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.

@marshk How frustrating! Hope your period turns up soon so you can get the ball rolling!!!

This might be a dim question but I've just thought, do I need to but antibacterial wipes to use before we inject? I don't know if they come with the injections themselves!

@marshk I bought my own wipes as none of my injections had them included. Then when I needed more wipes and the shop had sold out I just bought a spray.

I had my egg collection this morning. We got 15 eggs which I'm really surprised about considering it was 6 last time. Have to wait for updates now tomorrow and Saturday. The clinic has decided to do ICSI this time.

Hang in there everybody 🙂

That's really good news @Custard7891! Fingers crossed for you

Thanks @marshk. Hope you can get started soon! My period was randomly 11 days late on my first cycle! I went on a lovely long walk with my friend and then it finally started, so the distraction seemed to work for me. The mind is powerful.

@Custard7891 15 eggs is amazing! Fingers crossed for fab fertilisation results tomorrow! How are feeling?

@marshk I didn’t get any anti bacterial wipes with our medication. You’ll have to get that separately.

Yeah I feel fine thanks, I was in for collection at about 10am, and we were back home just after 1pm (we live an hour away from clinic). Glad you are feeling less sick and your lining is at the right thickness😊

Clinic called.

I start progesterone pessaries Wednesday 18th October. Transfer booked for Monday 23rd October.

Longer than I thought, but glad I have a plan!

@IVFKinster I am feeling very sensitive about it all too... I'm normally an open book, but have found myself totally clamming up when my friends are checking in, the only person I really talk to about it all anymore is my husband (and even with him I sometimes like he doesn't get it as he doesn't have the physical aspect of hormones and scans and injections etc.!).

@Lauralozzle exciting to have dates all booked in!! I bet it will both fly and crawl by between now and then... how are you feeling the last few days?

@marshk I haven't been using any anti-bac wipes at all 😬Probably being a bit too casual about it...!

From tomorrow onwards I'm up to 3 jabs a day... (an extra one due to family history of DVT). My poor stomach is absolutely black and blue with bruises and prick marks but hopefully all worth it! First scan on Friday morning so will see... though extremely conscious of my low AMH so have to keep a lid on my expectations...

@IVFDublin 3 jabs a day is tough! I remember it well. Hopefully not too long now though!

To be honest, I still feel like crap! Still have a dodgy tummy, as of this morning, but it does seem to be easing slightly. I’m mentally preparing myself to feel like this until I start progesterone. We’ll see, maybe my body will get used to it!

These next two weeks will drag massively. I’m pretty busy with work through, so, I have that to focus on. Hard at same time though when I feel like 💩

@IVFDublin I was triple jabbing too this cycle. Lots of bruises and marks, but it'll pass. Good luck for your scan Friday.

@Lauralozzle glad to hear you are feeling a bit better, lining looks good and YOU HAVE A TRANSFER DATE 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Re the child in the clinic, my clinic has a “no children on apptms” policy…I’m sure there are couples that take their new bundle to meet the “team” bc when I looked up reviews from the clinic I saw at least 2 clients did that, but I believe it was at a suitable moment and not when people in treatment were around.

@Custard7891 yay yay, for such a good egg retrieval! Hope you have a nice and easy recovery 🤗

@IVFKinster all I can say is, totally valid you wanting to protect yourself at this stage of life. Everyone will have a different experience AND cope with things differently, I’m sure you have already seen all sorts of stories over there, focus on the ones that do you good, on the people that do you good and if needed be, if you think someone is being intrusive, don’t be afraid to speak your mind and put people on their place.

@marshk I think this is the only time in life women anxiously look forward for their periods to begin 🤪 it will be here before you know it. First 2 days of stims I forgot to use alcohol wipes, then I noticed none came with my meds, but I had a bottle of medical rubbing alcohol at home and have been using that to clean injection area with disposable cotton pads.

UPDATE from me: Had my second scan today, my follicles have definitely grown (saw one measuring at 20mm, one at 17mm, another at 14mm, another 10mm and a few others I can’t remember now)…sadly there was a computer crash in the entire clinic and I couldn’t see the exact follicle count and measurements in a graph, like the nurse did with me after the first scan. It definitely looked like there were more follicles this time around, but clearly the ones that grew initially have now boomed and the other small ones started appearing. I don’t know what is a good number/measure for a follicle, and frankly at this point I don’t think I want to know. I am living in a state of oblivion and knowledge, and happily still managing to keep my sanity. After the 1st scan on Monday I’ve been saying the names (I have a boy and girl name in mind) and telling them to grow healthy inside of me completely aware I’m just speaking to follicles at this point 🤣🤣🤣🤣🥚 but hey, ho POSITIVITY…I don’t know if any of this will result in good eggs, let alone potentially good embryos for transfer, BUT I have set a plan in my mind of 3 egg retrievals and whatever results of it I don’t want to be angry at my body or myself, I am doing all can and the rest is BEYOND my control. Friday I will probably have my last scan, clinic said no changes to protocol. Thinking it will be a Monday morning retrieval 🤔

That sounds like great follicle growth @ViVRe 🙌

@ViVRe That sounds good! Fingers crossed for Friday scan. I think it’s quite cute with the names! We need to eke out as much positivity as possible!

