IVF April 2023

[charja100]

Hi all,

I'm about to start my first IVF ICSI cycle. I expect to start my stims next week and all being well will have a fresh transfer in April.

Looking for buddies to come on this journey with me.

@April623

So we're looking at June/July for the next embryo transfer. They want me to have a natural bleed in between. Seems so far away so I'm focusing on work and projects around the house to keep myself occupied.

Yes glad we're doing something to explore the reasons we had challenged and possible solutions for the next round if we need it. He has his SOS test this Wednesday and I'm reading up about Artificial Oocyte Activation to see if that's an option for us.

That doesn't sound brilliant. Do you mind me asking what clinic you are with? I had a follow up with my consultant as standard but it did take two weeks for the earliest appointment as she was so busy. We did get updated with some numbers through the process by nurses but they weren't very long convos... but we did get information. The only consultant appointments I have had were at the beginning when they reviewed all our tests and came up with an approach, and just now where the first fresh round didn't work. When I got my protocol a nurse called me and talked through the process, drugs and how to administer. They signposted me to videos to self teach.

From what I've seen I would day it's really unusual and poor service to have such limited information. Are you privately funding?

I think you have to be confident in you clinic. If you feel exploring some others is what's best for you, then you should definitely do that.

Yes I'm taking lots of supplements. I read the book It starts with the egg. It gives lots of advice on what you can do to improve egg quality. I have done some research and take some of those - COQ10 is the main one that can help to improve egg quality from what I've read. If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it.

Did you have a nice work trip?

@girljulian I know how you feel. I've had some of these same thoughts. I've succeeded at everything else in life, why can't I have a baby. Why won't my body work. It's so hard when we want something so much. You're not alone and if you ever need to just talk I'm here to listen.

It really helped me recently when I spoke with my consultant after our failed first fresh transfer and she explained the odds with actual numbers. She told me that it's likely at my age (just turned 38) 50% of my eggs would be abnormal. She said without PGT testing it's impossible to know, however with my numbers (3 day 5 embryos) at least one should be normal. It's factual information from scientific evidence from all of the work they've done over the years and this given me a lot of hope. I hope sharing this can help you too.

@charja100 How are you doing? Yes good work trip thanks, it passed a few days and gave me something else to think about. I have my call with the consultant tomorrow and have booked an appointment with a clinic in London too so feel like I'm taking back some control. I'm currently with a clinic in Wales which is where I live. CRGW it's called and yes I'm privately funding.

Sounds like the amount of contact I've had has been about the same but maybe less information. Not helped by the fact this is new to me so I didn't know what to ask! I've received my notes from them now so have my full info, although there's not much to see other than test results and notes from the scans. There is a lab report which documents everything about my eggs and their progress. There's notes on day 1 after collection and on day 5 at transfer but the day 3 notes are empty which is strange as they said there'd be another check at day 3. Any ideas?! Obviously a question I'll be asking tomorrow.

I am not ruling out another round with the clinic and the staff have been great every time I've been there. I will see how I feel after the consultation tomorrow. As you say I need to feel happy so that I have no regrets if it doesn't work next time.

I have since bought a load of supplements from Zita West on recommendation of someone on another group 🤞🏼

Thank you <3 I know you’re right — I’m nearly 36 and also had 3 day 5 embryos. It’s just rubbish because the week I found I wasn’t pregnant, my best friend from
school told me she was! And that was IVF too so she hasn’t had an easy time, but it was her first ever transfer and I’ve now had two… I know you can’t compare but it’s hard.

How is everyone doing and where is everyone at?

@Ksangha hope you are ok xx

Hey @Flowerlover010 and hello wonderful group! @Flowerlover010 how are you and what's been happening on your journey recently?

We've just got back from a lovely break and also yesterday we had our PGT-A results back (2 weeks earlier than they advised!)

The good news is we only lost one embryo with abnormal cells. Which seems crazy considering how much my body has done wrong to date! Nearly fell off my chair when she told me and there were a lot of tears 😅 however I'm now driving myself crazy with the next anxiety and fretting about my arcuate uturus. I've been down a rabbit hole looking at septums and recurrent miscarriages, then up in tears all night 😫 we're having a June transfer and throwing a lot of new stuff at it... steroids, inhixa, asprin and potentially lubion. They've also suggested embryo glue, does anyone have experiance with it? We're so used to getting good news then something awful happening I'm fretting about whats to come. I've been feeling quite terrified if I'm honest.

How is everyone getting on? X

@April623 glad you had a good trip. I've personally found a couple of days headspace and the shift of focus has really helped me get through at points on this journey.

I'm so pleased that you've got access to all your documents now. The clinic I'm with has an online portal that they upload things too. (Although Some things we have to ask for) I've found it such a strange journey and also haven't known what to ask. I've actually found a couple of threads on here have really helped me with the questions I've needed. Having people who've been in similar positions before have really helped. There's also a Facebook group I'm on that someone recommended. I don't personally post in it (there thousand of people in it) but I've learned lots through reading others posts.

