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 🙂

@IVF23 🙌 thats fab! Glad they called early and hope you can relax a bit. Those calls make me so anxious!

@Atikakck I've got lower amh so not at risk of ohss. Have the clinic not sent any guidance through? They should be trying to minimise the risks this time, especially as you've had it before.

Yh they did it they sed my amh was hight 38.6. Atm we wait for phonecall frm them they shud ring on the 9th to sort out the payment method then we cn make app fo when to start it.. shud get my period on the 18th so a hope this month we will b able to start

@VenusStarr Do you find acupuncture helps? I did one session and it was nice but I wasn't convinced it was doing more than relaxing me. Which I suppose is a goal in and of itself during IVF, to be fair!

Are you planning to do it throughout? Has anyone else found it useful? X

I'm not sure to be honest @potatosconelover ! It did help yesterday as I was very anxious and I felt a lot calmer after and slept really well (not been sleeping brilliantly). She also puts ear buds in. She said to see me on Saturday as well but think I'll just do the one session - it's so expensive! I'm more inclined to do it before and after transfer. We're doing a 3 cycle package so not transferring for a while yet.

Hello all :) sorry for being AWOL. Took a break from it all over Christmas. Letter arrived from clinic this morning with schedule and first appointment for my FET is a week today.

i hope that 2024 brings all of us what we want

@IVF23 fingers crossed for your update!

@VenusStarr bloods all good this morning, had the call to say all normal for this point in the cycle so carry on with evening stims and start morning injections tomorrow. Scan booked for Monday morning to see how many follicles and how they’re growing!

🙏 @Hopingforno2in2024 hope you have a good break. Glad things are progressing.

That's great news @LouP87 🙌

I feel shattered, a bit hungover feeling today. Hope that's a good sign 🤞

This thread moves fast! Welcome to everyone new.

Clinic said my potentially dodged first injection was nothing to worry about as dose had been delivered and tonights injection went well.

Good luck on the prepping for transfers as well ladies. Learning from your experiences.

Fab news @Faith2024 🙌

I've got another scan In the morning. Hoping some of the little ones are catching up.

Hope everyone is ok x

Had my second scan today, top one is growing well, not far off the trigger line but they might push me a bit more as have some middling ones. My left ovary seems to have given up. Back on Saturday. Had my bloods done today as well but will only hear if they need me to change something.

How's everyone getting on?

@VenusStarr Hopefully your left ovary springs into action over the next few days. Fingers crossed for you.

I had my scan this morning and the doctor said follicles were good for this stage. Back on Monday and potentially egg collection on Wednesday - it all seems really fast now, after such a long long wait to get to this stage.

I started my down reg jag, ganerilix, when we got home. Ehm - OUCH. Really stingy and has left a big, red and sore bump!

Hope everyone is okay. I've got the Finding Nemo quote in my head as a mantra: "Just keep swimming".

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a nice Christmas and Happy New Year! I am off for my baseline scan tomorrow on day 2 of my cycle. Does anyone know what this entails and if it is likely I will start injections tomorrow evening?

1st time IVF'er and a little nervous about what to expect?

Thinking of everyone this month!

Hope you feel better @VenusStarr and that a few more follicles will catch up! What do they check in the blood tests? I don't remember having it last time.

@Twomumfamily my IVF centre does not do baseline scan when starting the cycle. I just had one a couple of months ago to count follicles on each ovary. I have to start injections on evening of day 3 (which is today 🎉)

@potatosconelover exciting to have a potential date for egg collection! Hope all goes smoothly.

@Loute02 Thank you for your quick reply and good luck with the start of your injections today! Very interesting how different each ACU is with treatment, I guess I will be starting injections either tomorrow or Saturday in that case :)

Good luck to everyone having scans!

good to hear everyone’s updates!!

I had my scan today to confirm starting oestrogen and they have provisionally said transfer is on the 26th January so I’m now officially counting down the days 🥰 so excited to finally getting closer.

any recommendations to make time go faster? 🤣

@Twomumfamily I had my baseline scan on Tuesday this week. It’s just an internal exam to check ovaries are fine and lining is thin. They also check for polyps and if you have one they do a blood test at my clinic. Mine was very quick and straightforward.

