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?

@FlutteryButtery2 oh I see. Ouch that does sound painful. That’s not the cause for needing ivf is it? I hope not! I’m the opposite of you - I’ve been on hormones for over a year, give or take a week here and there. I did 3 months of ovulation induction first before ivf, so I am pretty done with it now. You kind of just get lost in the treatment though and not the end result. Do you find that?

Rectally is way less messy. I only started this last round in April. I preferred it. And you don’t have to lay down for 30 mins after doing it either which is nice! If I can give you a tip, it’s put it in lay down on your side. Makes it a lot easier to get 😉

Hey @SlinkMcSlink welcome to the June club! Will your scan on the 20th be to start the stims? Is this your first round? It defo helps having others going through it at the same time.

Hi @GCS34 .

I’ve attached the booklet they have given me. They have put me on northisterone until 20th and it just says base line scan? So I’m guessing that’s when they will decide if all is good or whether I need another day or 2.

Just trying to catch up with everyone’s stories.

Would help if I attached the image!!

Oh I’ve also briefly been speaking to @CakePigeon30 too.

@SlinkMcSlink haha blame the drugs 😉ah okay that makes sense. Didn’t realise you stopped them Friday. think your period usually starts 3 days after you stop them, and you start stims on day 2/3 of your period so that lines up to weds to start stims. Exciting!! What drugs have they got you on? I realllllly hope I can start end of the month but I’m expecting them to say no.

@GCS34 I am just on the northissterone until the Friday 14th for now which feels like forever away. Then after the baseline scan, I can start the drugs haha.

Ive been given:
meriofert
Cetrotide
Cyclogest

This is all so new to me. Very glad that they give you a booklet and each time they go, they fill in what to do next. It’s like an idiot’s guide for me!

What about you? Have they spoken about your drugs yet? Is this your first cycle? It’s my first cycle and trying to be positive but no the percentages aren’t too great for first time.

@SlinkMcSlink nice to see you on this thread.

I'm also due to have meriofert and cyclogest. My trigger is zivafert but can't see to find anything info on this one when I google!!

How is everyone finding being able to get time off work for scans etc?

@CakePigeon30 last year I took the whole time off as holiday but I was bored and had too much time to think, it nearly drove me mad. This time I've told my line manager what is happening and he is being flexible with my shifts and knows the last couple of appointments for egg collection (and hopefully) implantation, will be last minute. They will however be unpaid leave.

@GCS34 feel very bloated but not sick thgh I have bloating when not on ivf too so hard to know. lol

@CakePigeon30 I took time off for collection my boss knows so actually going take sick leave after transfer so she knows but i dont want other staff to known is tricky!

@SlinkMcSlink not long to go before you’ll be shooting yourself up 😅will you be doing them yourself or your partner? Seems like everyone in this chat is on meriofert! Hopefully it’s the quality drug we all want 🤞

it’s not my first no, I am just about to go into my second cycle. I had my first last year and got 5 x embryos from it, 1 x miscarried at 9 weeks, and 4 x failed, last one was last week, so back to square one. Seems theirs a quality issue with 5 embryos and no baby. Review consultation on Tuesday to discuss the cycle and changes for the next. Hoping they’ll let me start end of the month but I dunno. Move house end of July so I want the collection done before I move.

@CakePigeon30 what day do you start your stims? Will you talk to work? I work from home and I work flexi time, so just manage my day around appointments etc. but my boss does know about it and is very understanding so that defo helps!

@GwenH82 good your boss is understanding. did you take the whole time of stims off or just the TWW? What do you both do for work?

@Snowdrop131 hahaha I feel you on the permanent bloat. Add in some drugs and I look pregnant without a baby 😂

I'm really lucky and my work are very understanding and said to take any time I need as know I won't take the mick! I took annual leave last time and actually decided I'd prefer to be busy at work as felt like I was just waiting around all day for scans worrying so I've taken afternoons off for scans which is all paid and annual leave for egg collection and the week after just so I have a bit of a break as had annual leave to use up anyway!

@Snowdrop131 @GwenH82 good that managers are on board although not sure what the rules are with paid/unpaid leave. I work in a school so lessons can be a bit tricky to get covered but headteacher is really supportive.

