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?

Oh yes good point @overwork ! It's nice to know someone else is on the same timelines. I have 10 days of stims, same as they gave last time - last time I only ended up having them for 9 days as they brought my collection forward by a day. Compared to our last round I'm now on a slightly higher dose, with a lower AMH but higher AFC count haha so I'm really interested to see what happens!
Oh the cost of all this is a difficult one, especially when you have no guarantee of success. I hope your first injection goes OK today!

@Sheffters that's a fabulous update, I can imagine you'd be pleased with that 😀 sending lots of love for Mondays update now! I'm feeling good thank you, no side effects just yet. Trying to remember to drink more fluids which is always a struggle for me!

@overwork Im administering my trigger shot today and then I’m officially done with injections! So almost there - I can hardly believe it. I feel like this first round of Stims has been simultaneously harder and easier than I’d anticipated. Starting to get nervous but trying to stay distracted for the weekend

@Sheffters Congratulations! I’m glad the clinic took the time to schedule you a transfer slot just in case. I’m glad they’re continue to grow, even the ones you weren’t sure about.

@overwork there is something strangely relieving about know there’s a doctor influencing the outcome instead of just DTD and hoping it works.

@Magix86 howre you feeling? Do you find a difference with the dose changes or is it more or less what you remember?

@PearOpal so exciting getting to the trigger injection! Hope it goes OK and you can relax and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
I'm feeling good so far! But then I've only had 1 lol. As far as I can remember the last time I had a bad headache a few days in so I'm expecting those again ☹️ but otherwise I don't think I felt too bad so hopefully will be the same this time. My dose is only slightly higher this time, I was on 150 last time and 175 this time.

Oh brilliant - you did it!
First one done for me! Felt fine going in but stingy afterwards, I’ve used an ice pack for 10 mins. Had to watch a ‘how to’ video and pause and rewind it many times.

Well done ladies! X

Hi ladies, quick update from me. The clinic called this morning to say we have have one blast of good grade. We were given the option of PGTA or transfer. Given that we only have one we are putting our faith in it and currently sat at the clinic waiting for transfer. X

Oh my, that must have been a bit of a rollercoaster. Hope you’re doing okay and I have every faith in this little fighter!

@Magix86 and @overwork glad Stims are treating you well so far. hopefully these days go by quickly with minimal symptoms.

@Sheffters baby dust to you as you wait! That sounds like an absolute whirlwind of a day but very excited for you!

I made it through ER and managed to get 13 eggs. Hopefully at least a few make it to the end but for now I’m trying to just celebrate this little win since they initially told me to expect 4 or so.

That is fabulous! Well done! Now put your feet up and let’s see what the next few days brings for them

Great news @PearOpal! Keeping everything crossed for you.

Thanks all, it was a very emotional morning! Here's a pic of little Emby x

Emby

@Sheffters good luck!! Amazing you got to transfer today and how lovely to have that picture! We never got one like that, it's so nice! Hope you manage to rest now and sending lots of love for the 2ww. Are you an early tester or do you hold out for the clinic OTD?!

@PearOpal thank you! 3 injections in now and starting to feel a little bit of a twinge here and there. Nothing too bad but I'm just hoping that means something is going on in there. Im also feeling really emotional lol but I dont know if stims typically does that or if I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed in general 🤷🏻‍♀️
Congratulations on your egg retrieval!! 13 is an excellent number, I bet you were so happy after they told you to expect 4 - what a big difference! How are you feeling?

Thank you @Magix86. I am very much am early tester normally however I know that I will still have trigger shot in me for a while so don't want to see false positive. I tested today to see how dark the trigger shot line was and it's faint but definitely there. X

@Sheffters ohhh that’s clever re: testing the trigger shot!

@Magix86 honestly even if it isn’t the Stims directly causing the emotions the process certainly has an impact so either way it’s all easily understood. Hopefully you can take it easy and relax while your body does all this hard work!
I overall I feel pretty good. My stomache hurts a tad but I think that’s more gas and recovering from bloating rather than pain form the procedure itself

@Sheffters great to have checked that trigger! I checked mine on day 2 last time and it was definitely out of my system by then. Which trigger did you have?
@PearOpal that's so true isn't it. Such an exhausting process both physically and mentally! Glad you're not feeling too bad. Wishing you lots of luck for your next update from the clinic

I think my biggest issue is the fear of being fired. Can confirm that my head is not in work mode right now! Would rather be constantly Googling stats which is obviously no help to anyone

@overwork I hear you! I'm actually still on maternity leave atm 🙈 but will have returned by the time we have our second egg collection and potential transfer! I wanted it all done before I returned because I just know I won't be able to fully concentrate on work and I know how much it takes it out of me. I also didn't want to tell work this time round so I'm not sure how I'll manage time off for our treatment and scans etc when I've literally only just returned 😅

Oh my that’s a lot to deal with. I’m definitely taking a couple of sick days over the course of it all if it falls on my working days. We don’t have any IVF allowance (I know some workplaces have this). But it will be good to have a bit of headspace during it all. And I want to save the annual leave for a holiday to get over it all!

@overwork A holiday to get over it all definitely sounds like the best idea!! We might do the same. We do have leave allowance for fertility treatment which is great - 5 days off per round up to 3 times I think. So I'm assuming I'm still eligible for another 5 days but looking at the dates I think it would all fall within the first 2 weeks of me returning. I have no idea how my work or manager would feel about it or respond to me asking for this, and I really don't want to share all the details with them again so it may have to end up as having to use annual leave or sick days 🙃

do you have annual leave from your maternity leave? Could you just bolt it onto the end of your leave and then you don’t have to tell them? It would feel like a waste but would take away that pressure

@overwork yep I'm already doing that to take an extra 4 weeks unfortunately! I do have a little bit extra too so was planning to use it to go down to 3 days a week for the month I physically return. I just have to hope I can somehow fit things in on the days off...maybe I'll see if they can be flexible in the working days rather than having set days. Or maybe I just open up to them and say we're going again and ask for the 5 fertility leave days 😬😬

Well, if I were your manager, I might be thinking inside (oh for goodness sake I have to get cover for you - again!), but I’d also be thinking, that I’m delighted for you and that your family’s future is far more important than any job. So if you came to me with that information, I’d give you the exact same support I would have if it were your first go. In fact, at our age, I’d probably be half expecting you to come back already pregnant!

@overwork that's actually so helpful to hear that from someone else - thank you! I feel like they might be a bit more understanding and supportive given my age, that's also a really good point. I'm not going to make any decisions just yet but it's something I need to consider carefully.

It's such a struggle trying to balance work isn't it. You definitely won't be fired @overwork! I am the same, my headspace is full of stats and I struggle to concentrate. I have been googling questions endlessly on forums to see other people's outcomes! X

A holiday is always good for giving your brain a break but it is hard trying to balance taking the time you need and getting anxious about what other people think you should do. That's the nice thing about these forums I think - finding people who get it, that you can find some grounding in outside of day to day life.

Felt like I waited all day to hear from the clinic, but turns out of the bakers dozen we got during ER, 11 were fertilized although 1 was abnormal. I'm not as read up on what that means so I asked for clarification about what happens to that one but I think we're essentially at 10 for now. I did so much research when I was trying traditionally and now I feel like every step forward with IVF just highlights something else I didn't think to ask 😅