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Infertility

Our Infertility Support forum is a space to connect with others in the same position, discuss causes, treatment and IVF, and share infertility stories of hope and success.

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Original poster

Just had egg collection... Now the wait!

74 replies

SarahScone · 21/03/2023 11:08

Hi All

Looking to see if there's anyone about who is in a similar boat...
We had egg collection yesterday from our first IVF (icsi) cycle.

My god the waiting is painful!!!
Had a call from the embryologist this morning to say that of the 18 they collected, 15 were mature and 10 have fertilised. Now got to wait until tomorrow when she said we would have some idea about the quality and they can start to grade.

If there's anyone else in the same position, or if there's another thread I could join then do let me know!!

OP posts:

AlisonDanuta · 30/03/2023 23:12

@SadieBarts has your partner tried Proxeed? It made a bit of a difference for my partner as he had issue with low motility and then morphology so worth trying
But looking at your outcome with good embryos and four of them frozen - you both must be doing good ;)

I'm doing ok but had cramps yesterday and my belly was aching today. No idea what this is down to but my breasts are sore! It's only 2nd day after the transfer.
Also not a fan of pessaries...

Hopefulat40 · 31/03/2023 04:58

So, made it to day 5 with three excellent embryos, 1 good, and 1 a bit slower but not dreadful. Having the best (which was speedily compacting on day 3, a day ahead of expected) in today. Hopefully at least two to freeze, but will know for sure tomorrow.
Fingers crossed speedy Gonzales is chromosome normal and likes the lining it's had prepped for it 🤞🤞🤞🤞
Now the interminable TWW.....

Thinkinhappythoughts · 31/03/2023 08:09

Hi all
Mind if I jump in here?
Just read all your posts and very similar to what I've gone through/going through.
I've just heard that cycle 1 was completely unsuccessful. 29 collected, 22 mature, 13 to day 3 and 6 to day 5/6. Off they went for PGT-A testing and not one was normal. I was definitely hoping and sure at least one would come back. We were so close and now we are right back to the start. It's so upsetting!
I'm back on northesterone for 14 days to minimise cysts on ovaries and then period then I start cycle 2.
I'm 42 and have children already so looks like it's the age of the eggs that is the issue.
So many people have babies naturally in their 40's!
Are any of you doing the PGT-A testing?

Original poster

SarahScone · 31/03/2023 09:58

@Hopefulat40 that's brilliant news!! I am rooting for Speedy! Hope transfer goes smoothly today - keep us posted.

And @Thinkinhappythoughts I'm really sorry you've had such a struggle. It is such an awful journey to go on and the losses are so hard.

Im 5dp5dt today. Nothing to comment on, no symptoms I don't think. Just the usual progesterone related ones. Although even those seem to be fading a little - small blessings!

OP posts:

Original poster

SarahScone · 31/03/2023 10:00

Oh and @Hopefulat40 not looked at PGA testing yet.
We have essentially decided just to follow the advice that we are given by our clinic. They've been good so far so I'm going to try not to tie myself up in knots wondering how to make it successful - going to leave it to the experts! (Easier said than done...)
If they were to recommend PGA then we would consider

OP posts:

AlisonDanuta · 31/03/2023 13:51

@Hopefulat40 well done that's a great outcome. Good luck and welcome to 2ww

@Thinkinhappythoughts despite the outcome i think you've had a great response as so many eggs!
I've not testet this time or any time before so don't know a lot about it. We were offered the testing however we didn't know how many embryos we would have so I was in a mind not to risk it and just go with the flow.

Are you planning to try again?

SadieBarts · 31/03/2023 14:13

@AlisonDanuta Oh I remember the pessaries. I had to do 3 a day, doing the one at work was not pleasant.

No he hasn't, he is just taking Wellman Max for fertility. I will look into the one you suggested.

@Thinkinhappythoughts My clinic hasn't recommended the testing. I think I will do the funded FET, maybe because it is funded. Do they discard them afterwards if no good or can you still have them transferred?

