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!

@PB86 sorry just seen your next post. I know we could all be in your position. I've accepted in my head that I might have to do another stim cycle if I don't get anything from this round. Are you financially able to do another round? Do you suspect its more embryo quality or implantation issues? If implantation I have that and can offer advice if you ever want it. I'm doing Immunology support for my Fet whenever we get there xx

@PB86 I'm so sorry, there really are no words but you sound like you've got lots to look forward to and keep busy.
I also cut out alcohol from a couple of weeks before I started stims and my partner cut down but did have a cider or 2 on the weekends leading up. No idea if it makes a difference. Hope you are ok xx

@PB86 hi, I've been following along with the messages on here but only posted a few times as my cycles isn't due to start yet (first IVF, egg collection and hopefully fresh transfer).

Sorry without scrolling all back I can't remember if you have some embryos/eggs in the freeze or if it would be another egg collection for you but yo answer your question re alcohol, my honest opinion is to cut it out. Think I've had 3 alcoholic drinks in the last 18 months, (did IUIs and preparing for IVF) and at a minimum atleast 3 months before an egg collection as that's the time they say to takes for the follicles and recruited eggs I believe and for a frozen transfer I would say ideally a month before.
This is just my opinion, everyone will view it differently and think we will have all heard countless stories about people not knowing they are pregnant and on nights out very early days, think it's more about being able to think you have it your all. Sugar is my weakness, defo not been easy cutting down/out x

@MAbbott34 its a position no one wants to find themselves in but a position that is very much a possible outcome for anyone; there really are no guarantees it seems and some of the outcomes can be hard to make sense of. We very much knew it may not work first time we just really hoped it would be to save having to pay for a round. It will really all depend on cost. If it’s around £10k then it’s do able but if it starts running into £15k plus (as I’ve seen some packages being advertised for) then its something to really think about as there are no guarantees. I honestly have no idea what the issue is. We’ve both been told all our tests have come back normal and I’ve never been pregnant before so it’s impossible to say. Hoping the clinic will have some answers for us when we go in for a follow up.

@NicHopingForARainbow yeah it’s all just going to work out a little different to what I was hoping but that’s ok. I personally hardly drink anyway so cutting down hasn’t been an issue. I went on a hen weekend in May which included a cocktail making class and didn’t drink and no one batted an eyelid. My partner on the other hand is very sociable and likes a drink and has really struggled with it. Sugar is a downfall of mine definitely!

@ttcsolomumtobe wishing you lots of luck with your upcoming cycle. Once you get your meds it’s all to (I think from starting down reg meds to now it’s only been 6 weeks) I would definitely recommend to anyone who hasn’t started yet, document your journey. I’ve took photos and made videos of the whole process which I’ve found really therapeutic and a great way to document the journey to look back on. We don’t have any frozen so we’re having to start again. I will continue to be tee total as like you say, if it fails again I want to be able to say I did everything I could! Sugar is a weakness of mine also! Especially when there’s cake in the office every other day!

That's a great idea re documenting it, thank you. I'm doing Mild IVF so don't have any downregs, I think all in with testing which my clinic said 16 days after transfer (seems a long time to me 😂) it's going to be around 32-36 days long.... So not too bad.

My IUIs (3 unmedicated) caused me alot of stress and by the end of that 3 months I was a bit done in... some of it was issues with my old clinic, others was the LH testing as I have such a quick peak that it can be missed in a 12 hour gap. Not looking forward to the injecting but atleast that's a very set thing so will feel calmer about it I hope. Thought going to conventional IVF and all the meds may be a step too far.

Really is just that peace of mind isn't it. I hope your next collection goes well, how many cycles/months worth of gap do people usually take?

@ttcsolomumtobe i would honestly recommend documenting the journey to anyone. I honestly had no idea there were different versions of IVF, I thought it was just IVF and ICSI I didn’t know if all the different protocols so it’s interesting to hear what other people are doing. And interested to hear what my clinic think are the best next steps. I’m terms of injections… ice the area for a good 5 mins until your stomach is cold to the touch, prepare the injection, count yourself down, deep breath in and just go for it on the out breath. Pinch and inject it’s literally over in seconds. Worked like a charm for me. Alternate sides too each day. I recorded all my injections too and wanted to keep the videos short so that was another thing spurring me on to just get it over with haha honestly they’re not bad at all. On my last day of injections I had to do 5 but I was a pro by then and I’m not even worried about doing them second time around.

