Betty's ICSI round 3... Ding ding! 🙏🏼🍼💃🏼 BFP! TWINS!!

[Bettyboop82]

So, here I am... Almost 12 months after my first (briefly successful) first ICSI, I'm about to embark on my 3rd and final NHS round. This time we're throwing IMSI -to help with our male factor issues, and an even higher dose of stims -to encourage my somewhat lazy ovaries to produce more eggs -into the mix but I'm struggling to think positively about it at all. Since our first treatment we've found out that I have a really awkward cervix which makes transfers really difficult. I've got a cervical dilation later this week under local anaesthetic which I'm not really looking forward to but needs must! Hope it doesn't hurt too much...

[FertilityFriends]

[Bettyboop82]

Stressful day today, on hold to drugs company all morning as I'd still not heard from them and have my teaching session in 2 days, finally got hold of them and then my friend who's house they were getting delivered to text to say she's no longer available! Have had to arrange to get them delivered to my OHs business partners house. What a nightmare!!! Oh then I had a call from the hospital saying that my cervical dilatation appointment for tomorrow will be at a different time than they'd originally said so now I'm desperately trying to swap my work meetings around tomorrow at the last minute. Am really stressed and it's all the hospitals fault!

[Bettyboop82]

Better day today thank god! Had my cervical dilatation this morning with only a local anaesthetic (was under general last time) so feeling like a big brave girl! It was my usual consultant who did it which put me at ease right away, she's so lovely and it was all over and done with in 10 minutes. Had my drugs teach whilst I was there and got my dates for starting injections and scans so it's all good. 4 days to go before the down regging starts -am actually feeling quite excited to get going again. Let's hope this is our time.
In other news I went to see my new baby niece last night in the special care baby unit. Got a bit teary thinking I'd do anything for my own baby. Saw lots of overweight pregnant ladies smoking at the doorway to the maternity unit which got to me also. Why do I have to go through all of this?? Ah well, "it is what it is" as my OH says....

[Bettyboop82]

Drugs have arrived! Still feeling excited! Have had my highlights done today, I really hope I'm not able to get them done for ages and ages (cause I'll hopefully be preggers!) and will have big roots but I won't care!

[Bettyboop82]

Hmmm found out today that I have really high NK cells (22% when normal is under 5%). Gutted but relieved at the same time. Not sure how this will affect my treatment at the mo. I have a telephone consultation with professor Quenby on Tuesday so will hopefully know more then x

[Bettyboop82]

1st injection done!

[Bettyboop82]

Day 2 of buserelin injections done today (don't worry I'm not going to count every one!). Injecting myself is like second nature this time round, the needles do not phase me one bit these days! I'm trying to drink lots of water to keep the headaches and night sweats at bay and also to flush the drugs around my system. The only problem is I'm needing the loo every 30 minutes!

[Bettyboop82]

Day 5 of downregging today, no side effects as yet and the injections are easy lso it's all good. I'm currently waiting (IVF is all waiting, waiting and more waiting) for the hospital to call me back. They're calling ME back after I called earlier to discuss adding prednisolone to my protocol this time. I had my telephone consultation with Professor Quenby yesterday who has advised 20mg steroids from ET to combat my high NK cells. I'll update when the hospital have called me back....

[Bettyboop82]

Quick update.... So there was no dr available for me to speak to today so the nurse said that they wouldn't be able to prescribe the prednisolone as it isn't a standard IVF drug, and therefore the pharmacy at the hospital will probably not stock it. She advised me to go through my gp. Will try to get gp appointment ASAP. What an absolute pain in the !

[Bettyboop82]

After a sleepless night and lots of worry about how/if/when I would get hold of any prednisolone, I rang my GP surgery at 7.59am, 8am, 8.01am and so on until I got through this morning. I was determined (desperate maybe?) to see my GP. Surprisingly, I was offered an appointment straight away. I didn't even look at my work diary or wonder if I would be able to be released from work I just said yes. This IVF malarkey is now my one priority. It takes precedence over every aspect of my life -work, fun, friends, holidays. Everything.

Anyway, I'm waffling. To cut a long story short the GP agreed to prescribe me the prednisolone and wrote me a prescription there and then. She was so lovely and helpful. Am so grateful for our amazing NHS!

Think I'll get my acupuncture booked tomorrow. I'd forgotten all about it!