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 😁

@Coops0406 it's so hard isn't it! Oh that's good they just need a lateral flow! Ours do a test there and then on the day. Plan to isolate as much as possible from when stims and scans begin.

I do enjoy a good sleep so I hope it will just feel like that 🤞🏻 and I guess if you feel pain they can give you more painkillers. Yeah it just gave me such bad cramping, I don't often get bad period pains so I'm not really used to it. I survived but my poor OH could hear me squealing from through the wall 🙈

A vino sounds like a good idea 🍷 can I ask when you first started ivf? Have you been able to do your three rounds quite close together? Xx

@HJen22 I just went to work whilst on stims but nothing else really. Covid is everywhere at the moment that it's almost not worth going anywhere!

Our first cycle started at the end April, but I was on norithisterone for 3 weeks so by the time I got to egg collection it was June. Then our 2nd cycle was supposed to start in September but I had a large cyst from the last IVF so they left me for another month to see if it vanished, so started the next one in October on the norithisterone. And then this one started in December. So i feel like it's not been too long, considering I've had 2 embryo transfers in there too.

Have you had one cycle already?

@Coops0406 yeah it's scary how bad it's been lately. It's worried me a lot but the nurse put my mind at ease. I'm WFH for now so hope to still be during stims.

3 weeks is a long time. How long does it normally take for the bleed? I'm to start it on day 21 which should be around 16th Feb and baseline scan 28th Feb, so maybe only around a week on it? I haven't been told yet.

Yeah and good now you're able to do testing on your embryos. This is my first cycle, coming up to 2 years TTC, well I've short cycles so this is cycle 25 already. Was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve in August and referred straight for IVF.

@AliceAbsolum hello!! I remember you! We were cycle buddies back in 2019 my username before was HopingforbabyD how are you?! So lovely to see you back on a thread 🥰 I'm cycling shortly with my last embryo end of feb/March having zoladex tomorrow at the clinic 🤞🏼 sadly I had a chemical pregnancy with a transfer in November so kind of pinning my hopes on this last little babe from my boys cycle x

@ginandtonicformeplease I think we cycled together also? I was HopingforbabyD a couple years back x

@HJen22 that's good that you will are WFH, hopefully it can continue for you!

I was on it that long to fall in with their scheduling, the shortest I was on them was this round which was 15 days! Then my bleed came exactly 4 days after.

Sounds like you will be, I think a baseline is between day 2-4, I think! I can't fully remember as I only ever had one, that I had to ask for! That's when the cyst was spotted and they delayed treatment for a month!

Do you have NHS funding where you are?

@Bluemeadowbaby good luck with your last embryo, hope it's the one 🥰

I did my trigger last night, 10.45pm! Luckily I'd set an alarm as we fell asleep by 10pm! So EC is at 10.45am tomorrow 😬

@Bluemeadowbaby Hiiiiii! This will be our 3rd cycle as buddies right. What a coincidence! Good to hear from you :)
Sorry to hear about the Chem :( Fingers crossed for your last frostie. Will you go again if not? Or too early to make a decision?

@Coops0406 Best of luck today!

@AliceAbsolum thank you so much! It's tomorrow for EC, but today I'm going to enjoy my injection free day!! We had to set an alarm to wake up and do the trigger last night! It's not great mixing the powders when you're half asleep and trying to get rid of air bubbles 🤣

@Coops0406 yeah my boss seems to think we'll be at home Jan and Feb at least and has said I can WFH during treatment should we be back. I went back in November and it was short lived, got send back home after 3 days cos of the rising Covid rates!

How was the trigger? Enjoy your injection free day and well done for all your hard work this far ❤️ am I right in thinking the trigger is bigger?

Yeah I'm Scotland and we're entitled to up to 3 cycles. But I'm not convinced if this one didn't go well that I'd get another. I have the feeling they are "letting me try" but I've been told the the odds are low due to my AMH and AFC. The only thing is my age that's sort of on my side. Trying to remain positive. We'd be going private if we do only get one. But I don't think we'd be able to do it in Aberdeen as it's the same clinic it's just they offer self funded.

All the very best of luck @Bluemeadowbaby with your embryo 🥰

@HJen22 trigger was fine, it was the mixing of it when half asleep that was hard 🤦🏾‍♀️ but it went in fine and today I've just been feeling bloated! Still not feeling much in my ovaries (or where I think they are!) so will just have to wait to see what tomorrow's EC brings!

How come you don't think they would give you the others if this one doesn't go well? Surely if you're entitled to it they should give them to you and amend things to help push you along? I did find though after one 1 NHS cycle that when we went private, with the same company, they were much better with everything. Not sure if it's a private thing or because it's the 2nd cycle.

@Coops0406 the mixing and prepping sounds so tricky! I hope you are feeling ok about EC tomorrow, is it first thing? Did they say how many they were expecting at your last scan?

I just know that it's only up to 3 if they think it's worth it. I have a friend who they couldn't do another round and the funding moved to donor round - which has a long wait. I think it would really depend on how many eggs were collected and how well I reacted to stims to really know. They told me any less than 3 follicles at the original internal scan and HyCosy they'd not be able to even offer IVF. Just their criteria.

