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 ❤️

@nosejug counselling sounds a good idea - does your clinic offer it for free or do you need to pay?

I'm feeling hopeful about transfer in some ways but also park of me feels I'm just waiting for something else to go wrong. I need that positivity and hope though or else I feel like I wouldn't be able to try again.

I feel in some sort of strange almost "nesting" phase this week. I know that sounds strange but it's like I feel like I have control over other stuff if everything else is ready for the hope we actually get to transfer and it works.

@Nosejug How are you getting on? I really wouldn't rely on follicule count saying much about egg count (from someone who always got way less eggs than they expected). Just take each step as it comes is my advice. Sounds like some counselling might be helpful to manage things - I found the couple of days between egg collection and transfer the worst bit of the entire IVF process, and the point I needed the most support to be honest, so do take as much time and care of yourself as you can.

@IVFlife Glad you're getting started again! can't believe what a journey you've had!

@ivf24 Honestly, baby is super well cushioned. My toddler jumps / elbows / bounces on and generally galumphs all over my bump (much not my joy....not). I've not experienced restless legs sorry, no advice on that one. Come back if you want advice on heartburn and haemorrhoids which are the biggest things that impact me 😂. I've got an anterior placenta this time and it definitely impacted feeling early movements. They should tell you at your scan where your placenta is. I think its really hard first time around to know if its movements or not, and it was only when they became more consistent with DD that I looked backed and was like "oooooohhh I've been feeling that for while". Forth Valley NHS is one of the places that refuse to tell you sex at 20 weeks, so we never bothered to find out sex with DD and doing the same this time (though both partner and I suspect we know). I liked having the surprise actually, and having something unknown after all the medical stuff and knowing every tiny detail about fertilisation / growth etc it was nice to get back to some of that mystery others get to feel. What I would say is if you're having extra scans, you'll probably have a pretty good idea though what you're having by the end - with DD I said throughout I'd never seen anything on any scan that would suggest male 😂 Hope you enjoy your holiday!

@Ellenn I had a nice small bump with DD and missing it this time around! At 28 weeks I look about as big as I did with DD at full term 😬. I'm getting growth scans too, but only every 4 weeks, so looking forward to seeing how bubs is doing and getting some idea of their weight later this week (and something nice to look forward to as also have to do the GTT which I hate doing this week). The whole thing about small babies needs to be taken with a pinch of salt - as actually, if you have a FET you're more likely to have a heavier baby than average non-IVF conceived, not a smaller one!! Its Fresh transfers where babies weigh less than average. And of course the average doesn't mean anything to you personally. My DD was a FET and was 8lbs 7oz. Still taking the growth scans this time even though I think its very unlikely I'm having a small baby 😂

What did everyone do about washing before transfer? Did you have a shower in morning and what products are OK? Did you wear deodorant? What counts as unscented? I'll wear none if that's advised but I'm quite sweaty generally so bit apprehensive about that!!

Oh actually @ivf24 I have some advice for restless legs. I get it verrrry occasionally.

You tense up your leg muscles hard, squeeze them all and hold, then release, then repeat that. Nothing fancy but it helps me. I can't remember where I read it, but it usually ends with me waking up in the morning unaware I fell asleep. Also helps as a non-tossyturny solution so anyone else in the bed can keep sleeping!

Councelling session was actually helpful. I haven't spoken to anyone post haemorrhage and it was helpful to hear that it is on the 'pts' spectrum but that I am improving. And yeah it was part of my nhs treatment @IVFlife (I was referred just yesterday after the panic). Have you had councelling? I think I remember you saying you did. It sounds like you've had it particularly rough too. Waiting and disappointments in waiting are a whole separate pain in this process.

And yes @2mumlife I'm trying to remind myself just that. It's harsh but definitely true. I'm glad I asked the nurse yesterday to tell me straight about the meaning of follicles. (She said, not meaningless, definitely a good indication, but it's just hope that somethings there). I'm enjoying this little bit of hope though, and might just treat myself to it.

