IVF/ICSI June 2023

[countrypunk]

Hello, I'm starting a June thread for IVFers - I couldn't see one on the board. Please join!

I'm 39 and this will be our second round. The first round in November resulted in 2 blastocysts from 10 eggs. First transfer failed, got pregnant from the second transfer but miscarried at 9.5 weeks at the beginning of April.

Now raring to go again!

Heya ladies. Had my fresh transfer this morning. But it was a bit upsetting as there was only one embryo that was in a position to be transferred. Apparently 3 are still developing and the 4 developed relatively slowly (we had 10 on day 3). So they’re watching the other three until tomorrow to see if they make it and can be frozen. The one they transferred was the fastest and just about made it to early blast stage by this morning and it was graded 3BC so just about transferable. She said it was early in the morning and things might look very different an hour on or later in the day. But all these news upset me quite a bit so I’ve not had time to appreciate that I’ve got one in. Guess I just need to digest everything and whatever tomorrow brings. Obvs worried none of the three will make it.
Last cycle we had two on day 5, a 4BB and a 4BC, so it seems like this cycle wasn’t as good. Even tho the numbers were much better until day 3. I know things might improve by tomorrow still but just feeling a bit deflated at the moment.

Oh @Honeybunie I've been thinking of you today, please don't be disheartened you've given it your very best and that's all you can do. It's amazing you've had an embryo transferred and you've gotten this far. I was an emotional wreck before egg collection, I think it's all the nerves, hormones and excitement. Give yourself some time, watch some good shows and keep everything crossed that this is the embryo that makes it and any frozen ones are a bonus. Keep hoping x

@MaggieMoo86 how are you feeling now? Its so hard but this early on in pregnancy I think your level of symptoms are bound to fluctuate and it could be everything is just perfect in there. Fingers crossed for you and congrats x

@Honeybunie im so sorry that this transfer didn't come with the news you hoped. If I've learnt anything in researching this process it's that it seems more of an art than a science. What I mean is things that feel like bad news doesn't always mean a negative outcome and vice versa. I've heard so many peoples stories of IVF where things don't go as expected. Let's hope this baby sticks, there's definitely hope! Thinking of you!

@NicHopingForARainbow @MAbbott34 Thanks so much for your very kind words. You’re both spot on and so right. I was thinking that I usually bottle up everything quite well but it is an emotional journey and we’re on loads of hormones. I also didn’t sleep well the night before. And we had to get up early as our clinic is like 2h away. So I guess when I heard the news that I hadn’t expected, I just crumbled and turned into a mess. Still feeling a little down this morning. Just need to pull myself out of this hole again and concentrate on the one I have. Doesn’t help it’s Father’s Day and OH already is a father to three from like 20 years ago and now it doesn’t work anymore. Just makes me feel a little alone and sad to think I might not be lucky enough to have that too.

@Honeybunie I’m really sorry things didn’t go as expected yesterday, it’s such a roller coaster of emotions even without all the hormones! Good luck for the next 2 weeks I will be keeping my fingers crossed for us

@PLy657 thanks so much x best of luck to you too x how did it go for you yesterday? Did you manage to freeze some?

@MAbbott34 how are you feeling on the stims at the moment? Do you know when your EC will be?

@Honeybunie yes we were extremely fortunate to have 6 frozen yesterday and one to transfer. We did have another one they were keeping over night but they rang today to tell me it could not be frozen.

@PLy657 wow 7 embryos! That’s amazing! Well done!
I had an update on my remaining three today and they froze two. The grading didn’t sounds promising but I guess they wouldn’t have frozen them if they didn’t think they were viable. Have to keep hoping they’re genetically sound even if they’re not pretty under the microscope

@Honeybunie feeling very bloated and tired but OK! Got scan tomorrow and expecting trigger date. All feels so surreal! I have absolutely no clue what the quality of our embryos will be so that's the next hurdle!

I'm so sorry you are in a difficult place atm. The 2ww is an absolute b*tch without having that news on top of it. Maybe distraction will be your friend. I'm absolutely dreading being at that stage of IVF so sending you lots of love and baby dust xxx

@PLy657 thats a fantastic number! Do they tell you the grades? We are doing genetic testing so nervous for that stage too. Sending you lots of luck xxx

@Honeybunie i really hope you feel better soon, your feelings are completely valid and I completely understand why you were disappointed, you’ve pumped full of hormones a procedure stress and worry and then a embryo transfer I think it’s completely understandable how you feel ! I really hope this little embryo behaves itself and your be sharing good news with us all soon!

I just wondered if anybody who didn’t have a fresh transfer after egg collection how long until you felt back to normal, I’m so so bloated and feel so uncomfortable my dr said to expect a bleed within 5-7 days and I’m only day 4 but I’ve got no symptoms of having a bleed ( I didn’t have periods before we started ivf)

im trying to get back to normal and looking after my animals but finding even carrying water buckets causes pain. I had a bit of a slow recovery from the EC as my bladder went into retention so had to have that sorted so I don’t know if the bloating is just my bladder !

