Look for September Cycle Buddies

[lt81]

Stay positive Jessica, might just be a test that's not as sensitive. x

I had another scan today and they now see one follicle that is mature and 4 interim sized with another 2 small ones! So in 4 days I've gone from them seeing just 3 to 7!!! So feeling much more positive today

How are you doing Emma?

[Emma839]

Hi, lt81,
I don't know whether they down-reg me or not. I was on pill since the end of April. Then they found myoma in my womb during the first check up in May. It took a while for the operation and recovery. Finially, I had my first FSH shot on 1 Sep. Was I down-regged? the doctor did not suggest AMH test. I think it was not difficult to decide on a method suiting me. I am over 35 and have a history of serious endometrosis and only one tube.

Jessica,
Day 6 may be too early for the pregnancy test. After all, the blood test, the most reliable test, can only show the result 7 day after conceiving. Cheer up!

Small update:
The second scan (day 8!) found 7 follicles. They are more or less in equal size (13mm); the emdo is ready for transfer. I will keep the same dose of FSH (250 IU) and GnRH antagonist. the doctor said the earliest ER would be next Monday. Another echo and b/w on Friday.

[AdrianaP]

Hi, I hope everyone is doing well this September!
I started my vivelle patches yesterday and go in for a blood draw and ultrasound to check my lining tomorrow:0 I hope we have the FET in about 2-3 weeks. Has anyone else done vivelle patches? They sure give me hot flashes!

[lt81]

Emma, it sounds like we are on similar protocols too. I'm back in tomorrow for another scan to see how they're doing. Hopefully I'll get a date for egg collection.

Down regging is when they stop your natural hormones and put you into a mini menopausal state.

[Jessica2723]

Just received my results. BFN. Maybe next time. We are looking to do a fresh cycle in November. Maybe the fourth time will give us our miracle baby!

Good luck to everyone! Sending lots of baby dust your way!

[Emma839]

Jessica,
I am so sorry for the news. Does the doctor expain why it did not work? How is he/she going to improve next time? You are still so young...

It81,
So, I was not down-regged. It is nice to learn that we are using the same protocol and have such close paces. What's youre result today? Have you got the date for EC? I have pain on both sides of my back, as well as my lower belly. My doctor said it is not a big deal but I am a bit worried. Do you have the same problem?

Adrianap,
Nice to see you here. This is my first IVF so it is fresh one. Everything is new to me. It will be my day 10 injection tonight.

Afm
I had blood and echo check up today. The follicles grow slowly, the largest one is 15mm, the rest are around 13mm, making nearly no progress since Wed. No more new follicles, staying 7. New check up: Monday.

[lt81]

Jessica, so sorry honey. All the best for your November cycle x

Emma, we had three mature follicles today. Two are not far behind so I'm hoping hoping hoping they catch up (but nurse seemed doubtful but then she was the same nurse that said we would not see more than 3 follicles develop at all at the first scan). The clinic offered to abandon our cycle but weren't hopeful of another cycle being any different. So we opted to proceed and have our EC booked for Monday. I have had belly pains (like constant but mild period pains) for the last week with some lower back pain sort of above the back of the hips. My stomach is also really bloated - I look like I'm a few months pregnant and find it really uncomfortable to bend over. Didn't mention it to the clinic just assumed it was normal I've also had a bit of a headache most days since starting the antagonist but that may be just being a bit dehydrated (despite drinking more than ever).

[Emma839]

lt81,
Why did your clinic offered to abandon your cycle? It seems going pretty well? If I were you, I would choose to proceed the cycle since you have gone so far.
I feel relieved after learning your story. I was wondering whether my endometrosis came back or not. My previous clinic refused to do IVF without endometrosis being removed.
Except for the bloading and sore feelings, I don't feel much special. How long will it take for you to learn the exam result on your egg?

The tread is quiet....

[lt81]

I guess they were thinking that if there are only 3 mature follicles and then they don't all contain eggs, then some may not fertilise etc, it's not much for us to be left with no embryos. We have NHS funding for one cycle, so if we abandoned this cycle before egg collection we get another go for free, otherwise we have to pay. I've heard some clinics automatically cancel if you have less than 4 mature follicles, so at least they gave us a choice.

