IVF/ICSI/FET May 2023

[Sj2505]

Hi, I don't think there's a thread for May, not that I could find anyway.

I've just started Norethisterone to bring on AF ready for my FET. I had my ICSI cycle in Feb but was high risk for OHSS, so after retrieving 24 eggs, this clinic decided to freeze all.
Luckily, because I ended up very unwell with OHSS for around 6 weeks and ended up in hospital for a little while!

But I've recovered and soooo ready for my embabies! We're aiming for transfer week commencing 22nd May unless AF comes earlier than planned then it might be the week before. It's likely as I'm on CD46 with all the signs of imminent AF 🤞🏼

If anyone else is cycling in May please feel free to share the journey ✨

Thanks @kingster1, keeping positive and working up to the next cycle 😊 I have been advised to take DHEA 75mg by the Consultant from our NHS cycle... what are people's thoughts on this, has it helped or not helped, issues with it etc?

@kingster1 I'm doing good thank you. I'm not feeling much, although last night my nipples were so sore, but my body thinks I'm ovulating now so it was inevitable. I started the steroids this morning and start the progesterone pessaries and injections tonight, then I'm officially on all of my luteal support ☺️ getting so close now!!
I guess it's up to you both to decide together who you'd like to tell early. Our close family knows what we were going through everything back in Feb so if we had a fresh transfer they would have been expecting the news either way. I'd rather get the joy of being able to surprise them, than leave them guessing and they just assume either way anyway, or them outright asking you and putting you on the spot.
Our families don't know we're going through a frozen cycle now, they think we're waiting until after the holiday so early July ish, so if it's positive I can't wait to surprise them, even though I wanted to keep it between us for a while.. but there's pros and cons to which ever way round you do it I think.
Safe travels back ☺️

@Sunflower360 I've heard of it but never taken it. It can't hurt though, especially if the doctor recommended it 😃

@Sunflower360 did your clinic check your DHEA-S and testosterone levels before you started DHEA? I've taken DHEA prior to most of my cycles. My testosterone levels do be quiet low and DHEA converts to testosterone in the body. My follicle numbers have definitely gone up with using DHEA. I read in the book ISWTE that DHEA improves egg quality, in my case so far unfortunately we haven't much joy with our embryo quality, but hopefully this month is the month for a healthy embryo x

@kingster1 Congrats on being PUPO! 😬

@hereshoping123 no test for levels even mentioned by the Consultant, they just advised it (maybe because of my low AMH/AFC), so I am being a bit cautious before starting as I don't want to make things worse but understand it can improve follicle count which would of course be great. I have read in ISWTE book that you should be tested (and regularly), but not sure if this is possible via the GP? Has anyone else been advised to take it without being tested?

@kingster1 sorry to hear you've been feeling rough from the meds.
With telling people, the date we told everyone was 4 days after the actual test date so it gave us a bit of time to get our heads around it.

I am ok thanks, still stimming! Another scan this morning. It's been 14 days of stims now so feeling ready to move on! Will see what the scan shows!

@Sunflower360 I took DHEA this time. So far not sure if it's done anything. I haven't noticed any negatives to taking it though and the studies show great results. She talks about it a lot in 'it starts with the egg' book.

Had my scan. There are lots of follicles which is great, not sure big enough yet.

I'm now a bit concerned about high ohss risk. Are there any specific questions I should ask or safer treatment methods I should be aware of?

*not quite big enough

@ManchesterGirl2 I was high risk. My clinic decided to do a freeze all in the end rather than do a transfer as pregnancy increases the liklihood that you'll get it.

Maybe ask what they plan to do to stop you getting it?

Good morning everyone! Today is my follycole check up scan, the moment of the truth :) hope all is good
have a good day!

@Marisadea good luck with your scan today!

