42 and starting IVF treatment tomorrow - would love some company for the journey ☺️

[Sheffters]

Hi ladies, so, as the title reads, I start the injections tomorrow evening. I have an appointment with my clinic (Care) tomorrow morning for the baseline scan and to get the treatment plan. Meds have arrived so we are ready to go! My AMH is 8.3 with follicle count of 14.

I had my son via IVF 11 years ago and was very lucky that it worked first time and on the NHS. This time it's private and costing a fortune. This is the only shot we have at this so we are feeling the pressure for sure.

I fell pregnant last month naturally (first time ever due to PCOS) but that ended in a chemical at 5 weeks. We are opting for PGTA testing and keeping everything crossed for a euploid.

Is anyone else starting this journey?

hi everyone - sorry for the delayed response I have had the most hectic time at work. I feel like I haven’t slept in months 😂.

@overwork im sorry to hear about the last embryo. Hopefully your consult will have provide some clarity. I got my breakthrough around…11 or 12 days post ER. Symptoms wise I had the usual backache and cramping but it started a few days earlier whereas my usual cycle that’s a dead ringer for AF the next day. I’m also wondering now if the weird discharge the day before was a sign and I just didn’t know…

Thank you, I’ll stop being so jumpy then and wait it out! Have decided to go for a couple of consultations at different clinics too. I picked the one I did because of a) proximity but also b) they say they have experience of working with over 40’s. So will give the consultation a chance but I’m feeling a quite unhopeful! The only one of us who got good numbers was @PearOpalI think but I’m not sure I can head to Greece for a go!

Had a transfer 3 days ago so am in the process of over analysing every twinge and clock watching.

I am so hopeful for you @sirensong!

Fingers crossed for you @sirensong ! How long are you planning to wait to test?

I'll probably start tomorrow 🙄 which is too early really (9dpo equivalent).

It was hatching stage so hoping that gives it a timeline boost.

How is everyone doing? X

Just biding my time. I’ve got a scan tomorrow to check bloods but otherwise I’m just waiting to find out when we might be able to schedule a FET. how’re you doing @Sheffters ?

I'm still waiting for my withdrawal bleed! 5 days of spotting now and it's really frustrating me. We'll start norethisterone again on day 21 after my bleed so I just want to get on with the next round now. Waiting to speak with our consultant about what they suggest for next time

Hope everyone is doing ok

Still here and reading but no updates from me at the minute. Still wishing you all the best of luck x

I’ve started my breakthrough bleed, though it’s not as bad as others have had, in fact it’s probably a bit lighter than a regular period. I have my cons apt on Friday so I’ll see what she has to say. How about you @Sheffters, any thoughts on where / how you’ll go about your next steps?

Like @Onesaddog, I am watching a reading all of your updates 🙂

We have a meeting with our clinic on the 30th July and we will be discussing egg donor options. X

@Magix86 Probably ignorant - what’s the significance of that medication, are you going straight to another ER once this bleed clears up?
@overwork glad its not too bad!

Wishing for a good update/consultation for everyone these next few days!

@PearOpal yep going straight into another round, with hopefully a fresh transfer this time! I take Norethisterone for 10 days after day 21 of my cycle - I think it's to make sure my cycle can be timed properly for the egg collection

Hello, how are you all getting on?
I had my follow up meeting with my consultant today. When we were left with zero embryo’s I’d decided that the whole protocol wasn’t right for me and I needed to change everything, but actually the more I thought about it, 5 fertilised eggs from 6 collected (although one fertilised abnormally) was actually pretty good. It’s what happened after that which was the issue.
Anyway that’s pretty much what she said. They were doing okay at day 3 and by day 5 they dropped off with one compacted. So, it’s obviously highly likely my egg quality, but we can’t rule out a sperm factor. We’re going again with my next period. I’m going to take clomid (can’t remember how that works but something to do with starting with more follicles), and HGH (she was ambivalent towards this but said why not). We will do ICSI - half and half with IVF if we get enough eggs but all ICSI if we get the same amount as last time). And I’ll start progesterone as if I’m having a fresh transfer, if it clears up the fluid in the uterus and if we end up down to one embryo again, we’ll go for that option. So @Magix86depending on when my cycle naturally starts we could be cycle buddies again! @PearOpalany news on your FET timing?

