[Sharry]

A new thread for all you ladies having treatment in November / December 2020

Please read the FAQ here: https://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=209838.0



Happy Chatting

[csv=]
Name , Treatment , Stimming , EC , ET , Test Date , Outcome

[/csv]

​

Honorary Members

If you want to be added please let me know

Sharry xx

​

 

[Fyfey]

Hey is there anyone here?

 

[Tickety-boo]

I’m sort of here. I sort of straddle the October and November groups but haven’t been posting in the October one because I would have been so late joining it. I started stimming Thursday last week. The hope is egg collection next week and (assuming I get that far) I’ll be testing/2ww’ing in November.

I had a scan Tuesday and my next one is today. On Tuesday I had six promising looking follicles. I’m shattered and achey but fortunately am now on annual leave the next two weeks.

Background: i have pcos and do not ovulate. I had donor medicated iui in February- got pregnant, told I’d miscarried. This was incorrect, it was an ectopic that was missed on scanning. It ruptured at a little over 8 weeks. Lost a tube and advised by the fertility team that ivf is best now. So here I go. I want to start a family so much but I’m also terrified of the whole thing.

Are you cycling fyfey?

 

[Fyfey]

Hey Tickety, I feel like I’ve seen your name previously.... but then I wasn’t around in February time during your IUI. I’m so sorry to hear about your last pregnancy... how awful! How can it have been missed? How likely is that to happen? So many questions eh? 

How did your scan go yesterday? Your a bit ahead of me, I won’t be at EC/ET stage until December. I’m just about to start down reg with the spray.

Background here:
6 months of clomid years ago
2 IUI 
OHSS during first round of IVF in 2014, stopped for 2/3 month.
June/July 2014 went again and got to EC/ET... had two top grade 5 day blasts, transferred one and now have a 5 year old.
Nov/Dec 2019 done a FET with the frostie, failed.
So now going for self funded IVF again with the hope of a sibling....

So although I’ve been here before, I really struggle to remember the process/time scale of it all. Maybe you can help? How long did you down Reg for? How long you been stimming?

I think with my successful IVF 6 years ago, I injected to down reg.... but this time I’m on spray. I used spray last year for the FET and it seemed to work fine, however I keep thinking that I got a positive outcome with the first IVF and not the FET... although it’s probably nothing to do with how I down reg, just the way my mind works!!!

Where are you located? Are you cycling in this country or travelling?

 

[Tickety-boo]

Ah I suspect we know each other (cuz I recognise your name too) from the November/December 2019 group. I had a cancelled cycle in December 2019 because my lining was super thick at my baseline scan.

Oh god - how wrong everything went with my first pregnancy is still something I don’t understand. The week before it ruptured I’d been to EPAU and said “I think I have an ectopic pregnancy” and they scanned me and told me I was wrong. I asked for serial hcg’s and was told no because as far as they were concerned it was a completed miscarriage. I think they thought I was crazy. They certainly convinced me that I was crazy. So a week later when it ruptured it was just awful. I was rushed  to theatre and lord know a very clever surgeon saved my life but I still can’t believe we found ourselves in that position. It was a mess. Should I ever get pregnant again I will be asking to use a different hospital.

My scan was good. She thinks I’ve got 10 follicles that look promising size wise - the others are all a bit small. My next scan is Monday and hopefully they’ll be cooked then because I run out of medication Monday!

I’m on an antagonist protocol and I didn’t down reg. i just did three northisterone induced cycles in the run up to my treatment cycle to keep on top of my lining then they scanned me day 2 of this cycle  and I started stimming day 3. I believe it’s because I have pcos and basically don’t ovulate at all and have an AMH of 85 so am at high risk of OHSS. An antagonist protocol means they can use a different trigger if I do develop OHSS (but at least so far I haven’t).

So far I’ve been stimming 10 days, my clinic tell me 12 is average.

I’m based in the Midlands and I’m having treatment in the uk. I’m self funding too. Where are you based/having treatment?

 

[Fyfey]

Ahh that’ll be it then, knew I recognised the name! Yup will defo be from Nov/Dec 19 group.... see I’ve had previous problems with thick lining, I think that’s part of my problem... My AF lasts about a day!! I always feel like I need a proper bleed, if that makes sense?

Aww no it’s like you’ve been failed by the EPAU! How awful... I was just thinking as I was reading your message ‘will that be where you go back to when you get pregnant?’  However you then went on to say that you would be asking for a different hospital! Is your other hospital far from you?

