IVF/ICSI/FET - any more for any more?

[jumpingjackhash]

Hi all, we're about to start FET following an unsuccessful round of ICSI last year (well, we got the bfp, but then I miscarried shortly after ). But... time to get back on the bike and go again...

Anyone else going through this?

Monkeys sorry for your bad news, good for you for going straight back in for another round.

I had a nurses's appointment today and we are all set to go for FET round next month (start in 2 weeks time). We've got 5 frozen blastocysts, and been told that they will put back 2 this time as its FET and therefore lower success rates than fresh. The drugs sound less intimidating than for the fresh cycle, any you who have had an FET round found the drugs and side effects easier? I actually didn't feel too bad last time side effect wise but the whole injecting thing seemed a bit traumatic, pill popping this time not quite so bad but the old pessaries are back, not looking forward to those assuming we make it that far.

My latest foray into the world of meditation is a 'chakra healing meditation' i downloaded from amazon. what a load of guff about flashing lights out of my abdomen etc, but i have to say i felt wonderfully relaxed at the end of it. maybe my chakra's do need healing after all!

waves everyone else. x

Hi all!

Knackered, [shocked] at your doctor's comments about eSET and DET but glad you're going again so quickly!

ellan - hope the 2WW passes quickly and you get that bfp!

I'm interested to hear the eSET / DET advice being given to couples in different clinics - we were all for an eSET, until the clinic called on the day of transfer and said 2 were looking good to transfer, and although I was only 34 it was their reco to pop both back in, but entirely our choice. I was quite agains it (twins run in the family, was terrified of how I'd cope with twins myself etc.) but the embryologist asked 'how would you feel with twins? How would you feel if a single transfer didn't work?' The only answer we had was 'well, we'd probably panic a bit at first but I'm sure we'd cope but we know we'd be gutted if it didn't work'. So we had 2 put back. No pressure, just a 'best guess' reco from the embryologist based on one 'beautiful' embie and one 'worth a shot' embie. The other 'worth a shot' one is currently in the freezer.

So now I've been sniffing buserelin for 2 weeks and no sign of the bleed I need to reduce that and start on the oestrogen pills. I'm so bloody frustrated! It feels like I'm getting all of the side effects too - flushes, bloating, an odd randomly-appearing rash, tetchy temper, spots... I feel like a menopausal teenager!

The nurse told me I'd be on this for a week to 10 days... getting impatient and starting to worry it's not working.

Hello all!

I am 2 sleeps away from knowing if the FET worked and am starting to think I should test early...DH thinks not and that we should wait for Saturday morning but it is tempting. Surely it would show if I tested now?! Very frustrating wait so far but been at work for the last few days which has been a distraction.

jumpingjack we had a similar experience when we had our first ICSI - we were asked at the time of ET (I was on the bed with my legs a-spread awaiting the ET!) whether we wanted 2 top grade blastocysyts replaced! We were totally shocked that we had that option but I had had such a trial and was so unwell after EC that we both thought that it was best not to 'risk' the twins... we had always been told it would be a eSET and I was only 32... what a shock! We went for 1 and froze the other... DD is sleeping in her cot right now and I am hoping the one we froze is settling in for a 9 month wait to meet us...
Fingers crossed you get that bleed by tomorrow

ellan - thinking of you on your 2ww... tick, tock!

carebear - great news that you have found something to relax you - perhaps I should take a bit of that!

To the rest of you, keep positive x

Woo hoo lizzie! Huge congrats on the bfp! You must be DELIGHTED! Sending good vibes for it to hang on in there!

Rakkers - it's hard not to test early, but 2 sleeps isn't that long to wait ! Great that your decision to tx 1 blasto last time worked - hoping this one sticks too!

STILL no sign of bleed - getting really pissed off with my body now! Why can't it just behave?!

Amazing news lizziebennet!! Don't blame you for testing early, I would if I could! I had extra hcg to support luteal phase so my very earliest testing day is 16th which is blood test day anyway. A whole week to get through yet!!

Jumping I'm sorry at isn't playing ball. I'm sure it will come soon, or they might scan you and find out what's happening. When did you last talk to the clinic?

Good luck with testing rakkers, have got everything crossed for you!

lizziebennet fantastic news enjoy we are all hoping you have a very boring calm 9 months

Oh I'm just being impatient - I'm de-regging so have just hooked on to their 'oh you'll be on this one for around a week or 10-or-so days' when I asked about this particular drug. Had a look at the diary I kept for the icsi and I was de-regging for nearly 2 weeks then, but I think as that was part of a longer process it probably just felt like less.

