IVF/ICSI May or late April

[AnnieStar12]

Is anyone else gearing up to do IVF/ICSI in May?

My meds have arrived and I start my down regs next week to start a long protocol ICSI cycle, my egg collection will then be mid-May.

Had my first ICSI cycle in Feb which resulted in only 1 embryo which was transferred on day 5, but BFN. I found the support group on here super helpful with my last cycle, so wondering if anyone else is in a similar position?

@Ashleighlouise congrats getting through the transfer. Now just gotta stay sane until test day!

@TinyDancer91 good luck getting started. I’m also on menopause but on day 10 of stims today and have a scan tomorrow to see when to do EC, although may get cancelled if not enough has grown.

@Hollielouise welcome the thread :) so far it’s a lucky thread!

@wishfulbean hope you’re feeling a bit better.

@CreamLampshade how many days post transfer are you now?

@2tuxedocats when is your test day? I know it’s longer with iui.

@DippyDuck19 congrats!

@AnnieStar12 thank you!!! Trying to steer my mind away from anything test related for a good few days 😂😂 luckily I don't have any at home so just got to stay away from Amazon 😩

How are you feeling?

@Ashleighlouise tbh, I’ve been trying to put it all to the back of my mind. It’s my bday weekend so have lots of plans with friends and family which is keeping me busy. Just hoping it’s not terrible news at the scan tomorrow. everything for me on this fertility journey has been touch-and-go, it’s always so close to being unsuccessful and when I get to the next stage it’s always just scrapping through. Feels like it’s never simple good news with me!

I did acupuncture on Friday and she said she was “unblocking” energy etc. which I normally don’t believe in all that kind of alternative healing stuff, but as soon as I got home from the session I had a huge amount of funny looking mucus discharge (sorry tmi) which I’ve never seen before so I’m hoping that somehow that’s a sign it’s made my body do something. Will find out at tomorrow’s scan.

@HopefulllHolly that is amazing! Congratulations. How exciting! Crossing all my fingers for you! Are you going to keep testing or wait until Saturday?

@HopefulllHolly that’s amazing! I’ve got everything crossed for you 😊

@AnnieStar12 my test day is the 24th. I did well during the week but today I’m feeling a bit anxious about it all. I keep having twinges, aches and I’m still feeling tender on my lower tummy. Trying not to get my hopes up and I know fertilisation may have been as late as Friday. How are you?

Happy birthday! I'm glad you've been able to keep busy! My OTD is 23rd of May but trying hard to wait until after next weekend to test as it's my birthday on the 18th. I get it though, it's such a hard time having to wait in general, never mind when you are also worried about what sort of news you are going to get! I really hope the scan tomorrow goes well and you finally get some good positive news 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Wow!!! It sounds like it definitely did something! I would love to try acupuncture but this round of IVF has completely emptied our bank accounts and we are getting married in October (crazy I know) so need to be smart with money 😂😂 but it sounds so beneficial! Have you got any other sessions lined up?

@AnnieStar12

@HopefulllHolly ahhh !! Congratulations...fingers crossed it stays this way!

Was really nice to read your positive message, giving us all hope and fingers crossed for the rest of us ladies 🤞🏽

I had a scan Friday with 19 follicles in total (D4 Stims) mostly all small with one big one..

I started Ganirilex yesterday - it's a bit more uncomfortable than the Gonal F. Are people taking this on the thighs or stomach?

Any tips on diet to help for this phase?

Got another scan tomorrow...

@HopefulllHolly thats AMAZING news - congratulations!!! So happy for you. It’s going to be so hard to keep it in! I can understand wanting to know beforehand as sounds like you’ve had a really tough journey. Don’t apologise at all for posting. It’s lovely to see a success story!!

@AnnieStar12 im now six days post-transfer, is it correct that it may only have implanted yesterday? Am hoping so as tbh am feeling fine, way less bloated and no signs whatsoever!!

I think I’ll wait till my official test day which is next Friday. I’ve got quite a lot of nice plans next week I don’t want to ruin!

best of luck with your scan tomorrow… remind me what day of stims that will be? Hopefully the acupuncture did something. Fingers crossed!

i ended up having a massive steak and glass of wine last night. I’ve been restricting myself for quite a while and I’m getting a bit tired of it all now. I’ve decided that if this fertility stuff is going to be a long journey I’m not going to be too strict with myself. Been worrying about chemicals in plastics, caffeine, diet erc and I know it’s all important but honestly I feel it’s just made my world feel overly focused on fertility which isn’t healthy I don’t think.

