IVF February 2023

[HJen22]

Haven't seen a thread for February cycles so if anyone is waiting to start in the next few weeks and fancies some cycle buddies ❤️

Little about me, 34yo TCC #1. Low AFC/AMH. After two disastrous NHS cycles (NE Scotland) which resulted in no transfer, we went private and are away to start our second mild IVF cycle at Create in Manchester x

Congratulations on the amazing news @Purplemichelle ! It does give us some hope 🙂 very happy for you xx

Keeping my fingers crossed for you @Boofimus !! One day at a time, there's still hope 🙂

@Summerishere83 thank you! How are you? Xxx

Hi @VioletCookie sorry to hear that you struggle! Try watching Stutz by Jonah Hill on netflix, it's about his psychotherapist who's come up with tools for people to cope and overcome whatever they're going through, you might find something that makes sense to you! I've had a 'session' with a councillor provided by my clinic too but I found it useless as the lady was extremely passive and I don't need a shoulder to cry on over the phone with a stranger if that's what she thought her role is, I need guidance to accept and process what the reality is, so I just felt angry.. I guess I need someone or something to be angry at... it's part of this rollercoaster we're on.. anyway, I feel for you and I hope you figure out a constructive way to cope or at least how to move in the right direction...xx

@Purplemichelle thanks:) I'm fine relatively:) on stimulation now but my doctor said my ovaries behave as if AMH is lower than it is as there are fewer follicles this month than last despite started on day 2. Also had to skip a dose of Gonal-f on Friday as the pharmacy didn't deliver my meds... Had to decide whether to cancel the cycle on Saturday but kept going as I didn't want to let the 3 follicles already growing go to wastes...so will never know whether this drop in FSH levels are responsible for slower growth/fewer follicles and eventually bad quality eggs...

@VioletCookie I'm so sorry for what you're going through, it really is so much to deal with and difficult to comprehend the losses. Please look after yourself.

@TTCRose don't panic - call the clinic to check but I once forgot my evening lubion and they just had me do it the next morning!

My clinic called this morning just to check in and see how I'm coping with the 2WW, I told the nurse I was trying not to scream in to the void daily 🙈 i wish I could just fast forward to OTD. I won't do a hpt because I feel like I would just drive myself crazy, no matter what it says. Going for an acupuncture session tomorrow to try and calm myself down a little. If nothing else it will make me stay still for an hour!

@Summerishere83 that all sounds very stressful. I hope you are looking after yourself. I only had 3 follicles, resulting in 2 embryos and then 1 getting to day 5, so it’s not always about the numbers. Make sure you keep yourself warm. I also used a hot water bottle during the stims to encourage growth. It may help you? Xxx

@Purplemichelle thanks! Will try this I'm always feeling cold so definitely won't hurt!

@Purplemichelle yes indeed hopefully we manage to collect one healthy one too!

@Summerishere83 my cycle was completely different this time round. The hot water bottle was lovely and my follicles grew very quickly. Once they got towards the 18mm mark, I laid off it so they didn’t over mature. Thinking of you and good luck with the rest of your stims. Xxx

@Summerishere83 keeping everything crossed for you. Sending positive vibes your way. Xxx

Many thanks @Purplemichelle :) could you please tell me on what protocol you were? I'm doing mild IVF with 225 Gonal-f

@Summerishere83 short protocol with ovaleap, Menopur and Fyremadel. This was the same as my my first cycle which failed so not sure how the meds impact the results. Xx

I felt similar. The counsellor was very much "I'm not here for clinical guidance, I'm here so you can talk" but I've had plenty of talking therapy over the years for mental health stuff and good counsellors can still give you tools for processing difficult emotions. The emotions with IVF are giving me a bunch of different problems to me general mental health stuff, so I'm not equipped, and I wanted to be given strategies for dealing with those: not just a space to vent. I have that!

She also irritated the pants off me by talking about how if I lived where she lived (we're close to the border of different wards) then getting spontaneously pregnant right before my NHS IVF cycle (and immediately losing it) wouldn't have led to me losing the funding. Like... great? Knowing that doesn't make me feel any better about my situation!

@Purplemichelle @West8690 thank you for your kind words xx

@Summerishere83 thank you, I'll give that a try! I'm the same, I've cried enough to my friends as it is so I'm not looking for that. I'd really like to learn different ways to process the losses and juggle everyday life alongside that!

