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?

Thank you 🤍 I just think with the embryo that was transferred there's no way it hasn't implanted yet? It was already hatching on Saturday morning, so it would have implanted soon after I would have imagined if it had? Honestly, this whole process has stressed me more than I have ever known. I wish I had just done a freeze all and let myself have a break and come back for a FET. Never mind though, it's all a learning curve isn't it! Xx

@Ashleighlouise I saw this that might help: https://arpanumedical.com/ivf/after-ivf/ it says implantation can happen from the 6th day all the way to the 12th day. Your embryo might have taken some time to get comfy or your HCG might rise more slowly naturally. Definitely don’t think you’re out yet! I think I got mine really early, but I don’t think that’s the norm. It’s so stressful, I hate the TWW. I’ve stared at my test from this morning in every light to check if it’s darker. I’ve truly totally lost my mind! Sending you hugs and solidarity!! 🤞

@Ashleighlouise ah I’m sorry you got a negative today. Do hang in there for a few more days before ruling yourself out though. It’s definitely too early to be certain. You’re the equivalent of 10DPO in a natural cycle - plenty of pregnant women wouldn’t have had a positive yet. And if this one doesn’t work out, then I’m sure one of your frozen ones will work and is just waiting to be picked.
I’m sorry it’s such a stressful time. This is now my 5th cycle of fertility treatment including the three IUI rounds I did, and this part is tough waiting to know if all those drugs and appointments and scans have actually worked. Look after yourself x

@HopefulllHolly are your tests darker today?! And what day have you managed to get your OH to agree to test with you?

@AnnieStar12 Yeah they are as dark as the test line and much thicker which is reassuring. We’re going to test together tomorrow, though he’s been sleeping upstairs the last few nights because I am so hot and soaked in sweat 😂😂 he can’t stand it so I’m going to have to wake him up really early, I’ve not been sleeping great and need the loo constantly so the last few days my first wee has been at 5am. Really excited to share it with him though, it will finally feel real. Still terrified though!
How are you doing after trigger last night? You feeling a bit more hopeful for tomorrow? I hope so! I’ll be thinking of you! ☺️ What time is collection?

Hi @Ashleighlouise implantation won't be completed until 5 days after transfer and hgc won't be picked up until maybe 7 or 8days after transfer, at least you know the trigger is outa your system so soon you may see that second line come back in the next few days ✨️🤞

Thank you @HopefulllHolly that article really helped! I am not losing hope but maybe just having expectation so I am not totally disappointed! I'm not going to test again now until Monday as it's my birthday on Saturday and I don't want to feel completely miserable all weekend 😅 I am SOOO happy that your tests are continuing to progress!! It'll be so exciting to share the news tomorrow with your OH you'll both be walking on air all day 😍😍😍 x

@AnnieStar12 I am going to wait until Monday to text and obviously if it is negative then, I will have my answer at least! It's my birthday on Saturday so going to try and have a nice weekend! You're SO right we are sooo lucky to have our other embryos, financially we only had the money for one full round of IVF so to know we have other tries at a lower cost is really reassuring!! How are you feeling after trigger? X

@Cloclo93 thank you, I will still remain positive! Going to wait it out and test on Monday and see what happens! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Bless you @Ashleighlouise it’s so hard. Sorry you’re going through it. I’ve had really really strong pinching pains today on my left side, makes me worry it’s ectopic. You literally never stop worrying, I hate it! Hope you have a wonderful birthday, what do
you have planned?

@HopefulllHolly oh I know the worry never goes away does it! 😭😭 I'm sure it isn't ectopic, your tests seem to be progressing really well! With my ectopic my tests came to a standstill and never got any darker, while it's hard not to worry there's so much of a higher chance that everything is ok rather than not 🤍🤍 the weather is meant to be nice so have just invited family and friends over to hopefully sit in the garden and have some food! Hopefully we can just have a nice weekend!!

@Ashleighlouise Sounds perfect! Hope you can have a lovely one. My busy plans last weekend really help with distracting me from obsessing.

Thanks for the reassurance, that does help a lot. I’ve just read so many threads now that I have only remembered the negative.

Hi ladies, can I ask about spotting? Apologies if this is TMI but I had some darkish brown spots yesterday and it definitely wasn’t any leakage if you get my drift 😂It also definitely wasn’t my period. Has anyone else experienced this? I otherwise feel ok apart from very sore boobs.

@EvaA17 hi and welcome.. am also am on day 4 of stims and have my 1st scan on Monday .. this is my 2nd round so I am hoping will be similar to my 1st , I took 10 days of stims to be ready so hopefully by Wednesday they will say I am ready for trigger? Who knows it coukd all be different as I am older now .. hope you are feeling ok with your injections and best of luck.
@Ashleighlouise so sorry your test is negative.. could it also be as you urine might not be as strong ? That’s good you are waiting till Monday to test again, I hope you have a lovely birthday !

hope everyone else is good and @HopefulllHolly thats super exciting it’s getting darker .. how long is it till your actually test date ?

