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 🙂

@Copenhagener glad you can connect with people going through similar experience, it’s so helpful.

@Loute02 my AMH is 5.8 so that number of follicles is great!

@VenusStarr It’s interesting to hear about the timescales for FET since we ll be doing that when we hopefully get to that stage.

I thought the 10 days of Norethistrone & about a week of Progynova was ‘down regulation’ but I am not sure on terminology! I basically started the Progynova yesterday & hope to start stims 30-31st.

@Ellenn I’m doing a FET and transfer will be week of 15th Jan (assuming all else lines up) so we’ll be close enough in sync…! I’m waiting on my period and then starting on Fematab so all feeling somewhat imminent 😨

Hi all,

Lots of exciting updates! I have now finished downregulation and on day 3 of stims, so collection will likely be first week of Jan 😬 Is anyone else on a similar timeline?

@confuzzzzzled hope the headaches and tiredness ease a bit, I found it did over time.

@Ellenn double transfer is exciting! Hope for a positive outcome for you 🤞🏻

@IVF23 they have a bit thanks! My mental health has taken a bit of a plummet today but I think I’m just having a bit of a hormone crash! Hopefully a couple more days and my body will be used to the medicine 😊

Ooh@IVF23 thats exciting! You'll be our first collection I think 🥰 my period is due this week, by Friday I think so I'll not be far behind. Hope you're feeling alright?

@IVFDublin it's weird how close it is now... I started the thread in November feeling it was ages away. Its flown!

I'm sorry you've had a bit of a mental health crash @confuzzzzzled I hope things settle for you x

Happy Christmas all!

I hope you are feeling better @confuzzzzzled

Hope everyone had a nice Christmas.

I had a tiny bit of spotting last night, so am on track for my period in the next day or so 😬 feel ready now.

How is everyone?

Hello, would it be ok to join, please?

My husband (30) and I (35) have been ttc since Oct 2018 and have finally made it to this stage (NHS). My AMH is 3.5, so we are diving straight into IVF.

I finish 10 days of Norithisterone today, so hoping to have a bleed over the weekend. Will then email our clinic for them to give the go-ahead to start injections and the many scans, etc... thankfully, work is really supportive of whatever time off is needed over the next few weeks!

It feels surreal to be at this point after all these years!

Good luck everyone 😊

Hi @LittleMissCool of course 👋 we've been ttc since 2017, it's a long slog isn't ut? I'm glad you're getting close now. Glad your work is supportive. We'll be on a similar timeline, I'm just waiting for my period x

My period has arrived! Will call the clinic this morning and book my cd5 scan. Start injections tomorrow evening. Can't believe it's finally starting!
Hope everyone is ok x

@VenusStarr we’re definitely weirdly in sync 😂. It looks like mine may have started too, although very light so deciding whether to wait a little while to call the clinic just incase it’s not quite started properly!

Gave them a call and I’ve to go in tomorrow at 8:30am for first scan and medication appointment, have to re-do virology blood tests for both of us too!

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!

@VenusStarr @LouP87 eeek exciting!

@confuzzzzzled I hope you’re feeling a bit better now. Infertility and IVF are such difficult emotional experiences and then the meds just further challenge everything.

@LittleMissCool welcome!

I’m now on day 8 of stims. I’ve got another scan booked tomorrow where they said they should be able to estimate when my egg collection will be, but it’s likely Tuesday/Wednesday.

@VenusStarr @LouP87 how exciting!!

@IVF23 egg collection to start the year :o

I started estrogen tablets on boxing day, hoping to get my period next week. Feels a bit like it already started as I'm taking something, although not the stims.

What's everyone plan for new year's eve? Are we all trying to relax and chill at home?

@IVF23 im feeling so much better thank you! All my initial symptoms have gone now, just some dull headaches in the evening and some hot flushes😁I’m the biggest wimp and needle-phobic but I’ve even started doing my injections on a morning, so feeling positive all around

@Loute02 my original NYE plan was to have a couple of Proseccos and then swap onto the 0% stuff! We are heading to the North East to spend it with my Partner’s family after Xmas with mine.

My cycle started slightly earlier than expected, had baseline scan this morning, and have to start Gonal injections tomorrow evening, so will be on the 0% Prosecco completely! What are your plans for NYE?

Have a blood test on Jan 3rd to see how I’m responding to the medication, then they’ll adjust anything they need to and send me on my way. I’ve been totally calm about everything until today, now starting to feel nervous/excited/worried all at once!

@confuzzzzzled ah so glad you’re feeling better.

