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?

Just home from my egg collection. All went well and the whole experience was completely fine! I got 19 eggs and am still on track to be able to do a fresh transfer so am delighted!

@AnnieStar12 no problem, I think sometimes it’s only spoken about when there’s tons of eggs and honestly, it just needs one. I’ve also had another friend 2 years ago in exactly the same situation (I’m lucky I have these ladies in my life as they’ve both been successful with one embryo!) and she also has a daughter. Crossing everything for you.
just found out my egg collection is on Friday - I am so relieved the injections are over tonight! Xx

@IrisViolet so great to hear the stories of first time success!

that’s great you got your appointment confirmed for Friday, good luck!!

Hi ladies, just catching up on all your updates! And hi to everyone I’ve not said hi to so far.

how are all the scans going? Who’s booked in for collections in the next few days? I hope you’re all feeling ok with the many hormones on board!

Yay great news @Capybara95 thats an amazing number! When’s the transfer?

@Capybara95 and most importantly how did you find it?

@HopefulllHolly thanks, all being well transfer will be Monday.

the procedure was completely fine, didn’t feel a thing with the sedation and painkillers they give and slept through it. Only takes about 15 mins.

im feeling quite sore and crampy since I got home but think that’s probably to be expected and hopefully today and tomorrow in bed with sort that

@Capybara95 ahhh such wonderful news from your egg collection lovely! Fingers crossed for implantation now - is that Friday? Or Sat?

Hi @Steph2345 ! How’s things going on your journey? I’m booked in Friday for collection. So good to hear it didn’t hurt @Capybara95 - it’s been freaking me out!
trigger shot tonight at 10pm, I’ll be weeping with relief I think, injections are absolutely NOT my thing! Xx

Hi everyone, I hope everyone is doing OK!
I've been catching up on all the updates.

@Capybara95 I'm glad you're egg collection went well, and I hope you're feeling okay and recovering well. Got my fingers crossed for your embyro transfer!
@IrisViolet Exciting that your egg collection is Friday, hope the trigger shot tonight is OK!

I had my second tracking scan today, follicles are continuing to grow so all looking OK, aiming for egg collection Monday. Back for another scan on Friday, my nurse said again to prepare for possibility of a freeze all cycle and is going to ask the consultant to review my scans and get their opinion.

@Beka245 thanks lovely! Ahh that’s brilliant news that all is on track follicles wise. Does a freeze all cycle mean you have the egg implanted next cycle instead?
fingers crossed you can go ahead this cycle ❤️

@IrisViolet Not sure on the exact details but I think i'd have a withdrawal bleed then wait for my next natural period to let my body settle down from all the stims, then they would implant the embyro. It would be great to have a fresh transfer but my wife and I have been on this fertility journey for 2 and 1/2 years now so what's an extra month or so so!

@IrisViolet we are aiming for a day 5 transfer so it will be on Monday all being well. Just nervous for the updates over the next few days now. That’s great you have your last injection today, enjoy tomorrow medication free!

@Beka245 thats good your scan went well. I know you probably don’t want a freeze all but it must mean you have a good number of eggs which is good in the long run!

Sorry all for slow replies, wow this thread is moving fast! Keep it coming though, it's so good to read all the messages. I'm very worried and nervous about the whole thing so finding it very reassuring to read your updates while I wait!

@Capybara95 thank you for the reassurance on the Cetrotide, it is scary looking thing! Did you find it was sore and gave you a rash or itchiness? The nurse warned me about that. Congrats on your egg collection! Bet you are relieved its all done. Hope you're feeling ok x

@Rebekah77 ah I see, I guess there is a reason but so frustrating! Hope you are doing ok, where are you up to now? Has your bleed started?

@IrisViolet hi, think we have a similar feeling about the needles (and we're also unexplained) , I'm dreading starting mine! At least you are nearly done (or done) with them for now! I think you have to pat yourself on the back for pushing through, it's not easy. Very best of luck for Friday x

@Lucylaughing i didn’t find the cetrotide sore but it did leave a bit of a rash some days. I was doing mine at 6.30am so I was usually doing it then going back to bed for 45 mins so didn’t notice any itch or anything too much. When do you start it?

Yes glad it’s over with just nervous about the wait for all the updates now! Starting to feel a bit better thanks but still very crampy and sore to move about too much. Think another day in bed is on the cards tomorrow

@Beka245 absolutely, it’s literally no time at all when you think about it in context. It’ll happen ❤️ bet you and your wife are so excited things are moving in the right direction!

@Capybara95 ahh, we’re having our implantation on Monday, too. Interesting weekend ahead for us both then! Hope it all goes really well for you hun!

@Lucylaughing so I recommend lying down for the injections if you’re super nervous (as I was and am!) - best on a floor, not a sofa I’ve found. Try and put the cetrotide into the fleshiest part of your injection area, I’ve found that slightly less uncomfortable. I have had a rash and itching - it lasts for about 30 mins and then subsides so don’t panic if you get these side effects! If you can bare it, let the needle stay in for an extra 2 seconds after the cetrotide has been administered as rashes often occur if any of the solution comes back out. I’ve had a little bit come back out every time and my husband has had a tissue on hand so it doesn’t sit on the skin for too long if it does ooze back out a bit. I hope that makes sense? I have had a stupid routine of putting the 80s radio station on loud and having an ice cold drink ready for immediately afterwards. All of this is probably sounding ridiculous but I’m all about a distraction tactic! I’ve even gotten my husband to pinch the back of my hand after the injection is done so my brain registers that instead of the whole ‘freaking out about the needle’ thing. I hope you read this and think ‘well I’m not as bad as that fruit loop, so I’ll be fine…!’ 🤣.
best of luck with the injections, just keep saying to yourself it’s for a very limited time ❤️

@Capybara95 congrats on getting through the retrieval! Glad to hear it wasn’t too bad. How often will your clinic update you on your embryos? Are you planning to take a couple days off work? My revival is pencilled in for Wednesday next week, I’m trying to work out how many days to tell work I’ll be off. I’m not telling anyone what I’m doing, just saying it’s for a medical procedure.

