Number of Hospital Consults with ICSI

[B1uberry]

Hi,

We will start ICSI on the NHS in a few months time. I’ve been advised I’ll be on the short protocol.

How many in-person hospital/ clinic consultations do you have from first injection to fresh embryo transfer?

I’m trying to plan work (to a degree - I know it can change a bit).

Also how badly did the egg stimulation period affect you? A friend said it was awful, but she had OHSS so maybe that affected it.

Thanks in advance

[Katie_C389]

I had 2 scans before egg collection/icsi - one on day 5-7 of injections, then day 9. After this it is every 2 days until they schedule the egg collection. I stopped there and did the trigger shot but it depends how many you have and how you are responding, it may be a few more scans after that.

It wasn't that bad for me, but it wasn't comfortable. I was very bloated, tired and it felt like a had 2 painful grapefruits rolling around in me, but it was manageable. I was at risk of OHSS but only developed it mildly, and it can only really get bad after the embryo transfer as your hcg levels rise, so it won't affect your stim phase, so don't worry about that - they will monitor you to see if you are at risk and make decisions accordingly (egg switch to FET rather than fresh). I imagine it will be different on different meds and doses though.

My boss was very understanding, and he let me leave for as many appointments as I needed so I was very lucky. If you have a good relationship with your boss, they might also be understanding too, and that'll will take the stress of work away from quite an emotionally loaded couple of weeks! Good luck! X

[B1uberry in reply to Katie_C389]

Thanks Katie, really appreciate your response. Sounds like I’ll just have to see if work can be flexible 🤞 hoping not to have to book a lot of annual leave as I’m guessing I’ll need to use leave as a break further down the line x

[Twiglet2]

it is really dependant on how your follicles progress. You will have a scan when you first start (around day 2 or 3 of your period) then my clinic bring you back for bloods at day 5 and a scan at day 7 … then it really depends on what the scan shows they might bring you back daily if nearly there or every few days to check follicle growth OR you might be ready at day 7 which has happened to me before! When they have the follicles the right size you will trigger and then back in for egg collection 36 hours later. After egg collection you need to be available for transfer 3 and 5 days later and you won’t know really which one until you know how your embryos are progressing so need to be available for both.

I’ve always been fine on stims physically (emotionally can vary 🤭😂) a bit uncomfortable the last few days as you feel bloated and for a few days after egg collection a bit crampy but totally bearable and only took egg collection day off and afternoon for transfer each time x

Hope that helps! And good luck xx

[B1uberry in reply to Twiglet2]

Thanks for taking the time to respond, super helpful. It’s all just so unknown! Currently listening to a fertility podcast with two women currently going through treatment so trying to learn from there and research x

[Hidden]

When you start treatment the nurse should be able to give you a timeline for your treatment .Remember anything you do not understand or not sure of just ask for it to be explained to you again Take your treatment a step at a time

Take care

Janet - Partner

[B1uberry in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for replying Janet, I’ve started making a list of questions for our first nurse consult so hopefully we can get an idea. Just trying to see if I can work it out a little with rotas but it all sounds v changeable x