IVF / ICSI January 2024

[VenusStarr]

Hi, is anyone due to start IVF / ICSI in January? We're going to do a 3 cycle package. I was hoping to start in December but hadn't realised Christmas closing would be so early! My clinic won't start fresh cycles after 30 November - my af is due any day now.

Got my protocol consultation next week, we've been doing lots of tests and my baseline scan. My husband was very sick earlier the year and we've now got MFI (low motility) and borderline sperm dna fragmentation. I've had recurrent miscarriages, combination of natural and ivf pregnancies, low amh, fibroids, adenomyosis... I've got immune issues so will be on extensive meds when we get to transfer. Trying to bank some embryos as this is our last go 🙏

Trying to see the wait as a positive to give us time to get the supplements in our system and eat well.

If anyone fancies joining me on the wait, please do 🙂

Best of luck @xbiscottix for the transfer today. Hope all goes well.

also best of luck to you @Loute02 for tomorrow. Do you know what sizes your follicles were? I think I’m also looking at collecting about 5 on Monday.

Congrats @IVF23 delighted for you!!

Thanks @Blossomofhope ! I don't remember exactly but they were between 16mm and 23mm. I have a few that were smaller at 14mm that I hope will be good enough to collect as well.

Thank you ladies for the good luck wishes well appreciated I'm officially carrying an ivf embryo, transfer is complete and went well he did have difficulties finding my cervix was a real struggle, was high and painful my bladder was full. The pain was more painful than egg collection recovery as I just felt an heavy abdomen.
I actually carnt believe it.

They said the culture of the embryo changed from this morning to a day 4 where the cells are not visible and but it's forming a blastocyst( the embryo is forward ) as it's a day 3 transfer and it's already changing has anyone experience this before?

Congratulations @IVF23 !

I’ve been quiet since my last post mostly because there’s not been much to report. I got my OPK surge on Friday so have been taking progesterone since Sunday and our transfer is booked in tomorrow.

The clinic called earlier and asked if we had a preference of which embryo was chosen, one is graded A+ and the other, A-, so I just said they should decide.

Looking forward to being pregnant again and fingers crossed for a positive test in 2 weeks 😬

Thank you all ❤️

@xbiscottix yay to the embryo being on board! I have experienced this as I haven’t done a 3 day transfer, but it sounds completely normal from what I know about embryo development. When is your test day (if you wanted to share)?

@FETFirstTimer good luck with your transfer today

and @Loute02 good luck with egg collection

@IVF23 I'm test day is the 29th but I'll be doing one earlier. Did you do anything particular after transfer ? I'm looking to do acupuncture as iv herd that helps.

@xbiscottix I didnt do anything different this time. I was off work for a few days after and just rested with gentle short dog walks a few times a day. Fingers crossed for you 🤞🏻

Hi all!

Weird day. Spent last night vomiting profusely and shaking (think it was the ganirelix) and I’m super nauseous. Can barely eat or keep anything down.

Had to cancel my job interview this morning, but they’ve offered to reschedule. Still, quite stressful.

Had my 2nd scan this afternoon. I have 10 follicles, 3 are 18mm, 3 should get there tomorrow, and they’re hoping the last 4 willncatch up soon. They are largely concentrated on my right side. They said 8-12 follicles is their dream number. So, I guess I’m happy!

They’ve scheduled my ER for Sunday morning. Getting nervous now!

Sorry to hear that @Copenhagener . Do the clinic think it’s the Ganirelix too? 10 follicles is looking good!

@IVF23 yes, they said it could be that. I have 3 more shots of it, so I'll find out I guess! They're going to give me some anti-nausea medicine on the day of the ER to help.

How are things going for you today?

My transfer went really well today and unlike last time I saw the little flash on the screen. It was like magic!

Had McDonald’s on the way home & now eating pineapple whilst drinking pomegranate juice. I’m a cliché!

They said the embryo was as perfect as it could get so fingers crossed this is The One.

@FETFirstTimer Sounds very positive. Best of luck!!

@FETFirstTimer hurrah! Glad it went well.

@FETFirstTimer amazing news!! Haha love the cliché.

@Copenhagener ah bless you, hope it eases off a bit 🤞🏻 I haven’t used it before but when I took Cetrotide on my last IVF round it also made me very sick, so I think anti ovulating meds are harsh! I’m ok thank you, I’m feeling in a bit of denial is the only way I can describe it. Not sure if it’ll feel more real tomorrow when I have report the result to the clinic.

