ICSI January 2023

[Infertilitylife]

Hello,

My partner and I need IVF due to MFI. We are hoping to start treatment in January 2023.

I had my fertility ultrasound scans today and these are my results:

AFC -

Left Ovary - 13 follicles
Right Ovary - 14 follicles

My Endo thickness was 7.3mm (cycle day 10).

I have no masses, cysts, fluid etc - everything looked smooth and normal.
How do these results seem?

I was also told I have a retroverted uterus - will this affect IVF?
Thank you

Hi everyone, hope you are all managing to stay sane whatever part of this rollercoaster process you are in! Sending everyone lots of love!

we had our review letter through from the clinic today after our failed ICSI cycle. They said they wouldn’t change anything in regards to the protocol I was on as they were happy with the amount of eggs collected and they are attributing poor fertilisation rate to poor quality sperm. They’ve said going forward what they would change is that they would employ assisted oocyte activation (AOA) to increase fertilisation rate. Had anyone had any experience with this? Feeling deflated as the thought of them able to really change things next cycle kept me going but doesn’t sound like much would be different. Also any tips on improving sperm quality?

@Jcl22 We’re using AOA on our next cycle because of our poor fertilisation rate. Can’t update whether it made a difference as our next cycle won’t be until June, but it seems to be used for those of us with crap fertilisation. I’m hoping it makes a difference!

@Lauralozzle oh really that’s interesting to hear! What did they say to you about it? I know you don’t have any experience of it yet but have you been told anything about it that makes you feel a bit more confident about next cycle?

@Jcl22 I was given a sheet about it. It meant to help activate the egg. The info they sent me said with couples with low fertilisation, using the AOA which is a solution they use, helps with the fertilisation rates. I think the sperm head is naturally meant to release a chemical for fertilisation and this helps that. We likely have DNA frag issue following the positive oxidative stress test so that could be the cause of our infertility?

I’d been researching causes for poor fertilisation and AOA had come up in my research.

We’re also using Zymot chip which we like to think of as an obstacle course so if the best sperm are being selected, with the AOA we’re hopeful.

I think I’m positive about it because it’s a different thing to try though! Lol.

Hi ladies, hoping I can join. I recognise some of your names from groups last year and maybe even the year before. I’m sorry that some of us are still here but on the IVF journey.🩼

I’m 33 TTC number one, we have unexplained infertility. We’ve been trying for nearly 3 years and started our IVF journey in November of last year.

We had 22 eggs (crazy), 11 fertilised, but only ended up with four blastocysts, all average or poor quality. We were pretty disappointed with this, but also hopeful.

I had my first transfer in Jan, which was unsuccessful of the best quality embryo. I was crushed so I can understand how tough this is 💔

Just one week ago, we had two of our average embryos transferred, I tested last night fully expecting it not to have worked as the clinic advised us not to even use them. We are so short and happy and overwhelmed that we got a positive test at seven days past transfer.

I’ve spent the last day, just walking around, not know what to do with myself. I thought this would never happen for us.

These groups have been super helpful (at times, tough) so want to return the favour and be here for everyone, I wish you all the best of luck, stay positive! I think the thing that change for us this round is we really really worked on our diet health and we had a lot less stress in January due to our house renovation being finished et cetera.

all the best 💝💝💝

How is everyone?

We’ve paid for our multicycle now and should be receiving the consents for next cycle either today or next week. Once that’s sorted we’ll have our protocol released.

Still looking at June, but I’m glad things are moving along.

I think May will be quite busy getting everything sorted, so hopefully June will be here soon.

Heya :)
Looks like I’ll be June too!
We we’re due to transfer this month but unfortunately my dad passed away when we were due to go for the appointment so we’ve pushed it back to May but have decided to have a holiday in June to try and reset and de-stress and do the transfer when we are back (looking like end of June if my period predictions are correct!)
So hopefully we will be ivf buddies 🥰
Will you be having a fresh transfer with your first cycle or will it be bulk freezing with the multi cycle?

@Brown269 I’m sorry about your dad. That’s sucks. 😢

Holiday in June sounds like a much needed break though.

We’ll be doing a fresh transfer with the first cycle. Hopefully we get a decent embryo and some frozen ones too this time!

