I didn’t want to use this forum and run and soo many positive stories gave me hope through out 5 years TTC. Unexplained infertility
So here is ours:
We had our first round of IVF when things opened up again after Covid. We’d had our first round cancelled because of the fertility clinic closures. Our first round was a failure in most fronts. Despite having great ovarian reserve I only developed 4 mature eggs. All of these fertilised but none made it to blasto. We had one Morala which we had put back. I started bleeding day 8 post transfer and as expected test was negative and full flow period started day 16PT
Some decisions: going into the first round I had a BMI of 29+ so I decided to postpone the second round until I had lost some weight. Went hardcode on the fast 800 and lost 3st in 3 months and we went into our second round.
This time the protocol has changed and meds were upped in an attempt to get more eggs. My consultant also told me to take 600mg of COQ10 which I did from failure of first round up to egg collection of second. My husband also took 300 a day. His protocol was changed as well - in the run up to egg collection he was told to ejaculate every day for 7 days with the final ejaculation being on the day of egg collection (this was so only the string remained) He managed this.
Despite med change I produced less viable eggs, only getting three. Again all fertilised, but unlike the first round (and against all statistical odds) all 3 got to blasto with 2 being top quality. However only one was good enough to freeze.
Fresh cycle (transfer 2): the best embryo went back in. I had Accupuncture both before and after. Progesterone pessaries only. 2 weeks working from home during wait to relieve stress. Day 8 I started to bleed, by the end of the 2ww I was at full flow so knew the test would be negative and it was. Devastated - we had been soo positive because of the quality.
Frozen cycle (transfer 3): worked out for the transfer to go in on my birthday, but I couldn’t cope with that so pushed back to 2 days after. This time I pushed for lubion progesterone injections alongside pessaries despite having the right levels. I figured having more does no harm so let’s throw the kitchen sink at this. There was an extra cost but we were already in blood stepped so deep so though what the hell? By this point we were pretty hopeless. If the top grade one didn’t work then why would this? Even my partner who had been the voice of positivity through the other rounds had lost hope which I found very difficult - I don’t think I realised how much his faith in it working had carried me during the other rounds. This transfer I didn’t do acupuncture. I worked full time during 2ww. We went away for the weekend and I drank and ate all the wrong things. On Monday we had the frozen transfer. Morning of transfer we received the call that the embryo has thawed well and is already hatching (we’re told this is a good sign, but we still don’t dare to hope).
On day 8 I didn’t bleed, but thought ‘this is a frozen transfer so it’s different - it doesn’t mean anything’. On day 13 I still hasn’t bled, but we ‘knew’ it hadn’t worked - why would it? Day 14 3am I did the test and our dream of 2 lines came true, but the anxiety continues. A few early bleeds but strong heartbeat at 7 weeks
We are almost a year on now and have our little boy after 6 years of the most unimaginable longing and pain. So it can happen.
If I was doing it again the two things I’d make sure of was the COQ10 (for egg and sperm quality) and the Lubion, but I think what I’ve learned is that it only takes one but it can happen even when all of you thinks it won’t.
Good luck everyone. I hope this provides a glimmer of hope and if anyone has any questions or is in need of support as a fellow IVF warrior, I’m here xxx