Ivf help, I’m frightened

[Mrsrmcc]

We’re nhs funded and recently had our 4th failed round of iui so we’re now moving onto ivf. Not due to start until around June time as we’re away in both April and may. I naively thought it would’ve worked with iui as we have unexplained infertility everything is as it should be but now im absolutely terrified to be starting ivf.
i was wondering if anyone could give me a bit of insight into the whole process? I’m used to the stims and progesterone pessaries although I only stimmed a dose at 37.5 occasionally 50 as I react very well to the meds and have overstimulated a couple of times resulting in cancelled iui cycles (was told this is a good thing for ivf). What kind of medication is used for ivf I assume it will be similar? And I’m shitting it about the egg retrieval and being sedated how did you find It and how did you feel?

lastly those that are nhs funded what happens to the eggs that aren’t used after retrieval? Did you pay for them to be stored for a second self funded cycle?

think I’m just needing a bit of reassurance it’s very overwhelming xxx

Hey! Easier said than done, but try not to stress. Though I am self funded so can’t speak for NHS, I feel I can relate as I did 2 X IUI but due to cost we decided that was our limit and we would be better spending our money on IVF as IUI was starting to feel like a stab in the dark!

Meds wise, you sound similar to me (although I never over stimulated). For example I was on 75IU overlap alternate days for my first IUI, then 50IUI every day for my second then 300IU every day for the IVF. It is definitely more intense with the higher dose but worth it in the end. I didn’t have pessaries for IUI but have for IVF. During IVF I also had an additional injection to stop my body ovulating too soon for the later stages approaching EC and then the trigger 36 hours prior.

I also worried about EC. From personal experience, I worried for nothing. The sedation feels like the dreamiest sleep and though I was semi aware of some stuff, I certainly don’t remember any pain! It’s also so insightful compared to IUI as you know how many eggs they retrieve and then learn about the quality etc. Plus hopefully you’ll then be in the position you have some plan B, C, D etc in the freezer 🤞 not sure how the funding works with that in the NHS though sorry. Ours being frozen for 12m is included in the cost.

If you think of any other Q’s let me know and good luck with it!

Hi - My first cycle was with the NHS, the injection instructions/guidance wasn’t great so if you are already familiar with that then nothing to worry about. I personally rather enjoy being put to sleep 😂it is so relaxing drifting off.. for me, the anxious part is finding out how many eggs were collected!

Hi,
I had 6 rounds of ovulation induction then one round of IVF funded by the NHS.

I'm not sure about the meds used for IUI but stims for IVF were (for me, anyway) daily injections. Then adding in a second injection to stop ovulation, then once the follicles were ready a trigger shot. Egg collection was absolutely fine, I was scared too but I remember nothing after they started the sedation (for me it was like being under general anaesthetic but without the horrible after effects, I came round just fine no sickness or anything).

If you've overresponded to stims on IUI then that sounds promising for getting a good number of eggs. This might mean they do a freeze all, and you might get OHSS, but honestly it's not too awful.

Not sure what your area offers for funded IVF, but I got one cycle (which included transfers for all available embryos). I don't think they would be freezing any of your eggs as they will all be mixed with sperm, as you're very unlikely to get all of then fertilised and not all that fertilise will develop into embryos. I would expect if you only get one funded transfer that they would then freeze the other embryos for you then either pay them for future transfers or move the embryos to a private clinic? Definitely ask about that so you know what to expect.

I think IVF feels a lot more serious and is a much bigger emotional investment than other fertility treatments (it was for me anyway), but you'll get appointments to teach you how to do the injections and to understand the process. I'd recommend joining the board for June IVF on here (someone usually starts one the month before) then you'll have lots of people in the same boat to keep you company (and usually some of them are on a second or third round so have done it before and know more about the process!)

Good luck!

