IVF newbie - any advice?

[ImVFhopeful2022]

DH and I found out yesterday that we're going to need IVF. We had a consult at the Lister following TTC for approx 2 years and a MMC over a year ago. I'm 37, DH is 38 and has sub-par fertility and I have PCOS although excellent AMH results.

Weirdly I actually feel an overwhelming sense of relief rather than anything else - I'm just so pleased someone else didn't say 'just keep trying' after such a long time.

Is anyone else about to start IVF, or have any advice for a complete novice? I'm doing short protocol because I'm at risk of OHSS otherwise, and trying to decide whether I get my BMI down from 33 to 30/31 before trying, or whether to go for it asap.

Im an IVF Newbie too with PCOS. I had to get my BMI under 30 before moving forward I have my next consultation in a few weeks.
Just wanted to say Good Luck

Thanks. Our consult was private and they don't have a cut off for BMI. But, there is a higher chance of miscarriage with a higher BMI. I'll go with the NHS if I can, but depends how long the wait is etc. Would save us a lot of money. I'm just worried about time though. Some might say obsessively worried, but we've been trying for such a long time, I know my fertility has declined since we started trying.

Good luck to you too, hope you get your bfp soon!

Hello @ImVFhopeful2022, I'm not a newbie. My partner and I diagnosed with unexplained infertility. We were lucky enough after our third fresh transfer cycle to become pregnant with our now 6 month old baby boy. My advice would be to try not to stress, utilise this forum it helped me so much. I would also say unfortunately try not get your hopes up that it will work first time, although do be hopeful, if that makes sense. It does work first time for some people but statistics show that you are more likely to have a successful pregnancy after a couple of rounds. Whilst going through your treatment try to do things that you enjoy, the whole process is so emotional and all consuming. I did find Fertility acupuncture relaxing and it helped with my heavy and painful periods.
Good luck xx

Thanks @SantoPalo. All sounds like good advice! I hope it works first time but I'm prepared for it to take a little while. As long as it happens in the end!

I think I'm going to try reflexology. Generally speaking, TTC is all I've thought about for the last two years, so I'm sure it's good advice to try and branch out a bit. Can't hurt, anyway.

How bad is egg collection etc? Will I need much time off work? Not a problem to have it - just good to know in advance what the situation will be.

@LacksAnyImaginationAtAll egg collection was absolutely fine for me. I was put to sleep, woke up a little groggy no pain or bleeding on one occasion I felt what was like very light ovulation ache. I was out of the clinic fairly quickly. However I do know other people who have had a terrible time, ie) period type cramping and pain afterwards. It impacts everyone differently though. Think most people are ok.

Ok, good to know. Hoping it goes well for me. I just want to get started now, really. Hopefully will have my first egg collection in the next few months. I think we've decided to go private, unless the NHS are prepared to do my egg collection before I hit a BMI of 30 because I'm not getting any younger and the odds of success seem to decrease dramatically between 37 and 38 whereas a BMI difference of 2 points doesn't seem to make a dramatic difference - unless anyone knows of any studies etc that suggest otherwise? Obvs its very expensive and means we'll have to make other sacrifices, but I'd never forgive myself if I didn't go for it now and then it never worked out. I'd always wonder if it would have worked a few months earlier.

@ImVFhopeful2022 I'm sure everything will be ok. I was 37 when I became pregnant via ivf. I have 3 frozen embryos from that cycle and hope to go back to the clinic before I am 40 to hopefully become pregnant again. I am also aware that age is factor so I would recommend to anyone to try and start ivf sooner rather than later when in your late 30s x

Hi ladies
How's it all going with the ivf? Hope all is well.
I'm 38 and I've referred for investigation, first bloods are this week. Never been pregnant before so absolute newbie in all respects.