new at ivf treatments need more information.....

[fannyanne]

hi i have just been told i am going for ivf treatments and wanting as much informations as possible.

i have to go for blood test on the 8th then again on 1st day of my next cycle and then back to see doctors on the 16th march and so far i am excited nervous and scared all at the same time. Could anyone tell me what happens after my blood test what will i have to expect from there? i am soo impatient i cant wait and i know all this waiting is going to drag and seem like i have a long wait to go my doctor said this is going to take upto 18 weeks and 18 weeks feels like a life time away

[Marmo]

Hi, fannyanne! Firstly wish you good luck on your path.

I'll tell you how it worked for us in hope this will help you to make your mind.

Everything started with defining the date for initial consultation and sending the list of the required documents. These were transvaginal ultrasound check results. Breast ultrasound check results (as I was 40 yo and never had any breast problems). Chest X-ray (for both me and my husband). Doctor's certificate that I was healthy enough to carry out a baby and that pregnancy was not prohibited for me. Also sperm count if available.

Than the initial consultation itself. We both came to the clinic to undergo the required tests (blood tests for both, pap smear, sperm count). The doctor studied medical records, performed transvaginal ultrasound check and evaluated our chances to successfully accomplish the program. He explained us the treatment plan. Also they gave us the medications needed for my subsequent stimulation protocol. All agreements signed.

Those were the first steps for us. Hope you've got some things clarified)

Try stay calm.. Stress is a bad helper. Strong hugs for you x

[fannyanne in reply to Marmo]

They have said i am going through ivf could take up to 18 weeks i have my progesterone and rubella blood test on the 8th feb then infertility screen test on my next periods then back at clinic on 16th march they said thats when they will start my medicine but am confused about that what medincine is that is it injection? Xx

[fannyanne in reply to Marmo]

Only reason why i have been accepted for ivf is cause i had 2 ectopic pregna cy 10 years ago and even though i still have 1 tube i can concieve naturally i have been trying for 6 years and done everything the doctors have told me to do all my blood test and homeone test have been perfectly normal but nothing happens so now they are refering me to ivf xx

[Lynnr54]

Hi Fannyanne, welcome to the forum. There are different protocols you can follow depending on why you need IVF and what the results of various tests are. If they know you are doing IVF and are taking about medicine then it sounds like they already have a good idea of how they will progress with your treatment, so it's a shame they haven't given you any more details. If they haven't come to a conclusion yet then maybe these final tests will help them to derive a treatment plan or maybe they will send you for more tests.

Once the IVF gets underway essentially there are two protocols, a long one and a short one. I don't know much about which one is used when other than I did short one because I have PCOs.

On the long one you have an initial period of what they call down regulation which essentially switches off your reproductive system and then start you on injections to stimulate your ovaries to produce eggs (the "stim phase"). I believe this is the most common protocol. I think I have heard some ladies on here say they use injections for the down reg phase whilst others use a nasal spray. As I didn't do this I can't help with the difference between the two - sorry!

On the short protocol they start you immediately on stim injections and then after a few days of that you take a second injection to switch off your own system to stop you ovulating naturally.

With both protocols you will go for regular scans which will help determine when to move onto the next phase of treatment and to see if you at being given the right dose of medication. Once you have produce eggs which are big enough (for me that was 10 days of injections) you will have a trigger shot injection to make you ovulate and your egg collection will be 36hrs later. For that you will be given an anaesthetic and sedation - a lot of ladies sleep through the procedure - I certainly did! Then your eggs will be mixed with the sperm and the waiting game starts! Depending on how many eggs they retrieve, how many fertilise and the quality of the embryos they will transfer your embryo(s) (usually 1 or 2) into you between 2 and 5 days after your egg collection.

Good luck with everything. Don't be afraid to ask your hospital lots of questions so that you know what's happening. And this forum is great for getting advice or just sharing fears or looking for success stories to make you feel more positive.

[fannyanne in reply to Lynnr54]

Thank you for all the information so far they said i am producing eggs and everything is healthy but just not travelling to my womb and my partner has a abnormal sperm count due to medication he has been on but he has been off them for 7month now so hopefully they will come back fine..i have had the go ahead which they said will get the ball rolling on my next period. They have told me there is 2 different type of ivf it depends on my partner sperm count if it is back to normal then they will take my egg and his sperm and let them do what they need to do if not then they will have to inject sperm into my eggs then have to go back for them to put them into me i dont know if i heard right as i was in shock with happieness but am sure they said in the next 18 weeks they are hoping i will be pregnant or thats when the treatment will start but i have to go back to see my gynaecology on the 16th march maybe thats when they will start me on medication i am hoping they do the quicker things get started the better i have been wanting a baby since i had my eptopic 10 years ago xx