Gonal F & tiredness - 1st round of IVF

[Candlewax3]

I’m 4 days into 225units of Gonal F & come 4pm I’m flagging by 7pm I’m struggling to keep my eyes open is this normal? X

[try2020]

hey candle, I'm on day 4 of 187.5 units of gonal f and do feel more tired than usual! and much more groggy than normal in the morning. do you find them a bit stingy?

[Candlewax3 in reply to try2020]

Yes I agree it’s harder than normal to get up in the morning 😴 but I do feel like I’m sleeping much better than last week when I was on the buserelin on its own. Stingy? The injection you mean? For me this one hurts less than the buserelin, I can’t feel the Gonal F liquid going in at all. X

[try2020 in reply to Candlewax3]

Doh! Yeah I meant the fyremadel is stingy, gonal f isn't bad, you are right! I feel like I have a dry mouth all the time though, not sure if that's supplements that I'm taking too.... when do you next get checked?

[Candlewax3 in reply to try2020]

Yep I’m with you on the dry mouth, drinking water for fun. Next scan is Friday, how about you?

[try2020 in reply to Candlewax3]

ha yeah, peeing like crazy! blood tomorrow then scan and blood on Saturday, fingers crossed for both of us 👍

[Candlewax3 in reply to try2020]

How did you get on Saturday? X

[try2020 in reply to Candlewax3]

hey hon thanks for asking, I had another scan this morning and I just got the call to trigger tonight so things have moved quickly! think my blood pressure just went up a bit! how are you tracking? x

[Candlewax3 in reply to try2020]

Oh amazing so exciting! I have another scan Wednesday but looking like EC Friday for me 🤞🏼 Let me know how your EC goes, good luck with it x

[Millbanks]

Yes definitely! They always make me super tired... xx

[Belangalo]

I was on 175 of gonal F and I was falling asleep from the second shot! I could barely keep my eyes open until I added the antagonist (the second shot that stops you ovulating) and then I was WIRED and couldn't sleep a wink! My nurses told me that reactions to the hormones will differ as much as the women taking them and to just do what it best and comfortable for your body. Best of luck Candlewax!

[TheFoxes]

I was on gonal f 225 and I felt exhausted through my stims. Xzx

[Cricket2]

I was on gonal F 350 and was shattered by 7 every evening too, could barely keep my eyes open

[KLADY123]

Hi there.

I am just ahead of you. Day 7 today (evening injection), felt fine on gonal f (300) but I have mid cycle type ovarian pain, I think that's the eggs growing. Added the cetrolex last night which left me with a red swelling and itchy.... I think its pretty common.

Let's keep in touch would be great to know how someone else at the same stage is me is getting on!

Best wishes

X

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

Hey 👋🏼 How are you getting on have you had your egg collection yet? I have my first review scan in the morning. Nervous but excited x

[KLADY123]

Hey!

I'm getting on well (I think!), been awake since 5.30 anxiously waiting for 7 to get up. I have my 2nd review scan this morning

Been feeling good tbh not really any side effects apart from the ovarian twitches.... loads of EWCM which is think might be the estrogen.

Best of luck this morning, please let me know how you have got on. I have found IVF so isolating no one can really understand unless they are also going through/have been through it!

X

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

My scan went well they were happy with it all. They can see 17 eggs at the moment with 10 at the larger end 👍🏻 & my lining is at 9.5mm. Next scan is Monday. I’m hoping they will be able to get the eggs out next week. How did u get on? X

[KLADY123]

Brilliant news! So nice to get the reassurance that it's all moving in the right direction

Mine went well also... I am pretty much the same as you! 5 right, 4 left but with some smaller ones which might have grown enough by EC - I'm booked for Tuesday- ekkkkk They are good sizes and so lining is looking really good also. I've got to go Sunday for a final blood test (progesterone) and that will tell them if I can have a fresh transfer.

I will keep you updated!

Have a lovely weekend x

[Candlewax3]

My scan was all good today, final scan Wednesday but aiming for EC (harvest festival as my friends call it) on Friday 🙌🏻 Let me know how it all goes for you tomorrow, best of luck 🍀

[KLADY123 in reply to Candlewax3]

Was just coming on to send you a message and saw this one from you

Done my trigger last night at 12, was so lovley to do that final injection. Feels weirdly strange and calm today, after the injections and the constant anxiety about what the next scan will bring- now it's all up to the doctor tomorrow and the rest is out of my control. I'm sure I will be nervous tomorrow though. Will enjoy this day whilst I can. Keep thinking I have forgotten something but I certainly have not, every injection has been timed down to the minute!

