FET/IVF/ICSI July 2023

[Olivia199]

Hello!

Just wanted to start a thread and see if anyone was going ahead with a transfer in July.

I've just had my nurse consult and hoping to have my second FET in July (my first was successful in Jan 2021 and I had my wonderful DD).

The first time around I was of course beyond nervous, excited, terrified it wouldn't work etc. This time it feels like that's doubled! I'm a private patient so I've saved everything for this but should it fail, it'll be a long long time before I could afford to try again.

To add some nerves, I'd need to be cycle day one no later than the 6th July to go ahead, as my clinic is moving locations. I'm currently due on the 5th...! So every chance it's moved to a Sept cycle.

Would be nice to have some company!

:)

Hi to @Ellenn @Labradoodlepup @itsmschanandlerbong - all the best to yous!

The clinic seemed happy with my TSH at what it is so I’ll just go with that! Always finding stuff to worry about 🙈

on day 8 of the buserelin injections. I have felt a few side effects.. mainly headaches and tiredness but it’s hard to tell what’s the meds and what’s the heat !

Everything I’ve read says you should get a bleed around 10 days after starting so hoping that comes soon. AF isn’t actually due for another 11 days though so I have a feeling my bleed may be delayed. Just hope it arrives before my scan on 29th as I can also be quite irregular. I got my protocol in December and found it weird they didn’t check what day of my cycle I would be on before actually starting. I had the appointment in may to show me how to do the injections and the nurse asked when AF was due and said it might delay when I start stims. My EC is pencilled in for 14 July so hoping it all goes to plan.

my clinic aren’t the best for communication tbh we only stayed with them because our donor is through them, they’re the only one where we are for miles and we conceived DD there.

I asked at my last appointment at what point I pay the bill (already paid for the drugs upfront) and she said ‘oh you pay at the end now because it’s less complicated than taking payment and refunding people if things don’t go to plan’ well yesterday I got the bill for several thousand pound through the post 😅 so which is it? Haha

hope you’re all doing well!

Going to order my meds today - starting to feel quite real now 😂

Those that have done it before, roughly how many days is in between first day of cycle and egg collection? And how many scans in that period? Trying to give my bosses a bit of a heads up, they already know I’m going to have to cancel my patients without much notice - which luckily they’ve been great about.

@Raleighx - glad to hear they're happy with your TSH! It's so hard trying to work out what's medication and what's not in terms of side effects. Which only gets worse after transfer!! Got everything crossed with you that AF does what's expected and you have a smooth cycle!

@Raleighx - Also definitely not cool with the invoice. I used to have a little laugh at how easily my clinic just expected me to front thousands. Hopefully it's all sorted soon!

@Bristol1988 - Eep! How exciting!

So if I remember correctly (and going by time stamps on photos!) Cycle day one was the 26th October. Scan on 27th. I started my stims on 28th. Then another scan on the 2nd November where I started Fyremadel. Then again on the 4th, where I triggered ready for collection on the 6th. However I responded quite quickly. They said on my scan on the 2nd that on the 4th they may decide to give me another couple of days and scan again on the 6th ready to collect on the 9th. But I was cooked.
Essentially it was a scan every other day after the initial 5 days of stims.

@Bristol1988 for my first cycle I was on stimulation injections for 9 days with a scan day 8 and 9. Then egg collection 36 hrs later (so day 11 from start of stims if that makes sense?) For my second cycle I was on stimulation for 10 days with a scan on day 8 and 10 then went to egg collection 36 hrs later (day 12?)

I did overstimulate both times and nurses did comment that my ovaries were very quick to respond so unsure if that is a normal timescale or not! Good luck for this cycle!

@Olivia199 Thank you that’s really helpful. Did you do anything differently in the lead up to starting stims to prepare?
I feel like no matter how much I’ve read or asked the nurses I still have no idea what’s going on

@Ellenn thank you - you’ve both said timescales along what I was thinking.

This would be much easier if I worked from home! My husband also works away to trying to give his boss an idea of when he’d need to be home too.

@Bristol1988 - I also overstimulated both times I did egg collection (once as a donor and the second as part of treatment) so quick enough to respond. It's so hard trying to navigate with time off and working out when to be around. I worked at the hospital I was having treatment at which helped.

I cut down on my caffeine, only had the odd drink here and there and tried to eat healthily. My biggest thing was that I needed to put on quite a bit of weight for egg sharing so I was being careful with trying to make sure food was healthy but calorie dense. Otherwise I didn't go too crazy. I knew if I went deep into all the different theories of plastics and products I used etc etc then it'd just make me crazy alongside work and hormones so I sort of let it be. Figured the stress of all that would hurt more than it did me good.

This time I'm taking the preconception and drinking (begrudgingly) less caffeine but again just normal healthy eating and trying not to fret too much.

@Bristol1988 usually after your first scan when you’ve started stimulation the nurses can give you an idea as the follicles grow a certain amount per day! I found it really stressful trying to get time off work too. I have been told you can also ask for a sick note from doctor if you don’t want to disclose to work (I didn’t tell them). When it got to day 8/9 I was feeling awful so called in sick. I think if you don’t get OHSS some people are absolutely fine though!

Evening all! I’m new to mumsnet but was looking for a group going through IVF in Jun/Jul. Very excited for all of you embarking on this journey as well, keeping my fingers crossed! DS is 6 years old (conceived naturally) and we are now doing IVF for a sibling. Am on day 2 of stim injections - has anyone started their meds? How are you feeling?

