Talk me through IVF

[BirdIsland]

I have a consultation next week to start the IvF process. Obviously I have lots of opportunity to ask questions, but I currently feel like i don't even know where to start with what to ask!

Could anyone give me a step by step of what they went through? How do you actually prep your body for egg retrieval? I had a colleague who had IvF and she felt rubbish, is this the case with everyone? I'm feeling totally clueless and a bit overwhelmed, any advice is appreciated 🙏

Hi @BirdIsland
Oh gosh big question! I’ve not actually started yet (i start my stim injections next week) but I can tell you what I’ve been told by my consultant so far if that helps?

Not sure whether you’ve had any tests yet but they will test your AMH (gives an indication of how receptive you’ll be to IVF), weight (30 or lower BMI if on NHS, 35 or lower privately), and a whole load of bloods for hormone levels and thyroids plus HIV and stuff.

Then you’ll have a nurse appointment (sometimes with a consultant) where they will give you an internal scan where they take pictures and count your follicles (which hold the eggs). If you have PCOS you may have lots of follicles. They’ll also check blood flow and for anything else like cysts.

Once all this is done they’ll recommend a protocol - short or long. Long you start on day 21 of your cycle usually, short you start on day 1. Long you take down regulation drugs to essentially shut down your ovaries before you start injections, short you just go straight for injections with no down reg.

Then you’ll have the egg collection, they’ll tell you how many eggs fertilise, then another update on day 3, another on day 5 and then transfer it (unless you get over stimulated by the drugs in which case they will freeze all your embryos). Then 2 weeks later you will test.

To prep for IVF I’ve been told to:

• eat high protein low carbs (Mediterranean diet is recommended by lots of experts)
• reduce/cut out alcohol
• reduce caffeine intake
• Take folic acid/folate - will be in any vitamins for getting pregnant.
• Take ubiquinol (CoQ10) 600mg
• Take vitamin D
• Drink plenty of fluids (3 litres a day is recommended)
• Get plenty of rest
• Exercise

Ive done a whole load of research and have a tonne of books on IVF too, and there’s a load of information on here to help you.

I found this website really helpful when I was just starting like you (I did the first consultation back in Nov/Dec but it’s taken a while to get to injections because I couldn’t take the pill to get my dates to work with theirs): https://theduff.co.uk

Hope that helps a little, there’s a tonne of ladies on here who have been in the IVF trenches for much longer who can offer much better help I’m sure 😊

(PS That link I shared has a PDF you can download that has all the questions to ask your doctor at every stage ☺️)

Thank you so much! I've had all the tests except HIV etc so it sounds like they will be able to discuss which protocol might be appropriate. Which one are you on?

The advice on what to do to prep is so helpful, I'm taking the vitamins but can definitely increase my water intake and take a look at my diet.

It's so much to take in, it's really useful to have some information before the appointment so I at least know what things I should be asking.

Definitely have a read through that website, I found it really easy to understand. 😊 I still read it now for info on some things. It’s got all sorts of info on there. Zita West I also read some stuff on diet on there and bought her book for fertility diets.

I’m on short protocol but high stims. I have low egg count and we also have male factor infertility too so double whammy (and I’m 37) so I’m interested to see how we get on! I’m ready to start now, the waiting game is painful!

Id think yeah they should go through your results and then tell you protocol. Then my nurse got in touch after that and booked me in for starting everything. So you’re almost there. 😊

Having been asked this by a good friend who is supporting her daughter (I am a trained but rusty nurse) I did suggest a site called 'The Duff' which explains everything associated with IVF including all the abbreviations- also has an Insta Acc. Seems to me to be a good resource and could be worth a look ?

This

Red Face here ... apologies as I didn't read full thread thoroughly... can see I'm just repeating PP post.

The Duff however is a great resource

@Clariceamelia great minds ☺️ I found it really helpful! Still read it!