Thank you this does makes me feel a bit better. I’m willing to try anything at this point but I just really don’t wanna do it 😭 that sounds ridiculous and I’ll probably look back and laugh at this once we get started but it just seems so much more intense than iui. How did you find it with the 300 dose? Our very first round I did a cycle of 75 but I ended up with 8 follicles and a cancelled cycle so since then they kept it very very low and gradually increased if it needed.

did you have any pain after your egg collection? Pain I can deal with I think it’s the idea of sedation I hate being out of control of my own mind sounds daft but I won’t even take codeine or anything mildly sedative for that reason so it’s haunting me a little bit. I’m crazy enough to not even drink a herbal tea with valerian root in just in case 😂.

Yeah stims sound the same I think just a higher dose I stimmed daily and trigger shot before insemination. With your ovulation injection is that also daily or is it a one off like the trigger?

you’re right it does feel more serious than iui think that’s why I’m a bit wobbly about it. I will deffo join the June thread though thanks for that.

thank you xxx

@Mrsrmcc I’ve just realised my phone auto corrected ovaleap to overlap lol.

To be honest I expected a lot worse from the higher doses. It was noticeable but I would say more through feeling hormonal/emotional than physically. I tried to remain self aware though so managed to keep it under control (my inner monologue let loose though haha). It does feel a massive step up from IUI but honestly, after 2 failed rounds I felt like the IVF was a relief as you know much more along the way so it doesn’t feel so much of a lottery! Obviously it’s different with different rounds but we were lucky enough to get enough embryos to freeze etc and they can visually see that your egg quality is good which you just can’t get from IUI. Feels like more return for your investment if that makes sense?

Im a total control freak, that’s what bothered me about the sedation. I said on the day to them I’m worried I’ll be talking rubbish and they laughed and said they’d report back if I did. As soon as they gave it to me, I felt the tiredness wash over me and naturally tried to fight it then thought what am I doing so just relaxed into it. It honestly was so much better than I expected is it just felt like a lovely drowsy feeling, it was by far the best bit of this fertility journey 😂 no pain after. Some tenderness the night of when I laughed/coughed/tensed but nothing too bad at all!

lol don’t worry I know what you meant. Yeah the nurse said to me on our last round when I said i was a bit nervous for ivf that the chances of it working are much much higher so I’m ready for that just wish it didn’t come to it 🥲.

oh I can relate to that I’m a total bitch inside and save the angry tears for when I'm in the bath on my own 😂 I felt the hormonal side of it when I did 75 but not on any other doses so god help our household on 300! I do think I’m quite sensitive to that though the week before my period I’m sensitive.

also makes me feel better I’m not the only control freak then 😂 you’ve reassured me though thank you 🙏🏼 ask me again in June I’ll probably be a blubbering nervous mess xx

Quick note on sedation: in my country (Denmark) they don’t offer sedation, so it is possible to go without it! I’d have loved to have been sedated, honestly. Being totally awake and aware was hellish for me.

Other than that, I found IVF not much worse than IUI. The waiting is the worst part (to see if you made any embryos). I also had nausea from the ganirelix injection, which acupuncture helped with massively.

Sedation was instantaneous for me, I said "oh I think it's working" and next think I knew I was in a small ward waking up feeling very comfy and cosy and not a care in the world ironically as was still.a bit sedated!

Good luck with your round, worth joining a group going through at a similar time on here it's very supportive.

Our first two cycles were privately funded in a NHS facility, so I am guessing they followed similar procedures.

I was given the option of mild sedation or gas and air for egg retrieval. I chose mild sedation. I really liked to be sedated, it was very calming and relaxing. One nurse explained to me before that it's like having a gin and tonic! I could hear them talking but in a dreamy state.

The medications depend on you individual case and requirements eg age, diagnosis etc.

I don't think there will be any spare eggs. The eggs that are not fertilized are discarded.

@Mrsrmcc you'll be absolutely fine. I had two NHS funded ECs and it was done at a small private hospital. Sedation for me meant I was completely out, no memory of anything at all, and it only takes 30 min. It's amazing what they can do in such a short amount of time?! When I came round they gave me tea and biscuits and then an embryologist comes in to tell you how many eggs were collected. You get phonecalls over the next few days with updates on fertilisation, and whether any have made it to blastocyst stage. After our second EC we managed to get 6 good blastocysts which were frozen and we have 1 year storage funding on the NHS.