Ivf September 2025

[Klmno]

Thought I would start a thread as can't see one already
Anyone in the same boat who'd like to chat?
It's our first round. Likely to need a freeze all which I'm quite disappointed about as means won't even transfer until Nov.
I'm on short protocol.
Feeling pretty fed up ATM tbh, partly because it's come to this but also just want to get going, currently just waiting for my period early sept and feels like my life is on hold until then!

Welcome @NSC1982 and @babycoconut .

@babycoconut you are exactly the same stage as me (except I do my injections in the mornings). I also have my first scan on Monday!

@pastelheart so glad to hear the sperm defrosted okay and you got a good number fertilised! Fingers crossed for the next few days!

And fingers crossed for those of you who've had your transfers! How does it feel to have an embryo on board?!!

Welcome @NSC1982 and @babycoconut !

@pastelheart such great news for the amount that fertilised.

@YourTipsyDog my embryo transfer was so positive and I generally felt really good! It all started to feel real when we had to put those white suits with the matching bonnets on. They said one embryo had reached blastocyst ( which is the one they decided to implant) and other was not quite there but it’s not uncommon for them to be behind so they’ll keep and eye on it. When they were implanting it was so exciting because they really built up the moment. We got to see our embabe being launched into the ‘uterine universe’ it was so cool! We now have 11 days until we test 😬 it was initially difficult to get to my uterine but that’s a story for another day!

Hi all,

we started our first round of ivf with medication starting in August (buserilin then the stimulating drug beginning with O), and had our egg retrieval on Friday just gone. We got 14 eggs which was amazing, and told our egg and sperm quality both looked good, but found out yesterday only one was fertilised as we have poor communication between sperm and egg. This was so upsetting!

We are NHS funded so as we haven’t transferred yet we can start the whole process again. We are waiting to hear how the embryo is doing, it will be on day 3 tomorrow, and we will have some decisions to make over whether to transfer this if it is looking promising, but we will lose our chance of trying again via NHS funding if this transfer doesn’t work; or whether to restart the whole process again with the hope of doing ICSI as the fertilisation process to hopefully give us a few more fertilised embryos.

Ive been reasonably grounded and calm for the whole process, and fully accepted that we have very little control. I trust the specialists 100%, but my goodness this is the hardest thing to navigate emotionally! I keep feeling bitter towards people who already have children as it just feels so unfair. Since we’ve been trying my two best friends have both got pregnant, I’m so happy for them but it’s been tough to be present and there for them.

lots of love to all of you going through this! X

Hi, I just had gas and air during my egg retrieval and it was great! Didn’t feel a thing and would do it again in a heart beat (which it looks like I will have to do after having 14 eggs retrieved and only one fertilised). Best of luck!

7dpt today finding it hard to wait for test day, feel really sick in waves and headachy but I know that feeling progesterone is a trickster so may well be that! Sounds like lots has been happening since I last checked in! Welcome to the new ladies who have joined! I hope everything goes well for the ladies having scans tomorrow keep us updated!

@pastelheart sounds like everything is going amazing!
Reading through I think it was you who mentioned blood tests I had loads with Shrewsbury every time I was in but with my new clinic I haven’t had any other then the initial ones and screening before we started.

@BGMart28 wow I’m so sorry what a blow for you! I’ve never heard about being able to still use funding if you didn’t have a transfer that’s interesting. I don’t know the right words as it sounds like you need more information first but I have everything crossed for you and will be thinking of you over the next few days!

Hi @BGMart28 I'm sorry to hear that, it sounds like a really unusual situation. Hopefully if egg and sperm quality is good and it's 'just' communication, then the ICSI may be able to overcome that? 🤞🏼 I've not heard of that issue before but there's so many things I've come across in this journey that I've not heard of before! Can imagine it was a big shock, but the positive is there is something else they can try. When do you have to decide by?

@Backtotheicsi omg two week wait is the worst at the best of times but an IVF tww...another level I imagine!!

