July/August IVF/ICSI/FET

[TinyPaws]

Hi everyone,

Thought I'd start a thread for those of us undergoing fertility treatment in July/August.

I'm (hopefully) having a FET late July/early August, anyone else want to hop on this thread for the ride?

[confused107]

Hoping on if I can please

I'm 37 (38 in two weeks eek)
TTC number 1
2 years of unexplained infertility
First and only funded go at IVF
Currently injecting Burselin, all being well EC due w/c 20th July and transfer 5 days after
Going for an endoscratch tomorrow

Nervous about everything, but kind of glad to be going with it now

[TinyPaws]

@confused107 I'll be just a few days behind you! It does feel better doing something. How are you finding the buserelin? I took it last year and felt awful, got to take it again this cycle, not looking forward to that at all! Good luck with the scratch!

I'm 33 years old in a same sex relationship
Had 3x self funded donor IUIs and 1x self funded donor IVF in 2018
3 pregnancies all ended in miscarriage
Terrible experience with previous clinic who made multiple errors
Moved clinic and looking to transfer our only frozen embryo. Not confirmed that we'll be definitely going ahead this month due to an issue with viral screening not being done properly at the previous clinic but it's looking likely. Got to go for a last minute blood test tomorrow and currently trying to arrange delivery of my medication.

[confused107]

@TinyPaws sorry to hear about you bad experiences at a previous clinic. Sounds like you are in better hands this time. It's great you have one in the freezer.
I know several people who have been successful with FET so fingers crossed for you.
I have an AMH of 4.8 and only 9 follicles so sadly I'm not expecting a bounty to freeze.
The Burselen injections are ok so far. We tried the top of the leg last night and it was a stinger so back to the tummy tonight
Hoping I feel better after the scratch tomorrow. When I went for the scan of my tubes they really struggled to get the catheter in (probably due to some pre cancerous cells I had removed about 10 years ago) so it's being treated like a mock transfer which is good as not being able to transfer has been a concern of mine
It's great I've found somewhere to talk as we have decided not to tell anyone (even parents) and I don't like moaning to my husband as I can't help but feel responsible for the situation and know he will just say and do all he can to make me feel better, which is sweet but not the best for him as it's tough for him too

[TinyPaws]

Sorry you're disappointed with he number of follicles. My AMH is 8 which is not great for my age. It's so unpredictable how many follicles/eggs/embryos people get. My understanding is that about 10 eggs collected is optimal but people can get good results with much less or many more.

I do all my injections in the tummy, never tried the thigh. They were never that sore but burserelin made me really moody.

Fingers crossed for a smooth easy procedure for you tomorrow!

[orangefolly]

Hi guys. Hi @tinypaws - I remember you from an earlier cycle! Hope this one is luckier for us both.

I have just started on long protocol for the first time (3rd fresh cycle and I think poss our last). Have started on the contraceptive pill. Going in for first scan and poss to start nafarelin on the 9th July. All being well I guess that will mean EC in early August. If we get any good enough embryos we'll do PGS testing because I've had two miscarriages already, one confirmed as a genetic issue.

Last cycle was a bust because I ovulated early before egg collection so they only had a few left to collect despite having 22 follicles before that. This is why they are switching up the protocol this time.

[TinyPaws]

Hi @orangefolly! Yes hopefully this will be a better cycle for both of us, I'm trying to stay optimistic.

I'm not doing PGS but after 3 early losses I'll be on prednisolone and clexane for this cycle. My previous clinic were insistent that there's no evidence steroids help and that my losses were most likely chromosomal but I got a 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinion and they all felt an immune cause was more likely and recommended steroids.

I picked up my meds today, even though it's not a fresh cycle it's still a lot of drugs! Most of them are safely in the fridge as the instructions say to store below 25 degrees C. I'm to start norethisterone on Monday and the dreaded buserelin on Friday.

@confused107 Hope the scratch went well today.

[confused107]

Hi @orangefolly

@TinyPaws the scratch was fine today. Not nearly as bad as I thought and she managed to get in fine so I'm feeling better about things. Great you have got the drugs and are ready to go

Interesting you have just mentioned the steroids. They said they would test the tissue today for immune issues from the scratch. The results won't be back for 6 weeks, so it's likely to be too late for this cycle, but might help if we have another go and it didn't cost any extra so I thought why not. Seems crazy that they don't just automatically test everyone for this sort of stuff pre-ivf. It all seems like a stab in the dark

Fingers crossed for a better cycle for you both.

[TinyPaws]

@confused107 Glad the scratch went well! The steroids are quite cheap but the clexane is pricey.

@orangefolly How are you getting on? I found long protocol quite gruelling, it's called long for a reason! Sorry to hear you've had another loss, was that before or after your November cycle?

I started my norethisterone this morning, no side effects so far hooray! (Although I don't think this drug usually causes bad side effects?). Got a couple of last admin issues to iron out before we can transport our embryo to the new clinic which hopefully won't take too long. I'll feel much better once it's safely in the freezer of the new clinic though! Went away to a fitness festival this weekend, can barely walk today. Enjoyed getting in a few good hard workouts though as I'll have to ease off a bit soon.

[confused107]

Great news that you have had no side effects. Your weekend sounds amazing. I didn't realise that we needed to stop the exercise? I have a PT, group weights and I run and planned to keep going until I (hopefully) get to egg transfer

[TinyPaws]

Gosh you sound very fit! I don't think there's a role that you have to stop, my clinic told me to stop contact sport in the stim phase (in case I burst some follicles!) but I chose to tone it down a bit as the drugs made me feel very bloated last time and also when I got pregnant before i had strong early symptoms that made workouts impossible before I even hit 4 weeks. I had visions of me smugly jogging along with a little bump but the reality was very different!

