IVF Oct/Nov

[NorthernDuckling]

I can’t see a thread for anyone doing egg collection early November so thought I’d start one.
had my nurses appointment earlier this week to set out my plan with EC on 7/11 - eek. It’s my first NHS round (we were going to do it in April but I didn’t feel ready).
I was due to start period yesterday but it hasn’t happened and hoping it starts today, the clinic said there was some wiggle room but not much. Why is it I can usually predict it to the hour and when you need it to start it doesn’t 🤯
I would love to chat to anyone else with EC early Nov as DH is already fed up of me talking about it - it’s going to be a long 6 weeks!

@SarahJane10 I’m so sorry to hear it’s negative. Do you know what you want to do next?

@hopefullsosbry no idea if it is sticky blood or not, it is a blood clotting thing. He said I also had a weak positive on one of the others, but what I wrote down doesn’t make sense so I must have misheard! 😳 I’m hoping this will make the difference, he was interested to hear that I have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis because from a tiny bit of research online it is a similar gene. It’s so hard to take it all in and remember what they said, but this consultant was the first one who didn’t say it will probably work next time and was a lot keener on discovering the problem so we liked him the most out of all the consultants we’ve seen so far (5 I think)! He seemed most realistic.

Not sure. We might do another round or go straight for adoption. We just need to have the chat about it all

@Ems123456789 have you had the results back yet?

I hope everyone is well, the heparin injections turned up yesterday, I’ve got my scan on Friday to check the lining with a likely transfer date of 6/4. I’m not really feeling positive this time, I’ve been an emotional mess recently and I’m starting to think we would have been better waiting, but at the same time I just want to get it over with. I think we will take a break before the final FET if (nearly typed when) this one fails and maybe do it July/August.

does anyone know anything about the C4M2 tests? DH has a history of blood clots (sufficient that the nhs had him on the vulnerable list for covid) and I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of google. It appears if the man is a carrier then there is a possibility that the embryo never implants. The treatment is heparin on transfer so I guess we are covered by my treatment, but the consultant said DH’s DVT wouldn’t affect anything it was only my blood results that mattered. Apparently (according to google) the problem is magnified if you both have it. DH has never been tested, but I can’t believe it could be this simple especially as the DVT in DH has been known about for getting on for 20 years.

At care it is called the care unity test and costs £230 for both of us. Given DH’s history, I can’t understand why this wasn’t suggested before we did the first transfer - £230 is a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of another failed round. I get so frustrated that they don’t try to find out the cause of the unexplained infertility.

@NorthernDuckling I hear ya! We were never asked if we have had any karyotyping testing/ stick blood testing / or any other testing that seems to be the most common cause for infertility.. they fertility clinics just want to dash on with ivf when actually this may not help /be the answer for everyone .. with sone simple blood test prior to ivf so much more can be understood.

I really hope your transfer works this time round and the heparin injections make the difference. 🤞🏽 I know how you feel though as I feel that way with our last embryo as in that it’s prob just going to fail 😏 it’s hard to stay so positive as so many heart breaks .. but sending you all the luck .. warmish wishes x

completely agree @NorthernDuckling fertility is like a black hole, more tests you can do, hopefully the smaller the black hole gets. It’s difficult though to get a balance between getting on with it so you can keep giving the transfers a go and also stalling to do more tests before you do a transfer. So many variables involved.

I have elevated Nk cells yes, some certain strains are outside the normal range. My clinic have recommended a protocol for my next transfer which is frozen. It’s the first time I have ever had a frozen embryo. My reserve is so low that I haven’t had more than one before. I decided to get a second opinion from a doctor in London, Dr Yao Thum at the Lister who is a fertility immunology specialist before I go ahead with my clinics advice on the protocol. That’s on Thursday so will see what he says.

Hi ladies,

Sounds like you all have lots going on. I cant help with any of the questions, dont have the knowledge. but just to say good luck to each of you with each stage. It's so tough.

