4th cycle, not giving up 🙌 - Fertility Network UK

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4th cycle, not giving up 🙌

Rol81 profile image
26 Replies

I’m back!!

Finally today after nearly a year since my last cycle (which resulted in mmc) I’ve been given my protocol and the go ahead to start next week.

Long protocol again with a couple of changes since last time. Buserelin & fostimon and all going well, from egg collection , cyclogest & Inter-muscular progesterone.

Under recommendation from the recurrent miscarriage unit I’ve been taking Hydroxychloroquine daily the last few weeks .This is because I tested positive for NK cells .

I will also be injecting fragmin daily from egg collection (I tested positive for lupus inhibitor)

So here we go again, I’m really scared of going through it all again . Also the nurse today said about 20 times how painful and “unpleasant” the inter muscular injections are going to be. Why she felt the need to repeat it over and over , I don’t know, and now it’s all I can think off 🙄 .

I’m trying not to stress about it yet and take one day at a time . First injection 7th April ….

Any advice or recommendations /tips always welcome.

Fingers crossed again 🤞

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Rol81 profile image
Rol81
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26 Replies
Orangeflowers profile image
Orangeflowers

Hey no advice from me at the moment, only best wishes for this cycle. I'm also due to start around the 7th x

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to Orangeflowers

Oh thanks, you too. Countdown to start day for us then ❤️👏

Millbanks profile image
Millbanks

Hi love, I can imagine it’s daunting to be starting again especially after a year, but once you start you’ll be back in the swing in no time.

Don’t worry too much about the injections - take a deep breath and remember why you are doing them!

I found that really squeezing the skin helped to distract from the feeling - take a good chunk in your hand if you can. Also you can ice the site a bit first to take the edge off the needle going in.

Give it a little massage after.

You’ve got this 💪🏼

❤️❤️❤️

With the intramuscular injections, I usually get my husband to poke really hard where he’s gonna inject..if it hurts, he puts the injection in somewhere else. And obviously, a gentle bottom massage afterwards. It’s generally served me well. Only occasional soreness!

Beat of luck too you 🤞🤞 xx

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to Ariel_the_mermaid

Thank you x

Missl73 profile image
Missl73

What a strong woman you are!! You’ve definitely got this. I’ve done intramuscular before, and although certainly not my favourite they’re not that bad. My top tips are: - warm it up before you inject so it goes in easily - stick the vial under your armpit or in your bra for a few minutes

- take a deep breath before it goes in and breathe out slowly as the needle goes in

- massage the spot and walk around immediately after to disperse it

- swap sides each day - it will get a bit tender (I did 7 weeks of daily intramuscular and I was quite sore by the end)

Good luck, I really hope that with all these changes this is your cycle. I’m currently in the 2ww from my 5th transfer and so I know what a toll it takes xx

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to Missl73

Thank you missl73 and

Rollercoastersmiles and everyone for your reply.I couldn’t get to sleep last night so it was lovely waking up to these words of support.I was just a bit deflated yesterday as it was a new nurse and a new person doing my scan. I stayed at this clinic because I’d build a relationship with the other nurse and consultant and they were nowhere to be seen 🙄

Anyways , a question you may be able to help me with, I don’t understand why I’m actually having inter muscular injections and not staying with lubion?

Is there a reason for them changing to the more “painful, uncomfortable , unpleasant injections 🙈😅 . Is it “better”

Also the ones I’m going to have will every other day along with cyclogest so I have a day recovery inbetween. 👏

Thanks again for all the tips and words of encouragement . I still haven’t told anyone so the support on here means so much .

Thanks xxxx

Missl73 profile image
Missl73 in reply to Rol81

Progesterone in oil is the most effective of all the methods of administration so they’re probably recommending it to give you your best chance. It’s not used as often because it isn’t so nice, but if you’re throwing everything at a cycle I think it makes sense x

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to Missl73

Ok, thanks. I though lubion was the same so didn’t know why I was changing. Will I be in pain all day, I’ll be able to work? Honestly this nurse has proper scared me 🙈

Missl73 profile image
Missl73 in reply to Rol81

Gosh no it’s really not that bad at all you’ll definitely be able to work. I was doing them on holiday in Italy! They just hurt a bit more than subcutaneous ones while you’re doing it, once it’s done it aches a tiny bit but it’s fine. The size of the needle looks scary but it’s not as bad as it looks I promise!

