IVF/ICSI June/July

[CakePigeon30]

Hi, couldn't see a thread for June yet so thought I would start one.

I'm on long protocol so actually starting down regulation on 28th May, egg collection not scheduled in until 8th July.

I am on NHS and this will be my first round. Was referred less than a year ago now and have managed to loose 2 and a half stone to get my BMI down.

Anyone else due to start around June?

@SamVan thats good that they’re confident they can get a few more for collection though. Think of the long game and more to work with means more chances. Short term pain. I think we might be together with trigger Monday. I’m back for another scan Friday but they estimated collection weds next week so fingers crossed for us both! Why do you say more than ideal for collection? I don’t think theirs an ideal amount of stim day. I guess they think they can get a few more and that’s what we want right? Do you have another scan booked? I remember with me last time I thought there was enough and they kept me going longer but just meant I got more eggs. I didn’t lose any of the big ones or whatever. I guess if they thought you’d over cook, they’d get you to trigger Saturday for collection Monday but they obviously think they can get more which is defo a good thing right?

@SamVan They did that for me on day 9 and then by day 12 they said I was ready for the trigger. They just have to be sure.

I’m just lying in bed. Blood pressure went up eventually. Had to lie there with elevated legs. Two cups of tea, a cup of coffee, a saline bag, two biscuits and a sandwich haha. I tried getting up and just said I think I’m just going to have a little sleep and lay back down. Anaesthetist was brought in and sorted me out.

They’re going to ring me tomorrow with more information about what has fertilised. Then I just have to have my period and a follow up consultation to arrange a date for transfer.

Looks like it’s been a mixed day for all of us. I get what you mean about the stims though. I was so fed up this weekend of injecting and had just had enough!

@GCS34 Thank you, I think all of us going through assisted conception will be wonderful mothers. We’re made of strong stuff!
That is absolutely a positive you must take from it, at the time you’re filled with so much heartache and emotion but as you say when it becomes less raw you really do see the positivity in that comment.

Wow, that is a fantastic number. Lots of lovely eggs. I hope all goes well Friday and next week. Have you used anything to support your lining? Mine was pretty good last time, however they still put me on Lubion & Cyclogest, same this time.

@SlinkMcSlink oh no, how are you feeling now? Are you home resting? 18 is a great number. I bet you’re pleased.

@FlutteryButtery2 wow it sounds like you really had a tough time during EC. It’s good they have recommended GA. How are you feeling about that? More relaxed I hope.

@SamVan Oh I’m so sorry you’ve not received the news you hoped for, it’s so upsetting. Why can’t you speak to a doctor? Is that their policy?

Just catching up with all these posts!

@Mumiialfie26 welcome! I'm 36 and am from North East England.

@LunaPuggies22 welcome, sounds like you have already been through a lot ❤️

@SlinkMcSlink congrats!!! 18 is a great number!! How are you feeling?

@SamVan Hopefully the few extra eggs will catch. Were you not able to trigger over the weekend? Not sure how the timings work.

@GCS34 @SlinkMcSlink @LunaPuggies22@CakePigeon30 thanks for your messages. I know they are trying to maximize numbers but I just feel so upset cause I was ready to trigger (and they told me earlier today I would) and also this means I definitely can’t have a fresh transfer (because I need sedation for my transfer so must be a weekday on day 5). I think the plan is we trigger on Saturday for a Monday collection, so 3 more days. I have a scan for Friday and am meant to keep stimming till then.

I’m irrationally devastated/furious about this. I know all the rational reasons to delay but I just want to cry and throw all my toys out of the pram. Maybe it’s the hormones as I felt fine coping with anything earlier this week but it all feels too much now and I’m just lying on the couch feeling sorry for myself and getting so worked up my head hurts. I keep thinking maybe they delayed because my blood test results didn’t come back in time (because I was wrongly told to stop waiting for bloods and do my scan first, but then my bloods were late) so they didn’t know which trigger to use.

@SlinkMcSlink im glad the hard part is over for you now and you’re feeling better! Do update us tomorrow we are all rooting for you!

