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?

@IrisViolet yes I know exactly what you mean. It goes quick but at the same time you just always want to be at the next stage.

@AnnieStar12 thanks. Yes I have to still take my stim injection tonight and then trigger tonight too then that’s the end of the injections. Good luck for your scan in the morning! It’s hard until your first scan not having any reassurance that something is actually happening.

@Rebekah77 im really sorry to hear that. Hopefully you can get a plan in place with your consultant and it won’t be too long until you can get started.

Thanks guys
after a year of trying to get started it’s very frustrating! Everytime I get a schedule I think yay it’s happening lol no it’s not 😅

good luck with your cycles lovelies x

@IrisViolet @AnnieStar12 Just got back from my first scan, they saw 24 follicles in total with about 18 showing good growth, which is great. They might bring my egg collection forward to this Friday rather than next Monday and may reduce my Bemfola dose as they don't want all of my follicles growing. They also said I'll probably need to do a freeze all cycle due to OHSS risk. Which I was expecting anyway, and to be honest having a little break between injections/egg collection and embyro transfer isn't a bad thing as I have some annual leave coming up and it would be nice to be able to fully enjoy it and take a break from this process which physically hasn't been too bad so far, but mentally I've found quite draining!

@AnnieStar12 good luck for your scan tomorrow, I hope it goes well for you ❤️ it's very nerve wrecking not knowing if the medications are working and trying to manage your expectations.

@Beka245 Ahh that sounds great! Yes, they said something about my other follicles and freezing too, I'm clearly not taking notes here 😂- think I was just so relieved the meds were working and that I wouldn't have to do too many more injections! Fingers crossed for Friday for you - it would be great to have it done before the weekend! xx

Glad to hear scans have all gone well today. Mines shown a little over activity and my chances of a fresh transfer are dwindling. Which has left me a little deflated but hopefully lots of lovely embryos!

For those of you worrying about the procedure for egg collection - this will be my third and honestly I'm quite looking forward to it. Its a lovely nap!

@IrisViolet I'm so glad my wife was with me taking all the information in because I didn't remember half of the details they said 🙈 like you I was just glad the meds are working and my follicles are growing.
I'm really hoping for egg collection on Friday now will be nice to stop the injections. Will have to wait till my next scan on Wednesday to decide.
Fingers crossed your egg collection is sooner rather than later too! 🤞

Hi all,

This may sound like a stupid question

I haven't started treatment yet bet we have had tests done and will require icsi and a freeze all cycle due to my pcos.

How long privately till you can start treatment (roughly when in your cycle) and how long is it roughly to egg collection?

Just trying to plan approximately when I will start etc

Thank you in advance 🙂 xx

@MrsBiddy depending on the clinic, you can just start with your next cycle, all being well. If you’ve done all the tests then no reason you can’t get started once your period starts.

We gave our clinic a couple weeks notice that we were ready to start and that gave them time to orders the meds, do the forms and train me how to use injections. I had already done 3x IUI with them so they knew us already.

Once your period starts you have a baseline scan and start stims on day 2 of period. Egg collection will be roughly 12 days after that (so around day 14 of cycle) but will depend on how well you respond as well as scheduling, so it can be a few days either side.

good luck getting started!

@Beka245 I bet! I went on my own this time- big mistake haha. We're in the same boat waiting for tomorrow's scan results - fingers crossed for both of us! I'm just trying to rationalise all the time and say that if it's a bit longer, then it's for the best... but the nausea is really hitting home at the moment, grim!
Hope you have a nice day today <3 xxx

@Olivia199 I'm crossing everything for you that the embryos will be top notch <3. You've got this!
Ahh that's good to know, when my nurse said I'd feel a sharp scratch on either ovary I immediately started feeling woozy - I need to get over this needle aversion, it causes so much agg 😂! xxx

Had my scan - only have 5 follicles growing and 2 are very small so they’re not sure if those ones will even mature.

At this point, we’re just hoping we at least get one good embryo and a big dose of good luck.

Hard to stay positive when our numbers are so low and IVF is a numbers game! Just trying to keep reminding myself that it only takes one…

Next scan on Friday to check on progress.

@AnnieStar12 I was waiting for your results! I think 3 is good if you don’t have many follicles. I have 6 so I’d be super happy with 3, and it’s all about quality anyway. Try not to be down, you have more than 0 and at least 3 chances of a good embryo and that’s great news ☺️

@HopefulllHolly thanks for your encouraging message. You’re totally right, it’s much better than 0, and at least 3x better than 1!

And it was roughly what I was expecting as I know how low my egg count is. It’s just deep down you’re hoping for some big miracle!!

When are you expecting to start?

