IVF April/May 2022

[Girlwholifts]

Hey everyone.
So I’m just getting ready to start my second round of ICSI after suffering a MMC last Aug.
I have 2 more weeks of Norethisterone before I await the important bleed and then start my injections, yippee!

I was so chilled when I received my protocol and now I’m getting a little nervous as I know what’s to come. Unfortunately none of the embryos from our last round were high enough quality to freeze so we are starting from scratch. I’m preying for higher quality this time but I guess that’s out of our hands.

I wanted to start a thread as I know how helpful it was on my first round and it’s nice to know your not alone in what can seem like a very isolating process ❤️

Thanks for your kind messages everyone.

@Glitterandunicorns My first EC was the same as yours, I felt everything! I had the same Anaesthetist this EC and I said about last time and he made sure this time was more comfortable which thankfully it was. Make sure you do tell them and I’m sure this time you’ll be fine.

I’ve had the call from the Embryologist this morning and out of the 10 eggs only 8 could be used for fertilisation and out of the 8, 6 have made it through fertilisation so we are going for day 5 blast ET Saturday, all being well. We are both so happy with those numbers.
fingerscrossed for @Sxd515 for your news today 💛

Sending baby dust to all on the TWW!

@Glitterandunicorns hi lovely. Wishing you all the luck for this cycle.
I'm really lucky that I don't remember anything of my EC and when I came round I was definitely a bit out of it. I really hope this one is much better for you ❤️

@Girlwholifts that's brilliant! Super pleased for you!! We've also had the call. I was shaking like a leaf. Of the egg collected, 6 were mature and 4 fertilised. Really happy and just keeping everything crossed. We are also going for day 5 transfer on Saturday so long as we can get that far with one of the four!

Lots of love to all ❤️

@Sxd515 and @Girlwholifts those are amazing numbers! Fantastic news. Fingers crossed for some good growing for you!

Thanks for the well wishes :-)

Great news @Girlwholifts!

Sending everyone best wishes! I have my ET tomorrow. Can’t say I’m looking forward to the full bladder part and keep having anxieties that it’ll be delayed or take forever!

@TerrazzoChips best of luck for tomorrow ❤️

@TerrazzoChips I hope tomorrow goes well and it's over quickly for you!

@TerrazzoChips best of Luck for today ❤️

I've just been for another scan. I've been on Gonal F for 2 weeks now and my follicles still aren't ready.

The nurse has done a blood test as she said she needs to check my oestrogen levels to make sure I'm not at risk of OHSS because I've been taking Gonal F for a while.

She said I have about six follicles that are an ok size and lots more that she said are at baseline level. She said that they might catch up, but I'm feeling a bit disheartened with those numbers (we're doing ICSI if that makes any difference).

I've got to go back for another scan on Friday to see where they're at, with collection probably on Monday, unless there's an issue with the blood test in which case I'll have to go back in tomorrow.

So quite disappointed in my results! I knew I was ready to have collection on Monday with my number but the fuckers wouldn't do it as it's bank holiday. So they got 19. 10 being mature. I've never had that many drop off straight away. I think they were over mature so yeah I'm quite upset. Also my partners 1st sperm wasn't good to use so he had to do it again and they said it was alright but now having to do ICSI. So yeah I don't think I'm going to get the 6 4AAs that I got last time.

@TerrazzoChips hope your transfer goes well!

Good luck @Glitterandunicorns hope it all goes well!

@Alexm06 remember it only takes one, hoping this time is your time!

I had my ET today. 1 5AB put back in. I didn’t enjoy it and my bladder was ‘over full’ so It was very painful. They gave a long list of things I can’t do but slowly walking helps clear my head so I’m having a very gentle walk in the sun.

@TerrazzoChips I'm sorry your transfer was uncomfortable. A walk in the sun sounds like a great idea.

@Alexm06 I'm sorry that you're disappointed with your numbers. If you're doing ICSI, there is no reason why you shouldn't get lots of lovely blastocysts. Fingers crossed for you!

I've just had a call from my clinic. They have my blood test results back and they're a bit concerned about my oestrogen levels so have asked me to go in for a scan tomorrow to see if there's any chance I'll be ready for collection on Saturday to minimise the time I'm taking Gonal F for.

At today's scan I had six follicles of an ok size and about 15 or so that were too small.

I feel really sad about it all; like my body hasn't responded to the medication as well as it feels like it should have done (this is our second round and we're doing long protocol this time) and now I'm worried I'm going to end up not getting a good number of eggs and that I'll not be able to do a fresh transfer because I'll end up with OHSS because of my high oestrogen levels.

Hopefully tomorrow things will seem brighter.

Finally got my call. So out the 19 collected 13 ended up being mature and 8 have fertilised. Have booked me in for a day 5 transfer on Monday. I hate it when they take so long to call but I'm happy with those numbers hopefully get some more to freeze!

@Glitterandunicorns I hope you're doing ok. My scans last week were pretty negative but by the time we got to egg collection things had moved forward a bit so hopefully that will happen for you. Have they said when you'll trigger?

