Excited and scared....first IVF cycle

Hi Everyone,

I hope you don't mind me joining in. I have just been reading this thread - I am in the stim phase of my first IVF cycle as well. I am at MIVF Freemasons - I think it was Janie who is also there?
Bubbles - v excited to see you are on the same timetable as me. I am injecting gonal f at the moment and have my first stim scan this Friday as well. I am also feeling bloated and weird in the abdomen, it's like I constantly feel full, but then I still do get hungry. I have been pretty lucky with synarel, no real issues to note. I have noticed with the gonal f though that I am a bit teary which is not normally me.
I have an important work presentation on Thursday so I am hoping my abdomen hasn't totally exploded by then!! I have a great boss who I have told I am on IVF so that has eased the pressure as he is really understanding.
Good luck to everyone,
Aleenta

hi aleenta! welcome to this thread! im going through a stim ivf cycle with microinjection, are you? I just came back from having a blood test as i called the nurse this morning and told her about the symptoms like bloating and she asked me to come for a blood test and they wanted to check that my eastrogen levels are not too high, so she will call me back this arvo with the results. Cant wait till friday for the scan and bt, hopefully we both have made many eggs!!!!

[QUOTE=Aleenta;1307556]Hi Everyone,

I am at MIVF Freemasons - I think it was Janie who is also there?


Hi Aleenta... yes I am at MIVF at Freemasons in Melbourne. Welcome! I went through my first IVF/ICSI stim cycle last month. Unfortunately for us it was a BFN, but we managed to get 7 extra embryos that we have frozen. So we are in the process of doing an artificial thaw cycle (as I did not get a period after the stim cycle - strange I know!) Have a scan tomorrow to find out if my lining is starting to thicken in readiness for a transfer hopefully next week!

I have found MIVF to be very good. I had been going through OI for a number of months prior to IVF so I was used to injections etc. The difference was obviously the EPU and transfer. The EPU did knock me around for about a week, but not severly, just had swollen ovaries and felt like I had air up under my ribs. After a week this calmed down and I felt normal. The transfer is easy, nothing worse than a smear. You also get to see your embie on a TV screen prior to transfer which is amazing!

GL with your journey... I hope it is a short one.

Janie xxx

just got the call from the nurse and they said i need to go in tomorrow for my scan and bt instead of friday!!! they said my eastrogen levels were a little high. Im sooo nervous!!!

Good luck Bubbles....at least you will know where things are at tomorrow.
I go in for my scan and blood test on Friday...am excited and anxious to see how things are progressing!
I too feel really bloated.

good luck possums! cant wait till tomorrow! hopefully there will be some nice big follies in there, since my stomach looks so big!! let me know how you go on friday!

Oh bubbles that's pretty exciting going infor the scan tomorrow. Just remember to have an empty bladder. They do an internal ultrasound. When I had mine, I was given a pen and a piece of paper and got to write down how many folicles I had each side, and the lining of the uterus.

They grow 2mm a day, and aim for the most around 20mm and then they will harvest.. so tomorrow you will have a fair idea when you will be having the EPU. I would arrange to take 2 days off after this, as I could barely stand up straight the second day after.

I am still bloated (and I had my EPU on the 26th may). They put me on crinone which also causes bloating and shortness of breath.

Everyone told me not to expect too much the first time around with IVF, that it may not be successful etc. Everyone is different and that's why some are on the drugs for longer than others.

Mrs P, I found that I cried the entire way through PS I love you, even during the bits that weren't sad - But then I decided that I was just going to feel the emotions and if I felt like crying then I would and if I needed a day or a week off work, then I would just take it and not worry about work - had something else more important to do than worry about work :)

Good luck girls...

