So ever since we have got the ball rolling again for our next cycle am overthinking everything. Anxiety has kicked in am piling loads of pressure on myself and worried to death. Not to mention explosive arguments with my DF ....I know I have PMT as due within next few days. What is really worrying me is back in April I was so focussed and ready for my ‘final cycle’. I had been off alcohol for 2 -3 months, was going gym and running every other day. Since it was cancelled and we had lockdown I kinda went off the rails regarding diet and exercise. Am back on track but is it good enough ? Potentially could be stimming in the next couple of weeks as have to call clinic with my next period date. I was thinking of pushing it back a month to get more time to feel ready mentally and physically. My clinic have me at the top of their list for fresh cycles due to age (44) They said it’s not advised to delay given my age 🙈 Maybe I just have to think if this is going to work it will work yeah ? Won’t matter whether have been caffeine free or whatever....
Does anyone actually think the whole 3 month prep helps?
Also been unable to get accupuncture which keeps me relaxed but I don’t believe it will have that much impact on my results.
I had my first success when I had no knowledge of IVF (no accupuncture/ heaviest ever been) and I even drank socially until I started stimming. Since then had failure after failure and that was when I was doing the whole 3 months at least healthy living. So guess I will just roll with it and hope for the best 🤞🏼. My BMI is 27 have been taking ubiquinol and other supplements and back into regular exercise and healthy eating.
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Hope76
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I honestly think the whole 3 months prep thing is overrated. I did it on my second cycle and had awful results as I think I got so consumed by it. Out of four cycles, my most successful ones were the ones where I let myself live more normally. I ate normally, I stopped acupuncture, I had a cup of Yorkshire tea every morning and if I wanted a glass of wine, then I had one 🤷🏼♀️
I think you just have to do what feels right for you but don’t beat yourself up that because you had a cuppa, it won’t work this time. As long as you aren’t going on a bender or stressing yourself out about eating a bag of chips, then you’ll be ok and so will your eggs 😘 xxx
Thanks so much, I really needed to hear that. I know what you mean you can get so consumed by it all....I need to concentrate on positive thinking and being relaxed. 😘
I have never heard of this 3 month prep. All I did was get my bmi down and went caffeine free and didn't drink alcohol.
For me what affected my results was stress. Stress and pressure I was putting on myself. I had 2 fresh and 1 frozen failed attempts.
On the last fresh cycle ( I say last as was NHS and you get 3 attempts) I relaxed..i gave up work as I was able too. I didn't think if it was going to work. I took the pressure off and did the two week wait....convinced myself that it was negative but there it was a bright positive!
My baby is now 17 months old!
So my point!!! Give yourself a break!!! Please!!! We go through enough and your just adding to it. Take a step back...give your head a shake and think on something else!! If the thoughts pop in your head re direct and go for a walk anything.
Thank you so much. My BMI is 26 so am quite pleased with that and had a glass of wine or two at weekend but obvs will stop once start injections. I cut out caffeine a couple of weeks back.
Positive pants are now on. 💪😀 I was having a wobbler last week mainly I think due to PMT. First bleed today so am happy as for baseline scan booked for this Friday. Taking a family caravan holiday next week so that will keep my mind occupied during the stimming.
I think you can get to consumed with all the do's and don'ts whilst going through ivf, my first round I stopped drinking, stopped caffeine ate all the super foods nuts, pineapple, drank pomegranate juice, avacado etc and I don't even like them! I had acupuncture which I found very relaxing but didn't do anything regarding my cycle. I was really stressed about not doing anything wrong. My first cycle failed after a double frozen transfer. I also had to diet for agood 12 months prior to starting treatment to reach bmi requirements for nhs
We took a year out, had fun, spent time with friends and time together without the stress of ivf. Started our next round in December 18 and other than eating sensibly I didn't change anything, I still drink decaff tea anyway. I spent 5 days in Venice whilst down regging and drsnk wine with my meals and indulged in the lovely foods and ice cream.
I was much more relaxed about it all as I had kind of realised that its basically a very expensive flip of a coin if it will work or not.
I spent the 2ww chilling, watching films, walking and little days out together and finally after 8 years we were pregnant. I now have a 9 month old baby boy fast asleep on my lap.
I guess what I'm trying to say is not to stress yourself about all the old wives tails and just be sensible, take your vitamins and just be kind to yourself, if you fancy a piece of cake have it enjoy it. I think what you are doing sounds fine anyway.