@LunaPuggies22 i just get a call from the nurse as it’s an nhs round unfortunately and they will not budge on the decision once they call you. I do regret not just going private as I think I would benefit from more discussion with the decision makers and having more consistent care throughout.

@SamVan i think it’s natural to feel irrational and angry and frustrated. It’s hard enough having to inject every night but to be told one thing in the morning and something else in the evening … it is frustrating. I’m pleased you’re hopefully triggering Saturday for a Monday collection, that would mean you could transfer Friday then no? Would you consider a day 3 transfer? Theirs the theory it’s more successful as it’s back in its natural environment to carry on developing vs waiting in the lab to develop to day 5? Just a thought.

Just be kind to yourself and take it easy. Fingers crossed for Fridays scan. How many days will that be… 10?

@SlinkMcSlink im glad you’re feeling better now! But legs in stirrups while eating sounds all kinds of wrong / yet slightly appealing too 😂 I’m so looking forward to hearing your fertilisation update tomorrow. Routing for all 18 fellas to make some kick ass embabies.

@LunaPuggies22 absolutely and the same to be said to you too - let’s hope this time for all of us that it’s the right embryo, right time. I believe everything happens for a reason and when you’re holding your baby in the future (hopefully in 2025!) it’ll feel like we wouldn’t want any other from the past.

I think cyclogest / lubion is to maintain the lining and pregnancy as it’s progesterone. As opposed to thickness as that’s estrogen (I only know from my FET). Are you on both as well then come transfer? Was yours a fresh last time or frozen?

@LunaPuggies22 I thought the actual collection went well, then I “woke up” and was in so much pain, then had a migraine on the way home, think I was in bed for a couple of days
I didn’t realise that when you move the needle comes out and then goes back in again so I’m guessing I indirectly traumatised my ovaries 😬

When my transfer failed all I could think about was how ill I felt after EC and I almost said no to our second cycle
But I am hoping that because I’ll be totally knocked out I won’t move so I won’t have that pain again

please don’t let my story put anyone off, it’s totally individual and when it comes to procedures and reproductive systems my body makes everything twenty million times harder

@FlutteryButtery2 ooooo facial reflexology sounds fascinating!! I really want to hear how it is. I love Chinese medicine I think it’s fabulous. Re dieticians, I do know of one yes. Used to work for zita west and my sister used her. She’s focussed a lot on egg quality and pcos. Do you want the details?

that’s good that you can start end of August!! The GA route sounds really good and sounds like you’ll be in a heck of a lot less pain because you’re not wriggling! That’s cool she’s gonna switch things up too. Have they said what drugs / dose she’s gonna put you on? So much luck and a good month to get things tiptop inside too. Are you still on the metformin?

@GCS34 Yes please that would be extremely helpful

I have a treatment plan of

Fyremadel (ganirelix) - stims
Gonal-F 175 - stims
Ovitrelle for trigger (or buserilin again)
Cyclogest 400mg for luteal
Norethisterone if needed for scheduling

I think last cycle was gonal-f 150, cetrotide, then buserilin trigger and lots of luteal support afterwards

No not been on metformin - I’m badly managing weight through diet and exercise 😂 put a bit of weight on sinners to get it off again but got plenty of time

@FlutteryButtery2 she’s called Melanie brown and she’s quite famous for what she does. She’s on a lot of podcasts so have a listen and see what you think: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/all-ivf-ever-wanted/id1599295894?i=1000549889072

ohhhh cool. Same antagonist as me with the fyremadel. I did my first one in my bum tonight and it wasn’t painful at all. Was expecting it to be a stinger like ovamex but it was fine so that’s a treat for you 😂bum is defo the best place for the antagonist I think!

ahhh I must have got mixed up. Not sure metformin is for weight loss more insulin management but I don’t know I just take it - literally no clue with it 😂🤷‍♀️ haha how you finding being back with the PT?

