# Hello - I'm new ...



## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

I've just signed up to this website as I'm starting my ICSI at the Oxford Fertility Unit very soon, I start injecting on Thurs for the 1st time and I'm a little apprehensive but excited at the same time, I'm not too sure what to expect really, my hubby is going to give me the injections so that he feels part of this whole procedure.  I'm nearly 38 and we have been trying for 2 years. my husband has a low sperm count, with low motility, clumping etc, my tests showed that I'm fit & well and I have lush ovaries which I like to think is encouraging ....

Is there anybody out there about to start and who are also based at the OFU too?  Any comments would be gratefully welcome   

Thank you, Emma


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## Ceri. (Sep 6, 2004)

to FF Emma!

Please have a good look around the site and feel free to post in any area, and make yourself at home. There are many who are on their TTC journey, and others who have been fortunate to have little ones with assistance. You will soon discover that our members are very encouraging of one another and offering advice or just simple hugs. There's a vast amount of information here for everyone, so start reading, posting and getting to know others. You will make some great friends too, lots of members often have meet ups locally too, for chats, coffee, shopping or even nights out! You can share conversations with one another freely, simply because we all understand each other. It's hard when family and friends don't fully comprehend what this journey entails and the emotions that go with it. That's where we come in!

Here are some links which you should find really useful at the moment&#8230;&#8230;

*What Every New Member Needs To Know (includes a list of common abbreviations) ~ *   CLICK HERE

*Complimentary, Holistic and Spiritual Approaches ~ *CLICK HERE 

*A Rough Guide To IVF ~*CLICK HERE

(This is a breakdown of the procedure of IVF which is the same as ICSI up until the point of fertilization, With ICSI the embryologist injects one good sperm into one good egg, and repeats until all are used. So it gives them a helping hand, with IVF the eggs and sperm are left to fertilize by themselves)

*ICSI ~ *CLICK HERE

*Male factors ~ *CLICK HERE

Plese pop by and introduce yourself to the ladies on the OFU chatter thread ... 
http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=245448.0

While undergoing treatment, you might find it useful to join other ladies having treatment at the same time. The Cycle Buddies threads are just for that. Just pop along to the appropriate month and say "Hi" when you are ready to start treatment.

*Cycle buddies ~ *CLICK HERE

*The Mens Room ~ *CLICK HERE

You can also "meet" and chat with people in your local area through the *Location boards*. This is especially useful to find people who may be using the same clinic and or in the same PCT area. It's a small world!

Wishing you lots of luck    and 
Keep in touch
Ceri xx

PS I have also sent you a pm (private message)


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Many thanks for all the info - its very informative and I cant wait to chat to people who are going through the same procedure as me, thank you


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## gibbs3414 (Apr 19, 2010)

Hi Emma

I am also new fairly new to this website.  I joined FF a couple of months ago and have found some lovely friendly people to speak to who are going through the same as me   

I am also attending OFU although most of my appointments are at the Cheltenham satelite unit, We will be having our last 2 appts at OFU.  We are provisionally booked into OFU w/e 08.11.10.

I am having my drugs delivered this week, so like you I am very nervous but also excited,  I have just turned 38 and my partner is 36, we have been trying for 15 months but my tubes are blocked so have been told its very unlikely we will get pregant naturally   

Fingers crossed for us all 

Let me know how you get on with the injections which i will be starting in a few weeks.

   xxx Sue


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi Sue

Lovely to hear from you, I will definitely let you know how I get on with the injections, little bit daunting but once I've done the first one, I'm sure it will get easier   Thursday cannot come quick enough as we have been waiting since February to get started, hopefully by Xmas I might have some positive news  

Good Luck to you and everybody else going through the same

Bye for now
Emma


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## nevergiveuphope (Feb 28, 2010)

Hi Emma and Sue, I just wanted to wish you both lots of luck for your up and coming treatments. I totally understand what you mean about having a complete mixture of feelings - excitment and fear and impatience and anticipation... that's just the start! I wanted to reassure you about the injections. I was very nervous at first and my husband had to do the first couple but they don't hurt at all and once you've got over the fact that you're sticking a needle in yourself they become just part of the routine! 
I'm about to start my 2nd cycle next week and will start my buserelin injections then. Is that what you are both on? Good luck xxx A


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## E (Aug 30, 2010)

Hi Emma,

Just wanted to say welcome to FF, I'm fairly new to the site too and find it very helpful and everyone here is very supportive.

