Frozen embryos - any success stories/advice, please?

[testtubebaby]

I've just taken the first sniff on a frozen embryo transfer cycle and would love to hear of any success stories or other advice from those who have undergone this - but there doesn't seem to be too many people around who have.

We were incredibly lucky and conceived at first IVF attempt and would now like to provide DD with a sibling. We have six embryos frozen in two straws - so have even got to think about whether we defrost both straws to get maximum chance of any surviving or risk just defrosting one.

In many ways I am more apprehensive this time round than I was before for many reasons. Has anyone got any wonderful MN words of wisdom or own experiences of the whole shebang they wouldn't mind sharing?

Thank a million.

testtubebaby - I do hope this goes well for you. I'm afraid my experience has been negative. We had dd in Jan '03 after six fresh cycles and then went through three frozen cycles with the 14 embryos we had accumulated. All three failed, I'm afraid and, as I'm 42, this is probably the end of the road for us. On the positive side, I found the whole process much less invasive and traumatic than the fresh cycles.

On the point about thawing - you should discuss this with the embryologist. We faced the same decision last time, as we had 6 left. Their advice was to thaw them all, to maximise chances of getting 3 good ones, and this is what we asked them to do.

Oh, OldieMum, thanks so much. I am so sorry it didn't work for you and wish you luck and happiness for whatever you decide to do next.

Like you, we have pretty much decided to thaw all six after discussions with the clinic. My clinic will only transfer 2 embryos, so if more than two good ones survive some will not be transfered. May I ask how many of your embryos survived the thawing?

I am painfully aware that the success rate is much lower for frozen embryos. Perhaps this is why I am more apprehensive - if it doesn't work I know I'll have to go through IVF again. And while I would be thrilled beyond belief if it did work, if it didn't or embryos don't survive it sometimes feels that I will have 'wasted' time/cycle, IYSWIM.

Yes, the process is much simpler this time round - but 2 pessaries a day, how lurverly!

HI
I can't add any optimistic words I'm afraid - we thawed 11 and went for blastocyst - but it still didn't work. IT seemed like a good idea at the time...
Have a look at the bulletin board at www.care-ivf.com though and you will find LOADS of success stories. I've just 'returned' for months on thre as I went through my ivf odyssy - now I'll have more time for mumsnet
Good luck

Oh bayleaf - sorry to hear that after all this time you still haven't had any luck.

Goodness me - this is on the front page!

Bayleaf, I'm so sorry. Thanks for wishin me luckIt does feel like a longer shot to me but this is what we have been advised by the experts. Have to confess I don't know what blastocyst is, this hasn't been mentioned.

Thanks for info re other site. Looking forward to having a peek - but this means I'll get no work done at all!! Best of luck with whatever you decide to do next - do you know what that is?

HI Lunarsea - I meant to say hello on the other thread and didn't get round to it ( at risk of hijacking this thread - Dad is in hospital having had major bowel surgery - Mum is dying in hospital - but as she has had Altzheimers for 12 yeasr that is not as awful as it sounds - it just measn my head is everywhere and I'm physically very busy)I had wondered who this mystical sea person was who was saying hello but who I didn't think I knew!!! What's with the name change????
Testtube - a blastocyst is the stage the embryo gets to just before it implants - usually day 5 or 6 - it is usual practice in some places ( Eg Australia) to do blastocyst transfers - less so over here - but I am being treated at The Park in Nottingham which is pretty cutting edge in the UK. ON the minus side lots of embryos don't make it to blastocyst - on the plus side, if you have lots of embryos, only the stronger ones make it so you know which ones to put back - and some places have very good success rates with blastocyst transfers. If you have a look on the CARE site you'll find lots of people with loads of experience - often positive! They also do PGD testing at the Park ( testing to see which embryos are 'normal' before putting back - but at a cost of £1,300 so not to be sniffed at.
Hopefully you won't need any of this hi-tec stuff - most people don't - I've just been unlucky I suspect!
Anyhow - must go and visit mum and discuss morphine levels....

Hi bayleaf - No great mystery behind the name change, I just fancied something a bit more anonymous/imaginative/appropriate(if you say it fast enough out loud).

I haven't been thru this myself so feel a bit arrogant posting but I had to tell you - my friend is a BIG success story with frozen embryo's - two attempts, two eggs implanted each time and one healthy baby each time
Lots of love and hugs to you

Ha Ha lunarsea - never occured to me! - Am I just dim?????? OK, Don't answer that!!!
Yes I know what you mean - my first join up was my name plus initial - but I only lasted a matter of weeks like that before deciding that anonymous might be better!