@positivepetal the official advice is meditteranean diet is best, with reduced (or no) caffeine depending on who you talk to and lots of protein (lots of people drink a lot of full fat milk - I did a pint a day!) ,

@AnnieStar12 HAPPY BIRTHDAY! What a gorgeous weekend for it, glad you’ve had lots of plans. Well fingers crossed it sticks. I’m absolutely amazed! I guess even if it doesn’t stick, that one little egg and embryo have done so well, and it can happen. Which is a massive relief! And I’m really so glad it helps to give some hope. I am terrified though! My friend was successful in the cycle she did acupuncture. There’s definitely something to it!! Fingers crossed for the scan.

@Ashleighlouise You can drive yourself mental. Like I did! I genuinely did not think the 2WW would be this hard as I’ve done a million of them and always been disappointed, but my god - it’s so much harder in IVF!

@Feelingmindful Im going to try have a day off tomorrow 😅 and then try again on Tuesday as that will be exactly a week since transfer. But I do like seeing the lines!

@2tuxedocats Thank you. I’m terrified! I know how you feel with the anxiety, it’s all encompassing. Hopefully it’ll go quickly for you.

@positivepetal Thank you, I really hope it sticks! Your follicle numbers sound great, good luck with it! The Ganirelix I did in my thighs, slightly stingy ones. I have done Mediterranean diet lots of protein (I ate salmon 3 times a week, red meat once, chicken the others) and low carb. I tried to eat 30 types of fruit and veg a week too. Not sure if any of it made a difference, I don’t eat that differently anyway, just less salmon usually! When’s your next scan?

@EalingLucy Thank you! 🙏 Hope it sticks. I say have the steak and wine and treats. It is a rubbish and really hard journey so you’ll be totally miserable cutting out everything. You’ve got some will power not testing! I totally lost my head, it was all I could think about 😅 and to be honest unless I wasn’t totally obsessed and fixated on my body and what it was doing I probably would have noticed most of my symptoms I have had! Will keep my fingers and toes crossed for you!

It’s the final countdown lol 2 more provera tablets and I’m done

thank god ! Stressed as anything for next weigh in on Tuesday just hope I scrape it or everything will be cancelled . Drinking all the water today

then got to try not to gain on stims 😶

happy bday @AnnieStar12

hope your relaxing and not feeling too bad @Ashleighlouise

@AnnieStar12 Happy Birthday!🥳

Thanks for the diet advice guys - thats pretty much my normal diet. I forgot about the caffeine! 🤦🏽‍♀️ I don't drink tea or coffee but did have some Coke Zero this weekend! 🥺

Thanks guys! I managed to have a pretty chilled out weeekend! I have a few days off work this week as well so hoping the nice weather stays so I can enjoy that a little bit 😂🤞🏼

@positivepetal I wouldn't worry about the Diet Coke! It only contains a small amount of caffeine which is was under the "daily limit" that's recommended when TTC or even when pregnant! Still enjoy a can when you fancy one!! 🤍🤍

@HopefulllHolly, apologies, ‘ealinglucy’ is me! I thought I was locked out of that account so set up this new one. But turns out it’s still open on my ipad! Sorry for confusion.

Pretty sure I’m out this round - my temperature is going down every night on my Fitbit. I might do a pregnancy test to put myself out of my misery…

You've done well to not test yet! Are the fitbits quite accurate when measuring temp etc?

I caved and ordered some tests this morning to come tomorrow..I was trying to hold out until Thursday to order some but being realistic I was never going to wait that long 😂🤦🏻‍♀️ so might as well just order instead of thinking about it 24/7 🤪

Keeping fingers crossed for you @CreamLampshade

final tablets taken ! Woohoo 🙌🏾 we await the return of the period 🤣🤣

awful sore throat but I can’t miss weigh in ! I’ll stick a mask on 😂

Your good lol honestly haha I’ve got a whole stash in my ivf med bag 😂😂

not tested at all in 18 months put myself on a ban !

fingers crossed for you @Ashleighlouise

Thank you @Rebekah77 it's definitely too early to test but I know that! However I only did 5,000iu of the trigger shot instead of the full 10,000 so I am hoping that is now out my system so whatever result I do get in the next few days it'll be an accurate one 🤞🏼

That's great you've done the last tablet now! 🙌🏻🙌🏻 hopefully your period doesn't take too long to show! Is weigh in today or tomorrow?