@IVFlife if I get to that stage, I've been told to shower in the morning but wear no perfume or makeup. (Lol, I rarely do) I've switched to shampoos/body stuff with very high ratings on the yukka app. I'd choose sweaty over risk for sure. I dunno if it's the scent of things or chemicals, but better played safe. It can even affect other people coming in after. (I was told no perfume etc for catheter test as embryos would be in the room later that day!)

@IVFlife Honestly can't remember, I really didn't think about it that much! Offhand assume I showered the night before as normally like to make sure I'm clean before anyone goes poking about 'down there'. I don't regularly wear perfume or anything anyway. Think the general advice is just to avoid anything with VOCs as it could potentially be harmful to an embryo for the brief time its between the controlled lab environment and a uterus

@Nosejug Oh the follicules is definitely a good sign! Do you have a date for egg collection yet?

Thanks @2mumlife that is super reassuring! Lots of people have asked us why we aren’t finding out the gender and we’ve always said exactly that. We’ve known so much (sometimes too much) about this whole
process so a surprise would be nice. I completely understand why people do want to know though! Yes that’s what I’ve been thinking about movements. I may have felt and just not been sure that’s what it was. Scan is on Monday so will see then.

@Nosejug thanks for the tips on restless legs - that is really helpful. I bought a magnesium lotion to apply to legs that seems to help but leaves my legs really sticky! Glad counselling was helpful. My clinic (NHS) offer it too which I think is great.

@IVFlife I showered in the morning and used a tiny bit of the Sanex Zero% shower gel. I never wore deodorant, make up or perfume and my husband never wore any deodorant or aftershave or anything. I took deodorant with me and popped some on afterwards. My clinic also said no nail
polish/gel nails for collection or transfer. I had only got my nails done 2 days before collection and had to get them taken off again 😢. I didn’t bother getting them off for transfer though. I asked a nurse and she said it’s fine to leave them on but then the nurse on the day gave me into trouble 🙈. I just hid my fingers for the transfers after that. 😂

Meant to say in my last post that I have downloaded the NHS Squeezy app to remind me to do Pelvic Floor Exercises! Must get better at that! Thought I would say in case anyone hasn’t heard of it 😀

@2mumlife just told today to take my trigger tonight! So collection Thursday. Can't believe I'm at this stage, it's almost unreal.

@ivf24 I was just given exactly the same advice on the phonecall for trigger shot, and actually just bought sanex 0% to use for everything on the morning of collection. She said it's best not even to use smelly shampoos despite their being safe ones. My personal lament is moisturiser. I can't stand not putting it on but I'll just have to 🫣 Will bring a treat bag for my crumpled face for after hehe.

Quick question, should I just put the trigger in cold straight out the fridge?

@Nosejug how exciting! I loved that there were no injections the day after the trigger! Was a relief. Will be thinking of you! Yes I just did mine straight from the fridge. Yeah I didn’t wash my hair or use moisturiser.

Good luck with the trigger! 💕

Haha @ivf24 I'm the same. Giddy to give my tummy a rest! Thanks for the luck :)

Hello everyone, just thought I would come on and update. ICSI baby #2 arrived 5 weeks ago at 39 weeks weighing a teeny 5lb 13oz. I attempted a VBAC but ended in an emergency c section again, I'm just happy she's here and she's safe. Otherwise, we're doing well.

Best of luck @Nosejug and @IVFlife with your upcoming treatments. I remember that stGe like it was yesterday, it is so incredibly stressful.

@Nosejug follicle count doesn't always match up - my last cycle they counted less follicles than eggs! Apparently some can be hiding but I suppose it is good to get an indication of how things are going.
I used the trigger cold from the fridge.

@IVFlife I showered just before leaving, but no deodorant, make up etc.

Congrats @ivf24 and @2mumlife! We didn't find out the sex either pregnancy and it was the best surprise 🥰

@itsmschanandlerbong huge congratulations! Lovely news ❤

Aww congrats @itsmschanandlerbong ! I've been quietly wondering how you were as it had been a while. Very happy to hear your news! Thanks for the follicle/egg info. I think at this stage there's not much I can do but relax and hope! Just lovely reading your happy news.

Aww congratulations @itsmschanandlerbong . That’s lovely news! Hope you are all doing well 🥰.

