IVF/ICSI/FET - June 23

[Lyrabee]

Hi!

I'm going to be starting my medications ready for a FET in June. Anybody else in the same boat or starting their cycles?

I've done one round of ICSI and had a fresh transfer in March that wasn't successful but we got 5 frozen day 5 blastocysts from it. Happy to answer any questions for anyone starting their journeys :)

@KG1244 100%, not sure I would have either before going through it, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t make you irritated when someone says something completely unhelpful / insensitive 🙈

Off on a tangent a little but…. I met up with a friend the other week - she told me her other friend was ‘going through just what I went through’ and that her husband was told they’re ‘100% sure they’ll be able to get sperm out of him because his hormone profile is perfect’ 🤨 I told her there was also nothing wrong with my DH hormone profile and no dodgy chromosomes and 2 clear blockages but they still couldn’t get it from him where they should have been. Then I felt really guilty for being so bitter and snappy when I got home 😂 I’m pretty sure I’m generally a more bitter and negative person than I was before I did ivf 😭

@HopefulHead cause people always assume its one size fits all and they know everything when they don't.
IVF definitely leaves a bitter taste, we are ingrained from a young age to grow up and have babies so it's a big stab in the back when your body doesn't work that way!

I’m the same sadly. I really hate that treatment has stopped me doing certain things and seeing friends with little babies - I just find it too painful. I also don’t believe in perfect sperm - I’m sure there is always room for improvement 😂

@Lyrabee have you found that the progesterone has made you bloated? I look 3 months pregnant 😤

@Lyrabee & @KG1244 I agree, that’s what’s the most annoying I think, everyone who wants to tell me how to feel or impose some wisdom on me are people who’ve not done ivf so it just comes accross as patronising rather than sympathetic!
And definitely no such thing as perfect sperm! 😂😂

Hi all, hope everyone's doing well. Have had a bit of a phone free few days after the egg collection on Monday. Gosh, I really underestimated how nerve wracking this whole process would be - every time I see my clinic calling my heart would beat at 100mph!

They collected 6 eggs on Monday, 1 was not mature and out of the remaining 5, 4 fertilised. Out of those 3 turned into blastocysts and I had my transfer today (one embryo only, 2 have been frozen). I have been asked to stop the pessaries and they have switched me to progesterone injections - these are intramuscular though unlike the stims injections, so the needle is bigger and it needs to go deeper (into the outer, upper buttock area). I was bricking it, but managed to do it. The pessaries gave me an upset stomach and diarrhoea, I wonder if the injections will affect differently or not.

Am now wrecking my brain to find things to keep my mind busy until I can test.

@HopefulHead so next week is transfer time then, how exciting!!

@KG1244 @Lyrabee am sending you loads of positive vibes for your tests. Really hope it will all work out and you'll then feel that taking these damn pessaries was worth it!! And please do share any other things which you found helpful to stay sane during the wait - puzzle is definitely on my list ;-)

@pixiemum2 good to hear from you and pleased to hear EC went well ❤️ Is the intramuscle injection similar to the trigger shot? Hope that works better for you.

Ive definitely found the second week much harder than the first. Just try to keep busy as much as you can. Cooking nice meals and looking up recipes. I’ve also been listening to lots of podcasts which definitely helps in distracting my brain.

Had a bit of a headache today. Hoping that’s not a sign that my period is coming and it’s just the progesterone. My googling has been next level the past couple of days! ☹️

Hey @KG1244 I'm sorry you have a headache. I have also started symptom
checking and I think headaches are in every site I came across as a side effect from progesterone so hopefully it's just that

The intramuscular injection is a bit different to the trigger. The trigger is subcutaneous so didn't need to go as deep but the intramuscular injection needs to go much deeper. In my case the needles they have given me are a bit thicker and longer. Also, you have to inject can kind of in your upper bum area towards the outside of your hip - really hard to do if you're giving yourself the injection!

While still in bed this morning and still half asleep I yawned and stretched out - felt a sharp pain around my middle belly/groin area and of course I'm now going into overdrive thinking I might have messed something up inside - I am going to have to try really hard to remain sane and rational

Good idea about the podcasts - I'll give that a go, thank you!

@pixiemum2 yes I think you’re right. Urgh the symptom checking is the worst. I try and remind myself that plenty of people fall pregnancy naturally and have no idea in the TWW so try and not drive yourself mad, I know it’s so easy though.

My trigger shot was an upper bum one! Big thick needle. Big 👏🏻 To you for DIY!