Weighing tomorrow @Ashleighlouise

its ok at home just making sure it’s ok tomorrow. Not risking eating anything until after

anxious about keeping weight down on stims with no exercise . Just hope I can get through 10 days without gaining

Had my monitoring scan this morning and still got two big and two small follicles. They told me to stim for another couple days and then back on Wednesday to check on their growth again, most likely will trigger Wednesday night and EC Friday morning.
Just really really want it to be over now. They don’t think the two small ones will have an egg so we’re looking at just 2 eggs :(

@2tuxedocats argh, all those symptoms to spot is the worst! The TWW is enough to drive anyone mad. Ive got pregnant 5 times now and there’s no pattern, I’ve been convinced I’m pregnant when I’m not and also been in tears with disappointment convinced my period was imminent but then was pregnant. It’s just such a tense time waiting to know. Hope you’re staying sane!!

@Ashleighlouise those are the same tests I use. Let us know how you get on, fingers crossed for ya!! Yea, I’m having another session of acupuncture today, who knows if it’s working but worth a try! I think 2 sessions will be it for me as otherwise it’ll just add another huge cost to all the fertility treatments which is already costing an absolute fortune.

@positivepetal how was your scan today? 19 is a decent amount to be working with. Hopefully lots will be growing for you. I did Ganirelex in my first cycle and did them in the thighs.

@CreamLampshade I wondered if that reply was someone with a new username! that’s great you have lots of nice things to keep you busy. If it’s stressing you out then just test, just do whatever will make you feel calmer - that’s my policy! Today is day 11 of stims for me, and hopefully tomorrow night will be final stim injections but we’ll have to see what scan says on Wednesday morning. Totally think you should enjoy good food. I’ve not done any special diets - I’m not convinced that it makes all the difference so enjoy your steak and wine!
The way I see it, people eating normal diets get pregnant all the time.

@HopefulllHolly how you feeling today? Are you still managing to keep it secret from your partner?

@Rebekah77 great you’re done with the first stage. Everything crossed for your weigh in tomorrow.!

How much weight have others gained in 10 days of stims ??

eek it’s stressing me out , know I can do long walks etc

@AnnieStar12 I think two eggs is still great! And it only takes one, so im staying hopeful for you. It’s not nice because all you do is compare your eggs with other peoples numbers, my embryologist and consultant said they would rather just two good eggs than lots of not so great eggs, so stay strong. I have faith in those little eggs! Must be so hard after all you’ve been through though. Sending you hugs and positive thoughts ☺️

@CreamLampshade I did wonder if it was you or just a new person! You’re doing well not testing. And honestly I don’t think your temp means anything! Mine went up two days ago massively but the last two days it’s dropped back down again, plus the progesterone gives you a bit of a disturbed sleep and makes you hot. So I don’t think you’re out yet at all! Are you going to test tomorrow or wait?

@Ashleighlouise As soon as you know you have tests in the house it’s a slippery slope 😂😂 but because yours was hatching I’d guess maybe it might show quicker? Mine was almost hatched and I think I showed as positive fairly quickly.

@Rebekah77 I didn’t put any weight on during stims but I have a bit from the progesterone after egg collection. I did massively bloat towards the end of stims but my weight stayed basically the same, if anything maybe 1lb?

I feel totally fine and normal today, I’m in a good mood, just feel like I haven’t even had ivf or in my 2ww (apart from the night sweats)! I did do another test this morning (lol my willpower is SHOCKING) and it is slightly darker than yesterday which is good. Trying to persuade my other half to let me do a first response on Friday rather than Saturday so I can share and celebrate with him if it keeps progressing 🥹

Thanks @HopefulllHolly hoping I can stay under I’ll be devastated if it’s cancelled on collection day