@AnnieStar12 thats the spirit! We have to stay as positive as we can, or it’s so easy just to get stuck in a black hole of doom. I think they are fab results, it’s so hard when you see so many people on here who get like 20 eggs as it looks like that’s the norm, but in reality, if we were all normal we wouldn’t be on here 😂

Oh god I don’t know, it’s a sore subject for me. We have our HIV test yesterday and then we have our nurse consult on Friday to go through how to do injections etc. I should start on cycle day 21 (which is next week), and the consultant was adamant we would start this month. But the nurse yesterday told me that they didn’t have space for us this month in terms of nursing. I sat them with my eyes welled up and tried to put a smile on my face but it’s just so depressing being constantly delayed, especially when you know you’re old and have no eggs as it is so need to get on with it quickly. This is the 3rd month now we’ve been promised it will start. 🙃

Is anyone else near their egg collection just absolutely exhausted? I didn’t do much today or yesterday but have had 2/3 hour naps in the middle of the day. Just trying to pass today by and get to tomorrow

@HopefulllHolly oh no, that’s frustrating! When will you know for sure if this month is a goer? Are you on the NHS or private?

@Capybara95 I’m only on day 5 so not feeling many side effects so far, though I’m sure that will change in the coming days. My egg collection is pencilled in for next Wednesday but may move depending on progress. What day is your collection day?

@AnnieStar12 i didn’t really feel many side effects until Sunday. Just could feel sort of full but apart from that felt normal in myself. Then today and yesterday just absolutely exhausted! My collection is tomorrow.

@HopefulllHolly sorry you’ve been delayed so much, every wait feels so long when you just want to get on with it. Fingers crossed you can start this cycle

@AnnieStar12 Will know on Friday so not long to wait and I’ve got a crazy busy few days at work anyway so it’ll fly by with not much time to dwell on it.
We’re on the NHS this cycle (only get one in my area), but we had enquired to go privately initially because our GP kept making us do repeated tests instead of referring us, even though I have 6 follicles and my other half has 1% morphology and 18% progressive swimmers - so it’s a bleak outlook 😔 and why I’m annoyed they keep promising we’ll start and then delay us again.
I don’t see the point of them doing our nurse consultation unless we’re able to start because I definitely will forget how to do the injections 🤣

How are you feeling about egg collection? Next Wednesday isn’t far away! I hope you have a nice surprise and get a few extra eggies ready! ☺️

@Capybara95 thank you! Every day is painful isn’t it when you’re on this journey!

Hope your collection goes well tomorrow - keep us posted if you want to! We’re all here rooting you on! ☺️

@HopefulllHolly thank you! It’s nice to know we have this support group here.

this is our NHS cycle and we only get one NHS cycle as well. Feel lucky we didn’t wait to long on it though

@Capybara95 yeah we didn’t either, I was so relieved. Our delay was with the GP and the referral rather than the clinic really. It’s so frustrating we only get one cycle though - I hate the postcode lottery, it’s totally unfair. But very grateful for one - especially as the first round is a total test and stab in the dark. It was our consultant who told us to push for the referral as we had given up and just decided to go private rather than messing around with the GP anymore, and once he got involved for us it was quick.
How are you feeling about egg collection? Early night and plenty of fluids 🙂 what time have you got it?

@Capybara95 yes we had a similar experience with our GP. We paid for a consultation with a private consultant who did our referral in the end. I don’t think we would have been able to see an NHS consultant without the referral? It does feel really unfair that it depends on your area what you get but also grateful for our one round. They have just recently changed the funding for us that you can transfer all your frozen embryos on NHS also rather than just one so suppose that is a step in the right direction.

I’m a bit nervous but mostly just want to get it over with a fast forward a week to see what our results will be! I’m not allowed anything to drink after 6am tomorrow so I’m going to be dying for some water by the time it is over! Scheduled in for 9am but have to be there at 7.15 so will be an early start.

@AnnieStar12 thank you hun, fingers crossed it continues to go ok, feel a bit in the dark as I have nothing to compare it to. It literally takes one ❤️ fingers crossed for you. My best friend did ivf last year and there was one viable embryo, she now has a gorgeous little girl. Quality over quantity they say 🤞. Let us know how it goes!

@Rebekah77 Oh, I’m so sorry to hear this. Make sure you do something nice for yourself to keep your spirits up. Maybe a little pamper of some sort, or if you drink, a little one to relax with. Xxx

@AnnieStar12 yeah I bet that you’re just wanting to get on with it! Good luck with it! From everything I’ve read on here (and I’ve read a lot of posts looking for positive stories!) the egg collection isn’t as bad as it probably seems in your head. The bit I’m most scared of is the hospital environment as I hate them, especially being on my own before and after. But I’m sure when you’re drugged up it will be over in a flash anyway.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you! ☺️

@HopefulllHolly fingers crossed for Friday - hope you can go ahead will be keeping fingers crossed for you. Egg collection feels like a life time away, I know it’s only a week but feels like lots to get through until then as all the injections and scans etc!

@IrisViolet thanks for that story about your friend. These are the kind of stories I need to hear!

@Capybara95 fingers crossed all goes well. Keep us posted! x