how many times have you done ivf? In despair

I am just wondering how many times people have undertaken IVF or ICSI - it seems everywhere I go people have got pregnant on their first attempt. I have done ICSI 4 times with bad results - eggs different sizes, eggs not fertalizing and embryos not implanting. I feel I am the only one who has such bad results, is it worth perservering?Have people got pregnant after 6 times? Ten times? Twelve times?

Also does anyone else experience severe pain through the whole process and then in the months that follow? I feel like I am super, super sensative and can feel every tiny thing happening to my uterus and ovaries. Before and after ICSI I was in so much pain couldn't walk. This pain lasts for several months after the egg collection.I can tell the minute I ovulate for several months after ICSI as the pain is so great that I can't move. I am on a really low dose of medication. Has anyone else had this experience?

Hey Aqua

I definatly wouldn't give up hope, i mean I understand that the whole process is emotionally draining as well as physically and financially and of course you should stop when you don't feel your body can take it any more, but if you are thinking of not going on simply because you don't feel it will work then i say persevere, i have done IVF with a lady who was on her 6th cycle and it worked just out of no where so don't ever give up faith and you will find, just as i have, that this site is great support for you when next attempting a cycle, to be surrounded by others who know exactly what you are going through has helped me massively this go around. Personally i have done IVF once and ICSI once both with dismal results (first time no eggs fertilised, second time only one survived and it didn't take) we are currently on our third go of ICSI and fingers crossed all will go well.... I too wonder if i will ever have the stamina to continue, but after each failed attempt i just sort of keep going thinking it has to happen one day! It sounds as if you are suffering from OHSS?? to be in so much pain before and after indicates a real sensitivity to the drugs and the way your body processes them, i am not sure what more the doctors can do but it seems like torture for your mental wellbeing to continue with each treatment cycle knowing what is about to happen. Perhaps speak to a Councillor and have another chat to your FS and see if there is any more that can be done but above all don't give up hope and when ever you feel like no one understands what you are going through then log on and surround yourselves with the lovely women and men that frequent this site and are always online to offer support and encouragement.... good luck sweets.

Thanks for your reply, I feel better knowing there are people out there who are going through this too. I think it is a blessing I found this web site, I am the only person doing ivf that i or any of my friends or family know. I will keep hopes up and try again.

Hi Aqua
I hear you hun...I too find the whole thing really painful. I always wonder at tranfer how the poor little embies have a chance when I'm in so much pain and feeling so ill...but we keep going. I went through a time when I was really down and ready to throw in the towel and a friend suggested I get another opinion...I couldn't change clinics...too emotionally involved...so I just had a one off appointment and chatted our story through with the other FS and left feeling good about what we were doing.
I'm sure there is an end point to all this...I pray that it's when I hold my baby in my arms but some days I wonder...but I do know...for sure...that when that day comes I will have done everything I can for that dream to come true! Good luck hun xxx

Aqua,
It took us 19 cycles to get our DD, I did change FS after 13ish and sick of having immature folicules but in large amounts, to a FS who got better quality and smaller PU.
I went through some tough times, it put an enormous stress on DH and I but we are stronger today for it. I dont know why I kept pursueing it, I suppose I didnt want this horrid infertilty to beat me. I never got too involved with numbers or qualitys just the basics otherwise I would of been trying to cure myself. I hope and pray all of you on this rollercoaster all get to experience motherhood
Bec xx
Charlee : My first cycle of IVF was the same as yours 60 eggs and none fertalised all acted abnormal but that was with ICSI the lab said they had never seen anything like it before. My next one was a sucess at least we got a few embies and were in with a show

i am in the middle of cycle number 5. 2nd stim cycle we had success , and now we are on a third and hoping for success again. There are surprisingly heaps of us IVF girls out there that have had numerous attempts. Out of my friends at twin club - about 1/3 of them are IVF girls , and most of them have had 4 or 5 rounds at least.

It is a numbers game. and it is just waiting for the law of averages to kick in. All we can do is give it our best shot physically and the rest is up to the universe.
How many attemps you are willing to try is up to how much you can handle emotionally.

