# ICSI first timer and starting protocol



## sparkler2020 (Jan 3, 2020)

Hello all 

I am so excited to finally start this ivf journey it has been a long time coming. 
Trying to stay open minded and am prepared for anything as the outcome as I do not want to be too disappointed. But I am remaining positive and am looking forward to taking this step in the right direction to hope for our baby.

I should be starting on Gonal this weekend, is anyone going through this at the present moment?
We are using a clinic abroad.

Good luck to everyone trying and please share your story, be lovely to hear from you.


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## Fiona_82 (Aug 31, 2021)

Very best of luck Sparkler. I’m starting first round in next few weeks. Fingers crossed for you xxx


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## sparkler2020 (Jan 3, 2020)

Fiona_82 said:


> Very best of luck Sparkler. I’m starting first round in next few weeks. Fingers crossed for you xxx


Thank you Fiona very best of luck to you too.
Feeling excited and anxious now the medication is here and ready for the go very soon.


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## ASABclub2021 (Apr 28, 2021)

Hi @sparkler2020, you must be so excited! It’s so much waiting around isn’t it…

We have our appointment to do the funding paperwork in a few weeks time and I’m reluctant to get excited yet as there are probably loads of steps left to go!

best of luck!


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## sparkler2020 (Jan 3, 2020)

ASABclub2021 said:


> Hi @sparkler2020, you must be so excited! It’s so much waiting around isn’t it…
> 
> We have our appointment to do the funding paperwork in a few weeks time and I’m reluctant to get excited yet as there are probably loads of steps left to go!
> 
> best of luck!


Hi how are you getting on?


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## gamrguk77 (Jan 25, 2017)

Hi Sparkler2020,

Hi here as well! Nice to meet new people and get more experience and support from eachother.
I started my meds on Wednesday, but for frozen DE transfer. Fingers crossed for us!
How you finding it doing the treatment abroad?
I am from abroad and my Mum kept telling me to come home and do it there. It's cheaper and I would have been surrounded with family which is the best support, but I felt it will need a lot of time off from work, which equals less funding for the treatment, so I decided to do it here in the UK as I live here since 13 years...


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## sparkler2020 (Jan 3, 2020)

Hey made sense for us to have abroad financially and with other things about embryos etc for us anyway. 
You have to do what is right for you and hoping you have every success x


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## sparkler2020 (Jan 3, 2020)

How did you find your experience of DE? If you don’t mind sharing


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## gamrguk77 (Jan 25, 2017)

Hey Sparkler 2020,

Good luck for today 🤞

I always hesitated between going abroad or not. Couldn't imagine how the tests been carried out, all the scans, how long you need to fly over to and how many times? Can you get into some details for me please? Im trying to be positive, but if things doesn't go to plan here in the UK, abroad will be my last chance. 
USing donor egg isn't an issue for me. I'm trying to have a child since 2012, when I've got married. I had two rounds of frozen blastocyst transfer with my own eggs in the past. We used all three eggs and failed. Was naturally pregnant in between those treatments twice ,which ended up as a MC at week 6 and 8. Then I've got divorced.
My only way to have a child, being 44 is to use donor egg. I did not wanted to waste money on trying with my own eggs knowing there's a high chance to end up in MC with chromosome issues. I have unexplained infertility but age effect quality off eggs.
My new partner is supportive and as I finance everything of my own savings, he said he'll try, although he didn't want more kids at the beginning of our relationship, as he has a daughter already.
I Know there are more ways to purchase donor eggs, ex. through an egg sharer- when you need to be in synch with their treatment and if they end up with less eggs then thought or not so good quality, they might say and turn around your treatment is cancelled. So I bought eggs from the London Egg bank. You literally need to go to hundreds of ladies profiles and choose one. I tried to pick the closest look what I could ,to be similar like me ( hight, hair colour, eye colour, weight, skin tone , ethnicity, hobbies, profession, family background etc). So I bought a 6 pack, payed, transferred to my clinic in Cardiff and fertilised withy partner's sperm. 
Has one fresh transfer already, which ended up BFN. Now doing the second, but frozen transfer hopefully soon. 
The suprise was when they said I've got 8 eggs, two for free as they couldn't separate them when I bought it ☺ so ended up 7 fertilised with good quality, all made it to day 5-6 blastocyst stage, and 6 in the freezer now. So 🤞🙏 that I'll get one healthy pregnancy out if it.


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## ASABclub2021 (Apr 28, 2021)

I have been told that I have a lower than normal egg reserve for my age (32) and I am starting a long protocol at maximum stimulation tomorrow! I’m excited but feel a bit detached after reading all the horrible stories naturally 😂 how are you getting on?


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## sparkler2020 (Jan 3, 2020)

ASABclub2021 said:


> I have been told that I have a lower than normal egg reserve for my age (32) and I am starting a long protocol at maximum stimulation tomorrow! I’m excited but feel a bit detached after reading all the horrible stories naturally 😂 how are you getting on?


Good luck with your cycle and keep us posted. Don’t feel disheartened or wary from our venting and personal experiences, remember this platform is a great place for everyone to support one another it is such a valuable site to be apart of. 

I am on a break and will look to start round 3 soon with my own eggs.


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## miamiamo (Aug 9, 2015)

Good luck on your journey!


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## ASABclub2021 (Apr 28, 2021)

Thank you sparkler & miamiamo! Has anyone had any recent successes? 

I’m nearly finished downregulating. I felt great the first 2 weeks of drugs, now I have full blown chin acne, gained half a stone in weight and ready to scream at anyone who approaches me 😂 oh the joys of ivf!


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