You do you - exercise is great for physical and mental health so keep on going as long as you and your clinic are happy!

[jemimafuddleduck]

Hi all!
Hope it's ok for me to join. I've been on a number of the previous IVF threads, unfortunately.

I've just had a DE FET today in Spain.
This is my third transfer - 1 x NHS, 1 x fresh transfer in Spain and this is our only frozen embryo. Fingers crossed! All of our previous cycles were BFNs so I'm desperately hoping this is third time lucky.

@TinyPaws I'm also on Clexane and prednisolone. The Clexane is cheaper abroad, just in case you're having treatment outside of the UK! It's certainly cheaper in Spain anyway.

[jemimafuddleduck]

Oh, and they've also put me in Prograf for this cycle. That was expensive. Something to do with suppressing my immune system.

[TinyPaws]

Welcome @jemimafuddleduck, your name is familiar, I think I've seen you around on the infertility boards. Good luck with this cycle, I hope it's the one for you. How is Spain, is there a heatwave there too? What are your plans to occupy yourself during the 2WW?

[jemimafuddleduck]

Thanks @TinyPaws, sorry to see you back here too. Hoping this is the one for all of us.

We have actually signed up to a 5 embryo package, so if this doesn't work we've got another 3 goes. So that's something I guess.

Bits and pieces planned, mainly keeping myself busy with work, but I'm 100% going to test early. I find it's better for me. So I will probably test next Sunday (6dp5dt).

[confused107]

Hi @jemimafuddleduck welcome sorry to hear of your previous experiences. Fingers crossed for this time. we might consider another go and toying with abroad so it will be great to hear your experiences

@TinyPaws sadly not so fit and more of chunky chip eater so it's a constant battle and regular exercise seems to improve my mood and my sleeping. Also never been through IVF before so have no idea how it's going to effect me (dreading the bloating) so I've decided to just be kind to myself and do what I can. I have also told my PT and she has been wonderful and has said she will be flexible with my sessions to suit my treatment

[Marmite83]

Hi ladies, can I join please? Should be starting my first ever IVF cycle around 19th July. Started Cyclogest yesterday to control when AF starts. It'll delay it by about a week. I'm on short protocol and feeling quite nervous about it all, although the cost is the biggest headache at the moment!

[Brambles7]

Hi all, can I join too please?
We’re on our second cycle of IVF, first one was BFN back in April. Hoping to start in a few weeks time - long protocol

Fingers crossed for everyone that this is a lucky thread!

[FingersXssd83]

I'm jumping on...

Age 35, 2 cycles (three embryos in total transferred fresh) both sadly BFN.

Started third cycle in April, they froze 4 embryos on day three and made me wait until they could investigate a cyst on my ovary. Thankfully that was nothing to worry about, so we should be transferring 2x frosties at end of next week.

Hoping they thaw as they should and that third time is our lucky cycle

🍀🤞🏻🍀

[TinyPaws]

@jemimafuddleduck Nice to have a multi cycle package. This is my only frozen embryo so I'm feeling the pressure. Hope the time's flying for you!

@Marmite83 and @Brambles7 Welcome and good luck!

@FingersXssd83 Welcome! Were you on the Nov/Dec thread? I recognise your username from somewhere. Are you doing a natural or a medicated FET?

[Brambles7]

Thanks @TinyPaws, just waiting on AF now. Must be the only time I’ll be glad to see it. Hope your embryo is soon safely in the new freezer!

[Anaesthetist83]

We’re starting our first cycle towards the end of July - long protocol

[orangefolly]

Hi @FingersXssd83 - think we have been on a cycle together before too. Good luck for the frozen embryo transfer!

@TinyPaws yes I am finding long protocol looong! but I also feel like it hasn't really started yet, because I'm only on the pill so far. Feeling like I just want to get on with it now! Yes my second loss was from the November cycle, sadly lost in Jan. I still have one embryo in the freezer, but it's not great quality so hoping we can boost our chances with one more fresh cycle.

Hi to everyone else. The waiting bit is so gruelling, isn't it?

[FingersXssd83]

Thanks @TinyPaws @orangefolly have been doing this a while now.

My first cycle was Oct/Nov, second was Jan, third started in April.

I'm on steroids and Inhixa this time, and with it being a medicated frozen cycle, I'm hoping doing something different might help.

Here's hoping my lining is nice and thick on Friday when I have my scan. What I don't understand is how they know when to put the embryos back in or if my hormones are at the right level. Can anyone offer any advise?

[TinyPaws]

Welcome @Anaesthetist83, good luck with your cycle!

@orangefolly When do you start down regulating? I'm only on norethisterone so far but add in doxycycline and buserelin tomorrow, not looking forward to those.

@FingersXssd83 Good luck for your scan tomorrow! Hope the steroids and inhixa do the trick for both of us (well, I'll probably use generic enoxaparin as inhixa is more expensive and not that widely stocked). Where did you purchase yours from?

Things seem to be falling into place for me. My screening results are back and I'm at a point where I can agree a date to transport the embryo to the new clinic. I've got all my drugs except the inhixa/enoxaparin/clexane as the drug company my clinic uses doesn't stock it. Waiting for the clinic to send over a private prescription for that so I can figure out the best place to get it from. Then I need to book my baseline scan for 16th July.

How's everyone else getting on?

[Bruce2]

Hi
Think I'm on another thread too...can I join both? Not sure how these forums work. Im new to actually posting on them!

Just had FET on Wednesday . Our last embryo.
I'm 34.

ICSI done 2015 when I was 31, resulted in 3x Day 5 blastocysts

2015 put back a fresh 5AA = DD :)
2018 put back a frozen 4BB = BFN :(
2019 put back a frozen 3BA = ???

Feeling very nervous as this is our last attempt

Good luck to everyone