IVF/ICSI/FET November 2023

[Sunflower360]

Hi 👋 I could not see a thread had been set up so thought I would do so. Bit about me...

➡️38
➡️Low AMH being main issue, last test was around 4pmol in the summer
➡️Have had an abandoned and failed IVF cycle in Spring of this year due to failed fertilisation, OH had low morphology, other parameters ok so ICSI advised next time
➡️Since then, I had 2 x consecutive ICSI natural modified egg collections and have 2 x day 5 ❄️❄️ and 1 x day 3 ❄️ embryos, whether they are any good, only time will tell
➡️I'm about to start another egg collection on the mild protocol this time and will (hopefully if it goes ok) transfer this time

Please join the rollercoaster for November as you wish!

@Hopingforno2in2023 everything crossed for both of us! I feel fine thanks, a little bloated but otherwise I haven’t really felt any effects from stims or the trigger. Hope you are feeling ok.

@contentsmayb how long will you be on prognova?

I’m glad @Runner77 :) I have just called in sick as I feel dreadful. So exhausted and have a headache. Have called the clinic to see if I can take a paracetamol. Am all tucked up in bed with blankets and a cat :)

@sorry to hear that @Hopingforno2in2023. Hope you feel better after some paracetamol and cat cuddles.

Hi Ladies, thanks for sharing all of your stories. Sending love to you all on this very challenging journey. I start my medication tomorrow (cycle day 4). My meds arrived today and I am 900 Gonal-f; menopur 150 and fyremadel 250...not actually sure what these all do until I have my baseline scan tomorrow morning. I am 42, 3 miscarriages in the past 3 years, all conceived naturally. My partner is 48 and has 3 sons from his previous relationship. Feeling nervous but ready - it terms of self care, vits, acupuncture, no caffeine or alcohol at all this year!! Diet is great etc. TBH I am in better shape now than I was 10/20 years ago. But I beat myself up so much for not having understood my body sooner and how hard this would be. Anyways, we are here now..and hoping for a little miracle x

..oh, and I forgot to thank @IslandsintheOcean for finding me on another thread and sending me this way:-)

@onewishplease - sorry to hear about your losses. Best wishes for tomorrow & for this cycle!

@Hopingforno2in2023 @Runner77 good luck for egg collection today!

Hi @onewishplease sorry to hear aboit your miscarriages, hope this cycle is a good one. Are you doing mild IVF?

@IslandsintheOcean Aww thanks for sharing about your twins. Yes, i've heard that it can be really tough on the body, so well done you for coming out the other end with two gorgeous children. How are you getting on with the 2ww. It seems like we only have 4 days between us. When does your clinic get you to test. For me - transferred 31st October and I test 11th November. It's a Saturday so i will have another wait until Monday. How are you keeping yourself distracted?😁

@Socu3 Welcome to the 2ww club. I hope you found the support from others reassuring. It's such a difficult waiting period. Hope we get some positives in the group :)

@Caubabatko How are you getting on? Any update? They can increase the number of your stims especially with there you are now. Apparently they do grow approximately by 2mm a day so hope you make it. Unfortunately it hasn't been all smooth for me. I had an abandoned cycle due to being non responsive. They have me a low dose of 150 for my stims due to my PCOS. I had about 49 follicle and i did stims to day 12. I had 1 at 10mm and the rest did not move past 6mm. it was so heart breaking. This cycle went okish as they increased my stims and removed Menopur from my protocol, but they stopped it after my EC due to issues with their contract. It's now back on but there has been so many ups and downs. It will work out for you though.

@GOL that's great news. Hope your embabies are are doing ok. 😁

@Hopingforno2in2023 and @Runner77 hope all went well for you today ladies with the EC. Let us know how you got on and enjoy the rest and just take it all in : )

Hi @onewishplease, you're not alone in regretting waiting too long to embark on the journey! I was like you except I haven't even been pregnant once😔 I was about to turn 43 when I made my first visit to an Ivf clinic. I've leant and done so much since, wish I had started two or even one year ago! Have you had your AMH tested?

@kirstysmbc aww congrats on your other baby and very sorry to hear about you journey to number 2 so far. Any update? I am barely surviving the 2ww to be honest. i have promised not to test before the date. I'm getting some sort of cramps from time to time by they warned me it will happen because of the amount of hormones i'm on. I'm on Estrodial 3 times a day, Cyclogest Pessaries 3 times a day (not fun), and Lubion injections at night (paying extra as not covered on NHS). Any tips on surviving the 2ww? I'm in Paris for the break and back home on Thursday, busy Friday and then test Saturday morning.

Thanks @BebeBelle , I am not on meds until I ovulate this time, I'm doing a natural cycle FET. After ovulation I'm supposed to start progesterone support to help with implantation. Well I'm apparently a "good responder" and had an excellent response to the hormones on all 3 EC cycles. Now, the slow follicle growth could mean low natural oestrogen. Never thought producing hormones in my body would be an issue but maybe my ovaries were depleted from growing and letting go of so many eggs (15) in the last cycle!
My nutritionist has advised me to eat more food high in phyto-estrogen but in 3 days there is only so much you can eat!😂

@onewishplease Welcome to the group. I am sorry to hear about your miscarriages and hope this cycle is the one for you. Yes, I also have regrets about not starting early and IVF is definitely a challenging process. Just make sure you celebrate each milestone because with time you will realise that there are many people who don't even manage to get as far as you in the process. Also if your clinic offers counselling, I would say take it. I din't think i needed it until I started. Best wishes with the whole journey.

@Caubabatko oh i see. I thought it was slow follicle growth on meds. Aww yeah that high number in collection could possibly impact on it. Hope it picks up for you in the the last few days. I don't fully understand how the natural cycle works. Did you opt to do this naturally compared to the others? Will you be on progesterone pessaries or the injections? Apparently the injections absorb better if they offer you an option (slightly more pricey). Keep us posted and i pray it all works out.

Hi all
starting short protocol tomorrow
weigh ins weekly is the main stress at the moment so scared of collection being cancelled !
hope it ok to join the chat 😃

36 multiple losses . Endo . AMH 20

start the pill in the morning !

TTFN
R x

@BebeBelle My doctors said natural cycle FETs fare better than hormone replacement cycles, although their preference is HRT cycle for the ease of planning! A natural cycle follows our spontaneous ovulatory cycle.
I contacted the clinic at the beginning of a new cycle and they booked me for Day 12 scan, which ended up happening on Day 16 because of the international travel and weekend (and my follicles were still small!)
The doctor looks for the dominant follicle and its size. Once it's found and is large enough, they give me the date&time for the trigger injection and book me for the transfer 7 days later.
I've only prescribed pessaries but I will ask about injections. Thank you for the information and support! I will be sure to report back tomorrow.

Hi @Rebekah77 !
How many cycles have you had before, have you had to change protocols?
Hope your follicles will grow nicely too!

Hi
first round just keeping fingers crossed they don’t cancel collection
thank you 😄

Hi all, I've have had since screening done in readiness for this next egg collection, just waiting on AF. I have been told I have high Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies that can increase miscarriage, so I will be on steroids from the egg collection in readiness for a transfer. Does anyone have an experience of this or in that situation?

@Hopingforno2in2023 , @Runner77 how are you feeling? Hope all went well and you are recovering ❤️

@bebebelle thank you. Yes I do! Such a waiting game now.

@sunflower360 I'm also on steroids for high antibodies. Took them from egg collection as well. I doubled my dose from transfer so on 20mcg now. Its OK actually. Was worried they'd make me super hungry but not so far.