IVF Scotland - thread 5

[itsmschanandlerbong]

Hello, made a new thread for us Scots going through IVF, thread 5. Hoping this is the best thread yet for dreams coming true ❤️

@Eiremogra rhats crazy long! Must havf driven you mad! If you do them sgdd as in make sure to click no doctors comments as generally you get them a lot faster? Unsure if you did this. And make sure goes in priority post box so delivered asap

I did another one yesterday so I’m hoping my levels are increasing too 🤞when is your OTD?

That’s @Ellenn , I had ticked doctors comments so maybe that was the delay but 5 days?!😫I also handed the sample into the post office for priority, made no difference. I’m going to order another sample kit today… wondering if I should just order the finger prick test instead of a venous sample. My clinic wanted me to test at 9DP5DT / what about you?xx

@Eiremogra my OTD was actually yesterday as it was 14dp5dt so I think we are at similar stage!!

yeh super odd as I send mine Monday morning and got the result through Wednesday morning? So I thought we did it at the same time!

the finger prick is absolutely fine that’s how I usually do it!

do you have many symptoms?

@Ellenn Ok I’ll do that…will order it today (and then stalk my postman daily until it arrives!)
I’ve had cramping and a feeling of pressure…very similar to period pain just before it arrives when you just know it’s going to be a super heavy AF. It also felt a little like constipation discomfort. Everything else seems normal…how about you? Have you figured out your due date…sorry if I’ve missed that in this tread. I try to keep up but there’s lots to get though. I’ve been awake most of night overthinking since getting the BFP yesturday x

@Eiremogra yeh I’ve not actually had too much cramping but I am feeling nausea on/off thankfully not constantly! I’m hoping it’s a good thing as I’m definitely feeling more sick than I was at my previous transfers at similar stages!

I think it would be mid October as I’m now only 4+6 today 😬 must be similar to you? It feels so early saying that. It’s so easy to overthink everything isn’t it, I’m trying super hard to just forget about it and not allow myself to be excited!

also for my medichecks test although they say they will email you I find it’s usually later so it makes you compulsively check 🙈 got my notification it arrived today so I should definitely get a result Monday I think x

Oh good luck with the next result @Ellenn ! I’ve just ordered my sample kit today so I’m a few steps behind you. Our dates are very similar which is lovely! I haven’t felt sick at all but I’m worried about these cramps,mainly because they feel like period cramps. Difficult when the progesterone pessaries cause cramping too…think I just need some reassurance. My head is spinning 100% xx

@Eiremogra got my results 1064! I’m super happy as it’s more than doubling every 48 hrs so think that is good news 🤞 hopefully that means the embryo (s) are going strong! Super fast turnaround for results today!

im going to try and not test now until scan (that’s what I told myself if I was happy with this result 🙈 we shall see…) are you doing any more tests apart from another medichecks?

@Ellenn Oh wow that’s amazing!!!! Fantastic level!! Delighted for you…and also what a reassurance. Just doing the repeat Beta for now. Want to book an early scan but am anxious about doing that before getting the beta results. I’m a ball of nerves!!! Still taking cyclogest and progynova twice daily - not sure if there’ll be any change to that once the clinic review my HCG results x

@Eiremogra i feel so relieved that this time I have ok numbers. It just makes you so nervous this wait! Do you know what stage your clinic might want to do your first scan?

Also tip for your results once it says on ‘my results’ page ‘testing in progress’ it took maybe an hour to be uploaded!

@Ellenn Those are great levels! Did you transfer more than 1 embryo? Hope this is it for you now. Hope you’re able to hold off testing until scan - do you have date for your first scan now?

@Eiremogra Congratulations!!! Fantastic news you got a bfp especially after a longer wait than expected! I wouldn’t worry too much about a bit of cramping as that can be very normal. Hope your second medicheck comes back with numbers that help offer some reassurance.