@2tuxedocats As I understand it dark blood is old blood so could be a good sign of implantation. I just had one very light pink dot of cm for what I think was implantation bleeding but it can be pink or brown. How are you feeling? Exciting!! When can you test again? I feel like it was the 24th or something?

@hopefullsosbry It should be next Monday but we’re testing tomorrow together, which would be 10 days past transfer so 15dpo. My clinic had a really long TWW, I think some tell you to test on day 9, mine was day 13.

I have a horrendous shooting pain which kind of goes from my uterus but radiates out to my hip. It’s making me feel physically sick and worry quite a bit 😩 It’s really painful but only lasts a second but quite regular.

Here’s my two tests from today 😅 I was looking at FMU and second to see which is stronger because I drink electrolytes and vitamins at night and it makes my pee really yellow sometimes. And the first test (bottom) was all dotty and weird.

Hope the pain goes away for you @HopefulllHolly just try take it easy .. are you off work ? Hopefully you can just relax and maybes go a gentle walk ? It could just be the body preparing things to open and stretch out ? It was my back that was sore when I was pregnant last time.. sore lower back, sore boobs and had an immense thirst, that was the 1st set of symptoms.. and I was craving bread ?! Strange ha .. that test is a dye stealer so I think your hcg level is strong ! Congrats yay !

@hopefullsosbry Thank you! It’s really quite painful when it happens. My jeans are quite tight though from the bloat. It kind of feels like it’s in my ovary the pain. Hopefully it’ll go. I’m not off work, I’m working from home today and tomorrow though, so I’m going to have a lie down in between meetings. It’s horrible worrying about stuff.
I have lower backache today but only mild and I’ve craved fish and chips badly for the last few days, mainly the vinegar 😂😂 maybe I’m just a greedy pig though!!
Yeah they are quite dark now, doesn’t stop me from worrying that somethings going to happen unfortunately. I want to be positive but my mind wanders to dark places a fair bit.

@Ashleighlouise fingers crossed that this was the trigger leaving and in a few days you get a positive! Hope you have a lovely birthday weekend!

@HopefulllHolly hope you feel better soon! Is there anything you can do? I don't think heat is allowed right?
Excited for you to test with your OH tomorrow - not sure how you kept it a secret for so long! Also how many tests are you getting through 😂

@AnnieStar12 @Gnatalie16 I also did my trigger last night - hope its the last of injections 🤞🏽

The day inbetween trigger and egg collection is such an odd one isn't it! Luckily I have lots of work to do so am a bit distracted but feeling quite crampy which I'm hoping is those follicles doing their last little bit of growth. I am booked in for 9.30am, what about you two @Gnatalie16 @positivepetal ? Can't believe this stage will be all over in 24 hours from now, eek!!

@HopefulllHolly whoa, those are great test, definitely getting stronger. Let us know what happens when you test again with your OH? Will you pretend it's your first time or will you come clean about the early tests?
It's only natural to worry about everything. It's so so hard all this TTC business. If you can, just try to remind yourself that there is literally nothing you can do at this stage to change the outcome. If it's a healthy little bean, then it's going to grow big and strong and be your baby, and if sadly it's not then there is nothing you can do to change that. It's so tough, I've been pregnant 5 times in total with a mix of outcomes and it is sooo hard but I just always try to sooth my worries by reminding myself that it is totally out of my control. Easier said than done I know!

@HopefulllHolly thank you so much for the words of encouragement and positivity. I'm feeling a bit better today, and trying to remember to be kinder to myself and take each day as it comes.
Ahh congrats on the positive test! Fingers crossed for you!! This makes me really happy!

@AnnieStar12 hiya! Thank you so much, yes, this is my first cycle and I'm on a short protocol using gonal-f, currently on day 5 of stims and I start fyremadel tomorrow morning. How about you?

@Rebekah77 thank you so much! Ahh fingers crossed for your first injection on Sunday. I hope it all goes well. I'm trying not to think about the scan on Monday, just going to take it as it comes - I say that and I bet I won't sleep all of Sunday night!

@Ashleighlouise thank you! That's the thing I can tell everyone else to stay positive and not worry, but then I overthink absolutely everything and worry too much 😆 my husband keeps reminding me to remain positive and not stress myself out! I am finding stims okay, just feeling quite tired from them and sleeping quite a bit, which isn't like me at all. Also just seen your other posts re your pregnancy test - sorry it's so stressful but remain positive, it's still not too late, keep positive and remember to be kind to yourself.