I think it's exacerbated by the fact I'm booking meetings and events into my diary for the end of Feb, when I was originally expecting to have the tx around then - looks like that will be creeping into early March now.

lizzie congrats - that is fab news here's to an uneventful 9 months for you.

rakkers I take my hat off to you. I'd have caved by now! Good luck for test day.

jumping how frustrating. With assisted conception I find the "always waiting for something to happen" one of the hardest things to cope with. Hopefully things start to happen very soon.

carebear 5 blasts is amazing! Hopefully it's a successful FET in store for you.

Well AF arrived today, which I'm relieved about. Off to clinic tomorrow to have first scan and bloods, collect meds and part with £3,000 Start stimmimg Sat as on short protocol. Hopefully this round works - don't think we can afford another for quite a while.

Feel an emotional wreck. Perhaps should have had more of a break between rounds.

Hi everyone! You probably don't remember me but I recognise some of your names from last year. It has been emotional catching up with all of your highs and lows since I was last on... Here's my update...

I am a first time ivf-er after finding out I had pcos and dh had low sperm count last year. Well, as is the experience of everybody it seems, since then we have just been waiting, going to an appointment, waiting some more, another appointment, and oh yes, WAITING! :)

Well... The month is finally here and as soon as I get my day one I can ring up and they will send out the meds... So now I'm just hopping about and ( bizarrely the opposite of the last three years! ) dying for af to arrive! Please do an af dance for me! It's day 41 which is not unusual for me, but I have that bloaty achey feeling so I'm thinking tomorrow or the next day could be the day!

Excited, scared, in need of some friends!

Hi all

FANTASTIC news on the BFP Lizze so happy for you! Was this a fresh IVF cycle if you don't mind me asking?
Milliemoo I do remember you from before - hello - we are all your friends on here! COme on Milli's AF - it will just be round the corner i'm sure!
jumping any news on your Bleed - sorry if TMI jsut want to know as you are about 2-3 weeks ahead of me (as we were last cycle I think).

My drugs arrive tomorrow between 8am and 1pm... feel less excited about them arriving as I did on the IVF cycle - jsut feel I'm being ultra self protective of myself this time round... I just found a new accupuncturist via a friend. Debated whether or not the £55 per session is worth it - it did calm me down a lot in the previous cycle, and even though it is very costly, I think it' s worth it to feel 100% ready in myself etc - I've also been trying to get to the gym more regularly, as that seems to give me more positive energy. This new accupuncturist said on the phone that he like to prescribe herbs etc to be taken - has anyone else ever come across this before?
knackered know what you mean about emotional wreck - it's tough isn't it.
rackers thinking of you and wishing you well for your testing tomorrow.

Have great weekends all - have today off and going to spend it in...IKEA!!
ZB

Hi ladies
I had ICSI leading to a BFP back in November but unfortunately had a mc around the time of the viability scan . I had two 5 day blastocysts 'on ice' and had one transferred yesterday - it survived the freeze/thaw really well, with no damage and already started to grow before they transferred it into me. I feel incredibly weird today - really blue for some reason but who knows if that's just evil pessaries or what? I recognise lots of names on here and every positive is a positive for everyone, so best of luck to you all. It's hard though, isn't it? I've kept this cycle quiet from everyone this time - which I think is actually making it easier.
Keep on keeping on!
x

Zeebee - i'm sure the acupuncture is really helpful but is it wise to use herbs that might interact in all kinds of unknown ways with the drugs? They would have to be some kind of sh*t hot biochemist to understand all that wouldn't they? & It's already so expensive...

Hiya - I was SO SURE i was going to get my AF today - but nothing - not a sign! I even popped out and bought a test at the shops, but BFN, so where are you AF? I really hate my body sometimes... it seems just like a watched pot never boils, a watched AF never arrives... la la la - not thinking about it... not thinking about it... oh who am i kidding...

Hello Zeebee glad to see you on here - but of course not really as I really wish you were actually on the non-ivf boards... but this will be your round! I know it! I have thought about acupuncture for this first round... I am a bit scared of needles though so not sure... I asked my doctor and he was very dismissive, but the nurse was much more positive - she said to do anything that made you feel better (bar downing 17 martinis - which usually does the trick!).

Lizzie, I know I haven't met you but congratulations - can I add to the pile of warm wishes and sticky thought coming your way?!

Polly, so sorry to hear about your mc but best of luck with the next one - I hope you have lots to do in your 2ww so it flies by!

Waves to everyone else!

Hi all, well, we caved and tested early... and it is a BFP! Will test again tomorrow morning but yes! I was starting to feel that AF was sure to be coming and wanted to put ourselves out of our misery so did it... pls let it stick for the next 8.5 months! Looking forward to getikng to the 6 week scan so can start to feel a bit more relaxed.

