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

Thank you. It's positive that I got pregnant but the baby was never growing at the correct rate, and seems to have stopped growing entirely at 7 or 8 weeks, which could indicate poor egg quality. I guess we'll see.

Are you unexplained infertility or have you been given a reason?

I have a very poor grasp of the science, and don't want to interfere, but I'd be careful with the juice cleanse. Even with good blood glucose results it could mess with your insulin levels, and I now appreciate how much they matter. Have you tried consulting a fertility nutritionist for more tailored advice? I was recommended one by my doctor, but somehow never got around to making an appointment before it was time to start my cycle. I was already under the care of a regular nutritionist, due to the prediabetes, but the fertility nutritionist seemed like a great idea, there was just so much going on that the start of the cycle came around and it was still on my to do list, and by that point my doctor said I was doing well so not to worry. But I think in theory they can help combine weight loss with keeping your hormone balance optimal, fertility wise.

Hi hope you don't mind me jumping in too.

Bit of background - female couple. We already have one child,which my partner carried after being successful on our 3rd go.

I'm trying this time,I have finished my down regulation on 30th March (took northisterone 3 times per day for 11 days) so patiently now waiting on my period - I am very hormonal lol.

Due to start gonal-f Stims on 7th April - if my period comes In time.

Is everyone continuing on their vitamins etc while STIMMING? like c0q10 ?

Sending positive thoughts to everyone !

@KoraliaValentine my friend Jessica is a nutritionist and she specialises in hormones and said it would be ok to get my weight back down to a comfortable amount just before I start, it’s more of a quick fix than anything long term! I got them from prescription juices (if you haven’t tried them then I recommend - not to do a cleanse but because they are so good! The ones I am using are mainly green juices like celery and cucumber. They sound gross but they do make me feel good 😊) I follow a few fertility nutritionists and have zita wests books on food so I know I’m on the right track usually, this is literally a panic cleanse to get my weight back to normal tbh! I wouldn’t usually do something so drastic.

Oh bless you, I’m sorry, that’s rubbish. Well I’m sure with all your efforts and knowledge you’ll be ok with this round! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I have low AFC and AMH (4.9 on my worst test), and my partner has a very high sperm count but 19% morphology and 2% motility so we’re having ICSI. I’ve been pregnant once before in my very early 20s but not in the last 5 and a half years of trying with my partner. I haven’t been on birth control for longer than 10 years now, and have been temping and tracking my cycles so I know my body very well. It just took us some time to admit defeat and also for my partner to get his tests, which he’s kicking himself over now very badly. Is yours just age related? I’m guessing so but don’t want to assume. Whatever the reason it’s rubbish 😔

Trying to stay positive though. Not long until I start now and can feel like I’m not waiting and waiting. I like feeling like I have some
control over the process so I’m ready to just get on and start now.

Hey @Hopingtobe4 welcome! How have you found down regs? Not long to start stims hopefully, weird how we all wish our period along isn’t it 😅

Yeah I’m still going to be taking all my supplements through stims, at this rate I could open a pharmacy! 🤣

Hi there! I was on 150 Gonal F and 150 Meriofert. I continued with all my supplements all the way through and am still on them now after egg retrieval, which my doctor approved. I figured every day counts and I want to keep my egg quality up in case it doesn't work. I was on 700 mg Coq10 in the end, 600 ubiquinol and 100 in another supplement I've been taking. Whether it will makes any difference remains to be seen!

I don't really understand down regging. I was expecting to do it, but I'd asked so few questions. I went on a Tuesday, day 4 of my period (it inconveniently started 4 days late, on a Saturday evening,) and was told I'd start stims that night and extraction would probably be the following Friday. I couldn't believe it was all going to be so fast. I didn't know about short protocol and didn't feel ready, so it was quite a shock. In the end my eggs matured a little slowly so the extraction was on Sunday.

