Ivf round 2 follow up

[Soapsuds86]

Hi everyone

I've got my follow up appointment tomorrow from my 2nd failed IVF attempt.

I'm sure this has been asked millions if times before but I'm asking for any advice on any tests that any one us aware I should be asking about in my appointment.

I haven't been diagnosed with a cause for my infertility but have been told I have characteristics of PCO. Some months I do not ovulate at all but I still get my af regularly.

My first attempt we had 18 eggs , 9 fertilised and one blastocyst. None to freeze. I believe I had mild OHSS. I was not diagnosed by the doctor, just simply told I have a large amount of swelling causing my discomfort.

The second attempt was a gentle protocol as I was in so much pain with the first. We had 12 eggs and 8 fertilised but the grading of embryo was poor, so had two transferred and again none to freeze. I also had a uterus scrape and accupuncture for this cycle.

I believe it is my egg quality as to why I am experiencing this failure. I'm type 1 diabetic too just to add to the mix but have very good control.

Are there any tests I can have to test my egg quality?

Anyone else had similar issues and how did you get stronger egg quality?

Could it be thyroid related? And are there any tests other than the standard tsh blood test?

Any help would be gratefully received or any shared experiences

Thank you ladies

[Hidden]

Hey I have just done the 2nd egg collection on Wednesday which was awful, I had a full blown panic attack and was sick so they only got 8.

I understood from last time my eggs were bad quality but today they explained more

The eggs are fine, the sperm seems fine, they get to say 2 great, then run out of steam

I've been using royal jelly, maca, omega, 3 and acupuncture

Apparently there were more than 8 this time but due to bring SSSI sick they had to stop

Ask 8 are fertilised but one bit valid as 3 sperm went in

Noe waiting to see if her to freeze. Last time there were 16, 15 froze only 4 valid at group c ,2 in the other 2 died

I wish you all the luck in the world

Keep sharing any ideas you get xx

[Soapsuds86 in reply to Hidden]

After looking all over the Internet you are the only other person I have read about having a horrible experience during egg retrival. I read about them where they are heavily sedated and don't feel a thing. I was sedated tge first time and felt everything. Local anesthetic the second and yep still felt everything. Going to talk about general anesthetic next.

I get anxiety attacks during the process which caused my sugars to go low as soon as I was walking to the theater room! They wanted to stop after doing one ovary but I begged them to continue because I wanted some embryos to freeze.

How are you feeling now? Hope it is settling down for you.

We had that too where more than one sperm got in. I wasn't sure that was at all possible!

It's the not knowing that hurts and is frustrating. My clinic tend to focus on the ivf as opposed to finding the problem. I just don't want to be catograrised in the percentage where it is just "unlucky". I need to know if there is a problem and exactly what is is. The doctors are rather vague with me but they may have found more out from the 2nd failed cycle. So all might not be a complete failure.

Good luck for your treatment and everything crossed for you! x x

[Hidden in reply to Soapsuds86]

Hey

I'm totally down and emotional but physically much better.

I'm going to see a psychologist tonight as it's all got too much

This time due to ohss they made me inject something 2 nights before the egg collection to avoid the ohss risk but meaning all had to be frozen

They are calling this morning with how many they could freeze

I'm in Spain and here there is no sedation, they put a local in the uterin wall and go right ahead

I was in pain just sitting down before I went in

The tears and shakes and panic and " oh my God what's happening " was incontrollable.

I feel so disappointed as the first time I was in agony but looking at the screen and saying just do it, get them all. I haven't got this far too give up

But this second time OMG

Im sure that unless they can knock me out with a general I just can't do it again and then feel worse for throwing away the third try

I pray to God every day to give me the strength to get me through and as you say not let me be one of the unlucky

ones

I really hope it all works out for you and understand you totally where do these women who have tried 8,9,10 times get their strength from?!?!?!

Me, I'm going insane after 2

Please keep in touch, in numbers there are strength

Xxxx

Sending you a massive hug

[Hopeful1982]

Hello

I'm sorry to hear you've had two unsuccessful rounds. It sounds very frustrating! If I was in your position I would definitely want some more tests done to understand why, when you're responding so well to the mess, your embryos are not making it to blastocyst stage. I'm not sure whether there are any tests for egg quality but it might be worth having your other half referred to a urologist as they can definitely do further tests to check there is no damage to the sperm (the wouldn't be picked up by the standard test).

