IVF / ICSI June 2025

[GLizzie88]

Hi All!

I might be early to it here, but thought I'd start a threat for anyone who knows they'll be going through it in June this year!

I'm based near Sheffield, and will be going through the treatment in sheffield. I'm 36, will turn 37 during the treatment. We've been through one failed round last August, so we've spent the time since getting further private checks done, and now we're ready for the next round. We came back as 'normal' on the nhs tests, but we found other things with these private tests! We've had all of our follow ups, catch up consultation appointments. Next appointment is our nurse appointment on the 5th May, then after that it's waiting for my next cycle to start at the very end of May / beginning of June.

From the further tests we've had done, I'm now on thyroid medication to bring my thyroid down to fertility recommended levels, my partner had DNA Frag & Oxidative Stress tests done and we've made improvements based on the results of these. I've also been having some acupuncture, which I've also feel has helped my sanity!

Please share your stories and hopefully we can all support each other during this. I'm much more nervous this time, even though I know we're better set up than we were last time.

@RainbowFluff sorry to hear that, have you been offered an appointment to go through your results and discuss next steps? I recommend Impryl too, and there is also a course of antibiotics that some Drs are recommending for fragmentation. Will ICSI help?

@CloudyIvy55 @Rayofsunshine22 It is so so hard NOT to be deflated with IVF numbers, especially when people on social media seem to be getting insane numbers (interestingly seems a lot in the US??) but I think its important to remember that its such a trial and error process, the more they can learn about how your body responds to the meds can inform amounts etc and different types going forward. I totally felt the same as you guys at first too. I think there's also an element of feeling like you worked so hard to get to this point, you want more of a pay off 😂

@YellowTack How are you doing now?

@Limmers14 thank you for sharing that - is there any particular reason you wouldn't transfer in July or Aug? I really want to try Padel too! Is it hard?

@Jayknow agreed with the others that I wish we’d just gone to IVF after a year of trying instead of waiting another. I’m a bit younger and we already have a child conceived naturally so I think I just kept thinking it was bad luck.

@RainbowFluff sorry it was a surprise on the DNA fragmentation. How were his other parameters (the usual ones)? I have also read that there are lots of ways to improve sperm. My partner got checked for a varicocele (no symptoms) and he did actually have one (albeit small and they didn’t recommend surgery)

@HelloPippa0 I suspect he might have a varicocele, it’s probably the next thing to check. We already had three rounds of ivf with ICSI that didn’t work so I’m hesitant to do another round now we know the odds are very low. We will look into varicocele repair but doing it privately might mean no money left for IVF anyway.

Our previous clinic did say there was no point testing for DNA fragmentation because we were already having ICSI due to low morphology. But I wish I’d pushed for the test anyway to not waste so much time, with his result we have no chance at all naturally so we should have got started on IVF a lot sooner.

@RainbowFluff sorry to hear that. Is there anything that can be done for DNA fragmentation? I suspect my partner might also have it but am reluctant to pay for one more test if there is nothing we can do to treat it.

Went for my scan today, still only 2 follicles + some really small ones that won’t grow enough on time for collection. I need to go for another scan on Saturday and then egg collection probably on Monday.

I would really like to bank 3 embryos before starting transfers, so I want to do another cycle but my Doctor has recommended we wait 2 to 3 cycles before trying again. It’s just so frustrating!

@KayEmmSquared how are you feeling today?
Did you get a call /update today? Mines tomorrow morning I can't wait but so nervous too!

@Rayofsunshine22 i was feeling fine until I went for a walk before dinner and now I’m a bit crampy, so a day on the couch for me tomorrow! How are you feeling? Yea I got a call this morning, 2 of the 3 eggs fertilised and the third partially fertilised so they’re going to keep monitoring all 3 🤞🏻🤞🏻 I get another update tomorrow, praying it’s good news, last time my one egg didn’t make it to Day 3 so I’m super nervous. Such a nerve wracking process.

