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!

Good luck for Monday! I hope you have someone lined up with your favourite snacks when you get home 😊

@FiddleLeaf totally agree. The waiting is awful. The TWW will be even worse haha - all this waiting with so much riding on it!! That's good your getting an update on Monday - fingers crossed they confirm the 7th one! And transfer on Wednesday is so exciting. I hope it goes well.

I'm not doing a fresh transfer, we're doing a freeze all cycle as we have some other commitments which means we won't transfer until later this year - but we wanted to get a head start with creating embryos as time is ticking. Think that's probably why I'm not feeling too bad as I'm not now taking any meds (which is lovely....!!) But part of me does wish we were also at the stage of transferring x

Thanks for sharing the info @MAbbott34 and it sounds like you’ve done all the research around this. I hope it gives you answers and then you’ll feel nicely set up as best you can for the transfer; the not knowing and the unexplained is one of the trickiest, trickiest things. Just for my curiosity, may I ask why you decided to do the mock at a different clinic? We’ve been shifted around clinics and wondered if there’s a benefit to it Xx

Thank you @Gryffindoratheart and wishing you the very best for Monday!!! Excited and nervous I think is a weirdly nice feeling to have going in ☺️

I am also part of the low AMH club too @Gryffindoratheart @Lebe14 ! 4.4 too. It can feel like you’ve drawn the short straw knowing the numbers aren’t on our side, but as every doctor seems to say; it only needs the one!

@Lebe14 so pleased to hear you rested up yesterday after your EC and all relatively pain free. Have everything crossed for you, for Weds 🤞🤞❤️

Hope you got the positive today @NicHopingForARainbow but are doing ok if not and treating yourself. Much love xx

Agree on the low numbers @Qwertyas, but like you said, we all only need 1 good one. Fingers crossed for all us low AMHers!!! X

Thanks @Qwertyas it hasn't changed - still negative. I'm feeling ready to try again (mentally) but wondering when some physical signs of it not working are going to show and hoping it's not too dramatic when it happens. I'd quite like to go back to working in the office but bit nervous of having a big bleed. Shouldn't be more than a normal period should it? X

Hi all,

I posted here a few weeks ago and then went silent. I’m wondering if anyone can give any advice. Doing IVF for Male factor so no known fertility issues on my side. I’m 34, Amh is 18 and my AFC in unmedicated cycles was 24 one month and 20 another. Started IVF stims in early June and on my day 7 scan, I only had 12 follicles and most were super small. On day 10, I had 3 follicles >14mm and the doctor said he recommended cancelling the cycle.

ive just started again and the only change in my protocol is increased pergoveris (FSH drug). I am worried I am just a low responder and it’s going to be the same issue this time round so I’m so worried about my first scan this Friday. Any experience of something similar?

@Qwertyas it's just because my main clinic doesn't offer mock cycles or the add ons that I wanted. Don't think they believe in them! X

So sorry @NicHopingForARainbow I can imagine you just want the cycle over now. I'd imagine just a heavy period. Hope the wait isn't too long xx

@Gryffindoratheart and @Lebe14 I’ve got low AMH too mines 3 and I’m 30 I had my first cycle a few weeks ago and i got 8 eggs collected, 4 were immature but 3 fertilised and 2 made it to blastocyst and we also had both PGTA tested and both “survived” that and have come back normal and are in the freezer I hope this puts both your minds at ease in respect of the low AMH as we were told not to even expect 1 embryo and estimated I’d only get 2 eggs! We’re starting round 2 next week

@NicHopingForARainbow I’m so sorry how are you feeling ? I hope you can start your next cycle soon and that your doing ok

I’m really sorry @NicHopingForARainbow - what rubbish news. I hope you’re doing ok. And that’s good to hear you’re mentally in a good place to get back on the horse. When my last round didn’t work, my period came quite quickly I seem to remember after stopping the drugs. A couple of days maybe. Although I’m sure everyone’s different. And it started like a regular period - nothing sudden and big; and I don’t remember it being any heavier (but saying that mine are heavy anyway). I would imagine you’d be fine to go into the office and just have pads / whatever you use on you.

I’m just curious - more of a general question to everyone really- did you tell work? Xxx

Really sorry @IslaO I don’t have any experience of this and haven’t heard about that drug. Have you tried searching on the other forums maybe? I really hope the first scan on Friday goes well. Let us know xxx

@Chickencrazy3356 I'm ok thanks. Just want to keep trying but also know that at some point we very may well have to accept that we're not going to be able to have a second child and I'm forever grateful for the son we have. Best of luck to you for round 2 x
Thank you @MAbbott34 I do just want this cycle to be over now x

@Chickencrazy3356 What super news!!!! Xx

Hi Everyone,

I’ve not been very good at keeping up with this thread after posting a few weeks ago!

had first stims injection today of our 2nd round and felt a bit emotional about it. I think went into the first time round full of anticipation but after it failed with no embryos to freeze just feel like that hope and anticipation isn’t there this time.

have used the last 3 months since failed cycle to add coq10 to my supplements and husband been taking impryl religiously as well as cleaning up diet and cutting out caffeine for both of us. Have also been having reflexology this time so really just need to give myself a shake and remind myself we are doing a lot of different things this time so there’s no reason we should have same outcome!! Just hard isn’t it when you’ve had a negative experience.

sorry for the rant - hope everyone is managing to stay sane in this crazy journey!