Im planning on doing another CB digits weeks one tomorrow for my bit of reassurance as I have a pack of tests anyway in the cupboard. Hoping it says 2-3 weeks for some reassurance. There are special ivf due date calculators you can use as the due date calculation is a bit different with ivf (they don’t use day of your period but take it from day of transfer). At the 12 week scan though you’ll get a (probably totally different) due date based on baby measurements. With DD the NHS moved my
due date forward 5 days. Only really matters if you start talking c sections / being induced.

@2mumlife I didn’t realise the dates depend on IVF transfer. I was counting from the first day of my last period,so that’s completely wrong?x

@2mumlife thanks I’m super happy we already are getting off to a better start than previous 3 transfers hopefully good news 🤞 we did do a double transfer yes! I have scan booked in 11 days when I’m 6+4 wks!

I used the CB tests as well and it’s nice to see the levels increasing! The only thing is think there is quite a big jump between the 2-3 wks and 3+ wks you always seem to hear of people not getting the 3+ wks until later! Also I have heard that some people just never get 3+ wks for some reason 🤷‍♀️ that’s crazy they base the due date of the 12 wk scan - it makes sense in my head as most people might not know exact day of conception but we know exactly the stage/age of embryos! Did your dates change much in your last pregnancy between ivf due date and scan?

@Eiremogra i used this calculator for mine https://www.whattoexpect.com/ivf-due-date-calculator/ did you have transfer the day after me on 27th? So you would be 4+5 wks?

@Ellenn yes my transfer date was the 27th - can’t get my head around why the dates are different when using IVF. Thanks for sending the link xx

@Eiremogra try one like this https://yourivfjourney.com/baby-calculators-for-pregnancy/ivf-and-fet-due-date-calculator/

How dissimilar it is will vary based on what day of your cycle the transfer was.

@Ellenn Not long to wait until scab! Keeping everything crossed for you. NHS dated me 5 days earlier - basically technicians said she couldn’t make DD measure any smaller! She stayed a bugger baby (8lbs 7oz). The irony is as it was an ivf pregnancy I had extra growth scans towards the end “because ivf babies are smaller” in my consultants words 😂

@Eiremogra Tje ivf due date calculators work by saying if you had a 28 day cycle and ovulated on day 14 (or something like that) then based on when you had your transfer ovulation would have been on X date, and then calculate due date from there,

it’s all a bit complicated and confusing. It only matters if you’re making decisions about induction for example really

@2mumlife I know!

Haha that’s good to know not all ivf babies follow the ‘usual’ I thought it was unusual that some hospitals you are deemed high risk pregnancy when you have had fertility treatment - is this possibly cause of the birth weight? I was under the impression once out of usual scary time we would have normal pregnancy? Although i will definitely not say no to extra scans!!

you must be excited about yours too! I’m sure it’s going to be perfect! 😍 x

@Ellenn My CD digital said 3+ this morning 😮 which seems early to be getting that. I looked up what the concentrations were you needed once before but I’ve forgotten, I do know a lot of people it takes awhile for it to read 3+ as you actually need quite a lot of hcg in your urine. Anyway hopefully a good sign this one still going strong. Still another 2 weeks until early scan so will just have to be patient.

Think like anything how hospital views you depends where you are. I was viewed as “high risk” just from it being ivf (no other risk factors at all). All it meant was extra growth scans (i think at 28, 32, 36 and 40 weeks). I was advised to have an induction at my (nhs) due date but declined so was offered additional growth scans and monitoring instead, which I didn’t actually need as went into labour naturally at 41 weeks (nhs version) so just few days later than my clinics calculated due date.

I liked the extra growth scans, was reassuring to check on bubba. My consultant wasn’t too pushy about induction etc but it did get tiring having to have that same conversation every 4 weeks

@Ellenn Also you’re so brave doing a double transfer! Are you nervous in case it’s twins? Is your first scan with clinic, EPU or private? Will be exciting to see how everything is going!

@2mumlife yassss! Great to hear I think your levels need to be >2700 or something to get that!! I was thinking of doing a final weeks one tomorrow as my levels if they are going up the same should be above that 🤞 then I need to make myself do no more tests and just wait till scan!

suppose I wouldn’t be complaining if you get more scans to see! Did you use forth valley then too for your first pregnancy?

