IVF / ICSI November

[bubu24]

Anyone starting stims in November?

I started stims last night. I'm on a long protocol. Started in October with norethisterone and then Buserelin. This is my second IVF cycle.

First cycle I didn't take the Buserelin, had 8 eggs collected, 3 blasts, none normal (1 high level mosaic in the freezer)

I'm on a 2 cycles package, so hoping this one is the lucky one 🙂

@bubu24 8 is fantastic! Is it your second cycle did you say? Are you transferring on Saturday?

i told the clinic and the nurse said it was ok and to take it yesterday,from google it seems to be ok also but doesn’t stop me panicking,can’t believe I forgot when ivf has been at the forefront of my brain for months 🤦🏻‍♀️😂 I’ve got a scan and bloods tomorrow so hopefully all will be ok.

@Cosyseason1234 that's a relief then. If the nurse said it's okay, I'm sure that's the case and you shouldn't worry or beat yourself up about it either. It's a stressful time as it is. But definitely make sure you put a few alarms/reminders for the trigger shot 😀

I won't be doing a fresh transfer as we're sending all embroys for pgt-a testing. We did that last time too but sadly we had no euploid embyros then (2 were abnormal and 1 was high level mosaic). This is my 2nd and last cycle. We said we will only do 2, so fingers crossed it works 😊

@bubu24 hi, that’s amazing news for 8 making it so far .. well done you, we are also getting ours PGT tested , this is my 3rd cycle but 1st time we will test them, have you had any further testing on yourself or partner can I ask ? Did they give a reason why there may be abnormal chromosomes with your 1st cycle if you don’t mind me asking ?
We got karyotyping tested but all came back fine, and both had other genetic testing, can’t remember the names of all the tests.. but all seemed fine ? I think the most frustrating part is not knowing the reason for all our miscarriages! Hopefully the testing this time round with give us more insight.
Can I ask, do you know if we get embryos that are aneuploid, can they tell if it’s from my partner or myself that is causing the abnormal chromosomes to the embryos ? It’s just we are thinking with this being our 3rd round if it still doesn’t work, we might try donor eggs or donor sperm next time but not sure which as not sure what to do ! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Anyways, I collected my down regs today .. I take Fyremadel injections from today and then start on stims on Sunday for a week then get my 1st tracking scan on Dec 1st with egg collection around 4-6th Dec .. here’s hoping 🤞🏽

@hopefullsosbry we didn't do any genetic tests ourselves, no. My partner had extremely low sperm count (<100k) and they did a number of tests on him, including genetics but not quite sure exactly what they tested (I assumed DNA frag). They just said all looked good and they couldn't explain what was causing his low sperm count.
We had a genetic counselling session after we got the pgt-a results, and they said sadly the highly aneuploidy rate is linked to my age (I'll be turning 40 soon), although they did think that we've been unlucky to not get at least 1 normal embryo.
They also said the high level mosaic we had would have started with both the egg and the sperm being chromosomally normal and it was a process error that caused it to divide incorrectly. Apparently nothing we could have done to prevent that.

I don't think they can pinpoint through pgt-a which side the abnormality comes from. There are other tests they can do, but the way I understood it, they need to know what they're looking for. So if you had a genetic condition they could look for that but since both your tests came back okay, it probably just comes down to luck now.
It is very well researched though that increase in maternal age is linked to higher aneuploidy rate. Studies looking at paternal age have shown no significant impact. That's not to say it's always the egg of course

At any rate, try not to think too much about this now. Try and stay positive. I hope it all goes well and you're succesfull this time round!

@bubu24 thanks so much for this information, and sorry again you had to go through all that. It must have been tough for you. I really hope this time you get euploid embryos and your beautiful baby this time.
Sometimes I guess we will never know the answers 🤷🏼‍♀️ I guess we try a donor egg if it doesn’t work this time and if that doesn’t work we try a sperm donor. We did think about a surrogate also if we do get any euploid, incase it’s an issue with my womb (we have had all the tests all seem fine), but that will be super expensive and I wouldn’t know where to start with that .. I know I should try stay positive and focused on this round 🙄.. but with two failed rounds I just don’t have much hope for this round as I am even older now.

@bubu24 I will 100% be setting alarms for the trigger as clearly I can’t be trusted 😂 hopefully you have some good embryos this time and the testing comes back clear ❤️ I think it’s good to set a limit,we have said one cycle only. If we are lucky enough to get any to freeze then that is a bonus and we cross that bridge when it comes to it.