Good luck Possums and Bubbles for Thurs / Fri - lets all hope the bloating is for a good cause! I was a bit concerned but I have been weighing myself and I seem to be OK, haven't put on much. Bubbles - I am not sure what you mean by microinjection? I am on Gonal F, is that the same thing?
Fingers crossed for you too Janie - hope you are progressing well for transfer next week - thanks for your info, and who knows maybe we will transfer on the same day....
Here's hoping there's lots of lovely eggs all round!!
Tarkine - hope your bloating ends soon - and with a good result too.

just got the call for the results regarding this mornings bt and scan, she said everything looks good, but i have to go back on saturday for another bt and scan arhh!!! those bt hurts so much! hopefully the follicles would have grown more by then!!nurse said that by then they should know when egg collection will be! aleenta, micro is when they inject the sperm into the egg,usually that happens when there are prob with your hubbys sperm.
Tarkine:the lady didnt get me to write down anything :( but its ok, i cant really understand it anyway

Hi Bubbles, bad luck another blood test, there not fun at all. I'm in for my scan tomorrow so I'll let you know how I go. So is micro the same as ICSI? We are having ICSI...
Janie hope your scan went well today, and Possums good luck for yours tomorrow.

hi aleenta, yea im doing ICSI as well!! how are you feeling at the moment? Im feeling sooo bloated, cant really eat too much-trying really hard to eat up on my vegies and fruit. nurse said that my lining was really good, follies are little small, thats why i need to go for another scan on sat. my hubby is becoming a pro at the injections :)

Aleenta, good luck with your scan tomorrow too. I am quite anxious to know how things are progressing! I really hope things are on track and that Egg collection will be soon.

Bubbles, I have really small veins and find the blood test yuk too, because they hardly ever get my vein first go and have to jab me more than once and dig around. Good luck for your next scan and test.

It's nice being able to share the experience with others. :)

thanks possums! Good luck for tomorrow let us know how you go!! Yep those blood test have left me marks yuk! feeling so tired all the time now and stomach is uncomfortable, cant wait till the pickup!!

Hi girls
I was hoping to have started my injections by now but looks like my body isnt so willing. I have been off the Provera a week now and still no period, i wish i could just do something like normal. hubby went in last week and they froze some sperm as they are worried there wont be enough on the day of transfer. We got a letter saying they froze 5 straws....does anyone know what that means, or if its good??? Lets pray things start soon.

Bee83

Hi..I don't know what that means, sorry. I can relate to be frustrated when things don't go to plan though. I was upset when I had to delay started my injections by a week...I also thought "why can't at least this just go how it's supposed to!". So good luck with things.

I am just back at work after my blood test and scan. Uterus lining looks good apparently and I have 11-12 promising follicles, which my nurse said she was happy with. One was 18, the others were around 12, 13-16.They still have a bit more growing to do, and I expect to have a second scan/bloods on Monday and then hopefully it will be time for the trigger and egg pick up! I will get my blood results later today. I so hope everything is as it should be.

I look forward to hearing how the rest of you are going too. :)
Good luck.

Hey girls,

I am hoping that you have all had better results than me. They have cancelled my cycle as I have way way over stimulated.....50 follicles - no wonder I felt so bloated and uncomfortable. I am also on daily monitoring for 5 days to check it doesn't develop into fully blown OHSS. Not the start I was hoping for. I now have to continue to take the synarel until I get AF and then start all over again with pill, synarel, injections. Next time I will be on half the dosage of gonal f ( I was on 225). Apparently such overstimulation is rare at the dose I had for someone as ancient as me - 37! LOL!!
I truly hope you all get great results today / tomorrow, and can move into the next stage, I'll be following your progress...

aww..aleenta so sorry about your results, at least now you can look forward to the next cycle and you wont OHSS.
possums: great to hear on your results, sounds kinda similiar to mine, hopefully your next scan and BT goes well and that you can do the trigger soon! I'm hoping tomorrows scan looks good and hopefully i can do the trigger very soon as well. I'm finding eating small meals helps lower the uncomfortable feeling instead of having big meals, which i have done the past couple of days and i felt like i was going to explode!
wish me luck for tomorrow!!!! :)

Aleenta, I am really sorry to hear that and I can feel your dissapointment and upset at this- it must be really tough to take. When you have come so far, to have to start all over again. I was worried about that with my slow start on the synarel, the possibility of stopping and starting all over again was mentioned and did not make me happy. Try and keep your chin up as much as you can. You will get there and next time they'll have the dose right. Sending you all the very best as you go through this rollercoaster ride. :hug:
I am a bit ancient too....I turned 35 yesterday. :dance:
Do take care and try and regroup as best you can. I hope the over stimulation settles down quickly.