@NorthernDuckling Hope your lining check goes well on Friday. And wishing you the very best moving forward.

@Ems123456789 Hope you get your second opinion and are able to progress with your frozen embryo. Really hope it works out for you.

@hopefullsosbry Not sure what stage you are at now, but I really do widh you all the best.

I'm having a long break from it now, since failure in December. Don't know if or when I will go back to it.

I will continue to check in every once in a while, hoping that you all have some good news soon 🙏

Take care,
Thelotusflower

Hi everyone, I hope you are all having a good Easter. How did your second opinion go @Ems123456789 ?
I had my transfer on Thursday so currently in the 2ww - test day is 19/4.
The heparin injections hurt so much, I’ve done 4 and I’m dreading the one this evening already. I’ve got quite a bit of discharge but no other symptoms. Really not got my hopes up, I think I’m going to do the ERA/EMMA/ALICE tests before the next transfer, at the moment I’m not sure I have another round in me, it has been so tough. I feel like a shell of the person that I started out as.

So I caved and tested 8dp5dt and it is positive (very feint) but there is a line, the first line in over 5 years. It is unreal, I was full of cold at transfer and I’ve had no symptoms but it looks like the heparin worked for me.
I hope everyone else has success with their journeys and would love to hear how you all get on. Xx

@NorthernDuckling wow that’s amazing .. congratulations 🎉 so happy for !! Wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy .. my transfer isn’t until July so a few months off for me then will get back into it .. I’ll let you all updated xx

Amazing news @NorthernDuckling hoping this is it for you! So exciting! Hope everyone is doing well 💙💙

Wow congratulations @NorthernDuckling keeping everything crossed for your journey. Please keep us posted.

thanks @Thelotusflower for asking. I got my second opinion from Dr Thum at the Lister in London. He was very thorough in comparison to my existing clinic in Brighton. They had told me I had elevated natural killer cells and needed 25 mg prednisolone and 2 Intralipid infusions.

Dr Thum said that I did not need to have done a Natural Killer Cell test that went to Chicago (as my clinic advised) as he can do it in London and get the results in 3 days and that the protocol they have recommended may not necessarily bring down my levels. The London test is far more detailed, rather than just looking at whether you have elevated natural killer cells it puts your blood together with 3 different medications: prednisolone steroids, intralipids and IVIG.
It can then tell which one your body responds best too to bring the levels of natural killer cells down and what amount of medication may be best. He advised me to approach my clinic to ask if they would consider doing my transfer whilst he does the immune protocol and also continues to look after me throughout a first trimester if I got pregnant (which my existing clinic do not do). They have said no, which is frustrating but I understand from a legal cover perspective if I get unwell etc etc.

So I am now in a bit of a pickle as the transfer at my existing clinic is prepaid under access fertility. If the transfer doesn’t work we get £4.5k back as all rounds would have failed. I obviously don’t want it to fail but it’s a lot of money that could go towards a future round.

I think I’m still going to do the London test to see what the results say and then make a decision after that. If for instance the results say that steroids and intralipids are fine, perhaps I do the transfer at my clinic and go straight to the London clinic on a positive test. If it says that I need IVIG, my Brighton clinic refuse to use it and so perhaps I’d move my embryo and risk that I may lose money.

it’s all so complex and a bit of a headfuck! If you’ve got to the end of this thread thanks for reading 🤣

P.s I would love to know how everyone else is getting on

@NorthernDuckling Congratulations, that is fantastic news!!!

@NorthernDuckling That's amazing news 🎉🎊so happy for you. Can't believe it's finally happened! Hope and pray it continues to a healthy and happy baby!

@Ems123456789 Good to hear that Dr Thum from Lister was more through. That soes sound like quite a predicament. I hope you are able to have some clarity and make a decsion that you are happy with. Whatever route you take I hope and pray you get your longed for BFP. 🙏

Hope everyone else is doing well.
Lotusflower

Thanks everyone, @hopefullsosbry I’ve got everything crossed for your transfer in July.

