First IVF cycle at 39y/o - Disappointed with first monitoring scan.

[RoseWinter]

I turned 39 a month ago and have just started my very first IVF cycle on the NHS. I had excision surgery for stage 4 endo in summer 2023, which went really well and I recovered really well so they've started me on a long protocol.

I've been on stims for the past 4 days and had my first monitoring scan for it today and I'm so disappointing and disheartened at the results. It looks like I have 3 good sized follicles only 😞with another 2 smaller ones which I was told are unlikely to grow any further. It's really knocked me.

I'm not sure we'll be able to afford another round if this one fails and now having a family of our own feels so out of reach.

Does anyone have any positive experiences with a low follicle count? I guess I'm looking for some hope to come back to me. The lady who scanned me said it does only take 1 egg but I just feel so broken with how low my initial count was.

@RoseWinter did they talk about upping your stims?
I'm sorry it's not the news you want at this stage but it could still work out. I know someone who recently collected 3 eggs, two made it to blastocyst and she's now pregnant.

Hi @Eagerlywaiting1990 thanks for replying. I'm on 450 iu of meriofert and there wasn't a conversation about upping the stims. Next scan on Monday so I'll see what they say then. I've been absolutely fine this whole journey up until today when I heard how low my follicle count was. Such a kick in the gut.

Aww I see...that's maybe the maximum dose. Do you know what your amh was? Is this your only nhs round?
You're not out yet. I stimmed for 13 days and my follicles were all different sizes. There's still time. Got everything crossed for you! Xx

@Eagerlywaiting1990 They said previously my AMH was 8.something. Can't remember entirely. Before starting the process, I had 8 to 10 follicles. They put me on a long protocol due to previous surgery for endometriosis, so I've been on down reg with Buserelin since the beginning of December. Just praying it improves for the next scan on Monday. Did you manage to get a good result in the end? x

@RoseWinter it's such a shitty process when things don't go how you want them to, but hopefully things turn around. I managed to get 7 eggs which I wasn't delighted about but I ended up with 6 blastocysts which blew me away. Unfortunately my first didn't implant but I'm now gearing up for a frozen transfer of embryo number two xx

Thank you for sharing your journey so far @Eagerlywaiting1990 I really appreciate it. It's proper shitty when you're not getting the results you thought you would. I had quite an open mind going into this process so didn't think I'd feel so down but I suppose when you're given the facts you're forced to process the reality of IVF and your situation. I've heard many women have had low follicle count and have had successful pregnancies though so trying to find the hope.

Sending you all the luck. I hope this is our year x

Of course, it's a really hard process that only others in the same boat ever truly understand. I'm terrified that I have an underlying implantation issue and feel really scared to get my hopes up again.

Keep me posted, I'll be thinking of you xx

You are on the max dose of stims so that's why they can't up it anymore. I'd say it still sounds like early days in your cycle so things can still change. Just take each day as it comes and be kind to yourself. It's such a rollarcoaster of a journey though!
In my second rouns we collected 5 eggs and 3 made it to blastocyst. Fresh transfer was negative so waiting on a frozen transfer now. Having low numbers can be really hard, but there is still hope!

I feel with IVF unfortunately it's a trial and error process and they don't know how your body will respond to the medication. Best of luck for everything to come x

@Eagerlywaiting1990 I'm exactly the same. The uncertainty is so numbing and draining isn't it. I'm the type of person that needs to know everything in order to process and I feel like I can't process anything or even understand it all myself.

I will most likely come back to this thread for updates on my journey. Wishing you all the luck too. Keep me posted too. I'll be your cheerleader through it 🙂🙏🏼

@Cesas yeah they did let me know during my initial consultation that they were going in with a long and heavy protocol due to my diagnosis of endometriosis. I was just hoping for much better results. Prior to starting the IVF meds when I had inital scans, they could see around 8 follicles so I was really hoping for better results. I guess, next scan tomorrow so I just have to roll with it and see what they say.

I do still hold hope, I've heard lots of stories from women, close friends ans family being told they're infertile and would never have a family and have managed to conceive, if not naturally then through medical intervention. How long I'll have this hope for myself I don't know, but right now just riding the wave and trying to be kind to myself.

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience with me. I appreciate it. and for the luck too x

@RoseWinter how did your scan go today? Xx

How did today go lovely?

I have an awfully low AMH and my follicles went from 1 to 10 to 4 that were good enough for collection (all within same cycle!)