@YellowTack sorry to hear you’re follicles aren’t growing as you hoped, fingers crossed you get two really good eggs from those two follicles 🤞🏻

@KayEmmSquared I've had tummy ache for over a day now. Oh wow that's amazing news!! I really just want to know what's happening with mine now. The waiting is killing me & I'm worrying it's not going to be good news. Keeping everything crossed for good news again for you tomorrow too 🙏🏻🤞🏻

Oh no @Rayofsunshine22 I hope the pain goes away soon. I’m sure your call tomorrow will be positive, I’ll keep everything crossed for you! I don’t think I could wait 2 days to find out though, that’s mean of your clinic. Let me know how it goes 🤞🏻

@KayEmmSquared that's a great update, fingers crossed!

@Rayofsunshine22yes that's a long and I imagine difficult wait! Why does your clinic wait so long to call?

@YellowTacksorry your not feeling great after your scan, praying those two follicles have got two perfect eggs.

I've got my day 3 update tomorrow 😬 still feeling a little crampy here too.

I have NO idea. But it's rubbish 😫

@YellowTack it depends on the cause. We already had the test for infection in the semen which is an easy fix with antibiotics and it was negative. Next step would be an ultrasound for a varicocele but I know it can take a long time to go through the whole process and we’re not getting any younger.

@RainbowFluff that’s good to know, I hope you he can get an appointment for an ultrasound soon!
My partner has not done the DNA fragmentation test but because he has other sperm issues he got referred to a urologist for an ultrasound. There was no varicocele so we don’t really know what is causing the issues.

@Hopeandfaith1990 yeah! I hope it’s fun, it’ll be a good distraction. Have your clinic said anything about your transfer yet?

So we have been advised not to do a frozen transfer until early September because

1. I had OHSS so the doctor wants me to have my withdrawal bleed and a normal period. I should get my period mid-July
2. we are testing 5 embryos and obviously want the results so we can extrapolate against the other untested embryos. Hopefully we’ll get those results early next week.
3. we’re going on a 2 week holiday in August which includes climbing Ben Nevis so she said it’s best to wait until we’re back in London rather than worrying about meds and exertion of hiking. That’ll mean also having my August period and transferring early September I think

Finally got my day 1. Il be starting on the pill for the next 10 days and then I start the meds. Good luck everyone who have had their eggs collection and who are going into their transfers. Iv moved over to the July group now since I completely missed a cycle and now have to start in July. If all goes well il make it in for a transfer right at the end of July

@YellowTack im sorry for the scan results and then not being what you were hoping for. I have everything xd that they are atleast really good quality, mature eggs.

Morning, off to get bloods done today. I feel like im going crazy, we've done a test this morning but it doesn't feel very conclusive?! Ive never had a positive before, and i thought it would be more obvious than this??

Wow that’s positive girl!!! How are you feeling? How many days past transfer are you?

This looks promising. Let us know how the bloods go!

Congrats that looks for sure positive! How many days past transfer are you? I have bloods next week I am 10 today :) best of luck xxx

Im 10dp5dt today, they wanted me in yesterday but I was away with work. Plus after my last negative I didnt want to have to work tomorrow if it wasn't good news.
Thanks I will do, I won't find out the result from those until this afternoon. Ive never had a positive test result before, i expected it to be clearer!

I’d say most start like this or even fainter tbh! It’s very clearly positive which is all that matters! Congrats. Xx

Ah I’m the same!! 10 days here too! I’d say your test is for sure positive. These are mine this morning. The top one a sainburys cheap thing and the bottom one a clear blue I’m trying not to get too wound up over lines etc. but as they say a line is a positive!! Let me know how you get on xx

Congratulations @K8113 ! Its so nerve-wracking isn't it. I hope everyone's doing OK. In the hospital now waiting for my bloods then a 7 hour wait for the results. Last time this was the longest wait in the world.

Oh my days!!! I think the hardest part in all of this in some ways is the waiting! The wait just really gets to me! I wouldn’t be worried as it really does look positive to me xxx