@hopefullsosbry I hope your scan goes well on Monday too! I had my first bloods this morning and then first scan Monday - it's my first round so I'm trying to still get my bearings and figure out what I'm doing. I'm hoping they say they can have me do my trigger mid week next week and retrieval before the BH weekend - fingers crossed. Just getting used to the stims, how are you finding them?

@positivepetal I might get the heated blanket out on a low setting. It only happens really randomly, not constant. It’s a horrible pain though. I’ve been through a lot of tests 🤣🤣 I bought loads to see us through to Monday OTD, plus I had loads from TTC for years. It’s an obsession! I don’t know how I’ve kept it secret so long either, but I really didn’t want to tell him and then it fade away because I’m the emotionally strong one in our relationship. He would crumble and I don’t want to see him like that.

@AnnieStar12 I’ll tell him I tested before once he knows. He won’t mind if I tell him my reasons. I think he thinks something is up because I’ve been more positive than I would usually 😅 and I’ve dropped a few subtle hints that he’s looked at me twice about. You are absolutely right about not worrying because it’s out of my control, I’ve just wanted a baby since I was about 2 years old, and I’m 37 now and I genuinely have felt like we missed the boat. So I am finding it really hard not to worry because I want it so badly. 6/7 years of TTC will turn you insane. Of course I want it to be a strong and healthy baby, so I know if it doesn’t work it’s for the best, but I really want this to be it for us. I’ll try my best to stay strong and stop worrying though. Thanks for the kind words.

Glad you’re feeling ok on the stims @EvaA17 they do make you sleepy but your body goes through a lot so I say go with it! Get those snoozes! 💤 Hope the scan on Monday goes well! The stims go by so quickly and then all of a sudden it’s egg collection and transfer. Fingers crossed the timings work out for you too.

Hi @EvaA17 we're at exactly the same stage! Day 5 of stims today and I have my first scan tomorrow. Hope you're doing ok x

Adding in Fyremadel tomorrow morning - any tips from anyone?! 😬

@AnnieStar12 I'm booked for 11.15am I know this sounds bad I just feel done with this stage now and I only had short protocol so can't imagine how long protocol feels. My OHSS is more noticeable today for sure I look pregnant 😂 but I'm just going to keep going it's not long now then they will have the follicles and hopefully be done with this part. My jeans are so very tight it's not good 😅

Thanks everyone! Love all the positive words and reassurance - I am really trying to keep positive and just accept that whatever will be will be! 🤞🏼😌

@HopefulllHolly those tests are perfect!!! I love seeing them 😍😍😍 hope the sharp pain goes away soon though - could it maybe be round ligament pain - does it ever happen when you move? I know it's early but your body could be adjusting!!!!

@EvaA17 honestly I'm exactly the same😂😂😂 I'm saying to everyone stay positive and I'm here all doom and gloom with myself 🥲

@Gnatalie16 hope you aren't feeling too bad! Just keep an eye as it's apparently more common to feel the symptoms of OHSS even more after egg collection but hopefully it'll wear off once you aren't feeling so full 😂😂 fingers crossed for lots of eggs 🥚

@AnnieStar12 funny you said that..I also feel quite "heavy" down there and was wondering if it was the trigger, definitely feel different to the past days.

My appts at 11am tomorrow, need to be at the clinic at 10.15

It also feels strange for the next few days we won't have anything to do as such given the eggs are outside of us other than those 🚀 😂

Hi, has anyone had any bleeding during injections ? I had a wee bit there , pink , enough to stain a little bit on pad . Sorry for TMI .. I called the clinic and she said to continue with injections and will look on scan on Monday .. she said it should not really be happening but it’s not unheard off? I have no pain really, just mild cramps which is expected and same as I have had. I do have a sore head but had that since yesterday. Just wondering if anyone has had bleeding ?

@positivepetal On my first cycle when the embryos were being looked after in the laboratory, I took that as a good time to have a glass of wine! The alcohol will be out of the system by time it gets to transfer!

@hopefullsosbry ah sorry to hear you've had a bit of bleeding, sorry that didn't happen to me but hopefully it's nothing too serious as long as it's just a little bit of spotting. So many hormones being pumped in I imagine a lot of side effects are possible!

@HopefulllHolly thank you that’s useful to know. I feel okay, just a lot of symptoms like I’m about to start my period - sore boobs, lower back pain, cramps and I am really craving sweet things. My partner is really keen to test but I want to wait as close to the 24th as I can. I’m trying not to get excited in case it’s nothing, so hard though! Your lines are looking wonderful though ❤️

@Ashleighlouise sending lots of love and positivity your way ❤️ hopefully it’s all the chemicals leaving your body!

@hopefullsosbry no bleeding for me but I did get headaches, I’m sure bleeding is a known side effect?

I hope everyone who had a scan today/tomorrow is ok!!