Thinkinhappythoughts · 31/03/2023 14:26

They are discarding them. It's testing for chromosome abnormalities so it potentially saved me from having a miscarriage.

Hopefulat40 · 01/04/2023 03:53

@Thinkinhappythoughts ....not doing PGTA here yet, as it's my first cycle they discouraged it unless I managed to produce high numbers of embryos (which I didn't). If none take, might do testing next round.

Hopefulat40 · 01/04/2023 03:53

Hopefulat40 · 01/04/2023 04:00

So, I think I've been unexpectedly lucky....Speedy transferred and now waiting, but in the meantime have had confirmed I have three good quality day 5 embryos to freeze (4AA, 4AB and 3AA) and maybe one more day 6 tomorrow. So 80% embryo rate so far, maybe 100% tomorrow. I must admit I'm pretty shocked to get so many good ones, from relatively few eggs. Hopefully that means better likelihood my eggs are in better shape than average for my age.

Trying very hard not to get my hopes too high, I know there's still plenty of ways they could fail. But relieved I shouldn't have to do another stim cycle for a few months at least.

Thinkinhappythoughts · 02/04/2023 09:32

@Hopefulat40
I wonder why some recommend PGT testing and some don't?!
So you have had your transfer already? Wow that's amazing! So when do you get to take a pregnancy test?

Thinkinhappythoughts · 02/04/2023 09:34

@AlisonDanuta
Ah ok, might be an age thing, older you are the more likely they recommend doing it?
Yeah, we are just in the process of starting cycle 2 but I'm really nervous this time, I just don't want the disappointment of no viable eggs. Very hard to hear- IVF is very emotionally draining!
What stage are you at?

AlisonDanuta · 02/04/2023 09:51

@Thinkinhappythoughts it is a hard journey but if theres a glimpse of hope than better to try and deal with the negative outcome than be sorry you never tried..

I'm currently 4dp5dt and I'm finding this wait soo difficult. I keep researching for symptoms online etc. I'm being told to stop thinking about but not sure how.

How are you doing @SarahScone @SadieBarts @Hopefulat40

Hopefulat40 · 02/04/2023 11:00

@Thinkinhappythoughts I'm 2 days post 5d transfer, now. They were quite insistant that I don't test until 14 days post transfer, because I'm on microdoses of hcg for luteal support until day 10, so might create false positives. I wonder if I will be able to resist?!

Hopefulat40 · 02/04/2023 11:08

@Thinkinhappythoughts oh and re pgt-a, my clinic discourages it in the first round unless you have a history of recurrent miscarriage, and claim it's not worth the extra cost unless you've failed at least two full rounds of stims, collections and transfers. But a bit age dependent too. They point out that euploid-status doesn't solely account for transfer success and it can get people's hopes up more than it should - there are stories of people who've had over 30 genetically "perfect" blasts (over a few cycles) that still haven't achieved a pregnancy.

I could have requested it but at $500 per blast, it gets very expensive very quickly. If I have no luck with this round (despite 4 excellent quality blasts) I might consider it next round (as I am 40 and also have some health issues that mean pregnancy post 42 will be much riskier).

Tbh I'm kinda glad my clinic don't just grab your cash for limited reasons by encouraging it early, kinda reassures me that they're not just after the money. I might be naive in that assumption but it helps me sleep at night so I'll go with it 🤣

Original poster

SarahScone · 02/04/2023 11:44

Morning all.

I'm 8dp5dt today and the anxiety is properly ramping up. Not helped by the fact that it's Sunday so I'm not doing much. Trying to tear myself away from Google to go and work in the garden.
Still having lots of symptoms but still fairly sure they are all related to the progesterone pessaries.
My DSD is here today as well (we have her half the time) and I find that difficult sometimes, given what's going on. But DH has taken her out for the day to give me some peace and quiet!

My test date is Thursday. I am going to wait until then because I can't bear the ambiguity of a negative test before then and the hope that it might turn positive.

