IVF/ICSI April 2024

[Vian67]

Hopefully find others in a similar boat 🙏

Just made my ‘Day One’ call to the clinic this week to set the ball rolling this will be my second cycle, first one failed on 12th Feb 2024.

Bit of background to how we got here, I have had 4 ectopics since Nov 2020 2 resulting in emergency surgery and losing both my tubes. No reason why our first cycle failed, we will be doing IVF/ICSI this time round.

Anyone joining me in the April emotional rollercoaster? X

Hi all, hope you don’t mind me joining :) I did join the March thread but looks like things will happen in April now!

Background: I’m 30 (31 in April) and have IUI rounds funded by NHS. My wife is unable to carry for many reasons so it will be me and we’re using donor bank sperm. We had two rounds last year that went smoothly but resulted in no pregnancy. I had two unsuccessful tries in Jan and Feb of this year and my follicles were too small. My AMH was good, no other issues etc.

My body seems to have stopped reacting to Letrozole so I’ll be taking injections similar to IVF to stimulate but not as regularly as IVF - no multiple births for me!! They will also be triggering my LH surge via injection so I’m feeling a lot more relaxed about the whole thing.

I can’t say I’m looking forward to daily injections but hopefully it will be worth it in the end.

If my period arrives over the weekend (5 days late) I’ll start injecting Monday. If it doesn’t arrive I’ll take norethisterone and start stims early April.

Looking forward to sharing April with you all :)

Hi @2tuxedocats hope you’re good today! Really sorry to hear your efforts haven’t worked so far but here’s hoping this next chance is the one for you and your wife. It’ll be worth it when you get there 🙂
Must be so annoying all the drugs whacking your cycle off kilter! Fingers crossed the crimson wave catches you this weekend! 🤣

The first cycle I had scans on day 5 and then every other day until trigger.
This time they suggested day 1 (to check if there were any cysts from last retrieval) and then day 8, but as I had poor maturity this time, I asked for the one in between to make sure the meds were working
It worked out for the best, as ive had to reduce my meds and have blood tests every other day! It might be worthwhile asking them if they will do any before then?

@Blossomofhope good to see that you didn't give up! We spoke on the Jan group. Keeping everything crossed for this round for you.
Our consultant completely changed our protocol and meds, so hopefully it will make a difference 🤞

Thank you, like the rest of us some days are better than others. My wife is very laidback about the whole thing which in some ways is great but I put a lot of pressure on myself. I think because the donor sperm would have been rigorously tested to make sure it’s good quality, it feels like I’m the one letting things down!

My ovaries are slightly polycystic (nurse’s words not mine) so that’s probably not helping the cycles but 6 days late now and the PMS is strong. I want to eat everything 😂

Hope everyone else is ok this morning ❤️

@2tuxedocats ive heard that myo-inositol is good for PCOS and regulating periods? You could ask the clinic about it - my nutritionist was telling me about it (I don’t have cysts but she was saying it’s also good for regulating insulin). Just a suggestion if you get desperate with your cycle! https://www.naturesselection.co.uk/products/clean-myo-inositol-capsules?variant=47544373412185&currency=GBP&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkciT9_OJhQMVcZdQBh2ORwkzEAQYCCABEgIUM_D_BwE

6 more days of provera can’t wait!
weigh in next week then every scan

just hoping I can keep weight down during stims adds so much stress !!

told me they won’t hesitate to cancel on surgery day ! 😡

Hi all, thanks for all your good wishes. I had to have an oestrogen test as my lining was still quite thick on my scan this morning and my left ovary was hiding so she couldn't get a clear view. But just rang at 3 and they said the oestrogen level is fine so we are good to start. First injection is tomorrow AM though, not this afternoon as I thought! So will be my actual day 3. I'm booked in to go for my next scan on Monday 1st. Think my husband is feeling a bit nervous about injecting me now. I feel like it's just become real to him now whereas I have been trying to get my head in the zone for weeks and weeks.

We did, I remember. Best of luck to you too. I don’t think I could ever give up!

Hey @Vian67 and everyone else, hope you're all doing well. I'll join in! I've been putting IVF talk to the back of my head for a few months now but we start next week.

I've lost both too. I've had 3 ectopics, my last one being December. I had to beg the surgeons to remove my remaining tube though, they wanted to treat it medically at first. But had it removed in the end.

This is our attempt to have a second child, we have a 3 yo conceived normally pre ectopics. Been trying for a second for about 18m now.

I start the nasal spray on Monday as we're doing long/down regulation protocol (I think that's what it's referred to....). Egg collection is already scheduled for 24th April.

Oh I'll be having a freeze all due to high AMH and risk of OHHS too (AMH is 54).

How are you feeling?

Good luck everyone!

That was meant to say lost both tubes* too!

Hi I’d like to join too. Haven’t got exact dates but more than likely will be the end of April. First transfer in November was unsuccessful, 2nd transfer in January ended in a loss at 7 weeks and no we have no embryos left so fully starting round 2.

hey @Vik27 when do your meds start ? Good luck lovely

@lemonyfox good luck with down reg

@Rebekah77 thank you, and you too!

@2tuxedocats did your period arrive this weekend? Hope you are able to start tomorrow!

@Rebekah77 fingers crossed for your scans next week and hope they don't cancel 🤞

@Lucylaughing hope the first injection goes well!