So are you hoping you can trigger on Monday night and go for EC on Wednesday? Will you be doing a 5 day blast?
So Monday will be 12 days of stims? I might need to pull out all my paperwork from last time and see if I’ve kept a note of dates etc. I’m a bit of a control freak and love to know when appointments might be etc

Ahhh see it’s all so confusing these different protocols etc, I’ve always been on a long protocol however last time I started DR on CD 2 and this time I’ve to wait until CD 21, not sure what the difference is?

I’m in Scotland, the clinic is around 40 min drive away, so not bad at all (compared to some people going through Assisted Conception). I work fairly close to the hospital as well which is handy.

 

[Blodyn76]

Haha,

Well this made my day, fancy seeing you both here! Crikey, we do put ourselves through it don't we?

Well, differing approach for me this time, we're doing some freeze cycles, then down regging for a couple of months before doing transfers. I'll be starting stims the end of November, going for collection around the 7th, providing covid doesn't spanner it as we cycle in Greece.

AFM - Long fertility history, 10 pregnancies 4 births (ex husband) all except one needing some help, clomid etc.

IVF - TTC this one for coming up 7 years or there abouts. 4 rounds of IVF - 1 BFN, 2 BFP - septic m/c at 8 weeks, 3 BFN (crappest round ever), 4 BFP - M/C at 7 weeks 5 days then sepsis 4 days later. Such a joy!

Adeno, Endo, PCOS, adhesions, possible fibroids - adeno so far advanced MRI had some high frequency spots of adenomyomas too.

Had PRP done in September, will see if it makes a difference in the next cycle - I'll be 44 a couple of days after egg collection. Hormone profile is still fine, would just like a bit more quality for a few extra blasts!

 

[Tickety-boo]

Blodyn - welcome back. It’s strange seeing another familiar name. Comforting in some ways but it’s also not exactly a band you ever hope to see back together given the circumstances. I wish you luck. Just looked up prp - that sounds interesting.

Fyfey- That does make sense. I have quite long/heavy periods, but they’re also infrequent and irregular. So I went about 70 Days without a bleed before my December 2019 cycle And essentially that’s why it was so thick.

You said last time you started DR on CD 2 and this time you’re waiting until CD21. Have you asked your clinic why the difference? It would be interesting to know because that SEEMS quite a difference, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t know why that might be myself.

Google says it’s 43 mins to the other hospital (vs 25mins to the local one). Friends tell that they were given a choice at their booking appointment with the midwife. Most go with the local but I do have friends that have travelled further for various logistical reasons and they seem to have had positive experiences. In terms of the trust issues I now have with the local hospital I think travelling would be the right decision for me.

The scan today went well I think, good number of follicles, but she says my ovaries are starting to look quite polycystic. I’ve been using ovaleap pm and fyramadel am.The plan is for me to have a small dose of meriofert tonight, fyramadel tomorrow, then trigger tomorrow night with a plan to do egg collection Thursday. Also because my left ovary is really high and this might cause access problems I have to take picolax Wednesday in the hope that this allows my ovary to drop. If it doesn’t they might not be able to access this side at all so fingers crossed on this issue, although clearly I’m not delighted to have to take picolax!

They say they’ll call me the day after egg collection and should then be able to tell me if it’s looking like a day 3 or 5 transfer. I think they aim for day 5.

I’m shattered - dinner and an early night.

 

[Fyfey]

Aww Blodyn, lovely to see you around AGAIN! Well it is, but as Tickety says its not the kind of reunion you'd want eh?
Fingers and toes crossed for some more positive outcomes from us three this time!!

I will be stimming around the same time as you Blodyn, which will be lovely! I forgot your clinic was in Greece! I remember asking you lots about it the last time!

Oh PRP, I will give that a google as well i think. I felt quite stressed over the weekend, over thinking everything! Feeling a bit better today though, I need to learn to let go of stuff i can't control!!

Tickety, How are you feeling about the imminent EC? I remember taking the trigger shot the last time and being so excited!! What is picolax? I think this might be something else i have to google!! Soounds like you have a good amount of follicles there and there could be a good harvest coming. Take care lovely and try to relax as much as you can given the circumstances!!

As for the differnce between CD 2 and CD 21, Im not entirely sure if im honest. I used to think it was the difference between short and long, but no its not because you are still down regging from either CD 2 or CD 21. Maybe Blodyn will be able to answer this? I guess CD 2, might just give you longer time to DR?

 

[Blodyn76]

It is, isn't it. I've heard it said to be the most supportive club no-one wants to have to be part of. I agree, as sad as it is 12 months on we're still here, it is really nice to have some familiarity, especially with everything else going on at the moment.

