IVF/FET March/April 2022 thread 3

[Autumn245]

New thread, I'm trying to tag everyone but it's not letting me! I will try add as many as I can x

@ginandtonicformeplease I'm not sure when I last updated but the medication worked to clear everything out, I was bleeding for weeks though! And I've just had a period so it looks like hopefully my hormones are back on track!

I've decided to go ahead with the final transfer although I'm still not sure about it. I'm having the EMMA/ALICE test in a few weeks, will see if that shows anything. I guess the transfer will be in August/September or October depending on what they find, so it's quite a way away yet!

I do need to get my weight under control though I swear I put on over half a stone over the past few weeks from just eating rubbish!

What supplements/foods did you all take to prepare for IVF? I didn't take any supplements other than pregnacare and extra vitamin d 🤷🏻‍♀️

@AliceAbsolum sounds amazing- we had to cancel our holiday/s abroad as I'm not allowed to leave the country 90 days before treatment starts. So have changed it to next year and I'll move it forward or book another of its unsuccessful. We are going away a few times in this country to have something to look forward too and we recently had a UK city break.

Sooooo 6 weeks until you'll know then do you and OH have any guesses?

@TommieNC that's great news. I love hearing good news stories give me a little hope.

@ginandtonicformeplease when are you due :)
Thank you- I'm getting better- that is until I have to add in the 2nd injection and then I'll be upset again for a few days.

@Nutrinerd I'm be recently had Covid and was very ill with it and not pregnant. My theory was that my last vaccine was in September so they have all probably run out.

@Somatronic that's great news! Sorry you have been feeling yuck. Hope it's settled now.

@Herewegoagain881 I'm on folic acid and vitamin D and I've just started Ubiquinol for egg quality recommend for 4 weeks before retrieval ( I'm on long protocol so I had the 4 week prompt.

Anyone been on Burserelin? Did it make you bloat also they said I can expect a heavy AF after a week- can anyone share their experiences please?
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@PMAmostofthetime I hope it's going well. I was on Buserelin nasal spray but don't remember having side effects from it and it part of a FET rather than prep for egg collection. Are you on the spray? I remember that my clinic said it's quite low on stick so may need to take injections next time.

@@Herewegoagain881 I so wish I was on the spray as a huge needle phob, but there was no stock so injection it is. Once a day 7pm.

I'm snappy and moody- dreading the period too which they said would be extremely heavy 🙈. What was your experience? X

@PMAmostofthetime aww gosh that's such shame the spray is out of stock.. thinking about it I did have a bit of an emotional meltdown one day when I was on this medication, maybe it was due to the meds. I don't think my period was heavier but I'm normally heavy so maybe I didn't notice. The spray isn't pleasant either but probably better than a jab..it was 3 times a day so more likely to forget (I forgot a dose) and it didn't taste nice and lingered!

@HJen22 Hows things? Did you get to transfer?

@PMAmostofthetime No guesses! I don't know how people know!

Midwife rang and said that I have low papp-a, so I'm officially high risk and will have serial scans. It can cause miscarriage pre term birth pre-eclampsia etc. I think I just need to accept its probably going to be one thing after another until they're born and then I'm never, ever doing this again!

@AliceAbsolum sadly not 😢 I ended up stimming for two more days and at the scan before EC I had three good sized follicles. But at collection (which was pretty traumatic, I almost fainted because the Dr took multiple attempts at putting the cannula in my hand, and the collection itself was agonising) we got no eggs. Beyond devastated. I was really hopeful and so wanted a proper shot at it with a transfer after last time. Not really sure the next steps.

I'm sorry to hear you're having a difficult time, after an already really tough start! I hope you are managing to rest plenty and look after yourself x

Oh I'm so sorry. That's awful. After all you have been through. Can't imagine how devastating it is.
You have no rush to decide next steps. But there are lots of options - another go, donor eggs, donor embryos, doing nothing. You have choices. Have the clinic spoken to you about it?
Always happy to talk about the donor route if that's something you're considering.
Take time to feel upset and angry, you've been through such a lot.

Thank you ❤️ we are so gutted as really hoped this cycle would go better. So I am 99% sure that's the end of our NHS funding due to the fact you've to get 3 eggs (the last time they didn't count the cycle since we had no idea what we were going into at EC), I did ask for a follow up as I just wanted out of the hospital on Wednesday. Haven't heard back from them so they will probably just send a letter for a Dr consultation and I'm guessing say we can join the NHS donor waiting list. I would like to try again with my own eggs private but I'm trying not to look into it right now as I know the right thing to do is take a break. We've a holiday booked end of August which I'm so glad about.

Thank you, i appreciate it. How many weeks are you now? And are you still moving about in the van? Xx

A break is good. We took a massive one during covid, it's needed sometimes. Process, heal and regroup.
A clinic abroad may switch protocols up. Or there is the create clinics in London that specialize in poor response?

15 weeks tomorrow. Currently in the Alps in the van. We'll be back for the 20 week scan and then we will sell the van 😭

I haven't looked into it other than when I enquired with a private Glasgow clinic after the last cycle. But I will be sure to see what's on offer for low ovarian reserve. I'm keen to try in the UK if we can but I need to see what's out there.

I took last week off work and I've got a Drs note now for a few weeks. I feel bad taking time off but I didn't have time to process last time and it's hit me particularly bad. I think because we knew pretty much right away we'd get another shot, had a nurse call and schedule pretty quick I had something to look forward to. Now it's very much the unknown and is going to involve a lot of research.