It must be amazing to have a partner who has already gone through the process! My husband is super understanding but it's just not the same, obviously. Good luck!

Thanks 😁 I know once you get started you jist don't want any hiccups along rhe way,bur unfortunately they can be unavoidable.

I felt like i had mild period cramps and a bit nauseous the first around 7 days then my body must have got used to it. All.be worth it though 🙏

Where are you in your journey?

@Hopingtobe4 Ah yeah! It’s a minefield! Great that your partner and you have already been through it, though different when it’s your body!

Im just waiting to start my period to start my stims, should come around the 16th April if I’m regular like I usually am but it’d be typical if I’m late to start. I don’t think I will be though as I ovulated today so it’s usually 13 days after that I start. So not tooooo long after you!

Im on 300 meriofert for the first 6 days, then it goes to 150 meriofert and 150 gonal f for two days, as well as 4 days of ganirelix - she said something about double stimulation drugs so I guess thats why I have so many! 🤣

@HopefulllHolly I wrote a longish reply to you, then the page refreshed for no reason and I lost it! Boiled down to:

Thanks for the juices recommendation. They sound like a great idea and I'll see if I can get them where I live.

Yes, for me it's mainly age related although the high blood sugar/insulin resistance was also likely affecting my egg quality.

And empathy regarding the endless waiting. You're so nearly there though, and every day of diet, exercise, supplements etc you are actually doing something, even if it feels like time is dragging.

This has been a lesson for me in how you can always be more concise! (I'm a rambler by nature.)

@KoraliaValentine im a rambler too! Thanks for writing it out again! Where are you based? Sorry should have asked by now! I just had a treat “juice” which was alkaline water, activated almonds, dates, Himalayan sea salt and cacao….tastes sooooo good and made me feel like I’ve had chocolate. So I’m going to bed satisfied (another of my healthy habits is going to bed at the earliest time possible and getting a solid 8 or 9 hours of sleep 😴… dunno if it does anything for your fertility and chances but it’s made me so much happier and calmer! I guess the lack of caffeine make it easier to nod off by 9pm though 🤣🤣)

Oh I didn't actuallt think about keeping the egg quality up encase I don't have a successful egg retrieval which obviously could happen I'll keep it up too. I'm.on 150 gonal f then 0.25 cetrotide- half way scan the day that starts so meds could change then.

My partner also did down regulation,I don't know if its just what our clinic does.

Having gone through it before but obviously shoe on the other foot is nice as we both have know how the other person feels etc bur you're lucky to have a supportive husband too,it can an emotional rolercoaster so someone supporting you is important.

Yes different pressure for me this Time round,but we know it's a lucky position to be in.

Aw you will.be on the countdown now to your period. There is so many different protocols and drugs put there it's hard to keep up with them all but I'm sure the experts know what they are doing 🤞

@ViVRe hey 😊 how you feeling today? Hope you feel a bit brighter.

@2tuxedocats how are you doing?

@Lucylaughing hope you’re good today?

I often have a hot chocolate before bed but just with 100% cocoa powder. Took some getting used to but quite satisfying while reasonably healthy.

I'm in Spain, but the North, so weather wise, at this time of year, it's just like England. Still a beautiful part of the world though.

I've never been good at sleeping, but I read that 7-8 hours a night of good quality sleep improves IVF outcomes, but that more or less can be detrimental. I didn't manage this, and was quite anxious that I was ruining my chances. My doctor told me not to stress it though, because it's not that simple. I guess we'll see in the next few weeks. But it's great that you are managing to be so rested and relaxed!

@HopefulllHolly hi there, thanks for your support…still feeling a bit down but a bit more conformed with the idea that there’s nothing I can do about it in regards to my body response to treatment, it is what it is.

I was reading through everyone’s convo on diets, supplements, sleep, caffeine…and honestly, I’m coming to the conclusion that you want to give things a try (specially if you don’t follow that sort of “healthy” lifestyle) but you don’t want to hold yourself too strict on it bc at the end of the day, like everything else, those changes are not guarantee of a good/better result.

