Starting IVF/ICSI March 2024

[AnnieStar12]

I'm planning to start my first round of ICSI with my next cycle - anyone else in the same boat and want some online company? Or anyone already been through this and got useful tips/advice?

@Steph2345 That's amazing you had your daughter on your first transfer! Do you mind me asking that grade embryo she was for the transfer and what your protocol was following transfer, or anything you think helped with implantation/keeping the pregnancy especially during those first 3 months? I'm 3 days post transfer of a 5AA (I know this is more a cells beauty contest rather than sign for positive implantation) and trying to relax as much as I can, but can't help feeling anxious I feel nothing, no aches or implantation pains and I don't feel too affected by my hormones either despite being on the progesterone pessaries and butt injections.

@Lavendermarshmallows oh my goodness that’s an amazing grade! I think she was a 1-2 when we transferred but you’ll find that every clinic has a different grading system which is really unhelpful. Ours didn’t give any letters. The one we still have frozen is a 2-2.
are you doing any pessaries? I made sure I took a good 20-30 mins lay down after it each day and often hips raised (not sure if it helped but it felt like it was something I could do that might help, so much of this is out of our control isn’t it).
I also walked everyday too.
i didn’t feel a thing. Absolutely nothing, no hormones no cramps nothing at all. Until after day 5 when I did end up in hospital for 5 days with OHSS so please shout if you have any concerns or questions or speak to your clinic

@HopefulllHolly I hear you with the age concern - I will be 36 when IVF starts. Been TTC for 4 years.

Hope everyone is ok

waiting on withdrawal bleed from pill but nothing . So stressed !! Literally booked time off work for surgery and rescheduled everything going to be a nightmare if can’t start at the weekend

😵

@Rebekah77 oh that’s so frustrating, hopefully it will appear soon! When was it due to start? hope your work will be understanding! I’ve taken a little over a week off work because I was scared of it getting moved.

i had my first scan this morning so was good to get some reassurance that the injections are actually working!

Sunday injections due to start argh

im furious and in agony ! Not a vibe

work are so funny about time off it’s taken me weeks to get one day unpaid for surgery if I have to ask to move it it’s gonna be a real saga

curled up during my lunch just hope it shows up asap !

@Capybara95 ace news on a positive first scan xx

@Rebekah77 hopefully the bleed will start soon!

I'm in a similar boat, waiting for my period to start. It is due today, but not showed up yet. I have a scan first thing tomorrow morning and then suppose to start injecting tomorrow evening. Feeling impatient now, just want my period to come and the scan to show everything okay so I can get a move on.

@Capybara95 good news on the scan, did you see how many follicles you have?

@HopefulllHolly Fingers crossed for you for great results on your hubby's second testing! I know its hard because there will people having children while leading unhealthy lifestyles and using hard drugs, then theres people who have tried cutting some many things they enjoy from their diet just for the hope of better results. Nature playing games with us!

@Steph2345 Thank you for sharing your experience and reassurance. Yes doing the pessaries too, think I dislike those more than the butt injections! No signs of OHSS luckily, just more irritable which isn't like me haha

@Capybara95 Echoing Rebekah on the good news from your scan, I felt like that too is I didn't feel any changes from injections first few days, but by day 7 I started feeling it...in my boobs. Oh my, was it painful, my boobs were so inflated and my nipples become so sensitive!

@Rebekah77 Really hoping the timing will work out for you and if not, you come first! It's sad workplaces are not being as supportive as they should be in this day and age. Although theres no statutory rights for IVF appointments specifically, they are still treated as a medical appointment and they should be making accommodations and being flexible, its not like we get to pick which days our body will react in a certain way :(

@AnnieStar12 they didn’t tell me exactly how many but I heard him count maybe 4 at 12mm, 3 or so at 10mm and a good few at 8mm so seemed to be a good few anyway which I was happy with!

@Lavendermarshmallows yes I’m feeling just a little bit swollen already so not looking forward to how I’ll feel next week!!

Hey all. Hope you're well?

Random one but I had my meds delivered today and with the Menopur I had these strange plastic things delivered. Can anyone tell me what they're for??

Tia x

@Lozzy000 - Do you have glass ampoules for your Menopur? It could be the ampoule breakers if so!

Hi! I'd like to join if possible. I started stims yesterday so I guess I'm a little earlier than march but most of my treatment will be then!

Little background. I'm a solo mother by choice. I did a round of IVF which resulted in OHSS and a freeze all back in 2020. I had a FET early 2021 which gave me my wonderful daughter. I then had another FET in July 2023 which sadly resulted in a missed miscarriage. I had an ERPC late Sept and I'm back having a fresh IVF/ICSI (tbd) round now.