@Qwertyas I wasn't going to tell work but once I started stims it was getting harder and harder not to tell my line manager. Now I've told her it's a lot easier as she understands instead of me having to lie about apps etc x

@Qwertyas I told work too. I’ve been there a long time & I had a chat with HR before speaking to my boss. Everyone has been fantastic.
I thought I’d be quite emotional on stims so wanted some understanding and also to wfh during the peak of the process. I’m really pleased I did.

Quick update from me - EC recovery has been tougher than expected. I had a terrible second night because I’m finding if anything is full or nearly full down there it’s quite painful. I nearly fainted and felt awful on only 2hrs sleep. Natural laxatives worked though - beetroot juice, blueberries, chai seeds and lots of fruit 🤣

I slept well last night though so hopefully I’m on the up. I recommend small walks - drag yourself out and going to the loo every hour whether you feel the need or not has helped.

I’m feeling so anxious this morning because we’re expecting day 3 news. I’ll get a message if things are fine or a call if things are concerning. After all this I hope we have something to transfer on Wednesday 🤞🏻

Hi Everyone,

Although I’m not new to the journey of IVF, I’ve never tried posting in a support forum before. I’m currently in the middle of my 2WW, driving myself crazy and need all the support I can get!

Im 40 and currently going through my 6th round of IVF. I started my journey when I was 34 due to unexplained infertility issues. Even at that age my AMH levels were extremely low (2.3) and have obviously substantially dropped since then. After our first failed cycle we were blessed on our second cycle to have a beautiful girl who is now 5yrs. It was the only embryo we had left by the 5day stage but they said it was perfect and they were definitely right!

Due to my low AMH levels, we have never had the opportunity of having any embryos to freeze. Therefore we went for another round in May 2021 and stuck to the exact same treatment plan. Unfortunately I didn’t respond well to the stims however we were left once again with one embryo at 5days. The quality wasn’t as good and the result came out as negative.

At my follow up appointment my doctor told us that our odds of conceiving using my own eggs were extremely low. We then explored the option of using donor eggs. We spent alot of time researching clinics and went through counselling to ensure this was the right option for us.

In November 2021 we went out to Cyprus for our first fresh donor egg cycle which left us with 7 blastocysts. The first transfer failed and we went back out again last June to have a FET which worked but unfortunately I miscarried at 8 weeks.

It’s been such an emotional rollercoaster as you all will know. But after the last round it’s taken me a year to prepare myself again for this. We have just returned home and I’m currently on day 9 post transfer after having 2 high quality embryos transferred(1 x 4AA and 1 x 4BB).

Symptoms so far have been cramping, irritation and I started feeling really nauseous yesterday. I’ve also brought home with me a lovely cold!

Im in hospital on Thursday morning for my bloods and trying my best not to be tempted to test early. I think I may take a home test on Thursday morning so I’m mentally prepared for the telephone call that afternoon whether it be good or bad.

Sending you all lots of love and positivity for each of your individual journeys and hope we all get the outcome we so desperately want xx 🩷💙

Hi all, I haven't posted for a while as my cycle didn't end up going ahead this month. I booked a last minute 2 day trip (1 night stay) to London, within hours of booking it my period arrived (3 days early!) And therefore would have been injecting on trains etc and this wasn't ideal as first time going through this....also think the emotions and realisation that I have spent the last 2 months keeping myself so busy hit home.

The start of my next cycle is about 15-18 days off so trying to do lots to help wind down. Wondered if you guys having gone through it have any tips?

I will be joining a July group and hope to be more interactive in that as I also go through the process xx

That's amazing news!!! Congratulations xx

Sorry to hear you've been feeling well @FiddleLeaf 😔 But pleased you had a good nights sleep last night. Hope you're feeling a bit better today?

Good luck for your Day 3 message / call - have you heard anything yet?

Really wish I got a call on Day 3 (which is also today) - I won't hear anything until Day 5. Wondering if it's not good news I'll hear before, or will they only check them again on Day 5? X

Good luck for your first cycle! I had my EC for my first cycle on Friday. I was really worried about how the process (specifically the medication) would react with my body and whether I would be able to physically do the injections. But it was all absolutely fine.

My advice would be to take each day as it comes. Think of the injections as a process, which is is. Strangely, I enjoyed them - felt like I was doing my bit, within my control, through the process. Make sure you anticipate needing rest and then be positively surprised if you don't need as much. And as for the EC - again, I was so scared, but it was absolutely fine. Enjoy the sedation 😂

If you feel like you need some support mentally then please do take up the counselling support your clinic should have provided you with. For me, I didn't take it up this round, but I think I'll likely look into it in future cycles and I think this will be to support the outcomes of cycles, not the process - I do think cycle 1 will be the easiest (as it's trial and error) and it will only get harder mentally and physically in future cycles.

Hope that helps in some way! X