Hi @Qwertyas Sorry for the slow reply. I wasn't quite sure when I was going to start! My period started today and when I rang in they didn't have any appointments I could make tomorrow (I tend to go during school times as I have a 6 year old from natural conception). So baseline and nurses appointment on Tues. So will start stims then on day 3 of my cycle. It feels a little bit late! But only my 2nd EC! I have my meds ready to go, so that feels good. I have been having good experience with Asda for the meds (though this cycle they were showing Meriofort as discontinued (not able to source for months from supplier)). Both times it cost £2200 using Asda. Rather than £2600 from Pharmasure, who crgh uses. Even when I got the Meriofort from Pharmasure.

Hi everyone
Can I join please?
We had a failed cycle dec/Jan and so now in the early stages of our 2nd cycle.
Last time we did a short protocol with meriofert and cetrotide.
This time I'm on a long protocol with buserelin for 3 weeks then meriofert at a higher dose (hopefully starting that 4th July).
This long protocol is mentally so difficult! I'm 2 weeks in to buserelin and just want to start stimms already!
Praying for lots of eggs this time, I don't think I can cope with doing another egg collection if this one isn't successful!

Hi @MRSLMF And welcome. It's nice getting new folks in joining the journey, like a snowball! I haven't been on any other thread so perhaps that's typical, but I'm enjoying it either way! I was meriofort, fostimon and cetrotide and zomacton! for my first short protocol last month. (6 day 3 embryos) which we will take to day 5 along with extras hopefully from this cycle. I'm on exact same again this month and starting stims tonight. I was totes unbothered by the thought of the injections first time round, but now I don't really want to do them 😂 I'm not scared, just feels like a lot of hassle 😂but maybe cos I'm feeling tired today.

Feel free to talk about the pattern of your last cycle that didn't work out, but also feel free to keep silent on it, if you'd rather! Nearly there for you now with the stims. It is funny with all the waiting we all have to do do! I'll be doing pgta so that will be a 2 week wait too! Maybe all the waiting is training for parenting so that we learn patience of a saint (as another mnetter put it earlier on the thread!)

Hi @MRSLMF I’ve just done my second EC and I feel exactly the same.. not sure if I’m happy to do it again and again. It costs a lot of time, nerves and money.. three weeks of buserelin sounds like a long wait bless you. What are they hoping for with the change of protocol? Good luck with it all!
@MAbbott34 how’re you? How did you get on? X

Welcome welcome @MRSLMF ! Sorry to hear the previous cycle wasn’t successful - how did it pan out? I’ve read lots of people who switch protocol to the other one and seem to see a different (often better) result. It’s just finding the right fit for what you respond to. I can only imagine though it being longer, would be even tougher. Wishing you nothing but the best for it - hang in there xxx

@b0zza1 That’s great to hear you’ve started it all! You must be happy (kind of! Less so about the injections!) - how was the appt today? Did they make alterations from the last time?

@ttcsolomumtobe i know you asked about gaps between collections. I really did a deep dive research on that when I had the same question and I believe the advice has changed. Think it used to be encouraged for women to have one ‘natural period’ after the collection (I.e not the bleed right after stims) but there’s some research to say not you can go straight into the next one, and it might even be beneficial because your fertility is already geared up and primed? Worth having yourp clinic though of course advise on that.

Got my beta result back today from yesterday’s bloods, and so relieved that it seems comfortable this time. Heading for more bloods tomorrow to see if it’s doubled. Nervous! Verrrry nervous

@MRSLMF welcome! Sorry about the last time but onwards and upwards and this time will be different! Wishing you so much luck and look forward to seeing your updates.

