Just starting our journey

[Cherry_Bobbins]

We have our first hospital appointment on Monday on our IVF journey after around 6 years of trying naturally.

I’m excited to start the process after so long and being 37 I feel like it’s now or never. Hubby keeps telling me not to get my hopes up and it’s too soon to be excited but I can’t help it. We’re in a better position than we were a few months ago.

All our tests so far have been normal, apart from I have a heart shaped uterus so carrying might be difficult but that wouldn’t cause us to have never gotten pregnant.

any advice for a newbie?

[Hidden]

Hi there, it is really exciting to be getting started on the IVF process, good luck to you both going forward. My advice would be to pace yourselves & expect delays along the way. The thing I probably wasn’t quite prepared for was all of the waiting and the fact that treatment is unique to each person and clinic. This forum is amazing for support and explanations. I found it invaluable as there’s almost an entire new language of IVF terms etc that I didn’t have a clue about. Please feel free to message with any questions & all the best with this exciting journey.x

[Cherry_Bobbins in reply to Hidden]

thank you for your reply. I’ve already had to google so many terms just looking through the posts on here but can see how valuable it is to people. All my close friends already have kids so I don’t feel like any of them fully relate to our situation x

[Boo718]

hello 😘 welcome.

Honestly stay away from google (easier said than done I know) it will literally make u lose your mind.

When you do a round of ivf the medication you will be on can give you side effects that mimic pregnancy but really in the 2ww the only way you know if it has worked is by taking a test on the date the doctor says.

Take everyday, write a plan of when medications need to be administered so that you can mark them off. Don’t worry about the injections they are a piece of cake after a few days you will be a pro.

Communicate with your other half. Talk about how you feel etc don’t bottle anything up.

Everyone is completely different. Some people it works first time, I thought that at the start but I’m 5 years down the line 5 transfers and many cancellations later and we are now 14 weeks.

Ask your doctor to explain things, keep notes. Once you know the situation (we were male and female factors) there is list of different tests you can do for more information. Some are not to pricey some are insane. Take time to work out which ones are best for you.

Good luck to you both … you’ve got this xxx

[Cherry_Bobbins in reply to Boo718]

thanks so much for your reply and massive congratulations to you, I hope everything goes well for you on the rest of your journey.

I’m not too concerned about injections, but this is amazing advice so I really appreciate it. I had thought it would be fairly quick from this point as it has taken so long just to get our referral so this has opened my eyes to us still having a long way to go x

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Cherry_Bobbins. Just wanted to wish you well along with everyone else. Your heart-shaped womb will do just fine, so shouldn't impact on your treatment. Good luck! Diane

[Hazyharry]

Wanted to wish you all the luck in the world, I am 39 and after 3 years trying naturally and 3 years of IVF and 4 attempts I am 8 months pregnant and Gluten Intolerant!

I have endometriosis on my bowel and ovaries which I only found out after the 2nd attempt, although my periods and going to the loo at time of the month was horrific.

Before my 4th attempt I had an endometrial scratch to basically 'scratch your insides' to help the wee fella stick to the lining

My advice would be there are gonna be highs and lows (quiet a few lows) the medication can be heavy going, try not to test before your 14 days (save some cash on tests) and ask the doctors for tests.

Lastly I didn't tell anyone about IVF until I had given up hope and before my last attempt, in hindsight having a support network is vital for relating and venting any frustrations

Good Luck, keep the hope

[Waitingonarainbow]

Hope your appointment goes well today. I am only in my first cycle so this is still a huge learning curve for me, but I agree with everything everyone else has said so far…stay away from google, ask your clinic loads of questions and have honest conversations with your partner about how you’re feeling!

It’s hard to compare as everyone will be on different protocols, but after a day or two, any anxieties I had about the injections went away…it quickly becomes just another part of your daily routine!

I have a few close friends who know we have started our ivf journey but we’ve chosen not to tell people too many details like EC or transfer day, etc as I felt if people knew too much it would put more pressure on us…just how we feel about it…but I would say think it through properly and then do what is right for you both

Wishing you lots of luck xx

[Eloquentia]

Good luck with your journey! My advice would be to get the book 'It all starts with the egg', it has some interesting discussion and lifestyle and diet advice. Also, look at IVF as a journey and try not to expect that it will work straight away. As any journey into the unknown, one never knows how long it will take and what twists and turns await on the way. Just keep the hope!