I’ve just had a cost estimate for my prescription, having a look I’ll be taking norethisterone this time around. Depending on how long I’m taking it for, and if I get protocol and everything by next week, I might start taking that in May. If it’s going to work a bit like down regulation then I’ll be waiting until end of June/July if I started taking that June cycle which might interfere with my holiday. We’ll see, I’ll have a better idea once I have the protocol.

@Lauralozzle Is it 3 rounds in total with the multi cycle then or is it cycles until a success?
Hopefully if yours goes to plan and I get to do transfer end of June we will be around the same time for implanting 🥰

@Brown269 Only 2 rounds. CARE don’t do 3 rounds for multicycle, they only do it for refund packages we’re not eligible for. Go figure. Hopefully these rounds work because I don’t know what we’ll do if they don’t. That’ll be 3, overall, including the NHS round.

@Lauralozzle I see a lot about ‘3 rounds being the magic number’ so hopefully you’ll have success from these next 2 rounds 🤞🏼
Me and DH had a chat the other day about how we would go forward if we didn’t get any luck from our 4 Frosties and both of us aren’t sure we could do another round, even though we know the likelihood is that we won’t be lucky enough to get success from round 1, but it’s just been such a hard road and I’m not sure I could face doing it again. Hats off to you superwomen who pick yourselves up and go again, knowing how hard it can be ❤️

Hi all, just lurking here but I would like to join.I am 37.6 and last year we started ivf. One tube blocked, my DH morphology a bit off but none of them issues unbeatable. Unfortunately it just didn't happen for us after trying since I was 35. So we started ivf on nhs. Last year had 8 eggs collected as far as i remember. Or seven? Out of them, 6 were used(mature enough). All fertilised. 3 of them looked good and got to blastocyst same day. They said that 3 are a bit slow but will call me next day if they make it. I was happy with the 3 but next day embryologist called and said the other 3 got to blastocyst phase (they caught up) and have been frozen. 5 are top graded , one is good. Everytime I went back, the nurses were...are you the one with many in storage? I felt so lucky! Had first round with a fresh top grader last year which failed. Here I am again, with a FET day 6 and obsesively looking at symptoms. A bit of slight cramping but No implantation bleeding yet. I am so anxious although I try to stay calm. No major symptoms. Please tell me it means nothing and to calm the fuck down. Good luck on all of you on your journey.

@Missanimosity Hi! I’ve never had a FET, but honestly I wouldn’t trust any ‘symptoms’ until it’s test day.

So, we have progress. Went for bloods test yesterday to check my thyroid and should hear back from that soon. Hopefully it’s below 2.5.

We’ve had our protocol through today and invoice for meds. I’ll wait until I know my thyroid result before ordering meds, but at least it feels like something is happening.

Hey ladies! It's been a while. I have been following all your messages though.

I eventually recovered from OHSS! It was awful, I spent 8 days in hospital and more back and forth afterwards, I was unwell for about 6 weeks. Touch wood, I have been good for a few weeks now.

So we had a treatment planning appointment today ready for our frozen embryo transfer and great news - we can start straight away! I'm CD44 😖 but luckily that means we can go from CD1 and I feel like it's coming soon. If it doesn't come I have to start Norethisterone on Thursday for a week to bring it on. They're hoping for transfer week commencing 22nd May (latest, could be earlier if AF comes sooner). I'm so excited to get started again but I was so grateful for the freeze all break considering how ill I was!

Hope everyone doing well 😊✨

@Sj2505 Thats great news! Sorry you were so poorly but glad you’re on the mend now ☺️

I’ll be about a month behind you with my fet after we had to have a freeze all too. We could have done may but have decided to have a holiday first to reset ourselves before going again 🥰

Is it normal for your cycle to be that long or is it still after effects of the ER / OHSS?

@Brown269 thank you. We have a big family holiday booked from 6th June so we were going to wait until after but with my cycles so long and erratic we would have ended up in late July or August I guess.
We said we didn't mind waiting, but if we have the option to go now then we'll go for it.
Does mean if it works we'll have to tell my side of family on holiday 😅 but we won't mind in the grand scheme of things.

Where are you planning on holidaying?

It's normal for me unfortunately, a couple of years ago I went 9 months without AF. My post egg collection AF came bang on 2 weeks later, but nothing since.