Ovarian PRP in theory wasn't needed - but i'm an ideal candidate as I'm still getting a fair few eggs, still getting pregnant (although not staying it) and my hormones are good. I went to Invicta in Poland for it a massive 6 day trip, we drove over had a hysteroscopy in one clinic on the Wednesday and PRP on the Thursday at Invicta, then drove home. Not something i'd recommend but it was just as they started to close travel corridors at the last minute so we had to wait until Thursday evening before we knew we'd still be allowed to travel, then book the tunnel back for the Friday morning in case they'd introduce quarantine on the Saturday morning.

Fyfey Long protocol varies depending on what they're dealing with. If your hormones are a little older they'll look at a shorter down reg to make sure your body bounces back, or if you're older still, no down reg. Short protocol starts with no down reg and stims on day 2-3 of your cycle. Have a look or a fertility massage therapist somewhere near by, it'll be the best £60 you've spent on yourself in years. It really does bring you calmly back down to reality and acknowledges why we have our struggles through the cycle - even though we willingly put ourselves through it.

Tickety, have you never been diagnosed with PCOS before, and are they not having you on metformin etc to help regulate your periods - very old school but it does the trick. I had a dreadful time with my local hospital last year, this year they had the same **** up but fortunately I recognised the symptoms. You lose faith in your clinicians - totally understand the need to go to another hospital for your own emotional wellbeing. You have to do what you need to do, this journey is hard enough.

 

[mouse80]

Hi all,

Hope it’s ok to join this group. I’m about to start a FET cycle in Nov. I have posted a bit in the low AMH and high FSH group and that fits with my fertility diagnosis.

A bit about my history

1 previous birth in 2017. Pregnancy was natural and had no issues.

Been TTC for 2 years with not a sniff of  BFP. Have had 6 fresh cycles at the lister which has resulted in 3 blasts. Many were cancelled just before egg collection due to poor response. Just had a bfn from a double transfer and we will now use our only frostie before doing another fresh in Dec if needed.

Would be great to share this journey as it’s flippin lonely doing ivf!

 

[Tickety-boo]

Hi mouse - welcome. It does feel a lonely journey doesn’t it, but these boards are really supportive.

Gosh blodyn your trip to Poland sounds quite stressful. I have to go to wales for my treatment and frankly given their lockdown that’s stressful enough! I’m assured I’m allowed in for medical treatment and the clinic have given me a letter to show to any police that stop us.

Fyfey, I’m glad you’re feeling less stressed now. I think the most difficult thing about this road is knowing you can’t control it. You give up your body and allow doctors to make decisions about what happens, knowing there isn’t always a right answer - just what in their experience is likely to work our best. Naturally I’m one of life’s control freaks but I feel like I sort of sleepwalk through my treatment cycles because there’s not a single decision that feels like it’s mine to make. It makes me uncharacteristically passive.

I’m feeling excited and nervous for egg collection. I’m obviously not looking forward to the actual procedure but I guess I want to know the outcome of all these injections.

Tomorrow is what would have been my due date. I knew  going in to this that my due date was going to fall around egg collection but sort of decided that I’d rather be doing SOMETHING positive therefore agreed to it when my clinic gave me these dates. Feeling really sad tonight. It’s weird because of course as sympathetic and supportive as my friends/family are I know none of them will be waking up knowing what the date is.

Yea they know I’ve got pcos, it’s just that until Monday the ovaries weren’t looking particularly polycystic, then they seemed to sort of hulk out between Friday and Monday. I’ve been on metformin since June 2019 but honestly it’s not regulated my periods at all. I had three regular cycles in a row when I first started it but since then it’s been back to my irregular cycles.

Picolax is a laxative. I’m not remotely constipated but their theory is that if they empty out the bowel my ovary might drop and then they’ll be able to get to it. Seems a long shot to me but obviously I’m going to do whatever I can to help them get to it. Would be a real shame to not be able to access those follicles as there’s a good number on the left.

My trigger is in a hour. I’m exhausted- proper late night for me these days!

 

[Blodyn76]

Hey mouse, welcome to the thread. You'll love these once they get going, and as you can tell, it becomes incredibly supportive.

Tickety, are you cycling with CRGW? I could never get my BMI to stick at 35 so it's always been a no go for us, i get to about 37 then face plant into a Chinese or chocolate cake. My right ovary can be accessed transabdominaly, well it has been on the one time it performed and had a couple of follicles on it, could they try that way? Are you also on a therapeutic dose of metformin, most of those on it i've come across in the last few years are on like 500mg.

 

[Tickety-boo]

Yea CRGW. Honestly I’ve gained weight over the last 3 weeks of treatment and I suspect my BMI is no longer under 35, but I figure they can’t abandon me at this stage can they?!

I’m on metformin 1500mg a day (500mg three times a day) - so a pretty decent dose.

