IVF - Stims Aug - Egg Collection Sep

[RMS0209]

Hi ladies! 👋
Just as the post says... cycle day 1 of my first IVF round, 20 days until I start Norethisterone then Menopur & Fyremadel.
Looking for others starting cycle or in the cycle for some company.
Sending lots of luck to you all! ❤️

@seekingbabyk fab you're on your next cycle and what a great number of follicles! Let us know how things are going :) what's your tentative egg collection date? X

@Imisscoffee2021 we're currently booked in for 21st but obviously that might change. Scans next mon, weds and Fri so I'll keep you all updated. Feels so weird to be doing this on my own this time as we were 2 days apart in august and @acaciabluebell with us too ❤️

@seekingbabyk aw I know, it was so great having people going through things at the same time, but we've all been through it now and are rooting for you to get some lovely healthy blastocysts to freeze :) xx

@seekingbabyk Thank you for reminding me of this thread, sorry I have been AWOL but it's been hard just waiting and waiting to be able to transfer my embryo. Its been disappointment after disappointment. We also reached 3 years of TTC last month which wasn't fun.

After my egg collection I found out that I need to have a follow up with the consultant and do the nurse coordination and consent signing appointments all over again. There was a big drama last month because no one booked any appointments for me until I called them up a month after my egg collection. My follow up was then booked for end of January 😱 thankfully I managed to get a cancellation slot last week. My nurse coordination is tomorrow now. I'm really hoping that I can do my FET on my next cycle, but if not then in January.

Wishing you so much luck with your cycle @seekingbabyk and so happy you got your BFP @Imisscoffee2021 xxx

@Imisscoffee2021 yes I hope so too I'll be elated if we can a few in the freezer! Sounds like the FET is a bit easier too!

@acaciabluebell oh I'm sorry you have had a rough few months! What a coincidence that you have an appointment tomorrow! Really hoping you get the go ahead for December- that would be lovely before Christmas x

Hi ladies can I get your opinion on something please? I met with the consultant today regarding next steps. She basically said to ring up on day one of my second period which would be around Christmas time, to start a FET. Then it’ll depend on if they can get me in for a scan around day 3 to then start oestrogen tablets. I asked if I can start after my November period as that would be two periods after the miscarriage (assuming the bleed I had last week counted as the first period). This would mean I’d have transfer done (assuming lining is all ok) by Christmas. She thinks I should wait as I’m still recovering although it was a very very early miscarriage with no obvious tissue on a scan, so almost like a chemical. She said she’d advise to wait, but it’s then up to me. She said success rates for FET is only 20% and there’s also a chance that my embryo may not thaw. All this makes me want to get this done soon as possible coz I’ve got that clock ticking away in my head. I’m 37 and really don’t have time to waste especially if we were to think about a second child. Although at the moment, one would be such a blessing so I feel too greedy to want more. What would you do in my situation? I’m also worried that if I wait until Christmas, they may not fit me in for a scan given how I struggled to get a cycle in in August due to the bank holiday, so had to wait until September. Am I being too impatient to wait another month or two? I don’t want one cycle to take a few months each. I understand ivf is more of a marathon and I’m glad I’ve already started the process, but still.

@Tinkerbell098 this is so tricky!

On the one hand, I completely understand you wanting to get going again. As you were such an early MC it seems like it should almost be disregarded from a next round point of view as if it was a natural conception you could have easily missed you weee pregnant and thought you were late and therefore wouldn't know any difference. Actually you are apparently more fertile after a MC and when I had my ectopic before they knew it was ectopic they kept saying make sure you try next month as you can fall more easily.

On the other hand though if it doesn't work, you'll wonder if you should have waited.

Honestly as much as I know you don't want to hear this, I think I'd always go on the advice of the clinic and consultant.

Can you remind me do you just have one frozen blast left? Are you on a multi cycle package or do you only get the one round?

@Tinkerbell098 such a hard question, I know for me I was desperate to start another one quickly, but I guess the experts know best? I don't blame you for wanting to fit in another one, maybe oush them a bit further for really why they don't want you to as based on what you said above that all mitigates the early MC. Have your cycles regulated too?

Also, success rates won't change and embryo thaw rates won't change in the meantime so what was the use of mentioning those to you? Very doom and gloom!