Bubbles...yes, my trigger is expected to be on Monday night which is exciting. I am also very nervous about how this cycle will go and excited all at once. Good luck with your next scan. Let us know.

My blood test revealed things are on track.

came back from bt & scan and just got the call from the nurse, she said everything looks really good and im having my trigger tomorrow night!!!! egg pickup is on tuesday!!!! so nervous :)

my trigger is the pregnyl injection, do you inject on a 90 degree angle like the gonal or 45 degree angle?

Good Luck sweetie :bluedust: you are almost there

Oh that's exciting Bubbles! My Egg collection is expected to be on Wednesday...just a day after you. I'll find out for sure after my next scan on Monday.

Bee.. 5 straws are a good number. I think they hold .25mg of fluid (we went through donor sperm and had only two straws). :)

Bubbles - inject the same as the other injections. I laid on the bed and got DH to jab me with the needle - it hurt a little more than the gonal-f injections (slightly bigger needle) - but get it in the fat on your tummy (if you have any) and it isnt' too bad - plus if DH does it, you can chat to him about something else and he can just jab you.

Aleenta - :hug: sorry honey that your cycle got cancelled. At least they will have a better understanding of your bodies reaction to the drugs :)

so 90 degree angle? I kept thinking the nurse said a 45 degree angle?
so nervous!! cannot wait until tuesday!!! Possums are you getting your hubby to do your trigger, my hubby's definately doing it, im too scared!

Bubbles...how'd the trigger go- did you have it last night?

I am just back from my scan...looking good...18 good, big follicles ! Trigger tonight, pick up wednesday. excited and nervous as well. And yes, my hubby will do the trigger for sure.

we did the trigger last night at 11pm!!! We were so nervous and making sure we dont knock over the little glass vials, boy did that one hurt, im still a little bit sore today!!Hubby was a little scared as he said its actual real needle. Feeling really tired today and crampy, also had lots of white discharge yesterday as i stopped the syneral and gonal-f, and felt extremely bloated as well.But its better today. Preparing for the big day tomorrow and im planning to be in bed relaxing and watching dvd's the whole day after the pickup
good luck possums for your trigger tonight!!
pick up is tomorrow!!!! I'm sooooo nervous.
Wish me luck!! :)

Good luck Bubbles....hope it goes really well. Keep us updated!
Yes our trigger at 930 pm tonight.
We have to travel a few hours and stay overnight for egg collection, so will return home after it and then rest up.

good luck girls.. all the best for your big day :)

good luck with it all gals. EPU isn't too bad in my experience. it is nice to have it over and done with though. wishing you all the best.
xx

;)best of luk possums hun are you going to newcastle for your epu?
just noticed you were from port we are from nambucca heads not far from you and we go to newcastle so if so good luk they are just wonderful

Ah, lovely Nambucca area. Yes, off to Newcastle. Not long now...yay! Trigger very soon now.
Thanks for the well wishes girls.

:dance:oh very good hunny best of luk with your trigger and have a safe trip ,i hope you get some nice eggs

Best of luck Possums and Bubbles, fingers crossed for lots of lovely eggs

thank you all!!! will let you know this afternoon on how i went!!! :)

Thanks ladies for the well wishes and look forward to hearing how you went Bubbles.
We head away tonight for EPU...back home tomorrow.
I am officially an egg factory and :pray: for lots of good ones!

hi guys! have just got back from egg collection, feeling ok, bit sore and campy but otherwise ok.think i should drink heaps of water i think that helps. does sustegen help as well? We got 18 eggs collected yay! hopefully tomorrow i will find out that most of them or even all of them goy fertilised!! will keep u updated ! Wish me luck :)

wow bubbles - fingers crossed for you hon... go eggies go!!

Just got the call from the nurse and 16 eggs got fertilised!!!yay!! Hopefully most of them or all of them will go on to blastocysts!!! My transfer is this sunday cant wait!!!!

Bubbles that is an excellent result grow to Blasties little ones

woohoo bubbles! that's great news. go eggies go!!

Bubbles that is great news... very good fertilisation rate :clap::clap:

:pray: you get heaps of blasties out of it.

Janie xxx