First cycle - IVF / ICSI - Day 4

[Koalie]

My hubby and I are on day 4 of stims - our first IVF cycle. Just wondering if there's anyone else in the same boat who might want to share the journey? :)

@ScottishRach I think that’s a good number! Lots to work with and still plenty of time. Did they say when you may be ready for egg collection?

@User491 best of luck for tomorrow!! So exciting!

@Izzie94x aww that is so wonderful. Pregnant until proven otherwise! Such a long hard wait but be positive and keep busy. Amazing you have a few in the freezer too!

@Koalie 6mm is optimal I think! So that’s great. Im not sure about freezing policy.. I will check when I go in for first scan on Wednesday.

I had my first Bemfola injection today. First scan is Wednesday (Day 4) as I’m high risk of OHSS

@Izzie94x aww wow that sounds amazing! So excited now 🥰🥰 and 4 Frosties is fantastic!
Offt egg collection, so I was pretty chilled about it and thought I would be completely fine, even thinking I would be at the gym 2 days after 🤣
I ended up getting passed the gas and air and that helped. Was quite sore for a few days and really bloated. I thought I would be ok to work the next day, but I took it off. Would 100% recommend everyone does if you can 😊 thinks it's the whole toll it takes on your mind and body too tbh, you don't realise ha!
I'm dreading the wait, providing all goes well today obviously 😊 I don't think I will test early; what about yourself? I'll follow you haha!!

@Koalie sorry was replying in order haha, but that one above sums up the collection for me haha! It was totally fine, just think I wasn't quite as prepared, so hope that helps 😊
They haven't actually told me, I'm sure I will find out today, so will update you all later ☺️
Amazing news on your follicles!! I have 12 and 6 eggs collected, so you will get a good number hopefully!
Do you know why they are so strict on it?

@ScottishRach good luck for tomorrow. My clinic wanted me to have at least 3 17mm or bigger for egg collection, I was a little behind when I went for scan, so I was just on the menopur for 2 extra days and that done the trick 😊

@Strawberry08 thank you 😊 good luck for tomorrow 🤞🏻

Hey Everyone,

Just an update the transfer went well ☺️
Don't really know how I feel after it all tbh, I think I'm scared to feel excited 🙈
The one transferred the embryologist said was a top quality one and she said she's really strict in how she grades them, so not sure if that would make a difference or not 🤣
But the others haven't made it 😭 there's one more she's left until tomorrow to check again, so really hope it makes it just to have one to freeze 🤞🏻🤞🏻
And hopefully this one sticks 🙏

A nice quiet night is on the cards and an early night 🥰

Ohh also meant to say, have yous seen advertised the programme Alex Jones - Making Babies, it's on channel W on sky.
Such a interesting watch, and it's a 10 part series, 9pm every Thursday 😊

Hi everyone,

I am on day two of jabs (day 3 of cycle) and since this afternoon I have had really uncomfortable tummy pain. A mix between period pain and gas and then lower back pain. Not normal for my normal period so must be related to the jabs. Has anyone else had this? I do feel quite unwell!

@User491 aww amazing!! I have all my fingers crossed for you.

@User491 so pleased to hear everything went well with your transfer! When is your OTD? Thanks for getting back to me re egg retrieval. I’m a little less scared now that the fear of getting OHSS or not having any decent embryos has taken over 😆 did you only have gas and air? No sedation? & yes I saw the documentary advertised but have decided to hold off watching it in case anything pops up to freak me out - ignorance is bliss until my first cycle is over I reckon. My MIL is watching it though so she can learn all about what we’re going through which I thought was really sweet 🥰

@Strawberry08 oh nooo! I’ve definitely had some gas (lol) 💨and lower back pain but no cramps that resemble period pains 🤔 is it bad or just uncomfortable?

@Koalie it’s not awful but definitely pretty uncomfortable. It could also just be normal period pain, I usually get it quite badly day one and two but it’s only day 3 so maybe just a bit of that!
Will mention to the clinic tomorrow when I go in for first scan just in case!

@Strawberry08 good idea! & hopefully it’ll be gone by tomorrow anyway. Let us know how you get on ☺️ x

Hi all :)
I’ve just been for my scan.
Right ovary:
11 between 10 & 18mm
Left ovary:
8 between 10 & 15mm

Trigger shot tonight
EGG RETRIEVAL FRIDAY 😱

@Strawberry08 thank you! I would get occasional bloating and feeling uncomfortable but not to the point I felt ill with it apart from one day in particular on the stims. At least you can get reassurance from the clinic today 😊 hope it goes well!

