First time ivf - hello 👋

[Harlo86]

Hi everyone, I'm 38 with an AMH of 9.1. I'm day 4 of injections. I'm on meriofert 300 dose for 6 days. I start ganirelix 0.25mgs on day 6 to day 9. On day 7 to 9 my meriofert dose reduces down to 150 dose and I start Gonal F 150 dose. Day 10 is my first scan and then we go from there. I already messed up the meriofert 300 dose by accident 😒 and have administered sightly more for the first few days due to back pressure and leaking liquid from the syringe. I'm told this can happen. Despite me watching the video 6 times!!! So moving forward the nurse is happy for me to give what's left in today's vile up to 300 and then use 2 of the 150 viles to mix up the 300 on the remaining days ( hopefully I don't screw that up). It's stressful!!! Time is against us with my age I feel but also my partner has cancer. We have this one cycle on the nhs and then any more we pay for at around 11,000 with tests, pgta meds and freezing. The consultant suggested we may need at least 2 cycles to try to create a bank of embryos. Hopefully we won't need further cycles as it's money and time (also trying to plan a wedding) but I wondered is anyone going through meriofert with similar meds and doses? Anyone got an Amh of 9 or similar? I feel it's low but not sure. Anyone had good results? They say it only takes 1 good quality embryo 🥰 Would love any similar experiences. Wishing everyone so much luck on your journeys xx

[Etchysketch]

I'm also on meriofert 300... I do this solely by mixing two 150s together so I do t think it matters (NB I throw one of the vials of saline away)

My amh is 10.7 so not too far from yours I got 9 follicles last time which converted to 4 mature eggs that was one 150.... (unfortunately that only became two day five embryos)....

Now I've doubled the does and collecting on wedsnesday. I'm only looking at 10 folicles but hoping of better quality (they all seem to be growing at the same rate now so that's a plus at least).

We're 32 doing icsi due to MFI.

[Harlo86 in reply to Etchysketch]

Oh best of luck!!! Please let me know how it turns out. Hopefully doubling the dose will help with the maturity and quality!! I'll keep everything crossed 🥰

We are also doing icsi due to my partners condition. I'm worried about dropping the dose on day 6 to 150 meriofert but I guess they are the experts and that is probably usual practice. On my baseline scan I had 8 follicles without injections. I don't know if there was any eggs but I figured it's quality over quantity so I'm hoping for that. If we could get just 2 good quality embryos I'd be so relieved. Did you do back to back cycles?? That was suggested to us xx

[Etchysketch in reply to Harlo86]

Yehhhh I'm hoping it's helping with quality.Last time we did our injections may and transfer (4ab) that failed then again in July (4bc) also failed consultant said at the start of Sept to double dose (he said to get numbers up but that didn't happen🤦🏼‍♀️ so hope it's helping quality). I have a 26 day cycle so I seem to be going through the process alot faster than most.

Our nurse said I was ready today but then I got her to double check with the consultant and he wait a few more days so hopefully 🙏🤞

I'm sure dropping to 150 for one day won't be too bad (sorry I think I misread your original post as you said you needed to mix so I thought you're doing what I'm doing where you mix 2 powders with one liquid). Just think you've super charged one day, and you need to put the breaks on on day 6.

It's all terriblely difficult to keep up with all the meds/info they give you.

[Harlo86 in reply to Etchysketch]

I'm so hopeful for you, it sounds like they have made some good changes this cycle. I'm so sorry to hear about your previous transfers ❤️ it is a journey but its not an easy one!!

I'm also a 26 day cycle. I find it stressful with the multi dose meds. I'll be happy when we start the 150 viles lol

Also well done on double checking with your consultant!! I'm keeping everything crossed 🥰 xx

[Etchysketch in reply to Harlo86]

Yeh I do think the 150 viles are easier. Just so easy to stick and alarm on and it's abit simpler.

Thank you for your sympathy at the time on the first one I was so distraught but that's because my hope was up. Even though I knew the odds. Oh well. Keep moving on.

Good luck with your scans and collection I will be thinking of you ❤️

[Madgebyname]

Hi Harlow, I agree with EtchySketch, it’s so overwhelming with the mixing and the different doses. And the leaking mixture! I am sure most people make a mistake, I definitely did.

I’ve just done my first cycle too, I am 38 with an AMH of 3.1 (that was in January so probs less now!) I was on 300 meriofert, then ganirelix was added in in the mornings, then had the scan which showed a good amount of decent sized follicles, so did a trigger that night.

At the egg collection, 11 eggs were retrieved, 7 fertilised, and then I had a transfer of the best one and two others were frozen too. I am on day 11 of the two week wait and appear to be testing positive (though I am keeping this quiet until official test day).

