IVF warriors - the journey continues 2

[Imisscoffee2021]

@Decaffe
@seekingbabyk
@MinBins
@acaciabluebell
@MammyandAva
@Spin101
@1stcycle
@KLM25
@ralno2
@acaciabluebell@Tinkerbell098

Another thread needed ladies! Please tag if I've forgotten someone! :)

@Honeybunie negative this morning unfortunately. Not completely writing it off yet as OTD is Monday but obviously it's a good indicator. I feel like AF is coming so I had a feeling anyway tbh but we'll carry on with medication til Monday and go from there

@seekingbabyk I am sooo sorry 😔I hope you are okay considering. Yes there is still a small chance you never know. Oh I know the feeling too well. When you stare at the test window so long until you almost imagine there is something there but there isn't. look after yourself this weekend. you have two days to pamper youself and do whatever makes you feel good. and then you can start planning your next steps. sending loads of love and a big hug ❤

Thanks @Honeybunie - yeah you do start seeing things don't you! Yeah I'm ok to be honest - obv gutted but there's nothing we can do is there so you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and carrying on!

@seekingbabyk I’m really sorry to read your update, it’s so tough when you see a negative test. Like you say, don’t write it off completely and I hope you’ve been able to look after yourself this weekend. Sending lots of love ❤️

@Honeybunie hope you’re doing ok on the patches. That’s great that you’ve got those dates for the scan and the transfer to focus on. I’m really pleased all the dates have worked out and I’m keeping everything crossed of course ❤️ x

Thanks @KLM25 - I'm ok but not tested again. I'll try tomorrow just to report back to clinic but not feeling hopeful at all x

So sorry for the test result so far @seekingbabyk, you're so strong l. Hooe you're ok tomorrow if things haven't changed, your partner too x

Thanks @Imisscoffee2021 - yeah I'm ok we knew there was only 30% chance with those blasts anyway. A quote I read today said "I didn't come this far to only come this far" so just going to take some time to regroup and start the supplements etc again. Thanks for checking in 😘

@seekingbabyk hope you’ve managed to digest the news okay so far. It is sobering and disappointing but you’re right we have to look towards to the next steps and make a plan. We soldier on 💪 gotta throw everything at it while we can xx
@KLM25 thank you ☺️ I’m doing well. I feel okay on the patches. I think only a few minor side effects. Few mood swings, bloated, and I start feeling really sick when I get hungry or have a milky tea on an empty stomach 😅 so bizarre! I take it as a good sign that they are working as I never felt like this on the tablets. Times seems to be flying too so it’ll be scan day and then transfer day in now time 😊 how’s your journey going? Are you starting to get big 🤭 xx

@Honeybunie yes we have to just keep going! when is your scan? You're going into progesterone too aren't you? Glad you're not feeling too bad 😘

@seekingbabyk our scan is on Thursday. Yes I’m scheduled to start cyclogest on Friday the nurse said. She didn’t say anything about lubion yet. Usually we have a mix of both for FETs. I’ll find out on Thursday. But first we need to see if the lining is thick enough. Last time they had me on two more days of oestrogen and I had to come back for another scan so that would delay the start of the progesterone and the transfer. Luckily we have all the time in the world this time if that happened with work and all so that’s good 😊 no stress. When do you think you’ll start again? Xx

@seekingbabyk @Honeybunie thinking of you both x

@Honeybunie - how did the scan go?

Sorry I didn't answer your last message yet! We have a consultation on 13th and then I'm guessing back on the supplements for 3 months before we go again. Just going to enjoy a bit of chill time first. AF arrived today after coming off progesterone and estrogen and is kicking my arse!

@seekingbabyk I can imagine it's not a pleasant one 🙈
Scan did not go well. I was so focussed on my lining and getting it thick i totally forgot about the other issue of my body doing what it bloody wants when the dose isn't high enough. and i do wonder if the consultant checked all my notes from start to finish tbh. he should have given me more right from the start. my lining was finally thick enough. 6.9-7.1. but then they found a 13mm follicle which suggested i was ovulating which would discrupt my hormone levels. and this is exaclty what happened in my first medicated cycle which we abandoned. i had totally forgotten about it. but you do trust the docs to take all of this into consideration don't you. so they took blood to check my levels. and they rang me today to tell me that yes the levels are too high suggesting the ovaries were still at it producing a follicle. great. so we have to abandon. and the other great news is that i need to go back on a long medicated cycle again next time. i just checked and it took 44 days from CD 1 to transfer. it's just sooo long. and then you add another 11 days TTW onto that. and time is the one thing i do not have. before you know it another year has gone.
I just mapped out when we can start again and with the hen do and wedding weekend, which would clash with scans etc, it looks like i cant start again until June, so the transfer, if all went well, would be early August. just wow.
i did have a good idea in my sleep last night though ha! i asked if we could use this time to do the ALICE, EMMA and ERA tests and the nurse said yes that's possible, and she'll get me in touch with a consultant. At least we'd be doing something, have additional information that we might benefit from going forward with an FET as well as another round, and we'd potentially save time later on by having already done them.