I ended up doing a double as all our singles resulted in miscarriage I was hoping if we did two maybe at least one would stick! Seems like my embryos are great at implanting but not so good at making a baby. I’m not sure if my levels are high enough for twins, I had a look on beta base. I have a 50/50 chance for it to be a single or twin according to my clinics statistics. We decided to use lower grades and do double (although still good grades) not going to lie I would be super excited if there was two but also I’m happy with one!

my first scan is with the clinic! What about you?

@Ellenn The hard bit is stopping testing!

Yeah was at Forth Valley before :)

Have you had your embryos tested at all? I wouldn’t rely on levels to tell you much, my levels were really high with DD and that was a single transfer and definitely just the 1 bubba. Twins just terrifies me 😂

Thats good clinic scanning you early for some reassurance x

@2mumlife I know right 🙈

Unfortunately as we are on a NHS round at the moment we can’t do any testing of embryos otherwise I would be keen tbh. I discussed it with them but it’s not an option through nhs. I was told 50% of my embryos should be normal at my age but that hasn’t unfortunately been what we have experienced so far!

did you test your embryos? I think if I did another private cycle I would pay for it potentially even just to reduce miscarriages.

ah did you have really high levels with one! Maybe I might still have two then who knows! I just thought my levels would be higher with twins. Seems such wide ranges for hcg levels though so would make sense.

Hello. Happy Sunday everyone. Just sitting with a cup of (decaff) tea and an electric blanket on. I got up this morning and made a smoothie with some frozen berries, pom juice, vitamin shot and some water. Then took my morning estrodoil tablet for day 3 of transfer prep meds and after a while felt incredibly nauseous and had to go and lay in bed for a few hours as was worried I would bring the tablet back up again! Thankfully not but I'll not be having the tablet without my over night oats first again. I forgot to make them last night as we had gone out for a meal.

Hope everyone waiting for results and tests gets good news soon 💐

I had horrific headaches on the 1st day of my estrodoil but thankfully have been more manageable since. Going to head out for a walk and get my steps in this afternoon.

@Ellenn Think the hog range is massive. Did a little bit of reading that some people just have higher levels, but also that you can get higher levels with female embryos too 🤔

Its a shame nhs won’t let you test as my understanding is a lot of early miscarriages are likely to be chromosomal issues? Apologies if I’m wrong though or if that’s not the situation with you.

We didn’t test our embryos - I make so few eggs during egg collection rounds we never had much to test to be honest

@IVFlife I’m sorry to hear you’re experiencing some side effects of the estradiol. Hopefully your body gets used to it quickly and it stops making you feel ill

@2mumlife ooh that’s exciting!! Although honestly don’t think I have a preference boy/girl I just want a baby full stop 🤣 I’d take anything!

yes I’ve been told 85% miscarriages are due to embryo issues so most likely is that plus the fact we haven’t been able to conceive naturally anyway makes me think there is something wrong somewhere! We just can’t find it.

is it a wee girl you had in your first pregnancy? What age is she now? Do you think she would be excited to have a sibling?

@IVFlife nausea doesn’t sound the nicest! I was lucky and didn’t seem to get any symptoms with the meds! When is your first lining check?

@Ellenn same I absolutely have no preference. But I'm sure I read somewhere that it was more likely to have boys with ivf. I can't remember where I read that any if it's got any evidence to it though.

My 1st lining check is 19th. She gave me an extra day before the scan. I think really because it would have been a Sunday otherwise but also as I have premature ovarian insufficiency so my lining hasn't naturally been thickening at all recently and was very thin when we attempted my own egg round last year.

I weighed myself this morning and have lost a good few lbs since January so I'm happy with that. My bmi is just over 30 and I'm keen to gradually get it to under before we have any midwife appointments etc as I have had a history of eating disorders and know I'll struggle if midwifes are going on and on about bmi being up. I'm doing 10k steps a day and eating a brilliantly healthy diet at the moment so hoping that helps without overthinking it too much.

Anyone else using the mindful ivf app? It seemed down today for a bit for me. But sorted now. I am finding it so helpful.