a newbie here

michelle_in_scotland · Sat Oct 04, 2003 2:11 pm

Hiya everyone, I'm a total newbie when it comes to fertility treatment. My Fiance and i are still in the very early stages, the stage where we feel as though we're going round and round in circles and getting nowhere, consultation after consultation and no word of any actual treatment yet. I found this site a few days ago when i was trying to find out a bit more info on what the treatment would involve. Most of the info i found was like it was written in a different language, way to technical for my simple little mind, lol. So after reading your posts over the last few days, i finally decided to take the plunge and register today and hope you all could maybe help me out in simple terms and hopefully for me to get a few things off my chest. Our families are really supportive but ... well, i'm sure you all know what i mean, they've not been through anything like this so they don't really know how you're feeling. Here's our history. Our problem lies with my Fiance, i've known since the beginning of our relationship (8 and a half years ago) but it wasn't really a factor as we weren't ready for a baby, but 3 years ago we felt the time was right, so he went to the doctor. We already knew what the problem was, just didn't know the technical name. We were told it's retrograde ejaculation, where the sperm goes into the bladder. He's been put on various meds and had some small ops to try and fix it, but nothing worked, so we were referred to our local (so-called) fertility clinic (in Dumfries). At our first consultation there we were told they could do nothing for us and referred us to the ACU up in Glasgow. Our first appointment in Glasgow was in July, we were told our treatment would be ICSI and that i would be put on some kind of drugs (don't know what though). Our 2nd appointment was last month, and to be honest i felt it was a complete waste of time going all the way up there just for me to sit in the wating room and for my Fiance to be told to make another appointment to have some tests done (which have already been done numerous times at our local hospital), wouldn't a phone call or letter have been just as effective? So they are getting done at the end of this month. It is just so frustrating that 3 years on we're going over exactly the same things but at a different place. All we were really told was, i'd be put on drugs to produce more eggs and i would have to go there every couple of days so they could monitor the production, they'd remove the eggs and fertilise them individually after doing a procedure on my Fiance to extract his sperm, then replace the fertilised eggs. If it's not too much trouble, could someone please tell me a bit more about it, the drugs and the procedure and anything else that might be usefull? Sorry it's such a large post, i promise my next won't be as long. And thanx in advance for any help. Take care, Michelle

Dagny · Post by **Dagny** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 3:14 pm

Hi Michelle and welcome. I am relatively new to this site but have been having tmt for 3 years. You poor thing, you sound so confused and let down. Once things get explained to you by the Dr's or us lot you will hopefully feel a bit better about things. Firstly ivf/icsi is not a walk in the park but it's not as bad as you might believe either. Being positive is your first step to success. Many people have different proceedures and they will always be a bit different to each individual. I will give you a quick outline of mine. The drugs can differ from person to person. 1. Two weeks of either sniffing (synarel) or injecting (buserelin) twice a day. This stops your ovaries from working. A bit like a little menopause. 2. Then about 2 weeks of injections (puregon)once a day. This basically wakes up your ovaries which start to produce lots of follicles. Inside the follicles are your eggs although not all of the follicles have eggs in them. You wont know until after the egg collection how many eggs there are. 3. You will go for scans to see how well your ovaries are responding and blood tests too. They need to check your oestrogen levels. 4. Usually you will have a final injection (pregnyl) approx 36hrs before egg collection. 5. They will do egg collection either under general(best way!) or Local( a bit painful). The embryologist will count your eggs and with your hubbies sperm, fertilise them. If it't icsi they will inject one sperm into each egg. You will then have to insert pessaries(cyclogest) into either front or back botty(a bit bleurrrg)! 6. The next day the embryologist will tell you how many have fertilised into embryos. Keep on with the pessaries. 7. Usually if all goes to plan they will choose the best 2 or 3 embryos on the next day. They will put them back through a small catheter into your cervix and into your womb. You must remember to drink like a fish and take it easy. They grade the embryos and will tell you if there are any good enough to freeze. 8. You are now officially on your 2 week wait. You can do a preg test at home exactly 2 weeks after embryo trasfer. This is one of the worst times as time drags like you wouldn't belive. I am on my 2ww now and have 4 days to go - it's torture. You do the pessaries all through this usually twice a day. 9. If it's positive - Hoorah! 10. If it's negative - Don't despare just pick yourself up and get back onto that saddle. Keep positive. This is just a basic outline and like I said not everyone has the same treatment. I am sure I have missed something out and someone else will tell you other things. That is what this site is all about. Some of the girls have got some very useful tips which I am just finding out and wished I had know from the start. Good luck Michelle. Keep in touch. Keep smiling. Love Dagny x