Oh @Honeybunie I'm so sorry that really really sucks! I know right now June/august seems a long way off but it will come round quickly especially as you have so much on between now and then. It's good you can get some bits done before then too. Is it worth doing another round to get some more Frosties in the mean time? Or is that not an option?

@Honeybunie I’m really sorry to hear they cancelled your cycle, that is so frustrating. I think I had 3 cancelled cycles for various reasons and I know how annoying it is. The only saving grace is that it’s better than wasting a precious embryo I suppose.
That sounds a really positive idea about having the Emma/Alice/Era in the meantime. It’s funny how these breakthroughs come in the middle of the night! I’ve been exactly the same. You probably remember that I had those tests in the summer and it was really reassuring to know that the Emma and Alice tests came back clear so that was one thing I could rule out. Hope you’re doing ok anyway and feeling a bit brighter.

@seekingbabyk Hope you’re doing ok too and making the most of this chill time, it’s good to have a little break and enjoy a few bottles of wine! I’m sure the 13th will come round very soon and you’ll be back on those supplements before you know it.

I’ve got my 20 week anomaly scan on Tues so I’ll be relieved to get through that. We actually had an earlier private scan a couple of weeks ago and it seems we’re having a little girl 💕 I’m kind of counting down the hours until this next scan to see if they confirm that, but most of all to check that everything looks ok 🤞 The nausea etc seems to have passed so I’m feeling a bit more normal which is great x

@seekingbabyk @KLM25 thanks for your kind and supportive messages ❤I’ve managed to digest the news over the weekend, but it does suck. Disappointed that I will always have to have a long medicated FET cycle in the future, which takes the time of two cycles not one. It just delays everything so much more. And to think that i only ever had two frosties transfered, and now three abandonned is disappointing. Before the news, OH and I were looking at the finance packages for a next round. We only have two options mind. 2 cycles or 3 cycles with 50% refund if unsuccessful. OH said we could do the latter. But at this rate I’d be 50 by the time we manage to fit three cycles in and looking at the state of the world god knows what the future holds. We might not even be able to. Sorry to be pessimistic but it does worry me.
I don’t think our last embryo is precious unfortunately. To think we spend all this time and energy for something that’s not gonna work.. when I speak to the consultant next maybe I ask about doing another round of ICSI and keeping this one on ice hoping for a better harvest. And yes doing the endo tests would be at least one step in the right direction. But whether FET or ICSI next, we can't start until June/July now anyway. I think after my friend's wedding we'll have to prioritise our treatments and not plan/book any time away, unless spontaneous or when we have to. Try and fit as much around work as we can when we can. give it another 3-4 years if we can, and see where we end up.

@KLM25 aawww that is such lovely news that you are having a baby girl 💖congratulations 🤗 that's all your dreams coming true isn't it. that'll be sooo nice 😍I cross my fingers for the scan tomorrow but I'm sure everything will be fine 😊half way through already wow. glad you're feeling a lot better now too xx

@KLM25 awww congratulations that's lovely news!

@Honeybunie you and I are both in very similar places with all of this. And it's so consuming. We also have a lovely life with lots of travel and exciting adventures and it feels like the IVF and house renovation has drained all the joy from our lives recently and even if we're away we're still both thinking about not drinking too much, watching what we're eating, etc. it's exhausting isn't it. To be where we are now thinking about prepping for the next step, then going through the stims/FET process again, and then 9 months of pregnancy and then post partum recovery too it feels like it could be years to be where we want to be. And that's if I only have one! I really really get it. I'm 40 next year and I'm starting to panic! But right now all you can do is focus on the next step and keep going. You'll have to tell me more about these tests and the treatment plans you have found - I'm interested in both! Keep your chin up - I'm here if you want to chat/vent xxx

Thanks so much @seekingbabyk and @Honeybunie ❤️ The anomaly scan went ok last Tuesday, she managed to check most things and those were all ok. She just couldn’t manage to see her face (she had her hands over it ☺️) or get one of the spine measurements so I’ve got to go back next week for another scan. I don’t mind about that though.
Hope you’re both doing ok. I just had a thought the other day - I’m sure you’ve both probably considered this already - but I wondered if it might be an option to go to a clinic in Europe. It just popped into my head as I know you both like travelling and I feel like you would take that part of it in your stride, rather than find it stressful. For me it was almost like a mini holiday so I quite enjoyed that side of things. Anyway, you’re probably happy with your current clinics so not looking to change things, but I just thought I’d mention it. Sorry - I hate people giving me unsolicited advice so I hope it doesn’t come across that way! Hope you both had a good weekend anyway and keep me posted if you have any news x

Awww I'm glad your scan went ok @KLM25 - you have a little stubborn one there hiding from you! Maybe it's because she wants to see you again next week ❤️

Yes I had thought about that actually just because we would then be starting from scratch the costs are not much different but will definitely look into it. Which clinic did you use?x

Hiya @seekingbabyk @KLM25 hope you're both well!