I must say, I do like this thread. It seems very sensible. @Hopefulat40 I agree re the PGA testing. It's so easy to throw everything into it. But at the end of the day the doctors, embryologists etc have done years of university, research, training etc. And they are just as keen to get good results. So for the time being, certainly, I think putting faith in the scientists and clinicians is the best things to do.

And thanks @AlisonDanuta for checking in!

OP posts:

Thinkinhappythoughts · 02/04/2023 17:07

@SarahScone
How exciting that you are well into the 2ww! Hoping it all goes well. I can imagine for anxious you must be feeling about it all.
Did you opt for the PGT-A testing? Our clinic recommended it because of the age factor. I don't think there is any massive difference in success rates so not sure we are doing the right thing. The results came back to say missing chromosomes so I would imagine that if I had tried a transfer on the day 5 embryos they wouldn't have been successful.

Thinkinhappythoughts · 02/04/2023 17:08

@Hopefulat40
Is this your first transfer?

Thinkinhappythoughts · 02/04/2023 17:10

@AlisonDanuta
Ahh yes- I've googled all sorts of symptoms when we were TTC naturally so know how you feel!
Yes you are completely right, whilst there is a chance there is always hope.

Original poster

SarahScone · 02/04/2023 20:04

Hi @Thinkinhappythoughts
No. We haven't gone for PGA testing. It hasn't been suggested to us but we have just come to the end of cycle one so who knows what will be suggested! (Hopefully nothing because hopefully I'm preggo, but not counting my chickens).

Does anyone know if you see a doctor again before the next cycle starts? I'm assuming we will. Although I think everything went as well as we could have expected. Probably better than expected, at least until the point we only got one 5 day blast and nothing to transfer. Oh, the agony!

OP posts:

AlisonDanuta · 02/04/2023 20:28

@SarahScone you are near the test ling time. I'm sticking to the date i think - rather be living in a hope...

In regards to seeing your doctor - We've had a post treatment follow up each time.
We would discuss the treatment and what went wrong etc. I would assume you can discuss how to go forward and what to adjust/change for next cycle. There is always something you can do.
We've had added testosteron gel this time, changed completely the dose of medication and had added vitamins etc

Previously they were saying the sperm was the issue, then my eggs..

@Thinkinhappythoughts you are right... why going through transfers with medication and then be disappointed each time if you can save time and test for the right embryo... we may think about this next time if this won't go well. Stay positive xx

Hopefulat40 · 03/04/2023 00:03

@Thinkinhappythoughts yep, first transfer, all a big learning curve!

Thinkinhappythoughts · 04/04/2023 07:58

@Hopefulat40 @AlisonDanuta
Any little signs of pregnancy yet?
Testing time must nearly be here?
We had our post cycle consultant app yesterday. Nothing really to tell us. Happy with response so doing exactly the same thing again, just unfortunate that I had no viable embryos. Apparently, statistically, it's 7% chance for my age range so odds are really against us. Happy with amount I produced so we stand a good chance of hopefully getting one embryo from the next two rounds. I didn't like that probability! He then mentioned that some go onto do a 4th cycle. Not sure about that as will have to see where we are with cost. That will be a factor by round 3 as we have to pay for the meds so it really adds up!

Hopefulat40 · 04/04/2023 08:39

@Thinkinhappythoughts I'm a little while off test date, it's not until the 14th, I'm only 5dp5dt still. Oh and my clinic make you wait longer if you're on hcg trigger plus hcg luteal phase support (which I am). Lots of hypervigilance for symptoms but none really yet. Wonder how loopy I'll be by then?! Still wondering when I'll break and start POAS 🤣🤣

How old are you? I can see why the 7% stat would be depressing, I'd probably react similarly. Hopefully it's better than that for you. Remember they're just averages! Tbh I'm really unclear what my own likelihood of success is, they started with quite dire predictions but are a bit more optimistic now I've made some embryos.

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