kathryn · Post by **kathryn** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 3:31 pm

hi michelle, and welcome to the site! everyone here is so lovely and so friendly, and theres no one better than yourself who knows what youre going through, than the girls here!! my tmt(treatment) is IVF, therefore the sperm is just mixed with the eggs after retrieval, whereas your dh (darling husband!)sperm will be individually injected into your eggs. basically there are all sorts of drugs used but first of all you take a drug to surpress your natural cycle (sometimes nasal spray, sometimes injections) then you take a 2nd drug usually 2 to 3 weeks later and in a form of daily injections, that will make you produce super eggs! normally your body only produces one or two, but you will make more. you will be monitored/scanned with the lovely internal probe! to check how many follicles you are making. nearly each follie carries an egg. someimes you may only have a small amount sometimes it can be as many as 50! when the follies reach 14mm, you will take one last big injection then 36 hours later you go in to have your eggs removed,(known as ec- egg collection) I dont know how it will work with you, but usually a couple of days later they will pop back a couple of embryos. known as et - embryo transfer. the you have the worst bit......a 2 week wait (known as 2ww). where you have to wait 2 weeks before you or the clinic test you to find out if you are going to be a mummy! I wish you both every success, and hope that it wont be long before you start jabbing away! take care kathryn x

kathryn · Post by **kathryn** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 3:33 pm

our posts must of crossed dagny, michelle dagny has put it so much better!!! all the best kathryn x

michelle_in_scotland · Sat Oct 04, 2003 4:02 pm

Hiya Dagny and Kathryn, thank you both so much for explaining this to me. You have been a lot more informative than the doctors were. When we were told i'd be put on drugs i just thought it'd be a case of popping a few pills for a few days, but daily injections, oh my god!!! I really don't know how i'll manage to do that, i can't even look at the needle when giving blood without feeling as though i'm gonna pass out, never mind using a needle myself. I'm that bad, when i was in the room with Michael when he was getting blood taken i had to turn away, i'm such a sap, lol. Thanx again for your help and kind words and i hope all goes well for you. Take care Michelle

Cath H · Post by **Cath H** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 4:25 pm

hi i'm having my 2nd icsi in nov.last one was in may. its really not that bad though you do have down days. it's me thats the prob here. i've got endo and cycts on my overies. keep coming on this site theres always someone to answer any questions.if they have'nt been though it they know somone who has. good luck and hope to catch up with you again. cath xx

SBROWN · Post by **SBROWN** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 4:36 pm

Hi Michelle Dagny has pretty much summed things up. Dont worry about the injections, if you use Purogen most clinics will give you an auto injector, a bit like a giant pen, once you have loaded syringe with drugs(clinic will show you how) you put syringe in auto injector, you cannot see syringe/needle now, you just push auto injector against your thigh or stomach( I found stomach less painful as more flesh-for me anyway) and click. It stings a bit but is nowhere near as bad aas you imagine. SOme people even get there husbands to do it(be careful if there in a bad mood!!) Good luck Sarah xx

Nikola · Post by **Nikola** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 7:38 pm

hi michelle Welcome to the site! I totally empathise with you about the dreadful wait. It took me about 18months of being passed from one consultant to another before I eventually started the tmt. I had straight IVF, so as the girls have already explained its slightly different. I promise you the injections are nothing compared to all the waiting you have to go through. You'll be glad to get started!! I, like Sarah, used Puregon and had an autoinjector. My dh did my injections for me. (he is a sad b*st*rd and gets some kind of sick kick out of inflicting pain on me!!) My first attempt didn't work, but I've just done a second go and, after lots of bruising from an over-zealous dh injecting, we are now pg! We started this whole thing nearly three years ago, but its worth it in the end. Remember you have everyone here to chat to when you feel down or confused or if you're happy and just want to tell someone. There is always someone around to listen!! I hope you get started soon, and please don't worry about the injections - none of this is as bad as the waiting!!! love nikola.xx

michelle_in_scotland · Mon Oct 06, 2003 12:11 pm

Hiya, I would just like to thank you all for the very warm welcome and for all the advice you've given me. When i showed Michael this thread he said "don't worry, i'll do the injections for you" and had a kinda little pleased smirk on his face while he said it, as if he's gonna get pleasure in stabbing me with needles, men eh, lol. I would just like to wish everyone the best of luck, and Nikola, wow, that is amazing news, many congratulations to you. Hearing positive results gives us hope that it will work one day. Take care, wishing you all lotsa love and happiness. Michelle xxx

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