I am feeling so sorry for myself today.
Day 6 of stims and come down with the most awful cold! Not been ill for two years so talk about timing. I hope it doesn't affect things, I'm not sure why it would but one of the questions they asked me during my medical history at my drugs teach was if I'd had a recent cold...I wonder why?
I also bent the needle of my stims this morning and I don't think it all went subcutaneous, there was a little red pocket of fluid. Worrying about that too!
Can't wait for my scan tomorrow to see if the stims is working!

@BGMart28 that's an awful situation, is this your first round? I thought NHS IVF got 3 full rounds via the NHS is this not the case, @Klmno also day 6 here an have a cold, wonder if it's linked to stims are you now on the cetrodide as well as the stimulation injections I am so bruised but no actual symptoms I dont have a scan until Wednesday am so nervous it's not working

Maybe it is but my partner caught a cold at the wedding we were at last weekend so I think he's just given it to me! And I seem to have got it worse than him
I have no symptoms either. I am on Meriofert and started Ovamex on day 5 (I think the Ovamex is the one to stop me ovulating).
Sorry to hear you're all bruised!
My area only offers 1 NHS round so it varies a lot x

It’s very confusing! Across the country it’s very different. We get two chances down here in Devon but that is one fresh, one frozen embryo which I believe have to come from the same cycle…we will find more info out when we have our debrief this week! Good luck to everyone going through it this month!

@Klmno yes same type of drug stops ovulation I think I have this for 5 days then trigger then egg collection mine is provisionally booked for Saturday 20th

hey everyone! How are you all?

just going through messages I have missed

thank you @Klmno@Happyclappy22🩷

welcome @BGMart28i hope your day 3 update went well today.

@Backtotheicsi yes I asked about blood tests, it’s just that I have only had one prior to my cycle starting so wasn’t sure if this was normal or not. How are you feeling? When are you planning on testing?

@Klmnohope you are feeling better today

I had my day 3 update this morning and it was really positive which is a relief. I was loosing the positivity on Saturday, I know 7 to fertilise is such a good number but it seems like such a drop from 15 mature eggs but back to day 3…

they should be between 6-8 cells on day 3 and 6 embryos (are they embryos yet?! I’m not sure but that’s what I’m calling them) are between 6-8 so perfect and 1 is at 5 cells so just a little behind.

we have added on Caremaps, which takes continuous video of the embryos developing and this has been checked and 4 developed perfectly as expected and 3 did some slightly strange things but that doesn’t mean they won’t make it to day 5, they might just not be graded as high if they do make it

so really positive, fingers crossed for transfer on Wednesday!

Hi all, everyone was right about the transfer, if this embryo is viable on the NHS they have to transfer if it looks like it could work. Unfortunately our day 3 embryo is lagging behind where it should ideally be. I said me and my partner are always late for things so I’m not surprised the embryo is too (haha). If it doesn’t progress it won’t be viable, we will then go for a second round on the NHS and use the ICSI process for fertilisation as they have evidence this would work better for us. It’s a waiting game now but have got the week off work and just chilling for now. Good luck everyone in the same boat this month, xxx

Afternoon all, hope your Mondays are going well so far 😊

My, my, my - about 30 mins after I did my intro post on Saturday, I was struck down with the worst D&V. I am not a sicky person, ever, but I must’ve been sick about 20 times. Horrendous. It didn’t last long, I’ve been ok since 10pm Saturday. Let me tell you, the stims on Sat pm were a struggle, I had to do them lying down! Phoned the clinic as was googling and worried about OHSS albeit slightly early for that (tonight will be my 8th stim, so Sat was day 6). They are satisfied that it’s unrelated due to no cramps, bloating and the fact that diarrhea isn’t a characteristic of OHSS, just vomiting. A few close family members have been struck down too so looks like a bug is doing the rounds.

Feeling much better, and on my way to the clinic for first scan. Because I’ve been so distracted, I suddenly feel really worried that they’re going to tell me nothing is going on in there!! Good luck with your first scan today too @Klmno.