Not responding too well to stims apparently - quite a few follicles on my right but some of them are not the size they’d expect them to be at. And then they couldn’t see anything on my left side as there’s a cyst in the way. Really feeling like everything is stacking up against us now😓

@confuzzzzzled so sorry to hear that - what’s their plan of action?

I noticed a few people asking about acupuncture during the cycle, so here’s my experience:

I had some acupuncture today and my gosh, it really, really cleared up my bloating and nausea. I’ve been going since the summer, but this is my first session during IVF stims. My lady is so sweet and understanding of infertility patients, so I trust her a lot.

I’m going back 24 hours after egg retrieval, then day before transfer (if we get there) and day of the transfer too.

@Copenhagener they said they’ll ring me between 2-4 with a plan of action so now I’m sat at my desk all day distracted! They did say that there is likely follicles hiding behind my cyst on my left and they may drain it during EC, but it looks like I’ll be on stims for a little longer than anticipated

@confuzzzzzled it takes longer sometimes so hopefully still a good out come for you.

I just heard heard back and the 3 eggs out of 5 that fertilised all made it to day 3 and I have been told quality looks good at this stage. They will be frozen now.

@confuzzzzzled I'm in a similar situation to you, my clinic have a plan, and fingers crossed its working.
My follicles are on the small side, biggest was 12mm on day 10 of stims, think I had 2-3 at 12mm. They have upped my GonalF and added in another drug called Meriofert to help growth. I'm back tomorrow for a scan so I'm really hoping they will have had a boost.
Fingers crossed your clinic will have something planned for you too. I feel reassured my clinic are monitoring and open to adding in new things. I'm trying to stay positive and not freak out that I'm obviously responding slower than some other people.

@Eggbert12345 that's reassuring thank you! Despite endometriosis I do have a good egg count so I’m hopeful that with the right plan in place it’ll sort itself out. The nurse did say they’d probably stim me for longer rather than upping my dose but I am on 225 of ovaleap anyway. I’m also confident that there are follicles hiding behind that cyst on my ovary as I do get ovulation pains on that side. Every scan and appointment has gone well so far, so i told DP to not bother coming with me this morning for a change, which was a mistake as I ended up ringing him in tears in the car afterwards😂

Hi everyone, I have been following this post for a while as I am due to start NHS ICSI hopefully very soon.

I got our letter last week to ring and accept our treatment offer as we were now at the top of the waiting list. The hospital said they just need an updated TSH blood test from me as I have been taking levothyroxine to try and bring it down a bit. My last test in October was 2.1 but this one has came back at 2.99 - everything I read online says they like it to be under 2.5 but I have also read it fluctuates a lot so could be different today. Does anyone have experience with this and know will it delay my treatment if it is not below 2.5? We are being treated for male factor if that makes a difference.

thanks in advance and I have fingers crossed for everyone. Good luck on your cycles!

Had my egg collection on Wednesday. Had a bit of a shock before starting procedure as they told me my progesterone levels were on the high end so missed the window for fresh transfer 😞 got a bit emotional as I had it all built up in my head and felt a bit disappointed and worried. Feel like it is more delay and more costs. I thought it was quite bad from the clinic to tell me that 5min before being prepped for the procedure, without my husband there. Maybe I should just expect that plans change.
Procedure went well though 14 eggs collected. 9 were mature and they called my this morning to say that 6 fertilised and are developing as expected. Next call on Saturday.
Now I'm all confused about frozen transfer, if I'm lucky enough to have some making it to day 5.

@Faith2024 great news

@confuzzzzzled sorry to hear that. I hope you’ve got your plan now and that’s eased the worry a bit

@180monkeys my understanding is that clinics want it to be below 2.5 to go ahead with ivf, as the risks of miscarriage etc are much higher if your tsh is above that. Have you seen your gp for full thyroid panel including autoimmune? I only ask as I have hashimotos (an autoimmune condition impacting my thyroid).

@Loute02 sorry to hear that, that’s tough being told that right before collection. That’s good re number of eggs and development, hope they continue to do well 🤞🏻

@IVF23 thanks for your response. I have put a note on my portal that my new thyroid result has been updated so suppose I will just have to wait and see what they say.

I don’t think my GP would be open to giving me anymore tests as even without the tablets my TSH was below their normal range levels of 4.2 but I had to push them to give me tablets because I know for IVF they like it to be lower.

@180monkeys ah it’s so frustrating isn’t it. I ended up going for a one off appointment with a private endocrinologist who then told the GP what to do haha. I can only talk from my experience in the 2 clinics I’ve been with re TSH, so yours may be different. Hopefully you get an answer quickly.