Trying for a baby (12+ M/not straightforward)

LADY_A_5

hi, i posted this on another part of the site and have been directed here,
i cannot have children naturally, i need to have ivf and i am wondering if there is anyone here that can tell me what to expect. apparently you get the first one free via nhs (postcode lottery im told). me and oh are going to put names down as there is a waiting list, i would like to know what it entails.
is the process painfull? (im a wimp) i have heard many things and would really appreciate any advice from anyone that has actually been through this process. maybe in pm? we are both curious and the leaflets are nothing like personal experiences.
any help really appreciated thankyou and good luck to everybody xx

liloandstitch

Hi, Lady A - good luck with your journey. If you read back on this thread, I have been through IVF this last month, and have posted what has gone on so that people understand the process a little better. My IVF is slightly different, as I did not inject any drugs, but the egg collection and embryo transfer is the same. In my experience, you will put up with any pain or indignity if you want the outcome - you get used to the injections, the scans are undignified (internal) and the proedures can be painful, although you are knocked out for the worst. If I had to tell you what the worst bit is, its the emotional aspects, the hope the anticipation, and particularly the wait to find out if it has worked. I find out next week, and at the moment, this is the worst week of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope this helps, 2 of the ladies here are just about to start full drug IVF and may be able to give you more info, but if you have any specific queries that you dont want to put on an open forum, please feel free to PM me

Lilo

Nicki

liloandstitch wrote: »

Hi, Lady A - good luck with your journey. If you read back on this thread, I have been through IVF this last month, and have posted what has gone on so that people understand the process a little better. My IVF is slightly different, as I did not inject any drugs, but the egg collection and embryo transfer is the same. In my experience, you will put up with any pain or indignity if you want the outcome - you get used to the injections, the scans are undignified (internal) and the proedures can be painful, although you are knocked out for the worst. If I had to tell you what the worst bit is, its the emotional aspects, the hope the anticipation, and particularly the wait to find out if it has worked. I find out next week, and at the moment, this is the worst week of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lilo

I did the drugs bit first time round, but unfortunately they didn't work well enough so we converted to an IUI cycle which resulted in my son. So I can't tell you about the procedures but can tell you about the drugs.

The drugs are to be honest not pleasant. In my case, I had to sniff a drug for 3 weeks to down regulate my cycle. That wasn't painful but it did tend to make me feel very hormonal and headachy throughout those weeks. Then I had to inject myself daily with pergonal (a powerful fertility drug) into my thigh. The thought of inecting was worse than the reality, but again the drugs didn't make me feel great. Not so poorly that I couldn't go to work, but enough below par not to feel like doing much else. During this period I was being scanned (vaginally) on an almost daily basis as there is a high risk of ovarian over-stimulation which can be dangerous. After 2 weeks of this, the scan showed I only had 2 viable eggs ready, which is not enough to make it worthwhile for them to continue with the egg collection, so they converted me to IUI. I still had to take the trigger injection though, which is a deep muscle injection into your btm. That hurt a lot! Following the procedure I had to use suppositories for a few weeks, which were OK.

All in all, for my one cycle of treatment, I had about 6 weeks of using drugs which made me feel well below par, and which also played havoc with my emotional state. I'd say it was well worth it, as it resulted in my son, but then I was by that stage prepared to do anything to conceive. My s-i-l, who asked similar questions as you have done, decided that she wasn't prepared to go through this and decided not to attempt it. It is a personal decision about how much you want a family, and what you are prepared to endure to give you a chance to conceive, knowing that its just a chance and not a certainty that you will.

Good luck whatever you decide.

FairyElephant_2

Hi Lady-A,

I'm just about to embark on IVF #2 (in between we had also had a failed Frozen Embryo Transfer).

Actually we have ICSI which is where the sperm is injected into the egg - a little bit more expensive than IVF but sometimes necessary if there are issues with the sperm (my DH's have antibodies which hamper their swimming ability!). I have PCOS.

You will need to be referred to a Fertility Consultant and have tests to determine the nature of your problem - but I guess you may already be there as you know you cannot concieve naturally?

I understand the NHS waiting list for IVF can be very long, depending where you live. We didn't qualify for any NHS help as my DH had children with his ex-wife, so we didn't have to wait too long as we were paying! we tried various other treatments first (for about 18 months) then when they decided that we needed ICSI we started it the next month.

I guess it can vary depending on your situation, but this is what my treatment entails:

On Friday (CD19) I will start taking Norethisterone tablets. I have to take these 2ce a day for 7 days.
On Sunday (CD21) I will start injections of Buserelin, once a day, in the lower stomach. This is a downregulating drug (called 'downregging' for short). Some people have this by inhalation 3 times a day, but I can't do nasal sprays! My DH injects me, as I can't stab myself with needles! It stings a little, but rubbing an ice-cube on the area first helps, and it isn't too bad really. Side-effects for me were headaches and feeling tired and over-emotional all the time.
On day 14 of the injections I have to go to my GP's and hava a blood test done to check oestrogen level (as long as my period has started - not sure what happens if not!).
As long as oestrogen level is OK, 4 days later I start stimluating drugs ('stimming') - mine are GonalF, which are injected with a pen-like thing (similar to the ones diabetics use). I still carry on with the Buseralin injections (we do one each side of the lower tum - I start to feel like a pin-cushion at this point!!!). Also I start taking one Dexamethasone tablet every day (can't remember what this is for now though!).
After 8 days of stimming I have a scan. The last time it showed I was not ready for Egg Collection ('EC') yet (follicles had not developed enough), so I had a couple more days of jabs and then a re-scan.
When scan shows I am ready, I have the final injection - of FSH which triggers ovulation.
The following day (or maybe it was 2 days after - I forget exactly) I go into the clinic for EC. This is done under general anaesthetic at my clinic, but I know that some do it under local. Afterwards I was a bit sore (like period pains) for a couple of days, but just rested and took things easy at home. At the same time as my op, DH gave his sperm. He had to refrain from ejaculating for 3 days previously.
2 days later the clinic contact to tell us if the eggs have fertilised. If all well, the following day is back to the clinic for Egg Transfer ('ET'). This is a simple and quick process - bit like having a smear test done I found. My clinic will transfer 2, and have the option of having any others frozen. As I have PCOS I tend to over-respond to the stimming drugs and produce quite a few eggs (had a dozen last time!) - but this has to be monitored carefully as there is a risk of hyper-stimulation-syndrome which can be dangerous.
Then it's home again and the worst 2 week wait ever!

