Dos and donts when having IVF

[Browneyed Girl]

Hi, I'm starting my first cycle of IVF/ICSI tomorrow. I'm on long protocol so 14 days of down regging and then hopefully 8 days of stims before collection. I'm a bit nervous as my amh isn't great so I want to do as much as I can to help things along and give me the best chance of success.

I'm doing a few things but it would be great if anyone could give me any tips:

- no alcohol
- no caffeine (except maybe a tiny bit of chocolate as an occasion treat)
- no swimming after collection
- thermal vests (!!) to keep tummy and back warm
- keeping my feet warm
- drinking lots of bottled water
- a pint of milk every day when stimming (I read it should be a litre but that seems a lot - I'll nèver be off the loo as it is with all the water!)
- relaxation exercises to keep tummy relaxed - will màke a change from constantly holding it in, lucky oh

I was also considering:
- taking arnica as I read it can help bruising and healing between collection and transfer
- using a hot water bottle (not after transfer)

Any other ideas gratefully accepted. I'm terrified I won't get as far as transfer but trying to stay positive and focus on what I can do to help.

Thanks xx

 

[xxcharliexx]

Hi Browneyed girl! Ive just had a sucessful round of IVF, I didnt stress myself out too much with do's and donts. I did do the sensible things like cutting out alcohol for about 6 weeks before, i also cut out caffeine and switched to decaf tea. I eat as healthy as I could but still allowed myself some treats too. After my transfer i eat much healthier, plenty of hot veg, porridge for breakfast, things like that. I was instructed to eat as if I was pregnant. As hard as it is just try and relax and enjoy it!

I was the most negative saying i was sure it wouldnt work but it did and I have so many factors against me! It really is amazing! xx

 

[Browneyed Girl]

Hi Charlie, thanks for your response! So pleased that your IVF worked - hope you have a lovely pregnancy and enjoy every minute x

I switched to decaf tea a couple of years ago and don't taste any difference so that's fine it's just my go to drink if I'm not having alcohol would normally be diet coke and the odd hot chocolate but I'll just have to stick to orange juice or something. Thanks for the reminder about hot food, I'll take soup into work rather than sandwiches.

Did you have much time off work after collection and transfer? I'm thinking I'd like a couple of days off after each to relax and just stay cosy at home.

First buserelin injection done last night. It stings! I'm also a wimp and had to lie down after as I felt sick lol but I'm sure I'll get used to it! Was also worrying a bit that it was a big lower down on my tummy than it should be but I've read that lots of people inject it into their thighs so I'm guessing location doesn't matter so much.

xx

 

[xxcharliexx]

I was told to draw the shape of a rugby ball with my belly button being the top centre of the ball then where each point at the side would join would be where i would inject. You will get used to them. They can get a bit stingy as the time goes on as you can become bruised but just keep changing sides.

After collection unfortuantely I was one of the unlucky ones that got ovarian hyper stimulation so my transfer was cancelled and I was signed off work for almost 3 weeks. My road has certainly been a rocky one, we had everything that could of gone wrong, go wrong. Makes that bfp even more of a miracle. I would recommend taking a few days off after collection to just unwind and relax yourself in preperation for your transfer.

We had a frozen transfer 3 months later (28th September) this was a sunday, i went back to work on Tuesday. I only do a desk job and my colleagues were all aware of my treatment so helped with everything. I would definitely recommend booking a few days away or something nice to look forward too after your transfer. We booked Edinburgh for a week after the transfer, it gave me something to focus on and something positive to be thinking of, as unfortunately i was very negative and convinced it wouldnt work for me. I tested on the Thursday after my transfer (even though i was told to test a week after this) my bfp came up and i couldnt have been more shocked.

xxx

 

[Blueflower]

I drank the occasional shandy at the weekend during stims and then because I feel deprived not drinking at the weekend if I'm not actually pregnant I drank alcohol free beer after transfer which tricked me into thinking it was real beer! Instead of caffeine drinks I drank squash, juice, water, decaff tea, one normal tea per day and fruit tea, plus the occasional hot chocolate.

Yes definitely take at least a couple of days off after each procedure.

I felt sick and had to lie down after my first injection too, it was the trigger shot for IUI in January, its a huge thing to do if you hate needles so you're not a wimp! It does get easier. Did you inject yourself? Hope you feel ok on the Buserelin and good luck for IVF! At each stage its good to know that it actually works, e.g. we didn't know that my eggs could get fertilized and we could actually make embryos which was amazing!

 

[Chazabell]

I ate lots of eggs whilst I was slimming, omelettes with 3 eggs and spinach so I was getting plenty of protien. After collection I started eating pineapple core. After transfer I relaxed but still pottered around at home doing various things.

There are all kind of do' sand dont's. Just do whatever feels good for you xxx

 

[Blueflower]

Did you see Charlie's list of dos and don'ts from her clinic on the IVF thread that she scanned and attached for me? I thought it was really useful.

 

[xxcharliexx]

I'll post them now for you xx

 

[xxcharliexx]

These were given to me after my FET xx

 

[skeando]

Especially after transfer, treat your body as if you are pregnant and don't do anything you are not sure about. It might not actually make a difference to the outcome but you don't want to spend weeks obsessing if that one thing made a difference. If that makes sense?

My second time I had time a week off work round about transfer and it was nice to chill out. I found acupuncture quite relaxing too

 

[Browneyed Girl]

Thanks for all your advice

Charlie - thanks for posting the info that your clinic gave you - it's interesting to see as my hospital doesn't give you any guidance other than you can't smoke or take drugs during treatment and you shouldn't drink until 24 hours after a procedure! I think I'll stay at home for a couple of days after transfer to just relax and not have anything to worry about - my job is a desk job also but mega busy at the moment. It's good to know that setbacks don't necessarily mean you won't have a positive outcome either.

Blueflower - I'm glad you said that about alcohol as I totally feel the same - it's the sane reason why I don't stop drinking in the 2ww normally either! Life is stressful enough and I only have 2-3 drinks a week anyway and it's worth it to have a bit of spontaneity in life ie call in the pub after work because you fancy it. Ttc takes over your life and makes you live in 2 week chunks so I need some enjoyment. Having said that though, the first bfp I got was when I was doing dry January and I have wondered if it made any difference and I'm not going to drink during IVF because I don't want any doubts in my mind. I'm going to a party tonight with a bottle of Shloer - I think it might be a long night lol! My oh is doing my injections for me - he insists on doing the whole thing ie preparing etc, I think it's his way of being involved and it's working pretty well so far. He's not a bad nurse - only one bruise from 7 injections. So far I feel ok just more tired than usual but that's it. Hope you are feeling ok after your recent IVF, I was sorry to read it didn't work. I hope your clinic can come up with a plan of action that gets you your bfp next time.

Chazabell - thanks for the eggs tip, I've had a few this week and will eat more when stimming. Will also def try pineapple after collection.

Skeando - I am the type to obsess so that's good advice!

So far so good - 7 days into down regging and no bad side effects, will be interesting to see what's going on in there next Fri when I have a scan. Hopefully it will be into stims and I will be very nervous then.

Thanks xxx