IVF / FET March/April 2022

[AliceAbsolum]

Thought I'd start a thread for those starting rounds in the next few months.

I'm 36. TTC for 6 years. This will be my 4th transfer. It's a double embryo FET in Cyprus.

Welcome welcome 😁

Hi!

We have our meeting on the 19th January to confirm everything, but all being well they said I can start stims with my next cycle if we feel ready to. It'll be our first transfer. Eeek!

I'll just miss this months cycle if AF is on time as i'm due before the meeting so I think that'll make it March when we have our transfer.

When are you off to Cyprus?

Can I join you please?

I'm 30, ttc 3 years without a single BFP. Diagnosis of unexplained infertility from my local hospital but IVF clinic suspect PCOS due to high AMH levels.

We're all set now to start our first round of IVF in my next cycle but due to irregular cycles this could be anytime between today and a month from now! If it's in the next week or so we'll have to wait for the next cycle as we're off on a 2 week holiday next week that's been postponed lots since 2020 🙄

@AliceAbsolum thank you for starting this thread, I'd hoped someone would ❤️

A little about me. 33, TTC #1 since March 2020. Diagnosed with low ovarian reserve in August and referred straight for IVF.

We had our nurses call on Tuesday and starting next cycle. I should be due my period around the 28th of this month, I'm to call when I do. Day 21 start norethisterone and got baseline scan scheduled 28th February with egg collection wb 14th March.

All becoming very real now. For the first time in a long time I feel a little more positive now we finally have dates. It's been a lot of waiting and a lot of unknowns.

How is everyone feeling? I have been trying to relax more, reading and colouring in I have found has helped me a lot recently to "escape" my thoughts; even if just for a little bit xxx

Great to see some cycle buddies :)

@winstonsfinger Should be the 1st week of March, we've decided to stay for a month as I work remotely, so we are going to get an Air BnB and chill out in the sun.

@ChristmasJumpers Frustrating to have irregular cycles and not be able to plan. Mine are slightly and thats causing hassle with flights, etc. Enjoy your holiday!

@HJen22 I have low ovarian reserve as well. Also felt similar with getting started - at least you know you are doing something that will actually take you towards the goal.

I'm feeling ok. I think as this is transfer 4 I'm a bit meh about it all 'here we go again' kind of thing. Its more an annoying hassle than an exciting and scary venture. I'm pessimistic shall we say.

@AliceAbsolum that's a nice idea to make an extended sunny trip out of it. And less stress for getting home!

Yes for a long time it's been limbo. I am still pretty pessimistic with the outcome to be honest but I'm really trying to be more positive until there's reason. I can imagine, it must have been so hard and emotionally and physically draining for you. Can I ask if you did any rounds on NHS? Is the clinic in Cyprus specialised in low ovarian reserve?

Xx

@HJen22 Yes I did 1 NHS round. Full dose of stims - At day 5 we had 1 ok blast, 1 bad quality, no BFP. My AMH was 1 and we had very little money so made the difficult decision to do a tandem cycle with Cyprus with my eggs and donor eggs. I got 1 embryo, 5 from donor, put 1 of mine in and one of 'hers' in. BFP, but miscarriage at 8 weeks.
Its brutal this process :(

@AliceAbsolum yeah I'm going to be on highest dose of stims too. I don't know my AMH as I didn't want to google the number but my AFC was 7 at scan in august. I know my chances of success are slim and I have a fear that NHS will only offer me one round (I'm in Scotland so it can be up to 3) and this is just a "we'll let them try but it probably won't work" cycle. Such a negative way of thinking but I know all the hurdles.

Oh I'm so so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. Such heartbreak after such a difficult time. Nothing about this journey is easy 😢

I was wondering if any clinics did anything like that as a friend is considering donor and I thought perhaps you could go somewhere and do a cycle with own and then if it didn't go well, do donor the following round. I didn't know that you could do a combination. Did that take a long time to organise?

@hjen22 Hopefully they will offer you 3. Have time to adjust the protocol if needed.

Tandem didn't take longer than any other cycle. Just had to take the pill to align my cycle with the donors. Can't be done in the EU though. Hence northern cyprus.

@AliceAbsolum ah I see! When were you over for egg collection?