@GCS34 I have a scan 25th and then should start stims 26th if all is well. I have told work, I've said that it is going to be short notice for cover. I can't take time off as holiday as work in a school.

@Toon49 that's good that manager on board. I think I'd prefer to be at work too tbh.

The consultant advised taking two days off for egg collection but I'm not sure whether I'll be able to do this. Has anyone else been told the same? Not sure if it's due to sedation. Will I be completely out of it the next day?

@CakePigeon30 yes I'd say def need the next day off after egg collection sedation floored me. Also advised take it easy and rest due to ur ovaries are very swollen I was even told not to over reach or sudden movements?!

@CakePigeon30 I was deeply sedated and was fine in that respect by the time I got home. To be honest I felt like I could’ve driven myself back - obviously didnt
As for recovery, I’m 3 days post egg collection and I still don’t feel 100% - but I had to be manipulated quite a lot so I’m assuming that’s been my biggest problem
The nurse said I’d be back to normal the following day - totally wasn’t

@CakePigeon30 ohhh I do hope I can join you! Fingers crossed for Tuesday and then letting me start again 🤞I bet it’s hard being in a school as it’s very dictated by lessons and term times. Is your clinic far from the school?
RE day off after, I went back to work the following day. Like @FlutteryButtery2 said, I was knocked out but within 30 mins of waking I was as if I hadn’t been sedated. I do wfh though so slightly different for me I guess. And not on my feet all day etc. with kids to tend to!!

Some information for you ladies. Not sure if it’s any use to you. There’s no legal right to time off for scans etc however acas says:

If the employee tells you they've reached the embryo transfer stage, from a legal perspective you must treat them as pregnant.
From this stage they'll have the same rights as any pregnant person, including leave, pay, and protection from discrimination because of pregnancy or maternity.
It can take several more weeks for a pregnancy test to confirm if the pregnancy is successful. They do not have to tell you about the pregnancy's success. But an open and supportive working environment means it's more likely they'll tell you about any issues that could affect their wellbeing or work.

Personally, I think it also has to do with the industry that you’re in and risks.

@GCS34 just the stims. Since i didn't get any eggs there was no tww.

Following sedation you can't drive for 24 hours anyway so depending on timings I couldn't have driven to work the next day anyway. I felt fine the following day just a bit uncomfortable so probably could have gone if I pushed myself but I think realistically it's better to have a day to rest and recover. My husband works in a school and they've been really good with him for the days off he needs to be there and said can take unpaid leave if he wanted to accompany me (although I've said not to bother as fine for scans etc on my own!). I feel if you're reasonable what you're requesting for time off e.g. for appointments or taking annual leave for extra time for stress/recovery and work aren't supportive it's not the kind of environment I'd want to work in! Most people will know it's stressful time so will try to help!

Second this. Providing you don’t take the piss I think most places are accommodating. My husband didn’t both with scans if he couldn’t make the time the appointment was as they’re not that exciting and for me, during stims, I was in every other day so it would have been a lot of time off for him where as for me I had to kinda be there 😂 it defo does help wfh and managing your own diary but my boss does know anyway and is super supportive. She actually did an injection for me at a work dinner a few months back on a FET cycle 😂

I’m at a dreaded baby shower today 😭 I like to think I’m going to be super resilient after all this. Totally Mental, but resilient.

@Snowdrop131 what times your TF tomorrow?
@GwenH82 oh yes sorry of course. Apologies.

I dreamt about bloody merifert last night after everyone here talk about it 😂 if my dream was anything to go by, it confused me and I don’t want it now 😂

No worries @GCS34 it was what it was. x

The sedation didn't really have any lasting effects for me to be honest and i felf fine almost as soon as i came round, although my husband when he had his sedation for surgical sperm retrieval was so funny, like he was very drunk for quite a while!

I wasn't very sore just a bit niggly. But then my ovaries weren't that big so I got off lightly i suppose.

I did scans on my own last time but this time I've said for him to come to the first tracking one so I'm not on my own if its really low follicle numbers again. They're all booked in first thing in the morning though so won't affect work.

I'm on different drugs to you all
Synarel and ovaleap.

@GwenH82 was on overleap the first round. It’s a drug for quantity so hopefully it does the trick for you! 🤞