Lizziebennet congrats to you! So nice that you get the blood test as well to confirm. Here's wishing you a healthy pregnancy. I am feeling sick and tired as well... zzzz!

knackeredcow - glad that AF arrived and hope that you are feeling a bit better now... it must be so hard to pick yourself up and start again so quickly. I am full of admiration!

polly, oh hon, fingers crossed for a speedy 2ww and for a + outcome.
zeebee hope you enjoyed your IKEA trip and I hope that it included a trip to the canteen... hummmmm! So hungry at the moment!

Hello to the rest of you and look forward to catching up on how you are doing soon.

Hello All

Sorry for being AWOL, crazy work (found time for a smear test though - told nurse she didn't need to explain what the speculum was for, I've had that many up me already this year!). I have done some lurking on the tube home to keep up with you but don't trust my phone enough to join in!

How amazing, 2 BFPs, congrats rakkers and lizzie!! So happy for you - hoping this is a lucky thread . Fingers crossed for those on the 2ww and hoping for productive cycles for everyone stimming.

Zeebee, I've been taking herbs prescribed by my acupuncturist for the last 2 weeks. I'm not taking any drugs at the moment, and my clinic are not keen on them, but they did give me less spotting after AF than I normally get, and got my sleep pattern back after awful prednisolone insomnia. More than anything I just feel like I'm doing something positive every day, more than just taking the Pregnacare and avoiding caffeine, wine etc. I will stop taking them when I start my next cycle, but at the moment it's fine (and they were only 7 quid for about a month's worth).

Can I ask a quick question please? Since our first cycle failed and as there's no firm evidence that my tubes are blocked, I thought we'd just try naturally in-between cycles. So far though (day 17 today) and based on temps, no ovulation and I'm normally ovulating between day 12-15. I know you can get anovulatory cycles at any age/time but is this normal in between IVF cycles? Is it because they took more eggs than I'd normally release last time? DH is happily SWI every 2 days but how much longer will it be?!

Have a lovely weekend everyone, keep warm!

Not much time, except to say congrats rakkers, god I really hope this is a really lucky thread!!
Lotionsandpotions we had a failed cycle in August and after that I had a 6 week cycle, a 7 week cycle then a 4 week cycle. My second ivf cycle had to be delayed by a week as i hadn't ovulated by the day 21 scan to start down reg. I'm fairly certain I ovulated in all cycles as I had obvious Ewcm, but obviously in those long cycles I ovulated very very late. I am usually regular around 30 days so it really was all over the place.
Waves to everyone else, happy vibes to all whatever stage you're at!

rakkers congratulations here's to a sticky boring 8.5 months
zeebee CARE are very anti herbs they found Chinese mess have really negatively affected their results. Problem is how long do the effects last for. Be cautious
Being lazy again I am afraid hope al have a good weekend

Hello everyone. Rakkers and lizziebennet hope you are both feeling ok and enjoying being pregnant.
I am having major wobbles today, blood test on Thursday and I'm so scared. It's really a good thing that I can't test, as I would hate to get a false positive, but I really hate that I'll have to get the news on the end of a phone. Boo! Am feeling really bloated today and generally fed up and I want chocolate!

Ok rant over! Hope you're all having a nicer day than me!

Great going there Lizzie and Rakkers - here's hoping you both have sticky ones and a very uneventful 8.5months ahead of you!

Milly - hello! Your name is v familiar, so welcome to the thread and you'll get plenty of friendly reassurance here, and probably the odd laugh as we go through!

Zeebee, yup, I think we're at a similar stage difference as last time! I started to bleed on Saturday so have reduced the buserelin and started on the oestrogen pills now. Finally. I was snorting the buserelin for 16 days, which felt like forever as I hated the side effects, with luck I won't get many or any with the pills now, although apparently these can make you feel really queasy so the nurse suggested I take them at bedtime.

Polly, hope the tx sticks - the good thaw and growth is surely a positive sign, so wishing you stickiness! I think my big worry for our next stage is the thaw, as we only have 1 frosty so there's a lot riding on him!

Hi Lotions, whilst I'm certainly no expert, I'd imagine the last ivf may have just confused your body (drugs, management of your cycle etc) - my first 'natural' cycle after ours was very long - up in the high 40s in terms of days, while I'm usually a 31-day-er. I wouldn't worry and would carry on SWI regardless - you never know when you might get lucky!

Hope everyone else is well and feeling positive about the whole thing. I've rediscovered chocolate and sweets after a long stint of uber healthy eating so am feeling high on sugar (it certainly beats the druggy mood swings)!