Looking for a April ivf cycle buddy!

[Ratmagirl]

Eggcellent news Katrus - I can't believe how quickly your cycle seems to have gone! Best of luck for you and wishing for Fri xxx

Sending AF vibes to you Springy - hope your baselines are okay for you and MrsMax.

Reb - glad you're doing good!

AFM - still just cramps and spotting, I think I'm going to just go along to my baseline scan next Tues and hopefully the lining will be thin enough to start stimming. If its not they perhaps they'll send me away to take more tablets to bring on AF again?

What's this antral follicle thing you speak of? *clueless* is thios something I need to ask about?

Girls - how often do you need to be scanned once stimming? Is it up to the clinic on how often they want to see you? Our clinic's a 50mile round trip so I'm not looking forward to that trip back and forth! Xxxxxx

 

[katrus78]

You can read about antral count here:
https://www.advancedfertility.com/antralfollicles.htm

But it's pretty much your current ovarian reserve. The follies that grow during stimming usually all come from that reserve. If you have a count of 15-20, it is considered eggcellent I have 12, but it's within average, so you can kind of predict by the antral count how many they are trying to stimulate.
After the baseline right before stimming I went to the clinic every other day, and then every day after the third scan. I suggest you brace yourself and get ready for daily early morning trips.

 

[Springy]

Eggcellent news Katrus - I can't believe how quickly your cycle seems to have gone! Best of luck for you and wishing for Fri xxx

Sending AF vibes to you Springy - hope your baselines are okay for you and MrsMax.

Reb - glad you're doing good!

AFM - still just cramps and spotting, I think I'm going to just go along to my baseline scan next Tues and hopefully the lining will be thin enough to start stimming. If its not they perhaps they'll send me away to take more tablets to bring on AF again?

What's this antral follicle thing you speak of? *clueless* is thios something I need to ask about?

Girls - how often do you need to be scanned once stimming? Is it up to the clinic on how often they want to see you? Our clinic's a 50mile round trip so I'm not looking forward to that trip back and forth! Xxxxxx

When they did my AFC at the start of March before putting me on BCP I had 32 follicles .... they knew based on my AMH test that I have a very high ovarian reserve and they are actually starting me on the lowest dose - 150 IU Gonal F as they are worried about my potential to overstimulate.

As for how long / how many times for monitoring .... I start stim's on Saturday and my first appointment back is Tuesday. Then it is every other day from there out - and I was told it could be everyday depending on my levels. I go in and get my blood done and have an us. I wait to see my nurse and then after that I go home / work and I get another call in the afternoon from my nurse and she tells me about my medication etc. and updates me on my levels from that day.

 

[rozzigirl]

Ratma - I agree with what Springy said. I basically went in every other day there about once I started stimming and then the nurse would call me in the afternoon for an update on my blood work and to change the medication as they saw necessary. I was a bit slow with having the follies grow so this time they are switching up my meds when I finish up with the bcp.

 

[Ratmagirl]

Oh crikey - didn't realise you had to go so often. How the heck will I be able to hide it from work? When I asked the consultant he made it sound like it was just a few times. I'm really worrying about this now - have you all told work then?

Thanks for the link Katrus and explaining. Springy yours sound eggcellent!! I never had anything like that - will I get that done at baseline then?

Thanks Rozzi too - good to hear some past experiences!

My consultant said he didn't think my pcos was very severe as there weren't hardly any cysts so he said I'd be on the normal dose.

Do you girls think I'm doing the right thing with regards to my lack of proper AF and still going for the scan? I feel out of my depth all of a sudden

 

[Springy]

Ratma - I have told work when I started having to go for treatments as I felt like I was disappearing all the time etc. The clinic I used to be with was literally 2 min from the office so most people didn't notice my coming and going. But in December we opted to switch to a clinic that is not near the office and I had to have the conversation with my boss about work, how being at the new clinic may impact things etc. I have an arrangement to work remotely on days I am being monitored should I need to.

With that said, my monitoring appointments are done as early as 6:15 in the morning - while it sucks having to get up that early I have gone in that early so that I am at the office by 8am and nobody is any the wiser that I am going in to the clinic. I am going to try and come into the office most days but it was great to know there was an alternate arrangement for me in place should I need it.

My boss and a few of my coworkers are VERY VERY supportive of this process and my boss even went as far as to say "do what you need to do, do not let work stand in the way of you having a family - you have many more years to work, it can wait!" So I am very blessed .... maybe others can comment about how to handle things if work doesn't know.

I think you are best to go in when they tell you to come i.e. Tuesday, and they will tell you then at that appointment if there is an issue with things. AND given that you have mild PCOS you would have a high AFC - that is typical of PCOS.

 

[Ratmagirl]

Thanks Springy - your work sound wonderful! Yes hopefully I can get some very early appts!