Last time we thought we had done it - we had a positive and I had all the PG symptoms, but when I had my 1st scan (at 10 weeks - 8 weeks after ET - they do them very early when you have IVF!), we found out that it was ectopic. I won't go into that whole nightmare again at the mo!

As Lilo said, the worst bits are the emotional side and the waiting. I thought beforehand that the injections would be bad, as I don't like needles, but you do get used to them surprisingly quickly.

This has turned out a really long post, sorry - well done if you are still reading!

Good luck, whatever you decide, and keep in touch!

Best wishes,

FE

LADY_A_5

hi guys, thank you soo much for your informative post's on this delicate issue. yes i have had 5 laps dyes bla bla and the dye couldnot penetrate the tubes, that was the last test to determine if i could concieve naturally and it was excrutiating, i also have pid. i sopose i had always felt a bit of hope of a natural conseption as it took so many lap's and scans and years to have a final diagnosis. a few years ago i decided to see what what it entails and had all the bloods etc done ready to go on the list, but felt i wasnt ready to follow through with the rest. i was told my overies are ok and was entitled to one free ivf corse at my local hospital. i am terrified of needles, also the emotional side as im quite a sensative person already, and the strain it can put on the relationship. i also worry about work and having time off, silly things in comparison as i know in my heart and soul it would be the best feeling in the world if the ivf did work. its just a scary thought if it didnt work at the same time. another thing is my partner of the last few years has a daughter and wonder will that now affect where i stand with the nhs? also i think if the first dont work what are the rough overall costs of going private i hear a few thousand at least! obviously i know money is nothing in comparrison but i need to be realistic at the same time.
thankyou all once again for the welcomes and the great posts and i sincerly hope from the bottom of my heart that all of you will get your wish/dream/hope, dont give up, as i have read on here there is always hope.
thankyou xx

hulagirl79

Hi
I have just discovered this thread and am so pleased its here
hubby and me have been ttc for 3 years, we have had all the tests and everything has comeback fine, we have been refered for ivf in hammersmith we live in herts. i didnt want to go down the ivf route as i have friends who have been through it and not all have come thrugh the over side together so i am very wary, but it is getting to the point of not much choice.

I just find it so frustrating that there is no reason [ that we have found]
as to why its not happening for us and get fed up when well meaning people say just give it time.
sorry for a little rant
xx

sarahs999

Hello - not sure if this is the right thread for me? We've been trying but having miscarriages. I've had two this year. I already have a DS, three, but it seems the second one is reluctant to come.... apologies if this is the wrong thread.

nottslass_2

sarahs999 wrote: »

Hello - not sure if this is the right thread for me? We've been trying but having miscarriages. I've had two this year. I already have a DS, three, but it seems the second one is reluctant to come.... apologies if this is the wrong thread.

No need for apologies here !! All of us understand the frustration and pain that goes with not being able to have a baby(for whatever reason)

fortunately,I haven't been through the experience of miscarriage,nor can I imagine the experience of loss that you must be feeling.

Can I ask,after your M/C have you had any medical advise ? I know at our local Hospital you can get referred to the Recurrent miscarriage clinic for more investigations after 3 M/C.

I'm sure that there will be somebody along who will have more experience on the subject than me,but in the mean time,we're a friendly bunch,so please feel free the drop in when ever you want,even if its just to "let off some steam".


Good Luck and Loadsa baby dust to us all X

nottslass_2

hulagirl79 wrote: »

Hi
I have just discovered this thread and am so pleased its here
hubby and me have been ttc for 3 years, we have had all the tests and everything has comeback fine, we have been refered for ivf in hammersmith we live in herts. i didnt want to go down the ivf route as i have friends who have been through it and not all have come thrugh the over side together so i am very wary, but it is getting to the point of not much choice.

I just find it so frustrating that there is no reason [ that we have found]
as to why its not happening for us and get fed up when well meaning people say just give it time.
sorry for a little rant
xx

Welcome,Please feel free to rant all you like,we tend to do it quite a bit here,especially when AF arrives (yet again) !!!!!!!!!!!

liloandstitch

Gosh we are becoming popular - welcome one and all. The good thing about this thread is that we are all having problems, with getting pregnant or m/cs so we are all in the same boat one way or another!!!

Well, Im still symptom spotting, and terrified. BBs arre still sore, dunno if it as much tho!!! Still feeling sick etc, but just dont know how much of this is the progesterone pessaries????? Your mind plays tricks with you and I cant remember enough about the other times (DS + 2 MCs) so i am still the demented...............AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

lilo