Hi all! Just checking to see how everyone is getting on?

I went for my baseline scan today (cycle day1) and the cyst is still there, annoyingly. I have to go back tomorrow to see the doctor so they can decide if I can even get started with my stims or if this cycle will be cancelled.

Feeling so frustrated to get to this stage and now might not even be able to start. Argh!

Hey @HopefulllHolly how you doing lovely ?

fingers crossed for your appointment @AnnieStar12 know how frustrating it is , keeping everything crossed for you

still no sign of any bleed feel so unwell with cramp but nothing !! Meds arrive tomorrow and I’m just so upset . Cried on the bus this morning then been curled up all afternoon just so frustrating. If my mother tells me to be positive again think I’ll loose it 😂

hope everyone is doing ok xx

Hi everyone
I went for my day 5 scan today and got a hemorrhagic cyst on right side!!! So upset and annoyed… and only 3 follicles growing the rest under 6mm…. Will go for another scan on Monday. Finding it really difficult to stay positive😔

Hi everyone, just an update that I had my extra scan today, luckily the hemoragic cyst has shrunk since yesterday’s scan and therefore I started injections tonight. Just did my first one!

@Drzoem sorry you’re not responding as well as you hoped. Do you have AMH in the normal range? And what happens if you develop a new cyst during stims? I know it’s hard to stay positive, but I think we have to keep reminding ourselves it only takes one! My AMH is so low I don’t think I’ll get many more than 3 or 4 follicles mature so I’m entering IVF hoping for a miracle.

@Rebekah77 how you getting on? Has your bleed started yet?

Nope nothing … so upset . Litrerakly psid for nothing and with having a general it’s so hard to schedule

Hey everyone

@Drzoem sorry to hear your scan didn’t TGI as well as you hoped. Did they up your dose to try and get a better response? Good luck for your scan on Monday!

@AnnieStar12 congrats on getting started! When is your first scan?

@Rebekah77 im so sorry your still waiting that must be incredibly frustrating. Will you be able to start as your period starts?

I have my next scan on Monday but I feel like I feel less bloated and heavy than I did at the start of the week. Surely I should be feeling worse not better! Trying to tell myself it’s all in my head so we’ll see what happens on Monday.

Good luck for you scan on Monday @Capybara95

Not sure this surgery date was booked 7 weeks ago they only do two days a week and only one a day so possibility there won’t be space

can’t stop crying and feel awful but nothing no withdrawal bleed 😓going to work and hoping the Damn thing starts

@Rebekah77 thank you!

fingers crossed for your bleed starting and them being able to rearrange your collection. Are you with a private clinic?

Yeah private & im having a general , so it’s a lot more limited than having sedation

dunno if I’m crying as I’m upset or pms ! Omg 😅

least work will be a distraction

Awww I’m sorry @Rebekah77 that is so rubbish! I hope you’re taking good care of yourself. Are you able to speak to the doctor about it?

Im ok, I’ve been so busy at work recently I’ve not had much time alone with my thoughts. Have our final bloods on Monday and then nurses appointment on Friday, with 3 days in London for work in between. 😅

This sounds like a stupid question but I’m due to have my period on 24th March- if I’m on long protocol would I start the tablets from then or from day 21 of my cycle? I know I can just wait for the nurse to tell me but I’m impatient 🙃 Anyone know?

@Capybara95 hopefully your body is just coping well. It’s funny this process isn’t it - we wish ourselves to have rough symptoms just to feel reassured that it’s all really happening! Your scan was good so no reason to expect anything has gone wrong. Do you have a provisional date booked for retrievals? Let us know how Mondays scan goes.

@Rebekah77 surely your clinic must have some flexibility as no one can time an IVF cycle so precisely that far in advance? Have you asked what the plan B is? My doc said they can’t give a precise date for retrieval until they know how I respond. Fingers crossed your emotions are pms and the bleed will come asap. Sorry you’re having a tough start, must be stressful, hope you’re taking care of yourself.

@HopefulllHolly I am on short protocol. I imagine on a long protocol you need to start the down meds pre-period as the stims need to start fairly quickly once you begin bleeding. Hopefully appointments go well next week and you’ll be all ready to go soon!

My next scan is on Tuesday so will see what’s what then. Tbh, I don’t expect many follicles at all. Doc only saw 3 at the baseline scan but she said they can’t always see everything that’s there, so I’ll be happy with any more than 3 follicles tbh.