FET/IVF/ICSI - October 2033

[Lauralozzle]

Anyone due to start cycle/have transfer in October jump on board!

Little history:

TTC our first. Trying for 4 years. Officially unexplained but I only have one ovary that responds/works. Fertilisation issues. Positive Sperm Oxidative Stress Test (likely DNA Frag). So it’s really a bit of a mix.

Dec 22/Jan 23 - First ICSI cycle. 8 eggs, 6 mature, 2 fertilised. One poor blast to transfer. Nothing to freeze. BFN.

July 23 - Second ICSI cycle. Using AOA & ZyMot chip. 8 eggs, 8 mature, 4 fertilised. One fresh to transfer and 2 to freeze. BFN.

Oct 23 - First FET scheduled.

Currently waiting for my period to start so that FET cycle can start. Should start beginning of Oct, so FET likely towards end of the month.

@IVFKinster I also had that for a few days after my last transfer, turned out to be a Chemical but the clinic said it wasn't related. Also yes with backache and random pains, with the progesterone it's to be expected. The lower back pain can also be from.the position you were in for transfer. Try not to overthink at this stage (so easy to say!) Not surprised your irritable your at the beginning of the 2ww and all the transfer excitement goes and more waiting begins + so many drugs!!. Be kind to yourself x

I'm transferring tomorrow afternoon so I'm sure come Friday I will need all the reassurance too!!

Thanks @KI19 19 ! It's so hard not to go completely mental tbh. I can't shake the feeling it's all gone wrong already and all those things are a bad sign! I know logically it's silly although my clinic haven't given me any guidance on what to expect... I hope your transfer goes smoothly for you 😊 it's so annoying because I had been so happy for a whole day and have defo come crashing down!

@MoonlightDreamer oh that's confusing. I wish they would explain things better.
I would give them a ring and get some clarity
I haven't even asked if they will freeze day 3 at my clinic . I'm all set for a day 3 transfer aswell

@IVFKinster I was told after my transfer that spotting was totally normal after having your cervix prodded and I wasn’t to let any other thought enter my head! I don’t have lower back pain but I do have cramping and have had one or two stabbing pains. Also my boobs are sore. I’m assuming/hoping it’s all normal.

@KJ00 I'm guessing what they are trying to say is they will freeze any excess suitable day 5 blasts for future use but won't freeze day 3

@IVFKinster I'd say all the hormones are playing their part also. I think its normal to be emotional during ivf. The day before my collection I was all over the place . I recall standing In the shop looking at the milk and feeling like I was going to bust into tears 😹

@IVFKinster I meant to say, I'm obviously no expert but I believe the brown spotting is completely normal and not a cause for concern. When the embryo cells come into contact with the cells in the womb it can cause light bleeding or spotting which is usually light pink / brown .
I had a catheter in for my dye and I shed bright blood from it.
Whereas when I had my chemical pregnancy last year I had some pinky brown type spotting around implantation time. I believe it was trying to burrow into my lining but for whatever reason failed to progress.
I know from the conception forums that it's very common for that spotting so try not to overthink it and just relax

@IVFKinster I am feeling crazy too if it’s any consolation! I was so giddy yesterday and now I am not sure what to think. Had a long day in work (8am to 8pm!) and am now worried that I’m stressing my body too much. It’s all such a head f**k!!

Also found out thag only 1 of the remaining embryos can be frozen and it’s only ok quality… so that took a bit of wind out of my sails. I suspect this is going to be a long two weeks 😫

And sorry to all the posts I skipped, I’m tired and emotionally all over the place! 😂

@IVFKinster It says on my sheet spotting after transfer can be normal. So I wouldn’t worry too much, it’s likely just from the transfer and cervix and whatnot.

Thanks so much for all of the reassurance everyone I really appreciate it and it's really helped. You've all made me feel a bit calmer. It's nice other people have been given info from their clinic! I'm interested in your sheet @Lauralozzle (and also hoping you are on your way to feeling a bit better). Mine basically just says test on day 11 and don't use a digital. They were so chill at my clinic. They got excited that test day would be DH birthday but that was it 😂I'll stop panicking about the spotting. Tbf it came and went. And the back ache has eased now too.

@GabbyGal I've got sore boobs and small cramps too! That does feel normal then. I wonder if it takes this many days for the progesterone meds to kick in properly?

@MoonlightDreamer thank you 😊 I've never been able to relax even before TTC so will see how we go. What you've said makes good sense thank you for rationalising it for me.

@IVFDublin honestly I thought I was a rational person but I genuinely got upset going into work worrying if my handbag and water bottle counted as heavy lifting 🫣 I'm sorry you didn't get the best embryo update but they wouldn't freeze the other embryo if it didn't have a chance. This is easy for me to say as I'm in exactly the same position. One perfect embryo on board and one less than perfect in the freezer!

I feel like we need some sort of organisational spreadsheet to keep track of all the different updates on this thread! Lots of collections and/or transfers over the next few days plus people getting to start medication 🤞🤞

I'm going to be taking a lot of deep breaths over the coming days!

Just heading to bed now ahead of an early start for collection day tomorrow. It's been so reassuring to read everyone's updates, this can feel like such a lonely process at times but to think there's so many of us with similar symptoms and worries and hopes has really helped me ☺ especially thinking of all of you pre and post transfer, I naively thought egg collection would be the most stressful from a drugs perspective but it sounds like there is a lot more faffing about to come!

@IVFKinster I had the same thought packing my bag to go into the office tomorrow, so I’m irrational too!

@IVFDublin sorry to hear one of your embryos can’t be frozen but hopefully this one will stick and you’ll still have one frozen.