@Faith2024 Ah great thank you, that is helpful! xx

Anyone on luveris? Started my injection tonight and I had forgotten how big the needle is 😬 if you use luveris, what is your needle size? Can I ask for a smaller one? I'll probably get over it in a couple of days. Looked back at my notes from previous round and had struggled then as well. Funny how you seem to forget those details.

@Loute02 I'm not taking that. Sorry you're struggling with it. Hope it does get better.
I think it was estradiol and LH they check for. I didn't get a call, so assume all is OK.

@Ellenn glad things are progressing for you.

Glad things are looking good @potatosconelover

Hope all goes well today @Twomumfamily

I seem to be struggling this round. I feel really spaced out. I'm second guessing everything. I've had a really crap sleep but can't drop back off. Wish I could switch my brain off.

Hello! First time on mumsnet - here for the IVF banter! (And reassurance and guidance…) posted in another January thread before finding this one.

This post ended up very long, apologies for my rambling.

I’m 40 and miscarried on my 40th last May at 10 weeks. I hate birthdays now. But, I started our first cycle of ICSI the 27th December thanks to a late show from Aunt Flo and a flurry of misguided pregnancy tests.

I started on 350 units of gonal f injections which were easier than I thought thanks to ice packs. However, as my hormone levels were slow to rise, the hospital upped my dose to 450 per day and extended my stim days from 10 to 12.

Starting, my AMH was 1.91 and they spotted 4 + 4 follicles that looked ok. Since then, the *6 eggs I have, have grown a bit more and I’ve had a shot yesterday and today for preventing ovulation. 3rd Jan my blood test showed my levels of Estradiol 264. I’ve no real clue what any of this means.

Next step for us is an ultrasound tomorrow (Sat) to see whether egg extraction is to happen Monday or Tuesday (just before hubby flies to India for work). He’ll miss the updates about the embryos and the whole process after extraction which is scary for me to think about.

Would anyone recommend a doula in place of a working-away father?

The Embie app is pretty sweet and helps me stay on top of things- there’s also the mindful ivf app which I’ve installed but not actually opened yet!

Wishing everyone a successful 2024 and looking forward to making connections with people on here. ❤️

Hi @Pincushion83 - good luck for tomorrow. Do you have family near you, can you tell them you're going through IVF? I think if your husband is going away you'll need some emotional and maybe practical support - a friend of a friend used a doula for her pregnancy and I know she was a big fan. I think whatever is possible within your resources you should go for. Everyone needs a little support. X

Hi everyone I havent posted for a long while

How is everyone doing on this thread?
sorry I don't know what stage everyone is at. I will catch up shortly. Right now I just need someone to reassure me im worrying for nothing.

Im worried. And feeling so nervous. I thought my treatment would be significantly delayed due to MH concerns, I needed counselling and a review from hp to be sent to my clinic. Which was done quite fast but I was under the impression I was back on a waiting list to start treatment despite having signed all the paperwork I etc and since I havent really been eating healthy nor have I been taking my vitamins. I kind of just wanted to relax especially during the festive season. Today I've got a call to say I'm starting my treatment next week! And now I feel so stupid for not keeping on top of supplements for the past 2 months and having coffees and just eating anything and everything. I'm scared I've just ruined things for myself but I'm also so very excited.

@Sherr33 thats great news re treatment!! Sorry you haven’t been feeling well recently, hope you are feeling better.

I’m not sure about others but I’ve definitely been drinking coffee and consuming lots of chocolate (see those Lindt chocolate reindeer 😍) over the Christmas period. I think you can’t always be perfect and sometimes in this horrible journey (which can take so long!) you’ve got to give yourself a bit of slack.

I think you need to be taking folic acid so might want to check timings of treatment that you have been taking it long enough or double check/confirm with a nurse? I’m not going to lie I sometimes forgot the odd day 🙈 I try my best most of the time xx

@VenusStarr sorry to hear you are struggling, are you doing a fresh transfer this round? xx