FET Sept/Oct

[Lolly2803]

Hi ladies,
I am due to start an FET in Sept/Oct and wondered if anyone else was too?! Had my first cycle of IVF in August but due to fluid in my uterus and thin lining had to freeze everything. I seem to always have fluid mid cycle, including natural cycles. Very worried that it will always be a problem and will never get to use my embryos. Having a hysteroscopy the week after next to check incase anything in there but doc suspects not. Would be great to have a few buddies! xxx

Banana that's brilliant!!! Ah roll on Friday for a nice big increase!! As you say maybe just wanted to pick the most comfy spot to settle into for 9 months!! Brilliant news for now though

I'm going in for my Hysteroscopy tomorrow morning. I'll let you know what they find! xx

good luck, Lolly!

Bear, taking progynova beyond transfer was news to me too! They didn't make it clear until I collected it to start it for the first time this cycle. I didn't take it at all in my fresh cycle though, only progesterone. (cyclogest equivalent). I think stimming causes your body to produce the oestrogen, though it must be that in some cases extra is beneficial (?)

great news that your lining is nice and thick and you have a transfer date! :) Will be nice when you are down to less pills. Hope I will be joining you (with a date) soon!

good luck, Lolly!

Great news Banana, and keep us updated.

Normally you wouldn't take progynova in a fresh as your oestrogen levels will be through the roof from all those follicles - but in my case because my lining is absolutely shite I needed the extra progynova on top in both my transfer cycles (although this was a frostie being transferred as I had an egg collection to all intents and purposes it was a fresh cycle). I am not a very good example because my lining is rubbish and needs bashing over the head with astronomical levels of oestrogen to respond

Good luck tomorrow Lolly - my hysto was really straightforward, just worth taking your own pad as the ones the hospital usually give you are like mattresses! I was fine with a heat pack and some ibuprofen afterwards, mine was a surgical hysteroscopy so might have involved a bit more poking around

Xx

Thanks ladies!! Will bring my own pads, good tip! I'm not expecting them to find anything and neither is the doc - though I'm kinda hoping they find something simple and small that's easy to fix and to blame for the fluid!

Although knowing my luck I'm sure they won't find anything and the fluid will be hormonal which is harder to treat!!

Should also get to make my appointment to start my FET drugs on the 5th Oct so that's exciting and something to look forward to. xxx

Thanks for the explanation, banana. :) Sorry that you need all the extra help, but I'm glad they have ways to do it and give you the best chance! Hope you are feeling OK.

Good way to see it Lolly. Hope either way it's a step moving in a +ve direction.

Good luck today Lolly! Xxx

And good luck for today's scan hello! Xx

Thanks Banana! I'll let you know how I get on xx

Good luck Lolly and Hello!!

I'm all done! Nothing to report - didn't find anything untoward so just a check box exercise really. Feeling but sore and groggy but otherwise fine.
Appointment on Monday to make the FET plan and then should start injections week after.

Need to start thinking super positive!!

How's everyone else doing today? Any news to report? xxx

Hmm frustrating in a way not to have found anything but also good nothing sinister lurking! Fingers crossed you can just crack on this time xx

Yer I was kinda hoping they'd find something tiny and could fix it which would explain the fluid but nothing.

Never mind - we are where we are hopefully we can put a good plan in place next week.

xxx

Hi ladies, not sure why this has popped into my head but just wondering if any of you have had a test for natural killer cells? Do you know what this involves, when you can have it done etc. Wondering if this is something I should get done before FET? xx

Glad you're home safe Lolly - and glad nothing sinister was found. 10/10 trip advisor rating on your baby room!!

There's two different kinds of tests for NK cells - both are problematic

1. the level 2 immunes / 'Chicago' tests (info about the Nk Cytotoxicity assay here under N http://www.fertilityfriends.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=242395.msg3904731#msg3904731)

2. the uterine NK cells biopsy done by Prof Quenby and Brosens at the Coventry clinic

My Dr doesn't rate the Chicago tests because he says peripheral blood doesn't necessarily accurately reflect what's going on in the uterine environment. Plus levels bounce up and down so the test is just a snapshot in time

The uNK biopsy is also tricky insofar as the endometrium regenerates every month, and some women who've had the biopsy get completely different readings in different months

My Dr prescribes empirically - so because I had an unexplained miscarriage of a chromosomally normal embryo, I'm being treated as if I have elevated NK cells (steroids, intralipids, clexane and aspirin)

If you haven't got an autoimmune history or history of failed implantation or miscarriage, I wouldn't go down the immunes route

In any case, you'd need to be under the care of an immunes friendly consultant for any treatment - what's your clinic's stance on immunes? Xxx

Haha banana you make me laugh! Yes 10/10 until the fluid comes then I reckon it's more like 6/10. Nobody likes sleeping in the damp! Haha!