I’ve done 5 cycles of IVF and can honestly say that healthy lifestyle, losing weight, exercise, healthy eating, lack of stress etc made ZERO difference to the success of my cycles and egg or sperm quality. In fact my egg collection last month where I’d been really strict with diet etc yielded the worst egg quality of all my cycles so we transferred 2 frozen ones from My cycle in January which was straight after weeks of Xmas and new year eating and boozing and I’m pregnant with twins! The only thing thick made a difference to me was changing my protocol from short protocol to natural modified IVF - my fertilisation rate went from 30% to 100%
You basically take tamoxifen tablets from cycle day 3 which has a similar effect to clomid and then low dose stims every OTHER day so whole thing over in around 9 days - only targeting 2-5 follicles (although my second cycle of natural modified I did get 7)
My egg quality was rubbish on short protocol - did 2 cycles total of 28 eggs, less than 30% fertilised with ICSI and 4 average quality blastocysts- we PGS tested 2 and neither were fully “normal”.
Decided to strip back all the drugs - my doctor told me that most women’s bodies are not designed to go the speed of a Ferrari and I’m more like a Ford Focus 🤦♀️🤣
With natural modified total 9 eggs all fertilised and 4 top quality blastocysts- didn’t bother PGS testing either
I can definitely relate to this. I think it is completely normal. When you want something so badly is becomes all consuming! I have my transfer next week and cannot get my mind on anything else. Have downloaded mindful ivf app.
I wouldn’t worry about being off your diet etc. It sounds like trying to relax is the thing that works best. Try to make a lost of everything you enjoy and when you are having a moment you can pick one. Whether it is a game, chapter of a book you are reading etc.
Hope you are feeling a bit better. This is ways a good place to express your worries as there are some fab people here!
Sending love and luck! Xx
hey lovely - we have spoken before and I may have bored you with this before but I will again haha.
I am 43, about to start round 5 in the next few months. Ive managed to get pregnant 4 times in my life but lost all of them. 3 of those was naturally, one was my 2nd round of IVF, I've had a few chemicals too. I have repeat MC issues such as sticky blood which they blame these losses on.
I have got pregnant when I have been a complete drunken bum, I have got pregnant when I was on holiday in Japan drinking beer and saki daily and eating nothing but raw sushi. I have had all my failure rounds when I was holier than thou and the only bfp I got from ivf I was in ibiza and drank on days 1 and 2 of stims! That was my best round by far in terms of eggs collected, fertilised and the only round I got to blasto.
I had a wobble like you lately, assuming I get to start end of August which was the original plan I basically have 6 weeks to be healthy. I was going to do 3 months but quite honestly with lockdown and some family bereavements and trauma I needed an escape and needed to enjoy myself a bit. On Sunday I said I would go teetotal and not eat anything except fertility stuff between now and whenever I start, but already the stresses of life, work, family, infertility and covid 19 I really need something to look forward to. And tragic as it is that is probably a glass of wine and a takeaway on Friday night - so I am going to have one. I am sure you have been too but I have been on this road for so long now my thoughts are anything in moderation if it improves your mental well being and decreases your stress levels should be ok. Maybe up you antioxidants a bit (I have been taking some through capsules but also upped my detox teas and blueberries and avocado intake).. and that should compensate a little. But don't add this to your stress list as thats the last thing you need right now.
Hi Daisy I certainly do remember you ! Great to know of someone around my age who is still trying using own eggs 👍😀.
I hear what you are saying and lately I have reverted back to the attitude of what will be will be.
Had my bleed today, baseline scan booked for Friday. Excited but nervous ....
Been taking your advice on herbal teas only ones with lots of vitamins etc. Me & my partner been taking 200mg ubiquinol since start June so hoping that helps with quality 🤞🏼
I am taking doseage as per instructions as DR won’t advise me he said I can take if I want....I read of some women taking 600mg but I feel that’s too much. Thinking maybe I should up by capsules to 2 per day meaning 400mg ? Is it something you have tried ?
IBIZA is the best place in the world I have had about 4 hols there,we love dance music.... so pleased to hear you got your first BFP there ..... so sorry you haven’t been able to progress your pregnancies.
Please keep in touch and let me know how your next round goes 🤞🏼🙏🏻💪 x
Great, will keep to that doseage, so much conflicting info out there.
Are you going to take right up until you get a BFP ? Yes am being very optimistic for us both 😘. Some stuff I’ve read says stop before stimms, others say take until you get a BFP
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Can anyone help I’m so confused? 
A little something that we can all relate to. 
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