@Honeybunie that’s great news that 2 got frozen today! Absolutely they don’t freeze any they don’t think are viable, and as you said the grading is just a beauty contest and tells you nothing about the genetic integrity of the embryo. How are you feeling post transfer?

@MAbbott34 thank you! Yes they transferred a 5AA, they did show me a piece of paper with all the gradings on them but I was a bit overwhelmed literally 2 minutes before transfer, I did see another 5AA on there but the others I’m not sure- trying not to worry about it and just hoping this one sticks! Genetic testing is just another thing to worry about isn’t it, such a minefield I barely knew anything about until recently

@MAbbott34 thank you so much xxx you’re right I really need to distract myself now. I’m feeling a little better now and trying to be positive. They all have a chance otherwise they wouldn’t have transferred/frozen them so need to focus on the chances we have.
oohhh I wish you the best of luck with your scan tomorrow! Trigger day is exciting! Keep us posted. You’re doing genetic testing?! That will be interesting but I understand it must be another nerve wrecking hurdle. You might’ve already said and I missed it sorry but is there a reason you’re doing it? I was wondering if that’s something to consider for us in the future.

thanks so much @Chickencrazy3356 fingers crossed for positive news. I can’t even imagine how it must feel to have a BFP.
Sorry to hear you had complications with your bladder during EC. I had a fresh transfer after both cycles but also felt like what you’re describing. I remember first time I felt bloated and horrible until transfer day and thought surely my body can’t be ready to receive an embryo. I remember I was walking like on egg shells as every step hurt and I couldn’t laugh out loud properly. This time my recovery was better and kinda quicker as I didn’t have this pain. But I was sooooo bloated and swollen esp Thursday and Friday but I couldn’t pass wind it was so weird. I asked for a guided transfer yesterday and they accommodated it which was nice. It was actually very interesting because I told the lady about this and she said she saw that my ovaries are still enlarged and so we’re my bowls! So that explained everything. It wasn’t just gas it was all swollen down there. I could also feel discomfort whenever I weed all week. So I’m guessing I had mild ohss both times. Sounds like you have it too. I read it should go away after 7-10 days. Lucky I feel miraculously better since yesterday. I hope you will get better soon as well. There’s isn’t much you can do but rest and keep your fluid intake up I think and pain killers if needed.

@PLy657 thats an amazing grading. Like you say it's not everything but still great news! So excited for you all x

@Honeybunie im nearly 40 so decided it based on my age really. It wasn't an easy decision as I know it isn't always accurate and it can kill off some embryos but I didn't want to risk not testing. If I had a very low ovarian reserve I wouldn't have it but so far hoping there will be enough embryos to test x

@PLy657 wow that’s fabulous you have two 5AA. Keeping everything crossed for you that it works first time :)
Emotionally I’m feeling much better now thanks. Physically I feel totally normal again today which is nice after the post EC symptoms. How are you feeling?
yeah you’re right about the beauty contest. I was thinking today that it’s just a fact that we are a older and that probably means that any embryo that we create won’t be as pretty any more as had we been in our 20s.. so we need to work with what we’ve got and hope for the best. And if it wasn’t for ivf we wouldn’t ever see our embryos anyway. God know how many embryos that make babies would receive a low grade.

@MAbbott34 i see. It’s quite expensive as well isn’t it? I read it’s good in that it saves transferring embryos that would not make it which can save you time and the emotional stress right. If we have to go again I’ll probably ask about it too. I’ll keep everything crossed for you xx

@Honeybunie ive just been researching a bit more about grading. The experiences of so many women seem to prove grading is mostly irrelevant and not reflective if success! I've decided to turn a bit of a blind eye to the grading. Lots and lots of success with "lower" grade embryos and sometimes even more success than with aa's. I've got every hope for you xxx

@MAbbott34 thanks so much for the reassurance! That’s so sweet of you xx
all the best for the scan tomorrow. Look forward to hearing how it went :) xx

UPDATE: 6 days past embryo transfer today and it’s been the longest 6 days of my life. Really hard to know what’s happening as symptoms aren’t true symptoms. I’m taking progesterone pessaries which mimic pregnancy symptoms I.E. sore boobs and cramping. So tempted to test but if I do and its positive it could well be the trigger shot lingering and it would just give me false hope which I don’t want.

@Honeybunie thank you so much for your reply it’s made me feel much better, having looked online I think maybe I’ve got a mild OHSS but seeing the consultant this Thursday so can ask her then, how are you feeling ?

the Lab phoned this morning we have 2 embryos which have made it to blastocyst which I’m so pleased about, our consultant advised us to go ahead with PGT-A testing so they are biopsing today and then will call tonight to let us know if they made it through the biopsy,

we have another 2 rounds to go to try and get as many as we can but if neither of these 2 make it through the biopsy then if we get anything in our next round I don’t think we will do PGT A. It’s £250 per test per embryo at our clinic so it’s ok with just 2 but I imagine if you had a few ir could become ridiculously expensive