@hopefullsosbry infertility is so hard! One day I wake up positive and the next convinced it won’t work. But all we can do is move forward and hope for the best, I have made exciting plans for if it doesn’t work (several exotic holidays in 2025) not to be negative but to have a light at the end of the tunnel if it doesn’t.

@hopefullsosbry I know it's hard to stay positive after so many disappointments. It's natural to try to protect yourself. This cycle I started using an app called mindfulivf . It did help me stay more positive and I'm usually a worrier That or the fact that I stopped drinking coffee which might have also made me less anxious 😀
There's a lot of talk about the mind-body connection and I think they've done studies with IVF as well that showed those with a positive mindset had better results. Not sure maybe it's to do with your body not having to deal with stress responses and so it gets to focus on what the medication is trying to get it to do? Or might have been a complete coincidence.
But anyway, as @Cosyseason1234 says all we can do is hope for the best.

Fingers crossed we are all successful with this cycle 🍀

Thanks @Cosyseason1234 yes we have plans for a holiday also.. as you say, gives you something to look forward too if things don’t work out.. @bubu24 ohh I’ll look into that app, I do meditation anyways so an ivf focused one would be great, thanks.. have any of you tried acupuncture? That’s the only thing we haven’t tried yet but might do before a transfer if we get lucky to get to that stage! 🤞🏽💫

Also I got result back from a biopsy of the endometrium that I got done back in August, which shows postive for a bacterial infection, the clinic will give me antibiotics for this tomorrow. I wonder if this could be the reason for all the miscarriages ? Anyone ever heard of this?

Hope everyone's doing OK! I finally started stims yesterday 😊
Is anyone else here on ovaleap? I got really confused as the instructions in the booklet that came with the pen were completely different to the video we were sent by the clinic...I didn't know which one to follow?! I'm assuming it worked OK anyway - looks like the right dose went in etc.
The nurse told me I didn't need to prime it again after the first time. But the booklet says to prime it for every injection (not just the cartridge). So again a little confused as to what to do tonight.

@hopefullsosbry i haven’t tried acupuncture but I have heard lots of good things about it? I tend to find getting outside or speaking to a friend tends to help me the most,simple but effective! If the clinic are giving antibiotics that sounds really good and hopefully moving forward some positive results for you 🤞

@Magix86 great news you have been able to start stims ☺️ can you contact the clinic over the weekend for some reassurance? I would say for priming stick with what the nurses said. It’s their bread and butter they literally deal with these drugs everyday. Is it subcut into your tummy? As a nurse (I’ve got no fertility experience though) I would say don’t worry too much,if it’s in it’s in!

@bubu that is so true what you have said about the mind/body connection! Stress is sooo bad for us and IVF is very stressy. Well done for stopping coffee! I tried it and thought I had vertigo,turns out it was withdrawal so I have just cut down instead 😂

@hopefullsosbry I've been having acupuncture for several months now. Not too sure whether it's been doing anything but when I started my fsh was 9 and most recently was 4. The reason I started acupuncture was because I'd read it can help to lower fsh and mine was just too high for our NHS referral for ivf. Obviously fsh can fluctuate anyway so who knows! But I do find the acupuncture really calming and so have continued it to help with anxiety and stress.

Thanks @Cosyseason1234 that was what I was thinking - if it's in then it's in haha. I think it just feels like such a massive progress for us to finally be starting I want to do everything as perfectly as possible. There is a little extra in the cartridge so I was thinking I'll just prime it anyway - if there's enough in the cartridge then it can't do any harm can it?!
Have had the most awful migraine all night. Hoping this isn't how I feel for the next 10 days of stims! My partner has just gone to buy me some isotonic drinks lol. Really don't think paracetamol is going to touch it 😕

@Magix86 its so exciting to start isnt it,really feels like a long journey but actually I’ve been less anxious since we have got into it. I’m abit of a control freak and it’s nice to be actually doing something about it now 😂 sorry to hear about your migraine,they are vile. Do you get them normally? Sleep,hydrate and some fresh air and hopefully the rest of the stims will be fine 🤞is the cartridge like a pen and you turn it to the correct dose and put a needle on it?

@hopefullsosbry I haven't tried acupuncture either. I did years back for a stiff neck and really didn't enjoy it. Given that research says the main benefits are relaxation I thought I'd give it a miss since it seems to have the opposite effect on me 😀Although it's meant to help with blood flow too so I guess it can't hurt.
Gosh that's a long time to get results back from a biopsy! Was it done through NHS? I would imagine an infection could well prevent implantation or not create a good environment for embryo development leading to miscarriages. They say that about STIs don't they, and also an imbalanced microbiome too...
It would be very frustrating if this was the cause for your miscarriages! But at least now you know and you can get it treated.