@Alexm06 those are great numbers! Waiting for the calls is torture. This is my first time and I definitely underestimated how hard the time between collection and transfer would be.

@Girlwholifts how are things with you? Have you had a day 3 update?

I got a call this morning to advise at day 3 my 4 fertilised embroys are still going. One is where they'd want it, two developing more quickly and one is a bit behind. Will get a call tomorrow with an update and time for transfer on Saturday all still being well. I feel like now I've got off the call I've got questions re the two moving fast and what that means in reality but I was so overwhelmed at the call it took everything to just process we still had embroys going.

@Alexm06 that's fantastic news! Fingers crossed for some good blasts!

@Sxd515 that is fantastic that your embryos are still growing!

Thank you @sxd515. I had another scan this morning and more blood tests. My follicles have grown an amount appropriate for one day but still aren't at 17mm yet.

The nurse said that they'll check today's oestrogen levels when they get the blood test results back. If the levels have stayed where they were yesterday, they'll do collection on Monday.

If the levels have gone up more, it'll be too much of a risk for OHSS to take more Gonal F and they'll do collection on Saturday.

I am so hoping that the levels have stayed stable as my follicles still aren't quite at the size where we need them to be yet. I'll find out in a couple of hours though so at least it's not long to wait to find out.

@Glitterandunicorns keeping everything crossed for you for those bloods xx

@Glitterandunicorns The uncertainty must be so frustrating! I'm sending out all the good luck I can muster! Hopefully they'll be a few mature ones in there either way.

@Sxd515 good luck with tomorrows update. Fingers crossed all 4 make it 🤞

@Alexm06 Woo! Amazing numbers, all the best over the next few days!

Hope everyone else is getting on ok - those in their TWW and those about to enter it.

I just had my blood test results back. My oestrogen levels have gone up a little bit from yesterday but they're happy for me to have a scan on Saturday with a view to having collection on Monday.
They have warned me that because of my oestrogen levels, that it might mean a freeze-all cycle and then do transfer in a few months once the risk of OHSS has dissipated.

This morning, the nurse said the other possibility was that they'd have to do collection on Saturday if my oestrogen levels had gone up too much despite most of my follicles not being the right size yet, so I think it's probably the best outcome I could have hoped for at the moment.

God, this whole thing really puts you through the ringer doesn't it!

@Glitterandunicorns that's good news at least your follicles can get a bit bigger. Even if it is a freeze all they will hopefully be better quality.

God it really does I was a mess yesterday and today I feel a lot more relieved (I hope you are too!)

@Sxd515 it really is. I don't think I would have been too bad if yesterday had gone a bit better (well in my eyes anyways) this whole thing feels like a waiting game. I hope your embryos are all good and well for Saturday!

@Alexm06 I'm so glad you're feeling a bit better today.

Thanks @unCliche and @Sxd515. I'm so grateful to be able to talk about it with others who understand.

@Sxd515 I didn't opt for a day 3 update. I said to my husband if it was bad news on day 3 I would spend the whole day worrying over something out of my control. They did however say is they had any issues they would call me and I haven't heard anything. My clinic is calling today with all the details for tomorrow and how they are doing so I have everything crossed that its good news!
Great news on your 4, strange to think that tomorrow is the big day! Do you get the details today for your time tomorrow etc?

@Glitterandunicorns IVF is defiantly testing isn't it. I'm sure whatever they decide will be for the best and I hope it all goes really well for you.

@Alexm06 I know you felt a little disheartened but your numbers are really really good. I'm sure you'll end up with amazing embryos ready for Monday!

So I know this is a question everyone gets asked.. who's an early tester? I personally couldn't think of anything more petrifying than testing early so I will 100% stick to my OTD.

@Girlwholifts that sounds really sensible to have not requested an update yesterday. Brilliant that you had no call from the clinic; sounds like everything is going great! Best of luck for further good news today. X

@Glitterandunicorns how are you feeling today? Hoping your little follicles are catching up. I don’t know if there’s any science behind it but I think people grow to different sizes at different rates so why won’t follicles? Your follicles might just be gymnasts or ballet dancers not rugby players or sumo wrestlers!

@Alexm06 you have really similar numbers to me, I had 18/19 throughout stims (kept fluctuating between the two) got 12 mature eggs, of which 8 fertilised. I then had 1 transferred and 3 which were good to freeze. I’d have preferred more but keep telling myself it only needs one!

I hope everyone else is getting on ok, how are those of you in the 2WW doing? I am obsessively checking my knickers for implantation spotting, willing my little embryo to snuggle in deep and desperate to test but I think I’m going to hold off until 8dpt. Then hopefully the wait for the viability scan…

@TerrazzoChips you're absolutely right; people do grow at different rates so hopefully by Monday they'll be fine. Thanks so much! I'm feeling a bit less anxious today thank you; I think because I don't have to have a scan today I can try to put it out of my mind a bit.

I remember my last go round that the TWW was mega stressful! I remember worrying every time I went for a wee or stressing about every stomach twinge. I really hope you're able to relax as much as you can. X