@seekingbabyk thanks for your words the other week, really resonated with me ❤ it is so true that it is so draining and it consumes a big part of your life, the constant feeling bad about things you do in your life, which you otherwise wouldn't even think about. it is quite depressing isn't it. I just see danger to our eggs or sperm everywhere lol. I've just started to drink my one cup of coffee a day again and I'm immensly enjoying it. it is so sad that we have to worry about little things like that. or OH goes sanding and painting and I'm worrying about him doing that as he's handling chemicals. it's sooo consuming isn't it. and feeling bad for how we live your lifes or how you have lived your lifes thinking we must've done soemthing wrong, otherwise we would not be in this position. it is exhausting and upsetting. whether or not we'll be successful, I'll be glad when all this is over, just so I don't have to feel bad about my life anymore..

I don't acutally know much about these test yet, but I'll keep you updated. @KLM25 you had them done right. is it three tests in one, or are they separate? I'm hoping the former. are they done on a particular day of your cycle?
My clinic has been quite late as usual and I nearly rang them because it's been two weeks now, but then i had a letter in the post yesterday with a date for a telephone consultation about the tests. that'll be on 28 March. So that is a positive. they've not forgotten about me lol. Hope i can get these tests done in May, when we're back.

@KLM25 glad your little girl is doing well. so cute you're having a girl and knowing it already. i'd defo always want to know the gender asap too. i think doing it abroad would add an additional layer of stress for me personally. with all the cancellations and everything that can go wrong, having to think about booking flights or losing money if things go wrong would stress me massively. And I don't think i could do it with work. I do like having the clinic within driving distance, but thanks for the thought xx

Thanks so much @seekingbabyk and @Honeybunie ❤️ Yes it’s lovely to find out the gender. We’ve just got to agree on a name now which is proving harder than I expected!

@seekingbabyk We went to Gennet in Prague and all our embryos were created there. We just moved to Institut Marques in Barcelona as once I turned 49 last year, I’d hit the Czech Republic’s age limit, so we transported our remaining 3 embryos to Spain. I think the Spanish prices are definitely on a par with the UK. When we started out, it was definitely less expensive in the CR, although I’m not sure if that was because it was donor IVF. I would recommend both clinics, but then I have nothing to compare them with in the UK.
@Honeybunie I completely get it. You want as little stress as possible, it’s tough enough as it is. I work for an airline, so I suppose it was a no brainer for me, as I’ve always been able to be flexible with booking standby flights last minute. Otherwise that side of things could cause extra worry, for sure. Our first transfer was during Covid times and when we got home from Prague we had to quarantine for 2 weeks! It all seems so crazy now 😏

About those tests - I think they’re also called the EndomeTrio and come three in one, but I could have got that wrong. I had all three in one go anyway. They definitely had to be done at a certain time in my cycle - I had to do a mock cycle which was supposed to replicate a future transfer cycle, so I took all the meds that I would be taking for the real thing, if that makes sense, and had two scans in the build up, so it was a bit like a replica cycle. I had to be very precise with telling them exactly what time I started the progesterone, as that got written down on the form when the biopsy sample was sent off. That’s for the ERA side of things as far as I’m aware.

As far as my ERA test was concerned, those results came back saying I was pre-receptive and needed an extra day of progesterone. We followed that advice for my subsequent transfer and that didn’t work. I then decided I wanted to go back to my original protocol and the original progesterone timing, for the transfer which had been successful with our son, and that one was successful. So I’m not sure what to think about the ERA testing tbh, I think opinions differ. But it does seem to come as a joint package with the Emma and Alice testing which I think are very helpful and can rule a lot of things out or identify problems that can be solved. Plus my ERA result contradicted my protocol for a successful cycle, but I know people do follow their results and are then subsequently successful so who knows..
There’s a longstanding thread on here about it which is quite useful and a lot of people on there who’d be more knowledgeable than me.
Glad you’ve got the consultation letter and Mar 28th will be here in no time. I’m sure you could have that testing in May. I just had to start the meds on the first day of my period and then carry on from there. The biopsy was on about day 22ish? And that was delayed because we were on holiday so I seem to remember they were quite flexible with it x

@Honeybunie I'm glad you have your letter/date through now. Where are you off to on your trip? Yes it is hard and you can't help overthinking everything but I think stress can also play a big part and overthinking it stressful so you just have to do what you can. It's unlikely an odd bottle of water will harm you, I think it's more if you are constantly using them as an example!

@KLM25 I will definitely have a look into that if we decide to keep going after this next round.

I asked my consultant about the various tests, etc. he told me the rule with endo especially is that if you can't see it on a scan, you treat the infertility rather than the endo. So even if I had minor endometriosis they would still just suggest ivf. Also with the various tests, he said they only recommend them if it would change the treatment approach. He said they would still continue with ours as it is so it seems like we just keep going as we are 🤷🏼‍♀️

Hi all, this had dropped off threads I’m on. I’ve been thinking of you all and wondering how you’re getting on with everything, so just wanted to check in and say hi!

I was wondering about you all too! Hope you're all well in your various stages of the journey! X

Me too! I was going to drop a message yesterday. Time has flown, hope you're all well!