@Cosyseason1234 i replaced with matcha late to begin with as green tea has caffeine too and then slowly tapered off on that one too.

Saying all this, I had v disappointing news yesterday so not sure anything I've done actually helped... I have only 2 embryos that made it to day 5, which they biopsied . They said they are monitoring 4 more to see if they make it today to day 6 but not holding much hope (last time they monitored 2 and they didn't make it). I had double the eggs collected and fertilised so to get less blasts this round makes no sense to me. But I guess that's IVF for you... But let's see maybe these 2 blasts are the good ones 😊

@Cosyseason1234 thank you, appreciate the advice! I do get migraines normally yes but they have been a lot more under control recently. You're right - it's the pen that you dial to the dose yes. Sub cut into the tummy.

@bubu24 I'm really sorry to hear you're disappointed with your results. Really hoping for good news for the 2, and also for the 4 they are watching- like you say, with IVF it seems like you never know, anything could happen!

@Magix86 i feel your pain with migraines 🤢 I take sumitriptan for them which really helps. It sounds like an insulin pen,we prime them to make sure there’s no fault with the pen etc so presume it is same with yours.

@bubu24 sorry to hear you are disappointed,IVF really does seem very unfair and difficult to make sense of. All I can say is what I have seen over and over again is it only takes one! Got everything crossed for your 2 ❤️ and the 4! Are they there on a Sunday will they update you today?

Thank you@magix86 , @Cosyseason1234
They just called to say the other 4 made it and they were biopsied as well. She said 2 were top quality, but obviously grading doesn't matter much anyway when you do genetic testing. She did say some research indicates day 6 embryos tend to be genetically abnormal more often than not. But either way makes me feel better knowing we sent 6 for testing

@magix86 Lots of water 2-3l.with electrolytes added helped settle my migraines. Hope it eases off soon as they are the worst!

@Cosyseason1234 so do you think I should go ahead and prime before each injection? There's only 2 doses in each cartridge but obviously use a different needle each time.
@bubu24 so pleased the other 4 made it! Great news. How quickly will u get the results of the genetic testing?

Yeah sumitriptan never worked for me so they changed me to zolmitriptan as a nasal spray which was amazing...until it got discontinued apparently and I can't get it any more. Its the only thing that's ever worked for me.
Will try to drink even more water and continue with electrolytes and isotonics etc 🤞🏻

Thanks everyone for the feedback on the acupuncture, I might start after Xmas if we get a euploid for transfer in jan /feb

@Magix86 congratulation on stating stims .. I started mine today, I don’t have overlap this time but I have had it the last two times .. if I remember right, I didn’t prime before each one it was just the 1st shot after entering a new cartridge, but if you tap the pen, see if there is air in with the liquid, if no air you don’t need to prime ? That would be my guess ? Sort you are getting migraines and I hope you don’t get them for the whole process of stims , can I ask if you don’t mind what is fsh? I don’t remember getting told a number for mine ?
@bubu24 yes it seemed to take forever for the biopsy results! I have 5 days of antibiotics, I did ask can I take them after the egg collection as I don’t want to effect the egg quality at all but she said I should start today so it’s cleared up before EC and reassured me that the antibiotics won’t effect the egg quality at all, but it’s still in the back of my mind incase there are side effects they don’t know about ? It’s just this is our last round and I don’t want anything to hinder it in anyways 🥴 seemliny I have Gram postive bacilli ?? She said it wasn’t anything serious ? I think this bacteria is present in the uterus anyways so is it just an overgrowth maybes ? 🤷🏼‍♀️ she didn’t say really. But assured me it should clear with the antibiotics. 🤞🏽 it makes a difference this time having that cleared.

Also that’s good you got 6 to send for testing ! Well done you! Keeping everything crossed for you. Did they say how long until you find out ? 💫

@Magix86 do whatever you feel comfortable with,ultimately as long as the dose is right and goes in it doesn’t matter! Hope your migraines passed now 🤞

@bubu24 this is amazing news! What are the next steps now?

@hopefullsosbry I wish I could give you some advice on this but I’ve got 0 experience! The only thing I can say is the clinic deal with this sort of stuff everyday and fingers crossed with the antibiotics the infection will clear and a good result for you this time! Is it worth starting a new mumsnet thread? This place seems to be a wealth of knowledge and advice.

can anyone who’s had a good egg collection experience share it with me? Mine is Wednesday and I’ve seen a few awful stories could do with some positive vibes 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Thank you @magix86 and @hopefullsosbry . They said 2 weeks but last time it was about a week so let's see.

