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.

Hi all. Hope everyone is doing well- excited for those in the tww, can't imagine what that feels like yet (apart from really quite scary). Hope those on stims are doing OK.

I've just started my first day of meds (ovamex injections and estrogen patches), prepping for transfer in a few weeks. Forgot what the injections felt like after a couple of months off!

I've been in a bit of an anxious loop the last two days, looking up people's experiences- its like I'm looking for an answer for how everything's going to go, which I realise is crazy because its different for everyone. Lost a bit of my positivity about it all, hoping it comes back over the next couple of days!

@Elkly88 I’m sorry your positivity is disappearing. Hopefully it’ll come back. It’s such an emotional time. It really is difficult to know how your body will respond. I have my fingers crossed for you.

I think I’ve finally gone mad. I’ve resorted to using a q-tip this morning to check for spotting 🤦‍♀️ Nothing, which is good. I’ve officially lost the plot. I don’t know if this means anything with a FET.

Full on spiralling here. Urgh.

@Lauralozzle you're not alone in the spiraling! I am second-guessing EVERYTHING. Have light cramps and I know that can be good but its so hard for that not to feel like period cramps. I can safely say I have completed the internet and there's nothing left for me to read.

Think I'm going to do an early test tomorrow (OTD not until Friday)... I can't bear the waiting anymore!

Thankyou @Lauralozzle ❤️. I think I probably need to stop looking up so much stuff about it. I did quite well during the stims and egg collection phase, telling myself that worrying won't change the outcome so I might as well be as relaxed as possible/enjoy things. Seems more difficult the closer you get to the end of the process!

Sorry you're spiralling- I think the ivf wait must be like the normal tww on steroids. That's good about the spotting - although as you say, it may not mean much either way! Have everything crossed for you. Hope you have some nice things planned over the next couple of days as distractions.ive started to write a list of nice films and TV programmes to watch over the coming weeks.

Lol @IVFDublin 'I've completed the internet' really resonates. The wait must be horrendous.

Hi everyone, I have been lurking in the back ground on here. Hope everyone is doing as ok as they can. I had a FET and am in my TWW - the comments about spiralling are really resonating with me today! My test date is Thursday - feels like that’s an age away. Sending positive thoughts to everyone x

Just had final update call from the clinic

I had my 4AA transferred yesterday and they've frozen 4AB, 5AA and 5BB. I'm pleased with that especially given that on Sunday id convinced myself we'd have none 😂

@IVFDublin I have also completed the internet! 😂

@marshk Yay! That’s great news on your frozen embryos!

@LF82 Good luck for Thursday.

I think all of us in the 2WW are spiralling. I just had a nice catch up with a friend today though and a hot chocolate with all the cream. Thought I deserved it!

@Lauralozzle thank you. Lots of luck to you too. You definitely deserve the hot chocolate & cream- sounds like just the ticket! I have resisted the urge to test so it’s a blood test and then waiting for me on Thursday x

Amazing numbers @marshk

I'm only 3 days in and already spiralling.
Driving myself crazy with all the things I've done wrong. Lifting , electric blanket ect which my acupuncturist told me is a NO NO after transfer but OH forgot 🤬
Ate a really rubbish breakfast as I feel emotionally drained today. Physically I feel so much better and stomach finally feels so much better so that's a positive.
Now to the gross bit..
Had some very mild cramping last night and some super tiny tiny speckles of blood this morning. I've had alot of weird watery cm past 2 days. Are those all a normal part after a transfer? Could I possibly have an infection from the transfer or progesterone gel ?

I feel like I'd have benefitted from being sedated for the whole tww! Congratulations to people who have completed the internet or at least come close 😂

@MoonlightDreamer I would think the gel might be causing the CM? And the spotting is normal. (For some reason this absolute fact hasn't helped me in my response to spotting but it IS normal). I've been having two breakfasts basically since 3dpt. One unhealthy and one healthy 😂 for balance!

@marshk so happy for you, that's a great update! Great embryos on ice.

@LF82 welcome to the tww spiral! Time seems to be meaningless and be never ending here...

@Elkly88 it's such a nervous terrifying time but also the whole point in the process isn't it? I'm sure your medication prep will go really well! So hard not to Google for reassurance but I feel like there's not enough reassurance in the world!

@Lauralozzle definitely put the q-tips down! 😂 you'll end up causing spotting. If it was there, you'd see it on toilet paper or it would be floating about in the entrance. You definitely don't need to root around for it (did you ever need to before?). I'm feeling positive on your behalf that you've not had any yet. And even if you do it's not the end. So I keep telling myself every time I have some.

I'm conscious that the thread is quite TWW heavy (because tww=insanity and constant need to check in) but I hope everyone on stims are doing well! I'm looking forward to more egg collection and embryo updates/outcomes!

I can't find who it was (maybe @MoonlightDreamer ?) But someone mentioned struggling to empty their bladder or to wee post egg collection/transfer. I hope you've checked in with your clinic as it can be an OHSS symptoms or a UTI symptom and both things are worth checking out.

@IVFKinster The q-tips are down. I had vaginal pessaries with applicators before and spotted it on them at first, it prepared me for the inevitable but you’re right, if I was going to spot it’d be when I wipe or in my pants.

Yes, for everyone still on stims and awaiting egg collection or anyone who is waiting afterwards, fingers crossed. Keep posting. Ignore me over here because I’ve lost the plot this week!

You guys are funny 😀

Every morning I log on quickly to see any updates from you guys that are in the TWW and so happy there is no bad news. Don t even know you guys but already feel somehow connected to you, like we have been friends for a long time 😀

No real updates from me, day 5 of stims. I am also obsesing on the internet but for symptoms of OHSS, not sure why I got it into my head that I am going to get it. Keep drinking water like a fish 😅I feel ok, maybe a bit bloated/feeling of tightness or it`s all in my head.