@GCS34 thank you I feel better now after a walk to soho for second dinner - bing su and takoyaki 🥰 I hope the next 3 days go by quickly. I don’t know if I’d do a three day transfer. As I need to be sedated for it, I think I’d probably want to do it with an embryo which has the highest chance of success which is likely to be a day 5. Can’t count my embabies before they are hatched though and who knows I might not even have anything that mature to transfer. Just trying to take it one step at a time and occupy myself until this Friday. They found more follicles at today’s scan too so there’s 15 follicles now of varying sizes. When’s your next scan happening?

@FlutteryButtery2 im interested to hear about the facial reflexology too! Is that like facial massage? I used to have someone come to my house to give me hand reflexology but haven’t had facial reflexology before. Is that a bit like facial massage?

I would go easy on yourself with diet! I think the drugs make you crave unhealthy food at least that’s the case with me. I just want fried chicken and ice cream :)

@SamVan oh yum. And second dinner sounds dreamy 😍 I stuck to a measly one dinner tonight though I’m struggling to eat as I’m so bloated - proper feeling like the victim today 😂 my husband has an ear infection and honestly you’d think the man was dying - told him he was preaching to the choir and all my sympathy was self absorbed today 😂 I bet you do! That’s great they recruited a few more to the mix and was up to 15! Is that where they were expecting or more?

see how everything goes it is just a shame you can’t transfer just because they don’t do them on a weekend and then have to wait another month 😔 seems unfair. See what Friday says 😬🤞 and my scan is Friday too. 9am

@GCS34 I’ve got the opposite issue I’m so hungry all the time. But I’m also bloated and super gassy. I think we have the excuse that we need to eat lots of protein and salt (fried chicken obviously) for ivf.

Lol he needs to suck it up with that ear infection and focus on you 😂 men, seriously. my husband was complaining about a single measly blood test today 🙄 he can’t even look at me injecting myself as it gives him the ick. If men had to go through what we go through there’d be no ivf babies.

I am kinda annoyed about the delay due to the transfer but I think I’ll insist on using my buserelin trigger to avoid ohss. I might also push the transfer another month and visit some friends and family overseas. I’m trying to see the bright side to the delay. Whilst I want a child there’s definitely things you give up once you have one so it’s also nice to have another month or two just us with our freedom.

we are scan twins! I hope yours are growing well and at the right speed. Let me know how it goes on Friday!

That is so amazing! I am so glad for you that it all went well and you got 18! Now your patience will be tested :)

@FlutteryButtery2 I am also starting reflexology, but doing feet and not facial massage. Hoping it will help with stimulation but also very much just to keep anxiety at bay!

Zita West is a fertility specialist and have written a fertility cook book, not sure if you’ve come across her before. My cousin used her for her IVF and had a wonderful experience with her clinic, including the diet and acupuncture they offer.

@SamVan I love your positivity and seeing the bright side! A trip to visit family overseas sounds like a really great positive distraction and some well earned R&R!

@GCS34 @GraciousProtea Thank you both for your suggestions, I shall have a look

Ive a bad relationship with food and am a binge eater by nature and after egg collection I was so poorly all I ate was bread and jam and ginger biscuits with orange juice or ribena 😂 sort of carried it on really. Carbs are my enemy unfortunately

Being back in the gym and running has lifted my mood and gotten me back into wanting to do things, then of course there’s planning the wedding, still haven’t set a date yet

@SamVan its the same as foot reflexology, my lady says she’s had better results with the face when it comes to issues with reproductive system - I guess we’ll find out!

@FlutteryButtery2 @GraciousProtea how weird we both recommended the same person and ziti west! Clearly good if we both recommend 😅 I just asked my sister and was £200 for a personalised plan for her and her husband so that gives you a ballpark figure anyway.