I am an active/fit 37year old, my diet is super clean (went 40+ days off sugar for this cycle), eat suuuper healthy Monday thru Thursday (protein+veggies+fruits+gluten free), allow myself small pleasures like having chips or a slice of pizza over the weekend, have just 1 cup of dolce gusto cappuccino/latte per day (which I can cut anytime bc by no means I feel addicted to it), no alcohol, never smoked, eat the avocados and nuts. Avoid all the packaged foods, all in all any Fertility Doctor would give me a golden star.

I particularly booked this retrieval cycle to coincide with my 2week Easter Break from work (I work in Education). Honestly sleep and relaxation are not lacking this cycle, and yet my body did not respond, it did worse than when I did whilst busy and stressed with work. So at the end of the day we do all of these things just for peace of mind, but I have yet to find any recommendation in the fertility world that gives a guarantee of better results 🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s astonishing that in the ever evolving world of medicine/health, and the prices of fertility treatments, we are still investing on something with so little guarantees. But hey, what other options do we have?!? I’ve said this before, but my hope is that in the future every woman will be offered by age 25 the chance/opportunity to preserve their fertility.

I think it depends though. There are women who are otherwise healthy, just can't concieve for whatever reason, and no amount of diet or other lifestyle changes will make a difference. For me though, last May I had an AFC of 3, got my weight and blood sugar levels down through a combination of medication, diet and exercise, and ended up with 13 eggs at retrieval. Of course I'm now waiting to see if any of them will produce a viable embryo, but I used to think that health and fertility were largely just luck, and that the impact of lifestyle was overrated. I had a really unhealthy lifestyle right up until I started ttc, and for the first year in truth it was only healthier than before, rather than really healthy. By the time I realised the scale of the changes I needed to make I was a year older. So it really does depend on the individual how much difference these factors make.

@HopefulllHolly all my meds have arrived and are in the fridge. I start norethisterone next week so my period will arrive around the 20th. I’m really not looking forward to the injections but my wife is ex NHS so hopefully she’ll do it for me! Otherwise I’m feeling pretty relaxed, I had a reflexology session yesterday and she said I had been carrying tension, so having some time off has been good.

Hope everyone else is okay 😊

@KoraliaValentine most definitely, you are 100% right! that’s why I said it on my post that if you are already on the category of “living a healthy lifestyle” then it is hard to make any more changes with a true hope that THAT CHANGE will make the difference. I think it’s worth it for the sake of feeling “I did all that was recommended to me” but whenever doctors/consultants say “try not to stress about it” it is easier said than done when you make all these changes but the outcome is still poor 😫 for example, my consultant asked me to do 3-4months of DHEA prior to 2nd egg retrieval (I was given a full debrief on side effects but he thought it was worth a try). I coped okay with side effects, but definitely struggled with acne…there’s no scientific proof, but consultant still only wanted try retrieval again if I made this change…well the scans point that I am doing worse this time around than when I didn’t take the DHEA, so it definitely didn’t work for me. Not blaming the consultant or anything, but sadly - the point I want to make - infertility is not cookie cutter science at this point. There’s very little scientific research on ways to improve fertility particularly for those who have unexplained infertility and are otherwise already living a healthy lifestyle.