@IVFKinster The sheet has a whole two sides! What I can eat/what I can’t eat! Info on baths (fine as long as not too hot and any bleeding has stopped after transfer). Personally I’ve tried a bit too hot bath and it was bloody freezing after 5 minutes. I’m a sit in the heat and keep topping it up normally.

I’m still very bunged up. Had a terrible day at work today, full on tears. Will be a shitty few weeks I think. Trying to not get too upset, scared it’ll ruin chances on implantation with stress and everything. Not working very well though, I was holding it together, what with failed transfers/IVF/medication/worry and today just broke me. Crying about how shit work are/crying about failed transfers/thinking I can’t be so strong anymore.

I’m on a sort of forced leave for 3/4 weeks. Will cancel my leave next week I think because I’d rather save those days for when I can enjoy them.

on a different note, I’m finding the lubion painful. Not so much during the injection but afterwards it’s very sore.

@IVFKinster do you know why the clinic advised against a digital test?

Oh @Lauralozzle I’m so sorry to hear you’re having such a tough time, maybe this leave will be exactly what you need. Sending hugs 😘

@SunsetsAndSandwiches goodluck tomorrow! Just take each step at a time. Each hurdle is its own kind of faff or difficulty so it's best to just worry about tomorrow for now and don't let us stress you out about what's to come! Sleep well!

@GabbyGal glad to know I'm not alone 😂 I've no idea why not digital tests tbh. I assumed it's because they're less sensitive? 🤷 the sheet does say we can have gentle sex from the get go though. That can fuck off. I'm worried about walking up the stairs with too much vigour!

@Lauralozzle oh gosh bless you. There's only so much strength you can have. You've totally bad-assed your way through this process and please don't take this the wrong way but you were bound to reach a breaking point along the way after what you have been through ♥️ I'm glad you've got some time off and hope you're going to be paid for it?? You won't have ruined anything with the upset and stress. If anything you've cried out lots of stress and your body and therefore the embryo, will be better for it!
I'm the same with lubion. Doesn't hurt going in, hurts a bit later. I'm finding that any on the right side hurt more (?) But I rub the injection area in circles for a few minutes afterwards over the top of my clothes and that seems to help.

@IVFKinster I was told no sex for a week but agreed, that can fuck right off until at least my OTD!

@IVFKinster @GabbyGal 😂 if my husband so much as have me a sexy look at this stage I’d kick him into the spare room! Last thing on my mind

@Lauralozzle ah I’m so sorry to hear you had such a shit day. Hopefully the cry will help to let some of the emotions out and you feel better today - so important to look after ourselves during this process!

@SunsetsAndSandwiches good luck today!! 💪🏻

I don’t know about others, but I’m finding the last few weeks in particular a bit difficult with my friends - they mostly loosely know what’s happening but I dont want them all knowing timelines and details, as they’d all be asking about updates. It feels like the elephant in the room (for me at least), so I don’t know how to be given my head is 95% preoccupied with the whole process!

So I’m still not ready for egg collection :(

I think the estradiol priming at the start was too effective, feels like the follicles are growing a lot slower this time.. it is day 11 of injections now and I have been topped for 2-3 more days. A bit worried they have stopped growing too looking at today’s sizes compared to yesterday's.

I thought I wasn’t stressed and am more chilled this time but I think this is all I’m thinking about at the moment 🥲

Also - I found this helpful (https://www.reddit.com/r/IVF/comments/fljrfi/when_should_i_test_an_informative_post/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1) when I was in my TWW last time, it’s a very practical breakdown for anyone interested.

hope everyone is hanging in there and keeping hopeful!

Ah out of the 14 mature, 9 have fertilised so v v v tentatively booked in for a transfer on Monday. I have no idea with the numbers whether they're normal but I'm just glad some fertilised!

Hi everyone, thank you for your support!

Egg collection went ok yesterday, they collected 12 eggs, 9 were mature, but only 4 fertilised 😥They said it's less than they expected. No idea why the number is so low.

The whole IVF journey is such an emotional rollercoaster...

@IVFDublin same! It feels like I'm harbouring a fugitive and I'm worried they're going to ask about it but also it's all I can think about so it's a difficult balance. I've chosen a friend to actually tell about it (as I knew she'd be so excited) to balance out the lack of being able to be positive that my poor husband feels. So that's been nice. Everyone else I've avoided completely 😣

@4thcyclelucky I'm sorry you're not ready for egg collection! How frustrating! Although I don't think it's unusual to need a few extra days? I specifically refused to pay much attention to the follicle sizes I had as I would have obsessed too much about it. Are your clinic concerned at all?

@marshk how exciting! Monday isn't far away at all 🤞 when do you get another update?

@NewBee21 well done getting through egg collection. How are you feeling physically? IVF is so unpredictable for something so science based! It's so upsetting. Those four fertilised ones could be the best quality ever so I'll be hoping for that for you. Did they say how many they were expecting to make it to day 5?

I was told no sex for 16 days . Couldn't be happier

@Kitt86 mine started Monday had first injection last night so 3 Rd day of period which I’m confused about thought it was second ? Apparently it’s so scans fit in have you started yours yet ? First scan Monday and I start a morning cetrocide am too x

@MoonlightDreamer 😂I know what you mean, I like having reasons to not have sex... IVF has thrown me off sex a bit really. I also dont particularly like the man-producing-sample on egg collection day process... we do all the work, endure all the pain and all they need to do it ejaculate!! So unfair

@IVFKinster I think because the last 2 (mild IVF) only took 9 days of injections before trigger, as compared to my 1st one done under NHS (long protocol) - I forget that it may take up to 14 days or even longer. The doctor didnt' seem concerned this morning, and I did ask if they will keep growing... he assured but I can't help feeling something isn't right.

@NewBee21 Wishing you the best with the 4 fertilised ones!