@overwork I think that sounds like a good plan! I think you're right in that having 5 fertilise out of 6 is a good result, but if you can get a higher egg number this time then hopefully that will help. Did she say that she thought it was more likely to be egg quality than sperm issues? I thought it was the sperm that took over from day 3. Both of my rounds have been looking really good until after day 3. Did you have ICSI last time?

I actually have my consultant review on Monday but we have our treatment scheduled for August already. I start norethisterone in a couple of weeks and egg collection currently pencilled in - although it falls on my son's 1st birthday unfortunately! I hope everyone else here is doing OK

Oh no that’s terrible timing! Good thing is though, he won’t have a clue so just move his birthday to a few days later.
No ICSI last time, nothing on his sperm count that to indicate an issue, plus he’s younger than me and we conceived naturally a few years ago so we’d never considered it. One thing I have found out though - he’s been having secret saunas three times a week! Well not secret he just never thought to mention that he has one after the gym and I’d not specifically stated no saunas. I guess this next round will give a bit more info again. If it’s another duff round we’re calling it quits, but if it’s more promising we might stretch to a third round (if this one is unsuccessful that is, we don’t plan on a third child!)

@overwork That's a good point actually haha. I'm hoping it's a good omen as his successful transfer happened on my birthday! Ohh dear about the secret saunas! Is he going to stop them now ready for your next round? Interesting to see if that plus ICSI makes a difference for you. It's so hard to know when to stop, I'm already thinking about whether we add a third round in this time before I get older. But you never know and I think we need to try a fresh transfer if our next round goes OK.

Oh yes, he didn’t have a clue. I’d told him off for using his laptop on his lap but I don’t think he really thought it would make any difference. I’m not saying it has, but, it’s a surprise to both of us that anything has come from his end so I think he’ll try anything now.

@overwork That sounds like a good plan! Did they say anything about doing day 3 transfers instead of day 5? I don't know much about them but I've heard that in some circumstances that can be worth a shot. OH no! It sounds like he just truly didn't even think about the sauna despite receiving the guidance in the moment. I'm glad to hear he's open to stopping once he's been called out.

@Magix86 Are you still feeling good? I've lost track a bit - is your ER coming soon?

I'm doing well. Just got word today that my transfer is scheduled for next week. I'm being a bit dramatic but I feel like I've been waiting for this FET process longer than the entire ER.

Wahoo that’s really exciting! And another trip to Greece!
In my notes I’d wrote ‘ask about a day 3 transfer’ but I remember her responding that I’d need a day 4 scan to check that the fluid in my womb had dried up (progesterone can do that). So maybe it’s me personally that wouldn’t be suitable for a day 3.

@PearOpal it's easy to lose track! So we have another egg collection in August and hopefully a fresh transfer at that point. So nothing really happening now until I start the norethisterone tablets in a couple of weeks.
How exciting that your transfer is happening next week! I feel like that's come round quickly for you but this whole thing just feels like one big waiting game doesn't it. Do let us know how it goes!

ahhhh @overwork I suppose that makes sense. Forgive me, I'd forgotten you were navigating a unique circumstance. But hey, everything is worth the ask - especially in this process it kinda feels like the situation changes every single day.

@Magix86 Are you going to do anything during your short break? A quick holiday or girls night etc? It does feel like it's come quite quickly once we finally got started. I think I've come to really appreciate the greek approach of doing all the testing, surgeries, procedures etc; first and then starting cycles. It feels like a massive delay initially but likely the only reason we've been able to progress at this pace once we officially started.

How's everyone else doing this weekend?

@PearOpal no not really! I don't have anything planned so might just have some day trips here and there. It sounds like you've done all the preparation quite thoroughly which is great if that means you can then progress quickly from there. I'm feeling excited for you for your upcoming transfer!

Yes me too, would be great to have a positive result on the thread!