So my clinic (care) doesn't check you eggs on day 3 as they use caremaps and they font like to disturb them so we only get a 5 day update. I was personally really anxious on day three as we'd had such a huge drop at fertilisation. Out of 13 eggs we only had 5 fertilise, and considering we used ICSI it should have been nearly double that. So I called the embryologist for an update on day 3.

How did the call with your consultant go? Now you've spoken with them, how are you feeling about it all?

@VioletCookie lovely to hear from you. Great to have a nice break and what good news on getting the testing back earlier than expected and with good news! I heard that many lose 50% so losing one is brilliant. Remind me how many does that leave you with now?

It sounds like you're off to a really positive start with this next transfer. I have everything crossed for you. I've only done the one fresh transfer so far, and haven't explored embryo glue so I can't help on that sorry. Hopefully someone else on the thread can help you with that on.

We'll be working on our next transfers around the same time. I had my consultation last Tuesday and have my next protocol now. Im doing a down regulated FET and will start after my next AF, which I'm hoping is due in around a week. So I suspect I'll start buresilin around 4-5 weeks from now. I'll likely have my transfer the first week of July.

@charja100 we really will be close together! I'm waiting for AF due any day from Saturday, feeling really triggered by it all though. How are you feeling about the FET? And sorry to sound silly but how is it down regulated? I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and hoping so much for a positive result this time 🙏🏼 how is your partner finding things?

We're incredibly fortunate to have 6 'normal' blasto in the freezer. One good quality, the rest poor. I'm terrified though as we've already had 3 transfers, 3 BFPs and 3 losses... so I've convinced myself I've got a septum rather than arcuate uterus and that it will keep happening. I'm driving myself a bit bonkers! If if doesn't work this time, think we'll fork out for a hysteroscopy. There's always so much waiting around for these things though isn't there!

@VioletCookie thats amazing news that you a) got the results back quicker and b) only lost 1! How many weeks did the results take in the end? 6 is an amazing number! I would try not to worry about the quality so much ive heard so so many stories about the best quality one failing but the not so good ones are producing babies! Is this the first round you had them pgta tested? Because if it is, that is a huge part in it working and avoiding miscarriage.

@Flowerlover010 yes we were pretty pleased with the timescale! It was 3 weeks. I had even resisted chasing which is unlike me 🤣 we're absolutely over the moon with the qty, tbh I'm still pinching myself. Yes it's the first round of PGT-A, so I'm glad we've done it just for peace of mind! Am so paranoid about my uturus shape though and convinced I have a septum that's causing all the miscarriages. We'll do one more transfer and if it happens again pay for the hysteroscopy. How have you been getting on?

@VioletCookie were u able to have any of your miscarriages tested at all?

I am behind you as im still waiting to do stims, period came today so im set to start Saturday. I could only dream to get your numbers, its my first round of ivf so no idea how it will go yet.

@Flowerlover010 good luck for Saturday! I will keep absolutely everything crossed for you on this cycle. All it takes is one, we may have good numbers but I can't keep them in so it's not helped us much 😅 I made a lot of lifestyle changes for the second collection and it doubled our numbers, not sure if coincidence though! I have faith that you will get some happy news 🤞🏼 what is your AMH if you don't mind sharing? If you need to chat at any point I'm all ears! Will you do your jabs or will your partner do them?

No we've not had them tested as all were early just before 6 weeks so only a small sac. Which is why I'm worried about a uterine septum causing early loss.. bloody Google! We shall see what happens next time anyway! X

@VioletCookie thank you. My AMH is high 31. something but that was a year and half ago now i haven't tested it recently but my problem seems to be producing quality as ive had 3 miscarriages from natural pregnancies hence went straight for pgta testing. My last miscarriage i managed to get the products tested and it came back abnormal chromosomes so even more reason for pgta for me. The reason i asked if you'd had previous cycles tested is because apparently something like 50% miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities so its a pretty high chance its that but its hard to know really isnt it. My geneticist said chances are my other 2 miscarriages were probably also chromosomal as its so common.
Ive been injecting myself for nearly 3 weeks now so becoming a pro! As i have to be on blood thinners throughout this whole process so im not really nervous about the injection itself just making sure i get the dose all in! As you say just need a few good quality ones that make it to day 5 for testing!
What lifestyle changes have you made if u dont mind me asking? Ive done the same so really hope its paid off!!

@Flowerlover010 yes I do remember now! So sorry, I get so confused with who is doing what 🙈 but I remember you saying. I've got a good feeling for your egg collection then, 31 is a fab number! Mine was 27 in April 2022 so I reckon your numbers will be similar! The blood thinners are quite stingy aren't they. My partner offered to inject me but the thought of it scared me more than the actual jab 🤣 How's your tummy feeling, are you bruising much?