@Ems123456789 i think your plan sounds sensible, if it works you can go to the new clinic after your BFP, and if it doesn’t you have £4.5k to use for another round. Are you on blood thinners, that seems to have made the difference for me?

@Thelotusflower I hope whatever you decide in your break you have every happiness in the future. I’m glad I had 6 months off last summer, it gave me some perspective and I was able to see how my life might pan out if we didn’t continue with treatment - it’s also great not to be on meds over the summer and just be able to relax without worrying about appointments and eating healthy.

Ive still not reached OTD yet, the line is getting darker though, so we are really hopeful. This is the furthest we’ve ever got so even if it doesn’t work out we have hope. I really pray you all get your BFPs soon. xx

@NorthernDuckling thanks .. I’ll keep you posted when July comes .. am
sure ill be on here for support.. you guys are all great for understanding the motions as we are all going through the same thing , most of my friends and even some faintly don’t really get it, I really like this group for advice and support. So thanks everyone 😃 and best of luck to everyone with each different situation your in at the minute xx

@NorthernDuckling is the blood thinner called Clexane?

Just checking in to see how everyone is getting on.

I got a second opinion on my immune issues from Dr Thum at the Lister and had my results today which shows I have a very overactive immune system with NK cells causing havoc. I have 1.59 x the amount you are meant to have active in your blood stream and he said this was quite significant in my ability to get pregnant. In terms of treating it, the test showed that prednisolone would reduce my active killer cells to 16%, Intralipids 17% and IVIG 8% .
I’m going to go ahead with a frozen transfer at my existing clinic, where my round is already prepaid as I’m on access fertility finance plan. My clinic won’t use IVIG so I will go ahead with the prednisolone and intralipids which they are willing to do. I had prednisolone last time but miscarried. Though the embryo was average on quality.
my frozen one is top quality, so it will be interesting to see if with a good embryo and the intralipids this will help. If I get a positive test I’m going to go to Dr Thum for first trimester care as again my clinic do not really do this.
this is my fourth ivf attempt so fingers crossed! If it doesn’t work we will get half our access fertility money back and move to treatment at the Lister.

@Ems123456789 Im on inhixa, but I think it’s similar.

I’ve had a massive bleed (about 1/2 a pint) 😭, I ended up coming back from holiday on doctors advice and I’ve got a scan at the clinic tomorrow. Im not holding out much hope but the bleeding has stopped now. The doctor that saw me on holiday said that there is quite a bit of “product” but the examination today showed that my cervix is still tightly closed so who knows. Think heparin probably made the bleed worse.

@NorthernDuckling i am so sorry. Holding out hope that everything is okay but thinking of you for your scan tomorrow 💖

Hi, hoping all will be ok , av heard lots of people having bleeds and baby is absolutely fine , there can be a hematoma that can cause bleed and perfectly ok to bleed and baby not harmed, hoping all will be ok xx

Agree with @hopefullsosbry so many people on these boards have these awful bleeds and turns out to be a heamatoma which is super common with ivf pregnancies. It's a great sign it's stopped and if you're not having cramps. Wishing you all the best of luck tomorrow x

So it’s not good news but it’s not bad news either, they can see the gestational and yolk sacs but nothing else. The nurse thought she could see where the bleed had come from. I’ve got a scan booked for next Monday where they expect to see the heart beat.
if the embryo survived losing that much blood it will be a miracle.

keeping Fingers crossed for you for Monday @NorthernDuckling, it’s good you are in again soon, hopefully it’s good news though I know the waiting must be very challenging!

Hi @NorthernDuckling I think that's really positive! I really don't think you'd see the heartbeat this early - usually it's at 7 weeks! Hopefully there will be no more bleeding now and everything will progress as it should 🙏🙏