I'd be very surprised, sadly. Although I'm trying not to think about that and just focus on this first round and hope for the best. I have a friend who had a round and not a good outcome, 2 eggs retrieved with none fertilised and they've withdrawn her funding for own egg use and it's to be used on donor (but the wait is 3 years long).

Oh goodness. Didn't realize that. It's a lot of pressure to put on the 1st round isn't it.

Oct 2019. We had a break over the pandemic as pretty traumatized and couldn't face going back. Finally found the courage again.

Sorry that should have read 2 years. So she still has nhs funding but for donor eggs.

I'm trying not to think the worst or catastrophize (that's a counselling term right there ha!) and just take this each step at a time.

The pandemic hasn't helped with any of this has it. Makes a hard time that much harder. I've been so worried about catching Covid and messing things up. I hope the break has helped and you are well rested for your FET.

Hi, I'm really pleased to find that there's already a thread. @AliceAbsolum I think we were on a previous cycle thread before as I recognise your username.

Started IVF in 2018 after 3 years TTC. No funding at all in my area, so it's been an expensive time. After two miscarriages and one BFN, DD finally arrived in 2020. We decided to try for a second late last year, but another BFN.

We've made the difficult decision to move clinics and had our first consultation today - I got good vibes from the doctor. Now we've just got to arrange to move our embryos, and then hopefully we'll start the first week in March. Our last clinic had just changed so much and I don't really have faith it in anymore. We also chose it as it was close to my work - as I don't work in the same place it's no longer convenient!

@HJen22 Catastrophise is a great term! Are you a counselor?
2 years is a long time to wait. But good she's got funding, after my 1st round they said "it's 15k, not anonymous and 2 years to wait". No thanks I said. 15k is terrible! My Czech Republic cycle was 5k with flights and hotel.

You never know you might get great embryos and a great outcome 😊

@ginandtonicformeplease I remember! Congratulations on your daughter. Must be daunting doing it all over again. Is it expensive to move embryos?

@AliceAbsolum haha no I'm not but I speak to one 😂 and I tend to catastrophize a lot! Speaking to her has been an amazing help! It's through my clinic.

Oh my goodness at an NHS hospital that also did private? And still 2 years to wait! I'd always kind of assumed the wait private would be way less. I guess it isn't always.

You must have had to do so much research into places with different cycles abroad. That can't have been easy. How did you know where to start?!

@ginandtonicformeplease hi 👋🏻 congrats on your DD! It must be daunting going through it again. Anything you've learnt from your successful cycle that you can pass on?

@HJen22 DH thought that I should try and replicate my successful cycle - the transfer was on a Monday, I had an awful cold, had just had my flu jab, and had drunk far too much gin that weekend as I was convinced it wasn't going to work! I can replicate the gin part easily but not much else 

I did have all the intralipids and steroids, but I also had those with one of the miscarriages and with the BFN I've just had, so I'm cutting them out this time as they're expensive and I can't see they make a difference. My new doctor is also not a believer, so that helps. I am going to try and go back to my acupuncturist though, as I went every week without fail for my successful cycle.

@AliceAbsolum It is daunting even thinking about moving the embryos. I keep imagining a Deliveroo rider with them Having had a Google, it looks like it'll be about £350. I've got to wait for my new embryologist lab to contact me and send the paperwork before I can do anything else.

@HJen22 I didn't really know where to start. Reprofit kept coming up and up as I researched and there is a company that basically guides you through it, so we went with that. Basically one of the worst experiences I've ever had though, so bad choice. Lots of people love that clinic, but for us it was a nightmare trip. We ended up with 1 shit embryo, they gave us most of our money back, DH caught food poisoning, I've got emetophobia. Urgh. Trauma!

Hi, I hope you don't mind me jumping on, just been reading through and I should be headed for FET around April/may time. Currently on my 3rd ivf cycle, last day of stims tomorrow for a freeze all round then PGT-A on whatever we have at day 5.
Little background, i'm 39 (40 this year), AMH 20, misdiagnosed PCOS. 1st round (nhs) complete failure with only 2 eggs (consultant had told me to expect loads!) leading to 1 very good embryo which didn't take (found out in the middle of this round that I don't have PCOS but have some endometriosis).
2nd round (private) on max stims was much better with 17 eggs leading to 6 very good embryos, 1 didn't take and the other 5 were PGT-A tested and only 2 euploids.
So currently on 3rd round trying to see if we can get anymore euploids before starting the transfer process! And then will have tests on my womb before anything goes back in! EC coming up on Wednesday!!