Just a wee bit of positivity - I was worried about the Fyremadel as I had Cetrotide the last time and the clinic told me Fyremedal feels like a bee sting. I didn’t have any stinginess/rash at all but the needle feels a lot thicker/harder to push in.

I will be really apprehensive about the ET if I get that far as I found my unsuccessful one VERY painful in July. Apparently a combo of having a retroverted uterus and them having to navigate through c-sec scar tissue.

I’m also really glad my new clinic are doing time-lapse imaging. My last clinic didn’t and there was a big question mark over whether my 2022 cycle embryo fertilised normally or not. My son was transferred on day 3 but this was the only other one that ended up as a good grade on day 5 (5BA). I don’t think they saw what they wanted to see at the right time but it could’ve been explained away by the fact it was only being assessed every 24hrs and the rest of the time it was unmonitored so it may have done what it should’ve done in private. Due to this, I did PGTA testing and it came back as euploid. The clinic told me it has as good a chance as any now but I don’t think that’s strictly true - PGTA tells you that it has all the chapters in the book but doesn’t confirm whether there are any typos/missing pages etc, figuratively speaking. It ended in a chemical and I can’t say I’m surprised. So I definitely think I’m in the school of thought that initial cell division is more telling of success than JUST their overall grade on day 5. I won’t be doing PGTA again as, to me, it doesn’t really tell you anything definitive. I had success with an untested, day 3 embryo and chemical with a euploid, day 5 good grade blast!

@pastelheart that's wonderful news about your embryos!! 6 is an amazing number (and fingers crossed for the one that's a little behind - I've heard so many positive stories about embryos catching up!). Fingers crossed things continue to go well for a couple more days! I can't remember if you said you'd do a transfer this month or freeze all? - hard to keep track of everyone!

@BGMart28 good to have some clarify on your situation. The NHS rules are so crazy aren't they how they vary across the country! You're not the only one to joke about it matching your personalities....my partner's sperm have low motility and we've been joking about how he's not a very good swimmer 🤣 (an amazing runner though so shame that's not his sport!)

@babycoconut gosh that sounds stressful! But glad you are doing ok now. Hope the scan went okay! The time lapse technology sounds very clever...I'm glad to be doing IVF in this day where there's been a lot of research and there's so many technologies!

My scan today was really good news! 22 good sized follicles! I have responded really well which is a huge relief as I hadn't felt much. I am doing trigger tonight and egg collection Wednesday!! Big relief that it's going well so far. We have known male factor and DNA fragmentation so I'm bracing myself for a big dropoff but at least if we can start with a decent number of eggs then we might do ok overall. Just got to hope they're mature and my egg quality is okay...no way of telling is there really. Still don't know if we will be doing a freeze all, if over 20 eggs collected then we will, but even though I have 22 follicles that might not mean 22 eggs.

Yes I had 27 follicles, 21 eggs, 14 fertilised so it does drop off after collection. All 14 of ours ended up being good quality blastos on day 5, so we sent 7 for PGT-A testing… god knows how many we’ll lose with that but trying to keep optimistic!

Amazing news about your scan!! How exciting. How are you feeling about EC being as soon as Weds?!

Just had my scan, also went well. 19 follicles which is a lot more than I was told at the baseline scan (9). I had a feeling at the baseline scan she wasn’t counting every single follicle, only the bigger ones. With my son’s round, I had 19 follicles but got 9 eggs so may be true that 8/9 will be closer to what they collect.

I think she said I have more on the left side but they’re smaller in size. Right are bigger but fewer of them. Just rescanning on Wed then will know whether EC will be Friday or pushed to Monday

@pastelheart im itching to test but not supposed to until Friday. I feel like maybe Wednesday though as typically if I count egg collection as ovulation Wednesday would be the day after the 2ww so I do feel it would be accurate by then!