We've just had a call with the Dr, he's mentioned a few things to try on the next cycle and I wanted to get some opinions! We've decided to do another egg collection as we have a 4CC left but want to see if we get any better gradings. They've advised this time I'll take Inhixa and baby asprin again but also Lubion and steroids. We've discussed doing PGT-A testing but we're worried about false positives and losing embryos when they may actually be OK. Has anyone done this testing or have any advice on it? Is it worth it? They've also suggested a hysteroscopy but I'm worried about causing damage. I have an arcute uturus and no polyps, but they said it can pick up a septum if there is one. But I'm really not keen on it!

Any advice would be so appreciated 😌 xxx

@Boofimus my goodness that's an awful comment to hear! Especially from someone who is counselling within the fertility field.. its so triggering!

@Boofimus maybe buy an early test? On my day 14 even with an early test my line was super super faint, so I’m sure if I used a normal one I’d have shown negative too. Have you had any pregnancy like symptoms? Do you feel like it really is negative?

@SH998 so sorry to hear this 😔 is there anything you’ve learned from this cycle? Anything you can do differently next time maybe?

@West8690 sending you positive vibes! I had lots of symptoms too, I know also related to hormones but I really felt positive about it too

Just caught up with the other posts @Purplemichelle i’m just so thrilled for you!!! Against all of those odds you’re doing this, it’s working and you deserve for it to continue!! Similar to you I’m waiting for my viability, which I actually feel more nervous about… because it’s the serious one where we need a real baby with organs working etc.., I don’t know why but I’m definitely more anxious about that then the first 2WW!!!
ive just restarted my yoga and being a lot more active, I feel like it’s definitely in there and connected now and so many people normally wouldn’t even know they were pregnant at this stage, so trying to just act normal and ignore the calendar wait… trying to anyway 😂

AF is on the way 😭 (not properly bleeding yet but started spotting yesterday afternoon and it's getting worse). Absolutely gutted.

@JustBePositive i agree this is worse than the TWW. I have 3 weeks until my viability scan. No symptoms yet apart from sore boobs, the insane need to drink has gone. Do you have any symptoms? We are over the moon 😁 I haven’t restarted exercise yet but will do on Monday, just wanted to make sure the embryo has had time to fully implant and get comfy. It’s amazing to think you have a little secret that no one really knows about. Hard to act normal at work.

@Boofimus I’m so sorry, it’s absolutely devastating and most of the group on here know exactly how you’re feeling. Take time to regroup before you think about next steps. This time is for you. Xxx

@Boofimus so sorry, it’s so upsetting. Please do your best to look after yourself. Thinking of you x

@Purplemichelle brilliant news! I've got everything crossed for you.

@Oasis12 it's the last thing you need really. Have you thought about other clinics you'd consider transferring to?

@Boofimus I'm so sorry you had that experience with a counsellor. I'm a therapist myself and it just sounds like bad therapy. I've had hit and miss experiences with the free counselling offered with my clinic, there's nothing worse than feeling misunderstood by someone who is meant to take the time to hear you and attune to you

I got my day 5 update this morning, was bricking it obviously! My stats are 38 eggs collected, 8 fertilised, 7 at day 3 and 6 and day 5! We are going to do PGT-A on the 6. Fucking hope I get a normal one out of it, that would be amazing. My immune testing came back with elevated nk cells which I have always suspected, so my protocol would include steroids. A moon face is the last thing I need but it's all for the cause!

So sorry to hear @Boofimus ...both about AF and the inadequate comments by the councillor... it's just relentless... Hope you feel better soon! Xx

Hi @VioletCookie
I've had hysteroscopy for a polyp removal under general anaesthetic so I didn't feel anything during or after the procedure. If yours is exploratory they might not sedate you and it will probably be uncomfortable but other than that there shouldn't be any damage. It's literally a camera to look around but how much of a chance is there that there's a septum, I guess the doctors will know better.
Sorry I have no experience with the other tests you mentioned, as for me, if money wasn't an issue I'd do anything;) (that cannot cause damage)

@VioletCookie i think I had this same hsg scan but for me it was to put in a balloon, insert a die and take photos to check everything was good. They suspected a polyp but I always knew it wasn’t because I didn’t have the symptoms… so ended up decided it was a shadow and didn’t do anything further

@Purplemichelle my god such a big secret! I definitely feel the exact same at work, it’s funny isn’t it. My symptoms have been sore boobs (really worse first thing in the morning and then I get used to it), terrible constipation all of last week making be really bloated and uncomfortable. I also felt really starving, where pre-ivF I would fast all day until 7pm as soon as I started to be pregnant I was ravenous at like 11am! Was bonkers!

I also just fainted slightly… never have before in my life so I feel absolutely ridiculous. But I got up after a sleep, felt cold so got my self really hot in front of the heater and then I just got overshot… definitely made me realise my body isn’t behaving normal anymore and I need to take this all a bit serious and look after myself…