@Sj2505 Thats great news! I’m glad you’re feeling better and it’s nice having a date in mind.

We’ve just paid for our additional bits, AOA and Zymot so that’s all sorted. Just waiting on my thyroid results now.

I have to take norethisterone this round, I have to call when my period starts and they’ll tell me how long to take it for. Due to start early/mid May so I’ll be calling them when it starts.

Short protocol peeps, how long did you take norethisterone for?

@Sj2505 I don’t blame you. Luckily I’m pretty regular so we’d be starting the week after we come back from holiday, but I think I would also go for it earlier if I thought it could be a couple months before being able to if we waited!
Wow 9 months is a long time, I really hope she comes soon for you then!

We aren’t sure yet, I just told DH to book whatever & wherever as soon as we get paid Friday 😂 prob be Spain I guess! Where are you going?

@Lauralozzle pleased to hear your getting underway with a new cycle. I think in that kind of cycle they'll tell you to take it from CD21, that was my plan for the first part. I ended up having to take it on CD19 for 5 days as my period came late so they shortened it to stick to my planned treatment dates etc.
This time I have to take it for 7 days.

@Brown269 I do feel like it's not going to be long. I'm hoping it comes earlier so the dates shift forward a bit, as at the moment I'd be testing on holiday, and we're going with my whole family hahaha! We're off to Crete.

@Sj2505 Thanks.

Looks like I have another delay to contend with. Thyroid bloods came back and the increased dose has not worked. Earliest GP appointment I could get is 15th March. I’ll ask for an increase then I think.

Might switch back to taking Levo at night, as that appeared to work better for me. Might decide to increase my dose anyway to 75mg until I see the GP. Urgh. Not what I wanted, at any rate.

@Sj2505 Hopefully AF does come soon for you then! Not sure about the pressure of testing while on holiday 😳 but hopefully it’ll work so it will always be a holiday to remember ☺️

@Lauralozzle Sorry to hear that 😞 will you have to have bloods done again befofe
you can start then to make sure your numbers have come back up?

@Brown269 Yes. TSH needs to be below 2.5 really. 6.10 is far too high. I’ll need bloods again after another dose increase to confirm where it is.

I’ve decided I’m going to take things into my own hands. It needs increasing, I’m going to increase it myself with the tablets I have to 75mg. That is likely what they’ll put me on anyway because I’m not leaving without an increase.

I’ll pay for a blood test end of May, that’ll have been 4 weeks then and hopefully it’ll be low enough to start Norethisterone in June. Medichecks do a finger prick one that checks it all so I’ll pay for that. I’ll do the next GP blood test 8 weeks after starting new dose officially. I feel I have to take it into my own hands to a degree in order to start a cycle properly. I can wait an extra month, I can’t wait an extra 10 weeks before I even have another blood test otherwise I’ll be starting next cycle August/September time.

@Lauralozzle I don’t blame you at all. There’s so much waiting with ivf it becomes almost painful to be told you have to wait even a week longer than expected so a couple of months would just be unbearable wouldn’t they.

@Lauralozzle sorry to hear that, but I'm pleased you have a plan going forward. Hopefully the increase will work. I don't blame you for taking it into your own hands, as @Brown269 said, the waiting with IVF is long enough as it is. I find it's a lot of stop-start-stop-start.

@Brown269 I'm hoping it doesn't go into the holiday to be honest. Hopefully it'll be bought forward a bit with an earlier AF. I would probably test early from around 9dpt so we could find out before going.
I start Norethisterone today, so hopefully that'll bring it on sooner rather than later.. CD46 today, so it can't be too far away, suuuurely!

Why did you have a freeze all, was it OHSS?

@Sj2505 How long does the noretheristone take to work then? I’ve only ever taken that pre-ivf to stop me coming on for a holiday 😂 so guessing you take it then expect to come on after you’ve stopped?

Yeah, before I got to egg collection they took my bloody and my progesterone and estrodial levels were too high so I had to take tablets to lower them, and obvs couldn’t start the progesterone pessaries. I was ok with it to be honest though and have been glad of the break really. Hopefully do the transfer June but I definitely feel in a better place mentally after having stepped away for a while but also ready to do the next step now 😬