Create Fertility - Experiences (Part 3)

[Sunflower360]

Hi 👋

A thread for anyone who wants to discuss their Create Fertility experiences.

I'm 38, have had 3 egg collections with Create (2x natural modified and 1 x mild) and am about to go through my first FET following embryo banking and after having a Hysteroscopy and discovering I have thyroid antibodies...joys of fertility challenges.

Tagging as follows from previous chat, please tag any others I may have forgot.

New joiners to the thread welcome to share your experiences - it's a never ending learning curve for all!

@Maddie23
@gemso2020
@Doxy21
@Plantymcplant
@Jennaqua
@Hopesandsunshine
@jolly86
@VenusStarr
@muddlingthrou
@junieS
@littlebitsocial

anyone having progesterone injections after embryo transfer? This time I have been assigned but I am abroad and going back to UK today. For that reason I will have to get a test today, if positive have to understand how I can get my injections done in the uk, or get the ones that can be done from tummy. The one I have now is on the bum and I go to a hospital every other day for it. In previous rounds in UK I only ever used the vaginal pessaries.

@jolly86 I've never used the injections unfortunately just pessaries

@jolly86 is it PIO? I think people just usually get their partner to do it. I've done lubion in my tummy but not PIO.
Keeping everything crossed for your test ❤️

@VenusStarr its a progesterone injection that is done on the bum. Is it possible for someone not medical to do such injections? THey gave me alternative prescriptions, one that is done on tummy too. Its just a lot to do in the day to get a test and then decide on the medicine in case positive as not sure I can get the medicine in uk with my prescriptions from abroad :( I don't want to do a blood test today but will have to, I usually wait for close to test date and either do a home test or my period starts by spotting.

@jolly86 yes, I've seen lots of people do the progesterone on oil injections themselves, I think it seems more common in America. Its a massive needle though as its in the muscle.
Lubion is in the tummy which is the one I've done before. I'm not sure how international prescriptions work though - if you get it from asda, you'll have to order the needles separately.
I completely get wanting to wait for test day x

@VenusStarr its the oil ones yes and they hurt for ages after done :( I didn’t use them before but dr here prescribes as she doesn’t think the vaginal ones are absorbed well. I can’t imagine me or husband doing them though. I take them in addition to the usual 600 mg vaginal dose. Part of me wonders if I don’t actually need but I would feel bad if I don’t follow the prescriptions.

Can you ask them to check your progesterone levels when they do the blood test? I didn't absorb utrogesten well but I'm ok with cyclogest and lubion injections @jolly86 x

@jolly86 as @VenusStarr has said they should be able to check your Progesterone levels before having you take the injections? I understood that told them the absorption levels. As you say feels much taking something that'll be uncomfortable if you don't need it if you're levels are OK

@Sunflower360 @VenusStarr you are right but I am not near the ivf centre anymore unfortunately :( I was just using a random hospital where I am for the injections.

I watched the Create webinar last night and I'm even more convinced bow that they are they right choice for me. I asked about travelling over and they said they can accommodate my schedule and they actually have to do that with a lot of patients who don't live nearby. For me the clinics which would have the easiest access would be Liverpool and Manchester. Referaby Liverpool as I have a friend living there. I was just wondering if anyone had experience with either clinic good or bad. Just for some guidance. And @Sunflower360 you said you have been with create since September. Did you spread your cycles out instead of doing them one after the other or did you do more than three cycles?

@Sunflower360 I've done predominantly back to back where possible but what I'll say with this ivf journey is it doesn't always goes to plan. I had an abandoned cycle in November then restarted that 3rd EC with Create in December and although EC went ahead they discovered a polyp (likely due to back to back stims) and had to do a freeze all instead of a fresh transfer. I then had to have a Hysteroscopy in January to remove the polyp and then restarted the FETs in March.... and here I am today onto my 3rd FET...so it is just constant curve balls I'm finding! But that's no fault of the Drs its just one of things, your body kind of dictates the schedule to some extent too

I hope you're doing ok @jolly86 ❤️

@VenusStarr thanks I haven’t tested yet I will have to do a home test but I just don’t dare. I guess slowly accepting is easier for me than just seeing a negative. I was checking my temperature and it seems to have dropped this morning :(

Oh @jolly86 it's so hard ❤️ don't test if you don't feel ready. Sending you a big hug xx

@jolly86 good luck. The testing part is so hard, hope you're ok

@VenusStarr @Sunflower360 thank you both ❤ I did have the courage to test with a frer finally and to my shock it is a positive.

That's brilliant news @jolly86 🙌 did you sort out your progesterone? X

@VenusStarr thank you. I didn't manage to sort it but I decided to possibly put an extra pessary every other day. I want to believe pessaries are enough given this is what i was prescribed in uk just last december and before. I may try to get extra prescription here by talking to gp if I run out.

That sounds like a good plan @jolly86 what's the plan with your first scan, do you just arrange it locally?

Congratulations @jolly86, wonderful news!

@jolly86 Congratulations! Have you experienced any symptoms at all? What do you think may have worked on this occasion? It's really good to hear positive stories!

Congratulations @jolly86 what lovely news!

@VenusStarr I think I will make an appointment at a private clinic, as I don’t think nhs would do one for 7-8 weeks.

Thanks @HopefulElle and @Maddie23
@Sunflower360 ❤I really didn’t have any symptoms at all. I don’t think it’s necessarily something different this time that worked , but in my last round at create I had injections for 11 days and if you remember I worried my lead follicle was too big. This time I had only 7 days of injections and triggered on day 8. Maybe this might have meant better quality eggs? Otherwise I think it’s just different eggs in the two rounds and last round there wasn’t one that would lead to pregnancy while this time there was - with less number of eggs retrieved indeed! (3 versus 5) Also I had a mix of 2 drugs (gonal f and pergevaris) as opposed to only gonal f, plus I had a growth hormone as well to count the differences but can’t say this made the difference of course could be.

Congratulations @jolly86! So exciting

@HopefulElle how did your scan go ?