Starting IVF - sooner or later?!

[TheHopefulEgg]

Recently decided to start IVF following RM and private clinic want to see me for egg collection during next cycle...

It seems quite soon given we've just decided to go ahead. We’d planned to spend a few months focusing on nutrition and supplements but they think it's fine to do collection in approx 6 weeks and FET in around 12 weeks.

My AMH just came back at 20 (I'm almost 38), BMI okay and other bloods looking okay too apparently - I don't know a whole lot about the levels - so maybe I'm overthinking. Also been on supplements for some time and diet generally good (besides over indulging at Christmas but got to live too, right?)

My head is saying give it another cycle for preparation. My heart is terrified of another pregnancy and miscarriage. My gut says trust the clinic.

Also conscious that the longer I leave it the more worried I’ll become. But if it doesn't go well I think I'll blame myself for not doing everything I could in advance.

Interested to get thoughts, support, a good shake. My mind is whirring

I would go for it personally in the next cycle. In terms of your head, most private clinics offer free counselling sessions, so try and speak to a counsellor through your clinic. If your diet is Ok and you have been on supplements for a bit, that’s great. Plus, you’ll have another six weeks until retrieval to take those and to eat healthily. I was originally going to do a round of IVF in Jan (after two failed rounds of mild IVF last year in summer), but decided to postpone until April, so I could get healthy and get my head sorted a bit more. Instead, I’m just a mass of nerves about the process and impatient to start.

Obviously it’s a personal choice, but if I was in your shoes, I’d go ahead in six weeks.

I’m 39 and my consultant advised us to go asap as every month counts with regards to egg quality at this age. My amh is 20.7 but we only got 8 eggs-6 fertilised and only one pgs abnormal embryo from round 1 (binned). So high AMH doesn’t always mean success in terms of quality just to warn you. Going again in feb. I’ve now started on human growth hormone and Dr said that only needed a month to work so supplements may be similar. My advice, don’t wait!

Also, totally get the headwarp stuff but I find the actual doing it was easier than the waiting.

Hi @Phrenologistsfinger. Are you in the UK? I believe HGH is not permissible here in IVF. Wish my clinic could prescribe it!

@Mouseorchestra7 hi, yes I am in the UK at a (private) UK fertility clinic. Fingers crossed it helps! Will update if so.

@Phrenologistsfinger amazing! Please do update :D

Really better just to go for it. I did the same delaying and thinking I could get healthier etc or whatever excuse I gave myself. Honestly, I was just scared.
When i did it, it wasn’t as bad as my head was making it. The drugs were fine, I trusted the clinic and didn’t analyse things myself. The only hard bit I really experienced was the days after egg collection seeing how many survived.
Age is really the most important factor and so I would just go for it. Best of luck !

@Mouseorchestra7 I’ve been offered counselling so I think I’ll book a session in and talk through it all. I’m sorry you’re feeling anxious too. It’s such an emotional rollercoaster. Fingers crossed for you for April

@Phrenologistsfinger good point about the doing and not waiting. And thanks for sharing your AMH and experience. From what I’ve read 20 is about average for our age, right? But quality is, of course, more important than quantity! A friend of mine has been through IVF and her advice was to start too. She thinks I’ll sabotage myself if I hang around!

@Dreamsofholidays78 how was your health before you started? My main concern is that I know my BMI and fitness could be heaps better and I suppose I’m beating myself up that I’m not in “good” shape!

Hi op, it was okay, I probably drank too much ! I actually fell pregnant before the ivf but lost it. When I went for first ivf I had been taking supplements and not drinking Or having caffeine for 3 months

Sorry for your loss @Dreamsofholidays78. Sending you lots of love