Good luck and success will come - its just a matter of time and persistence
odette

Aqua,
Hang in there sweetie i am at the end of my TWW on my 6th cycle (i thought it was 7 - how we loose track) and its true i reckon its a law of averages. Not many girls fall on the first attempt or 2nd attempt of IVF/ICSI - i know of two girls that took 11tries another took 5 another took 6 - and its true you are looking for quality of egg not number of eggs as you have seen its not the amount that matters its the quality. As far as your pain goes i would seek a medical opion on that one as it does not seem right even if it were OHSS it would not last for months. Good luck and i hope you get a BFP in the not to distant future.

Bec G - 60 EGGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what in the world, i've never heard of such a number - HONESTLY, how did you manage to stand up and not tip over!! that must have been very uncomfortable!! then to not have any fertilise would have been devastating - crums us girls are tonka tough when we need to be, what good little incubators.

Aqua i hope after a good nights rest you are feeling a little chirpier today... if not i suggest ice cream or chocolate or both:lol::lol:

Aqua rollercoaster ride for sure. My cousin has just given birth to her first baby,a boy. IVF cycle no 8. I wish you luck.....

Well i have had 9 IVF cycles and started at the age of 23, of course EVERYONE said i would be pg first go because of my age but im still trying four years later........................(two of my cycles were cancile due to OHSS and another from infection at EPU, so i guess that makes it 7 really)

Manny times i have wanted to give it up but just cant, it is so hard but i remember all the ladies who have said to me ..............'i got pg on my 9, 10, 11, 18th cycle'

It really is out of our hands

GL hun

Hi Aqua,

I have had two friends go through IVF before I did. The first friend took about 5 or 6 attempts with each pregnancy and only on her 4th pregnancy did she fall pregnant in the first cycle and on a fresh transfer. The second friend fell pregnant the very first attempt but for her second pregnancy, took two attempts.

Even though I had both these examples in my mind when I was undergoing treatment I was so disappointed that I was not succesful the first cycle. On top of that I felt like a failure as I only managed to get two eggs, of which only one fertilised.

IVF is a mentally challenging journey that is different for each of us. As my friend says (the one who took 6 attempts) the FS just has to work out your 'special recipe' that works for you. Until then, I hope you can hang in there.

Thankyou all so much for your replies - Iam feeling so much better and have eaten both ice ceam and chocolate as suggested and booked in for next round of ICSI. I am so happy to hear all these stories, it makes me realise I am not alone with this and has given me strength to keep going. Have just moved clinics and the new clinic is 1000 times better, they actually listened to my husband and I, and have come up with some excellent suggestions and much better medication (I hope). We were especially happpy they sent us for checks and have already pin-pointed some problems the other clinic never bothered to check out. Thanks again.

PS: Bec G I sympathise with your 60 egg situation - my first round I had 50 eggs!! I did feel like I was going to fall over!

It hurt more when I had a pick up of 15 :) and I OHSS on that amount and not on the larger amounts.
Weird Body of mine

We just recently had success from our 6th ICSI attempt. I found we had to seek another opinion to have our successful cycle - which we had first go with the new clinic.

Each stim cycle I also had over 40-50 follies, so totally understand feelling every little thing and yep, I hurt like hell after pick up!

Good Luck with your next cycle - everything crossed for a bfp.

I'm up to my 9th transfer........its getting harder.

Shazz.

I had 5 stim cycles, 3 FETs and 7 transfers (1 X 1 embryo, the rest 2 embryos transfers) and had a successful singleton pregnancy and birth on the 8th cycle.

Before starting IVF, it seemed to me too that everything you read or hear about is how people fell pg first time, but the truth is quite far from that. In fact you only have around a one in 5 chance of success for each transfer (on average, as different types of transfers have different success rates). And those chances don't improve at each cycle, they stay the same, and it's only the law of averages that say you might likely be pg by the 5th cycle. But like throwing a dice, you just never can tell how long it'll take for your number to come up.

So I reckon that if you have it in you, do persevere. But everyone only knows in themselves when enough is enough.