IVF/ICSI Dec 2022

[FrostedFlake]

Hi, I couldn’t find a board for those starting IVF OR ICSI in December so thought I’d create one.
This will be our first round and we are due to have our egg collection on the 5th of December. I’m not sure how dates usually work but not having regular periods I need to take Provera the second week in November which I think makes it easier for them as the medicine will result in a bleed and our baseline scan should be 7 days after starting on the medication.

Would love to see if anyone else is due to start ICSI or IVF in December.

Sorry @kamaha I should have said, I will be stopping the gonal f now and moving to menopur.

@Miche243 I'm glad the injections haven't been too bad so far, although I imagine the bloating isn't nice. I hope all goes well with the Menopur today and with the start of the new one tomorrow. I think I need to mix/make up (not sure of the correct term!) the Menopur myself. Have you had to do the same? I think I'm more nervous about getting that right than administering it!!!! Sounds like you're doing everything you can be doing, and you're absolutely right - it just takes one! Xx

Hey @kamaha I was in exactly the same boat! I’ve literally just mix the menopur now and administered LOL. I was so nervous, I’ve bugged the nurses so many times because I was so scared of getting it wrong. I don’t know why they can’t have it in a pen like gonal f. Word of warning, the needles are a little thicker! Nothing crazy and it was absolutely fine. I think I was just scared to be too forceful! It’s quite simple really. Don’t panic!

Welcome @Miche243 ! I started my Northisterone today so I'm a couple of weeks behind you. I'm on my 2nd IVF though, so happy to help answer any questions you might have (if I can of course ☺️)

Thank you @Kay00 you guys are so sweet! I’ve generally been ok apart from an emotional outburst a little while ago! Sometimes this process can feel so lonely, it’s hard to keep emotions in check. I know I should be positive but I’m reading everyone’s stories about collecting 10+ eggs and I only have two follicles! It’s really hard! I have a scan booked for Tuesday - hoping by a miracle they see more! How did your first ivf round go? X

@Miche243 i totally get that - I will 100% be on the phone to the nurses when it comes to mixing the menopur 🙈 it would be so much easier if it was just the pre-filled pens!! Good to know about the needle size, but glad it wasn't too bad in the end. Do you mind me asking where you're doing the injections? i was planning to do mine in my tummy, but I saw it suggests on the instructions of one of them (fyremadel?) that it be injected in the thigh, which seems like it would be way more painful than the tummy!?

@kamaha i was planning to do both in tummy - one in each side! Erghhhhh! They didn’t tell me specifics to be honest…

Hiya @Miche243 I hope your scan went well today! Was it good news?

@kamaha I started my Meriofert injections yesterday which I have to mix to make up to 225 ml. It's a faff isn't it?! Pens would be so much easier. I opted for belly and will alternate sides. The needle isn't too bad but I was a bit shaky (silly nerves!). Now that I've done it once I do feel a bit more confident for this evening's attempt.

Hope you are all doing well? xx

@Pwdin thanks for checking in! So I did my scan today, and my follicles have grown slightly, which is good news! Carrying on with the Menopur and the other injection that stops me from ovulating. Got to say that I’m not really enjoying those injections LOL. Primarily because they need a slightly bigger and I’m definitely feel the meds going in, totally agree with the pen idea! It would be so much easier! Another scan on Friday!

@Miche243 I'm really pleased it was good news at the scan today, but sorry you're not enjoying the injections - these ones definitely sound a lot worse than the pre-filled pens (I've not used Gonal f before, but I have used the Ovitrelle pens, which aren't too bad). It does sound like one in each side of the tummy is the best way - I think I will do the same!

@Pwdin I'm glad the first injection was OK. I think it's totally normal to be a bit shaky with administering them, especially to begin with. It's just so counterintuitive to stick needles in yourself!! I'm not looking forward to it (or the mixing part!!), but hopefully it does get easier with time. It seems like tummy and alternate sides is the favoured approach, so I think I'll do that too!! I hope this evening's went well xx

@kamaha im getting used to it! Just closing my eyes and pushing through! It’s not so bad!

@Miche243 and @Pwdin I hope the last few days of injections have been OK.
How did you get on at the scan yesterday @Miche243 - I hope it went well.

I had my baseline scan yesterday and all seemed OK, so I've stopped norethisterone and just waiting for my period so I can start injections.

How is everyone else getting on? Xx

Hi @kamaha thanks for checking in. So last scan yesterday showed there hasn’t been much growth even though I’m on a big dose of meds. They have put my dose of menopur up to 450 a day. I have to go back on Monday to see if there is any growth, if not this cycle might be cancelled.

It’s surprising as when I did my IUI, I managed to get two follicles which grew with far less medication.

I guess it’s a trial and error, but a very expensive process.

I am a little bit down today, but what can I do.

@Miche243 I'm so sorry that there hadn't been much growth at yesterdays scan and that you're having a bit of a down day today. It's such an unpredictable and tough journey. I think you're so right about it being trial and error, and hopefully this increased dose is the final push to get the follicles growing as needed. I've got everything crossed for positive news for you on Monday 🤞🙏
In the meantime do take care of yourself xx

@kamaha thank you so much. It means a lot. How are you doing?

@Miche243 those pesky follicles have a tendancy to develop at all sorts of speeds, let's hope they scanned you just before a growth spurt xx

Also, it's hard to compare your two follicles with someone who has loads. I admit that I am one of those who gets loads, but my chances of getting a single embryo out of my (18 last time) retrieved is very low, and my egg quality is rubbish... Urgh! Qty isn't everything in this game x

@kamaha when do you start your stims? I stop Northisterone next Sunday.

@Kay00 thank you for your kind words! It’s absolutely such a stressful process. I’ll know tomorrow what the outcome is but fingers crossed! I’m thinking if they haven’t grown it might not be worth buying more meds. But let’s see. Who knows.

@Miche243 I'm doing OK, thanks. Although I think I might have a cold coming 😏 Just waiting for AF now so I can start the injections. All the best for tomorrow xx

@Kay00 the clinic told me AF should start on Tuesday (I stopped norethisterone on Friday night) and then I'll start stims on Wednesday night. However, I've no idea if AF will actually start when expected!! Have you used norethisterone previously? If so, do you remember how long after stopping AF started? Hope you're finding the norethisterone OK! Xx

@kamaha thank you! I’ve used it before and it normally comes 3-5 days later?

Thanks @Miche243 that's really helpful. So hopefully it'll have started by Wednesday at the latest 🤞

@kamaha yes! Keep in touch and let me know how it goes 😊

Thanks @Miche243 I will do! You too 😊

@Miche243 how are you doing? I hope the scan went well today and that you had some positive news xx

AF arrived this afternoon so the clinic have said to start stims on Wednesday evening and then first scan next Monday.

@kamaha Do you usually start the medication before an ultrasound?

I had to ring the clinic on the first day of AF which was Monday and they arranged an ultrasound for me for today (Thursday)
Has anyone encountered follicles before the start of treatment? They have found a 10mm and an 11mm follicle on each ovary and had to take some bloods to check for hormones and whether I am able to start treatment this cycle.

@FrostedFlake I had my baseline scan last Friday and then started medication yesterday. I then have the first of my monitoring scans next Monday (sorry I realise that wasn't very clear from my last message!).

Im afraid this is my first time and I'm not sure about follicles before the start, but I hope you get your results back soon and are able to start treatment this cycle 🙏🤞