Aww that's sad that the van will be going up for sale 😞 but for a very good happy reason. Where will you be looking to settle?

Yes it's a much more complicated ending this time isn't it, no quick and clear next step. Absolutely don't need to feel guilty about taking time off work, you need space to grieve and heal after what is a traumatic and upsetting experience. Blindly carrying on would not be good for your physical or mental health.
I felt lots of pressure to go back to work late 2019 after a year of 3 ivf cycles that ended in miscarriage and I look back now and wish I'd gotten signed off for longer.

We rent our house so we will need to get that back, redecorate and strip out the carpet etc. Snaffle the cat back from our friends and get back to living in one place again! It's going to be weird but at the same time we have had a great few years traveling and we feel quite done. It's been 34c in the van this week, and I am not taking anything for my bad hayfever so it's been a choice of sitting in the grass or sitting in the sauna.... Living in a vehicle has its pros and cons.

Where are you going on holiday in August?

@AliceAbsolum hope lots of scans reassure you throughout- it will all be worth it.

@HJen22 have you had a follow up through yet? How are you feeling now? A holiday in August sounds like a very good idea.

I still have no idea on ovarian reserve as they have still not done my AMH! I'm asking for it to be done at my next appointment..... again!

I can't imagine that heat in a Van @AliceAbsolum we are currently caravanning in England it's 24 degrees today and the caravan is way way too hot! And has been since the temperatures hit 20 degrees.
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Metal boxes with windows do not like European heatwaves. Nor do anxious pregnant women sitting in them!

@AliceAbsolum I'm sorry to hear that they've moved you to high risk, hopefully the extra scans should give some reassurance. Also being in a heatwave and pregnant must be tough, hopefully there's a nice breeze most days.

I'm high risk too due to developing Severe Pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome with my son, so this time they are being very cautious and have booked me in for scans at 20, 23, 30, and 36 weeks, with the possibility of more. My son was also born with 4 serious heart defects which required open heart surgery at 4 months to repair, so they want to do an extra in-depth scan to check babies heart at 18 weeks.

We've booked a private scan for 16+3 to hopefully see the sex of the baby.

@HJen22 I am so very sorry to hear about everything you went through with your EC. Just like Alice said, if you want any info on going abroad for donor eggs, I did mine in the Czech Republic

As for me, I've dodged Covid for the last 2.5 years and now that I'm pregnant I've tested positive on Monday. I thought it was just a cold or the flu since it was so mild, but nope.

I hope everyone else is doing well!!

@TommieNC sorry to hear that you’ve succumbed to the ‘rona too! I’m just recovering, wasn’t much fun but not severe and had a couple of extra scans for reassurance, hope it continues to be mild for you.

@Nutrinerd So did you contact your midwife about having Covid and she booked a scan?

I figured they wouldn’t be super bothered since I’m already on low dose aspirin and blood thinning injections, but I should probably call them on Monday.

@TommieNC yes, and I got given a sats probe and clexane. I think it was because my sats were dropping quite low at the beginning maybe that they sent me for a scan, I thought they’d want me out the place as quickly as possible!

How is everyone doing?

@Steph2345 @HJen22 @Autumn245 @LT103 @Nutrinerd @TommieNC @AliceAbsolum @Herewegoagain881 @Somatronic @Thirdtimesacharm1 @Suki2020 @BlueSilver23 @Coops0406
And anyone else I have missed how are you all doing?

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@PMAmostofthetime hey, yeah I’m ok thanks. 13 weeks pregnant now. Had some ups and downs lately, my blood was too thick from the OHSS but that’s all sorted now. Been told today I now need vit B12 injections so not looking forward to those as I’ve been told they hurt as it goes into the muscle. How are you?

@Suki2020 13 weeks that's gone fast! Sorry to hear you had some issues but so glad that it's sorted now.

I'm sure you remember how much of a needle phob I am. And I used to pay for B12 injections pre IVF and it does sting but are not as bad as stingy stomach stims- I willing went back as after 2 you feel so much better. You will be fine.

I'm on my 2nd cycle- finished down regging 2 days ago and on 2nd day of stims.
Stim Brain fog has started.

@PMAmostofthetime hi! Great to see you have been able to start your next cycle, how are you feeling apart from the brain fog? When is your next scan booked?
im doing good thanks. I’m still having some issues from the stupid OHSS but it’s so much better than it was.

hi to everyone else. I’ll catch up on the thread shortly but hope everyone is well

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Hi ladies, had a scan at 9w 3d and twin a is doing well. Twin b is starting to be really absorbed and no bleeding whatsoever. Have been on holidays for the last 9 days so was nice to relax. Had my first appointment with the hospital, which is a telephone appointment with the midwife. Next appointment is next Tuesday at 11w 4d for another scan

@Steph2345 scan is booked for the 8th- feeling fine apart from that- more relaxed about the whole process this time around which will hopefully help.
How far along are you now?

@Thirdtimesacharm1 glad you got to relax/ and that Twin A is doing really well.
Sorry to hear about Twin B but glad there's no bleeding or complications that are affecting Twin A x

@PMAmostofthetime hi! I'm glad that you are starting another cycle and that you're feeling better about it this time. Everything crossed for you. Let us know how you get on at your scans.

I'm 13 weeks 2 days now. Found first trimester hard, but feeling a bit better now thank goodness. All was well at the 12 week scan and my autoimmune diseases are behaving so far so I can't complain.