4 mature eggs were collected, unfortunately none fertilised but it does only take one little egg

Lots of luck xx

@RoseWinter I'm sorry you had a disheartening scan, it is really hard when that happens. My baseline scan for my 1st EC they counted 12.or 13 follicles so I was feeling pretty good, and then at all subsequent scans many of them stayed small, and they didn't seem very pleased with progress which was really hard to hear. In the end I ended up with 8 eggs collected, 5 mature, which in itself isn't bad at all but when they kept telling me they hoped id get 10+ eggs, it made me feel really shit!

I went straight into another egg collection on different meds - they put me on 450 menopur (1st was 300 ovaleap) and they got 9, all mature, all fertilised. It could be luck, or different meds (we also did ICSI in the 2nd round) but that round also started with many follicles not really doing anything and only a few frontrunners, so I was super nervous the whole way through. Its just a horrible process to go through!

It's so hard not to feel like it's game over if you get a low follicle count but its still early days, you might be stimming a week or so more yet, and as they say it only takes one (but I really really get wanting as many as possible). Will keep everything crossed for you

Sorry for the delay in responding. I needed a day just to process. So yesterday they told me they could see the 3 eggs growing but 1 looked like it was excelling which was good. The other 2 had grown but not by a lot. It was over the first line on the chart that they monitor it by, they want them closer to the 3rd line though. I was feeling pretty rotten yesterday and cried most the day. It just feel like 6 weeks of injection, 12 days on stims for such a low outcome. Praying its all looking better. Final scan tomorrow. Trying to stay hopeful but also realistic. x

@ivfjourneyandme yesterday was tough. Really tough. Of the 3 follicles they could see growing, 1 is really excelling but the other 2 are growing at a slower pace. I got teary in the clinic when she was showing me the chart and she was so so lovely it made me even more emotional. Cried all the way home (45 min journey) and then all day I was emotional and teary. Final scan tomorrow before I hear more about either triggering or postponing EC. x

Thank you for sharing your experience with me @Orangewillow I really appreciate it. It sounds like you've had quite the journey with IVF and ICSI so far. How are you getting on now?

It is really tough to try and stay positive. Yesterday was horrible. I just felt like my body was working against me. I have my final scan tomorrow morning so I'm about to go to bed now. Felt better today but who knows what they're going to tell me tomorrow now.

Awww @RoseWinter I'm so sorry. That's really tough to process after all you've gone through to get here. Sending you a massive hug. Hope the scan today isn't too disappointing...if things don't go to plan then there's always things they can learn and change up for the next cycle. I know that's not ideal but it's not over yet xxx

@RoseWinter really sorry yesterdays scan was so tough, it really is such a hard process to go through. Good luck for the scan today. It may not be what you want/the clinic advises but an option could be to not do egg collection now and try a different protocol next time, mine mentioned that to me as an option when my 1st round didn't look like it was going to elicit that much as hoped.

Yeah its been a ride! I did 2 rounds of egg collection last year, preparing for a frozen embryo transfer soon if things go to plan, which they rarely seem to, but will see how it goes!

Sending lots of luck and love xx

Good luck today @RoseWinter ❤️

Good luck ❤️

I only had 3 eggs on scans - and only got two at the collection. Only one made it to day 5, and now I’m 2 weeks away from giving birth. It does only take one. ❤️ A few people I’ve chatted to on here who also had low eggs all got pregnant too, whilst those with higher numbers didn’t. So it’s more about quality than quantity I think. Good luck! xx

How did you get on @RoseWinter

Hey all,

@blacksnow
@Cesas
@Eagerlywaiting1990
@HopefulllHolly
@ivfjourneyandme

and anyone I may have missed. I'm sorry I've not been on here to update. Having a bit of a "mental health" break, to just process everything really.

My egg collection happened. 3 eggs retrieved only 1 fertilised in the end. I won't say too much more at this stage as I'm just processing and, if I'm honestly, haven't had the words. I'm ok though and pressing on. But will be back on here soon.

Wishing you all well and just wanted to say, I'm really grateful you all reached out and shared your experiences and words of encouragement. Sometimes when it's such a private journey, you just need unbiased people to give you calm and hope. You've all done that and I appreciate that so much.

Back soon x

@RoseWinter Sending hugs of solidarity and hope. It’s a tough process on you physically, mentally and especially emotionally - I hope you have lots of people to lean on, and are looking after yourself xxx

@RoseWinter I'm sorry it's been so tough, it really is a brutal process at times. A mental health break sounds like a really good idea, I had 4 months off after my failed transfer and it really helped me come back with a fresh head xx