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! ❤️

@Honeybunie thanks, I hope the wait doesn’t drag too much for you!

@acaciabluebell thanks makes me feel a bit better taking it now! Hope all goes well for your baseline scan tomorrow!

@Tinkerbell098 That is frustrating with the clinic not being open on the weekend, and such sensitive timeframes! I know I didn’t realise it was a thing either or expect it today, they just said the follicle was more active than they would have wanted at this stage and the hormones could interfere with the stims so best to wait for next cycle. I guess taking the provera might suppress this and give them more control over my cycle. To be honest I couldn’t find much online about it so thought I’d come and see if anyone else had a similar situation.

Just reading through the thread, I am actually really nervous about the egg collection and bank holiday thing. I'm CD2 today and I think my egg collection is due to be around the BH. My clinic don't do egg collections on a weekend either. So worried...

Hi everyone! Hope you are all well? My baseline went smoothly thankfully and I'm now onto day 2 of stims now! I am on 300iu of Gonal-F, 150iu of Menopur and will introduce Fyramadel/Garinelix on day 5.

First ever time injecting myself and it was definitely nerve wracking and stung a bit! Hoping tonight's will be easier. Due to have my next scan on Monday, (which is honestly a lot further away than I expected). How are you all getting on?

Hey @acaciabluebell I'm just on my way back from my baseline scan :) did a dummy injection just putting the needle in and was totally fine, though the nurse did say fyremadel gets itchy and irritating for 20 mins after so not looking forward to that on Sat! I'm on 300 menopur and then fyremadel, gonasi trigger .

They didn't count my follicles til I asked which I thought was odd, and i was disappointed as last two months use had 21, then 20 AFC, but today when the nurse quickly looked she seemed to count 11! Hoping more develop with stims, which I start tonight!

My next scan isn't til Wednesday, a full week! Was surprised, then I have a second on Friday and in theory would trigger on the sat night for a tentative egg collection on bank hol Monday (clinic is actually open i was so relieved!) And potential transfer on 3rd Sept. Can't believe its all happening now!

Hope next few days of stims goes well. How is everyone else getting on? X

@Imisscoffee2021 Exciting! Is this your first cycle? We didn't have a dummy injection, just watched a nurse injection a piece of fake skin lol! Thankfully my husband works in the medical field so he's quite skilled at injections. Sorry to hear that you had less follicles than you expected -I had 9 follicles at my baseline but I have a low AMH and AFC so it was to be expected. It would be awesome if more grew! My dose of drugs is quite high and I already feel a bit weird in my stomach 😳 not sure if that's just from the actual injection as mine bled for some reason.

I think we might be having egg collection around the same time - my clinic is also open on the bank holiday which was such a relief to hear. Is your cycle NHS or private? I was also really surprised that my next scan isn't for a while. I was preparing myself for scans every 2 days or so! I just hope everything goes okay with the follicles until then. I start Fyramedel on Friday I think🤞🏽

@acaciabluebell I think the nurse barely counted properly tbh as she was in a rush for a meeting I'd got there really early but was happy to wait, then she hustled out and said she'd feel too bad me waiting there for nearly an hour but I'd rather that than a quick scan 😅 so hoping I see more next Wed :)

It's my first cycle, I'm 34 and went private as it looked like we wouldn't be through referrals for NHS (which we are doing concurrently as we don't lose our two if we have private rounds in our CCG) would take us to January when I'm a month from 35, so since we have MFI we wanted to optimise me if you see what I mean and get in faster. Glad we did as its all moved really fast, we started TTC in May last year so its not been a huge journey, feels like it has though! Just hoping I respond well to stims and we dint hit a horrible bump in road like dna fragmentation and severe embryo drop off etc, that's my worst fear atm hence why I wanted lots of follicles and eggs!

How about you? Are you private or NHS and is this first cycle? X

@Imisscoffee2021 We are on an NHS funded cycle and it's my first round! We started TTC early 2020 so it's a been a while. How did your first day of stims go?

@acaciabluebell that must have been so rough trying in 2020 when everything was shut down!

It wasn't as smooth as the practise one! The needle didn't want to pierce my skin, I suspect I've got a thicker batch than those they had at clinic as I've read that's an issue alot, and when I finally just shoved it in my hand was in a position that I couldn't reach the plunger, so had to get my husband to push it in. Kind of nice to do it as a team in a way 😅

I'm awaiting any symptoms and none so far, you're a little ahead of me, how are you feeling? Are you on a similar dose to me? I'm 300 menopura atm.