On one hand it must be awful knowing you have a health problem that prevents or makes it difficult for you to conceive. Likewise, on the other spectrum, it is equally painful not knowing WHY it doesn’t happen for you (when all exams point out to a healthy person) and yet you are still infertile. 😏 Those are the things that science, doctors, medicine still can’t explain 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hello ladies, I was wondering have any of you done/are doing acupuncture with your ivf cycle? I am currently on Norethisterone and hopefully starting stims on 15th/16th April and mulling the idea of a session next week, one or two before collection and if all goes well, one after embryo transfer. I dont want to waste money on nonsense .... but worst case if it at least relaxes me, I can say its similar to treating myself to massages which is well deserved during this stressful period 😅

Hi @Mrsbutterfly24 I have done acupuncture, I'm not sure how much it helped, I only managed two sessions before my first EC but then a total of around 7 sessions before my second EC which was last week
I had one embryo on first round and 7 frozen earlier this week. There were various reasons things improved this time round but it may have contributed a small amounts As you say, if anything it is relaxing, so worth a shot if you can do it! It does add up though 😫
We're on another freeze all and can't do our FET round for a few months but will definitely be doing some again in prep.

Hi everyone else that's joined last few days, hope everyone's getting on ok with their journeys.

@ViVRe do you have your EC soon?

Hi my partner had acupuncture on 2nd and 3rd go,2nd was unsuccessful ans 3rd was successful so hard go know if it was the acupuncture.

I ended up in a bad spasm after acupuncture in my neck a few years ago so I have opted not to get it done as I'd be too worried about another spasm.

I am getting fertility reflexology though. Which does relax me. I think do what helps you.

I am trying to get myself into watching something funny too bur I can't find anything yet - we watched grace and frankie the last time. Anyone else doing this for the endorphins?

Hi ladies, thanks everyone who wished me luck for yesterday.

EC was yesterday. I was extremely nervous but I think if I had it again I would feel easier knowing what to expect. Conscious sedation was very odd. I was completely awake and in the room, no sleepiness at all. The fentanyl must have taken the edge off but I didn't really feel drunk or woozy like they said. I just hit the gas and air really hard all the way through (as recommended by the nurses) and it did hurt after the first couple of minutes, but it started gradually and was manageable rather than scary. Recovery was fine - I went home after about an hour and a half after coming out of theatre.

They got 14 eggs and I cried when they told because I was so relieved. The update this morning was that 12 were mature and 9 fertilised. They ended up doing ICSI because although the sperm sample was good otherwise, apparently it was coagulated so most of the sperm were clumped together, and once the sample was prepared there weren't many left as all the clumped ones were removed during the prep. I don't know if this is why we haven't been able to conceive as it's not been mentioned on my husband's other sperm tests, but don't know if it's something that would have flagged up.

Just need to wait and hope now until next update on Saturday morning. I've just been resting yesterday and today as I'm quite sore, especially with a full bladder or during / after a wee, as well as when I'm moving around. Hoping to feel better tomorrow with another night's sleep.

I looked into acupuncture as a friend had recommended it but opted for reflexology instead. The acupuncturist I spoke to was very knowledgeable about diet as well so I’ve bookmarked it for the future if I have to move to IVF after IUI. I don’t know how much the reflexology helps but it’s time for me to relax and destress. I think anything that helps the stress would be worth doing.

OK thanks for your help ladies, I am thinking I'll do one acupuncture a few days into stims and the day before or day of transfer. If only for the relaxing/blood flow. This is our only nhs round and I don't know if I will do another so want to feel like I threw the book at it and will have no doubts I did everything I could regardless of the outcome 😅

So it's day 5 and I have 3 embryos ready to biopsy, two BB and 1 AB (apparently my clinic don't do the number grading.) The other 6 are all still growing and will be assessed tomorrow. Has anyone had blastocysts not ready on day 5 be OK on day 6?

At 42 with only 3 blastocysts the odds are still against one of them being euploid, so I'm feeling pretty nervous and on edge. How am I going to get through the next 2 weeks, waiting for the PGT-A results? At least this week it's been updates every day or two. 2 weeks is an eternity!

That's good news on your 3 today! Did they give you an indication on how the other 6 were looking?
On my first cycle they left 2 of our embryos until day 6 which sadly didn't make it
This week they left 8 until day 6. 1 made it later in the day 5 and 3 more made it on day 6
Keeping fingers crossed for you!