Good luck with your appointment 🍀

[Soapsuds86]

So I had my follow up appointment today. Basically confirmed everything I thought, that the issue lies with my (eggs) embryo's somewhere but they're sure where. The doctor said they could do tests but it would be irelivant anyway as they have to extract cells from the embryos. He said I could go back to the first protocol with some changes as I had a blastocyst. He also said that it could be my type 1 diabetes playing a part that it is harder for me to fall but he did say IVF would work for me. To make matters worse my second AF after the arrived cycle today 😢

I know I should extract the positives but I can't. I burst out crying in the appointment and been on/off crying all day.just feels more real now we've seen the doctor. We've explored a couple of next step options and went out this afternoon to clear our heads at the cinema. All I could think of is this. I couldn't focus on the film. I'm just so frustrated with myself and the whole thing. I'm just miserable.

The clinic councilor isn't really that good in my experience. I just don't warm to her. I think I should find another. I may need some time out from work too.I don't give myself tge time to heal emotionally and bottle it all up inside. Just so frustrating that I can't control these feelings. I'm just so exhausted with it. Really don't feel in a space where it'll ever happen. The doctor said he'd refuse me treatment anyway at the moment because it's clear a mile off that I'm not in a good head space to continue at present. He told me I need time. That's all I do is bloody wait.

Really hoping you feel better after tonight. Glad you feel better physically than before. It's just one big mash of emotions! Sorry I'm not that positive at the moment. Don't want to drag anyone down either. Just need a vent. x x

[Hopeful1982 in reply to Soapsuds86]

Hello Soapsuds86,

I think you're being a bit hard on yourself. It natural to be upset. As you say, you need to take time to process what's happened and to grieve because (regardless of what anyone else thinks/says) the loss is very real and you do need to take time to recover.

I saw an amazing counsellor. When I first went to see her I was in a mess but she really helped me to process my feelings and once I had finished seeing her I felt calmer and more relaxed. So, if the counsellor at the clinic isn't working for you then I would definitely recommend trying someone else as it can really make a difference with the right person.

My counsellor also suggested lots of ways to help me relax including breathing techniques, tai chi and keeping a diary of my feelings (you don't need to write every day).

Although I was also fed up with the waiting and desperate to start our treatment in the end I appreciated the extra time as the work I did helped me feel mentally more prepared for our round.

Take care of yourself x

[Madcatlady55 in reply to Soapsuds86]

Don't worry hun, you vent all you want. Right now you need space and time to heal, both your body and your mind. IVF is all about waiting and patience. I know its not easy to wait a little longer, but your body needs this rest so it can give that little one of the future the best chance possible. Heal yourself hun and we will be here to walk this long road with you. Love and hugs xx

[Soapsuds86]

I was actually advised by the doctor to take some time out. It's the first time I've been in tears at the clinic, other than having treatment. I'm virtually in tears every time I see my pre-conception diabetes nurse for the last 3 years. She is lovely and will be with me all the way through my pregnancy. She's very warm and understanding and I need that same character at the ivf clinic.

The current councillor keeps telling me that just cos people have children it doesn't make them happy. It just riles me up.

Does the councellor just ask you questions or just lets you talk? I just find it awkward but maybe once I'm comfortable I'll benefit from the sessions.

I do have a "baby" diary which I started at the beginning of my first ivf cycle. Only wrote in it once but shoukd pick it up.again and get all that emotion out.

Me and my hubby did produce an IVF video about our journey which started to help us heal.it was going to be our big bfp an announcement video but I got fed up and just used it to tell the world of what we are going through. No one seems to talk about it yet so many couples go through it.

I know I need time out from everything to heal. This is my priority next week as I need a clear head to make a decision on what to do next.

Thank you for the response x x

[Hopeful1982]

The counsellor did a lot of the talking especially in the first session as I pretty much cried the whole way through that one! I'm not great at discussing my feelings so I probably needed her to do more of the talking. Everyone is different of course and I think a good counsellor would recognise how much to let you talk.

I don't think it's helpful to say that having a baby doesn't necessarily make other people happy. This is about you and what you need to feel happy.

I found it really difficult to talk about our journey. Partly because a few people we confided in at the start were really insensitive so I stepped back from telling people. I think it helps when couples share so well done if you feel able. In the media couples often discuss their infertility after a successful pregnancy so people don't realise the pain they just see the end result which I think can contribute more to people's misunderstanding of infertility.

Time of sounds like a good idea. Try to do

something nice for yourself. Take care x