I can't tell work really, were in financial difficulty and I don't want to make myself vunerable to being made redundant. I know that would be illegal, but they probably still would, my boss is quite sexist and moans about woman leaving to have children!!!

My colleague who I work closest with is almost as bad - she never had a family and is still living with her mother in her 40s so is always going on about stuff that makes me cringe, thinking if only she knew! I don't really want to tell her but if it comes to it I'll just have to.

Oh okay, so I may have a AFC - ill ask next week. I don't think I've had an AMF, the consultant just said my eggs were good!? I shouldve asked more but I was in shock of what was going on I.e him telling us this was our only option!

Thanks again ladies xxxx

 

[katrus78]

I told my assistant only and my boss, and they are both supportive and covering me. I usually come back to work by 9am, so it does take about an hour of my work time. Ratma, I am sorry you have to be in a hiding but in the end it will all worth it. They will most likely do your AFC, all you have to do is ask about the number.

 

[katrus78]

So, here are my numbers from today:

Right ovary: 27.8 (post mature, garbage), 17.7, 15.6, 12.1
Left ovary: 23.4 (probably will be post mature), 21.6, 18, 13.3, 13.2, 12.7
Total - 10 follies (8 with potential)
Lining = 16.2 (going down, yey!!)

Now I am just waiting for a phone call with instructions what time to do the Ovidrel trigger injection. Feeling relieved as this is almost over. Don't know how I will do during the 5 day wait after they take the eggies out... I just want to stand over the embies and watch them divide

 

[wishingalways]

Hi everyone, went in for scan at 8.40 and to my huge relief I now have 1 x 19mm, 1 x18mm, 3x 16mm, 2 x 15mm and about 2/3 at 12mm. Mm my linning is perfect at 14.2mm. I was so nervous and the nurse was lovely she measured the left ones and the 18mm one was just and no more and after measuring those went over to the right and the big one was popping right out at me and she said "thats the one" in a really nice way, the smile on my face was huge. Its taken what feels like forever but finally we will be taking trigger shot tonight and in for collection on friday.

They have given me the option of two things for egg collection and dont know what to choose. The first is to just have a patient controlled pump for painkillers and watch the whole process or I can have an infusion of sedation and painkillers through a drip. I dont have loads and loads of eggs and so far have not had any real pain, I also love seeing everything and I am in no way squeemish so think I might opt for no sedation but on the other hand think I may aswell just relax, I dont want to be away with the faries though. Any thoughts, has anyone done it with just painkillers?

Hi Ratmagirl - I attend ninewells clinic in dundee and it works a bit different to what the others are saying, not sure how your clinic will work.

I had my baseline scan on thursday and was told to start my injection the following evening (friday). They left me for a whole week and then I went in on the following friday with a possibility of coming in for egg collection on the Monday. Mine needed more time so I had to go back Monday, then Today (wednesday) and egg collection is on Friday. So in all the only difficulty would have been this week when I have been in for an appointment in the morning on Mon, Wed and Fri. I am luckly in that I have taken a week off work and also have next week off because of easter. I started my new job in January and had to tell my new boss straight away about the IVF but luckily she was fantastic, being 5 months pregnant herself also helped.

Its a difficult one if you dont want to tell work, but I would say only a week of it will be tricky... You may just have to say you have to go for some investigations and when you go in on the first appointment, go back and say that they have had to re schedule becuase the consultant got called into surgery and then go back for your next appointment and then have major tooth ache or say a big filling has fallen out and you need an emergency dentist appointment... or something along those lines. I know it is easier said than done but after that week they will be all snug and cosy back in and they will be none the wiser.
Def go for your baseline scan because i think they will put your mind at ease. Try not to panic it is a lot easier than I thought it would be. The injections didnt hurt as much, the scans are almost fun becuase you are seeing them grow and then its exciting.

Springy - good luck for baseline tommorrow and Mrs Max how did you get on today? The nurse said she would expect to get between 9 and 13 eggs but I think only about 6 will be mature... thats what I'm expecting anyway but time will tell.

Reb s - I too had slow growing follicles but now I am ready for the collection, dont painc about them growing slower, everyone is different and you cant rush perfection. xx

Katrus - How exciting getting them collected on the same day, wonder what day they will get put back in, Im expecting Monday..

Well this thread is all very excting and what a fitting time to be having our eggs collected and transferred!! Eggcellent!!!!

 

[wishingalways]

So, here are my numbers from today:

Right ovary: 27.8 (post mature, garbage), 17.7, 15.6, 12.1
Left ovary: 23.4 (probably will be post mature), 21.6, 18, 13.3, 13.2, 12.7
Total - 10 follies (8 with potential)
Lining = 16.2 (going down, yey!!)