Oooh @pixiemum2 congrats on your transfer and your little frozens! I've had some days of an upset stomach on the pessaries this time so I've had to take an extra on those days. Hope your tww goes nice and smoothly, don't worry - a little stretch won't have done anything, it could have just been some remaining discomfort from EC/transfer. Many things have been up there this week 🤣

Test day tomorrow! I nearly got up and tested today but figured one more day of ignorance is preferable! Other than those cramps I'm still symptomless.

How about you @KG1244 ?

@Lyrabee was thinking about you this morning. How are you doing today? I’m getting very twitchy! Pretty much nothing. Ever so often, slight back pain but that could be completely disconnected.

@pixiemum2 Congratulations on being PUPO! And having 2 in the freezer is great too 😃 I hope you’re managing to take it easy and keep yourself distracted ❤️

@Lyrabee & @KG1244 Not much longer to go until test day now, I hope you’re both managing to keep distracted and sane! Will be thinking of you both over the next couple of days ❤️

I had another scan yesterday morning and they’ve finally booked me in for transfer next Friday 🥰

Yey @HopefulHead that's fantastic news!

I just realised I've actually had a lot of headaches this week tbh, I had a migraine on Thursday which was a killer as I couldn't take ibuprofen for it. I'm thinking that's from excess estrogen though as I do get them around my period every so often!

Definitely on countdown now @KG1244 !

That's great @HopefulHead not long to go until you'll join us in the PUPO stage!

@Lyrabee hope you've got some relaxing/calming plans today to keep your mind off it until tomorrow - an impossible task I'm sure!

@KG1244 you're testing the day after right or something like that?

Keeping fingers, toes and everything humanly possible crossed for you both!!

Thanks both 🥰
@pixiemum2 I can’t wait to be PUPO now and just enjoy knowing I have a little Embryo on board 🥰 when is your OTD?

@Lyrabee It’s impossible know which symptoms are caused by what, or even which symptoms are real if you’re anything like me! But not long until you know for sure 🤞🏼 how are you feeling today? I bet you’re gonna have a struggle sleeping tonight arent you? 🥺

@HopefulHead feeling okay today! I've actually been getting really good nights sleep! Hope I've not just jinxed it 🙃

@Lyrabee Thats good then 😃
Are you feeling calm about testing tomorrow then? I really hope I can tackle the TWW they way you have, you’ve done so well ❤️

@HopefulHead I think because I've kept my doubts it's stopped me from wanting to test so I can draw out being PUPO! Every day I've thought about it and then convinced myself not to waste the money buying tests as I'll only get stressed about either result because it could change x

@Lyrabee Yeah that makes sense, I’m quite looking forward to being PUPO to be honest, I have zero self control but because we’re doing natural I’d be due my period a week after implantation so we won’t have 2 weeks to get through, just one 😬

@HopefulHead thank you! Think all the anxiety of it all is making me tired. So exciting that you’ve got a date for transfer ❤️

@pixiemum2 thank you! Yes testing the day after arghhhh. It’s driving me mad. I kept pretty calm last week 😂

@HopefulHead oooh! I didnt even think there would be a difference but makes absolute sense!

Oh yes I didn't think about that either @HopefulHead - well that's good, a shorter nerve-wracking wait!

@Lyrabee glad you've managed to remain quite level-headed through the wait and not giving into temptation and testing! Good that you're getting good sleep too!

My OTD is Jul 11th (blood test).

I found a bit of yellowish discharge today (sorry, TMI!), symptom-checking gone into overdrive 🤦‍♀️

@KG1244 only 2 more sleeps to go! You’ve come this far so you’ll get through it 😬🤞🏼 I do really feel for you being this close to knowing the outcome, must be so difficult 😭

@Lyrabee & @pixiemum2 Yeah, I think they will still give me an ‘OTD’ that will be 10-14 days after transfer but as I’m due to start my period 7 days after I’m pretty sure I’ll know either way by then lol

@pixiemum2 Do you think you’ll do an at home test before then or wait for the bloody test?

@HopefulHead thank you, yes getting a bit fed up now and mine is only an 11 day wait so I really shouldn’t complain! OMG I’ve been absolutely exhausted this afternoon - been ready for bed since about 5pm

You excited to get going on Friday? Making puzzle plans for the TWW? 😂

@KG1244 I can imagine :( but you’re on the home stretch now!!
Well I’ve downloaded 3 new books on my kindle so hoping they’ll keep me distracted 🫣 and I have to make my time up for having the day off Friday so at least I’ll have nice long 10 hour work days inbetween to keep me occupied 🙈😂

@HopefulHead ugh 10 hour days! I feel lucky I can just take what time I need :(

Last sleep for me! I'm going to bed early to get a head start. Still getting some cramps, mostly when I move around tbh and when I put my pessary in this morning I didn't think there was as much mucus as there has been (sorry!)