What are you leaning more towards?

@acaciabluebell hey again! How terrible that noone booked anything, they must know how time ticks for women doing IVF, that's really disappointing. Fingers crossed you get a Christmas cycle or new year one, not long now either way! X

@Imisscoffee2021 how are you feeling?x

I'm looking for some advice please for those who may have experienced similar.

I had my first scan since starting stims (day 7) this morning and had 15 follicles on my left and 11 on my right.

They have said that if I get to EC (hopefully Wednesday) and there's more than 20 collected then I will have to do a freeze all and potentially wait a few months for my body to recover before the transfer.

Anyone else had this please? Or any advice on how to minimise the chances of this happening please?

I've woken up with a horrendous sore throat, swollen glands all down right side but other than that feeling fine, had a crampy day yesterday but just had bloods come back from early this morning draw and it's gone from 357 on 14dpo to 1495 on 20dpo, so a doubling time of 30 hours :) was a relief to see it as first I saw the progesterone reading of 58 and my heart dropped thinking it was HCG! Pleased that the progesterone is holding stable too, paid extra for that peace of mind!

@MammyandAva I think the clinic can best advise, sorry I can't help I wasn't at risk of OHSS, I think hydration after collection is key but the clinic should be managing your meds and monitoring you closely in the lead up. There'll be a PCOS or OHSS thread up here somewhere where people more in the know can help :) hope you get lots of good blastocysts from all those follicles! X

@Imisscoffee2021 that's great news that your HCG levels are rising perfectly! Hopefully you can relax a bit now too! Do you have a scan date booked yet? I woke up with a sore throat today too - I think it's doing the rounds at the moment. Hope you feel better soon!

@MammyandAva firstly that's a great number of follicles so you must be thrilled to have those results! It sounds like OHSS is the issue and to be honest from what I've read you probably won't feel much like doing a transfer after anyway as recovery can be a bit more sore and take a bit longer. I'm by no means an expert but I think again it's best to go with what the doctors are saying just to be safe x

@seekingbabyk it's rife at the moment! Hope you feel better soon too :) x

@Imisscoffee2021 @seekingbabyk thanks for your replies. It certainly is tricky! I'm really inclined towards a transfer next cycle. Mostly because I want to put this behind me this year and not let it drag on and start fresh next year if this doesn't work. The consultant now said she's not fussed either way as it was a very early MC. However, I don't know if my cycles are back to normal yet as I still haven't ovulated. So, I have decided to get the meds anyway and see when my period shows up. If it shows up in about 2 weeks time, I would know my cycles are pretty much ok (as I started the first bleed 2 weeks ago). Not sure if I'd ovulate or not this cycle. But because I'm having a medicated FET, this wouldn't necessarily matter I don't think. Their protocol has 5 days of fyremadel from CD1 to suppress ovulation, then oestrogen tablets from CD3, followed by cyclogest and lubion 6 days pre transfer and to follow. So, in my head, even if my ovulation hasn't kick started yet next cycle, this wouldn't matter as they'd be suppressing it anyway. Am I making sense?

@seekingbabyk I've only got one frozen and this is my last go on the NHS. I'll have to go private if this doesn't work.

@Imisscoffee2021 how are you feeling today? So so glad your hCG is rising as expected. Hope the wait for a scan isn't too long now. How long do you have to keep going with lubion injections? I didn't realise that they add this on in my clinic as a default for FETs.

@MammyandAva as everyone's said, I think this is to do with OHSS too. See how you feel after EC as you may not want to do a transfer. My clinic advised me to keep drinking a lot of water, hope that would help.

@acaciabluebell how did your appointment go? Did you find out if you can do FET next cycle?

@Tinkerbell098 that's good that she's being open minded. I think we all know our bodies and know what's right and what isn't - sometimes more than the doctors! It's so hard to know what to do when you don't have lots of embryos to play with too. Keeping everything crossed for you x

I have my day 5 scan today. Follicles have jumped from 3-5mm to biggest one at 18mm. Only counted 10 (5 each side) but hopefully some more will show up. I have really noticed the side effects this time with the increased dose of menopur. Biggest one is tiredness. Even if I sleep 8-9 hours I wake up SHATTERED. I'm sure @Imisscoffee2021 has that atm too! Started Fyremadel today too. Provisionally booked for Monday afternoon for EC but they're not sure I'll last that long. I'm secretly praying for Sunday so we can drive up to london and not be worrying about work, etc.

