we'd made a big list one night and narrowed down and things and thought we'd decided and went on the next day and someone else had bought all the straws. I'm really happy though with the donor we went with. We bought 6 straws initially, used 4 doing IUIs and 2 in our 2 egg collections. We purchased and additional 3 straws for potential siblings, which we are storing with ESB at the moment, as they offer a refund policy if you don't ship the straws and decide not to use them. You have th option to ask for email update when a donor comes back into stock (I have one for our chosen donor) and we also spoke with staff to ask about when they next expected stock to be available during the process (because they freeze the sperm for 6 months I think it is). Last time I looked though in curiosity they did have a lot less donors in stock, which I think is to do with covid. Hope you find someone you feel happy with and it works out with stock soon x

@Kamiros That's sounding like much more promising progress than before! How long to egg collection?

@HJen22 How frustrating your ovary was hiding! Never had that before! Sedation worked perfectlty for me - was completely out of it, don't remember a thing (including all the shit I apparrently say when coming round....)

Thanks all.

@2mumlife Hope your scan goes well.

They've just called to cancel my scan on Wed and I've not to go in until Friday -hoping that's not a bad sign.

@2mumlife ooo, lots of luck for tomorrow. Hope everything goes well and you have a healthy wee baby onboard.

@Kamiros I wonder if it's due to the sizes of your follicles? Perhaps they think you need an extra few days to stim and won't be ready to trigger until at least Friday so want to save you the extra trip? I'm not going to say don't worry, but hopefully it's not for any negative reason x

@LouScot Yes I'm hoping that's all it is. The 2 biggest are only 8.5 so they've a bit to go yet.

@itsmschanandlerbong I hope I'm like that and it's over before I know it. I found the HyCosy quite painful so that's scared me a bit!

@2mumlife glad to hear you were completely out too! All the best for your scan tomorrow ❤️ must be nerve wracking but also very exciting x

@Kamiros hopefully that's a good sign and they are just giving you a little more time for the others to catch up! And yes, to save you another trip. You have the meds to last until friday im guessing? Xx

@HJen22 Yes I've got 11 days so up to Sat night. It does make sense, just a long time to wait to see if they're doing anything. It'll be fine.

@Kamiros it will be ❤️ try to stay positive, some meditation, walking and reading to keep your mind off things. Although it's so hard, I do these things and still can't help but worry about every little thing! I go from worrying about one thing to the next constantly xx

@Kamiros I think they just think you'll need the extra days and saving you a trip.

Scan today went well, other than fetus being a awkward wee thing, refusing to move from a face-down, squished into my bladder position (despite thrusting hips, lying on side, jumping up and down and all sorted during scan to try to make it shift!). We eventually got some measurments and everything looking good. They've tried to date me earlier than I can possibly be, but I've been warned FET babies are statistically bigger . What no one ever mentions on these boards, is being an IVF pregnancy continues to be a bit of a faff - I have a bunch of extra NHS scans lined up just because its an IVF baby, but trying to see it as a good thing that they'll be checking in on things more often.

Sending massive positive vibes to everyone for this year being your year for miracles

@2mumlife lovely to hear things went well, apart from the awkward fetus :-)

hopefully we'll all be joining you soon x

@2mumlife aw glad to hear your scan went well ❤️ even if the little one wasn't behaving for some measurements haha. I hope you got some nice pics to take home? Oh do you, how many extra, and near the start or throughout? And yes see it as a good thing that they are checking in with you and you'll get to see the little one more 🥰 xx

@2mumlife I'm so glad your scan went well. Yes the extra ones are probably a good thing and gives you a chance to see your little one a few more times.

I feel dreadful today- headaches, nausea, cramps. Never been this bad in previous rounds so can only hope its good.

@Kamiros oh no I'm sorry you're feeling so poorly 😔 but hopefully it means lots going on in there and follicles growing 🤞🏻

I had my first injection last night, my OH was chomping at the bit to do it haha think he's found his new vocation 😂 I didn't squeeze my fat hard enough so it took a second for the needle to go in and it stung a bit but overall actually ok! It's strange after all this time to finally be doing something, very surreal. Even sad salmon to help those eggs along, some extra omega3 haha!

Have a counselling session today which comes at a good time with starting stims. Also stressed with work and having to help a new start A LOT (and do her job the days she doesn't work) so I've had to email my boss. Don't need the stress xx

@HJen22 Just the 1 scan photo is given in my area, and its was pretty terrible quality to be honest! Hopefully you can reduce the stress and just concentrate on stims.

So fresh transfer babies are small for dates, and FET babies are big for dates, statistically speaking. So either way, you'll end up with extra growth scans. To be honest the flow of information is REALLY patchy, so from what I understand its a growth scan at 28 weeks, and possibly then every 4 weeks after that until baby comes. Just letting folks know as I wish I knew beforehand that I didn't just get to be a 'normal' pregnancy with it being IVF.

@Kamiros Hope you're feeling better today x

@HJen22 @Kamiros how are you both doing?

@2mumlife glad everything is going well for you! Pregnancy feels more anxiety inducing having been through IVF but I've found this has eased as my pregnancy has went on. I think what you said varies depending on your area or hospital. I saw the consultant at 16 weeks (because IVF) and was told I would be treated as a normal pregnancy due to no other risk factors, so had 12 week scan then a 20 week scan. I'm not being offered any further consultant appointments or a growth scan. I am having a scan at 32 weeks but that's only because my placenta is anterior and close to my cervix so they want to make sure it has moved, otherwise I wouldn't have any more scans. The fact it varies depending on area / hospital makes it even more confusing to know what to expect!

Hi. I'm been feeling pretty rough the past few days, slept a lot. 3 of my follicles had grown at my scan yesterday but the biggest is still only 12 so we're not sure they're going to get big enough. I got extra meds and have to go back in on Monday to see if we're going to collect what's there or cancel. This is going to be our last round of this type of ivf so we're going to collection if there's even 1 follicle big enough, nothing to lose.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-60631282 - some good news for some Scottish IVF patients, I hope...