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to Missl73

Ahh thanks so much. I will have a better weekend now and worry less. I might suggest to my husband that you recommended going to Italy makes the injections less painful 🤭 I wish!!!

Thank you for taking the time to reply and reassure me. I’m sure you’ll see me on here ranting for the next few weeks 🙈

Missl73 profile image
Missl73 in reply to Rol81

Anytime! It always helps to have support on this journey. You’re totally fine and definitely tell your husband that the sunshine and delicious weather in Italy are needed to get you through it 😉

Applepie7 profile image
Applepie7 in reply to Rol81

Hi

My clinic has also recently changed from Lubion to intra muscular injections. I was told that recent research suggests they work better to support the pregnancy. My nurse also put the fear of death in me that they are very painful so I begged for Lubion which they gave but I had a BFN in March. So waiting for Aunty flow to appear so I can start my next cycle long protocol with cyclogest and intra muscular oil injection ( Im so scared) so do let me know how you get on. Wishing you all the best! You got this 👍

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to Applepie7

Aww thanks for that info. That’s reassuring to hear there’s a reason for changing to it . I didn’t like Lubion but was almost begging too for that instead. 🙈 Sorry about your BFN 😔

I’ll let you know how it goes 🤞🤞🤞

MAPB profile image
MAPB in reply to Missl73

I saw a note in my clinic the other day from another lady saying not to lose hope and that she got pregnant after her 5th attempt. I wish you well with all my heart xxx

I’m also taking it every other day. I think it’s the normal protocol at my clinic. They recommend you putting it into the upper part of your glutes so that you can sit. There are lots of videos you can watch online of how to administer it so I’d have a look at some of those. My husband just said he googled ‘progesterone injection buttock’ (lol) and got some good guidance! I’ve been absolutely fine…I’m on my feet all day and I’m literally only aware of it occasionally! And we alternate bum cheeks every time he does it!

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to Rollercoastersmiles

Thank you. She put so much fear in me and I’m going to try not to think about it now til closer to the time. They don’t normally do it at my clinic and I think that’s maybe why the nurse made such a drama . When they change protocol it’s always a worry, fear of unknown.

The clinic said they will actually be administering the injections for me. My husband may be away with work so they offered !!

Rollercoastersmiles profile image
Rollercoastersmiles in reply to Rol81

That’s so good of them! Although a bit annoying that you’ll have to go in every other day!

Pinkbox profile image
Pinkbox

Hey! I was so honestly the same as you and so panicked and there were lots of tears before I started the prontogest for the ERA test, but it was honestly fine.

My advice would be if whoever’s doing the injections touches another area of the glutes whilst doing it, it distracts your mind to that area and you don’t feel it!

Also another thing I learnt was to make sure you press down hard on the area with cotton wool after for a few mins to reduce the risk of a bruise whilst on the Fragmin too.

You may get little lumps under the skin after but do not worry! But just don’t inject into these areas as the absorption of the progesterone may be affected.

Wishing you all the luck!

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to Pinkbox

Hey Pinkbox, thank you. I think it really it the fear of unknown, just when you think you know what to expect, they throw in something else . I’ll probably be crying in here in a few weeks but I’m going to remember all you lovely ladies and know I’m not alone . Xxx

Pinkbox profile image
Pinkbox in reply to Rol81

I am doing FET in a few weeks so will probably doing all of this around the same time (with the same tears) so definitely not alone and we got this 😊

MAPB profile image
MAPB

Is someone giving you the injections? Tell them to press down on the area either side with their thumb and forefinger hard and put the needle in dead straight i.e. 45 degrees. Also to inject SLOWLY, it will make a huge difference x

Rol81 profile image
Rol81 in reply to MAPB

The clinic have said they’ll give me the inter muscular ones but I’m not sure going in there every second is going to be possible if I’m on them long term .

MAPB profile image
MAPB

Same thing here, I get my husband to do it in my upper buttock where it sort of meets your back (Dr.’s instructions lol) it’s just easier to do it yourself. It gets easier x

funnygraccy profile image
funnygraccy

Pls, don't give up, you will get your miracle baby too like I did..I had Unexplained infertility, had 3 failed iui, 2 failed ivf, couldn't do another round of ivf because of the cost of it. We started looking for other means for 2 years until it came and I conceived naturally, have a 16 months old beautiful girl and currently 12 weeks pregnant.

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