@seekingbabyk oh wow that's a big jump. How big are the others? When are they scanning you again? It's so exciting that you'll be transferring soon. Fingers crossed they get a good number of eggs this time X

@Tinkerbell098 I think the smallest one was 10-11mm so yes it is a big jump! I have next scan Wednesday and one Friday too.

Not doing a transfer this month as we want to just to try bank some embryos and do another round of stims first. We bought a multi cycle package of 3 rounds so our plan now is November EC, miss December, possibly January EC and then see where we stand for transfers. I feel really happy not thinking about a transfer this round though to be honest. It was quite hard going last time coming out of EC and straight into progesterone pessaries and the TWW. I think I want to let my body recover in future and try a FET instead.

@seekingbabyk makes sense. I was also inclined to do embryo banking as I am 37 now so to use any younger eggs I have. But the way our NHS funding worked, we had to go through the fresh and the frozen. I think if this fails, I would probably do the same as you. Good luck for the next two scans.

@Tinkerbell098 awww thanks! Yes I'm 37 too and i would also really like a c section if I can so in my mind I thought if I fell pregnant now, none in the freezer, would be pregnant for 9 months, then an 18 month wait to start another round, could end up at 40+ before being able to try again. I only got one blast last time so I don't want to chance it and see what my results would be like at 40. I know some people have great success but it's just not gone like that for me so I need to be sensible really. The multi cycle we have has unlimited transfers so hopefully by the end of that in august we should have a very good chance of being pregnant 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

Hi you lovely lot, work is just ridiculous at the moment so I've been a bit AWOL. I'm just checking in so I can go back and read the most recent posts and reply properly later. Just from a quick scan Tinkerbelle I would transfer as soon as possible (i.e. before Christmas) personally.

AF arrived for me, I'm on day 4, we are going for a medicated FET this cycle. First scan on Friday. Gotta do dinner now but catch you all later!!

@Decaffe awww that's great news you are having another transfer soon! Fingers crossed this is the one for you x

@Tinkerbell098 I'm feeling fine thanks, not too many symptoms but have sore boobs and occasional mild nausea, thankfully sore throat has gone without becoming anything like full blown tonsillitis. My clinic scan is 25th so not long now, really just want to get to that as I can't feel excited or that it's real til I know if there's a healthy fetus in the right place in there.
I think I'm meant to stay on the progesterone support for 12 weeks, but lubion is SO expensive I'm hoping I can start phasing it out a bit. I just ordered enough meds to get me to the 27th from now and it was over £300!! It's more than £100 for 7 days worth of lubion, but like my husband said we'll spend what we need to if we can have this baby fingers crossed!

Hope your cycle regulates soon, and you can fit that transfer in before Xmas xx

@Decaffe aww sorry to hear work's been crazy. But so good you get to start the FET this cycle. Good luck with the upcoming scan. Thanks, yes, I'm really inclined to start soon as too. But I still haven't ovulated (CD16 now), so have a feeling this cycle is going to be longer than normal.

@Imisscoffee2021 glad the sore throat is gone. I know the feeling, not long to go now though, just 10 days. Hope you can keep yourself busy until then. Everything's looking good so far though! I'll keep my fingers crossed you see your little one at your scan. OMG Lubion seems crazy expensive! Hope you can use less of it towards week 8/9 perhaps. I've read that in the US they stop progesterone support after you get a BFP as hCG should trigger natural production of progesterone. But it's better to be safe. Have you asked the clinic?

@seekingbabyk hope the scan goes well today X

@seekingbabyk how was your scan? Hope those follicles are looking fab for
you!

I just had an early reassurance scan as had some one sides mild twinges, bit sharp enough to make me wince. Saw the gestational sac, yolk sac and foetal pole! Was actually there :) and had a cyst on left ovary which nmay account for the mild pain I've had, very odd as I havent ovulated the month of doing the FET so perhaps the oestrogen pills are playing havoc with my ovaries! Feel better to have seen it and also explains the mild cramling I've had for a few days, the gestational sac is pushing uterus out as it grows so makes sense.