@Klmno how amazing you’re a speedy stimmer! Can’t wait to find out how many you collect! Are you dual triggering the two different injections? I believe all fresh is still possible if you dual trigger and not too many I would mention it to your consultant if you’re hoping for fresh as he said to be over 20 but definitely late 20s so he might consider you for fresh. You just want to be considered really so they let you start your progesterone then if you don’t show symptoms of over stimulation you’ll be ready to go!

im feeling ill as a dog and headaches so bad! I’m not sure if it all just messes with your head though and I feel like I imagine it or the meds are messing with me.

Getting nervous about the egg collection now that I know the day! And also nervous about the 'waiting for news' stages. I don't cope very well with waiting, all of the two week waits have killed me every time....anyone got any tips? Other than trying to keep busy!

Those are great numbers @zirafica, when do you expect to hear the results?

@babycoconut glad your scan was good too! My ovaries also had unequal response so I think that's quite common.

@Backtotheicsi fingers crossed so hard for you that the symptoms are pregnancy and not just the medication! It must be so hard second guessing everything your body feels or does! Do you feel like you did with your last pregnancy?! Or too hard to compare?
Yes I am triggering two injections. I would really love a fresh as I'm not in work for two weeks and my job is really stressful so I would love to have a transfer while I'm reduced stress....will see what they recommend and yep good shout to mention my preferences on weds so that I start the progesterone on time if fresh is an option!

@Klmno ive had 3 egg collections and Manchester fertility was without a doubt a whole new experience in the best way so don’t worry about it too much! They’re brilliant!

ive never felt this ill with any transfer to be honest with my little one I only felt ill from 7-12 weeks.

That's really reassuring thank you. I'm worried about feeling crampy afterwards, but I guess I'll just be so glad it's over and I'm sure I'll cope.

Ooo well hopefully if you've never felt this unwell before that could be a good sign! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

@pastelheart, thank you for this tip! Missed it the first day and it really hurt but have iced the last two and barely felt a thing! Amazing. Already getting in a routine... although today's baseline scan showed I seem to be responding quickly so have to start the antagonist tomorrow too!

@babycoconut oh wow, can’t believe you got that sick so quick! I am glad you are feeling better now. We have the Timelapse too and I can’t wait to see the video after day 5! Excellent news on your scan as well 🩷

@Backtotheicsiomg Wednesday maybe! How exciting. I will be honest… the thought of myself doing a test makes me feel
physically sick. I haven’t done a test in about 3 years and it’s just making me so anxious. Maybe I can get away with not testing at all lol

@NSC1982you are welcome. It deffo helps so much, most of my injections have been painless apart from these stupid lubion ones which bloody feel like I have been punched in the stomach after. Don’t recommend.

@Klmno thank you! We are hoping to do a fresh transfer on Wednesday, it’s booked in for 2pm but I will be having a scan beforehand to check everything looks okay (I had some free fluid in my uterus at a monitoring scan) but the consultant who did my egg retrieval on Friday said everything looks okay. I feel fine too, my tummy just feels bruised from all the injections but I don’t have any bruises to actually see (our 10/10 injection technique maybe lol joke) amazing news on your monitoring scan! So pleased for you. Don’t stress about egg retrieval, it will be okay x

@pastelheart Good luck tomorrow - really hope it all goes ok and you’re not feeling too nervous about it today.

I just wondered how long people ended up stimming for? I had a baseline scan yesterday after two days of stimming (menopur 300) and they said I was responding well with 9 follicles on each side and should start the antagonist today. I’m away for a funeral this weekend (cleared in advance with them and they originally said that wouldn’t affect things but now getting worried that might affect things as nurse yesterday said they’d rather see me Thursday and Saturday rather than Wednesday and Friday…). Also feeling a bit worried it might be quantity over quality if things move too fast…

@NSC1982 I started stims on Monday 1st September with Ovaleap, started ganirelix on the Saturday 6th, trigger on Wednesday 10th and collection on Friday 12th x

And thank you, I am feeling quite nervous but more so that it could be bad news x