Now I am just waiting for a phone call with instructions what time to do the Ovidrel trigger injection. Feeling relieved as this is almost over. Don't know how I will do during the 5 day wait after they take the eggies out... I just want to stand over the embies and watch them divide

Thats great Katrus.. I think I will have about the same amount of follicles as you aswell. I have just had my phone call to say trigger shot at 23.45 tonight... going to have to stay awake or set my alarm... I meant to say I too have a thick linning and was worried about it. It was 14.8 on Monday i think and was expecting it to be even bigger today and so did some research and really there have been some huge studies carried out that showed having a thick linning does in no way hinder the chance of success so please stay positive. Mine was measuring at 14.2 today.

Yey for friday, will let you know how it goes. x

 

[Ratmagirl]

Both of your folly counts sound brill Wishing and Katrus *yay*

Thank you so much Wishing, you've really set my mind at ease. I think my clinic must work similar to yours as they put on my schedule to start stim injects and then go back 10 days later and then they left the next appt blank so they must just take it from there!

Soo excited for you girls xxxx

 

[Ratmagirl]

Sorry, me again - can someone set my mind at ease (having a very bad day)!!

If I've not had a proper AF then will they wait before starting me off on stimms or will they just see from the scan if it looks thin enough? I'm not having a proper one, its just spotting really and I'm worried this had messed everything up does stimming grow the lining again, so is it best to start from scratch. The nurse told me yest to cancel my scan next week if no AF, but I want to know what's going on in there, plus I'm kind of af'ing and cramping its just nothings coming out!

I've just got home from work and had a mass blubbing session

 

[rozzigirl]

Ratma - I would call the clinic before you are due to go in and see what they say and tell them you haven't seen AF yet and then they will tell you. I remember them telling me to call if it had not arrived.

I opted not to tell work what was going on but I go to appointments at 7am and am typically at my desk by 8am so they have no idea. Do whatever you feel makes you more comfortable, I didn't want anyone asking me how things were going or any of that.

Wishing Always - great news so happy to hear that!!!

 

[katrus78]

I read somewhere that sometimes af doesn't come at all after downregging with bcps, so they proceed without af if the lining is around 5-7mm... I may be wrong, but best is to ask them just a couple days befpre, and maybe you can insist on u/s even without the af, just to know what's going on in there.

 

[katrus78]

Wishing, omg, I just realized what you are talking about that our eggs will be collected on the Good Friday.. wow, awesome!!

 

[Springy]

Sorry, me again - can someone set my mind at ease (having a very bad day)!!

If I've not had a proper AF then will they wait before starting me off on stimms or will they just see from the scan if it looks thin enough? I'm not having a proper one, its just spotting really and I'm worried this had messed everything up does stimming grow the lining again, so is it best to start from scratch. The nurse told me yest to cancel my scan next week if no AF, but I want to know what's going on in there, plus I'm kind of af'ing and cramping its just nothings coming out!

I've just got home from work and had a mass blubbing session

Hi Ratma - I actually called my clinic today b/c I have yet to get AF after coming off the pill and she said to me thats some women when coming off the pill won't get a full bleed or bleed at all and it won't affect my cycle starting on Saturday so you may be in the same boat as me in that you will be ok to start .... they may do your baseline and see what your lining etc looks like and then make the decision about your cycle. Just go in with an open mind and trust the doctors. If they say you're ok to start they are the experts, if they think you should delay till next cycle then again, trust them as they are the experts As if this process isn't stressful enough!!!

 

[Springy]

I read somewhere that sometimes af doesn't come at all after downregging with bcps, so they proceed without af if the lining is around 5-7mm... I may be wrong, but best is to ask them just a couple days befpre, and maybe you can insist on u/s even without the af, just to know what's going on in there.

Katrus - this is exactly what my clinic told me today. That I will proceed with my baseline and stims as planned regardless of whether I bleed or not.

 

[Ratmagirl]

Thanks girls xxx

Katrus and Wishing - I really reallllly hope Good Fri is a good omen for your ER's!!!!

That's good to know Springy - I didn't take BCP though, I took Norethisterone which is a Progesterone to bring on AF, prob works in the sam way though. Thing is, I messed up and got my instructions muddled and only took it for 5 days instead of 7.

Today I have spotted a bit heavier than yest, so hopefully I am thinning in some way! I'll go to the scan and see what it measures I think!

I'm so glad I have you ladies to talk to - it feels so lonely all of this doesn't it? Xxx

 

[Reb S]

Ratma - sorry you're having a bad time. I had a terrible rollercoaster my first time out -it's just hormones. Each clinic is different - are you NHS? I can't remember - King's didn't scan me until about day 9 - which was a bit late as I already had OHSS - then it was only 2 scans in total before EC. Where I am now has already don't two and another on Friday. Just go with the flow. As to work - my lot are so utterly unsupportive that I am keeping it entirely secret!
Good luck for our Good Friday Easter Egg hunt! woo-hoo!