Ladies doing IVF or IUI - 2015 (9 BFPs!)

[Dee28]

It all sounds very complicated, I thought the whole idea of satellites was shared care? I hope it's not to stressful. I reckon we'll be cycling at the same time, we've got our follow up consultation next Friday and will start next cycle or one after I reckon, depending on whether I want the scratch again, can't decide on that, will see what the consultant says xx

 

[lisey]

That does sound complicated blueflower, I hope they can work it all out for you. I thought the same as Dee and thought the idea of satellite, was shared care. Its very unfair of them to be like that xx

 

[Dee28]

Have you come to any decisions about what your next step will be? Iui or ivf? Xx

 

[lisey]

No, I really don't know which would be best. Its a hard decision to make as we have pretty much been told we can conceive naturally but I am worried about trying naturally for too long, it not working and then AMH being too low for IVF or IUI. I need to discuss it more with OH, I think he is keen to try naturally for longer but I don't think he quite gets the ticking clock we have above us xx

 

[Blueflower]

What about trying for a few months then try 1 or 2 goes of IUI?

 

[Dee28]

I do think Iui would be a good in between for you, certainly worth trying once at least I think xx

 

[kittykitchn]

What a rigmarole! I'm sorry it's not easier - they should be making it easier for you!
What a pain having to travel... but it will be worth it Looking forward to the next few months and following your news xx

 

[millielaura]

Hello please may I join this thread. Would like to read more about iui/ivf if that's okay .
Our consultant (moved back to nhs now) only wants to give us another 3 rounds of Clomid so 4 in total.
I have my HSG this cycle, consultant thinks I could potentially have scarring from my cyst operation that's affecting things. I'm not quite sure how it works but they seemed to suggest there can still be scarring enough to reduce the chance but not stop pregnancy all together. They said usually if there is they do a lap and then prob refer for ivf.
If my tubes are fine I still only have 3 cycles of Clomid left. They don't like referring you until your 23 but if there's a known problem they can, I'm guessing my 2 week long cycles is a problem really?
BUT we've been let down a lot by the nhs, in general in our area, they didn't do ivf on nhs until this January and before that they promised to offer it then went back on it. There is a very long waiting list apparently. So we have decided, if we aren't pregnant by christmas then we are paying for ivf privately. My last Clomid round will end in October and if it hasn't worked by then we are going to book a consultation hopefully to get started in the new year! Because I didn't respond to 50mg I'm not sure I have high hopes for Clomid. I had follies but all where 10mm and one at 12mm and they didn't get any bigger. It feels good to have a deadline of stopping ttc naturally.
Another thing is that on my first scan he said my left ovary had ALL been taken. After I'd taken clomid the ovary was there. By day 15 it had 3 follies on. Immature small follies but still it grew follies. Not sure if the first scan was a fluke or the ovary swelled with clomid.
BUT I am hoping this does not meant the end for me wanting to egg share!! I was really set on it and then I got told I only had 1 ovary and couldn't so now I have part of the one I thought I didn't have, I'm hoping I can do it. If so we will be starting the tests for it asap after October. It means cheaper IVF for us and also means I get the chance of helping someone else! The money we save if we can do it can go towards baby things.
We are thinking we may change clinics too, ours we went to for the first round of clomid is best price and good success rates but I just felt nothing was explained that well to us once we started the clomid. I only knew my scan results as he told the nurse them and she wrote them down. He didn't really speak to us at all. Not what I would want during the ivf process but maybe it's just the norm? Xx

 

[Blueflower]

2 week cycles must be draining. So is your ovary still there or not??! How odd that they said it was gone but it isn't! Talk about messing you about! Is it like the liver I wonder in that it can work with some of it removed?
You can share your eggs with me, I need some young ones apparently, haha!
Welcome to the thread!

 

[millielaura]

Well I think it is but maybe the Clomid made it swell to be bigger again? The consultant said there's prob scarring blocking that tube though, they think, although obvs they can't say. But I had a lot of pain there and they think it's down to scarring.
Aww it's defo from reading peoples stories like yours that I'd want to do it!
Although I am sure you will be 4th time lucky will have everything crossed for you when you have the embryo testing done . Hows it all going?

Soo question lol... I reallyy struggled with the Clomid side effects at just 50mg. What would I expect with injectables? Are the side effects waayy worse? I know I have more rounds of clomid yet but want to be 100 percent clued up if we do need to go down the ivf route.
Also say if you didn't respond well, what do they do? Abandon the cycle or do they keep giving you more meds until you grow big enough follies? If that makes sense!