@Beka245 if they are recommending a freeze all hopefully that means you have lots of eggs, so it’s good news in the long run.

I’m starting Ganirelex injections tomorrow, so will be on two jabs per day from tomorrow.

@Capybara95 thats an amazing egg retrieval! I bet you’re relieved that bits over. Do you get an update tomorrow to say how many have been fertilised successfully? Is it ICSI or IVF for you?
@Beka245 hope the collection goes well! Have they eased up your dosage?
@IrisViolet hi, I’m doing ok thanks. I had my zoladex implant done on Thursday last week (day 21 down regs) so now waiting for period to start and then I’ll be doing tablets to thicken the lining but not stim my ovaries as I’m doing a FET.
@AnnieStar12 how have you found the medication so far? What does the ganirelex do?

@AnnieStar12 I’ve to ring this morning to see how many have fertilised then I’m not actually sure if we will get a day 3 update but I think we do. Will have to find out when I ring.

ive been off work all week and I think I’m going to take my 2ww off also. I know it seems like a lot compared to some people but I get very stressed at work and I just really want to give it my all and my dr has been happy to provide a sick line. I just told work I was having a medical procedure also, they don’t need to know details. I would at very least take Wednesday and Thursday if I were you just the Friday would be good too then you would have lots of time to recover properly.

@Steph2345 yes will get an update later on this morning. Feeling nervous! We’re doing ICSI for male factor.

@Capybara95 take some you time!! I do 50:50 office and working from home so when we transfer I plan on taking the rest of the week and then WFH for 2 weeks - I need the distraction I’d go mad and pace up and down for 2 weeks otherwise 😂
make sure you keep moving, nothing strenuous but think about hydration and blood flow.
let us know how your call goes

@Capybara95 good luck for your call today - fingers crossed!

Thanks for the advice r.e. time off work. I am nervous about taking too long as I have such low egg numbers I suspect I may end up doing a few rounds (we've paid for a 3 cycle package). But I think you are right, I should plan to take Wed - Friday off next week. I have a catch up with my boss this afternoon so planning to say I will be off for medical reasons end of next week.

@Steph2345 The Ganirelex is the one that supresses LH to stop the eggs releasing too early. I guess we will all be on some version of that drug, but maybe a different brand or type? It's all new to me so I'm learning as I go!

@Steph2345 thats good you have the option to work from home as well that’s always nice at least you can wear your comfy clothes and look after yourself at home.

Yes my plans for my time off is hopefully walks and yoga to keep the blood flowing.

@AnnieStar12 its really hard to know what to do isn’t it. I am taking it off because it’s our first cycle but if we have to have another cycle I definitely don’t think I would be taking so much time off. Wednesday - Friday sounds like a good idea then you will have the weekend to recover as well.

just had my call with the hospital and out of our 19 eggs 17 were mature and 14 have fertilised! Was so nervous ringing but really happy with that number

@Capybara95 thats soooo good!! Congratulations I bet you’re over the moon now! So happy for you. Hope you can relax for a few days now.

@AnnieStar12 when is your next scan? I hope you have a couple of extras in there as a surprise when they come to collect. If you are successful in rounds 1 or 2 can you leave the remaining rounds for a couple of years time if you wanted a second baby?

@Capybara95 omg! you must be over the moon with those numbers. Hopefully lots make it to Blasto stage!! Fingers crossed for them. When do you get your next update?

@Steph2345 My next scan is tomorrow morning. I really really hope I get a surprise like some more follicles are growing that they missed on Tuesday, or at least all five have got big enough for collection. I am really nervous as I am well aware how low our chances are to even get one. I just read that about 80% of eggs fertilise, and of those 30-50% will reach Blasto. So I trying to stay positive by sticking to my mantra "it only takes one."
I have got the 3 cycle package with Assured Fertility so if you get a baby from the 1st or 2nd round you don't get to try again - that's how they make their money!
In any case, we only want one! This is actually a secondary infertility issue for us - we have a 2 year old (who was conceived naturally first time trying, unbelievably!) and a grown up child from a previous relationship when I was much younger. I had never even heard that secondary infertility was a thing until it happened to me. I feel so stupid now for thinking that I would be able to have another child easily just because I did before. If I'd have known we would be in this position, I would have done all of this years ago when I had more eggs and frozen our embryos. I know I'm lucky to have conceived already, and can feel sensitive to that when people are struggling to get their first. But infertility is really really hard to handle even if you already have children. All the mums I've met through having my little one are now having their second baby and I'm finding that really hard like I can't escape the baby world now!

@Steph2345 will try my best to relax but just feel like we’re onto the next wait 😂

@AnnieStar12 i hope so! I’m still a bit worried about the drop off after day 3 hopefully all my worrying will be for nothing. Next update is day 3 on Saturday morning.

good luck for your scan tomorrow hope it goes well. It’s definitely more about quality than quantity and as you said it only takes one. It’s so crazy how it can work with secondary infertility but that’s good you know your eggs and sperm can work well together.

Hope everyone is doing ok.

I had to take a few days break from the internet as I was working myself up too much about implantation and sadly I was right, our test and blood check came back negative so we lost our embryo. We really though it was finally going to be our turn to be parents given how smoothly everything went and our embryo grading. Currently waiting for the first bleed then start preparing for a frozen transfer next time. If anyone has any experience on the frozen transfer process would love to hear your experience.

Sending love and positive results to everyone x