So it can work, even when you feel like the odds are against you! I don’t know too much about ISCI but it seems that this will give a very good chance of fertilisation.

There are a lot of hurdles in a cycle but just focus on getting over one hurdle at a time (easier said than done I know!!)

Good luck and good luck to you too Etchysketch 💕

[Harlo86 in reply to Madgebyname]

Oh that's so wonderful 😍 congratulations and I'll keep everything crossed that everyday your positive line becomes even stronger!! So very exciting and thank you so much for sharing. You have given me hope!!! Can I ask what grading was your embryo in the end? I think alot of it is luck. It seems at random what works for one may not another etc. Here's hoping we all have great luck!! Keep us updated xx

[Etchysketch in reply to Madgebyname]

Thankyou!❤️ And hope you're line gets darker for your offical test! ✨

ICSI is great all my mature eggs fertilised. They just all didn't make it to day 5!.

[DogMum7]

Hey Harlo86 and Etchysketch I'm in a really similar situation to you both. Start my sniffers next week. I've been given 375 meriofert but notice you are both also introducing a second drug in day 6+? Was that given to you with your treatment plan or decided later on? I'm with NHS so keep wondering am I just getting the bare minimum xx

[Harlo86 in reply to DogMum7]

It was decided by our clinic before we started. We were sent the treatment plan. Why don't you ask them to explain your plan to you alittle more? It might be your Amh is different or any number of other reasons? Xx

[Choots]

Hiya, I was 38 with amh of 7. I also did icsi due to my partner having chemotherapy so we had his sperm frozen beforehand- we got two day 5 embryos and one of them is my 12 week old who is sleeping next to me😄 it only takes one! Keep positive and best of luck x

[Harlo86 in reply to Choots]

Thank you so much for your message, it gives us hope! I've been on supplements including coq10 and selenium to try to help with egg quality. I know some say it does help others don't and theres not a tonne of research but it was worth a shot! We found out today from the oncology blood drs that my partners folic acid is low. I'm on day 5 of injections and I'm now really worried what we do because that can affect sperm normality and puts us at higher risk of abnormal chromosomes. Being 38 i know I'm at higher risk anyway. I've sent a message to the fertility clinic to ask our specialist. I'm wondering if they will freeze any eggs I might produce with this cycle. It takes 3 months for the folic acid to kick in. Time is always against us. We have frozen some of his sperm before he starts a new treatment that would prevent us from using it, but I'm really worried that sample is no good now. So I'm waiting to hear from the clinic after the weekend. If they do freeze the eggs I know when they defrost them some of them don't make it. Higher chance of embryos making the defrost I've been told in the past. I feel like life is just one series of kicks in the proverbial balls at the moment. Feeling down after this news today xx

[Citizenerased83]

I just wanted to wish you all the luck in the world. Navigating IVF and cancer treatment is a lot for any couple to go through. Wishing you both well. Xx

[Harlo86 in reply to Citizenerased83]

Thank you so much! I'm really exhausted and more than emotional most days but we are positive people so just trying to push through!! Your message was so lovely xx thank you

[Citizenerased83 in reply to Harlo86]

I'm not surprised you're exhausted and emotional. You're doing amazingly!! Please message anytime, if you want a chat. Sending so many positive vibes your way xx

[Harlo86 in reply to Citizenerased83]

Thank you xx just worrying if we will get any healthy embryos based on my age 38 and the fact we just found out my partner is low on folic acid which they say can affect sperm making it higher risk of abnormalities. It wasn't detected in his sperm sample. We are doing icsi and have pgta testing but starting to lose hope alittle for this cycle xx

[Citizenerased83 in reply to Harlo86]

I was 38 when I had my first egg collection and we got healthy embryos and then again with egg collection at 40. So please don't lose hope but I can understand you losing hope when you're dealing with so much. It can still happen even with your partner low on folic acid. Pgta and icsi sound like a great idea. I did pgta based on age and a chromosomal issue on my side. Everything crossed for some beautiful healthy embryos that turn into some babies. Xx

[XXKKXX]

Good luck. I'm also 38 . Only got 2 embryos of low grade 5cb and 3cc..one of those is now my 9 week old. It only takes one , regardless of grade

[Harlo86 in reply to XXKKXX]

Thank you xxx really needed to hear that!! We found out my partners folic acid is low which can lead to chromosomal abnormalities and given in 38 they've aud must eggs are more abnormal than normal so I've started to lose hope!! Can I ask is the grading based on chromosomal abnormalities? We are having pgta testing too xx

[XXKKXX in reply to Harlo86]

No the grading is just based on how they look. Think of it as a beauty contest. To test if they are abnormal or not yeah you need the pgta testing. We didn't bother with pgta testing ours

[Harlo86 in reply to XXKKXX]

Ok great! Thank you for explaining that. We only need 1 xx