We were told the same thing re chromosomes and miscarriages, so I was really nervous for the PGT-A. But it turned out to be fine so I'm even more confused now! Hence the Google rabbit hole I've gone down 😅 it's well worth doing when you've had recurrent losses, will be hoping for the best for you 🙏🏼

The main lifestyle things I did were being tee total for 9 months (aside from a crafty bday and Xmas drink), no fizzy drinks for the same amount of time, veg with literally everything, lots of walking and getting more sleep (I used to survive on 4/5 hours). The first collection we only had 50% fertilisation rate, whereas this time we 90%! So either it made a difference or its a coincidence? I'm not sure, but I'm hoping the effort has paid off. I have accidentally eaten a LOT of chocolate in that time though... comfort food right?! What have you been doing/changing? X

@Flowerlover010 good luck! It's difficult to compare these journeys as we all have such unique circumstances. @VioletCookie is right, it really does only take one. You have a great AMH you should get really good numbers.

I've just had my first fresh cycle. My AMH was just short of 9. I had 14 eggs collected, 13 mature, only 5 fertilised which was disappointing as we used ICSI. We aren't sure why our fertilisation rate was so low. My partner had the SOS test this week and it came back as normal so now we're really stumped. Our first fresh failed, it was a bio chemical loss. We have two more in the freezer. I'm just waiting for AF then it's a 21 day countdown to start my protocol.

@VioletCookie try not to google. You might be stressing yourself out over something that doesn't apply to you at all. I know it's so hard and you just want a answer but it might be completely wrong and then you've had all this worry for nothing.

@VioletCookie it is really hard to keep up with what every one is doing! My husband is away a lot so i had no choice but to do it myself and i have surprised myself immensely as i didnt think i could do it. I would actually not feel confortable with him doing it now! 🤣 For days i didnt have even a tiny dot of a bruise so couldnt even see where i had injected until one day i did everything as normal except when the needle came out a huge blob of blood did too and my god did that leave a bruise! No idea how it happened apart from maybe i hit a spot i had already been in! Husband and i have both made some changes last 6 months, no caffeine, lots more green veg, lots more fruit, ive actually stopped wearing perfume and nail varnish as they are the 2 products i wear with most chemicals in them. Im hoping these few changes make a difference to quality as quantity wont be a problem i dont think, its quality for us.
That is amazing the difference u had i wouldnt be surprised if it was down to your efforts!

@charja100 I feel a bit better after speaking to the consultant on Tuesday but still a bit confused as to what our next plan should be but I guess we will either do another round with the same clinic or try something different. We have consultations with two other clinics at the beginning of June so we will decide then.

Great that you can go ahead with another transfer quite quickly. Fingers and toes crossed for you 🤞🏼

@Flowerlover010 yes caffeine too I forgot that, and Vitamin D! I'm not great with perfume and gel nails, I only stop when we're doing a transfer or collection 🙈 seems like we've done a fair bit between us, fingers crossed for a succesful couple of months! I'm due on this weekend and stupidly did a test 'just in case'... BFN so now I'm not so patiently waiting for AF to arrive so we can get started with this FET! Good luck for tomorrow's stims! When's your first scan?

@charja100 you're 100% right and stress isn't good for us. My partner is out tonight so I'm really enjoying time to myself... Already bathed and in pj's, such a wild Friday night!

@VioletCookie i dont blame you for having a go in between, ive been contemplating whether to or not between my EC and FET.
Thank you. The first scan is on Thursday. Im not so nervous for the injections but any side effects now. Not looking forward to the other injection though, the one that stops u ovulating from day 6 as heard that ones a bitch! Lol

@Flowerlover010 it's silly as we're doing IVF because I don't ovulate, but you can't help but try right?! 😅 Was hoping the IVF meds would have been a helpful influence!

I promise you I found that jab fine! The inhixa was most painful for me, felt burning hot when it went in. The certrotide wasn't a problem though so really hope that's the case for you! Thankfully it's not too many of them to get through x

@VioletCookie i know well i haven't seemed to have too much problem getting pregnant it just always ends in MC so i think, why would i even contemplate trying in between? Theres no point doing ivf pgta if im just gonna do that! And it would delay things massively if i had another MC. It just feels tempting as i hate all these wasted months!

Oh im glad you found inhixia to be the worst since i started on that and been on it 3 weeks now. I find it stings a lot too, so if this the worst one, the rest i hope are fine 🤞🤞🤞 thanks for the info x

@Flowerlover010 I get that. What time scale have your clinic given for results? If you're happy to wait, then perhaps that's the best thing to do. That way you'll know a 'normal' embryo is going back in so your risk is much lower! Did they test for anything else that could be causes losses? Is that why you're having inhixa? X

@charja100 so what do you have to do to prepare for the FET? You're waiting for AF and then what? When do you expect to start?

@VioletCookie i feel like i had every private test under the sun for it and there was no real conclusion as to why i keep miscarrying. With all the tests they discovered i have factor 5 leiden heterogeneous (blood clotting condition) which i knew absolutely nothing about neither did my family so that was a surprise ( i will have got it from either mum or dad we dont know) but the doctors say its unlikely that was the cause of my MCs and i agree with them since my risk of clotting is still low and my last MC was concluded as abnormal anyway so we know the cause of the last one. My mum had 3 heatlhy pregnancies and could well have the same condition so im going with them being all abnormal. If i can then eliminate the abnormal id like to HOPE id have a normal pregnancy but totally get why you are now looking into any other possibilities. Has a doctor or anyone implied to you you have a different shape uterus? What makes you think that?