We're due to have ICSI and have our consultation on Friday at Herts & Essex.

Good luck with everything, keep us updated.

E


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## Berries (Sep 28, 2010)

Hi Emma

I'm new on here too.  Hoping to start ICSI soon but not quite as soon as you - we are seeing the consultant in Bath next week and I'm hoping we can start the treatment asap after that!

I can understand what you mean about excitement and apprehension.  I just want to get on with the treatment at the moment and am finding the waiting very frustrating!

Hope all goes well especially with starting the injections - let me know how it goes x


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## candle (Aug 30, 2010)

Hi Emma

Just wanted to say good luck with it all!  Can i ask how long it took you to get to this point?  We have had our initial appointment at the fertility clinic (with the nurse).  My husband has low volume and motility. We're having some more tests this month.  The nurse did mention ICSI but appointment with consultant isnt until Jan, soo frustrating as i don't even know whether they will put us on the list then!!  

Fingers crossed for you!


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## Flozzie (Aug 5, 2010)

Hi Emma

We've just gone through our first IVF at OFU and we feel so so lucky because we've just had our first . The staff at the unit are wonderfully supportive and have such a wealth of experience from, quite literally, all over the world. They're regarded as one of the best clinics in the country so you're in very good hands.

Sue - I also have blocked tubes, as you can see from my signature. Take a look here: http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?board=244.0 There's a thread for the girls receiving treatment at OFU so you'll find lots of people in the area going through the same thing 

I wish you all the very best of luck with your treatment cycles and hope to see you around the board again soon.

Flozzie x


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Thank you all for your lovely comments.  I start injecting Buserelin tomorrow morning (1st cycle) and I'm very excited and anxious but from reading your comments it looks as if the injections wont hurt too much  

I went to my doctor last October after my 37th birthday and its taken this long to get started ..... after several tests on both myself & hubby we received the news in Feb that IVF/ICSI was our only option to have a baby and as I fall out of the age limit in Bucks which is 39, we are self funded my father in law kindly gave us the money to do this cycle and we only have one go, so fingers crossed it works .... he has since passed away so I really want to do this for him  

I will let you know tmw how the first injection goes OMG


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Congratulations Flozzie, so happy for you xx


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Dear Flozzie

How did the EC go, did you experience much discomfort? 

I've never had an operation and the thought of being sedated freaks me out LOL

I look forward to hearing from you when you have a spare mo xx


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## Flozzie (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks Emma  

Oxford are very competent with ECs.  I've heard nothing but good things from everyone who has had EC there and, personally, I don't remember a thing.  The lovely anaesthetist chats away to you and you're just about to answer her but you'll be out for the count.  The next thing you'll know, you'll be coming round and a nurse will be offering you a drink of water.  It takes around 20-30 minutes.  I've had a few general anaesthetics but having the sedative at OFU was much quicker and easier.  As soon as you wake up, you feel wide awake - not all groggy as with a GE.  They also give an amnesiac so you don't remember anything - it works!  Honestly, it's just like suddenly being shattered and falling asleep and then waking up and feeling ready to go!  I had no pain afterwards and only took one lot of paracetamol later in the day because I thought it might help me stop getting crampy during the night.  I had nothing the next day.  I didn't bleed either although it's perfectly normal if you do. 