@AliceAbsolum thanks for starting this thread and sorry to hear about your journey so far, I really hope this is your time!

It's so interesting to hear about treatment abroad, I just had no idea and everyone says the costs are half of what it is here!

Wishing everyone luck on their upcoming journeys 😍

Hi @Coops0406 Welcome. How interesting to get such different results with different cycles. Good idea doing another round before transfer, time is of the essence for us ladies isn't it.
Good luck with the EC! Let us know how many you get

@Coops0406 hello 👋🏻 I'm sorry to hear about your difficult journey so far. I really hope this 3rd cycle is the one 🥰

Good luck for egg collection on Wednesday! How have you been on stims?

I received the letter from the clinic to take to the Dr for my norethisterone prescription which I'll hand in today. Had a panic yesterday as had such awful cramps I thought my period was coming a week and a half early!

6 weeks until first scan and I'm going to try and use this time to get back to being healthy and lose some lbs. I've taken emotional eating to the next level recently!

How is everyone? Xx

I had video call on Friday to go through consent forms, all good there. Blood tests this Friday for HIV/Hep etc then just a case on waiting on my nurses appointment whenever that will be 🤷‍♀️

@AliceAbsolum they had to put me on maximum dose even with a decent AMH as he said I had super stubborn follicles.
Yes, definitely harder when you're older and GPs just don't seem to care! I wish we'd gone private sooner rather than waiting for the nhs but it's so expensive!

@HJen22 thank you, me too! Hoping this is my last egg collection! I have felt okay, had bad headaches and real fatigue until this weekend, then on Saturday it stopped. And now feeling a bit fat but not like I was last cycle, I felt uncomfortable last cycle when I was moving. I always find the norithisterone the worst for me...extreme bloating, usually put on 2-3kg and just look generally massive!

@Autumn245 I hope you have your nurses app soon! We had a bit of a wait for ours after our doctor app but that was probably due to Christmas.

@Coops0406 yeah I already feel fat so I thought I don't want to start off the cycle feeling fat and bloated for it to then get worse with the meds! So 6 weeks to get my butt into gear. Used IVF and being sad and Christmas as an excuse to just comfort eat. Funny though it then makes you feel anything but comfort in your body 😂

@HJen22 I know that feeling! And you can really use anything as an excuse to eat badly!

We just had our final scan, lots of follicles, I think 16 on left and 12 on right. But only actually about 4 at the right size and 4 just under, the rest are too small. So they will do egg collection on Wednesday as originally planned, just waiting to hear what time. As usual, all the hard work done by the left ovary! The right has a cyst and only small follicles.
So now, no lunch out for us as I’m isolating until egg collection 🤦🏾‍♀️ but I think we’ll definitely get something nice to eat!

@Coops0406 yeah I really have been doing that. And a few months ago on the advice of a nutritionist I did gluten dairy and sugar free. When I gave it up cos it was just too hard and the Dr said not to, I went the opposite way and just ate all the carbs and chocolate possible 😂

That's a good number and I hope that the other 4 catch up in size too! Does your clinic do a Covid test on EC? And are you just sedated? At Aberdeen it's just sedation; I think I'd rather be fully knocked out! I found my HyCosy quite painful last time I was there but I have a low pain threshold 🙈

Definitely something nice for lunch! Do you have some time off after Wednesday?

@HJen22 it's so bad, my eating during this cycle has been terrible. I don't know why, I just can't help it! I do lateral flows twice weekly anyway so they asked me to log yesterday's one and send them the email from nhs. So now I just need to isolate until EC on Wednesday.

It's under sedation, which has been amazing both times, the best sleep ever!!! The first time I came out and felt nothing, the second time I felt nauseous and had pain like period pain. So no idea what will happen this time! But definitely don't remember anything that happened!
I've heard the HyCosy can hurt though! Sedation is usually good enough for most people though so I'm sure you'll be fine 😊

I'm back to work Thursday, as it's a freeze all I'm just getting back into everything! And I think I'll try a glass of vino on Friday night! 😉