I'm just bad for thinking the worst. Which I shouldn't. Think it's a defensive thing, but even if I know it's possible I'd still be heartbroken.

@HJen22 feeling a bit nervous as last time we had such a good number. The scan on Monday she says there were about 4 at the right size and 4 just under. Last time they said 5 at the right size and 5 just under then got 17 mature eggs! So I really have no idea what to expect! I feel like the last one was just a very lucky round!

Do you have your protocol? Do you know what meds and dose you'll be on?

It's hard not to think the worst, and you don't want to get your hopes up too much in case they come crashing down! All I know is that the journey is constantly full of ups and downs but you just have to try to remain hopeful and realistic - easier said than done!!

@Coops0406 sorry you did say that the other day! I really hope that the other 4 have caught up tomorrow too for EC! And like last time they may get much more then they have estimated! I am sending you all the luck!

I don't have it yet, I think the nurse said I'll get it when I call cycle day 1 which should be end of next week. Im going to be on max dose though, 300 menopur. So they'll not be able to do any upping of doses as that's the max they can do.

Yeah I think from the start it's just petrified me. I've been such an emotional mess this whole time, the wait from referral to now has been hard and I'm just so scared I'll not cope. But I need to remain hopeful and have been feeling a little more positive. So many others go through it, and deal with worse so I need to be strong!

@HJen22 thank you!!!

Is that the max dose they do? I've been on 450, only on my private cycles, but they should be able to go higher?

You will be fine, just got to go with it and let your emotions out, don't stay too bottled up 🥰

@Coops0406 yes I think that's the max dose they do! Perhaps that's an NHS thing!

Good luck today with your egg collection; I hope they get lots of good eggs and it goes well ❤️

@HJen22 it must be! Worth asking them if you're not responding as you hope though!

Thank you! Will update you later! 😊

We've just had our meeting and they've said they're going to put me on long protocal as my AMH was a bit lower than they'd have liked to see (4.6) based on my follicle count (17)

I'm due to start on the first day of my next cycle, which is a bit frustrating as I just started my period a couple of days ago.

That puts me with a start of around 11th/12th Feb.

I couldn't really keep track of the time line as she was running through, but all going well I think that puts me at a transfer date of around the first week of April. Does that sound about right to anyone who's been through it before? (approx 7-8 weeks)

Had EC, same consultant as last time which put me at ease, and I have no idea where he found them but he got 15 eggs out this time! Again, such a contrast to the numbers in the last scan and we are over the moon. The sedation was amazing again, wish it lasted longer! In a bit of pain still and pretty uncomfortable, mainly on the right hand side so not sure if that's anything to do with the cyst in my right ovary. Also struggling to stomach any food, got a burger sat here and can't face it! Had a few chips but had to give the rest to OH! Now the wait until tomorrow!

@Coops0406 that's amazing!! The smaller 4 caught up and some more popped up for the party! So so pleased for you! Just goes to show the numbers they see don't always end up being the number retrieved.

That's nice it was the same consultant! Do you literally feel no pain and remember nothing when sedated? And your OH was in with you yes?

I hope you are resting and have managed some food 🥰

@Coops0406 15! That's awesome. Congrats! Will they update you on how many fertilised tomorrow?
Hope you sleep well and feel a bit better tomorrow.

@hjen22 I was on 450 on the nhs. But some consultants worry about the impact of high stims in egg quality, so you just got to hand it over to the Dr. But I know it's hard.
Also "conscious sedation" is ridiculously named. You're out. You won't be conscious or remember anything. I thought the same as you but I was asleep. It's just not a general anaesthetic.

@AliceAbsolum how are you doing? Oh thanks, that's interesting to know. I wonder if my clinic do offer that but just not as standard.

Oh good thank you, that makes me feel better. I watched the consent video and the long needle freaked me out big time. No idea how I thought they'd get the eggs but that was not how I thought it was done 😂

@HJen22 @AliceAbsolum thank you! So pleased. Still struggling with pain and bloating, I had none of this on my previous 2 cycles so this is new to me!

Was in such a happy sleep, didn't feel a thing or have a clue what happened in there! Just saw the clock at 10.53 then was away with the fairies! I don't actually even know what goes on for EC but am happy being oblivious!

Yes should find out how many fertilised tomorrow (last time it was just less than half so will be over the moon with that again!) then on Saturday we should get a day 3 update and Monday we find out what has made it.

It's a freeze all cycle but still have to take progesterone in case nothing good enough to freeze but one okay for fresh transfer! So that's a pain!

@Coops0406 oh sorry, glad I didn't say that yesterday! I'd rather be oblivious too, but my consent videos went into a bit more detail than I'd have liked 😂

Sorry to hear you're still in some pain, I hope you can have a restful day tomorrow?

Everything crossed for lots of fertilisation eggs tomorrow 🤞🏻 do they update everyday? Xx

@HJen22 was supposed to be in work but am giving myself the day at home to rest and wear loose clothes!

I'll get an update tomorrow on fertilisation then on day 3 and day 5