Starting IVF for the first time in 3 weeks! Help!!

[LaurenaC]

Hi all,

So, after 5 years trying to conceive, numerous fertility tests and treatments and 18 months of being penniless to save enough money to have one round of IVF (because of course we don't qualify for help on the NHS), I am having my 1st and only round of IVF this month. We can only afford to do it once, so we are truly hoping it works for us.

I start down regs on 21st February.

I'd love to hear from anyone who can offer some advice, share their experiences or anyone who is starting their own treatment around the same time who'd like to support and be supported.

I'm having an endo scratch done during the treatment as well as they say it improves the success rates.

I have to say I'm terrified of it all and would love some words of encourangement. I don't know what to expect!

Thanks everyone in advance and good luck to anyone going through the same..

Love Lauren xx

 

[wishingforjoy]

I don't really have any advice as I'm about to start my first IVF also. I'll be close to the same time as you I should be starting Lupron on the 13th and then go from there.
I know at my clinic if you have some embies to freeze then your second round using the frozen ones is a fraction of the cost. That might be an option for you.

Good luck to you I hope it works for us. I'm also very nervous scared and anxious to get this started. I'm doing IVF due to endometriosis I already have a DS I conceived without IVF.

 

[LaurenaC]

Thanks so much for the reply!

We will be transferring around the same time then, you will be a week earlier!

I also have a DS from my first marriage, he's 15 now and I have endometriosis too. They think that's the reason for secondary infertility. It's taken us ages to save up the 7k for one go!! We have said we are going to freeze any excess eggs to perhaps try again if we can save up enough if it doesn't work the first time.

I really hope it works for us both. Although we have a child already it's still as painful to not be able to conceive again. My husband and I have no children together so we feel just the same as other couples who are childless..

You will have to keep me posted on how you are going, I'm nervous about the actual procedures and turning into a witch on the hormones! (Well the other half is more worried about that one though!)..

Ha, ha

Lauren x

 

[wishingforjoy]

Do you know what meds you will be starting with.
I know what you mean about the price I just received my grand total today and it's more than I expected I'm in the U.S. my cost is a little more due to the fact we are doing pregenetic screening on the embryos before transplant.

 

[LaurenaC]

Hey.. thanks so much for the reply!

I think I'm having a mini-breakdown! I sat in bed last night thinking.. oh my gosh if it doesn't work I've just wasted thousands of pounds that could of been spent on.. this and that..

I am having an endo scratch done, which is supposed to increase the odds a little but it costs more money!

I'm not sure what meds I am on, I know that I have to have a higher dosage because of my low AMH. I think it's more likely to be the one beginning with G!

Totally freaking out over here! I hope you are more calm across the pond!!? Is this your first time or have you been unlucky enough to have to do it more than once?

Lauren x

 

[wishingforjoy]

Hey.. thanks so much for the reply!

I think I'm having a mini-breakdown! I sat in bed last night thinking.. oh my gosh if it doesn't work I've just wasted thousands of pounds that could of been spent on.. this and that..

I am having an endo scratch done, which is supposed to increase the odds a little but it costs more money!

I'm not sure what meds I am on, I know that I have to have a higher dosage because of my low AMH. I think it's more likely to be the one beginning with G!

Totally freaking out over here! I hope you are more calm across the pond!!? Is this your first time or have you been unlucky enough to have to do it more than once?

Lauren x

I'm a little freaked out trying to get my meds delivered so I can start on Friday. I have to get mail order pharmacy and they are still waiting in verification from my insurance So my meds have not even been shipped. And the cost of the meda are pricey

This is my first IVF ever I didn't need it my first pregnancy but I need it now. It's depressing!!

 

[pcsoph2890]

hey there,

I was sucessful on my 1st icsi round and have 3 frozen that we are now starting to make enquries into doing something with.

My main advice is just - you WILL become a mummy, not possibly through the conventional route - but it will happen, either IVF/ICSI/IUI/adoption/Natural - but it WILL happen. My friend who i met on here during my 1st try was unsucessful - but now she has two wonderful adopted full sibling boys.

I took 2 weeks off from work after the egg retrival and just took it easy. Didn't bed rest as i was told that it is like a grain of rice in a peanut butter sandwich.

Try not to google every niggle/symptom after implant (far easier said than done i know!).
I thought that sometimes that the right baby is just waiting for you to become their mummy, and if it doesn't work - then that was just not the right baby at that moment in time.

Try to remain positive - but realistic (just to protect yourself mainly)

Good luck!!

 

[LaurenaC]

That's a really lovely response. Thanks so much. I will try and keep calm and stay hopeful.

I've not got long to wait not until I know whether I will be a mum this year, so fingers crossed!!

I really hope that it works out for all of us xx

 

[babey]

Hi Lauren
I don't have much advice as I'm halfway through our first round of ivf. Egg collection is Friday 13th!! (Lucky for us I hope!!)
I have found the meds fine so far but now it's getting closer I'm getting quite anxious so am making a conscious effort to stay relaxed! I think the main focus is to stay positive, try not to google everything (like I do) lol and look after you body. That's all u can do and the rest is out of your hands. What will be will be and I'm sure everything will work out fine for you
Don't think about the money side of things because the result will be priceless!
Hope all goes well for u
Sam xx

 

[LaurenaC]

Oh my gosh you're so right, I never thought of it that way but I will now!

