Newcastle Fertility Clinic - Anyone?

[IVFGotThis05]

Hi

I am just wondering if anyone is currently with Newcastle fertility Clinic for IVF? I think I would just like to hear if someone is having a similar experience to me and how you are finding it :)

@MitoMam I took that for my FET, I think estrogen was the one I had the crappy side effects from the most to be honest! Do you have long left of taking them? I don't really have any advice other than treat it like a hormonal period I would say, just accept that your gonna feel a bit crap. I hope it improves for you though! 💐

I don't know how long I have to take them for! I think about another week or two before the fresh embryo transfer? I just take tablets or injections until they tell me to stop. It does feel quite like normal period symptoms, I've been getting cramps and really fed up and emotional. Good to know someone else has experienced this and it's not just me being a mess! My husband just doesn't know what mood I will be in from one second to the next!

How are the down regulation drugs going @IVFGotThis05?

Ah I didn't know people took estrogen before fresh transfer! There's so many different protocols ! Aw it's not pleasant is it! Our DP's just have to roll with the punches I'm afraid 😂 At least there's an explanation and your not deliberately being hard work !

They're fine at the moment, no side effects or anything yet. I didn't last time either to be honest. I did feel a little cramping yesterday so maybe I'm about to have the bleed that's expected ! I don't have my scan until the 12th so still a bit of time to go :)

@Confused19831983 Im certainly been kept busy, never a dull moment working with livestock. A steady stream of calves being born just now which keeps my mind occupied. My days are varied if nothing else 🤣 feeling a bit better today actually, it’s probably the bracing wind freezing my brain 🌬 hope your are feeling ok?
@IVFGotThis05 How is the down reg going? Do you mean to say if this works I will have to take progesterone for 12 weeks? 😵‍💫 I hadn’t actually realised that. They have only given me enough until the weekend. I’m trying not to think about after test day just now, just keeping all fingers & toes crossed for a positive result.
@MitoMam Have told in laws but only cos of our work situation. My husband is a farmer and he needs his parents (the senior farmers here) to step in while we have been at appointments etc. There is literally no one else to help. I have also told just 1 friend, she has been my emotional support 🥰 I haven’t told my own parents, they don’t have any other grandkids and I don’t want to raise anyone’s hopes, I find the pressure a bit much sometimes. Have you told anyone?
I haven’t taken progynova, I hope your symptoms ease and you feel back to your old self soon. God it’s rubbish these drugs isn’t it?

@Farmersweeklyreader It's going fine !! Just wanting time to speed up just a little! Ahh the progesterone until 12 weeks might only be for Frozen transfers... I get the protocols mixed up all the time, they've become just 1 big blur 😂

Ohh you sound busy and cold !! I am freezing in the laboratory today, so I don't know how your coping outside 😅😨

@IVFGotThis05 I will ask the clinic about the progesterone (if I get a positive test) just to be sure. I don’t want to leave anything to chance at this point 😅
It has felt decidedly like winter to me today, got the fire on now 🔥☺️

@MitoMam Sorry you are feeling so crap on the estrogen tablets. I haven't been taking them but being on the progesterone is the worst I have felt throughout the whole process. I can't even describe what my symptoms are other than I just can't be arsed to do anything. Normally I am up 5.30am walking the dog - can't bring myself to do it. It's a struggle to get into office, going in later and doing less (work for myself so not going to get sacked, thank God).

@Farmersweeklyreader How on earth are you delivering calves?! There is absolutely no way I would be able to deliver a calf in my current state (not that I would be able to in my normal state either, but you get my point). Great you're able to carry on as normal though. Work really helped keep my mind off everything in early stages. I wouldn't even think of it (it being the IVF) for hours at a time. But I have struggled since the retrieval.

@MitoMam I feel I have told too many people tbh. If I do this again I will definitely tell fewer friends. I had a friend come to stay with me during the down reg and I felt I had to tell her in case I wasn't up for doing stuff (had no idea how I was going to feel). Then I had to miss the wedding of a close friend as it coincided with scans etc. so another person told. I have a friend who had IVF a while ago so obvs wanted to talk to her about it for support. Another close friend knows and also my parents and sister. I am now kind of dreading having to tell everyone it hasn't worked! No one at work knows. I was able to get on pretty much as normal throughout the down reg and stims, but past week has been hard. Next time (if there's a next time) it will be good to know that I will be able to carry on pretty much as normal until the retrieval. This part is def the worst!!

@Confused19831983 oh no I don’t pull any calves out. Even on a normal week 🤣 very heavy work, takes 2 men. 95% of the time the cows give birth naturally by themselves out in the field. It’s my job to drive around the field and observe and alert my husband if there is a problem so he can intervene. This week Iv mostly been driving my quad and sitting in the bait hut 🤣 I was supposed to have the week off but actually that is not good for my mind.
With a mixture of the progesterone and the waiting this is the hardest part still for me.

@Farmersweeklyreader Ah, I see! That makes more sense! Sounds a lot more fun than my job. Though also hard work, even without the delivering of calves!

