IVF Consultation

I didn’t know what to expect from this appointment.
I was told when I booked it that it was just to discuss why IUI failed.
We don’t know, isn’t that the point?
Would they tell me I had to try IUI again?
Maybe I’m not a candiate for IVF.
Maybe there’s a massive wait?
However the consultant was lovely and gave me options.
Would I like to try IUI again?
When I said no she smiled and told me it was good to give it a go but it only had a 5-10% chance of success ‘that just nature’ she said. The probability of success decreased dramatically since I started treatment then! I was promised 20% chance!
When I said I wanted to try IVF she gave me a presentation about what it involved and put together a plan.
A PLAN!
I expected nothing from this appointment and I now have a plan for my IVF treatment!
So the plan is some kind of tablets for 2 months, I missed what these were for, followed by a short course treatment, as I have polycystic ovaries, (not the syndrome apparently just lots of follicles and she doesn’t want to cause Ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome by going for the hard drugs) of 100iu of Gonal-F to mature the follicles and then trigger the same as IUI with Ovitrelle. In for egg collection and go from there. As soon as I start the Gonal-F I will also have to take fragmin injections to stop my blood clotting which is apparently a side effect of Gonal-F made worse by my antiphospholipid syndrome. Great.
Total cost she reckons somewhere £6-7k. Ouch. But having spent £4652.05 so far on the ‘cheap’ option of IUI it’s got to be worth a shot.

I am now just waiting on the nurses to call me to arrange my tablets (and so I can find out what they are!) and I’m guesstimating if I get these tablets soon that I start Gonal-F in June/July-ish time! March/April baby?

Done With IUI

I rang the clinic yesterday to report no pregnancy and was told they would call me back.
Today the nurse called.
I told her I was done with IUI.
I could tell it threw her.
She’s new and probably had her script prepared about how I needed a HyCoSy before continuing.
But I don’t want to continue.
IUI seems random.
Too many chances for it to not happen.
The egg might not mature, might not release, might release too early, too late, then just might not meet the sperm swimming to meet it.
I was told when I started treatment it had a 20% chance, that that was just ‘nature’
Well, when I am spending this much money on it I don’t like nature getting involved.
I gave it a go.
If it had worked it would have been great.
It hasn’t worked for me, that’s not to say it won’t for you.
But I have decided to cut my losses at 2 goes and to splash out my third try on IVF.

I have a consultant appointment on 6th March to discuss next steps.

Tests

Thursday 25th: Negative I definitely expected a false positive this early!

Friday 26th: I’m so angry today! Down to drugs? Hormones? Stress? Dare I even dream, pregnancy?

Saturday 27th: Negative – though that means NOTHING as it is still far too early for cheap tests to be able to pick up. Why am I testing?!

Monday 29th: Negative

Tuesday 30th: Had a headache and felt awful at work today, light headed and queasy. Pregnancy? Dare I hope?

Wednesday 31st: Negative. Even took a proper (not cheap poundland test) test because I was so SURE… but no.

Friday 2nd: Negative and Aunt Flo. No October baby.

 

I hate IUI.

Insemination

Same room as last time.
Same people as last time.
Same procedure as last time.
Hopefully a different result to last time.
Now for the dreaded two week wait.
How long ’til I go insane this time?
I get to test on 3rd February.

Trigger

Scan showed that the larger follicle is the perfect 18mm but the smaller one has shrunk back a bit, so no twins, but it only takes one!

Triggering tonight ready for insemination at 12.30 on friday!

Trigger Week

The scan today showed the 12mm follicle has grown to 15mm, the other one on the left has vanished and the one on the right has gone from 8mm to 11mm.
Seems my ovaries listened to me and got rid of one!
Hopefully another scan on wednesday will show the left follicle has reached 18mm and we can trigger ready for insemination on friday.
As it happens this is another preplanned week off work… how well timed was that!
Two decent size follicles at the moment – could we be looking at twins?!

Growth

I had my normal nurse back, and like a lucky charm I have a monster follicle!
It was either hiding the other day or has done some stellar growth in the last couple of days!
On my right ovary I have one follicle measuring at 8mm
On my left I have a 12mm and a 9mm

Now I’m really pleased that three follicles have taken up the challenge, however I really need one of them to disappear now as the clinic will not inseminate if there are more than 2 mature follicles!

Crossing everything that 2 keep growing and ones shrinks back!

Rescan on Monday.

First Scan

There was NAFF ALL on that scan!
It was a different nurse who did it and she seemed less thorough, she took no measurements at all.
There were lots of follicles there but none standing out as bigger.
I’m taking comfort that this is a day earlier than my first scan last time so there is still time.
Another scan booked for friday.

Change of Plan

I phoned the clinic today (Day 2 of my cycle) and was told to start the Gonal-F today.
It was day 4 last time.
Maybe this gives a higher chance of more than one follicle growing?
First scan is booked for 10th.

Grow follicles grow!

More Gonal-F

The nurse managed to get me in quickly to get my medication ready for the next cycle.
I had a few forms to re-sign and a blood test which they had somehow missed for my first cycle.
She hit a nerve when she did the blood test, never known pain like it! Shot down from my elbow to my wrist like electricity!
The plan is all the same, same dose and all, just hopefully the sperm meets the egg this time round!
I was told that if it didn’t work this cycle then the consultant was going to insist I had a HyCoSy to rule a blockage out.
Roll on January!

 

  • An 'Angel Baby' is a baby lost during pregnancy or early childhood, who sleeps in the clouds instead of our arms.

    A 'Rainbow Baby' is a baby born following the loss of an 'Angel Baby', a beacon of hope after a storm, while not denying the storm happened.

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