Will defo let you know how it goes tomorrow

X

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

How did you get on today? X

[KLADY123 in reply to Candlewax3]

Morning!

Yesterday went very well, the procedure is pretty straightforward, felt a bit worse for wear yesterday, nausea and crampy.

Feeling a lot better this morning, a bit of a dodgy stomach but I'm hoping thats just the fentanyl coming out of my system

And for the really important bit....

19 eggs

11 have fertilised

Booked in for a day 5 on Sunday (HURRAHHHHH)

The clinic said they wont call me now unless there is a major drop off (which they are not expecting) so be there Sunday for transfer

So happy and relieved to have got this far and still going strong.

😀

Good luck for your scan this morning, let me know how it goes

Xx

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

Oh wow, amazing numbers!! That’s such good news & a fresh transfer Sunday 🙌🏻 How long was you at the hospital for the EC?

Is there anything you recommend I take with me when mine is confirmed?

I bet Sunday can’t come quick enough for you now 😊

[KLADY123 in reply to Candlewax3]

I arrived at about 10 and left at around 1.30. My app wasnt booked until 11 but I defo think getting there early is a good idea. I wasnt so rushed and I spent about 20 mins having a read before my procedure.

I took a book, fresh knickers, panty liner, tooth brush, face wash. I never got to use the toothbrush or face wash! I think every clinic is different (mine was a very busy one on Harley Street) but the room was like a hospital ward with a curtain between each bed, I just waited and had my obs there then walked to the procedure room, back in the room after for recovery. I wish I had taken a sandwich or something as I was starving when I came round and they only gave biscuits, I think this could be different depending on the clinic though.

Fingers crossed you get good news today! Will be thinking of you, let me know how your scan goes xxx

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

Thanks for the tips 👍🏻 We are booked in for EC Friday 🥳 all looking good on the scan today 😊

[try2020 in reply to Candlewax3]

Hey just had mine this morning, I was there for 7:50am and out by 10:30. Didn't have time to do anything like reading etc! I was in an NHS hospital and got tea and toast after, delicious ☺ good luck for Friday 🧡

[KLADY123 in reply to Candlewax3]

Woohoo! Great news. All the best for Friday x

[try2020 in reply to KLADY123]

hey Klady just seeing your numbers, they are great! Did they worry you might get ohss at all? x

[KLADY123 in reply to try2020]

Hi try2020,

Actually you read my mind, I have just written a post and added it to the post board let me know what you think x

[try2020 in reply to KLADY123]

Hey Klady I might have missed it? I just wondered your high numbers might have put you in that category, we anticipated a good response and so they said I'd have to do a freeze all, sure enough I had high estrogen and high ish follicle number but the egg count didn't quite pan out the way I thought it might....oh to have a crystal ball! anyway looks like no difference in success between fet vs fresh so much better to freeze, plus we are pgt-a testing so have to freeze for that.... hope you are doing OK 🧡

[KLADY123 in reply to try2020]

Hi try lady,

My post was a bit rambly when I read it back so removed it lol!

So to your original question, the (NHS) clinic never expected me to over respond based on amh etc, I think I was on quite a high dose and I responded well (thankfully). They done my estrogen and progesterone tests on the day of trigger and I never heard anything back. Then I had my EC (private clinic which is satellite for the NHS)and the clinic called the very next day to say great results and booking me in for FT Sunday.

Today though the NHS clinic called and I said I've had to book a few more days off work as I am feeling quite crampy and just not 100%, they then told me my estrogen was very high (indicating high egg number) and my progesterone was borderline. They have booked me in for a scan tomorrow to check the empty follicules.

I am so grateful that I did respond very well as I have a loads of little ones fighting to day 5 (prayers for them).... if I have to freeze then that's for the best. Depending on the scan tomorrow they will decide but I am considering just telling them I WANT to wait. I know some clinics actually prefer to freeze all now based on better outcomes overall.

