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?

@Onesaddog good luck
for retrieval!

@Onesaddog good luck!! I hope it goes well.

@Sheffters @PearOpal @overwork hope you're all doing ok?

I've just had my final scan. I trigger tonight 😬 egg collection Wednesday. Had quite a twist today when they said we can't do a fresh transfer even if we wanted to as I have 20 follicles over 10mm so am at risk of OHSS. They've changed my trigger because of this. I'm a little disheartened because it was a fresh transfer that gave us our son so really wanted another fresh transfer. But then I'm feeling good at having such a good amount of follicles - and then also anxious that a higher number of eggs might mean lower quality. God this is such a rollercoaster 😅

Ahh @Magix86nothing is guaranteed in any situation with IVF it seems. So you can relax now, your body has played its part and responded (if a bit too well!) and you just have to see what happens next! With that many, if a good number make it to day 5, will you still go ahead with your second round?
I am just behind you, trigger shot Tuesday evening and collection Thursday morning. I have 9 above 13mm and another 6 which may or may not catch h up by Thursday.
Best of luck for today @Onesaddog

@Magix86totally understand why you would feel a little disappointed however they are great numbers!

I am doing ok, I have heart flutters today - even when I am sat down not doing anything. I don't remember this is previous pregnancy but I have read that it can be due to progesterone. Anyone else experiencing this?

Thanks @Sheffters @overwork
That's what me and my partner have been trying to decide - how many embryos we'd be looking for in total so that we can decide whether to go ahead with the second egg collection or not. IVF is such a numbers game and it's just impossible to predict how anything will go. At least we know we can't have a fresh transfer this time so we'll have longer to think about it once we have the day 5 update.

I'm a little annoyed with myself to be honest 🙈 We had our first round at the end of November 2024 and I was on 150units of stims, getting us 16 eggs and 2 embryos. My thought this time was that I'm nearly 2 years older and my AMH is also lower than it was, so I requested a higher dose of stims. Now it seems maybe 150 was the right dose after all! My biggest worry right now is that with the different trigger (buserelin rather than ovitrelle) there will be less mature eggs and therefore lower quality. Sorry about the long message, I think I just need to vent and get it out!

@Sheffters I can't remember having any heart flutters but that's not to say they don't mean anything! I do remember looking out for every tiny thing my body was doing and not knowing whether it was the meds or what. I really hope you get some clarity soon

@overwork sounds like things are going well with those numbers! It will soon be done. I'm very much looking forward to not having to inject myself every day lol

Thank you all so much! Six eggs retrieved so fingers crossed for next stage! Good luck for later in the week @overwork @Magix86

Ooh well done @Onesaddog looks like the smaller 2 caught up for you! Keeping everything crossed for your next update. Hope you can get some rest this afternoon!

Oh that’s brilliant news, well done you. Feet up now and try to relax!
@Magix86I am just hoping that PGT-A results come back before I would start a second cycle. If by some surprise we have the 4 or so in the first batch, I won’t go ahead with a second collection. Though tbh I think that’s unlikely so perhaps should plan to do a second round regardless…

@overwork that sounds like a good plan. It will be good to know you have euploid embryos to work with whereas we aren't having testing done so I feel we need to aim for more than 4 as they won't all be euploid

@Onesaddog well done!! Glad to hear the stragglers were able to catch up just in time. Hope you're doing something to remember.

@Sheffters I cannot begin to imagine how you're feeling but every pregnancy is different. How're you managing the stress//anxiety of the TWW?

@Magix86 and @overwork ohhh this is so exciting!! Wishing you both the best with that last bit of follicle growth heading into trigger time. @Magix86 I'm sorry about the fresh transfer but at least now you have time to really sit and discuss with DH next steps (now that you've had a good online rant to your friends!

I just got my final update - we managed to get 5 blasts. Objectively I'm aware that 4/11 is right about average for attrition to day 5 but I'm feeling a bit down about it. I guess I just felt like with the little attrition we'd had thus far maybe we'd manage enough that I wouldn't feel like I should consider whether to do another retrival...I'll be happy in a bit but right now I'm a but bummed

@PearOpal thank you 😊
I have to say ending up with 5 blasts is absolutely amazing! I do understand the disappointment tho because I've been there but honestly that's a really good number. We only had 2 blasts make it out of 16 eggs and our first transfer ended up being our son with one still left frozen. Did they tell you what grades they are? That might help you when thinking about your next steps.
I guess if you don't have another collection you'll be all set for a FET after your next period! You'll probably be going again on similar timings to me and @overwork lol

@PearOpal five blasts is amazing! X

Ah @PearOpalI suspect I would feel exactly the same, someone has to be the one to beat the odds don’t they! But 5 blasts is 5 chances, you’re in with an excellent shot now. I don’t know how one goes about making the decision to do another egg collection. The consultant just always seemed sure with me that that would be what was needed so I followed her lead

You guys are alright and I appreciate the encouragement - I know I'll get over it and I am truly grateful for that. I'm just glad we've got @Sheffters leading the way with her FET and hopefully many of us won't be too far behind!

@PearOpal LOL! Will see if it sticks!

Great news on the blasts!!!

Out of 6 eggs, 5 were good but only 3 fertilised. They will be calling me on Thursday and I know there is a drop off so I’m feeling really down today

Oh love. It’s a cruel wait and hearing the numbers decline is hideous. As you know, it only takes one, etc etc but that doesn’t help when you’ve put yourself through this time, money and pain for little reward. I’m sorry. But also hopeful that you still get good news in a few days.

@Onesaddog I'm so sorry you're feeling down. I echo everything @overwork says. Be kind to yourself! Sending good positive thoughts for those 3 you have

@Onesaddog i can’t say anything that the others haven’t already sad but I’m so sorry you’re down. Definitely give yourself some grace while you wait. This process is so so hard. We’re all rooting for your trifecta, hopefully your next update brings some positive news.

thanks guys, you’re all so lovely

good luck for tomorrow @Magix86

Oooh yes good luck @Magix86! I made a right pigs ear of my trigger shot, presume I’m having a double one as I had two little pots. I think she told me to just use one saline, suck it up and then put it in the second pot and then inject. I definitely squirted some up my arm when transferring between pots and there didn’t seem to be loads of liquid left to inject

Thank you!! 16 eggs collected. I was expecting a couple more given our follicle count on our last scan but still very grateful. 16 is the amount we got last time so I'm quite interested in seeing how the next few days compare. Feeling quite sore and exhausted now so hoping I can sleep when I get home!

Oh that is a wonderful amount! Well done you, first hurdle overcome! You’re on mat leave I think aren’t you? So sadly no down time for you now. Just had a call from the clinic to ask about my trigger. She said the concentration that they had given me, I really didn’t need to worry if a bit squirted out it will be fine. So that made me feel better. I am more worried that I am expected to travel on the tube tomorrow morning to my egg collection, without any deodorant on

@overwork thank you. Yeah you're right- my partner has taken our little one out for the afternoon so I can get some rest thankfully! So glad your clinic reassured you about your trigger! It sounds like a complicated one tho, which trigger did you have? I had buserelin which was basically just one liquid vial I had to draw up, no mixing or anything.
Wishing you all the best for tomorrow!! I wouldn't worry too much about the deodorant thing....there will be people much worse than you on the tubes I'm sure 🤣 maybe take a handheld fan if you have one to try and stay cool! Hopefully it's not a long journey for you

That’s amazing @Magix86

good luck @overwork