IVF Scotland - thread 6

[IVFlife]

That last thread filled up quickly without us noticing. So here is a new one for Scotland.

Hope you can start soon @IVFlife

They were both fresh transfer so luckly we managed to freeze 2 embryos in my second round so we will have a frozen transfer this time. They said I have to have 3 chemical pregnancies/miscarriages before I can have further testing. So think I might have to go private if I do want this.

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. X

@IVFlife that's great, good to hear things are finally happening for you. I will keep everything crossed for you!

@Cesas I hope you've had a good festive time too :)

Clinic called me to start ivf one week earlier so started stims yesterday. Sadly my baseline scan had less than half the follicles as last time at that point (and I only got three eggs that round). I was pretty gutted, but the nurse quite rightly said that feeling sad about it won't help my chances. I just noticed I don't have enough needles for Buserlin which is really annoying! Will have to make the 2 hour round trip to get more I guess.

Been hard watching copious glasses of wine and champagne being poured around me...While I shuffle off upstairs to inject drugs!

Ah glad you've got started. Sometimes people have LOADS of follicles but none are of any decent quality so you just never know.

Uugh that's so annoying about needles!!

I've messaged clinic and will phone in the morning.

I'm not bothered about alcohol I don't particularly like it anyway but I feel like I need to lay off all the choc j want to scoff. I'm not cutting it out completely though.

Can they not get the needles delivered to you? Can't remember if you nhs or pri vate? Or prescribed at a chemist?

@Cesas I pushed private clinic for some tests before next round and it flagged the clotting issue. Glad I did as otherwise could have been wasted rounds. Sometimes if you can afford the tests it's worth paying for something. Hard to weigh up cos could end up paying for loads. Mine were around £200 ish for the bloods I wanted and personally was worth it. Maybe research which specific tests you would want and look into accuracy?

@Nosejug above post was reply to you and forgot to tag

@IVFlife I think that's the hard thing about knowing what to test. I've had a little look but going to research a wee bit more to see what I think is important. I think we will go ahead with this transfer then if this one doesn't work will see what we can do!

@nosejug fingers crossed for you, I've never had many follicles definitely quality of quantity! It's hard though when you have other cycles to compare them to. Between my first and second cycle I only collected 1 more egg but ended up with 2 more blasts than the previous!

Hi everyone, glad to have found an active forum about ivf in Scotland. We have our initial appointment in a couple weeks in Aberdeen. We've been ttc for almost 2 years now, with a miscarriage in-between. Feeling quite nervous and worried about it not working. It'd be so nice to speak to people in a similar boat, as I have no one in my life who's going through anything even remotely similar.

Hello @Pinkmoon23 is that nhs treatment you are having? Sorry to hear about mc. Do feel free to ask anything. Between us all we've been through a fair few ups and downs and protocols etc.

Everyone's treatment is a bit different but sometimes it's nice to know what to possibly expect.

Did your go refer you? And have you had tests before being put forward for ivf or are you still waiting for those?

Hi there, thanks so much, that's so kind. So we got referred by the gp, we went down for testing. Everything OK on my partners side. I have hashimotos, so they wanted my tsh below 2 before putting us on the waiting list which took a while. They also said I have mild endometriosis, which makes sense because I had labour kind of pain periods before I had my son (he's now 8). All my blood tests came back normal. And my follicle count on the internal scan was good. My amh was good. So her diagnosis was ultimately unexplained infertility with possible thyroid/endometriosis causes.

I'm most worried about it not working and how to deal with that emotionally. And also the egg collection part. I've not been sedated before so I'm worried how that'll feel 😅

Thanks again and nice to meet you virtually 🙂

So I started our FET meds yesterday. Omg this bleed is horrendous though. I didn't think it would be as bad since I did have a small bleed since the MC but no it's wild!! Was at an event this morning and had to come home and luckily I did as had bled right through jeans. Only a tiny bit bit if was there for much longer then that wouldn't be good!

How come it was so heavy @IVFlife ?? Was that a period post mc? Our bodies are so mysterious, I wouldn't mind having this ivf-level window into my inner workings all the time! What are FET meds like? When's transfer?

I've got my trigger shot for tonight. I have a vague memory of taking it out the fridge a wee bit before last time so it wasn't super cold-is that a thing? Will be nice to have the last injection but I've been kinda enjoying the ritual of it all this time round!

@Pinkmoon23 I'm low on follicles and amh but have a good lining, so kinda opposite. Our "reason" for infertility is basically my age and partner morphology, though I was 36 when I began this journey, which I'd be happy to be again! Just wanted to say that I'm due egg retrieval on Thursday, and am actually looking forward to the sedation part heh. I've had it a few times this year and have found it rather pleasant. I can't nap and had insomnia in my 20s so it just feels very nice to sleep without trying! If you've any questions about ivf in general I'm happy to answer, though there are much more experienced people here than me.