To be honest they haven't even mentioned it. I've never been pregnant or miscarried or anything so no idea of any of that. Perhaps then maybe I will think about this if the first FET doesn't work. Do they usually test the embryos if they fail?

How are you feeling today? PO any more sticks? xxx

Hahaha, true enough! Hopefully the sun will come out and no waterlogged pitch will stop play!

Immunes testing tests you, rather than the embryos.

Testing the embryos involves PGS before the embryos are frozen

If the embryos haven't been PGS tested before freezing if is possible to thaw and biopsy and refreeze, but it's a lot of stress to put on the embryos

And statistically if you're reasonably young you should have a few good ones in amongst your batch anyway!

You can't test an embryo that fails to implant, the only way to test the embryo if you miscarry is to have an ERPC privately and pay to have the products of conception genetically tested

I'm feeling pants on metformin - I'd like to pretend the queasy feeling was early pregnancy, but it's just starting on a whacking great dose of metformin from a standing start!! FRER is getting darker so just hoping the numbers will be heading in the right direction on Fri 🙏

Well that's sounding so promising banana! I'm feeling really optimistic for you. But rubbish you're feeling sick. Hopefully it'll all be worth it!!

I'm 29 (30 in December) according to the clinic i am young so hopefully as you say they'll be a few good ones in our batch of 5.

The nurse told me roughly about the FET process - it's longer than I thought! But hopefully they can treat the fluid and thicken at my own pace so it won't matter what day in cycle we do transfer. But not quiet clear on that yet. xx

I don't have personal experience with immunes like Banana, but one of my close friends recently had twins following her second immune protocol IVF. She has an auto-immune disorder that attacks embryos. After 2 failed NHS cycles, on a bit of a hunch they suggested she see this specialist guy on Harley St and lo and behold she gets a diagnosis. It's been a super tough ride though, as banana will say the number of extra meds is staggering and the toll it takes is harsh. She had to have an IV drip every month to suppress her immune system, and even though she was pregnant the NHS basically won't give you a lot of this stuff so they continued to fork out ££ for it all. Worth it in the end with gorgeous twin boys but still!!

Not something to put yourself through for the sake of it, I guess is what I'm getting at.

Thanks Bear, really interesting to read and great it was all worth it for your friend!! I'd love twin boys!!!
I think I'll see if we get to transfer this time and how it goes, hopefully I won't need to go down that route but good to know what it involves anyway!

Thanks ladies, it's amazing having you to talk to. It helps so much xxx

Yep NHS doesn't believe in immunes so you can only get the tx privately

For recurrent miscarriage I sadly know several women who were told by the NHS there was nothing wrong with them, because all the NHS tests came back clear - they were just unlucky. Miscarried again. Went private, got diagnosed and treated for immunes (all TTC naturally but couldn't stay pregnant) and boom. Successful pregnancies

You are so young that there is every chance you have several babies currently on ice lolly! Hopefully all this will become a moot point and you won't need to worry about any of this

On which note I must go and stab myself with Clexane!

Hope you're feeling OK today and not too sore xx

Oh I do hope so!

Still bleeding today a bit and feeling a bit rough but can't complain. Well all this treatment is private. Never been to NHS mainly because I only went private for a fertility MOT and to see if everything was OK after trying for 6 months (Which is nothing I know). NHS wouldn't find me because of a) length of time trying and b) my FSH level.

How you feeling today Banana? xxx

I'm the same Lolly - I was straight to private and I discovered my issues from a fertility MOT

My FSH was 17.6 last July!! My AMH was only 1.5, and my antral follicle count was only 5 total. So we rushed to IVF.

Dr didn't understand what had happened as a few years previously (when not TTC) I had been diagnosed with PCOS

Then after my miscarriage it turns out my diminished ovarian reserve had gone and my PCOS was back. My AMH is now 62.2 and my FSH is less than 5. And I got 28 eggs in my May cycle

I don't think the NHS would know what to do with me!!!!

Stagger ibuprofen and paracetamol to keep yourself dosed up! Xxx

Wow what a turnaround - unbelievable really!!! Sounds your Dr is amazing so you've def made the right choice in him. I'm so looking forward to hearing about your appointment on Friday. Wishing the days away!!

I'm feeling a bit better now just still tired. Focussing on positive thinking and also looking forward to Monday where we will plan everything. Feel like I'm always wishing the days away to be honest!!

Mist when is your scan hon? Good luck! X