I just turned 34, my husband is 36. We started trying 3 years ago in July. What started off as fun and exciting turned over the years to stressful, disappointing and sad as we learned that it would be very difficult for us to conceive naturally. My husband has low sperm count and motility. I have low AMH, 0.9 when tested in 2017 and 2018. We had two failed IUIs and sought multiple opinions, and IVF was agreed to be our best option with our issues. We have no other health problems that were adding to our infertility. Our RE told us it would work the first time, which I thought was a bit bold to say to someone, because he had no way to know that. What a disappointment it would be to hear that and then have it fail.
I did an estrogen priming protocol for the cycle before we started IVF. I applied an estrogen patch to my abdomen every other day for 7 days starting 5 days after ovulation. 6 days after ovulation I did a cetrotide injection every day for 3 days. I was not prepared for the cetrotide to give my hives around the injection site. It's totally normal and common, but I wish I would have been warned because I definitely freaked out a little the first day and had to call the nurse. I started my period the day I took off the last estrogen patch - time to start IVF!
We started stim meds on day 3 of my cycle. I was taking 225 units gonal-f, and 150 units of menopur each evening. I took the meds for 12 days, including the day of my trigger (10k units hcg). I took cetrotide starting on 8th day of stims in the mornings. By the last ultrasound I had 7 follicles, 5 of which were between 17 and 24 mm, the other two were smaller. My uterine lining was a nice thick 138 mm (they want to see at least 70 I think). They retrieved 5 eggs, all 5 mature, and all 5 fertilized with ICSI. I bled a lot after the retrieval, and was pretty sore. I had my retrieval on a Sunday, and though I could have made it through work on Monday, I'm so glad I took it off. I was still pretty sore. Two made it to a 5-day blastocyst stage and were of good quality. We transferred both.
Here are my symptoms, but it's very possible they are mostly due to the progesterone in oil injections at this point. 4-6dpt, I have felt light-headed quite often, have had cramps JUST like my regular pms/af cramping. Some sharp, shooting pain in breasts, but no achy tenderness. I have actually been peeing less often than normal (due to cutting out caffeine and carbonated waters?), light headache that's ongoing, and yesterday I had brief but intense pain around the cervix area. The cramping and headache were just like what I get every month the day before I start my period, so it was really difficult for me to think this may have worked. I guess it was all those years of association.
And, here's all the symptoms I did NOT have, that I have seen in many other posts: achy breasts, metallic taste in mouth, twinges or pulling feeling in uterus, mood swings, nausea, increased urination, increased sense of smell, or spotting.
On 6dp5dt I got my bfp on a FRER. I had been making myself sick with thinking the cycle had failed, so I made myself face whatever was coming and just take a test. I couldn't stop crying and laughing when I finally saw that second pink line after nearly 40 months of seeing only one. Today, 7dp5dt (12dpo, or past egg retrieval) the line was darker! I'm looking forward to seeing how many babies are in there, and praying that they stick around :)
I am thinking of those of you who are struggling. It's hard to keep believing that it's possible, but it really is.