I’m happy I have a date. A week and a half to go. Yippie!

@marshk where is your period?! I hate that bodies do that. Things that always work for me: declaring my period is never going to start. Convincing myself I'm pregnant and taking a test. This last one has literally never failed me. I think when we want our period so badly it does bugger off!! As soon as you feel calm and accepting of it starting when it starts, it'll appear 🤞

Thanks @Lauralozzle I know you're right. There's loads of success stories for frozen AND fresh. It better work for us eventually as I'll essentially never be able to have fresh due to OHSS risk. I find babies/children in the clinic so difficult. There was someone with their child at my clinic the other week and they clearly felt awkward as declared "here's where you were made!" When they came in.
I have someone at work who keeps asking me if I hate babies and why I don't have babies etc. So awful. I've told everyone I hate babies 😢 just so they leave me alone!

I'm glad the clinic called and you have a plan! I'm sorry it isn't for next week though. It had never even slightly occured to me they can leave you in oestrogen limbo if your lining is all prepped and ready? I'll brace myself for that possibility. At least there's an end date of this particular torture in sight 🤞😊 so exciting to have a date!

@IVFDublin bless you ! Thank you for the reassurance. Three jabs a day! Do you use an ice pack before or after or rub the area? That's meant to help bruising... It didn't help me but it's meant to!

I love that @ViVRe! Saying the names is adorable and properly manifesting. I didn't know my sizes or updates at each scan either as I figured the less I knew the better.

@custard7891 that's amazing! Well done ovaries! Fingers crossed for a good update from the ICSI 🤞

Thanks everyone for your kindness, it really helps xx
Also 🫣 I never used any alcohol wipes of any kind!

😂😂😂😂 this made me laugh @IVFKinster. Have had the exact same thought process this evening 😂

Thanks @IVFKinster 😊

I'm so sorry you've had to deal with unkind comments and invasive questions at work, that's awful 😟Some people have absolutely no awareness do they.

@IVFKinster Good luck with your scan today!

It's arrived! Just call the clinic and waiting for someone to call me back now. Not sure how to feel about the whole thing to be honest 😂

Hey everyone,

Hope you are all ok!

Just checking in, @Lauralozzle so pleased for you, it will fly by I'm sure 😊 brilliant news you are starting to feel better too!

@Custard7891 that's brilliant numbers, good luck for your call today!

@ViVRe good luck for today, hope you get the news about retrieval 😊

@IVFKinster i am with you, I get easily triggered.. hope you are ok ❤️ I'm just trying to be gently positive inside, I feel like it's helping me. Last round I felt negative and it all went wrong, so I kind of thought I need to believe it's going to work.. I'm still working on it 😬

Scan next Thursday, and hopefully get the go ahead for starting stims next Friday 🤞🏻
Should be all ok as I've had a bleed, and then a week later spotting for a good few days.
Egg collection planned for 3 weeks today 😅🤞🏻

@marshk so pleased your period has arrived, hope you get the go ahead 😊

Hi everyone,

I saw that this tread is for people starting their IVF journey this month and you all seem really nice so was thinking a bit of support in talking to people in the same situation is always good :)

I started my IVF today, had my first injection this morning. I was freaking out not going to lie cause I am so scared of needles. It was ok though :) Maybe I can actually do it :))
We went for our injection teaching and not sure why I thought that the nurse will give you the first injection :)) but my partner did it.

I am on the long protocol and this is my first IVF cycle on the NHS. We were diagnosed with unexplained fertility. I have a slight reduced ovarian reserve but other than that nothing else so it is a bit frustating that it does not work naturaly.

Anyway i just wanted to say hi :)

Thanks @User491! We have been told 12 of the 15 eggs have fertilised via ICSI, so very happy with that - 80% fertilisation.

Ah amazing @Custard7891!

Clinic rang back and first injection is tomorrow morning. Excited and nervous at same time!

Welcome @Melisss 😊