I’ve been reading a lot lately about pcos and how eating disorders and disordered eating are SO prevalent in pcos women. I think the destructive cycle that doctors tell you to lose weight is so damaging and think their really needs to be som intervention of some form because the lasting effects are horrible. Not gonna lie tho, your bread and jam diet sounds dreamy. I bloody love jam 😂 but on the low Inflamation diet my consultant told me to follow all jam, white carbs, sugar and stuff is out the window. I’m totally having a cake on egg collection day tho - screw you dr nick!! Muahahaha 😏

glad you’re enjoying being back exercising. I find it’s my therapy. The weather is due to pick up again next week so hopefully that will help with it for you 🥰 and look forward to hearing on the reflexology. I’ve only had feet and hands, and then acupuncture. Which I had last night just to add some more needles to the mix 💉💉💉

@SamVan ahhh twinning! I’ll be day 9 tomorrow - what are you? Sounds really positive your plan and I did that last year and honestly it really helped. If we do a FA we’ll be doing the same (tho moving house in 3 weeks is also kinda my life right now!!) but a holiday and a bit more ‘you’ time while you can is defo the best way. Maximise the break you have and also it’s SUCH a relief going away knowing you have X embryos in the bank and they’re all done and dusted and you just need transfers after. It takes a bit of pressure off.

sounds like you’re in a good place hun. Pleased you’re seeing the positive.

and your husband is the spit of me altho weirdly likes injecting me. I think it’s more the j flicking pain on someone else 😂 plus he likes to feel he’s contributing to it all bless him.

@GCS34 we had a subway on way home from egg collection
Was sooooo good 😂

For anyone who hasn’t moved onto fyremadel yet I think I’ve cracked the code of how to do it with no pain or bleeding. Thought I’d reproduce that here for anyone starting it:
step 1: pick area - don’t go too near the belly make sure it’s more like 4 inches away from the belly button it hurts and bruises way more if you’re close.
step 2: ice area.
step3: get rid of air bubble (pull plunger down slightly as that makes it easier before pushing up) push up till you see a drop and flick anything off the tip so it doesn’t touch your skin and sting as it’s going in.
step 4: needle hole pointing up so going in with sharp end. angle needle 45 degrees from the side.
step 5: pinch an inch or so of fat and stab yourself. Breathe in when injecting and try to go reasonably fast.

I think I’ve gotten the hang on these now. At the start they were awful!

@SamVan oh no don’t say that! I felt I got on well with my first round. My OH is away a lot in the week so I have to do it myself 😬

@FlutteryButtery2 where do you go for your facial reflexology? I’m keen to try it I do love a face massage.

@GCS34 friday will be day 12 for me!! So collection will be day 15. I’m really hoping we get a few embryos in the bank yes :) but I have a bit of anxiety about not using/destroying embryos too so I hope we don’t get more than we need as well!

i think it’s nice your husband is helping you with injecting! Tbh I wouldn’t trust mine and his butter fingers but I do get him to gather the ice for me and cook breakfast whilst I’m doing it so he can feel involved 😂really their contribution is quite small and easy! Don’t forget to make sure they time their jizz collection well. I think the day before you think you will trigger would be best? The nurse said to do it the day of trigger but that might be less than 48 hours of build up.

@SamVan our clinic says 2-7 days of abstinence prior to collection - we did 4

I go to a lady who does a bit of everything (she does my waxing) - I’m in Lincolnshire

@GraciousProtea where do you do your feet reflexology? Is it at zita west too? Thank you I am in two minds about visiting family as sometimes they harass me about when I’m having kids (they don’t know about the ivf) and I don’t want to snap at anyone.

@FlutteryButtery2 where do you get face reflexology done? I found some clinics on Harley street but no idea if they are any good. Totally get you on the carbs they are my comfort food! And comfort is what you need after a stressful procedure. Do you know if we can exercise during stims? I’ve stopped except for walking and light weights at home which is getting me a bit down but I wasn’t sure if it would do more harm than good.

@FlutteryButtery2 oops our messages crossed. That might be too far for me but thanks for sharing! Don’t worry about the fyremadel I’m probably just a giant wuss 😂 I mean I can’t even get my eye brows threaded without crying like a baby. I even tried to give up after one brow was done the first time I tried it rationalizing that I had a side parting so it would be fine. I also can’t wax so if you have a waxing lady you must be way tougher than me.