Smooth sailing

The embryo transfer went well today. Unfortunately, one of our two frozen embryos didn't thaw successfully, but we only need one and the other one looked really good apparently. We were faced with another decision to make, this time whether to go with assisted hatching or not. Our clinic do this using a laser. We asked a few questions and decided to go for it. There don't seem to be any major risks - other than it possibly causing identical twins! - and as ever we want to give ourselves the best chance. The transfer itself went really well. I was really excited prior to the procedure and the embryo was very clear on the monitor, nice and high in my uterus. Happy days :) I've bought a big lemon and blueberry drizzle cake to celebrate tonight.

New injections

I had a final scan at the clinic yesterday. Everything is as it should be and we are all set for the embryo transfer on Wednesday. We were also shown how to do the new intra-muscular (in the butt) injections. These injections have replaced the progesterone pessaries that I have used in previous cycles. The injections are supposed to work better - it's just a shame they have to be so deep! My other half had a practice at giving me the shot at the clinic which was fine - really not painful. But I will need to give the shot to myself on a couple of occasions when my husband will be away overnight with his job. So tonight I've had a go at doing it myself. I wasn't too concerned about it at all - right up until I had the needle in my hand, then I got really anxious! I had watched a few YouTube videos of other girls injecting themselves and it really didn't look too bad, so I bit the bullet and stuck it in! The needle went in really easily with no pain. The next step was to draw the fluid back slightly to check that I hadn't hit a capillary. This was impossible as I couldn't get two hands on the needle and the syringe is really stiff to plunge and draw back. I really couldn't do it withone hand. The girls in the videos that I had watched hadn't bothered to draw the needle back before injecting and so I figured, what the hell, what's the worse that can happen? So I injected. Hopefully I'm not going to drop down dead or anything! I'm feeling incredibly proud of myself :) So, tomorrow I'm off to get pregnant!!

New thinking

The drugs have definitely been having an effect these last couple of weeks. I have been feeling more and more tired as time has gone on and cloudy headed with difficulty concentrating. I've been very lazy, not exercising and driving to work. I do think it's important to be nice to yourself when you're not feeling great so I don't feel too guilty! I went for a scan on the 30th and the nurse was happy that the Buserilin was doing it's job. I started the oestrogen drugs on Saturday and have been feeling much more lively and normal! I got a cold and it's turned colder too which has been the perfect excuse to keep driving and to sit in front of the fire every night! My weight has gone up a little bit though... I'm still having daily Buserilin injections but also the HRT pills (progynova) and also a patch (I forget the name). No other side effects with those drugs worth mentioning. I'm due another scan on Monday (11th) and we'll find out then when the date will be for the embryo transfer. I was emailing with an old client as she is going through IVF too and so we've been comparing notes. She recommended a book, "Trying to Get Pregnant (and Succeeding)" by Marisa Peer. It's basically about positive thinking, mind over matter and the effect that your thoughts and words can have on how your body responds. It's very interesting reading so far and I'm now working on truly believing that I am going to get pregnant. It's a hard shift when up until now I have been trying to accept that it might not happen.

More Buserilin effects

Not feeling too bad at all, although after a fairly busy day yesterday I completely crashed at about 7pm. I felt really achy and exhausted. Fell asleep on the couch and then got an early night. Feel fine again today although I lost my temper with one of the cats for fighting with the other one. Completely over-reacted, although it could have been PMT...

Buserilin effects

I started the Buserilin last Saturday (12th). Effects noticed so far are, difficulty in focusing mentally at times, an underlying headache (like I'm dehydrated), looking more tired even though I haven't had less sleep or been more active.

Bitchy Buserilin

At our last clinic visit, the nurse told me that my regime would include 2-4 weeks of Buserilin. This would depend on when they could fit me in for the embryo transfer and they would try to keep it as short as possible. I got my regime in the post today. It includes 4 full weeks of Buserilin. Not happy! It's hard enough to stay positive and happy through an IVF cycle without the maximum dose of this shitty drug thrown into the mix. Already apologising to my husband...

Round 3 begins

We met with the consultant a few weeks ago and he threw something at us that we weren't expecting. We were planning on using our two frozen embryos for this next cycle and paying for it ourselves. If we aren't successful this third time, we were planning to have a fourth full cycle with egg collection using the funding that we are still entitled to. Well, the consultant suggested that some couples like to hang onto their frozen embryos - as they won't lose quality - to turn to after they have done all the egg collection cycles that they want to do. It maybe that the frozen embryos as used to try for a sibling. We thought about it for a few days and decided that, at this stage, we will feel very lucky to have one baby let alone trying to plan for an IVF sibling! We want to make life as easy as possible for ourselves so decided to go ahead as planned and use the frosties this time. Prior to meeting with the nurse for our planning visit, I was looking forward to a shorter cycle with drugs that I'm familiar with and knowing what to expect. But we met with the nurse this week and she had a little surprise for me. One of the drugs that is used after the embryo transfer (progesterone) has previously been a pessary which was fine. But now, a new form of the drug is available which is a daily injection. This is thought to be more effective as it gets straight into your blood stream. The downside is that it's an injection into your ass muscle. A bigger needle and help from husband required. Yuck. The nurse proceded to tell me NOT to read about this on the forums and that the couples she has spoken to say that the actual injection isn't that painful, it's the soreness afterwards that's more of an issue. We shall see! There just always seems to be something new and unexpected with IVF! Just when you think you know what's coming... Being at the clinic again got me down. I was depressed to be thinking about beginning another cycle and the emotional rollercoaster beginning once again. Each Christmas I think, 'maybe next Christmas there will be a baby, or a baby on the way'. Approaching another Christmas with neither is sad. However, the run up to Christmas has been fun and enjoyable so far and we have champagne cocktails planned for Christmas Day :)