Yeah, I am struggling this week 😑

Sorry if this is tmi, but I am a bit concerned the pessaries are leaking out of me and what this might mean. Maybe not at night but in the morn. Are you having same issue at all? And are you lying down for the morning one? I haven't been 😳

@IVFGotThis05 Good that you're not having any side effects! The down regulation process seems so long because you have to do injections for at least 3 weeks without knowing if anything is working until you get your scan. I found that quite frustrating.

@Farmersweeklyreader @Confused19831983 how long do you need to take progesterone for? Already not looking forward to that bit if I ever get there!

@Confused19831983 It is difficult because you want to be open with people especially if you are unable to attend events like a wedding, but then you don't want that added pressure of everyone knowing that it hasn't worked. Because of what we went through with my son and the fact my donor is a friend pretty much everyone knows what we are doing! I haven't told anyone at work though.

@MitoMam Yes, it's difficult isn't it re. telling people. Only a few very close people know my actual test day, so that's something at least. But yes, totally agree when it is such a big event in your life, it can be really tricky communicating authentically with people you're close to without letting them know.

Re progesterone I have just counted and I have enough pretty much to last just until test day. I can't remember what they said beyond that but am assuming we stop then?

@Farmersweeklyreader Do you know? How many do you have left?

All I remember is for FET (I can't remember fresh cycle as it was a year ago) that if my test was positive they would give me more progesterone to take until 12 weeks. Pessaries are awful, but I think its normal for the excess stuff to come back out. I'm sure it only takes an hour for progesterone to get into your system so anything that comes out after that is fine.

@IVFGotThis05 Thank you. I perhaps need to lie down a bit in morn as I think some coming out before an hour is up 🥴 I feel super down and hoping it's the progesterone. Was OK until a few days ago. Maybe it's taken this long to properly get in my system. Were you the same?

@Farmersweeklyreader How is your mood? I think you mentioned you were also feeling down. A tough time but guess not long to go for us both now.

@Confused19831983 I haven’t found a problem with progesterone leakage (sorry tmi) but I have been taking them rectally (far too much tmi) I would suggest you try the same if you haven’t already done so. I did read that the progesterone should be absorbed within 15 minutes and if you do have leakage it is the wax coming back out. I did feel really down for a few days but yesterday and today I have seen an improvement in my mood, I hope you do too as I know you are a few days behind me in the process, sending a virtual hug your way, hang in there

@MitoMam I only have enough progesterone to last till test day. I will make enquiries with the clinic if I get a positive test. I would assume that they would give another prescription for it.

@Farmersweeklyreader Ah, thank you 😊 Sending one your way too 🫂 it's such a tough time. I don't think I can bring self to insert rectally. I am a wimp I know. When I told my mum she asked in all seriousness and with quite a bit of concern: "What would you do if the doctor needed to give you a suppository to go to the toilet?" 😂 That at least made me laugh. I lied down for 15mins this morn after inserting so hopefully it is in system now. Have to say mood has improved a little now thankfully so hopefully I am over the worst. But all told I am feeling pretty pessimistic which might be a good thing in terms of not getting hopes up. I guess all we can do is wait! Not long for you now 🤞🍀

Hello ladies, hope everyone is well?
I hope it’s ok to share my news with you on here, my ivf treatment has worked. I’m hoping this is only the start of good news for this thread and everyone of us gets a good result. Feeling very happy today. X

Glad you're feeling a bit better on the progesterone now @Farmersweeklyreader. Such a roller coaster on all these drugs and the whole IVF process.

Finally had a bit of good news and my donor is booked in for egg collection on Wednesday!!! How's everyone else getting on?

@Farmersweeklyreader Congratulations. That's such amazing news. So happy you got this result. Gives me hope 😊

@Confused19831983 thank you so much. A bit of shock and disbelief in our house this morning, I honestly wasn’t expecting it to work. I had no obvious symptoms (or maybe I did but thought it was progesterone 🤔)
So happy, honestly didn’t think we would get this far.
Oh and no extra prescription for progesterone for me.

@Farmersweeklyreader You deserve to feel so happy. It's not an easy process at all, and now you have the reward 😊
I am struggling through the wait, and have had a string of not so pleasant symptoms but convincing self it's my period on the way / progesterone. Not long to go 🤞🍀🤞

@Confused19831983 I did also think my period was on its way a couple of times this week, I actually told my husband the other night that it hadn’t worked and we were making plans for another round. (Nothing definite to tell me it hadn’t worked, I just felt like I was having similar symptoms to the ones I get before my period)
Im hoping you get a positive result too, not long to go now.

@MitoMam great news about your donor. Fingers crossed for a good result for you 🍀

@Farmersweeklyreader that's excellent news!!! Congratulations! Are you transferred to normal maternity care now or do you still go to the IVF clinic for an early pregnancy scan?

I think I must have wrote my post at the same time you wrote yours so didn't see your comment first. So sorry, felt like I've just butted in over your news! It's so nice to know this whole process can work in the end. Sometimes feels like it's just bad news after bad news.

@Farmersweeklyreader Yay !! That's amazing news !!! I hope you had your cake at the ready !!

@MitoMam Finally, so pleased for you !! Things are on the move !