@ManchesterGirl2 has the clinic mentioned ohss to you? If they suspect it I have been told they will usually suggest a freeze all cycle to allow your body to recover before they do a transfer

@FlapJackered how did your scan go yesterday? 🤞🏼

@ManchesterGirl2 have they booked you for another scan? I had lots of follicles so they said likely freeze all due to high risk OHSS, then at EC we got 24 eggs and they said anything over 20 is a freeze all.
I then developed severe OHSS and was very unwell, so I'm very pleased we had the freeze all because there's no way a fresh would have stuck.
Apparently pregnancy hormones makes OHSS worse and worsening OHSS can cause miscarriage.
There's nothing the clinic can do to prevent you getting OHSS (they might lower your dose but that'll be if you're over responding rather than to prevent OHSS), you can help though, they advise drinking loads of water and having loads of protein. After my EC they advised 2-3litres of water a day and 100g of protein. Try and get some protein shakes as they count for your fluid intake as well as the protein.

@Marisadea good luck for your scan today. Look forward to hearing how you get on.

Not much to report my end. I'm now on all my luteal support meds. The Lubion injections are painful. Not the injection itself, I don't feel those really, but afterwards! Feels like it's badly bruised but it's not.
Other than that, all good and counting down the days until transfer 🤩

@Sj2505 are lubion the muscular ones? If so I have heard they are pretty horrible, sounds like you are dealing with them well though!

Scan shows 1 follicle is ready but the rest are still too small so I am still going on stims 😩 day 15 today! They have lowered my dose as I think my estrogen was getting too high. I have another scan on Wednesday then hopefully egg collection on Friday. Feeling a bit rough now though! Definitely ready to stop the stims!

Has anyone else bloated massively on stims? I look 6 months pregnant. 🙈

@FlapJackered I was massively bloated for over a week after the trigger shot but thankfully not on the stims themselves😫 That doesn't sound fun :(

@FlapJackered no, these are sub-cut too, like the stims. I've spoken to clinic just to run it past them and they said the consistency of Lubion is slightly thicker than stims so it might just be where it's staying in the tissue a bit longer.
Oh you are being put through the mill aren't you! Hopefully they'll see more activity on Wednesday 🤞🏼 I was also quite bloated during stims and then massively after EC.

@FlapJackered hopefully your next scan will show they have grown, what size is the lead one? Do they know howany they are hoping to collect? I went in expecting to collect 1 and ended up with 4 (albeit didn't work out this time), so you never know!

Thanks all. I called the clinic, they are considering using a different kind of trigger shot to reduce the risk.

@TheBirdintheCave @Sj2505 thank you, that's good to know it's normal to be bloated. Not looking forward to it getting worse though! 🙈

@Sunflower360 thanks!🤞
lead one is 17mm. She didn't really say how many she would collect. I have got 9 that are 12mm+ and 6 that are at 10mm and 8 that are under 10mm so I don't think the under 10mm's will come up now but I guess there is a chance some of the 10mm will? I got 7 with my first round so would be happy with that!

@FlapJackered hopefully they will catch up, fingers crossed. Is this long protocol? What dose of stims are you on?

Hi everyone

So yesterday was my 4th egg collection where 14 eggs were collected of which 12 were mature.
Just waiting to find out tomorrow how many fertilize and how many blasts we end up with.

Base line scan I had 3 good size follicles the final scan I had 16 follicles then they collected 14, of which 12 were mature. A lot can happen from day to day. I was due to have EC last friday but they extended my stims for a few more days and they grew nicely

Scan went well. I have about 8 follicles size 19-20mmm the rest a bit smaller. I am taking the trigger shot tomorrow eve and egg collection on Friday :)

Good luck @Marisadea! I did my trigger last night and got EC tomorrow. Can’t wait as I’m fairly uncomfortable now 😓

great news @MBiss89 hope all continues to go well.

good luck everyone else with the next bit!

I had egg collection yesterday and out of the 9 they collected 7 fertilised and only 1 of those fertilised abnormally. So waiting for a call tomorrow to see how those 6 are doing and how many have made it to day 2.