1st IVF cycle

Looking back the few months leading up to the IVF cycle did pass quickly, we had a nice holiday before to chill us out in preparation for it.
I had to phone the clinic the week before my period was due so that the medication could be ordered. This was delivered to our house at a convenient time and my husband waited in for it to arrive. It was a massive package, which was suprisingly disappointing when you opened it. There was a sharps box, 3 boxes of pessaries, another type of injection and then 3 boxes of the Gonal F stimulation drug, which we were told to put in the fridge and then take for our first appointment.
I then had to phone the clinic on the first day of my period to arrange to go in on the 2nd day for a baseline scan and then to start the drugs.
The scan went well and my lining was thin which is how they want it to be. The scans get easier each time you go, at first I couldn't bear the thought of a transvaginal scan, but now it isn't that bad at all, and they usually show you everything on the screen which is pretty cool. Then came the not so cool part - starting the injections! The nurse showed us how to prepare the stimulation drug - 112.5 was the dose I had to do at about the same time each day, and she did the first one for me into my tummy and it didn't hurt. They gave me a treatment plan and then I had to come back about 8 days later for another scan to see how things were going. I was told to increase my fluids to ideally about 2 litres of water a day and increase my salt intake.
The next morning I freaked out about doing the injections! As a midwife I give injections regularly and of course thatf ine because its not me I'm giving them to!! My husband is diabetic and so injects himself 4 times a day, but again he couldn't do them for me! So after about 15 mins and a tremendous amount of sweating and freaking out I took a deep breath and as I did pushed the needle into my tummy. Its a tiny needle as its a sub cut injection but still its not nice!! Of course by then end of the treatment I was used to it and it was fine.
At first I didn't really feel any different at all but by the weekend, about day 5-6 I had loads of fertile mucous, much more than I'd normally get and so I thought something must have been going on. I then went for a scan on the Tuesday and they were really pleased with the progress, they said I had loads of follicles developing and they looked a good size so I was ready for egg collection! They called the consultant in and he had a look at the scan and said we'd go with collection on Friday. He explained that there was a risk of having the cycle chancelled due to hyperstimulation, which can be a big problem and if that was the case they would freeze all the embryos and put them back on another cycle. I was a bit gutted about this, but as it happened it was fine.
I then had to do 4 extra injections over 2 days to stop me ovulating on my own and then do something called a trigger shot. Those injections bloody hurt and I can remember sitting in my car on the side of the road after doing my postnatal visits for ages trying to build up the courage to do the injection. I was told the times it had to be done and was panicking, but I'd do it all again if it meant I could have a baby! Then the day of egg collection arrived....

the next chapter...

We had had our initial consultation at the fertility clinic and were now waiting for the treatment to start. We had to wait a year from referrel, which was weird, kind of in limbo and hoping and praying each month that it would happen on its own and we'd be the couples you hear about who miraculously get pregnant the month before their treatment starts.
I had been charting my cycles for a while. This basically involves taking my temperature as soon as I wake up in the morning. Ideally at about the same time each day. This is then put into a computer programme that I use and by monitoring this I can see when I ovulate by looking for a sustained temperature rise. This has proved very interesting because one of the features of being 'polycystic' is that we often don't ovulate, but in fact charting has proved that I do, its just I don't fit into the classic 28 day cycle - ovulate at day 14. Instead I tend to ovulate around day19-21 of a 32 day cycle.
I don't know if this was always the case or whether the clomid kick started my cycle, but I ovulate and thats great! The charting has, of course allowed my obsessive nature to appear in terms of calculating at which point we must have sex to optimise the chances of conception and the amazing peeing on a stick to see if the hormones are getting ready for ovulation allowing me to further predict when the moment will happen. I'm sure this is not good for me!
Anyway, amongst all of this obsessing I found an acupuncturist willing to take me on! I have been going for almost a year now and I find it wonderful, a bit of me time where I relax, and have been known to fall asleep. I go to her weekly and feel much better in myself and felt much better prepared for the next step on the journey.

beginnings

So I guess I should start this by giving an idea of our journey so far.
It feels like its been a long one already and I fear it may go on for sometime yet.
We have been married for 4 years and have been trying for a baby for over 3 years now. I always thought I'd have a problem getting pregnant, like I knew deep down inside it wasn't going to be easy. So we started the 'journey' earlier than I would have maybe liked to. I was at an important part of my life and nearing the end of my degree, but just thought if it happens it happens. Of course it never did happen and as time went by I feared my gut feeling was correct.
I went to see my GP who referred me on to see a gynaecologist. They ran some basic blood tests and arranged a scan, things which could have been arranged by my GP whilst I was waiting. By the time I had all this done and had a follow up it had been a year. I was told I had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - no shit sherlock - my odd mentsrual cycle and increase in body hair told me that. I was given clomid to induce ovulation and sent on my way. 6 months and regular cycles with raging moods later I was still not pregnant. Hubby had a fantastic sperm result, so at least one of us was doing good!
They then decided to do a hysterpsalpingogram (HSG) to check my tubes and uterus, this showed that yes I did have them, and they looked normal.
I was then told there was nothing more that could be done and that we would be referred onto the local fertility clinic. Another year went by and I decided to start looking into alternative therapies, while we were on the IVF waiting list.
I was determined we wouldn't have to have that treatment, I didn't want it to come to that, it seems so final and if that doesn't work, what happens next?
And so the next chapter began.......