Xx

 

[Blueflower]

What was the matter with your ovary before, I forgot?

I felt dizzy on clomid but fine on the ivf drugs. The one that shuts down your system is a bit scary and I got night sweats but the stimulation drugs were ok, I thought of them as just an artificial version of my natural FSH & LH in larger quantities. I was prepared for mood swings but didn't really get any. I just felt really full off eggs near the end.

We had to buy extra meds when the eggs weren't quite big enough but if they slow right down you have to give up, but that's rare. I think it was Lucyboo who that happened to but the egg kept growing and she got pregnant naturally a few weeks later!

 

[kittykitchn]

Can I just jump in here, and ask a question..?

I have another consultant appointment on Wed to discuss next steps - which I believe is a lap and dye (and then IUI). Would a HSG not be more appropriate?
I know the difference between the tests - but don't really know what they're used for and in what circumstances. I thought a HSG was to see if there are any blockages - which I thought would be more appropriate for me. Why would he be more inclined for a lap and dye? Does it show blockages, plus other potential problems as well?

I want to be completely prepared for when I go in, seeing as I've pushed for more tests early.

 

[Dee28]

Millie- I was the same as blueflower, had a lot more side effects on the clomid than the Ivf drugs which I found strangely fine! I didn't down reg though. I also had to buy extra drugs and upped my dose part way through stimming, the scans and blood tests monitor your response. I found ivf physically a lot easier than I'd thought.

As for a lap and die kitty, the dye bit is basically an hsg. I had an hsg and it looked ambiguous so was referred for a lap and dye which showed endo and an ovary adhered to my stomach and a tube fused to my ovary. So for me a lap and dye first up would have saved months of wasted trying and killed two birds with one stone so perhaps it'll be a good thing to go straight to a full lap and dye xx

 

[kittykitchn]

As for a lap and die kitty, the dye bit is basically an hsg. I had an hsg and it looked ambiguous so was referred for a lap and dye which showed endo and an ovary adhered to my stomach and a tube fused to my ovary. So for me a lap and dye first up would have saved months of wasted trying and killed two birds with one stone so perhaps it'll be a good thing to go straight to a full lap and dye xx

Oh that's good to know, I feel better about it now, thank you. I'd of course rather have the whole shebang at once! xx

 

[Blueflower]

The lap&dye is more full-on but you are asleep so don't feel any pain till afterwards! You need a day or so to recover from the incisions and anaesthetic and any surgery whereas the hsg doesn't require any recovery time.

 

[Dee28]

Yes I should have made that clearer, a lap is surgery and because I ended up having things done I was in discomfort for a while, I also had a bad reaction to the anaesthetic but that's just me! I needed a good week off work to recover x

 

[kittykitchn]

No worries - I knew it was far more invasive. I'm happy to do anything needed, just want to know it's the best route to go down! x

Can it be performed anytime of the cycle? And do I need to abstain from sex and TTC? Looks like it, but I really hope not....

 

[millielaura]

I had a lap when I got my cyst removal and also had a cut along pubic bone to remove cyst.
I'm going for the HSG first mainly cause hoping if thats okay I wont need a lap and because thats what our hosp offers first. But I defo agree its a lot less time wasting to just get it done with all at once . We get the hsg offered but if we got lap and dye offered rather than just hsg i think it would be faster lol I am a wimp though so thats why im glad im having hsg first.
It was sore but i was back cheerleading the week after mine and i had the extra cut as well . I needed that day and the day after in bed as i reacted to the anasthetic and morphine and was feeling totally drugged up and sick and covered in a rash lol. Dont let that put you off though lol. My friend had it and was at work the next day xxx

 

[lisey]

Dee and blueflower, you're probably right. IUI is worth trying at least once. We will definitely try naturally in the meantime and hope it happens but need a back-up plan xx

Millie, sorry the last clinic didn't explain much. We only say our consultant for discussion appointments to plan care etc and then all care was passed on to the nurses and sonographers in the IVF clinic.
Kitty, you will have to abstain from trying before the lap, I think it can be done any time of the cycle but not 100% sure, may not be good to be done during AF xx

 

[Blueflower]

Yes if I were you Lisey I would try IUI, keep trying naturally then maybe IVF again if necessary then naturally again until you conceive again. I really feel that it will happen for you eventually. I have to tell myself that it will happen for us one day too.