@lemonyfox and @Vik27
sorry you've been through so much already, good luck for your both of your starts

My period came in spectacular style yesterday afternoon! 😂 I’ve emailed the nurses as they said Sunday would be fine to start injections for Monday but they weren’t sure about Saturday, as they haven’t been dispensed yet. I’ll see what they say tomorrow.

@Natty2 is your scan still going ahead tomorrow?

@Natty2 thanks lovely, it was actually fine in the end although I got very nervous. My husband watched videos online and read all the instructions over and over again so he didn't do it wrong, which was fine but I got more and more nervous waiting for him to do it. Haha. I didn't say anything though as I think it's understandable when it's your first time and I didn't want him to feel rushed.

I've felt really bloated all afternoon so I'm hoping it's either a coincidence or if it is a side effect it doesn't get worse every day or I won't fit in my clothes!

@2tuxedocats hope your injection went well!
Yes had my last scan today, they've grown really well over the weekend so triggering tonight.
Unfortunately I'm ending up on another freeze all (last cycle I had high progesterone) this time my oestrogen is through the roof and at high risk of OHSS. They were going to do a double hcg trigger which has now changed last minute!

Bit disappointed with the delay again as they won't do an FET until third bleed which seems later than most other clinics 😔

@Lucylaughing glad you got on ok! How are you feeling?
Lots of loose clothing , you'll need it in a weeks time! I'm pretty uncomfortable now and I remember the bloating after EC made me look 6months pregnant!

Hope everyone else is getting ok

Hello ladies, can I join in. Had my coordination appointment today, looks like I will be starting Norethisterone on 30th March for 14 days then baseline scan when I get my period mid April eeek! Excited and terrified to be on the journey! Hopefully we can all help each other through. I did find out I am on 225 gonal-f only but with lowish lh levels of 2.2 thought it might be a combo with menopur but who knows... apparently at my baseline scan I can bring it up with my consultant. Let's see how it goes! XX

@Natty2 sorry to hear about your delay, that’s unfortunate. Fingers crossed for your trigger and that those follicles behave! 😂

I won’t be able to start until later on in April now because of my period timing 😣 annoying but it’s how it goes. I have two weeks off though beforehand so I’m going to eat well, get a good amount of exercise in and I have some things booked in for myself to really relax (as much as possible)

@Lucylaughing glad it went ok!

@Mrsbutterfly24 welcome!

Weigh in tomorrow then finish provera Thursday

long as I bleed stims start next Friday

just praying I’ve got gained anything !

Hello everyone, hope you don’t mind me joining in. I am on a slightly different path from you all at the moment as I’m only “banking eggs” for now and not planing a transfer until at least early next year. My first egg retrieval was in October’23 (very disappointing, 5 eggs collected, 4 mature on 450iu Ovaleap). CD 1 today, so I’m starting stims tomorrow (375iu Ovaleap, 75iu Meriofert)…consultant asked for a 3-4month break between retrieval cycles for me to supplement on 75mg of DHEA daily (which I’ve been taking very skeptically based on what I’ve read about it online). I’m 37, AMH is in low-normal range, no other known fertility issues apart from age and diminished ovarian reserve, my most recent bloodwork, full hormone check, in Feb. came back great.

Truly not feeling much hopeful that I will have better results this second round, but hey-ho, we shall see.

After 9months, my husband is FINALLY doing his sperm sample analysis (through NHS) this coming Wednesday and I think the potential results of that is stressing me more than my own situation, I am just praying it ain’t as bad as I think it is on his end 😞 (ED, azoospermia, trauma, etc).

This journey is such a rollercoaster of emotions and uncertainties that my main focus is to keep my mental health in check no matter the outcome.

Would love to hear from any of you ladies that have experience using Ovaleap if you had better outcomes on the second go using it or experiences with Meriofert (first time using it this cycle, nurse said to me Ovaleap is about quantity and Meriofert about quality). Well my quantity was rubbish with Ovaleap on that first cycle so I’m not sure I believe that idea of hers 🥴🥴🥴

keeping my fingers 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼 for all of you on this journey!

Hi @ViVRe I had Ovaleap on my last round in January 24
I'm 33, with good amh levels and no known other issues
They started me on 150iu for 4 days which they then upped to 375iu for the rest of the cycle.
We had 14 eggs, 5 mature, 3 fertilised but only 1 embryo made it.
I'm currently on second cycle, started on 300iu of Meriofert, reduced during cycle to 225, 150 and then 75 for my last dose, this was due to very high estrogen levels. Slightly worried that the inconsistent doses will result in abnormal eggs

I've got 44 follicles this time and about 14 between 18-20mm. EC Wednesday so I should find out the following day how many are mature. I'm hoping the change of meds works, as I was also told Meriofert is better for maturity 🤞🤞
I've had different triggers too.
I hope this works out for you and I'll let you know if it has made a difference!

@2tuxedocats thank you!

@Natty2 hi, I'm feeling ok this afternoon / evening except for very bloated. I felt a bit ropey earlier today but it might be a coincidence and nothing to do with the extra hormones. I had a bad headache and some upset stomach issues but I often have a bad headache at this time of the month so that's nothing new.
My belly is huge though!

Hope your trigger goes well tonight and exciting that you're nearly ready! How are you feeling?

@Lucylaughing hope you are feeling better today!
I had my double trigger last night and off work today as feeling pretty full now, sick and tired! Ready for these eggies to come out of me tomorrow morning now!