@Koalie that is amazing news regarding egg collection! How exciting 😊
I had sedation, pain killers and they gave me the gas and air while in there.
Honestly though, don't be too scared. I felt the pain at the time and it felt like it was a million miles away coz I was so doped up 🤣 afterwards I was tender and sore for a few days but still able to carry out normal day to day things a little but just knew I needed to rest ☺️
OTD is 19th.. not long to wait, however, Now I'm already wondering if these twinges and bloated stomach are positive etc.. gonna be a long week 🤣

Yeh totally get it's not for everyone, when going through it, defo one to save for the future though. That's really nice your MIL is watching it 🥰

We have had a call today the other egg isn't good enough to freeze either, so just got this one that's been transferred 😢 going to try and remain positive 🙏🤞🏻

Hi everyone!

Good news is that the pain and discomfort has gone today which is great.
I have been in for my scan today (day 3 of stims) and everything looks good, all are growing evenly and they upped my dose a little bit as they had put me on a low dose as a precaution as I am high risk for OHSS.
Back in on Friday for another scan and then again on Monday.
Egg retrieval likely to be Thursday next week.

@Koalie oh so exciting!! Those numbers are perfect as well. You must be pleased!

@User491 ah that’s a shame but do stay positive. It only takes one and there’s every chance this will work. When are you going to test?

@User491 everything crossed for you that this one sticks!

@Strawberry08 growing evenly is a great sign, hopefully you'll be ready for Thursday! I know how anxious the waiting can make you feel but it comes around so quickly 😊. I felt pretty bad for maybe the first week of injections, then I felt better for a while once I got used to the hormones.... currently I'm feeling a bit whale like though 🐋, but I think that's down to her squishing everything about with the scan this morning. The follicles had all seemed to settle in a good place before that 😆.

@Koalie good luck for Friday, sounds like a great number to be working with - I read somewhere that going in with 15 ready follicles was the magic number, but anything past 10 is perfect. What time are you in?

I also had confirmed I'll be in on Friday morning at 9.30, so trigger shot tonight at 9.30 😱. I had 11 follicles at 14mm and over so they are the ones to focus on, though the nurse said some others may catch up. I'm dreading it, my clinic has apparently just started trialing conscious sedation so I may get that or just pain relief.... I was kinda hoping to be totally knocked out for the procedure 🙈.

@User491 .. sorry to hear your last embie didn’t make it. But the others are right .. ‘it only takes one’ 💫

@Strawberry08 So glad your pain has gone and that your first scan went well .. keep us updated on progress 😍

@ScottishRach 11 follicles over 14mm is brilliant! Bet you’re chuffed with that ☺️ So I’m in on Friday at 9:00 .. also triggering tonight at 9:30 .. wonder why our timings are slightly different 🤔. I’ve been told I will be sedated … I’m going to ask them not to be shy lol, I’d have much preferred a general too, I’m shitting it 😩 x

@ScottishRach @Koalie ahhhhh how exciting ladies!!!! I felt really emotional when I did my trigger, like wow this is really happening. I was also sedated but awake, I had some discomfort in the right ovary, but left was basically pain free. If they offer gas and air - have it!! I had it for the left and I loved it 😂 but honestly it wasn’t that bad, and I’d do it all again in a heartbeat if I had to💖

@User491 so sorry that the news on transfer day wasn’t exactly what you’d be expecting. But, this little embaby is going to make it✨✨ I just know it. Positive thoughts girll, we got this!!!! How are you feeling? I’m waiting for any kind of symptoms and I could have sworn I had slight tugging early in my abdomen but I may have made it up😂 ahhh what a killer wait! How weird your transfer was a day after mine and my OTD is 19th! DH wants to wait but I’m not sure I can!!

hope everyone else is ok?💖 x

Thanks everyone, yes I just hope this one sticks 🤞🏻

@Strawberry08 ahh amazing, fingers crossed for you!

@Koalie @ScottishRach that's great news, nice yous are both on the same day too 😊
Hopefully they will give you the sedation and pain relief, honestly with that I was fine as it was just like I wasn't there so it's soon forgotten haha!

@Izzie94x I know I am a bit disappointed, but hopefully this one will be ok 🙏
Thank you, so Pleased I'm not alone in this wait 🤣
I'm actually quite heavy feeling, as if af is due kind of way/ovulation feeling randomly coming from my ovaries, I don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing. What a bizarre way to describe it 🤣🤣

The progesterone made my boobs bigger and tender and they still are, so kinda pleased I had that side effect before transfer 🙈
How strange is that date wise!! Well least we got this together then haha.
I was thinking about waiting but I don't know if I will last it 😂 I would really like to tbh as I don't want a false positive/negative 😬 decisions decisions 🙈

@User491 & @Izzie94x .. Morninggg .. just a quick question .. did your clinic run any tests to make sure you didn't have OHSS before your transfer? Also, did they do any bloods to make sure your hormones are all at the right level for transfer? I'm just trying to work out what to expect and whether I should be asking for anything in particular. x

@Koalie hi lovely! How you feeling? 😊 a day of no injections today isn’t it? Before tomo ahhh!! So I was with Bourn Hall, and I was never even told about any risks of OHSS lol. Even though I’m under 30, I thought I would be at risk! They scanned me 2 days before my egg collection and I was 2 follicles off needing a different trigger. But ended up triggering with Ovitrelle! I’ve seen lots of ladies on her get blood tests (oestrogen I think!) but I wasn’t ever given the option and just trusted the clinic knew what they were doing!