I had my final stimulation scan today. Booked in for egg collection on Tuesday 2nd. What a way to start the year off 😬

Hi everyone,

I am starting my 2nd fresh cycle in January. I am on a 3 cycle programme through Access Fertility. My previous cycle produced 4 embryos (hoping for more this time as we did half ICSI/IVF last cycle and only 1/7 eggs fertilised through IVF). Embryo 1 miscarried, embryo 2 didn't survive thawing, embryo 3 failed to implant and embryo 4 miscarried. Since the last miscarriage in May, I have been diagnosed with high NK cells and DH with moderate sperm dna fragmentation. I am under a plan with Professor Shehata for my NK cells and we are using sperm banked 14 years ago just before my DH was treated for Hodgkins Lymphoma. Unless we get a poor response, I am imagining that this will be my last fresh cycle as, despite having 3 cycles paid for, I found the last one very hard and I'm approaching this fresh one with a great deal of trepidation. Looking forward to reading about all your experiences and wishing everyone well. I am happy for anyone to DM if you'd like a friend through this.

@clhsgirl that sounds tough, wishing you all the success for the next round. It’s a lot. It’s nice that there’ll probably be someone in a similar situation here.

I am just starting first IVF cycle. Typical for me to fall on odd dates. Cycle day 1 today on a Sunday with bank holiday tomorrow but they said first scan can be day 1-3 so they just called me to book me in for Tue 2nd. Didn’t think they would call me back on Sunday so that was really nice of them.

Hi everyone, just catching up.

Welcome @clhsgirl I am very sorry for your losses ❤️ I'm under Dr Shehata too. I had 4 losses before seeing him but then we couldn't conceive (we didn't have our first pregnancy until ttc for 18 months, so been trying a long time). Sadly I have had 2 losses since because my nk are so overactive. We're also doing a 3 cycle package but with Create. What's your protocol with Dr S?
Are you doing a fresh transfer, or will it be a FET? Mine are planning a fresh on the 3rd cycle but I've had lining issues in the past, so if it's not looking good I'll do a low dose stim FET.

Hi @Faith2024 I'm a couple of days ahead of you, I'm cd4 today, started stims on Friday. That's good of your clinic, hope all goes well on Tuesday.

Eek @IVF23 how are you feeling? Is it trigger tonight? 🙏

@LouP87 how funny. How are you getting on?
I've got my nosecco for later! We're going nextdoor. It's only a small gathering so I've told my friend, she did ivf herself years ago.

Keep worrying that I'm forgetting something 🫠 I think I'll feel better after my scan, which is Tuesday. I'm on 225iu but it's split into 150 abd 75 pens and the 150 has bled both times... 😐

Hope everyone is ok ❤️

Happy new year all. Here’s to a good 2024 for us 🤞🏻

@clhsgirl welcome. sorry to hear about your losses, it sounds really tough 😞

@VenusStarr yes triggered last night for egg collection tomorrow morning. I am so bloated and ^^sore, but other than that ok. I’m finding it hard to feel hopeful, but just trying to take each day as it comes at the moment.

Hello everyone, I’m on day 2 of my cycle and hopefully we’ll have a frozen transfer later this month.

A bit of background - TTC for 18 months (started aged 37, now 39). Unexplained infertility was ‘diagnosed’ after ALL the tests. Privately paid for IVF in summer. Ended up with 15 eggs retrieved, 12 mature, then 6 made it to blasto day 5. Transferred one and it was successful but sadly ended in a MMC week 6. We had our remaining embryos tested and we have 2 on ice. In Nov I had a chemical pregnancy ‘naturally’ which I’m considering a positive thing - my body wants to be pregnant 😊

Doc has recommended a natural FET cycle so no meds yet which is such a blessing! First scan next week. Good luck everyone!

(oh and I’m getting married next month. Not wasting any time 😆)

Happy new year everyone 💕 I hope you all had a lovely time. Spent the evening at my neighbour's and they'd bought me the Kylie rose fizz which was nice and a couple of zero g&t cans so feel like I didn't miss out.

Been for a nice walk today (am trying to get our each day for my blood flow).

How you feeling @IVF23 hope you get some rest tonight. Sorry you're feeling bloated and sore, hopefully its a good sign. Even though I've done egg collections before, feel like I've forgotten everything. What are you taking? I know no makeup and deodorant...

Hi @FETFirstTimer I'm sorry about your loss ❤️ hope all goes smoothly for your transfer cycle, When's your first scan?
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, exciting!

Happy new year!! 🎆 I hope this is going to be the year for us all 🤞

@VenusStarr sounds like a nice night! Do you have many symptoms yet? Are you hoping to do a fresh transfer from this cycle? Sorry if I’d missed this in the thread!

@FETFirstTimer 👋 welcome! How exciting I really liked doing a natural transfer last time. I was hoping I might do one again but due to my clinic shutting over Christmas and my ovulation timing perfectly over the break 🙄 I’ve decided just to do medicated so I can get a transfer earlier not that I’m impatient or anything 🤣 we might be transferring around the same time! Congrats on the wedding that will be lovely I’m sure! We have been saying for ages when we get a baby we will get married (baby hasn’t appeared lol and here we still are) so not sure what our plan is lol

Another question was wondering if anyone takes/was recommended to take baby aspirin?