They haven’t mentioned being able to go transabdominally. I’ll ask them when I’m there but I’m guessing not given it’s tomorrow I go. It’s not something I even knew was done until this morning when I was frantically googling unilateral oocyte collection vs bilateral collection. It seems that statistically you end up with less eggs (which seems obvious) but not necessarily less pregnancies. Who knows, I’m in their hands.

 

[jenstuttz]

Can I join you all? I’m currently taking progynova looking to scan on 5th nov with transfer for 12th nov

Hope you are all well x

 

[Blodyn76]

Tickety, how did you get on? Hope you're not too sore? Are you continuing the metformin post trasnfer?


Jen, welcome to the thread, first cycle of IVF?

 

[jenstuttz]

Hi Blodyn76 - i feel like I'm a veteran on these boards this is our 5th cycle, 2 fresh, 2 frozen so far. Our last Fresh cycle around a year ago ended in miscarriage so we are hoping for a better outcome this time round.

Tickety - Ive put on a few pounds so like you my BMI is no longer below 35. My clinic always weigh me once at the start of a cycle and then no more as thedrugs/meds can cause such awful weight gain.

Mouse80 - Welcome! The world of IVF can be very lonely.

AFM - All going good here, getting excited about my scan next week to check my lining.

 

[Blodyn76]

Ha, Jen, I'm so sorry I totally didn't see your signature! We may have cycled at the same time in August last year, though may have been on alternative threads, I stimmed July  tested August. We're about to embark on our 5th cycle too. Never thought we'd still be here for round 5.

Afm.... my clinics city has just announced lock down from tomorrow. We would be travelling in 5 weeks. Woops!

 

[Fyfey]

Good Morning Everyone, Hope you're all well.... well as can be anyway!

Welcome Mouse to the group, is this your first FET? I done a FET a last December, which was BFN! So back to a fresh cycle this year, it should have been around June/July time, however covid put stop to that!!

Welcome Jen also, how are you doing? Not long until your transfer now! Exciting stuff eh? How are you feeling about it? Is this a FET also?

Where are you both your clinics, Jen and Mouse?

Aww no Blodyn, lockdown!! So you wont be able to travel? is that right? How awful!!!!

AFM - Im just cruising along, nothing much to report. I really need to take more care of my diet as well, I was so good a few years back when i done my NHS round, I had my BMI down to 28 ish, im now up around 32/33!! it actually makes me feel sick the difference!!

Take care everyone x

How did the EC go Tickety?

 

[Tickety-boo]

Hi to everyone, hope you’re all well.

Jen - hello and welcome, you were right. They didn’t weigh me yesterday. So that’s something. When are you having transfer/aiming for transfer?

Blodyn - have they said how long long the lockdown will be for? How disappointing. Are you allowed to travel for medical purposes?

Good things and bad from egg collection. They were unable to access my left ovary at all so they collected 7 eggs but all from the right side. I have to go for a scan Monday to check my left ovary has calmed down as apparently there were a fair few follicles on that side. If it hasn’t then they will freeze everything and hope to transfer next month. The embryologist called today and of the 7, 5 were mature and 4 have fertilised normally. They’re aiming for a day 5 transfer on Tuesday. So I’ve everything crossed.

Today I’m very sore. I’m slightly in awe of how some of you have done this multiple times. My pelvis feels like it’s had a good kicking. I still feel sick and sleepy and my neck and left shoulder hurts because I slept with too many pillows last night (because I couldn’t lie flat). Obviously I’ve had 2 x laparoscopies before (once for ectopic and once before all this started) so I’m no stranger to pelvic pain but I guess I wasn’t expecting to feel THIS bad.

I didn’t do well with sedation either. Pretty out of it all day yesterday - apart from when I was vomiting which I did a lot of (indeed all over the passenger seat of the car). I need to decide what I want to do for transfer. On the one hand I find speculums INTENSELY painful. When I had my hysteroscopy they first tried with a speculum but because of the level of discomfort I was in they switched to using water to keep my vagina open. The hysteroscopy itself was absolutely a manageable discomfort and once they weren’t using a speculum I was fine, but the speculum makes me cry with pain. So I was thinking to have sedation for transfer. BUT I was so poorly after sedation yesterday that I sort of feel trapped between a rock and hard place. Do I cry through the embryo transfer (as I did for my iui) or do I spend 24 hours vomiting? Currently I’m leaning towards no sedation. How long does embryo transfer tend to take? And by that I mean the part where they’re physically doing it rather than all the ID checks, getting on to the bed etc stuff. I’ve got a call later with one of the nurses because I said I was feeling rough when we spoke earlier and she’s calling back to see how I’m managing so I’ll talk it through with her a bit too.