UPDATE: today was official pregnancy testing day today. It was negative but I feel ok about it. I started bleeding on Friday, light at first but got heavier as the day went on. Took a test later that night and it was negative then just tested each morning up until this morning and all negative. Got an appointment with the clinic to discuss what’s gone on and next steps so it’s onto our second cycle. Full of emotion about it but we hope for the best and what ever will be will be. P.s. this thread has been a total lifesaver throughout all of this thank you all!

Best of luck for your second try @MRSLMF this time will be different xxx
You're so strong @PB86 I'm really sorry it didn't work out but hopefully next time will xxx

I'm 9dpt, test date on Sunday and have caved and been testing early...and been getting negatives which is breaking my heart. Been googling so much about getting bfns that then turn to bfps on test day and hoping that's the case but trying to accept that it might not have worked.

Interested to know how everyone else is getting on? Would be so nice to hear some bfps 🙏

Sorry for some reason the tags above didn't work @MRSLMF and @PB86

@NicHopingForARainbow you have to be don’t you? Don’t get me wrong I’ve had a good cry about how unfair it is but that won’t help me have a baby.

I’m going into the next round with all this knowledge about what the process actually entails which is a far better position to be in so that’s a positive. And there are other things they can do for me as a private patient that the NHS didn’t fund so as annoying as that is that gives me hope that my chances will be better this time around.

I tested from Friday when my official test date was on the Tuesday and it was negative and stayed negative. Hopefully that’s not the case for you and realistically, at some point it will be negative one day and positive the next so don’t lose hope.

You have a great attitude @PB86. I’m trying to stay pragmatic about the process but have my wobbles.

I had my third tracking scan this morning and I’m booked in for egg retrieval on Friday 😃Terrified but excited to get to this stage so fast. I’ve got 29 follicles and 20 are over 10mm the mo.

How long did you all take to recover?

@FiddleLeaf thank you! Have you had an egg retrieval before? Its absolutely fine you don’t remember anything after. I felt sore for a few days. Rest and paracetamol sorted me out. Oh wow 29 follicles! My clinic told me they need to see 3 or more that are bigger than 17mm so sounds like you’re well on the way. They also told me it’s no big deal if they aren’t quite ready you just continue stims and go back in a couple of days.

@PB86 Thanks for the advice! I’m a first timer & it’s all happened so fast that I haven’t indulged my usual habit of researching EVERYTHING!

I took a sneaky photo of my chart and I currently have 6 17mm+ then a bunch between 12-16mm so feeling quite hopeful. I got top marks for my lining too. Something to put in my cv 😂

Good luck @FiddleLeaf it's sounding very positive!!
@PB86 when you're ready to go again are you going to go to same clinic but be seen privately instead of NHS?
@Qwertyas I missed your comment earlier but have you had good news with a pregnancy blood test? So happy for you if so 💗

@FiddleLeaf it’s all a learning curve and the first round can be a bit experimental almost as they can’t possibly know how your body will respond to the process at all so it’s a bit trial and error. Yeah get it on your CV!

@NicHopingForARainbow we will go to our current clinic in the first instance and see if they can offer any explanation as to why it didn’t work and see what they suggest for next time. It will ultimately depend on cost though as it does vary from clinic to clinic, some clinics offer good value packages with a full or partial refund if you’re not successful which sounds good. I saw another one that was unlimited IVF for 2 years which I found quite amusing. Sounds like a phone contract. Ultimately we’ll go with what feels right for us though.

@NicHopingForARainbow no worries! It was a very under the radar BFP…! We’re cautious now about allowing ourselves to celebrate too much after a miscarriage last year. It’s sort of tough to reset yourself and believe, in case it comes crashing down again.

Initial HGC this time was 350ish (our last pregnancy was just over 100) which is an initial relief. Now we’re just hoping it’s doubled. That would allow us to start - tentatively - believing!

I’m really sorry you’ve been getting BFNs so far. Testing early is such a mind f@&£! As you rightly said though, there are lots of stories around of later BFPs on test day, or beyond. I’m really hoping for the best for you xxxxx

@FiddleLeaf congrats on a great scan! I think taking a photo of the graph is super smart! All that info helps to have in your pocket if you ever need it. Well done for not going on a mega google deep dive too; that’s literally my default mode throughout this!