ET is even quicker and easier!  It's just like a standard smear test and you'll watch them put the embie(s) back in your uterus on the screen, via ultrasound.  Its totally painless.  In fact, you might feel a bit cheated because, for something that's the pinnacle of everything you'll go through, it does have a strange anti-climax because it's all over in minutes and you'll be unceremoniously chucked off the bed and told to get back to normal life!  In the nicest possible way of course  

Both procedures are nothing to worry about.  The worst part of the treatment, by far, is the two week wait to your test day.  Each minute is like an hour and each hour like a day.  You'll compare each symptom you have to those of your normal cycle, you'll look up what pregnancy should feel like and you'll generally drive yourself    Even if you say you won't.  I did    Rest assured, you'll feel that you should 'just know' if it's worked but you probably won't.  You'll get told that implantation bleeding could be expected but don't worry if you don't get it - most people don't.  I was almost convinced the treatment hadn't worked for me (mostly because I'm such an unlucky person - sad but true  ) but it did.  I had no obvious signs and nothing that couldn't be put down to the concoction of meds or simple other things.  Tummy cramps for example.  Are they signs of constipation from taking the progesterone pessaries you're given for the 2WW or a sign AF is on her way or signs that the embie is implanting?  There's just no way of knowing but you'll think the worst and hope for the best.  It's all we can do.  The best advice I can give is to keep yourself occupied.  I joined LoveFilm for the trial period to watch loads of cheesy films that took no concentration and were an easy distraction.  Join Cycle Buddies too, they'll help no end!  

Happy cycling and I hope you don't go too


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Thank you so much, your words are so reassuring and the fact that the EC only takes no more than 30 mins or so is a real bonus lol.

I injected for the first time this morning, was slightly concerned last as night as when getting all the needles and syringes out, I didn't actually have any green needles only yellow ones, so after a quick call to the IVF on call doctor he assured me that I can draw up the fluid using the yellow needle as well as inject with it, phew ...... need to call the clinic though to get some green ones sent through.

Onwards and upwards


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## Little_Miss_Bossy (Sep 30, 2010)

new to this and a little unsure what to say! my dh says i should give it a go as i am feeling very low and not having the best of times. been sniffing suprecur for 6 days now and def feeling the effects   going for our first scan wednesday and they are going to show us how to inject the menopur. emma1910 do you have any advice? did you do it yourself or have someone else do it for you? im sooo scarred i hate needles. just keep thinking it will all be worth it in the end.

i think you are all very brave x


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi Karen.M.24

my DH and I had a consultation with a nurse first who showed us how to inject and I must admit it was all very daunting and I'm one of those people who doesn't really take anything if I'm ill, I try to get rid of it myself so to be injecting hormones to induce a temporary menopause etc was quite hard for me to get my head around but having done the first injection this morning, I feel much better about things.  My DH is doing all my injections as he wants to feel part of the process, the needle is quite short and you feel a mild sting and that's it really.

In your head you just have to think "if this is what I have to do to have a baby" then its all worth it.  

Let me know how you get on xx


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi Ya, I'm now at day 5 of ICSI and I am on Bureselin injections but i am unsure whether i should have any effects from these injections as yet.   I'm drinking at least 2 litres of water a day.  I wonder if its working?  Any comments would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks


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## tattybogle (Oct 23, 2010)

Hi Emma,
One week into my down reg drugs the needles are a bit daunting though!
Did you have a trial embryo transfer at OFU? I had mine when we went for a consultation it was ok but I imagine the real one may be different. It was nice to find someone else having treatment around the same time as me and in Oxford and I wish you all the best and have fingers crossed for success for you.


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## Flozzie (Aug 5, 2010)

Just a quickie to say that the real ET is the same as the trial transfer except it's carried out downstairs in one of the ET rooms next to the lab and you'll have a nurse holding an ultrasound scanner on your tummy so the other nurse/embryologist can see what they're doing. It's the quickest and most pain-free part of the whole treatment cycle - over in just a matter of minutes!

There are other girls currently about to start, already started or, like me, just finished treatment at OFU here: http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=245448.255 Pop along, it's lovely to meet others locally. In fact, we've arranged to meet in person this Thursday - everyone's welcome. Drop by and say hello to the ladies on the thread 

Good luck with your treatment cycle


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## Emma1910 (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi Ya

Yes I did have a trial embryo transfer done at OFU and it went very well so I feel OK about that part.

I down regulated last Tues and I've been doing the Gonal F injections now since Thursday and they seem to be OK, although I am worried about getting OHSS, I have a few pains in my lower groin area at the mo and I'm not too sure if Ive pulled something when I took the rubbish out last night LOL.  I have my scan on Weds so I guess all will be revealed ....  

xx


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