@hopefullsosbry I have been prescribed antibiotics both cycles before EC. I thought it was standard practice to minimise risk of infection with the procedure? Or maybe it's just because I have endometriosis.
If you are worried though, , you can of course ask your consultant for more reassurance. Given that you are not doing a fresh transfer could you wait to start after egg collection for your piece of mind? Or is it actually that the infection itself could potentially cause issues with your follicle development ? They should be able to explain either way.

@hopefullsosbry thank you 😊 that helps to hear what you did last time! I'll check the cartridge as you say. fsh is follicle stimulating hormone. We needed that below 9 for a referral for ivf under the nhs, or an AMH above 5.4 I think. As it turns out my amh is 16 so didn't necessarily need to panic as much as I had been. And I know fsh naturally varies from month to month anyway.
I'm sorry I don't have any advice for the antibiotics but I guess I'd trust the nurses and hopefully things improve for your next round 🤞🏻

Thanks, yeh I did start a new thread yesterday haha .🙈. but wasn’t specific to if antibiotics effect egg quality, just re infection in uterus. No one has added anything unfortunately. I’ll just take the antibiotics and put my trust in the professionals and hope for the best, what will be will be I guess 😏

@bubu24 thanks for advice, I did ask can I wait, but she wanted the infection clear before EC as putting a needle through the vagina etc knowing there is an infection present isn’t what they want to do incase it can spread infection, (even though infection it in the uterus) and I do get that, it makes senses I guess to clear an infection before doing some sort of surgery/procedure.. it’s just my over active ivf brain playing up 🙄.. I’ll hope for the best and trust the nurses. Thanks everyone for the reassurance.

@Magix86 ah ok, thanks for that, I wasn’t sure I had heard of that fsh. that’s good your AMH numbers were what they needed to be ☺️

@Cosyseason1234 my last two egg collections were no problem at all. You get a sedation and can’t remember /feel anything, it’s like you go to sleep then wake up and it’s done. Everyone was so lovely and talk you through the procedure first and give you a chance to ask questions/voice concerns before hand. I was slightly tender after, for a day or two but then was fine after that- 1st cycle got 11 eggs collected (5 made it to blast) and 2nd cycle got 8 (3 made it to blast). You might get a wee bit spotting after but it’s nothing to worry about. When I was on another thread at the time of my last EC, I read the girls were drinking coconut water to help with electrolytes as this seeminly helps not to OSSH to much and helps aid recovery ? I didn’t try this but I am starting drinking if this time round starting tonight .. (most on that thread when on to have a pregnancy so I am taking it as a good thing and going to try ! 😅)… when is your EC? you will be absolutely amazing and wish for lots of plump follicles for you! 💫🤞🏽💛

Off topic slightly.. but has anyone seen the film on Netflix ‘Joy, the birth of IVF’ it’s about the doctors who created the1st baby born via IVF set in the 70’s .. my fiancé and I are just away to watch it.

@Cosyseason1234 both my egg collections went really well.
Obviously first time I was quite nervous but just because I wasn't sure what to expect.
They asked me to get to the clinic 1hr before the scheduled procedure. I got checked in and had a bed in the recovery area. They checked my details, when I last ate, drank, when I took the trigger shot etc. I had that done 3 times, by the nurse, the anesthetist and the doctor.
I changed into the surgical gown. They told me I could keep my bra and socks on. They had slippers and a warm blanket too.
The anesthetist then came to place the cannula and they put in some liquid (I assume saline solution), then removed the needle and I was all set.
They asked me to empty my bladder 5 minute before the procedure even if I had gone before, they said to try and get everything out.
Then I put my cap on and walked to the operating room. Everyone else that I haven't met before introduced themselves. I laid down on the chair. They have those high leg rests and they wrap your legs onto it (feels comfortable). They put a blood pressure monitor. They asked me to confirm my name and dob. Then the anesthetist said he will give me the good stuff and then I woke up in the recovery room 😊
First time I had what felt like bad period pains for a few minutes, 2nd time it didn't go away and they gave me a painkiller. This time round ovaries were sore for a few day, but manageable. First time no pain at all other than those initial minutes.
They gave me biscuits, crisps, hot chocolate and tea.
The doctor came to tell me how many eggs they collected.
Once you are able to pee normally you are free to go. I had no spotting but they say it's normal if you do.

I read some scary stories too but those are v few and most people say it's absolutely fine (better than expected) and I'm sure the same will be the case for you. So try not to worry about it 😊