@ivf24 Not knowing is also a really great way of not ending up with a whole bunch of pink stuff if its a girl (my idea of hell being given ridiculous frilly pink nonsense! 😂). I'm terrible for doing pelvic floor exercises and should really be doing it much more so I'll look at the app!

@Nosejug That's exciting to have done your trigger! Yay! I'd suggest just taking Friday off work if you can so you can have a few days to recover after egg collection. Fingers crossed for a transfer next Monday for you!

@itsmschanandlerbong Oh wow! Congratulations! Time has gone so fast, can't believe your little one is here already! The most important thing is she got here safely. She's such a wee little thing, bless. Hope you're all doing well and settling into a new routine. Wishing you all the best!

@itsmschanandlerbong massive congratulations

hope everyone is doing well!! I was on this group a couple of years ago and dipped in and out to see how people have got on.
we had success with our second transfer and baby is now almost 14 months. Have just made the huge decision to go back and put ourselves through it all again 🙈
we are super fortunate to have embryos still in storage but have baseline scan and consult booked in next few weeks and looking at a transfer in October/november.
were with gcrm and feeling super apprehensive as they’ve changed their natural protocol since last time we were there so it will be all different this time

@LT103 Welcome back! That's really exciting you're back for round 2! I also popped my head back in when DD was 14 months when we started considering a sibling transfer. We had 2 embryos still frozen. We did a transfer when DD was 16 months, transferred 1 embryo, and incredibly lucky that it worked first time (rather than the 7 cycles it took for DD!!) and now 28 weeks. We were also with GCRM but did medicated FET (same as we did with DD). We found the process really fast with the sibling round. Wishing you the best of luck :)

@2mumlife thanks for sharing your story and congratulations! I had thought about transfer end of year but doing the scan now just in case any problems flagged up. But I know once I’ve started I’ll just want to go straight in

Oh wow @LT103. 14months! I'm pretty sure we've spoken over the last year or so but I'm not sure I knew your situation. I love how robust the idea of a 14 month human is! I'm currently sending all of my thoughts to what was possibly created yesterday. Got three eggs at retrieval (they thought maybe 4). I guess I was hoping for a miracle but three is better than two is better than one etc.

Obviously all I can think about is the three potential embryos if eggs were mature/managed to fertilise. I know I'll get a call at some point today to tell me either way. Does anyone know if I can expect a time? (GRI) obviously I'm glued to my phone but if it's not till later it's probably be good to distract myself. But I wanna be prepared for the call. Every ping on my phone makes my heart skip.

Just got a call, three out of three fertilised! I know I can't be at all confident but what an incredible start.

@Nosejug amazing result!!! 🙏 hope they continue going strong! Are you going for a fresh transfer? So exciting

@itsmschanandlerbong congrats!! Such an adorable age 😍 was thinking when they arrive everything must be so worth it in the end!

@2mumlife you are in forth valley region aren’t you? My midwife keeps mentioning that I will be induced at 40 wks (despite me saying I would like to decline this as had no complications so far with pregnancy). Are they trying to push this for you/what happened for your first baby?

@LT103 hey 👋 welcome back! How are you feeling about it? What is GCRM natural protocol out of interest?

@Ellenn :D i'm so grateful! and yes, day3 sunday or day5 tuesday all depending on how things go. its a funny feeling i'd love to go 'nest' on the little critters and look after them. I've got rather a strong imagination and feel that concentrating on them and encouraging them has helped... heh. The embryologist says she talks to them too :) I really need to try keep my feet on the ground though 🙃

@Nosejug yay! That’s brilliant news! I hope the little embryos keep developing 💕. Great start!

Hi @LT103 👋🏼 nice to hear from you! How lovely that you now have a 14 month old. I hope it all works out for a sibling for you!

@Ellenn @2mumlife I’ve been told he consultant that I won’t be allowed to go over my due date so I’ll need to either choose to be induced or book a planned section. I’m on a red pathway because of IVF and my age I think. My midwife also put that I had travelled
to a Zika country recently (which I haven’t) but that’s been sorted I think. She also had my
transfer date wrong - she put it a month earlier than it was 🙈.