@pixiemum2 - Oh how exciting, you're well on your way! Hope you have a smooth cycle. How are you feeling? No meds started here yet. But they arrived today so thats exciting!

That is exciting @Olivia199 ! I am feeling good so far - a slight headache and a bit of fatigue. First time going through this process so am learning along the way and somehow the injections are easier to administer than I thought they would be. Wishing you a smooth cycle as well! Xx

Hi all, I am not having a transfer in July but am starting treatment then so is it ok if I join? I have an AMH of 1.7 (am 34) so am being put on testogel for one cycle (starting around the 12th July) before starting stims at the beginning of August. I got the testogel yesterday so it is starting to feel real now I actually have some meds in the house. We are trying to conceive a sibling for your 7yo DS. Have the added complication of a vasectomy as well so DH will need surgical sperm retrieval.

@pixiemum2 - Glad you're doing okay! I found the same, the injections felt a lot less of an issue than I thought they might be. I got quite good at rolling over in bed, doing a quick jab and then going back off to sleep. In fact, I preferred l them to the pesseries. Which for some reason I really just hated. Counted the days until I could ditch them, only to then get to that point and feel terrified of doing so!

@Hopingforno2in2023 - Of course! It does feel very exciting once the meds arrive. Definitely starts making it all feel like it isn't just some sort of fever dream..! I'm feeling very impatient and keen to get going. Going to take my little one on an adventure today to try and take my mind off it! Maybe swimming, because all going well, I won't be keen on doing that for a fair few pessery clad weeks!

Thank you Olivia :) Hope you are having a lovely distracting day. I’m fortunate that over the next 6 weeks I have a new kitchen being installed and a holiday so I’m hoping the time will go fast for me. Can’t wait for August!

Hi @pixiemum2 - good luck with your cycle! The injections aren't bad are they. I'm still down-regging. Getting my OH to do the injections but there's been one day I've had to do it myself and it was fine. It's only hurt once and I think it must have hit something it wasn't meant to or went in at a weird angle cos that's the one that bruised.

It seems like a lot of people on this forum are on the short-protocol. No idea why but I think my clinic put people on long as standard. I'm doing 22 days of buserelin before I even have a scan ?! Which feels super LONG. Still no AF though so I guess it's a good thing. I feel a bit in limbo land with this part as I have no idea this is doing what it's meant to. Just have to trust the process I guess!

Welcome @Hopingforno2in2023 my best friend is the same age, has a v similar AMH (1.1) and is starting IVF this autumn/winter. All the best to you!

@Olivia199 thank you! how are you doing today?

Heya!

Can I join too? I had my baseline scan for round 2 of ivf (had round 1 in feb) and I started taking my progynova again yesterday. So all being well we get to do our transfer somewhere between 30 june and 3 July! I’m excited but really nervous! I forgot how wonky all the extra hormones make me feel and Im only on day two of taking them 😂. Fingers crossed for us all on this thread!

@Raleighx I was long protocol last cycle. I ended up down regging for 5/6 weeks. I was still trying to ovulate at the beginning which ended up with me having to take half my trigger and cause another bleed. Ended up down regulated in the end though! I know how the down reg can feel a bit like limbo land!

I’m short protocol this time though, in an effort to try a completely different approach.

@pixiemum2 I’ve not started meds yet. Waiting for CD18 before I can start taking norethisterone. On that for 10 days, should have a bleed and then stims start.

I also feel like I’m in limbo land!

@Bristol1988 From bleed after downreg to starting stims, had a scan CD6, started stims CD7. Was stimming for 9 days, trigger on 10th day and then egg collection 36 hrs after. All in all about 18 days. That’s not including the 5/6 weeks of down regulation though!!

@Raleighx it seems different clinics have different protocols for everyone I think! I had to go on short protocol as my AMH is super high so I think it’s better for controlling OHSS they said and doing a freeze all! Not sure about everyone else!

@pixiemum2@IVFfirsttimer91 hey 👋 welcome!

im still waiting on my official letter confirming I can do a transfer on next cycle 🤞 can’t wait!!

Happy Saturday all! I had a scan yesterday, still early days as it was only day 4 of stims. Follicles are where they should be at this stage and no sign of OHSS for now. Will continue with the Fostimon injections. Feeling a bit more fatigue but no other big side effects.

Really wish time could go a bit faster in the process!! (as I'm sure you all do as well)

@Olivia199 Thank you! I'm fine now and was sort of relieved in the end as I felt terrible for the week after egg collection, lots of bloating and nausea. However now the waiting game is sooo slow.
Snap! I think cycle depending my transfer might be on the 26 or 27th July.
So nice to hear success stories, gives a lot of hope.

@Bristol1988 For me - I had a baseline scan on the 14 April - then day 1 was the 16th, started stims on 17 April, and had scans on the 21st, 24th, 26th, 28th and then collection was on the 1st May. I had thought that the collection would be earlier but they wanted things to develop more - then ended up at risk of OHSS! We're with Kings and I found it a little tricky to balance with work (I haven't told them). I did a lot of their earliest appointment (940!), mixed with starting work earlier/working later but also took a few half days.

@Labradoodlepup thank you. Are you still on for transfer end of July?

I’ve told my bosses and they’ve been really great and understanding and know that I’m going to be cancelling work with short notice sometimes (I have my own patients so they’re just gonna have to suck it up) everyone else will notice straight away that’s something up ha. I’m quite open so don’t mind everyone knowing - at least that’s how I feel atm, this will be our first round, so I’m sure I’ll feel different if/when it goes on much longer.