@Imisscoffee2021 I had a very similar issue with the Menopur needle! I was proper pushing it but didn't realise it hadn't even pierced the skin 🤣 So then I had to push it really hard and it burned a little going in. I am on 2 injections per day, one is 300 Menopur and one is 150 of Gonal-F. Menopur is definitely the worse of the two! From tomorrow I will be on 3 per day 😱

I feel fine overall although I do feel slight ache on th right side of my stomach, feels a bit like a pulled muscle? Although tbf it might actually have nothing to do with the stims and actually be a pulled muscle 🤣

We actually started TTC before the pandemic started, but you're right it was definitely a bizarre time. Im definitely glad I'm going through fertility treatment now and not in the lockdowns when partners were not allowed in with you!

I've just noticed your username btw "I miss coffee" - I totally relate as I quit caffeine about 3 weeks ago! Did you change anything else about your lifestyle for IVF?

Hope everyone else is doing okay! Xx

@acaciabluebell I'll be on two injections from Saturday, I'd rather have some symptoms than not so I know they're working, I'm a glutton for punishment!

We gave up coffee and I've barely drank alcohol this year though I wasnt a big drinker, and my husband quit alcohol when his varicocele embolization didn't work to just try and improve the sperm as much as possible with lifestyle, though it won't be a magic fix with the varicocele still there. Both taking supplements and eating more healthily, both vegetarians so sometimes too many pasta dishes but for last 4 months been eating a really well rounded diet. I also read it starts with the egg so quit using plastic bottles, nail varnish (hate my nails atm!) and perfume, throwing everything at this!

We have a high risk of a low blasto rate because of hubby's sperm but he's been ... refreshing them, we'll say, every few days for 2 months and his sample will only be a 24 hours abstinence, so fingers crossed, hope my eggs are healthy at least!

I think he just can't wait to not have any sanctions on his life anymore, but I've watched him get steadily more desperate for a child as the 16 months have gone on so he's taking it really seriously now, especially as I'm now doing IVF and injecting myself, not so bad to not have a beer at the end of the day :)

Hope all goes well with your scan today @acaciabluebell !

Hi @Imisscoffee2021 it went well thank you! I have a good amount of follicles developing although not all of them have grown properly. A lot of them are still quite small. I'm going back on Wednesday to check their growth. I'm definitely starting to feel it today, my ovaries feel really heavy and it's uncomfortable to sit sometimes and tmi but it's also uncomfortable to pee lol! I'm on day 7 of injections and about 16 injections down so far. How are you getting on?

@acaciabluebell that's awesome that you have lots of developing follicles!and 16 injections already! I'm only on 300iu menopur evening and since Saturday a pre loaded fyremadel injection so just on 9 so far, 5 days in to stims. I'm feeling my ovaries more than I usually would for sure, a bit achy sometimes when sitting down, but glad somethings happening there though won't know what til Wednesday morning on my first monitoring scan. My right side is more active it feels like, its my favourite ovary or is that wierd to admit😅 it has the most follicles anyway. I've also noticed I'm a bit more emotional, watching films that wouldn't usually make me teary I feel myself tearing up at the slightest provocation.

Haha yep, and after tonight will be 18! I'm on a very high dose, 3 per day at the moment. How are you finding the Fyremadel? I've found that it burns a bit sometimes.

It definitely feels better having had my scan as I know things are happening down there! While there I had a blood test for oestradiol and also picked up my trigger injection from the hospital pharmacy and popped it into the fridge.

Hope your scan goes well on Wednesday! What time is your appointment? Mine is at 11am.

I've been a bit worried about spontaneously ovulating because the fyremadel doesn't itch like the nurse wanted me, and just stings a little bit for about 5 mins, so been anxious it's not working, but I'm sure it is.

My appointment is 9:15 tomorrow, looking forward to seeing what a week of menopur has done but nervous too! X

@acaciabluebell Had my first monitoring scan, and a bit disappointed as have 9 follies in the running, of those 6 are at 15mm and three at 7 and 8 so doubt they will catch up! I was hoping for quantity on my end as we're male factor, especially after months of AFCs showing 20 and 21 follicles, but reprogramming myself to the quality not quantity mantra and as this is our first cycle thinking of it as a trial run!