Waiting for first scan on Friday to reveal what is going on in there.

Hi everyone, sorry I am late to join and wanted to wish everyone the best of luck that is in the thick of it right now.

I just wanted to ask for opinions whilst you are all here. I am due to start my 3rd round after a previous failed fresh transfer last year and failed frozen transfer in Feb. We have male factor infertility but my partner had a varicocele embolization done in Feb that was successful and has brought his sperm parameters up significantly to the point he is now borderline to what is considered 'normal'. We have one NHS funded round which is the one we are due to start as previous rounds we paid for. They have said we could still have ICSI but that with his numbers nothing to say IVF wouldn't be successful and have even said natural conception should in theory be possible when it previously would not have been.

We have said we would like to try IVF with a backup of ICSI if the sample on the day isn't looking good enough. My concerns are that we didn't get good quality embryos doing ICSI last time and interfering with the natural process may not be the best thing to do, however equally we only have one funded round and to make the most of it ICSI maybe should be what we do. I am torn as we don't know that fertilisation can occur on their own but we know ICSI from the last round did produce fertilisation but not very good quality.

Although I have since been taken Ovum which I was not taking before and my partner has better numbers since the varicocele treatment and has been on Proceed all year where he was not before. Obviously the consultants have given me the option but I am feeling the pressure of which way to go with it so I also wish I didn't have the choice. Does anyone have any views that could help me?

@Melisss I was extremely bloated on stims.i legit looked in my second trimester and it's taken up until a week after my retrieval to settle down. I had tightness too. It felt a bit like wearing one of those belts to tone your stomach muscles. Rather strange to feel bloated and tightness at the same time.
Eat some salty foods. I know not exactly healthy but it helps with any fluid apparently

@IVFKinster tww is definitely a spiral! I am currently in the I dont think it’s worked part of it. Hope you are doing ok.

@Melisss keeping drinking the water. My clinic drummed that in whilst I was on stims to help prevent ohss.

xx

Hi all I’ve also been lurking in the background following all your updates, I’m wishing you all the very best for your results! 🤞🏻

This is my first round of ICSI and I’m on day 3 of stims and have also completed the internet Googling symptoms of OHSS! This process is crazy with how it just wrecks your head! 🙈 I’m not even at risk of OHSS due to low AMH/AFC but I’ve been feeling very full/tight/swollen in my abdomen and was just a bit worried! First scan on Friday to see how I’m progressing and it feels like forever to wait - I empathise with you all in your TWW as I know what I’m like atm!

Hoping for positive outcomes for you all! 🤞🏻

@Nk11 sorry I'm of no help at all.
We've just done one icsi round.
Interesting that you mentioned it may impact quality. I've heard the process can damage the egg but I didnt know it can produce poor quality embryos. I will give this some Investigation. We produced 3 terrible quality embryos from our icsi round. I just assumed it's down to us as opposed to the icsi procedure itself tho

@Melisss another vote for drinking all the water, extra protein and salt is meant to be good too, Lucozade as well. I had some bloating and twinges from day 7/8 of stims, was pretty bad by egg collection on day 10 (I took a photo of my stomach the night before and honestly looked about 6 months pregnant...I've saved it in the hopes of comparing to a bump photo one day soon 😅) and it's only really today that I'm back to being comfortable enough to sit upright for longer than half an hour (5 days post collection). It should be a good sign that there's plenty of follicles so 🤞

@Rosesinbloom19 wouldn't hurt for you to have plenty of water too, you never know maybe your follicle count will surprise you 😊 good luck!

Welcome @Nk11 . We also have MFI. I'm on my 4th round. Our clinic has always said they'll judge the sperm sample on the day of egg collection as to whether it'll be IVF or ICSI and it's always been ICSI (as we expected!). Can your clinic maybe make that decision on the day depending on your partner's results? As someone else has said I know ICSI can damage the egg but I've never heard that it can produce poor quality embryos. In fact on my 1st fresh round we had really good quality embryos (although unfortunately none stuck!)

I'm booked in for egg collection tomorrow morning. Feeling super bloated and uncomfortable today so will be glad to get that over with!

@Nk11 Unfortunately I can’t help re ICSI. We have poor fertilisation rates with it and I imagine total fertilisation failure without it!

@Babyplease23 Good luck for your collection tomorrow. Will be thinking of you.

Thank you @SunsetsAndSandwiches I’m on the water and Lucozade train atm! 😆Just been for acupuncture and it’s actually incredible how much my stomach went down and how I feel a bit less bloated/tight. She recommended lots of broccoli/cabbage greens to help the liver clear out the extra estrogen too so I’m off to the supermarket to get my stocks in! 😊

@Babyplease23 @MoonlightDreamer My thoughts were that if a sperm is selected based on how it looks and moves it might not necessarily be a viable one, (DNA inside), where if we did just IVF without ICSI then the sperm that would naturally be destined to fertilise might just do that and that one might not look anything like one that would have been manually picked. I don't know... I am probably massively overthinking it.

They have currently got me down for IVF unless on the day it doesn't look strong enough and then to do ICSI as a backup so I'm not sure what the threshold is but I am torn between leaving it as it is or asking them to change to just doing ICSI regardless. My fears are because last round although they had a good fertilisation 5/6 eggs only 2 made it to day 3 where 1 was transferred and failed and my second took until day 6 to get to blast and was then poor and that also failed.

Best of luck for egg collection tomorrow x