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.

Hi all, sorry I've been MIA. Period came on Sunday, late just to give me that absolutely last minute nerves about what was going on!
We have our first hospital scan and appointment tomorrow, followed by a councilling appointment after.

@LimeBird yes I do recognise yours too. Im so sorry you had a failed round since. We decided to do more tests to see if we could find anything. We think we found the issues but unfortunately obviously haven't succeeded naturally since then.

Everyone has such different advice! Mines been to have as much variety as possible to get all the nutrition in predominantly. I definitely need to get my water intake back up too.

Im trying to exercise if I can this time, I let myself lie down too much last time 😄

@Limmers14 im sorry to hear about the ohss, how are you doing now?

Hey everyone, congrats on the egg collections so far 🙏 hang in there. Well done on those going through stims - jealous of the non-bruisers!

Early bird here have just had a frozen transfer today (last ones left from this round)🤞 I have a very kinky (acutely anteverted) uterus so it was a little bit traumatic but now PUPO and on the rollercoaster that is the TWW 🙃 OTD 12th

Any fellow transfers or words of advice for this period - all old wives tales welcomed ! I’ve stocked up on pineapples and had MacDonald’s chips today…

@cakeislife1234 thats great about the follicles. I hope you have a great egg retrieval outcome with some beautiful embryos at the end of it.

@Pharmapalava congratulations for being pupo and good luck in your 2ww. Fingers xd for a positive outcome.

Im so jealous everyone is on their stims or already having their egg retrievals . I still have a couple of weeks to wait for my next period to start to ring with day 1 and begin the process. But so proud of everyone who has gotten through the process in one piece and I hope everyone in this group has a good cycle and get some great looking embryos to transfer.

Hi all, hope you don’t mind me joining. I had a failed cycle of egg thawing and fertilisation a couple of months ago using my husbands sperm. We had one embryo and that didn’t implant. We have since joined a new clinic and start ivf today but my experience is not great - my patient coordinator has gone off sick which I don’t think is helping, a lot of information re injections etc is just given in a waiting room full of people, I was handed a new pen today by the receptionist and not shown how to use this and had to request someone showed me. I had to ask for a sharps bin! The doctor I saw today for my day 2 scan had no clue about my history or the plan for which type of IVF I was planning. She was asking me if I had had my AMH checked which had clearly been done and wouldn’t have been hard for her to find if she had read my notes. There was a problem with my husband’s consent form and rather than just resend them for him to fill in the nurses were behaving like I wouldn’t be able to start this cycle whereas all it needed was my passport number to be added.

I left feeling a bit stressed about their whole set up which I know isn’t a good mindset for IVF! We were in two minds about trying this clinic locally or going to one with much better results in London. Feel like I’ve handed a lot of money over and we should have gone elsewhere. Does anyone else have similar experiences with their clinics?

@Pharmapalava congrats on being PUPO, I hope your TWW isn't too difficult (if that's even possible). How are you feeling? I've also heard of using Pom Pomegranate juice and Beetroot juice in the TWW :) figure it can't hurt!

@Miraclemuma03 I hope your period shows up and you can start - its so funny saying and wishing for that to happen after years of TTC praying my period DOESN'T come!

Hi @lemonandsugarpancakes I wonder if we are at the same clinic, is yours in Surrey? I'm sorry your experience was a bit disjointed and unsettling. Hopefully it will be better when you properly get into it? The paperwork and admin is A LOT and I was really overwhelmed by it all. On my first appointment I forgot a necessary part and had to go back the next week, which really threw me and I cried a lot lol because I thought I wouldn't be able to start that cycle. Luckily it all worked out but I remember feeling very unsure about the whole thing again. x

@Limmers14 thanks for this! I feel like I’ve tried just about every TTC old wives tale out there at this point 😂 thanks for the tips re protein and water, I will definitely try and do that.

@lemonandsugarpancakes @Hopeandfaith1990 I am having a very similar experience with my clinic. Funnily enough their reviews are great but the admin side of things is TERRIBLE. I also definitely got nerve damage in my arm (temporary, I’m sure, but still) from a blood test from one of the nurses which has really thrown me because I’ll be needing to drive myself home from most of the scan/blood test appointments and I definitely couldn’t have driven after that last one. It hasn’t filled me with confidence but I am trying to focus on the reviews. It did almost make me switch clinics at the start but this one is closest to me and trying to juggle it all with work is already going to be a stretch.

@Hopeandfaith1990just in the waiting room for my scan, good luck for yours today!

