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 with how emotional the whole thing is it’s easy for it to become too much when you’re in physical pain as well. That’s good you’re feeling a bit better today! Congrats on your 13 fertilised!! That’s a really great number

@Capybara95 thank you, it’s so overwhelming, isn’t it?
Feeling emotionally a bit better but have terrible dizziness - did you have that after your collection hun?
ahh thanks so much, still in shock, none of it feels real! Xx

@IrisViolet i didn’t have any dizziness I was just very sore. Maybe try and make sure you’re not dehydrated and have enough electrolytes. Hopefully it will pass you are only one day past the procedure so think side effects would still be expected. I felt like that too, when it’s something you’ve wanted for so long it’s hard to believe when it actually happens! Is this your first cycle?

Finally in a better place following our failed implantation, and really glad to see some positive news going around!

@IrisViolet It's a tough journey for sure, the constant starts, stops, hopes and sometimes disappointments with journey delays, but we are all moving forward here and another step closer to our final goals. Well done on the egg retrieval! How are you finding the injections, if it's still not great, I've found the Emla numbing cream to really help when I had butt injections - anything with 5% lidocaine.

@Capybara95 Well done on your egg retreival too! Hope the recovery hasn't been too uncomfortable.

@AnnieStar12 I'm sorry to hear the results from the scan, I know its really upsetting and disheartening to be so close and potentially have to pause it. Wishing you the best of news for Monday!

@Drzoem Hope everything goes well for your egg collection too. I think day of transfer depends on what your doctor and embryologist thinks would give you best chances, my understanding is clinics prefer to transfer day 5 as theres a higher live birth rate. I got 6 fertilised eggs out of 8 follicles/eggs collected and 3 embryos and did my fresh transfer day 5. They kept my fertilised eggs under watch until day 6 for the remaining 3 to see if they would look good enough to freeze. In my case the 3 didn't make it, but I have a friend who only had 1 embryo on day 5 out of 16 fertilised, so they kept rest until day 6 and she ended up with 4 total for freezing.

@Capybara95 yeh, drinking lots of water and making sure I’m eating (even though I have zero appetite 🤦‍♀️). Just came over me all of a sudden and I haven’t been able to move/sit up since. Sofa bound until it passes, it’s been a couple of hours now, I’m hoping it fades soon.
yea, that’s exactly it! Just feels like it’s happening to someone else (although I feel present for all the rubbish bits haha)? It’s our first round, yes. If we have eggs we can freeze I’d be happy to do implantation again, but I’m never going to put my body through this again. Sounds strange when you want something so much, I know, but I just can’t.
Have you had any more news on your embryos?? Xx

@Lavendermarshmallows - absolutely! I feel like I’ve been through a washing machine! Thank you ❤️. Just hoping some of them make it through now!
injections are horrid but I’m more worried about being very unwell with OHSS, so I’m trying to view them as the lesser of two evils! How are things going for you lovely? Xxx

@IrisViolet yes I know what you mean about not wanting to do it all again, I really hope we get some frozen ones so just have to do embryo transfer but whatever happens is meant to be. And yes I had my day 3 update this morning and we still have all 14!! Can’t believe it! Back on the wait again niw

@Steph2345 yea they’ve not really said anything but I guess I’ll find out soon!!! Just want these eggs collected asap! So bloated.
@Capybara95 yea they did my bloods just before they arrange egg collection day and then said my LH was fine but oestrogen not as high as they would like it to be so postponed egg collection for a day! Not sure if one day would make a difference.
just really hoping and praying this is it for us
I have a chronic disease and had to stop all my critical meds for this cycle… 🤞🏼

@Drzoem oh they never mentioned mine, it’s so interesting how different everyone’s protocols are! Have you been taking something to increase your oestrogen or will it just naturally increase?

that must be hard to have the added stress of having to stop your meds on top of everything else, hopefully this will be the cycle for you 🤞🏼

@IrisViolet my OHSS started 5dpt (so implantation sent my body/hormones into a frenzy, which I didn’t realise at the time). My clinic told me to get to A&E and lots of people there didn’t hadn’t heard of it apart from 1 gyny who was brill and they kept me in for 5 days. It was only after someone decided to give me a blood thinner as normal for people staying for longer than a few days did I start to get better. The OHSS was very painful but I was lucky it hadn’t got as high up as my lungs but every other organ was surrounded by fluid.