I think we find out on Monday after the egg collection how many eggs they actually got and then the lab will call us on Tuesday morning to let us know how many have fertilised. We are having ICSI so hopefully it will be a good number of fertilisations.

[AdrianaP]

Hi Emma, Good luck on your cycle! We got very, very lucky on our fresh cycle 4 years ago, he' a wonderful 3 1/2 year old! We used donor eggs and had 10 to freeze now we have 8 left, I hope we get so lucky again! I'm sure you will do great!
I went to the Doctor today and so far so good I just have to add another hormone patch to bring my level up, next time I hope we find out when we can do the transfer, but that means starting the shots, the shots themselves don't hurt but once the progesterone starts to adsorb about 3 hours later it really, really hurts! Any advice, I sit on a heating pad after the shot, it helps but not much. Sticky thoughts for everyone!

[Emma839]

lt81,
I thought each matured follicle contains an egg; otherwise, it won't reach the desired size. Isn't it true? I think more than one egg is already sufficient; we need only one to become pregnant after all. The ICSI will certainly further improve success rate of the treatment. So, I wonder what is the optimal number of follicles produced for IVF or ICSI? You said some clinic cancelled the cycle automatically when less than 4 matured follicles produced. Most girls i met here produced more than 10 follicles, while my doctor said 8 is the average number. I am confused. Do we really need so many follies? I was very worried and couldn’t really imagine how one can carry so many times follicles walking around. I was actually shocked when the doctor said I had 4 during the first scan and worried when she wanted to increase the FSH dose. Now I have 7 but they grow so slowly because they share the same amount of nutrient as one normally gets. i somehow wish she did not increase the dose of FSH...

Adriana,
It is encouraging to learn you got your boy at the first cycle. I don't know what to think now: prepare myself for bad news or keep PMA now and then become depressed deeply when it turns negative. I don't know the absorption of progesterone hurts. Why is it?

[Amesy]

Hey All,

I'm 28 have Endometriosis and PCOS and my boyfriend has a low count.
I am starting my injections this wednesday for my first cycle of IVF with St Barts in London. I have no idea what to expect and am terrified![/b][/color]

[lt81]

Hi Amesy! Don't worry, the injections are not so bad (and I am a total woos!). Will your boyf do them for you? I've found it really helps if my husband does them for me, so I can look away and take deep breaths. I hope it all goes well for you. There is a tonne of info on this board that will hopefully help keep you informed. How many goes to do you get on the NHS down there? We only get one go for free up in Warwickshire, but each primary care trust is different.

Emma, I think the size of the follicle is indicative that it is large enough to contain a mature egg, but that sometimes the follicles don't contain an egg. In terms of numbers of follicles, the more they get the more they have to play with and gives you greater options. For example, my clinic won't grow the embryos on to blastocyst stage unless they get more than 6 fertilised. You also have more to freeze to try with later on a FET.

[annashope]

Hi girls I am just crashing since I will be doing my FET in October but I have been following all of you along and keeping you in my thoughts and prayers

Emma and IT81

I just wanted to say that last cycle we only had 4 follies and our clinic also suggested abandoning the cycle but could not guarantee a better cycle so we chose to proceed. We got 4 follies and had 4 embies. We transferred 2 in July and got a BFP-unfortunately resulting in a m/c but now we have 2 more to do an FET so I would definitely suggest proceeding. Also I am 28 and healthy (male factor) and my RE admits that I was probably down-regulated too much because my stimming was soooo tough and slow. I stimmed for 14 days at a massive dose of 8 vials of menopur a day and still only 4 follies. Good luck to you both and you are in prayers

[soccermom]

Hi girls!
Sorry it's been sooooo long since I've posted! It's been a busy week with school starting & we had to travel to a wedding this wknd. We are back home and staring down the face of a full five day work week - yikes! Just to keep things interesting, I have my beta tomorrow!!!!! Super nervous about it...I have not done a poas test - I refuse. I just really want to know numbers, exact numbers...not lines. So....we'll see. I'll post tomorrow to let you know!