I did however, drink lots of full fat milk (give me that weight gain lol!!) lucozade sports bottles (the electrolytes apparently help not to get OHSS!) lots of protein, like eggs. And milkshakes too! (Again the milk thing) and I haven’t over stimulated. Obviously those thing may not have done anything but I thought I’d try and help as I was desperate for a fresh transfer!

I also on the day of transfer (although, requested prior) asked for a progesterone blood test. I wanted to make sure my levels were good for implantation and whether I needed more pessaries or switch to injections! My levels were really good, so I’m just on 2 x pessaries a day. But I do recommend that if it’ll put your mind at ease 💖 x x

@Izzie94x Yessss ! No more injections for me :) haha. I'm feeling very tender .. can't wait to get these eggies out now! Can you remember how many follicles you had for them to consider a different trigger? My clinic didn't really discuss OHSS either but they did say they were reducing my dose of stims 'for my safety' and there was obviously info in the powerpoints they sent at the start so I def know I'm at risk. I had a double Gonasi trigger which is HCG so I'm also planning on lots of lucozade and protein to try and prevent it. I think I'll also ask for estrogen and progesterone tests too before transfer to make sure my body is ready :) Thanks for the info! Hope you're keeping busy and managing to stay sane xx

@Koalie I felt exactly like that! 😂 it actually started to hurt to even sit down, I felt so full up!! So I had 18 follicles, and 20 was when they’d consider a different trigger. I must admit though, I was a bit naive and assumed I’d get nearly 18 eggs lol! Definitely take it easy after EC. I couldn’t really stand up properly or walk, but I know everyone’s so different. I just chilled all day😊
I think most clinics now are really good at recognising OHSS early and I’d have thought by now if they thought it could be bad you’d have been told now you’re potentially doing a freeze all cycle ✨ I think anyway!!

oh and also- my friend recommended this, from transfer day, switch from TTC vitamins to pregnancy vitamins! I was taking the ttc pregnacare, so switched to the pregnancy dual ones! I’m definitely not going insane or Googling stuff at alll during this wait…… hahahaha!!! Ahhhh only 3dp5dt, a week to go to OTD x

@Izzie94x Oh god well I've got 36 follicles in total - 25 above 10mm so I could be in trouble here :( will just have to go with the flow and see what happens. I've got the day off tomorrow so will be coming straight home to sit on the sofa. Might even start watching the IVF doc! Curry planned for the evening which I'm so excited for, as we've been super healthy for the past few months with no takeaways! hahaha ... so easy to say 'don't symptom spot!' but we all do it ... a week isn't long at all now - hang in there!
xx

Random question, but has anyone's clinic gave them advice of when it's ok to have sex again following a transfer please?

@User491 nope!! Nothing!!! Let me know if you find out 😌 I’ve read mixed reviews, I think DH and I are going to wait until OTD, then back to normality. It’s so hard with IVF isn’t it, you kind of crave and miss the closeness that brings.

I’m sure it’s fine to though- we would in a natural cycle!? Although, we paid for our IVF so we don’t want to do anything to harm our chances😂 but I really don’t get how it would anyway! Assuming it’s more potential infection after EC than ET? Maybe! Oh gosh I’m rambling lol! X

@User491 i have no idea, sorry. I will just be avoiding to be on the safe side! 😆

@ScottishRach .. how you feeling? 😬 x

Hi everyone :)
Well I thoroughly enjoyed that. Absolutely nothing to be scared about, it was great. I had a snooze and barely felt anything .. couple of sharp stabs that lasted half a second but that’s it.
They retrieved 18 eggs and my husband’s sample wasn’t too bad so they’ve stripped 10 of the eggs (all mature) which they’re going to use for ICSI and the other 8 they’re going to use for normal IVF and see what happens 🤷🏻‍♀️
So now the wait commences. They said they would call me tomorrow to let me know how many have fertilised! 🤞🏼🤞🏼
@ScottishRach how did you get on? Hope you’re OK 🫶🏼

@Koalie omg that absolutely amazing!!! 18 mature eggs, WOW🤩🤩 that’s incredible. I’m sure you’re so pleased with that!!! And least with doing some ICSI and some IVF you’ll no doubt have some amazing top quality blasts!! What fab news.

I hope the days don’t drag too much for you now. Have they said if you’re ok to do a fresh transfer? I’m 4dp5dt!!! Not long left now! Tempted to test Sunday/ Monday lol! X