@Capybara95 wow!! That’s so exciting! Everything crossed for you lovely. Xxxx

@Steph2345 Right ok, that’s good to know the blood thinners worked. Maybe if I’m on them now it’ll prevent it from setting in?? Thanks for all the info ❤️ really good to speak to someone who’s been through it. Xxx

Hi all late to the thread and haven’t read it in its entirety but wondering if I can join for moral support. I’m CD9 of a short protocol on 300 pergoveris and started cetrotide a few days ago. EC scheduled for next week. Starting to feel bloated and heavy. Last scan saw 7 follicles on each side so not sure what that really means in terms of how many eggs. No issues other than AMH on the lower side - it was 9 when measured last year. Any tips on what I should be doing in these final days? I’ve booked some acupuncture for early next week and was told to eat a diet high in good fats (avocado etc)

Morning all, hope everyone is well.
@Capybara95 14! That's fantastic news on your day 3 update, I hope you hear just as great news for the next update, fingers crossed for you 🤞
@IrisViolet sorry to hear you wern't feeling so great yesterday, how are you feeling today?
@2024forthewin Hello, I started to feel heavy and a bit bloated on day 8 of stims, I don't have any particular advice (this is my first round of IVF) other than I'm keeping fluids up aiming for 3L a day, and trying to eat protein rich foods although my appetite has been quite poor the last couple of days!

I took my trigger injection last night, definitely feeling bloated and heavy this morning, and a little nauseous. I'm also (sorry for the tmi!) A bit constipated, has anyone else suffered with constipation around the time of or after egg collection?
I'm getting nervous about egg collection now (never had any surgery procedures or any sedation before) but looking forward to it being done!

I hope everyone is having a good day. ❤️

@Beka245 felt exactly the same when I did my trigger shot hun, i hope you start to feel less bloated after the collection, but it does take a few days to settle.
I’m still not brilliant today, pain and nausea, but I don’t know whether that because of the volume of eggs collected (I.e. having to poke around for longer 🤢).
the sedation is absolutely fine, I promise you. I’ve had GA and sedation twice now for various things and I’ve never felt a thing. Just make sure you’re prepared to really rest up when you get home. Fingers crossed everything goes really well for you! Xxx

@Beka245 I also think constipation as completely normal with hormone level increase! I tend to go the other way (also tmi!) as I’m a massive stress head 🤦‍♀️🤣. Hopefully your not in discomfort for too long xxx

@Beka245 thank you! Next update and transfer tomorrow! And yes I’m 100% with you on the constipation, seems to be a common side effect unfortunately.

good luck for tomorrow! I was nervous too but it is honestly fine. Enjoy your medication free day!

@IrisViolet @Capybara95 thanks for the reassurance that egg collection will be OK! My wife and I have all next week off work so plenty of time to recover and relax hopefully!

@IrisViolet I hope you start feeling better soon ❤️

@Capybara95 so exciting for your update and transfer tomorrow sending you all the positive energy ❤️

@Beka245 thats great you have the time off to be together for the updates too. My husband has been off with me as well and it’s been really nice to just spend the time together while everything is happening. Will you transfer be on Saturday then?

and thank you so much, same to you for your collection! ❤️

@Beka245 its my first ivf cycle aswell! Third scan in the morning to see how things are progressing then it’s egg collection on Wednesday, all being well. I’ve had a hycosy under sedation and it was all fine, slept through it and all was well. My clinic have said their policy is to only transfer on day 5, and only transfer one embryo at a time although I’ve heard of that differing depending on the clinic

Hi ladies,
I know there’s lots of us with updates todays from scans / retrievals / transfers / embryology updates etc, so wishing everyone well whatever stage you’re all at, and looking forward to hearing how everyone is getting on.

From my side, I just had my monitoring scan where I was expecting them to say I would need to cancel the cycle. I went prepared for the worst as on Friday I only had two follicles growing. But amazingly, my body seems to have kicked in to action over the weekend and another two follicles have rapidly grown so looks like I have a possible four big enough for retrieval. I know this is still really really low numbers compared to others, but given my low ovarian reserve and what happened on Friday I feel pleased with this. And crucially it means we can go ahead with retrieval on Wednesday. So trigger shot tonight and then no more injections, horray!

@AnnieStar12 amazing news!! I’m sure you’re delighted!! And that’s great you can finished your injections tonight too

@Capybara95 thankyou! How are you getting on, when is your transfer day? And how many are you planning to have put in?

@AnnieStar12 my transfer is this afternoon! Excited but nervous to find out our final number of embryos. Just having a single transfer, I am NHS so I think they only allow double transfer if over 40

@AnnieStar12 oh my god!! Such good news! Good luck with the trigger shot this eve, then time to relax!!

@Capybara95 good luck with the transfer today. Lots of chill time for you now.

good luck everyone else today. Keep us all up to date when you’re out of collections/scans etc

xx

@AnnieStar12 amazing news!! I got some better news today too, a few follicles large enough now. Egg collection should be Wednesday. Looking forward to no more injections!!

@Capybara95 good luck with the transfer! Fingers crossed all goes well and then lots of rest :)

Sending love to everyone!

@AnnieStar12 @Steph2345 @Cathycatcat embryo transfer all went well and had 5 to freeze! Said there’s another couple they’re going to let go until tomorrow so have to ring then and see if they’re able to be frozen also!

@Cathycatcat thats great news you’re scheduled for your egg collection now too!