I must try and remain relaxed.. I hope it goes OK for you. Please let me know how your EC and ET goes and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Let's hope we have our little bubbas on the way in the next couple of months!

Good luck keep me posted xx

 

[babey]

Thank you! And yes I will do, I look forward to hearing how it's going for you x

 

[PRGirl]

Hi LaurenaC,

I had to send a response as reading your post was like reading about myself! We have been ttc for 5 years with no luck - tests, scans, bloods...then we had a number of treatments before being told that IVF was our only hope

So, as my hubby has a son from a previous relationship it meant we weren't eligible for funding and had to save up. I have a thin womb lining, PCOS and a further complication (similar to endometriosis of the womb lining).

I had the endo scratch, then started a short protocol and injections of merional every evening. This was then followed by a further injection (can't remember what it's called) and cream before prompting ovulation with buserelin.

I then had egg collection on Saturday and had 3 embryos that could have progressed to blasts. Unfortunately / fortunately we had one that was of a good quality and we had transfer today!

It's just a case of waiting now but we still have to take cyclogest and pregnyl as well as tablets.

I have to admit that nothing in the cycle - other than the not knowing - has been anything like as daunting as I expected. The injections aren't pleasant but they certainly aren't worth losing any sleep over, neither is egg collection or transfer.

Like you, we don't have unlimited funds so I'm hoping that we will get the news that we are praying for at the end of this process.

Wishing you lots of luck.

 

[LaurenaC]

Hey PRgirl.. I like your username! I'm a PR girl myself for my job!!

Thanks so much for your comment. You sound very similar to me. My husband had 2 children from a previous relationship and I have a 15-year-old son from a previous relationship so the NHS basically told us to jog on!! I understand why though. It still feels as upsetting as other couples though as we are a married couple and all we want is a child of our own. It hurts just as bad!

I was talking to a lady on another forum who has gone to Prague for her IVF/ ICSI treatment and in total, including drugs, transfer and flights and accommodation, they paid £2,500!! It's well worth considering for us as an option if the world deals us another cruel blow with a first failed attempt at ICSI here.

I've got blocked tubes and endometriosis and my other half now has low sperm and mortility. He's only 32 and I'm 36 so we are young to be so problomatic but I guess we are just unlucky.

So you are now waiting for your results!! I hope you're taking it easy and trying to relax, probably easier said than done but I really hope it's a BFP for you. It's so hard when you have to save for the treatment, it's taken is sooooo long! I don't know where we would find enough money to do it here, we would have to go abroad.

How are you feeling? Do you have a good feeling? I hope so.. I'll say a little prayer (not that I'm religious or anyway but every little helps!) and keep my fingers crossed.

I'll send a lucky charm your way! 🍀🍀🍀🍀

Xx

 

[wishingforjoy]

Well Im going to pick up my meds today and start my first Lupron injection tonight. Hopefully DH doesn't freak out as he will be doing my injection. I'll let you know how it goes

 

[LaurenaC]

Yes, let me know!!.. I hope they aren't too traumatic for him to give!! (mind you they don't have to do much else do they apart from the one thing that they absolutely love doing of course!)
LOL

Lauren

 

[star25]

Hi ladies

I started my ivf in Oct, due for transfer in hopefullyjust over a week as had to freeze embryos due to overstimulation

Try not to worry, it really all is fine, I'm such a worrier and nothing was as bad as I expected, the injections were fine, surprising how quick you get used to them, EC was fine also, each step is a step closer to your dream so take one day at a time

Ive had one funded go on the nhs, luckily have some frozen embryos for the future, this FET is included in my nhs cycle still, any others will be about £1500

Lauren, I also had the scratch, fingers crossed it helps implantation

Good luck everyone xx

 

[LaurenaC]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Inhope by having the scratch it increases the odds. According now to my clinic it does have a huge impact on odds. How was the scratch for you, was it painful or anything?

X

 

[star25]

It was similar to a smear test, it did give me sudden sharp period pain but literally only last for seconds, whole thing doesnt last long at all, just had a bit of spotting after, will all be worth it in the end!

 

[PRGirl]

Hi LaurenaC,

The name was created in desperation - I couldn't think of anything else but clearly does refer to my work. Quite sad really that it was all I could come up with

The two-week way was fine until last night.

We went for a lovely romantic meal and I got food poisoning. It wasn't the fault of the restaurant, I thought I would be fine eating something and should have known better - needless to say I had a really traumatic night so am hoping this won't impact on our chances.

It's strange how everything suddenly impacts and you can't help but think that way. Your life revolves around 'the what ifs'.

I haven't done anything differently really just not drinking and when possible trying to do things that calm me down.

I have quite a pressurised job, as you will know only too well, so there's no way that I can put that on hold. Some people have been quite negative with us because I didn't take two weeks off but 1. we can't afford it and 2. there is no research to suggest it would make any difference anyway.

The endo scratch really isn't anything to worry about. It isn't something you would want to do every day - like a smear test - but you get on with it and it's all over literally in minutes.

Thank you so much for the kind wishes, I'm sending them right back. I have never had a child so I get quite nervous but it's what I've wanted for as long as I can remember so fingers crossed for us all.

Please do keep in touch and let me know how you get on.