Thanks lovely, you too. Mine was ok (I think?) I have about 14 follicles but some are already 13/14/15mm so I’ve been told to do double cetrotide today (as well as the fostimon) to prevent premature ovulation. The Dr said I’m responding really well but now I’m worried too well 😔 it’s one thing after another isn’t it! But overall it was fine, I had bloods done too so I’ll wait to hear about those and going in for another scan and bloods on Friday. How did yours go? X

That’s amazing news well done you! Don’t worry too much, if they’ve altered your meds - they know what they’re doing just keep up the good work. Keep up the fluids and you will be fine. I am same as you next scan is Friday but I didn’t have any bloods today or I believe on Friday so not sure why that is.
Mine was 26 in total but 7 are small so unlikely to be big enough by Monday so looking at 19 potential ones. She mentioned obviously not all of them will contain eggs.
Did you have a dominant side? My left was dominant by far 18 on that one 8 on the right but she said that’s normal. Was your lining looking ok too?
Looking at Monday for the egg retrieval all going well on Friday.
She didn’t mention to me anything about OHSS now I wish I had asked but I was a bit overwhelmed and as always I forgot. 🤦‍♀️
Just feel a huge relief knowing that it’s actually working you know! X

Great tip on the coconut water! Thank you had not thought of that. Just stocked up 🥥

First timer here too - it’s such a scary feeling being in a completely new scenario with no clue what’s the right thing and wrong thing. We can only do the best we can and hope for the best I guess. It’s so nice having others to speak to here though because I have no one I know that has been through this. Lots of my friends have frozen their eggs because we get it through work but I feel it’s such different ball game when we’re in the deep end trying to actually conceive! Have also not wanted to share this with anyone else. Always here if you need to talk to someone x

Hi all, glad to hear scans are going well for you! I now think I do have mild OHSS as my stomach feels tight and I’m a bit nauseous. 🤢
Nothing much I can do beyond drinking lots of water apparently.

We had our call from the embryologist yesterday and currently have 21 embryos at Day 1 and 2 more that fertilised but are a bit slower. We’re really happy and it’s making the pain more bearable. We’ll get another update tomorrow! Keeping our expectations low about final numbers. We didn’t end up needing ICSI - I thought we would as my husband has teratoozoospermia but I guess making him stay off alcohol and take Proceive for 8 months worked well for us.

Good luck for you all in the TWW. I found that bit the hardest last time. @lemonandsugarpancakes sorry to hear you're having a nightmare with your clinic!
@Hopeandfaith1990 and @KittyIIV thats really good news on your scans, how exciting! And thanks for the coconut water tip actually, my water intake has been poor.

@Limmers14 I hope you're ok. Thats great news on your eggs, keeping everything crossed.

We went for the day 3 scan yesterday and started the meds. It's starting to feel very real now. Just focusing on trying to eat well, walk and keep my stress levels down.

@GLizzie88 you’ve got this! The next 10 days will go quickly

That’s incredible on 21 embryos AND no ICSI. Well done to you both!
So so sorry to hear you’re not feeling well. Really hope it passes and you can get back to normal soon 💕 lots of that lovely coconut water!

So pleased you’ve started and each day that goes by will be one step closer!

This may be common knowledge but anyone else trying to eat eggs? I always get the timings wrong boiling in a pan but just found out you can pop them in the air fryer at 150° for 12 mins and get a perfect boiled egg.

Nice to meet you and hope all is going ok! I did hear one on another thread about wearing cozy/fluffy socks and asking people to think “sticky thoughts/wishes” to wish the embryo to stick so I am sending you many sticky thoughts 💭 🩷

@KittyIIV thank you! Keeping all our fingers and toes crossed.

On the eggs, yes I tried to eat them regularly during stims! Sometimes just fried with some avocado, other times scrambled. I think each one has 10g of protein? Well worth adding to the mix! I feel like I just ate a lot of breakfast food 😂

Hi everyone, I recognise some names here from earlier in the year so thought I’d chime in. I’ve had a break since February after two cycles with good fertilisation rates but no day 5 embryos. I’m about to start the monitoring cycle with ARGC so it’s not IVF yet but planning to do the next cycle so feels like it’s all getting started. They have recommended a lot of tests so hoping I might come away with some answers about what happened with my last two cycles (I had one cycle before with 2 embryos and got pregnant, that was June last year).

@Limmers14 congratulations on your 21 embryos, that’s amazing!

@FluentTealGuide I’m a bit late
to the party but a colleague got me started on boiled eggs with cottage cheese for breakfast, loads of protein and very easy to prepare (I’m vegetarian as well).

Feeling pretty frustrated... am due to start on the 10th but haven't yet heard anything about my medication delivery. My clinic use a company who will deliver my meds to me. I emailed yesterday and they said they were still waiting on mine and my partners blood test results (which were taken over a week ago) before they can send off the prescription for the meds. Now I just don't see my meds being delivered in time for the 10th!! Maybe I'm just stressed and worrying over nothing but the thought of having to wait another month is not fun!!

Sorry no advice from me but that’s so frustrating for you!
we had our blood results the next day and got medications the next day. which company does your clinic use? Ours was stork and they were so quick once ordered, within 24 hours so don’t worry too much yet x

It's stork aswell! OK, that's reassuring they were so quick to deliver! Thanks @cakeislife1234 No idea why the blood test results are taking so long.

Keep ringing and chasing up the results, obvs I don’t know what they were for but most bloods shouldn’t take longer than a week x

Mine arrived two days before my due period (it was then 3 days late after all) and I remember feeling the same way. Definitely chase the clinic and I’m sure they will be there in time!