Hope your feeling good today and great news on your fertilised eggs. X

[try2020 in reply to KLADY123]

Hey hopefully the scan is definitive for you, the late onset ohss after a transfer sounds pretty bloody awful. I guess if you have lots of blasts (and they say you could transfer) it would be tempting! But if I only had a couple then yeah I'd freeze to make sure body was recovered and hormones all in check, good luck! 🧡

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

Hope the scan gives you the information you need tomorrow. Nothing is ever straight forwards in this process is it 🤯

[KLADY123 in reply to Candlewax3]

Hi candlewax3

How did your egg collection go today? I hope your feeling well?

X

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

Hey KLADY

EC was all good, we got 12 eggs out 👍🏻

Feeling fine a bit of period pain type aches to start with but all good now. Just the wait to see how many fertilise now 😬

How did your scan go? X

[KLADY123]

That is brilliant! Fingers crossed for some good blastos, 🤞

The scan told me that I have fluid in the follicules already so Dr said I am at high risk to get OHSS (think I do have it mildly right now tbh), so yes I'm a freeze all. Which I am absolutely fine with as it does not feel quite right. Hoping for a good 5 day call tomorrow

🙏.

I am booked in for three weeks time to start the ball rolling for the FET.

Are you FET or fresh?

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

It must feel like a bit of relief to have a plan going forwards. It for sure would have been wrong to go ahead with a fresh transfer if it didn’t feel right, it’s your body & you know it better than anyone 😘 We are going for fresh if we can. I’ve woke up feeling pretty much back to normal today other than sore boobs which I suspect is from the trigger.

How do you know if you are high risk for OHSS? Is it something they would have picked up on before now for me? X

Let me know how your day 5 call goes 🤞🏼

[KLADY123]

I think it is to do with the amount of estrogen on my trigger day (very high) and the amount of eggs collected. I also am still in some pain believe it or not! I was fully expecting to wake up Wednesday pretty much like you, back to normal but I couldn't hardly move for 3 days! Just back on my feet now. I think also women with pcos have a higher risk, I dont have that though.

How did you fertilise call go? This whole journey is waiting and waiting and waiting isnt it! X

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

Oh I’m so sorry you have been in pain for a few days that’s rubbish!

We got 7 fertilised 🥳 planning for a day 5 transfer Wednesday as long as they still look good by Monday.

The embryologist did say that on average only 1 in 3 make it from fertilised to day 5 though which I didn’t realise. So hopefully we will have at least 1 to transfer & 1 to freeze 🤞🏼

[KLADY123 in reply to Candlewax3]

Morning candlewax3, I hope your feeling well. I'm still blimin suffering, been up and down all night which what feels like urine infection but actually I know it's the mild OHSS. I have been reading up and they said it normally peaks at day 5 so fingers crossed not much longer now 😓

7 fertilised is great! I guess they can tell you averidges but it all comes down to the quality... fingers crossed a transfer and a frostie (at least) you might well get even more then that 🤞🤞

5 day call this morning

3 top quality blasts - freezing now

1 2bb which needs to grow a bit more then they will freeze it (if poss)

4 still going strong but need to develop a bit more and hoping they will be freezeable tomorrow

😁

So happy! I was told I have 'adveridge' amh so really did not know what to expect.

X

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

We got the call this morning that our embryos aren’t doing great 😭 3 have divided out of the 7 but are low quality so we are going to go for a day 3 transfer in the hope that it performs better inside me than in a lab. We are just in discussions as to whether to transfer 1 or 2 🤯

[KLADY123]

Very best wishes for your day 3 transfer... I have read loads of positive stories resulting from day 3s. Let me know how the transfer process goes

X

[Candlewax3 in reply to KLADY123]

Transfer was easy, quick & no pain. Because it was short notice my consultant couldn’t get in to do the transfer but she is good friends with the director of the clinic so he did it & said it was the smoothest transfer he had done that day. So now we wait and pray that they grow better in their normal environment. We decided to transfer 2, even though from the start of the process I was totally against this. In the moment it felt the right thing to do if it gave us an extra chance as they are both low quality.

Today did not turn out as I expected it to 🤦‍♀️

[KLADY123]

Sounds like the transfer went very well.

It must have been a super emotional day but I am so happy for you that have got to this stage....now for the dreaded TWW. Lots of TV and relaxing when possible.

This process is so so emotionally draining, after the day you have had you must be slammed... feet up, cup of tea (herbal if you think that's best!).

Sending so many positive vibes your way 🧚‍♀️ for your TWW, if you ever wanna vent I'm here.

Well done for getting to this stage!

🙌😌 x