4 Leaf Clover IVF / ICSI Buddies

[caline]

To be honest I feel like the whole last 2 and a half years have been a cruel trick, and this is just the cruelest trick of them all. I have not slept properly now for 2 nights, and have been at work too. Only slept for 4 hours last night. This is wearing me out now. I am exhausted.

I spoke to one of the Obstetric/gynae consultants on labour ward today (where I work) and she couldn't tell me anything that I didn't already know. She said my HCG levels should at least double in 48 hours, but to do the next test no less that 48 hours from the last. I may leave it til Sunday, just so I know for sure that enough time has passed for the doubling to happen.

I started getting period like cramps on the way into work, and was nearly in tears when I got there. Infact I had to go and hide in the loo and compose myself when someone asked me 'are you ok, you don't look your usual self'. Anyway, only more brown stuff today, no fresh so thats one good thing.

I am going to wait til tomorrow to call clinic, as thats my test day anyway. Then I will call them and ask for advice. They can't blame me really for sending off my levels given where I work and the ease of doing it!

Thank you all for listening to me drivel on about my brown stuff, my tests, and all my general moaning. I have to say, this is the hardest part of the whole process. Give me egg collection any day!!!!

 

[gumb69]

i really feel for you.
it's the most horrific feeling in the world. wanting a baby so badly and then seeing blood.
but it's brown so that's a good sign, it's old stuff.
plus i read on a forum somewhere that hcg's levels don't always follow the normal for IVF i.e doubling so don't worry too much if they didnt' double.
easier said than done not worrying and being exhausted. it's emotionally exhausted and people just don't get it when they've not been through it.
the cramps could be your bean getting snug inside.
it's not over yet. xxx

 

[brooklyn1]

caline, this is just torture, I'm so sorry you're going through this. Just hang in there two more days and you should have your answer. Lots of

I went to the clinic today and I'm ready to start stims tomorrow! Now I'm getting nervous about all of that mixing and the big needles. I'm starting out with a lot of meds it seems- three vials (225 IU) of bravelle (which I think is the same as menopur) and then one vial of repronex (which is an LH/FSH combo). I guess maybe because of my age? Or am I wrong and this is not a lot compared to others' doses? Any tips for mixing?

 

[Rosie06]

caline i have everything crossed for you but i agree witht the others your results are closer to 25 there is still every chance for you.

the pessaries are not as bad as i thought but they are bit messy.... last night i was doubled with stomacg pains but haad my trigger on wed do you tink this couldd be ov pains?

 

[caline]

Thanks gum, I read something about HCG levels being different in IVF pregnany, and not being as high initially too. Just can't stop thinking the brown stuff is what I get on a normal cycle a few days before AF. I guess I am so used to being disappointed when the brown turns to red that I am just expecting it to happen.

brooklyn, great news that you are down regged and ready to stim! I didn't have to mix but had gonalF which was given with a nifty little pen device, so can't advise on the mixing, sorry. But get stimming and let us know how you get on.

Rosie, think the trigger kinda ripens the follicles prior to egg collection (although I might be wrong). Has the pain gone away now? Maybe it was your ovaries enlarging. Was the pain low down at the front. Thats where I had pain with the OHSS, coz my ovaries were huge (apparently). So was your egg collection today?

 

[Rosie06]

still getting pain slightly really low down at the front phoned nurses earlier and she said its pretty normal and if i want i can take some paracetamol, altough i am worried about ohss as they said im at slightly higher risk because of pcos and my age.

we havnt had egg collection as our pct gave me 3 assisted and 3 ivf/icsi so the only thing different with ivf is the ec and with the assisted they tell us when to have ntercourse takes the romance out of it but you gotta do what you gotta do! they do it this way to give us more chances plus i suppose if we do go through the full ivf/icsi i know how the drugs will effect me only thing i wont know about is ec

x

 

[caline]

Oh, I see. So they stimulate ovaries then time your ovulation then you go home and BD? So have they got to be careful not to overstimulate you then? How many follicles can you have?

I was told to drink at least 3 litres a day with the OHSS and it resolved within about 5 days. Start drinking plenty now, then that will help prevent it.

 

[Rosie06]

yep thats right, any more than 3 dominant follicles and they cancel the cycle at that point i was very borderline i had 15 & 18 follicles but had 2 dominant ones but 3-5 that werent far behind and thats what was causing concern the rest were less than 12mm in size.

i do drink quite a lot of water but 3lts is a lot can you add juice to it and does that still count?

 

[MissMonty]

Blimey its been really busy on here today - sorry if I miss anyone out - I really hope everyone is ok

Doodar - sounds like you are having a rough time, you should defo take this further, how awful for you and your DH

Caline - keep hanging on in there, there's some good advice from the other ladies, I'm not sure I would be able to keep it together at work, I have my fingers crossed for you

Brooklyn - yay for starting stims tomorrow things will start moving quickly now. We've been mixing the vials of menopur, DH has been doing them all, it takes some getting used to but you'll be fine. I started on 2 vials but its been increased to 3. No tips really other than make sure you give yourself lots of time to prepare the meds the first few times. Good luck for tomorrow x

Well I got myself in a right state today. Had a scan this morning, I have several follicles between 12 - 14mm on my right ovary but my left isn't doing so well. The clinic was so busy today and we didn't have much time to ask questions so went away feeling really upset and worried something wasn't right, they said they would contact me later in the day to let us know if the meds need increasing. Anyways after spending most the day stressing out worried soemthing was about to go wrong they called to say I can stay on 3 vials and that everything is looking good, they explained that lots of women usually have a more dominant ovary and it was nothing to worry about. Got to go back on Monday afternoon and still looking at EC on Wednesday fingers crossed

 

[Dilek]

Caline i just want to mention something, I dont know where u are post ec. When i had my bloods checked i think it was 17 days post ec it came up at 135 i think. I remember a few girls having ivf at the same time and they also came up with the same result it being in the 100s. I dont want to be a downer at all just give u my experience.