Looks like I'm on track for triggering on Saturday night though, not many more mm for those 15ers, and as usual my right ovary is carrying the weight, my left has always been a bit rubbish compared and only had one at 15 and the other three are the 7s and8s. Is it wierd to have a favourite ovary? 🤣

Hope yours goes well today! Do you get any blood tests with yours? I've not had any since starting stims.

@Imisscoffee2021 I just had my first scan today (day 5) and only one follicle on left ovary at 15mm and 9 on right so definitely feeling like I have a favourite right now too!

Heya
wishing the best of luck to all of you jabbing and egg-growing ladies. Keep up the good spirits. Hope you're not too bloated.
Definitely concentrate on quality over quantity @Imisscoffee2021 I had a good amount of eggs, but only 2 good embryos in the end, so I guess our quality of eggs/sperm must be poop, just too old at 37 and 44. And your follicles still have until Monday (?) to catch up.
I had my test day today. I already did an early test yesterday to confront myself with the outcome a little earlier to digest it and it was negative all around. It's sad to think that the apparently best one didn't make it. Only one frozen one left. And then I'd have to do it all again.

Feel disappointed today... Day 9 of stims and most of my follicles are still small and some have barely grown since Wednesday. They are all different sizes which is stressing me out as it will be hard to get them to maturity at the same time. My AMH is really low (5) so I was expecting a poor response, but so many follicles have popped up out of nowhere and it's so frustrating that I can't grow them properly. Right now I have:
21mm
17mm
15mm
2 at 14mm
2 at 12mm
3 at 10mm
3 at 9mm
And some smaller ones.

I have to go back on Friday to check on growth. Picked up more meds today. I'm so sick of injecting myself but it looks like i still have a ways to go...

@Honeybunie I'm so sorry you didn't get your BFP this time :( I hope your FET works for you, I seem to read of successful FETs often so there's alot of hope!

@seekingbabyk That's a great number! Right seems to be the best ovary atm 😅

@acaciabluebell sorry things are taking longer, hope the added stims kick start those follicles without too many extra symtpoms, will your clinic go ahead when a certain amount have reached 18-22 do you think?

Yeah the pregnancy stats at my clinic are 25% for a fresh embryo transfer and 38% for a FET for my age group. Interesting! Wish I had more on ice. Anyway fingers crossed.

My right ovary had loads more too haha. I wonder why that is. Are you all right-handed too? haha

Sorry to hear that @acaciabluebell Can they keep you the stims for quite some time more? Or is there a limit to the number of days? I cross my fingers and toes for you. Hopefully a bit more time will helps loads

@Imisscoffee2021 I'm on the same dosage of stims, just picked up some more as they only gave me 8 days worth in the beginning and I ran out. So weird how this clinic works, every time I've gone in for a scan they have given me 2 more days worth of drugs (to last me till the next scan) that I have to get from the pharmacy. Thank god I paid for a 3 month prescription certificate because it would have got expensive fast!

I think they said they need 3 to be over 18mm to trigger. That's why I'm worried about the smaller ones, because most of mine are between 9-15mm and I would much rather wait for them than to trigger with only 3!

BTW I have had blood tests at each scan, today's E2 level came back at double what Mondays number was, no idea what level is good/bad though.

Yes I am right handed actually I wonder if that has anything to do with it! Just did first Fyremadel jab too and luckily it was fine although a big hard lump under skin now!

Good luck ladies. I am so glad to be reading your posts to have someone else going through this too - feels so lonely otherwise.

Apparently FET definitely has better results- my nurse said it gives your body time to recover from meds and ER

Keeping everything crossed for you all x

@Honeybunie I'm right handed too, maybe that's it! 😆

@acaciabluebell I wonder why I'm not getting any bloods, I'll ask on Friday at my next scan. I'm worried about the trigger as I ovulate really fast after an LH surge, always within the next 24 hours, so the 36 hour mark is stressing me out but they know what they're doing!

It's like a horrible race isn't it with follicles? I have some that are close together but the other three are so so far behind I feel like I cant count them, I've made a chart today for my own sanity with how far they'd grow with three more days of stims at 2mm growth oer day and there's no way :( but I think if some get too big then the egg over matures? I have an AMH of 16.4 so thought I'd get more, been a learning curve this cycle! I hope yours have a growth spurt over the next few days x

@seekingbabyk I feel the same way, I've only told a friend at work because she's covering for me at short notice and a really good friend about this cycle IRL, so nice to hear from people going through the same thing!