@Cesas thanks for your kind words! Sorry it took me so long to thank you. I think Christmas and ivf just took over my brain. So did you say you had a transfer lined up?

@Nosejug it's totally fine! Xmas is always really busy and full on! Hoping in the next 3 months! I'm in Aberdeen and you now have to phone when your period starts to see if you can get in that month. Will see what happens!

@pinkmoon23 I was really worried about the sedation too but it was totally fine! It's over before you know it!

@nosejug good luck for your collection on thurs! Hope it goes okay! 🤞

Thanks @Cesas :) hope you get booked in first time! I was told it could take three tries but I got in first time both times. Might have been the unpopular protocol I was on but I wish you the same luck!

I have 1st lining scan of this cycle in the morning - feeling nervous! I think transfer will be next week if all goes OK.

Oh exciting @IVFlife . Has your lining been alright in the past? It'll be utter hearsay, however I read somewhere eating pineapple was helpful for lining so have been eating one every couple of weeks in aid of thickness heh.

fingers crossed 💙

Well, we only got one egg which means the end of nhs funding. Luckily it did fertilise. They want to transfer it today just becuase there are no other embryos to choose from. I've had no update so far as to how it's developed since Friday. Transfer later this morning.

Good luck with your transfer today, and fingers crossed for a sticky bean @Nosejug

@Nosejug hope transfer has gone well? Did you get to find out any more info? What day was embryo transferred on? Sending luck!

We got a phone call this morning. We've to go in on Tuesday for transfer. So we will be similar times again! Funny how that's worked out!

@Nosejug @IVFlife good luck with transfers

we had a horrendous time to be honest. Finally miscarried at end of November and it was so bad ended up in epu for scan due to the pain as I hadn’t had gcrm scan yet. Nurses were all great tho at epu and gcrm despite my many breakdowns on them. I also lost my mum around the same time so it’s been an awful couple of months. But on the plus point hcg dropped quick after the miscarriage and we’ve just done consents and are set for a February transfer to ourselves through it all again if I get planning appt in time. Fingers crossed this is the last time.

they did mention trying 2 embryos but so far we’ve had 3 transfers, 1 live birth so I’m a bit afraid of twins. We still have 4 embryos so said will do 1 transfer and if we get to our last 2 and money running out we might do a double haha.

Here’s hoping 2025 is a good year for us all.

Thanks everyone for the luck wishes :) transfer was around 12, it went very smoothly, I had a lovely doctor who I hadnt met before but she put me at ease.

The embryo was 3 days old, 8 cells which was positive. Discarding a little too much 2/4 on that grade) but dividing quite nicely 3/4 on that grade). I'm not sure they give an overall grade to a 3 day embryo, I didn't get one anyway. Just so glad it's doing quite well and back inside me. Nice to be nestling something again whatever the results.

Cramps and sore boobs pre transfer which must be the Cyclogest. I don't remember that from last time.

Good luck with your transfer @IVFlife ! So glad you're in that boat again. It's nerve wracking going in but so nice to come home with some hope inside.

Goodness I'm so sorry @LT103 to read your news. I'm so sorry you lost your mum, it must be such a difficult time. I'm glad your EPU were supportive. I can't praise my EPU enough for how my miscarriage was handled, so good to know they're there for moments that can be utterly terrifying. It sounds really positive that you've embryos ready to go. Was that all from one round? You must have healthy eggs :)

Good luck @nosejug and @IVFlife with your transfers! Wish you both all the best!

Sorry to hear about all your loss and the passing of your mum @lt103 . Hope you can take it easy and focus on looking after yourself.

I phoned the clinic as my period started at the weekend first thing this morning and they were already fully booked for the week I would require treatment. Very frustrating but will just have to wait and hope things will be different next month x

Och that’s annoying @Cesas . I know at GRI they have a system where if you don’t get booked the first time you’ve got a higher chance the next time. And they said 3 is max. I was “lucky” to get booked first time both times, but I think it’s because my protocol was the highest, I have such poor response, so fewer people to compete with for a space. So in a way, it’s positive…? But that’s probably an annoying thing to say. Every delay is so disappointing. Fingers crossed for next cycle.

@IVFlife is transfer today? If so I hope it’s super smooth and positive. I told the doc performing it that I have some anxiety around my cervix becuase of the haemorrhage last year, and she was so kind and great at relaxing me and making me feel positive. She was also funny which I liked :)

Yes transfer today. Out for a walk now before I get ready to leave. Thanks