It could possibly be a late implanter and im hoping ur still in with a chance.

 

[caline]

We did the clinic test this morning and we weren't sure we could see anything at 3 mins then within another 20 seconds a pale line appeared. I did another first response test (these have become my favourite choice!!) and got a darker line than from the previous 3 days!

On a downer though I have what looks like the first day of my period, some dark browny/red stuff coming out. Only thing is I have been using the pessaries rectally for past 48 hours. Ihave been getting a lot of the brown, almost mucousy stuff first thing in the morning which I am thinking may possibly be the stuff I have today but it had mixed with the pessary and turned a browner colour. Maybe I have been having todays stuff all along but it looks different today as no pessary mess with it.

So, I am still no clearer on this whole thing. I am going to call the clinic in a bit and see what they say.

 

[Lilly123]

Oh Caline.. so sorry for all this uncertainty.. hope u get some positive answers soon

Here is the latest update of 1st page - please pm me any changes / dates etc

xxxx

https://dl5.glitter-graphics.net/pub/1480/1480555ipgpdidffl.gif 4 Leaf Clover IVF & ICSI Buddies

June / July 09 Outcome

Akcher ICSI - twins are here at 34.5 weeks - all is well
RBaker ICSI
Mendy ICSI
Lilly123 ICSI #
Beckic IVF
Ena IVF
MaryB IVF


August / September 09 Outcome

Angelcakes -

Sammy2009 -

CupcakeQueen -

Emerald Sarah -

Brambletess - flow:

Jane1972 -

Mrs G -

Wrightwhales -

Snowdrop -



October / November / December 09 Outcome

CupcakeQueen -

Mrs F -

aneageraussie - Natural BFP

NeyNey -

lioness168 -

Snowdrop -

Meli -

Bek74 - Twins!

Beckic -

Krissi - cancelled cycle

Maz -

Kelly9 - Natural BFP

​

January / February 2010 Outcome ​

Caline -

Muncho - stimming Jan

Dilek - start stimms 13 Jan​

​

MissMonty - start down regg 23 December

Rosie06 - start down regg 27th Dec

Trying4Ever - started down regg 30 December

Chocci - ET 25 Jan

Cupcake - FET ET 25 Jan

Noddysgirl - ttc on hold

Breeze - start down regg 11 Jan

Mrs R32 - start down regg 30 Jan

Brooklyn1 - start down regg 7 Jan

Peartree - to start IVF end of Jan

ihavefaith - waiting to start

WishtobMama - start IVF 25 April 2010

Doodar - on IVF waiting list


​

​

 

[caline]

I did a clearblue digital test after I had posted and got 'pregnant 1-2 weeks' BFP! I did the same test 2 days ago and got a negative. So, I am hoping that is a sign that my HCG levels are rising. The test is sensitive to 25miu of HCG. My blood on thus was 18, so must have risen since then.

The stuff is a dark brown tinged with red this morning and I am waiting for a call back from a nurse at the clinic. I spoke to a receptionist, who I have spoken to lots of times, and she said lots of people get brown stuff, and its from where your ovaries n stuff have been 'messed about with'. She seems to be quite knowledgable. So, brown stuff explained, but not the red tinge!

I thought getting a BFP would be an exciting, joyful occassion, but I thought wrong! I can't even bring myself to use the little BFP icon!!

 

[Doodar]

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[Breeze]

Hi Caline... we all here with everything all crossed... please be positive! At least its not a BFN from the start... there is still some hope.. esp with your clearblue result... just hang in there!!!

Brooklyn1... you starting stimms already? Ive still got another week of Down regg to go!!! Im not sure why... my af is coming to an end... it seemed to eb a short one.. not so heavy... what does that mean? Do you think i will get another bleed??

Another week of down regg.... here we go!

Hope everyone else is doing well... kinda lost track of who we have on this thread!!! its really grown!

 

[gumb69]

caline - how are you now? did the clinic phone you back i really hope so.
ihope it's a BFP for you.
hi everyone else x

 

[caline]

The nurse called back about midday. She said that the brown/red stuff I am experiencing is normal for IVF. Apparently lots of women (she said about 70%) get browny stuff following treatment. She also said that, because I had a lot of follicles (26) that a lot has been done up there and I will be pumping out tons of hormones coz of massive ovaries. She said that as long as it stays browny then I can assume all is well. She said if I was having a miscarriage it would be bright red and I'd have pain.

I am not going to send any more blood off and, like the nurse said, it doesn't tell you that you are not going to have a miscarriage, and I feel it would cause us more stress if we don't get the result we are hoping for.

So.....I am very cautiously announcing my

We'll see how it goes and take a day at a time, and I'm not going anywhere just yet as I want to hear all about how you all get on with your cycles.

Thank for the support

 

[MissMonty]

YAY - fantastic news Caline - congratulations Well done you - you must be over the moon - I wish you a very happy and healthy pregnancy

Your experience will help me and those who are haven't quite finished our treatment yet so thank you for sharing. You have given us hope.

I do my last stimming injection tomorrow, looks like EC is still on for Wednesday - can't believe it has took me 5 weeks to get this far. Still really worried about my left ovary not producing many large follicles and I keep thinking something is going to go wrong before I even get to EC. Did you get and period type pains towards the end of stimming? I've been feeling a little tender today.

 

[gumb69]

congratulations caline xx great news xx

 

[lioness168]

Congratulations Caline on your BFP!!! Wishing you a happy and healthy 9 months